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Taking a look back as we peek ahead to 2015

Rulemakings, repeal of HOS changes lead the way in the top stories of 2014 BY JEFF CRISSEY

f you were to make a top 10 list of news stories from 2014, a few subjects would spring to mind immediately: Ferguson, Mo., midterm election results, Ray Rice and Donald Sterling likely would make most anyone’s countdown. In the trucking industry, there was plenty of news that also garnered attention last year. From futuristic concept trucks to new regulations and merger-and-acquisition activity to well-publicized lawsuits, there was plenty for us at Commercial Carrier Journal to cover. But what were the biggest trucking industry stories of 2014? We’ve compiled a list based on the number of page views that each topic received during the course of the year. For an indepth look at these stories, visit www.ccjdigital.com/2014top10. 10. Daimler debuts autonomous truck. Want to hear the sound made by the simultaneous dropping of jaws of 350 journalists from around the world? You should have been at Daimler’s unveiling of its Future Truck 2025 concept at the IAA show in Hannover, Germany. The company’s autonomous truck combines vehicle-to-vehicle communication, lane-keeping systems and front-, side- and rear-facing radar to monitor traffic surrounding the vehicle. 9. CARB gives relief on Truck & Bus rule. After hearing lengthy testimony from small fleet owners and independent contractors operating in the state of California, the state’s Air Resources Board on April 25 amended its emissions regulations deadlines for those financially unable to comply with the original Truck & Bus rule requiring all 2006 model-year and older trucks to be retrofitted with diesel particulate filters. 8. Walmart unveils aerodynamic concept tractor-trailer. The retailer turned a lot of heads at the Mid-America Trucking Show with its new tractor-trailer concept. The teardropshaped tractor body is designed to improve aerodynamics by 20 percent over conventional models. The truck has a fuel-neutral turbine engine, meaning it can run on diesel, gasoline, natural gas and biofuels, among other sources. 7. Navistar sued again for MaxxForce defects. A class-action lawsuit in July by three trucking companies alleged the truck and engine maker knew its EGR-only MaxxForce engines had defects and concealed the problems from buyers, among other complaints. 6. Carrier hit with multimillion-dollar judgment for lost load. A U.S. district

judge in Ohio awarded broker Exel Inc. $5.9 million in a case against Southern Refrigerated Transport after a 2008 shipment of pharmaceuticals was stolen in Tennessee. SRT unsuccessfully argued that its liability in the case was only $56,766, the value listed on the bill of lading. 5. FMCSA announces intent to produce speed limiter rule. In March, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration grabbed headlines when it announced it planned to introduce a rule requiring the use of speed limiters in heavy trucks as early as May 2014, but the proposal was pushed back several times throughout the year. The agency now says it should be published this March. 4. Drivers must carry paper copies of medical certificates until 2015. In January 2014, FMCSA said it would require drivers to continue carrying paper copies of their medical certification until Jan. 30, 2015. A 2008 rule was to combine CDLs and medical certificates into one card and phase out paper copies. 3. Anne Ferro resigns as head of FMCSA. On July 25, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced that Anne Ferro would step down as FMCSA administrator after several months of highly contentious debate between Ferro and trucking industry groups. On Aug. 22, Scott Darling, who previously served as FMCSA’s chief counsel, was named interim administrator. 2. FMCSA proposes ELD mandate. FMCSA announced on March 12 a Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to mandate electronic logging devices. The SNPRM followed an FMCSA rule from 2010 that mandated the use of electronic onboard recorders; that entire rule was vacated in 2011 by a federal court. 1. Spending bill passage rolls back hours-of-service rules. In just 12 hours after the story posted on CCJDigital.com on Sunday morning, Dec. 14, news that the Senate had passed a spending bill that included the rollback of two key provisions of the 2013 hours-of-service rule changes rocketed to the No. 1 spot in 2014’s top 10 list of news articles. The legislation was signed into law by President Obama two days later, effectively sending FMCSA back to the drawing board to re-study the rule’s impact on safety. 2014 ushered in a new era of regulatory oversight, but such activity typically slows down during a presidential lame-duck session. However, there are plenty of proposals already in the pipeline, and I’m sure there will be a host of new equipment and technology innovations for CCJ editors to cover this year as well.

JEFF CRISSEY is Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal. E-mail jcrissey@ccjmagazine.com.

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leading news, trucking market conditions and industry analysis

Congress forces suspension of hours restart rules

Rule to eliminate no-defect DVIRs on the way

Inspector General, and the law dictates wo provisions of the 2013 that the two suspended rules will not go changes to the hours-ofback into effect until FMCSA completes service regulations for truck the study and can show Congress that operators were suspended at least until Sept. 30, 2015, and the Federal they “provide a greater net benefit for the operation, safety, health and fatigue Motor Carrier Safety Administration impacts” than not. was required to study the rules and their The 1,600-page appropriations bill impact further before they can take effect was billed as a bipartisan agreement again. crafted by top brass The order came from both chamfrom Congress: the bers of Congress. Senate last month However, promipassed a spending nent lawmakers bill already passed from both politiby the House that cal parties in both included a provithe House and the sion to put a stay Senate began voicof enforcement on The law suspends the requirement that a driver’s ing their unhapthe federal rules 34-hour restart include two 1-5 a.m. periods pendpiness with some requiring a driver’s ing further study and more justification. inclusions in the 34-hour HOS bill, making its passage uncertain at restart to include two 1-5 a.m. periods points. and limiting the use of a 34-hour restart Congress had to pass two stopgap to once per week. spending bills to avoid a government shutPresident Obama signed the bill into law. The law dictates that FMCSA issue a down and give congressional leaders more time to rally support for the bill. notice in the Federal Register “as soon as possible” announcing the suspension of Industry reaction the rules in question. The law also requires the agency to per- Major trucking groups like the American Trucking Associations, the Ownerform a “naturalistic study” of the restart Operator Independent Drivers Association, rules to determine their impacts on safety, health and carrier operations. The the Truckload Carriers Association and trucking associations in all 50 states – along study must be overseen and reviewed by with dozens of other industry associations the U.S. Department of Transportation’s – supported the inclusion in the omnibus plan of the Scan the QR code with your smartphone or visit ccjdigital.com/news/subscribe-to-newsCollins Amendment sponletters to sign up for the CCJ Daily Report, a sored by Sen. Susan Collins daily e-mail newsletter filled with news, analy(R-Maine). sis, blogs and market condition articles. Continued on page 15

federal rule to eliminate the requirement that drivers

submit a driver vehicle inspection report when no defects are found went into effect Dec. 18. The rule cleared the White House’s Office of Management and Budget in early December, paving the way for its publication in the Federal Register. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published the proposed rule last August, and the final rule was sent to OMB earlier this year for approval. FMCSA said the rule will save the trucking industry $1.7 billion annually, based mostly on time and paperwork costs. The rule keeps in place the requirement that drivers perform both a pre- and post-trip inspection of their truck and trailer. But if no defects are found, those DVIRs no longer will have to be filed with regulators. According to FMCSA, 95 percent of DVIR reports show no defects, and removing the requirement to submit clean DVIRs will help the agency focus on the 5 percent of reports that do address defects. – James Jaillet

FMCSA said the DVIR rule will save the trucking industry $1.7 billion annually, based mostly on time and paperwork costs.

commercial carrier journal

| january 2015 9

JOURNAL NEWS

INBRIEF 1/15 • A second trade group representing household goods carriers has applied for an exemption to certain provisions of federal hours-of-service regulations, asking for truck operators to be able to drive up to 75 miles or 90 minutes beyond their 14th hour on duty to return to a safe and appropriate place to park following deliveries. The International Association of Movers’ application to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration came two months after the American Moving & Storage Association made the same request. • The Federal Highway Administration said it would continue to accept comment on its Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight Limits Study. The agency was required to report study findings to Congress by last month, as required under the 2012 MAP-21 surface transportation reauthorization. “Our commitment to a high-quality report is more the reason that the report is expected to be completed in 2015,” a FHWA spokesman stated. • C.H. Robinson, a Minneapolis-based third-party logistics provider, agreed to acquire online broker Freightquote.com Inc. for $365 million. Freightquote provides truckload, less-than-truckload and intermodal services to about 80,000 customers. C.H. Robinson said the acquisition will increase its market share with small businesses. • The American Trucking Associations said its members are committed to hiring 100,000 military veterans as part of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Hiring Our Heroes campaign to see 500,000 veterans receive a job. ATA and Hiring Our Heroes will use Fastport’s trucking track system as a single portal to help match veterans to fleets with openings. About 370,000 veterans have been hired since Hiring Our Heroes was launched in March 2011. 10

COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL

| JANUARY 2015

FMCSA outlines ‘reg neg’ plan to tackle driver training rule

acing several congressional mandates and a lawsuit from labor advocates and safety groups, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration last month announced its plan to develop an entry-level driver training rule, which has been in the works on and off for more than 20 years. The agency formally announced its plan for a “negotiated rulemaking” or “reg neg” committee made up of regulators, carriers, licensing agencies, training organizations, enforcement groups, labor unions, safety groups and others. It’s also seeking nominations for the committee and hopes to have about 20 members. Committee members will serve a two-year term, FMCSA said. Nominations should be emailed to eldtac@dot.gov. The announcement built on FMCSA’s toe-dipping measure in August, in which it said it was considering a “reg neg” to produce the driver training rule, which is required by 2012’s MAP-21 highway funding law. The agency last September scrapped a proposed entry-level driver training rule that had been in the works since 2007, citing “substantive issues” that it said made proceeding with the rule “inappro- FMCSA’s entry-level driver training rule has been in the works on and oﬀ for more than 20 years. priate.” FMCSA said the purpose of the negotiated rulemaking is to develop training standards for drivers, find the right balance of behind-the-wheel training and classroom instruction and gather data to determine the cost and benefits of training, among other goals. FMCSA expects the committee to meet from February to June for one to two days every two to three weeks. Public comment on the plan was being accepted for 30 days starting Dec. 10. Visit regulations.gov and search for Docket No. FMCSA-200727748 to make a comment. The Teamsters and two safety groups filed a lawsuit against FMCSA in September for not having an entry-level training rule in place, saying the agency originally was mandated in 1993 to produce the rule. FMCSA said following the lawsuit’s filing that it produced a rule in 2004 that it since has been working to improve. – James Jaillet

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FMCSA to clarify driver sleep apnea screening, testing

edical examiners in the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners soon will receive a bulletin from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to clarify current federal rules – or lack thereof – regarding

screening and testing drivers for sleep apnea, according to a letter from Scott Darling, acting FMCSA administrator. According to Darling’s letter, the bulletin will remind examiners there is no agency guidance regarding apnea

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testing – hammered home by a 2013 law – and will encourage examiners to explain to drivers that referring them to sleep apnea specialists is being done based on their judgment as medical professionals and not from FMCSA regulations. The letter was sent to U.S. Reps. Larry Bucshon (R-La.) and Daniel Lipinski (D-Ill.) in response to a letter from the two congressmen to Darling in October. Bucshon and Lipinski sent their letter after they heard that FMCSAapproved medical examiners were not adhering to the 2013 law prohibiting the agency from issuing guidance – in lieu of a formal rule – regarding sleep apnea screening and testing for truck drivers. They blamed some organizations responsible for training the medical examiners to perform driver physicals for the apparent sidestep of the congressional order. Darling, however, said in his response letter that while FMCSA has a list of topics that must be covered in training courses, it does not bar organizations from presenting more information to the examiners. Moreover, FMCSA “neither reviews nor approves training materials or programs,” he wrote. The current FMCSA guidelines that medical examiners use were issued in October 2000, Darling said, and it directs examiners to refer drivers to sleep apnea specialists if they detect respiratory dysfunction such as sleep apnea that could impact a driver’s safety. Darling also said FMCSA soon planned to publish a notice that will request information from industry stakeholders to help the agency determine the costs and safety benefits of a rule to address sleep apnea screening. – James Jaillet

| january 2015 6/19/14 8:57 AM

journal news

Senator wants more done to stop ‘chameleon’ carriers

.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) last month sent a letter to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration instructing the agency to do more to stop “chameleon” or “reincarnated” carriers from forming after they’ve been reprimanded or shut down by regulators. Schumer said the agency needs to review driver safety records when a carrier applies for authority, rather than just the owners’ records. This “loophole,” he said, is “so large you could drive a truck through it.” Schumer’s letter was spurred by a fatal crash that happened in June in Ithaca, N.Y., where a truck crashed into a restaurant and killed a pregnant woman. He said that while FMCSA is taking steps to screen chameleon carriers more effectively, drivers’ safety records also should be part of the process. “It is critical that a better system be developed when it comes to screening potential chameleon carriers and unsafe drivers who shouldn’t be on the roads,” Schumer said. “While most companies that receive violations and citations quickly take steps to improve their safety operations, some carriers are able to evade oversight by simply closing down and re-emerging with a new name.” FMCSA spokesperson Marissa Padilla said the agency has “taken aggressive steps” in recent years to better vet new entrant carriers and upped fines for carriers that reincarnate under new names. Padilla also noted the agency’s 2014 rule that expands its authority to shut down carriers with a history of intentionally violating federal safety rules. FMCSA so far this year has taken

action against 35 companies that fall under the chameleon umbrella, Padilla said. “We appreciate Sen. Schumer’s support of our aggressive efforts HowesCCJW14_HalfPageIsland.pdf to combat chameleon carriers,

and Acting Administrator (Scott) Darling will respond to him directly on the new rules and policies we are taking to keep these unsafe companies off the the agency said. 8/7/14 9:45road,” AM – James Jaillet

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journal news Continued from page 9 “We have known since the beginning that the federal government did not properly evaluate the potential impacts of the changes it made in July 2013,” said Bill Graves, ATA president and chief executive officer. “Now, thanks to the hard work of Senator Collins and many others, we have a common-sense solution. Suspending these restrictions until all the proper research can be done is a reasonable step.” Likewise, OOIDA offered its support for Congress, saying the restart provisions compromise safety by dumping drivers out into the most congested hours of the day. Trucking research firm FTR Associates said it estimates trucking will see a 2 percent productivity jump after the restart provisions are suspended and the industry adjusts. Despite the industry’s excitement over the changes, reverting back to the old rules will be a challenge, said Steve Keppler, head of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance. Carriers and drivers should expect varying enforcement of the rules nationwide, Keppler said, especially in the immediate aftermath of the changes becoming official. “People can’t just turn on a dime when something like this takes place,” he said. State enforcement representatives technically enforce state law, not federal law. While federal law is adopted automatically in many states, it isn’t in others. “They have to go through some in-state processes, so we’re likely to see inconsistency and uniformity issues for a while – that’s got implications for data quality and CSA,” Keppler said. Electronic logging devices and other e-log applications also are programmed for the 2013 rule. Updates reflecting the legality of the new rules could take a few weeks, said Omnitracs’ Tom Cuthbertson.

Until then, e-log applications may flag drivers for a violation if their restart periods don’t align with the soon-to-be-suspended rule. Preparations to update the software, at least for Omnitracs, are already under way, Cuthbertson said. “We’ve looked at all our systems

that would be affected by this change,” he said. “We’re taking a very concise review of them so that we protect the integrity of the last six months’ worth of information” to conform to FMCSA’s record-keeping requirements. “It’s a minimum change. It’s a clean change.” – James Jaillet

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product reviews, oeM & supplier news and equipMent ManageMent trends

by Jack RobeRTS

Working the problem How vendors, fleets use information technology to curb downtime

y refrigerator at home has a computer motherboard in it. I can’t tell you what the motherboard does, but I can tell you that it costs $275 plus labor to replace it, and that I’ve replaced it twice in the 10 years I’ve had my fridge. Computers are everywhere today, and if you’re my age – born in the mid-1960s – you were primed for this development in a lot of ways. Growing up in the 1970s was an interesting time from a technology standpoint. We’d just walked on the moon, and all of the big and little technological advances from that impressive feat were beginning to trickle down into society at large. This was coupled with what was surely a golden age of science fiction: 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Trek, Star Wars and even cheesier fare such as Battlestar Galactica and a revamped Buck Rogers all challenged us to think about new and theoretical technology in openminded ways. Four decades ago, though, all of

commercial carrier journal

those great creative minds pondering the future and advanced technology never came up with something as simple and world-changing as the Internet. To be fair, the concept of a computer was pretty mind-blowing at the time, and there weren’t many of them around. The tectonic TransporTaTion TelemaTics: shift came when suddenly Sharing information is key to making more people had their own trucking technology work. computer – another mindblowing concept – and somesmarT componenTs: The next body said, “Hey, let’s hook all generation of trucks will be able to communicate problems more efficiently. of these computers together and start sharing information.” rolling To The fuTure: Information The world changed forever technology may be a fleet’s best means of – which leads me back to that minimizing downtime. motherboard in my fridge. I spent time last month touring Mack and Volvo’s new Uptime Center, adjacent to their corporate campus in Greensboro, N.C. The Volvo Group understands that sharing information

| january 2015

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quickly and easily is key to making trucking technology work via telematics. They’re not alone in this approach, but the dedication of this new facility and the “war room” demeanor of the employees manning it show clearly how Volvo and Mack now react and respond to a customer’s truck being down: It will be treated as a crisis situation. Just like the guys on the ground during the Apollo 13 crisis, Mack and Volvo experts will “work the problem” until a truck is repaired and back on the road. Certainly, most trucking crises aren’t as dire as the Apollo 13 situation. I doubt we’re going to need to get a truck driver to build a carbon dioxide filter in his sleeper from old socks and a Kleenex box. On the other hand, much like my fridge, today’s trucks are loaded with increasingly complex electronic control modules. If these components fail on your truck, you could be looking at a loss of more than $2,000 a day per event while it sits idle, according to Göran Nyberg, Volvo Trucks’ president of North American sales and marketing. Information is your best defense and tool to prevent or at least mitigate these breakdowns. Fleet managers know that information equals power when a truck is down. Where’s the unit? What’s its cargo? Where’s it headed? When is it supposed to be there? What’s the problem? Where’s the nearest dealer? Can the truck still run? Can this problem wait? Telematics systems such as Volvo and Mack’s ASIST and GuardDog Connect use myriad technologies such as GPS, computers and the Internet to get information to fleets immediately so that decisions can be made as quickly as possible. The future is happening now and evolving rapidly. At the Uptime Center’s grand opening, Nyberg assured me that the next generation of trucks will feature more smart components that will be able to communicate problems even more efficiently while alerting fleet managers to their impending failure. No technology ever will eliminate costly downtime completely, but it’s clear that information technology quickly is becoming your best means of minimizing it. JACK ROBERTS is Executive Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal. E-mail jroberts@ccjmagazine.com or call (205) 248-1358.

InBrief • U tility Trailer Manufacturing Co. added trailer roll stability protection from Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems as a standard base specification on its 3000R refrigerated trailer beginning with orders received this month. The Bendix TABS-6 Advanced with Bendix Trailer Roll Stability Program (TRSP) system combines anti-lock braking with trailer sensors and is available in single-channel and optional multi-channel configurations. • P eterbilt Manitoba Ltd. opened its third dealership, Peterbilt Manitoba-East, a parts and service facility in Springfield, Manitoba, east of Winnipeg. Montana Peterbilt opened its fourth dealership, a parts-only facility in Sidney, Mont., located in the state’s Bakken Shale region. • V olvo Trucks announced that the electric power used by its New River Valley assembly plant in Dublin, Va., is now carbon-neutral. As of November, 100 percent of the plant’s electricity is generated by methane gas produced at 13 landfills in the region. The fossil fuels previously used to generate the NRV plant’s electricity produced 40,408 tons of carbon dioxide emissions in 2013. • R yder System Inc. announced its support of Trucking Efficiency, a joint initiative between the North American Council for Freight Efficiency and the Carbon War Room intended to provide unbiased data on available vehicle technologies and engage with truck and trailer builders, component manufacturers and others who want to improve the performance of their heavy-duty vehicles. • E aton named Pavan Pattada president, North American Truck, reporting to Ken Davis, president, Vehicle Group. Pattada most recently served as senior vice president, Corporate Supply Chain Management, and will be based in Galesburg, Mich. • T he special Kenworth T880 carrying this year’s U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, a 75-foot white spruce, made 30 stops on its three-week 2,700mile trip to Washington, D.C. The truck was driven by owner-operator Elwood Higdem of Wille Transport. A Wille company driver, Ken Lundgren, drove alongside Higdem in a Kenworth T680 Advantage, carrying a load of handmade ornaments to adorn the tree and 70 other smaller Christmas trees bound for federal buildings in Washington. • T he Mack Trucks Historical Museum recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. Incorporated as a nonprofit corporation in 1984, the museum is housed in the Mack Customer Center in Allentown, Pa. commercial carrier journal | january 2015

Navistar rolling out fuel-efficient ProStar ES

avistar last month unveiled its ProStar ES tractor and uct line. “We have customers already running this spec today, now is taking orders for the truck the company bills as and they say it outperforms every other truck in their fleet, “the best fuel efficiency package in the industry.” including other makes.” Navistar said its ProStar ES – short for efficiency specificaAaron Peterson, chief performance engineer for Navistar, said tion – offers industry-leading aerodynamics, a drivetrain with the truck’s aerodynamics were tested at NASA’s Ames Research advanced downspeeding and facility, allowing the company highly efficient rear axles. to reduce aerodynamic drag The ProStar ES offers the Eaon the ES tractor and trailer to ton Cummins SmartAdvantage the point that it “outperforms powertrain, which pairs the the competition in virtually Cummins ISX15 to an Eaton any wind condition out on the Fuller Advantage automated road.” The higher the yaw angle transmission. Also available of the wind, Peterson said, the is Navistar’s 13-liter selective better the ES performs versus catalytic reduction-based N13 the competition. paired with the Advantage. From a cosmetic and “hard Navistar said its ProStar ES – short for efficiency specification – ofBoth packages can be matched parts” standpoint, few changes fers industry-leading aerodynamics, a drivetrain with advanced to a Dana AdvanTek 40 6×4 were made to the truck itself, downspeeding and highly efficient rear axles. axle, Meritor 14X 6×4 axle or Peterson said. “Most impactMeritor FueLite 6×2 axle. ful is the attention paid to packaging the vehicle into its most Navistar said the ProStar ES can achieve an 11 percent improve- efficient form,” he said. ment in fuel economy versus a 2010 ProStar equipped with a Navistar also has made its Performance Engineering Team MaxxForce 13 liter engine and a 10-speed manual transmission. available to meet with customers to help spec the most efficient “The ES is a package – an ecosystem if you will,” said Jodi truck for their application. Presswood, vice president of Navistar’s heavy-duty truck prod– Jason Cannon

Chevron touts new engine oil

hevron Products Co. introduced Ursa SuperPlus EC SAE 10W-30, an on- and off-highway heavy-duty motor oil designed to help improve fuel economy in heavy-duty diesel trucks now using SAE 15W-40 oil for engines in fleet, construction, agriculture, mining and quarrying equipment. “Fuel economy is a growing concern for fleets and owner-operators,” said Jim Gambill, North America commercial brands manager. “With budgets under constant pressure, many customers are forced to do more with less and must find solutions that fit their needs. Ursa SuperPlus EC SAE 10W-30 helps bridge the affordability gap by providing fuel economy benefits in a competitive way.” Chevron said tests show fuel economy

improvements relative to SAE 15W-40 diesel engine oils, and that the new oil helps protect against wear and corrosion while meeting API CJ-4 service category requirements that provide engine protection and improved emissions control system life relative to previous-generation technology. Ursa SuperPlus EC SAE 10W-30 is formulated for 2010-compliant lowemissions-diesel engines with selective catalytic reduction, a diesel particulate filter and exhaust gas recirculation. The oil is recommended for on-highway diesel engines that allow an SAE 10W-30 viscosity grade and for select engine types from Caterpillar, Cummins, Detroit, Mack and Volvo. – Jack Roberts

commercial carrier journal | january 2015

Chevron’s Ursa SuperPlus EC SAE 10W-30 is suited for heavy-duty engines in fleet, construction, agriculture, mining and quarrying equipment.

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ccj test drive: Kenworth t440

MediuM-duty heavy hitter Kenworth’s T440 no small potatoes when it comes to work By Jason Cannon

K The Kenworth T440 for the test drive was powered by Paccar’s PX-8 engine and Allison’s 3000RDS six-speed transmission.

enworth’s T440 is billed as a heavy-duty performer for medium-duty needs, and it didn’t disappoint during a test drive near the company’s assembly plant in Chillicothe, Ohio. The T440 features a set-back front axle and a tight turning radius. I found the truck to be remarkably agile and easy to drive – a perfect fit for both new and experienced drivers. It was especially easy to navigate

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commercial carrier journal | january 2015

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The truck supports a wide range of bodies and equipment.

The T440 is available as a straight truck or tractor in GVW ratings from 33,000 to 68,000 pounds.

through urban areas when matched with Allisonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 3000RDS six-speed transmission. The T440 features clear frame rails and a variety of exhaust packages that support a wide range of bodies and chassis-mounted equipment. It comes standard with a Paccar PX-8 engine; a Cummins ISL engine is available as an option. My test truck was upfit with a J&J six-yard aluminum box polished to the hilt for maximum cruising bling. Aesthetics aside, this truck handled great. My T440 featured the PX-8, and it handled the paces well with its 181inch wheelbase. The engine provided more than enough power for a roughly 30-mile mostly flatland tour through both highway and urban settings. The Dana S26-190 26K rear axle was complemented by a 14.6K front axle system, and rear air disc brakes provided ample stopping power. The smooth ride was aided by a taperleaf 14.6K suspension with shocks on the front and a 23K rear suspension. The T440 is available as a straight truck or tractor in GVW ratings from 33,000 to 68,000 pounds. In either configuration, it features modern aerodynamic styling, excellent visibility and maneuverability, superior ergonomics and a fuel-efficient powertrain. If your municipality or construction site is looking for a medium-duty heavy lifter, the T440 fits the bill. COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | JANUARY 2015

technology Making the latest technology developMents work for your fleet

Let them watch TV

by AAron Huff

Pride Transport is one of the first fleets to provide drivers with satellite TV service from EpicVue.

How fleets are using technology to recruit, retain drivers

ost jobs have a reward waiting at the end of the day: the chance to go home. Over-the-road truck drivers do not cross this threshold for days or even weeks at a time. The truck becomes “home” for at least 10 hours a day while parked at a truck stop, rest area or other location that can accommodate an 18-wheeler. The quality of life for drivers always has contributed to turnover and shortage, but that problem now has reached a climax. The American Trucking Associations estimates that the industry could fill 30,000 driving positions immediately and will need to fill 100,000 positions every year for the next 10 years. The comforts of home One way that fleets are trying to improve the quality of life for drivers, especially for the younger generation, is to make their equipment as appealing as possible. Perhaps nothing brings the comforts of home closer than television. The first company to try bringing TV to drivers was Park ’N View in 1976 when it created a partner-

commercial carrier journal

ship with Travel Centers of America to build a nationwide infrastructure to deliver television and telecommunication services. “The dream was to improve the quality of life,” says Ian Williams, founder of Park ’N View. Williams is now president of EpicVue, a DirecTV retailer that has created an all-inclusive television subscription service for fleets. Park ’N View was limited by the technology at the time. After the company closed, many of its employees in 2000 moved to IdleAire, which created a service that connects to the truck’s window through Hardly Home: The quality of life for a yellow tube to deliver TV, drivers always has contributed to turnover Internet, heating, cooling and shortage. and electrical outlets. enTerTainmenT opTions: Perhaps IdleAire filed for banknothing brings the comforts of home ruptcy in 2008. Convoy closer than television. Technologies since has on THe big screen: A smart device purchased its assets and redoes not deliver the same down-home opened some of its sites. comfort as holding a TV remote. Today, drivers can get a variety of on-demand entertainment using their own wireless subscriptions. But a smartphone or iPad does not deliver the same down-home comfort as holding a TV remote and watching your favorite shows, movies and sports – or, better yet, recording them and fast-forwarding through commercials later.

| january 2015

IntereSted In truckIng technoLogy? Scan the barcode or go to www.goo.gl/Ph9JK to subscribe to the CCJ Technology Weekly e-mail newsletter.

Signing up Pride Transport, a Salt Lake City-based company with 400 trucks to power its refrigerated and flatbed operations, signed a three-year subscription with EpicVue. For a flat monthly fee per – Lance Platt, epicVue truck, Pride Transport got all of the equipment – mobile antennas, 24-inch televisions and DVR receivers – and more than 100 channels, including premium options such as HBO, Showtime and NFL Sunday Ticket. “We feel like driver retention is more than just compensation,” says Jay England, chief executive. “It also is about improving the quality of life for drivers. We want them to feel as close to normal as possible by having the conveniences of living at home.” England says he needs a few more months to determine what impact EpicVue is making to the fleet’s retention and recruiting numbers. Pride Transport currently has 120 units activated and installed. The rollout has gone quickly, England says, and results look promising so far. “There has been a lot of excitement, interest and questions regarding the technology,” he says. EpicVue offers the all-inclusive fleet subscriptions for as low as $49 per truck per month. The company’s target market is fleets with 20 or more trucks. Dish offers a pay-as-you-go subscription service that starts at $45 per month. The subscription is for the TV programming only and does not include the hardware – the antenna, receiver and TV. This type of subscription model may be attractive to fleets since they can shut off the service at any time, such as when a certain driver or truck is inactive, says Sean McCarthy, product manager for Dish. A Dish receiver costs about $150. Drivers and fleets have two options for a mobile satellite antenna: for a fixed-mount antenna, Winegard’s Pathway X1, which retails for $499, and for a portable antenna, King Controls’ Tailgater, which retails for $350. Considering the top priority of fleets today is driver recruiting and retention, TV service is shaping up to be an effective tool to do both by improving the quality of life on the road.

We aren’t selling television services. We are selling quality of life.

AAron Huff is Senior Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal. E-mail ahuff@ccjmagazine.com or call (801) 754-4296.

InBrief • D escartes Systems Group announced its $29 million acquisition of Airclic, a provider of cloud-based mobile applications designed to reduce the cost of delivering goods by automating traditional paper-based processes to help streamline and automate last-mile logistics processes. Airclic’s Perform platform features a configurable electronic proof-of-delivery application deployed on more than 40,000 handheld devices in a number of industry verticals. • C adec Global, a provider of driver and vehicle data for private fleets, acquired the InSight business intelligence application source code and distribution rights to the transportation market from Blue Sky Technologies; terms were not announced. The application has easy-toconfigure scorecards and quick-to-implement alerts and gives users at-a-glance real-time visibility of delivery operations by monitoring key performance indicators for safety, customer service, compliance, maintenance and cost to make better decisions. • T ransportation Data Source, a provider of motor carrier information services, released Lane Search, a feature designed to help shippers and brokerage and logistics companies speed freight transactions by locating qualified carriers within specific lanes by entering the city names or ZIP codes for the origin and destination. TDS said Lane Search uses the most recent equipment roadside inspection data to identify carriers by equipment type. • M acroPoint announced that DAT Keypoint has integrated its freight tracking technology, enabling brokers using DAT’s Keypoint transportation management software to track freight carried by third-party drivers and forhire carriers. MacroPoint receives automated location updates from a driver’s cell phone and does not require in-cab tracking hardware. • H elp Inc., the nonprofit public-private partnership that provides PrePass weigh station bypass and other truck safety and efficiency services, announced that PrePass now is serving more than 40,000 qualified fleet customers with more than 491,000 trucks. once the fleets were e-screened for safety and credentials, they became eligible to bypass 310 weigh stations and inspection facilities in 31 states. • I .D. Systems, a provider of wireless machine-tomachine asset management systems, executed a one-year renewal contract valued at more than $900,000 for Knight Transportation (CCJ Top 250, no. 26) to extend its deployment of VeriWise transportation asset management solutions from I.D. Systems’ Asset Intelligence subsidiary throughout its fleet. commercial carrier journal

january 2015

technology

in focus: electronic data interchange

No longer bound Three ways fleets can get past the limits of EDI by aaron huff

lectronic data interchange was in its infancy when Ken Weinberg co-founded Carrier Logistics Inc. in 1972. The concept sounded promising to the young entrepreneur who developed a dispatch, accounting and freight management system for less-than-truckload carriers named Facts. Carriers would seem to benefit from EDI. Their computers could talk to their customers’ computers, rather than employees having to pick up the telephone and push paperwork around the office. But EDI initially was not popular with carriers. “It took 30 years or more before EDI really started to catch on,” Weinberg says. “Many shippers started making EDI part of their contract. Carriers would run around and figure out how to provide it, but once they got the contract, no one ever asked them for it.” Things changed in the mid-1990s when the Internet emerged to defray some of the costs of using EDI. At the time, carriers were just warming up to the technology and had yet to fully realize its benefits. EDI now is deeply entrenched in the transportation industry. Being able to exchange load tenders (204), shipment updates (214), invoices (210) and other EDI transactions is mandatory for doing a significant volume of business with any shipper, third-party logistics provider or freight broker. Here are three options for carriers to meet the electronic needs of customers while reducing their own costs of doing business. Web services LTL carriers in particular look for ways to increase the amount of information they exchange electronically with customers due to the sheer volume of data they have to manage. “Traditional EDI standards don’t accommodate all of the

communication requirements,” says Ben Wiesen, vice president of products and support for CLI. Being able to respond to rate inquiries is critical for any carrier that transports freight for a shipper with an online presence. TMW Systems’ Fuel Information Exchange connects carriers and suppliers CLI’s Facts system comes in the bulk fuel hauling community by with a Web service, also enabling easy data interchange. known as an application programming interface, that carriers can use to deliver instant pricing, delivery times, shipping options and other information directly to the e-commerce sites of their customers, Wiesen says. Once shippers use an API from a carrier to get rate quotes, they are more likely to use other APIs to get real-time information on shipment status and other transactions that used to flow through EDI, he says. Subscription services Much of the cost and complexity of traditional EDI stems from the fact that the technology never has lived up to its billing as a “standard.” Every shipper has unique information requirements. As a large 3PL, Transplace understands this as much as anyone.

CLI’s Facts system comes with an API that carriers can use to deliver information directly to the e-commerce sites of their customers. Transplace uses several metrics such as load acceptance, on-time pickup and invoice accuracy to score carriers and determine future bid awards.

commercial carrier journal | january 2015

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technology The Frisco, Texas-based company has to interface with both shippers and carriers through EDI to receive orders from customers and tender loads to carriers based on its optimized routing guide. One value-added service Transplace provides to shippers is to enhance the EDI process by capturing carrier performance metrics down to the shipment level. The metrics it uses to score carriers and determine future bid awards include load acceptance, on-time pickup and invoice accuracy. “We go through an extensive process to validate that carrier’s calculated performance to make certain we accurately capture that,” says Matthew Menner, senior vice president of strategy. A number of technology providers offer subscription-based services designed to help carriers comply with the EDI requirements of shippers, 3PLs and other trading partners in a cost-effective way. Intelek Technologies charges a flat monthly rate per trading partner regardless of the number of EDI transaction sets and volume of data being transmitted. The flat monthly rate includes the initial setup and ongoing maintenance. “If you know what your EDI costs are going to be month to month, it lowers the barrier to entry,” says Terry Wood, vice president of business development. The subscription includes services to automate any secondary channels of communication with shippers – such as websites and e-mail – by translating these communications into EDI, which then feeds information into the software systems of both parties. Private networks Another way to get past the hurdles of traditional EDI is to use a closed transportation network tailored for specific business and data types. These modern networks come with all of the functions of EDI and more as part of the service. TMW Systems’ Fuel Information Exchange connects carriers and suppliers in the bulk fuel hauling community. FIX enables easy data interchange between and among companies using TMW’s Fuel TMS software. The FIX network allows retail sites such as convenience stores to tender fuel replenishment orders to a fuel wholesaler, who then can mirror an order to a selected carrier’s TMS system and get order delivery status from pickup to drop. McLeod Software offers its Carrier-Broker Exchange, a private marketplace available only to McLeod Software customers run-

McLeod Software offers its Carrier-Broker Exchange, a private marketplace available only to McLeod Software customers running LoadMaster and PowerBroker.

commercial carrier journal | january 2015

The Alliance network from Sylectus is a protected load board that integrates with the company’s Web-based dispatch and TMS system.

ning LoadMaster and PowerBroker. PowerBroker users at CBE subscriber companies can post available loads selectively to the exchange. The loads are available quickly on the order planning boards of carriers that are LoadMaster users and subscribe to CBE. The Alliance network from Sylectus is a protected load board that integrates with the company’s Web-based dispatch and TMS system. This integration, called Alliance Virtual Fleet, enables Sylectus users to gain visibility to thousands of loads and trucks, dispatch drivers – both their own and those that belong to other Alliance members – and track shipments within a single platform. This year, 41 fleets joined or upgraded to the full Sylectus TMS, bringing the total to about 8,000 trucks across 211 fleets that use the integrated offerings. PCS Software offers the Express TMS system for carriers and brokers. Both versions come with a secure Web portal that automates communications with trading partners. Brokers can use a carrier portal to tender loads and receive shipment status updates and proof-of-delivery documents, among other routine transactions. Carriers can use a customer portal to automate communications with shippers and brokers to request quotes, book shipments, view shipment status updates and receive invoices. Carriers were driven to EDI by their customers. New technologies and services not only lower the cost of meeting those requirements but also make providing electronic commerce a competitive edge.

PCS Software offers the Express TMS system for carriers and brokers. Both versions come with a secure Web portal that automates communications.

technology

Daimler showcases Assurance safety system

aimler Trucks North America’s Detroit powertrain division recently showcased its new proprietary active safety system for commercial trucks at a press event in Hollywood, Fla. The Assurance system has been a Daimler mainstay in Europe for more than a decade on Mercedes Actros tractors. Brad Williamson, product manager for Detroit, said the system has logged millions of test miles on top of 3.5-million real-world miles in Europe. Daimler will continue to offer its current suite of safety systems from outside suppliers, but Williamson said the Assurance system offers fleets advantages because it is fully integrated with Detroit engines and its DT12 automated manual transmission. Assurance’s radar system is designed to scan the highway in front of the tractor, picking up and tracking any vehicles within a 600-foot range. In adaptive cruise mode, the system automatically adjusts speed to match traffic in front of the truck. If cruise is set at 65 mph but a car in front is going 59 mph, the system will slow the truck down to match the slower car and automatically return to the preset speed once the car speeds up or changes lanes. If the system detects a rapid closure rate, the first warning stage mutes the stereo in the truck and sounds an audio alarm. If the closure rate continues, the system works in conjunction with the DD Series engine to decrease the throttle to begin slowing the tractor. If the distance between the two vehicles continues to close, Assurance fully engages by initiating the engine brake, downshifting the DT12 transmission and fully engaging the brakes if necessary. An optional camera system can be spec’d to give Assurance a lane departure warning system that tracks lane markings and other reflective surfaces and issues a low “rumble strip” warning should the

truck wander. The system does not engage if the turn signal is activated, and it also gives drivers a high degree of flexibility: They can deactivate it in tight traffic conditions for up to 15 minutes at a time provided the vehicle remains under 49

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mph. If the truck exceeds that speed, the system will reengage automatically. The Assurance active safety system will be available on Cascadia and Cascadia Evolution tractors in the first quarter. – Jack Roberts

commercial carrier journal

11/7/14 4:37 PM

january 2015

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Ready. Set. Learn. CCJ and its CCJ Innovators partners are proud to highlight the achievements of the industry’s most innovative fleets. The CCJ Innovators program profiles fleets that have shown initiative in addressing critical areas in their businesses’: • • • • • •

Operational efficiency Use of information technology Customer relations Maintenance practices Employee recruiting and retention Safety Scan the QR code to directly link to the CCJ Innovators website for the complete rules and criteria along with the nomination form as well as browse archives of past Innovator articles, webinars and podcasts.

Sponsored by:

NOMINATE YOUR FLEET as a CCJ Innovator at ccjinnovators.com

INNOVATORS

Online grocer develops subscription model for home delivery BY AARON HUFF

xperts predict the online grocery industry will grow from 2 percent of the $650 billion spent annually on domestic groceries to between 10 and 17 percent by 2023. The business model looks appealing, at least on paper. With a single warehouse and a small fleet of delivery vans, an online grocer is able to serve a large city without the overhead of a chain of brick-and-motor stores. Despite the cost advantage, the model is challenging. Most online grocers charge a delivery fee to make money. While this fee is acceptable to some consumers, many may not be willing to pay extra for something they can do themselves at a neighborhood store. Door to Door Organics has taken a different approach by offering a subscription model. Its customers can sign up and shop online for local, natural and organic food delivered to their home at no extra charge on a weekly or biweekly schedule. The business is all about “empowering people to eat good food” through a curated experience where customers can plan meals and shop by recipe. By clicking on a featured recipe on Door to Door’s website, the main ingredients are added to a weekly delivery box to go along with staples such as milk and eggs. In August 2013, the specialty online grocer changed the process it was using to route its deliveries to increase efficiency and set the stage for continued growth. Since then, its order volume has increased by 20 percent, while labor costs in its logistics department have dropped by more than 10 percent.

Optimized routing Door to Door currently delivers in 11 markets and 30 Midwest cities to more than 35,000 active customers. Its current network covers most of Colorado and Michigan

DOOR TO DOOR ORGANICS Boulder, Colo. and the metropolitan areas of Chicago, Philadelphia and Kansas City, Mo. The predictability of its subscription model helps keep delivery costs under control. About half of its orders are on a recurring weekly schedule; for most of its residential areas, Door to Door lets customers choose the day of the week for delivery. The other half of its orders are dynamic; they change daily as new customers sign up and when existing customers change orders such as skipping a week or changing their delivery day. Door to Door manages new orders by opening and closing days that are available for delivery. This helps distribute orders to the days of the week where it needs more volume, or density, to balance its routes. On average, the company delivers 65 orders per day on each ZIP code route, says Aaron Peele, outbound logistics manager. Prior to August 2013, the outbound logistics team had been using a commercial software package to determine the most efficient way to route orders each day. It used the software to optimize orders for delivery after its deadline had closed. Door to Door gave its customers five days from the day they received a delivery to finalize their next weekly order. If a customer received a delivery on Friday, he had until 8 a.m. on Thursday of the next week – the day before the delivery – to finalize his next order online. With this process, the logistics team waited until 8 a.m. on the day before the delivery to begin the route planning

Door to Door Organics creates a route planning strategy for its home deliveries to cut inefficiencies and errors.

COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | JANUARY 2015

process. The company used the software to determine the optimal least-cost route plan for all orders in the system at that time. This dynamic routing process required a lot of adjustments afterward to keep its routes consistent. “The trouble with dynamic routing is that we know that drivers and customers prefer consistent routes, but how do you get regular routes when half of the customer base is changing each day?” Peele says. The company continually was overhauling its routes manually to make them similar to the previous week while including all new orders from the current week. This process took time and left its warehouses waiting on the logistics department to finalize route plans so they could start preparing boxes for delivery.

By clicking on a featured recipe on Door to Door Organics’ website, the main ingredients are added to a weekly delivery box to go along with staples such as milk and eggs.

miles and resources) and static routing (keeping drivers on the same routes). The outbound logistics department reoptiExtending the deadline mizes its master routes about every six Door to Door created a process to elimiweeks, Peele says. nate the inefficiencies and errors caused With this process, the logistics departby having to manipulate its routes manu- ment is able to complete about 90 percent ally every day. The new “master route” of the route planning before order cutoff. planning strategy starts by importing the The company passed the time savings saved routes from the previous week into onto its customers; it extended its order its routing software system. deadline from 8 a.m. to noon on the day With the master routes for an area before delivery. shown on a map interface, logicians can The customer service department has view all new orders. Next, they manually been spending less time on the phone drag each order into the adjacent routes and responding to emails from customers shown on the screen, Peele says. who otherwise would want to change an Although this process still has some order past the 8 a.m. deadline. The new manual elements, the company is able planning process also has improved the to strike a balance between the efficienquality of Door to Door’s routes. cies of dynamic routing (using fewer Shortly after noon on the day before delivery, the company’s warehouses have the full route plan with the contents of each order and delivery sequence for each route. With this information, they can prepare and Door to Door Organics eliminated stage boxes for delivery. On the inefficiency and errors caused by having to manipulate its home the morning of delivery, delivery routes manually every the orders are packed on an day, says Aaron Peele, outbound assembly line and sent out logistics manager. the door to a fleet of vans. 30

COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | JANUARY 2015

Same-day delivery With its new route planning process, Door to Door is planning a new option that will allow customers to extend the order deadline even closer to the date of delivery for a small fee. This option is possible by putting the same-day orders on the same routes that were created the previous day without having to rebuild or reoptimize the routes. Without the master routes strategy, sameday orders would be cost-prohibitive to the company and its customers, Peele says. Door to Door plans to introduce the same-day delivery option in an incremental fashion. The company will start by offering it to customers close to its warehouses. After building awareness of the same-day delivery option, it plans to build up enough demand and density to expand the service to an entire metropolitan area. The same-day delivery will work as long as a pre-planned route is scheduled to leave a warehouse after the order deadline, such as 10 a.m. on the day of delivery. “Hopefully, it will not cost us much more, if anything at all,” Peele says. Charging a fee for same-day deliveries will help offset some delivery costs, but he anticipates it mostly will be a customer service tool. Door to Door recently closed on another round of funding, which brought in another $25 million to accelerate its growth. With its efficiency gains and its curated subscription model for e-commerce, the company has positioned itself as one to watch. This year, its revenues are on a trajectory to increase by more than 40 percent from $35 to $50 million and its customers to increase 20 percent, Peele says. CCJ INNOVATORS profiles carriers and fleets that have found innovative ways to overcome trucking’s challenges. If you know a carrier that has displayed innovation, contact Jeff Crissey at jcrissey@ccjmagazine.com or 800-633-5953.

Continental’s HTL1 wide single truck tire is now available as a ContiTread retread.

Wide-based single tires aren’t a good fit for every fleet, but they shine in certain applications. Are they right for your operation? BY JACK ROBERTS

n the early 2000s, new advances in tire compounding and structural engineering led to a new tire design for the Class 8 market. While widebased tires were a logical extension for tire OEMs, many fleets and drivers initially viewed them with suspicion. The main concern was flexibility: A truck with a flat dual drive tire still could keep moving to either make a delivery or get to a repair facility. If a wide-based tire went down, the truck was stranded. Why would anyone spec a tire with such obvious operational limitations? Paul Crehan, director of product marketing for Michelin Truck Tires, says widebased singles offer a number of advantages over dual tires, notably in terms of both 36

COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL

fuel and weight savings. “We do not believe there are any disadvantages to running wide-based single tires,” Crehan says. “Fleets will be in good company and join hundreds of fleets and thousands of experienced truck drivers who are saving millions of gallons of fuel and eliminating hundreds of thousands of pressure checks and rotations by switching to a widebased single.” Crehan says reasons fleets should convert to a 10-wheel vehicle configuration include fuel savings, Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions’ Greatec M825 wide-based drive radial is designed to offer extended tire life and low cost per mile.

| JANUARY 2015

increased payload, driver satisfaction, minimized downtime, retreadability, consistent trade-in value, added productivity, meeting regulations and being “green.” Not widely used yet But Matt Loos, director of truck and bus markets for Bridgestone-Firestone, cau-

General Truck Tires’ all-position Grabber OA wide-based tire is available in size 445/65R22.5 for fleets operating in severe service and construction.

tions that while wide-based singles make sense when used correctly, “they are not a one-size-fits-all solution.” Wide-based tire use today generally is about 3 to 4 percent of the overall North American Class 8 market. Loos says that figure probably is higher in certain applications such as bulk haul, where widebased tires do particularly well. “We’ve seen fleets try them and migrate back to duals,” he says. “In some cases, those fleets probably expected to see better fuel economy improvements. While widebased tires consistently deliver enhanced fuel economy, it has to be noted that in some applications, duals can be just as fuel-efficient as wide-based singles.” The primary fuel economy benefit realized by wide-based singles is due to reduced sidewall flexing, Loos says. “Tire sidewalls naturally create drag,” he says. “Reducing the number of sidewalls in the drive position on a tractor by half naturally pays a dividend in fuel economy.” Fleets that run wide-based tires typically cite weight savings as the primary advantage, Loos says. “If you spec an ultra-wide single, you’re looking at weight savings from 35 to 75 pounds compared to a pair of duals,” he says. If the fleet switches from

steel dual rims to aluminum singles, the weight savings can be more dramatic – as much as 1,200 pounds. “This is really an attractive solution for fleets like bulk haulers who need to max out on payload, as compared to a truckload carrier who tends to cube out of space before they reach their payload capacity,” Loos says. Fear of downtime has been a barrier to wide-based tire acceptance, but Brian Buckham, Goodyear’s general manager of commercial tire marketing, says his company overcame that problem several years ago with the introduction of its proprietary self-sealing DuraSeal Technology. Built directly into the tire during the manufacturing process, Goodyear DuraSeal Technology is designed to instantly seal nail-hole punctures of up to ¼-inch in diameter in the tread’s repairable area. Also, the DuraSeal material is a bright yellow color, Buckham says. “This makes it much easier and faster for a technician to locate and repair a puncture.” Over the past three to four years, the demand for wide-based singles has been driven primarily by high fuel costs, the need for improved freight efficiencies,

Michelin Americas Truck Tires’ wide-based Michelin X One Line Energy D tire and Pre-Mold retread both are designed for the line-haul drive position.

Goodyear’s G392A SSD UniCircle and G394A SST UniCircle wide-based retreads are offered with the company’s UniCircle technology.

the anticipated impact of regulations and environmental concerns, Crehan says. “With rising fuel and operations costs, the fact that the Michelin X One tire can save up to 10 percent in fuel and almost 200 pounds per axle is well accepted and understood by fleets,” he says. Retread concerns In many ways, the jury is still out on wide-based singles, says Walter Weller, vice president of CMA/Double Coin Tire. “Wide-based tire technology is still evolving,” Weller says. “Right now, wide-based tread life is not as good as traditional duals, primarily due to excessive shoulder wear. A related issue is that retreadability is not as good as with duals.” If wide-based tires are used on drive and trailer positions while the steer position is a standard low-profile tire – usually a 295/75R22.5 or equivalent – and if the fleet is 100 percent wide-based, worn steer tires have no use in the fleet’s retread program, Weller says. Also, wide-based tires can be retreaded about one time, while standard duals can be retreaded twice on average, which may make wide-based tires potentially a higher-cost alternative for some fleets with aggressive retread programs, he says. But for many fleets, the advantages of fuel savings and higher payload outweigh those disadvantages, particularly for bulk

commercial carrier journal

| january 2015 37

EquipmEnt: Wide-Based Tires haul or tanker operations, Weller says. Efforts to improve retreadability of wide-based singles are ongoing and are showing potential to add additional useable lives to the tires, Loos says. “You can still expect retread rates to be higher for singles because the tires are wider and larger, and there is a volume issue to consider – there just aren’t as many

used wide-based single tires out there compared to duals,” he says. “Those tires currently don’t get retreaded at the same level as conventional dual tires.” Retread performance must match new tire performance, Buckham says. Widebased tires are more sensitive to road inputs than dual tires, so starting with the highest-quality casing is critical. Good-

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THE NEXT How video and data are transforming trucking By aaron huff

erhaps the most compelling reason for using video intelligence – the combination of video and big data – in a high-risk low-margin industry such as commercial transportation is to protect fleets and drivers from wrongful litigation. The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute – a provider of truck-related crash research – studied 8,309 fatal car-truck crashes to determine fault. Of those, car drivers were assigned fault 81 percent of the time versus 27 percent for truck drivers. But without having video of a crash, the odds in a courtroom are not so favorable toward trucks, with lawsuits against fleets often dragging on for years. Pitt Ohio started using video intelligence in 2012. The merits of using Bendix’s SafetyDirect system were validated when one of the Pittsburgh-based fleet’s trucks was involved in an accident on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. An SUV crashed into a concrete barrier on the left side and then crossed into the right lane, striking the Pitt

Ohio truck and taking out its steering axle. The truck driver crashed into the barrier on the right side. Three passengers in the SUV were injured. “They were coming after us,” says Jeff Mercadante, vice president of safety. “Three people were trying to say we hit them.” Pitt Ohio showed a video of the event to the insurance company representing the SUV owner. The case was settled quickly, and Pitt Ohio received $34,000 in damages. Video intelligence platforms capture a short clip of an incident before and after a trigger event such as speeding, swerving or sudden deceleration. In addition to the liability protection, some fleets use the video and data to feed advanced predictive models designed to show the risk profile of each driver and areas of improvement for the overall fleet, providing tools to take action and perhaps change the outcome.

Creating a profile One breakthrough of video intelligence technology is the ability to monitor a full spectrum of driving behaviors and help deliver a more efficient

There are lots of opportunities for drivers to get hurt and make mistakes. – Brad Pohlmeier, owner, Kimrad Transport and Bulk Crude Transport 40

commercial carrier journal

| january 2015

way to identify and reduce risk. Lytx’s DriveCam program is designed to show driver managers a prioritized ranked list of drivers for coaching and intervention. The company uses predictive analytics to determine the most atrisk behaviors. Lytx is working to add data from outside sources, such as Compliance Safety Accountability, to create a more complete driver profile. Its predictive model shows that hours-ofservice violations are a predictor of collisions, says Rob Bartels, senior vice president of trucking. The company now is integrating information from Rair, which provides hours-of-service and driver qualification compliance management services to fleets. Lytx acquired Rair in 2011. Lytx already has created a singular reporting platform for DriveCam safe-

BIG WAVE SmartDrive’s base system comes with video and event data recorders and an integration hub to capture data from third-party safety systems and vehicle sensors.

Steve Mitgang, SmartDrive CEO, says fleets want to know how to use data now to prevent the next accident.

ty and Rair compliance information and now is working on integrating the coaching management tools of the two platforms. Many transportation companies may think they already have more data than they can handle, says Steve Mitgang, chief executive officer of SmartDrive. What they want is to know how to use it now to prevent the

next accident, he says. “We have cameras, but we want to be the video and ECU data company that wants to use data to transform the efficiency of fleets,” Mitgang says. “If you think of it that way, you actually do things really different. You have to be good at understanding a huge volume, variety and velocity of data. We understand it in real time and give you recommendations and optimizations.” In addition to safety, insights provided by SmartDrive also include fuel, maintenance, workers compensation

and worker compliance. Bendix’s SafetyDirect wirelessly transmits real-time driver performance and event-based information – including video clips of severe occurrences – to the fleet’s back office for analysis by safety personnel. “We review every event,” Mercadante says. Pitt Ohio uses its own SafetyBox risk management system to track driver safety and performance in a number of categories. The system sends safety supervisors an alert if two minor events occur within a 12-month period. Supervisors then interview the driver about what is causing the distraction. “If we nip that and cut down the minors, we do not get a major event,” Mercadante says.

Turning data into action Using video to change behavior leaves little room for excuses from drivers. Cypress Truck Lines, which operates 500 power units in the Eastern United States, began outfitting its fleet with SmartDrive last September following a six-month testing and evaluation

commercial carrier journal

january 2015

technology: Driver risk ManageMent period. solutions for PeoThe Jacksonville, pleNet. Fla.-based flatbed SmartDrive’s carrier is putting risk management cameras in all system can use up trucks with new to four cameras to drivers to “get a obtain a 360-degood look” at who gree vehicle view. they’ve hired, says The company’s Thad Penland, vice SmartDrive Assurpresident. ance product line Within weeks of can be fine-tuned implementation, to match a fleet’s Cypress has seen specific operating its SmartDrive environments and safety scores risk priorities. PeopleNet’s cameras will display a live feed from the truck’s blind spots when the turn signal is used. improve by 57 Kimrad Transpercent, with report and its sister seatbelt infractions disappeared almost ductions in speeding and distracted company, Bulk Crude Transport, operimmediately after the trial began.” driving by 58 percent and 48 percent, ate a combined 270 tractors that power respectively. a fleet of cargo tank trailers in West Pitt Ohio was one of the first fleets to Expanding the view Texas and surrounding states. In addition to using forward- and The Amarillo, Texas-based compause Bendix’s SafetyDirect. “You coach driver-facing cameras, video intellithe driver and show him what he did nies plan to install rear-facing cameras gence platforms are able to expand wrong, and he learns from it,” Merbehind the cab and on trailers. The visibility around the vehicle to detect cadante says. cameras will integrate with SmartDrive After several months of testing, Long risk further. to capture additional incidents and Haul Trucking deployed the DC Protect PeopleNet is planning a system that unsafe practices on video to protect program, part of Lytx’s DriveCam uses small cameras installed in various the companies and drivers during the product family. locations around the vehicle. The video loading and unloading process. “Prior to the DriveCam program, will feed into a separate vehicle-mount“There are lots of opportunities for you could sense when someone was a ed DVR and be transmitted to an ondrivers to get hurt and make mistakes,” safe driver, but you couldn’t actually line portal for fleet managers to review says Brad Pohlmeier, owner. prove it like you can with a video-based along with critical event data. Video intelligence platforms not only system,” says Sue Brown, safety director The system also will connect to capture video and event data but also for the Albertville, Minn.-based comPeopleNet’s Mobile Gateway onboard use the information to help predict pany. “Now we have tangible evidence computer to stream live video to in-cab future events, allowing fleet managers and can coach, reward and promote driver displays, allowing drivers to see to resolve issues quickly that otherwise accordingly. Our compliance ratings blind spots on the tractor’s left or right may go undetected. have gone up as well, as incidents of side when using the turn signal and behind the tractor or trailer when in reverse. The company also is planning a “gofetch” service designed to allow fleets to view video of a certain event, such as a loading activity, within 72 hours after it happened. The video intelligence platform will add driver data for a comKimrad Trucking of Amarillo, Texas, plans to Cypress Truck Lines of Jacksonville, Fla., began prehensive view, says Mike Nalepka, install rear-facing cameras behind the cab and outfitting its fleet with SmartDrive following a general manager of video intelligence on trailers. testing and evaluation period. 42

commercial carrier journal

| january 2015

Your Truck Fleet Keeping You Awake at at Night? Are you getting the best return for your equipment dollars? Can new technology and equipment maximize your fleet’s productivity? Looking for better ways to control your maintenance, fuel and operating costs? Is your truck fleet advancing your commitment to customers?

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HOW TO PLAN FOR SUCCESSION

The following is an exerpt from How to Plan for Succession, a manual produced by Commercial Carrier University and sponsored by Chevron Delo. CCU is an educational program produced by Commercial Carrier Journal that includes business management manuals, seminars aimed at improving management skills and a website. For more information, visit www.commercialcarrieruniversity.com. Succession at a family-owned business usually means transferring ownership and management to a family member. Transition to a family member raises unique management, legal and financing issues. This chapter focuses on the management issues.

Will it work?

The worst thing you should do is assume that your child or other family member will take over just because he is a family member. Answer these questions honestly: Does the family member have the passion for the business? If a son or daughter has never expressed an interest in the business before you raised the issue, it’s difficult to imagine him or her as an acceptable successor. Is the family member’s motivation appropriate? If your son is only really interested in the money and perks that go with owning and managing the business, consider whether his attitude is right for the job. Can the family member make a contribution that will help the company endure through the next genera-

COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL

tion? If not, then you may be doing your son a disservice by putting him in a position where he will not succeed, and you could jeopardize his own personal wellbeing as well as those of the employees. Make sure the family member has the skills the company needs. Does the family member meet minimum requirements? The scope of your operation determines what knowledge and experience a successor absolutely needs. At 25 trucks, perhaps a couple of years in operations and a great rapport with drivers will get him through. But running a 750-truck carrier likely requires at minimum several years experience as the chief executive of a mid-sized operation or perhaps a slightly lower position at a larger carrier. Do you feel obligated to keep the business in the family? If your only motivation for transferring the business to a family member is that you feel that everyone expects you to do so, then you have a problem. You obviously haven’t identified a suitable candidate yet, and perhaps there isn’t one. In the end, you aren’t doing your family or your employees any favors by handing the business to

| JANUARY 2015

someone who can’t handle it. For now, we will assume that you have answered these questions and are still confident that a particular family member could replace you. There still are a number of issues to work through.

Dealing with rocky relations

Because you likely are the family’s leader – or one of them – it may not matter much to you that family members don’t get along. But for the next generation, it may be a serious problem. If you already have family members in key positions within the company, consider whether your chosen successor, or any family member, can gain the confidence and loyalty of the others. You may be able to work through even intense problems by coaching everyone to recognize their strengths and weaknesses and, in turn, their appropriate roles within the company. A facilitator outside the family may help. In some cases, the relationships may be so emotionally charged that a family succession is unworkable. You might have a capable successor,

COMMERCIAL CARRIER UNIVERSITY the hours. He should make a point of developing his own relationships with managers and employees in all departments. Overcoming resentment And as much as possible, family relaNo matter how skilled and capable your tionships and the company organization child might be, you can’t ignore the chart should be separate. In discussions fact that others in your company will with employees, Junior should refer to presume that his pending promotion is John or Mr. Doe, not due to family privilege, Transition at a Dad. not ability. You will Be clear with never convince anyone family-owned employees about the that you chose a family business to another future direction. Once member solely based on the decision is made performance, but the family member that a family member successor can at least raises unique is being groomed to show that he is working management, replace you, comfor the job. municate that fact to As we have already legal and key managers and discussed, it’s usually fi nancing issues. employees. desirable for your succesDon’t forget about customers. Let sor to work at another company so that your most important customers know he has experience working outside the one by one at lunch or some other face“old man’s shadow.” to-face setting. Ask them to keep it confiThen, while working for your comdential until the announcement; they will pany, the successor must show that he’s capable of working hard and putting in appreciate this gesture of trust. but family dynamics will doom the company.

Notify the rest of your customers by personal letter to arrive at the time of or immediately prior to your formal announcement. Don’t let them be surprised.

Handling compensation

In a family business, it’s not necessary for the would-be successor to sign an employment contract unless other top managers have them. On the other hand, he must have a clear understanding of his role in the company, your expectations of him, when raises and evaluations occur and the strategy of the company. Pay your family successor and any other family members on the same basis as other employees. Salary should be based on responsibility, experience, skills and hours worked. You really shouldn’t be distributing your company’s profits to family members in the form of salary. Ask other trucking company owners, your CPA or perhaps an outside board for help in establishing a uniform compensation plan.

Commercial Carrier University is an educational initiative for owners and managers of trucking companies that are held at select Truckload Carriers Association events. We’re certain you will find this program a valuable resource in managing your business more easily and more profitably. CCU’s goal is to provide you with an in-depth road map for success through clear advice on basic and advanced business practices. CCU Titles Available: • How to Evaluate Life Cycle Costs • How to Manage Cashflow • How To Plan For Succession • How to Use Financial Statements • How To Write A Business Plan Produced by:

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Fast-fill CNG compressor Trillium CNG’s 7-inch Hydraulic Intensifier Compressor is designed to reduce compressed natural gas vehicle refueling time by half. The fast-fill technology mirrors Trillium’s existing 5-inch HY-C that is engineered to achieve fueling rates of 10 gasoline gallon equivalents per minute. Trillium CNG, www.trilliumcng.com

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Toyo’s M650 drive tire is suited for regional haul service and higher-torque operating conditions and is verified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay program for low rolling resistance. The tire is designed to provide added traction and even wear and incorporates the company’s proprietary E-balance technology that offers extended casing life and durability and reduced fuel consumption. The rib/lug pattern has a deep tread depth of 28/32-inch for added performance in both wet and dry conditions, while tie bars on the shoulder bridge help reduce tread block movement. Four steel belts help brace the tread area for improved mileage while providing resistance to irregular wear and contributing to reduced rolling resistance. The drive radial fits 22½-inch wheels.

Hogebuilt’s Ultimate Low Rider half-tandem fender has a 3-inch flange produced with 14-gauge stainless steel. The fender has a 35½-inch drop and is available in premium 304 mirror-finish and mid-grade 430 mirror-shine stainless steel.

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Locking fuel caps 12Volt-Travel’s locking fuel caps are available for all makes and models and for both ¼-turn and threaded filler necks. They can be keyed alike and can feature a company’s logo, colors or other custom graphics. 12Volt-Travel, www.12vt.com

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Diesel additive FQS 3500 Premium Diesel Performance Additive is formulated to improve the quality and performance of ultra-low-sulfur diesel in modern high-pressure common-rail engines, and also to be effective in higher-sulfur diesel fuels and older-style diesel engines. A treat ratio of one gallon for every 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel can help keep fuel injectors clean, provide added fuel economy and improve overall performance, and a treat ratio of 1 gallon for every 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel can help clean fuel injectors and enhance performance. Fuel Quality Services Inc., www.fqsinc.com commercial carrier journal | january 2015

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Decorator fender bracket systems Minimizer’s fender bracket systems now are available in decorated options produced from heavy-duty composite material to help them withstand wear and tear while providing a sleek, finished look. The brackets come in chrome, carbon fiber or the company’s own Liquid Platinum finish and are available in Minimizer’s standard bracket system kits. Minimizer bracket systems and fenders are designed to work together to absorb impact and soften road vibration. Minimizer, www.minimizer.com

Engine-off coolant heaters Webasto’s Thermo Pro 90 and Thermo Pro 50 engine-off coolant heaters are designed for use in specialty commercial vehicles and off-highway equipment. Both offer automatic high altitude adjustment up to 11,000 feet and improved fan motor durability to facilitate improved performance and service life. The Thermo Pro 90 offers up to 31,000 Btu/h of heating power, while the compact Thermo Pro 50 is capable of up to 17,000 Btu/h of heating power. Both are available in standard or heavy-duty kits. Webasto Thermo & Comfort North America, www.webasto.com

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Flexaust’s FlexStat 60 Static Dissipative Hose is a bendable heavy-wall polyurethane hose for loading and unloading trucks and railcars and for grain-vacuum and other severe-service applications. The tear- and crush-resistant hose is designed to operate over a wide temperature range and has an embedded flexible, durable copper grounding wire and a smooth interior to help minimize friction and enhance material flow. It also features a rigid external ABS helix wear strip and a 0.06-inch-thick wall that is clear for content viewing; cuffs are optional. Flexaust, www.flexaust.com

Yellow tint base PPG’s AUE-370YL yellow tint base is intended to provide increased hiding at lower-dry film buildup. The easy-to-use direct-to-metal technology is formulated to provide 30 to 35 percent better hiding on yellow colors, meaning fewer coats are required. The resin is designed to be used in a variety of application devices, including airless. PPG Commercial Coatings, www.ppgcommercialcoatings.com COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | JANUARY 2015

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ad index American Drug Testing Consortium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-528-9075 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 American Truckers Legal Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-525-4285 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Amsoil Distributor-Jim Fleschner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-709-2516 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Apex Capital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .844-827-7698 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 CCJ’s Innovators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-633-5953 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Commercial Carrier University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-633-5953 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44-45 Deckmate @ Gateway Supply LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-633-5953 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Direct Equipment Supply Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-992-1478 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Driver Recruiting Calculator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .RandallReilly .com/DRC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Eaton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Roadranger .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11, 19 Espar Heater Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-387-4800 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Fitzgerald Truck Sales & Glide Kits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .866-553-0369 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Fuel Surcharge Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .409-697-2587 ext . 231 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Giraffe G4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .877-543-1087 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 GoNMF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .GoNMF .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 HDAW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .HDAW .org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Howes Lubricator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-438-4693 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Isuzu Commercial Truck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .866-441-9638 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 J .J . Keller & Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .877-564-2333 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Larson Electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-369-6671 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Love’s Travel Stops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-388-0983 ext . 6761 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Lytx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .866-419-5861 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Minimizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-248-3855 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46, 50 NTEA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-441-6832 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Odyssey Batteries By Enersys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-538-3627 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Onspot Automatic Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-766-7768 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 O’Reilly Auto Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .FirstCallOnline .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 PCS Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .281-419-9500 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Peterbilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-473-8372 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BC Prestone Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-890-2075 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 ProMiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-324-8588 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Radiator Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .877-RAD-WORK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Rhoades Car International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .888-518-4959 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Rig Dig . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-633-5953 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Shell Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-231-6950 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60, IBC Stemco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .903-758-9981 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 TA-Petro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-632-9240 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Truckfridge .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .502-863-4536 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 TSI/SSG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-223-4540 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Van Alstine Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .610-480-7670 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Verizon Networkfleet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .866-869-1353 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Water Cannon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-333-9274 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Western Star Trucks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .866-850-STAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC-1 Windshield Cam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .403-616-6610 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Wreaths Across America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .TruckloadOfRespect .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Zamzow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-451-7660 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

commercial carrier journal | january 2015

Rt. 1

Pooca Parkway

What’s this new diesel engine oil I’m hearing about? You are probably hearing or reading about a new API category in development for heavy duty diesel engine oils. This new category, currently referred to as Proposed Category 11 (or PC-11), is under By Dan Arcy Shell Lubricants development as you read this. So what is it and why are things changing? In simple terms, when engine technologies change we often see a new oil category introduced. This was true in October 2006 when the current API CJ-4 category was launched. At that time, we needed to work with new technologies like diesel particulate filters and the anticipated higher operating temperatures of some engines. In the past, changes were typically driven by reducing particulate matter and NOx emissions. However the driver for this round of changes is a little different. Truck manufacturers are adapting their technology to develop next-generation diesel engines to meet emissions, renewable fuel and fuel economy standards, as well as to meet CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions mandates due to be introduced in the next few years. PC-11 will be a significant undertaking for the industry not just in North America but also globally. The engine manufacturers have to respond to new regulation such as renewable fuels mandates, on and off-road exhaust emission and greenhouse gas emission standards. There are also changes to the hardware and operating strategies of engines which can introduce factors such as: increased power density, increased combustion and injection pressure, increased in-cylinder NOx reduction, higher oil temperatures and wear resistance coatings. As an industry we must keep pace with such developments and of course, give the market the products that it needs. This is why the American Petroleum Institute, Shell Lubricants and others in the industry are looking to provide changes in the new oils that include improvements in oxidation stability, aeration benefits, shear stability, biodiesel compatibility and scuffing/adhesive wear protection. This will mean developing new engine tests and modifying existing engine tests for deposits and oil. The development of this specification is well underway and the planned launch is early 2016. We’ll keep you updated on developments for the new specification and the next generation of ® Shell Rotella engine oil products.

This monthly column is brought to you by Shell Lubricants. Got a question? Visit ROTELLA.com, call 1- 800 - 231- 6950 or write to The ANSWER COLumN, 1001 Fannin, Ste. 500, Houston,TX 77002. The term “Shell Lubricants” refers to the various Shell Group companies engaged in the lubricants business.

COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | JANUARY 2015

PREVENTABLE or NOT?

Doe cut off at the pass – well, not quite

uring lunch at Union 76, some of the guys at the far table were arguing about who had the best country-western guitar. Trucker John Doe definitely felt he’d won, having spoken with great authority about the thunderous, wondrous sound made by his jumbo 1969 vintage Gibson Dove – fitted with heavy-gauge special-alloy bronze strings, of course. Still burping from a tasty couscous, lentil and arugula salad topped with garlic-dijon vinaigrette dressing, Doe left the truckstop with a steel-laden flatbed in tow, heading west on Route 1. He stopped at a red light, preparing to turn right onto Pooca Parkway with his right-turn signals flashing. When the traffic light turned green, he carefully scanned his mirrors before startJohn Doe was making a right ing to turn, but hidden from his turn when a sports car hidden view was Mark “Crazy Marky” from view behind him drove onto the intersection’s grassy Fraznik, whose gray 1993 Ford corner to try and head him off, Mustang was directly behind only to slam into Doe’s tractor. Doe’s trailer. Was this a preventable accident? Fraznik also wanted to turn right, but darn it, he sure didn’t want to get stuck behind the nasty ol’ 18-wheeler that blocked his path. So, fortified by several cans of Red Bull, Fraznik drove off the road, onto the grassy corner of the intersection, then attempted to head off Doe’s rig before he could complete his turn. But Fraznik didn’t make it and slammed into the side of Doe’s tractor. No way could he have seen Fraznik coming, Doe argued when he received a preventable-accident warning letter from his safety director. Asked to settle the issue, the National Safety Council’s Accident Review Committee sided with Doe, noting that there was nothing he could have done to avoid being blindsided.

YOUR FLEET NEVER FAILS TO DELIVER. NEITHER SHOULD YOUR ENGINE OIL. Whether you’re hauling across town or across the country, you need an engine oil as dependable as you. For over 40 years, Shell Rotella® heavy duty diesel engine oils have worked hard to deliver protection and performance. From the wear, deposits and emissions protection of Shell Rotella® T Triple Protection,® or the improved fuel economy of Shell Rotella® T5 Synthetic Blend Technology, to the excellent high/low temperature protection of Shell Rotella® T6 Full Synthetic, there’s a Shell Rotella® engineered to handle your needs. www.rotella.com

THE ENGINE OIL THAT WORKS AS HARD AS YOU.

Visit peterbilt.com/579 for more information.