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Your Jan. 5 Pre-Trip: Freightliner to cut nearly 1,000 jobs

Jan. 5, 2016

Here are five things worth knowing today.

Here are five things worth knowing today: 1. Freightliner announced that it will temporarily cut nearly 1,000 jobs from its Rowan County factory, the Charlotte Business Journal reports. Daimler Trucks North America, which owns Freightliner, said 936 employees of the factory’s 3,100-member workforce will be laid off, and, according to the report, it will reduce the plant’s production of heavy-duty Freightliner and Western Star trucks by a third. According to the report, the temporary layoffs stem from a “sustained reduction in orders and diminished build rate.” The Business Journal has more.2. TAG Truck Center plans to consolidate its four Memphis-area dealerships into one $20 million center on the old Mall of Memphis property, The Commercial Appeal reports. TAG sells Freightliner, Mitsubishi and Sprinter trucks, and has 10 full-service dealerships in five states, according to the Appeal. Construction of the new center is slated to begin this summer, with an expected opening in 2017.3. Decisiv, a provider of service relationship management solutions for commercial assets, announced that it will host a webinar on the value of vehicle maintenance reporting standards developed by the American Trucking Assns. Technology & Maintenance Council. The free webinar will be held on Thursday, Feb. 4, at 2 p.m. ET. For more information or to register for the webinar, visit Decisiv. 4. Trucking executive Greg Morrison, who is chairman of Louisiana’s transportation committee, announced the committee has developed ways to fund maintenance and construction efforts for the state’s roadways. According to KLFY News 10, the committee suggests possible increases in the gas tax, sales tax, vehicle registration fees, toll, and an oil and gas processing tax. KLFY has more.5. British automotive firm Charge is developing what it calls an electric modular platform for commercial vehicle applications, according to a Current E report. According to the report, Charge reportedly has more than 50 automotive and software engineers on the books, and the company’s goal is to supply its technology to existing truck and bus manufacturers. Current E has more.

About the Author

Cristina Commendatore

Cristina Commendatore was previously the Editor-in-chief of FleetOwner magazine. She reported on the transportation industry since 2015, covering topics such as business operational challenges, driver and technician shortages, truck safety, and new vehicle technologies. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut.