February 1, 2010
Editor's Page
The worst is over
Congratulations 2009 is over and you're still here. The consensus among economists and other economic analysts is that the recession is over...
Management: In Box
Smog and trucking
With public hearings being held this month regarding the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposal to tighten smog standards in the U.S., the trucking industry, which has already endured tighter regulations on diesel emissions, is waiting to see what impact the latest measure, if enacted, could have...
YRC struggles reflect changing LTL dynamic
Though YRC Worldwide secured enough participation in its debt-for-equity exchange last week to postpone a $19 million interest and fee payment as well as to secure a lifeline of sorts via a $159.8 million line of credit, its struggles – and those of the LTL industry as a whole – are far from over...
UPS to reorganize package operations
United Parcel Service plans to realign its operations in the coming months, consolidating its regional and district officers while eliminating about 1,800 management and administrative positions...
going places
The Penray Cos. has promoted Howard Laga to president in charge of the daily operations of the cooling and fuel systems treatment company. In addition,...
FMCSA enforcing new-entrant rule earns praise
The trucking industry is vocally supporting the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) move to begin enforcing its New Entrant Safety Assurance Process rule. The rule requires newly registered truck and bus companies to meet stricter safety requirements...
Safety campaign spots worrisome traffic trends
A hefty increase in moving traffic warnings and citations for both motorists and commercial vehicle drivers alike during the third annual Operation Safe Driver campaign, conducted Oct. 18-24, highlights a dire need for more outreach on safety issues...
Census data points to population, freight growth
Data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau indicates continued population growth for the U.S., with historical trends indicating a corresponding rise in truck freight tonnage...
Schneider completes container conversion
The intermodal division of truckload carrier Schneider National has wrapped up a three-year effort to convert its mixed trailer/container fleet to an all-container fleet of 53-ft units...
Equipment: Nuts & Bolts
DOE pitches in
The U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) is spreading $187 million in grants around the truck manufacturing industry to significantly improve fuel efficiency for heavy- and light-duty trucks, all while maintaining current exhaust emissions targets...
Batteries, brake chambers released to aftermarket
TRP Aftermarket Parts has released a full line of batteries for a number of applications, including truck, bus and other commercial vehicles...
Aero Clad bumper now ProStar option
Hendrickson Bumper and Trim has announced its lightweight Aero Clad bumper is now available as a production option on International ProStar tractors...
Guide aims to cut fuel waste
A new guide from Fuelman addresses an issue that many fleet managers either ignore, or may not even be aware of: waste within the fuel budget...
Tire locator adds trip planning info
An online truck-tire dealer locator from Michelin Americas Truck Tires has been updated to include up-to-date information to make it easier for drivers to locate points of interest near dealer locations...
SmartDrive releases event player
Driver-coaching is quicker than ever with a new SmartDrive Event Player that offers multiple high-resolution video streams and interactive features detailing speed, g-force and a complete play-by-play of observed risky driving behaviors, according to the company...
KW to offer Cummins Westport ISL G engine
Kenworth Truck Co. will offer the Cummins Westport ISL G natural gas engine for its T800 short-hood and W900S models, which are trucks typically used in vocational, municipal, and P&D applications...
Mitchell 1 updates search functionality
A new text-based search function has been added to Mitchell 1’s web-based repair programs, Tractor-Trailer.net and Medium-Truck.net...
Sta-Bil releases diesel fuel stabilizer
Gold Eagle Co., makers of Sta-Bil gasoline stabilizer, are now making available a diesel version, Diesel Formula Sta-Bil...
DPF cleaner from OTC
The OTC 5280 Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) Cleaner from toolmaker SPX can remove accumulated soot from the aftertreatment system in about 30 minutes, according to the manufacturer. Used with diesel engines since 2007 to meet Federal emissions requirements, DPFs turn particulate matter in the exhaust into ash that must periodically be removed either through cleaning or DPF replacement...
New mobile fuel transfer unit
Innovative Products of America (IPA) has released a new mobile transfer fuel unit, its most recent offering for the heavy-duty transportation industry...
Equipment: Tire Tracks
Here we go again
Just when it seems like the reported economic recovery and relatively stable fuel prices would provide some much-needed relief for the trucking industry, most of the major tire and retread manufacturers have announced another round of price increases to offset the rising costs of raw materials and energy...
The Last Word
Trucking delivers for Haiti
UPS donates over one million dollars UPS contributed more than $1 million in cash and in-kind support to earthquake relief efforts in Haiti through its charitable arm, UPS Foundation, which includes $500,000 in cash and up to $500,000 of in-kind services...
Articles
Springing into action
For a company that has literally been gathering water from the ground since 1845, it's only fitting that the private fleet at Poland Spring leaves no stone unturned in its quest to be the greenest truck fleet in Maine...
CARB promises to revisit diesel retrofit rule
Next year the California Air Resources Board (CARB) will consider – emphasis on “consider”--making limited revisions to its sweeping diesel retrofit rule to “provide truck fleets more flexibility in cleaning up their diesel emissions under the state's Truck and Bus Rule that was adopted in December of last year, in light of the recession's effect on the industry.” ...
Online guide to clean air regs
The third edition of the Emissions and Product Guidebook is available in digital form from Clean Air Systems. The book includes hyperlinks to online air...
Roush rolls out propane-power for Ford E-series
Roush Performance is launching the next phase of its liquid propane-injected vehicles with a line of Ford E-Series van conversions...
AT&T places order for CNG vans
BAF Technologies has received an order to convert 463 Ford E-250 vans to run on compressed natural gas (CNG)....
Battery breakthrough needed for EV, hybrid success
A new study by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) concludes that a major breakthrough in battery technology is necessary in order to foster “mass market” demand for all-electric and hybrid electric vehicles within the next decade...
The trucking spark
Twenty-three years ago, Michael J. Fox had a hit film on his hands with The Secret of My Success, a comical farce in which a wily young man rapidly fakes his way up the corporate ladder right into the executive suite...
The Long Journey to Clean Trucks
What a long, strange, clean air trip it's been. No longer do commercial trucks belch black smoke, nor leave behind the thick cloying stench of diesel fuel in their wake...
A call to safety
A lot of noise has been made in the past year about what everyone is calling distracted driving...
Focus on fleets
Today's private fleet professional continues to function under immense pressure to deliver exceptional performance...
Border crossing
There's a scene in the George Clooney movie Up In the Air where Clooney's character, a real pro at business travel, talks strategy about airport security lines...
Carriers remain on edge
With inventories in equilibrium, and consumer spending gradually expanding again, freight volumes are starting to see moderate recovery...
Horton releases two-speed fan drive
Horton has released a new two-speed fan drive for medium-duty trucks, buses, severe service vehicles, rear engine cement mixers and other on- and off-highway equipment with little to no ram air...
UPS puts 245 CNG trucks on delivery routes
UPS has announced the deployment of 245 compressed natural gas-powered delivery trucks to cities in Colorado and California. The company now operates more than 1,900 alternative fuel vehicles...
NTEA adds market data, analysis to website
Work truck industry news, trends and market data are all available now on a new section of the National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) website. The page is designed to support businesses by providing relevant data and statistics important to the work truck industry...
Sprinter prices cut
Mercedes-Benz USA, the new distributor for the Sprinter van, has announced a 6% price drop for all three models of the 2010 light truck, which is now being sold under the Mercedes Benz and Freightliner brand names...
Small to head GM Fleet & Commercial
Brian Small has been appointed executive director of GM Fleet and Commercial Operations and will also assume responsibility for the company's International Product Center (IPC), according to General Motors Corp...
The truck stops here
Sometimes progress is worth the wait. Such is the case with truck brakes. In the works for nearly a decade, new and many would argue long overdue stopping-distance...
What's new in:Brake drums and rotors
The focus on the new stopping distance standards might suggest that regulations are what drive research and development in the brake drum and rotor industry, but that is only a part of the story...
Leasing: Beating the clock
There may be a large market for full-service truck leasing, especially among private fleets, but that doesn't mean any leasing provider can expect customers to beat a path to its door...
Growth, and cash, behind Transplace sale
There are two tales to be told in the sale of third party logistics (3PL) firm Transplace to CI Capital Partners LLC, a New York-based private investment firm...
Mentor releases fleet idling, speed monitoring program
A new monitoring service from Mentor Engineering will track excessive speed and idling time to help fleets reduce fuel costs, minimize liability and improve driver behavior...
AT&T to offer TeleNav Asset Tracker
AT&T announced this week that the company will be providing a GPS-based asset tracking application by TeleNav for businesses and government agencies to monitor and report the location of their portable assets in field operations...
Online service system connects fleets to Mack & Volvo dealers
Sister OEMs Volvo Trucks North America and Mack Trucks Inc. plan to make the Internet-based Mack and Volvo Automated Service Initiation System (MVASIST) mandatory technology for its national network of 390 jointly branded full-line dealers by the end of next year...
J.J. Keller guide covers CSA 2010 driver-inspection program
The second edition of J.J. Keller’s “Roadside Inspections: A Driver’s Guide” includes an introduction and to the new Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA) 2010 FMCSA initiative that will track, measure and evaluate carriers and drivers using 24 months of safety-based inspection violations...
InstallerNet to support Complete Innovations’ products
Complete Innovations’ range of services will now be installed and supported by technicians from InstallerNet, the companies have announced...
GPS Insight adds SMS option
Customers of GPS Insight can now use a SMS (short message service) code to help locate vehicles, communicate with drivers or set up alerts for when a vehicle moves or arrives at a location, all through cell phone text-messaging technology...
Jaguar introduces CyberTrax 2.0
An update to the CyberTrax online logistics system – dubbed CyberTrax 2.0 – is being rolled out by Jaguar Freight Services. Jaguar said the update can better manage and direct international freight shipments to create the most efficient supply chain possible ...
Aljex makes texting drivers easier
Preformatted text messages populated with the appropriate load information can now be sent automatically to driver’s cell phones by a dispatcher with a new Aljex Software application...
Borg Fleet for Canada rolled out
BorgSolutions unveiled the Canadian Edition of Borg Fleet yesterday. The new fleet maintenance management software is tailored specifically for the Canadian fleet owner or owner-operator...
TMW, IBM partner on app/code modernization
A new partnership between TMW Systems and IBM will allow for the modernization of legacy applications and code from TMW’s products without the need for retraining to create Web 2.0 applications, according to TMW...
Datalogic unveils next-gen PDA
Datalogic Mobile is previewing its new Datalogic PDA mobile computer at this week’s National Retail Federation trade show in New York City...
The better to see you: Rostra and Mobileye form alliance
Rostra Precisions Controls, Inc., part of Aftermarket Controls Corp., and Netherlands-based Mobileye Inc. recently announced a distribution agreement between the companies to provide the automotive aftermarket with vision-based driver assistance systems...
Stop digging
As we progress further into 2010, signs are pointing to a slow recovery process. But if you feel like you're still digging yourself into a deeper financial hole, the first step is to put the shovel down...
