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Aug 29, 2014

TRUCKERS' SHORTAGE * USA: Survey: Drivers' turnover

* New Jersey - Pay top issue for US truck drivers


(Photo: There's A Huge Shortage Of Truck Drivers In America) 
Hasbrouck Heights,NJ,USA -JOC, by Joseph Bonney -Aug 27, 2014: -- A survey of 2,000 truck drivers by National Retail Systems showed that 79 percent listed pay as their top reason for deciding where to work. NRS said the survey highlights a quandary for motor carriers... Joe Brady, vice president at NRS. said customers resist price increases, forcing carriers to absorb higher costs. The survey’s findings put hard numbers behind anecdotal reports of high driver turnover, the cost to drivers, and the threat to capacity and service...  NRS, is a family-owned trucking and third-party logistics provider that employs 1,000 drivers... David Bullins, NRS East Coast recruitment officer for truck driver jobs, said new regulations on driver hours of service pushed long-haul and regional drivers to seek local driving jobs that at least allow them to sleep in their own beds... The NRS survey found pay was the main reason (43 percent) drivers had left their previous jobs. Home time was second at 28 percent... The Internet is the main medium for job searches... The survey showed that 42 percent of the drivers apply for two or three jobs at a time, and that almost 8 percent apply for more than 15 jobs at a time...

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posted by Unknown @ 5:30 AM  0 comments

RULES & REGULATIONS * USA: CSA Scores

* DC - Trucking groups protest CSA Scores 

(Photo: More fleets are using electronic logging devices in their trucks) 
Washington,DC,USA -Go By Truck News -August 27, 2014: -- Ten transportation trade groups have come together to ask the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to remove Compliance, Safety, Accountability scores from its website. The groups claim that the scores are an unreliable basis for comparing carrier safety and cite a study by the Government Accountability Office as proof... The GAO report, issued in February of this year, called into question the amount of data used to produce SMS scores... The transportation groups behind the request to remove the scores from public view point out that the scores have the potential to have an adverse affect on companies’ bottom lines, as well as on highway safety... “[Removing the scores] will not only spare motor carriers harm from public view, but will also reduce the possibility that the marketplace will drive business to potentially risky carriers that are erroneously being painted as more safe,” reads the letter... The letter was signed by representatives from the following trade groups: American Bus Association; American Moving and Storage Association; American Trucking Associations; the National Private Truck Council; the National School Transportation Association; the National Tank Truck Carriers; the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association; Specialized Carriers and Rigging Association; Truckload Carriers Association; and United Motorcoach Association...

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posted by Unknown @ 5:09 AM  0 comments

TRUCKERS' SAFETY * USA: Truck parking spaces

* Minnesota - Parking availability system takes aim at truck driver fatigue

(Video from MnDOT Research -26 Aug 2014: MnDOT, in partnership with the University of Minnesota and the American Trucking Research Institute, is testing the implementation and deployment of a system to identify available truck parking spaces and communicate the information to truck drivers and carriers. The goal of the project is to improve their operational decision-making along the I-94 corridor west of the Twin Cities and combat drowsy driving)
St.Paul,MINN,USA -Mn Transportation Research, by Nick -August 27, 2014: -- MnDOT, in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration, is test-deploying a high-tech system to help combat drowsy driving and keep truck drivers in compliance with federal hours-of-service regulations... Developed by researchers at the University of Minnesota, the prototype system lets drivers know when parking spaces are available at rest stops ahead. It has been deployed at several locations along the heavily traveled I-94 corridor between Minneapolis and St. Cloud...

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TRUCKING INDUSTRY NEWS * USA: FedEx's

* Indiana - Court rules FedEx Ground drivers employees, not independent contractors, reverses earlier finding

(Photo: FedEx Volvo pulling triples taken east of Spokane, WA)
Indianapolis,IND,USA -The Trucker -27 Aug 2014: -- FedEx Ground, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp., said today that a decision by a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed previous rulings by the District Court for the Northern District of Indiana in three class-action cases involving mostly former independent contractors for FedEx Ground... The court held that those independent contractors operating in California from 2000 to 2007 and in Oregon from 1999 to 2009 were employees according to the panel’s interpretation of state laws, MSN Money reported... The model that the court reviewed is no longer in use. Since 2011, FedEx Ground has only contracted with incorporated businesses, which treat their drivers as their employees. FedEx Ground will seek review of these decisions, including review by the entire Ninth Circuit, the report stated...

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Aug 28, 2014

TRUCKS MARKET * India

* Tamil Nadu - Truck-makers eye revival in 2014

(Photo Reuters: Salt getting loaded into truck in Chennai) 
Chennai,Tamil Nadu,India -The Times of India, by Nandini Sengupta -Aug 27, 2014: -- The commercial vehicle industry, battered by its worst slowdown in a decade in the last two years, is beginning to turn around and should end the current financial year either flat or on a positive note... That's a huge improvement from the 20%-plus negative growth clocked last financial year. According to top industry sources, the top-end tractor trailer segment has already hit pre-slowdown, 2011-level growth once again totting up 52% growth in the first seven months of this calendar... The demand upturn means CV makers are ramping up production rapidly to catch the festive spurt. VECV is cranking out 3,500 units a month but is ready to ramp up to 5,000 units a month if the demand picks up speed... The trouble is the ramp up plans by OEMs has caught a number of smaller vendors unawares. A section of component suppliers, particularly smaller players that had cut back on investments and capacity significantly in the downturn, are now unable to keep pace with demand revival...

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posted by Unknown @ 7:19 AM  0 comments

Aug 26, 2014

TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * USA: Daimler's - Volvo's

* North Caroline - Daimler delivers its 3 millionth vehicle produced in North America


(Courtesy: DAIMLER TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA - Steve Duley, center, vice president of purchasing at Schneider, accepts the 3 millionth Daimler Trucks North America vehicle from Roger Nielson, left, chief operating officer, Daimler Trucks North America, and Richard Shearing, vice president of national accounts at Daimler Trucks North America) 
Cleveland,N.C.,USA -The Trucker News Services -26 Aug 2014: -- A big celebration was held in the Rowan County town of Cleveland today to mark a milestone for the Freightliner plant... Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) today marked the production of its 3,000,000th vehicle in North America. The milestone was commemorated by the delivery of a Freightliner Cascadia® Evolution to representatives from Schneider at DTNA's manufacturing facility in Cleveland, according to a news release... The 3,000,000th vehicle is the first Freightliner Cascadia Evolution to be equipped with the new 6x2 Detroit™ integrated Powertrain package. Featuring the Detroit DD15® engine, Detroit DT12™ transmission and Detroit axles, the integrated Powertrain provides state-of-the-art component communication to achieve the highest level of performance. The new Detroit integrated Powertrain will be available in full production in the Freightliner Cascadia Evolution in January 2015...


* North Caroline - Volvo, Mack training programs receive CASE accreditation


(Photo: Volvo Trucks Academy and Mack Trucks Academy received Continuing Automotive Service Education accreditation from the National Society of Automotive Service Excellence) 
Grensboro,N.C.,USA -The Trucker News Services -25 Aug 2014: -- The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) recently awarded Continuing Automotive Service Education (CASE) accreditation to the Volvo Trucks Academy, the training arm of Volvo Trucks in North America, and the Mack Trucks Academy, the training arm of Mack Trucks. Both the Volvo and Mack nameplates are part of the Volvo Group. CASE accreditation helps ensure high-quality training programs, which ultimately improve a retail dealer’s ability to provide exceptional customer service and support... The voluntary accreditation program reviews a training provider’s programs against established industry standards, ensuring that the continuing education training adheres to best practices, both said...

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posted by Unknown @ 6:18 PM  0 comments

TRUCKING INDUSTRY WORLDWIDE * Philippines

* Philippines - More lanes for trucks, but operators should move more cargo on weekend, holidays
Manila,Philippines -InterAksyon/TV5, by Clara Masinag -August 24, 2014: -- Additional lanes have been given to cargo trucks following the requests of traders and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), as part of continuing efforts to decongest the piers, avert supply chain disruptions and increase the cost of business, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said Sunday... The additional truck lane, operating 24 hours, extends from the Manila port going to Southern Metro Manila via Roxas Boulevard... MMDA Emerson Carlos, assistant general manager for operations, said every effort is being done to ease the congestion at major ports in Metro Manila... However, he said, it would help even more if truckers took advantage of the holidays and weekends to deliver their goods. Only a few cargo trucks are operating during the past holidays, Saturday and Sunday in spite of the fact that the truck ban is suspended on such days...

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posted by Unknown @ 6:08 PM  0 comments

TRUCKERS' STRIKE * China: Ningbo's

* Shanghai - Missed sailings loom as Ningbo port trucker strike escalates


(Photo: Trucks at a standstill at Ningbo’s Beilun Container Port. A massive strike by as many as 10,000 truck drivers at Ningbo’s Beilun Container Port erupted into violence on August 20, as protestors clashed with riot police and smashed the windshields of trucks crossing the picket line, according to China Labour Bulletin)
Ningbo,SH,China -JOC (USA), by Greg Knowler -Aug 22, 2014: -- The Ningbo container truck driver strike escalated on Friday, with trucks clogging the terminal gates and forwarders warning customers to expect missed sailings and a shortage of boxes... Violence again erupted at the port on Friday and the Ningbo government introduced a complete news blackout. Shipments through the busy international container port are facing severe delays and carriers are reportedly diverting vessel calls to Shanghai while shippers truck containers from Ningbo... The drayage drivers, dissatisfied with haulage rates they could earn at the port, launched a protest earlier in the week, bringing the port to a standstill. The labor action comes in the midst of peak season, when ships headed to the U.S. are full and reports were proliferating of cargo booked at lower freight rates being left behind, or rolled, to subsequent sailings... DB Schenker’s Joerg Hoppe, director and head of ocean freight for north and central China, said the news blackout meant official or independently verified information was hard to come by...

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posted by Unknown @ 5:54 PM  0 comments

WOMAN TRUCKER * USA: Award winner 2014

* Texas - Only woman trucker finalist wins Top Rookie of the Year award

(Photo from The Trucker, by APRILLE HANSON: Julie Matulle the winner) 
Dallas,TXS,USA -The Trucker, by Aprille Hanson -22 Aug 2014: -- Julie Matulle, the only woman finalist out of 10 truckers in the fourth annual Mike O’Connell Memorial Trucking’s Top Rookie award at the Great American Trucking Show here Friday had one goal – “First is do not cry,” she said to herself and to the crowd that gathered after she was announced as this year’s Top Rookie winner... Julie Matulle, 48, of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, drives for H.O. Wolding Inc. and graduated from Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, Wisconsin. She drives a 2014 Freightliner Cascadia Evolution...

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TRUCKERS' SHORTAGE * Europe

* Hungary - European trucker Waberer’s expands, seeks drivers


(Photo: Waberer's ordered 600 tractors from Paccar subsidiary DAF in December 2013) 
Budapest,Hungary -JOC (USA), by William B. Cassidy -Aug 22, 2014: -- Truck driver fatigue and the truck driver shortage aren’t just North American concerns. European trucking company Waberer’s International — one of the largest trucking operators in Europe — plans to hire 400 truck drivers and give its drivers more rest time as it expands... The company this month said it would hire the additional drivers after hiring several hundred employees in the first half of the year and expanding in several European countries. The increase in payroll follows the purchase of 1,300 new tractor-trailers, Waberer’s said... The Budapest, Hungary-based company wants to increase its driver-to-truck ratio to allow longer rest time for drivers. European Union laws cap time for drivers traveling in more than one country at 9 hours a day or 56 hours a week — shorter than U.S. driver work limits...

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posted by Unknown @ 5:28 PM  0 comments

TRUCK ACCIDENT * Australia: At 152 kph

* South Australia - Transpacific truck was travelling at 151kph at base of South Eastern Freeway, inquest told


(Photo from ABC: Wreckage littering the intersection between Glen Osmond Road and Cross Road) 
Adelaide,SA,Australia -ABC Net TV -22 Aug 2014: -- A truck that crashed into three cars killing two people in Adelaide was travelling at an average speed of 151.9kph in the moments leading up to the crash, an inquest has heard... Investigating officer Brevet Sergeant Peter Light told the inquest CCTV showed the truck travelling the final 190 metres of the freeway before the Cross Road intersection in just 4.5 seconds... In a swift response to the accident, the South Australian Government has agreed to reduce the freeway speed limit for all trucks between Crafers exit and the toll gate to 60kph from the start of September...

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posted by Unknown @ 5:21 PM  0 comments

TRUCK TRAFFIC ALTERNATIVES * usa

* New Jersey - We need alternatives to truck traffic


(Photo by Steven Senne/AP: Trucks and cars appear together in slow moving traffic on Interstate Route 95, in Newton, Mass., Friday. In the decade from 1995 to 2005, the weight load on urban highways increased 54 percent) 
Middlessex,NJ,USA -MyCentralJersey, by Louise Riscalla -August 22, 2014: -- Although trucks are necessary for commerce, they damage roadways, are responsible for accidents and can impair the health of people... Roads are apparently not built strong enough to support the weight of a large number of trucks using the roadways, with the result that roads are damaged and require costly repairs. It was reported that one tractor-trailer causes the same amount of damage as 2,000-3,000 cars. The Tri-State Transportation Campaign predicted that by 2020 an 80-percent truck traffic growth could cost the state in repairs. The American Society of Civil Engineers reported in 2013 that nearly $601 for each driver was spent on extra operating costs and repairs due to driving on damaged roads... Trucks appear to be a major cause of congestion on roadways which lead to accidents. The Tri-State Transportation Campaign reported that one truck can take up as much space as three or four cars on the road... Since trucks go through largely populated areas, truck accidents have a negative impact on residents... And trucks can cause health problems. It was found that higher cancer rates along truck routes were linked to carcinogens in diesel exhaust. Diesel exhaust can also cause or worsen respiratory disease and have an impact on cardiovascular illnesses... There are other ways to solve the problem of transporting products such as waterways, that are under-used for commerce... Trains are very efficient because their infrastructure. A freight train can move one ton approximately 450 miles per gallon of gas, whereas a two-ton truck would need to get 225 miles per gallon...

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posted by Unknown @ 5:11 PM  0 comments

TRUCK RULES * USA

* DC - Truck makers, operators ask NHTSA to consider ‘real world’ in setting efficiency standards


Washington,DC,USA -Truckinginfo, by Kevin Jones -August 20, 2014: -- CARB GHGTruck, trailer and engine makers, along with buyers and operators, are strongly encouraging government regulators to consider real-world operating factors in the development of the next round of heavy-duty vehicle fuel efficiency standards. The trucking industry is also hoping the government has learned from the unintended, economically disastrous and potentially conflicting results of other recent emissions rules... The discussion comes by way of comments filed recently with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA, together with the Environmental Protection Agency, has initiated development of Phase II of its greenhouse gas standards for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. The initial standards became effective Jan. 1 for model year 2014 trucks, and are set to be strengthened with model year 2017. Phase II would target 2018 and beyond... In its response, American Trucking Associations “strongly” calls for “national harmonization” of all standards for the trucking industry – including standards under Phase II. ATA is particularly concerned with the impact of state and local emissions regulations, such as those imposed by the California Air Resources Board, on interstate commerce... The Owner-Operators Independent Drivers Association likewise addresses both affordability and real-world results...

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posted by Unknown @ 7:18 AM  0 comments

TIRES MAKER NEWS * USA -

* DC - Medium-Duty tires go fuel-efficient

Washington,DC,USA -TruckingInfo, by Jim Park -25 August 2014: -- Downtown streets still pose a threat to delivery fleets' tires. Nobody will give up protection for fuel economy; the tire people say they won't have to... The medium-duty world is dominated by the rental and leasing sectors and the pickup and delivery sector, at least in terms of the Class 5-7 trucks using 17.5- and 19.5-in tires. What they wanted has dictated what the tire makers delivered. And until recently, that crowd wanted a bulletproof tire would last forever, could be retreaded several times, and would handle the rigors of life on the mean city streets... Over the years, tire makers delivered the tires industry wanted -- and was prepared to pay for. It's a very price-sensitive market, and that has historically limited innovation. And historically, fuel economy wasn't even on the radar screen...

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posted by Unknown @ 6:55 AM  0 comments

TRUCKERS' TURNOVER RATE * USA

* Virginia - Truck driver turnover drops but still high


Arlington,VA,USA -Truckinginfo -March 14, 2014: -- The turnover rate at large truckload carriers fell six percentage points to 91% in the fourth quarter of 2013, but held above 90% for the eighth consecutive quarter, according to new figures released by the American Trucking Associations... The decline was the second straight for the measure of churn in the driver pool, however, ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said it continues to be elevated... For all of 2013, driver turnover averaged 96%, just below 2012’s average of 98% and well off the all-time high of 130% set in 2005... Looking ahead, Costello said he expects stronger economic growth and increased growth for the trucking industry, which in turn will put more pressure on the driver market and the driver shortage...

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posted by Unknown @ 6:41 AM  0 comments

TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * USA -

* DC - Heavy duty truck manufacturing value up more than 50%
(Photo: Dailer Trucks plant USA)
Washington,DC,USA -Truckinginfo -August 21, 2014: -- The total value of shipments in the heavy-duty truck manufacturing business have increased the most of three vehicle classes over the past five-years, according to new 2012 Economic Census statistics released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau... The total value of shipments for the heavy-duty truck manufacturing industry increased 51.9% from $19.4 billion in 2007 to $29.5 billion in 2012... The number of establishments decreased from 101 in 2007 to 82 in 2012, while the number of employees increased 3.7%, from 29,120 in 2007 to 30,190 in 2012... Of the total value of product shipments for this industry, trucks weighing between 14,001 pounds and 33,000 pounds made up 13%; trucks weighing 33,001 pounds or more made up 67.5%; and buses, including military and firefighting vehicles, made up 18.2%... The Census Bureau defines heavy duty truck manufacturing as establishments primarily engaged in the manufacturing of heavy duty truck chassis and assembling complete heavy duty trucks, buses, heavy duty motor homes, and other special purpose heavy duty motor vehicles for highway use or the manufacturing heavy duty truck chassis only... 


* South Caroline - Chinese gliders are platforms for new american class 7-8 trucks


(Photo Alkane: This Alkane prototype heavy tractor has a Cummins ISX12 G and Eaton UltraShift transmission. Its LNG system might be changed to easier-to-handle CNG)
Charleston,S.C.,USA -Truckinginfo, by Tom Berg -August 05, 2014: -- An American start-up manufacturer has begun using Chinese-made glider kits for a line of medium- and heavy-duty alternative-fueled trucks for North America. It could be the first employment of Chinese commercial vehicles in the U.S., but they are only a means to an end for the new firm, Alkane Truck Co. ... Alkane-brand cabover trucks will be based on Daimler Foton engineless gliders that are being shipped to the Port of Charleston, S.C., and then to a nearby “integration” plant. There workers will install propane and natural gas engines and fuel systems, and automatic or automated manual transmissions... The low cost of alternative fuels prompted the decision to offer only propane and natural gas-powered trucks...

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posted by Unknown @ 6:29 AM  0 comments

Aug 25, 2014

TRUCKING INDUSTRY * Australia: Insult

* Australia - Pell's trucking analogy a 'deep insult'


(Photo from AAP: Cardinal George Pell) 
Sydney,NSW,Australia -AAP -22 AUG 2014: -- The Australian Trucking Association has joined the outcry over Cardinal George Pell comparing the church's handling of pedophile priests to a trucking company... Association chairwoman Noelene Watson said Cardinal Pell's use of the analogy, during testimony before the child abuse royal commission, was a deep insult to the nation's more than 170,000 hard-working truck drivers... Under questioning on Thursday, via a live link from Rome, Cardinal Pell said the church had a moral - but not necessarily a legal - responsibility to compensate victims of pedophile priests... "If the truck driver picks up some lady and then molests her, I don't think it's appropriate, because it is contrary to the policy, for the ownership, the leadership of that company, to be held responsible," Cardinal Pell told the commission... The comments drew an immediate response from Commissioner Peter McClellan, who asked Cardinal Pell to confirm a priest's trusted position and regular contact with children was very different to any scenario involving a truck driver... Anthony Foster, the father of two girls raped by notorious abuser Father Kevin O'Donnell, said the truck company analogy was insensitive and ludicrous... It also served to highlight a legal loophole which still protected the church."The Catholic Church cannot be sued at law"...

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posted by Unknown @ 6:36 AM  0 comments

FUTURE TRUCKS * USA:

* Texas -  Future of connectivity, productivity will still center on answering basic questions

(Photo: Loaded trucks on California ports) 
Dallas,TXS,USA -The Trucker News -21 Aug 2014: ... As cabs get crowded with more and more devices, displays, gadgets and such, are the core things getting done? Is the driver able to get his or her load there on time and safely, and if there’s a problem with the truck, can it get fixed quickly and who else can deliver the load if there’s a wait or a lot of down time? These basic problems remain and in fact, down time may be the No. 1 problem in the trucking business today, costing up to $400 an hour, according to a productivity panel at the Commercial Vehicle Outlook Conference Thursday just prior to the beginning of the Great American Trucking Show here. And as telematics grows and matures, OEMs need to move to a common open architecture and a standardization of data-gathering devices, not simply add on more, panelists agreed...

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posted by Unknown @ 6:19 AM  0 comments

TRUCKERS SHORTAGE * USA

* California - There's a shortage of truck drivers in the country, and it's going to get worse

(Photo: Trucks line up along Middle Harbor Road) 
San Francisco,CAL,USA -SLATE, by Mamta Badkar -21 Aug 2014: -- America is facing a shortage of truck drivers, and that problem is expected to get worse. The American Trucking Associations expects the estimated U.S. shortage of 30,000 to surge to 239,000 by 2022... A mandate requiring commercial vehicles to have an electronic logging device is likely go into effect in early 2015. This will make it harder for drivers to fudge the numbers and work more than the legally mandated limit on hours... Right now 75 percent of the industry does not have these logging devices... The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) conducted three million driver inspections in 2012 and found 950,000 violations. Of these, 450,000 were hours-of-service violations... Electronic logs are however expected to lower the turnover rate, which at large truckload carriers was 92 percent annualized in Q1, according to the ATA. Turnover refers to the rate at which drivers leave the industry and are replaced... The good news for truck drivers is trucking companies are beginning to take note of their troubles and working toward improving pay and overcoming other obstacles in their way. For companies, however, the shortage will get worse before it gets better...


* DC - No Degree and Need Work? Try Trucking
(Photo: A Truck driver logging hours) Washington,DC,USA -Military -Aug 21, 2014: ... There's an industry that can use driven individuals with no more than a high school diploma: transportation and logistics... On the list of jobs that don't require a college degree and offer a substantial salary, transportation currently ranks highest. As of 2014, there are 104,095 jobs available with a median hourly wage of $39.27. The only catch is that most of these positions call for applicants to be 21 years or older. However, if you've served in the military you most likely meet the age requirement or are very close to it... If you had any experience with trucking or transportation in the military, you may live in a state that provides certifications or fast-track programs due to your expertise. If you think your MOS synchs up with the transportation industry, check out your state department of labor's website and search for these types of programs. Or, simply inquire with local trucking companies about their requirements and if they know about how you can become a more qualified candidate...

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posted by Unknown @ 6:07 AM  0 comments

Aug 23, 2014

TOW TRUCKS * Australia

* Victoria - Heavy duty tow trucks

  (Video from YouTube,by TheRoadTrains: Australia Kenworth Tri-Axle Heavy Duty Tow Truck Wrecker)
VIC,Australia -VIC Roads -21 Aug 2014: --- Victoria has increased its mass and dimension limits for heavy tow trucks for the purposes of towing accident-damaged and disabled vehicles... These increases also apply when towing disabled vehicles between premises. The Heavy Tow Truck bulletin describes the four types of annual permits available for heavy tow trucks including tilt-tray trucks and low deck semi-trailers... Please note that the operating conditions and access provisions described in the above mentioned bulletin are applicable only for travel on the Victorian road network. Permits for travel outside Victoria will be assessed separately by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR)... 

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posted by Unknown @ 7:13 AM  0 comments

TRUCKERS STRIKES * USA: Port truck drivers draw a line in the sand

* California - It’s not fair for employers to pretend that their workers are independent contractors 

(Photo by David McNew/Getty: Shipping container trucks sit in traffic at the seaport, in Long Beach, Calif) 
Sacramento,CAL,USA - fairborndailyherald, by Richard Kirsch -August 21. 2014: ... According to a report from the National Employment Law Project, the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, and the Change to Win Strategic Organizing Center: ... Imagine your boss suddenly told you that from now on you were going to be considered an independent contractor. You’d have to pay for your office space, supplies, and equipment. Your employer would deduct those expenses from your paycheck. And you’d have to pay all your payroll taxes, including your employer’s share. You’d also be responsible for doing whatever work your boss gave you, no matter how long it took, with no extra pay... That’s the situation most of the nation’s port truck drivers are in.... The companies that hire two-thirds of port drivers deduct the cost of buying and maintaining their trucks from their paychecks. The drivers have to pay for fuel and take care of all the payroll taxes. They get no benefits, no workers’ compensation coverage or unemployment insurance, and they earn much less money than their officially employed counterparts... Instead, the drivers get a fixed amount of money, no matter how long it takes to pick up goods at the port and deliver them to warehouse distribution centers. Even though the drivers are only allowed to work for one company, that one company illegally treats them as independent contractors instead of employees... In early July, 120 port drivers in Southern California went on a five-day strike... The strike, backed by the Teamsters union, is part of a new national effort to force employers to comply with the law. Drivers have filed more than 400 claims against companies under California’s wage and hour laws. The first 19 rulings resulted in an average award of $66,240, largely for wage and hour violations and illegal paycheck deductions for items like truck leases...

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posted by Unknown @ 6:41 AM  0 comments

TRAILER MAKERS * USA & Canada: ATDynamics'

* California - ATDynamics TrailerTails legalized by Canada's Ontario Province

  (Video from you Tube, by TrailerTail - Fuel savings of 6.5%+ for tractor-trailers by ATDynamics, the first commercial product to successfully reduce rear air drag for tractor trailers. The TrailerTail has been third party tested to provide fuel savings of over 6.5%. Used with trailer skirts, the TrailerTail enables tractor trailers to achieve unprecedented fuel savings of 12%) 
Hayward,CAL,USA -Marketwired -Aug 20, 2014: -- ATDynamics, a Silicon Valley-based transportation technology company, today announced that Canada's Ontario Province is the first to allow semi-trailers equipped with full length, maximum efficiency TrailerTail® aerodynamic devices to operate in its territory. TrailerTail technology streamlines airflow at the back of a semi-trailer to reduce aerodynamic drag and improve fuel efficiency by five percent... ATDynamics TrailerTail technology has the potential to reduce the fuel consumption of Canadian trucking operations by more than 63 million gallons of diesel fuel per year, delivering $3 billion in fuel savings and 8 million metric tons of carbon emission reductions over the next decade. Thirty thousand TrailerTails are currently in circulation on US highways and every TrailerTail in operation reduces carbon emissions by approximately the same amount as removing one passenger vehicle from the roads... Ontario will allow fleets to operate TrailerTails in advance of official regulatory change through a deferred enforcement program which began on August 11, 2014...

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posted by Unknown @ 6:08 AM  0 comments

Aug 22, 2014

TRUCKS PARTS MAKERS * Europe:

* The new Bosch HEF109-L starter motor for commercial vehicles

Hildesheim,Germany -Automotive World -21 Aug 2014: -- Powerful solution for diesel engines of up to 28 liters displacement as well as for stationary gas-powered engines...  Adaptable to stringent system requirements... Large-volume engines place great demands on starters... At the top end of the power range, Bosch has a new addition to its 24-volt starter motor portfolio: the HEF109-L “large” heavy-duty starter motor for commercial vehicles and off-highway applications... The powerful starter motor generates 18 percent more power than the tried and tested “M” (medium) type starter motor on which it is based, and thus delivers a maximum output of 9.2 kilowatts... This powerful single-starter solution makes a more complex parallel-starter system unnecessary. The technology is designed to achieve a mileage of up to 800,000 kilometers in on-highway use or 14,000 operating hours in off-highway applications...


* Germany/Saarland  - Bosch Emission Systems: market for clean truck and construction machinery powertrains booming
(Photo: Assembly line of Bosch Emission Systems. The picture shows the forming of pipes with a diameter between 2.5 and 6 inches on a fully electronic controlled machine) 
Neunkerchen,Saarland,Germany -Automotive World -21 Aug 2014: -- Ambitious emissions standards are boosting business worldwide for Bosch Emission Systems GmbH and Co. KG (BESG). Regulations such as Tier 4 final emission limits and Euro 6 are driving demand for exhaust-gas treatment systems for trucks, diggers, and other mobile machinery... To keep pace with this rapidly increasing demand, BESG is now bringing new production facilities online in Neunkirchen, in Germany’s Saarland. At 3,500 square meters, the existing production halls reached the limit of their capacity some time ago. Now, nearly 15,000 square meters are ready for use... Bosch’s innovative integrated systems lower emissions per driven kilometer for passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and construction machinery...


* UK - Delphi’s industry-leading electronically scanning radar brings safety to one million vehicles
(Image: Delphi ESR Detection Zones) 
Gillingham, Kent, UK -Automotive World -21 Aug 2014: -- Among the industry’s top performing radar on the market today, Delphi’s electronically scanning radar achieves a significant milestone... Delphi Automotive PLC recently sold its one millionth electronically scanning radar (ESR) globally — a key milestone as car makers meet growing customer demand for new technologies that improve safety... Since its debut in 2009, Delphi’s ESR set the standard for long range automotive radar sensors. Key features were introduced in this radar, including multi-mode operation, digital beam forming, and a STAR-Pulse Doppler waveform that resulted in a new level of proficiency. Even with the industry adopting these features, ESR remains a top-performing sensor in the industry with sales to eight global automakers... Delphi’s sensing technologies monitor the surrounding environment and, in conjunction with workload management, help determine how and when infotainment content can be delivered to the driver. These same sensors can then off-load driver functions through driver assistance features like adaptive cruise control and lane keeping when they are needed...

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posted by Unknown @ 12:06 PM  0 comments

TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * Europe: Volvo's - Mercedes Benz's -

* Germany - World premiere: Mercedes-Benz Econic NGT, M 936 G natural-gas engine
(Image: Mercedes-Benz Econic NGT: Mercedes-Benz M 936 G natural-gas engine in special-purpose waste collection and short-radius distribution vehicle) 
Stuttgart,Baden-Wurtemberg,Germany -Automotive World -21 Aug 2014: -- It was just one year ago that the Econic underwent a comprehensive upgrade with new diesel engines as well as a new suspension, frame, electronics and a revised cab. Mercedes-Benz has now gone one better with its special-purpose waste collection/short-radius distribution vehicle: the Econic NGT Euro VI with its new M 936 G engine will be launched in August at “Elmia Lastbil Jönköping” in Sweden – an international trade fair for the transport industry from 20 to 23 August 2014. It will make its second major international appearance at Germany’s IAA Commercial Vehicles exhibition. The new six-cylinder in-line powerplant delivers the same performance as a diesel engine while at the same time setting a new benchmark in terms of noise and exhaust emissions... 

* Sweden - Volvo Trucks introduces new monofuel natural gas version of FE

(Photo: Volvo FE CNG truck) 
Stockholm,Sweden -Green Car Congress -20 August 2014: -- Volvo Trucks is expanding its model range in Europe with a new version of the Volvo FE running entirely on natural gas. The Volvo FE CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) has been primarily developed for operations involving short driving cycles with repeated starts and stops such as refuse collection and local distribution... The Volvo FE CNG is powered by an all-new 9-liter Euro 6 engine featuring spark plug technology that produces 320 hp (239 kW) and 1356 N·m (1000 lb-ft) of torque. Spark plug technology is particularly suitable for driving cycles where the truck covers short distances with a lot of start-stop traffic... Equipped with a fully automatic transmission, the truck retains the same driveability and productivity as the conventional Volvo FE. The automatic transmission also gives faster driveline response...


* Sweden - Volvo Group: Truck deliveries in July 2014
(Photo from Volvo Trucks': Vehicles reliability) 
Stockholm,Sweden -Automotive World -21 Aug 2014: -- Deliveries from the Volvo Group’s truck operations in July 2014 amounted to 15,410 vehicles. This was a decrease of 9% compared with the year-earlier month... Deliveries from the Volvo Group’s truck operations in July 2014 amounted to 15,410 vehicles. This was a decrease of 9% compared with the year-earlier month. On a regional basis July deliveries declined by 36% in South America and by 17% in Europe while deliveries increased by 21% in North America... 
* Volvo brand: In July 8,616 Volvo trucks were delivered, a decrease of 13% compared with the same month last year. 
* Mack: Deliveries in July totaled 1,988 vehicles, a 16% increase compared with July 2013. 
* Renault Trucks: In July 3,232 trucks were delivered
* UD Trucks: In July 2014, UD Trucks delivered 1,574 trucks... 
* Eicher: Delivered 2,469 trucks in July

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posted by Unknown @ 11:13 AM  0 comments

TRUCKERS' STRIKES * China & USA

* Ningbo / China - Truck strike flares up again, becomes violent


Ningbo,Zhejiang,China -Sino Ship News -21 Aug 2014: -- The truckers' strike in Ningbo has flared again, and this time the action has descended into violence. Up to 7,000 truck drivers, made up from smaller, independent trucking firms, have been campaigning for higher pay. They went on strike for one day on Monday before authorities came in promising to hike pay. With strikes and protests frowned upon by Beijing most local reports of the protest were then wiped from Chinese media the next day... According to two freight forwarding sources in Ningbo the truckers started a new round of protests today with far more people joining in... When the police intervened they were also attacked. A number of people have been arrested and there are plenty of police cars that have been smashed up too. The truckers are claiming they will continue to protest through the weekend... 


* Indiana / USA - Local 135 strikes against trucking company

(Photo: Members of the Teamsters Local Union 135 picket outside Kokomo Gravel Wednesday) 
Kokomo,IND,USA -The Kokomo Tribune, by JOSH SIGLER -August 20, 2014: -- Members of Teamsters Local Union 135 went on strike Wednesday morning against Diamond Trucking Inc. after new contract negotiations broke down Tuesday night... Thirty-eight members of Diamond Trucking, which hauls materials for Kokomo Gravel to places all over the northern half of Indiana, picketed in front of Kokomo Gravel's Kokomo and Peru facilities Wednesday morning... The current contract had been in place since 2011, but expired in April. Employees of Kokomo Gravel were operating under the terms of the expired contract up until negotiations broke down Tuesday... 

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