March 1, 2007
Editor's Page
Freeways aren't free
After all the talk about highway congestion, it seems we finally may be edging towards action. If we're not careful, though, we could end up adding enormously...
Management: In Box
Over a barrel
In his State of the Union address President Bush called for wider use of biodiesel and ethanol, as well as more clean-diesel vehicles. His goal is to...
Comments open on limiters
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) are asking for public comments...
Clayton Boyce to head ATA public affairs
The American Trucking Assns. (ATA) has named Clayton Boyce as its vp of public affairs. He most recently served as the Public Affairs Officer of the U.S....
Tax file: Faster write-offs for some trucks
Some truck buyers may get a larger tax write-off in 2007, thanks to a bill increasing the minimum wage. At press time, Congress was nearing agreement...
going places
Pedro Ferro has been named president of Webb Wheel. David Michelson has been promoted to president & COO of National Interstate Corp. The Holland Group...
Management: Bottom Line
Don't play ostrich
Trucking groups joined with AAA and other organizations last month to form a new coalition opposed to the privatization or leasing of existing toll facilities...
Management: Economics
Resource allocation
Freight did not appear to increase last fall, according to most carriers and market analysts. But if that's true, how did we manage to eat and consume...
Management: Safety Matters
Raising the bar
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) proposed a rule late last year that would require a more rigorous safety certification process...
Equipment: Nuts & Bolts
Isuzu unveils new N-Series
The introduction of Isuzu's 2008 model year N-Series during Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week in Las Vegas was a high-energy moment by any measure, signaling...
bulletins
Hendrickson is offering an updated version of its Global Ride Solutions brochure, featuring suspension products for the worldwide truck and trailer market....
Dodge hat trick
DaimlerChrysler's Dodge Truck division unveiled three new vehicles at the Chicago Auto Show last month: the 2008 Dodge Ram 4500 cab chassis, Dodge Ram...
Yokohama unveils Z.environment drive tire
Yokohama Tire Corp. introduced the 703ZL drive tire, the first in its line, at the TMC meeting in Tampa last month. According to the tire maker, the new...
Mack rolls out vocational COE
Mack Trucks unveiled the TerraPro cabover at the World of Concrete show in Las Vegas. Designed for refuse, construction and heavy-work applications, the...
Performance high, sales low for new oils
The new CJ-4 engine oils developed for heavy-duty diesels meeting the 2007 emissions requirements are getting high marks for performance in early reports...
Dressed up air rides
Hendrickson revealed its new virtually maintenance-free Quaantum FX integrated air-ride trailer suspension systems at the TMC meeting in Tampa last month....
Denso releases new starters
Denso Sales California, an affiliate of Japan's Denso Corp., announced its new PA 90S medium-duty starter and expanded coverage for its R5.0 heavy-duty...
New alternators take the heat
Remy introduced a new family of heavy-duty, high-temperature alternators during Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week (HDAW in Las Vegas. The three new alternators...
Phillips adds to trailer power-control line
Phillips Industries announced two new Permalogic trailer power management products at TMC's meeting in Tampa: Permalogic TC and Permalogic TC Plus. The...
First urea dispenser
Benecor LLC unveiled what it calls the first urea dispenser for commercial and fleet applications at TMC's winter meeting last month. According to Brendan...
New options for KW vocationals
Caterpillar's C9 engine and an extended day cab are two new vocational options for Kenworth vocational trucks. The C9 is now available for the W900S mixer...
Idling solutions on tour
TMC's conference in Tampa was the first stop for the Webasto C5 Truck as it kicked off a cross-country tour of its idling-solutions technology last month....
Set-forward for Sterling
Sterling Truck Corp. recently unveiled a new heavy-duty vocational truck, the Set-Forward Sterling. Designed for construction and government markets,...
Buses get Airtek, Softek
Hendrickson announced that its Airtek front air suspension and Softek suspension can now be spec'd on Blue Bird's All American Type D school buses. The...
Bendix boosts Formula Blue
Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC will launch a revamped all-makes product line of replacement hydraulic brake parts under the Formula Blue brand in...
Emissions unit sold
ArvinMeritor signed an agreement to sell its Emissions Technologies business group to One Equity Partners (OEP) for about $310 million. The transaction...
ULSD cold start additive
MidContinental Chemical Co. (MCC) has introduced a new line of ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) cold flow improvers. They are designed to bring down the...
Diesel drives '08 Super Duty
Since approximately 75% of all Ford F-Series Super Duties sold are diesel-powered, the new diesel emissions standards for 2007 meant the heavy-duty pickup...
Cummins 07 Uptime Guarantee
Cummins Inc. has announced that its heavy-duty ISX and ISM on-highway truck engines for 2007 will be covered by its Uptime Guarantee, which includes both...
Equipment: Tire Tracks
Not just for cars
It's a well-known fact that passenger-car and light-truck tires will deliver higher mileage if they are rotated on a regular basis. Everything from irregular...
The Last Word
the last word
Faster than an oil change? A new super hero of sorts will lead the latest marketing campaign for Cenex-brand fuels and lubricants. The Cenex Guy symbolizes...
Articles
Win-win deal
It's not easy finding quality drivers especially team drivers but there's at least one fleet with an operation that not only needs teams but can deliver...
The high-tech shop
Even as the first personal computers we're talking the Tandy TRS 80 and Commodore 64 here started elbowing their way onto the desks of progressive fleet...
Indy 1000
While the NPTC Annual Conference & Exhibition this past April in Nashville was rated the best NPTC event in over five years, Indianapolis 2007 is shaping...
Shut down idling
The storm of issues that have been building around engine idling reached hurricane strength last month when hundreds of scientists from around the world...
what's new in: Shocks
Most fleet operators know how important shock absorbers are for controlling (absorbing) the up-and-down movement (shock) created by their trucks' springs...
Roll-offs roll on
Bob Nitti knows all too well how difficult it is to avoid getting flat tires on roll-off container trucks that haul construction demolition. The owner...
Next-generation VORAD
The next generation of Eaton Corp.'s VORAD safety system starts with a 77-GHz radar unit that integrates an electronic controller in a single plastic...
PeopleNet adds remote diagnostic for light trucks
An upgrade to the PerformX wireless vehicle management system from PeopleNet extends remote monitoring of fault codes to light trucks using the OBD-II...
Stemco, SkyBitz join for remote mileage readings
Under a new development agreement, Stemco's digital hubometer is being combined with SkyBitz' wireless trailer tracking system to provide fleet users...
Networkcar and Wright Express team up
Wright Express Corp. and Networkcar are joining forces to offer remote vehicle maintenance diagnostics and GPS vehicle location information to their common...
Using e-checks to stop theft
Randy Brown will tell you that if he had a way to double-check the identities of truck drivers electronically in real time, he wouldn't have been burned...
Vehicle data on web
A secure Internet service from J.J. Keller & Assocs. Inc. allows fleets to create an online data warehouse for all vehicle title, license and permit information....
Telematics set for growth
A new study finds that better wireless networks, devices and operating systems are creating market conditions for in-vehicle telematic systems to flourish...
Transcore adds ACE
TransCore has added Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) integration to its Link OpsCenter product, now a part of TransCore's 3sixty Operations Management....
Digital diagnostics
Bryan Murphy had just grabbed a cup of coffee when the phone rang with the kind of call most truck salesmen dread: a customer down for unexpected repairs....
