The heartbeat of progress in the trucking industry lies in the evolution of its equipment and those who operate and maintain it. FleetOwner covered many new pieces of equipment this year and reviewed best practices to use assets in trucking operations.
From new trucks to new engines to capacity in the freight marketplace, here are the 10 most-read articles on equipment from 2023.
10. Brake check-in: The latest on heavy-duty truck braking systems
If there’s one thing on commercial vehicles that operations and maintenance professionals need to understand, it’s braking systems. Not getting a truck to start rolling on time will cause delayed deliveries and missed work. Not getting it to stop will cause all that and a whole lot more, including property damage, injuries, and even death. Improper brake maintenance also will leave fleets and shops vulnerable to “nuclear” verdicts.
The good news is that fleets that keep up to date with the latest braking technology, as well as related preventive maintenance and inspections, shouldn’t lose any sleep over brake issues. Read more...
9. Fultra acquires trailer OEM East
RANDOLPH, Ohio—Mexico-based transportation holding company Fultra has acquired trailer-maker East Manufacturing, the companies announced Wednesday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The acquisition was first reported by Trailer/Body Builders, a FleetOwner affiliate.
Fultra adds East’s long-standing production capacity for aluminum flatbed, drop deck, dump, round bottom, and refuse trailers along with steel dump trailers and aluminum truck bodies to a portfolio that includes Fruehauf van trailer manufacturing in Mexico and, beginning last year, in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The company also has truck sales and service, leasing, and parts brands. Read more...
8. Continental sets sights on 2030 and commercial tire market
UVALDE, Texas—Continental's expansive Uvalde Proving Grounds, where the global tire manufacturer, other suppliers, and fleets test passenger and commercial vehicles and equipment on 26 diverse courses, isn't for the faint of heart. The conditions are severe, from the various wet and off-road courses to the unforgiving summer temperatures—which hit a heat index of 115 degrees F on this June afternoon—and the critters are eager to devour those who don't take hydration to heart—and end up fainting to the floor.
"They say everything in Texas wants to kill you," warned Ricky Ruiz, a Proving Grounds employee who escorted guests on the off-road handling course. Read more...
7. Ford Pro launches Elite service centers for commercial fleets
INDIANAPOLIS—Ford Pro’s Work Truck Week press conference here Monday evening was less about product and more about platform, with the company rolling out a new commercial vehicle-dedicated service network as the next step in a “one-stop shop” approach that targets customer productivity, lower cost of ownership, and increased uptime.
“In May of 2021, Ford Pro announced we'd be standing up an all-new network of service facilities exclusive to commercial customers,” Tim Baughman, general manager for Ford Pro North America, told a gathering of media and customers at the expansive Ford display in the exhibit hall, introducing the Ford Pro Elite Commercial Service Center. “These centers expand the footprint of Ford Pro’s dealer network by adding 120 dedicated large-bay service hubs across the United States.” Read more...
6. Daimler enters medium-duty EV race with Rizon brand
Add Rizon to the list of new nameplates looking to capture early share in the medium-duty electric truck market—but unlike the many startups in the space, Rizon is the new North American brand of global giant Daimler Truck. The brand’s advantages include the parent company’s expertise in commercial vehicles and a “comprehensive ecosystem,” including an expert distribution network for Rizon trucks, company leaders explained in an online media presentation on April 27.
“Rizon represents Daimler Truck’s commitment to helping our customers make the transition to sustainable mobility solutions. With reliable electric vehicle products and services now on offer, there is no longer any reason to wait,” Daimler Truck Board Member, President, and CEO Karl Deppen said. “We know trucks and we know what we are doing.” Read more...
5. FMCSA, CVSA and tread depth
If I had a quarter for every phone call that started with the words, “My customer got a ticket for…” I would have a whole bunch of quarters. There seems to be some varying interpretations of the federal regulations on truck tire and wheel inspection, so I thought it was time to dedicate this month’s column to help clear up some of the confusion. One area that seems to surface quite often is minimum tread depth. Read more...
4. A look at Ram's first electric pickup
Ram's first battery-electric light-duty pickup truck, the 1500 REV, made its television debut during its Super Bowl LVII commercial. Customer reservations for the Ram 1500 REV are now open.
Click through the gallery to see the truck's features and design. Read more...
3. Cummins reveals X10 fuel-agnostic engine for 2026
Cummins will launch the X10, the next in its fuel-agnostic X engine family, in North America in 2026. The engine manufacturer stated the X10 will comply with the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2027 regulations a year early and will replace the company’s L9 and X12 to handle medium- and heavy-duty applications.
The new 10-liter displacement engine will serve vocational, transit, pickup and delivery, and regional haul applications, Cummins stated in a press release. Read more...
2. Kenworth celebrates 100 years with two special edition trucks
Kenworth is celebrating its centennial throughout 2023. Over the last century, more than 1.3 million Kenworth trucks have hauled goods across the U.S. and Canada, according to the OEM.
"In 1923, when Kenworth was founded, the mission was really to provide custom trucks for customers to meet their needs," Kevin Baney, Kenworth GM and Paccar VP, said during a Feb. 15 virtual press conference. "[The OEM] originated in the Northwest around logging. Those challenges that Kenworth helps solve for the customers is really in our DNA, and we’ve carried that forward for decades." Read more...
1. Equipment market braces for Yellow’s used tractor, trailer sales
If the rest of the ongoing bankruptcy process for Yellow Corp. is any indication, the defunct less-than-truckload carrier’s sizable over-the-road equipment portfolio—more than 14,000 tractors and 43,000 trailers—should be transferred to other trucking industry owners in an orderly manner, with minimal disruption to the used equipment market, a leading analyst observed in an Aug. 31 report.
Yellow is currently a case of knowns and unknowns in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, so the equipment question is very wide open as the case winds toward a conclusion in October. The next hearing before Judge Craig T. Goldblatt is scheduled for Sept. 15. Read more...
