User-agent: Mediapartners-Google* Disallow: Trucks World News: October 2014
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Oct 31, 2014

BORDER TROUBLES * Turkey / Iran

Iran will not sell fuel to turkish trucks upon Turkey's new plan, says Iranian envoy

(DHA Photo) 
Ankara,Turkey -Hurriyet Daily News, by İpek Yezdani -31 Oct 2014: -- Iran cannot sell fuel to Turkish trucks, according to a new plan created by Turkish authorities to solve the passage fee and fuel row between Iran and Turkey, Iranian Ambassador to Ankara, Ali Reza Bigdeli, has said... The crisis between Turkey and Iran regarding truck transit fees recently heated up amid the latest hikes in fees for passage and fuel... Turkish representatives have been objecting to the $750 transit pass fee that Iran applies to all Turkish trucks, saying it is far too high. Turkey responded to the fee on Oct. 10 by increasing its own transit fee for Iranian trucks to $750. Iran then escalated, doubling its fee to $1,500 a few hours later... Turkey responded in kind, upping the fee for Iranian trucks to $1,500 as well and saying it had also begun taking 25 euros per 100 kilometers for fuel from Iranian trucks, as Iran does to Turkish trucks... Turkish transporters have paid more than $1 billion to Iran due to the difference in fuel prices between the two countries, said representatives from the International Transporters Association (UND) on Oct. 17... Iranian Ambassador Bigdeli, meanwhile, said there have been several talks between the two countries, though no consensus had been reached until recently...

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posted by Unknown @ 8:28 PM  0 comments

TRUCKS RECALLS * USA: Fiat/Chrysler's ones

* DC - Chrysler recalls 566K trucks, SUVs
(Source: Chrysler - 2014 Ram 5500 Chassis Cab) 
Washington,DC,USA -CNBC -29 Oct 2014: -- Fiat Chrysler Automobiles on Wednesday issued recalls for more than a half-million trucks and SUVs... Chrysler is recalling more than 566,000 SUVs and trucks because malfunctioning fuel heaters can cause fires, or a software glitch can disable the electronic stability control... The largest of two recalls announced Wednesday covers almost 382,000 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickups and Ram 4500 and 5500 chassis cabs from 2010 through 2014... In trucks with 6.7-Liter Cummins diesel engines, corrosion on a fuel heater terminal could cause overheating, fuel leaks and fires. Chrysler is not aware of any fires or injuries. Dealers will install upgraded terminals and fuel heater housings could be replaced... The second recall covers more than 184,000 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango SUVs from 2014. A debris cover over a circuit board can disrupt communications and disable the stability control. Software will be upgraded...

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posted by Unknown @ 8:13 PM  0 comments

THE "MOST BEAUTIFUL" TRUCKER * USA:

* Texas - ‘Random decision’ to truck: Most Beautiful finalist poses with Pride & Polish winner

(Photo: Driver Ann Sosnia, a finalist in Overdrive’s Most Beautiful, visits Brian Davis’ Peterbilt at the Great American Trucking Show)
Dallas,TXS,USA -Overdrive -October 31, 2014: -- Anna Sosnia never planned to be a truck driver. But a few years ago she saw an ad for truck driving school. She enrolled in it and loved it... Sosnia says getting into the industry was a “random decision” but the “best thing I’ve ever done.” She now hauls dry van over-the-road for two to three weeks at a time and runs nationwide. “I feel pretty, but also good at what I do,” she says... Sosnia was one of three finalists in this year’s Overdrive’s Most Beautiful contest and attended the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas in August, where she was photographed in front of Brian Davis’ 2005 Peterbilt 379 and matching 2012 Wilson trailer...

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posted by Unknown @ 7:50 PM  0 comments

TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * USA: CAT's CT 681

* Illinois - Caterpillar debuts CT681 off-highway truck

(Photo: The CAT CT 691 model) 
Peoria,ILL,USA -CCJ, by James Jaillet -October 30, 2014: -- Caterpillar added a second model to its new line of vocationally focused work trucks with the unveiling of the Class 8 CT681 truck Oct. 30 at the company’s Edwards Proving Grounds outside of Peoria, Ill. Caterpillar first previewed the new truck at the ConExpo Show in Las Vegas earlier this year... The CT681 features a host of enhancements designed specifically for tough vocational applications such as snowplow, mixer, dump and super dump... The CT681′s engine can be spec’d with Cat’s proprietary CX31 automatic transmission... Caterpillar’s global on-highway product manager Dave Schmitz says that today, more than half of all new Cat trucks are rolling off the factory floor with the CX31 AMT, which features a high power-to-weight ratio, full power shifting and quick acceleration. The transmission has been fully integrated with the CT Engine series to deliver optimal fuel economy or power to meet any type of terrain or road conditions...

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posted by Unknown @ 7:35 PM  0 comments

TRUCKING INDUSTRY NEWS * Africa/Tanzania

* Tanzania - Transport reforms to boost economic growth


(Photo: Tanzania's and Rwandan-registered trucks at the border) 
Dar es Salaam,Tanzania -The Tanzania Daily News, by Finnigan Wa Simbeye -28 Oct 2014: -- Come 2016 cargo trucks travelling between Dar es Salaam port to Nyakanazi in Kigoma Region will only stop at three check points including a slow down at Vigwaza's weigh in motion bridge... Trade Mark East Africa Country Director, Dr Josephat Kweka, said in Dar es Salaam last week that the move is part of Big Results Now's (BRN) Central Corridor project... Attention is focused on improvement of Dar port's efficiency in cargo handling, a major means of bulky cargo transportation to upcountry regions and neighbouring countries remains almost unavailable... Dar port handles over 90 per cent of the country's exports and imports and also serves landlocked countries of Burundi, DR Congo, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia...

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posted by Unknown @ 7:12 PM  0 comments

TRUCKING INDUSTRY * USA: Swift Transportation - Celadon - Suit against Morgantown

* Arizona - Swift Transportation looks to add 300 trucks

Phoenix,AZ,USA -Robins Consulting -29 Oct 2014:  -- Swift Transportation, the largest U.S.A. truckload carrier had more freight in the third quarter than it could handle, even with 300 more tractor-trailers hauling truckload shipments... The earnings reports of Phoenix-based Swift and truckload competitors Werner Enterprises and Knight Transportation show freight demand rose to match and exceed truck capacity in the last quarter, with “overbooked” motor carriers adding incremental capacity when possible to keep up...


* Indiana - Celadon acquires Pennsylvania trucking firm for $55 million

(Photo: Tractor the youngest fleet on the road. The average age of a Celadon tractor is less than 2 years, compared with the industry average of 7) 
Indianapolis,IND,USA -Indianapolis Business Journal -29 Oct 2014: -- Indianapolis-based Celadon Group Inc. has acquired a Pennsylvania trucking firm for $55 million, the company announced Monday... A and S Services Group LLC is a regional for-hire truckload company based in New Freedom that serves the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions. New Freedom is a borough of 4,500 in southeast Pennsylvania... Celadon said it assumed $31.8 million in operating leases that it will capitalize and record on its balance sheet for approximately $74.9 million of tangible net assets...


* Virginia - Trucking companies file lawsuit against Morgantown, citing heavy truck ordinance

(Photo: Heavy truck makes a wide turn onto the Walnut Street Bridge in downtown Morgantown)
Morgantown,VA,USA -12 News WBOY, by Kim Freda -Oct 28, 2014: -- Two trucking companies have filed a lawsuit against the city of Morgantown and the West Virginia Division of Highways regarding the city's attempt to pass an ordinance that would prohibit heavy trucks in the downtown area... Safe Streets Morgantown proposed the ordinance to Morgantown City Council in August, citing trucks that cause disturbances in residential neighborhoods and in business areas due to the noise and emissions from the trucks. The ordinance, which was later passed by city council, classifies 'heavy trucks' as exceeding 26,000 lbs. and having three or more axles... The trucking companies assert that Morgantown has violated state and federal law through a series of incomprehensible municipal legislative actions. Morgantown's actions injure local trucking businesses and frustrates basic constitutional principles. The heavy truck ordinance is inconceivable, as it leads to the result of empowering cities to usurp the WV DOH's authority and control over the state road system, said the court filing... The suit, was filed by Nuzum Trucking Company of Shinnston and Preston Contractors Inc. of Kingwood, cites that the ban is unenforceable and recommends an injunction prohibiting Morgantown from enforcing the ban...

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posted by Unknown @ 5:59 PM  1 comments

TECHNO-LOGISTICS & TRUCKS * USA / Germany : Trucks & Drones

* Ohio - Electric trucks plus drones could make deliveries 'green'
(Photo Credit: AMP EV: AMP's drone, dubbed Horsefly, could be used together with electric trucks to deliver goods to future online shoppers)
Cincinnati,OH,USA -Live Science, by Jesse Emspak -October 29, 2014: -- AMP Electric Vehicles, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, is proposing a new way to deliver goods that combines drones with fuel-efficient electric trucks... AMP wants to add drones to the delivery service to boost efficiency even further. The drone would be attached to the vehicle, and would be capable of carrying packages weighing up to 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) for two or three miles (3 to 4 km) before returning to the truck... For businesses like FedEx, DHL or UPS, AMP's CEO, Steve Burns said, the drone-truck system can lower the cost of deliveries to 2 cents per mile. Typical costs for UPS, for instance, average about 50 cents per mile... Development of this same-day delivery service depends on forthcoming regulations from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)...


* Germany - DHL's 'Parcelcopter' delivery drone

(Photo by Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters: DHL deploys 'parcelcopter' drone for drug deliveries... A flock of pigeons flies with a prototype "parcelcopter" of German postal and logistics) 
Norddeich,Norden,Germany -Live Science, by Elizabeth Palermo -September 26, 2014: -- Though the drones will be running on autopilot, DHL has set up a mobile ground station in Norddeich so that manual action can be taken if an aircraft malfunctions, or if an emergency occurs...

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posted by Unknown @ 5:09 PM  0 comments

TRUCKS REGULATIONS * USA: CARB's ones

* California - CARB to enforce aero add-on rule for 2011-13 trucks

Sacramento,CAL,USA -On Truck org -October 28, 2014: -- California’s Air Resources Board issued a regulatory guidance saying the state is clear to enforce elements of its emissions regulations requiring trucks and trailers install aerodynamic add-on devices and use certain tires... As reported by CCJ magazine, CARB’s guidance comes two months after the Environmental Protection Agency issued California a waiver allowing it to enforce in full its greenhouse gas regulations... The rule went into effect in January 2010 and requires the use of SmartWay-verified tires and other SmartWay-verified equipment on all new trucks and trailers... 

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posted by Unknown @ 7:39 AM  0 comments

Oct 30, 2014

TRUCKERS SHORTAGE * USA: Texas -New York - Minnesota

* Texas - Oil rush lures El Paso workers. 
(Photo provided by Direct Recruitment Services: Oil jobs. Trucking companies struggle to find, retain workers) 
El Paso,TXS,USA -El Paso Inc., by Robert Gray -Oct 27, 2014 : -- Direct Recruitment Services, a local company that recruits workers for oil and gas companies, holds a job fair in El Paso every two weeks, seeking workers for the oil fields... And, every two weeks, as many as 40 people – mostly truck drivers and diesel mechanics – are hired and leave El Paso for the oil boomtowns of Midland and Odessa in Texas, as well as Hobbs, New Mexico, according to DRS president Mauro Medina... Truck drivers are in big demand in Midland and Odessa. Some work as many as 120 hours a week, earning large paychecks but living away from their families for extended periods... The pay is good, but the work is hard. A truck driver who might make $60,000 in El Paso can earn $120,000 in the oil fields, along with generous benefits... But he or she can expect to work as much as 120 hours a week, according to Medina. Drivers often have to live in tents in the “man camps,” or overcrowded hotels and work away from their families...


* New York - Trucking firms, short of drivers, stretch to find more
Buffalo,NY,USA -The Buffalo News, by Dee Depass -October 27, 2014: -- Across the country, trucking companies, and manufacturers and retailers with their own fleets, are resorting to an array of incentives, including higher wages, to attract drivers... Walmart Stores Inc., the nation’s biggest retailer and operator of one of its biggest truck fleets, is using radio ads to appeal to qualified truck drivers with an offer of a $76,000 salary plus benefits to join the company. That’s far above the national average trucker pay of around $50,000...


* Minnesota - Women in the trucking industry


St. Cloud,MN,USA -Layover, by KENT MCDILL -27 Oct 2014: -- In 2009, Lisa Kelly became the first female trucker to appear on the History Channel show "Ice Road Truckers". The former school bus driver and champion motocross racer decided to become a trucker because it "looked interesting" ... Today, many other women are hitting the roads behind the wheel of an 18-wheeler, and trucking companies are looking for more women to take available driving jobs... Women in Trucking, a group that promotes trucking as an acceptable occupation for women, believes the percentage of women truckers in America is slightly above the Labor Department statistics of 5 percent. President Ellen Voie says women still face the battles of sexism in the industry, even as the industry fails to fill jobs due to a changing attitude of the American workforce toward difficult travel jobs... Voie said the trucking industry does not lend itself to women who are also young parents... In an employment environment where women continue to make inroads in equality opportunity, the trucking industry is ready to take steps forward to increase its employment of female drivers...

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posted by Unknown @ 7:59 AM  0 comments

TRUCKMAKERS NEWS WORLDWIDE * India & Philippines: Volvo's & Hino's

* India - Volvo unveils new range of trucks

(Photo: The Volvo FMX truck model) Bangalore,India -Deccan Herald NS -Oct 28, 201: -- Increasing the competition in the heavy duty trucks market, Volvo Trucks on Monday announced the launch of three new range of trucks in India, including the flagship Volvo FH which was voted 'International Truck of the Year 2014' in Europe... The newly unveiled Volvo range FH, FM and FMX are the most technologically advanced in India, with high productivity, fuel efficiency, safety and maximising uptime, states the company officials... Besides intelligent I-Shift automated gearbox technology which is optimised for tough and rugged mining operating conditions, the products has additional unique feature of Dynafleet telemetrics system which allows following up on fuel consumption over time... 


* Philippines - Pilipinas Hino Inc. highlights durable Dutro truck series
(Photo: The Hino Dutro 300 dump truck) 
Manila,Philippines -Motions Cars -October 29th, 2014: -- Pilipinas Hino Inc. (PHI) is seeking a wider engagement with Philippine-based enterprises so they can experience the durability and reliability of its line of trucks and buses, including the recently released Dutro series, in time for the company’s 40th anniversary celebration in 2015  ... In pursuit of its goal to become a significant contributor to the country’s logistics sector, PHI introduced in the market its light-duty Dutro trucks that particularly cater to micro, small and medium enterprises or MSMEs... Dutro runs on a four-cylinder, diesel-powered engine and has ladder-shaped, channel-section side rails for its chassis frames, as well as a six-stud JIS-type disc wheels perfect for long-distance travels... Dutro standard chassis units have 100-liter fuel-tank capacity each, and can run as fast as 122 kilometers per hour...

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posted by Unknown @ 7:38 AM  0 comments

TRUCKS SALES PROSPECT * USA

* Texas - New drayage trucks at half the price 
(Flickr.com/photos/truckpr) 
Houston,TXS,USA -EDF Org, by Christina Wolfe -Oct 27, 2014: -- Calling all heavy-duty truck owners who work at the Port of Houston! Cold, hard cash is available for the purchase of new trucks that are more fuel-efficient and cleaner-burning, providing up to 80 percent of the cost of a new truck... The Houston-Galveston Area Council (HGAC) will be hosting a Drayage Truck Event at the Port of Houston on Saturday, November 1, from 10:00am to 1:30pm, to share information about available grants and loans in order to help owners replace older, dirtier vehicles with new, cleaner ones (see how others have taken advantage of these opportunities in the past)... Why is funding like this available to help someone pay for a new truck? By replacing an older truck with a new one, we all benefit from improved air quality...

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posted by Unknown @ 7:21 AM  0 comments

CARGO SHIPMENTS TROUBLES * USA: Ports of Los Angeles & Long Beach

* California - Los Angeles delays hit sales as No. 1 U.S. Port suffers

(Photographer: Tim Rue/Bloomberg - A Mediterranean Shipping Co. ship loaded with freight containers is seen in this aerial photograph approaching the Port of Long Beach in Long Beach, California. Cargo shipments through the two ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach rose 3.1 percent in the third quarter, slower than the 4.3 percent gain a year earlier)
Los Angeles,CAL,USA -Bloomberg News, by Craig Giammona and Lynn Doan -Oct 27, 2014: -- After years of ending the holiday shopping season with too much merchandise stacked in their warehouses, U.S.A. retailers face the opposite this year: They may not have enough... Equipment shortages, labor negotiations and rail delays are slowing shipments from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the nation’s biggest container hub, just as retailers are piling up goods for their most important period of the year. Cargo shipments through the two ports rose 3.1 percent in the third quarter, slower than the 4.3 percent gain a year earlier... Storage space at several of the Port of Los Angeles’ container terminals are 90 percent full as shipments wait to be trucked to customers, Phillip Sanfield, a spokesman for the harbor, said by telephone... A large part of the problem is the scarcity of chassis... Shipping lines have been exiting the costly business of maintaining and operating chassis in the last year and a half, and the operators that have taken over are still getting the hang of supplying enough chassis at the right time and place, Sanfield said... Target Corp., Costco Wholesale Corp., Home Depot Inc., Samsung Electronics Co. and Sears Holdings Inc.’s, Kmart chain were the top five importers, by weight, at the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports through Oct. 14 this year. The ports handled about 149 billion kilograms (328 billion pounds) of goods last year...

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posted by Unknown @ 7:10 AM  0 comments

Oct 28, 2014

TRUCKS RECALLS * USA: Chrysler's

* DC - NHTSA investigates pace of Dodge Ram truck recall fixes

(Photo: Chrysler's 2008 Dodge Ram 2500 Mega Cab) Washington,DC,USA -The Detroit News, by David Shepardson -October 26, 2014: -- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is opening an investigation into Chrysler's recall of nearly 1 million Dodge Ram trucks for steering issues, prompted more than 1,000 complaints from owners seeking faster repairs... In November, Chrysler Group LLC told NHTSA it was issuing two recalls covering about 970,000 2003-2012 Ram trucks because tie rods could crack causing a loss of steering control and crashes... Chrysler didn't immediately comment on Sunday... The recalls were prompted part by NHTSA's concerns raised with Chrysler over the effectiveness of a 2011 recall of 242,000 trucks for the same tie rod issue...

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posted by Unknown @ 7:36 PM  0 comments

TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * Europe: MAN's

* Germany - MAN SE cuts 2014 profit forecast on Europe, Brazil sales


(Photo: MAN headquarters in Munich, Germany) 
Munich,Germany -Bloomberg, by Elisabeth Behrmann -Oct 28, 2014: -- MAN SE, Europe’s third-largest truck manufacturer, scaled back its 2014 earnings forecast as slowing economies in its home region and Brazil hurt sales and led to a 48 percent drop in third-quarter operating profit... Earnings before interest and taxes will be “moderately” higher this year, Munich-based MAN said today in a statement. That compares with predictions in March of “significantly” rising operating profit. Third-quarter earnings on that basis fell to 82 million euros ($104.2 million) from 159 million euros a year earlier, while the value of new orders dropped 20 percent... MAN, a division of Volkswagen AG, lowered full-year targets last month at its truck and bus unit, and outlined production cuts that will reduce hours for 4,000 workers. Daimler AG, the world’s biggest heavy-vehicle maker and the owner of the Freightliner brand in the U.S.A., forecast steepening industrywide drops in European and Brazilian truck sales. Second-ranked Volvo AB is also predicting a Europewide decline...

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posted by Unknown @ 7:16 PM  0 comments

TRUCKERS SHORTAGE * USA: Incentives for new drivers

* Minnesota - Trucking firms stretching to find more drivers
(Photo by Joe Raedle - Getty Images: The American Trucking Associations reports the country needs at least 30,000 more drivers, and that the industry must hire 100,000 a year for 10 years to keep pace with retirements, turnover and industry growth)
Minneapolis,MINN,USA -The Minneapolis Star Tribune, by Dee Depass - October 27, 2014: -- On a recent afternoon, Tim Hoag stood in the arrivals area at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport looking for a truck driver... The man he was waiting for, Bill McMahon, had previously driven trucks for Hoag’s company, Copeland Trucking of Fridley, and Hoag made a deal to lure him back... Because McMahon now lives in California, Hoag agreed to let him drive out there once a month, even though Copeland avoids jobs in California because of the state’s burdensome regulations. But finding drivers is so difficult these days that Hoag was willing to accommodate McMahon’s desire for regular visits home... Across the country, trucking companies, and manufacturers and retailers with their own fleets, are resorting to an array of incentives, including higher wages, to attract drivers... Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the nation’s biggest retailer and operator of one of its biggest truck fleets, is using radio ads to appeal to qualified truck drivers with an offer of a $76,000 salary plus benefits. That’s far above the national average for truckers, which is around $50,000... Wal-Mart has 7,200 truck drivers but needs more, spokesman Brian Nick said...

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posted by Unknown @ 7:12 PM  0 comments

TRUCKS TRAFFIC CONGESTIONS * USA:

* California - Traffic at Los Angeles Ports backed up for 2 weeks, threatens holiday season

(Photo: Delays For Los Angeles Ports) 
Los Angeles,CAL,USA -The Los Angeles Times -26 Oct 2014: -- Mirroring the legendary reputation of terrible Los Angeles traffic, a bottleneck has caused a two-week delay at the twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in LA county. The harbor traffic could create problems for retail outlets during the holiday shopping season... The pre-holiday surge of cargo for retailers like Wal-Mart, JC Penney, Macy’s, and Kohl’s has always been a busy time of year, but it’s made worse this year by the use of massive container ships. These larger vessels can be up to one-third larger than Los Angeles and Long Beach ports have the capacity to handle. The root of the problem, though, is likely due to a shortage of trucking equipment... Over the last year, third-party leasing companies have taken over the management of trucking equipment for the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports. For decades before that, trailers were owned by the shipping lines. The uneven management of the trailers is causing shortages in some terminals and mile-long congestion in others. Compounding the inefficiency and delay, truckers sometimes have to make multiple trips before finally locating an available trailer. The leasing companies disagree with this assessment, and insist that the massive container ships and a shortage of truck drivers is to blame... The Los Angeles and Long Beach ports process 40 percent of imports to the United States (of A.). Other ports across the country are seeing delays but none quite this bad...

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posted by Unknown @ 6:58 PM  0 comments

ORIGINAL PARKING STRUCTURES * USA: A carousel

* New York - A Ferris wheel for cars and trucks

(Photo credit Parkmatic: The new parking carousels at the lot on Tillary Street in downtown Brooklyn) 
NY,USA -The New York times, by Benjamin Preston -Oct 24, 2014: -- Vertical parking devices, like the steel stacking shelves that hold several cars, are common around the city, but a new vertical parking system that can turn two street-level parking spaces into a dozen has come to Brooklyn... Three 43-foot-tall steel structures from Parkmatic, a company based in New York, were recently installed in a parking lot on the corner of Tillary and Gold Streets. The system tries to simplify vertical parking by stacking cars on an automated Ferris wheel of sorts and has increased the capacity of the Brooklyn lot almost 30 percent... The difference between Parkmatic’s carousel and standard space-maximizing devices is that it doesn’t require moving vehicles out of the way to get to other cars. In a typical two-, three- or four-high stacker, the bottom vehicles must be moved out of the way so the top shelves can be lowered to the ground... A keypad at the front of each carousel allows lot attendants to select the vehicle they want. An electric motor hums quietly as a double roller chain and steel links bring hinged trays down and then back up, as on a Ferris wheel. In about two minutes, which depends on the number of cars the carousel is set up to hold, the top car can be brought to street level. The machine moves clockwise and counterclockwise, and a computer chooses the quickest direction for the vehicle that has been selected...

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posted by Unknown @ 6:37 PM  0 comments

INFRASTRUCTURES * USA: Stuck truck

* Pennsilvania - GPS leads trucks to trouble 

(Photo: Truck stuck under bridge) 
Manchester Township,PENN,USA -Daily Record/Sunday News, by Mike Argento -27 Oct 2014: -- It happens at least four or five times a year... A truck, headed from industrial sites in Manchester Township toward Route 30, takes Emig Road. Then the GPS directs the trucker to take Blackbridge Road, as a shortcut, to Route 30, taking a quick detour onto Woodland View Drive... What the GPS doesn't know is that most big rigs are about 13 feet tall — the maximum height allowed by PennDOT is 13-feet, six-inches — and the railroad underpass on Woodland View, just off of Blackbridge, is only 11 feet tall... The result?: The truck gets stuck !!! ... "Every time it happens, the driver tells the police that they were only following their GPS," Manchester Township manager Tim James said. "People tend to look at, and pay more attention, to their GPS than their common sense" ... The road leading to the bridge is well marked, with two signs warning of the low clearance. Northern York County Regional police routinely issue truckers tickets for ignoring road signs when trucks get stuck under the bridge, James said... And that doesn't stop it from happening...

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posted by Unknown @ 8:21 AM  0 comments

ENGINE MAKERS * USA: IBIS Research Report

Heavy-Duty Diesel Engine Manufacturing in the USA, research report from IBISWorld has been updated 

New York,NY,USA -PRWEB -October 24, 2014: -- Industry operators are anticipated to continue to rev their engines over the next five years, but growth will be more subdued. For these reasons, industry research firm IBISWorld has updated a report on the Heavy-Duty Diesel Engine Manufacturing industry in its growing industry report collection... Industry operators are anticipated to continue to rev their engines over the next five years, but growth will be more subdued. The global economy is anticipated to gain pace, resulting in heightened levels of international trade and demand for industrial goods. In turn, freight operators will order more engines and industrial firms will accelerate their purchases to meet demand for their goods. Industry manufacturers will be better equipped to meet enhanced regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in regards to fuel efficiency and emission standards amid high demand for fuel efficient engines. Industry operators that concentrate on producing fuel-efficient engines will likely be competitive over the next five years...

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posted by Unknown @ 8:03 AM  0 comments

Oct 27, 2014

TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * India: Tata Motors'

* Maharashtra - Commercial vehicle makers woo fleet operators by offering tracking devices

(Photo: A Prima, Tata truck, loading in Karnakata,India) 
Mumbai,Maharashtra,India -Business Standard -October 25, 2014: -- In a bid to outdo each other, Tata Motors, India's biggest commercial vehicle manufacturer and Ashok Leyland, the second-largest commercial vehicle manufacturer in the country, are providing new technologies which will help fleet operators improve operational efficiency... "Fleet Telematics combines IT, telecom, GPS and analytics to monitor operational parameters of commercial vehicle fleets in real-time" Tata Motors said in a statement... Fuel and maintenance costs account for 70 per cent of the total cost of running a fleet of trucks. Any savings in these two areas directly has a significant impact on profitability... For Tata Motors, fleet operators pay in the range Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 for the hardware unit and Rs 250 to Rs 500 a month towards subscription charges. Savings on operations will directly impact freight rates and the profitability of truck owners...

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posted by Unknown @ 3:10 AM  0 comments

Oct 26, 2014

TRAILER MAKERS NEWS * USA

* Indiana - Trailer orders soar in September to highest level since 2005
(Photo: Bloomberg News) 
Columbus,IND,USA --Transport Topics, by Seth Clevenger -24 Oct 2014: -- September trailer orders spiked 86.2% from a year earlier and soared to the highest level in nearly a decade, ACT Research reported... U.S.A. trailer makers last month received 32,194 net orders, the highest monthly total since January 2005 and the sixth best on record going back to 1990, the firm said. It was also the largest September tally on record... ACT analyst Frank Maly said the surge in order activity was driven in large part by fleets making their order commitments earlier than usual to secure production slots at a time when manufacturers’ backlogs continue to expand... Through nine months, customers have ordered 230,394 trailers this year, a 50.7% jump from 152,914 in the same timeframe in 2013... With three months to go, the cumulative 2014 net order total has already nearly matched the 232,153 orders placed in all of 2013... This year is on pace to be the best for net trailer orders since at least 2006, when orders crested at 283,164, and could surpass that figure if incoming orders remain strong during the fourth quarter...

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posted by Unknown @ 7:52 AM  0 comments

TRUCKS SALES * USA / Canada: Ryders's

* Quebec / Canada - Ryder to lease 100 Nat-Gas trucks to Montreal-based C.A.T.


(Photo Ryder CNG Natural gas trucks) 
Coteau-du-Lac,QBC,CAN -Transport Topics -24 Oct 2014: -- Quebec-based Canadian American Transportation Inc. signed a lease agreement with Ryder System Inc. for 100 compressed natural gas sleeper tractors in what Ryder said was its largest natural-gas deal to date in North America... C.A.T., a truckload carrier in Coteau-du-Lac, becomes Ryder’s first natural-gas lease customer in Canada and its largest single natural-gas vehicle customer to date... C.A.T., whose 325-truck delivery fleet travels from Montreal to Laredo, Texas, has shipped between the United States and Canada since 1978. It provides transportation services to the automotive, food, beverage, consumer packaged goods and electronics industries...

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posted by Unknown @ 7:35 AM  0 comments

RECALLS * Canada: Airbag crisis

* Ontario - The vehicles in Canada that are affected


(Insurance Institute for Highway Safety/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS: This undated photo provided by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows a crash test of a 2003 Toyota Corolla, one of the models subject to a recall to repair faulty air bags. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is warning 7.8 million car owners that inflator mechanisms in the air bags can rupture, causing metal fragments to fly out when the bags are deployed) 
Ottawa,ONT,CAN -The Globe and Mail -Oct. 24 2014: -- Defective airbags have caused auto makers to recall nearly 3.4 million older model vehicles worldwide, including at least 200,000 in Canada... The U.S. government warned more than 7.8 million people to have air bags in their cars fixed amid concern that a defect can kill or injure the driver or passengers. Degraded airbags can send the equivalent of shrapnel flying into the front compartment... The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (USA), is warning 7.8 million car owners that inflator mechanisms in the air bags can rupture, causing metal fragments to fly out when the bags are deployed... The warning covers cars made by Toyota, Honda, Mazda, BMW, Nissan, General Motors and Ford. The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. federal prosecutors are investigating the Japanese airbag supplier, Takata Corp. Its defective airbags are suspected to have been a factor in four deaths... Meanwhile, Transport Canada told The Globe and Mail that no complaints have been received in this country...

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posted by Unknown @ 7:05 AM  0 comments

TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * USA & Canada: Isuzu - Chrysler's RAM - Ford

* California - Telogis, Isuzu set telematics partnership


(Photo by John Sommers II)
Aliso Viejo,CAL,USA -Transport Topics, by Seth Clevenger -24 Oct 2014: -- Telematics provider Telogis said it is collaborating with Isuzu to develop connected-vehicle products and services for the medium-duty truck maker. The partnership will deliver cost savings and operational efficiencies for Isuzu customers, said Susan Heystee, executive vice president of worldwide sales at Telogis... The newly announced collaboration expands the list of Telogis’ partnerships with original equipment manufacturers. The technology supplier is also integrating its software with Volvo Trucks, Mack Trucks, Hino Trucks, Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co... Telogis, provides technology designed to help fleets track their vehicles, monitor driver and vehicle performance, automate regulatory compliance and implement commercial navigation... 


* Michigan / USA - A truck for all-seasons: 2015 Ram 1500 pickup 
(Photo from Motor News Media Corp.: APC 2015 Ram 1500 pickup truck) 
Auburn Hill,MICH,USA -Post Crescent, by Ken Chester Jr. -October 24, 2014: -- The 2015 Ram 1500 pickup truck capitalizes on a truckload of exclusive, pioneering, fuel-saving systems, including: eight-speed automatic transmission, stop-start system, thermal management system, pulse-width modulation and active aerodynamics with grille shutters and air suspension... This successful light truck maker offers the Ram 1500 pickup in regular, Quad Cab and Crew Cab configurations and three cargo box sizes: Short (5'7"); Regular (6'4") and Long (8')... Likewise, the trim level offerings are extensive and include: Tradesman, Express, HFE, SLT, Big Horn/Lone Star, Outdoorsman, Sport, Laramie, Laramie Longhorn and Laramie Limited...


* Ontario / Canada - Ford scraps potential $2-billion investment in

(Photo: Ford's engine plant in Cleveland,OH,USA)
Windsor,ONT,CAN -The Globe and Mail, by ADRIAN MORROW and GREG KEENAN -Oct. 24 2014: -- A major Ford Motor Co. engine investment that the federal and Ontario governments were trying to land in Windsor, Ont., will instead go to Mexico, underscoring the difficulty Canada is having competing for auto investment against its partner in the North American Free Trade Agreement... The auto maker was seeking about $700-million in government financial help to build a new, 1.5-litre engine to power small vehicles, sources familiar with the negotiations said... But the two levels of government and Unifor, which represents workers at Ford’s two engine plants in Windsor, said Friday that negotiations have ended. The investment is slated to go to Mexico, Unifor president Jerry Dias said...

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