Fleet Owner

Sean Kilcarr

Senior Editor

Trucks at Work Blog

Email sean.kilcarr@penton.com

Sean reports and comments on trends affecting the many different strata of the trucking industry -- light and medium duty fleets up through over-the-road truckload, less-than-truckload, and private fleet operations Also be sure to visit Sean's blog Trucks at Work where he offers analysis on a variety of different topics inside the trucking industry.

Articles by Sean Kilcarr

Maintenance bay: Sound Advice

Problem:

As more fleets contemplate using natural gas to fuel their vehicles, questions also arise as to how such a switch might impact maintenance practices.

Robust demand for pickups continues

Prospects stay bright for trucking

Diesel down, DEF stable

Volvo, Mack forge LNG partnership with Shell

SmartTruck unveils new “low profile” side fairing

Eaton plans to beef up automated transmission lineup

Eaton Corp. is readying plans broaden its automated transmission product lineup, rolling out an automated version of its manual Fuller Advantage transmission – similar to the model being used in powertrain venture with engine maker Cummins – along with six new versions of its automated UltraShift Plus transmission, including 16- and 10-speed versions tailored solely to Navistar’s highway tractors that are due to start production this April.

Diesel sticks to a downward slope

Debating the potential for natural gas in trucking

While the price of natural gas relative to diesel may be low – and drastically so – the cost to acquire and maintain trucks configured to operate on natural gas is high; creating a significant fiscal hurdle for fleets to surmount before their bottom lines can benefit from the cheaper gaseous fuel.

Custom rigs at the 2013 Mid America Trucking Show

Tricked out in all manner of chrome, lights, and paint, customized show trucks made a major splash as always at the annual Mid America gathering.

Dometic at the 2013 Mid America Trucking Show

A newly redesigned rooftop A/C unit for sleeper cabs as well as a new layout for its compact 50-liter truck refrigerators were what Dometic chose to highlight at Mid America this year.

Thermo King at the 2013 Mid America Trucking Show

Thermo King showed off two new reefer systems, plus a new auxiliary power unit (APU) and updated tracking system.

Navistar's 'Project Horizon' truck at the 2013 Mid America Trucking Show

Navistar brought what it calls a 'near term' concept vehicle dubbed 'Project Horizon' to the Mid America show this year.

Volvo Trucks at the 2013 Mid America Trucking Show Part II

More of Volvo Trucks' rolling stock -- including CNG and LNG powered models -- on display at this year's Mid America show.

Volvo Trucks at the 2013 Mid America Trucking Show Part I

Volvo Trucks engaged in a heavy media blitz at Mid America this year, showing off not only a new truck and several new components, but its new "World Trucker" program that's being promoted by Ice Road truck driver Lisa Kelly.