Archive for October, 2004

>RVers are likely to find a Wi-Fi signal at truck stops.

“This all happened very quickly,” says Brian McCaul, vice president of marketing for TON Services, a division of Flying J. A year ago, there were only a handful of deployments, but now he estimates that nearly 75 percent of all major truck stops have deployed hotspots.

“In the case of Wi-Fi, we invested ahead of where we thought the market was in terms of actual users, but the adoption rate in the industry surprised us. Truck drivers, RVers, and business travelers all seemed to be just waiting for this type of service,” McCaul said.

To date, Flying J has rolled out about 270 hotspots. Full Story…

>The Workhorse R Series motor home chassis provides GVWR options of 32,000 lb., 29,500 lb. and 28,000 lb., and respective GCWRs of 44,000 lb., 41,500 lb. and 40,000 lb. It offers wheelbases of 208, 228, 242, 252 and 262 inches for both straight rail and raised rail configurations and a 276-inch wheelbase for a raised rail.

R Series models also provide both side and rear coolpack offerings and are powered by Cummins engine choices of 330 ISC, 350 ISL, 370 ISL and 400 ISL horsepower, all coupled to Allison® 3000 MH transmissions.

“The R Series integrates chassis components in a way that provides the best combination of ride and handling,” says Jon Krider, senior RV marketing manager for Workhorse. “It also has engine choices and cooling configurations that deliver more power and performance. Full Story…

>A recent RV industry survey shows that families that go RVing are better able to enjoy the benefits of outdoor activities that lead to a fit lifestyle. Hiking and walking are two of the most popular RVing activities with over three-fourths of respondents saying they are more physically active on RV trips compared to when they are at home.

Seven out of 10 say they walk more during RV vacations than when they are at home. Over 40 percent of respondents report walking 3 to 10 miles daily during RV vacations. “RVing helps us get off the couch and out of the house,” notes RVer Roger Allen of Olustee, Okla.

Ninety four percent of survey takers insisted that RVing helps their families maintain a healthier lifestyle. Respondents cited the ability to relax and relieve stress (85%), control their own schedule (75%) and cook/eat their own food (74%) as reasons why RVing promotes good health.

“RVing makes my family healthier because we have much less stress,” explained RVer Butch Taylor of Graham, N.C. “And we also don’t eat as much fast food on RV trips.”

Reinforcing the outdoor-friendly nature of RVing, a sizable majority (95%) of RVers believe that RVing makes it easier to reach public lands to pursue outdoor recreation activities.