August 1, 2008
Editor's Page
Can bigger be better?
The drumbeat is still faint, but make no mistake about it the campaign to raise truck weight limits is well underway. The American Trucking Assns. and...
Management: In Box
Heavier trucks in our future?
Carriers that want weight limits on trucks to be raised from the current 80,000-lb. level to a proposed 97,000 lbs. may get their wish granted just not...
Critical hours for safety
The most safety-critical events for truck drivers occur on the first day following an hour-of-service restart. That confirms previous data that showed...
ATA urges government to increase domestic oil supplies
The American Trucking Assns. is urging the Bush Administration and Congress to take steps towards increasing domestic oil supplies and easing the burden...
Red Dot adds distributors
Red Dot Corp., which specializes in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and replacement parts for commercial trucks and a wide range...
Trucking seeks a few good men
The trucking industry needs good, quality workers. Former servicemen and women need a post-military career. It seems like a natural fit. Both Schneider...
NPTC plans safety conference in September
The National Private Truck Council (NPTC) has announced it will hold its sixth annual National Safety Conference September 11-12 at the Hyatt Dulles in...
going places
Terry Mennen has been promoted to vp of sales and marketing for Fontaine International. Also, Britt Caple has rejoined the company as key account manager,...
Management: Economics
Recovery remains slow
The most recent evidence may point to a longer recovery regardless of who gets elected in the fall. And the impact will be worldwide. An indication of...
Management: Safety Matters
Finding facts among fiction
As noted earlier in this issue of Fleet Owner, the debate over truck size and weight has recently re-emerged in Congress and an understanding of the background...
Equipment: Nuts & Bolts
DTNA to offer Cummins medium-, heavy-duty engines
Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) has announced it will offer Cummins heavy- and medium-duty engines alongside its own Detroit Diesel and Mercedes-Benz...
Cummins, Navistar extend supply agreement
Diesel engine maker Cummins Inc. and Navistar International Corp. are extending their engine supply agreement for Class 8 on-highway diesel engines through...
ZF debuts new truck automatic
There's a new competitor entering the light-commercial automatic transmission arena the ZF PowerLine, a global product that will be built in the manufacturer's...
Injury-avoidanceprogram available
J.J. Keller & Associates has released a training program geared towards helping drivers stay injury-free while performing non-driving tasks. The Injury...
Severe duty tire offered
Firestone has released the FD835 on/off-highway drive tire, designed for superior traction and removal mileage in severe-service applications such as...
P&D regional traction drive tire
Double Coin has released the RLB490 low-profile regional traction drive tire, which is designed for the tough regional pick-up and delivery trucking segment....
Battery monitors hit market
Xantrex Technology has launched its next-generation battery monitors for fleet vehicles. The LinkPro and the LinkLite battery monitors offer users the...
Bulletins
Cole Hersee has released a high-amp, double-pole master disconnect switch, which the company says can handle a continuous current of 125A at each pole...
New wheel offering for Sprinter van
Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products has released a medium-duty wheel designed especially for the Sprinter 3500 chassis. Created to improve styling...
Lightweight iron drum introduced to heavy-duty aftermarket
The Aftermarket Business Unit of Webb Wheel Products Inc. is offering the Webb Vortex brake drum for aftermarket replacement needs. The 16 7 in. drum,...
Skylift opens up work area for mechanics
Stertil-Koni has unveiled its latest lift product, the Skylift, a half-scissor vehicle lift. The lift uses two independent, modular lifting platforms...
Equipment: Tire Tracks
It's time for TPMS
Most companies that operate vehicles under 10,000 GVWR are receiving a mandatory education on how to adapt to the vast array of tire pressure monitoring...
IT: Fleets Online
Fleets Online
COMPANY: Pine Hall BrickWinston-Salem, NC OPERATION: Delivery of materials to suppliers, construction sites, and individual customers Problem: In operation...
The Last Word
The Last Word
Another hybrid Bulldog Mack Trucks is rolling out a fifth heavy-duty hybrid truck this one a TerraPro Low Entry refuse truck model as part of a long-term...
Articles
Doubling up
As Levin Furniture of Smithton, PA, debated the future of its 80,000-sq.-ft. Cleveland warehouse, the prospect of how to continually ship product to its...
ZF touts hybrid expertise
Global drivetrain and suspension manufacturer ZF Group is moving into the hybrid-drive arena in a big way, according to Wolfgang Vogel, member of the...
U.S., Sweden invest in Volvo Group
The U.S. and Sweden announced the two countries will provide the Volvo Group $18 million for the development of hybrid driveline technology. The grant,...
Doors opening for hybrids
As manufacturers begin to ramp up hybrid truck production, a new market is opening up in the medium-duty classes. Increased pressure on municipalities...
Exel now SmartWay-approved
Exel Transportation Services (ETS) has earned SmartWay partner designation from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its fuel efficiency and emissions...
The cost of green scaring companies
According to a recent study, fleets across the country have become more interested in environmental issues, but many are unsure of how to implement green...
Think Tank
All of us who have faith in good old Yankee Ingenuity not to mention the American can-do spirit have no doubt figured we'd somehow slip past the triple...
BROKERING FREIGHT: Two sides of the coin
The middlemen who match shipments with trucks have been seeing their ranks swell of late, thanks in large part to web-based software programs that have...
Quality Fleet
South East Express, a private fleet operation based in Timmonsville, SC, provides uniquely tailored transportation services for a local Honda manufacturing...
NPTC 2008 BENCHMARKING SURVEY REAFFIRMS PRIVATE FLEET VALUE
In order to examine a number of private fleet-related issues, the National Private Truck Council has completed its 2008 benchmarking study of its fleet...
Bye-bye Classics
A big shift is taking place among used truck buyers, one that's ramping up demand for aerodynamic trucks spec'd for fuel economy at the expense of classic...
Correction
In our July new models issue, the truck pictured on Page 60 is the Peterbilt Model 330 Hybrid....
BIODIESEL: The Whole Story
Global warming, dirty air and the skyrocketing cost of petroleum are a volatile combination that easily leads to wishful thinking when it comes to the...
Available for a price
Environmental benefits aside, the cost of biodiesel has been one of the major drawbacks in getting truck operators to accept it as an alternative to conventional...
Lube Demands
Add lubrication to the mix of factors that prevents biodiesel from being used as a straight-up replacement for petrodiesel. Here's the deal: The chemical...
Credit where due, or not
No matter where you look along the biofuels supply chain today, there is a tax credit of some sort for someone. From producers to blenders, infrastructure...
Real world
Getting a true reading on biodiesel's operational impact requires a lot of time and many miles along with a carrier willing to put its trucks online....
Keeping it fresh
While there are no federal guidelines for the storage of biodiesel, individual states may have varying rules and regulations. Generally, it is acceptable...
Biodiesel and warranties
The following covers current manufacturer warranty information. It should be noted that while the manufacturers warranty their components when using certified...
Buyers' choice
After months of speculation, Caterpillar has made it official: it will not have a heavy-duty, on-highway diesel engine for the U.S. market in 2010. Its...
Engines
Cummins is continuing its dual-track approach to 2010 emissions rules. Medium-duty engines will be fitted with SCR aftertreatment systems to meet...
Protecting the Box
Manager: Steve Piper Title: vp Fleet: Piper Trucking, Warren, MI Operation: Asphalt hauler for road construction PROBLEM Trailer wear and tear takes on...
What's New in: Starters
Today's trucks call for more durable starters. That means starters that offer fleets higher duty cycles and can operate in a hotter environment, as well...
Balancing Act
It may be a tough economic climate in which to operate a successful wholesale food delivery business, but Rancho Foods of Vernon, CA, is meeting the challenge...
Saving Reefer Fuel
Refrigerated carriers have an extra fuel tank to fill, the one for the refrigerator unit. This means the high cost of fuel can give the bottom line an...
Online load consolidation
Prophesy has announced the addition of LoadBuilder Online, a web-based service that allows companies to build efficient and intelligent load plans for...
Online Routing Updated
ALK Technologies has released PCMiler Web Services version 22, the latest upgrade to the online version of the company's routing, mileage and mapping...
Wireless alert system available
Networkcar has begun implementing activity alerts, which allow fleets to be notified by email or SMS if specific vehicle events occur, such as excessive...
POD software integrated with Xatanet
Xata Corp. has announced the integration of proof-of-delivery (POD) software with Xatanet, its on-demand fleet operations software, which will give customers...
Satellite service increases communications
SkyWave Mobile Communications, utilizing Inmarsat's global satellite service, is now offering SureLinx 8100c Satellite/GPRS terminal service. Using an...
Site for account information launched
Carrier Transicold has launched a new web site, www.carrierprioritycard.com, that will provide access to billing and account information for its priority...
Driving made Safer
Hughes Telematics and Intrado Inc. have partnered to improve safety for drivers through the Intrado Emergency Call Relay Center (ECRC). All Hughes Telematics-equipped...
Web site adds Spanish
C.H. Robinson Worldwide has made its web site available in Spanish, allowing contract carriers to check calls and status updates, accept tenders, request...
Turning Data into Fuel Savings
IT may not be very glamorous, and fleet management systems may not make hearts beat fast, but some fleets are finding that their mild-mannered technology...
Small success
Large carriers operate under the volume theory of hauling: Make a minimal profit on each load, but haul a tremendous number of loads to grow the bottom...
