Trucks World News: October 2015

Oct 31, 2015

TRUCKERS' PAYMENT * USA: $50,000 a year ... and often rising into six figures !!!

* California - Shipping companies facing truck-driver shortage that could seriously impact commerce

-- A lot of jobs that pay $50,000 a year -- and often rising into six figures -- are going untaken and creating a real problem for the U.S. economy going forward... A new kind of congestion at ports, mixed with still ongoing issues, is a bad omen for holiday shipping. Bay Area wide, statewide and nationwide, there are not nearly enough truckers... Drivers must pass batteries of written and driving tests as well as regular physicals. The average trucker is now age 47. Many older drivers are retiring. It's almost impossible to find replacements as cargo volumes skyrocket... "The young kids are more interested in the internet business. This doesn't seem to appeal to them," said Ramorino... Some of the nation's most overworked and underpaid truck drivers work at the nation's ports. Many are leaving for jobs with trucking companies and many are leaving the business altogether... All of this is why the trucking industry is so interested in driverless, robotic trucks being road tested now...
(Photo "I've been in the business 57 years, this is the worst time I've ever had to find drivers," said Ramorino) -- Oakland, CAL, USA - KTVU - OCT 29 2015

Labels: truck drivers payment

TRUCKERS' STRIKE * USA - Plus warehourse workers

* California - Port truck drivers and warehouse workers strike together for better wages and 'employee' status

-- Truck drivers who haul cargo at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are on strike again this week - this time with some new comrades on their picket lines: warehouse workers... Workers from California Cartage, a warehouse at the Port of L.A., have joined striking truckers who drive for Pacific 9 Transportation and XPO Logistics, creating the potential for disruption at two key links in the cargo supply chain. .. The port truckers have gone on strike repeatedly in recent years, mainly protesting that the companies they drive for are misclassifying them as independent contractors, rather than designating them as permanent employees. The workers want to be paid an hourly salary and benefits. Their campaign is backed by the Teamsters Union, which is seeking to organize truck drivers in U.S. ports... Weston LaBar, executive director of the Harbor Trucking Association, which represents trucking companies at the Ports of L.A. and Long Beach says his group hasn't taken a position on the California Cartage matter. But he is not surprised the Teamsters are turning their sights to warehouse workers...
(Photo: James Hoffa, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, speaks to picketing truck drivers at the Port of Long Beach) -- Los Angeles, CAL, USA - KPCC, by Brian Watt - October 27 2015

Labels: truckers' strikes

SURPRISE !! * Russia's: Driverless trucks

* Russia is making driverless trucks with off-road capability in time for the World Cup

-- Russia plans to unveil its version of self-driving trucks. This surprising announcement was made at the STS Forum in Kyoto, Japan. What exactly the vehicles will do as part of the World Cup are yet to be specified... In Russia there are two companies working on self-driving vehicles – Rostec-owned KAMAZ, and Gaz Group, a part of the Basic Elements industrial group. Both manufacturers already stated that they would only be able to unveil the vehicle in three years if “the project is supported by the government” ... KAMAZ is developing its driverless truck jointly with Russian software developer, Cognitive Technologies... Most international competitors are working on cars suited primarily for ideal traffic conditions and high-quality road surface markings, but Cognitive Technologies is taking the harsh conditions of Russia’s road network into account... The KAMAZ and Cognitive Technologies project is based on the so-called passive, or signal-acquiring computer vision. This means that the vehicle’s computer vision system acquires data from the outside, and this data is then processed by the vehicle’s artificial intelligence to make decisions... The U.S. and Europe are currently constructing smart highways, which come with perfect road markings and built-in sensors providing information about traffic. “This is the ideal environment, and our vehicle is also able to use radars but thanks to the algorithms implemented in our truck it can operate in Russian conditions, as well as on most of the world’s roads,” Olga Usova, president of Cognitive Technologies said...
(Press photo - First unmanned KAMAZ vehicle may appear on Russia’s streets) -- Moscow, Russia - Russia Beyond the Headlines, by VICTORIA ZAVYÁLOVA - October 28, 2015

Labels: truckmakers news Russia

TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * USA: Alkane Truck Co.

* South Carolina - Alternative-fuel truckmaker moving to Dorchester County

-- Alkane Truck Co., a Myrtle Beach manufacturer that specializes in medium-duty trucks and heavy-duty tractors that run on propane or natural gas, plans to establish operations in Summerville, the state’s Commerce Department announced Thursday... Alkane’s planned 100,000-square-foot facility in Dorchester County will employ more than 300 automotive technicians once it reaches full capacity within the next two years, the state agency said in a news release... Alkane this month announced a new line of alternative-fuel vehicles — the Alkane Class 7 cab-over truck. Once full production of the trucks begins in the first quarter of 2016, they will be sold throughout the company’s network of about 130 truck dealerships in the U.S. and Canada, according to a news release...
(Photo: Alkane Truck Company partners with Amthor International for Tank Bodies on Alternative Fuel Trucks) -- Myrtle Beach, SC, USA - Post and Courier, by David Wren - Oct 29 2015

Labels: truckmakers news USA

SAVING FUEL * USA: Downspeeding can generate 2% to 3% fuel savings

* DC - NACFE report: Downspeeding is now a “primary” powertrain-focused strategy among OEMs

-- A new confidence report issued by the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) this week indicates that downspeeding – the practice of using fast gear ratios that lower the speed of the engine – can cut commercial truck fuel consumption by 2% to 3% because it allows the engine to operate at the most fuel-efficient RPM when generating only the minimal horsepower required under cruise conditions... NACFE added that downspeeding is now a “primary” powertrain-focused strategy among OEMs to improve fuel economy for both long-haul regional-haul day cab tractors that operate at highway speeds much of the time – largely because complementary technologies make it “more attractive” in heavy-duty truck applications... The group said it researched nine different downspeeding applications using both proprietary and supplied engine and transmission combinations configured in one of two formats... NACFE suggested that an automatic or automated mechanical transmission (AMT) should be spec’d on any downsped engine. But if a manual transmission is selected, the engine’s torque response during clutch engagement must be specifically tailored to the drivetrain to gain the expected fuel savings... The group stressed, however, that downsped-configured powertrains can come with higher cost and higher risk of damage...
(Photo: The Cummins/Eaton SmartAdvantage powertrain combination is one of the downspeeding packages NACFE examined for its report, to improve fuel economy for both long-haul and regional trucks that operate at highway speeds much of the time) -- Washington, DC, USA - Fleet Owner, by Sean Kilcarr - Oct 28, 2015

Labels: fuel savings

"RIDICULOUS" * USA: Transportation plan based on truck tolling ...

* Rhode Island - A possible legal action against "discrimination of one type of vehicle"

(Video Road and Bridge Proposals, from WPRI on Oct 28, 2015: GOP and Trucking Assoc. both offer alternate plans to Gov. Raimondo's RhodeWorks)

-- When Rhode Island Gov., Gina Raimondo, announced her transportation plan based on truck tolling Oct. 8, Rhode Island Trucking Association released an alternative focused on increases in fuel taxes and registration fees while threatening to sue if Raimondo’s proposal plan, becomes law... The trucking group's plan would produce an estimated $10.8 million annually by raising the state’s 34-cent diesel tax by 18 cents, which would still be 3 cents shy of the tax in neighboring Connecticut. A $500 increase in truck registration fees, currently the lowest in New England, would generate an expected $1.6 million annually. According to Rhode Island Trucking Association President Chris Maxwell, the plan would produce the same $220 million as RhodeWorks allocated to fix 453 of the state’s bridges unrelated to the 6/10 connector. Rhode Island has the highest percentage of structurally deficient bridges of any state, 22%. Starting in the fifth year, the Rhode Island trucking group's alternative would generate more than $25 million annually, enough to address the 6/10 connector, which consumes the vast majority of RhodeWorks' revenues...
Providence, R.I., USA - 12WPRI - 28 Oct 2015

Labels: infrastructures' funds

Oct 30, 2015

FORD EARNINGS * USA: 3Q More than double on demand for trucks

* Michigan - Pickup trucks powered Ford Motor Co. to record North American results in the third quarter

-- The company expects the trend to continue for a while. Ford earned $2.7 billion in North America, up 89 percent from a year ago, largely on higher sales of its new F-150 pickup truck. Ford introduced the aluminum-sided truck last fall but didn't reach full production at its two U.S. factories until June... The results were the strongest indication yet that Ford's risky decision to remake its best-selling vehicle as a lighter aluminum model is paying off. Sales of F-Series pickups — the F-150 and its larger siblings — reached a nine-year high for the July-September period. In the U.S. alone, Ford sold 207,271 F-Series trucks. That's 85 trucks per hour... Customers also paid more for them. Chief Financial Officer Bob Shanks said Ford was making an average of $2,000 more per F-Series truck compared to a year ago. Shanks said the aluminum-sided F-150, which is 700 pounds lighter than the older steel version, is a money-maker even though aluminum is more expensive than steel...
(Photo: Off-Roading Above 10,000 Feet In The 2015 Ford F-150 FX4) -- Dearborn, MICH, USA - The Associated Press, by DEE-ANN DURBIN - Oct 27, 2015

Labels: truckmakers news USA

TRUCKS RECALLS USA: * Fiat/Chrysler's - GM's cars - * Cummins 3,000 Natural-Gas Engines - **** Fontaine's Fifth Wheel

* Michigan - Fiat recalls 65,760 trucks and 75,364 SUVs in United States

-- Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV said it is recalling 65,760 Ram trucks and 75,364 Jeep Cherokee sport utility vehicles (SUVs) in the United States... FCA said an internal investigation found axle shafts on some trucks may not have been properly heat-treated and could thus overheat and trigger the anti-lock brake system warning light, leading to component fracture and possible wheel separation... The recall of certain 2015 Jeep Cherokee SUVs is to replace air-conditioning lines that may have been installed close to the engines' exhaust manifolds, posing a fire risk... FCA said it was aware of one accident potentially related to the axle shaft problem in Ram trucks, but no injuries...
(Photo:2011 Dodge Ram Runner) -- Auburn Hills, MICH, USA - Reuters, by Ankit Ajmera / Savio D'Souza - October 27, 2015

** Michigan - General Motors is recalling cars

-- For the third time in seven years, General Motors is recalling cars that can leak oil and catch fire, sometimes damaging garages and houses. GM says it’s recalling the cars because repairs from the first two recalls didn’t work. The company says more than 1,300 cars caught fire after being fixed. The latest recall announced Tuesday covers 1.4 million cars dating to the 1997 model year. Some are so old that GM no longer sells the brands. GM reports 19 minor injuries from the blazes...
Detroit, MICH, USA - AP/WKRG 5 News - 27 Oct 2015

*** DC - Cummins to recall 3,000 natural-gas engines over potential for fire

-- Engine maker Cummins Inc. said it would recall up to 3,020 Cummins Westport/ISL G/9999 engines manufactured between Sept. 13, 2007 and Sept. 23, 2015, citing the potential for a leak in the oil supply line near the engine manifold to cause a fire... Cummins told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration the affected engines are only in Mack Trucks and Navistar International Corp.'s trucks... The turbocharger oil supply line on the recalled engines “may contact or interfere with the turbocharger inlet elbow, clean air intake clamp or the air fuel control tube and result in an oil leak,” NHTSA said in a report... NHTSA said that as of Oct.1 it had not received any reports of fires...
Washington, DC, USA - Transport Topics - 30 Oct 2015

**** DC - All truck OEMS recall vehicles with discontinued Fontaine Ultra LT Fifth Wheel

-- In response to an earlier recall by the manufacturer of the now discontinued Fontaine Ultra LT fifth wheel, all U.S. truck manufacturers recently said they have recalled their trucks with the product over issues with the device’s connector... Initially, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a September report there were 6,800 trucks, potentially, with the part the Fontaine Fifth Wheel Co., manufactured from July 29, 2009, to May 27, 2013. But in a series of recalls, truck makers announced in October the count rose to 10,984... Daimler Trucks North America, whose brands include Freightliner Trucks and the niche brand Western Star Trucks, recalled 5,801 units — the largest number of potentially affected trucks. Its recall is expected to begin Nov. 28... Navistar International Corp. was the next-highest with 3,776 trucks. Its recall was expected to begin in October... The other truck makers recalled far fewer vehicles...
Washington, DC, USA - Transport Topics - 30 Oct 2015

Labels: trucks recalls

FREIGHTS SHORTAGE * USA: Trucking stocks hit reverse

* New York - ‘Aggressive pricing activity’ raises new alarms of weaker freight demand in the LTL sector

-- Trucking company stocks tumbled Tuesday after several firms gave bleak outlooks for freight demand, raising fears that the industry may soon need to cut shipping rates... United Parcel Service Inc. reported a drop in volumes in its UPS Freight less-than-truckload unit, where loads from multiple shippers are packed on each vehicle. The report came after Roadrunner Transportation Systems Inc., which operates a midsize LTL fleet, cut its guidance for future profits and revenue on Monday, citing weak demand and “aggressive pricing activity,” indicating lower rates offered by its competitors... UPS said carried 5.2% fewer shipments compared with last year’s third quarter, a decline of 148,000 shipments. Demand also deteriorated from the second quarter to the third quarter and prices slipped from the June to September... The weaker results from UPS reported an 8.6% drop in revenue in its freight division in the third quarter from a year earlier, attributing the decline to lower fuel surcharges and declining LTL tonnage...
(PHOTO: BLOOMBERG NEWS - Tractor-trailers at a YRC Worldwide Inc. facility. YRC is due to release its third-quarter earnings report on Thursday) -- N.Y., USA - The WSJ, by Brian Baskin & Robbie Whelan - Oct. 27, 2015

Labels: freight markets

TRUCKERS' SHORTAGE * Canada: Trucking company develops internal training centre

* Quebec - Costs absorbed if employees stay with Andy Transport

-- It's a first in Quebec, trucking company Andy Transport is training potential truck drivers and offers to hire them as soon as they earn their Class 1 licence... In addition, if the new truck drivers stay with the company for a predetermined amount of time, the company will absorb all the costs of training and internship... The training offers theoretical classes, simulation classes and on the road practice. Technology plays an important role in this professional learning process. The simulator, acquired in June, provides a quick, effective, and safe learning environment, adapted to each student. Instructors adjust the driving experience for each user, providing scenarios with varying road conditions (traffic flow, weather conditions, time of day and night, obstacles and road work), and in environments of all kinds (parking lots, loading docks, country roads, expressways, climbing and descents)... Currently, there is a shortage of 25,000 truckers in Canada. The 300,000 truckers currently employed are aging and retiring more quickly than they are being replaced. This is due to the prejudices about the career as well as the salary and work conditions provided by employers, with demand exploding...
(Photo: Driver's instruction at Andy Transport truck) -- SALABERRY-DE-VALLEYFIELD, QC, CAN - hrreporter.com - Oct 26, 2015

Labels: truckers shortage

TRUCKING FEES AT BORDER * USA & Canada - CTA: "It's a 'nonsensical' fee increases"

* DC - U.S. Increasing Cross-Border Fees for some shipments

-- The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced it will publish its final rule on Oct. 29 that adjusts the fees the U.S. government charges to recoup the costs of conducting agricultural quarantine inspections (AQI) at U.S. ports of entry for all modes of transportation and many in Canadian trucking are speaking out against the move... According to the Ontario Trucking Association (OTA), the changes take effect on Dec. 28. In the case of trucking, the fees are applied whether or not a truck crossing the border is carrying agricultural products... The adjustments to the APHIS fee increases are of little consolation to the trucking industry, according to the president and CEO of the Canadian Trucking Alliance. “This is a cash grab and a tax on trade,” said David Bradley. He pointed out that when the “nonsensical” fee increases were proposed last year, CTA obtained a legal opinion that was supported by the Government of Canada... It found the very existence of the fees is inconsistent with the United States’ obligations under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)...
(Photo: Traffic at border USA/Canada) -- Washington, D.C., USA - Today's Trucking - Oct 26, 2015

Labels: border charges

ELECTRONIC LOGGING DEVICES * Canada - Atlantic trucking industry split on

* Nova Scotia - Some people are welcoming their use, while others feel they don't offer enough flexibility

-- Nova Scotia trucking companies are in the midst of adopting a new electronic logging system that's supposed to make the industry safer and more efficient, but not everyone in the industry is convinced it does those things... Some companies have already adopted electronic logging devices that track transport trucks movements and log the number of hours a driver is on the road... When a driver is about to exceed the number of hours they are permitted to drive, a warning goes off telling the driver to pull over. It's a safety feature that's meant to keep tired drivers off the road... Longtime truck driver Wayne Churchill says this feature makes drivers be like robots. "You got to be able to shut down and start up when that machine tells ya," he said. This can pose complications because the body isn't necessarily in sync with what the technology is saying, says Churchill... Jean-Marc Picard, executive director of the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association said, the electronic system logs every move a transport truck makes, companies can use that information to find efficiencies in their systems... The U.S. is making electronic logging devices mandatory by 2018 and Picard says if Canada doesn't enact similar legislation, there could be problems because so many Canadian operators travel to the U.S... He said talks are underway between the provinces and the federal government to try and make electronic logging mandatory across the country...
(Photo by Jason Kryk/Canadian Press - Border USA/Canada) -- Halifax, NS, CAN - CBC News, by David Burke - Oct 27, 2015

Labels: electronic logs

Oct 29, 2015

TRUCKERS' STRIKE * USA: At ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles

* California - Trucker strike begins

-- A group of truck drivers at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach went on strike Monday, but port officials said the labor action had minimal impact on cargo operations... The “unfair labor practice” strike includes drivers “misclassified as independent contractors” rather than employees by Pacific 9 Transportation and XPO Logistic, said Barb Maynard of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters... Maynard said workers who are “misclassified as independent contractors” are “robbed of basic workplace protections like the right to minimum wage, overtime pay, and a safe and healthful workplace” ... No more than 15 people picketed at the Port of Los Angeles, creating “little to no impact on port operations,” according to port spokesman Phillip Sanfield... There were also few traffic disruptions, with the picketing only directed at the trucks of a few of the drayage companies, Port of Long Beach spokesman Art Wong said...
(Photo by Thomas R. Cordova-Daily Breeze/Press-Telegram - Strikers stop trucks as striking supply chain workers, International Brotherhood of Teamsters strike at Pier J at Long Beach Port in Long Beach CA. Monday October 26, 2015) -- Los Angeles, CAL, USA - The Daily Breeze/Press-Telegram - 27 Oct 2015

Labels: truckers' strikes

TRUCKS' SAFETY * USA - Mandatory: Automatic emergency braking systems

* DC - Why trucks are one step closer to automatic brakes

-- NHTSA entertains another incremental step towards transit’s automated future... The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has now announced that it will consider mandating all large trucks carry the automatic emergency braking systems that could have prevented that accident, and thousands like it across the U.S. each year... Automatic emergency braking (one of various names for the systems) uses radar, lasers, and cameras to see as far as 650 feet in front of a truck—about three times the typical follow distance on highways. They first signal a driver of upcoming obstacles, and then, if the driver doesn’t react, will slow or stop the vehicle. The technology has been available for nearly a decade, and is already in service in tens of thousands of trucks across the U.S. and Europe...

... The bigger picture could give truckers a different set of worries. The past 10 years have seen an explosion of automated systems on trucks, including adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warnings, and electronic stability control (which NHTSA has already mandated for large trucks by 2017). That buildup is leading, bit by bit, to fully autonomous trucks. While that will be a huge boon to overall driving safety, it could also push human truck drivers out of the picture...
(Photos by Wabco - Wabco’s OnGuardACTIVE emergency automatic braking system for trucks detects vehicles ahead and can apply the brakes to prevent or mitigate damage from a potential crash) -- Washington, DC, USA - Fortune, by David Z. Morris - OCT 27, 2015

* DC - Heavy-spending trucking industry pushes Congress to relax safety rules for drivers

-- Big rig crashes kill nearly 4,000 Americans each year and injure more than 85,000. Since 2009, fatalities involving large trucks have increased 17 percent. Injuries have gone up 28 percent... Given these numbers, you might expect Congress to be agitating for tighter controls on big rigs. In fact, many members are pushing for the opposite—looser restrictions on the trucking industry and its drivers... The proposals represent a wish list of the trucking industry, including allowing significantly longer and heavier trucks, and younger drivers. The industry spends heavily on lobbying and campaign contributions, giving largely to Republicans, who control both the House and Senate... Supporters insist the proposals actually will improve public safety by cutting the number of trucks on the road while also helping the trucking industry address a shortage of drivers. But critics reject the safety claims as ridiculous, saying the proposals would enrich the trucking industry, not protect the public... Truck safety advocates—many of whom have lost loved ones in big rig crashes—are dismayed over what they describe as the industry’s efforts to use Congress to achieve dangerous policy changes...
(Photo by Raymond Clarke / Flickr) -- FairWarning/In These Times, by BRIAN JOSEPH - Oct 28, 2015

Labels: road safety, truck safety, truckers' safety

TRUCKING ON-DEMAND USA: * A New Era in the North American trucking & logistics market -- ** This trucking model can reduce empty miles travelled

* Washington - A new startup Convoy raises $2.5M from Jeff Bezos, Marc Benioff, others for new on-demand trucking startup

-- A new Seattle startup has raised $2.5 million from an impressive group of investors to change how shippers connect with trucking companies... Convoy today announced the funding round, which was led by Code.org founders Hadi and Ali Partovi. Other participating investors include Bezos Expeditions — the investment arm of Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos — Salesforce.com CEO Marc Benioff, Expedia CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, Dropbox CEO Drew Houston, former Starbucks President Howard Behar, KKR CEO Henry Kravis, eBay founder Pierre Omidyar via Omidyar Technology Ventures, and several others... Founded in April, Convoy is using technology to create more efficiency in a $800 billion U.S. trucking industry that has largely remained unchanged for decades, explained Convoy CEO Dan Lewis. “The problem we are solving is around local and regional access to trucks on demand” ... Convoy’s on-demand service matches trucking companies with shippers that need to move freight...

... The startup has built a smartphone-based, Uber-like system that lets truckers find jobs in a matter of minutes without the traditional legwork — and monetary cut — required when using a broker... On the shipper side, Convoy’s online portal offers immediate access to pricing information — which is calculated instantly based on distance, weight, and other variables — and available trucks, all of which are pre-approved by Convoy, licensed by the government, and carry cargo insurance. The company also provides customer service to ensure that shipments are completed... Convoy essentially automates broker’s labor with technology, which it says helps both shippers and truckers save time and money. The company itself makes money by taking a percentage of each transaction... For now, Convoy is launching its service in Washington state...
(Photo via Shutterstock) -- Seattle, WASH, USA - Geek Wire, by TAYLOR SOPER - October 26, 2015

** California - Uber for trucking

-- The arrival of Uber for trucking or mobile-based freight brokering is ushering in a new era in the North American trucking and freight logistics market. Currently, inefficiency plagues the freight movement and logistics market, with approximately 20 billion empty miles travelled per year in the trucking industry. Mobile-based freight brokering will enable drivers and fleets to mitigate these inefficiencies in their trucking operations. In addition to reducing the empty miles travelled, mobile-based freight brokering technology will help lower operating costs, improve fuel efficiency, boost asset utilization, and enhance resource productivity... New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Uber for Trucks: Executive Analysis of the North American Mobile-based Freight Brokerage Market, finds that 16 percent of third-party logistics will be enabled through mobile platforms by 2025... Despite these benefits, traditional freight brokers in North America presently command 99 percent of the market as they have already built a strong reputation and relationships with existing fleets. This, along with the saturation of competing freight brokerages, rise of on-demand delivery services, and lack of a vast shipper and carrier network, is proving to be the biggest hurdle to the mass adoption of mobile-based freight brokering...
Mountain View, CAL, USA - MarketWatch - 27 Oct 2015

Labels: mobile-based brokering, trucking startup

Oct 28, 2015

TRUCK SALES * USA: 15 truckmakers to produce prototypes for USPS

* Could the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle be the next USPS mail truck?

-- For an organization with longstanding financial troubles, the United States Postal Service has managed to attract a lot of attention with a proposed delivery truck it calls the NGDV... That’s the newest postal acronym for Next Generation Delivery Vehicle — a bigger, but not sleeker, delivery truck that the cash-strapped Postal Service wants to buy for residential deliveries... With the prospect of a $4.5 billion to $6 billion price tag, the USPS has Detroit’s truck industry salivating — despite the agency’s low credit rating... The 15 truck makers who have qualified for the first round of competition must have visions of Congress finally coming to the aid of the Postal Service, which long has complained that its current fleet of 200,000 delivery vehicles has literally run out of gas... The NGDVs are to be a giant order for customized postal delivery trucks needed to replace the somewhat squat delivery trucks in the fleet, and to help the USPS move the increasing number of parcels in the mail... The USPS hopes to place the first of the NGDVs in service in 2018... Truck makers are being advised that they’ll be expected to produce prototype vehicles that can be subjected to what the USPS describes as a “24,000 mile durability test” at a testing facility yet to be disclosed...
(Image courtesy of todaysmotorvehicles.com. -- The United States Postal Service wants to replace its aging fleet of mail delivery trucks with a more spacious model dubbed the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle. An explosion in the growth of package mail, among other developments, is spurring the USPS to acquire bigger trucks. The USPS hopes to place the first of the NGDVs in service in 2018) -- Washington, DC, USA - Linn's Stamp, by Bill McAllister - October 27, 2015

Labels: truck sales USA

TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * USA: Paccar's

* Oregon - Paccar’s 3Q profit rises 16% as truck deliveries climb

-- Paccar delivered 39,400 trucks between July and September, an almost 6 percent increase versus the third quarter of last year... Bellevue-based truck-maker Paccar reported a 16 percent increase in third-quarter earnings, boosted by increased truck sales in North America and Europe... Paccar delivered 39,400 trucks between July and September, an almost 6 percent increase versus the third quarter of last year. The biggest jump came from Europe, which saw deliveries jump 21 percent to 11,100 trucks... For the third quarter, Paccar reported a profit of $431.2 million, or $1.21 a share, up from $371.4 million, or $1.04 a share, in the same period the year before. This is the second-best quarter in the company’s 110-year history after last quarter’s record profit of $447.2 million... While truck deliveries were up and profit was higher, total revenue dropped 2 percent to $4.85 billion, compared with $4.93 billion last year. This was due to Europe’s growing market and the effect of foreign exchange rates... Paccar is one of several heavy- and medium-duty truck producers that the European Commission began investigating in January 2011. Last November the commission sent a “statement of objections” to each company, informing them of its suspicions of anti-competitive practices... The commission indicated that it will seek to impose significant fines on those manufacturers, but Paccar said Tuesday it is unable to estimate the potential fine at this time...
(Photo: Paccar's -Europe- DAF truck XF 105 model) -- Bellevue, ORE, USA - The Seattle Times, by Coral Garnick - October 27, 2015

Labels: truckmakers news USA

TIREMAKERS NEWS * India - Lower revenue

* Mumbai - Tyre makers stare at lower revenue as Chinese imports soar

-- The continuing massive jump in cheap imports of tyres, especially those of buses and trucks, from China, which rose 138 per cent in the first quarter, may lead to a revenue decline for domestic tyre manufacturers, says a report... These are priced 25 per cent lower than the domestically produced ones, it said... The import volume of tyres in truck & bus (T&B) and two-wheeler segments rose 25.3 per cent and 120.5 per cent, respectively, in the first quarter of this year on an annual basis... Out of the above, of the particular concern is the rise in imports in the T&B segment which accounts for around 60 per cent of domestic tyre industry's revenue, India Ratings said in a report on Monday...
Mumbai, India - NDTV.profit/Press Trust of India - 26 Oct 2015

Labels: tiremakers news

TRUCKMAKER NEWS EUROPE * Sweden: Volvos' -- ** Germany: MAN's

* Sweden - Volvo Trucks' Robot driven trucks tests active safety systems

-- In this episode of Trucks Anatomy we visit the Asta Zero test facility where Volvo Trucks test their collision warning with emergency brake system with the help of robot driven trucks. Accurate test results are key to developing better active safety systems. Using robots instead of human drivers leads to better precision and repeatability... “Advanced safety systems, require advanced test methods”, says Anna Wrige Berling, Project Manager, Vehicle Dynamics & Active Safety at Volvo Group Trucks Technology... Volvo Trucks’ collision warning with emergency brake system is already standard in all Volvo FH models. By November 2015 this system will be a legal requirement on all new trucks in Europe...
Hallered, Sweden - You Tube Video from Volvo Trucks - Oct 28, 2015

* Sweden - Truck maker Volvo upbeat on Europe as cost cuts lift Q3 profit

-- Truck maker Volvo forecast growth in the European heavy-duty truck market next year but slowing or flat sales in most other major markets after it reported a bigger-than-expected rise in third-quarter core profit helped by cost cuts... Its outlook could help assuage concerns a slowing global economy and regional instability in places such as Ukraine and Greece might derail a recovery begun this year... Volvo, a rival of truck brands from Daimler and Volkswagen, said it expected the European market to grow to 275,000 trucks in 2016 from an expected 265,000 this year, taking it to its highest level since before the 2008 financial crisis... Volvo, which sells trucks under its own as well as the Mack, Renault and UD brands, said order intake of its trucks fell 15 percent in the third quarter, worse than the 12 percent decline forecast by analysts... Volvo Chief Executive Martin Lundstedt, also needs to simplify a company structure reflecting two decades of empire building that has weighed on its share price and profitability versus rivals such as VW's Scania, which he left to join Volvo...
(Photo: Volvo Group headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden) -- Stockholm, Sweden - Reuters/Economic Times - 24 Oct, 2015

** Germany - MAN SE Q3 oper. profit up 5 pct as Europe truck demand grows

-- German truck maker MAN SE posted higher third-quarter profit as demand in Europe for heavy-duty commercial vehicles keeps growing... Operating profit at Volkswagen-owned MAN rose 5 percent to 86 million euros ($95 million) while orders fell 9 percent to 3.16 billion euros, the Munich-based company said... Full-year operating profit at MAN will be "significantly hit" by restructuring costs while sales will drop slightly below year-ago levels, the company said on Tuesday, keeping to its July guidance... ($1 = 0.9046 euros)...
(Photo from MAN TRUCKS. Celebration of its centenary) -- Berlin, Germany - Reuters, by Andreas Cremer & Georgina Prodhan - Oct 27, 2015

Labels: truckmakers news Europe

DONALD TRUMP IT'S WRONG * USA: "Our country needs real leadership and not empty, false rhetoric" said Kasich

* Ohio - Donald Trump erroneously takes credit for Ford shifting truck production from Mexico to Ohio

-- Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump enthusiastically patted himself on the back Sunday, asserting on Twitter that, because of political pressure he applied, Ford Motor Co. has nixed expansion plans in Mexico... But Trump appeared to be confusing two separate projects – one that Ford is moving ahead with in Mexico, despite his protests, and another here in Northeast Ohio... Regardless, Trump had nothing to do with the deal... The exchange marks the first time Ohio Gov. John Kasich, one of Trump's rivals for the GOP nomination, has tangled with Trump – a notable development in a race where he has been reluctant to indulge in Trump's antics ... So where did Trump go wrong? ... A spokeswoman for his campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday morning. But it seems Trump and the blogger he parroted believe – incorrectly – that the Avon Lake trucks are being shifted from a proposed facility in Mexico that Trump has railed against on the stump. Bloomberg reported in August that Trump, speaking in Michigan, slammed Ford for "building a $2.5 billion plant in Mexico" ... Ford acknowledged Monday that those plans have not changed: "Ford has not spoken with Mr. Trump, nor have we made any changes to our plans," the company said...
(Photo by Bob Self, The Florida Times-Union-Jacksonville.com via AP - Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump smiles Saturday after taking the stage at the Jacksonville Landing along the banks of the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, FLA) -- Cleveland, OH, USA - Cleveland.com, by Henry J. Gomez, Northeast Ohio Media Group - October 26, 2015

Labels: discussions

TRUCKING INDUSTRY * Australia: Companies warn of rates risk to subbies

* ACT - Agreement on subcontrator rates reform proves elusive

-- Contractor and subcontractor submissions have flown in the face of a Transport Workers Union (TWU) assertion that subcontractors have nothing to fear from driver rates reform... Submissions from six firms arrived on the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal’s website on Friday displaying similar arguments and in some cases the same terms... Beattie Transport, McCarthy Transport, Ri-Industries, Hi-Trans Express and Clarend Transport all say they are subcontractor users and will reduce this option "dramatically"... They question the industry costs methodology, as modelled by KPMG, with several stating it was "far more variable and complex that the simplistic modelling used by the RSRT in developing its proposed rates"... In an earlier submission, Patrick Autocare’s New South Wales transport manager, Geoffrey Beattie, calculated that his team of regular subcontractors would need to be paid 29-37 per cent more per trip depending where in the state they would need to depart Ingleburn for... This he describes as being not "a commercially viable option" for his firm and for others, such as Advance Car Carriers, with a similar business model...
(Photo: Position implicitly rejects TWU case on owner-driver impact) -- Canberra, Australian Capitol Territory - Fully Loaded - 26 Oct 2015

Labels: trucking industry news Australia

TRAILER MAKERS NEWS * USA: September 2015 Orders beating expectations

* Indiana - FTR Reports September 2015 Trailer orders was 48 percent above August

-- FTR reports September 2015 U.S. trailer net orders added up to 34,700, which is significantly above expectations... The order total for the month was 48 percent above August and improved 8 percent from a year ago. Trailer orders have now totaled 338,000 for the past 12 months... Dry van orders were very healthy — 11 percent higher year over year — and refrigerated van orders were also strong, exceeding 5,000 units for the first time since September. Liquid tank orders were solid, but other trailer segments are still showing some weakness. Flatbed orders stopped their recent fall but were still down 39 percent year over year. Dry tank and dump trailer orders were weaker than expected. Overall trailer build for the month was flat versus August... Don Ake, FTR vice president of commercial vehicles, said, “The fall order season starts off with a bang. The dry van and refrigerated van segments are running at record levels and show no signs of slowing down at this point...
Bloomington, IND, USA - Trucking News - October 26, 2015

Labels: trailer makers news

TRUCK'S ACCESORIES * USA: Thermo King develops truck solar panel

* Minnesota - Alternative power source for refrigerated and dry fleets

(Video: "Thermo King - Solar Panel" by DreamWorld Studios - Feb 26, 2015: Thermo King needed to create a new product launch video to highlight the advantages of their new solar panel charging device to complement existing products)
-- Thermo King said it has developed a solar panel option for trucks, designed to provide an alternative power source for refrigerated and dry fleets. The ThermoLite solar panels are able to withstand winter conditions as well as high velocity rain and are “the only automotive-rated charge controller on the market,” according to the company. “Parasitic power is a significant issue for both refrigerated and dry fleets. Telematics and other power draws drain battery life and create downtime — those issues turn into costs and cut into the bottom line. ThermoLite solar panels are the solution,” Paul Kroes, solar business development manager at Thermo King, said in a statement. The ThermoLite 26W is able to support transport refrigeration unit batteries and the 36W model can support the company’s Heat King cargo heater and its Europe, Middle East and Africa products... The company expects to unveil its 100-300W model in November, which will be able to support liftgate and pallet-jack charging...
Minneapolis, MINN, USA - Transport Topics - 26 Oct 2015

Labels: trucks' products and accesories

INFRASTRUCTURE PLANS * USA: Expert questions whether more lanes will cut traffic

* Connecticut - The state argues that the widening is just one part of the plan

-- It's known as the fundamental law of road congestion, and it boils down to this — you can't build your way out of traffic jams. Building more lanes on a highway leads, somewhat counterintuitively, to more traffic, as people who might otherwise avoid the road are instead attracted by the added capacity. The result is highways at four lanes quickly becoming just as clogged as they ever were with three... State transportation officials are well aware of this phenomenon, and don't question its premise. Still, they have plans to spend tens of billions of dollars to widen Interstates 95 and 84, which, combined with other facets of a 30-year plan, they say will finally help tame the Connecticut traffic beast... In addition, there's no way to control highway use without introducing tolls, with different prices at various times to discourage peak-time driving...
(Photo: AP/The Connecticut Post, by Hugh Bailey - "You do get some relief just by widening. And you get some just by congestion pricing. The two in combination, we've seen in our studies can make a big impact," said Maziarz of the DOT) -- Bridgeport, CONN, USA - The Trucker - 26 Oct 2015

Labels: infrastructures' plan

TRUCKERS AWARDED * USA: In EEOC religious discrimination suit

* Illinois - Star Transport fired truckers for refusing to transport alcohol, Federal agency charged

-- A federal jury in Peoria, Ill., has awarded $240,000 to two Somalian-American Muslims who were fired from their jobs as truck drivers at Star Transport, an over-the-road trucking company, when they refused to transport alcohol because it violated their religious beliefs, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which brought the case. The trial started on Oct. 19, and the jury returned its verdict the next day after 45 minutes of deliberation...
(Photo) -- Chicago, ILL, USA - JD Supra Business Advisor - 23 Oct 2015

Labels: truckers' rights

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Oct 31, 2015

TRUCKERS' PAYMENT * USA: $50,000 a year ... and often rising into six figures !!!

TRUCKERS' STRIKE * USA - Plus warehourse workers