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DOT, White House submit longer Grow America highway bill

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would award money to projects that ship.S. Transportation Secretary pers, transportation companies and other Anthony Foxx in late March stakeholders deem would improve U.S. resubmitted to Congress his and the White House’s highway freight flow efficiency.

The bill relies on repatriation taxes – a funding plan, a six-year $478 billion trans14 percent rate meant to incentivize comportation reauthorization package that ups panies to bring previously untaxed foreign both the length and the price tag from last year’s more modest Grow America Act. The earnings back to the United States – as its funding measure. The White House said latest bill retains the same name. the repatriation tax would produce nearly Also in mid-April, the U.S. House intro$250 billion in revenue and would help duced a bill that would tie the current fund the $317 billion designated to roads flat-rate fuel tax to inflation as a long-term and bridges in the next six fiscal years. highway funding measure and appropriate FMCSA would get $4.659 billion, starting an immediate $12 billion to the Highway at $669 million next year and rising to $831 Trust Fund to ensure short-term solvency. million by the bill’s 2021 Meanwhile, Sens. Rand fiscal year end date.

Paul (R-Ky.) and Barbara One provision struck a Boxer (D-Calif.) intronerve with some both in duced their Investment the trucking industry and in Transportation Act outside of it: If passed, highway funding bill, the bill would remove the which would use a repacurrent ban on tolling triation tax of 6.5 percent existing interstate lanes. to shore up the HTF. The same provision was Chief among the Grow Congress has until May 31 to produce America Act’s highlights legislation to continue highway funding. included in the bill’s 2014 version. for trucking is a measure The Alliance for Toll-Free Interstates said of driver pay reform that would require the measure is “the worst possible approach drivers to be compensated for all on-duty to raising transportation revenue” and will hours not spent driving. The stipulation find little support. would require carriers to pay drivers at “The idea has already been rejected by least the rate of federal minimum wage for lawmakers, the public and community detention time at shippers and receivers leaders in the few states with a federal and “other non-driving work periods.” exception to the tolling prohibition,” said The legislation also designated $18 billion to planning multimodal freight networks. It Julian Walker, ATFI spokesperson. “Tolls also divert heavy highway traffic onto secondary Scan the QR code with your smartphone or visit ccjdigital.com/news/subscribe-to-newsstreets, which leads to preletters to sign up for the CCJ Daily Report, a mature road breakdown daily e-mail newsletter filled with news, analythat costs local taxpayers, sis, blogs and market condition articles.

Continued on page 12

Senator chastises DOT over CSA app

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U.S. senator who recently vowed to introduce legisla-

tion to reform the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration wrote a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx questioning both the intent and purpose of FMCSA’s QCMobile smartphone app release.

In her letter last month, U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) took aim at FMCSA’s Compliance Safety Accountability program and QCMobile’s role in making CSA’s percentile rankings more accessible to third parties and the public.

The app was released just a day after Fischer said she intended to produce legislation to reform FMCSA, citing problems with CSA as part of the reason.

Fischer references in her letter a 2014 report from the Government Accountability Office that concluded FMCSA does not have enough data or enough quality data to produce accurate or complete rankings for carriers.

“I have serious concerns about FMCSA’s release of the app and the agency’s decision to use resources to enhance public access to inaccurate data,” Fischer writes.

The American Trucking Associations called the move “recklessness cloaking itself as transparency.” GAO’s Susan Fleming said the app has given her agency “a little bit of heartburn,” calling QCMobile “another way of publicly displaying information we don’t consider to be reliable.”

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JOURNAL NEWS

INBRIEF 5/15 • Roadcheck, the annual truck and bus inspection blitz conducted jointly by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and other agencies, is set for June 2-4. Roughly 10,000 inspectors from state, local and federal enforcement agencies will be stationed at 1,500 inspection points across North America and perform nearly 70,000 Level I inspections with an emphasis on cargo securement. Last year’s Roadcheck resulted in a vehicle out-of-service rate of 18.7 percent and a driver out-of-service rate of 4.8 percent.

• The U.S. Department of Transportation’s April status report on rulemakings projected a proposed speed limiter mandate would be published in the Federal Register July 27, instead of the June 22 projection in its March report. The agency’s Safety Fitness Determination rule also was delayed one month and now is projected to be published Aug. 17; the original date was July 15.

• Fine levels for violations of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations were increased across the board by FMCSA. The higher fines, which take effect 60 days from their April 3 publication in the Federal Register, were mandated by 2012’s MAP-21 highway funding law and are meant to account for inflation.

• A request to exempt freight forwarders and brokers from the $75,000 minimum bond requirement put in place by Congress was denied by FMCSA. The Association of Independent Property Brokers and Agents sought an exemption for all forwarders and brokers, not a single entity. FMCSA responded that it did not have the authority to grant such a wide exemption – a claim AIPBA disputed – and that the bond requirement was necessary to protect shippers.

• The U.S. Department of Defense requested a two-year renewal through October 2017 of an exemption for its Military Surface Deployment and Distribution

Command from the 30-minute rest break requirement of the 2013 hours-of-service rule. SDDC carriers often provide dual driver-protective services while transporting weapons, munitions and otherwise sensitive cargo to provide continuous attendance and surveillance. SDDC said about 1,942 power units and 3,000 drivers would be covered by the exemption if granted by FMCSA. • Drug and alcohol test results were requested from randomly selected trucking companies by FMCSA. The fleets were notified by the agency via email and must submit their 2014 testing results by May 15.

• Ready-mix concrete haulers were granted an exemption from the 30-minute break requirement implemented in the 2013 hours-of-service changes. Drivers may use 30 minutes or more of “waiting time” as long as they do not work during the down period, FMCSA said. Carriers must have a safety rating of “Satisfactory” and have Safety Measurement System rankings in the agency’s Compliance Safety Accountability program above the intervention threshold.

The exemption is good until April 3, 2017.

• T.F. Scott Darling, FMCSA chief counsel, still is running the agency following the end of his seven-month tenure as acting administrator. U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in late March delegated Darling the responsibility for performing the duties of FMCSA administrator as chief counsel because the position must be filled by presidential nomination and confirmed by the Senate. Darling has headed the agency since former FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro’s August 2014 departure.

• James D. Winsor, who headed multiple trucking industry trade publications over five decades, died April 7 at the age of 82. Winsor started at CCJ in 1957 and worked his way up to editor-in-chief, where he stayed until 1983 until leaving to become executive editor of Heavy Duty Trucking. He also was active with ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council.

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| MAY 2015 11

4/10/15 4:45 PM

journal news

Congressman presses FMCSA on hours study

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U.S. Rep. Richard Hanna (R-N.Y.) has been one of the trucking industry’s main congressional allies in pushing back against the 2013 hours rules.

.S. Rep. Richard Hanna (R-N.Y.) sent a letter last month to U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to air his concerns about the scope of and participants in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s congressionally required 34-hour restart study, which has been in the works since January.

Hanna’s letter includes four key points to Foxx and FMCSA that he says should be considered for the study, including – perhaps of most concern for the study’s efficacy – ensuring selection of drivers that “are truly representative of the industry.”

The agency has focused on recruiting drivers who work between 60 and 70 hours a week and who typically work at night, Hanna says.

“This is concerning because it indicates the researchers do not understand how the 34-hour restart is being used in practice,” he says in the letter. “This small [subset] of truck drivers is not representative of drivers who use the restart provision and not representative of drivers who have been impacted by the July 2013 restart restrictions.”

The agency has been recruiting drivers for the study since January. The study, required by a 2015 appropriations law passed in December, was designed to pit pre- and post-July 2013 restart rules against one another. The bill directed the agency to study two groups of drivers — one that abided by the pre-July 2013 rules and one that operated under the 2013-implemented provisions.

In his April 2 letter to Foxx, Hanna also says the agency

should examine in its study how many crashes or near crashes occur between the morning rush hours of 5 and 9 a.m. This request stems from concerns from both within and outside the industry that the 2013 rule changes force more trucks on the road during those hours, which comes with a list of potential negatives: More traffic, more potential truck-involved crashes and forcing truck operators to burn allowed drive time stuck in rush-hour traffic, to name a few.

Hanna also asks FMCSA to loop in the National Academies Transportation Research Board’s Committee on Truck and Bus Safety. The committee, he says, should be tasked with choosing the peer review team that will analyze the study. “This would show further commitment on behalf of the Department that objective analysis will occur,” Hanna says in the letter.

Lastly, Hanna asks FMCSA to limit its data analysis to restarts that include only one or two nights. As it stands, Hanna says, FMCSA is comparing restarts with one overnight period to those with more than two.

“This is consistent with the previous flawed restart field study that was criticized by stakeholders,” he wrote. “If the research is indeed intended to study the relative benefits and drawbacks of the two rules, then restarts of more than two nights are not representative of the actual restart restrictions being studied.”

– James Jaillet

DOT, White House | Continued from page 9 and they endanger public safety when rescue workers are delayed in responding to emergencies. This plan would also let states redirect toll revenues to completely unrelated projects.”

ATFI formed last March and includes major carriers like UPS and FedEx, along with the American Trucking Associations, the Truckload Carriers Association, all 50 state trucking associations, NATSO and others.

The House highway bill, the Bridge to Sustainable Infrastructure, would establish a task force to oversee the HTF and its solvency and put in place measures to raise fuel taxes if Congress fails to prevent fund shortfalls by the start of both 2017 and 2020.

The first adjustment to fuel taxes would come immediately by changing the language of the law currently dictating them to base the rate on the cost of living for 2014 rather than 1992. Subsequent tax increases would come again if the HTF

continues to come up short and would be set in 2017 and 2020 if needed. The bill has bipartisan consponsorship – 10 Democrats and seven Republicans .

Paul’s and Boxer’s bipartisan Senate bill would incentivize companies to move their foreign earnings stateside. The two estimate that roughly $2 trillion in earnings by U.S. companies would be eligible for the repatriation tax incentive. All money earned would go directly to the HTF. The three highway plans are among several long-term ideas floated in recent months. Congress has until May 31 to produce legislation to continue funding.

With the deadline looming, however, Congress may not have enough time to pass a long-term bill and may need to clear another short-term patch to prop up the struggling HTF. It passed a stopgap measure last year when faced with the end of the two-year MAP-21 highway funding law.

– James Jaillet

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| may 2015

journal news

Coalition backing heavier trucks calls out railroad lobby

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he Coalition for Transportation Productivity called on the railroadfunded Coalition Against Bigger Trucks to fully disclose its lobbying activities following news reports that questioned some of the group’s tactics.

“The railroad industry is spending millions of dollars to block truck weight reform and other trucking productivity efforts, but much of its campaign is predicated on creating appearances that don’t hold up,” said John Runyan, CTP executive director. “The Coalition Against Bigger Trucks is organized and funded by the rail industry, yet it doesn’t provide transparency or public disclosure of its activities to Congress.”

The group reportedly sent former law enforcement officials and other local officials to Washington, D.C., to lobby without disclosing any ties to the railroad.

“The railroad industry has made truck productivity a ‘truck-vs.-rail’ issue,” Runyan said. “The reality is that shippers prefer to use rail whenever they can, but they need safe solutions to mitigate the current trucking capacity crisis that is challenging U.S. companies and motorists alike.”

During the last Congress, the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act was introduced by U.S. Reps. Reid Ribble (R-Wis.) and Michael Michaud (D-Maine). The bipartisan legislation would give each state the option to set interstate weight limits of up to 97,000 pounds, up from 80,000.

The new increased weight limit would apply to tractor-trailers equipped with six axles instead of five.

In 2012, Congress passed legislation requiring the U.S. Department of Transportation to conduct a study about the implications of allowing bigger and heavier trucks on the road. Four members of Congress – Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J) and Reps. James McGovern (D-Mass.) and Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) – already have

contested the yet-to-be-released study.

“It is troubling that DOT could release a study that recommends bigger, heavier trucks that will lead to more potholes and even greater problems – like safety risks, HowesCCJS15_HalfPageIsland.pdf environmental damage and economic

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harm – not to mention higher infrastructure expenses,” the legislators wrote.

CTP responded by saying “opponents of truck productivity are rushing to attack the findings of a study that has yet to be 2/3/15 6:04 PM released.”

– Matt Cole

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| may 2015 13 2/9/15 10:01 AM

journal news

Truck volume clogging East Coast ports, congestion eases on West Coast

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ances of vessel operators were taking to reduce congestion at U.S. .S. retail ports are experiencing an upswing in import ports. volume, while West Coast dockworkers continue work to The commission on April 15 also approved the Pacific Ports diminish a freight backlog and ratify a new labor agreement.

Agreement to allow efforts to reduce West Coast port congesLast month, morning commuters encountered longer than tion to continue. Effective April 17, the agreement permitted usual truck lines on the New Jersey Turnpike Extension. the Ocean Carrier Equipment Management Association, West Construction on the Bayonne Bridge may be partly to blame, Coast Marine Terminal Operator Agreement and almost every but state officials indicated the problem stemmed from truckers vessel-operating carrier and marine terminal operator in West waiting to get in the Global Marine Terminal at Bayonne/Jersey Coast ports to discuss and reach agreement on ways to reduce City. congestion.

On April 10, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey FMC Chairman Mario Cordero also is encouraging truckasked for a delay in truck dispatches because of heavy truck volume in the terminal’s vicinity. Trucks have been arriving increas- ing companies and shippers nationwide to submit “substantive documentation” to the commission on unreasonable practices ingly earlier before the gates open, the authority said. for detention (use of container) and demurrage (use of space).

The National Retail Federation said it expected an 8 percent Stakeholders also may file complaints for adjudication involving hike last month in import cargo at the nation’s major retail conalleged violations of the Shipping Act with FMC. tainer ports compared to April 2014.

“The commission has heard On the West Coast, 78 percent The Port of Los Angeles faced a major cargo backlog earfrom many importers, exporters of International Longshore and lier this year following months of negotiations between and drayage trucking companies Warehouse Union delegates port workers and port management companies. complaining about demurrage on April 3 approved a five-year and detention charges that they contract plan with the Pacific must pay even though they canMaritime Association. not timely access their cargo The union will mail the proor drop it off before free time posed agreement to members expires,” Cordero said. before a secret ballot membership The commission’s staff report ratification vote, followed by a on these fees was based on four final tally scheduled for May 22. port congestion forums held last The West Coast cargo backlog fall and review of tariffs for six began last fall and peaked Feb. 20 when the Pacific Maritime Association and ILWU reached tenta- vessel-operating common carriers at 32 U.S. terminals.

“One shipper has told commission staff that it has paid over tive agreement, said Jonathan Gold, NRF vice president. $100,000 in demurrage charges in the past year, as compared “Progress is being made, but there’s still a lot of cargo waiting with paying approximately $10,000 for the previous year,” to be loaded onto trucks and trains and moved across the country even after it’s unloaded from the ships,” Gold said. “The situ- it states. “This disparity highlights shippers’ perceptions that demurrage charges are not serving to speed the movement of ation is getting better, but we’re still far from normal.” cargo, the purpose for which those charges had originally been February container volume was down nearly 4 percent from February 2014, but March traffic grew 3.5 percent from the prior intended. Shippers feel they are in a ‘Catch-22’ when they are not permitted to pick up their container because of congestion, and year, and a 5.6 percent hike was predicted for April and May yet are charged demurrage.” over the previous time last year, according to NRF. Seventy to 100 trucking companies are pursing arbitration Nine ships awaited anchor at Southern California ports April over late fees. Intermodal Association of North America arbitra9, down from a high of 32 vessels Feb. 18. The Port of Oakland tors had 45 days to render a decision after receiving the case last reported that the vessel backlog that began in January had “dismonth and were expected to begin issuing decisions this month, appeared” by April 2, with no ships awaiting berth in the San said Curtis Whalen, executive director of the American Trucking Francisco Bay. Associations’ Intermodal Motor Carrier Conference.

Federal Maritime Commissioner Michael Khouri last month – Jill Dunn requested fresh information on the steps the four major alli14

commercial carrier journal

| may 2015

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journal news

Oregon lumber haulers, DOE get hours exemptions

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FedEx plans $4.8 billion purchase of Europeanbased TNT Express

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edEx (CCJ Top 250, No. 2) expects its proposed $4.8 billion purchase of TNT Express to expand its European market after regulators there blocked UPS (CCJ Top 250, No. 1) from buying the Netherlands-based delivery service two years ago.

FedEx’s plan is not expected to raise antitrust concerns because of the “strengths of competitors in relevant markets,” according to the companies’ April 7 statement. FedEx plans to divest TNT Express’ airline operations to mitigate potential antitrust concerns. Where permitted by regulation, TNT Express’ intercontinental air operations will be transitioned to FedEx. The all-cash public offer represents a 33 percent premium over TNT Express’ April 2 closing price. The purchase is expected to close by July 2016.

Memphis, Tenn.-based FedEx has agreed to respect TNT Express’ existing employment terms. Amsterdam/ Hoofddorp will be the European regional headquarters of the combined companies, while TNT Express’ Liege hub will remain an operation for the group going forward.

In 2013, Atlanta-based UPS withdrew its offer to purchase the Dutch company after the European Commission prohibited the proposed acquisition.

– James Jaillet

he Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration granted the Oregon Trucking Associations and the U.S. Department of Energy their requested exemptions from the 30-minute break requirement of the 2013 hours-of-service rule.

The Oregon exemption is limited to drivers hauling timber in the state. The agency granted the waiver due to the state’s restrictions on when logging operations can be performed. Oregon’s Department of Forestry limits logging operations to certain hours of the day to reduce risk of fires.

OTA’s request for the exemption to the 30-minute break rule says the restrictions usually are in place from July to late October. Timber haulers “need all the remaining time each day to cut and remove the volume of timber needed to sustain the lumber mills,” OTA said in its application.

FMCSA conThe Oregon curred, granting exemption the log haulers is limited their request. to drivers hauling The agency, timber in however, says the state. the exemption comes with the condition that truck operators not drive after their 12th on-duty hour.

DOE’s exemption covers carriers and drivers hauling “security-sensitive radioactive materials,” according to the application for exemption.

The exemption applies to carriers contracted by DOE to carry such materials, granted to the department every two years. FMCSA renewed the exemption based on DOE’s security concerns.

– James Jaillet

FMCSA floating incentives for carriers to be safer

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he Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in late April published a request for comments on a proposal to incentivize carriers to implement “practices and technologies” that go beyond simple adherence to federal safety regulations.

Incentives proposed by FMCSA include credit on scores for Compliance Safety Accountability and the Inspection Selection System, as well as fewer roadside inspections.

The program, which has the working title “Beyond Compliance,” could reward carriers that “exceed regulatory requirements and improve the safety of commercial

16

commercial carrier journal

| may 2015

motor vehicles and drivers,” the agency said in its Federal Register filing.

FMCSA’s Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee has been tasked with providing recommendations to the agency by June. MCSAC is made up of stakeholders representing a broad range of industry interests, including small and large carriers, drivers, brokers, safety advocates, enforcers and regulators.

Public comments were being accepted for 60 days following the request’s April 23 publication. To comment, go to regulations.gov.

– James Jaillet

journal news

Minnesota lawsuit targets state’s biodiesel mandate

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he Minnesota Trucking Association, with a coalition of vehicle- and fuelindustry organizations, on April 17 filed a federal lawsuit challenging the state’s mandate of a 10 percent biodiesel blend for diesel sold within its borders. Put in

18 Untitled-28 1

commercial carrier journal

place last summer and unique among all states, the mandate requires all diesel sold in Minnesota through the months of April-September to be a B10 blend. In 2018, if certain conditions are met, the law would push the percentage up to 20

by requiring a B20 blend.

Plaintiffs contend the mandate “denies consumers in Minnesota access to the diesel fuel recommended for most diesel passenger vehicles and light trucks,” typically up to B5, while also “likely raising fueling costs for all diesel vehicles, including those heavy trucks that can accommodate higher blends.” The suit alleges that the B10 mandate is in direct conflict with the federal Renewable Fuels Standard and that Minnesota is operating outside its authority in requiring B10.

Included in the U.S. District Court filing is testimony given by Kottke Trucking head Kyle Kottke. The company operates 40 company trucks and leases 50 owner-operators, Kottke notes, going on to describe the price differential the company saw last year as the B10 mandate in Minnesota went into effect.

He and the Buffalo Lake-based company compared chain fuel retailers’ prices for fuel bought in July 2014 in Minnesota and in the neighboring states of Iowa, Wisconsin and South Dakota, finding a 3 cents-per-gallon premium in Minnesotabought fuel.

Joining MTA and its members were the Minnesota Automobile Dealers Association, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, the American Petroleum Institute and the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers.

Named defendants in the suit were Minnesota’s Pollution Control Agency and Departments of Agriculture and Commerce.

“Given that the average age of a motor vehicle in Minnesota is 11.2 years, most diesel-fueled passenger cars and light trucks were not designed for – and are not warranted to run on – biofuel blends of 10 or 20 percent,” the coalition said.

“Use of such fuel blends could result in increased maintenance costs and engine problems for certain vehicle owners.”

– Todd Dills

| may 2015 4/15/15 1:54 PM

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journal news

OOIDA files to intervene in Teamsters’ cross-border trucking lawsuit

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he Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association last month filed a petition with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit to intervene in a cross-border trucking lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Transportation and the OOIDA says it can bring a unique perspective Federal Motor Carrier Safety regarding the ability of Mexico-domiciled trucking Administration. companies to operate safely on U.S. highways.

The lawsuit, filed in March by the Teamsters and safety advocacy groups, challenges the government’s decision to grant permanent operating authority to Mexico-domiciled trucking companies to conduct long-haul trucking services throughout the United States.

Following a three-year pilot program, FMCSA in January announced it was opening the U.S. operating authority application process to all Mexican carriers, partly as a measure to bring the United States into compliance with provisions in the North American Free Trade Agreement.

OOIDA contends that the pilot program did not generate enough data to reach an informed conclusion about whether the border should be opened. The association also questions the evaluation and validity of the information collected during the pilot program. The association also believes that the border should not be opened until Mexico establishes equivalent regulatory trucking standards to that of the United States and proves that its trucking industry can comply fully with U.S. safety regulations.

OOIDA’s petition to intervene states that as the representative of small-business truck drivers, the association can bring a unique practical and legal perspective compared to the other petitioners regarding the ability of Mexico-domiciled trucking companies to operate safely on U.S. highways. Also, the motion points out that the economic interests of small-business truck drivers differs from the interests represented by the other petitioners.

The Teamsters’ lawsuit alleges that FMCSA’s report to Congress – on which it based its decision to open the border to all Mexican-domiciled carriers – “is arbitrary and capricious in light of the admitted lack of significant data” gleaned during the agency’s three-year cross-border pilot program.

The union’s claims about the data quality somewhat align with conclusions made by DOT’s Office of Inspector General, which issued a report in December that said FMCSA’s data was insufficient given the low number of Mexican carrier participants and the lack of quality inspection data.

OIG said in its report that the conclusions FMCSA made from its pilot program – that Mexican carriers are just as safe as U.S. carriers – were invalid given the suspect data.

The American Trucking Associations has taken a mostly neutral stance, saying it’s fine with the border being opened as long as Mexican carriers and drivers abide by U.S. safety regulations.

– Staff reports 20

commercial carrier journal

| may 2015

Pilot Flying J on list of objectors to $25M ‘hot fuel’ settlement

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ilot Travel Centers and its subsidiary Flying J joined a dozen other fuel and convenience store chains in objecting to the proposed $25 million “hot fuel” settlement.

According to court documents, the fuel providers object to the way the funds are to be spent, with too little going to victims and too much going to state governments and fuel wholesalers and retailers.

The key concern of the objectors is the institution of a fund that makes payments to state governments when they change their laws to require fuel providers to install automatic temperature compensation equipment at fuel pumps. The objectors say that money “end-run[s]” legislators and regulators who have rejected laws to implement ATC equipment.

The “hot fuel” lawsuits stemmed from fuel buyers’ claims that fuel providers violated consumer protection laws by not disclosing that fuel expands in warmer temperatures, thereby making a gallon of gas or diesel contain less energy and be worth less in warmer months.

Pilot Flying J and Love’s were included in a settlement with 18 other companies that agreed to pay $1.58 million in a larger $25 million settlement. BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Shell and Sinclair agreed to pay $23 million.

The court granted approval to the settlement in January, and a fairness hearing is set for June 9.

– James Jaillet

Pilot Flying J is among roughly a dozen fuel providers objecting to the way the proposed $25 million “hot fuel” settlement funds are designated to be spent.

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What’s this new diesel engine oil I’m hearing about?

You are probably hearing or reading about a new API category in development for heavy duty diesel engine oils.

This new category, currently referred to as Proposed Category 11 (or PC-11), is under

By Dan Arcy Shell Lubricants development as you read this. So what is it and why are things changing?

In simple terms, when engine technologies change we often see a new oil category introduced. This was true in October 2006 when the current API CJ-4 category was launched. At that time, we needed to work with new technologies like diesel particulate filters and the anticipated higher operating temperatures of some engines.

In the past, changes were typically driven by reducing particulate matter and NOx emissions. However the driver for this round of changes is a little different.

Truck manufacturers are adapting their technology to develop next-generation diesel engines to meet emissions, renewable fuel and fuel economy standards, as well as to meet CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions mandates due to be introduced in the next few years.

PC-11 will be a significant undertaking for the industry not just in North America but also globally. The engine manufacturers have to respond to new regulation such as renewable fuels mandates, on and off-road exhaust emission and greenhouse gas emission standards. There are also changes to the hardware and operating strategies of engines which can introduce factors such as: increased power density, increased combustion and injection pressure, increased in-cylinder NOx reduction, higher oil temperatures and wear resistance coatings. As an industry we must keep pace with such developments and of course, give the market the products that it needs.

This is why the American Petroleum Institute, Shell Lubricants and others in the industry are looking to provide changes in the new oils that include improvements in oxidation stability, aeration benefits, shear stability, biodiesel compatibility and scuffing/adhesive wear protection.

This will mean developing new engine tests and modifying existing engine tests for deposits and oil. The development of this specification is well underway and the planned launch is early 2016. We’ll keep you updated on developments for the new specification and the next generation of ® Shell Rotella engine oil products.

This monthly column is brought to you by Shell Lubricants. Got a question?

Visit ROTELLA.com, call 1- 800 - 231- 6950 or write to The ANSWER COLumN, 1001 Fannin, Ste. 500, Houston,TX 77002.

The term “Shell Lubricants” refers to the various Shell Group companies engaged in the lubricants business.

22

COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL

| MAY 2015

The new fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards would go into effect for 2018 model-year vehicles.

More fuel standards for heavy trucks on the way Second phase of fuel economy, emissions standards sent for OK

A

federal rule to boost the fuel economy standards of medium- and heavy-duty trucks has been sent to the White House Office of Management and Budget for its stamp of approval, moving the rule one step closer to publication.

The new fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards would go into effect for 2018 model-year vehicles, building upon the Phase 1 fuel economy and emissions standards that went into effect last year and build to 2018.

Phase 2 comes from executive action taken by President Obama in February 2014 when he ordered the U.S. Department of Transportation and Environmental Protection Agency to develop the 2018 standards.

Obama said at that time that while heavy trucks represent 4 percent of vehicles on U.S. highways, they produce 20 percent of all of the transportation sector’s GHG emissions.

As the action comes from executive action rather than legislation, a successor to Obama could undo the action.

To take effect, the rule still must be cleared by OMB and be published as a proposed rule in the Federal Register with a public comment period.

DOT and EPA then must develop a final rule and have it cleared by OMB before publication.

– James Jaillet

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Be part of the revolution Real-world equipment and tech reviews by fleets, for fleets.

CCJ’s Reader Reviews is your new go-to source for trucking products featuring unbiased evaluations by trucking professionals like you. Current reviews include: • 12-13L Engines • Automated Manual Transmissions • Electronic Logging Applications • Class 8 trucks with 48-inch sleepers • Pickups Interested in reading more about these products? Go to ccjreviews.com to read real fleet feedback and add your own comments.

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product reviews, oeM & supplier news, and equipMent ManageMent trends

by Jack roberts

The target on your back TV lawyers hope big trucks lead to big payday

T

Easy mark: tv lawyers know that fleets have money and large insurance policies.

BE proactivE: plan regular meetings with your insurance agent to review your coverage.

he commercials are ridiculous.

At home, I instinctively grab the remote and change the channel until safEty dEvicEs: now’s the time they’re over. But at the gym or a restaurant in the evenings, that’s not an to start looking into them or consider option. So I have to watch the advertisements put out adding new ones. by two local lawyers promising “Big Checks!” to wronged individuals across Alabama.

The commercials have the subtlety and charm know that law firms promisusually reserved for used-car salesmen. One guy ing “Big Checks!” are in his ad waves around a high-powered rifle watching and waiting and says he’ll go “hunting” for the money on you to screw up. you rightly are owed for your pain and sufOnce that happens, fering. He eventually points the rifle at a they’re going to deer and pulls the trigger – then the deer’s strike hard and head explodes in a spray of hundred-doltake you for every lar bills. cent they possibly You can’t make this stuff up. can.

But as tacky as these commercials are, Your only defense against these guys is there’s a serious problem with them. Bea good offense. That cause almost always, there is an 18-wheeler means you have to be prominently displayed at some point in the ad. proactive and plan regular Usually, an ominous voice asks “Have you been meetings with your insurinjured by a BIG TRUCK?” while an air horn blasts in the background for good measure. ance agent, as unpleasant as that sounds. At least twice a year, sit down These guys are looking for an easy mark. Guess what? You’re with your agent and get up to speed on that easy mark. what’s happening both nationally and Everybody hates trucks. They’re big. They’re scary. As far as Joe Q. Public is concerned, the guys driving them probably are too irresponsible to handle something locally on the litigation front. Review that big and are trained poorly to boot. your coverage to make sure there are no When crashes do happen, they’re usually spectacular and grab headlines, reinforc- gaps and that you’re in the best possible ing all of the usual stereotypes. Best of all: Lawyers know that fleets – big shape to deal with a lawsuit fleets, in particular – have money and big fat insurance policies. should one come your way.

All of which is a dream come true if you’re pitching a BIG CASH PAYAlso, if you’re not investOUT to a lawsuit-happy viewing public drunk on the idea of easy money. ing in vehicle safety devicIt’s unsettling to see trucking targeted like this so blatantly. Granted, es, now’s the time to start there are bad apples in the industry, and accidents do happen, but the vast looking into them. If you’re majority of fleets and drivers on the road today are professionals who place already using such devices, a high degree of importance on safety.

Continued on page 26 Unfortunately, that message is not reaching the four-wheeling public. In my opinion, it’s unlikely to get there any time soon.

JACK ROBERTS is Executive Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal.

E-mail jroberts@ccjmagazine.com or call (205) 248-1358.

So it’s time for a reality check. If you’re a fleet or an owner-operator, commercial carrier journal

|

may 2015

25

INBrief • Daimler Trucks North America is recalling nearly 2,400 2015 model-year trucks manufactured between last Oct. 6 and Feb. 16 with improperly seated Haldex Life Seal Brake Chamber diagrams that might cause brake drag and subsequent loss of vehicle control. Affected Freightliners include the Cascadia, Coronado, Business Class M2, SD108 and 122SD, and affected Western Star models include the 4700 and 4900.

• Customers who purchase a new Peterbilt truck and finance through Paccar Financial can receive complementary extended warranty coverage: three years or 300,000 miles for Class 8 vehicles, and two years or 150,000 miles for Class 5-7 vehicles. The offer is available until March 31, 2016, on trucks in dealer inventory or truck orders prior to Dec. 31, 2015.

• Espar rebranded itself as Eberspaecher to provide improved global support and a greater investment in research and development. The company’s website now can be found at www.eberspaecher-na.com.

• Murphy-Hoffman Co., a dealership with locations in 13 states, will receive the first 50 Kenworth Icon 900 trucks.

• Webb Wheel Products Co. announced that Chattanooga, Tenn.-based truckload carrier U.S. Xpress Enterprises chose its Webb Vortex Unlimited brake drums for its fleet of 8,000 over-the road tractors and 22,000 trailers.

• Yokohama Tire Corp. launched YokohamaTruck.com, its dedicated commercial tire website that features the company’s full line of commercial tires and several business-driven tools such as a Tire Inspection Guide and calculators for fuel savings and tire inflation pressure.

• Bosch, a supplier of diesel fuel injection systems, launched its ChooseTheRightInjector.com website designed to help truck owners and technicians select the correct replacement injectors.

• Donaldson Co., a manufacturer of filtration systems and parts, announced that its Donaldson Blue fuel filters are available for Cummins’ 15-liter and 11.9-liter ISX engines.

• ZF announced that one million of its AS Tronic automatic transmission systems have come off the production line at the company’s facility in Friedrichshafen, Germany, since production got underway in 1997.

• Carrier Transicold, a provider of temperature-control equipment for refrigerated trucks, trailers and containers, is celebrating a double anniversary this year: 75 years of Carrier road transport refrigeration and the 45th anniversary of Carrier Transicold.

Want more equipment neWs? Scan the barcode to sign up for the CCJ Equipment Weekly e-mail newsletter or go to www.goo.gl/Ph9JK. 26

commercial carrier journal

| may 2015

Volvo president dismissed

V

olvo Group last month announced the dismissal of Olof Persson as its president and chief executive. The company also announced its plans to hire Scania boss Martin Lundstedt as his replacement.

“After three years of focus on product renewal, internal efficiency and restructuring, the Volvo Group is gradually entering a new phase with an intensified focus on growth and increased profitability,” said Carl-Henric Svanberg, chairman of AB Volvo. “This will be achieved by further building on our leading brands, strong assets and engaged and skilled employees all over the world.”

Lundstedt is expected to assume his role at Volvo, the world’s second-largest truck maker, in October. In the interim, Volvo Chief Financial Officer Jan Gurander, who worked under Lundstedt while serving as CFO at Scania, will head the company.

“Olof Persson has with energy and determination carried out Olof Persson, an extensive change of the Volvo Volvo Group president and Group,” Svanberg said. “He has chief execufocused Volvo on commercial tive, shown vehicles and sold unrelated here speaking at MATS in businesses and assets to a value of late March, over ($2 billion). He introduced was dismissed a functional organization and last month. paved the way for cost savings of ($1.1 billion). He also concluded the agreement with one of China’s largest truck manufacturers, Dongfeng, and led the company during the largest product renewal in the Group’s history. Today the Volvo Group is considerably better positioned to compete for leadership in our industry.”

In late March, Persson had been reappointed to Volvo’s board and had spoken at the Heavy Duty Manufacturing Association’s 25th annual Breakfast Briefing at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky., where he discussed the direction and strategy of the company’s trucking arm.

Persson said Volvo has invested $1.4 billion in North American manufacturing since 2002, with $250 million invested in support of its truck operations, and that Volvo had gained a slight share in North America in that timespan.

– Jason Cannon

Continued from page 25 consider adding new ones. Granted, this costs money, and that’s a big negative.

On the other hand, it looks like many – if not all – of these systems will be government-mandated in the next few years. There’s something to be said for gaining

experience with them and getting ahead of the curve, and there are very real returns in terms of reduced insurance costs and reduced or nonexistent lawsuit payouts.

You can invest in safety, or you can write checks to lawyers. It’s not fair to be targeted, but that’s the world we live in.

DTNA bullish on 2015 truck market Future regs should foster ‘free thinking,’ Daum says

Martin Daum, DTNA president and CEO, said this year’s increased truck production slots may not be enough to meet market demand.

D

uring a press dinner at the 2015 Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky., Martin Daum, president and chief executive officer of Daimler Trucks North America, shared his company’s optimism for near-term truck sales in North America, saying at the moment the United States is one of the few really strong markets in the world.

According to Daum, the North American Class 6-8 market finished 2014 with roughly 374,000 units sold for the year and in 2015 has seen a fast year-to-date start of 18 percent growth compared to last year. “I would say that the entire market could be higher than 10 percent [growth] this year,” he said.

DTNA is even more bullish on its forecast of the U.S. Class 8 truck market, with the company forecasting total market sales of 256,000 units in 2015, a 19 percent increase from 2014’s 214,000 units. “This is what drives the industry at the moment and is by far the strongest part of our business,” said Daum, adding that figure could be even higher given the current favorable market conditions.

DTNA forecasts the U.S. Class 6-7 market to retract slightly by 3 percent to 100,000 units after posting a 9 percent increase in 2014, noting this segment is more stable and has less volatility than the U.S. Class 8 market.

In terms of market share, DTNA forecasts it will recoup its slight losses in 2014 (37.0 percent North American market share) in all NAFTA regions for the Class 6-8 market with 4.4 percent growth in 2015 to 41.4 percent. In the United States, it expects to increase from 38.5 percent market share in 2014 to 42.8 percent this year. Meanwhile, the company predicts its market share to increase in Canada and Mexico by 4.6 percent and 7.1 percent, respectively.

To keep pace with record-breaking order intake, DTNA increased its production capacity by 16 percent and added 2,300 production workers in the last half of 2014, which should increase truck production by 27,000 units this year. “There is absolutely no fear that those production slots will go empty,” said Daum. “In fact, I have a feeling that it will not be enough.”

DT12 beats expectations The Detroit DT12 automated manual transmission, a main component of DTNA’s integrated powertrain package, has defied even DTNA’s expectations in the first two years since it was introduced to the market, and Daum cited the combination of fuel 28

commercial carrier journal

| may 2015

efficiency, driver convenience, integration and safety as reasons for customer acceptance.

“The integrated powertrain is pivotal for how you can engineer and build truck technology today, and it is the heart and soul of our success in the market,” said Daum. “The sky is the limit with the DT12. It changed the entire market, and at such a rapid pace. Even in my wildest dreams, I wouldn’t have seen that.”

Future regs, ‘free thinking’ At an earlier press conference at MATS, Freightliner introduced its 12.2-mpg SuperTruck concept, the culmination of a fiveyear project partially funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.

DTNA said it intends to be the first truck manufacturer to announce certification for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2017 greenhouse gas regulation, largely due to the technologies that came out of the SuperTruck project.

But Daum added that truck manufacturers need the freedom to continue to innovate and evolve their products to meet any future emissions regulations beyond 2017. “We need smart regulations that don’t limit the market, but that support and foster free thinking,” he said. “There are a lot of variables with fuel efficiency that we can optimize, but not with limitations that ultimately don’t support the best solutions.”

On the subject of future greenhouse gas regulations beyond 2017, Daum said DTNA “strongly advocates a complete vehicle standard. A lot of technologies which will today and in the future save fuel work together with other truck components. Any standard for a single component limits your ability to optimize the entire package.” Daum also added that mature and feasible technologies must meet customer expectations of an 18- to 24-month payback.

Improving the nation’s infrastructure also is critical to helping realize better truck fuel efficiency. “We can have the best truck, but if we have bad infrastructure, it’s not going to work,” said Daum.

– Jeff Crissey

WE’RE THERE FOR YOU... ANYTIME, ANYWHERE. Yokohama is the SmartSolution for less downtime because we have one of the most extensive service networks in the country. Our service providers are selected and certified to ensure they provide efficient solutions to get your fleet back on the road fast—24/7/365. So no matter where you haul, we’ve got you covered.

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Volvo debuts severe-duty VNX tridem axle model

V

olvo Trucks’ VNX 630 model – designed for high gross weight applications and heavy-haul tasks such as heavy equipment hauling, oil and gas delivery and timber transport – now is offered with a tridem rear axle group designed for added traction and increased payload.

The tridem features three rear drive axles instead of two, resulting in an 8×6 configuration designed to manage up to a 69,000-pound rear axle load and help the tractor traverse steep terrain, mud, ice and other off-road conditions more easily.

Equipped with the Volvo D16 engine delivering up to 600 horsepower and 2,050 lb.-ft. of torque, the VNX comes standard with the I-Shift automated manual transmission with integrated sensors engineered to identify truck load and road grade to place the truck in the right gear for the conditions, allowing for smoother optimal shifts, improved fuel efficiency and extended clutch life and service intervals.

The VNX 630 features a mid-roof sleeper equipped with Volvo’s ergonomic dash, added storage room and

Volvo Trucks’VNX 630 tridem rear axle features three rear drive axles instead of two, resulting in an 8×6 configuration to manage up to a 69,000-pound rear axle load.

contemporary styling and trim levels ranging from vinyl for rugged applications to premium leather for added driver comfort.

The Volvo VNX also provides safety features such as a sloped hood and large windshield for added visibility, a standard driver’s side airbag and a cab constructed with high-strength steel.

– Jason Cannon

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TAKE COMMAND 3/6/15 11:59 AM

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www.isuzucv.com The 0.99% APR finance offer expires June 30, 2015 and is only available through Isuzu Finance of America, Inc. Finance terms limited. Participating dealers only. Credit approval required. Please see your authorized Isuzu dealer for qualifying information. The 24/60K Covered Maintenance Program is provided on all diesel N-Series trucks sold through June 30, 2015. Extreme or severe usage/applications may not qualify.

Vehicle is shown with optional equipment; some equipment is dealer installed. This vehicle is assembled from component parts manufactured by Isuzu Motors Limited and by independent suppliers who manufacture such components to Isuzu’s exacting standards for quality, performance and safety. See your authorized Isuzu truck dealer for complete warranty and other details.

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Mack extends service intervals for MP engines

W

ith a focus on reducing total cost of ownership for customers, Mack Trucks announced that it is extending service intervals for diesel particulate filters and diesel engine oil and filter changes on all model-year 2011 and newer models powered by MP7, MP8 and MP10 engines. Mack said the extended intervals can add up to a potential savings of thousands of dollars over a truck’s life.

The service interval for DPFs has been extended from 250,000 miles to 400,000 miles for long and regional-haul applications. The new recommended service intervals for engine oil and filter changes have been increased by 10,000 miles to 45,000 miles for long haul, 35,000 miles for regional haul and 25,000 miles for heavy haul.

Owners whose engines idle more

Mack said the extended service intervals can add up to a potential savings of thousands of dollars over a truck’s life.

than 30 percent of the time should use the next shorter oil and filter change interval. Any engine oil must meet Mack’s oil specification.

“These extended service intervals demonstrate Mack’s commitment to

improving our customers’ bottom lines by reducing maintenance costs,” said Roy Horton, Mack director of product marketing. “Using data from our EPA 2010-compliant trucks, we’ve been able to verify that our newer engines produce significantly less particulate matter, enabling us to expand the service window for DPFs and engine oil and filter changes.”

Compared to the previous maintenance schedules, the extended interval for DPFs will allow many owners to cut the number of filter replacements or cleanings from two to just one over the vehicle’s life, Mack said. The extended engine oil and filter change intervals can save between four and 16 oil drains, depending on duty cycle, on a truck with a 600,000-mile service life.

– Jack Roberts

North America’s best fleets & drivers trust PrePass.

Mack upgrades mDrive telematics GuardDog Connect protects transmissions

E

xpanding its Uptime Solutions offering for customers, Mack Trucks announced that GuardDog Connect, its proactive integrated telematics system, now monitors critical fault codes for its mDrive and mDrive HD automated manual transmissions. Critical fault codes are those that signify a major issue that could result in a vehicle being out of operation.

“Mack’s commitment to Uptime extends well beyond offering support should a truck go down,” said Stephen Roy, president of Mack Trucks North America. “Through our GuardDog Connect proactive telematics solution, we can identify a problem while the truck is still up and running, allowing the customer to get the vehicle in for

Mack’s GuardDog Connect for its mDrive and mDrive HD automated manual transmissions is available for model-year 2016 vehicles equipped with onboard diagnostics and 2015 emissions controls.

service before a potential breakdown would occur. Extending this service to mDrive is just another example of our industry-leading Uptime Solutions

that combine technology with 24/7 live support.”

GuardDog Connect for mDrive and mDrive HD is available for model-year 2016 vehicles equipped with onboard diagnostics and 2015 emissions controls.

The system is standard on Pinnacle, Granite, Titan and select TerraPro models and is managed through Mack’s Uptime Center in Greensboro, N.C. Personnel from every customer support function are located in the Uptime Center, connecting them to Mack customers and dealers with the latest telematics, communications and case management tools, enabling cross-functional teams to interact quickly on behalf of truck owners.

– Jack Roberts

PrePass keeps over half a million qualified trucks on the move through safety pre-screening and bypass authorization at hundreds of weigh stations across the nation. For over 20 years, North America’s best fleets have trusted the solutions provided by PrePass. Do you want to save time, fuel and money? Contact us to see if you qualify.

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Nonstop choices, coverage expanding Weigh station bypass systems save time, money

PrePass currently has operational sites in 31 states as well as a number of committed sites, shown in yellow.

By AAron Huff

B

arOle Trucking delivers international container freight from the Twin Cities to customers in Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Dakotas.

Two miles before its trucks hit the scales at state borders, an app running on cabmounted Android tablets gives a “green light” to drivers to bypass the scales at highway speeds, regardless of trailer chassis being empty or loaded.

BarOle heard about the app from the Minnesota State Patrol. In subscribing to Drivewyze’s mobile bypass service, both parties became more efficient, says Karol Smith, safety manager for the Centerville, Minn.-based carrier.

BarOle’s trucks bypass at least two weigh stations per day on routes, saving drivers about 15 minutes during their workday, Smith says. According to a study by the U.S. Department of Transportation, a single bypass event saves $8.68. BarOle pays $15 a month per truck for the bypass service; the subscription cost is covered in one day, she says.

To qualify for bypass, the company has to maintain a good safety record, which is reflected in its Inspection Selection System score.

Safe carriers such as BarOle have been 36

commercial carrier journal

| may 2015

bypassing scales for more than 20 years.

The first bypass program began in 1993 through Help Inc., a nonprofit public-private partnership. States that participate in its PrePass program set their own bypass criteria. Carriers enrolled in PrePass generally have an ISS score below 90, though some states require ISS scores as low as 75 on a scale of 100; BarOle’s score is 46.

Legally bypassing weigh stations is commonplace today, but with new technology and choices in the market, carriers and law enforcement are more equipped to maximize the benefits. The most recent changes have evolved around two types of methods for identifying vehicles: at fixed and mobile inspection points.

Fixed sites PrePass uses overhead readers to capture the identity of vehicles in advance of weigh stations. The readers pick up a signal from windshield-mounted transponders that identifies the carrier, and immediate verification takes place.

PrePass uses a preclearance process. States work with Help Inc. to establish the program’s

bypass criteria based on ISS scores and other safety credentials. Carriers that meet the checklist can subscribe to the program, which costs up to $17 per truck per month.

While moving at highway speeds, a PrePass transponder flashes a green light for drivers to bypass the station or a red light to pull in for an inspection. States that use PrePass set a minimum 5 percent random pull-in rate, and some also set additional criteria for pull-ins, such as carriers that transport hazmat loads, says Karen Rasmussen, president and chief executive officer of Help Inc. Today, more than a half-million trucks from nearly 41,000 fleets are enrolled in PrePass and qualified to bypass weigh stations and ports of entry in 31 states.

Going forward, Help Inc. plans to build additional weigh-in-motion sites on major freight corridors and in locaDrivewyze is operational in 35 states at 567 service sites, including those with weigh-inmotion scales.

Š 2013 Exxon Mobil Corporation. All trademarks used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation or one of its subsidiaries unless indicated otherwise. This Proof of Performance is based on the experience of a single customer. Actual results can vary depending upon the type of equipment used and its maintenance, operating conditions and environment, and any prior lubricant used.

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tions seeking to address specific safety issues. The Interstate 94 corridor in Wyoming is one example where a new site is underway to block overweight trucks that operate in oilfields from causing road damage, Rasmussen says.

PrePass has several options for transponders. One of its most popular is interoperable with all PrePass and Norpass sites, as well as the E-ZPass electronic toll payment system in 15 states.

Drivewyze, founded in 2010, has taken a different approach for identifying vehicles ahead of inspection points.

Drivewyze uses software with the cellular connectivity of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets to identify vehicles. The Drivewyze app also currently runs on onboard devices from Zonar, PeopleNet and Rand McNally.

When the truck approaches an inspection site, the app automatically transmits an encrypted message using

information stored on the device to a secure cloud-based server. The app’s message is triggered by a geofence set up at the site.

Law enforcement is connected to the same server but uses a different Drivewyze interface to screen vehicles before they reach the inspection location.

Inspectors use Drivewyze’s cloudbased software to make a real-time decision on what trucks to pull in for inspection. The screening process incorporates ISS scores and other compliance information, says Brian Heath, president and CEO of Drivewyze.

States set their own inspection rules, but the criteria is fairly standardized, Heath says.

Drivewyze’s PreClear mobile bypass service requires no hardware installation at weigh stations, which helps explain why the service has grown so rapidly. The service now is operational in 35 states at 567 service sites, includ-

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ing those with weigh-in-motion scales.

PrePass and Drivewyze now operate in 24 states jointly.

Mobile bypass Besides operating PrePass at fixed sites, Help Inc. offers PrePass Roadside Solutions, a mobile setup some states use to conduct inspections at additional locations and as a backup system when their fixed sites are closed or under construction.

Because Drivewyze is a cloud-based system, law enforcement officers can set up inspection points at virtually any location, though the locations have to be chosen carefully to allow trucks without a bypass subscription to pull off the road safely for inspection.

As the volume of truck and car traffic continues to build, the use of bypass systems is likely to increase as both motor carriers and law enforcement seek ways to improve efficiency and safety.

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©2015 Rand McNally. ©2015 HERE. All rights reserved. Rand McNally and IntelliRoute are registered trademarks and TND is a trademark of RM Acquisition, LLC d/b/a Rand McNally.

U.S. Patent Nos 7,580,791 and 8,214,141.

TRUCK DATA

technology Making the latest technology developMents work for your fleet

by AAron Huff

The telematics index Fleet performance is a leading indicator of economic health, study shows

G

overnments and private businesses use a variety of economic indicators to inform their opinions and

decisions.

But many of these indicators have a major shortcoming: They are lagging, meaning they show past results rather than predict future ones. They often use data at least a month old, as well as estimated values and qualitative measures such as business and consumer sentiment.

By contrast, telematics systems provide fleets with real-time measurable data on their business activities and performance. Could this same data also be used on a collective basis to create a near-real-time economic indicator?

The answer is yes, according to a study from Fleetmatics, a provider of cloud-based workforce management and telematics software.

Believe the data Commonly used business performance metrics such as mileage, number of vehicle stops and mileage per stop can be a highly credible indicator of national and regional economic health, the study found.

For the study, Fleetmatics partnered with Dr. Stephen Fuller, university professor and director of the Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason University.

The company provided access to

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the Fleetmatics study showed that retail sales are dependent on fleet activity, a leading economic indicator.

near-real-time movements of about Lagging shortcoming: 552,000 residential and commercial service Many economic indicators show and delivery vehicles for more than 25,000 past results rather than predict businesses. future ones.

Fuller pulled this data from the cloud to reaL time: Telematics systems develop a data set representative of serviceprovide fleets with measurable based small business activities. data on business activities.

Using regression analysis, he compared a data set of 10.7 billion telematics-genereconomic heaLth: Commonly used metrics can be ated data points from more than 400,000 a credible indicator of business commercial vehicles to nearly four years performance. of monthly retail sales data from Moody’s and the U.S. Census Bureau dating back to January 2011.

“What we found was an extremely high correlation between the retail data at both the national and metropolitan area levels,” Fuller said. “I believe the ability to analyze real-time telematics data can now be considered an accurate data source on the small business flow of goods and services.”

What goes in The findings suggest that the performance of small businesses in the services indus-

INTERESTED IN TRUCKING TECHNOLOGY? Scan the barcode or go to www.goo.gl/Ph9JK to subscribe to the CCJ Technology Weekly e-mail newsletter.

There first needs to be economic activity that allows for retail sales to take place – most notably delivery of goods.

– Dr. Stephen Fuller, university professor and director of the Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason University try may have an impact on retail sales.

In other words, retail sales are dependent on fleet activity, a leading economic indicator.

“We believe this is because in order to generate retail sales, there first needs to be economic activity that allows for retail sales to take place – most notably delivery of goods, but also business and home services,” Fuller said.

On a national basis, the data suggests that as the total number of miles driven by small business service companies increases, so do retail sales.

The report also examined regional differences that drive the activities of service companies in four markets: New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Miami. The result was a breakdown of the most prominent indicators of small business economic activity and correlation to retail sales in each core market.

Harbinger of doom?

As for the accuracy of the predictions, the report found that during the first two months of 2015, fleet activity – as measured by total miles driven, total number of active vehicle days and the number of unique vehicles that experienced movement – decreased about 30 percent compared to the same period last year.

Does that spell the economy’s demise? On the contrary, the report attributed the drop in fleet activity to the unusual bad weather many regions experienced in early 2015.

Taking this aside, the data actually showed that retail sales would increase in March 2015.

The Fleetmatics report came out in mid-April, about the same time as numbers for March retail sales became available. Retail sales rose for the first time since November as consumers stepped up purchases of automobiles and other goods, suggesting the sharp slowdown in economic growth in the first quarter was temporary.

It appears that fleets that were looking at their data may have been the first to know that the sharp slowdown in economic growth in the first quarter would be temporary.

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

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technology

Swift to install Lytx cameras in all trucks

S

wift Transportation (CCJ Top 250, No. 3) will be outfitting its more than 6,000 company-owned trucks with Lytx DriveCam systems, which include forward-facing and driver-facing cameras that record and upload video clips before and after safety-critical events such as hard braking and swerving.

The announcement came via an internal video message featuring Richard Stocking, Swift president and chief executive officer, which was pushed out to drivers to notify them of the change and tell them the cameras will be used as “an in-cab coach.”

“This tool helps correct any at-risk driving behaviors you might not be aware of,” Stocking says in the video message. “Many of these bad habits are done unconsciously, and having video will help identify and improve them.”

The cameras will not be used to watch or monitor drivers in real time, Stocking says, and only will upload recordings of safety-critical events and the 10 seconds before and after. Stocking also says the cameras can help drivers avoid blame for crashes that are not their fault.

Implementation will begin this month, Stocking says, starting with the Phoenix-based company’s dedicated dry, central dedicated and refrigerated dedicated segments. Full implementation will be done toward the end of next year.

– James Jaillet

Swift Transportation will be outfitting its more than 6,000 company-owned trucks with Lytx DriveCam systems. commercial carrier journal

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technology

InBrief

Acceptance of dash-mounted cameras growing, SmartDrive says

• SmartDrive Systems, a provider of video-based driving performance systems, raised $50 million in funding from Oak Investment Partners, New Enterprise Associates and Wabco to fuel the company’s global expansion, further propel product innovation and support its growing patent portfolio. Wabco invested $20 million and will integrate nextgeneration video-based analytics solutions for commercial vehicle fleets worldwide.

S

martDrive Systems said virtually all of its fleet customers are using both forward-facing and in-cab cameras in their trucks. Most customSmartDrive Systems said virtually all of its fleet customers are using both forward-facing and in-cab cameras in their trucks. ers initially are resistant to the in-cab cameras because drivers typically resent the intrusion, but once the value is explained and in some cases a small group of drivers volunteers to test an in-cab camera, 99 percent of SmartDrive’s customers see its value, said Steve Mitgang, the company’s chief executive officer.

A lot of that value comes with the realization that about 80 percent of heavy-truck collisions with four-wheelers are not the fault of the truck driver, Mitgang said. That means that in about 80 percent of accident cases with video evidence, the trucker is exonerated. The driver acceptance works best when leadership communicates well, he said.

Even in a case where a forward-facing camera clearly shows a four-wheeler being at fault, an aggressive plaintiff’s attorney can threaten to obtain a trucker’s cell phone records in the hope of finding evidence of distracted driving. A complementary in-cab recording can help verify the trucker’s defense and head off an unwarranted settlement, Mitgang said.

About half of SmartDrive’s customers choose to have the cameras running whenever the truck is in motion, while the other half has cameras triggered only by an event such as harsh braking or a lane departure, he said.

With those that run on an “extended recording” mode, fleets do not use the extra material to troll for improper driver behavior but rather to help reconstruct an incident beyond the triggering event’s parameters, Mitgang said.

– Max Heine

• GreenRoad, a driver behavior and fleet performance service provider, raised $26 million in growth capital led by Israel Growth Partners, whose general partner, Haim Shani, joined the GreenRoad board of directors. The company plans to invest heavily in expanding its sales and marketing resources and to enhance its driver behavior technology to capture opportunities arising from next-generation mobility models and connected fleet technologies.

• Comdata launched FleetAdvance Mobile, an application for Apple and Android devices designed to help transportation companies increase fuel savings by giving drivers a tool to make more informed purchasing decisions. The mobile app allows a driver to search by current location or city and state to find the lowest prices in the area. The initial release also includes the ability to rate locations and view ratings from others.

Dossier’s fleet maintenance software goes mobile

D

ossier Systems, a provider of fleet maintenance management software, released Dossier v6.4, the latest version of its flagship software that also is available on the company’s Dossier On-Demand hosted environment.

New features and options include a communications platform called Dossier Cloud Services or DCloud, Dossier Lite mobile tools for nonmaintenance personnel available online and on IOS and Android, Work Pending requests and workflow, integration with Zonar Systems, enhancements to Audit Trail and Reporting, and several updates designed to make Dossier more enterprise- and finance-friendly.

Dossier 6.4 contains DCloud manages all communications in and out of Dossier with features that all current Dossier and a new cloud-based set of services designed to make it easier for the proDossier On-Demand vider to manage data flow to its customers from its telematics and parts customers can begin partners. using immediately, Work Pending workflow is designed to allow work to be requested by the company said. drivers, technicians and managers depending on their role and associated security/authority; the request can be approved automatically or require review. The tool is suited for drivers who normally wouldn’t have or need a Dossier user license.

– Aaron Huff

• EBE Technologies, a provider of automated decision support applications for transportation and logistics, and DAT Solutions announced that load brokers and shippers now can retrieve DAT CarrierWatch motor carrier insurance data and verify insurance limits from within the EBE carrier qualification application, helping mutual clients bring Continued on page 46

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technology

INBrief

Transflo Mobile+ app document options expanded

carriers onboard faster and with confidence that the insurance information they receive is accurate and up to date.

P

egasus TransTech announced the integration of Transflo OnDemand functionality for Transflo Mobile+, allowing drivers to both send and receive documents with carriers using the app.

Documents sent through Transflo OnDemand will be visible within Transflo Mobile+.

Drivers can both send Transflo OnDemand is designed to allow carriers, brokers and driv- and receive documents with carriers using ers to transmit documents anywhere. By using Transflo OnDemand Pegasus TransTech’s kiosks located nationwide, drivers are able to print these documents.

Transflo Mobile+ app “We are excited to offer our customers and drivers the combined with Transflo OnDebenefits of both programs in a single interface,” said Frank Adelman, mand functionality. president and chief executive officer of Pegasus TransTech. “Carriers and drivers will be able to stay better connected with the combination of these products and will experience a more streamlined process.”

The company said the integration within the Transflo Mobile+ application extends the reach of Transflo OnDemand, as drivers also will be able to email documents and print them from any printer. Carriers use Transflo OnDemand to transmit an array of documents for safety, insurance, permits, human resources, border crossing and customs.

The Transflo Mobile+ upgrade is available for free download on the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store for the Android platform.

– Aaron Huff

• Drivewyze’s PreClear bypass service now is available in South Dakota and Louisiana, making the mobile-based weigh station and inspection site bypass service available at 567 locations in 35 states.

• Internet Truckstop, an online freight-matching service, rebranded itself as Truckstop. com and introduced a new logo. Internet Truckstop Group will become the umbrella brand for Truckstop.com, uDrove, Real Time Freight, ITS Financial Services, D&S Factors and Roady’s Truck Stops.

• PeopleNet and Drivewyze announced that J.B. Hunt Transport Services (CCJ Top 250, No. 6) selected Drivewyze to deliver weigh station bypass services through the Lowell, Ark.-based fleet’s incab PeopleNet platforms. The integration of the two technologies allows for hands-free delivery of the weigh station bypass service.

MercuryGate, Bam team for ‘one-click’ funding

M

ercuryGate International, a provider of transportation management software, announced an integration partnership with Bam Worldwide whereby shared brokerage clients gain “one-click” access to working capital, helping small and mid-size brokers handle cash flow imbalances caused by paying carriers for loads before shipper customers pay on invoices.

MercuryGate said with the new integration, its brokerage clients can receive funds instantly at the transaction level in their TMS environment. “We are excited about the opportunities this gives our customers as they grow their businesses and increase their margins,” said Monica Wooden, chief executive officer of MercuryGate.

Both the MercuryGate TMS and Bam Worldwide lending platform are available to brokers with no upfront cost. MercuryGate said that with Bam Worldwide, its brokerage clients can receive Through Web service integration, MercuryGate TMS pres- funds instantly at the transaction level ents users a “Request Funding” option when processing an in their TMS environment. order. When the carrier submits delivery documents, the payment process is triggered automatically through the Bam Worldwide platform.

“More brokers are searching for the right TMS technology and financing solutions to handle increased shipper demands,” said Todd Ehrlich, president and CEO of Bam Worldwide.

MercuryGate and Bam Worldwide said clients will benefit from the increased efficiency in payment processing and can reallocate resources to generate new revenue, while brokerage clients also can improve credit scores and increase margins since carriers are willing to soften their rates in exchange for fast reliable payment.

Brokers pay a one-time fee for each transaction with interest charged only for the number of days that funds are outstanding. Bam does not require personal guarantees or take control of collections.

– Aaron Huff

• ALK, a provider of geologistics systems and navigation software, announced that Transport America (CCJ Top 250, No. 73) implemented its ALK Maps platform with Weather Alerts, a module that allows the Eagan, Minn.-based fleet to curate potentially hazardous weather events by informing planners and drivers of weather alerts and identifying future undispatched loads and projected routes that also might be affected to maximize fleet efficiency and safety.

• Spireon, a provider of mobile resource management and business intelligence systems, announced that Watkins & Shepard (CCJ Top 250, No. 110), a Missoula, Mo.-based truckload and less-thantruckload carrier, selected its Continued on page 48

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technology

INBrief

TMW fleet benchmarking study: Better utilization, rates

FleetLocate trailer management platform to improve asset utilization.

T

MW Systems, a developer of transportation management software, said that in the second year of its TMW Transportation & Logistics Study, it more than doubled the number of companies participating, TMW Systems said in the second year of its Transportation & Logistics with detailed results collected from more than 130 Study, it more than doubled the businesses representing the truckload irregular, truck- number of companies participating. load dedicated and brokerage/nonasset segments.

The 2014 study offers the latest data and analysis related to rising rates, driver retention, utilization, maintenance cost control, gross margins and other critical performance measures across a broad cross-section of North American carrier and brokerage businesses. The study presents data gleaned from more than 200 online survey questions spanning financial, operational and maintenance topics. Combined revenue of all participating entities exceeded $24 billion over the preceding 12 months.

The study results highlight improved utilization and financial performance for many carriers, year-over-year, as well as the value in leveraging developed carrier networks to achieve stronger gross margins for brokerage/nonasset service providers. Among the insights addressed in the study: Driver retention: Survey responses underscore the clear relationship between driver wages and retention. Length of haul and utilization also emerged as important factors in driver turnover.

Rates: Truckload carriers in the study averaged 7-percent net rate increases, a trend of interest for brokerage and third-party logistics providers as well as shippers.

Asset utilization: Many survey respondents leveraged new technology to achieve utilization gains. Dedicated fleets that use planning optimization experienced an average yearover-year increase of 142 revenue miles per seated truck per week.

– Aaron Huff

• EpicVue, a provider of in-cab satellite TV systems, announced that refrigerated carrier Hirschbach Motor Lines (CCJ Top 250, No. 161) of East Dubuque, Ill., is outfitting its entire fleet of 750 tractors with EpicVue systems that include an antenna, DVR and 24-inch flat-screen TV. EpicVue also announced that Fargo, N.D.based refrigerated carrier Holland Enterprises is installing the system in its fleet of 220 company-owned tractors.

• SkyBitz, a provider of remote asset tracking and information management systems, announced that Romulus, Mich.based Transportation Services Inc. (CCJ Top 250, No. 165), a long-haul dedicated contract carrier with about 600 tractors and more than 2,000 trailers, selected its subscriptionbased SkyBitz as a Service to manage trailer assets, eliminate upfront hardware costs and deliver accurate reporting and analysis to customers.

McLeod Software updates fleet management products

• PeopleNet, a provider of fleet mobility technology, named Jim Rodi general manager of its dedicated North American Oil and Gas Services Division.

Rodi previously held various leadership roles in his 11 years at Qualcomm/Omnitracs, where he led the sales and customer service teams. Most recently, he spent three years at Rand McNally as senior vice president, where he led the company’s Mobile Communications group.

M

cLeod Software released the latest version of its LoadMaster, PowerBroker and LoadMaster LTL products. The new 15.1 release adds a wide variety of new capabilities and functions, the company said. Highlights include: • A new “master order” feature for carriers and logistics companies to better manage intermodal shipments with multiple containers, deliveries, drayage moves and rail moves; • Another way for LoadMaster and PowerBroker users to communicate load information to drivers. Messages can be sent directly via SMS text or email and be associated with an order or movement; • LoadMaster LTL Cross Dock Manager with a more robust trip details display. Tendered dates have been added to help audit the age of each shipment during outbound routing; and • A Key Performance Indicators dashboard in LoadMaster LTL that displays real-time metrics such as order totals, quotes entered, pickups entered and bills of lading entered as the day progresses.

McLeod’s Carrier-Broker Exchange also has been enhanced and rebranded as the McLeod Market Insight Module, designed to unite rate information for truckload and brokered truckload shipments in hundreds of markets across North America, all compiled from the order rate history for actual shipments made by hundreds of transportation companies that are McLeod Software customers.

– Aaron Huff

• Omnitracs, a provider of fleet management systems to transportation and logistics companies, named Mansoor Bajowala vice president of professional services, overseeing professional and technical services, implementation and training for Omnitracs and its XRS business unit.

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technology

in focus: HANDHELD COMPUTERS

Tough enough?

Smartphones and tablets are making huge efficiency breakthroughs, but some basic issues still need to be resolved by jack roberts

I

f your job requires you to travel, a smartphone quickly moves from novelty to necessity – and no one travels more than truck drivers.

Smartphones and larger tablet devices essentially are highly adaptable mini-computers. It wasn’t long ago that users had to purchase and download highly specialized software in order to tweak computers to carry out specific operations and tasks. Today, tweaking a phone or a tablet is no more complicated than downloading an app and getting to work.

But as adaptable as consumer phones and tablets have become, do they work well with complex vehicle systems and logistics demands? Or do fleet executives and drivers need to rely on more application-specific devices to move freight efficiently?

The answer, it appears, will be a little bit of both solutions, as trucking becomes a more fully connected industry.

“The market for handhelds is definitely growing in our industry,” says Vikas Jain, chief operating officer for Zonar. Jain says this primarily is because many fleets now require their drivers to complete activities outside the cab, such as taking photographs of vehicle maintenance issues or damaged goods, or obtaining approval through signature capture.

“Increasingly, drivers have an expectation that they do not have to remain

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The move toward QR codes instead of barcodes in industrial and heavy-duty industries removes the need to have proprietary and expensive barcode and RFID readers, says Decisiv’s Michael Riemer.

tethered to the cab in order to be productive and available,” Jain says.

Consumerization …

Fleets can meet that expectation by providing their drivers with handhelds to exchange messages with dispatch or to watch training videos from the comfort of their sleepers, hotel rooms or homes.

“As a result, fleets create a better work environment by providing their drivers the necessary tools to help them be more productive,” Jain says.

Michael Riemer, vice president of products and channel marketing for Decisiv, believes the consumerization of mobile computing devices is inevitable except in areas where intrinsically safer demands are required. “Price point, ease of use and access to development talent are just a few of the reasons driving this change,” Riemer says.

Devices optimized for the trucking market, such as the enterprise-grade Zonar 2020, bring added reliability and confidence in the product and its ability to complete critical steps, says Zonar’s Vikas Jain.

Riemer says market forces already are shaping – and simplifying – the types of small computing devices that soon will be common in trucking applications.

“The move toward QR codes instead of barcodes in industrial and heavy-duty industries removes the need to have proprietary and expensive barcode and RFID readers,” he says.

The major technology hurdle still holding back broader adoption, according to Riemer, is that many of the legacy tools for reviewing diagnostic codes and reprogramming electronic control modules still require a Windows PC or a CE device.

“Unfortunately, Windows tablets have not been that successful, or it would have accelerated adoption even more,” he says.

Also, many manufacturers realize the need to support over-the-air reprogramming, especially with the growing adoption of telematics and the value of remote diagnostics. “Once OTA is in place, use of these mobile devices will skyrocket,” Riemer says.

But Riemer also thinks trucking applications demand devices that are able to withstand a wide range of operational hazards, from incessant vibration while driving to the ability to handle impact shocks and perform outdoors and in inhospitable surroundings.

“For a relatively small price, adding a reasonable degree of ruggedness to

technology these devices is simple and inexpensive,” he says. … or industry-specific?

That’s why consumer devices now are vying with industry-specific computing platforms in trucking. Jain believes that an explosion of new technologies such as advanced telematics systems eventually will solidify the need for highly optimized devices catering specifically to fleets and drivers.

“We believe there is a market for both approaches,” he says. “Each option comes with its pros and cons, and fleet managers will have to ultimately decide which is the right solution for their fleet.”

Devices optimized for the trucking market, such as the enterprise-grade Zonar 2020, bring added reliability and confidence in the product and its ability to complete critical steps, Jain says.

“These devices also enforce safety and security by preventing driver use while the vehicle is in motion and securing the product from harmful software,” he says. While consumergrade solutions typically sport lower prices, they lack the reliability, security and safety of an enterprise solution, Jain says.

“Mainstream devices may be sufficiently ruggedized for certain uses in moderate climates, but they still lack the robust security protocols or programming to provide fleet managers the assurance they need that their drivers can complete critical tasks in a safe and secure manner,” he says.

Specialized applications aside, Riemer is convinced consumer devices with trucking-specific apps eventually will be the favored approach used by fleets.

“The market will eventually be dominated by off-the-shelf hardware and software, driven mainly by the economics – primarily purchase, development, support, maintenance and replacement costs,” he says. “The delay in seeing

greater numbers of these devices in trucking today is directly related to these limitations.”

Once those issues are resolved, Riemer says, protective cases available at almost any retail location should handle the vast majority of applications.

“A quick search of the Web shows some more specialized but still relatively inexpensive cases that can be used,” he says. “It is becoming less likely that trucking-specific devices will be required. Pretty much any accessory at this point is a plug-and-play or wireless connection away.”

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INNOVATORS

Andrews Logistics takes a bold new approach to safety management BY JEFF CRISSEY

F

or a nationwide bulk liquid carrier serving some of North America’s largest petrochemical companies, safety is paramount. When an accident occurs, not only are the goods being hauled often flammable – which can increase the severity and scope of the incident – but big oil companies with deep pockets also are prime targets for vicarious liability lawsuits. Due diligence by such a shipper in the carrier selection process is critical to ensuring a safe and efficient link in their product supply chain.

Andrews Logistics has staked its claim in the bulk liquid and chemical hauling market with its safety approach. The asset-based bulk liquid and hazardous materials transportation company has won numerous safety awards from the National Tank Truck Carriers, as well as customer awards from BP, ConocoPhillips, Chevron and others.

In 2010, Andrews Logistics was cited by Commercial Carrier Journal as a CCJ Innovator for developing a systematic safety approach with a driver-led safety management system that the company launched in 2007. Since then, Andrews Logistics’ accident rate has decreased steadily.

Andrews Logistics has grown to become a leading bulk liquid hauler with 14 terminals serving 48 states, Canada and Mexico via a cross-border operation.

Currently, the company has 285 drivers, 320 trucks and 560 tank trailers.

Its niche is hauling finished petrochemical products, such as 5W30 motor oil and transmission fluids, from manufacturing points to distribution centers and automotive manufacturing plants. The Southlake, Texas-based company also has grown

ANDREWS LOGISTICS Southlake, Texas its business in the dry van dedicated contract carriage market, with 160 dry van trailers now in operation.

Andrews Logistics and its competitors in the bulk liquid market are not immune from the industrywide driver shortage. In fact, hazardous materials haulers face a greater challenge due to stricter hiring guidelines and extra training required when delivering goods.

“We are delivering product that isn’t in a package – we are delivering it into complex pipes, fittings and connections,” says Darron Eschle, chairman and chief executive officer. “We may have three or four different products in a trailer delivering to a site with 20 or more storage tanks, each with different products. That actual delivery process requires a lot of training so that we don’t load the product into the wrong storage tank and create a spill, or we dump 5W30 into a transmission fluid storage tank and contaminate the whole load.”

A new approach to safety In an effort to build on its already lofty safety record, Andrews Logistics last month announced its new “Target Zero” campaign to completely eliminate the factors that contribute to accidents, spills and contaminations.

“When you have 285-plus trucks rolling 500 miles per day and more than 21 million miles per year and think, ‘Wow, only one or two accidents or spills,’ that sounds like a pretty good number,” says Eschle. “And the truth

The tanker hauler develops a safety campaign to eliminate accidents on the road and spills at delivery points.

COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | MAY 2015

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The only acceptable goal in my mind is to have zero accidents.

practice deliveries before they finish training.

To help measure and improve driver performance, Andrews Logistics recently implemented onboard computers that provide vis– Darron Eschle, ibility into driver behavior to Andrews Logistics chairman and CEO identify patterns that increase the possibility of accidents. It “Safety not only has to be emphauses scorecards to engage drivers in a sized at work – it’s a lifestyle behavior positive discussion about ways they can that can be practiced while driving, at lower their chances of being involved in home and in other everyday environaccidents in the future. ments,” says Griff Odgers, Andrews Lo“We tell them, ‘Hey, we care enough gistics vice president of safety and risk about you that we’re concerned that the management. “Proper safety behavior way you’re driving beyond a shadow of can minimize risk, whether it’s at work a doubt has increased the possibility that or at play.” some day you’ll have an accident. You To create awareness for Target Zero, can’t afford one, because it could kill you Andrews Logistics now reviews the or someone else,’ ” says Eschle. eight directives at each safety meeting and distributes educational materials.

Target Zero posters and banners are visTHE TENETS OF SAFETY ible at all terminals and office locations, After analyzing when accidents and and the company has created stickers spills have occurred in the past, Andrews Logistics focused its Target Zero and patches to be placed on the outside campaign on eight specific criteria for of truck doors, hardhats and uniforms drivers, terminal managers, dispatchto remind employees of what they are ers and other company employees to maintain: doing and why they are doing it.

• Focus on work responsibilities 100 “We want them constantly remindpercent of the time. ed so that any time they are doing • Encourage, promote and hold yourself and coworkers accountsomething that goes against the eight able for safety. directives of Target Zero that the prob• Make the use of personal protective ability of them making a mistake goes equipment (PPE) a habit. way up, and the campaign gives them • Follow all company procedures during loading and unloading. Protect thought to stop and correct themthe environment. selves,” says Eschle.

• Communicate all safety concerns. If Andrews Logistics’ driver training you are unsure, stop!

• Do not use your cell phone while program requires new hires to comdriving or performing your job. plete a weeklong training period with • Follow all federal, state and local a “master driver.” But management traffic laws. Do not drive fatigued or speed. realized that in that week, • Drive to stay alive. Do not drive the new hire might only distracted. Andrews Logistics and complete two or three bulk your family want you home safely liquid deliveries to customevery trip, every time. ers.

The company since has ZERO INJURIES. ZERO ACCIDENTS. established a new delivery ZERO SPILLS. ZERO CONTAMINATIONS. CCJ INNOVATORS profiles carriers and fleets training program with the THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE GOAL. that have found innovative ways to overcome use of test tanks and test trucking’s challenges. If you know a carrier that Andrews Logistics developed its Target Zero campaign scenarios to better prepare has displayed innovation, contact Jeff Crissey in an effort to completely eliminate accidents, spills Focus on work responsibilities new drivers with 20 or more at jcrissey@ccjmagazine.com or 800-633-5953. and contaminations from its bulk liquid operation. is in our industry, that is a good number. But my point is we don’t need our goal to have only one or two incidents per year. Even though we have a safe history, it’s not good enough. The only acceptable goal in my mind is to have zero accidents.”

Andrews Logistics’ safety and risk management team began the Target Zero concept by analyzing past accidents, spills and contaminations to discover any commonalities among them. For example, contaminations and spills never happen when loading product into the tanker at the shipping point. They happen at the destination location during unloading.

Analysis of accidents that resulted in major injury or equipment and property damage revealed that almost all of them occurred when the truck was traveling above 56 miles per hour.

The company then identified the root causes of those accidents, including fatigue and distraction.

The safety and risk management team then developed the eight directives for the Target Zero campaign [see “The tenets of safety”] that it now preaches daily to its entire organization – drivers, terminal managers, dispatchers and front-office personnel.

Eschle also sent personal letters to the homes of all Andrews Logistics associates and family members explaining the program and how family members can get involved to help drivers focus on safety even during their personal time at home.

100% of the time.

54

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Online, video driver training guides new hires, reminds vets By aaron huff

W

ith a driver shortage of at least 35,000 and a turnover rate in excess of 90 percent, the transportation industry – especially the truckload sector – is searching for ways to expand the driver recruiting pool while reducing its risk.

This is a tall order, but technology has created new options for increasing the effectiveness and speed of training drivers at all levels of experience.

Like a lot of companies, J&R Schugel uses video to train drivers, though its footage is not filmed in studios with narrators, actors and props. Rather, it comes directly from the scene of accidents, risky events and errant behaviors that involve its own driving force.

The New Ulm, Minn.-based truckload fleet has recording devices installed in all 450 company-owned tractors and 150 trucks powered by its leased operators and independent contractors.

Just as coaches and professional athletes study game film to improve their skills and decision-making, driver managers at J&R Schugel use the video to help drivers learn how to operate more safely.

The company uses Lytx’s DriveCam safety program to make drivers aware of what events trigger video recordings and show them how their performance compares to the rest of the fleet.

“The internal drive that we naturally have comes out when speaking with (drivers) and showing them where they stand,” says Clay Merches, vice president of safety and human resources. With coaching and competition, drivers are getting better at what they 56

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COVER STORY: DRIVER TRAINING do, Merches says. “Overall, it has a very good impact.”

Fleets generally are using technology to improve the speed and effectiveness of the training process in five ways.

On-demand training Computerized training not only condenses the hiring process but also helps fleets get more training to drivers by bypassing the limits of time and geography. By all indications, motor carriers will have to use technology to reach more drivers faster.

Holly Caskey and other department managers at Admiral Merchants Motor Freight used to conduct a weekly conference call for all new drivers to complete their orientation training.

The call lasted several hours, and “you couldn’t tell if they were listening or paying attention,” says Caskey, director of safety for the Minneapolis-based flatbed carrier.

In March, AMMF replaced the conference call with a customized orientation training program from Instructional Technologies Inc. Drivers now complete an online interactive training program at their own pace and have to answer questions correctly to proceed.

“We know there is comprehension,” Caskey says. “Plus, they are able to view it as many times as they like – before, they had one shot. It also provides a consistent message.”

The new training program allows AMMF to shorten its orientation period by as much as one week. Previously, drivers could have completed a drug test and other pre-employment work by Thursday and then had to wait until the following Wednesday for the telephone training meeting before they could be dispatched on their first load.

Brown Integrated Logistics, a Lithonia, Ga.-based truckload carrier, tests drivers’ skills and knowledge when it schedules orientation meetings for new recruits. Rather than move candidates along at the same pace, Brown assigns online training courses to those in need of additional help for certain topics.

The company also uses online courses from Vertical Alliance Group for remedial training. Kiosks are set up at all Brown terminals, shops and warehouses, and drivers also can complete training using their own computers.

If a driver has an hours-of-service or maintenance violation, they are assigned courses on these topics. Also, if drivers miss a required quarterly safety meeting, they must complete a course on a topic that was discussed at the meeting.

The fleet has about 1,000 drivers, including 440 owner-operators. Drivers took more than 5,000 courses last year, says Brian Kinsey, president and chief executive officer.

“Acceptance of Vertical Alliance as a tool has improved dramatically,” Kinsey says. “There is no resistance.”

Once drivers complete a course after a violation, “we don’t have many repeat violators in any particular item,” he says.

Admiral Merchants Motor Freight, a Minneapolis-based flatbed carrier, uses a customized orientation training program from Instructional Technologies Inc.

Brown Integrated Logistics, a Lithonia, Ga.-based truckload carrier, tests drivers’ skills and knowledge when it schedules orientation meetings for new recruits.

Integrated training Some companies that develop content and technology for online training are working on the next evolution: a closed-loop process. Fleet managers now have to assign training courses to drivers manually, but soon training will be assigned to drivers automatically or at least recommended based on individual circumstances.

Fleets that use J.J. Keller’s online Encompass portal to manage driver performance and compliance can track courses that their drivers have completed from the online Training on Demand service.

J.J. Keller is working to make training content more closely integrated with its end-to-end compliance management platform that includes an electronic logging device for smartphones and tablets, the Encompass back-office driver management system and the Training on Demand courses.

When a violation is detected – such as a driver going over his limits for hours of service or not completing a pre-trip inspection – a fleet manager could assign a recommended course to the driver through an integrated workflow.

“The vision is to close the gap between gathering data and pushing back training to the driver,” says Brian Kubiak, J.J. Keller’s director of marketing for training.

ITI recently rebuilt its Pro-Tread training courses using HTML-5 to be mobile-friendly. Previously, its courses were deVertical Alliance Group offers online courses for remedial training, allowing drivers to use their own computers.

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COVER STORY: DRIVER TRAINING

To train drivers, New Ulm, Minn.-based truckload fleet J&R Schugel uses video that comes directly from the scene of events that involve its own driving force.

Instructional Technologies Inc. has rebuilt its Pro-Tread training courses to be mobile-friendly.

signed using Adobe Flash, which sometimes was not compatible with mobile devices.

ITI now is working with providers of mobile fleet management platforms to connect data – such as the conditions surrounding a hard-braking or speeding event – to an action in the form of a training course. If winter weather was determined to be a factor in the event, a driver might be required to complete a course in winter driving as well as a course on space management.

Thom Schoenborn, vice president of marketing for ITI, says that this next phase in the evolution of Pro-Tread – called “directed training” – will be ready within 18 months.

Coaching behavior Studies show that drivers at the highest risk for accidents are those in the first three to six months of a new job. Soon after J&R Schugel hires drivers, fleet managers can identify those 58

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who may need additional training regardless of their past work experiences.

“We see their behaviors and work on those,” Merches says.

When managers coach drivers on questionable behaviors, they show a current clip of the event as well as a previously recorded accident that resulted from the type of behavior being discussed, such as speeding.

The message is clear: “Unless you change that behavior, this will happen,” Merches says. “These are your peers you are looking at. They’ve been in the same boat.”

As one measure of success, the company has seen a decrease in speeding events by 35 percent and wants to reduce them by another 50 percent.

Video-based safety systems give fleets “new, immediate and ongoing” training material, says Steve Mitgang, CEO of SmartDrive Systems.

SmartDrive uses the video captured from vehicles together with a scoring method to deliver an objective, consistent and ongoing measurement of drivers’ skills, Mitgang says.

G&P Trucking has been using SmartDrive for less than a year, but the Columbia, S.C.-based company plans to outfit all 650 of its trucks by August.

The system has uncovered behaviors “that we didn’t even understand or know about,” says John J.J. Keller is working to make training conBillingsley, director tent more closely integrated with its end-toof safety for the end compliance management platform.

COVER STORY: DRIVER TRAINING

Lytx’s DriveCam program can help make drivers aware of what events trigger video recordings and show them how their performance compares to others.

SmartDrive uses video captured from vehicles and a scoring method designed to deliver an objective, consistent and ongoing measurement of drivers’ skills.

truckload, intermodal and dedicated fleet.

While management initially wasn’t sure how to deal with this new information, it knew that knee-jerk reactions would cause “decisions that aren’t good for the company,” Billingsley says. “Since this information was not previously known to us, we decided to use it in a 100 percent positive light.”

That’s why safety conversations with drivers are short and focus on their scores and specific behaviors caught on video, such as unsafe following distances. “It is received better by drivers,” Billingsley says. “There is no punishment for any unsafe behaviors unless they are egregious.”

G&P Trucking plans to use the scoring information as part

of a new performance-based driver pay program; lower-risk drivers will see increased earnings.

For fleets that operate commercial driver’s license or driver finishing schools, video systems can improve the effectiveness of on-the-road training, says Del Lisk, vice president of safety services for Lytx. The DriveCam program automatically captures video of risky events such as sudden braking. It also has a manual button; when pressed, the system captures a 12-second clip.

Trainers are using the manual record button to capture events for later review, such as when a driver does not set up a turn properly. It is difficult to train drivers in a stressful environment and to help them visualize all of the details of the situation after the fact, Lisk says. Showing drivers a video in the classroom of what happened on the road creates a more conducive learning environment, he says.

A ‘boot CAmp’ for online trAining

Custom content

Until last year, CAB Logistics held a companywide driver safety meeting every quarter.

The meeting was repeated over the course of two to three days to accommodate all 250 drivers – a significant expense in terms of lost productivity and administrative work.

“We wanted to streamline the way we were managing safety,” says Rocky Lott, director of information technology for the Fort Worth, Texas-based company. CAB Logistics transports frack sand for the oil and gas industry and also operates a private white-label fleet for FedEx Freight.

Last year, Lott attended a “boot camp” event in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards hosted

by Vertical Alliance Group, where the vendor’s new and prospective clients get to see the ins and outs of its Web-based Infinit-i learning management system. About 700 companies, many of them transportation providers, use the system.

A subscription to Infinit-i comes with 350 training videos. Fleets also can add up to 30 custom training videos per year at no extra cost.

Soon after last year’s boot camp, CAB Logistics implemented Infinit-i to have bulletproof documentation of all driver training. Drivers can access video training assignments from any device with an Internet connection and Web browser.

They cannot fast-forward through the

Bison Transport was recognized at this year’s Truckload Carriers Association Annual Convention as the safest truckload carrier in its division for its industry-leading safety and driver programs. Bison also received first place in the National Fleet Safety Awards for the ninth consecutive time.

The Winnipeg, Manitoba-based company has developed an extensive driver training program that also is fast and efficient. Drivers complete a 2½day orientation training and then five additional instructor-led courses and 17 online courses during the first year.

The instructor-led courses include time in a full-scale simulator, while the online courses are available 24/7 through Bison’s Intranet site and at computer labs in its facilities with swipe-card access.

During the second year and thereafter, drivers get one instructor-led and four online courses per year. Drivers also talk to safety counselors three times per year, on average, for issues that arise, says Garth

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videos and when finished must answer test questions accurately to verify they understand the content. Drivers receive a signed certificate upon completing each course.

Lott says there was some initial resistance among a few drivers but that the conversion was fast once they saw how easy and efficient online training is to use.

Last month, Lott attended another Vertical Alliance boot camp at the same location, but for a different reason: to explain to attendees what the technology has done for his company.

CAB Logistics drivers now complete about four training courses per month on their own time. The company no longer holds safety meetings, but drivers have to complete 12 training courses to be eligible for a quarterly safety bonus.

Lott credited Infinit-i for increasing fleet mpg by 4 to 5 percent. He told boot camp attendees that CAB Logistics is saving about $8,000 a week in fuel costs as a result of drivers completing a series of 26 fuel-efficiency videos – each only a few minutes long – and that the company also has seen a significant improvement in its Compliance Safety Accountability scores.

CAB Logistics soon plans to shorten its orientation period for new drivers by having them complete some training online before arriving at the office, possibly cutting more than a day from the process, Lott says.

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COVER STORY: DRIVER TRAINING Winnipeg, Manitoba-based truckload fleet Bison Transport has developed an extensive driver training program that also is fast and efficient.

North Little Rock, Ark.-based Maverick Transportation is using EBE’s technology to streamline its training process from start to finish.

Pitzel, director of safety and driver development.

Bison collects data on driver performance and ranks them on a scale of low to high risk. The company is planning to use video recorders to better understand the behaviors of at-risk drivers, and the cameras also might help shorten its entry-level driver training program, he says.

Bison currently plans to use video recording devices in trucks with drivers that are medium-risk and above, a segment Pitzel says currently makes up about 8½ percent of the company’s fleet. The technology is portable, so as a driver lowers his risk, the cameras can be taken out.

Bison also has a custom Driver Information Management System that is integrated with its operations software. If the safety department decides to ground a driver because of training expirations or for other reasons, the driver cannot be dispatched, Pitzel says.

Learning management Another way fleets can streamline driver orientation and ongoing training is by using a learning management system, a technology that helps manage the progress of drivers through each stage of the training process.

EBE Technologies’ LMS is designed to provide carriers 62

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a framework for building a custom training program with in-house and third-party content. Users can embed training videos, PowerPoint presentations and randomized tests into the program.Maverick Transportation is using EBE’s technology – a system it calls Computer Driver Training – to streamline its training process from start to finish.

The North Little Rock, Ark.-based company has a CDL finishing program for new drivers. Before drivers arrive, managers build classes in CDT using information from Maverick’s paperless driver recruiting and hiring system, also from EBE. Drivers go through an array of computerized training modules for safety, compliance and other topics tailored to the company’s diverse operations that include flatbed, temperature control and glass on specialized trailers.

EBE’s most recent LMS version is mobile-friendly, allowing drivers to access training content from their personal devices, says Cindy Nelson, vice president of marketing and business development.

Experts agree that using technology to customize safety training to better meet the specific needs of each driver – and to EBE’s most recent learning managedo that more effectively ment system version is mobile-friendly, and efficiently – is where allowing drivers to access training consuccess lies. tent from their personal devices.

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I

f you want to get a heavy-truck designer excited today, ask him or her about vehicle telematics, sit back and try to keep up while they talk you through trucking’s next big revolution.

We’re all familiar with vehicle telematics today, thanks to consumer versions such as GM’s OnStar system. These systems, oriented toward everyday vehicle use, focus on logical services such as GPS routing, directions to that swanky new downtown restaurant and – perhaps most importantly – the 64

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immediate summoning of help in the event of an accident.

All those features are fine, and they also have some benefits to truck fleets and drivers alike in commercial vehicle applications.

But the real benefit, experts say, is when trucks begin to self-diagnose maintenance and repair issues in a way that allows fleets to cut vehicle downtime dramatically. In some cases, new telematics vehicle systems may prevent vehicle breakdowns altogether by alerting fleet directors and driv-

Telematics already have made their mark in trucking, but these high-tech systems are poised to totally remake vehicle maintenance and uptime practices

By Jack RoBeRTs

ers that a failure is imminent, prompting a managed repair before a downtime event occurs.

Truck OEMs already are offering increasingly sophisticated telematics systems, aided by a host of third-party information providers such as PeopleNet, Omnitracs and Zonar.

But, as of yet, only a small percentage of components on any given diesel powertrain are wired actively into any vehicle connectivity program. It’s when more of these components are looped into telematics systems, experts say, that they will

EquipmEnt: CONNECTED ENGINES start to pay serious bottom-line benefits to fleets and alleviate the angst of many stranded drivers.

“Telematics is changing the repair experience, but enhancements will evolve over time,” says Conal Deedy, director of connected services for Volvo Trucks. With the company’s Remote Diagnostics, customers already are realizing the benefits from having Volvo receive, diagnose and communicate critical issues in real time and support the customer with targeted solutions, he says. “These benefits will only increase over time as Volvo rolls out more services.”

Baby steps In its first iteration, vehicle diagnosis and repair barely scratches the surface of what connected technology soon will do for customers, says Tony Cook, Navistar’s chief engineer of product strategy. “Looking at just ‘connected engines’ today is like looking at a single wave and trying to figure out how big the ocean is,” Cook says. “That’s the potential for positive change we’re contemplating today.”

The first big telematics push over the past several years has focused on getting the basic technological foundations in place and functioning at an acceptable level. “There were learning curves,” says Kevin Baney, chief engineer for Kenworth. “We heard loud and clear that fleets didn’t want multiple systems on a single vehicle or across mixed fleets regardless of the make of a truck.

They were interested in a single solution that worked well with any vehicle platform.”

That’s why recent moves made by both OEMs and third-party telematics providers have laid out the roadmap that will take trucking telematics to the next level. “Freightliner’s moves with Zonar and Navistar’s OnCommand Connection really got it right by allowing their information to be accessed by all telematics providers,” Baney says. “I think that’s going to be the model that will dominate the industry going forward.”

Cook says to think of the vehicle OEM as a television content provider – much like the Discovery Channel or PBS. “The telemetry coming off of our powertrains today is available to any broadcasting company that wants to use it,” he says. “Now think of companies like PeopleNet and Zonar as cable providers – these are the outlets you will use to access the content coming out of your vehicles.”

Cook says Navistar’s system doesn’t require customers to be locked into a single system or supplier. “We feel it’s the logical solution that will give fleets the highest degree of flexibility to access and use telematics data to keep their trucks rolling.”

The reasoning engine First-generation telematics systems on heavy trucks focused on relatively simple functions such as alerting a fleet and driver when a status light or other warning system was activated. commercial carrier journal

| may 2015 65

EquipmEnt: CONNECTED ENGINES “That’s pretty basic stuff in the grand scheme of things, but shooting steps in that fault tree, and the ultimate repair was a it’s only the beginning,” Baney says. “At Kenworth, we have a loose wire that wasn’t one of them,” Baney says. “The technician roadmap for the future to increase the number of connected will input his solution, and that information will instantly be components on our powertrains. We’re now working closely broadcast out over our entire dealer network.” with Eaton, and over the next few years, you’ll see us start to In Kenworth’s case, that’s 687 locations across the country make systematic progress toward a robust ‘reasoning engine.’ ” with technicians who seamlessly will know that the next time Current telematics sysa truck comes in with that tems do not have the ability same warning light, there to “learn” as they encounnow are nine steps in the ter problems during their fault tree that will help them lifetime, Baney says. Future resolve that issue – and that engines will be equipped the loose wire is now one of with powerful, compact those possible fixes. computing systems that will Cook cautions that the allow them to build an everindustry won’t see dramatic increasing portfolio of both leaps with this technology.

– Conal Deedy, director of connected services, Volvo Trucks problems and solutions for “There’s no need to worry both individual vehicles and about new learning curves even entire engine/transmission families or truck model lines. or mastering new technology,” he says. “Telematics technology by “With a reasoning engine, the vehicle will come into a dealeritself is not that dramatic. What is dramatic are all of the things ship with a warning light on,” Baney says. At the beginning of enabled by telematics.” that engine model’s life, a technician at the dealer will begin his Fleets already are noticing the dramatic leaps from what repair effort with a set of OEM-prescribed steps to troubleshoot has been enabled so far, and they are eager for more, Cook the problem. says. “We’re going to improve on solutions to current “Let’s say in a particular case there initially were eight troubleproblems, solve previously unsolvable problems and present

Telematics is changing the repair experience, but enhancements will evolve over time.

Volvo envisions Remote Diagnostics enabling a more predictive and sophisticated approach to maintenance.

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EquipmEnt: CONNECTED ENGINES solutions for issues they don’t know they have,” he says.

nents. That’s happening now and will really mature over the next 12 months or so.”

The big pull-through Engaged on every level Once those pieces are in place on the veOEMs logically began vehicle connectivity hicles, Baney predicts that the pull-through with ‘high-dollar” components, Cook says, from fleets and dealers will accelerate the but his colleague at Navistar – vice presipace of telematics acceptance and value. dent and general manager Mike Cerilli – “Very soon, fleets will have real and usable says that soon will change. fuel economy numbers for individual trucks “We are currently monitoring over – not just fleetwide averages,” he says. “That’s 4,000 diagnostic trouble codes on our going to transform the way fleets order vehicles, ranging from engine to brakes to vehicles.” the chassis,” Cerilli says. “We will continue Fleets might move from one nationwide to expand reading codes from the vehicle vehicle spec to two or three different specs system as they become available.” based on the geographical areas where their Like Baney, Cerilli feels strongly that vehicles operate. “The data may tell you once the “predictability” of these added that you can do away with full aerodynamic components’ lives are added to the packages in one operating area because telematics equation, a whole new world those trucks have an average speed of only will open up for fleets and drivers.

Navistar’s OnCommand Connection 52 mph,” Baney says. “We already have large “We’re talking about an entirely new allows information from the truck to be fleets talking to us about this.” accessed by all telematics providers. type of vehicle intelligence that is in its Fleets also are likely to move to real-world technical infancy,” Cerilli says. “Long term, maintenance schedules based entirely on telematics data from the sky is the limit. Eventually, connected components will individual trucks. “Maintenance will become super-fine-tuned,” cover the entire ecosystem of the vehicle architecture, and Baney says. “PM schedules will disappear because the truck will those systems will monitor not only failures. Advancements tell you when a component is ready for replacement.” in vehicle intelligence will create warnings for future failures Dealers also will win in this scenario. If fleets choose to share and a much more robust warning system for required maintheir data with dealers, then dealers will know when a truck tenance.” operating in their area needs a replacement part, such as a new Volvo’s Remote Diagnostics already is a fully integrated telematics system, although it certainly will evolve over time, water pump. This will be a huge opportunity for aggressive dealers, Baney says.

Deedy says. The service currently identifies necessary parts “They’ll be able to send a notice to the fleet,” he says. “If and provides repair instructions to technicians before the they’re a 24/7 operation, they’ll be able to offer, say, a 20 truck arrives for service.

Deedy says Volvo envisions Remote Diagnostics enabling a percent discount for the work while guaranteeing both parts availability and a reserved bay slot that coincides with the more predictive and sophisticated approach to maintenance driver’s mandated rest period. For me, that’s when the real by identifying when to replace components before they fail and establishing maintenance schedules based on duty cycles pull-through will begin, and fleets will begin to fundamentally understand the power that telematics systems offer.” rather than miles or hours.

One problem that still is being worked out is managing the flow of data as more components become connected. “We don’t want to overload our customers with data,” Deedy says. “Volvo will monitor components through Remote Diagnostics only when doing so is of value to fleets.”

Detroit’s Virtual Technician On Board DiRecent industry moves to double the capacity agnostic System communicates with the of the J1939 vehicle data bus have set the stage company’s Integrated Detroit Powertrain. for the coming telematics boom. “We’re looking closely at control module capacity now,” Baney says.

“That’s vital with all of the coming newly connected compo68

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Freightliner said its SuperTruck concept vehicle is a mix of current powertrain components and new technology.

Freightliner turns heads with supertruck concept Freightliner unveiled its futuristic SuperTruck prototype vehicle, capping a five-year development process in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy and other partners.

Freightliner received a $40 million industry grant from the U.S. government that was matched by Daimler, said Diane Hames, marketing director for Daimler Trucks North America.

The features listed by Freightliner include a 115 percent boost in vehicle freight efficiency compared to conventional tractors on the market today. Other enhancements include a 50 percent increase in engine braking, a 54 percent reduction in aerodynamic drag and a sustained 12.2 mpg logged at 65 mph on a stretch of Interstate 35 in Texas.

The SuperTruck has a 10.7-liter Detroit generating 375 horsepower and 1,375 lb.-ft. of torque. The engine features model-predictive engine controls for optimal performance and 70

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a hybrid driveline mated to a conventional DT12 automated manual transmission. The rear axle ratio is 2.28.1.

Other specifications include a variable-geometry front radiator grille to optimize and balance cooling system performance and aerodynamic drag, as well as a fully flush cab, sleeper and roof surface.

Solar panels are installed on the trailer roof to capture energy to recharge batteries and power the fully-electric HVAC system.

High-tech lightweight composite materials were used throughout, and software manages kinetic energy for optimal feedback into the powertrain.

Hames said that while the SuperTruck model is a prototype, several of its newer features already have found their way onto current Freightliner models. – Jack Roberts

Manufacturers tout improvements in design, fuel efficiency and diagnostics at MATS

Kenworth launches Icon 900 premIum trucK Kenworth launched the customized limited-edition Icon 900, a modernized tribute to the classic W900L. The Icon 900 “is a true reward for the customers who want only the true driver experience,” said Preston Feight, Kenworth general manager and Paccar vice president.

The Icon 900 comes standard with many chrome and stainless accessories. It features a chrome hood badge, stainless fender guards, upgraded headlights, headlamp covers, under-door and sleeper panels, a grille closeout panel and a large sun visor.

The truck features LED panel lights mounted under the cab and sleeper panels, along the roof and to the front and rear of the stainless air cleaners. Amber LED side-turn indicators and 4-inch sealed LED stop, turn and tail lights emit a unique glow.

On the inside are high-back leather seats with special embroidering to signify the limited edition.

Vehicle diagnostics: Kenworth also announced two products designed to improve vehicle diagnostics. TruckTech+ vehicle diagnostics will be available for new Class 8 trucks spec’d with a Paccar MX-13

engine and will offer real-time vehicle health monitoring technology.

Also announced was Kenworth Nav+ HD, a next-generation multifunction communications and entertainment system now standard on the company’s Class 8 trucks spec’d with premium interior packages.

Nav+ HD features a 7-inch high-definition touchscreen, plus integration into the Kenworth SmartWheel steering wheel. The system offers hands-free Bluetooth phone capability, truck navigation through Co-Pilot, iPod and MP3 integration, integrated SiriusXM satellite radio, virtual gauges, camera inputs and other features; it also offers WiFi capability.

Mid-roof sleeper: Kenworth launched a new 76-inch mid-roof sleeper for its T680 and T880. Feight said the sleeper is optimized for liquid bulk tankers, flatbed haulers and operators looking for a lighter-weight and more aerodynamic truck with all the driver comforts of a full-height sleeper. He said the mid-roof sleeper provides a 100-pound weight savings when compared to Kenworth’s 76-inch high-roof sleeper.

– Jason Cannon

Each Icon 900, a tribute to the classic W900L, will receive its own numbered dash plate. commercial carrier journal | may 2015

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Navistar iNtroduces upgrades to prostar es Navistar announced enhancements to its International ProStar ES (efficiency spec), which include availability of Cummins’ new Adept powertrain, with SmartTorque2 and SmartCoast. The Adept is anchored by the Cummins ISX15 and uses a suite of advanced electronic features that allow the engine to interact with automated manual transmissions.

These features also are available on non-ES ProStar models powered by the Cummins ISX15. The ProStar ES also is available with Navistar’s proprietary N13 engine coupled with the Eaton Fuller Advantage automated manual transmission.

Navistar also announced: • It now offers Bendix’s new integrated Wingman Fusion active safety system.

• Its OnCommand Connection remote diagnostics system now will be free and standard on all 2007 and newer model International trucks. The company will give new OnCommand subscribers a “telematics credit” that fleets can use to buy hardware and data service for a fleet telematics system.

– James Jaillet

peopleNet touts oeM reMote diagNostics partNerships PeopleNet announced its selection as the telematics partner for Peterbilt’s SmartLinq and Kenworth’s TruckTech+ remote vehicle diagnostics systems PeopleNet is the set to launch later this telematics partner for Peterbilt’s SmartLinq summer on power units and Kenworth’s Truckequipped with Paccar Tech+ remote vehicle MX-13 engines. diagnostics systems.

The system will incorporate PeopleNet’s vehicle health monitoring system, which includes the PeopleNet Mobile Gateway, managed network, cloud services and an online portal for fleets and dealers, as well as analytics from Kenworth and Peterbilt engineers.

The company also announced the availability of an introductory version of Cummins Connected Diagnostics on the PeopleNet g3 platform that will provide fault code analytics and severity to allow fleet managers to make real-time maintenance decisions.

– Jeff Crissey 72

commercial carrier journal | may 2015

The ProStar ES features aerodynamics, powertrain/transmission combinations and other technologies to maximize fuel efficiency.

shell developiNg futuristic fuelsaviNg coNcept truck Shell Lubricants announced a partnership with AirFlow Truck Co. to develop a hyper-fuel-efficient Class 8 truck and trailer concept vehicle. The StarShip centers on aerodynamics and aims to buck trends in conventional truck design, said Bob Sliwa, AirFlow president. The companies are planning a cross-country fuel economy test in 2017.

Initial designs call for the truck and trailer to be joined as a single integrated unit, ridding it of the truck and trailer gap, a significant source of aerodynamic drag. It also will be outfitted with a newly designed hood, side skirts, front end and custom interior. Some of the truck’s elements, like those eliminating the truck-trailer gap, will retract under 35 mph to allow for better maneuverability.

The StarShip also will be powered by advanced engine and drivetrain technology. Shell said it will be offering technical consultation on powertrain components and the lubricants the StarShip will need.

Sliwa has been morphing trucks to his liking since the 1980s, when as an owner-operator he reshaped The StarShip’s initial design shows the truck the hood of his cabover to and trailer joined to eliminate the drag created reduce aerodynamic drag. by the truck-trailer gap.

Using a Kenworth T2000 as the base, Sliwa and AirFlow also built the Bullet Truck, which was unveiled in 2012. On a coast-to-coast test, it averaged 13.4 mpg with a 65,000-pound GVW, he said.

– James Jaillet

MATS Roundup

Cummins improving isX15 Beginning in 2017, Cummins’ ISX15 engine will feature a more efficient turbocharger and reduced parasitic energy loss, said Srikanth Padmanabhan, vice president of the company’s engine business. The engine will be offered in designs optimized for either performance or fuel economy, with power ratings ranging from 400 to 605 horsepower.

Cummins also plans a new single-module exhaust aftertreatment system that also will debut in 2017. Padmanabhan said the evolutionary design leverages customer input as well as Cummins Filtrations’ aftertreatment expertise. The system will be 60 percent smaller and 40 percent lighter than its current aftertreatment system and will use new catalytic materials and diesel particulate filter dosing methods.

Remote diagnostics: Cummins announced the first in a series of new telematics features with the launch of its Connected Diagnostics program. It will use existing telematics providers such as Omnitracs

and PeopleNet to provide fleets with real-time maintenance information.

Adept software: Driver efficiency also was addressed with the introduction of the Adept software package designed to further optimize the SmartAdvantage integrated drivetrain developed in conjunction with Eaton.

Cummins said its 2017 ISX15 Road tour: Cummins will take engine will feature a more more than 10 trucks from various efficient turbocharger and truck makers on a cross-country reduced parasitic energy loss. tour to display its latest technology, including the 2017 ISX, its SmartAdvantage powertrain, its new Adept powertrain, its natural gas engine offerings and its latest telematics offerings.

– Jack Roberts

peterbilt touts 579 epiq upgrades Peterbilt Motor Co. introduced enhancements to its Model 579 Epiq that it said can improve fuel efficiency by up to 14 percent.

The fuel gains come from aerodynamics, drivetrain tweaks, tire pressure monitoring and automatically generated driver performance tips, said Scott Newhouse, chief engineer.

The company’s new Predictive Cruise technology automatically optimizes engine and transmission operation when in cruise control. The system works by anticipating and responding to changes in terrain, such as accelerating ahead of hills and coasting on the decline. That can result in “up to 3 percent improved fuel economy,” said Darrin Siver, Peterbilt general manager.

Predictive Cruise also integrates with Peterbilt’s Driver Performance Assistant, which coaches drivers with fuel-saving tips, said Newhouse. Predictive Cruise is available factory-installed for both the Model 579 and 567.

Peterbilt also announced: New sleeper: A new 58-inch sleeper is available for Model 579 in low- and mid-roof configurations, which Peterbilt said is ideal for weight-conscious short- and regional-haul operations.

Interior package: The Platinum Graphite Interior Package is available now for Models 579 and 567 in daycab configurations or when equipped with a 72- or 80-inch sleeper.

SFFA for Model 567: The company also launched a new set-forward front-axle configuration for its flagship vocational Model 567 that is suited for mixer and other weight-conscious applications.

Advanced infotainment: Peterbilt introduced the next generation of its SmartNav infotainment system that features an expanded array of virtual gauges, auto-activated safety cameras, improved hands-free calling and real-time traffic and fuel price information.

Peterbilt said the new 58-inch sleeper for its Model 579 in low- and midroof configurations reduces weight by up to 100 pounds versus the 80inch sleeper. An image of the Model 579 is displayed on the TV screen.

Vehicle diagnostics: Peterbilt’s new SmartLinq remote vehicle diagnostics system will be available on trucks equipped with the Paccar MX-13 engine.

New CNG models: Peterbilt introduced two new medium-duty vehicles powered by compressed natural gas: Models 337 and 348, both powered by the Cummins Westport ISL G with 320 horsepower and 1,000 lb.-ft. of torque.

LNG tractors: Peterbilt introduced its Models 579 and 567 in liquefied natural gas configurations, available as daycabs. Both trucks are powered by the Cummins-Westport ISX12 G with up to 400 horsepower and 1,450 lb.-ft. of torque.

– Max Heine commercial carrier journal | may 2015

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MATS Roundup

Bendix deButs next-gen active safety system Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems’ new Bendix Wingman Fusion is a single driver assistance system that integrates three of the company’s component technologies: Bendix ESP Electronic Stability Program, Bendix Wingman Advanced collision mitigation and AutoVue lane departure warning.

Bendix said that by having multiple sensors sharing situational data, Wingman Fusion offers lane departure warning, overspeed alerts and action, following distance alerts with enhanced collision mitigation and stationary vehicle braking. It can reduce the vehicle’s speed up to twice as much in a potential collision situation when compared to nonintegrated systems.

T.J. Thomas, director of marketing and customer solutions, said Wingman Fusion can deliver five different alerts depending on the situation. If it detects a lane departure and an unsafe following distance, the system deems the potential

Wingman Fusion integrates three of Bendix’s existing safety technologies into a single driver assistance system.

collision as the most critical event, so it issues a single collision alert rather than distracting or confusing the driver with multiple alerts.

Wingman Fusion’s new stationary vehicle braking technology uses radar and camera data to confirm a stopped vehicle

ahead and warns the driver up to 3.5 seconds before impact and automatically engages the brakes if the driver doesn’t take action.

Wingman Fusion initially is available on the International ProStar.

– Jeff Crissey

volvo details i-shift upgrades, adaptive loading axle system Volvo’s latest initiatives include an Adaptive Loading system based around an automatically controlled 6×2 liftable forward axle. Also, Volvo Remote Diagnostics service has been expanded to monitor critical I-Shift automated transmission fault codes, said Wade Long, director of product marketing for North America.

The service now monitors internal I-Shift transmission components on model-year 2016 trucks. Remote Diagnostics will monitor both the standard I-Shift transmission and the I-Shift for severe-duty applications.

Adaptive Loading is a new 6×2 liftable forward axle that automatically adjusts to load weight changes and offers 4×2 operation under certain conditions.

Key benefits of Adaptive Loading include greater fuel efficiency, improved traction, lower maintenance costs and increased driver productivity. Adaptive Loading is suited for bulk haul or general freight operations where the truck goes out loaded and returns empty, and for diminishing-load applications.

“For many operations that run empty or lightly loaded much of the time, Adaptive Loading is an innovative way to change the truck’s configuration on the fly for maximum efficiency,” said Göran Nyberg, president of Volvo Trucks North America.

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To further enhance fuel efficiency gains, customers selecting Adaptive Loading can choose one of Volvo’s XE (eXceptional Efficiency) powertrain packages, including XE Adaptive Gearing and XE Economy. XE powertrain packages improve fuel efficiency by downspeeding.

– Jack Roberts

Volvo Remote Diagnostics now monitors internal I-Shift automated transmission components on model-year 2016 trucks.

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MATS Roundup

mAck lAunches liftAble pusher Axle for pinnAcle Mack Trucks introduced Mack Load Logic and a 6×2 liftable pusher axle option for its Pinnacle highway model.

Designed for applications that routinely haul out heavy and return empty, the two new products monitor trailer weight and adjust the truck’s driveline configuration to boost fuel efficiency without impacting performance.

Load Logic integrates an advanced sensor in the rear suspension with the Mack mDrive automated manual transmission.

Roy Horton, director of product marketing, said when a fully loaded trailer is de-

tected, mDrive operates as a direct-drive transmission, locking out 12th gear for increased performance and pulling power. When an empty trailer is detected, the transmission switches to overdrive, enabling 12th gear to lower cruise rpms and maximize fuel efficiency.

During normal operation, lift axle control is automatic based on payload. The system offers a manual control feature that enables a driver to raise or lower the suspension for easier landing gear retraction or trailer hookup. To deliver optimal traction, the system’s suspension

Mack Load Logic and a 6×2 liftable pusher axle option for its Pinnacle highway model are designed for applications that routinely haul out heavy and return empty.

pressure and ride height are monitored continuously and adjusted to maintain a load bias toward the drive axle.

– Jason Cannon

AlcoA’s new wheel enhAnces corrosion resistAnce

Alcoa said its corrosion-resistant Dura-Bright EVO wheel maintains all the benefits of its predecessor, the Dura-Bright wheel with XBR technology.

Alcoa introduced the Dura-Bright EVO, an improved version of its primary commercial vehicle wheel. The new wheel is 10 times more resistant than the company’s prior products to corrosion primarily caused by road salts and weather elements, and more resistant to chemicals found in the toughest truck cleaning agents.

Victor Marquez, vice president and general manager for the Americas, said this durability enables the use of a wider variety of cleaning solutions while preserving the wheel’s integrity and brightness.

The EVO is available for orders shipping in August on Alcoa’s LvL ONE 22.5-by-8.25-inch and 24.5-by-8.25-inch wheels. All remaining North American Class 3-8 fitments will shift to Dura-Bright EVO in January.

– Max Heine

wAbco lAunches AdvAnced collision mitigAtion system Wabco’s new OnGuardActive system uses a 77 GHz radar to provide higher target visibility at longer ranges, said Nik Varty, president of Wabco’s North American business.

Varty said the system can track moving and stationary targets to provide more accurate collision avoidance measures. The new radar system has a dual-mode that allows long-range and adjacent lane views.

OnGuardActive alerts the driver to potentially critical driving situations via acoustic, visual and vibration signals, Varty said.

Should the driver fail to take corrective action, the system provides active braking when detecting moving, stopping and stationary vehicles to mitigate or prevent impending collisions.

– Jack Roberts 76

commercial carrier journal | may 2015

Wabco’s OnGuardActive collision mitigation system is capable of stopping the truck if the driver doesn’t take corrective action in a potential collision situation.

MATS Roundup

Dana Debuts Disconnect axle concept, singlereDuction axle Dana Holding Corp. unveiled two new axles: the Spicer AdvanTek Dual Range Disconnect axle concept and a single-reduction axle for 6×2 and 4×2 applications.

The AdvanTek Dual Range Disconnect shifts from 6×4 to 6×2 at highway speeds for downspeeding using a single-gear mesh. The Dual Range Disconnect operates like traditional tandem axles in starting and low-speed operation as well as in slippery conditions for better traction and high final-drive ratio. Once the vehicle reaches 38 mph, engine and transmission electronic control units communicate with an ECU in the axle to disengage the rear drive axle and shift to a faster ratio.

Steve Slesinski, director of global product planning, said that when in 6×4 mode, the Dual Range Disconnect uses single gear mesh to ground so that when disconnected, only one gear mesh is in use. The Dual Range Disconnect axle uses fewer gears in the transmission and avoids the need for larger engine mounts while improving performance on steep grades, takeoff and low-speed maneuvering.

The heavy-duty single reduction axle is available in 6×2 and 4×2 for Class 7 and 8 applications and has been redesigned for better strength and downspeeding. It is available in a 2.05:1 axle ratio and up to 7.17:1 for vocational markets.

“These new single-reduction drive axles incorporate AdvanTek technology and will provide comparable breakthroughs in performance for 6×2 and 4×2 vehicles,” said Mark Wallace, executive vice president of Dana and group president of Dana On-Highway Driveline Technologies.

– Jeff Crissey

Dana’s Spicer AdvanTek Dual Range Disconnect shifts from 6×4 to 6×2 at highway speeds for downspeeding using a single-gear mesh.

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MATS Roundup

eaToN updaTes TraNsmissioN raNge Eaton announced the expansion of its Fuller Advantage Series transmissions with nine new variants, including three direct-drive manual transmissions, two direct-drive automated transmissions and four automated transmissions with new overdrive ratios.

The company also announced the new Neutral Coast Mode for the Fuller Advantage Series and UltraShift Plus automated transmissions. The Neutral Coast feature disengages the truck’s driveline and drops the engine speed to idle during certain downhill scenarios, depending on factors such as weight and grade, to improve fuel consumption up to 1 percent.

The new Neutral Coast feature will appear as SmartCoast when paired with a Cummins engine, Fuel Efficient Coast when paired with a Navistar engine and Neutral Coast when paired with a Paccar engine. It will be available on all vehicles with a 2013 or newer Cummins ISX, Navistar N13 or Paccar MX-13 engine.

– Jeff Crissey

Eaton’s expanded lineup for its Fuller Advantage Series transmissions will include nine new variants.

Trailer air disc brake sysTem for NorTh america Hendrickson Trailer Commercial Vehicle Systems launched the MAXX22T, a trailer air disc brake system designed for North American fleets. The brake system was developed in conjunction with Wabco and uses that company’s bidirectional single piston design with Hendrickson’s wheel end and brake components.

Other MAXX22T features include a bolt-on splash guard that helps simplify rotor inspection, a 20,000-pound gross axle weight and compatibility with Hendrickson’s Tiremaax Pro and any Ready-To-Roll wheel end package.

– Jack Roberts

Hendrickson’s MAXX22T trailer air disc brake system is designed for the North American market.

besTpass debuTs TraNspoNder, expaNds NeTwork Bestpass, a provider of single-source payment and streamlined toll management services to commercial fleets, introduced its new Horizon transponder. The company also announced that Kansas and Florida tolling authorities have joined its nationwide network.

Bestpass said its Horizon transponder will allow for single-source toll account management for the major toll facilities not currently part of E-ZPass, eventually removing the need for five to seven transponders.

The Bestpass Horizon transponder’s introduction coincides with the planned completion of affiliations with tolling authorities across North America, including the addition of the Kansas Turnpike and Florida’s Turnpike, which includes the range of all other SunPass-tolled facilities in Florida.

The Bestpass solution includes E-ZPass coverage for the group’s 26 78

commercial carrier journal | may 2015

toll agencies in 15 states and the new Horizon transponder for the bulk of Bestpass said its Horizon transponder will allow for the authorities outside of the E-ZPass single-source toll account electronic toll collection network. management for the Bestpass also works with toll authorities major toll facilities not that use license plate read systems. currently part of E-ZPass.

By August, Bestpass plans to have toll discount and management programs in place with 99 percent of all U.S. tolled miles, excluding only a few bridges and HOV lanes. John Andrews, president and chief executive officer, said the company is working to bring its services to Oklahoma and Texas before the end of 2015.

– Max Heine

HOW TO MANAGE CASH FLOW

The following is an excerpt from How to Manage Cash Flow, a manual produced

by Commercial Carrier University. CCU is an educational program produced by Commercial Carrier Journal that includes business management manuals, seminars aimed at improving management skills and a website. For more information, visit www.commercialcarrieruniversity.com.

Using idle cash better By now you have improved your cash flow so much that your cash reserves are piling up. Even relatively small cash surpluses can generate still more cash, so you should take steps to increase the return on your idle cash.

The first step in evaluating what to do with idle cash is to know how you got it and how long you will have it.

Your investment options depend on whether this cash is available for a few days or a few months.

Short-term cash surpluses can spring from a quick-paying customer, a well-run billing-and-collection cycle or an effective stretching of your accounts payable. These surpluses might last only one to three weeks. Even a company with revenue of $200,000 per month might at any one time have $50,000 to $100,000 cash balances temporarily for a week or two before the bills come due.

A large surplus-cash balance created because you aren’t paying bills isn’t a surplus at all. Make sure you cover all payroll tax deposits, trade

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COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL

| MAY 2015

payables and other obligations before you consider investment options.

Late charges or a damaged reputation will cost you more than you could earn on the funds.

A better investment might be to pay down your debt – even if only temporarily. If you have a line of credit at 10 percent and you can spare your extra $50,000 to reduce that debt, you would save more than $400 per month in Using bank funds interest – almost Many companies use Even relatively small $5,000 per year. two bank accounts cash surpluses Sweep arrange– a money market ments can make this account for depositcan be used to process automatic. ing all collections and generate still more Your bank can take a checking account your excess cash for disbursements. By cash, so you should each night and apply placing all customer take steps to it toward your line payments immediof credit. In the ately into a money increase the return morning, the bank market account and on your idle cash. gives you back the transferring enough money.

Over time, this has almost each week to cover checks written in the same effect as paying down your the checking account, your cash balloan, but it’s more convenient and ances earn interest almost from the consistent.

Your bookkeeper might date of deposit. object to the extra bank reconciliaEven at today’s low interest rates, tion chores, but it’s worth it in the you might be permanently investlong run. ing $50,000 to $100,000 in funds. If Your bank also offers a variety of the return is 3 percent, that could certificates of deposit that make sense be $1,500 to $3,000 per year in extra if you know of a particular need for earnings for your company.

COMMERCIAL CARRIER UNIVERSITY cash a few months ahead, such as income tax payments. The returns are small – only 3 to 4 percent – but you have little concern over losing any value on your investment.

Another bank product is the repurchase agreement. Banks keep an inventory of U.S. Treasury securities and can sell them to you with the agreement to repurchase them in a week or a month. You might invest $99,600 in such securities, and the bank agrees upfront to buy them back in 30 days for $100,000.

Returns may be only in the range of 3 to 5 percent.

Using discounts Taking purchase discounts can pay off handsomely. Scour your supplier and vendor statements to see if they offer early payment discounts. Even a 1 percent discount for payment in 10 days with net due in 30 days will offer a fantastic – and risk-free – return.

If, for example, you owe $10,000

but can pay $9,900 if you pay within 10 days, you earn $100 for paying early. In effect, you are earning 18 percent interest on your money for 20 days. If anyone offers 2/10 net 30, take the discount. That’s equal to a 36 percent annual interest rate.

It may even make sense to take an advance on your line of credit at 10 percent to earn the discount.

Longer-term options If you have exhausted short-term strategies and still have a surplus, you might investigate other options.

A good starting place might be an investment policy statement. Get your banker or investment adviser to help prepare one.

A policy statement is a brief listing of what your investment time frame might be and a listing of what types of investments are appropriate for this time frame and for your company. Most importantly, a policy outlines investments that are not

appropriate. It can be a written guide for your internal managers and outside investment advisers.

A fundamental principle of investing is that to get higher rewards, you must take more risks.

If you are considering bonds or equities, consult a CPA, certified financial planner or investment adviser that work on a fee-only basis.

Fee-only advisers charge by the size of the portfolio, so their reward depends on increasing your portfolio, not getting you to buy something because it pays a commission.

In summary To invest excess funds effectively, you must know the period during which your cash is available.

Different investments are appropriate for different time periods. And there may be great investments inside your own business – in the form of reducing your debt or taking discount opportunities.

Commercial Carrier University is an educational initiative for owners and managers of trucking companies that are held at select Truckload Carriers Association events. We’re certain you will find this program a valuable resource in managing your business more easily and more profitably.

CCU’s goal is to provide you with an in-depth road map for success through clear advice on basic and advanced business practices.

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CCU manuals are available on USB drives and can be purchased online through eTruckerStore.com.

Visit www.commercialcarrieruniversity.com for more information.

COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL

| MAY 2015 81

products new

Double Coin’s mixed-service tire Double Coin’s RR706 mixed-service all-position truck tire is suited for the construction, waste and refuse industries. The tire, available initially in size 12R24.5, has a durable casing and tread compounds engineered to help withstand high-scrub environments.

Also planned are sizes 11R22.5, 11R24.5 and 315/80R22.5 with a 10,000-pound single-tire load capacity.

Double Coin/CMA, www.doublecointires.com

Holland’s landing gear

Stemco’s service tools The Stemco Equipment line of service tools and maintenance equipment includes the Stemco Equipment truck alignment system, wheel balancer, power press and Axle Pro Equipment system. The truck alignment system is designed to provide alignment measurements in less than three minutes through a wireless Bluetooth data connection without requiring an alignment bay. The wheel balancer features the company’s TouchSpin Technology designed to make wheel balancing simpler, safer, quicker and more accurate. The power press can be used for replacing bushings and bearings and performing other shop tasks, while the APE system uses presized and prehardened sleeves and a bushing design to help resize and enhance worn and out-of-round axle eyes.

Stemco, www.stemco.com

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Holland’s Atlas FastGear landing gear is engineered to provide a speed of 1.8 turns per inch of travel in high gear for faster cranks to the ground. Two models are offered: Atlas FastGear, weighing 156 pounds with a 140,000-pound load capacity and a 27,000-pound side-load capacity; and Atlas FastGear HD, weighing 182 pounds with a 170,000-pound load capacity and a 34,000-pound side-load capacity. Both feature Holland’s proprietary NoLube technology that uses a sealed grease tube that surrounds the elevating screw and coats it when the leg is raised or lowered. The company’s FloatingNut technology is designed to protect the elevating screw and threads from damage during excessive side loading, while its Twin-Bulkhead is placed above and below the FloatingNut to help increase structural resistance to side-load force when the landing gear leg is extended. Atlas FastGear comes standard with a RCF removable cushion foot or an optional low-profile RCF. SAF-Holland, www.safholland.com

products

Webasto’s vehicle heaters Webasto’s Air Top Evo 40 and 55 vehicle heaters are designed to provide greater comfort, safety and heating capacity for various applications on medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. The units incorporate an automatic cold-start system engineered to provide more heating power to cabins and cargo spaces, and they are built to be quieter and have lower power consumption due to modern controls and a new fuel pump design, making them suited for continuous heating; multiple heaters can be combined in a modular fashion to allow for heating larger areas. Both units feature an automatic altitude adjustment for optimal operation in high elevations of up to 7,218 feet. The Air Top Evo 40 has a maximum heat output of 13,650 Btu/h, while the Air Top Evo 55 has a maximum heat output of 18,800 Btu/h. Both heaters are available in 12-/24-volt diesel or 12-volt gasoline models and are designed for quick, easy installation as both a first-fit or retrofit solution.

Webasto Thermo & Comfort North America, www.webasto-products.com

Detroit Radiator’s bolt-on Powercool Detroit Radiator designed its bolt-on Powercool radiator to be more durable and sustainable and to replace plastic and aluminum radiators and frames.

The integrated unit offers advanced technology and a seven- to eight-year lifespan.

Detroit Radiator Corp., www.detroitrad.com

Dometic’s cooler line Dometic’s Avalanche coolers have thick insulated polyurethane walls, integrated stainless-steel hinges and rugged construction designed to keep food cold for seven to 10 days or keep hot food hot. A freezer-style seal helps lock in heat or cold, while molded handles make the cooler easy to transport.

A 2-inch drain plug is attached by a stainless-steel chain, and the cooler’s lid has molded cup holders to hold drinks. The Avalanche comes in three models: the 35, 55 and 65, with storage capacities of 31.3, 49.7 and 62.1 quarts, respectively. The 35 and 55 have four reversible skid/nonskid feet for use on any surface, while the 65 has all-terrain wheels and an extendable handle.

Dometic Group, www.dometic.com/truck

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products

Dometic’s rugged refrigerator Dometic’s CRX 50 rugged built-in refrigerator, a direct-fit replacement for all major brands, has a 50-liter overall capacity and an insulated freezer designed for easy removal to convert the unit into a refrigerator-only unit or, if needed, a freezer-only unit with temperatures of 17 to 21 degrees Fahrenheit. All internal controls are electronic with LED lighting and smart error indicator features for easy reading and operation. A durable variable-speed compressor, with all parts mounted to the plate, is designed for quiet operation, to handle road shock and vibration and to reduce rotation when set temperature is achieved. The unit is 17.84 inches wide, 22.13 inches high and 19.69 inches deep and weighs 51 pounds.

Dometic Group, www.dometic.com/truck

Ridewell’s air-ride suspension Ridewell’s RAR-260 15K series air-ride suspension has a 15,000-pound capacity optimized for light- and medium-duty applications. The compact low-mount suspension offers industry-standard bushing, the Securelok pivot nut, a shear-type pivot bolt and the SpeedSet axle alignment system.

Ridewell Corp., www.ridewellcorp.com

Bergstrom’s solar-powered APU Bergstrom’s No-Idle Thermal Environment system now is available with eNow’s solar power system designed to capture solar energy and transfer it to the onboard battery system for storage. The energy is distributed when needed to Bergstrom’s battery-powered Nite system, communications, appliances, entertainment and engine starting. The solar system charges even when the truck is not in use, reducing carbon emissions, and is customizable with optimized panel sizes, layouts and weights.

Bergstrom Inc., us.bergstrominc.com

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commercial carrier journal | may 2015

products

Trail King’s steel dump Trail King’s TKSHR32 steel end dump is designed to haul sand, gravel, demolition or rip rap and features abrasion-resistant steel, an inverted-angle top rail and a high liftgate. A low center of gravity helps improve stability, while a 24-inch flat floor is designed for more payload.

Trail King, www.trailking.com

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Alliance’s air hose grips Alliance’s Taper-Grip air hose grips help protect the hose during gladhand connections between the tractor-trailer jumper hose and the 3-in-1 AirPower line that includes two air hoses and an ABS-rated 7-way green electrical cable assembly, all factory-covered in a durable spiral wrap. The Taper-Grip offers a rubberized gladhand grip, is color-coded for easier identification and flexes with the air line during tight turns to help protect against kinking. The company’s Arctic coiled air lines are protected with a special coating that helps keep them flexible in temperatures as low as -85 degrees Fahrenheit.

Alliance Truck Parts, www.alliancetruckparts.com

commercial carrier journal | may 2015

85

PRODUCTS

BorgWarner’s severe-service fan drive THIS YEAR’S ACTIVITIES: FREE TRUCK PARKING

• Shuttle bus transportation to convention center • Showers, food vendors and exhibitor demos • RV parking (no hook-ups)

This pavilion will provide products, information, free services and education to assist you on the road to better health.

• Free health screenings • Cooking demos • In-cab fitness demos • Healthy food options • Health-related vendors

EDUCATION

• Texas Trucking Association seminars • Partners in Business workshops

RECRUITING PAVILION

• Expanded pavilion with more recruiters • Find your next job • Learn about fleet driver packages

BorgWarner’s K32 DuroSpeed two-speed fan drive is designed to deliver cooling for severe operating and vocational truck applications such as construction vehicles and municipal trucks. The pneumatically actuated fan drive is built to reduce engagements for less noise, increased clutch life, minimal dust buildup in the radiator and more available horsepower, allowing the vehicle to achieve higher work output. Its flux ring design is engineered to run cooler, facilitating added bearing and liner durability, while a higher disengaged fan speed helps to prevent engine temperatures from rising too quickly. The fan drive has no spinning air connections to wear, inspect or

service.

BorgWarner, www.borgwarner.com

OVERDRIVE’S PRIDE & POLISH • Celebrating their 25th anniversary, Pride & Polish sets the standard for truck beauty contests • Enter your truck to compete at PrideandPolish.com and be part of the National Championship Series • Show trucks from across the country on display

PRIDE & POLISH STAGE

Stage hosting numerous sessions that will excite and educate: • Truckers Got Talent contest • Pride & Polish award presentation

RED EYE RADIO

• Daily meet and greets and celebrity appearances • Live performances at the booth • Prize giveaways and drawings

REGISTER NOW! TRUCKSHOW.COM 86

COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | MAY 2015

Perrin’s lightweight APU Perrin’s 18-inch-wide Dynasys SL auxiliary power unit is an automotive-style HVAC system available with a multipurpose HVAC console that fits most daycab configurations and an under-bunk version that accommodates most traditional sleeper cabs. The lightweight system employs a belt-driven AC compressor to generate up to 24,000 Btu/hr of cooling power and heat dissipation from its diesel power plant to deliver up to 8,000 Btu/hr of heating strength. The APU fits the frame rail mounting space and has a corrosion-resistant stainless-steel outer envelope, a heavy-duty zinc-plated frame with powder coating and an in-cab touchscreen user interface controller. The unit is designed with advanced noise reduction technology and powered by a two-cylinder diesel engine.

Perrin Manufacturing, www.perrinmfg.com

It’s trucking’s family reunion

Registration is now open!

Register now to see what’s new in the trucking industry’s big family of manufacturers, suppliers, and much more including: • More than 500,000 square feet of equipment, products, and services • Over 50,000 trucking professionals at the show • Over 500 industry-leading exhibitors on the show floor #GATS #TruckShow

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PRODUCTS

General’s long-haul tires The General HS long-haul steer tire has a five-rib tread pattern, including a straightgroove bottom design, that promotes even wear and high removal mileage; the grooves also feature pyramidal-shaped stone ejectors to help prevent stone retention and increase retreadability. Upgraded compounding in the

General HS helps facilitate longer removal mileage while still delivering optimal fuel economy, and the casing features an enhanced bead-to-belt package for increased overall durability and added retreadability. Available sizes will include 295/75R22.5 (Load Range H), 11R22.5 (Load Range H), 11R24.5 (Load Range H) and 285/75R24.5 (Load Range H).

The General HD long-haul drive tire features a deep 32/32nd closed-shoulder tread design that offers high mileage and optimal fuel economy while also delivering added traction in demanding applications.

The tread block geometry promotes stiffness in the footprint, which helps reduce excess block movement while facilitating lower rolling resistance and improved fuel economy. The groove bottom ejection system helps reduce stone retention and casing penetration to promote higher retreadability.

Available sizes will include 11R22.5 (Load Range G), 295/75R22.5 (Load Range G), 11R24.5 (Load Range G) and 285/75R24.5 (Load Range G).

The General HT long-haul trailer tire features an improved stone-repellent tread pattern to deliver optimal removal mileage and flexibility. The improved scuff rib helps protect the sidewalls from curbing and cutting, therefore reducing damage and increasing retreadability. The company’s proprietary groove technology and a robust solid shoulder both help extend casing life. Available sizes will include 295/75R22.5 (Load Range G), 11R22.5 (Load Range G), 255/70R22.5 (Load Range H), 11R24.5 (Load Range G) and 285/75R24.5 (Load Range G).

General Highway Tire Line, www.generaltiretruck.com

Toyo’s refuse steer tire Toyo Tire’s M153 regional and urban heavy-duty steer tire, suited for refuse operations, has an extra-deep regroovable 26/32-inch tread optimized for high-scrub applications. The tire’s compounding is engineered for added wear performance and durability with a 10,000-pound load-carrying capacity. A buttress protector is designed to help reduce sidewall cutting and curb damage, while the company’s proprietary e-balance technology helps provide added wear performance.

Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp., www.toyotires.com

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COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | MAY 2015

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ad index Airtab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 970-663-9075 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Isuzu Commercial Truck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-441-9638 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

American Drug Testing Consortium . . . . . 800-528-9075 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

J .J . Keller & Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-564-2333 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

American Truck Historical Society . . . . . . . 816-891-9900 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Larson Electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-369-6671 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

American Truckers Legal Association . . . . 800-525-4285 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Love’s Travel Stops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-388-0983, ext . 6761 . . . . . . 49

Amsoil Distributor-Jim Fleschner . . . . . . . 800-709-2516 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Lytx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-419-5861 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Apex Capital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 844-827-7698 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Michelin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-847-3435 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

BestPass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 518-459-1579 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

MobilDelvac1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-MOBILDELVAC . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Bitimec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-637-1900 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Napa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-LET-NAPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IBC

BorgWarner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-787-6464 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

National Trailer Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-886-4414 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

CCJ Reader Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CCJReviews .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Navistar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . InternationalTrucks .com . . . . .IFC-1

CCJ’s Innovators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-633-5953 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

O’Reilly Auto Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FirstCallOnline .com . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Cenex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-232-3639 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

PCS Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281-419-9500 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Citgo Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HDLubes .com/ProveIt . . . . . . . . . . 8

Peterbilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-473-8372 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BC

Commercial Carrier University . . . . . . . . . . 800-633-5953 . . . . . . . . . . . . .80-81

PrePass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-361-PASS . . . . . . . . . . . . .34-35

Commercial Vehicle Outlook Conference . . . 888-349-4287 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Prestone Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-890-2075 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Cummins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CumminsGenuineParts .com . . . 27

ProMiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-324-8588 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Custom Fleet Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-737-9963 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Rand McNally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-789-6277 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Deckmate @ Gateway Supply LLC . . . . . . . 800-633-5953 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Rig Dig . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-633-5953 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Detroit Diesel Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313-592-5000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Shell Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-231-6950 . . . . . . . . . . . . .22, 23

Direct Equipment Supply Co . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-992-1478 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

TA-Petro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-632-9240 . . . . . . . . . . . . .17, 43

Drivers Legal Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-417-3552 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

TruckersB2B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TruckersB2B .com/saveme . . . . . 85

Eaton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Roadranger .com . . . . . . . . . . .19, 63

TruckFridge .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 502-863-4536 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Eberspächer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-387-4800 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Trucking Moves America Forward . . . . . . . TruckingMovesAmerica .com . . . 69

eTrucker Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-633-5953 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Truckstop .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-203-2540 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Fitzgerald Truck Sales & Glide Kits . . . . . . . 866-553-0369 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

TSI/SSG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-223-4540 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Fleet One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-517-2537 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Van Alstine Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 610-480-7670 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Fleetline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-322-6653 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Verizon Networkfleet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-869-1353 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Fuel Surcharge Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409-697-2587, ext . 231 . . . . . . . 94

Vipar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-494-4731 . . . . . . . . . . . . .51, 77

Fumoto Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 707-545-7020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Volvo Trucks North America . . . . . . . . . . . . 336-393-2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

GoNMF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GoNMF .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Water Cannon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-333-9274 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-321-2136 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Western Star Trucks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-850-STAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Great American Trucking Show . . . . . . . . . 888-349-4287 . . . . . . . . . . . . .86, 87

Windshield Cam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403-616-6610 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Great Dane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 773-254-5533 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Yokohama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . YokohamaTire .com . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Howes Lubricator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-438-4693 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Zamzow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-451-7660 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Imperial Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-558-2808 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 commercial carrier journal | may 2015

95

BurgerHouse

PREVENTABLE or NOT?

Doe goes slip-sliding away in parking lot

J

ohn Doe’s lunch at the Roughrider Truck Stop outside Billings, Mont., had been enlivened by Bobby “Flatbed” Braswell’s tale of a tractor-trailer driver who’d fallen asleep at the wheel and rear-ended a passenger vehicle. The motor carrier, sued for damages, successfully defended itself by documenting that its driver had been negligent in treating himself for sleep apnea and was hiding it from his bosses.

At the moment, however, Doe’s attention was devoted to finding a suitable parking place for his 18-wheeler near the snow-covered Billings BurgerHouse on Sweetbriar Road, where he was scheduled to deliver some buns. While there was ample room to park and offload freight on Sweetbriar, which John Doe had parked his was relatively flat and merely slushy, tractor-trailer in a steeply inclined ice-covered park- Doe wanted to get closer, so he inched ing lot, but his rig slid into his way into the establishment’s large, and dented a straight truck steeply inclined ice-covered lot and parked nearby. Was this a parked 10 feet behind a straight truck preventable accident? whose driver was engaged in munching a burger while updating his paperwork.

Alas, the stage now was set for disaster. Departing his cab, Doe entered the BurgerHouse in search of the shift manager, only to be interrupted moments later by the arrival of the straight-truck driver who loudly proclaimed that Doe’s tractor had slid into, and dented, his brand new rig! Adding to the other driver’s dismay, the impact had caused his half-eaten Cheeseburger Supreme to be thrown to the cab floor and ruined!

Since Doe contested the preventable-accident warning letter from his safety director, the National Safety Council’s Accident Review Committee was asked to resolve the conflict. NSC immediately ruled against Doe, noting that parking on the icy steep downgrade had been unnecessary and risky.

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COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | MAY 2015

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