Ccj0416 by dwatson

APRIL 2016

EMISSIONS CONTROLS What's next in the regulatory pipeline page 63

Truckload company helps drivers weather the storms BUSINESS SOLUTIONS FOR TRUCKING PROFESSIONALS

LIGHTER AND STRONGER page 68

Dry van trailers lose weight, get tough

MORE TIRE LIVES page 38

Retreads keep them rolling longer

ELECTRONIC INSPECTIONS page 52

CSA concerns spur e-DVIR growth

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APRIL 2016 | VOL 173 | NO. 4

JOURNAL

2016 CCJ INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR

TRANSPORT AMERICA

The Eagan, Minn.-based truckload carrier is recognized for creating an automated truck-speciﬁc weather alerting system that identifies trucks moving in or into a winter storm warning, as well as shipments that may be delayed or rerouted to minimize the impact on customer service, allowing Transport America to keep its drivers safe and fleet managers informed while ensuring optimal use of its assets. Cover photo by Paul Hartley/Design by David Watson

FEATURES

Models of efficiency

The proposed Phase 2 of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles are scheduled to begin in model year 2018 for trailers and 2021 for tractors and culminate in vehicle-wide – engine, truck and trailer – standards for model year 2027. How are trucking industry stakeholders preparing to meet the mandates established in the pending regulations?

LEADING NEWS, TRUCKING MARKET CONDITIONS AND INDUSTRY ANALYSIS

Trailer Focus: Dry vans

Today’s dry vans are lighter than those of the past while also being stronger. Structural integrity has been improved due to more accurate methods in determining where stress loads are the highest. Trailer weight has been reduced by using composite floors and panels for side, front and rear door materials, which also increases load capacity. Thinwall designs also provide added interior width and cube capacity.

10 News Entry-level driver training rule proposed … DOT seeks feedback on potential sleep apnea rule … Study: Hours regs limited in managing trucker fatigue … Senate forgoes trucking provisions in FAA bill … House FAA extension doesn’t address hours restart … Some CSA ‘absolute’ scores to return to public view … FMCSA updating ‘high-risk carrier’ definition … Carrier Safety Fitness Determination comment period extended … CVSA to FMCSA: High number of exemptions burdening inspectors … Marten ordered to pay driver $100K in another refusal-to-haul case

19 InBrief 21 MarketPulse

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| april 2016 3

DEPARTMENTS

ccjdigital.com

technology

facebook.com/CCJMagazine @CCJnow linkedin.com/ccjmagazine

Editorial

Editor: Jeff Crissey Senior Editor: Aaron Huff Equipment Editor: Jason Cannon Managing Editor: Dean Smallwood News Editor: James Jaillet Associate Editor: Matt Cole Contributing Editor: Todd Dills editorial@ccjdigital.com

25 26 30 30

Design & Production

Don’t fear the unknown about new oils Volvo eyes new market segments after restructure Caterpillar dropping on-highway truck production Momentum adds 150-DGE back-of-cab CNG system

30 InBrief 34 Test Drives:

NACFE report weighs trailer aero device pros, cons

38 InFocus:

The evolution of the middleman Stay Metrics enhances turnover research tools

Trucking Media

Corporate

Expert gives pointers

Telogis releases global version of truck navigation app EBE releases vehicle maintenance software Orbcomm adds cellular-only fleet management platform

52 InFocus:

The life of tires, part 2

Electronic inspections

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

6 84

Products

Belts, tires, lights, more

commercial carrier journal

| april 2016

production@ccjdigital.com

44 InBrief 46 Changing driver behaviors:

Isuzu NPR HD, NRR

43 44

Art Director: David Watson Graphic Designer: Kenneth Stubbs Quality Assurance: Timothy Smith Advertising Production Manager: Leah Boyd

Upfront

A holistic approach to connectivity

Preventable or Not?

As John Doe was squeaking by a parked van in a narrow space, the van’s driver opened the rear doors, one of which was damaged by Doe’s truck. Was this a preventable accident?

Ad Index

Vice President of Sales, Trucking Media: Brad Holthaus sales@truckingmedia.com

Chairman: Mike Reilly President/CEO: Brent Reilly Chief Operating Officer: Shane Elmore Chief Financial Officer: Russell McEwen Senior Vice President, Sales: Scott Miller Senior Vice President, Editorial and Research: Linda Longton Senior Vice President, Acquisitions & Business Development: Robert Lake Senior Vice President, Data: Prescott Shibles Vice President, Events: Stacy McCants Vice President, Digital Services: Nick Reid Vice President, Marketing: Julie Arsenault

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LEADING NEWS, TRUCKING MARKET CONDITIONS AND INDUSTRY ANALYSIS

Entry-level driver training rule proposed

he Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration last month published a proposed rule that, if made final, would implement a required core curriculum for new entrant truck drivers receiving their commercial driver’s license and require them to receive 30 hours of behind-the-wheel training before being issued a Class A CDL. The effective date of the rule – which also would require Class B applicants to put in 15 hours behind the wheel – would take place three years after its final publication in the Federal Register, which will come after the agency takes public comment for 60 days on the proposal and makes any changes to the rule based on that feedback. The proposal, with any changes if made, then would have to be approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the White House’s Office of Management and Budget before a final rule is published. The three-year countdown to its implementation would begin at that time. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking unveiled by FMCSA, in addition to the core curriculum and behind-the-wheel requirements, also seeks to establish a registry of agency-approved driver training providers. FMCSA’s rule outlines minimum qualifications related to instructors, testing, training vehicles and more that the agency will use to approve training providers for the registry. The proposal reflects consensus recommendations of a negotiated rulemaking committee comprised of The American Trucking AssociaFMCSA representatives and 25 stakeholders, including tions, which participated on the the American Trucking Associations, and responds to a “reg-neg” committee, took issue congressional mandate imposed under the 2012 MAP-21 with defining a set number of behind-the-wheel training hours. transportation funding act. The agency was accepting public comment on the rule for 60 days following its March 7 publication. To review the rule and file a comment, go to Regulations.gov and search for Docket No. FMCSA-2007–27748. The rule will apply to all drivers required to complete a skills test to obtain a CDL; those upgrading their license from Class B to Class A or adding an endorsement such as hazardous materials or tank truck hauling; and a previously disqualified CDL holder seeking to reacquire a license. The core curriculum for those seeking a Class A license is broken down into two categories: Theory and actual driving time. The theoretical component includes required training on basic vehicle instruments and controls, basic operation of a vehicle, how to perform a vehicle inspection, controlling a vehicle under various road and traffic conditions, how to shift and back a vehicle, hours of service, handling cargo, crash procedures, fatigue Scan the QR code with your smartphone or visit ccjdigital.com/news/subscribe-to-newsawareness, vehicle mainteletters to sign up for the CCJ Daily Report, nance and violations, trip a daily e-mail newsletter filled with news, planning and more. analysis, blogs and market condition articles. – James Jaillet

commercial carrier journal

| april 2016

DOT seeks feedback on potential sleep apnea rule

he U.S. Department of Transportation last month

published a notice seeking feedback from trucking industry stakeholders about the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea among truck operators and any potential costs that carriers and others may incur if DOT were to issue a rule requiring sleep apnea screening and treatment. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration called the request for feedback the “first step” in a potential sleep apnea rule for the trucking industry. Currently, the agency recommends that drivers exhibiting symptoms of respiratory dysfunction be referred to a specialist for evaluation. The agency, per a 2013 federal law, cannot issue official guidance to medical examiners, carriers or drivers about sleep apnea beyond the January 2015 recommendation. FMCSA published the request for feedback in the Federal Register on March 10, which began a 90-day window to submit input on the Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking at Regulations.gov. – James Jaillet

FMCSA currently only can recommend that drivers exhibiting symptoms of respiratory dysfunction be referred to a specialist for evaluation.

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JOURNAL NEWS

Study: Hours regs limited in managing trucker fatigue

U.S. Department of Transportation-sponsored report concludes the connection between hours-of-service regulations, truck driver fatigue and accident frequency is hard to make based on available data and that barriers exist in researching such connections. The researchers also suggest that current hours-of-service regulations are limited in their ability to effectively manage driver fatigue due to their limitations in managing drivers’ rest when they’re off duty. The National Academies Press report, “Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver Fatigue, Long-Term Health, and Highway Safety: Research Needs,” found that substantial data gaps exist on issues surrounding driver fatigue and sleep, and those gaps limit understanding the factors that affect driver health

commercial carrier journal

Untitled-5 1

| april 2016

and wellness and their crash risk. Although considerable data at various levels of private industry and government are collected on drivers who work for large carriers, much less information is available on those who work for small carriers, especially independent owneroperators, the report found. The authors recommended several improvements in data and research methods by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to support a more comprehensive understanding of the relationships between operator fatigue, highway safety and long-term health. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and/or DOT should fund, design and conduct an ongoing survey that will allow comparisons of truck drivers to enable tracking of changes in their health status and the

The report found that data gaps exist surrounding driver fatigue and sleep, and those gaps limit understanding factors that affect crash risk.

factors likely to be associated with those changes over time, the authors noted. It would be “highly desirable to link the collected data with relevant electronic health records,” the report’s authors go on to say, also casting doubt on the ability of both the current hoursof-service regulations and driver medical certification procedures to effectively deal with the issue of fatigue. – Todd Dills

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JOURNAL NEWS Trucking-specific provisions in the House FAA bill would prevent states from requiring carriers and truckers to comply with state meal and rest break laws.

Senate forgoes trucking provisions in FAA bill

he U.S. Senate’s Commerce Committee last month unveiled its version of a Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill that, unlike its counterpart in the House, does not include trucking-specific language on state regulation of truck drivers’ hours of service and pay. House lawmakers attempted to revive the measure, which was nixed from the FAST Act highway bill last fall, in its February-unveiled FAA reauthorization bill. The House FAA bill has been cleared by the House’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and is ready to be taken up by the full House. The aviation bill’s trucking-specific provisions would prevent states from requiring carriers and truckers to comply with state meal and rest break laws if they exist. They also would block states from enacting state-level driver pay reform, such as requiring additional compensation for detention and hourly pay. But the Senate opted to skip those provisions in its Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2016, which could throw cold water on the issue. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), ranking member of the Senate’s Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, blasted the House’s proposal, calling it a “mean-spirited provision” that “has no place in any bill.” The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association also announced its opposition to the provisions and has advocated against them. The American Trucking Associations, however, is a strong advocate of the provisions, calling them a necessary fix to prevent a “confusing patchwork of state laws” for truck operators and their carrier employers. ATA and the lawmakers pushing the measures say the 1994 Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act

commercial carrier journal

| april 2016

made clear that federal law should preempt any state laws that could affect “prices, routes and services” of motor carriers. A 2014 ruling by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upholding California’s enforcement of mandatory paid meal and rest breaks prompted the language’s inclusion in highway bill drafts last fall and the current House FAA bill. Proponents argue the 9th Circuit ruling could set a precedent of allowing state laws regarding breaks and pay to supersede federal law and that the language in the House FAA bill would clarify congressional intent of the 1994 FAAAA. – James Jaillet

House FAA extension doesn’t address hours restart The U.S. House Transportation Committee last month proposed legislation to extend for three months the Federal Aviation Administration’s authorization, and notably absent from the bill was any language intended to clarify text from the 2016 fiscal year appropriations bill. Legislators and trucking lobbyists initially tried to slide into the aviation bill a few lines to undo a provision in the omnibus funding law that could remove the 34-hour restart from the hours-of-service regulations. But the proposed FAA extension includes nothing on hours of service or the 34-hour restart. The December-enacted funding law intended only to preclude two currently suspended 34-hour restart provisions – the once-perweek limit to the restart’s use and the stipulation that it include two 1-5 a.m. periods – from going back into effect pending the release and findings of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s congressionally required study. But if FMCSA’s study shows that drivers operating under those two provisions are less safe than drivers not abiding by the two provisions, the 34-hour restart would go away entirely, according to the letter of the law and how the U.S. Department of Transportation has interpreted it. The FAA extension must be passed by March 31 to prevent the aviation authority from halting operations. The Senate has yet to release its version of an extension, though it may stick with the same three-month extension the House introduced March 10. The longer and more robust FAA authorization bill, for which the extension is meant to give lawmakers more time to hammer out, also may be an avenue for Congress to fix the 34-hour restart slipup. – James Jaillet

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JOURNAL NEWS

Some CSA ‘absolute’ scores to return to public view

fter pulling down the so-called “absolute” scoring measures in the Compliance Safety Accountability program’s publicly available Safety Measurement System carrier scoring dashboard in December, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is returning those absolute scores within the Behavior Analysis Safety Improvement Categories to public view. FMCSA spokesperson Duane Debruyne said the agency is well within the confines of the FAST Act highway bill to do so, citing Section 5223 (c) of the legislation. The absolute scores represent a timeand severity-weighted calculation of a carrier’s violation performance in each BASIC. The higher the number, the worse the performance. The percentile ranking carriers receive are directly

FMCSA updates ‘highrisk carrier’ definition

based on comparing the absolute measures among groups of carriers. The FAST Act did call for the removal from public view carriers’ percentile rankings in each BASIC, which FMCSA did in December. The agency still can use the percentile rankings internally to target carriers for intervention. The underlying inspection and violation data and the SMS methodology, however, remain in place despite concerns from a myriad of industry groups and interests who claim the data and the methodology are CSA’s true root flaws. Each carrier’s SMS profile now includes in its public view not only inspection and violation information and crash counts, among other data, but also each carrier’s “absolute measure” in five of the seven BASICs. BASICs that display each measure’s

Carriers with two or more BASICs at or above the 90th percentile for two consecutive months without a recent onsite investigation are now high risk.

he Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration last month updated its definition of a high-risk motor carrier and also made changes to its related investigation procedures. FMCSA said that as part of its efforts to improve its Compliance Safety Accountability program, it is updating the carrier prioritization process to allow investigators to take more immediate action against carriers with the highest crash risk. A report from an independent review team noted that the current definition for high-risk motor carriers doesn’t specify which carriers require the most urgent attention. Carriers with two or more of the Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories at or above the 90th percentile for two consecutive months that haven’t received an onsite investigation in the prior 18 months are considered high risk. FMCSA that while the new definition will include a smaller number of carriers, that group “will have a higher crash risk than the group of carriers identified under the current highrisk definition.” – Matt Cole 16

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The absolute scores represent a time- and severity-weighted calculation of a carrier’s violation performance in each BASIC.

change over time include Unsafe Driving, Hours of Service Compliance, Driver Fitness, Vehicle Maintenance and Controlled Substances. Measures in both the Crash Indicator and Hazardous Materials BASICs, as with the percentiles in those BASICs prior to the FAST ACT’s passage, remain unavailable to the public. – Todd Dills

Carrier Safety Fitness Determination comment period extended

he Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration extended the comment period for its Carrier Safety Fitness Determination Notice of Proposed Rulemaking an extra 60 days until May 23. Reply comments now can be made until June 23. The rule was published Jan. 21 and, if enacted, would replace the current three-tier rating system of Satisfactory, Conditional and Unsatisfactory for motor carriers with a single determination of Unfit, which would require the carrier to either improve its operations or be shut down. FMCSA said several organizations – including the American Moving and Storage Association, the Transportation Intermediaries Association and the Transportation and Logistics Council – petitioned for a 60-day extension of the comment period. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association petitioned for a 90-day extension. Comments can be made by going to Regulations.gov and searching for Docket No. FMCSA-2015-0001. – CCJ Staff

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JOURNAL NEWS

INBRIEF 4/16 • The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation approved T.F. Scott Darling III’s nomination to be the next administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, sending the nomination to the full Senate floor for confirmation. Darling has headed FMCSA since August 2014, following the resignation of then-Administrator Anne Ferro. He was nominated by President Obama in August and underwent Senate confirmation hearings in January. • The American Transportation Research Institute launched a data collection initiative to create a database of motor carrier crash costs by crash type and severity. ATRI said the data collection will populate research designed to enable carriers to make better informed decisions regarding onboard safety system deployment. Carriers interested in supporting the research can go to atri-online. org/2016/03/01/crash-cost-data-request. • The court overseeing the criminal trials of former Pilot Flying J employees and their alleged involvement in the widespread fuel rebate fraud case issued an order requiring prosecutors to disclose to defendants and their attorneys all of the evidence gathered against them in the April 2013 raids on Pilot Flying J offices. That evidence could include, according to court documents, “hundreds of millions of pages” of documents, along with more than 200 hours of recordings produced by FBI informants working at Pilot during the federal investigation. • A federal advisory committee says ports would increase

efficiency by implementing on-demand container systems, improving chassis supply and decreasing truck turn times. The Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness last month presented a report to U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker on ways to cut congestion at seaports and connecting inland infrastructure. • Despite improvements to more than 2,500 bridges in the United States last year over 2014, there remain more than 58,500 bridges on the structurally deficient list, according to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association. ARTBA found that about 9.5 percent of America’s 610,000 bridges are classified as structurally deficient, yet these bridges are crossed nearly 204 million times each day. • The Mexican trucking industry, roughly a 10th the size of its U.S. counterpart, reported 1,087 cargo theft incidents in 2015 – a 73 percent increase over the prior year – compared to 754 in the United States, according to FreightWatch International. According to Armstrong & Associates, Mexico had a $68 billion trucking industry in 2013, while U.S. trucking revenue topped $700 billion in 2014, according to the American Trucking Associations. • Verisk Analytics announced an alliance between its CargoNet business and the Florida Trucking Association to help members reduce cargo theft risk and lobby for stricter penalties and more public resources. CargoNet will assist FTA to collect, aggregate and analyze cargo theft data to aid law enforcement with recoveries and identify trends to help the state better understand the potential damages of intrastate cargo theft.

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JOURNAL NEWS

CVSA to FMCSA: High number of exemptions burdening inspectors

he burden being placed on roadside inspectors by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s growing number of exemptions granted to drivers and carriers is becoming excessive, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance says. In a letter penned to FMCSA last month, CVSA Executive Director Collin Mooney said there were more than 20 exemption applications or renewal requests granted in 2015, including some for vehicle equipment, hours of service and more. “Due to the amount of exemptions allowed by FMCSA in the past year, an excessive burden is being placed on inspectors to ensure all active exemptions are being followed properly,” Mooney says in the letter. “This puts an undue training burden on agencies that must be diligent in informing all inspectors of the new exemptions and ensuring they understand and apply the exemptions properly.” Mooney says that with the allowance of such a large number of exemptions, “the likelihood of achieving a level of safety

CVSA says FMCSA’s exemptions ‘complicate the enforcement process, causing confusion and inconsistency.’

equivalent to, or greater than, the level that is expected by the current regulation is in jeopardy,” and that there is a possibility that “roadside inspectors will no longer accurately enforce the regulations, or may stop enforcing regulations altogether.” Mooney says CVSA doesn’t object to the exemptions on an individual basis, but added that exemptions “complicate the enforcement process, causing confusion and inconsistency in enforcement,” thus undermining uniformity in enforcement. Mooney suggests that FMCSA removing or limiting exemptions would eliminate the confusion and inconsistency in enforcement, which “would benefit both the industry and the enforcement community.” – Matt Cole

Marten ordered to pay driver $100K in another refusal-to-haul case

arten Transport (CCJ Top 250, No. 50) has been ordered by a federal judge to pay a former driver more than $100,000 in back wages and damages after allegedly forcing the driver to resign. Brandon Hopper claims he was “confronted and baited” by the Mondovi, Wis.-based refrigerated hauler to resign in July 2013 after he refused to haul two allegedly overweight loads and three other loads because he would have been in violation of hours-of-service regulations. He was awarded $50,000 in lost pay and $50,000 in punitive damages by U.S. Department of Labor Administrative Judge Christine Kirby. The order is similar to another issued earlier this year by DOL in which Marten was ordered to pay former driver Cedric Sinkfield more than $50,000 in back wages and damages after firing him for refusing an overweight load. Marten says Hopper’s firing was based on patterns of poor work ethic and missed load assignments. The company claims he resigned on his own terms in 2013 because he had been reassigned to drive in a different region that he didn’t like. Marten also claims in its court-filed response that the loads 20

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Marten Transport said it disagrees with the ruling to award a driver $50,000 in lost pay and $50,000 in punitive damages and plans to appeal.

Hopper refused were within legal weight limits. The company says the other refused loads in question would not have caused him to violate hours regulations. Judge Kirby ruled the loads Hopper refused to carry were overweight, according to weigh-ins done at a Cat scale less than a mile from the Marten terminal where Hopper picked up the loads, so his refusal was protected by federal law. Kirby also ruled Hopper was legally protected when he refused loads due to on-duty time constraints, writing that his dispatcher at the time agreed that he’d be over his 11-hour drive-time limit if he accepted the loads. – James Jaillet

MARKETPULSE

Business conditions improving

he following information is obtained from the February 2016 CCJ MarketPulse Report, a survey of more than 200 senior executives at trucking companies who have agreed to participate monthly. The February 2016 MarketPulse Report received 80 completed responses from carrier executives. If you would like to participate in the CCJ MarketPulse survey, please email Jeff Crissey at jcrissey@randallreilly.com.

Respondents are more optimistic about business conditions over the next six months compared to last month’s survey, with nearly half of all respondents saying business conditions will be better in the next six months. 43.7 percent of respondents expect business to remain the same, while only 7.5 percent expect business conditions to decline (compared to 15.5 percent last month) over the same term. 45.5 percent of respondents from carriers with up to 100 power units said business conditions will be better, compared to 50 percent of respondents from carriers with more than 100 power units.

Business forecast for the next 6 months Much worse Worse

Overall

Same

I suspect until the election is settled that uncertainty will reign.

Up to 100 power units

Better

More than 100 power units

Much better

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Adding capacity

– CCJ MarketPulse respondent

Carrier worries remain constant There was little change in the top concerns listed by respondents in the February 2016 MarketPulse survey compared to the January survey, with driver availability still ranked as the biggest concern for 45.6 percent. Freight volume (25.3 percent) remains a strong No. 2 concern overall, with 28.1 percent of respondents from carriers with more than 100 power units listing it as a top concern compared to 18.2 percent of respondents from carriers with up to 100 power units.

40.0 percent of respondents in February said they were looking to grow their fleets, while 38.7 percent indicated they were buying equipment to replace aging equipment. 43.1 percent of respondents from carriers with more than 100 power units are more likely to grow fleet size, compared to 31.8 percent of respondents from smaller carriers, up from just 20.7 percent in January. IN THE NEXT 6 MONTHS, WE PLAN TO:

UP TO 100 MORE THAN 100 POWER UNITS POWER UNITS 31.8% 43.1%

OVERALL 40%

Increase the size of our fleet Replace aging equipment but keep fleet size the same Decrease the size of our fleet Make no change in our fleet

38.7% 2.5% 18.8%

45.5% 0.0% 22.7%

1 0 9 T MONTH EV E S

36.3% 3.4% 17.2%

Carrier top concerns

5.5

70%

50% 40%

1 = WORST 10 = BEST ER 3

30%

2 MONTH EV

in February

Freight volume

20%

Carrier sentiment rebounds

Freight pricing

10% 0%

Other

March 2015

April

May

June

July

Aug.

Driver availability

60%

80%

90%

Sept.

Regulation

Oct.

Nov.

Jan. 2016

Feb.

CCJ MarketPulse is brought to you by Shell Rotella.

The Carrier Sentiment Index for February was 5.5 – up from 5.1 recorded in January and slightly higher than the 5.4 recorded at the end of 2015. The index assesses the month on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the carrier’s worst month and 10 being the best. The index level for carriers with more than 100 power units was 5.6 (5.2 in January), while the level for those with up to 100 power units was 5.2 (4.9 in January). SOURCE: CCJ MARKETPULSE REPORT

commercial carrier journal | april 2016

Competitive financing available through Daimler Truck Financial. For the Freightliner Trucks dealer nearest you, call 1-800-FTL-HELP. FTL/MC-A-1395. Specifications are subject to change without notice. Copyright ÂŠ 2016 Daimler Trucks North America LLC. All rights reserved. Freightliner Trucks is a division of Daimler Trucks North America LLC, a Daimler company.

HELPING LIQUID TRUCKING MAXIMIZE UPTIME AND LOWER THEIR REAL COST OF OWNERSHIP Roger Schmidt started Liquid Trucking with a small fleet of Freightliner trucks in 1989. Since then, Liquid Trucking has grown tenfold, expanding service from rural Nebraska to 48 states and Canada. Specializing in just-in-time freight, the Schmidts’ business rides on uptime. And their fleet of Freightliner Cascadia trucks offers the uptime, serviceability and safety they need to deliver payloads on time. ®

That’s how Freightliner helps Liquid Trucking grow their business and lower their Real Cost of Ownership.

To learn more about the Liquid Trucking story, visit RCO.FreightlinerTrucks.com/Liquid.

ISUZU FTR

INTRODUCING THE NEW ISUZU FTR Class 6 Medium Duty Truck

Visit your local Isuzu dealer for details. WWW.ISUZUCV.COM

Vehicle shown with optional equipment, some equipment is dealer installed. The FTR model shown is a prototype and Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc. reserves the right to make changes or discontinue at any time, without notice, colors, materials, equipment, specifications and models. The Isuzu FTR is expected to go into production mid-2017. This vehicle is assembled from component parts manufactured by Isuzu Motors Limited and by independent suppliers who manufacture such components to Isuzuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exacting standards for quality, performance and safety. Truck body represented herein is a product of Morgan Corporation. Please see your authorized Isuzu truck dealer for complete details. Copyright ÂŠ 2016 Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc.

PRODUCT REVIEWS, OEM & SUPPLIER NEWS, AND EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT TRENDS BY JACK ROBERTS

NEW OIL CATEGORY: Many don’t know much about the new lubes or how they will affect their business. MANY BENEFITS: They will improve oxidation resistance, shear stability and aeration control. EDUCATION IS KEY: Suppliers are educating their retail partners on how they can help you.

Learning about lubes Don’t fear the unknown about new oils

more about engine oils that most of us will ever know, and both were excited and confident that these new formulations perform to a higher standard of excellence while providing additional benefits in engine efficiency. From a maintenance perspective, the only thing you really need to concern yourself with is understanding the difference between categories CK-4 and FA-4. CK-4 oils will replace today’s lubricants and will be backward-compatible with all current vehicles, and Arcy adds they will improve oxidation resistance, shear stability and aeration control. Improved oxidation control, Whitacre adds, ultimately could lead to longer oil change intervals. Meanwhile, if you have some new trucks on order, you might want to look into the benefits of FA-4. The good news? Shell, Chevron and other suppliers have invested a lot of time and effort into educating their retail partners on how they can help you. Arming yourself with knowledge will go a long way toward easing your mind when CK-4 and FA-4 are made available later this year.

f I learned nothing else from watching Saturday morning cartoons in my youth, it’s that “knowledge is power” and “knowing is half the battle.” But when dealing with maintenance schedules and being short on technicians, drivers or both, arming yourself with that knowledge can be challenging. A surprising number of respondents to the 2016 CCJ Reader Profile survey weren’t familiar with PC-11, which is the first new engine oil category trotted out in nearly a decade. Only 7.5 percent of respondents said they knew enough about PC-11 to determine “how we will manage it for our business.” The balance – a whopping 92.5 percent – fell somewhere between not knowing what it is to knowing about it, but not sure how PC-11 would impact their business. According to the Profile, a fleet’s level of alarm closely followed its understanding of what is coming. Just more than 19 percent of respondents said they were not concerned at all with how the upcoming API PC-11 lubricant specification might impact their business. A tick above 4 percent said they were “very” concerned. If your fleet is made up of trucks mixed from model years pre-2007 to current, you may be in that 4-plus percent. And all of this is going to hit you in December. Emissions regulations have affected practically every component on the truck in the past 10 years, and it was only a matter of time before engine oils were called to the principal’s office. For the panic-stricken 4 percent, I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Some of the smartest chemists and engineers in the world have been plugging away on this for a long time, and these formulations have tens of millions of test miles behind them. At the Technology & Maintenance Council’s annual meeting last month in Nashville, Tenn., I spent some time with Dan Arcy, global OEM technical manager for Shell Lubricants, and Shawn Whitacre, senior staff engineer of JASON CANNON is Equipment Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal. E-mail jcannon@randallreilly.com or call (205) 248-1175. engine oil technology for Chevron Lubricants. These two guys have forgotten commercial carrier journal

april 2016

Volvo debuts 2017 engines, updates I-Shift AMT

t its assembly plant in Hagerstown, Md., Volvo Trucks North America last month introduced its model-year 2017 Volvo engines, including enhancements to both the D11 and D13 and the launch of the D13 with turbo compounding. As a result of the improvements, Göran Nyberg, president of Volvo Trucks North America, called the 2017 powerplants “the most fuel-efficient we’ve ever offered in North America,” adding that the company is delivering between 2.2 to 6.5 percent better fuel efficiency with the 2017 engines compared with prior-generation Volvo power. The D13 with turbo compounding – a technology that recovers wasted exhaust heat and converts it to useable mechanical energy in the form of 50 additional horsepower that is transferred back to the engine – was designed for customers in long-haul applications. This results in up to a 6.5 percent improvement in fuel efficiency compared with previous engine models, Nyberg said. The turbo-compounding D13 also can be spec’d with Volvo’s XE powertrain packages or in super direct drive. The D13 with turbo compounding is available on an XE driveline with a 2.47 rear axle ratio. Volvo’s XE powertrain package with the D13 turbo-compounding engine is suited for customers wanting to run in top gear in locations that have 55-mph speed limits. Through downspeeding, XE allows the engine to cruise at up to 300 rpm less than the average truck. According to Nyberg, more than 27 percent of all Volvo models sold in 2015 featured an XE package. “When you lower rpms, you have 26

commercial carrier journal

a more efficient engine,” said John Moore, Volvo product marketing manager – powertrain. “It’s also less frictions because the pistons aren’t moving up and down as much.” Volvo also updated its 11-liter D11 and standard 13-liter D13. Wade Long, director of product marketing for Volvo Trucks North America, said the engines feature a common-rail fuel system designed for reduced engine and cab noise, providing drivers a more comfortable ride. The system also contributes to fuel efficiency improvements through finer control of fuel injection, allowing for quicker, more accurate injection and a more efficient way to control fuel pressure, Long said. An updated exhaust gas recirculation flow sensor has a new double-wall casing designed to reduce condensation and soot buildup in cold weather to help prevent downtime. A low-pressure fuel system features an improved aftertreatment dosing module that is integrated into the fuel filter housing for easier serviceability. Upgrades to the two-speed coolant pump for both engines also improve fuel efficiency as a result of reduced parasitic losses. The new intake throttle enables a faster warmup when the engine is started. The 2017 D11 offers up to 425 horsepower and 1,550 lb.-ft. of torque, an increase of 20 horsepower. The engine also delivers up to a 2.2 percent fuel efficiency improvement compared with the previous D11 engine, Long said. Designed for regional, less-thantruckload and pickup-and-delivery applications, the D11 is available in VN daycabs, VNM 430 and VNL 430 sleeper models and VAH and VHD models. D11 production is expected to begin in January of next year. The 2017 D13 and D11 feature a new

| april 2016

Volvo’s 2017 model-year D11 engine delivers up to a 2.2 percent fuel efficiency improvement compared with the previous D11 engine.

Volvo’s D13 engine with turbo compounding recovers wasted exhaust heat and converts it to useable mechanical energy that is transferred back to the engine.

Volvo’s model-year D16 engine, which gets no major updates, will begin production in January 2017.

wave piston designed to increase the compression ratio from 16:1 to 17:1 to help maximize fuel efficiency. Improved flame propogation reduces soot while also increasing cylinder efficiency. “We don’t have any wet spots on the side walls [of the cylinder], and that’s where we reduce soot,” Moore said.

Value Added. In Every™ Way. Leading fuel efficiency. Proven dependability. An unmatched portfolio of Heavy Duty and MidRange diesel and natural gas engines. Lower operating costs and strong residual value. Everything that has made Cummins the leading engine choice of the trucking industry has been redefined. Cummins world-class support is being bolstered by real-time analysis and notification with Connected Diagnostics.™ And the best-in-class fuel efficiency of the SmartAdvantage™ Powertrain with the ISX15 engine is being boosted with ADEPT™ technology. Everywhere you look, we’re redefining efficiency to deliver added value for you. To learn more, visit cumminsengines.com. ©2016 Cummins Inc., Box 3005, Columbus, IN 47202-3005 U.S.A.

“Soot basically is unburned fuel, so by reducing unburned fuel, we reduce soot.” The updated D13 is available in VN, VHD and VAH models and is engineered to provide a fuel efficiency improvement of up to 2.5 percent compared to the previous D13. These engine enhancements also were included in the D13 with turbo compounding. Production on the D13 is expected to begin in October. The D16, which gets no major updates, will begin production in January 2017. Volvo closed 2015 with almost 93 percent of its trucks spec’d with Volvo power, Nyberg said. New standard aftertreatment system Volvo also introduced a one-box exhaust aftertreatment system that combines the diesel particulate filter with the selective catalytic reduction system and diesel exhaust fluid doser into a single unit. The system features a new copper-zeolite coating designed to improve low-temperature nitrogen oxide conversion for improved emissions. Volvo engineer Ashraf Makki said the new design configuration results in better thermal performance for improved efficiency, smaller packaging requirements and an approximately 17-pound weight reduction from the two-box unit. There also are uptime considerations, as Makki said the entire unit can be removed by loosening six fasteners, while a swivel cover allows faster DPF service without detaching the unit. The one-box system, which also provides additional frame rail space for added packaging flexibility, will be standard on D11- and D13-equipped powertrains, while the two-box solution will remain on the D16. I-Shift with Crawler Gears Volvo also introduced its I-Shift with 28

commercial carrier journal

Crawler Gears automated manual transmission. Designed for crawler functionality and startability, I-Shift with Crawler Gears is suited for applications requiring a slow speed and maneuverabilty such as concrete mixers with curb-pouring capability, asphalt paving, spreaders, dump trucks, heavy haulers and line painters. The I-Shift with Crawler Gears also facilitates startability for heavy haul and up to 220,000 lbs. GCW or more with application approval. I-Shift with Crawler Gears will be available in two versions: • 14 forward gears, including one low crawler gear (19.38 ratio) and one ultra-low crawler gear (32.04 ratio) that can operate down to 0.6 mph with a 3.58 rear axle ratio. “That gives us extremely slow speeds and increased maneuverability,” Long said. • 13 forward gears, including one low crawler gear (17.54 ratio). Available as an overdrive in VHD, VNX, VNM and VNL models, the I-Shift with Crawler Gears can be spec’d with D11, D13 and D16 engines. “We’re going to bring fuel efficiency to the heavy haul market,” Long said. All I-Shift models, which Nyberg said were spec’d in a company-record 83 percent of Volvo-powered vehicles in 2015, received revised hardware for increased durability, including an upgraded countershaft for faster shifting and improved performance. I-See system The Volvo I-See system, which works in tandem with the I-Shift transmission, also was launched in North America. Nyberg said the I-See feature learns the road’s topography, memorizes it and stores it in the transmission for use the next time the driver travels the same routes. The system can store up to 4,500 different hills. The built-in electronics constantly monitor factors such as road grade,

| april 2016

Volvo’s one-box exhaust aftertreatment system combines the DPF with the SCR system and DEF doser into a single unit.

Designed for crawler functionality and startability, Volvo’s I-Shift with Crawler Gears AMT is suited for applications requiring a slow speed and maneuverabilty.

speed, weight and engine load to help maintain the most efficient gear possible. When the truck is operational, it automatically uses its knowledge to save fuel during the driving cycle, optimizing gear shifting on hilly terrain by building speed before the hill, curbing speed before the crest, Eco-Rolling down the hill and braking the engine if necessary. “The integration between the transmission and the engine is critical to getting the best performance and efficiency possible,” Moore said. “Drivers are now going to get more power for less fuel spent.” The inclusion of the I-Shift with Crawler Gears in the XE Adaptive Gearing package expands XE’s capabilities from 80,000 lbs. up to 110,000 lbs. GCW as the low-gear ratios maintain startability and enhance slowspeed performance on softer ground, Volvo said. – Jason Cannon

855.693.5338 TM

PC 115720

INBRIEF • Navistar President and CEO Troy Clarke told investors that the company expects to announce a new product on average every six months over the next few years, “completely refreshing the product line by the end of 2018.” • Volvo Trucks North America is offering a parking cooler as a factory-installed option for its VNM 630, VNL 630, VNL 670, VNL 730 and VNL 780 sleeper models. The cooler is operated by an automatic thermostat and allows drivers to keep the cab and sleeper at 74 degrees Fahrenheit for up to 10 hours without idling the engine. Power comes from the truck’s starting batteries paired with four AGM deep-cycle batteries. • Peterbilt Motors Co. broke ground on a 102,000-square-foot expansion to its heavy-duty truck manufacturing facility in Denton, Texas. The new building will be located just north of the existing plant and will provide additional capacity for production and testing. The expansion is expected to be operational in January 2017 and is Peterbilt’s largest facility investment since the Denton plant’s construction. • Stemco partnered with TrackPoint Systems to provide fleets with realtime information using its BatRF sensor technology. TrackPoint’s TrIPS solar-powered monitoring technology now will allow fleet managers to track tire pressures and mileage for untethered trailers and ensure they are not dispatched without sufficient air pressure. The integration also is intended to improve billing and reconciliation for rental and lease fleets by eliminating inaccuracies that can arise from estimating mileage. • Phillips 66 Lubricants is transitioning away from a tri-branded strategy and will consolidate its Lubricants portfolio into two brands, Phillips 66 and Kendall Motor Oil, beginning July 1 to help drive strategic growth. • Shell Lubricants launched the Nationwide Network Shell Lubricants program as part of an agreement with Bridgestone Americas. The Continued on page 32

commercial carrier journal

Caterpillar dropping on-highway truck production

ust eight months removed from ending its partnership with Navistar and pledging to build its own line of on-highway trucks, Caterpillar announced in late February the company would discontinue production of its vocational trucks based on the current business climate in the Last May, Cat rolled out two new refreshed truck industry and a thorough evaluation trucks – the CT680L and the CT680LG – but of its business. now has decided to withdraw from the market. “Remaining a viable competitor in this market would require significant additional investment to develop and launch a complete portfolio of trucks,” said Ramin Younessi, vice president with responsibility for Cat’s Industrial Power Systems Division. “Upon an updated review, we determined there was not a sufficient market opportunity to justify the investment.” Cat first launched its vocational trucks in the North American market in 2011, working with Navistar on design and assembly. Younessi said Cat had not yet begun production at the plant in Victoria, Texas, where it was scheduled to build the trucks after its split with Navistar. “This decision allows us to exit this business before the transition occurs,” he said. While Cat will cease taking new orders for vocational trucks, it will continue to support trucks currently on the road. The company’s shuttering of its truck operations is its latest effort in an ongoing restructuring. It is reeling from a slowing demand for mining equipment and soft commodity prices. The company already has closed plants and reduced its workforce by about 11 percent since 2013. Bowing out of the on-highway truck segment will impact about 70 positions, Cat said. – Jason Cannon

Momentum adds 150-DGE back-of-cab system

omentum Fuel Technologies, a division of Rush Enterprises, has launched a 150-diesel-gallon-equivalent back-of-cab system for its line of compressed natural gas fuel systems for Class 6-8 trucks. The system features a pressure relief device system with eight fastMomentum Fuel flow PRDs to facilitate rapid Technologies’ 150CNG evacuation in case of DGE system mounts between factory emergency. cab extenders with The system also features neck-mounted a high-capacity filter and a cylinders for added durability. pressure regulator designed to reduce leak points and weight, allowing the system to operate from 3,600 pounds per square inch when full to a minimum of 230 psi, an improvement from the previous 450-psi minimum. Because of its lower operating pressure, the 150-DGE system has a range equivalent to a 160-DGE fuel system, making it suitable for over-the-road haulers. Also, all high-pressure fuel lines now are painted yellow for easier identification by technicians. – Jason Cannon

| april 2016

YOUR FLEET DOESN’T MAINTAIN ITSELF. That’s why Penske offers full-service truck leasing and maintenance to help keep your business moving forward. Visit gopenske.com or call 844-868-0817 to learn more.

INBRIEF program makes Shell Lubricants products such as Pennzoil and Quaker State motor oils and Shell Rotella engine oils available to those in the Bridgestone Affiliated Retailer Nationwide Network. • Ryder debuted three categories for its preowned vehicles for customers to more easily find products that both

meet their needs and fit their budget: Ryder Certified for high-quality preowned vehicles owned solely by Ryder; Ryder Verified for other thoroughly inspected vehicles; and Ryder Reclassified for “as-is” damaged and scrap vehicles for those seeking fixer-uppers or parts. • Mitchell 1 updated the interface between its RepairConnect diagnostics trouble code troubleshooting tool and Noregon’s JPRO Professional commer-

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commercial carrier journal

• The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. revamped its commercial tire website, GoodyearTruckTires.com, which now features a new “My Solutions Finder” tool optimized for all devices. • Roll-off trailer company Benlee acquired the assets of North Carolina-based Huge Haul, a manufacturer of load luggers and roll-off hoists. Lugger hoist manufacturing will be moved to Romulus, Mich., and built along with other Benlee trailers and trucks. • Mac Trailer made Hendrickson’s HXL5 suspension system standard on all of its Refuse Division waste-haul trailers. • Hino Trucks opened its California Parts Distribution Center and Training Center in Ontario, Calif. The facility is Hino’s second U.S. parts location and also serves as an extension of the company’s National Training Center in Novi, Mich. • A Kenworth T680 76-inch midroof sleeper with a Paccar MX-13 455-horsepower engine was recognized as the 500,000th truck produced at the company’s factory in Chillicothe, Ohio. The milestone T680 was presented to Melton Truck Lines (CCJ Top 250, No. 91), a Tulsa, Okla.-based flatbed carrier with more than 1,100 Kenworth trucks. • Jost International celebrated the manufacture and shipment of its 500,000th fifth wheel, which was produced at the company’s facility in Greeneville, Tenn., where it added a 12,000-square-foot expansion in 2015. • Howes Lubricator is continuing its partnership with Sage Truck Driving Schools to offer the “Howes Truckers of Tomorrow Scholarship Program.” All 25 Sage schools will offer a $1,000 scholarship throughout the year. For an application, go to SageSchools.com/ truck-driver-training-scholarship.

WANT MORE EQUIPMENT NEWS?

Lytx.com/ActiveVision

cial fleet diagnostics software. The update is designed to provide technicians streamlined access to TruckSeries, the latest version of Mitchell 1’s repair information for Class 4-8 trucks.

| april 2016

Scan the barcode to sign up for the CCJ Equipment Weekly e-mail newsletter or go to www.goo.gl/Ph9JK.

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TEST DRIVE: ISUZU NPR XD

FILLING THE ‘PHANTOM GAP’ Isuzu NPR XD offers 16,000-lb. GVWR BY JASON CANNON

f you’re still using one of Isuzu’s early-model NPRs – and given their reputation for longevity, that’s not uncommon – the Japanese medium-duty workhorse has a few surprises for you in its current-generation work truck. The 2016 NPR XD follows the first-generation model introduced last year. Mike Kennedy, Isuzu’s national sales training manager, said the product’s 16,000-pound GVWR fills a “phantom gap” between the 14,500-pound GVWR NPR HD and the nearly 18,000-pound GVWR Isuzu NQR. The truck features a body/payload allowance of about 9,500 pounds. Our test unit was upfit with a 16-foot Morgan body and a Thermo King reefer unit, but the model can accommodate bodies up to 20 feet in length. The 150-inch wheelbase truck featured a turning radius of 46.5 degrees, which came in handy navigating crowded streets dissecting some of California’s surfside towns. The truck is also available in 109-, 132- and 170-inch wheelbase lengths in standard cab configurations, and 150- and 176-inch for crew cab. Our Class 4 test unit was equipped with a 5.2-liter diesel engine and an Aisin 6-speed fully automatic double-overdrive transmission. The 215-hp powerplant provided more than enough power to push the truck at highway speeds and up some aggressive grades. The 452 footpounds of torque were impressive. Kennedy said the Aisin transmission used in Isuzu’s commercial lineup is 34

commercial carrier journal

| april 2016

Isuzu’s 2016 NPR XD has a 16,000-pound GVWR and fills a ‘phantom gap’ between the 14,500-pound GVWR NPR HD and the nearly 18,000-pound GVWR Isuzu NQR.

actually capable of handling far more torque than the truck can provide, extending the life of the vehicle’s driveline. Steering gets a major boost from early-generation Isuzus; it’s easy, comfortable and tight. Ambient cabin noise across the entire lineup has been reduced immensely; doors and windows are sealed tight, and there’s hardly more engine and road noise inside the three-person cab than you would find in a passenger vehicle. The NPR XD’s visibility is supreme; oversized windows and a massive windshield are key highlights, allowing drivers to see practically every obstacle that may pose a safety hazard in front of the truck before it’s too late. The exhaust brake was highly responsive, but I found the front disk and rear drum brakes more than capable of handling the job, so I turned it off. Isuzus are known for their practical no-nonsense approach to vocational use, but current generations have been given a few comfortable upgrades. Cab doors open a full 90 degrees, making egress in and out simple, and there are ample grab

handles for drivers and passengers who may need a boost. A Multi-Information Driver Display screen is mounted in the instrument cluster. Our test unit featured heated and remote mirrors that could be adjusted from the driver’s seat via two electronic controls mounted in the A-pillar. The steering wheel features tilt and telescopic capability, a standard on all Isuzu models, and ample storage space is provided behind the seats for small personal items. The trucks can be outfitted with an optional fire extinguisher and triangle kit, both of which would be mounted behind the seats. A three-person crew could travel comfortably in a standard cab unit, but if you don’t have a middle passenger, that seat flips down to reveal a workstation. With a market share hovering just south of 90 percent in its segment, it’s easy to see why Isuzu is more popular than ever with vocational fleets. The work truck stalwart remains in tune with the demands of the modern customer and how to provide them with an efficient tool for work.

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TEST DRIVE: ISUZU NRR

A HEAVENLY HEAVIER HAULER Isuzu’s Class 5 NRR marries brawn, clean design BY JASON CANNON

suzu’s trucks are known for their practicality, but there’s plenty of brawn behind the minimalistic design. Consider the NRR – the Class 5 heavyweight in Isuzu’s commercial lineup. With a GVWR of 19,500 pounds, the NRR is the beefiest of the company’s cabovers, and with capability to accommodate a 24-foot body and a payload allowance of nearly 13,000 pounds, it’s also one of the largest. The NRR comes standard with a 5.2-liter diesel engine that I found highly responsive on a recent 200-mile-plus test drive up and around the California coast.

Even with that engine pumping out 215 horsepower and 452 foot-pounds of torque directly beneath my seat, cab noise was minimal. The only time it was obvious that Isuzu’s largest diesel powerplant was under the hood was when the truck was at idle. At highway speeds, you’ll find more noise in many sedans and SUVs. Isuzu matched the I4HK1-TC turbocharged diesel with an Aisin 6-speed transmission with double overdrive that also features lockup on second through sixth gears. A limited slip differential is optional. Riding on 19.5-inch tires, the NRR features a turning radius of 46.5 degrees,

With a GVWR of 19,500 pounds, the Class 5 NRR is the beefiest of Isuzu’s cabovers.

which made the 176-inch wheelbase unit feel smaller as we navigated crowded surface streets. The NRR is available in six wheelbases up to 212 inches in case you need to pack in a load. Steering was comfortable and tighter than what you would expect from a “box truck.” The NRR comes with full tilt and telescopic steering and a Multi-Information Driver Display screen mounted in the instrument cluster. If you’re looking for heavier hauling capabilities but still need an urban traffic fighter, Isuzu’s NRR will do the job.

NACFE report weighs trailer aero device pros, cons

he latest Confidence Report released last month by the North American Council for Freight Efficiency and Carbon War Room explores the benefits and challenges of a variety of trailer aerodynamic devices. According to the report, the per-vehicle fuel economy benefit of trailer aerodynamic devices can be high, ranging from 1 percent to more than 10 percent depending on the devices chosen. Most fleets are choosing a combination of technologies to deal with reducing the aerodynamic drag in one or more key areas of the trailer: the gap, the underbody and the rear. Trailer aerodynamic devices are designed to improve fuel efficiency by reducing drag so that it takes less fuel to move down the road, especially at higher speeds. While many aerodynamic devices for trailers have been around for years, the upcoming Phase 2 greenhouse gas emissions standards will encourage trailer manufacturers and fleets to invest in the devices for their trailers. “Fleets have moved from asking why they need aerodynamic devices on their trailers to determining when and how they will add them,” said Mike Roeth, NACFE executive director. NACFE’s latest Confidence Report details devices for improving the aerodynamics of the gap, underbody and the The per-vehicle fuel economy benefit of trailer aerodynamic devices can range from 1 percent to more than 10 percent.

commercial carrier journal

| april 2016

rear, as well as more novel options such as vortex generators, wheel covers and mudflaps. The report describes each device’s challenges such as durability, deployment, trailer-to-tractor ratios limiting miles, a split incentive due to buyers of the aerodynamic devices not always buying the fuel, the ability to measure the fuel savings and others. The study team found that trailer aerodynamic technologies and strategies are constantly and rapidly evolving. The options detailed in the report all are available on the market today, and most are mature with a track record of functionality, though they may be more or less economical depending on the specifics of a fleet’s operations. “Every trailer will benefit from improvements in aerodynamics, but there are no one-size-fits-all solutions,” said Rick Mihelic, NACFE program manager. “This report reduces the confusion and explains the combinations that make sense for fleets.” – CCJ Staff

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in focus: THE LIFE OF TIRES, part 2

Keep on rolling Retreads provide tires with more lives – if given the opportunity BY JASON CANNON

he most effective way to squeeze more mileage from your tires is to use them more than once. Retreading is a popular option for fleets looking to get more life from their rubber, but far more goes into a tire’s retreadability than simply slapping on a fresh set of treads. Proper maintenance and care are keys in getting the most tread life from tires in general, but that responsibility multiplies for fleets looking to use their tire casings more than once. “The way in which a driver actually drives the vehicles can have a significant effect on the casings – this cannot be understated,” says Paul Crehan, director of product marketing for Michelin Truck Tires. These driving habits include curb impacts, braking, emergency stops, speed, route choice, road maneuvers and obstacle avoidance, he says. Just as improper tire maintenance can prematurely erode tread, it also can destroy retread capabilities. “The main reason a tire casing is rejected during the retread process is due to the tire being underinflated or overloaded at some point during its lifecycle,” says Terry Smouter, business development manager for Continental CVT. Ben Rosenblum, director of Bandag marketing for Bridgestone Commercial, says maintaining proper air pressures in tires can easily lead to three or more retreads on a high-quality casing depending on the application. “Our studies have shown that high-quality casings retread just as 38

commercial carrier journal

well on the second and third retread as they do on the first,” Rosenblum says. “Casings today are built to last many years and multiple retread cycles. If you maintain the appropriate pressure – and hopefully avoid too many curbs – you’ll get the most out of your casings.” Backing them up Many fleets adhere to an informal policy that calls for tires to be moved further back on the combo the more times they have been retreaded. However, Crehan says this isn’t a hard-andfast rule. “All steer casings can be used for drive and trailer retreads,” he says. “A casing is fully capable of moving to either position depending on the casing’s age and condition.” Gary Schroeder, director of commercial vehicle and OEM sales for Cooper’s Roadmaster brand, says tires first have to perform their intended work function, wear long enough to be practical and have the durability necessary to be retreadable multiple times. Crehan suggests fleets establishing a retread policy should determine load composition, guaranteed delivery times, winter travel and other sensitivities. “A steer is not normally retreaded,” he says. “An exception would be an all-position tread that could be used on steer axles for specialized low-speed start-and-stop applications like waste haulers and other local delivery.” Dr. Prosser Carnegie, head of product development for Continental CVT, says casings that are rated higher – with

| april 2016

Maintaining proper air pressures in tires can easily lead to three or more retreads on a high-quality casing.

fewer repairs and lower heat history – tend to be placed on the drive axle since the torque on those tires leads to higher heat generation. “As the tire experiences longer heat history or has more repairs needed, then generally it is moved into a less severe axle like the trailer,” Carnegie says. “But this is not only dependent on the number of times that the tire is retreaded. A tire after its first life could have experienced service conditions and other external conditions that could lead to it being placed on the trailer axle.” Likewise, a casing could still be without repairs and in a condition that would allow it to be used on the drive axle, he says. A best practice for many fleets, Rosenblum says, is to buy new steer tires, place the first retread on the drive and the second on the trailer. “Moving back on the truck and trailer is a very common practice,” he says. Part 1 last month focused on tire expense control.

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technology The evolution of the middleman Reliable pricing, e-commerce lead the way

hen Robert Nathan was 14, he was creating paper manifests and loading freight onto trucks at a warehouse owned by his father. After graduating from college, he started his career at a large freight brokerage firm. The job involved a lot of phone calls and faxes and seemed nearly as manual as sorting freight at the warehouse. “I was amazed at the inefficiencies and lack of innovation, not just within the organization but in the industry,” says Nathan, who saw an opportunity and co-founded Load Delivered in 2008. In 2015, the Chicago-based third-party logistics firm’s revenues were about $82.5 million. This year, the company moved to a new office building in Chicago’s technology epicenter to begin its next growth stage. Nathan, its 34-year-old chief executive, plans to ELECTRONIC LOGS: Capacity grow revenues from $100 crunch may result when ELD million in 2016 (projectenforcement begins in 2017. ed) to $1 billion with a CARRIER INTERFACES: staff of fewer than 500. Load Delivered is investing “The only way to do to source capacity and track that is with technology,” freight. he says. The 3PLs with $1 E-COMPETITION: billion in revenues today E-commerce is another area have about 1,500 employwhere the middleman is gaining ground. ees, while Load Delivered currently has 91, he says. The company has an Innovation Department with a team of 15 employees focused on developing new applications and integrating systems. The department is working on solutions for what Nathan believes will be a “very large” capacity crunch in 2017 when enforcement kicks in for the electronic logging device rule. On the upside, ELDs in more trucks will mean more connectivity to third parties such as Load Delivered. In advance of the capacity crunch, the company is investing to improve its carrier interfaces to source capacity and track freight.

MAKING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS WORK FOR YOUR FLEET BY AARON HUFF

Load Delivered’s Innovation Department focuses on creating new technologies that add value for its customers.

First things first Some companies have developed software designed to provide instant bookable rates to shippers with less-than-truckload and truckload freight moves. The user experience of these websites and apps appears to be nearly as easy as booking a ride with Uber or purchasing a flight and reserving a hotel with Travelocity. While Nathan respects the technology of these startups, he believes an Uber-like experience for moving freight may be feasible only in large markets with a lot of freight density and capacity, such as Southern California or New York City. “In our industry, it is so complex to create one piece of technology that will do everything,” he says. “There are so many different processes within each individual function.” Freight brokers and 3PLs that can provide customers and prospects with instant reliable pricing will be leading the next evolution of growth for the next few years, he says. Competing with Amazon E-commerce is another area where transportation and logistics are becoming extremely competitive and where middlemen are gaining ground. The market leader, Amazon, is taking bold steps and making it difficult for others to keep up. Over the past year, Load Delivered has worked to become more than a freight brokerage provider by adding supply chain engineering, omnichannel delivery and a higher level of managed transportation services to its portfolio. Load Delivered fulfills online orders of LTL-sized freight, such as outdoor furniture, for omnichannel retailers that spend between $3 million and $10 million in transportation annually; these companies often are looking to outsource logistics. AARON HUFF is Senior Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal. E-mail ahuff@ccjmagazine.com or call 385-225-9472. commercial carrier journal | april 2016

technology

INBRIEF • Lytx, a provider of video telematics, was acquired by Chicago-based private equity firm GTCR for $500 million. Lytx provides subscription-based fleet safety services for more than 1,400 clients worldwide. Its flagship DriveCam program combines intelligent video capture of driving events, coaching insights, fleet tracking, fuel management and more to help improve driver behaviors. The Lytx executive leadership team will continue in their roles. • Vigillo, provider of a Compliance Safety Accountability platform and advanced big data and data mining software products, was selected by PeopleNet, a provider of fleet mobility technology, to provide CSA data for its new safety analytics dashboard. The tool is designed to allow PeopleNet’s fleet clients to look at onboard and external data points to focus on their riskiest drivers and proactively concentrate on eliminating unsafe operating practices. • Comdata, a provider of payment solutions for fleets, now provides capabilities for Cat Scale transactions within the Weigh My Truck mobile app, allowing drivers to stop, weigh and pay at any of the more than 1,650 Cat Scale locations nationwide without leaving the cab. Comdata validates that both the scales product and the individual weigh station location are open and approved for each transaction. • HighJump, a provider of supply chain management software, announced an integration with ALK Technologies’ PC Miler 29 truck routing, mileage and mapping software. HighJump said its suite of transportation solutions, including Prophesy DispatchSeries Software, Prophesy Transport and HighJump TMS, all have been enhanced to work seamlessly with PC Miler 29. • FourKites, a provider of real-time location services from more than 35 ELD/ GPS providers and driver cell phones including traditional flip phones, announced that Des Moines, Iowa-based Ruan Transportation Management Systems (CCJ Top 250, No. 33) is using its load-tracking offering throughout its business divisions. Ruan is integrating FourKites with its in-house transportation management software system powered by Oracle.

commercial carrier journal | april 2016

The primary cause of early driver turnover is unmet and sometimes unrealistic job expectations, according to ongoing Stay Metrics research.

Stay Metrics enhances turnover research tools

tay Metrics announced new enhancements that focus on preventing early driver turnover. Industry studies show that nearly one-third of drivers quit within the first 90 days, and half within the first six months. The primary cause is unmet and sometimes unrealistic job expectations, according to ongoing Stay Metrics research of data from its motor carrier clients. “As awareness of the root cause of early driver turnover has grown, motor carriers are changing their recruiting and onboarding practices to set more realistic expectations with drivers for earnings, home time and other aspects of the job,” said Tim Hindes, Stay Metrics chief executive officer. With the new enhancements to Stay Metrics’ suite of orientation and onboarding surveys, Hindes said motor carriers proactively can address situations where drivers are at risk of quitting due to mismatched expectations. Stay Metrics provides the surveys separately or as part of a full service that includes an online driver rewards, engagement and analytics platform. Stay Metrics conducts a seven-day orientation survey and a 45-day onboarding survey for its clients to gather feedback directly from new drivers concerning their job expectations, experiences and satisfaction levels at critical periods in the employment lifecycle. A new enhancement to the seven-day survey compares driver pay expectations to reality. The carrier receives an immediate e-mail alert if the driver’s response is not within the pay range communicated in the recruiting and orientation process, allowing them to connect with the driver more quickly to discuss possible expectation disconnects. Another survey addition allows carriers to select questions tailored to commodity sectors such as dry van, flatbed or tanker, allowing clients to track their success against their competitors. To facilitate early intervention by fleets, the surveys also now include a final question that asks drivers if they would like to be contacted by their company to address any questions or concerns. An immediate alert is sent to the client if drivers answer “yes,” which so far has been 15 percent of respondents. “Combined with the other insights provided through the surveys, the alerting tool is an effective way for carriers to reach out to drivers to prevent early turnover,” Hindes said. “Most often, the problems are small ones, but listening to the driver and quickly responding might be all it takes for the driver to say ‘I’ve picked a carrier that really cares about me.’ ” – Aaron Huff

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technology

Changing driver behaviors: Expert gives pointers

asting behavior change among fleet drivers is attainable, but there are key ingredients that can accelerate and reinforce that change, according to Dr. B.J. Fogg, director of the Persuasive Tech Lab at Stanford University. Fogg, an expert in creating systems to change human behavior, addressed last month’s Lytx User Group Conference to explain how to coach for success when seeking improvement in safe driving behavior. Lytx UGC attendees use the Lytx DriveCam program, a video-based driver safety system designed to identify root causes and data analysis of risky behavior and provide personalized coaching insights. “Changing behavior depends on many variables, from the behavior you’re seeking to change, the person’s skill level and available resources to facilitate change, among other things,” said Fogg. “Lasting behavior change won’t occur unless the person has the ability to feel successful.” Fogg recommended the following techniques for coaching drivers: Set clear expectations: “It’s important to be extremely clear about exactly what you want the person to do, and that must be

The Lytx DriveCam program is a video-based driver safety system designed to identify root causes and data analysis of risky behavior.

expressed in a way that inspires the desire to change,” he said. If a driver is habitually distracted, “they’ll need to understand the expectation that they need to be more engaged while driving, explained within the context that slowing down means they are more likely to come home to their family safely.” Recognize successes: Following coaching, it’s critical to recognize the driver’s successes to reinforce a belief that he or she can continue to be successful. “When someone feels successful, this is where the magic begins,” said Fogg. “Very simply, change leads to change, and people will shift their identity in a positive way. A driver who is improving his or her behavior and feels successful in the changes – even if they’re small and incremental – is more likely to accumulate more and more good driving behavior.” – Aaron Huff

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technology

INBRIEF • Orbcomm, a provider of machine-to-machine and Internet of Things technologies, was selected by Bay and Bay Transportation (CCJ Top 250, No. 171) to provide telematics for its mixed fleet of dry van, refrigerated trailers and dry tank assets. The Rosemount, Minn.-based fleet will monitor its assets with Orbcomm’s GT 1100 device and its RT 6000+ cold chain telematics solution. The applications will be integrated with Bay and Bay’s transportation management platform, TruckMate from TMW Systems, to capture asset data. • Pegasus TransTech, a mobile and business process automation provider, announced that McCoy Group subsidiaries Foodliner and Quest Liner have implemented the Transflo Mobile+ enterprise mobile platform. Foodliner is one of North America’s largest bulk food-grade carriers, and Quest Liner transports specialized liquids and chemicals. Both companies represent a fleet of more than 1,100 tractors and 2,100 trailers. • QuikQ, provider of a cardless direct fuel connection between truckstop point-ofsale and motor carrier enterprise systems, announced that Manchester, Tenn.-based Reliable Carriers Inc. is using its Fuel Purchase System to streamline the fueling process for its 115 company-owned trucks. Reliable is a 48-state irregular-route contract carrier that hauls dry freight in high-cube trailers. • Trimble added ISE Fleet Services’ Android in-vehicle eFleetSuite compliance application to its FieldMaster Logs field service management suite to facilitate paperless compliance with hours-of-service regulations and equipment inspections. ISE’s eFleetSuite is designed to automate creation of records of duty status and prompts for equipment inspections at appropriate times for fleet and equipment managers to monitor compliance and manage resources.

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technology

THIS YEAR’S ACTIVITIES:

Telogis releases global version of truck navigation app

• Best of show winners from the past Pride & Polish events compete for the grand prize • Show trucks from across the country on display

elogis released a Global Edition option for its mobile navigation application. Telogis Navigation GE has global maps and provides directions and information to drivers to help them make more informed, safe and efficient decisions. Current users of Telogis Navigation make up a network of nearly 150,000 professional commercial drivers who use the feedback function within the application to update information on road conditions, tips and exceptions. Telogis Navigation is integrated with Telogis’ mobile enterprise management platform that includes Telogis WorkPlan for hours-of-service compliance and Telogis Sites for a 360-degree suite of applications for customizable navigation and last-mile instructions. Companies can control companywide navigation settings within the Telogis Fleet telematics application for toll road preference, U-turn avoidance and alerting. Drivers and back-office teams also are able to add road edits and detours to Telogis Navigation based on company preferences and driver feedback. Telogis Navigation is designed for a wide range of industries from local service providers to over-the-road Class 8 trucking companies and offers onboard map data for navigation when a vehicle is out of cellular or satellite range. – Aaron Huff

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EBE releases vehicle maintenance software

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BE Technologies, a provider of enterprise automated decision support applications for the transportation and logistics industry, launched its Ships Vehicle Maintenance Solution, an integrated suite designed for carriers to manage all aspects of their internal or outsourced maintenance operations to make sure trucks, trailers and other equipment are being serviced in the most cost-effective, EBE also offers ‘manage by exception’ workflow methodology, mobile workforce and efficient and timely manner. integration capabilities. Through the application, personnel can manage parts warranty information, asset deprecation, DVIR citations and personnel certifications to ensure that staff are making the right decisions and avoiding unnecessary equipment downtime. VMS can be configured for carriers that use their own repair shops or outsource their repairs. VMS incorporates EBE’s other workflow applications for purchase order processing, price sourcing, roadside inspection monitoring and dispatch. As a Web-based application, information can be shared among team members in real time. “This application links data points between the drivers, dispatch, mobile communications and accounting systems,” said Larry Kerr, EBE president. – Aaron Huff

commercial carrier journal | april 2016

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technology

Orbcomm adds cellular-only fleet management platform The SkyWave device connects to the viaFleet Web application for tracking, monitoring and managing trucks, railcars and other mobile assets.

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rbcomm, a provider of machine-to-machine and Internet of Things systems, added a cellular-only fleet management system to

its portfolio. The SkyWave IDP-782 device connects to the viaFleet Web application for tracking, monitoring and managing trucks, railcars and other mobile assets. The SkyWave system is designed to help with managing fuel costs, routes, driver behavior and cargo and driver security. The SkyWave device provides the same functionality as Orbcomm’s dual-mode (cellular and satellite) version at a more economical cost, the company said. The viaFleet application displays the location of assets on a map in real time, tracks asset movements with breadcrumb reports and reports speeding events, dwell times, geofence access and asset health. Orbcomm also introduced the following new products and services: • The OGi modem. With a footprint smaller than a credit card, the small IDP modem targets mission-critical applications that require low latency. • The Orbcomm Connect subscriber management portal for customers to control wireless services and connected devices. Customers can access three satellite and seven Tier One cellular networks in one platform. • Orbcomm Mobile, a mobile app that integrates with Orbcomm’s M2M and IoT applications, which include a cold chain monitoring solution and the Orbcomm Connect portal. • Orbcomm Enterprise Connect, an end-to-end 4G xLTE wireless failover solution for distributed enterprise, financial, hospitality and retail locations that need reliable high-bandwidth WAN connectivity for M2M and IoT applications. – Aaron Huff

commercial carrier journal | april 2016 2/4/16 8:23 AM

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technology

in focus: ELECTRONIC INSPECTIONS

CSA concerns spur e-DVIR growth BY AARON HUFF

omplying with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s 396.11 regulation for driver vehicle inspection reports appears simple enough. Just follow these four

steps: • Have drivers conduct pre- and post-trip inspections. • Have drivers note any safety-related defects. • Have drivers submit a report to management. • Management sees to it that vehicles are repaired before they return to service. In the real world, these steps sometimes are followed loosely. Drivers might pencil-whip or altogether skip the first three steps, or management may not act on DVIRs in a timely manner. Looking at the share of maintenance violations in the FMCSA’s Compliance Safety Accountability program, the DVIR process appears to have room for improvement. Over the past 24 months, 51 percent of CSA violations have been maintenance-related, with lights, brakes and tires the most common defects. According to CCJ publisher Randall-Reilly Business Media’s RigDig Business Intelligence unit, California has the highest concentration of maintenance violations, which account for 70 percent of the state’s total. Taking action Electronic DVIRs are available in most fleet telematics systems, and fleets often use them as a companion to electronic logging applications. Until last year, Nebraska Transportation Co. had been using paper DVIRs. After installing a telematics system from Zonar, its drivers now take a portable display unit outside the cab to use the company’s Electronic Vehicle Inspection Report application. The app verifies that drivers actually did walk around the vehicle, as it requires the scanning of RFID tags placed in different zones to complete an inspection. Information captured by the EVIR system also makes it “very easy to see exactly what is wrong,” says Josh Lacy, director of operations for the Gering, Neb.-based fleet. Mechanics are notified immediately by email when drivers note defects, and they have instant visibility to the location, driver and time of the report. “Drivers also like it because they know mechanics are seeing the information and not relying on someone else to pass it on down the road,” Lacy says. Telematics providers continue to extend DVIR functionality outside the cab using mobile devices and apps to improve the 52

commercial carrier journal | april 2016

Drivers use Zonar’s Android-powered tablet to conduct pre- and post-trip inspections.

vehicle inspection process. Fleets can use MiX Telematics’ MiX Go forms-based application to create their own custom inspection process.Inspection forms in MiX Go can be set up to prompt drivers to capture pictures of defects and capture a signature to verify the report’s accuracy. Maintenance integration Besides capturing DVIRs either electronically or by using mobile devices, the trend is to use the reports as part of an integrated repair process. Dossier Systems, a provider of fleet maintenance management software, integrates with Zonar’s EVIR application to create repair orders for critical defects. Dossier plans to announce more integrations with additional telematics providers this year. Fleets use Decisiv’s cloud-based platform to schedule and manage service events. The software integrates with fleet maintenance software and telematics systems to notify of equipment defects and to manage the repair process, whether that takes place at a fleet’s internal shop, dealer or other third-party service provider. When a DVIR contains a defect, TMW Systems can send a notification to the shop to schedule a repair order and notify dispatchers. For safety-related defects, its software systems – which include both fleet maintenance and dispatch systems – can prevent a truck from being dispatched until the repair work is completed. EBE Technologies’ new Ships Vehicle Maintenance Solution has a number of integration points for electronic DVIRs. Besides using VMS to schedule repairs, fleets can hold drivers accountable for the quality of their inspections by correlating DVIRs to CSA violations from roadside inspections. Through integration with dispatch software, VMS also can send automatic reminders to drivers through the telematics system if they are dispatched without completing a DVIR. EBE also can include DVIR compliance as an element in the driver scorecards it compiles for its clients as part of a separate application. With the added pressure of CSA on vehicle maintenance, interest is growing in technologies that can not only increase DVIR compliance but also make the process more effective and efficient.

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2 0 1 6 I N N OVA T O R O F T H E Y E A R

Truckload carrier helps drivers weather the storms BY A A R O N HU FF

odie Weikert remembers the air was “a bit cold” when leaving St. Paul, Minn., going eastbound on Interstate 94. But at least the sky was clear and sunny. Weikert planned to reach Chicago the same day to deliver a hazmat shipment for a Transport America customer. As she passed Madison, Wis., the sky was overcast, and 20 miles from Janesville, Wis., she received a weather alert through the in-cab computing system. The message warned of slippery icy roads from Janesville to Chicago on I-90, the road she was traveling. Weikert immediately started planning; she decided to stop at the Transport America Support Center in Janesville or, if weather permitted, continue to a truck stop in Beloit, Wis. A few minutes later, her route intersected the storm front – it was like “hitting 54

commercial carrier journal

a wall,” she recalls. The overcast sky turned to a blinding snowstorm. A car in front skidded out of control. She no longer felt safe, and she went to the Support Center to shut down. Weikert reported the situation to a fleet leader at Transport America and updated her arrival time for Chicago, assuming she would resume in the morning. Her fleet leader already was aware of the situation. Fleet leaders receive email alerts when drivers are moving – or will be moving – into severe weather events. Customer

| april 2016

service managers are alerted when loads are scheduled to pick up or deliver in an area affected by weather. This foresight makes it possible to contact shippers to reschedule, relay or reroute loads to avoid sending drivers into harm’s way. Transport America has earned the distinction as the 2016 CCJ Innovator of the Year for developing a unique weather alert system that supports its culture and core values, starting with safety. It also has helped improve customer service and utilization in the face of disruptive events.

PAUL HARTLEY

GROUN D T O A HALT

The genesis of Transport America’s routespecific weather alerts was February 2014 during the coldest and most severe winter in recent history for the Midwest, Eastern and Southeastern United States. In January 2014, a large body of arctic air moved south, bringing wave after wave of storms and subzero temperatures. The temporary relocation of the Polar Vortex covered most of Transport America’s freight network in the eastern two-thirds of the United States.

Spearheading Transport America’s development of a weather alert system for its drivers were, from left, Tim Edmonson, senior developer and analyst; Katie Talcott, vice president and general manager of the company’s solo over-the-road division; Keith Klein, president; Bonnie Audie, team leader of the solo over-the-road division; and Tom Benusa, chief information officer.

Storms caused major delays, and in some instances, drivers were stuck on roads or shut down in parking lots for days at a time. Serious accidents also were occurring; Transport America had 19 U.S. Department of Transportationreportable accidents that winter on snow-covered roads. Transport America gives drivers the

final say on whether or not conditions are safe. They are the captains of their ship, they are told, and fleet leaders are trained to be servant leaders that support the safety and success of drivers, says Keith Klein, president. To reinforce the safety culture, Klein gives drivers his cell phone number at orientation training meetings. “If you ever

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C OV E R S T O RY: 2 0 1 6 I N N OVA T O R O F T H E Y E A R

S COPIN G O U T A P R O J E C T

In February 2014, Benusa and Audie discussed a possible solution to the problem. As it stood, drivers could use their smartphones to get location-based weather warnings, and fleet leaders could monitor weather maps online and locate drivers in relation to storm events from within the company’s Transcom transportation management software system. What drivers and fleet leaders lacked was easy and timely visibility to weath-

Tom Benusa, Transport America’s chief information officer, and Bonnie Audie, team leader of the company’s solo over-the-road division, knew that weather delays were responsible for poor choices by drivers and decided to tackle the problem head-on.

er events in relation to current and projected routes. Transport America also was missing opportunities to identify drivers in storm-affected areas because of manual processes. Every morning at 7:30, an operations team met to discuss needs for the company’s solo, team, regional and dedicated driver divisions and the customer service department. A person was in charge of providing weather updates. Following the meeting, that person would email a weather report to fleet leaders. Fleet leaders were supposed to identify drivers in areas affected by weather and stay in contact with them to ensure their safety. A generic weather message was sent to the fleet, but was not pertinent to every driver. During the meeting with Audie, Benusa discussed a list of requirements for a project to create an automated route-specific weather alerting system. The first requirement was to know when the company’s trucks were moving in certain types of weather events, “because we didn’t know

“If (drivers) ever feel like (they) are asked to do something unsafe, I want to know about that, because that’s unacceptable.” – Keith Klein, president, Transport America 56

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| april 2016

PAUL HARTLEY

feel like you are asked to do something unsafe, I want to know about that, because that’s unacceptable,” he tells drivers. No driver has ever called him to report being asked to drive in unsafe conditions, he says. “We are not going to say, ‘Hey, are you sure you can’t keep going a little more?’ ” says Gary Falldin, vice president of safety. “We are not sitting in that truck and seeing what the driver sees.” During the winter of 2013-14, it was apparent that some drivers were not using their best judgment to shut down and stay safe. Bonnie Audie remembers loss-ofcontrol accidents such as rollovers and rear-end collisions that were a direct result of drivers moving in bad weather. As the team leader of Transport America’s solo over-the-road division, Audie is responsible for a group of fleet leaders that manage about 400 drivers. The multiple delays caused by weather were partly to blame for poor decision-making by drivers, she says. “Drivers were feeling stressed to move because they needed to make money,” remembers Tom Benusa, chief information officer.

that easily,” he says. “If a driver made a choice to start moving, at least we would be aware of it. That was our goal – to become aware of it and take action upon it.” The second requirement was to know if and when the current load and the next load assignment would enter a weather event. Lastly, the company wanted to be able to alert customer service managers of loads that are scheduled but not yet dispatched into areas with weather events. TO B U I LD OR B U Y ?

Benusa contacted several technology suppliers in April 2014 to discuss the project’s scope. The company already had route data for each truck that includes start and stop points, hours of service, locations, speeds, direction of travel and more. What it lacked was a live weather database that it could interrogate to identify when and where its routes would intersect with storm events. After discussing the requirements with vendors, Benusa concluded that no digital mapping platform that was currently available would meet Transport America’s needs. Tim Edmonson, the company’s senior developer and analyst, already had started looking into the possibility of using data feeds directly from the National Weather Service and other sources. Taking on the project internally “was

C OV E R S T O RY: 2 0 1 6 I N N OVA T O R O F T H E Y E A R

going to be a huge task,” he says. Through the summer of 2014, Benusa and Edmonson were reluctant to allocate time to the project, as Transport America’s nine-member IT department already was stretched thin. In September, ALK Technologies – one of the vendors Benusa originally had contacted – called him with an offer to demo its new ALK Maps Weather Alert module. “What for?” Benusa remembers replying. “We’d already seen it, and it didn’t meet our needs.” He was not aware ALK had been developing a product that fit Transport America’s requirements. “We were skeptical,” says Benusa, but they “had delivered exactly what we had asked for.” From October through December, most of Edmonson’s time was spent developing an interface with ALK Maps for Transport America to interrogate truck positions and routes against live weather data from the National Weather Service and other sources. He also started building the email alerts and data visualization tools for each type of user – drivers, fleet leaders and customer service managers. During this time, Edmonson worked closely with Rishi Mehra, director of Web products at ALK, to help bring the product from concept to reality, Benusa says. Edmonson also had to find a way to reduce the amount of data processing. The software the company used to create

“We can keep (drivers) busy, out of harm’s way, and make them money, and still create a value to our customers that aren’t impacted – that is what we are trying to accomplish.” – Greg Handwerk, vice president and general manager, Transport America’s One-Way Truckload group truck routes was plotting route segments of 1/10 of a mile or less. The coordinates of each segment were used to interrogate the weather “polygons” in ALK’s database to determine when and where the routes would intersect with weather events. For perspective, each truck route for Transport America contains thousands of segments from origin to destination. The inputs change dynamically based on hours of service, speed and other factors. Multiply each segment by 1,400 trucks and hundreds of live and constantly changing weather events, and you get the picture. “It is a computer-intensive process to do all those calculations to see which segments are affected,” Edmonson says. To make the project manageable, Edmonson created a formula that interrogates weather data based on route segments of 10 miles and runs the process on a fixed schedule. For alerts that go to fleet leaders, a process runs many times throughout the day. Shortly thereafter, fleet leaders get an automated email alert that identifies the

Transport America now can plan ahead to have drivers going into a storm area shut down at a Support Center.

commercial carrier journal

| april 2016

trucks that are moving and those that are planned on routes that will intersect with weather events. For trucks moving in weather events, the alert process repeats every 30 minutes, and future route checking occurs several times a day. The email alert contains a link to view a live map with planned routes, the current locations of trucks and color-coded weather polygons and event information. The alerts sent to customer service managers identify the current and planned loads that intersect weather events. This process runs three times daily – at 7 a.m., noon and 3 p.m. A recent enhancement is truck-specific weather messages that have replaced the generic fleetwide weather messages. These alerts are generated at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., as well as at time of dispatch. Each of these alerts show the approximate time the driver or load will intersect a weather event, the current distance from the intersection and the expected distance the driver will travel in the alert zone. WEATHER A LERTS I N A CTI ON

The alerting system went live in early 2015 before a major storm covered Buffalo, N.Y., and surrounding areas. “That was a huge, huge storm,” says Katie Talcott, vice president and general manager of Transport America’s solo over-the-road division. “We had at least 20 drivers that were already into that area or heading into that area. We were able to take the 20 drivers and get them off the freeways and place them in a hotel or get them to a safe haven.”

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C OV E R S T O RY: 2 0 1 6 I N N OVA T O R O F T H E Y E A R

Before the weather alerts, “we would not have had that opportunity to be as proactive and to keep them safe,” she says. While Transport America lost 24 hours of utilization, “we didn’t have the expense of tows or accidents, and we knew where drivers were and that they were safe.” The company also was able to establish cutoff points. Drivers couldn’t go east beyond its Support Center in Mechanicsburg, Pa. Customers with freight going into the area were told their deliveries would be made after the storm cleared. “A lot of customers were shutting down anyway, but we could see every single driver who wasn’t going to go past that point, and we could give customers an ETA,” Talcott said. “Customers are very responsive to that.” As customer service managers began using the alerts, some shippers surprised to find out their loads would be delayed because of weather. Transport America’s system added credibility since managers were able to provide route-specific weather information, says Greg Handwerk, vice president and general manager of the company’s One-Way Truckload group. Customer service managers are able to present shippers with options. During a storm in early 2015, a shipper of household appliances paid extra to route a shipment an extra 300 miles around a storm, Handwerk says. Transport America also can plan ahead to have drivers going into a storm area set down their loads at a Support Center, and then dispatch the drivers on loads going in another direction. “We can keep (drivers) busy, out of harm’s way, and make them money, and still create a value to our customers that aren’t impacted – that is what we are trying to accomplish,” Handwerk says. While many factors contribute to safety, weather alerts have made a measurable difference, Falldin says. In the winter of 2015-16, Transport America had only three DOT-reportable accidents on snowcovered roads. 60

commercial carrier journal

A proprietary formula interrogates weather data based on Transport America’s route segments of 10 miles and runs the process on a fixed schedule. Weather alerts are sent to team leaders and drivers in the cab.

F UT UR E I M PR OVEM EN TS

On the wall in Benusa’s office is a list of enhancements coming to the weather alerting platform. The company is working on sending alerts to warn drivers of high wind warnings and dangerous summer weather events such as severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings. One of the most anticipated enhancements is to implement new functionality

| april 2016

ABOUT THE AWARD

from ALK that will overlay road conditions on routes and warn drivers of ice or snow, independent of winter storm events. In the near future, fleet leaders and field safety personnel at Support Centers will be able to view real-time feeds from traffic cameras along planned routes. Leaders at Transport America also have discussed using driver experience, tenure and home location as data points in creating a different kind of alert. Perhaps a driver who lives in Atlanta that has only one year of driving experience would need a more forceful winter weather alert when traveling in the Northeast, Benusa says. The company also plans to take advantage of tools that would automatically reroute trucks around road closures. By placing a polygon over the spot on a map, the system would be able to identify any drivers that are headed in that direction and reroute them. “The trucking company that’s changing trucking” is more than a slogan at Transport America. The change is happening by the way it treats drivers, and its use of technology that helps to make sure its drivers and the motoring public stay safe. “You are treated with respect,” Weikert says. “You are treated like a person. You are treated like you know what you are doing. You have a big support system. A lot of companies out there don’t do that.”

Commercial Carrier Journal’s editors recognize innovators throughout the year and select one for special recognition as Innovator of the Year. Innovators considered for the current award were those recognized in the magazine in 2015. Innovation in any aspect of the operation is eligible for recognition. To qualify, the carrier must operate at least 10 power units in Classes 3-8 and maintain a satisfactory safety rating, if rated. Selection of innovators for recognition is at the sole discretion of CCJ’s editors. This year’s award was announced and presented at the CCJ Innovators Summit, a networking event for current and previously recognized innovators held Feb. 3-5 at the Hawks Cay Resort in the Florida Keys. Representatives of innovative trucking operations updated one another on their initiatives. The CCJ Innovators program is sponsored by Freightliner Trucks, PeopleNet and Shell Lubricants. For more information on the program and links to previously recognized innovators or to ﬁll out the online nomination form, go to www.ccjinnovators.com or contact Jeff Crissey, CCJ editor, at 800-633-5953.

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What’s next for heavy-duty emissions controls? BY JASON CANNON

ver the last 15 years, the diesel engine has undergone an impressive evolution. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, transportation sources emitted 29 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States in 2007 and have been the fastest-growing source of GHG emissions in the country since 1990. Heavy-duty vehicles are the fastest-growing contributors to GHG emissions, EPA adds, with Class 7 and 8 combination tractors and their engines accounting for roughly two-thirds of total GHG emissions and fuel consumption from the heavy-duty sector. EPA rang in the new millennium with an event horizon for diesel engine emissions and mandated that, effective with the 2007 model year, exhaust emissions spewing from on-highway truck engines be reduced by more than 90 percent. Also beginning with the 2007 model year, all on-road diesel heavy-duty engines were required to be outfitted with a diesel particulate filter, and another 50 percent of engines required nitrogen oxide exhaust control technology. By the 2010 model year, all on-road heavy-duty diesel engines were required to have NOx exhaust control technology. The beginning of an era Commonly referred to as EPA 2010, these new government emissions standards focused on reducing pollutants, NOx and particulate matter coming from heavy truck engines to 0.2 gram per brake horsepower hour for NOx and .01 for PM. Dr. Steve Golden, chief technology officer for Clean Diesel Technologies Inc., says EPA 2010 – regardless of what engine

makers did to the engine itself to get within compliance – forced the use of selective catalytic reduction. “Once you got to 2010, everyone had to have every single catalyst component you could possibly think of,” Golden says. “Now you see these incredibly complex systems in terms of emissions control do a very high NOx conversion and a very high emissions conversion in the same system.” “[2010] kind of marked the era of SCR,” says Mario SanchezLara, Cummins’ director of on-highway marketing communications. “Really, 2010 was the time when all the aftertreatment that we needed was finally added to the engine system.” Sanchez-Lara says EPA 2010 also helped Cummins focus its attention more intently on SCR solutions, which had begun to emerge as the most cost-effective and fuel-efficient emissions control technology. “SCR brought with it some fuel economy gains, as we were able to not have to work on the NOx control within the engine and we were able to dial back the EGR (exhaust gas recirculation),” he says. “That really helped us.” At the time, EPA estimated that the proposed 2010 standards would add about $1,200 to $1,900 per new vehicle, but Golden says it was likely significantly more – not including additional maintenance. “Just looking at all the components, I’d say it’s about $10,000 if you take all the controls, not just the catalyst components,” he says. commercial carrier journal

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Cummins says that through its ongoing partnership with Eaton on the SmartAdvantage powertrain platform, the collaboration between the engine and transmission and the proper gearing has helped to maintain the engine’s operating efficiency and further efficiency gains that customers are seeing in mpg improvement.

It ain’t easy being green When 2010 finally arrived and engine OEMs had cleared most of the early Phase I emissions hurdles, EPA teamed up with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to introduce the 2014 Green House Gas carbon dioxide restrictions. Unlike its NOx and PM counterparts, compliance for CO2 became a benefit drivers could feel somewhere other than their lungs – their fuel cards. “[GHG regulation] is not only good for the environment, but it also brings gains in efficiency in the form of savings in fuel,” Sanchez-Lara says. Because CO2 formation is directly related to fuel consumption, the current GHG regulations essentially mandate fuel economy improvements, says Kary Schaefer, general manager of marketing and strategy for Daimler Trucks North America. With viable, successful and emissions-compliant engines already on the market, GHG14 allowed engine makers to further improve emerging efficiencies. “We put a lot of work into optimizing the combustion recipe to take advantage of the aftertreatment,” Sanchez-Lara says. GHG14 ratchets up next year with GHG17, with the end result requiring a 9 to 23 percent reduction in emissions and fuel consumption from affected tractors over 2010 baselines. Schaefer says DTNA used its GHG17 project as an opportunity to showcase full vehicle and powertrain developments that meet the stringent regulations and provide real-world benefits to its customers. “We focused on powertrain, aerodynamics, controls, energy management and more,” she says. “Detroit made innovations to reduce both parasitic load and friction, contributing to improved performance and efficiency. In addition, Detroit made improvements in fuel management and exhaust aftertreatment technol64

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| april 2016

ogy that also contribute to improved fuel economy.” Sanchez-Lara says Cummins used GHG mandates to further refine the technologies that originally helped the company meet EPA 2010 compliance. “We focused on reducing all the parasitic losses that we knew of and also modifying the performance curve of the engine to enable downspeeding,” he says. “We worked on making the engine breathe easier, to lose less power on some of the systems inherent to the engine, and developing an engine that produced peak torque as low as 1,000 rpm.” As EPA’s Phase I neared its end and engineers were still on task squeezing the final drops of efficiency from the truck’s powerplant, OEMs began to hone in on the benefits of marrying the engine to other optimized systems on the truck. “What has helped us is also the collaboration that is happening now with the powertrain,” Sanchez-Lara says, making note of Cummins’ partnership with Eaton on the SmartAdvantage platform. “The collaboration between the engine and transmission, the proper gearing, is helping us to maintain the engine operating, most of the time, very efficiently,” he says. “That is helping to further the efficiency gains that the customers are seeing in miles-per-gallon improvement.” Schaefer says being able to leverage the expertise of Daimler’s global powertrain engineering organization has allowed Detroit to focus its efforts on integrating the individual powertrain components into an efficient package for its customers. “In addition to engines and transmissions, Detroit has continued to expand its product offerings to include axles, safety systems and telematics,” she says. What’s next? EPA and NHTSA, in collaboration with the California Air Resources Board, plan to extend the Heavy-Duty National Program beyond model year 2018 to further reduce fuel consumption and reduce CO2 emissions before 2028 by up to 4 percent compared to Phase 1. “As people get more and more fixated about CO2 or fuel economy standards, it’s also going to raise a question,” Golden says. “This beautiful overengineered emissions system – how’s it going to have to evolve to be consistent with the engine calibration changing, or [to get] better fuel economy, because all kinds of things have to change about engine design to get better fuel economy. How does that impact the next-generation aftertreatment system?” Phase II doesn’t mandate a specific new engine technology, and engine OEMs are free to take a variety of paths and methods to meet the efficiency gain goal. Jackie Yeager, Cummins’ global energy policy director, says the company already is mulling how it will rise to meet Phase II at

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benchmarks in 2021, 2024 and 2027. “We’ve talked about building on the architecture you see today with our engines, with EGR, DPF and SCR,” she says. “That all stays, of course, because you have to meet NOx.” Yeager says making the same kind of base engine improvements – such as optimizing combustion, improving air handling, reducing friction, reducing parasitic loads and improving aftertreatment efficiency – will be a big part of the strategy, as will looking at the benefits and feasibility of waste heat recovery to ensure the fuel’s energy potential isn’t wasted. “That’s something new that we don’t have on the engines today, and that’s something the EPA looked at [when setting its Phase II goals],” she says. Fuel-efficiency requirements included in Phase II will chal-

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lenge engine builders seeking to preserve low NOx emissions, Golden says. “There are significant tradeoffs in getting lower NOx,” he says, noting higher combustion temperature helps drive fuel efficiency while also creating more NOx. “How can you do that and have better fuel economy? You can’t get the best of both worlds. You have to make compromises.” Golden says potentially higher temperatures likely will lead to demands on catalyst suppliers to increase efficiencies without necessarily making the systems larger. “I don’t have more space,” he says. “I have a box, and I have all these things in the box. I need to get much more efficiency from those components now if I’m going to map out a pathway to better CO2 emissions.” There is also the wildcard that the needs of the market could outpace the demands of the government. “We are enjoying very low fuel prices right now, but we don’t know how things may change in three or four years,” Sanchez-Lara says. “That could bring pressure to deliver efficiency gains faster just because our customers would like to be able to remain as profitable as they are today while perhaps operating with a higher cost of fuel. I think the 4 percent we have to deliver – we know how to do it. We’re very comfortable.” While he says Cummins has a proven record of meeting the requirements over the last 15 years, “I wouldn’t be surprised if we end up doing more than that because of the nature of the industry and what’s going on with fuels and just competitive pressure.” There’s also the consideration that once OEMs hit the 2027 benchmark, EPA is likely to continue its push for improvement. “I don’t know what’s out there beyond Phase II for sure, but we know [CARB] is talking about a lower NOx standard that they need to be able to meet the federal ambient air quality standards for ozone,” Yeager says. “They’re talking about possibly new NOx standards for heavy-duty engines,” with numbers as low as 0.02 gram per brake horsepower hour compared to today’s 0.2. “So, another 90 percent reduction.” The potential of another 90 percent reduction of NOx would pose one of the biggest challenges yet for engineers. “If I have a more efficient engine, it’s hotter, and I have more NOx, and that increases the cost of my aftertreatment system for NOx,” Golden says. “If I get lower CO2 with a higher combustion temperature, I’m going to have more NOx.” “Wanting to maintain the efficiency gains on the engine that we’ve made over the past years, it would be a challenge to go a lot lower on NOx,” Yeager says. “But we need to do some research, and we need to do some work on what those tradeoffs are and what would be the costs associated with a new NOx standard and what the technologies are.”

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Dry Vans

ost of today’s dry vans are lighter than those of the past while also being stronger. By replacing heavier components with equally strong lighter-weight materials and adding extra strength in areas that needed beefing up, designers have been able to build significantly better trailers to carry specific loads without fatiguing certain design elements. Structural integrity has been improved due to more accurate methods in determining where stress loads are the highest, thanks primarily to better design tools that can analyze the properties of the various materials used in the construction process. Manufacturers also have reduced trailer weight by using

composite floors, which also increases load capacity. Composite panels used as side, front and rear door materials allow maximum interior width and length, and a smooth snag-free interior. Thinwall designs also provide added interior width and cube capacity, which means more freight per trailer and better margins for fleets. Many fleets also spec anti-snag roof bows because they help prevent damage to cargo as it’s being loaded. And as durability and maintenance have become major issues for fleets, trailer manufacturers have moved away from, or engineered alternatives to, traditional plywood liners. Look for specs of selected flatbeds in July and refrigerated models in October.

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LOOK FOR SPECS OF SELECTED FLATBEDS IN JULY AND REFRIGERATED MODELS IN OCTOBER.

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LENGTH: 53

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in. ft. SIDES: Flat composite plate with PPW galvanized steel skins; 0.38-in. aluminum rivets; logistics uprights on 48-in. centers ROOF: 0.04-in. aluminum sheet with bows on 24-in. centers REAR DOORS: 0.5-in. composite swing; dual-seal gaskets; white galvanized steel cover sheet FLOOR: 1.38-in. laminated hardwood CROSSMEMBER: Front – steel hat type for tire protection between support gear and coupler; bay and side areas – 4-in.-deep steel I-beams on 12-in. centers SUSPENSION: Hendrickson HKANT-40K sliding air ride with 49-in. axle spacing ANTI-LOCK BRAKES: Meritor Wabco 2S/1M Easy Stop BRAKES: 16.5-by-7-in. drums with S-cam brakes SCUFF BAND: Two rows – first row, 6-in. extruded aluminum integrated with bottom rail; second row, 7-in. galvanized 18-gauge steel INTERIOR OPTIONS: Overlaid track; various scuff bands; aluminum cargo floors; interior and ceiling linings HEIGHT: 13.6

Today’s dry vans are stronger than those of the past while often being lighter, thanks to improved structural integrity and lighter-weight materials.

TRAILER FOCUS DRY VANS CHAMPION SE LENGTH: 53 ft. WIDTH: 102.36 in. HEIGHT: 13.6 ft. SIDES: 1.1-in. steel hat section uprights on 24-in. centers; logistics posts optional; 0.05-in. prepainted white flat aluminum side sheets ROOF: 0.04-in. aluminum sheet with bows on 24-in. centers REAR DOORS: 0.5-in. composite swing; dual-seal gaskets; white gal-

vanized steel cover sheet FLOOR: 1.38-in. laminated hardwood CROSSMEMBER: Front â&#x20AC;&#x201C; steel hat type for tire protection between support gear and coupler; bay and side areas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4-in.-deep steel I-beams on 12-in. centers SUSPENSION: Hendrickson HKANT-40K sliding air ride with 49-in. axle spacing ANTI-LOCK BRAKES: Meritor Wabco 2S/1M Easy Stop BRAKES: 16.5-by-7-in. drums with S-cam brakes SCUFF BAND: 10.25-in. galvanized 18-gauge steel, full length INTERIOR OPTIONS: Overlaid track; various scuff bands; aluminum cargo floors; interior and ceiling linings

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SIDES: 0.05-in.-thick pre-

SIDES: 0.05-in.-thick prepainted white aluminum ROOF: One-piece 0.04-in.-thick full-width aluminum sheet, tensionleveled prior to installation REAR FRAME: Hot-dipped 0.375-in.-thick galvanized steel construction with low-profile header, tube-shaped posts; forged steel angle iron in top corners for added rack resistance; lights recessed in rear sill with heavy-duty protection bars CROSSMEMBER: 4-in.-deep hot-rolled steel I-beam; 80,000-psi yield strength, located on 12-in. centers; hat-shaped crossmembers ahead of landing gear; rear 4 ft. of trailer has crossmembers located on 8-in. centers SUSPENSION: Hendrickson Vantraax HKANT 40K Air Ride ANTI-LOCK BRAKES: Two-sensor/one-modulator valve 2S/1M system, PLC4Trucks-compatible system BRAKES: Nonasbestos lining, 16.5-by-7-in. quick-change type; S camoperated automatic slack adjuster INTERIOR LINING: White 0.235-in.-thick HDPE lining installed full height between uprights with no fasteners; side lining hooks into place for easy replacement; exterior-grade 0.50-in. plywood installed on bottom, 0.25-in. on top over front wall

painted white aluminum ROOF: One-piece 0.04-in.-thick full-width aluminum sheet, tension-leveled prior to installation REAR FRAME: Hot-dipped 0.375-in.-thick galvanized steel construction with low-profile header, tube-shaped posts; forged steel angle iron in top corners for added rack resistance; lights recessed in rear sill with heavy-duty protection bars CROSSMEMBER: 4-in.-deep hot-rolled steel I-beam; 80,000-psi yield strength, located on 12-in. centers; hat-shaped crossmembers ahead of landing gear; rear 4 ft. of trailer has crossmembers located on 8-in. centers SUSPENSION: Hendrickson Vantraax HKANT 40K Air Ride ANTI-LOCK BRAKES: Two-sensor/one-modulator valve 2S/1M system, PLC4Trucks-compatible system BRAKES: Nonasbestos lining, 16.5-by-7-in. quick-change type; S camoperated automatic slack adjuster INTERIOR LINING: Exterior-grade 0.25-in. plywood installed horizontally over side posts; exterior-grade 0.5-in. plywood installed on bottom, 0.25-in. on top over front wall

HT COMPOSITE/XT LENGTH: 53 ft. WIDTH: 102.36 in. HEIGHT: 13 ft. 6 in. SIDES: 0.25-in.-thick composite panel with prepainted white high-tensile galvanized steel inner and outer sheets ROOF: One-piece 0.04-in.-thick full-width aluminum sheet, tensionleveled prior to installation REAR FRAME: Hot-dipped 0.375-in.-thick galvanized steel construction with low-profile header, tube-shaped posts; forged steel angle

iron in top corners for added rack resistance; lights recessed in rear sill with heavy-duty protection bars CROSSMEMBER: 4-in.-deep hot-rolled steel I-beam; 80,000-psi yield strength, located on 12-in. centers SUSPENSION: Hendrickson air ride ANTI-LOCK BRAKES: Two-sensor/one-modulator valve 2S/1M system, PLC4Trucks-compatible system BRAKES: Nonasbestos lining, 16.5-by-7-in. quick-change type; S camoperated automatic slack adjuster INTERIOR LINING: Exterior-grade 50-in. plywood installed on bottom, 0.25-in. plywood installed on top over front wall, none on sidewalls

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TRAILER FOCUS DRY VANS STOUGHTON | www.stoughtontrailers.com Z+ COMPOSITE

TOUGH PLATE

LENGTH: 53 ft.

WIDTH: 102 in.

INSIDE WIDTH: 101 in.

SIDES: Prepainted white aluminum panels, splice plates riveted with

SIDES: Prepainted white composite panels above extended base rail, splice plates riveted with 0.25-in.-diameter aluminum rivets on 1.5-in. centers; 6 in. on center vertical A-slots ROOF: 0.04-in. one-piece aluminum sheet, galvanized steel bows 24 in. on center with 16 in. on center in bay REAR DOORS: 0.5-in. composite panels with dual durometer PVC gaskets FLOOR: 1.375-in. laminated oak; three screws per board CROSSMEMBER: 4-in. I-beam on 12-in. center SUSPENSION: Holland CB-4000 air ride with PosiLok, no dump valve LANDING GEAR: Holland Atlas 55 LIGHTS: All LED

0.25-in.-diameter aluminum rivets on 1.5-in. centers; 14-gauge galvanized steel inner splice plates with 6 in. on center vertical A-slots ROOF: 0.04-in. one-piece aluminum sheet; galvanized steel bows 24 in., 16 in., 24 in. on center REAR DOORS: 0.5-in. composite panel swing rear doors with dual durometer PVC gaskets FLOOR: 1.375-in. laminated oak; three screws per board CROSSMEMBER: 4-in. I-beam on 12-in. center SUSPENSION: Holland CB-4000 air ride with PosiLok, no dump valve LANDING GEAR: Holland Atlas 55 LIGHTS: All LED

ALUMINUM SHEET AND POST LENGTH: 53 ft. WIDTH: 102 in. INSIDE WIDTH: 99 in. SIDES: 0.05-in. prepainted white aluminum panels; 14-gauge singleslot logistics posts, 24 in. on center with 16 in. on center landing gear forward

ROOF: 0.04-in. one-piece aluminum sheet, galvanized steel bows 24 in. on center REAR DOORS: 0.5-in. composite panels with dual durometer PVC gaskets FLOOR: 1.375-in. laminated oak; three screws per board, staggered CROSSMEMBER: 4-in. I-beam on 12-in. center SUSPENSION: Holland CB-4000 air ride with PosiLok, no dump valve LANDING GEAR: Holland Atlas 55 LIGHTS: All LED

UTILITY TRAILER | www.utilitytrailer.com 4000D-X COMPOSITE

4000D-X COMPOSITE-100

LENGTH: 53 ft.

WIDTH: 102.375 in.

HEIGHT: 13 ft. 6 in.

INSIDE WIDTH: 101 in. at wearband,

INSIDE WIDTH: 100 in. at wearband, 100.25 in. lining to lining REAR DOORS: Composite, satin-finish stainless-steel rear door case FLOOR: 1.375-in. laminated hardwood CROSSMEMBER: 4-in. steel I-beam on 12-in. center line SUSPENSION: Hendrickson HKANT 40,000-lb. Vantraax air-ride sliding tandem with Quik-Draw pin release ANTI-LOCK BRAKES: Bendix TABS-6 2S/1M ABS System BRAKES: Outboard-mounted cast-iron drums AXLE: Hendrickson LDA; N-spindle; UTM Premium five-year wheel-end system EXTERIOR/INTERIOR: Prepainted white aluminum exterior side skins; prepainted white 80,000-psi galvanized steel Snag-Free inside lining with injected polyurethane foam core bonding interior lining panels to outside skin panels LOGISTIC POSTS: A-slot side posts on 24-in. centers; extra posts over kingpin and landing gear ROOF SKIN: One-piece aluminum coil roof skin with galvanized steel antisnag roof bows on 24-in. centers; 16-in. centers in bay area

101.25 in. lining to lining REAR DOORS: Composite, satin-finish stainless-steel rear door case FLOOR: 1.375-in. laminated hardwood CROSSMEMBER: 4-in. steel I-beam on 12-in. center line SUSPENSION: Hendrickson HKANT 40,000-lb. Vantraax air-ride sliding tandem with Quik-Draw pin release ANTI-LOCK BRAKES: Bendix TABS-6 2S-1M ABS System BRAKES: Outboard-mounted cast-iron drums AXLE: Hendrickson LDA; N-spindle; UTM Premium five-year wheel-end system EXTERIOR/INTERIOR: Prepainted white aluminum exterior side skins; prepainted white 80,000-psi galvanized steel Snag-Free lining with injected polyurethane foam core bonding interior lining panels to outside skin panels LOGISTIC POSTS: A-slot side posts on 24-in. centers; extra posts over kingpin and landing gear ROOF SKIN: One-piece aluminum coil roof skin with galvanized steel antisnag roof bows on 24-in. centers; 16-in. centers in bay areas

commercial carrier journal

| april 2016

TRAILER FOCUS DRY VANS 4000D LENGTH: 53

ft. WIDTH: 102.375 in. HEIGHT: 13 ft. 6 in. INSIDE WIDTH: 100 in. at wearband, 100.25 in. lining to lining REAR DOORS: Composite, satin-finish stainless-steel rear door case FLOOR: 1.375-in. laminated hardwood CROSSMEMBER: 4-in. steel I-beam on 12-in. center line SUSPENSION: Hendrickson HKANT 40,000-lb. Vantraax air-ride sliding tandem with Quik-Draw pin release

Bendix TABS-6 2S-1M ABS System Outboard-mounted cast-iron drums AXLE: Hendrickson LDA; N-spindle; UTM Premium five-year wheel-end system EXTERIOR/INTERIOR: Prepainted white aluminum exterior side skins; 0.25-in. AC grade plywood interior lining with injected polyurethane foam core bonding interior lining panels to outside skin panels LOGISTIC POSTS: A-slot side posts on 24-in. centers; extra posts over kingpin and landing gear ROOF SKIN: One-piece aluminum coil roof skin with galvanized steel anti-snag roof bows on 24-in. centers; 16-in. centers in bay area ANTI-LOCK BRAKES: BRAKES:

VANGUARD NATIONAL | www.vanguardtrailer.com VXP LENGTH: 53 ft. WIDTH: 102.36 in. HEIGHT: 13 ft. 6 in. SIDES: 0.313-in. composite laminate CONNECTION POSTS:14-gauge 50 KSI Series A logistics posts, 48-in. centers throughout ROOF BOWS: Anti-snag, 1-in. deep on 24-in. centers prebonded to roof skin, 80 KSI

VIP 4000

ROOF SHEET: 0.04-in. aluminum REAR DOORS: Composite swing with structural anti-theft pin and collar fasteners, five hinges and one lock rod per door FLOOR: 1.375-in. laminated oak; preundercoated, three screws per board CROSSMEMBER: 4-in. I-beams on 12-in. centers; wax-coated 80 KSI high-strength steel SUSPENSION AND SUBFRAME: Air-ride slide, 216-in. rails ANTI-LOCK BRAKES: Meritor Wabco 2S-1M FRONT LINING: 0.5-in. plywood full height, close out at bottom SCUFF LINING: Extruded aluminum base rail with 18-gauge galvanized corrugated steel directly attached to sidewall for a total of 12-in. side protection

VIP MAXCUBE

LENGTH: 53 ft.

WIDTH: 102.36 in.

HEIGHT: 13 ft. 6 in.

SIDES: 0.05-in. aluminum pre-

SIDES: 0.05-in. aluminum prepainted

painted white

white

CONNECTION POSTS:14-gauge 50 KSI Series A logistics posts, 16-in. centers throughout ROOF BOWS: Anti-snag, 1-in. deep on 24-in. centers prebonded to roof skin ROOF SHEET: 0.04-in. aluminum REAR DOORS: Plymetal swing with structural anti-theft pin and collar fasteners, five hinges and one lock rod per door FLOOR: 1.375-in. laminated oak; preundercoated, three screws per board CROSSMEMBER: 4-in. I-beams on 12-in. centers; wax-coated 80 KSI high-strength steel SUSPENSION AND SUBFRAME: Air-ride slide, 216-in. rails ANTI-LOCK BRAKES: Meritor Wabco 2S-1M FRONT LINING: 0.5-in. plywood full height, close out at bottom SCUFF LINING: 12-in. corrugated steel directly attached to posts SIDE LINING: 0.25-in. plywood recessed between posts

CONNECTION POSTS:14-gauge VIP MaxCube Series A logistics posts, 16-in. centers throughout ROOF BOWS: Anti-snag, 1-in. deep on 24-in. centers prebonded to roof skin ROOF SHEET: 0.04-in. aluminum REAR DOORS: Plymetal swing with structural anti-theft pin and collar fasteners, five hinges and one lock rod per door FLOOR: 1.375-in. laminated oak; preundercoated, three screws per board CROSSMEMBER: 4-in. I-beams on 12-in. centers; wax-coated 80 KSI high-strength steel SUSPENSION AND SUBFRAME: Air-ride slide, 216-in. rails ANTI-LOCK BRAKES: Meritor Wabco 2S-1M FRONT LINING: 0.5-in. plywood full height, close out at bottom SCUFF LINING: 12-in. corrugated steel directly attached to posts SIDE LINING: Snap-in high-strength polypropylene

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| april 2016 71

TRAILER FOCUS DRY VANS WABASH NATIONAL | www.wabashnational.com

DURAPLATE

DURAPLATE HD

LENGTH: 53 ft.

WIDTH: 102.375 in.; 101-in. interior, sidewall to sidewall

HEIGHT: 13.5 ft.

SIDES: DuraPlate composite panels – constructed of high-density

SIDES: DuraPlate composite panels – constructed of high-density polyethylene core bonded between two sheets of high-strength galvanized steel ROOF: Bonded, tension roof with 0.04-in. aluminum sheet and steel; anti-snag roof bows REAR FRAME COATING: High-performance powder coat REAR DOORS: DuraPlate composite swing doors; optional overhead doors FLOOR: Full 1.375-in. laminated oak with 20,000-lb. rating CROSSMEMBER: 4-in. steel or aluminum crossmembers on 12-in. centers in bay, steel crossmembers over subframe and landing gear, 8-in. centers in rear 2 feet; steel-bolted crossmember attachment SUSPENSION: SAF UltraLite mechanical or Hendrickson HKANT40 airride sliding tandem ANTI-LOCK BRAKES: Meritor Wabco 2S-1M BASE RAIL: High-strength extruded aluminum with bolted base rail connections LIGHTS: All LED lights

polyethylene core bonded between two sheets of high-strength galvanized steel ROOF: Bonded, tension roof with 0.04-in. aluminum sheet and steel; anti-snag roof bows REAR FRAME COATING: High-performance powder coat REAR DOORS: DuraPlate composite swing doors; optional overhead doors FLOOR: Full 1.375-in. laminated oak with 20,000-lb. rating CROSSMEMBER: 4-in. steel or aluminum crossmembers on 12-in. centers in bay, steel crossmembers over subframe and landing gear, 8-in. centers in rear 2 feet; steel-bolted crossmember attachment SUSPENSION: SAF UltraLite mechanical or Hendrickson HKANT40 airride sliding tandem ANTI-LOCK BRAKES: Meritor Wabco 2S-1M BASE RAIL: High-strength extruded aluminum with bolted base rail connections LIGHTS: All LED lights

DURAPLATE XD-35 LENGTH: 53 ft. WIDTH: 102.375 in.; 100.625-in. interior, sidewall to sidewall HEIGHT: 13.5 ft. SIDES: DuraPlate composite panels – constructed of high-density polyethylene core bonded between two sheets of high-strength galvanized steel ROOF: Bonded, tension roof with 0.04-in. aluminum sheet and steel; anti-snag roof bows REAR FRAME COATING: High-performance powder coat REAR DOORS: DuraPlate composite swing doors; optional overhead doors FLOOR: Full 1.375-in. laminated oak with 35,000-lb. rating CROSSMEMBER: 4-in. steel crossmembers on 8-in. centers, seven crossmembers over landing gear; steel-bolted crossmember attachment SUSPENSION: SAF UltraLite mechanical or Hendrickson HKANT40 air-

commercial carrier journal

| april 2016

ride sliding tandem ANTI-LOCK BRAKES: Meritor Wabco 2S-1M BASE RAIL: High-strength extruded aluminum with bolted base rail connections LIGHTS: All LED lights

NEW Drive tire

Heavy-duty belts Gates has added three FleetRunner Micro-V belts to its heavy-duty belt line. FleetRunner belts are designed for tough applications and to provide superior durability, slip resistance, crack resistance, load capacity and belt life.

Toyo’s M677 four-groove SmartWay-verified drive tire is built to maximize fuel efficiency for regional and long-haul operations. The tire’s lower rolling resistance comes from a silica compound that helps reduce energy loss without sacrificing tread life, as well as large tread blocks designed to resist cuts and chips, a wide deep tread and a closed high-rigidity shoulder rib that also delivers extended wear life. Also promoting added wear life is the company’s proprietary e-balance technology that helps improve retreadability, while a computer-optimized tread design with deep slits between the tread blocks is engineered to provide added traction. The M677 is available in four sizes: 295/75R22.5, 285/75R24.5, 11R22.5 and 11R24.5.

Gates Corp., www.gates.com, 303-744-1911

Toyo Tire, www.toyotires.com/commercial, 800-442-8696

Redesigned brackets Hogebuilt has redesigned its suspension-specific 304 stainless-steel brackets by using a patent-pending flush-mount technology that allows the triangle arm to be assembled to the base rather than welded, allowing the bracket to be adjusted to the desired angle while helping to reduce installation time and increasing life. The brackets are available for most Peterbilt, Kenworth and Freightliner suspensions. Hogebuilt, www.hogebuilt.com, 615-988-9747

Portable jump-start machine Purkeys’ Capacitor Actuated Portable Starter jump-start machine for heavy-duty vehicles is powered by an ultracapacitor built to store more energy than electrolytic capacitors, accept and deliver charge more rapidly and tolerate more charge and discharge cycles. The device is designed to be hand-towed and can be charged with a wall outlet when not in use and recharged only minutes after a jump start to facilitate quicker reuse. Purkeys, www.purkeys.net, 800-219-1269

commercial carrier journal | april 2016

LED stop, tail, turn and backup lamp Optronics’ redesigned Fusion LED combination stop, tail, turn and backup lamp is 25 percent smaller and includes optimized circuitry that hosts both red and white LEDs on a single board. An optical bridge helps project red LED light from the lens’ red area to the clear area while braking, allowing the lamps to use fewer diodes and reduce their heat load. Mounting the six-inch lamp requires a 1/2-inch hole for wiring and four mounting holes to accommodate rivets or screws. The low-profile half-inch-thick lamp mounts to the vehicle’s surface to help preserve its structural soundness. Optronics International, www.optronicsinc.com, 800-364-5483

PRODUCTS

Auxiliary plug and socket Phillips’ auxiliary vertical dual pole plug and socket is engineered for high-current connections that provide power from the tractor to application-specific equipment on the trailer. The design includes a robust plugto-socket lock and offset pins that allow for ground contact to occur prior to power, which impedes arcing. The plug is available in either four- or sixgauge to accommodate both types of cable, and the socket can be installed universally for either application. Phillips Industries, www.phillipsind.com, 800-423-4512

Midrange-priced seat Brake check device The Thor Tool brake check device is designed to allow one person to measure brake travel. To use the device, a mechanic or driver chalks the wheels, releases the parking brakes and attaches the magnetized tool to each brake chamber. By pushing the brake pedal, brake adjustment readings are displayed on easy-to-read digital gauges. The device is made from hardened stainless steel and plastic. The Thor Tool, www.thethortool.com, 502-727-2470

Commercial Vehicle Group’s Corsair seat by National Seating is designed to provide a mix of premium features and options at a midrange price. Standard features include a triple-chamber air lumbar, a contoured cushion and a six-way cushion adjustment. Optional premium features include a suspension cover, a heater, leather and the company’s BackCycler system. Commercial Vehicle Group, www.nationalseating.com, 614-289-0243

WIRELESS BATTERY POWERED LED TOW LIGHT PORTABLE HAZARD LIGHTS WITH MAGNETIC BASE • 4 MODES

The Larson Electronics HDTL-WLED-M 23” wireless tow light is powered by a rechargeable battery and is stop, tail, and turn and hazard strobe light capable. This 10 lb. portable tow light is recharged using a 12v cigarette lighter charger. The 2.4 GHZ chipset allows for a transmitter distance of up to 1,000 feet and can be programmed to owork with ther transmitters, eliminating any crosstalk between other tow bar units. Call Larson Electronics at 1-800-301-905 or contact us at sales@larsonelectronics.com today to order your wireless battery powered LED tow light today.

L A R S O N E L E C T R O N I C S . C O M

• L A R S O N

E L E C T R O N I C S

L L C

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PRODUCTS

Steer tire Bridgestone’s R283A Ecopia steer tire is suited for long- and regional-haul service and is engineered for added wear life and improved fuel efficiency. The company’s proprietary IntelliShape sidewall design uses less bead filler volume to help reduce weight and minimize rolling resistance. The tire’s tread compound is designed to work with the company’s

NanoPro-Tech polymer technology to help limit energy loss and contribute to longer wear life. A lower cap/base junction helps delay exposure to the base compound and facilitates reduced irregular wear. The R283A is available in sizes 295/75R22.5, 285/75R24.5, 11R24.5 and 11R22.5. Bridgestone Americas, www.ecopiatrucktires.com, 800-572-8905

Kingpin system SAF-Holland’s 2-inch AAR Kingpin system for hot-dip galvanized upper couplers features a specially machined kingpin housing and kingpin. The kingpin housing is welded into the trailer’s upper coupler prior to galvanization to facilitate added coupler corrosion protection. After galvanization, the replaceable kingpin is installed into the housing with a nut and collet fastener, which allows the kingpin to remain removable and replaceable over the trailer’s life while impeding exposure to harsh chemicals and temperatures. The system is designed to be compatible with a variety of bolster plates. SAF-Holland, ww1.safholland.us, 888-396-6501

commercial carrier journal | april 2016

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PRODUCTS

Visual brake stroke indicator TSE Brakes’ TSE Visi-Chek visual brake stroke indicator is designed to make it easier for drivers and maintenance personnel to see if a vehicle’s brake stroke is in compliance. If the indicator shows green, the system is functioning properly, but if red is visible, further inspection is required. The indicator is designed to be easy to read in low-light

conditions and is engineered for easy installation by simply snapping in place. Each package contains two units to handle one axle, an instruction sticker to place on the vehicle and installation instructions; bulk packaging also is available. Five part numbers handle the majority of applications. TSE Brakes, www.tsebrakes.com, 256-736-6288

Lightweight aluminum wheels Accuride’s lightweight 22.5-by-9 aluminum wheels are engineered to reduce weight by 5 to 7 percent. The 58-pound 41730 wheel replaces previous part number 29730 and reduces weight by 4 pounds. The 51-pound 41012 wheel replaces previous part number 40012 and reduces weight by 3 pounds. Accuride Corp., www.accuride.com, 562-903-0200

Where home rides with you.

Full satellite TV access to premium and 100+ other channels. Filter monitor line Engineered Products’ Filter Minder lineup of indicators, gauges, switches and sensors is designed to measure filtration performance and life. The filter monitors are engineered to be connected to air intake and fuel filtration systems to communicate filter status visually, electronically and remotely, allowing users to be aware of acute changes in restriction. Engineered Products Co.,

With EpicVue inMotion, resting team drivers can enjoy their favorite shows on the go.

GET YOUR FLEET ON BOARD TODAY 844-EPICVUE (374-2883) | www.epicvue.com

www.filterminder.com, 319-234-0231 commercial carrier journal | april 2016 Untitled-41 1

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PRODUCTS

Aluminum bumper for International HX Hendrickson’s Aero Clad stainless steel-clad aluminum bumper for International’s HX Series is available for both set-back and set-forward axle models. The bumper’s mirror-bright finish is designed to meet heavy-duty styling, functional design and durability requirements. The lightweight bumper saves 52 pounds compared to the truck’s standard painted steel bumper. Hendrickson, www.hendrickson-intl.com, 815-727-4031

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Minimizer’s Rear Center Light Panel comes in several different poly finishes, including four different colors – black, red, white and green – as well as Paintable, Liquid Platinum, Carbon Fiber, Silver Mirror Finish and Smoky Black Mirror Finish. Minimizer, www.minimizer.com, 800-248-3855

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commercial carrier journal | april 2016

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