California Adopts RV Friendly Logo
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed legislation to add the “RV Friendly” logo to highway signs for gas, food and lodging businesses. The logo tells RVers which highway exits have businesses that accommodate motorhomes and trailers.

California becomes the 12th state to adopt the program. The others are Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and Washington.

Wert to Lead Western RV
Bob Wert, a retired vice president of Workhorse Custom Chassis, has become president of Western Recreational Vehicles of Yakima, Washington.

Western RV was purchased by Monomoy Capital Partners in December 2006, and has been undergoing reorganization. Wert, who spent 25 years at Fleetwood Enterprises in various sales, marketing, operational and corporate positions, said he is looking forward to the new challenge.

“Our biggest priorities going forward will be to rebuild the brand, rebuild the dealer network and launch new products,” he said. The company is in the process of assembling a new leadership team. Western RV, established in 1971, builds motorhomes, fifth wheels and truck campers under the Alpine Coach and Alpenlite brand names.

Fuel Economy Law Welcomed
The RV industry is claiming a victory in the new energy bill that raises fuel economy standards for automobile fleets from 25 miles per gallon to 35 mpg by 2020. There was concern that the new standards would hinder the ability of automakers to build tow vehicles with enough power to haul today’s trailers and fifth wheels.

But while the new standards do apply to most vehicles that tow RVs, separate fuel economy standards for cars and trucks will be maintained for pickup trucks with gross vehicle weight ratings of 8,500 to 10,000 pounds and for medium- and heavy-duty trucks.

Richard Coon, president of the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association, said, “Adequate towing capacity should be preserved under the new law, and that’s a solid victory for the RV industry. From the beginning, the automobile and RV industry’s primary goal has been to keep the distinction between cars and light trucks.”

Motorists May Donate to State Parks
Starting this year, vehicle owners in Washington State can donate $5 or more to the state park system when they renew their vehicle licenses. Renewal forms carry a box that can be checked to indicate a donation, and the owner can then add the amount to the license renewal payment.

Donations will be used to improve and maintain state campgrounds, picnic areas, trails and natural areas and to pay for upgrades to park buildings and services. Washington has 120 state parks.

Jayco Dealers Aid Children
Jayco dealers and employees donated school supplies and bicycles to a school in the village of Nuevo Durango during a trip to the Mayan region of Mexico. The project was undertaken in celebration of Jayco’s 40th anniversary year.

“As part of our anniversary celebration, we thought this would be a good way for us to give something back in the form of a commitment to helping people who are less fortunate than we are,” said Derald Bontrager, president of Jayco. “Our dealers jumped at the opportunity to take some time out of our annual trip to help the Friends of the Maya Foundation and the children of Nuevo Durango.”

Dealers won the trip to Mexico as a sales incentive reward. During the trip, volunteers painted and installed fans in the two-classroom school, and improved the grounds. The project included providing school supplies for 50 children and providing 24 bicycles to children who walk long distances to school.

California Visitor’s Guide Is Available
The free 2008 California Official State Visitor’s Guide and Travel Planner is now available at California Welcome Centers and can be ordered by phone at (877) CALIFORNIA. The guide is also available online at www.visitCalifornia.com.

The 226-page guide includes a pullout state map, 47 local maps, listings of attractions and places to stay, and articles and photos on the California lifestyle.

Aftermarket Group Adds to Board
Kevin Phillips, vice president of sales and marketing for Thetford Corporation, has been appointed to the Recreational Vehicle Aftermarket Association’s Board of Directors and named co-chairman of the organization’s education committee.

The RVAA, formed in 1971, is a national trade association that includes RV suppliers, distributors and manufacturers.

Thor Increases Order Backlog
Thor Industries, the world’s largest RV manufacturer, reported a major increase in its backlog of orders and says it also gained businesses at the National RV Trade Show in Louisville, Kentucky.

The RV backlog reached $238 million on Nov. 30, an increase of 23 percent over the previous year. In addition, the company gained an additional $250 million in new orders at the Louisville RV show, a 5 percent improvement over a year ago. The company said the backlog and the fact that dealer inventories have declined are indicators that 2008 will be a good year for RV sales.

Valley of Fire Expands Camping
Nevada’s Valley of Fire State Park, 55 miles northeast of Las Vegas, has added 22 RV campsites with hookups for power and water. A new restroom with coin-operated showers also was installed at the Atlatl Rock Campground, adding to an existing 19 vehicle and three tent campsites.

The rental rate for campsites with hookups is $24 per night. For information, visit www.parks.nv.gov/vf.htm.

Finding Green Places
The National Wildlife Federation and NatureFind have teamed up to create a Web site that tells you where to find recreational opportunities. Plug in a zip code, and the site displays a list of nearby regional, state and national parks as well as some private parks and nature centers too.

The site includes Web links to each locale, gives the distance from your location, and lists the recreational opportunities available. The site is at www.GreenHour.org.

Workhorse Expands UFO Line
Workhorse Custom Chassis has expanded the availability of its innovative rear gas engine UFO chassis by offering a version with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 22,000 pounds. It supplements a chassis with a GVWR rating of 26,000 pounds.

Bill Walmsley, Workhorse director of RV marketing, said the company’s research shows that 70 percent of RVers prefer a motorhome with a rear engine. The new UFO chassis can now serve both ends of the mid- to large-size motorhome segment, he said.

Dometic Joins Green Campaign
Dometic, a leading supplier of refrigerators and other equipment for RVs, has joined with the National Arbor Day Foundation to promote tree planting and is taking other steps to safeguard the environment.

The company has mailed pine tree seeds to 3,000 dealers to encourage tree planting. It also is building all absorption refrigerators with zero global warming potential, is optimizing products for low-energy consumption and is maintaining scrap aluminum and metal recycling programs at all of its manufacturing plants.

Brad Sargent, vice president of marketing, said, “We believe in and support the RV lifestyle and we felt that by teaming with the Arbor Day Foundation we could show in a very tangible way how we truly care for the environment and its future.”