User-agent: Mediapartners-Google* Disallow: Trucks World News: August 2016
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Aug 31, 2016

SCANIA news * Sweden - Next-generation heavy-duty range details

* Stockholm - Scania releases more next-generation truck details

--- Swedish truck maker Scania has released further details about its next-generation heavy-duty range, explaining the concepts behind its latest creations. The truck maker has unveiled further details about the design of the new Scania truck range’s interior and exterior... Utilising designs that began to be developed in 2004, when the company was preparing to launch its R-Series range, Scania says it sought understanding from its customers and market segments to find out what the truck cabs of the future would encompass... This approach saw Scania move the front axle on the new range forward 50mm, allowing the position of the driver to be moved 65mm closer to the windscreen and 20mm towards the door... 
(Photo: Scania's new aerodynamic designs)  --  Sodertalje, Sweden - Trade Trucks (Australia) - 30 Aug 2016

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posted by Unknown @ 6:23 PM  0 comments

NIKOLA MOTOR news * USA: Hydrogen Fuel Cell trucks

* Utah - Nikola Motor plan flips to Hydrogen Fuel Cell truck

--- Startup electric truck maker Nikola Motor Co. says its upcoming Nikola One big rig will be powered by a hydrogen fuel cell – a sudden switch from earlier plans to build a truck that would use a natural gas-fueled turbine to generate electricity off the drive system... The change is part of a new plan announced by the Salt Lake City company Tuesday to develop a freight system that is completely emissions free, down to the source of the energy powering the vehicle’s drivetrain... Nikola – named for visionary inventor Nikola Tesla – wants to be the first company to be “100% emission-free from energy production to transportation to consumption,” said Trevor Milton, the company’s chief executive... All Class 8 trucks made by the company for the U.S. and Canada will run on custom-made hydrogen-electric 800V fuel cells, allowing the vehicles to roam more than 1,200 miles between fill-ups, the company said... As part of its vertically integrated model, the company said it intends to build solar hydrogen farms. Each will use electrolysis to create hydrogen from water and produce more than 100 megawatts of power... 
(Photo from Nikola Motor - Nikola One big rig) -- Salt Lake City, UT, USA - Truck.com, by TIFFANY HSU - August 30, 2016

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HACKING TRUCKS * USA: The ‘hacker’ had to physically plug into the truck to control it

* ACT - Truck makers draw sting of truck hack reports

--- The Truck Industry Council (TIC) believes vehicle IT security is ahead of the vehicle hacking game) ... In a considered response from its original equipment maker (OEM) members on the issue, TIC has sought to put a recent US experiment into perspective and but also to reiterate their own concerns about potential weaknesses beyond their control... In a considered response from its original equipment maker (OEM) members on the issue, TIC has sought to put a recent US experiment into perspective and but also to reiterate their own concerns about potential weaknesses beyond their control... TIC’s response follows reports that US researchers were able to hack into the onboard control systems of a truck and a bus through their J1939 controlled area network (CAN) system – an experiment that followed a similar action on three car models reported three years ago... TIC says the ‘hacker’ had to physically plug into the truck and bus J1939 CAN system and be physically in the vehicle to control it...
(Photo)  --  Canberra, ACT, Australia - ATN, by Rob McKay - 30 Aug 2016

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TRUCK TOLL in RHODE ISLAND * USA: ... "A extortion"

* Rhode Island - US trucking industry leader calls RI tolls ‘extortion’

  (Video from WPRI - Aug 30, 2016: The American Trucking Association’s president delivered a clear political threat to Gov. Gina Raimondo and her allies over the new law) 

--- The head of the American Trucking Association has lobbed a new grenade at Gov. Gina Raimondo’s truck-toll law, describing it as an unacceptable effort to force his industry to underwrite the cost of repairing Rhode Island bridges... ATA President Chris Spear said, “Regardless of that outcome, we will punish those people who target our industry as rolling ATMs and make examples of them as a clear message to others who attempt to do the same” ... 
 Providence, RI, USA - WPRI, by Ted Nesi - August 30, 2016

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posted by Unknown @ 5:39 PM  0 comments

NEW TABLET APP FOR TRUCKERS * USA

* Minneapolis - There's a new tablet app just for big rig drivers
--- There are 3.5 million professional truck drivers in the United States. That’s a lot. Naturally, the trucking industry was one of the first to adopt things like in-cab nav systems. But One20 thinks it can do better, with a new platform and social network aimed directly at truck drivers... The company believes it can deliver a superior tablet and phone experience to truck drivers, claiming that most prior mobile devices and apps have been designed more with the fleet in mind — that is, tracking vehicle locations and time on the road, rather than making life easier for the driver... One20 is two things: first, it’s a mobile app for Android or iOS that includes truck-safe turn-by-turn navigation (keeping drivers away from low bridges or weight-restricted roads), point-of-interest locations that cater to big rigs (big trucks need big parking lots), and discounts for shopping at certain stores and restaurants, as well as ratings and reviews from other One20 users. The truck-safe navigation alone is an impressive inclusion, as those systems can be fairly expensive...
(Image thanks to One20)   --  St. Paul, MINN, USA - The Verge, by Jordan Golson - August 27, 2016

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posted by Unknown @ 5:24 PM  0 comments

TRUCKERS' UNION PROTEST * Chile - But gets little support

* Santiago - Truckers' attacked in south Chile

--- A Chilean truckdrivers' union demonstrated Saturday outside Santiago to protest against attacks in which their vehicles were torched in the southern part of the country... The demonstration was organized by the National Freight Transporters Confederation one year after the arrival in Santiago of a caravan of trucks destroyed in arson attacks during the so-called Mapuche conflict in the southern Araucania region... The union, which according to its leaders has some 1,300 members, announced at the beginning of this week that around 150 trucks would come together from the north and south of the country and meet in the Peaje de Angostura Plaza, at some 55 kilometers (34 miles) south of Santiago to demand a government crackdown on the hooded attackers... The union boss repeated his demands for a tougher policy against the attacks in the south and in general against all crime that harms trucking... 
(Photo: A truck owner regret that vandals burned his trucks in an attack in the southern Chilean region of La Araucania, an area that has been the scene of assorted acts of violence in recent days)   --   Santiago, Chile - Fox News - August 27, 2016

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SPEED LIMITER RULE * USA: Increase delivery time

* DC - Feds say speed limiter rule could adversely impact small trucking companies

--- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration admit in their Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for speed limiters on heavy trucks that the devices could adversely impact small trucking companies because of increased delivery time... That’s based in part on the assumption that many trucks driven by independent owner-operators are not already speed limited as are those operated by large fleets, and many independent owner-operators drive the speed limit, which is 70 mph or higher in 35 states... The agencies said because they do not have direct revenue figures for all carriers, power units serve as a proxy to determine the carrier size that would qualify as a small business given the Small Business Administration’s revenue threshold... According to the SBA, motor carriers of property with annual revenue of $25.5 million or less are considered small business...
(Photo)  --  Washington, DC, USA - The Trucker, by LYNDON FINNEY - 29 Aug 2016

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posted by Unknown @ 10:35 AM  0 comments

PETERBILT TRUCKS * USA: New engine

* Texas - Peterbilt offers new ISL G Engine

--- Truck maker Peterbilt Motors Co. will soon offer the Cummins Westport ISL G Near Zero engine as an option on three of its vocational trucks, the Denton, Texas-based manufacturer said Aug. 30... Peterbilt, a division of Paccar Inc., is using the ISL G Near Zero in its Model 567, a vocational truck, and Models 520 and 320, both low-cab-forward refuse haulers... Near Zero refers to emissions of nitrogen oxide compounds, or NOx, at a level of 0.02 gram per brake horsepower-hour — 90% lower than the current federal standard of 0.2 gram. The 8.9-liter ISL G uses natural gas, either compressed or liquefied, as truck fuel and is manufactured by a joint venture owned by Cummins Inc. and Westport Innovations... Peterbilt said the engine produces 320 horsepower and 1,000 pound-feet of torque... Near Zero is the latest version of the ISL G, which has been in production since June 2007. The company said it will start making Models 520 and 320 with the new engine before Dec. 31. Production for Model 567 with Near Zero will follow early next year... 
Denton, TXS, USA - Transport Topics - 30 Aug 2016

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posted by Unknown @ 6:37 AM  0 comments

BORDER TROUBLES * Afghanistan / Pakistan

* Islamabad - Border closing costs locals, traders

--- Hundreds of long-haul container trucks lined the street or crowded the dusty open yards on both sides of the Wesh-Chaman border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan Wednesday... With no trees nearby, drivers and their staff used their own vehicles to find shelter from the blistering sun. Some passed time by playing board games with their neighbors; others cooked or made tea on makeshift campfires while their colleagues caught some sleep... The nearest shops on the Pakistani side are almost six kilometers away, in the border town Chaman. The drivers took turns to buy food or groceries in Chaman by traveling on the preferred form of local transport — a motorcycle-drawn carriage called a ching-chi rickshaw... 
(Photo: Trucks at border. Chaman Wesh closure enters into 12th day) -- Wesh Chaman, Pakistan - VOA news - 29 Aug 2016

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posted by Unknown @ 6:22 AM  0 comments

OLD DOMINION FREIGHT LINE's * USA: Drivers shortage

* California - ODFL warns truck capacity could buckle as soon as early 2017

--- Although as a less-than-truckload carrier Old Dominion Freight Line is somewhat less exposed to the driver shortage than truckload companies, the North Carolina-based trucker is paying close attention to the issue... The long-anticipated, much-discussed truck driver shortage could surface again as a major problem as early as 2017, so businesses and consumers should anticipate motor carriers will increase freight rates to cover the additional costs they will incur to attract and retain drivers, an industry executive said Tuesday... Chip Overbey, senior vice president of strategic development at Old Dominion Freight Line, told the Los Angeles Transportation Club that lackluster economic growth in the first half of 2016 was influenced by weak investment from businesses and manufacturers. However, this cycle may be nearing its end because historically these “industrial recessions” have lasted only two to three years... Rapid expansion in e-commerce fulfillment, coupled with a growing desire by shippers to reduce inventory carrying costs, have motor carriers focusing their resources in the less-than-truckload, next-day and same-day delivery sector. About 68 percent of Old Dominion’s business is in less-than-truckload second-day delivery, Overbey said... These developments are putting pressure on motor carriers to run tight, on-time delivery schedules... Although economic growth so far this year has been disappointing, Overbey anticipates a return to more normal growth next year. He described 2016 as the “quiet before the storm” ... 
(Photo: An ODFL truck moving up)  --  Los Angeles, CAL, USA - JOC, by Bill Mongelluzzo - Aug 24, 2016

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CHASSIS FEE PLAN * USA: Dropped by marine terminals

* California - Southern California terminal operators drop chassis fee plan

--- Southern California marine terminals have dropped a plan to charge chassis lessors $5 per unit traveling through cargo facilities in the face of opposition from the businesses that provide the majority of chassis equipment to move truck freight in the region... The announcement from the West Coast Marine Terminals Operating Agreement followed soon after leasing companies such as TRAC Intermodal, Flexi-Van and Direct Chassis Link protested the move at the Federal Maritime Commission, petitioning to have the fee canceled... Terminal operators argued that they pay $200,000 per acre in fees to the port to lease land that is largely used to stack chassis... Chassis owned by ocean carriers, which in some cases own terminals, as well as privately owned chassis provided by parties such as truckers wouldn’t be charged the fee... 
(Photo: Chassis at the Port of Long Beach) -- San Diego, CAL, USA - Transport Topics, by Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg News - 23 Aug 2016

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posted by Unknown @ 5:34 AM  0 comments

CARGO THEFT * USA: Fall year-over-year, values rise

* Florida - FreightWatch, CargoNet issue Labor Day cargo theft warnings

--- Cargo theft reporting firms CargoNet and FreightWatch International have each issued warnings in advance of Labor Day weekend... Both firms say cargo theft activity increases during holiday weekends such as Labor Day, and the same is expected for this year. FreightWatch says between 2012 and 2015, cargo thefts occurring during Labor Day weekend have had an average value of $159,654, including five separate incidents targeting electronics. CargoNet’s numbers indicate an average value of $243,908 during the same time period... According to FreightWatch, 89 percent of cargo thefts that took place on Labor Day weekend in 2015 happened in California, Texas, Florida and Georgia. CargoNet lists the same four states and adds New Jersey as the most-targeted states during recent Labor Day weekends...
(Image Source: CargoNet)  --   Miami, FL, USA - Overdrive, by Matt Cole - August 30, 2016

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posted by Unknown @ 5:22 AM  0 comments

TRUCKERS' SLEEP APNEA * USA: Gov't recommend screening/treatment

* DC - Recommendations would force at-risk truckers into sleep apnea screening/treatment

---  The Medical Review Board of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration outlined this week its official recommendations to the agency on screening and disqualification criteria for truck drivers who are suspected of having moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea... The board’s preliminary recommendations, which have not yet been approved by the board, encourage FMCSA to require a trucker to be screened for sleep apnea if he or she: 

 (1) has a body mass index greater than or equal to 40, or 

 (2) has a body mass index greater than or equal to 33 and meets at least three of the following criteria: 
**Is 42 or older 
**Is male 
**Is a postmenopausal female 
**Has diabetes 
**Has high blood pressure 
**Has a neck size greater than 17 inches (males) or 15.5 inches (females) 
**Has a history of heart disease 
**Snores loudly 
**Has had witnessed apneas 
**Has a small airway to the lungs 
**Has untreated hypothyroidism 
**Has micrognathia (undersized jaw) or retrognathia (clinical terminology for a kind of overbite) 

... The board also would recommend that FMCSA allow truckers with a sleep apnea diagnosis to continue to operate if they’re being “treated effectively,” which is defined as “the resolution of moderate to severe OSA to mild or better, as determined by a certified sleep specialist,” according to the board’s preliminary discussion report... 
Washington, DC, USA - Overdrive, by James Jaillet - August 23, 2016

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CONGESTION CHALLENGES * USA: Turned in operational opportunities

* Georgia - Climate and congestion change the way companies around the world do business

--- Already, congestion in the United States costs nearly $80 billion a year in wasted time and fuel — not to mention indirect costs to the environment. For UPS, congestion has made it more difficult to deliver goods quickly, efficiently, safely, and affordably in urban areas. To counter gridlock in the New York City metro area, for example, UPS dispatches approximately 60 additional delivery drivers and 20 additional tractor-trailer combinations than it did five years ago. And adding more vehicles to the road only contributes to further road congestion... Congestion’s impact on the environment is also an issue for our communities. In the United States, transportation is responsible for more than a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions. And the ramifications on our climate — including increased global temperatures and more extreme weather patterns — are well-documented around the world... The question today isn’t so much whether these issues pose significant risk, but what can be done about them... At UPS, one solution is our ORION navigation system — a world-class route optimization software that makes sure our delivery drivers follow the most efficient routes possible given a slate of packages. By the end of 2016 when ORION is fully implemented, we expect to achieve a reduction of 100 million miles annually, saving 10 million gallons of fuel and eliminating 100,000 metric tons of CO2 each year... Congestion and climate change have many interlocking parts, which can make it difficult to develop strategies to reduce traffic and emissions while meeting bottom-line demands. But I’m confident these issues can be addressed by working jointly with government authorities, technology and engineering firms, think tanks, academics, and companies of all sizes and scopes. Collaborative innovation today will pay immense dividends tomorrow. Together, we can turn our biggest challenges into our biggest opportunities... 
Atlanta, GA, USA - UPS ("United Problem Resolvers"), by Jim Bruce - 24 Aug 2016

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posted by Unknown @ 4:49 AM  0 comments

SPEED-LIMITING TECHNOLOGY for TRUCKS * USA: To travel at lower speeds

* DC - NHTSA proposes device that would be required to new vehicles

--- The U.S. is seeking to forcibly limit how fast trucks, buses and other large vehicles can travel on the nation’s highways... A new proposal Friday would impose a nationwide limit by electronically capping speeds with a device on newly made U.S. vehicles that weigh more than 26,000 pounds. Regulators are considering a cap of 60, 65 or 68 miles per hour, though that could change. Whatever the speed limit, drivers would be physically prevented from exceeding it... The proposal, which comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, doesn’t force older heavy vehicles to add the speed-limiting technology, but the regulators are still considering it... The agencies said that limiting the speed of heavy vehicles to 60 mph could save as many as 498 lives annually. Limiting it to 65 mph could save as many as 214 lives, and limiting it to 68 mph could save as many as 96 lives. There are 3.6 million big rigs on U.S. roads... The proposal is based on available safety data and the additional benefit of better fuel economy.The government said capping speeds for new large vehicles would reduce the 1,115 fatal crashes involving heavy trucks that occur each year and save $1 billion in fuel costs... While the news is being welcomed by some safety advocates and nonprofessional drivers, many truckers said such changes could lead to dangerous scenarios where they are traveling at much lower speeds than everyone else... 
(Photo, by TED S. WARREN/ASSOCIATED PRESS - Cars and trucks travel on Interstate 5 north through Fife, Wash. The federal government says capping speeds for new large vehicles would reduce the 1,115 fatal crashes involving heavy trucks that occur each year) -- Washington, DC, USA - Associated Press/The WSJ - Aug. 26, 2016

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Aug 29, 2016

UBER for COURIERS * Australia: New logistics software

* New South Wales - A new logistics company plans to shake up the delivery business
--- Brad Lorge a software engineer is the co-founder of Premonition, a logistics optimisation firm helping online retailers and shipping companies meet heightened consumer expectations and develop more sustainable supply chains... Lorge says Premonition’s platform is unique globally, and is already helping to manage the deployment of thousands of vehicles on Australian roads, saving tens of thousands of kilometres each day... Premonition’s technology can optimise large job sets, rerouting multiple vehicles in real-time based on a plethora of factors: changed traffic conditions, weather, delivery windows, incoming orders and returns, truck capacity, a driver’s final destination and consumer requests such as redirected parcels... Machine learning means it can also predict changes that might disrupt the normal sequence of a logistics chain, helping solve problems for couriers before they arise...
(Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP - Delivery vehicles are major greenhouse gas emitters but new software reroutes trucks with real-time data and machine learning)   --  Sidney, NSW, Australia - The Guardian (UK), by Myles Gough - 23 August 2016

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NEW TRUCK IMPACT CHART * Australia

* ACT -  ATA backs higher productivity vehicle usage. Chart shows bigger trucks promote safety and efficiency

--- The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) is making a case for the benefits of higher productivity heavy vehicle usage with the release of its latest Truck Impact Chart (TIC)... The national body says use of higher productivity trucks can improve safety and reduce the number of trips required to move goods... However, knowing what truck combination is most suitable for a particular type of job is key, ATA senior engineering adviser Chris Loose says... The new chart attempts to simplify the process of access determination by comparing the impact of different vehicle combinations on a range of parameters to help operators decide what truck combination to use for a particular job... Developed by the ATA’s Industry Technical Council, the chart is part of the national body’s technical advisory procedure for heavy vehicle operators... However, the points highlighted in the chart will not be applicable across all national jurisdictions considering Western Australia and the Northern Territory have, so far, not adopted the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR’s) national framework – the Heavy Vehicle National Law (NHVL)... 
(Photo: The latest chart suggests that longer trucks can achieve more with less, reduce fuel consumption, lower emissions, and improve safety)  --  Canberra, ACT, Australia -ATN - 26 Aug 2016

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Mercedes-Benz news * Germany: Daimler inks deal to open a plant in Moscow

* Stuttgart - Mercedes-Benz looks to KAMAZ to build car plant in Russia

--- Russian truck manufacturer KAMAZ is to partner Daimler AG in the construction of a plant to assemble Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles in Russia... Daimler and the Russian truck maker already have a joint venture Daimler KAMAZ Rus that has a state subsidy on the import of auto components in return for increased capacity and localized production in Russia... At present, the joint venture produces Mercedes-Benz and Fuso trucks, and is also constructing a factory to make bodies for trucks. Daimler has a 15 percent stake in KAMAZ... According to Vedomosti, it will be a full-cycle plant with a capacity of up to 25,000 vehicles a year. It’s not yet clear which Mercedes cars it will make, but Madeja said it will represent the most popular models on the Russian market... 
 (Photo by Michaela Rehle - An employee works on the new Mercedes-Benz S-class car at the plant in Sindelfingen near Stuttgart)  --   Stuttgart, Germany - RT.com, by Thomas Kienzle / AFP - 26 Aug, 2016

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posted by Unknown @ 6:30 AM  0 comments

TESLA news * USA: Electric-Car Battery With a 315-Mile Range

* California - Tesla unveils its new ‘Ludicrous’ P100D will be the ‘fastest car in the world’

(Video by hybridcarsmedia - 21 nov. 2010: During the 2010 LA Auto Sow, Phil Gow, Coda's VP of Battery Systems, introduced Brad Berman, editor and founder of HybridCars.com and PluginCars.com, to the internal battery systems of the new all electric sedan) 

--- Tesla Motors Inc. said it is offering its electric vehicles with a battery capable of going up to 315 miles on a charge, the first time a major auto maker has provided that much electric range in a vehicle... The company unveiled new versions of its Model S sedan and Model X sport-utility vehicle with 100 kilowatt-hour batteries; previously the largest battery size was 90 kwh. The upgrade—which Tesla executives said was made possible by increasing the energy density of its battery packs—will allow the Palo Alto, Calif.-based company to sell a P100 version of those two vehicles with Tesla’s well-known “Ludicrous Mode” ... The 315-mile range sets a new benchmark for automotive engineers looking to lessen fears about so-called range anxiety, which drivers encounter when traveling longer distances in an electric car. Because electric cars must be plugged into charging ports that aren’t as readily available as gas stations, nor as fast, many car buyers have refused to even consider one... Tesla’s Model S sedan will get the 315-mile range. The heavier SUV won’t be able to travel as far on a charge... The P100D sedan will cost $134,500 and the SUV will cost $135,500. The current Tesla line starts at about $66,000 and can go roughly 200 miles on a single charge...
Palo Alto, CAL, USA - The WSJ, by JOHN D. STOLL - Aug. 23, 2016

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posted by Unknown @ 6:11 AM  0 comments

NEW Scania TRUCKS * Sweden

* Sweden - Scania introduces new model 10 years in the making

--- Swedish truck maker Scania is introducing a new range of trucks that it is calling the result of the largest investment in the company’s history... The new vehicles are designed with efficiency in mind, with new engine designs and aerodynamic solutions leading to an average of 5% decrease in diesel fuel consumption. Scania’s truck line will be launched in phases with a focus on various customer segments... Production of the new trucks starts immediately at Scania’s final assembly plant in Södertälje. Initially the focus will be on vehicles and services for long-haul transportation... 
(Photo by Gustav Lindh - Courtesy Scania)  --   Sodertalje, Sweden - TruckingInfo (USA) - August 24, 2016

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NAVISTAR's news * USA: New "International HX620" - ** "ProStar" TRUCKS RECALL

* Illinois - New Vocational series: International HX620, a Premium ride


--- When Navistar was assembling the Cat Truck for Caterpillar, there was a substantial difference between it and Navistar’s own International PayStar on which the Cat Truck was based. The CT series had a more substantial look and feel, and was decidedly upscale, just as Caterpillar wanted. When Navistar introduced its new HX series early this year, it was as though it was planned to succeed the Cat Truck, even though Navistar people say they didn’t know that Cat was about to cancel their program... So, to the guys who bought Cat Trucks for what they were and for the bragging rights that came with them: Check out the HX, because it’s almost the same vehicle. If “International” isn’t something to brag about, be aware that it’s one of the oldest and proudest names in the automotive industry. And get smug because an HX will cost maybe $10,000 less than a CT would have... 
(Photo: Navistar’s new vocational series is much like the now-departed Cat Truck, but costs less)   --   Leslie, ILL, USA - Construction Equipment, by Tom Berg - August 24, 2016


** Illinois -  Navistar recalls 3,952 ProStar trucks


--- Navistar International Corp. is recalling 3,952 ProStar trucks from model years 2014 to 2017 for a defect affecting power to the cab. The medium- and heavy-duty trucks were manufactured between June 11, 2013, and May 19, 2016... “The battery-mounted cube fuse terminal connection on certain ProStar model trucks built with the battery box mounted between the frame rails may possibly break resulting in loss of power to the cab,” according to the recall notice filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration... The Lisle, Illinois, truck maker adds that when the cube fuse terminal begins to fail, the lights in the cab could flicker and the gauges could become erratic...
  (Photo: An International ProStar truck) -- Lisle, Ill, USA - Transport Topics - 24 Aug 2016

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posted by Unknown @ 5:36 AM  0 comments

ALUMINIUM and / or STEEL for Class 8 trucks ? * USA

* DC - With new emissions regs, can heavy truck makers go all-in on aluminum with Ford-like success?

--- Ford shaved 750 pounds from its flagship F-150 pickup for model year 2015 by converting much of the steel body to aluminum. For 2017, Ford will apply a similar strategy to its beefier Super Duty line... Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) threw down the gauntlet for slashing heavy-truck emissions and boosting efficiency and cited aluminum components including wheels, extrusions and sheet as part of the light-weighting solution... Research conducted by Ricardo Consulting Engineers suggests an “aluminum-intensive” Class 8 commercial tractor-trailer could reduce vehicle weight by 3,300 pounds. For every 10 percent of weight reduction, the group says up to a 5.5-percent improvement in fuel economy is possible... The study also found that outfitting the nation’s fleet of Class 8 tractor-trailers with aluminum-intensive models would save 9.3 million tons of CO2 annually, almost 1 percent of Phase 2’s approximately 1.1 billion ton target... But Volvo Trucks is one of the manufacturers that have refused to use an aluminum cab, citing driver safety as its reason for sticking with steel construction... 
(Photo: Rough steeled Volvo truck standard)   -- Washington, DC, USA -  Equipment World, ny Jason Cannon . August 24, 2016

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Aug 24, 2016

VOLVO's news * USA: New factory-fill oil

* North Carolina -  Volvo Trucks North America to make new factory-fill oil available in October

--- Volvo Trucks North America said beginning in October it will offer a new factory fill engine oil, VDS-4.5, for its D11, D13 and D16 engines that exceeds the new API specification CK-4... The oil meets new Volvo VDS-4.5 engine specifications, and is the same viscosity - 10W30 - as the current factory fill, but has better control over oil oxidation and oil aeration, it said... Also, VTNA said the oil extends oil-drain intervals to 55,000 miles for long-haul, 40,000 miles for regional haul and 30,000 miles for heavy haul... 
NC, USA - Transport Topics, by Justin Ide - 19 Aug 2016

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Aug 23, 2016

TRUCKER, MOST DANGEROUS OCCUPATIONS * USA: Study by Bureau of Labor Statistics

* DC - The Bureau of Labor Statistics said, trucking among most dangerous occupations

--- Trucking is a dangerous job. Truckers account for 1 in 6 workers killed on the job, according to a blog written by two economists at the Bureau of Labor Statistics... According to economists Sean Smith and Patrick Harris, truckers are also three times more likely to experience nonfatal injuries and illnesses. In fact, truckers rank No. 6 among top occupations in terms of the rate of nonfatal injuries and illnesses that require days off work, accounting for nearly 1 in 20 cases. Police officers and sheriffs, firefighters, highway maintenance workers, correctional officers and nursing assistants were the occupations ranked ahead of truckers... In their study, truckers rank No.1 when accounting just for the number of incidents, with 55,710 reported in 2014. Slips, trips, falls and overexertion were the top causes of injuries... Among musculoskeletal disorders, truckers ranked No. 3. Overexertion from repeatedly loading/unloading, repeatedly entering/exiting a truck and prolonged sitting were among the factors... To add insult to (literal) injury, half of truckers required at least 20 days off work to recover from an incident. Across other occupations, half of workers needed only nine days to recover. More than 40 percent of injured truckers had to take off 31 or more days of work...
(Photo) -- Washington, DC, USA - Land Line Mag, by Tyson Fisher - 19 Aug 2016

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TRUCKERS SHORTAGE * USA: MILITARY DRIVERS HELP

* North Carolina - US regulators propose pilot for under-21 truck drivers
--- A limited number of 18- to 21-year-olds with military experience would be allowed to drive interstate tractor-trailers under a pilot program proposed Friday by U.S. regulators... The three-year pilot program would create a test group of young truck drivers and is sure to run into opposition from those who fear licensing younger drivers would lead to more accidents... The American Trucking Associations favors a graduated licensing system that would help interstate trucking operators recruit 18- to 21-year-olds as apprentices who would gradually gain experience behind the wheel. A change in licensing standards not only could help trucking operators recruit younger drivers but allow them to create a career path for them... Today, it’s hard for trucking companies to map out such a path for younger students... 
(Photo: Soldiers at the Fort Bragg Fairgrounds got into big rigs, training to be professional civilian truck drivers) -- Fort Bragg, NC, USA - JOC, by William B. Cassidy - Aug 19, 2016

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Aug 22, 2016

KENWORTH TRUCKS * USA: Retiring T660

* Washington - After a decade, Kenworth Trucks is saying farewell to the T660

--- Kenworth Trucks says it is retiring its successful, fuel-efficient Kenworth T660 by the end of this year after a 10-years production run, offering its customers a “last call” opportunity to order from the final production allotment of 500 T660s... When it entered the Class 8 market, the T660 became the latest evolution of Kenworth’s aerodynamic product line and reinforced Kenworth’s leadership in both quality and fuel-economy performance, taking the reins from the Kenworth T600 — the truckmaker’s first truly aerodynamic truck that debuted in 1985... The Kenworth T660 also featured modern styling, superior forward-lighting technology, advanced technology, and increased driver comfort... Fleets and truck operators interested in ordering the Kenworth T660 may contact their Kenworth dealer for more information. The T660 is standard with the Paccar MX-13 engine rated at 455 horsepower and 1,650 pounds-feet of torque. The T660 is available as a daycab or in 38-inch, 62-inch, 72-inch and 86-inch AeroCab sleeper configurations... 
Bellevue, WASH, USA - Trucking News - August 22, 2016

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Aug 20, 2016

VOLVO's news * USA: Develop the next generation of commercial trucks

* DC - Volvo chosen to continue research on new fuel-efficient trucks
--- Volvo Technology of America has been selected as one of four participants to continue working on the second phase of a federal research partnership to develop the next generation of fuel-efficient commercial trucks, U.S. Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski announced Tuesday... The second phase of the SuperTruck program included $20 million in four multiyear grants during fiscal 2016, which ends Sept. 30. Another $20 million is being made available in fiscal 2017, the release said... In June 2011, under the first phase of the program, the energy department awarded Volvo a $19 million, five-year SuperTruck contract... The Volvo Group Trucks facility in Hagerstown has received $8.2 million for engine and transmission research and development, officials have said... Volvo has matched that money 100 percent, supporting about 1,500 local jobs...
(Photo: Volvo, Mack To Develop SuperTruck)   --  Washington, DC, USA - The Herald Media - Aug 16, 2016

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Aug 19, 2016

ORANGE EV news * USA: New T-Series pure-electric terminal truck

* Missouri - Orange EV launches Class 8 electric truck

--- Orange EV, a manufacturer of electrification solutions for industrial fleets, is now accepting orders for its all-new T-Series pure-electric terminal truck... The new T-Series pure-electric truck has 24-plus hours of use per charge, and can be fully charged in as few as two hours... In addition, fuel savings depending on moderate or heavy use can be from $10,000 per year, per vehicle up to $60,000 per year, per vehicle (using 2015 average diesel prices). A fleet of 20 vehicles, with moderate use, can save from $200,000 to $400,000 per year overall, according to Orange EV... 
(Photo courtesy of Orange EV - Orange EV's all-new Class 8 pure-electric terminal truck)   --    Kansas City, MO, USA - Truckinginfo - August 16, 2016

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SUBSIDIES FOR ELECTRIC TRUCKS * USA

* DC - Obama gives electric trucks a big bump in new climate rules
--- No market for electric-powered trucks exists now, nor in the next decade, but that isn't stopping the Obama administration from creating big subsidies for the vehicles under its latest climate rules... The Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation on Tuesday finalized joint greenhouse gas emissions and fuel efficiency standards for big-rig trucks, vans and buses... The rules are the final step in President Obama's broad effort to confront global warming. The regulations target the trucking sector, which makes up about 20 percent of the nation's transportation-based greenhouse gas emissions and energy use but only 5 percent of the vehicles on the road... The truck rules provide some of the biggest incentives for companies to build more advanced vehicles that use partial or full battery-electric power to drive the truck, or adopt hydrogen fuel cells that produce electricity with water vapor as the only byproduct...
(Photo from AP: The EPA is building in the incentives while admitting there is no market, nor demand, for electric trucks, the agency said in the final truck rule)  --  Washington, DC, USA - The Washington Examiner, by JOHN SICILIANO - 18 Aug 2016

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TRUCKING MARKET * USA: Spot market truckload rates tumbling

* DC - Amid low demand, spot rates, US truckers look to cut costs

--- Lower economic activity and high inventories have sent spot market truckload rates tumbling even lower than they fell in 2015, and are not expected to disappear any time soon... This was supposed to be the year when higher truckload costs pushed more freight to intermodal rail and less-than-truckload carriers, as happened in the expansion of 2014. This was supposed to be the year when shippers agreed to pay even more to fund higher truck driver wages... This was supposed to be the year … but it was not, and it will not be. Instead, the first half of 2016 proved the softest for the U.S. economy since 2011. That’s still much better than 2008 or 2009, but cold comfort to businesses fighting to find traction in an increasingly digital economy evolving at unprecedented speed. Whether the economy improves in the second half of 2016 or slides toward recession, trucking companies will have to travel in new directions, driven by high inventories, e-commerce, new regulations and increasingly complex supply chains... There are signs the trucking market already may have hit bottom and is inching upward early in the second half of 2016. Spot market load availability rose 28 percent in June thanks to seasonal freight, boosting total volume to levels seen in 2012 and 2013, and only 12 percent below 2015 totals, according to the DAT North American Freight Index... 
Washington, DC, USA - JOC, by William B. Cassidy - Aug 17, 2016

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SCANIA news * Europe: Electric trucks, energy converted from hydrogen gas

* Norway - Scania to test hydrogen powered trucks

--- Scania Inc. said it will partner with one of Norway’s largest trucking companies to test trucks powered by electrical energy converted from hydrogen gas in fuel cells in the vehicle... The manufacturer is teaming with Asko, Norway’s largest convenience goods wholesaler, to test the powertrains. The trucks will be travelling routes of about 310 miles as part of the test... Scania said it will supply three-axle trucks with a gross weight of 27 tons with an electric engine and powertrain components it uses in its already-in-production hybrid trucks and busses. The company said it will supply three trucks for the research project, with an option for one further vehicle... Asko has a fleet of about 600 trucks and wants to achieve a climate-neutral business with trucks that run on renewable fuels and in the longer term completely on electricity, according to Scania...
(Photo: Asko's truck) -- Oslo, Norway - Transport Topics - 18 Aug 2016

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ELDS FOR trucks * USA: Electronic Logging Devices violating truckers' rights

* Missouri - OOIDA: Excuses for mandating ELDs weak, fail to justify violating 4th Amendment

--- A national association of small-business truckers says the government’s excuses for mandating electronic logging devices (ELDs) are weak and fail to justify violating the Fourth Amendment rights of professional truck drivers... The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association wants the court to throw out the federal mandate that is scheduled to go into effect in December 2017... OOIDA’s lawsuit states that requiring electronic monitoring devices on commercial vehicles does not advance safety, is arbitrary and capricious and violates Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches and seizures... OOIDA has previously challenged a similar mandate in the courts. In August 2011, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit vacated a proposed electronic logbook rule based on the argument of harassment of drivers... 
(The Trucker file photo) -- Grain Valley, MO, USA - The Trucker - 16 Aug 2016

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¡¡¡ UBER buy OTTO TRUCK Co. !!! - USA - ** Uber put 100 autonomous Volvo SUVs on road in Pittsburgh

* California - Trucking enters the age of automation

(Video by Otto - 16 may. 2016: Meet Otto, the company behind new self-driving trucking technology. Join us for the journey) 

--- Ridesharing company Uber said it has acquired Otto, a startup firm that is developing a self-driving aftermarket kit for heavy-duty trucks... The transaction adds Uber to the list of technology companies, suppliers and truck manufacturers pushing to create automated driving technology for commercial vehicles... San Francisco-based Otto, founded in January by former Google engineers, has said its technology will enable longhaul trucks already operating on the road today to drive themselves... The system incorporates onboard cameras, radar and lidar sensors that monitor the truck’s surroundings while an onboard computer and software make driving decisions based on that information... Uber, meanwhile, has been developing and testing self-driving technology for passenger cars at its Advanced Technologies Center in Pittsburgh... Separately, Uber also announced a $300 million joint venture with Volvo Cars to develop base vehicles that will be able to incorporate the latest developments in autonomous driving technologies... The Swedish car maker will manufacture the base vehicles, which Uber will then purchase from Volvo... 
San Francisco, CAL, USA - Transport Topics - 18 Aug 2016


** California - Uber Technologies this month will let customers in Pittsburgh summon rides from autonomous taxis

--- Uber Technologies Inc. will begin using self-driving taxis to ferry customers around Pittsburgh as soon as this month, a first for the industry in a race among automobile and technology companies to make driverless cars commercially available... Uber’s service, using specially-equipped Volvo XC90 sport-utility vehicles and Ford Focus, would appear to be the first time that commuters could hail a ride in a driverless car. But while the effort signals a breakthrough in commercialization of the technology, it won’t be a brave new world of robot cars: Two Uber employees will be sitting in the front seat of each vehicle... One Uber employee will be in the driver’s seat with hands on the steering wheel as an emergency backup, another observing from the passenger seat, the company said. Uber will only make a few cars available to start—with the eventual goal of having 100 in Pittsburgh and possibly elsewhere in the coming months—and they will only go limited distances within the city... The test, which could begin in as soon as two weeks, is limited... 
(Photo: Self-driving cars go public; Uber offers rides in Pittsburgh)   --  San Francisco, CAL, USA - The WSJ, by GREG BENSINGER and JACK NICAS - Aug. 18, 2016

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