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Oct 31, 2013

TYRES MAKER NEWS * USA - Continental's: Recycling rubberised steel cord scrap

* UK - Continental develops new approach to recycling 

Puchow,Slovakia-HGV UK -October 28, 2013: -- The international tyre manufacturer and automotive supplier Continental has developed a new approach to recycling rubberised steel cord scrap, a by-product of its tyre production...  The device, called the Hurricane Machine makes it possible to separate uncured rubber compound and steel cord, a development which marks yet another step in Continental’s pursuit of making tyre production more sustainable... Since the material is uncured, the separation of rubber and steel cord is achieved by applying mechanical force. Once the rubber has been granulated, a series of high-powered magnets remove any remaining pieces of steel from the compound. The steel is sold for recycling outside the company and the rubber compound can be reused in Continental’s plants to produce Continental commercial tyres... The machine, which is located at Continental’s production site in Puchov (Slovakia), is already processing uncured rubber scrap from most of Continental’s European manufacturing sites...

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posted by Unknown @ 5:50 AM  0 comments

TRAILER MAKERS * USA

* Ohio - Trailer orders remain solid 

Columbus,OH,USA -Fleet Owner -Oct. 29, 2013: -- For the second straight month, trailer net orders remained above the 240,000 rate on a seasonally adjusted basis... The numbers, reported by ACT Research, are for September and are included in the most recent State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers report... “October is the normal kick-off for the industry orders season,” said Frank Maly, director-CV transportation with ACT Research. “The upcoming months will be critical to laying the foundation for the 2014 market” ...

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posted by Unknown @ 5:29 AM  0 comments

TRUCKING INDUSTRY * France - French PM suspends 'ecotax'

* France - French PM suspends 'ecotax' on trucks after protests

(Photo: French truckers block roads to protest) 
Paris,France -Reuters -Oct 29, 2013: -- France's Socialist government made its second climbdown on tax policy in a week on Tuesday amid rising protests against the fiscal burden and opinion polls showing its approval rating at an all-time low... Prime Minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, announced the suspension of a planned environmental tax on trucks after protests in the western Brittany region, but denied his administration was on the run over what his finance minister has called "tax saturation"... Hundreds of protesters clashed with police in Brittany last weekend, protesting against the planned "ecotax" on heavy goods vehicles which was set to bring in about 1 billion euros ($1.38 billion) per year to help finance mostly rail projects...


* UK - DHL runs dual fuel vehicles in

London,EN,UK -SDHLogistics, by Peter MacLeod -October 30, 2013: -- DHL has introduced 63 new dual fuel vehicles to its existing 38 – bringing the total in operation to 101 and making the company the single largest dual fuel heavy trucks fleet operator in Europe... A further 51 dual fuel vehicles are on order and set to join the fleet in the coming months. The latest batch of vehicles will be operated from the logistics provider’s Campus in Bawtry, which now houses a dedicated state-of-the-art liquefied natural gas (LNG) refuelling station, designed to minimise environmental impact and costs with the use of “zero loss” refuelling technology... Dual fuel is an innovative technology that allows natural gas to be used in conjunction with diesel, reducing the total consumption of diesel and cutting CO2 emissions. The vast majority of diesel used by DHL Supply Chain in the UK is through its heavy goods fleet for which alternative technologies such as hybrids and electric vehicles are not viable... The cost of diesel has risen by up to 43% over the last three years and produces 2.546kg of CO2 for every litre burned, whereas LNG when used with diesel in a dual fuel vehicle typically reduces CO2 emissions by 10–14%. An estimated annual CO2 reduction of around 1,200 tonnes is expected at the Bawtry site in the coming years – a figure equivalent to 5,933 trailers full of CO2...

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posted by Unknown @ 5:23 AM  0 comments

TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * USA: Navistar recalls 16,000 trucks

* DC - Navistar recalls 16,000 trucks due to fifth wheel problem

(Photo from Wikipedia: International TranStar 8600 with a special single-seat body for carrying long pipes) 
Washington,DC,USA -Land Line, by Greg Grisolano -29 Oct 2013: -- More than 16,000 Navistar International Prostar, LoneStar and TransStar trucks are being voluntarily recalled to correct a potential problem that could cause a trailer to unexpectedly release from the fifth wheel... The recall, which has been posted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website, affects those models manufactured from February 2008 to July 2013 and equipped with an electronic fifth wheel jaw release system... The recall report states that due to an assembly error, the air lines at the isolation/vent valve may not be oriented correctly, which could cause the fifth wheel jaw to release in the event of air leakage at the valve... Navistar estimated that 25 percent of the identified trucks could have the defect...

 * Illinois - Navistar completes Class 8 transition to SCR

Warrensville,ILL,USA -Fleet Owner -Oct. 29, 2013: -- The final Class 8 tractor in Navistar’s lineup is now available with the Cummins ISX15 engine with selective cat alytic reduction (SCR). Customers can now order the International LoneStar with the technology to meet EPA 2010 emissions regulations... The LoneStar is available with three power ratings, from 500 hp., 1,850 lbs.-ft. up to 550 hp. and 2,250 lbs.-ft. of torque. It includes a 132 in. BBC with 73 in. hi-rise sleeper and wheelbases from 167 in. through 208 in. An Eaton 10-, 13- and 18-speed manual transmission is available as are Eaton UltraShift Plus 13- and 18-speed automated manual transmission...

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posted by Unknown @ 4:54 AM  0 comments

Oct 28, 2013

TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * WORLDWIDE

* Germany - Daimler Trucks receives order for 2,884 Mercedes-Benz trucks from Brazil

(Photo: A Daimler's Atron truck model) 
Suttgart,BAV,Germany -ABR -22 October 2013: -- Mercedes-Benz do Brasil, a subsidiary of German truckmaker Daimler Trucks, has received an order for 2,884 Mercedes-Benz Atron dump trucks from the Brazilian Ministry of Agrarian Development... All these trucks will be delivered to several communities in rural regions of Brazil by the end of 2013... Besides this, the company has recently received an order for 2,100 Mercedes-Benz bus chassis from four public transport operators in a tender of Brasília's city government, which are to be delivered by December 2013... In October 2012, Mercedes-Benz do Brasil received a government order for over 2,100 Mercedes-Benz trucks and vans for different areas of application...

* Brazil - MAN Latin America to spend US$462.1m in Rio de Janeiro

(Photo: MAN's commercial vehicles) 
Resende,RJ,Brazil -JustAuto, by Graeme Roberts -28 October 2013: -- Man Latin America is set to spend around EUR335m (US$462.1m) in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro by 2016... The event also saw logistics and transportation company JSL and Sindicarga RJ, the union of logistics and road cargo transportation companies in Rio de Janeiro, announce the purchase of 100 trucks each as part of the newly developed programme for renovation, modernisation, and sustainability of fleets in Rio de Janeiro... Under the programme, at least 30% of fleets in the state are to be renovated in the next five years. This includes 137,000 trucks with an average age of 17 years - more than half of the trucks have already been on the road for two decades. The aim is to reduce the average vehicle age to 12 years by 2018. The government is offering tax incentives to scrap 40,000 trucks, roughly one third of the vehicles registered in the state...
* Australia -UD trucks designed for ‘hell’ of Asia


(Photo: Volvo DNA is evident as the workings of UD’s new Quester are unveiled)
Wacol,QLD,Australia -ig Rigs, by David Meredith -24 Oct 2013: -- Volvo is one of the most prominent technology companies in trucking, but even the engineers who have developed the new FH can accept that trucks in many Asian markets will be serviced rarely, overloaded constantly and washed never, so they'll need vast reserves of durability and strength... UD has just launched an all-new heavy-duty truck range aimed at the trucking hell of Asia... It will be available as a 4x2, 6x4 and 8x4 and be powered by either the GH8E 8-litre engine, developed from the current UD 7-litre, and the newer 11-litre GH11E engine, developed from Volvo's global 11-litre... Output ranges from 220 to 330hp and 850 to 1200Nm for the smaller engine, and from 370 to 420hp and 1700 to 2000Nm for the larger unit...

 * Sweden - Volvo to cut 2,000 jobs as profits fall

(Photo: Shares in Volvo fell heavily in early trading) 
Stockholm,Sweden -BBC News -25 October 2013: -- Truckmaker Volvo is cutting 2,000 jobs after investments in new models and a rising Swedish kronor held back third-quarter profits... Sweden's largest private sector employer said earnings fell to 2.50bn kronor ($393m; £242m) from 3.48bn kronor a year-ago... Volvo is launching a new range of trucks ahead of emissions rule changes... "The changeover to the new products will take another couple of quarters," chief executive Olof Persson said... Volvo, which makes trucks under the Renault, Mack and UD brands, said third-quarter sales fell to 64.9bn kronor, down 5% on the same quarter last year...
* Sweden - European pre-buy drives surge in Scania orders 

(Photo: A Scania truck HD model)
Stockholm,Sweden -Reuters -Oct 23, 2013: -- Truck maker Scania posted a bigger than expected rise in third-quarter order bookings on Wednesday as European customers rushed to buy older models before sales are halted due to new emission rules coming into force at year-end... Scania, majority owned by Germany's Volkswagen, said its order intake surged 29 percent year-on-year in the quarter to 21,809 vehicles, easily topping the 20 percent gain seen in a Reuters poll of analysts... Europe's heavy truck makers have seen orders climb in recent quarters, if from low levels, due to a growing need to replace ageing fleets and a buying spree of so called Euro 5 trucks that typically cost roughly 10,000 euros less than their successors...

* India - Scania opens manufacturing facility 

(Photo)
Bangalore,Karnataka,India -IANS/News Track India -29 Oct 2013: -- Swedish automobile major Scania Commercial Vehicles Tuesday opened its maiden manufacturing facility in Narsapura, near here. The plant has come up with an initial investment of Rs.250 crore... The company's new plant will manufacture about 2,500 heavy haulage trucks, besides 1,000 inter-city buses and coaches annually... According to the company, the facility will serve as its head office and centre for all commercial operations across the country. Currently, the company's localisation levels for trucks stand at 18 percent, while for bus bodies the level has reached 100 percent. Scania said that it plans to employ over 800 people at this facility within five years. The plant will house two manufacturing units- one each for truck assembly and another for buses. The facility will also have service workshop and a central parts warehouse. Scania had started production of trucks at the new facility during June and production trials have taken place for mining and off-road trucks...


* China - The commercial truck market this time it will be fueled by an increasing demand for higher-quality vehicles

Beijing,China -The WSJ, by Bob Tita -Oct 18, 2013: -- After skidding the past couple of years, the commercial truck market in China is about to take off again, fueled by an increasing demand for higher-quality vehicles... But U.S.-based truck makers Navistar International Corp. and Paccar Inc. could be left waiting at the loading dock after European rivals, like Volvo AB and Daimler AG, positioned themselves in recent years to benefit from the upturn by partnering with China’s largest domestic truck makers, says market consultant AlixPartners in its global truck market forecast... To take advantage of sales growth that the firm expects will average 9% a year for heavy-duty trucks and 4% for medium-duty trucks, western truck makers need manufacturing capacity in China and the know-how to develop and sell vehicles to Chinese truckers, whose performance requirements for their trucks are evolving. The easiest route for foreign truck makers is through joint ventures with domestic truck companies... China is the world’s biggest truck market, producing 33% of commercial trucks built worldwide last year. By comparison, North America accounted for 18%. But weakening GDP growth in China pushed down sales of commercial trucks by 28% between 2010 and 2012... Sales this year are expected climb about 7% from 2012 to 995,000 trucks. AlixPartners expects sales to rise 9% in 2014 and reach 1.2 million trucks in 2016. The firm predicts truck sales North America will rise 11% next year to 507,000 units, but flatten out in 2015 and slip to 477,000 vehicles in 2016...

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posted by Unknown @ 6:33 AM  0 comments

Oct 27, 2013

TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * USA

* Maryland - Volvo adding up to 140 jobs in $30M expansion of truck engine plant

Hagerstown,MD,USA -Associated Press/The Washington Post -26 Oct 2013: -- Swedish truck- and bus-maker AB Volvo said Friday that it will add up to 140 full-time jobs at its Hagerstown engine-and-transmission plant by 2015 as part of a global efficiency program announced last month... The $30 million investment will enable Volvo to produce heavy-duty drive axles at the plant in western Maryland instead of buying them from Detroit-based American Axle and Manufacturing Inc... Volvo’s Hagerstown plant, 70 miles west of Baltimore, produces powertrains for Mack, Volvo and Prevost trucks and buses — all Volvo brands. It is Washington County’s fourth-largest private employer, with 1,340 full-time workers, according to state and local economic development agencies...


* North Caroline - Volvo extends fuel efficiency package to 11L engines

Greensboro,NC,USA -Fleet Owner -Oct. 16, 2013: -- Volvo Trucks has expanded its fuel efficiency package to include its 11L D11 engine. The XE11 package, available on Volvo VNM and VNL models rated up to 80,000 lbs. GCWR, improves fuel efficiency by up to 3%... “Demand for XE powertrain packages continues to grow as customers increasingly look to combat fuel costs through optimized truck specifications,” said Gӧran Nyberg, president of Volvo Trucks North American sales and marketing. “XE11 delivers a proven strategy for reducing fuel consumption” ... The XE packages were first introduced for the Volvo 13L D13 and 16L D16 engines. More than 24% of all Volvo-powered trucks ordered in 2013 featured XE powertrain packages, the company said...


* Wisconsin - Freightliner delivers 25,000th truck to Schneider National

Green Bay,WIS,USA -Fleet Owner -Oct. 18, 2013: -- For 15 years, Freightliner has been delivering trucks to Schneider National. On Oct. 15, the newest tractor in the Schneider fleet was delivered personally by Freightliner representatives... The occasion was delivery of the 25,000th Freightliner truck to Schneider. Schneider took possession of the truck during a ceremony in Green Bay, WI...


* Michigan - New owner for Grand Forks truck cover maker

 (Photo: Tempered aluminum support beams embedded into the polycarbonate sheet add strength to support heavy snow loads) 
Ann Arbor,MICH,USA -Grand Forks Herald -26 Oct 2013: -- Retrax, a Grand Forks-based maker of retractable truck bed covers, was acquired by Tectum Holdings earlier this month... The sale means Retrax, which was formally known as Applied Products Inc. before the sale, will have access to the same distributors THI has been working with. Retrax General Manager, Scott Fuller, expects his workforce to grow from about 100 to 120 in the next year. Eventually, it will also mean a physical expansion of Retrax facilities, he said... THI, a holding company that also owns several similar truck accessory makers...

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posted by Unknown @ 8:05 AM  0 comments

DRIVERS' SHORTAGE * USA - TRUCKERS' COMMENT

* Florida - US fleets increasing pay packages to attract drivers

(Perhaps: A SOLUTION!!! )
Orlando,FLA,USA -Truck News -Oct 22, 2013: -- Three-quarters of fleets surveyed by the American Trucking Associations (ATA), say they have or will be increasing driver pay packages in the face of a driver shortage... At an ATA Management Conference and  Exhibition panel discussion, chief economist Bob Costello said: “As a result, nearly three-quarters of those we surveyed plan to increase pay or have already done so” ... The industry needs to find an average of roughly 96,000 new drivers annually to keep pace with demand. If freight demand grows as it is projected to, the driver shortage could balloon to nearly 240,000 drivers by 2022, according to ATA data...

* Michael Gower comment 
October 22, 2013: "WOW, an increase in driver pay, will it be 1% or 2%. What ever will a driver do with all the new found prosperity... Try about a 10% increase as a start with a daily "guarantee" in wages. Then watch your mythical driver shortage disapear."

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posted by Unknown @ 7:44 AM  0 comments

DRIVERS SHORTAGE * Canada - TRUCKERS' COMMENTS

* P.E.I. - Driver shortage discussed at APTA meeting

Charlottetown,Prince Edwards Island  ,CAN -Truck News -Oct 23, 2013: -- The ongoing driver shortage was addressed in a session at the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association (APTA) conference here today... A discussion panel was assembled at the Oct. 23 afternoon session to discuss both problems and solutions to the prevailing shortage issue... Kelly Henderson, the executive director of the Trucking Human Resources Sector Council Atlantic, reported that by 2020, the industry could face a driver shortage of 33,000 truck operators... Angela Splinter, CEO Trucking HR Canada echoed this statistic by adding that the numbers do fluctuate from 25,000 to 33,000, but could realistically be higher... According to Paul Easson, president of Eassons Transport, the job can be demoralizing when truckers are forced to wait for their schedules or left idling at a shipper’s facility waiting for their truck to unload. Rearranging operations so dispatch plans are forward looking will aid wait times... The issue of time was stressed when Easson addressed the conference attendees...

* British Columbia - Trucking Association seeks immigrant drivers 

Langley,BC,CAN -Truck News -Oct 21, 2013: -- The BC Trucking Association (BCTA) has developed a new skills assessment tool called IDRIVE and is looking for 25 recent immigrants with professional truck-driving experience to participate in a pilot test to be scheduled in November or December 2013... BCTA is working with BC motor carriers to find ways to address a shortage of professional drivers that could run as high as 33,000 across Canada by 2020, according to a Conference Board of Canada study...

° TRUCKERS' COMMENT °

 * ALP wrote:
October 25, 2013: "Well I guess I am tired of hearing all the things companies are doing to keep drivers happy After 25 years in the industry it is no different now than then only you cannot run 24/7 to make money. Companies tell everyone we are the top in the industry if so why you always looking for drivers why are drivers always unhappy with there work schedule. Very simple pay for what you do live up to your promises. We all can agree that services have not decreased so who is making the bucks here. The food industry say transport costs are up we are told , transport companies they are down so where is the truth who do you believe someone is making the bucks of a drivers hard work. Does not look like retailers are hurting for a dollar or transport companies whether privately owned or owned by share holders. If any other trade or worker put up with the delays, lies that are given to drivers the country it would shut down. I do not want a medal of honor for what I do just treat me right and pay me. The sad part about all of this bull is I LOVE what I do and everyone else is tell me what to work , when to rest and what I can make know anywhere else this happens. The more I put in the less I get back come on people these days are gone do not be so greedy share the wealth the trucking industry will be a better place. Everyone know you get what you pay for..."

* poor boy said: 
October 25, 2013 - : "for months I've listened to all these so called experts with their theories on how to help these companies retain drivers. the main problem is with our antiquated labour laws that haven't kept up with the times. This is not "Rocket science" 24hrs in a day 10 for sleeping according to our log books. 14 hrs for productivity. IE driving, traffic, loading, unloading, call me back in an hour game and so on. Pay by the hour and most safety problems will take of themselves. The labour laws need to be changed to fit today's type of trucking, most of these trucking companies manipulate the rules to suite their purpose. Sure the labour rules says after 60hrs it's overtime great in theory. At the end of your 3rd day lets say for shits and giggles your company makes you sit some place for 24hrs because they don't have freight, that blows the 60hrs in 7 days apart plus a day with no income sitting at some truckstop. I don't think these labour laws regarding trucking have changed much since the 1930s. The laws have to change across the country in order to have a level playing field for everyone. I could go and on but i think most people reading this will get the idea of it..."

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posted by Unknown @ 7:16 AM  0 comments

Oct 18, 2013

TRUCKING INDUSTRY NEWS * UK

* UK - TNT builds city centre mobile sorting and delivery concept vehicle

Eastleigh,Hampshire,UK -Transport Engineer -16 October 2013: -- TNT has finally built its city centre parcels deliveries concept vehicle – a bespoke, twin-axle semi-trailer fitted with a side lift and an expanding side section that slides out...  The side lift has been designed to raise and lower an electrically-assisted delivery bike for loading in the mobile depot. Meanwhile, the expanding side section will accommodate parcel sorting on-site... As for the trailer itself – which was proposed more than a year ago but has since languished awaiting build funding – it is a standard length vehicle and also has a full office section sited above the fifth wheel coupling... In the prototype, power for the side lift, extending side and office is provided through a power connection to an adjacent building... However, Graham Ellis, of Ellis International Transport says that, if the vehicle is commercially successful, an on-board generator or solar panels are to be investigated... 

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posted by Unknown @ 8:35 AM  0 comments

* UK - LGVs with automatic gearboxes tests

* UK - DSA to allow LGVs with automatic gearboxes at test from January

London,EN,UK -Commercial Motor, by Ashleigh Wight -16 October 2013: -- The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) has confirmed that changes to allow practical LGV driving tests to be taken in vehicles with an automatic gearbox will come into effect in January 2014... The DSA is removing the current requirement for vehicles presented at a practical test to have a minimum of eight forward gears... Those that take the test in an automatic truck will also receive a manual licence if they already hold a manual entitlement for cars, buses or lorries, with or without a trailer... Existing drivers will also be given the opportunity to exchange/upgrade their licence for a manual one if they already hold a manual entitlement for cars, buses or lorries, with or without a trailer...

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posted by Unknown @ 8:25 AM  0 comments

* UK - SPARE PARTS for TRUCKS: From OEM or independent suppliers ?

* UK - OE Spares: Worth the gamble?

London,EN,UK -Transport Engineer, by Steve Banner -3 October 2013: -- Arguments about over where to get OE spares, but two things are certain: competition is cutting prices and improving service; and there are still cowboys out there offering OE parts that are certainly not... Truck manufacturers are often keen to imply that anybody who purchases replacement parts from independent suppliers, rather than franchised dealers, is taking a risk. The item bought may not be of OE quality, they suggest. It may fail prematurely and do damage to other components on the vehicle; it could endanger lives, if it is safety-critical; and the warranty it carries is likely to be inadequate... Independent wholesalers report that they have OE spares readily available, probably at a more competitive price than the dealers, and that the only difference between what they offer and whatever is on the shelves of the local dealer is the packaging and its logo. After all, they contend, truck manufacturers are less manufacturers than assemblers of parts made by others – and those self-same parts reach the aftermarket through a variety of outlets. So truck operators having problems with a particular component may be just as close to finding a solution if they talk to the firm that made it – Knorr-Bremse or WABCO, say – as they would if they contact a dealer...

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posted by Unknown @ 5:54 AM  0 comments

TRUCKING INDUSTRY NEWS * Australia

* NSW - Fewer trucks on roads this harvest. NSW Government changes rules for grain transport

(Photo from ABC News: Rules changes for grain transportation will mean less traffic this harvest) 
Sydney,NSW,Australia -ABC Rural, by Skye Manson -15 Oct 2013: -- The New South Wales Government says there will be fewer trucks on the road this harvest, despite a big crop expected in some areas... The Government has relaxed the legal load limits for trucks delivering grain under its Grain Harvest Management Scheme which is due to be gazetted today... Vice president of the Livestock and Bulk Carriers Association, Jock Carter, says the changes will allow farmers to load slightly more grain and will reduce the number of trips to the delivery site...

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posted by Unknown @ 5:45 AM  0 comments

TRUCKING INDUSTRY NEWS * USA & Canada

* New York - OOIDA lawsuit seeks to head off “fee proliferation”

(Photo: A truck in NT City) 
NY,USA -Fleet Owner, by Sean Kilcarr -Oct. 15, 2013: -- A class action lawsuit launched by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) last week against the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance seeks to head-off what some in the industry are calling “fee proliferation” – efforts by state and local governments to craft extra fees and/or taxes often targeted at truckers to generate additional revenues... OOIDA said its lawsuit is in response to a $15 fee for a certificate of registration and a $4 decal charge on all trucks using New York State highways, with penalties for non-payment on a timely basis resulting in fines, interest, penalties, and seizure of property... Jim Johnston, OOIDA’s president and CEO, said in a statement that those fees are being imposed not only on New York-based trucks, but also on trucks based outside of New York. That’s why OOIDA’s lawsuit claims the fees are “unconstitutional and discriminatory” against out-of-state truckers...


* Canada - Truck firms looking for drivers, too - Bottom line: A 33,000 driver shortage by 2020. 

(Photo: Scania's Truck On Snow) 
Ottawa,ONT,Canada -Fleet Owner, by Larry Kahaner -Oct. 11, 2013: -- If misery loves company, then U.S. carriers grappling with driver shortages can take comfort that their Canada counterparts are plagued by the same malady. The issue is so acute that about a year ago the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) published a Blue Ribbon Task Force report on the subject and produced a separate website to keep carriers and others updated on the topic... The report highlighted core values that could help alleviate the driver shortage. These included: 
 -- Truck drivers should be paid for all the work that they do and earn enough to cover all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses as well as have an improved ability to predict what their weekly pay is going to be; compensation packages need to be competitive and more transparent 
 -- Drivers’ time at work should not be wasted — at shipper/consignee premises, waiting for their trucks in the shop, or waiting for a response to a question of their carrier 
 -- Driver wellness should be a top priority for employers 
 -- A minimum standard of entry level, apprenticeship or apprenticeship-like truck driver training should be mandatory 
 -- Truck driving should be considered a skilled trade and be recognized as such by the various levels and branches of government, standards councils


* DC / USA - Trucking rests easy as sleep apnea bill signed into law

(Photo: A Truck driver sleeping)
Washington,DC,USA -Fleet Owner, by Larry Kahaner -Oct. 17, 2013: -- Showing that government still can work smoothly and without rancor, President Barack Obama without fanfare on Tuesday signed legislation requiring that any federal standards concerning sleep disorders, especially sleep apnea, that apply to commercial vehicle operators would be handled through a rulemaking proceeding and not solely by regulatory guidance. The three-sentence legislation passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 405 to 0 and the Senate by unanimous consent... Trucking industry stakeholders, including drivers, are pleased with the law because it will allow a full airing of the matter and offer opportunities for input in a prescribed, scientific and cost analysis-based manner. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration had already made public its belief that the matter should be handled through rulemaking, but the law provides the industry added assurance that this will the case...

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posted by Unknown @ 5:26 AM  0 comments

TRUCK SALES SEPTEMBER * USA

* Michigan - WardsAuto: September sees truck sales soar

(Photo: A Peterbilt Truck) 
Birmingham,MICH,USA -Fleet Owner -Oct. 15, 2013: -- U.S. sales of medium- and heavy-duty trucks climbed 17.3% last month, scoring the best September since 2006, per a news story posted on posted on WardsAuto.com... Class 4 through 8 sales combined experienced gains over like-2012, pointed out reporter Paul Zajac , with every manufacturer recording year-over-year sales increases... The report also related that: 
*  Class 7 sales for the month totaled 3,638 units, 12.5% above year-ago results 
*  Class 6 sales overall were up 27% over September 2012 
*  Class 5 deliveries ticked up a “modest”1.9% 
*  Class 4’s 31.2% gain was the month’s best-performing segment

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posted by Unknown @ 5:12 AM  0 comments

Oct 16, 2013

* VOLVO TRUCK's ... The ultimate manoeuvrability test !!! ???

* Sweden - Volvo releases the Bulls on its new FL Distribution Truck

  Gothenburg,Sweden -CarScoops, by Dan Mihalascu -October 10, 2013: -- To promote one of its products, the Volvo FL distribution truck is chased by bulls in a race through Spain’s medieval town Ciudad Rodrigo. With precision driver Rob Hunt behind the wheel, the red-painted truck manages to squeeze through the town’s narrow streets while being pursued by angry bulls... The idea behind the video is to show how easy the 12-ton FL truck is to maneuver in a demanding urban environment, on a 2-kilometer (1.24-mile) long course. “The town is old, the streets are narrow and we drive on slippery cobblestones. To be chased by bulls on top of that is a real challenge,” said Rob Hunt... To keep ahead of the herd of bulls, he had to maintain a speed of at least 30 km/h (18.6 mph). “The bulls maintained a consistently high speed and were really close sometimes, but the truck handled the corners very well so it was just a matter of driving,” said Rob Hunt...


* Sweden - Volvo Group to optimize truck manufacturing in Europe

(Photo: Umeá Volvo's truck factory)
Gothenburg,Sweden -ABR -17 October 2013: -- The Volvo Group has made a directional decision to implement changes in the European industrial structure for truck manufacturing... The aim is to enhance the efficiency of manufacturing and thus strengthen competitiveness. The intention is to, step-wise over the next two years, relocate cab trim operations from Umeå to Gothenburg, to concentrate the assembly of heavy duty trucks in Gothenburg to one line, and to concentrate the assembly of medium duty trucks to Blainville. The directional decision is expected to result in staff cutbacks and operational changes. The action corresponds to a minor part of the financial impact of the previously announced Group-wide efficiency program...

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posted by Unknown @ 12:47 PM  0 comments

TRAILER MAKERS NEWS * USA

* DC - The arrival of integrated tractor-trailer aerodynamics is only a matter of time

Washington,DC,USA -Fleet Owner, by David Cullen -Oct. 11, 2013: -- It’s been 40 years since diesel fuel was last viewed as cheap and 50 years since the first federal Clean Air Act was passed. In the decades since, a vast whirlwind of societal, political, economic and technological change has remarkably recast trucking into a solidly green industry. Yet reducing fuel consumption by integrating the design of highway tractors and trailers to drastically slash their wind resistance remains the holy grail of aerodynamics for commercial vehicles... According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA), the two agencies that promulgated the current GHG/MPG rules, trailers have not yet been addressed by a rulemaking because of “the first-ever nature of this program and the agencies’ limited experience working in a compliance context with the trailer manufacturing industry...


* California - ATDynamics offers alternative versions of TrailerTail

Hayward,CAL,USA -Fleet Owner -Oct. 14, 2013: -- For customers looking for shorter rear-drag aerodynamic devices, or those who face length restrictions, ATDynamics, makers of the TrailerTail, is now offering alternative options of the technology... Now being offered is the TrailerTail Trident 3x3, a lower-cost, three-sided, three-foot long version of the TrailerTail. Also available are custom solutions in lengths of less than three feet... The company has also rebranded its original TrailerTail as the TrailerTail 4x4, a four-sided, four-foot long aerodynamic device...

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posted by Unknown @ 10:39 AM  0 comments

TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * USA & WORLDWIDE

* Ireland - Mercedes-Benz Trucks Actros wins Ireland’s first Truck of the Decade Award

(Photo: Mercedes-Benz Trucks Actros) 
Dublin,Ireland -3D Car Shows, by Gerald Ferreira -October 14, 2013: -- The New Actros is “Truck of the Decade” in Ireland: this prestigious award was presented for the very first time in Dublin last Friday. Readers of “Fleet Transport” magazine, truck drivers and owners, users of social networks such as Twitter and Facebook, along with visitors to the most recent “Mondello Truck Show”, were able to vote for their favourites. The choice was between the last ten winners of the Irish “Truck of the Year” award, among them leading brands such as Scania, MAN, DAF and Volvo. And the clear winner was the New Mercedes-Benz Actros... With a total of eight titles in all, Mercedes-Benz is now the most successful brand to contend for this award for technological development, the key criterion in the selection process undertaken by the Truck of the Year jury... 

* Mexico - Chrysler puts $1 billion plus into building ProMaster

(Photo: The Ram ProMaster commercial van is being built in Saltillo, Mexico) 
Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico -Fleet Owner, by David Cullen -Oct. 11, 2013: -- At a facility dedication yesterday in Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico, Chrysler Group LLC chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne announced manufacturing investments in the country by the OEM totaling US$1.25 billion— including US$1.085 billion just for a new plant to produce the Ram ProMaster commercial van... The Ram ProMaster produced in the new Van Assembly Plant, which actually began production in July, will be sold in Mexico, the U.S. and Canada... The ProMaster is based on the European-designed Ducato, which has been in production for over three decades by Chrysler Group LLC’s parent, Turin, Italy-based Fiat S.p.A....
* Washington - T880 vocational truck available for order

(Photo: The new T880 model a dump truck and daycab highway tractor)
Kirkland,WASH,USA -Fleet Owner -9 Oct 2013: -- The new T880 vocational truck, first introduced at the 2013 Mid-America Trucking Show, is now available for order, Kenworth said... The T880 is standard with the Paccar MX-13 engine rated up to 500 hp. and 1,850 lbs.-ft. of torque. It can be ordered with a 116.5-in. BBC hood optimized for the Paccar MX-13 engine or with the 122.5-in. BBC hood... The Kenworth T880 features a panoramic windshield for enhanced visibility, quiet cab with triple-sealed doors, 5-piece Metton hood for easier and faster repairs, air-assisted hydraulic clutch, complex reflector headlamps, excellent maneuverability, and new lightweight, factory-installed lift axles... The truck uses Kenworth’s 2.1-meter wide, stamped aluminum cab, which is robotically assembled. The cab has 23 in. of room between the seats. The T880 offers the premium Diamond VIT and Vantage trim levels and two interior color options of sandstone tan and slate gray...


* New Jersey - Long wheelbase Class 3 Canter FE model available

Logan Township,N.J., U.S. -Fleet Owner -Oct. 9, 2013: -- Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America is now offering its Class 3 Canter FE125 cabover with a 169.3-in. wheelbase to accommodate bodies up to 20 ft. long... With a 12,500 lb. GVWR and a body/payload capacity in its normal configuration of 7,095 lbs., the truck is ideal for urban delivery of high-bulking items like furniture, vending, clothing, etc., the company said... The Class 3 FE125 is capable of accommodating the same rear body widths and heights as the company’s heavier Class 4 and 5 FE models...

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