John Deere Names 2026 Technician of the Year Finalists
John Deere has announced the finalists for its 2026 Technician of the Year Awards, with 30 regional finalists being named in five award categories.
This includes wheel tractors, 8RT two-track tractors and the first fixed-frame, four-track tractors – the all-new 8RX.
The new 8RX tractors are said to offer all the benefits of tracks, such as traction and flotation, while providing a driving experience more like a wheel tractor, along with a new fully suspended cab that makes them more comfortable to operate.
Offering the turning characteristics of wheel tractors, 8RX units deliver greater pulling performance by providing a greater footprint, less ground pressure and less slip than wheeled tractors. They are fully engineered in-house.
A key component is the JD 1700 pivoting beam axle – specifically designed for a four-track tractor to provide strength and adjustability of track spacings.
Tread-spacing options include 76, 80, 88, or 120 inches, working in combination with 18 or 24-inch wide front belts and 18, 24 or 30-inch wide rear assemblies.
The factory claims the 8RT tractors can deliver unmatched two-track pulling performance from the four models available from 310 to 410 horsepower, with transport speeds up to 26 m/h. They also say the 8RT units are the only two-track tractor using an AirCushion suspension system and four-corner cab suspension.
Like the new 7R series, an all-new, larger cab offers an extra 5cm of headroom and a 24% wider entry/exit path. Customers can also choose from three comfort and convenience cab packages that include Select, Premium or Ultimate.
The Ultimate cab includes a new leather seat with electronic adjustment, heating, ventilation and massage features, smartphone integration with a 16.5 cm (6.5 in.) touchscreen and multi-speaker system. Also included in the top-spec cab are a leather-wrapped steering wheel, footrests and carpeted floor mat.
In addition, three Visibility packages dubbed Select, Premium and Ultimate, offer a range of features that include up to 22 work LED and eight convenience LED lights – twice as many lights as current models.
The Ultimate Visibility package also comes with electric, heated, telescopic mirrors; wipers and sunshades on the front, right-hand side and rear; and integrated front and rear cameras.
The new range comes with a choice of transmissions, which includes the field-proven John Deere 16-Speed PST, e23 PowerShift transmission or optional Infinitely Variable Transmission (IVT).
When customers equip their tractor with IVT and add optional CommandPRO, an ergonomic multi-function control lever puts speed, direction and implement control in the palm of the operator’s hand. Any of the 11 reconfigurable buttons can be customised to fit the job and individual settings can be saved for different operators.
Each new 8R, 8RT or 8RX tractor comes standard equipped with an integrated Gen 4 4600 CommandCenter display, StarFire 6000 integrated receiver and AutoTrac activation. Additional premium or automation activations are available so customers can upgrade and choose the level of accuracy they prefer. Regardless of the model a customer chooses, each 8 Series tractor is precision-ag equipped to prepare precise seedbeds, handle variable-rate seeding and manage fertiliser prescriptions at speeds up to 16km/h.
