SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Freightliner has built a $2.5 million, 24,600 sq. ft. shop at the expansive proving grounds the company uses for vehicle testing in South Bend, Ind.

The building houses state-of-the-art equipment used for servicing test vehicles and also features offices for use by Freightliner staff. The 675 acre proving grounds is used by Freightliner to test all of its brands including Sterling and Western Star.

The proving grounds includes a three mile oval as well as a "torture track" comprised of off-road sections including major bumps and potholes.

"This is the place where we push the company’s vehicles to their limits," says Ramin Younessi, chief test engineer for Freightliner. "We want to ensure that every vehicle produced by the company will stand up to the rigors of operation and perform safely, productively and consistently."

Accelerated durability testing is the primary focus of testing at the South Bend proving grounds, company officials say. The testing evaluates the structural integrity and reliability of every component on the test vehicles.

"Imagine the worst road you have ever driven on," adds Younessi. "That’s what we run our test vehicles on every day seven days per week."

For a full report on Freightliner’s new capabilities at the South Bend proving grounds, read the August issue of Truck News and Truck West.