Bob Rosadini

Did a check on all the Ford dealer adds in latest Bi-weekly truck/equipment publication that covers New England states, there were 30 new 350-550 trucks in stock-majority 550's and 2 F-600's. I'm surprised that the dealers who have multiple 550's in stock had no 600's. There were 5 650's in stock-one chassis and the other 4 set up with 6-8 yd dumps, load covers etc. I was checking out the latest 550 my town DPW just put in service. Set up with heavy 10' plow with high ends- makes for good casting right or left. Very heavy headgear too..hope the front end holds up. This for sure should have been a 600 IMO.

You don't have a lot of "trim levels" in an STX. Agree with AK. Last April someone made me a good offer on my FX 4 Ranger. I was waiting for a Super Cab Ranger to be announced b ut figured that was a year out so I bought a 22 STX with under 9,000 miles figuring I would flip it next year. Well I quickly enjoyed the Coyote power and the bigger size wasn't the issue I thought it would be. Only thing I didn't like was the color-black which was a PITA to keep clean, plus it didn't have an E-lock rear. So I figured my last new vehicle so I started looking for a new 23 STX on the lot. Plenty of them around-at least here in Mass. Seems most stock trucks had same packages with only differences in engine, color, and axle ratio. Your friend should check local inventories on Ford.com. Plus personal taste, but I like the distinctive grill on the 23's -and older- vs the 24 which has the cluttered look, although it is at least black.

Ok, hopefully that is what he ment..although Fuzzy isnt so sure of that

" It’s not just getting rid of people – we’ve got rid of 20,000 people "– What does Farley mean by this? The subject is "quality" isn't it? His statement relates to cost reduction. If anything might that be part of the problem? In particular if in that head reduction, senior people are targeted if they are at the higher end of the salary range for a particular job classification. No doubt, senior people who are on "cruise control" should go, but I would have to believe head count reduction can have negative consequences when talent leaves the system.

Agree. Sounds like TT works in a company with a union contract that was signed by a responsible union and a responsible company. Or should I say a company that did not roll over at contract time at the threat of a walkout and rather held out for a contract that was livable for lack of a better word. And it sounds like TT is a rep that goes by that contract. And that means to me if a guy comes to him with a bullshit issue, first question is .."what provision of the contract was violated?" And likewise company looks at issue and contract provisions and either "pays up" or its.."Grievance denied, no violation of contract"...that is if a bullshit issue ends up as a filed grievance.

More Fain bullshit...my favorite word.."reasonable"..something Fain doesn't understand...if the leadership of a union doesn't get it, the rank and file are screwed in the long term. The smart guys get it (Fuzzy?)..unfortunately the dumb ones follow the leadership like sheep. In my 44 years I learned if you could not get the union leadership on board, you could not count on the guys in the unit who DID get it to carry the vote. Peer pressure is a bitch.

Are any Mexico plants operating with only one shift? Then again I've always felt Mexico was less than a safe bet in terms of political stability.

Do you have a sick day policy where after so many days in x months you have to have a doc's note or something like that?

Well now that you mention that, my comment on the term "General Strike" foots with your thought that others pull this guys strings. If any term/tactic is "Global", "General Strike" is it IMO.

This is a real problem. Words like "general strike" are usually associated with countries that always seem to be in constant turmoil. Fain is an egomaniac. What surprised me was the failure of the rank and file to see the likely results such a large settlement would lead to. Fuzzy unfortunately you are in a minority.

7M..Just checked with a friend in Conn. He said both State of Conn DOT and City of New Haven DPW running 650/750 Power Strokes. And for sure as I believe I recently reported a Mass DOT "sighting" at a barn near me since then I've seen them in other parts of state. Last night I'm watching storm coverage on New England Cable News and reporter is on Rt 28 in Wareham which is at the Cape Cod Canal. As she is giving her report a DOT 650/750 goes by pushing snow.

Thx good info..and your perspective is closer than mine. Kind of in line with perks you described, in old days, for fleet customers there were quite a few annual regional heavy truck shows/fleet owner /association sho scattered around the country. The New England Truck Show was held at one of two big exposition facilities. And most of the heavy manufacturers had their exhibits..Ford for sure always had 4 or 5 trucks, all with same custom color paint scheme. And there was always a big dinner event at one of the hotels for the fleet guys. Not an inexpensive proposition when you think about custom painting 5 trucks then hauling them all over US.. And another thing that I guess was SOP, Ford would host an overnight trip to KTP for regional fleet guys. Meet at Logan, get down to Louisville late afternoon, dinner at hotel and then nice plant tour, back in Boston that night. Ford plane was a twin Convair (440?) turbo prop. Today, want a brochure for a 750? "Go online."?

Key question..is the dissatisfaction associated with cutting "spiffs/bonus" payments the dealers were getting- as a long time Ford heavy truck sales guy here in New England complained to me, or is it some of the product decisions that he has made-like jumping into EVs on such a prioritized scale or his selection of key subordinates or abandoning traditional cars.....? Or "all of the above"..oh and I forgot, Formula One! Talk about an expensive rabbit hole.

Well to make Joe feel better just watching New England cable news. 12+ inches of snow we were supposed to get up here in Worcester county now happening on south shore. Newscast from Wareham near Cape and as gal is doing her report Mass DOT 650/750 goes by plowing Rt 28. No clue how many they have but for sure they are scattered around state.

So without parallel park, what's left?

And Edge seems to be getting good press as a "good buy" used vehicle. Things people pay attention to. But I guess the driver behind this is the plant is going to be home to all kinds of hot selling EVs??

I'm posting this here rather than in "150" as I'm thinking this could be a universal problem, My 23 150 message center since truck was new, is erratic. Without doing a reset, I'll start truck and two trip options have reset. Plus when you start driving, mpg readout is not instantaneous. Hit reset, and it then functions as it should with immediate mpg readings. Before I take it to dealer, any opinions??? Also probably unrelated but shut vehicle off, restart and radio station (AM) has changed- not always but again- why?

For sure! I assume the park assist is pretty much across the board with competition?

Talk about being brain dead! And I wonder for those that have made the big investment in E already, they getting some cash back? And to be Ford Pro, didn't they have to have certain service hours as well as facility mods? Like overhead door clearance. I guess they think a lot of Transit chassis will have 14-24 ft cargo boxes installed? Hope they have some positive news at upcoming Work Truck Show in particular beyond "connectivity to Transits"

Hmnn...Focused on "HD" isn't it. What skin does Ford have in that game? None ..must be a Farley PR move? At the very least, I can't understand why anyone would not support a delay in any regulatory issue as I think time is on everyones best interest to slow the jump off the cliff and allow market forces and technology gains to advance.

Thx for clarification on the "B-6.7". As for 5000 650/750 inventory IMO that can't be correct. It would be almost half of a full year production. My bet is someone at Ford generating this press release got a decimal point wrong. OR did they lump 450-600 figures in that number??? Also one month of numbers is probably not a good yardstick...I hope?

So Gearrhead mentioned IMSA's VPN. Does that mean you go on IMSA website and its there??

Thx for clarification. So if engine is determining factor and NOT GVW- while all the press I have read seems to focus on class 6/7-then Ford has a big problem in MY25 with 250-600 too as the 6.7 Powerstroke is non compliant? Or it is ONLY the 330 HP version which I believe is the only rating available in 650/750? Also is a B6.7 Cummins the same as a "6.7" as used in a Dodge..excuse me, RAM.?? RAM has never referred to the 6.7 Cummins as a "B 6.7"...or I have never seen that reference.

Work Truck show coming up soon...I think this is big event when it comes in particular to classes 4-7. Don't see how the manufacturers can avoid this subject.

Got it...but what happens in '25 to 450-600? And the JV GM/Internationals-don't have a gas option-at least for now they don't- seems like they are really shafted???