Question:
Was thinkin about that the other day , and best I came up with was the FLD, but i could be wrong.....old timers get to work!
...there's nothing in this world worth a solitary dime, except old dogs and children, and watermelon wine..

Answer:
Well I'm certainly not an "old timer", but if you go back into the 80's before the FLD, it seemed that cabovers were the rule. International 9670's were being used by Schneider, JB, Baylor, Ploof, West Motor Freight, and a host of others.

Answer:
From Present to recent past (IMHO)
Columbia/Century
FLD 120
Int Cabovers/Frghtliner Cabovers.
I will always be a mutter trucker at heart.
Answer:
My vote goes to the Internationals, first place award. Next, Freightliners, Second place.
Years ago, COE's were the common fleet cheapie.
Some smaller carriers ordered COE's "loaded" for the best a COE could offer at the time for driver comfort and convenience.
Some of the fleets just ordered bare bones CEO's. Basically card board type headliners, etc. I've driven some of these CEO's. Decked out one's and cheap one's.
International made some cheap trucks, both conventional and CEO's. These trucks were made cheap because many fleets were looking for the least expensive trucks they could buy.
That began to slowly change, even with the CEO's. Werner bought KW CEO's for better driver comfort. Some fleets ordered Pete CEO's, again for driver comfort.
I drove a Mack CEO, that truck rode very smooth. I could put my coffee cup on the dog house and it wouldn't spill or move. I drove a Freightliner CEO and I'd have to chase "anything" I put on the dog house.
It was imperative quality seats were used in CEO's. I think I had a Cushion Air air ride seat in my Freightliner. My company ordered these premium seats for driver comfort. The truck would bounce madly down the road, but that seat just floated. The truck would get beat up, but I didn't get beat up. I could run that truck 1000 miles and my body wouldn't take a beating at the end of the day.
Other drivers that ran CEO's had to suffer from cheap seats.
Today's trucks are better than many cars compared to years ago. For instance, Drivers that have driven the Volvo 770 and the new 780, say they ride like a caddy. Driver comfort and storage space is excellent in those trucks. Resale value is the stumbling block with the Volvo, but it has steadily improved from earlier years. You see more and more HHG O/O's running Volvos now. That should tell you something.

Answer:
Back in the 70's and 80's Ford was a big supplier of tractors to fleets.
http://www.hankstruckpictures.com/pix/trucks/donq/carolina_ford_wt9000_sleeper.jpg
Freightliner was a premium owner-operator tractor, just a step below Kenworth and Peterbilt.
http://www.hankstruckpictures.com/pix/trucks/dfaust/halls/halls_ford_4323b.jpg
The Ford Louisville conventional daycab was a very common fleet tractor too.
Rough and noisy.

Answer:
Although I am in no way whatsover in love with it, the Mack R model is the most produced class 8 truck of all time with over 360,000 units produced since 1965 to this day.
Mack is quitting production in december after 38 years!

Answer:
Because volvo owns them and wants to dominate the aforementioned market..i just asked that very question the other day at mack/volvo in amarillo and was given that answer.

Answer:
Every Century I have looked at new was not cheap. Looking at some of the Carrier contracts with lease equipment, like the guys I work for. They are paying more then 80k for a 5 year lease (Not the driver, this is what the Compnay is paying)! The Swift order of 2500 Columbias was 72,568 each unit, per the press release. I am not a new truck expert or anything, but this dosn't seem cheap. When I worked for Colonial Freight in St Louis we got to ride around in pretty 379 Pete's. I would rather own a Century if I had to buy one of the two. They are very manuverable and have tons of room in them. Some Like the one I have have nice cabinets and sound systems. Over all they are not much more different then the FLD.202 N Main Street
Summerfield Il 62289
TRUCK PARKING AVAILABLE!

Answer:
Fleets like Freightliners because they're (relatively) cheap, lots of storage and cup holders for driver comfort, are lighter than Paccar or Volvo product, are low maintenance their first year or two, and there's plenty of used market demand.
But for a long-term investment, Paccar (Pete/KW) hold their value and last forever -- just keep replacing parts. They cost more at purchase, but with a Cat engine, will cost less to run and be more reliable over the long run.

Answer:
Hey, let an old man tell you what some freight companies were running years ago and I would dare say that some of you dont even remember the freight companies.
Johnson Motor Lines-----Internationals
Smith(Snuffy)---Macks
Mason-Dixon--Macks
McLean--GMC(Cracker box)
Overnite---Macks
CF--Freightliners(CF produced the freightliner)
Carolina Freight----Whites
Akers---Whites and Macks
Associated---Browns--Then Fords the gov. made Associated quit making the Browns.
Hennis---Mostly Macks, but Shirley Mitchell(owner bought every make under the sun)
Terminal Transport---GMC
Super Service---Whites
Pilot---Diamond Ts
Well that is a few.
Just a grouchy old man.
"The average dog is a nicer person than the average person"-Andy Rooney

Answer:
McLean also had those ugly-assed White Road Commander COE's that had a top speed of about 45 mph. Wilson had Whites/Macks and a few COE Fords. Roadway had Macks/White Road Bosses and some Fords. Interstate had GMC Brigadiers and Ford LTL's towards the end. A little co. here in WI was Liberty Trucking. They had some of the junkiest trucks around GMC 9500's, Macks, Whites, Fords and other assorted junk. Mack's R model had to be the back breaker of all time and Freightliner COE with freightshaker leaf suspension was a very close second.
Better to have it and not need it as need it and not have it!Just remember:If the world did'nt suck, you'd fall off!
The more I see and read about Republicans and Democrats, the more I wish we had an Independent Party.
IMPEACH BUSH!!!!!!!!!!