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Feb 5, 2013

TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * USA & Canada

* Michigan - Light vehicle sales – especially pickups – stay strong 

Detroit,MICH,USA -Fleet Owner, by Sean Kilcarr -Feb. 1, 2013: -- Demand for light trucks in the U.S. continued to grow during the early going in 2013, with Ford Motor Co., Chrysler Group LLC, and General Motors all posting robust sales numbers for month of January – for light vehicles overall as well as for light truck models... 
Ford said it sold 46,841 F-Series trucks last month, a 21.7% jump over January 2012, with sales of its Transit Connect up 46.8% to 3,161 units and the soon-to-be-replaced E-Series witnessing a 17.7% sales increase to 7,987 units... 
Overall, Chrysler said its U.S. sales jumped 16% to 117,731 units in January compared to the same month in 2012 – the company’s best January sales numbers since 2008, added Reid Bigland, Chrysler’s head of U.S. sales, who also noted that the company’s full year profits for 2012 reached $1.7 billion... 

 GM noted that it sold overall 194,699 vehicles in the U.S. in January, up 16% compared with the same month a year ago, with sales of its full-size Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups up 32% to 50,230 units...
* Oregon - DTNA lays groundwork for layoffs 

Portland,ORE,USA -Fleet Owner -Jan. 31, 2013:  -- Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) said today in a statement that it is in the process of notifying approximately 1,300 production workers across its North American manufacturing facilities of potential layoffs, due to what the OEM termed “softening of economic conditions”... The company stressed that it would make the final decision to lay off workers only after all other solutions are exhausted... During the course of 2012, DTNA said the North American commercial vehicle industry faced tremendous uncertainty though the market grew 15% over 2011...


* Indiana - Class 8 orders start slowly in 2013 

Bloomington,IN,USA -Fleet Owner -Feb. 4, 2013: -- Class 8 truck net orders for January showed improvement over December’s numbers, but still were down year-over-year as this year has gotten off to a slow start... FTR said that preliminary numbers for January came in at 22,235, 7% higher than December but still down 11% from January 2012... Orders for Class 8 vehicles have been above the 20,000 mark for the past four months, showing some strength after a soft period mid-year 2012, the firm said... Preliminary order numbers are for all major North American OEMs...


* California - HVIP: More than 1,250 trucks. More than $37.7 million worth of incentive vouchers issued

(Photo: The Autocar E3 Xpeditor with RunWise brand heavy hydraulic hybrid driveline by Parker Hannifin became eligible for HVIP support this past November)
CAL,USA -Fleets and Fuels -February 5, 2013: -- Vouchers worth more than $37.7 million toward the purchase of 1,259 hybrid and electric and full battery electric trucks have been issued under HVIP, the Hybrid Voucher Incentive Program run by Calstart on behalf of the California Air Resources Board... The totals through January include 903 hybrid electric and 356 battery electric trucks, according to figures furnished by CARB’s, Joe Calavita...

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Nov 5, 2012

TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * USA & Canada

* Virginia - Truck Makers Develop Improvements in Aerodynamics for Tractors 

Arlington,VA,USA -Transport Topics, by John Baxter -30 Oct 2012: -- While the largest aerodynamic changes are happening on trailers, truck makers said their products also are being made more air-efficient, which has a significant effect on the entire tractor-trailer combination... To improve the aerodynamics of their vehicles, manufacturers are using computational fluid dynamics, or CFD, a mathematic tool used to predict how a fluid will flow around a given object. This prediction can help truck makers develop and hone aerodynamic improvements with unprecedented ease and effectiveness, manufacturers said... Freightliner Trucks,  Mack Trucks,  Kenworth Truck Co., Peterbilt Motor Co.,  and Volvo Trucks, will go into production with, among other developments aerodynamics played a major role in the vehicle’s design... 


* Arkansas - FedEx Freight deploys LNG tractors for testing

Little Rock,ARK,USA -Fleet Owner -Nov. 5, 2012: -- National LTL carrier FedEx Freight recently began beta testing two pre-production Class 8 tractors powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) engines... The company, a division of FedEx Corp., added that it’s basing those Kenworth-branded tractors out of its Dallas, TX, terminal where they are expected to serve in regular linehaul operations, covering roughly 1,000 mi. per day...


* South Carolina - UPS orders 40 hydraulic hybrid delivery vehicles 

Gaffney,S.C.,USA -Truck News (CAN) -Nov 1, 2012: --  UPS has ordered 40 hydraulic hybrid walk-in vans from Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp... The vehicles were built in partnership with Parker Hannifin Corp., and use hydraulic high-pressure to propel the vehicle with the engine off, reducing fuel consumption by up to 40%, the companies claim... The vehicles will be deployed in the Baltimore and Atlanta regions...

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Jul 26, 2012

TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * Canada & USA

* Canada - Navistar delivers MXT armoured personnel carriers to RCMP

(Photo: International MaxxPro MRAP) 
Ottawa,ONT,CAN -Truck News -24 July 2012: -- Navistar Defence Canada announced it has delivered US$14 million in International MXT Armoured Personnel Carriers to the RCMP... The new armoured vehicles will be used to increase protection and rescue capabilities for RCMP officers and members of the public during high-risk situations, Navistar announced... The contract represents Navistar’s first MXT vehicle sales to the police and security sector... Navistar’s Canadian dealer network will support the vehicles, which were produced at the company’s West Point, Miss., assembly plant...


* Illinois / USA - Caterpillar Posts $1.7 Billion Profit, Boosts Outlook

(Picture: CAT truck on display) 
Peoria,ILL,USA -Transport Topics -25 July 2012: -- Heavy equipment maker Caterpillar Inc. Wednesday reported a $1.7 billion second-quarter profit and boosted its full-year earnings outlook... Net income rose to $1.7 billion, or $2.54 a share, from $1.02 billion, or $1.52, a year ago. Sales jumped 22% to $17.4 billion... Caterpillar, which formerly made diesel truck engines, said in 2008 it was pulling out of the North American Class 8 truck engine market except for a truck and engine in partnership with Navistar International Corp...


 - COMMENT - 

* Illinois - J2807 Tow Ratings May Be Off For Years

Chicago,ILL,USA -PickupTrucks, by Mark Williams -July 26, 2012: -- When reported on truck manufacturers' attempts to standardize how maximum and specific tow ratings are calculated, the idea was simple: Let's get all the truck makers on the same page when rating their vehicles' tow ratings so that consumers can compare apples to apples...   For years, truck makers have used a wide variety of testing procedures that, in some cases, were used only to allow them to market the biggest and baddest number for advertising purposes...  With quite a bit of guidance from the Society of Automotive Engineers committe chair and representation from all the important players, the J2807 towing standards and practices (for vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating up to 13,000 pounds) were, as we understood it, discussed, agreed upon, and released. Now the only hurdle is to figure out how and when each manufacturer will implement the standards...

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Mar 1, 2012

TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * Canada & USA

* Canada - Hino introduces new COE crew cab Model 195

(Photo: Hino's new 195 cabover engine crew cab)
Mississauga,ONT,CAN -Truck News -Feb 28, 2012: -- Hino Motors Canada has come out with an all-new cabover engine crew cab configuration for its 2013 model 195...  The new truck is built on Hino’s 19,500-lb GVWR cabover engine chassis and will begin arriving on dealer lots in March, the company announced...  The four-door, six-passenger cab provides ample interior room and features a magnetic suspension seat. The company says drivers 6’6” tall can fit inside the cab... The truck is powered by a 5.1-litre Hino diesel engine with 210 hp and 440 lb.-ft. of torque. Standard features include: air conditioning, keyless entry and Bluetooth...

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Feb 2, 2012

TRUCKMAKERS' NEWS * USA

* Illinois - Navistar betting on trucks powered by natural gas

(Photo by Chuck Berman/ Chicago Tribune - A Navistar truck at the company's Warrenville headquarters)
Chicago,ILL,USA -The Chicago Tribune, by Julie Wernau -February 1, 2012:  --  Hoping to transform the trucking industry by moving it away from diesel fuel, truckmaker Navistar Inc. will begin offering natural gas powered vehicles this year across most of its platforms...  The Lisle-based company announced the move Wednesday along with a partnership with Clean Energy Fuels Corp. for a widespread build out of natural gas fueling stations at Pilot-Flying J Travel Centers across the country...  With diesel fuel prices around $4 per gallon and natural gas prices hovering at all time lows, Navistar is hoping to attract trucking companies desperate to counteract rising fuel prices...  Navistar said its trucks would be available across Class 6 thru Class 8 vehicles at its approximately 800 dealer locations...  The announcement is a major commitment from a major player in the trucking industry...

* Navistar partners with T. Boone Pickens in natural gas fueled trucks

Chicago,ILL,USA -Crain's/Chicago Business, by Kate MacArthur -February 01, 2012: -- Navistar International Corp. has struck a partnership with oil and gas magnate T. Boone Pickens Jr. as part of a broad strategy to speed the shift of big rigs to natural gas... The truck maker, which has been under pressure by activist investor Carl Icahn, will adapt its existing line of medium- and heavy-duty trucks to burn liquid natural gas. It will work with Clean Energy Fuels Corp., which will provide a national system of fueling stations for them. Mr. Pickens is founder, chairman and the largest shareholder of Seal Beach, Calif.-based Clean Energy... Clean Energy plans to have 150 stations, many of them located in Pilot-Flying J Travel centers, with 70 stations open by the end of the year...


* Canada - Westport Shares Retreat Most Since October

(Photo: Westport HD 15L Engine HD natural gas)
Vancouver,BC,Canada -Bloomberg, by Matt Walcoff -February 01, 2012: -- Westport Innovations Inc., which develops technology for natural-gas engines, fell the most since October after Navistar International Corp.’s expansion plans spurred concern Westport will lose market share... Westport plunged as much as 8.9 percent after Navistar, the maker of heavy-duty trucks, said it will expand its offerings of models that use natural-gas engines. Shares of Vancouver-based Westport dropped 7.9 percent to C$38.34 at 3:49 p.m. Toronto time after closing at a 10-year high yesterday... Some Navistar trucks will use an engine developed by Westport and Cummins Inc., while others will have an engine Navistar is developing with Leyland, England-based Clean Air Power Ltd... Navistar, a truckmaker based in Lisle, Illinois, will continue to sell vehicles with an engine it developed with Emissions Solutions Inc. of McKinney, Texas...


* USA / Canada - Coming off record year, Volvo predicting "good, but choppy 2012"

(Photo: A Volvo F16 truck)
West Palm Beach,FLA,USA -Truck News, by James Menzies -Jan 26, 2012: -- Volvo Trucks is predicting a "good, but choppy 2012," coming on the heels of a banner year for the company, in which it grew its North American Class 8 retail market share nearly three points... Volvo, referencing WardsAuto Group data, indicated it grew its North American market share to 12.1% in 2011, a new high for Volvo and representing the largest gain of any OEM. Its Canada/US retail sales grew from 12,100 units in 2010 to 23,820 units in 2011. Meanwhile, penetration of its own engines and I-Shift automated transmission also reached new highs at 80% and 40% respectively... The strong year has instilled a little swagger into Volvo, which has traditionally been perceived as a modest brand... Volvo also attributes its recent success to its dealers, many of whom have increased their hours of operation to better service customers... And despite his optimism about the future, Huibers also noted the US consumer remains jittery...


* Washington - PACCAR's CEO Discusses Q4 2011 Results

(Photo: Peterbuilt 126)

Bellevue,WASH,USA -Seeking Alpha -31 Jan 2012:  --  PACCAR reported record quarterly revenues and strong net income for the fourth quarter of 2011...  Increased truck deliveries, higher aftermarket sales and growing Financial Services business worldwide contributed to PACCAR's increased profits. Our customers in North America are benefiting from increased freight tonnage and higher freight rates, which is generating good profitability for their business and enabling them to replace their aging fleets...  In the U.S. and Canada, Peterbilt and Kenworth achieved a record Class 8 market share of 28.1%. Kenworth Mexicana achieved a record Class 8 market share of 45% in Mexico. Europe's 2011 industry registrations were up 33% compared to 2010, and DAF achieved a record 15.5% share in the above 15-tonne market...


* California - Enova and Freightliner Display Green for Free™ Vehicle

(Photo: Business WireSide View of Green for Free Full Electric Vehicle)
Torrance,CAL,USA -Business WirePress Release -Jan 26, 2012: -- Enova Systems, Inc., a leading developer of proprietary hybrid electric and all-electric drive systems and drive system components for the emerging green commercial vehicle market is pleased to announce that one of the first pre-production vehicles resulting from Enova’s and Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp’s recently announced Green for Free™ initiative. This Program is designed to allow fleet executives to operate full 100% electric commercial vehicles (EVs) for similar life cycle costs as those of diesel-powered commercial vehicles. The anticipated savings fleets are expected to realize from the reduced maintenance and fuel cost of electricity of the electric vehicles are used over a period of time to cover the incremental expense for the technology...  This is the first Program that is engineered to eliminate the overall incremental costs associated with buying and operating an all-electric vehicle, making the Program attractive to fleets that are both large and small...


* Wiscosin - Oshkosh reports 61% fall in Q1 net income

Oshkosh,WIS,USA -RTTNews/NASDAQ -2 Feb 2012: -- Oshkosh Corp., Tuesday reported first quarter net income attributable to the company of $38.9 million, or $0.42 per share, compared to $99.6 million, or $1.09 per share, in the first quarter of fiscal 2011... Consolidated net sales in the quarter were $1.88 billion, an increase of 10.5 percent compared to the prior year first quarter. Street view was for revenues of $1.86 billion...

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Jan 23, 2011

TRUCKMAKERS' NEWS * USA - Purolator orders 600 hybrid trucks from Azure Dynamics

Oak Park.MICH,USA -Today's Trucking (CAN) -17 Jan 2011: -- Purolator has ordered 600 hybrid trucks from Azure Dynamics Corporation – the single largest order of hybrid electric technology for the high-tech company...  According to Azure, 200 units will be delivered to Purolator in 2011, with an additional 200 units scheduled in both 2012 and 2013, subject to annual authorizations...   Purolator will operate the world’s largest fleet of Azure’s Balance Hybrid Electric vehicles with 955 units, including the 2011-2013 deliveries...  All units will include the Balance Hybrid Electric second generation architecture characterized by the Johnson Controls-Saft lithium ion battery plus many other upgrades designed to improve efficiency, reliability and durability...  Purolator operates a fleet of 3,500 vehicles and is consistently rated as one of Canada’s most admired corporate cultures...

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Nov 17, 2010

TRUCKMAKERS' NEWS * Canada - Hino showcases 2011 product line, looks to boost market share

Open House at Hino's Woodstock assembly plant reveals facility and product upgrades

(Photo: Hino offers a full line of Classes 4-7 medium-duty trucks in Canada)

Woodstock,ONT,CAN -Today's Trucking, by James Menzies -Nov 17, 2010:  ...   Hino held an open house at its assembly plant to show off its 2011 models, including the all-new light-duty Model 198. The 198 is aimed at landscaping, light construction, courier and service vehicle applications and is powered by a six-cylinder, 220-hp Hino engine...  In the Class 6 category, the Model 258LP (low profile) and Model 268 fit the bill for towing, beverage, landscaping and delivery applications. Class 7 needs are met with the Models 338 and 358, the latter of which is truly a Class 8 at 35,000 lbs GVW but more suitable for demanding Class 7 applications, Eric Smith, national sales manager with Hino Motors Canada, noted. This year's Model 338 was given a power boost (260 hp, 660 lb.-ft. torque) and comes with hydraulic disc brakes while the Model 358 boasts a 14,000-lb front axle and comes with air brakes, a stronger frame and an available air suspension...  But while medium-duty sales continue to be slow, don't expect Hino to go jumping into the Class 8 market anytime soon. Nakamura said while Hino offers Class 8 trucks in Japan and elsewhere, it's not suitable for North America because the engine is just 450 hp. He also said the EPA2010 emissions rules are the most stringent in the world, so unless Hino sees demand for at least 30,000 Class 8 units in North America, it'll continue to focus solely on its core business serving the Classes 4-7 segments...


* USA - Propane engine developed for Freightliner


Gaffney,SC,USA -Fleet Owner, by Wendy Leavitt -Nov 17, 2010: -- CleanFUEL USA, has announced a partnership to build and certify a multi-purpose, 8-liter General Motors (GM) propane engine with Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation (FCCC), a subsidiary of Daimler Trucks North America. The medium-duty engine, featuring CleanFUEL’s new 8L liquid propane injection (LPI) system, is designed to offer fleet managers a high-performance, propane-powered alternative to reduce fleet operating costs and greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions. First versions of the engine will be for use in urban delivery trucks and school buses... Freightliner will certify CleanFUEL’s 8L propane fuel injection system to run on the Thomas Built Type C school bus and Freightliner straight truck chassis...  Conversion kits also will be available to switch medium-duty gasoline vehicles to run on propane. CleanFUEL expects the engines to be available for 2012 vehicles...  (Photo from mrtruck: new, state-of-the-art 4.5L V-8 Duramax engine)

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Sep 17, 2010

TRUCKMAKERS' NEWS * USA & Canada

* DC - Truck dealers urge sales incentives in meeting with Obama officials

Washington,DC,USA -Refrigerated Transporter -Sep 17, 2010: -- The American Truck Dealers (ATD) led a coalition of trucking industry executives to meet recently with senior members of the Obama administration and to discuss the state of the industry, the impact of higher costs resulting from new emission mandates, and options to boost medium- and heavy-duty truck sales... The meeting was held at the US Department of Treasury. It laid out the economic and environmental challenges facing truck purchasers, which has resulted in depressed sales of more than 60% compared with four years ago. Other stakeholders at the meeting included truck and engine manufacturers, drivers, lease and rental companies, equipment manufacturers, and fleet managers... In both the letter and the meeting, the trucking coalition urged the administration to consider ways to help stimulate the commercial truck industry, including a proposed temporary 10% investment tax credit or “green voucher” towards the purchase of any 2010 emissions-certified trucks and other incentives... In addition to the tax credit proposal, the coalition highlighted several issues associated with selling trucks in the current marketplace, as well as options to increase commercial truck exports from the United States... (Photo from Life: The US Treasury Department)


* Illinois - Navistar Ships Trucks with 2010-Compliant Engines

Warrensville,ILL,USA -Transport Topics -13 Sept 2010: -- Truck and engine maker Navistar Inc. has begun shipping medium- and heavy-duty trucks with engines that comply with 2010 emissions regulations... Included in the mix are 3,000 school buses and Class 6 and 7 medium-duty trucks, the company said. Navistar’s medium-duty trucks are available with the company’s MaxxForce 7 and MaxxForce DT engines, which use an enhanced exhaust gas recirculation setup to comply with the 2010 rules... Navistar has also shipped more than 225 Class 8 tractors with its 13-liter MaxxForce engines, the company said... It planned to ship 400 Class 6-8 vehicles during the week of Sept. 6... Navistar said the first trucks with 2010 engines moved last month, sent either straight to customers or to dealers for on-the-lot inventory... While EPA’s latest standards on nitrogen oxide emissions cover diesel engines made on or after Jan. 1, most of the trucks sold this year actually have used 2009 engines that were kept in inventory... Navistar chairman and chief executive officer Daniel Ustian, announced the shipments during the corporation’s Sept. 8 earnings conference call, during which the company reported net income of $149 million, or $1.83 a share, for the three months ended July 31... (Photo from i.ytimg: Navistar's International brand truck)


* USA - Navistar Gets Michigan Tax Credit for Armored Truck Facility

Warrensville,ILL,USA -Tranport Topics -14 Sept 2010: -- Navistar International Corp. has received a $2.5 million state tax credit to build an engineering center in Michigan for armored truck production... The truck maker will add as many as 87 jobs and spend $4 million to create the center in Madison Heights, Mich., the company said... The Michigan Economic Growth Authority approved the tax credit to encourage Navistar to choose the state over Indiana and Illinois, Bloomberg said. Navistar will get the credit over seven years... Navistar produces armored trucks for the United States military. About 7,500 are currently in use... (Photo from 2.bp.blogspot: Navistar's MRAP Cat 1)


* USA & Canada - Peterbilt offers extended coverage on trucks financed by Paccar


(Video from videos.sapo.pt, by fisherman)

Toronto,Ont,CAN -Truck News -Sep 14, 2010: -- Paccar Financial is offering incentives for buyers of new Peterbilt trucks in Canada and the US... Qualifying buyers who finance their purchase through Paccar Financial will receive two additional years of vehicle protection, the company announced... The offer is good for purchase of up to 20 trucks per customer and will run through the end of 2010 on orders for immediate build, the company says...


* USA - Freightliner builds hybrid truck for on-site fueling service

Portland,ORE,USA -Truck News (CAN) -Sep 16, 2010: -- Freightliner has sold what it claims to be the first ever diesel-electric hybrid fuel delivery truck with on-site refueling service provider Diesel Direct... The truck is a Freightliner Business Class M2 106 Hybrid, which will be put to work fueling commercial vehicles on job sites in Massachusetts... Diesel Direct is one of the largest mobile refuelers in the US, delivering uel to national, regional and local fleets throughout the US... The truck uses Eaton's hybrid-electric drivetrain system... "One of our biggest expenses is just to fuel our own trucks," said Abrams. "With the new Freightliner truck, we expect to save at least 25-30% in fuel consumption"... The hybrid system also allow the company to run its pump while the engine is shut off, which not only saves fuel but also runs quieter than idling the engine... (Photo: Diesel Direct has taken delivery of this Business Class M2 Hybrid from Freightliner)

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Jul 20, 2010

TRUCKS SALES * USA & Canada

* USA - More Gains in June for Big-Truck Sellers

New York,NY,USA -WardsAuto.com, by James M. Amend -Jul 15, 2010: -- U.S. sales of medium- and heavy-duty trucks in June kept the string of double-digit increases intact in the year’s first half with a 10.3% gain on like-2009... Medium-duty sales in June rose 9.7% to 10,356 units from 9,443 year-ago. Through the year’s first half, medium-duty deliveries were up 6.6% to 54,877 from 51,464, compared with prior-year.

- Class 4 sales slipped 24.4% to 1,364 from 1,805 in like-2009. Ford posted the greatest decline, slipping 79.3% to 194 from 939.
- Class 5 June sales rose 12.7% to 2,613 units from 2,318 year-ago. Ford Motor Co. witnessed the biggest increase with 1,547 deliveries, up 47.6% from year-ago’s 1,048.
- Class 6 accounted for took the lion’s share of the increase, with June sales surging 77.1% to 3,070 units from 1,733 year-ago. International Truck & Engine Corp. provided the biggest push, with deliveries last month climbing 75.7% to 1,536 from 874 in like-2009. Daimler AG’s, Freightliner brand sales tripled to 643 units from 212, sending the truck maker’s total deliveries in Class 6 up 174.2% to 743 from 271.
- Class 7 saw a 7.8% drop to 3,309 from 3,587 units in June, as nearly every truck maker in the segment suffered losses. International led the decline, with sales down 10.5% to 1,185 from 1,324 in like-2009. Daimler’s 16.8% gain to 1,311 from 1,122 deliveries could not offset across-the-board weakness.
- Class 8 June sales rose 11.1% to 8,896 units from 8,006 in like-2009. Daimler led the heavy-duty segment, with deliveries climbing 29% to 2,920 units, from 2,264 year-ago. Its Freightliner brand was the best-selling nameplate in the class, posting an increase of 37.4% to 2,658 from 1,934. International sold 2,884 units in Class 8 for June, up 4.8% from prior-year’s 2,752.


* Canada - Big-truck sales to a third consecutive year-over-year gain in June

New York,NY,USA -WardsAuto.com, by Eric Mayne -Jul 16, 2010: -- Medium- and heavy-duty truck deliveries for the month totaled 2,544 units for a 25.8% increase over like-2009, according to Ward’s data...

- Class 4 sales jumped 32.3%
- Class 5 was the only segment in negative sales territory. Its 396 delivery tally for June fell 17.4% short of prior-year, which held all medium-duty classes to a collective 5.5% gain.
- Class 6 increase of 33.1%.
- Class 7 saw and 22.7%, increase.
- Class 8 deliveries provided the market’s biggest boost in June, a 44.5% hike over like-2009.

Ford enjoyed increases of 71.5% and 52.2% in Class 4 and Class 5, respectively. Through the year’s first half, the blue-oval brand was the volume leader in each category... And International showed why it was the 2010 volume king through June in Classes 6, 7 and 8. In those segments, the truck maker recorded respective sales hikes last month of 41.2%, 82.4% and 29.3%, compared with prior-year...


* USA - Driver-training school buys 22 Freightliners, Great Dane trailers

Bordentown,NJ,USA -Fleet Owner -Jul 21, 2010: -- Driver-training school Smith & Solomon Commercial Driver Training has purchased 22 Freightliner Columbia tractors and Great Dane dry freight trailers for its training programs in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware... The new fleet will replace vehicles currently used for driver training. The tractors feature Detroit Diesel engines with 10-sp. Eaton manual transmissions. The engines are equipped with exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and are programmed to shut down after two minutes of idling... (Photo from publiquip:Freightliners Columbia)

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Feb 8, 2010

TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * USA - Truck orders bottoming out

New York,NY,USA -Fleet Owner, by Sean Kilcarr -Feb 5, 2010: -- Preliminary data indicates Class 8 truck total net orders for all major North American OEMs dropped to 6,221 units in January this year, according to research firm FTR Associates . That marks the lowest level reached since July of 2002... January’s order activity – which includes the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Exports – is down 46.4% from December and 20.1% lower than the same month in 2009... Yet this falloff in net orders isn’t unexpected, Eric Starks, FTR president, told FleetOwner, and orders should remain down for the next three months or so...


* Ohio - Survey indicates fleets not yet ready to open wallets

Columbus,OH,USA -Truck News -8 Feb 2010: -- A US-based survey of fleet buying intentions indicates fleet owners will be keeping their wallets locked up in the first quarter of 2010... The Q1 Fleet Sentiment Equipment Buying Index, compiled by CK Commercial Vehicle Research, suggests fleets aren’t yet ready to buy new equipment. Only 28% of respondents to the survey said they’ll be placing orders for new power units and 25% said they’ll be ordering new trailers in the first quarter.


* Texas - Navistar mixes it up

Las Vegas,NEV,USA -Today's Trucking (CAN) -4 Feb 2010: -- Navistar introduced Continental Mixers to its portfolio of brands at the annual World of Concrete trade show this week in Las Vegas... The new name of the company, Continental Mixers LLC, signals a new chapter in the heritage of Continental Manufacturing Company, which Navistar acquired in December... Continental Mixers will offer a full lineup of rear discharge mixer products sold under both the Continental Mixers and CBMW Mixers brands. Continental Mixers LLC will continue to operate independently with operations based in Houston, Texas... (Photo from cbmwmixers: Concrete mixers)


* Georgia - Great Dane acquires Johnson reefer bodies

Savannah,GA,USA -Today's Trucking (CAN) -3 Feb 2010: -- Great Dane Trailers bought Johnson Refrigerated Truck Bodies, which makes insulated fiberglass refrigerated truck bodies, all-electric refrigeration solutions, and innovative truck refrigeration technology... Great Dane says the purchase is a strategic addition to the semi-trailer manufacturer's sales platform and expands the company's product offerings in refrigerated transportation equipment to the food service industry... (Photo from johnsontruckbodies: Products, trailers)


* Illinois - Cummins, Chrysler extend engine deal

Warrenville,ILL,USA -Fleet Owner -Feb 3, 2010: -- Cummins Inc. and Chrysler Group LLC have agreed to a multi-year extension of their ongoing diesel engine deal, with Cummins continuing to supply its 6.7-liter turbocharged diesel mid-range models for Chrsyler’s Ram heavy-duty pickups and chassis cab trucks... "The Chrysler business continues to be a key part of our mid-range engine business,” said Dave Crompton, vp & gm of Cummins’ MidRange Engine Business, noting that the engine maker has provided over 1.7 million engines for Dodge Ram trucks since the companies first started working together in 1989... (Photo from conceptogt: Dodge Ram 1500)

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posted by Unknown @ 10:16 AM  0 comments

May 7, 2009

TRUCKMAKERS' NEWS * USA & Canada

* USA - Kenworth offers new crew cab conversion on its diesel-electric hybrid trucks

Bellevue,WA,USA -Biglorryblog (UK) -6 May 2009: -- ... Paccar has just added an aftermarket crew cab conversion for its Kenworth T270 and T370 medium duty diesel-electric hybrids in pickup and delivery and utility applications. The 157-inch BBC crew cab uses a one-piece fiberglass roof with 4-inch raised rear section, which provides up to 61 inches of interior height. The remaining crew cab structure is aluminum and provides an additional 52 inches of length and is 84 inches wide at the rear...


* ArvinMeritor Opens Remanufacturing Plant for Mascot Truck Parts Division in Ontario

Mississauga,ONT,CAN -Transport Topics (USA), by Howard S. Abramson -May 4, 2009: -- ArvinMeritor Inc. officially open-ed its new remanufacturing facility here for its Mascot Truck Parts division, the latest development in the company’s expanding presence in this niche of the truck equipment business... Mascot, which employs 153 workers at four plants in Canada, was founded in 1936 and currently remanufactures transmissions, differentials and steering components... (Image thanks ArvinMeritor: Meritor WABCO's innovative Braking System and Control technologies)

* ArvinMeritor Reports Fiscal 2Q Loss

Troy,MI,USA -Transport Topics -6 May 2009: -- Truck components maker ArvinMeritor said it lost $52 million, or 72 cents per share, in its fiscal second quarter, compared with a profit of $24 million, or 33 cents per share, a year ago... Sales for the quarter ended March 31 fell about 38% to $1.1 billion, the company said late Tuesday... Commercial vehicle sales were $739 million, also down 38% from a year ago...


* Dual-mode Class 8 hybrid steals the spotlight



Washington,D.C.,USA -Fleet Owner, by Sean Kilcarr -May 1, 2009: -- Saving fuel, reducing emissions, creating jobs – this is the trifecta of issues ArvinMeritor hopes to address with its new dual-mode hybrid Class 8 tractor prototype – a diesel-electric hybrid truck developed in partnership with Wal-Mart, Navistar and Cummins Inc.... ArvinMeritor displayed the truck along with several other vehicles in front of the U.S. Capitol as part of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association's (MEMA) annual legislative summit. Other OEMs participating included Magna International, showing off an electric battery-powered Ford Focus, Robert Bosch with a diesel-powered Mini Cooper, and Webasto Product North America, touting its engine-off BlueCool sleeper berth cooling system... (Video from YouTube, by pentontrans, 30 April 2009: "Class 8 Hybrid Truck Prototype Trucking Video" - ArvinMeritor recently showed off its dual-mode hybrid tractor in Washington, D.C. It's a truck designed to operate completely on electricity below 48 miles per hour (mph). ArvinMeritor's Tammy Packard explains how this hybrid system works and its future development path)

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