June 1, 2008
Editor's Page
Diesel's new math
You're finally resigned to the situation and accepted that this isn't a temporary phenomena: diesel prices are high and likely to continue climbing even...
Management: In Box
Back to basics
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration plans to make it more difficult for prospective carriers to enter the trucking business in the future....
Navigating the challenges
With fuel costs skyrocketing and the economy in a slump, private fleets need all the help they can get to make sure their companies recognize the value...
Jevic Transportation discontinues operations
Jevic Transportation Inc., citing high fuel and insurance costs, tightening credit markets and economic downturn, has decided to discontinue operations....
Fuel help online
Fleet owners and managers looking for a little relief from the rising cost of diesel can sign up for a free webcast focusing on this important issue....
New managing editor for FO
Brian Straight has joined Fleet Owner as managing editor. Straight, based at publication headquarters in Stamford, CT, is responsible for copy editing...
Economy offers no relief
The economy received some good news and some bad news in May, as several key economic indicators show the United States may not be in a recession. The...
Con-way listing jobs internally
Con-way Inc. has launched a program to allow drivers at full-truckload carrier Con-way Truckload and less-than-truckload carrier Con-way Freight to consider...
Going places
Fikes Truck Line has appointed Gary Salisbury president and CEO, replacing owner and former president Jim Smith, who will continue to serve as chairman...
The big picture
While being named the top graduate of the National Private Truck Council's Certified Transportation Professional (CTP) course for 2008 came as a surprise...
Management: Feature
Graphics Gone Wild
Vehicle graphics designers are always looking for new and exciting ways to help companies extend consumer awareness of their brands and services through...
Management: Economics
Trial and error
The process by which mankind survives is called trial and error. One can take the measure of an individual's progress not by what they achieve, but how...
Management: Safety Matters
Safe training, safer roads?
Last month, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) released a technical report that examined the relationship between driver training and...
Equipment: Nuts & Bolts
Sterling rolls out natural-gas tractor
Sterling Truck Corp. has launched its first natural gas-powered vehicle a Sterling Set-Back 113 tractor equipped with a Cummins Westport ISL G powerplant....
Hendrickson adds roll-off lift axle
Hendrickson Auxiliary Axle Systems has released the Composilite RO lift axle, designed specifically for Class 8 roll-off vehicles. The 13,500-lb. RO fixed...
Hyundai Translead dry van now SmartWay-certified
The HT Original dry freight trailer, produced by Hyundai Translead, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co., has been approved for the Environmental...
New LED lamps offered by Truck-Lite
Truck-Lite has released an LED Worklamp the company says produces 324 lumens able to generate full brightness at 8.5v for 12v models and 21v for 24v models,...
Peterbilt low profile available
Peterbilt Motors Co. has introduced a low profile configuration for the Model 388 that is aimed at the car carrier industry, utilizing a lower cab height...
J.J. Keller, PHH Arval sign deal
J.J. Keller & Associates and PHH Arval, a subsidiary of PHH Corp., have signed an agreement that PHH Arval hopes will help its clients stay in compliance...
Bulletins
Mack MP7 and MP8 engines have been certified by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to meet 2008 emissions requirements when idling, allowing Mack...
No-idle HVAC uses batteries
New power management technology, a highly efficient AC unit and a different approach to generating heat have produced a battery-powered sleeper HVAC system...
Shell offering synthetic 5W-40
Shell Lubricants is now offering the Shell Rotella T Synthetic 5W-40 heavy-duty motor oil which meets or exceeds API CJ-4 specifications. The oil provides...
BBTS ups tread prices
Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions (BBTS), a division of Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, has announced it will increase prices in the United...
Goodyear releases new regional tire
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. has introduced a new Kelly Armorsteel KRH regional tire designed for long-lasting wear in applications such as P&D and...
Carrier reefers meet Tier 4, CARB standards
Supra truck refrigeration units from Carrier Transicold now meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier 4 emissions standard, according to...
On-board scale for refuse trucks
Air-Weigh is now offering a new on-board weighing system designed for refuse trucks built with air or walking-beam drive suspensions. Available in Air-Weigh's...
MVASIST helps OEMs fast-track service process Water Maze releases water treatment system
Sister OEMs Volvo Trucks North America and Mack Trucks Inc. are rolling out a new service tool for their customers. Both companies are using a new Internet...
Heavy axles get lube option
Already available on the Dana D170 and D190 tandem drive axles, the OnDemand lube pump is now available as an option on the company's 40,000-lb. tandems,...
Equipment: Tire Tracks
Beating the heat
Summer has officially arrived for most of the continent, so it's time for fleets to take the necessary steps to prevent heat-related damage to tires....
IT: Fleets Online
Fleets online
COMPANY: Northwest Food ProductsTransportation(a subsidiary of Land O'Lakes) OPERATION: Bulk milk pickup and deliveryRoger Nordtvedt, director/general...
The Last Word
The Last Word
Dog trotting Where do Americans want to travel? Well, according to a survey commissioned by national bus fleet operator Greyhound Lines, Florida is tops...
Management: Running Green
Multi-flavored
Sustainability is an overriding philosophy at Wal-Mart Stores these days, affecting everything from the goods it stocks, how it builds its stores, and...
Big Brown turning green
UPS, in its largest single order of alternative-fuel commercial vehicles to date, will purchase a combination of 500 hybrid diesel-electric and compressed...
Calstart announces Blue Sky winners
Eaton Corp. captured the Blue Sky Award, presented by Calstart, for being the world's first to develop hybrid electric and hybrid hydraulic systems for...
Eaton receives hybrid grant
Eaton Corp.'s Hydraulic Launch Assist (HLA) technology will be installed on a Texas fleet of urban shuttle buses through a $499,974 new technology research...
Going global
The need to reduce energy consumption, cut pollution and fight climate change while also making transportation systems more efficient is becoming an ever...
ATA pushes initiative to reduce carbon footprint
The American Trucking Assns. (ATA) has launched a new initiative, backed by a website, calling for six national recommendations to help the trucking industry...
Management: First Person
Paying for it
The highway and road networks in this country are in dire need of a makeover, as well as big additions in capacity. The problem is, at the same moment...
Management: Private Fleets
The evolution of the private fleet
For the first time in more than two decades, the National Private Truck Council has published an up-to-date compilation of private fleets, the story of...
Equipment: Light & Medium Report
Fuel cell powers GM test fleet
Hydrogen-powered fuel cell SUVs were among the broad lineup of alternative-fuel vehicles General Motors Fleet and Commercial Operation (FCO) offered to...
TRC says Bullet more efficient
Independent testing conducted by Transportation Research Center Inc. (TRC) showed the Sterling Bullet is more fuel-efficient than two similarly spec'd...
FedEx hybrids run 2-million mi.
Announcing its hybrid-electric fleet of 172 vehicles has run over 2-million mi. in revenue service, FedEx's Mitch Jackson used the milestone event to...
Equipment: Feature
Long story short
It's back to minding the miles and quarts. Over the past ten years, trucking's been digesting gallons of news about motor oil. Waves of new lube formulations...
Driving fuel savings
When it comes to spec'ing drivetrain components, David McKenna is a big believer in splitting hairs. By that, he means that fleets must focus closely...
Equipment: Maintenance Bay
Suspending the headaches
Manager: Joe Littleton Title: President Fleet: Little-Ton Sand & Supply, Indianapolis, IN Operation: Sand and gravel supply business PROBLEM Change doesn't...
Equipment: Hardware Report
What's new in: Fifth wheels
Between higher fuel prices and added weight on new vehicles as a result of heavier emissions control equipment, truck operators have become more weight...
Equipment: Vocational Profile
Cost conscious
Rock Transfer and Storage (RTS) of Milwau-kee, WI, really racks up the miles on its 73-vehicle leased fleet, picking up and delivering freight throughout...
Equipment: Used-truck Bluebook
Will green stay gold?
Everyone in trucking keeps hearing that green is the new gold that spec'ing environmentally friendly components and equipment not only helps protect the...
Information Technology: Truck.com
Qualcomm offers flat-rate plan
Fleets using OmniVision wireless services can now choose flat-rate pricing that includes unlimited access to messaging and services over both satellite...
ALK updates PCMiler
PCMiler 22, the 22nd annual release for its routing, mileage and mapping software, has been released by ALK Technologies. It offers updated truck restrictions...
Off the wire
J.B. Hunt Transport Services will use SkyBitz's Global Locating System (GLS) asset tracking technology for substantially all of its North American trailers....
SkyBitz partners for reefer control
Working with StarTrak Systems, SkyBitz has developed a remote refrigeration control for its satellite-based trailer tracking technology. The new SkyBitz...
McLeod updates Loadmaster
McLeod Software has released LoadMaster V9.0, providing new time-saving and data-access enhancements to its fleet management software. According to McLeod,...
PeopleNet parle Franais
PeopleNet has announced a new focus on French-speaking markets in North America, releasing a French version of PeopleNet BLU and appointing Richard Budzyn,...
Iteris adds data capture
The Iteris lane departure warning (LDW) system is now offered with a new data capturing option called Safety Direct. The system will record and analyze...
Broker/dispatch software expanded
Aljex Software has released TIN, the latest version of its online broker and dispatch software, which includes mapping, electric data interchange (EDI),...
Toughbook 19 gets an upgrade
Panasonic Computer Solutions has introduced upgrades to its Toughbook 19 computer, including a Core 2 Duo processor and expanded memory. The computer...
Teletrac adding traffic alerts
Fleet Director, a GPS-based tracking and fleet management system from Teletrac Inc., will be offering users real-time traffic information delivered to...
Information Technology: Feature
One card united
The Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) program to have everyone, including truck drivers, who enters a port facility unescorted carry a government-issued...
Not so FAST
Canada is the United States' largest single trading partner, and two-thirds of that trade moves by truck. While both countries need to keep that flow...
Small Business Review
Finding more cash
For any company, finding cash to keep its operation afloat amid rising fuel costs is always difficult. But most businesses have more funds available than...
