No matter where the news happens, Jack Davis and his Kenworth T300 have to get there. And who will notice if they don't? Only millions of television viewers.

Davis, satellite truck engineer for KXAS-TV Channel 5 in Fort Worth, Texas, is in charge of the station's satellite news gathering. He says the Kenworth T300 is quick, smooth and reliable - the perfect rig for toting $800,000 worth of equipment to sites all over the U.S. for live shots and breaking news feeds. Assignments handled by the satellite team include hurricanes, Super Bowls, and the Olympics, as well as following the Dallas Cowboys and president-elect George W. Bush around the country. The mobile broadcasting center also transmits live shots for "NBC Nightly News" and "The Today Show."

"Live shots are what we do with this truck," Davis says. "Then we can send those shots wherever they need to go via satellite."

Davis arrives on location with the truck, where the reporter and photographer often are already interviewing and shooting. He sets up, pointing the truck's satellite dish at NBC's satellite, and runs cables to wherever the reporter chooses to do the live shot. Then, during the newscast, the signal is beamed back to the TV station.

"The truck is actually a mobile TV station itself," Davis says. "We've got our own generator for power, and cell phones for communication. I also have satellite phones for remote locations where there's no cell service. I have everything needed to go anywhere in the country and get a live report back to the station."

About 20 percent of the time, the story requires going off-road to cover accidents, wrecks or natural disasters. KXAS-TV took delivery of the T300 during the first week of July. A month later, it had more than 3,100 miles on the odometer. "With our previous vehicle (a non-Kenworth), we struggled for 180,000 miles in 10 years," Davis says. "It was a cargo series and wasn't intended for over-the-road use. However, our new Kenworth more than meets our needs."

In pursuit of a quality conventional-style vehicle, Davis test drove trucks from other manufacturers. He ultimately chose the Kenworth T300 for several reasons.

"From the start, the Kenworth salesmen were very helpful," he says. Fueling convenience was another big factor. Davis wanted a truck that could be fueled at most gas stations - a description that fits the T300. "And this was the only truck I found that featured one big fuel tank on one side instead of having dual tanks on each side," he says. Dual tanks rarely can be filled at the same time, Davis says. With dual tanks, the truck usually has to be turned around halfway through the fueling process, an inconvenience Davis wanted to avoid.

Another feature Davis likes is the 300 horsepower 3126 Caterpillar engine, which has virtually twice the power of his previous truck engine.

"With our other truck we could only reach 62, maybe 63 miles per hour" on roads with 70 m.p.h. speed limits, he says. "But this engine gives us the extra power for passing or to put on a little extra highway speed if needed. For example, with the T300 we can make it from here to San Antonio in four and a half hours. With the previous truck it was a six-hour drive. That is a significant time saver."

Time isn't Davis' only challenge. He also is transporting expensive broadcasting equipment. The ride for both the equipment and Davis is cushioned by an air-ride suspension system.

"It helps protect the expensive equipment I've got riding in the back," Davis says. "And for the cab, I ordered the air-ride seat, which is also very nice. It's an option, but it adds to the comfort level inside the truck."

Davis also appreciates the vehicle's design. "Everything - even behind the dashboard - is labeled very well," he says. "Since I handled much of the connections and wiring between the satellite unit and the truck myself, all I had to do was match everything up. I appreciate Kenworth's design throughout the truck ... very logical and well thought-out. I've put it all to good use."

Fuel efficiency is also part of the package, with the truck getting between 8 and 10 miles to the gallon and receiving oil changes every 7,500 miles (versus every 6,000 miles with the previous truck). And for even further convenience, the local Kenworth dealer, Texas Kenworth, will perform all scheduled maintenance and service on the vehicle.

"I like everything about this truck, and so do our competitors," Davis says. "Other TV stations have taken notice and now they want a truck just like ours."

Kenworth Truck Company, a division of PACCAR Inc, is a leading manufacturer of heavy and medium duty trucks. Kenworth's Internet home page is at www.kenworth.com.