User-agent: Mediapartners-Google* Disallow: Trucks World News: April 2017
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Apr 28, 2017

ELECTRIC DELIVERY TRUCK * USA: By chinese maker BYD

* California - BYD partners with San Francisco Goodwill for electric delivery truck pilot

--- The San Francisco chapter of Goodwill will test the viability of electric delivery trucks by deploying 11 BYD trucks in San Francisco and nearby Redwood City and Burlingame. SF Goodwill will operate 10 Class 6 delivery trucks and one Class 8 refuse truck for 24 months, while collecting and analyzing data on vehicle performance, maintenance and emission reductions. The project will provide Goodwill with a model to electrify its truck fleet that can then be replicated at any of its 165 national Goodwill regions... BYD estimates that the 11 trucks, which were assembled at its Lancaster, California facility, will result in the reduction of over 1,355 tons of greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 1.2 tons of criteria and particulate matter emissions over their lifetimes... 
(Photo: An electric truck from BYD)   --   San Francisco, CAL, USA - Charge DEVS, by Charles Morris - April 26, 2017

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AUTONOMOUS TECHNOLOGY on TRUCKS * USA: Increases fuel economy

* DC - Autonomous truck study predicts major fuel savings

--- A new report by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), the statistical and analytical agency within the US Department of Energy, has found that autonomous technology could deliver fuel economy increases as early as this year... According to the report, vehicles equipped for assisted-platooning technology could almost instantly result in fuel savings for the industry, with 4.5 per cent increases possible by 2030 and 13.9 per cent by 2040, and 18.6 per cent by 2050 “due to Level 1-3 technology alone”... The report noted, however, that it is also likely that as autonomous technology increased overall vehicle safety and reduced accidents, speed limits may increase to around 80 mph (ca. 130 km/h), which could reduce the predicted fuel economy numbers somewhat... The report also found that most insurance industry executives in the US currently do not believe autonomous technology will have an impact on their businesses in the short term... 
Washington, DC, USA - Prime Mover (Australia) - 27th, April 2017

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COMMERCIAL TRUCK MARKET * USA: On a new turnaround

* Truck industry struggles with weak sales, but strong orders point to febound


--- After a troublesome period, the commercial truck market may be in the initial stages of a turnaround... While analysts are forecasting a second consecutive down year for heavy-truck sales and a stable year of growth in the medium-duty market, truck manufacturers are reporting strong growth in their order backlogs during the first quarter of the year... Production is starting to ramp up to support rising orders for Class 8 trucks. In March, orders rose 41 percent to 22,800 vehicles, signaling a recovery on the horizon... For example, Volvo Group, which sells Mack- and Volvo-badged trucks in North America, said Tuesday that deliveries plunged 34 percent to 7,065 vehicles in the first quarter compared with the same period a year earlier. However, orders surged 27 percent to 11,334 in the first three months of the year... Paccar Inc., the maker of Peterbilt and Kenworth brands, said Tuesday that first-quarter deliveries of its trucks in the U.S. and Canada dipped 8.1 percent to 17,000 compared with the same period last year. But the company thinks the rest of the year will improve... The demand for Class 8 vocational trucks has also held up better than the tractor trailer side of the business because of the prospects for an improved construction market... 
 (Photo: Brian Hadden/Trucks.com - Freight liner trucks for sale)  --  Bloomington, IND, USA - Trucks.com, by CRAIG GUILLOT - APRIL 27, 2017

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TRUCKS SELLING PRICE 2016 * USA: New & Used ones

* Virginia - Commercial truck dealership employment highest in 5 years

--- An American Truck Dealers report shows that the average selling price of a Class 8 new truck was $119,574, down 0.6 percent from 2015, and the selling price of a Class 8 used truck was $47,217, down 11.6 percent from 2015... Employment at commercial truck dealerships in the United States has reached its highest point in five years, according to a new report from the American Truck Dealers (ATD), a division of the National Automobile Dealers Association. The nation’s 2,261 franchised heavy- and medium-duty truck dealerships employed 129,392 workers in 2016, up 5.6 percent from the previous year, according to ATD Data 2016, the annual financial profile of America’s new-truck dealerships... 
 (Photo courtesy: NAVISTAR - Pictured in, the International LT series tractor) - Tysons, VA, USA - The Trucker - April 26, 2017

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Apr 27, 2017

GM LIMITED * USA: By ignition-swith defect

* DC - GM loses legal bid to limit fallout from ignition switch cases

--- The nation's top court on Monday rejected a request from General Motors Co. to limit the fallout from its ignition-switch defect... The U.S. Supreme Court denied the Detroit auto maker's request to review a lower-court ruling that gave some victims' families the power to sue over defective ignition switches, exposing the company to billions of dollars in potential new claims... The decision could expose GM to hundreds of additional wrongful death and personal injury cases... The potential legal claims could total more than $10 billion, according to a bankruptcy judge's estimate, though the ultimate financial fallout could be far less if plaintiffs don't prevail in court or reach settlements. 
Detroit, MICH, USA - Dow Jones Newswires, by Katy Stech and Mike Spector - April 24, 2017

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REVIEWING RULES FOR TRUCKS ? * USA: By Trump Administration

* DC - EPA Court filing may signal Trump review of strict heavy-duty truck emissions rules
--- After launching a review of strict fuel economy standards for light vehicles, the Trump administration may be turning its sights on a similar set of rules for heavy-duty trucks and large commercial vehicles... The Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have asked the U.S. District Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to place a 90-day pause on a lawsuit challenging the stringent greenhouse gas emissions, or GHG, standards on heavy-duty trucks enacted by the Obama administration last year... Last week, the agencies requested the stay – until July 20 – while they decide whether to modify or possibly rescind the new rules, known as the Phase 2 standards... The Phase 2 rules require heavy-duty trucks to achieve a 9 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2027. Trailer manufacturers would have to abide by strict new aerodynamic design standards as well... In March, President Donald Trump announced he would reopen a midterm review of the light-vehicle fuel economy regulations. The action was requested by the auto industry, which had warned about the technological challenges and expense of meeting regulations intended to push a test measure for the fuel economy of new cars to 54.5 mpg by 2025... 
(Photo by Brian Hadden: Trucks on the highway)  --  Washington, DC, USA - Trucks.com, by CLARISSA HAWES - April 26, 2017

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NATURAL GAS TRUCKS * USA: "Payback times remain longer"

* Tennessee - Fleets shy away from Nat Gas


--- While sales of Class 8 trucks powered by natural gas remain low, U.S. and Canadian natural gas heavy-duty retail sales overall had a healthy start to 2017, boosted mostly from refuse fleets, transit and school bus operators, according to ACT Research Co ... For 2016, the natural gas share of the Class 8 truck market was estimated at 3% due to higher new-truck sales and lower natural gas penetration, ACT said... 
 (Photo: Renewable natural gas obtained from a landfill will be used to power UPS trucks in Memphis) -- Memphis, TENN, USA - Transport Topics - 21 April 2017

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TRUCKERS' VIEW * USA: MCTI student get it

* Pennsylvania - The largest blind spot for a truck is on the passenger’s side

--- Stroudsburg High School 10th grader Logan David sat behind the wheel of a tractor-trailer. With a look at the mirrors and then of disorientation, he said, “you can’t see anything with the mirrors” ... Knowing the capabilities of tractor-trailers and how the big rigs operate can save your life and that of others... That’s the lesson Walmart North Central Highway Safety Network tractor-trailer drivers tried impressing on Monroe County Technical Institute students Tuesday morning. Students received firsthand experience sitting behind the wheel of these large trucks... Blind spots are a major limitation for tractor-trailers. You have to see the entire truck from your mirror for them to see you and for you to pass a truck, Rodgers said. But the biggest threats to the trucks and vehicles are inattentiveness, Rodgers said... 
(Photo by Howard Frank/Pocono Record - Stroudsburg High School 10th-grader Logan David sits behind the wheel of a tracter-trailer, experienceing first hand the degree of blind spots around a big rig)   --  Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, USA - Pocono Record, by Howard Frank - Apr 25, 2017

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CHEAPER DELIVERIES ? * USA: Amazon's skunkworks project

* Washington - Amazon ponders the advantage of self-drivinng: More efficient, cheaper delivery

--- Trucks driven by humans cost $60,000-$100,000 a year (including benefits) per driver. A driver can drive no more than 11 hours per day. That includes time spent waiting for the truck to be loaded or unloaded, serviced, even the time required to produce a saliva or urine test. Assuming the driver spends all 11 hours driving at 60 mph, the most could drive is 660 miles in a day. To get a load from Los Angeles to New York City (assuming no traffic jams or accidents) would require 46 hours of driving or five days including the mandatory rest periods. Driverless trucks would do it in two days. (An Amazon jet would do it in 5-6 hours)... That makes self-driving trucks attractive. As an interim step — that is, while waiting for self-driving trucks to be perfected — a master driver could lead a fleet of follow-the-leader almost-autonomous trucks that would only need to stop for fuel every day and a half, and for replacement drivers... Amazon has set up a skunkworks project to explore using self-driving vehicles to deliver packages. Amazon wouldn’t necessarily develop the vehicles themselves. Instead, it wants to see how driverless vehicles would improve package delivery and make Amazon more efficient... 
 (Image source: Amazon - Amazon self-driving optimization schematic)  --  Seattle, WASH, USA - Extreme Tech, by Bill Howard - April 25, 2017

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AUTONOMOUS DRIVING * USA: Trucker: A vulnerable job to automation

* New York - The scariest chart about autonomous driving

--- When Americans talk about “robots taking our jobs,” they’re usually referring to factory work. That’s because we don’t have self-driving trucks yet... Truck driving is one of the occupations most vulnerable to automation, and one of the most common. That combination, many believe, represents one of the largest eventual threats to the American economy... There are 1.8 million truck drivers in the U.S., making it one of the largest occupations in the country... Some economies rely on truck driving more than others: In Omaha, 2.8% of people who have jobs are truckers. In Joplin, Mo., it’s 5.6%.  Here, a list of the metros—small and large—where the largest percentage of workers are truckers according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data: 
 - Memphis: 2.3% (14,420 truck drivers) - Joplin, Mo.: 5.6% (4,300 truck drivers) 
- Fayetville, N.C.: 4.2% (9,820 truck drivers) 
- Midland, Texas: 4.2% (3,620 truck drivers) 
- Fort Smith, Ark.: 3.9% (4,240 truck drivers) 
- Greeley, Co.: 3.5% (3,410 truck drivers) 
... The threat of losing those jobs over the next decade is real: Last fall a truck full of beer in Colorado made the first fully automated delivery... 
NY, USA -  Fortune, by Anne VanderMey and Nicolas Rapp - Apr 26, 2017

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TRUCKS WEIGHT RULES * Europe: SOLE style

* Belgium - European shippers face SOLAS-style truck weight rules
--- An EU regulation obliging shippers to declare the weight of goods in containers and swap bodies transported by trucks across Europe comes into force next month. The new law is modeled on the International Maritime Organization’s Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) amendment, which took effect on July 1, 2016 and required the verified gross mass (VGM) of a container before it can be loaded onto a vessel... From May 7, EU member states must enact laws mandating shippers give truckers a statement indicating the weight of the container/swap body being transported, while the trucker must provide access to all relevant documentation submitted by the customer... The purpose of the amendment is to provide trucking companies with the assurance that the weight of containers or swap bodies when loaded onto the vehicle does not cause its gross mass weight to exceed the maximum legally permissible weight... But, existing business practices should be sufficient to meet the requirements of the rule... 
Brussels, Belgium - JOC, by Bruce Barnard - Apr 25, 2017

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Apr 26, 2017

PETERBILT & KENWORTH trucks * USA: Earned $ 310.3 M, 1st. Q

* Washington - Profits for Paccar recover as truck demand picks up

--- Paccar Inc., the truck maker that owns the Peterbilt and Kenworth brands, swung to a profit in the first quarter of 2017 as demand for big rigs picked up in North America and Europe and its parts business grew... The manufacturer earned $310.3 million in the first quarter, up from its net loss of $594.6 million during the same period a year earlier... Paccar expects the industry to sell between 190,000 and 220,000 Class 8 trucks in the U.S. and Canada in 2017... In the first quarter of 2017, the Class 8 truck orders in North America surged 40 percent compared to last year, said Darrin Siver, senior vice president for Paccar... 
(Photo: Paccar - Kenworth T880S and Peterbilt model 567 SFFA vocational trucks)   --  Bellevue, WASH, USA - Trucks.com, by CARLY SCHAFFNER - APRIL 25, 2017

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VOLVO GROUP * USA: Profit bigger than expected increase

* Stockholm - Volvo profit jumps on cost cuts and strong truck demand

--- Swedish truck maker Volvo reported a far bigger than expected increase in first-quarter core earnings on Tuesday as robust demand and years of cost cutting boosted turnover and profitability... Gothenburg-based Volvo also raised its forecast for construction equipment demand in China after a lengthy period of lacklustre sales but left its outlook for truck markets on both sides of the North Atlantic unchanged... Shares in the maker of trucks, construction vehicles, buses and engines leapt as much as 12 percent to their highest in nearly a decade and were 8 percent higher at 144.7 Swedish crowns at 1030 GMT... 
(Photo by Fabian Bimmer - IAA truck show in Hanover. Visitors surround a Volvo FH16 truck at the booth of Swedish truck maker Volvo at the IAA truck show in Hanover, September 22, 2016)  --  Gothenburg, Sweden - Reuters, by Niklas Pollard and Johannes Hellstrom - April 25, 2017

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RENAULT TRUCKS * Dubai - Model K Xtrem

* Renault rolls out ultra-tough trucks into Mideast

--- Renault Trucks, a French commercial truck manufacturer owned by the Volvo Group, has introduced its new model K Xtrem - designed for construction, building site supply and long-haul conditions - into the Middle East market... The robust model, developed to take on the most challenging environments found in the Middle East, was launched during Renault Trucks Xtrem Days event in Marrakech, Morocco, for industry leaders from Greater Middle East, Sub-Sahara Africa, Algeria, Morocco and Turkey... Designed for the most heavy-duty uses on the most extreme terrains such as quarries and mines, the K Xtrem comes with a reinforced chassis and an automated, reinforced Optidriver Xtrem gearbox... The new model offers a total capacity of 32 to 36 tonnes, and features a cast iron engine flywheel housing and C-shaped side member reinforcement...
Dubai - Trade Arabia - 25 April 2017

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TRAILER PRODUCTION * USA: Jumps 25%

* Indiana - ACT Research: Trailer shipments 26% increase from February

--- Trailer production jumped 25% from February to March according to the latest data from ACT Research... “Roughly 60% of the month-over-month gain came from the additional build days in the quarter-ending month, while the remaining 40% improvement came from a 94 upd sequential jump in the build rate,” said Frank Maly, director, CV Transportation Analysis and Research at ACT. “Even with that surge, it appears that the industry’s additional production capacity is still not being fully utilized” ... Trailer shipments closed the first quarter with a 26% increase from February, with every trailer category being up from last month... “The 26% sequential gain was almost exactly aligned with seasonal expectations,” said Maly. “The strong orderboard turnaround that began in December is finally being reflected in build and shipments” ... 
(Photo: Rawcliffe Ballast tractor trannsformer)  --  Columbus, IND, USA - Truck News (CAN) - April 25, 2017

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MACK TRUCKS NEW MODEL * Canada - 16000 lbs on Pinacle one

* Ontario - Mack introduces 16,000-lb front axle

--- Mack Trucks today announced availability of a proprietary 16,000-lb front axle on its Pinnacle axle back and axle forward models... The new offering was announced at ExpoCam, and is geared towards flatdeck and heavy haul carriers in regions that allow heavier front axle weights... Mack has been espousing the benefits of vertical integration for more than 100 years, and is selling more trucks adorned with gold bulldog hood ornaments, indicating the truck has a Mack engine, transmission and axles... Mack’s projecting the market to reach 215,000 units this year, down from 243,000 last year... Mack have made significant investments into their facilities, specifically in Quebec City, Montreal, Laval and Chilliwack. Mack is also investing US$84 million into its Lehigh Valley operations... 
(Photo: Mack Truck) -- Montreal, QBC, CAN - Truck News, by James Menzies - April 20, 2017

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MAN trucks * Australia: Sales of TGX-D38 models

* Queenland - GTS Freight secures 10 MAN TGX-D38 trucks

--- Penske Commercial Vehicles (PCV) has finalised a MAN TGX‐D38 fleet deal with GTS Freight Management with 10 trucks to be delivered later in the year... According to PCV, GTS Freight Management trialled a MAN TGX‐D38 after the launch of the flagship model in Australia in October, which led to the purchase... Tailored for Australian conditions, the heavy‐duty truck is ideal for long haul transportation with a 15.2L, 560HP, six‐cylinder common rail engine, and unrivalled driver comfort and fuel efficiency... 
Goodna, QLD, Australia - Prime Mover - 21st, April 2017

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NO MORE DIESEL FOR TRUCKS ? * USA: Testing hydrogen vehicles

* California - Toyota is testing heavy-duty hydrogen trucks at the Port of Long Beach

--- An 80,000lb (36,288kg) a Kenworth T660 chassis and body, Class-8 tractor-trailer, combo using a development fuel cell drivetrain. It turns out Toyota's future-trucking idea resides at California's Port of Long Beach, where 18,630 shipping container units get processed per day... Two years ago, Toyota began secretly testing a hydrogen fuel cell system alternative to the conventional diesel powertrain for heavy Class-8 trucks. Called "Project Portal," this system is intended for drayage (short-haul movements), shuttling shipping containers between Los Angeles and Long Beach ports plus other freight depots. (Toyota used a Kenworth to demonstrate the powertrain; however, Hino does not make a Class-8 rig) ... Since the short-haul trucks need not have immense range between refueling, it made this particular lab experiment the right one to prove the zero-emissions truck concept for Toyota. According to some studies, more than 30 percent of California's NOx emissions come from commercial heavy-duty vehicles. Because hydrogen fuel cell powertrains produce no tailpipe emissions, they are a very attractive solution despite infrastructure limitations for hydrogen fuel...
(Photo from Orange County Register: This hydrogen-fueled 18-wheeler at L.A., Long Beach ports emits only water from tailpipe) -- Los Angeles, CAL, USA - Arstechnica, by Jim Resnick - 20 April 2017

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TESLA's TRUCKS * USA: Could also be a boon for trucking companies

* California - Tesla could add billions in revenue by entering the trucking market, analyst says

--- A high-tech Tesla semitruck could garner billions in revenue just by capturing a small fraction of the country's trucking market, according to one analyst. Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas says its announced entry into electric autonomous semitrucks makes "a lot of sense — maybe even more sense than passenger cars" ... If Tesla can sell about 25,000 trucks a year, Jonas estimates the company could add $2.5 billion in annual revenue just by capturing 10 percent of the total U.S. new truck market... Jonas also said, Tesla's move could be about building a service business... For example, the automaker could sell trucks without batteries (lowering initial costs) and then offer a battery swapping service. (Tesla has, in fact, started a battery swapping pilot program for its cars, as a faster alternative to charging, but the company has not spoken much about it lately) ... 
(Photo: Tesla's factory) -- Fremont, CAL, USA - CNBC.com, by Robert Ferris - 20 Apr 2017

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Apr 24, 2017

ELECTRONIC LOGGING DEVICES * USA: Mandatory in certain states

* Texas - Passes new Bill for State trucking operators

--- Truck operators in the state now have some new requirements to uphold, as Texas looks to institute electronic logging devices (ELDs) to record duty status of its drivers. The state passed a new bill that will require truck operators to begin using the tech pieces by Dec. 19, 2019, with a special exemption for agricultural operators... This announcement makes Texas the first state to issue its own ELD requirement for intrastate truckers... Some states, such as California, have already provided pushback on the code... Texas’ bill was made to step in line with the federal government’s mandate requiring the use of ELDs for interstate truckers. Though the new Texas bill simply points to the U.S. Department of Transportation code on ELDs, it is currently unclear whether the state’s laws will also include the federal exemptions... 
Austin, TXS, USA - And now you know, by Laura Hillen - Apr. 20th, 2017

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CLEAN AIR PLAN * UK - Cost of compliance more than 150% of annual turnover

* England - Truckers call clean-air plan: Budget buster

--- The government says the zones designated for Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham, Derby and Southampton by 2020 are meant to reduce pollution in city centers and encourage the replacement of old, polluting vehicles with modern, cleaner vehicles... Trucking group warns of economic fallout from proposed clean-air zones... The U.K.’s Freight Transport Assn. is calling for a national scrappage scheme to help businesses meet operating costs under the government’s proposed Clean Air Zones... Local authorities will be able to set charges only at levels designed to reduce pollution, not to raise additional revenue beyond recovering the costs of the program. But the freight-transport group believes this is not enough... The trucking lobby suggests the additional cost of compliance could be more than 150% of annual turnover for some small and medium-sized businesses... 
London, EN, UK - WardsAuto, by Alan Harman - Apr 21, 2017

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TRUCKERS' SHORTAGE * New Zealand

Trucking industry combines forces to find 1,000 more drivers

--- Trucking industry combines forces to find 1,000 more drivers... The trucking industry and the Government’s Sector Workforce Engagement Programme (SWEP) have joined forces to get as many as 1,000 more drivers into the road freight transport industry nationwide... The greatest shortages are in the Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Canterbury regions... Auckland based National Road Carriers surveyed its members last year and found they required 744 more drivers... 
(Photo: Women truck driver in NZ: Alana Kidd)   --  Auckland, New Zealand - Wright Communications/scoop.co.nz - April 21, 2017

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TRUCKERS' EXEMPTIONS * USA:

* DC - New regs truck:. Who suffer from poor vision

--- Monday’s edition of the Federal Register delays new banking disclosure guidelines and contains exemptions for truck drivers... The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will allow dozens of truck drivers who suffer from poor vision in one eye to get behind the wheel... The FMCSA exempted 31 truck drivers from vision requirements that would otherwise prohibit them from operating a commercial motor vehicle between states. The exemptions came in two separate rulemakings... The FMCSA determined these drivers can see well enough in the other eye that they will not increase the danger on the roads... The FMCSA is also reviewing applications from an additional 10 truck drivers, who are requesting exemptions from the vision requirements... 
(Photo)  --  Washington, DC, USA - The Hill, by TIM DEVANEY - 21 April 2017

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THE WORST TRUCKER * USA: " Dude, that’s my car! "

* California - This might be the worst truck driver in America

--- A driver says he’s thankful to be alive after getting his car wedged beneath a truck and dragged for miles on a California highway — a white-knuckle moment caught on camera thanks to a quick-thinking motorist... Brian Steimke, of Hesperia, Calif., posted video of the incident on his Facebook page on Wednesday, showing a four-door Nissan Maxima being pulled by a big rig on California’s Interstate 15, near Cajon Pass... (SEE VIDEO) ... “Why were you driving so far?” Steimke after approaches the driver of the truck asked, “Dude, the guy’s on the end of your car.” ... “I didn’t know it,” the trucker replies... “What do you mean you didn’t know it, dude? He’s on your truck,” Steimke said. “You need to get out of your truck right now. He’s literally on your truck” ... The crash was not considered to be a criminal incident, California Highway Patrol officials told the station... 
Hesperia, CAL, USA - The MY Post, by Joshua Rhett Miller - April 20, 2017

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Apr 21, 2017

* EXPO CAM in Canada: VOLVO's and NAVISTAR's new truck models

* Montreal - Volvo, Navistar debut dueling regional haul trucks at ExpoCam
(Photo: Volvo's VNR model trucks)

--- With an eye to changing commerce patterns, Volvo Trucks North America and Navistar’s International division both unveiled regional semi-truck models for the North American Market at ExpoCam, Canada’s largest truck trade show... Volvo debuted its new VNR regional semi-truck, its first full redesign of a mid-range tractor since 1996, Wednesday night... 

(Photo: Navistar - International RH Series regional haul truck)
... Navistar introducted the International RH line... Navistar’s designers paid extra attention to how drivers navigate through urban settings and worked to build in safety features. The RH has redesigned side windows and mirrors that provide better side visibility than previous models. Other features such as the large swept-back windshield, mirror placement and an aerodynamic sloped hood offer drivers a better view... Not to be outdone, Navistar on Thursday also introduced its new generation International RH Series regional haul truck line at the Montreal trade show... 
Place Bonaventure, Montreal, Canada -- Trucks.com, by CLARISSA HAWES - APRIL 20, 2017

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TOYOTA's HYDROGEN TRUCK * USA: Why Toyota's truck is important and different

* Texas - Toyota has created a prototype electric tractor-trailer powered by hydrogen fuel cells

--- Toyota Motor Corporation revealed a surprise on Wednesday: The automaker has created a hydrogen fuel cell system to power zero-emission electric heavy trucks. Toyota engineers have installed a prototype of the system in a heavily modified Kenworth 18-wheeler that will soon begin operating in a test in California... Toyota actually has a working electric truck to show off right now... The number of battery cells required to move an 80,000-pound vehicle several hundred miles is very large, meaning that the battery pack in Tesla's truck is nearly certain to be bulky, heavy, and expensive. That big battery pack will take a long time to recharge, taking the truck out of service for several hours a day... Of course, unless you're in southern California, there aren't likely to be hydrogen stations nearby. But while that's an obstacle for fuel cell passenger cars, it seems like less of an obstacle for long-haul tractor-trailers owned by a fleet operator that can build its own strategically located stations along its routes... That's the bet Toyota is making...
(IMAGE SOURCE: TOYOTA - THIS BIG RIG IS POWERED BY ELECTRICITY GENERATED BY TOYOTA FUEL CELLS)   --   Plano, TXS, USA - The Motley Fool, by John Rosevear - Apr 20, 2017

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TESLA's SEMI-TRUCK & PICKUP TRUCK * USA

* California - Tesla Semi-truck due to arrive in September, “Seriously next level”

--- Elon Musk is on the loose again tweeting important details about Tesla’s future product lines. The multi-billionaire tech entrepreneur has announced that the Tesla semi-truck will be unveiled this September and will be “seriously next level”. He had previously spoken about a semi-truck that would be far better than anything on the road, and by reading into the statement one can presume that the next level he’s referring to is Level 4 or Level 5 autonomy... 
(Photo: Tesla semi)   --  Sillicon Valley, CAL, USA - Teslarati, by Christian Prenzler - April 13, 2017


* California - Tesla to unveil pickup truck before 2020, Elon Musk says
--- In responses to the onslaught of questions after a tweet, Musk confirmed a final unveiling of the Model 3 for July, said a Tesla pickup truck would be coming in 18 to 24 months, and mentioned that the next-generation Roadster would be a convertible... 
(Photo: The Tesla pickup truck) -- CAL, USA - MarketWatch, by Claudia Assis - Apr 14, 2017 

 A ‘Tesla Semi’ would be unveiled just months ahead of Model 3 launch

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FIVE-YEAR STANDARD WARRANTY * Australia: For FUSO TRUCKS

* NSW - Offer includes genuine Fuso parts and service from authorised dealers

--- Japanese truck maker Fuso has increased standard warranty on all of its new trucks to five years... The offer includes service from authorised Fuso dealers and genuine Fuso parts except for tyres, consumables, accidental damage, wear and tear items, non-factory supplied accessories and non-approved aftermarket modifications... Depending on the models, the manufacturer’s warranty will cover certain amount of kilometres and operating hours or a period of five years – whichever comes first... 
(Photo: Fuso trucks. The new warranty applies only to trucks registered and operated in normal conditions in Australia) -- Liverpool, NSW, Australia - ATN - 13 April 2017

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MORE CARGO * USA: HIGHER PRICING for hauling freight in

* New York - Glut of vehicles, uneven demand put trucking profits in the crosshairs

--- More cargo is moving through U.S. ports and on the nation’s highways, but whether the added volumes will boost trucking profits is another matter... A test could come as soon as Monday, when J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc., one of the biggest U.S. freight carriers, is expected to announce its first-quarter earnings. J.B. Hunt operates a large trucking fleet and is the leading provider of “intermodal” services, which involves arranging for trucks and trains to move freight around the country... Often those journeys start at the docks, where imports have been surging in the past few weeks, including a 26% year-over-year jump in March at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Calif. But trucking companies tell a different story in the interior, where a glut of trucks and uneven demand are holding down the rates carriers charge retailers, manufacturers and other shippers... While the freight market has had a number of false starts in recent months, Mark Montague, a senior industry analyst with DAT, said he expects trucking rates to improve over the course of the year... 
(PHOTO: JULIO CORTEZ/ASSOCIATED PRESS - Trucks, tractor trailers and cars outside the Lincoln Tunnel in Weehawken, N.J., in December) -- NY, USA - The WSJ, by Jennifer Smith - April 15, 2017

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GRAIN TRANSPORT * Australia - Trialing bigger trucks for

* NSW - Trucking industry is keen to try a WA trial to allow bigger trucks onto small back roads


--- The NSW bulk freight industry is eyeing a West Australian “last mile” access trial, which allowed bigger vehicles to use roads previously off limits... Western Australia’s harvest mass management scheme allows a 10 per cent mass variation for the transport of grain from farm to a registered ­receival operator. This allows for the difficulty caused by the natural variation of grain density when trucks are loaded on farm... WA Farmers grains president, Duncan Young, said the group were involved with helping set up the trial and were supportive of it because it ­allowed farmers to be able get bigger trucks on roads they were previously denied and this was good for productivity... Young added, the harvest mass management scheme, now almost a decade old, had been a big success... 
(Photo: Load it up. The NSW freight industry is hoping a WA scheme will be adopted to boost productivity)  --  Sidney, New South Wales, Australia - The Weekly Times, by GABRIELLE JOHNSTON and EMMA FIELD - April 19, 2017

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TRUCKMAKERS' CARTEL * Europe - Class Action against

* England - UK Road Haulage Group's Class Action. Release of EC decision shows depth of corruption


--- The ongoing case of the European truck cartel which has seen many of the manufacturers collude and conspire with regard to vehicle prices and emissions has reached a new phase with the release this week of the European Commission (EC) settlement decision on the matter... The Road Haulage Association (RHA) which, having obtained the non-confidential version of the EC ruling, says it serves to strongly reinforce the RHA’s determination to pursue the legal action against the manufacturers to reclaim the cost of overpayment for its members. The organisation is appealing for transport firms, whether they are RHA members or not, to get in touch if they want compensation. It also confirms there is no cost to haulage firms in joining the proposed legal action and anyone affected can register their interest here... The companies charged with antitrust activity reads like a who’s who of truck production with Volvo, DAF, Daimler, Fiat, Iveco, MAN and Renault just some of the names linked to the investigation. As several of the manufacturers (MAN, Daimler, Iveco, Volvo/Renault, and DAF) settled with the EC in clear and unequivocal terms, confirming their liability for infringing EU competition rules in relation to the main facts, the decision is not as detailed as it might have been, running to just over thirty pages... The RHA has appointed well known transport law specialist solicitors Backhouse Jones to deal with the class action suit it intends to bring against the truck makers... 
(Photo, by Dirk Kruell/Redux: A truck service area in Siegburg, Germany) -- London, UK – Handy Shipping Guide – 11 April 2017

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Apr 10, 2017

SCANIA TRUCKS + APPLE * USA: CarPlay into some of it heavy trucks

* California - Scania brings Apple's CarPlay to semi trucks for first time

--- A Swedish manufacturer, Scania, on Wednesday announced plans to build CarPlay into some of it heavy trucks, marking perhaps the first time Apple's platform has been integrated into non-consumer vehicles... CarPlay will come to Scania Infotainment Systems equipped with a 7-inch touchscreen and a voice control option, the company said. While the technology is being rolled out to new trucks starting in June, older vehicles should also be able to upgrade so long as they support voice control... To date CarPlay has been used primarily by automakers targeting the public, such as Honda, Chevrolet, and Kia. While Toyota is still refusing to install it, even long-time holdouts like Mazda have come onboard, if only sometimes providing retroactive upgrades. Otherwise, drivers have had to turn to aftermarket receivers... 
Cupertino, CAL, USA - Apple Insider, by Roger Fingas - April 05, 2017

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TRUCKMAKERS' NEW FEATURES * Japan - Truck makers delivering relief to weary drivers

* Tokyo - Trucks with features to ease labor shortage are coming

--- Japanese truck companies are busy rolling out new models they say will help resolve the labor crunch currently afflicting the industry... Hino Motors unveiled its first fully redesigned Ranger midsize truck in 16 years on Wednesday at an event in Saitama. The heavy-duty Profia received its first full makeover in 14 years and will be available for purchase later this year... Hino sought to answer that demand by focusing on improving the operating performances of trucks. The new models come equipped with a communication system allowing remote monitoring of vehicle conditions in real time. Sensors inside the trucks relay data to truck dealers, who then give a heads up on when it's time for maintenance... Rival Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus has teamed up with UD Trucks to develop driver-friendly rigs. Their trucks featuring automatic transmissions are expected to help female and older drivers not used to driving stick, as well as boost fuel economy... Resolving the shortage of truck drivers hinges on attracting females and seniors. "Ease of driving will become an important trend," predicts Hino's Ichihashi... Unit sales of trucks capable of carrying at least four tons rose 11.2% in fiscal 2016 to 98,106, the seventh straight year of expansion... 
(Photo: Hino Motors unveiled fully redesigned midsize and heavy-duty trucks)  --  Saitama, Japan - Nikkei, by YUKI HANAI - April 6, 2017

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TRUCKMAKERS PILED UP * India - Big inventories of vehicles

* Tamil Nadu - Daimler India calls the bluff on other truck companies


--- In a rare show of aggression, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV's) CEO tore into a section of truck makers who sought to negate the pollution control measures by trying to interpret laws in their favour. A large section of truck makers sought legal clarifications on the grounds that April 1, 2017 was the cutoff date for manufacture of BS-IV vehicles and not sale date. BS-IV norms spew less pollution from the tail pipes of trucks compared to BS-III. In the run up to the legal verdict, manufacturers piled up inventory of trucks. Supreme Court ordered that from April 1, 2017 no sale of BS-III vehicles would be permitted, thereby forcing manufacturers to dump huge discounts in the market to offload their inventories before the cut-off date... 
(Photo: COIMBATORE: The ban on BS III vehicles would cost truck makers Rs 2,500 crore) --   Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India - Times of India - 8 April 2017

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COLLECTING DATA FROM LONG HAUL TRUCKS * India

* Karnakata - BlackBuck to use data to create a niche for itself in a crowded market
--- Business-to-business logistics firm BlackBuck, which raised $70 million in its series-C round, is trying to use data to create a niche for itself in a crowded market. The company was recently asked to identify the choke points on the national highways by the transport ministry. Indraneel Bommisetty, product and data science head at BlackBuck, told ET the company had collected GPS data from over 300 long haul trucks over 26 months, looking at 1.92 crore data points on the highways. in the country and had found interesting trends... 
 (Photo: Loaded Indian trucks on the roads)   --  Bengaluru, Karnataka, India - Tech Economic Times, by Priyanka Sangani - April 05, 2017

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TOTAL GROUP * France: Introduces natural gas fuel for trucks

* Nantes - 200 New Natural Gas fueling stations in Europe

--- Total yesterday officially inaugurated its first natural gas fueling station in France, in Nantes. Natural gas fuel is an alternative fuel primarily used by trucks and transporters of materials or goods, such as garbage trucks, and passengers, such as buses. Another 15 stations will be opened this year, followed by an additional 10 a year. The aim is to create a network of 110 outlets — either Total or AS24*, the Group affiliate specialized in marketing fuel to truckers and transporters — supplying natural gas fuel in France... Total already has a network of 450 natural gas fueling stations worldwide. The Group markets compressed natural gas (CNG) in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Egypt, Pakistan and now in France. It opened its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) fueling station in 2015, in Belgium, near the port of Antwerp... 
(Photo: New LNG from TOTAL/AS24)  --  Nantes, France - Total.com (PR) - 6 April 2017

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