Trucks World News: January 2010

Jan 29, 2010

Hybrid Van * USA - Bright’s IDEA to hit truck market in 2013

Washington,D.C.,USA -Fleet Owner, by Sean Kilcarr -Jan 29, 2010: -- The IDEA, a new aerodynamically shaped plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) delivery van concept developed by Bright Automotive, aims to have its prototype ready for production in the first quarter of 2013, the company said...

The sleekly-styled van, first introduced in April 2009, recently received a technology upgrade so it can deliver 40 mi. of all-electric range and nearly 40 miles per gallon (mpg) operating in standard hybrid mode, Lyle Shuey, Bright’s vp-marketing & sales, told us at the Washington Auto Show... He noted that each IDEA van should save the typical commercial or government fleet 18 cents per mile, reduce gasoline use by 1,500 gal. per year, and reduce carbon-dioxide (CO2) emissions by 16 tons per year...

Labels: hybrid trucks

Technology * USA - Boosting Vehicle Safety

According to NHTSA, sleepy drivers cause nearly 100K accidents / year

New York,NY,USA -Motor Age -December 29, 2009: -- Rear-end collisions account for up to 40% of traffic accidents reported to police. Vehicle's blind spots another common cause of accident. Driver involved never touched brakes prior to impact in roughly half of those... These accidents result in 70K+ injures and 1,500 fatalities... Many automakers have developed systems designed to minimize risk of rear-end collisions... Modern electronics paves way for improved driver safety. Driver alert systems monitor how vehicle being driven; warns driver if vehicle driven erratically... Mandatory electronic stability control program will prevent any loss of control or rollover...

Labels: technonews

Jan 28, 2010

TRUCKMAKERS' NEWS * USA

* Washington - Paccar ready to launch MX engine

Bellevue,WASH,USA -Fleet Owner, by Sean Kilcarr -Jan 27, 2010: -- Global truck and engine builder Paccar Inc., the parent of Kenworth Truck Co. and Peterbilt Motors, plans to roll out its new MX diesel engine in the U.S. this summer. MX engines will be imported from Paccar’s European truck subsidiary, DAF Trucks, and will be equipped with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology to comply with EPA 2010 emission regs. The powerplants will be available in a range between 380 and 485 horsepower and will boast up to 1,750 ft-lbs of torque, making them suitable for use in both over-the-road and vocational applications, the company said...

* Oregon - Daimler to provide emission retrofit systems to Cleaire

Portland,OR,USA -The Trucker News Services -27 Jan 2010: -- Daimler Trucks North America has announced a partnership with Cleaire Advanced Emission Controls to be the exclusive North American (excluding California) provider of Cleaire retrofit emission control systems... Daimler will provide Cleaire retrofit systems, parts and services for all on-highway applications through selected outlets of DTNA’s extensive dealer and engine distributor network... Cleaire retrofit systems are designed to reduce emissions caused by diesel-powered vehicles... (Photo: Cleaire's Vista retrofit systems)

* Minnesota - Timpte opens branch in Mankato, MN

Mankato,MN,USA -Fleet Owner -Jan 27, 2010: -- Timpte Trailers, a builder of bulk commodity semi-trailers has opened a new full- service branch in N. Mankato, MN. Strategically located in the southwestern part of the state on Hwy. 14 near the Hwy. 169 junction, the 11,000-sq-ft facility has six drive-through service bays... The facility stocks all popular parts for Grain and many other types of semi- trailers and will also be able to meet the trailer, parts, and service needs of all bulk commodity haulers in the area, the company said... The new Timpte location replaces the Savage, MN branch that had been sold... (Photo: Denver, 1884. The August Timpte Wagon and Carriage Works and the Wm. Timpte Carriage Works were soon busy supplying and repairing delivery wagons, buggies and carriages)

* Illinois - Oshkosh net jumps on military sales

Chicago,ILL,USA -Reuters, by James B. Kelleher & Lisa Von Ahn & John Wallace -Jan 28, 2010: -- Specialty truckmaker Oshkosh Corp reported stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings on Thursday, driven by a big jump in vehicle sales to the military, sending its shares up 7.4 percent in premarket trading... Sales of access equipment, used by builders to get workers and material to high places, fell 60 percent, reflecting continued weakness in the residential and commercial real estate markets... Sales of fire and emergency vehicles were also down as cash-strapped municipalities postponed updating their fleets... Oshkosh said sales of ambulances were hurt by a reduction in Medicare reimbursement rates and uncertainty surrounding the medical industry because of President Barack Obama's push to overhaul healthcare...

Labels: truckmakers news USA

SPEED LIMITS * USA - Knowing the speed limit wherever you are

So the question becomes, how do you know a speed limit on a roadway if it is not posted? The answer is you can’t

Washington,DC,USA -The Trucker News Services, by JIM KLEPPER -president of Interstate Trucker Ltd.- 28 Jan 2010: ... Every state road and highway has a designated speed limit assigned to it by the state... Ensuring that everyone is informed of that speed is the duty of the state Department of Transportation... Knowing the posted speed limit is important under the new CDL laws. Any moving violation will go on your CDL MVR plus it will also increase your personal auto insurance. Starting with the fine and court costs you pay, you should also consider the increase in insurance premiums for three to five years... The most important thing you have to consider is not the expense of that ticket, but the impact it may have on your future earnings. That single ticket may cost you your job, depending upon your company; it will certainly influence any future employers that might consider hiring you... Today is the time for you to consider fighting any and all traffic violations you receive...

Labels: speed limits

TRUCKS IDLING * USA - Vermont panel OKs crackdown on

Montpelier,VT,USA -The Associated Press/The Trucker, by LISA RATHKE -27 Jan 2010: -- A Vermont legislative committee, the House Natural Resources and Energy Committee, voted unanimously Tuesday in favor a legislation to restrict idling of vehicles weighing more than 10,000 pounds — trucks and buses — to five minutes... But the trucking community was miffed that the bill, which last week appeared headed toward limiting idling in all vehicles, didn’t also target cars... The bill makes exceptions, including for public safety vehicles, trucks with cabs designed for drivers to sleep in them and trucks that must idle to deliver fuel or do other work... Violators will be fined $10 the first time and $50 for a second violation... (AP Photo/Toby Talbot - Aiming to cut down on air pollution, Vermont lawmakers want to restrict truck idling)

* USA - The Most Cost-Efficient Anti-Idling Solution Available

Omaha,NE,USA -McNell -27 Jan 2010: -- We are manufacturers of environment-friendly tools and accessories for the trucking industry... Our flagship product is a mobile, climate-control system built for big rig comfort with Fuel Leveraging Idle Reduction Technology. Our approach is a temperature-control system we believe will be the most effective anti-idling solution on the market today... (Big Rig Comfort: Preview picture of our new mobile, climate-control system)

Labels: trucks idling

WEATHER TROUBLES * USA - Major winter storm could impact travel along Interstate 40 corridor

(Image Courtesy AccuWeather: This map shows where the storm will impact travel Thursday)

Oklahoma City,OK,USA -The Trucker News Services -27 Jan 2010: -- Weather forecasters say a storm rolling out of the Four Corners region today with snow, ice and rain is set to disrupt lives and travel from the southern Plains to the mid-South and the mid-Atlantic over the balance of the week... According to AccuWeather, the combination of the snow, ice and in some cases plunging temperatures following the rain will make untreated roads and sidewalks extremely treacherous... Where the freezing rain persists for an extended period of time, downed trees and utility lines will result in lengthy power outages. Winds gusting between 30 and 40 mph will add to this problem... During Friday night and Saturday, the winter storm will spread its substantial snow and ice eastward across Kentucky, Tennessee and the central East Coast states...

* Heavy snow, ice bury southern Plains, cut power

Oklahoma City,OK,USA -AP –29 Jan 2010: -- A storm that toppled power lines, closed major highways and buried parts of the southern Plains in heavy ice and snow began moving into the South on Friday, leaving tens of thousands of people in the dark — possibly for several more days... Winter storm warnings were in effect from New Mexico to North Carolina, and Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe declared a state of emergency. The storm threatened to dump up to a foot of snow across the region after leaving 13 inches in the northern Texas Panhandle, where nearly all of Interstate 40 from the Texas-Oklahoma line to New Mexico was closed... The snow, sleet and freezing rain were expected to crawl east through Friday. Up to a foot of snow was expected in Arkansas near the Missouri state line, northern Tennessee near the Kentucky and Virginia borders and western North Carolina, according to the National Weather Service... More snow also was expected in Texas and Oklahoma... (Photo from AP – Vehicles travel in white out conditions caused by blowing snow on Interstate 80 west of Omaha, Neb)

Labels: weather troubles

TRUCKS PRODUCTS * WORLDWIDE

* Belgium - WABCO introduces trailer theft prevention system

Brussels,Belgium -The Trucker News Services -27 Jan 2010: -- WABCO Holdings has introduced Trailer Immobilizer, a security innovation that the company said significantly increased protection against trailer theft as an additional function in the company’s trailer electronic braking system (EBS)... WABCO Trailer Immobilizer is an electronic system with high security that blocks the wheels of a parked trailer to help prevent theft or unauthorized use... The driver activates Trailer Immobilizer by entering a PIN code via SmartBoard, an easy-to-use control box that graphically displays the trailer’s critical real-time operating information in a choice of 15 different languages... (Photo: WABCO Trailer Immobilizer is an electronic system with high security that blocks the wheels of a parked trailer to help prevent theft or unauthorized use)

* Belgium - Wabco’s roll stability system now covers all of Europe

Brussels,Belgium -Fleet Owner, by Brian Straight -Jan 27, 2010: -- With its final certification by TUV Nord Germany, Wabco Holdings’ roll stability support for trailers has now gained approval for use in all 27 countries in the European Union (EU), and in 20 other countries worldwide in accordance with the United Nations’ Economic Commission for Europe’s Regulation 13 for braking... The certification paves the way for approval by the German Federal Authority for Road Transport, the company said... The EU has instituted new regulations that require vehicle stability functions with roll-over control for semi-trailers and heavy trailers, both with air suspensions and up to three axles, for new type approvals from July 2010 and for new registrations from July 2011...

* USA / Massachusetts - Bose Corporation Introduces the Bose Ride™ System for Heavy-Duty Trucking

Framinghan,MASS,USA -Business Wire/Earth Times -27 Jan 2010: -- Bose Corporation today announced an entirely new kind of product for the trucking industry... The new Bose Ride™ system replaces a conventional air-ride truck seat with a Bose® suspension base and an integrated, custom-designed seat top. It provides over-the-road truckers with an unprecedented level of protection from road-induced shocks and vibration... (Picture from nichecarstudio)

* UK - Curved to cut CO2

Northampton,UK -HGV UK -January 27, 2010: -- The Delivery Co., the Northampton-based specialist logistics provider for members of the PaperlinX group, has introduced the UK’s first eight teardrop-bodied distribution vehicles into service... Branded ‘Curved to cut CO2′ and based on 26-tonnes gross vehicle weight Scania chassis and equipped with bodywork by Don-Bur... All eight vehicles are built on Scania 6×2 chassis featuring 320 horsepower Scania Euro 5 engines with Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) and Scania Opticruise automated gear selection systems... The low-height chassis are fitted with double-deck teardrop bodywork to enable the carriage of mixed loads of paper and plastic sheets, while the normal-height vehicles will be used primarily for paper-only loads... (Photo from hgvuk: Curved Scania truck)

Labels: trucks products

Jan 27, 2010

REGULATIONS * USA - More Driver Rules to Follow

Several FMCSA rulemakings this year to target unsafe drivers

Washington,DC,USA -The Journal of Commerce Online, by William B. Cassidy -Jan 26, 2010: ... The biggest rulings are yet to come, and they could restrict the availability of drivers and truck capacity, forcing changes at carriers and shippers, industry observers warn... Following today's ban, the DOT is working on a broader rule governing how and when truckers may use cell-phones and other electronic devices in truck cabs... The department is also revising hours of service rules that govern how long truckers drive, work and rest each day and each week. It's also considering tighter medical standards for drivers... Then comes the Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010, a revision of safety rules five years in the making designed to take unsafe carriers and drivers off the road... Ferro said that mission includes raising entry requirements for carriers and drivers, maintaining high standards, and eliminating high-risk operators and behavior...

* CARB citing reefer-unit violators

Sacramento,CAL,USA -Fleet Owner, by Wendy Leavitt -Jan 27, 2010: -- The California Air Resources Board (CARB) began enforcing the Transport Refrigeration Unit (TRU) Airborne Toxic Control Measure (ATCM) in-use performance standards this month. According to a news release, CARB inspectors issued nearly 100 citations for violations of the TRU ATCM in the first part of this month. CARB adopted its Airborne Toxic Control Measure (ATCM) for TRUs and TRU generator sets on February 26, 2004... “Inspectors are currently inspecting at border crossings, scales, roadside inspection stations, agricultural inspection stations, distribution centers, shippers, delivery points, ports, truck stops, intermodal facilities and any place that TRUs may operate" ... Suppliers of reefer units, such as Carrier Transicold and Thermo King, have also offered help with compliance requirements...

Labels: rules and regulations

STIMULUS FUNDS * USA - Knoxville transportation organization could lose $1.3M in

Knox must allot cash to transportation projects by Jan. 29

Knoxville,TEN,usa -KnoxNews, by Don Jacobs -January 21, 2010: -- The Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization is in danger of losing more than $1.3 million in stimulus funding because the money has not been committed to approved projects... If local officials don't have the proper approvals and documentation in hand by Jan. 29, more than 10 percent of the nearly $12.2 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 funds must be surrendered to the state, according to a letter sent this month by Gerald Nicely, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Transportation... The Knoxville TPO isn't the only metropolitan area in danger of losing its local transportation stimulus funds, according to Paul Degges, TDOT's chief engineer... Degges said the Chattanooga TPO is facing a loss of more than $3.3 million, or about 40 percent of the $8 million in job stimulus funds it was to get. The Nashville-Davidson County TPO could lose more than $5.4 million, or about 24 percent of the $22 million in ARRA money it got from the state...

Labels: governments stimulus funds

Hybrid Truck Industry * USA - Barriers to Commercialization Still Exist For

Why is the hybrid truck industry still in an early stage, almost 10 years behind the market introduction of passenger hybrids?

Troy,MI,USA -Truckinginfo, by Diana Britton -26 Jan 2010: ... According to The Hybrid Commercial Vehicles Report, published by SupplierBusiness, an IHS Global Insight Company, all the major truck manufacturers and hybrid system developers in the U.S. are on board with the technology... But not enough fleets have adopted the technology to keep costs down and kick commercialization of hybrid technology into full gear. The SupplierBusiness report says that in order to reduce the price premium to an acceptance level, each manufacturer would need sales to range from 5,000 to 8,000 units per year. Currently, fleet sales are in the 500 to 1,000 range per year for each manufacturer... The cost of a hybrid vehicle is a large barrier to market adoption among fleets. For example, commercial vehicles need considerably larger and heavier battery packs to support an electric hybrid solution, and these batteries can represent a considerable upcharge... This is where government funding comes into play.... Strict emissions regulations coupled with government grants have buoyed the U.S. market for Class 6, 7 and 8 trucks, the report says. Kenworth, Peterbilt, Navistar and Freightliner have all introduced Class 8 hybrid models. Prototype tests are underway with major operators such as Wal-Mart... According to Pike Research, fleet sales are expected to reach 830,000 units worldwide in 2015, with hybrids reaching 8 percent of all fleet sales in North America by 2015... Meanwhile, the Hybrid Truck Users Forum estimates a market of about 21,000 hybrid trucks in the U.S. in 2015, growing to about 65,000 in 2020...

* Comment by Kal Gyimesi: Any other ideas out there??

Richmond,VA,USA -Truck 2020. Trascending turbulence -27 Jan 2010: -- Interesting article, but one of the key barriers that this is missing is that the high cost of hybrids (and low cost of fuel) essentially capitalizes the expense of fuel. Not too many accountants will allow Fleets to do that in a large way... Truck OEMs must develop new business models that fix this issue until costs for Hybrid trucks can be leveled out. Business models such as removing the cost of batteries and setting them up as a leased component of the the transaction are being considered. Another model could be to simply sell the truck at the cost of a conventional vehicle and then set up a set of annuity payments to fleets based on their fuel usage. That way they get the benefits of the hybrid truck, pay similar to what they are now from an accounting standpoint and contribute to developing scale...

Labels: hybrid trucks

LCV PILOT * Canada - Early stats from, are in

Ontario,CAN -Truck News -26 Jan 2009: -- Ontario's LCV pilot project is on winter hiatus and the summer portion of the program concluded without so much as a whimper of opposition from the motoring public... The final numbers for the summer stint of the pilot are now in: There were 4,114 LCV trips totaling 1.28 million kilometres in Ontario over the summer. More importantly, there were NO reported collisions and NO charges or violations, according to data supplied by the OTA and verified with MTO... Besides a few harmonization wrinkles to be ironed out with neighbouring provinces, the LCV pilot is shaping up to be a success... The future of the program, however, remains cloudy with a new Transport Minister taking the reins Jan. 19... I prodded the MTO for a hint of what was in store for the program when it concludes in July... Given the investment fleets have made in new trailers, dollies, driver training, etc., it would be a shame if the project were to be killed. Let's see if new Transport Minister, Kathleen Wynne, is also a 'doer.'

Labels: LCV longer combination vehicles

TRUCKING INDUSTRY * USA & Canada - DOT Sets Texting Ban on Commercial Truck, Bus Drivers

Washington,DC,USA -Transport Topics -26 Jan 2010: -- The Department of Transportation said Tuesday it was banning texting-while-driving by commercial truck and bus drivers... The step to curb distracted driving is an interpretation of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s standing regulations, DOT said... Drivers cited for texting will be subject to civil or criminal penalties of up to $2,750... DOT did not specify whether only texting on handheld phones and other devices would be subject to the penalties...

* USA - OOIDA Says DOT Moves Too Quickly on Text Ban. Trucking group supports goal, but says rulemaking is best route to take

Grain Valley,MO;USA -The Journal of Commerce Online, by William B. Cassidy -Jan 26, 2010: -- The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association supports a ban on texting by truck drivers, but isn't happy with how the Department of Transportation imposed it... The ban was introduced in the form of "federal guidance" that took effect immediately. Texting truckers may be hit with criminal or civil penalties of up to $2,750... Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHood, acknowledged concerns about enforcement while introducing the ban at a Washington press conference... The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is working on a broader rulemaking on the use of cell-phones and other electronic devices by truck and bus drivers...

* USA - Facebook TO THE RESCUE

Grain Valley,MO,USA -Trucks News (CAN) -26 Jan 2010: -- Think social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, they can also be useful tools in mitigating a disaster. A case in point occurred just days before Christmas when 1,400-truck fleet Arrow Trucking suddenly ceased operations, leaving as many as 1,000 drivers scattered across the US with instructions only to turn their truck in to the nearest dealership... Many were left penniless and homeless. That's when the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association stepped in and created a Facebook site to unite stranded Arrow drivers with other professional drivers. Overnight, the site exploded with more than 1,000 offers to help. Truckers were offering rides, meals and in some cases even a few bucks' cash. While it's hoped all Arrow drivers have found their way home by now, the site is still active and is now being used to help former Arrow drivers find new jobs... Kudos to the quick-thinking staff at OOIDA and to all the drivers who had the wherewithal to turn to Facebook in a time of crisis...

* Canada - L.E. Walker files for Creditor Protection

St Thomas,Ont,Canada -Truck News -26 Jan 2010: -- L.E. Walker, acquired last summer by MacKinnon Transport, filed a Notice of Intent Dec. 8 and has been operating under creditor protection. MacKinnon Transport CEO, Evan MacKinnon, confirmed the filing via e-mail Dec. 23 and said the move does not affect MacKinnon Transport's operations. The summer blockbuster acquisition seemed so perfect – industry analysts lauded the deal that created a truckload powerhouse. Unfortunately, any deal of that magnitude is going to be a challenge to execute. It remains to be seen whether MacKinnon will be able to devise a plan to rescue Walker from creditor protection...

* USA - RBC downgrades trucking firm Con-way

New York,NY,USA -BusinessWeek -27 Jan 2010: -- RBC downgraded shares of Con-way Inc. on Wednesday, saying the trucking company faces more "lackluster" quarters while the industry is awash in shipping capacity... Analyst John Barnes said lower volumes and intense competition have led to dramatic cuts in trucking rates that won't ease until capacity is reduced or freight volume is increased... Barnes said Con-way "could see a couple of quarters of lackluster earnings" due to low prices. Without a boost in shipping volumes, or failure of rival YRC Worldwide, "we would not be buyers of (Con-way) at this juncture," he said... Con-way, based in San Mateo, Calif., collects loads from several customers then combines them on one truck, making it a so-called less-than-truckload operator. Truckers have been hurt by a surplus of trucks competing for shipping business, which has been limited by the recession...

* USA / Missouri - Con-way Truckload sets 22-Year safety record

Joplin,MO,USA -The Trucker News Services -27 Jan 2010: -- Con-way Truckload set a 22-year safety record in 2009, reducing its total accident frequency rate by nearly 34 percent since 2004, the truckload carrier reported. The company said its accident frequency has been dropping steadily over the past five years, with the most recent rates representing the lowest since the company began keeping records in 1987... Con-way Truckload’s reduction in accident frequency is especially notable given the strictness of the criteria it uses to measure safety performance, according to the carrier... By Con-way Truckload’s definition, the company’s drivers averaged 7.9 accidents per million miles driven in 2009. The U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration defines a reportable accident as an occurrence that renders a vehicle inoperable or causes an injury requiring immediate medical assistance away from the scene. By that standard, the company’s 2009 accident frequency rate was .628, or one accident for every 1.6 million miles driven — a 3.1 percent improvement over last year...

Labels: trucking industry news USA and CAN

Jan 26, 2010

TRUCKMAKERS' NEWS * WORLDWIDE

* Sweden - Volvo trucks increases production

Stockholm,Sweden -HGV UK -January 27, 2010: -- In recent months Volvo Trucks has seen positive signs of increased demand from its customers, albeit from a very low level, but now thanks to a successful reduction in its new truck inventory, the production of new vehicles will now be increased... The increased production means fewer lay-off days at the Gent assembly plant in Belgium and for the Swedish factories in Umeå and Tuve; it means more work on Fridays... Umeå, which supplies many Volvo Truck factories with cabs, will re-employ staff to manage the overall production needs. The Gent factory will increase the staffing in the cab-trim to be in phase with the capacity of the final assembly. At the same time the factory in Curitiba in Brazil levels up one shift... (Picture from Volvo

* Sweden - Volvo tests methane-diesel trucks with Swedish operators

Stockholm,Sweden -BigLorryBlog -January 27, 2010: ... Next month Volvo Trucks will be starting field tests of methane-diesel engines in commercial operation together with a number of major Swedish customers... The first seven customers participating in the field test are Borås Energi & Miljö, Ragn-Sells Sollentuna, Schenker-TGM Göteborg, Slaka Potatis Linköping, Svebol Logistics/Lidl Tumba, Viebke Åkeri Helsingborg and XR Miljöhantering Skövde. The eighth truck in the field test programme will be placed with a selected customer in the next few days. The trucks involved are two Volvo 7-litre models, the Volvo FL and Volvo FE...

* France - New Renault Master

Paris,France -TNN (UK) -26 Jan 2009: -- As of April 2010, Renault Trucks’ Delivery range will see a new addition with the latest Renault Master. With a new design, new cab and new engine versions, this new offer also features new rear-wheel drive models... Renault Trucks will roll out the following versions throughout 2010: panel van, chassis cab, chassis double cab, chassis cowl, platform cab, platform cowl. The new models will be available with front or rear-wheel drive according to the version, and with single or twin wheels... From 2.8t to 4.5t GVW in panel van, chassis cab, chassis double cab, chassis cowl, platform cab, platform cowl versions, with front or rear-wheel drive according to the version, and with single or twin wheels, up to 17m3 of loading capacity and 2,254kg payload in the panel van version and 2,495kg in the chassis cab version, the new Renault Master will transport just about anything. All this, with fuel consumption achievable of under 8 litres/per 100km.1...

* Japan - Toyota Motor Plans To Sell 8.27 Mln Vehicles Worldwide In 2010

Tokyo,Japan -RTTNews -26 Jan 2009: -- Toyota Motor Corp. stated that it intends to sell 8.27 million vehicles throughout the world this year 2010, an increase of 6% from the previous year... Automaker Toyota Motor sold 7.81 million vehicles worldwide in 2009, a decline of 13% from the last year. This number includes Toyota's group companies comprising of truckmaker Hino Motors and Daihatsu Motor Co., which makes small models, the company added... (Image from fareastgizmos: Hino ASV)

* USA - Engine to boost ethanol efficiency. Van Buren-based Ricardo to unveil it today

Van Buren Township,MICH,USA -FREE PRESS, by JEWEL GOPWANI -Jan. 26, 2010: -- Ricardo, with North American headquarters in Van Buren Township, said the technology will be a good fit for a broad range of vehicles, from compacts to Class-6 trucks... Ethanol, alcohol usually made from corn that is added to gasoline, is cleaner than gasoline and typically offers 30% less fuel economy than gasoline. Ricardo said its engine -- which it dubs an Ethanol Boosted Direct Injection engine -- can more than make up for that gap when using a blend of 40% ethanol and 60% gasoline... A typical 6-liter engine can get 11.2 m.p.g. in city driving, while simulations of Ricardo's engine indicate that it can get 13.1 m.p.g. on the highway using a 40%-ethanol blend... The new engine comes as the ethanol industry pushes Congress for rules requiring higher levels of ethanol in gasoline... The firm plans to put the newly developed engine through its paces in the next few months, installed in two GMC Sierra pickups...

* China - MAN shows great confidence to China's truck market

Pekin,China -People's Daily News -January 26, 2010: -- MAN Truck and Bus China plans to grow sales in China this year and further expands its market share in the imported premium heavy-duty truck segment... After witnessing a slowdown in the first half of last year, China's heavy-duty truck segment has started to recover in the second half and is likely to grow 10 to 15 percent this year... According to Lim, the government's huge investments in infrastructure construction would help improve demand for large-displacement and heavy-duty trucks... (Photo from chinatruck.org)

* Brazil - MAN boosts truck output in

Resende,RJ,Brazil -Paraiba Paradise -January 26, 2010: -- MAN will raise capacity at its Brazilian truck plant by up to a third to meet a rapidly rising demand, in a move that illustrates the fast economic recovery of the world’s largest developing countries... The German conglomerate will re-introduce a third shift at its Resende plant in the Rio de Janeiro county, Antonio Roberto Cortes president of MAN Latin America, told the Financial Times (UK)... The move will shift capacity from 50,000 to up to 72,000 trucks a year and will lead to the creation of 700 jobs at the plant, which is currently employing 4700... It came as the Latin America’s largest truck maker posted record sales in December, spurred by government incentives for trucks and buses and growing consumer demand in Brazil...

* USA - Continental tires standard on Navistar vocational trucks

Chicago,ILL,USA -Today's Trucking -26 Jan 2010: -- Navistar International says that Continental truck tires are the standard fitment for all International PayStar, WorkStar, and DuraStar severe service and medium duty vehicles as of January 1, 2010... Continental's expansion into the regional, on-off highway and construction segment is backed up by truck tires engineered with maximum resistance to damage, tread patterns designed for optimum traction, extra tough compounding and stone ejection systems...

* India - Tata, Mahindra Fall on Concern Banks May Curb Loans

Mumbai,India -Bloomberg, by Vipin V. Nair -Jan. 27, 2010: -- Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., the nation’s biggest sport-utility vehicle and tractor maker, and Tata Motors Ltd., India’s biggest truckmaker, led declines among automakers on concern the central bank will tighten credit... Banks may curb auto loans, hurting demand, if the Reserve Bank of India takes steps to tighten liquidity to tame inflation at its monetary policy review on Jan. 29, said Umesh Karne, an analyst with BRICS Securities Ltd. in Mumbai. Rising prices of commodities also put pressure on auto companies’ profit margins, he said...

Labels: truckmakers' news worldwide

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