Fleet Owner

Congress gets earful on HOS

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:49:00 +0000

Rule changes due to take effect just 12 days from now

Testimony before a Congressional subcommittee yesterday on impending changes to the Hours of Service (HOS) rules for truck drivers cast some more light on the intentions of the revisions and the difficulty of roadside enforcement of the changes—as well as what may well shape further battles over the rule’s content.

These changes to the rule are slated to go into effect just 12 days from now, barring a court decision on a pending legal challenge:

NationaLease names vp of dedicated services

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:53:00 +0000

Joseph Gallick has been named vice president of dedicated services for NationaLease, an organization of full-service truck leasing companies.

Gallick joins NationaLease from Penske Logistics, where he served as senior vice president of sales since 1999.

Bergstrom partners with solar energy provider eNow

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:52:00 +0000

Bergstrom, makes of the NITE no-idle system, has partnered with eNow, a clean tech solar energy solutions company. As part of the agreement, both companies will market their complimentary products – which are both CARB approved – to the industry in North America and Europe.

Bosselman opens shops in Tucumcari, NM

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:52:00 +0000

Bosselman Boss Truck Shops has opened a location in Tucumcari, NM, at Exit 333 off Interstate 40. The facility is adjacent to a Flying J Travel Plaza. The shop is managed by David Arellano.

The Tucumcari Boss Shop is the second shop to be built from the ground up, the company said, and is the 41st Boss Shop across 22 states.

Love’s Travel Stop opens in Texas

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:51:00 +0000

A new Love’s Travel Stops location has opened in Deer Park, TX, this week. The location is located at Highway 225 and Independence Parkway.

The new location includes a fully stocked travel stop with 70 truck parking spaces, a McDonald’s and Chester’s Chicken restaurant and a Love’s Truck Tire Care Center, all open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

U.S. Bank offers fuel card options

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:50:00 +0000

U.S. Bank is offering fleet managers two different fuel card options to suit truck fleet needs.

Both the Over the Road Card and Over the Road Plus Card provide users with nationwide acceptance, robust misuse prevention, enhanced data capture and comprehensive reporting for class 7-8 vehicles. The Over the Road Plus Card adds additional flexibility to manage additional expenditures on a single card via the MasterCard network, U.S. Bank said.

Wingfoot Commercial Tire Center opens in Oklahoma

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:49:00 +0000

Wingfoot Commercial Tire Systems, a subsidiary of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., has opened a new facility in Oklahoma City, OK.

The 9,600-sq.-ft. facility offers Goodyear, Dunlop and Kelly brand medium truck tires, Goodyear-authorized retreaded truck tires, 24/7 roadside assistance, wheel refurbishing and truck tire repair and other tire-related services.

Led astray by GPS

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:09:00 +0000

Ah the now-ubiquitous global position system or “GPS” as everyone calls it – a combination of technologies whereby satellites and often cell phone networks pinpoint the location of a vehicle, then inputs said location into a software program in order to ultimately provides drivers with directions; no thumbing of paper maps required.

Yet technology is not so perfect, nor so foolproof, that it never sends folks in the wrong direction to the wrong place from time to time.

Trucks at Work

Drivewyze Demo

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:45:00 +0000

California-based Drivewyze Inc. demonstrated its new "e-inspection" system recently at the West Friendship weight and inspection station outside Baltimore, MD; a system that will electronically gather and send in real-time vehicle weight, driver CDL, driver HOS, CSA scors and other information to law enforcement personnel so fleets with good records can avoid being pulled over.

Will fleets acquiesce to “e-inspections”?

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:15:00 +0000

So I got to check out this new “e-inspection” system put together by California-based Drivewyze Inc. yesterday at the West Friendship weigh and inspection station outside Baltimore, MD, yesterday – an interesting “cloud computing” platform that allows trucks to electronically send not only vehicle weight information but electronic logbook data and safety history in real-time to enforcement officers, hopefully allowing them to bypass such weigh/inspection sites altogether.

Trucks at Work

Trucking and Obamacare: How healthy will your company be in 2014?

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:40:00 +0000

As we quickly approach the open enrollment period under the new healthcare, aka ObamaCare, law, many businesses, particularly smaller businesses, are still unsure how the law will affect them.

Well, I don’t have the answers either, unfortunately. And the sad fact is that for many people, finding an unbiased analysis of the program is virtual impossible. The truth is, we’ll just have to wait and see what happens and businesses will have to adjust their business model as they go.

Trucking Straight Talk

Formal debut of “e-inspection” technology

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:16:00 +0000

A long-awaited demonstration of what’s being dubbed “e-inspection” technology took place this week at the West Friendship Weigh Station and Inspection Site outside Baltimore, MD – technology that will allow trucks to transmit driver information, electronic logbook data vehicle weight, and other details electronically in real-time while the vehicle remains in motion.

Oliver Rubber releases SmartWay trailer retread

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:54:00 +0000

Oliver Rubber has launched the Vantage Trailer II, an EPA SmartWay verified trailer procure retread. The Vantage Trailer II is designed for long-haul, over-the-road applications.

“The Vantage Trailer II demonstrates the strength of Oliver’s experience,” said Philip Boarts, Oliver product category manager. “This new retread provides excellent fuel economy, treadwear and traction.”

Fontaine Heavy-Haul names director of R&D

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:52:00 +0000

Fontaine Heavy-Haul has named Neil Robertson director of research and development. Robertson will report to Randy McGuire, president of the lowbed and extendable trailer industry provider.

“We’re delighted to have Neil on our team; with almost 30 years in the trailer industry he brings a broad depth of experience to Fontaine Heavy-Haul,” said McGuire. “He really understands this business from the ground up and has earned his reputation as an innovator and problem-solver.”

SKF adds all-makes new and remanufactured dryers and cartridges

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:52:00 +0000

SKF has added 23 new part numbers to its all-makes new and remanufactured air dryers, cartridge and service kit offerings. Eleven of the new part numbers have been added to the popular Model 9 air dryer line, the company said.

The new part numbers are outlined in the updated all-makes new and remanufactured air dryers, cartridges and new service kits catalog.

Love’s Travel Stops to distribute Aeolus tires

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:51:00 +0000

Love’s Travel Truck Tire Care locations will now sell Aeolus truck tires under a deal between Love’s Travel Stops and Alliance Tire Americas, the U.S. distributor for Aeolus.

CALSTART to test battery technology

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:50:00 +0000

CALSTART has been awarded a contract from the U.S. Army to test 12-volt Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) batteries in commercial trucks.

Auto Truck Group awarded ship-through status for ProMaster

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:50:00 +0000

Auto Truck Group (ATG) has been awarded ship-through status for Ram ProMaster cab chassis and cutaway models. ATG is an upfitter specializing in design, manufacture and installation of truck equipment. Its Bartlett, IL, and Fort Wayne, IN, facilities will handle the upfitting process.

Fleet Brake adds Quebec location

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:49:00 +0000

Fleet Brake has opened a new parts distribution center in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

“This investment in a key Canadian market for Fleet Brake provides our mobile customers continued access to our premier product and service solutions. In order to provide true national fleet support in Canada, a presence in Quebec is essential,” said John Bzeta, president.

The Montreal location has access to major air and seaports complemented by a major highway network, the company said.

AMS Automotive names gm for Heavy Duty Group

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:19:00 +0000

Pat Biermann brings more than 40 years of experience to his new position as executive vice president and general manager of AMS Automotive’s Heavy Duty Group.

Biermann was most recently president of HD America, which he founded. Prior to his tenure with HDA, Biermann was director of heavy duty sales at Wagner Electric.

Bendix to open onsite healthcare facility

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:17:00 +0000

Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems will open an onsite healthcare center at its Huntington, IN, manufacturing complex.

Through a partnership with Marathon Health, Bendix’s Huntington employees will have workplace access to total population health management, including primary care, health assessments, health coaching, and disease management. The Marathon Health MedicalHome@Work onsite healthcare model will also serve the spouses and children of Bendix employees.

Rebuild kit streamlines fifth wheel repairs

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:16:00 +0000

Fontaine Parts Connection has released a new “major rebuild kit” to streamline the repair process for popular Fontaine fifth wheel models. The kit combines six previous kits into one.

2-post lift features 16,000-lb. lifting capacity

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:12:00 +0000

Stertil-Koni has released a new line of 2-post heavy-duty vehicle lifts. The Freedom Lift line offers hydraulic 2-post lifts with a lifting capacity of 16,000 lbs.

The lifts’ clean, ergonomic design is distinguished by wheels-free lifting, telescopic swing arms with a wide range of usability and a design that requires no mechanical structure overhead, the company said. The product provides optimal safety through a symmetrical, open floor design that optimizes workspace in the shop.

Zonar introduces rugged telematics platform

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:12:00 +0000

To meet the demanding needs of construction and work truck fleets, Zonar has introduced a new rugged telematics platform. The V3R platform for work truck fleets and construction equipment provides powerful vehicle tracking combined with operating information for vehicles that work in harsh conditions including dirt, mud, ice, sand, and rain, Zonar said.

Drivewyze names CFO

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:11:00 +0000

Jason Ding has joined Drivewyze as chief financial officer and vice president of administration. Drivewyze offers weigh station and inspection site bypass systems.

Ding was previously an executive-in-residence at TEC Edmonton, and served as a consultant for Drivewyze during the past year. Prior to his work at TEC Edmonton, Ding was a vice president and director and the deputy leader for Western Canada (Technology, Media and Telecommunications) for Deloitte & Touche Corporate Finance Canada.

The ROI for IT

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:04:00 +0000

As I’ve noted in this space before, information technology is now a fundamental part of the global transportation business (freight and otherwise). The question many fleet managers rightly ask themselves, though, is how to figure out the return on investment or “ROI” for all the dollars being spent on IT.

Trucks at Work

Mobile Communications: Debating BYOD vs. COPE in trucking

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:40:00 +0000

There is a growing debate within the trucking industry regarding mobile communication technology as to whether a so-called “Bring Your Own Device” or “BYOD” approach is more beneficial or detrimental compared to the more traditional “Company-Owned Personally Enabled” or “COPE” strategy, especially in terms of security, privacy, cost and supportability issues.

Danger time for teenage drivers

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:46:00 +0000

Ah summer! A golden time for driving, as roads are clear of ice, snow, and the many other potentially dangerous weather conditions associated with winter. Right?

Well, no, actually – especially if you are a teenage driver.

Commercial vehicle operators should car about this because – as everyone well knows – they and teenage drivers share the very same asphalt ribbons, often at high speed. So if big rig operators know that summer is the time of maximum danger for teenage drivers, maybe such forewarning can help prevent some crashes.

Trucks at Work

Fontaine Fifth Wheel hires key account/marketing manager

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:47:00 +0000

Todd Kuipers has been hired by Fontaine Fifth Wheel as its key account manager for the Atlantic Coast region and as marketing manager.

Kuipers will be responsible for maintaining relationships with significant fleet and dealer customers in the region while also leading the fifth wheel manufacturer’s North American marketing efforts.

U.S. Xpress implements Kaazing management system

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:46:00 +0000

U.S. Xpress Enterprises has used Kaazing, a provider of enterprise web & mobile communication for live data delivery and creator of the HTML5 WebSocket system, to modernize its proprietary transportation management system, XPM, fleet management, planning and customer service.