CCJ0614

COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL SINCE 1911

JUNE 2014

ROLLING FOR DOLLARS

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leading news, trucking market conditions and industry analysis

Rule would prohibit carriers, others from coercing drivers

Trucking groups push for closing ‘loophole’ in clearinghouse rule

T

he Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration last month released a proposed rule prohibiting carriers, shippers, brokers and others from coercing drivers to drive beyond hours-of-service limits or to violate other federal rules. The proposed coercion rule also puts in place procedures for drivers to report allegations to the agency and procedures for the agency to respond.

The rule in some ways is related to the electronic logging device mandate proposed in March, whose predecessor was tossed in court in 2011 due to lack of protections against driver coercion and harassment.

The coercion rule, which has a 90-day comment period from its May 13 publication date, was mandated by language in the current MAP-21 highway funding act.

The rule would make it illegal for carriers, shippers, receivers or intermediaries (brokers) to coerce drivers by threatening them “with loss of work or other economic opportunities for refusing to operate a CMV under circumstances that those entities knew or should have known would require a driver” to violate FMCSA’s hours limits, drug and alcohol testing rules or hazmat regulations, among other rules.

These entities have broken the coercion rule if they “fail to heed a driver’s objection that the request would require him/her to break the rules,” the proposal reads. Drivers’ liability to comply with safety rules would not be absolved if they are coerced.

A

coalition of trucking and enforcement groups says

the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration didn’t make its proposed drug and alcohol clearing-

house rule as thorough as needed.

The group wants the agency to issue The coercion rule in some ways is related to the electronic logging device mandate proposed in March.

an amendment adding a requirement that carriers report observation of “misuse” to the clearinghouse.

In a comment posted on the pro-

The rule would impose a penalty of up to $11,000 per violation on the entities prohibited from coercion. The agency would have the authority to suspend or revoke authority from a noncompliant carrier or broker.

A driver alleging coercion must file a written complaint with FMCSA within 60 days of the event, according to the rule, detailing where the coercion happened or the principal place of business of the alleged violator.

Complaints must include a driver’s name, address and telephone number; the name and address of the person allegedly coercing the driver; the specific provisions of the regulations the driver alleges he or she was coerced to violate; and a brief statement of the facts that substantiate each allegation.

The rule says FMCSA then will determine whether the complaint is legitimate and has met the requirements of the regulation before initiating an investigation. The driver complainant will be notified of the findings from any investigation in a “timely” manner, the agency says.

Comments can be made Scan the QR code with your smartphone or visit ccjdigital.com/news/subscribe-to-newsat regulations.gov using letters to sign up for the CCJ Daily Report, a Docket Number FMCSAdaily e-mail newsletter filled with news, analy2012-0377. sis, blogs and market condition articles.

– James Jaillet

posed rule, seven groups – including the American Trucking Associations, the Truckload Carriers Association and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance – asked FMCSA to issue a Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for the rule.

They want the SNPRM to require employers to “report all instances of actual knowledge of misuse, including direct observations of misuse and acknowledgements of misuse, to the proposed clearinghouse.”

The Commercial Driver’s License Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse rule was proposed in March. Upon its effective date, likely late next year or early 2016, it will establish a database of CDL holders who have failed or refused to take a drug or alcohol test.

Carriers will be required to submit such information to the database and will be required to query the database when hiring a new driver. They also will be required to query the database annually for current drivers.

To see comments on the rule, visit regulations.gov ; use Docket Number FMCSA-2011-0031.

commercial carrier journal

– James Jaillet

| june 2014 9

JOURNAL NEWS

INBRIEF 6/14 • Edward Shea, executive editor of Commercial Carrier Journal from the 1950s through the 1990s, passed away on April 28 at the age of 91. Shea, who retired in 1998, was credited as one of the founding members of the Technology & Maintenance Council of the American Trucking Associations and was a Silver Spark Plug recipient; he also served as the organization’s historian for many years.

• North American Class 8 truck net orders in April were 24,115, 11 percent below March results but 5 percent above a year ago for the 15th consecutive month. Year to date, orders were up almost 28 percent over the same period in 2013.

• FreightWatch International’s quarterly theft report tallied 206 U.S. cargo thefts in the first three months of the year, a 4.9 percent decline from the same quarter last year. However, the average value per stolen load was $207,982, an increase of nearly 40 percent, which FreightWatch said indicated “continued persistence and increasing sophistication of organized cargo criminals.”

• Colorado lawmakers approved a measure establishing tax credit incentives for investing in trucks and heavy equipment fueled by clean-burning natural gas or1propane.

The bill – which Wide Top diesel, Beams_7x4.5.pdf 2/25/14 10:53 AM now

awaits the signature of Democrat Gov. John Hickenlooper – also includes a 25 percent tax credit for EPA SmartWay-certified aerodynamic technologies, excluding tires and idle-reduction technologies.

• Swift Transportation agreed to a $4.4 million class-action settlement in a case involving claims that the Phoenix-based carrier violated Fair Credit Reporting Act stipulations by not disclosing to driver applicants that it could access background checks and not allowing them to contest the carrier’s findings. The settlement applies to any driver applicant for Swift between July 23, 2008, and Sept. 30, 2012, for whom Swift obtained a background check, motor vehicle history report or consumer report prior to any in-person interaction.

• Kraft is cutting its 200-tractor and 700-trailer Kraft Fleet, and its transition to using for-hire carriers will be completed by the end of September.

• The U.S. Department of Labor ordered Iowa-based Absolute Waste Removal to pay a driver $123,203 in back wages and penalties and to reinstate him after the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration found the carrier violated federal retaliation laws. The driver refused to drive early last year, citing what he called unsafe procedures implemented by Absolute Waste Removal, which subsequently fired the driver in February 2013.

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COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL

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| JUNE 2014

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journal news

OOIDA lawsuits against violation appeals process consolidated

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he Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association’s two lawsuits against the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s DataQs violations appeals system have been con-

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solidated after the association filed a motion in court.

The two cases, OOIDA v. the U.S. Department of Transportation and Weaver v. FMCSA, center on the agency’s use of violations against

drivers and carriers after the citations were dismissed in subsequent adjudication.

Though the agency has put in motion steps to mitigate this issue, FMCSA’s Motor Carrier Management Information System currently remains unable to remove citations unless a state allows the change.

The MCMIS is the data well from which the Compliance Safety Accountability program’s Safety Measurement System scores are derived. It’s also the data used in the agency’s Pre-employment Screening Program.

FMCSA published a proposed rule in December that will allow it to remove violations from the MCMIS if a citation is dismissed in court or a carrier or driver is found not guilty.

Both CSA and PSP reports would reflect any dismissals.

Until that rule is enacted, though, FMCSA says it does not have the authority to direct states to change or alter data in the system. A state’s final ruling is considered “final resolution of the challenge,” the agency says.

OOIDA’s case against DOT involves four member plaintiffs who filed for a request to change the agency’s data after a violation was dismissed. All four requests were rejected, and FMCSA did not alter its data.

The Weaver case against FMCSA, similarly, stems from a violation in Montana that was dismissed but never removed from federal records.

OOIDA filed a lawsuit on behalf.

OOIDA filed its motion to consolidate the cases April 28, and U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell granted the request April 29, according to court documents.

– James Jaillet

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commercial carrier journal

| june 2014

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journal news

Low participation plaguing U.S.-Mexico cross-border program

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ive months remain in the U.S.Mexico cross-border trucking pilot program that has continued to report few safety violations but low participation: Just 13 carriers now have authority, compared to the nearly 50 the Federal

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Motor Carrier Safety Administration said it would need.

FMCSA’s program, through its third year, currently has the same number of participants as the end of its second year; it finished its first year with nine participants. The agency now is pending decision on two additional carriers.

A total of 17 companies have cleared FMCSA’s Pre-Authority Screening Audits, conducted on applicants to verify program compliance. The agency also has dismissed a total of 15 applicants, and five others have withdrawn.

Since the program began, few violations of operating authority and hours-of-service regulations have been reported. FMCSA had estimated 46 carriers would be needed to participate to reach a target of 4,100 inspections and provide a statistically valid analysis of participants’ safety performance.

By May 4, agency officials had totaled 4,848 inspections, of which 4,023 had been conducted on the two carriers accumulating the highest number of border crossings. Servicio de Transportes y Local received 2,755 inspections and made 11,507 crossings, while GCC Transportes underwent 1,268 and chalked up 4,865 crossings.

A congressional report noted having only two companies generating the majority of inspection data could shed doubt on whether it is a representative sample. The U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General also has said low participation could result in a data sample inadequate to assess Mexican carriers’ impact on safety.

The inspector’s interim report was based on July 2012 program data. At that time, the program had four carrier participants and had received 30 applications from other carriers. The auditors stated it was unclear if increased participation would be sufficient to provide an appropriate sample.

– Jill Dunn

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commercial carrier journal

| june 2014

1/31/14 1:20 PM

journal news

FMCSA study backs e-log safety, offers guidance on printouts

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lectronic logs have a beneficial impact on truck safety, according to a study posted last month by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

The goal of the study was to determine whether commercial vehicles with installed electronic hours-of-service recorders (EHSRs) had significantly lower crash rates and HOS violations than vehicles without them.

The data came from previously generated compliance records of 11 participating carriers representing small, medium and large fleets, although the data set was “skewed” toward larger for-hire carriers and “may not represent the overall U.S. trucking population,” the report noted.

The set included a total of 82,943 crashes, 970 HOS violations, 224,034 truck-years and 15.6 billion miles driven, for an average annual mileage of 69,600 per truck. For trucks that were taken out of service midyear, “such as those destroyed in a crash,” the mileage still counted toward the full-year average.

EHSR-equipped trucks had a significantly lower total crash rate (11.7 percent reduction) and a significantly lower preventable crash rate (5.1 percent reduction) than trucks not equipped with an EHSR. Also, EHSR-equipped trucks had a 53 percent lower driving-related HOS violation rate and a 49 percent lower nondriving-related HOS violation rate than trucks not equipped with EHSRs. FMCSA last month also issued guidance clarifying the roadside inspection regulation for trucks equipped with automatic onboard recording devices (AOBRDs). Specifically, FMCSA said it was responding to reports that inspection officials sometimes request drivers to provide printouts from AOBRDs, or to email or fax records of duty status (RODS). The agency said it also had been advised that, in some cases, inspection officials have issued citations to drivers because their AOBRDs did not

display certain information.

“The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) have never required AOBRDs to be capable of providing printed records at the roadside, although a driver may voluntarily do so

if his/her AOBRD has that capability,” FMCSA said. The AOBRD requirements for recording – but not displaying – information “reflect mid-1980s information technology,” the agency said.

– Kevin Jones

Text INFO to 205-289-3554 or visit www.ccjdigital.com/info commercial carrier journal

| june 2014 15

journal news

Senate committee offers six-year MAP-21 extension

T

he Senate Environment and Public Works committee last month delivered the policy portion of a six-year surface transportation reauthorization. The plan essentially extends MAP21 – the current federal funding program – maintaining spending levels for highways and transit while allowing for increases due to inflation. Spending on federal-aid highway programs would grow from $38.4 billion in 2015 to $42.6 billion in 2020.

Along with the spending comes a call for “greater transparency” on the use of federal funds “to show taxpayers where their infrastructure dollars are being spent and reinforce public trust,” according to the EPW summary.

Additionally, the bill includes some adjustments to the federal freight program established under MAP-21, changes designed to make it “formula-based” and to expand flexibility for rural and urban areas – representatives of which have questioned the initial key regional corridors – to also designate key freight corridors.

Spending for the freight program would grow rapidly, from $400 million in 2015 to $2 billion by 2020.

The Senate Commerce and Finance committees also will have a crack at the reauthorization package, focusing respectively on how to pay for it and on its regulatory components.

America Trucking Associations spokesman Sean McNally said ATA was “generally pleased” with the bill.

White House sticks to plan The tolling option was featured in the Obama administration’s four-year version of the bill, received by Congress April 29, and the administration last month was standing by its bill.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx declined to comment on the likelihood of a transportation bill being passed before the fall elections, and said that congressional indecision and 27 short-term extensions over a recent five-year stretch had put communities at risk.

– Kevin Jones

A laser-etched, hand-painted truck stop sign is featured on the right side of the walnut stock for this Golden Boy model and the Big Boy.

Two trucker-themed rifles being given away

H

enry Repeating Arms, in conjunction with Overdrive, is giving away a special American Trucker Tribute Golden Boy Rifle in a contest that ends July 31.

The .22-caliber rifle is valued at $1,020. A drawing will be held during the first week of August to determine the winner. To enter the contest, visit OverdriveOnline.com/gungiveaway.

A second trucker-themed rifle, the $1,500 American Trucker Tribute Big Boy Rifle, will be given away after the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas, Aug. 21-23. The .44-caliber Magnum Big Boy will be displayed at the Overdrive booth. That contest will be limited to GATS attendees.

“The Henry American Trucker Tribute rifle honors not only the driver, but all those along the roads who keep American commerce in motion,” says Anthony Imperato, president of Henry Repeating Arms. “Few other occupations in our country are more critical to the economy and well-being of its citizens than the truck driver.”

Engraved on the right side of each rifle’s receiver is a tractor-trailer, with a banner that reads “TRUCKERS MOVE AMERICA.” On the left side of the receiver is a convoy on a treelined highway, with the banner “BOUND FOR GLORY.” Henry Repeating Arms is one of the top five long gun manuThe Golden Boy edition adds 24-karat facturers in the United gold plating to the main parts of the States. – Max Heine image on each side of the receiver.

FMCSA eyes electronic records, e-signature option

T

he Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is considering allowing carriers and drivers the option of using electronic records and signatures to meet regulatory requirements.

Under the proposal, the industry would have a choice of using electronic or traditional paper-based methods. This would apply only to documents FMCSA requires individuals or companies to retain, but 16

commercial carrier journal

| june 2014

excludes documents that must be submitted directly to the agency.

The proposed rule responds to President Obama’s 2011 Regulatory Review and Reform initiative and would implement other recent federal laws to decrease paperwork and allow electronic signatures.

FMCSA also would remove references to “original” documents because there is no true distinction between originals

and copies of electronic documents; parties could maintain “accurate” copies instead of originals. Regulatory language would be amended to be technologically neutral, with “written or in writing” being defined as traditional recordkeeping as well as electronic.

To comment, go to www.regulations.gov and search Docket Number FMCSA-2012-0376.

– Jill Dunn

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journal Fuel Savvy

Panel talks pushing down fuel costs, impact on driver recruiting

A

study by the North American Council for Freight Efficiency says the average fleet is carrying a per-truck cost of 64 cents per mile over 109,000 miles annually, equating to nearly $70,000 per year in fuel expenses per truck.

“It’s not exactly news that fuel is a fleet’s number-one expense,” said Mike Roeth, NACFE executive director, during a panel discussion at the Alternative Clean Transportation Expo last month in Long Beach, Calif.

What wasn’t as obvious, however, were the potential targets for fleets, drivers and OEMs who each attack lower MPG costs from various angles.

The American Transportation Research Institute says an average of 64 cents per mile is pretty good, but NACFE says 58 cents per mile is possible. Freightliner’s Team RunSmart says 42 cents, while aero-aficionado owneroperator Steve Kron says drivers who are aero-aggressive can get down to 38 cents per mile.

With SuperTruck, OEMs think 37 cents per mile is possible. “There are tens of thousands of dollars in opportunity for the fleets,” Roeth said.

Government mandates have become a thing of regularity as Washington seeks to squeeze more green energy and innovation from commercial trucking – something that Scott Perry, vice president of supply chain management for Ryder’s Fleet Solutions division, doesn’t see changing anytime soon.

“I think we’re in the new norm that every three years or so, there are going to be new (emissions) requirements,” Perry said, adding fleets that are slow or resistant to adapt will cause regulatory changes to be thrust upon the rest of the industry.

Innovation hasn’t come without a price, though: Perry said vehicle investments in the past decade have

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commercial carrier journal

| june 2014

increased upwards of 60 percent. “This is only going to increase as the product becomes even more complex,” he said.

While much of green innovation lies at the feet of OEs, there are plenty of things fleets can do on their own, and those returns can mount quickly. Roeth estimated that based on current aver-

ages, adding a 1 percent savings would equal $700 per year per truck.

Mike O’Connell, Frito Lay’s director of fleet capability, said his company – a division of Pepsi Co. – has trained more than 14,000 of its 17,000 drivers on how to be more efficient behind the wheel.

Traffic congestion cost trucking $9.2 billion in 2013, ATRI says

T

rucking lost $9.209 billion to traffic congestion in 2013, according to a report from the American Transportation Research Institute, which said the industry in aggregate was delayed 141 million hours that year.

Most of that traffic came in cities, ATRI noted, with 89 percent of the congestion happening in urban areas that comprise 12 percent of the country’s interstate system.

ATRI’s annual report, “The Cost of Congestion to the Trucking Industry,” said the delays were the equivalent of about 51,293 drivers sitting idle for an entire working year.

When averaging that figure across the 10.7 million trucks registered in the United States, ATRI said the number comes to $864 lost per truck last year. However, the biggest driver of congestion costs was miles driven,

“Driver training can have up to a 30 percent impact on miles per gallon,” O’Connell said. ”It was more to me about a cultural shift.”

O’Connell – who oversees the seventh-largest fleet in the United States – said the company has seen a sustainable 6 percent fuel economy improvement from its over-the-road drivers and a double-digit return from its route delivery fleet.

“And in most cases, we got (to the destination) faster, or in the same amount of time,” O’Connell said.

In the search for drivers, fuel efficiency can, and does, fall to the wayside.

“Fleets are saying ‘Make it easy on me to recruit drivers’,” O’Connell said. “They’re not focused on fuel economy. They just want safe, dependable drivers.” – Jason Cannon as those that drove 12,000 miles lost about $408 to congestion, while those that drove 150,000 miles lost about $5,000, ATRI’s report said.

The cost of congestion in 2013 grew $131.4 million from 2012, likely due to economic expansion and more freight movement, according to the report.

– CCJ Staff

2013’s cost of congestion grew $131.4 million from 2012, likely due to economic expansion and more freight movement, according to ATRI’s report.

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D E D I C AT E D TO T H E P R O F E S S I O N A L

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

by Jack roberts

International enhances drivetrain offerings Eaton, Allison transmissions both winners

A

Great news: international touted its largest single lonestar sale ever – 500 tractors to celadon.

repairinG fallout: while scr integration is a priority, other product refinement is taking place.

popular option: international’s s International’s turnaround take-rate on automated transmissions is project continues, the truck nearly 30 percent. maker announced some great news last month – its largest single LoneStar sale ever. The impressive congested roads around Chicago gave me deal sees 500 of the company’s tractors little opportunity to reach and maintain going to Celadon, where they’ll be used as typical long-haul cruise speeds. But it was aspirational trucks to recruit new drivers clear, even in stop-and-go traffic, that the and retain experienced ones.

Cummins ISX15 and the Eaton AMT The day before the deal was announced, I were working together perfectly to deliver The side-by-side test drive involved was west of Chicago at International’s Melsmooth, precise shifts and were more than two ProStar tractors, one with an Eaton rose Park Test Center and Engine Plant for capable of getting a heavily loaded tracAMT and the other with Allison’s fully a briefing with Steve Gilligan, vice president automatic TC10. tor-trailer up to speed in a timely manner. of product and vocational marketing, and a Drivers certainly will enjoy the confidence chance to do a side-by-side test drive of two ProStar tractors with different drivetrains. of knowing the engine will perform exactly Gilligan noted that although International’s priority at the moment is full selective catathe way it would with a manual transmislytic reduction integration throughout its product line, additional product refinement also sion – and hitting perfect shifts every time is taking place. As evidence, he pointed out the advanced aerodynamic refinements on my to boot.

ProStar test trucks, as well as the transmissions I was there to evaluate.

Likewise, my ProStar daycab with Gilligan said International’s take-rate on automated transmissions is nearly 30 percent, MaxxForce 13 power and the Allison TC10 with some OEMs approaching 50 percent – another strong indication that the days of proved equally as capable during my drive. I manual gearboxes may be numbered. Moreover, he noted that a revived relationship with was expecting the Allison to shift smoother Cummins has allowed International to take a leadership role with the Cummins-Eaton than an AMT since that is a prime benefit SmartAdvantage integrated drivetrain. Gilligan hinted International was working with Eaof a torque converter, and the Allison delivton to develop a new integrated drivetrain with its proprietary MaxxForce 13-liter engine. ered on that front. But – and this is a credit “The improvement in average fuel economy is undeniable,” Gilligan told me. “Because to AMT design today – the difference is not as good as automated manual transmissions are by themselves in terms of driver comfort huge, and I doubt most drivers would see a and safety, we know they’re also a key enabler for reaching higher levels of average noticeable difference at all. fuel efficiency in heavy-duty trucks. I think we’re rapidly approaching the point The Allison certainly shined where 8 or even 9 mpg will become the new industry baseline for fuel economy, in heavy stop-and-go traffic. and integrated drivetrains are absolutely vital for attaining and maintaining those It delivered plenty of low-end torque in such a way that made numbers. International intends to achieve this integration through close partnerme forget I’d driven the same ships with our component supplier partners.” route with a 15-liter under the In addition to the Cummins-Eaton drivetrain, I also would be evaluating Allison’s new TC10, a fully automatic transmission featuring a torque converter hood just a little earlier. instead of an electronically actuated clutch. Gilligan said Allison designed the TC10 to compete with the new wave of AMTs. JACK ROBERTS is Executive Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal.

First up was the SmartAdvantage-equipped ProStar. Unfortunately, the heavily E-mail jroberts@ccjmagazine.com or call (205) 248-1358. commercial carrier journal

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INBrIeF •

•

•

•

Stoughton Trailers filed an unfair trade petition with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission regarding imports of 53-foot domestic dry containers from China, asserting that the imports are sold in the United States at“dumped” and subsidized prices and that Chinese manufacturers have gained an unfair competitive advantage since they do not have to abide by the same standards required of U.S. manufacturers.

Freightliner Trucks will offer factory-installed liquefied natural gas fuel tanks for the Cascadia 113. Constructed of stainless steel, the LNG tanks are available in a variety of configurations, with capacity up to 300 LNG gallons – 142 diesel-gallon equivalent (DGE) – giving trucks an approximate range of 600 miles.

Kenworth Truck Co.’s T680 natural gas truck will be available with the Eaton UltraShift Plus automated transmission as an option with the standard Cummins Westport ISX12 G 400-hp natural gas engine.

The transmission will be available in the 10-speed LAS and 13-speed MHP series.

Ryder System agreed to purchase Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide’s Q-Lite compressed natural gas tank systems and install them onto its CNG-powered vehicles. Ryder said that by purchasing the systems direct, it can pass its savings along to its lease customers.

•

Penske Truck Rental added 85 CNG Freightliner Cascadia tractors equipped with Cummins Westport ISX12 G engines to its commercial rental fleet in select markets.

•

Penske Truck Leasing was awarded $525,000 in grants from the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee to retrofit its Southern California facilities for maintenance for natural gas-fueled trucks.

Each facility will receive $75,000 in grants and will be completed by the end of 2015.

•

•

3M and Rush Enterprises agreed to pursue the design, manufacture and installation of a portfolio of CNG tanks and fuel systems for Class 6-8 vehicles. 3M will supply tanks with proprietary technology, and Rush Enterprises will provide fuel systems, distribution and service support.

Bridgestone Commercial Solutions introduced Tire Advisor, a mobile app designed to help fleets and dealers quickly

access and compare information about the company’s commercial tire brands.

•

Allison Transmission’s output retarder is available on Freightliner Trucks’M2 112 natural gas refuse trucks spec’d with Allison’s 3000 and 4000 series RDS transmissions.

•

Freightliner Trucks’ M2 106 vehicles are available with a between-the-rails 40-gallon fuel tank in ambulance configurations.

•

American Power Group Corp. said that its American Power Group subsidiary was notified by WheelTime dealer Clarke Power Services of a follow-on order for 14 dual-fuel glider kits by an unnamed customer.

•

Marangoni Tread North America announced that Gibson Tire Service of Charleston, S.C., converted its retread operation to Marangoni products.

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.

MAXXFORCE ENGINE PROBLEMS? > Do you have a 2010-2013 Navistar International truck with a Maxxforce Engine? > Have you experienced repeated and excessive breakdowns? > Have you attempted to sell or trade your Navistar International truck only to receive low offers? > Have you incurred substantial downtime, expenses, or lost profits because of your International truck with a MaxxForce engine?

If you answered YES to any of these questions then call:

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We currently are investigating claims in all 50 states involving 2010-2013 International trucks with MaxxForce engines.

Text INFO to 205-289-3554 or visit www.ccjdigital.com/info 5/14/14 1:39 PM

You don’t compromise on the job WhY compromise With Your truck?

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(866) 441-9638 www.isuzucv.com Vehicles shown with optional equipment; some equipment is dealer installed. These vehicles are 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. Please see your authorized Isuzu truck dealer for complete warranty and other details. © 2014 ISUZU COMMERCIAL TRUCK OF AMERICA, INC. Text INFO to 205-289-3554 or visit www.ccjdigital.com/info

Lawsuits allege Caterpillar concealed engine defects

N

early 10 class-action lawsuits have been filed against Owners of the engines suffered damages that included lost Caterpillar claiming that its 2007-10 model-year Acert C13 vehicle value and the cost of buying a new engine that also was and C15 engines were defective – driving up costs for owners compliant with 2007 emissions standards, according to the April and driving down resale value – and that the company con30 lawsuit filed by Minnesota-based carrier Scenic Boundaries. cealed the information from buyers and owners. Caterpillar no Scenic further alleges that the CRS “repeatedly longer makes the engine line. and frequently [experienced] warning, deThe lawsuits – the most recent of which rate (horsepower reduction) and shutdown was filed April 30 – stem from Caterpillar’s commands issued by the ECM,” causing the emissions controls system. Plaintiffs say the need for diagnoses from a shop and “costly company’s Caterpillar Regeneration System and time-consuming emissions warranty (consisting of a diesel particulate filter, repairs, rendering them unreliable and aftertreatment regeneration device and unsafe for the transportation of goods.” an electronic control module) was defective, The lawsuit also claims Caterpillar knew “causing the vehicle to not function as required about the problems with the engines and under all operating conditions on a consistent “concealed the defect from owners and/or buyers and reliable basis, even after repeated emissions … and/or has failed to alert owners and buyers” of warranty repairs and replacements.” the defective nature of the engines.

The lawsuits stem from Caterpillar’s Caterpillar in March filed a motion to have Scenic’s lawsuit, like the others, is suing for emissions controls system, which plaintiffs allege was defective. the cases consolidated and transferred to a U.S. breach of warranty and violation of deceptive District Court in Florida or New Jersey, arguing trade laws and consumer fraud laws and is that consolidation would prevent duplicate proceedings, as the seeking compensatory damages, interest and attorney’s fees and lawsuits center on the same allegations. court costs.

– James Jaillet

24

commercial carrier journal

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Text INFO to 205-289-3554 or visit www.ccjdigital.com/info

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Fontaine developing camera system for trailer coupling

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ontaine Fifth Wheel said it is developing a new patent-pending camera system designed to make it easier for truck drivers to couple and uncouple trailers properly. The Dual Assist Camera System, scheduled for launch this fall, features two video cameras that work together to give the driver a clear picture of both the fifth wheel and approaching trailer.

“Many truck elements, from transmissions to communications devices, have evolved in recent years to be more user-friendly, but drivers still have to rely on their mirrors to line up their trailers,” said Aaron Puckett, director of national fleet sales for Fontaine Fifth Wheel. “Mirrors do not provide an optimal vantage point for viewing the coupling process. With our Dual Assist Camera System, you can see up-close what is really happening.”

Fontaine Fifth Wheel’s Dual Assist Camera System is designed to make it easier for truck drivers to couple and uncouple trailers properly.

The system’s two cameras are mounted back-to-back behind the truck’s fifth wheel and wired to an in-cab display, and they automatically turn on when the truck is shifted into reverse. As the tractor begins to back up to couple with a trailer, the in-cab monitor displays video from the rear-facing

camera. Crosshairs are superimposed over the screen to help the driver center the vehicle properly.

The two cameras are installed low on the truck’s frame to help prevent damage from the trailer’s kingpin. As the camera setup passes under the kingpin, the in-cab video feed switches automatically to the camera facing the fifth wheel, allowing the driver to watch the kingpin enter the fifth wheel’s throat.

To help keep dirt and debris from blurring the video picture, automatic shutters close over the camera lenses when the system is not in use. The cameras are heated for use in sub-freezing temperatures and feature lights for nighttime operation.

Fontaine Fifth Wheel plans to offer the system to OEMs as a first-fit option, as well as an aftermarket accessory.

– CCJ Staff

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Text INFO to 205-289-3554 or visit www.ccjdigital.com/info 5/9/14 8:59 AMEDT 5/12/14 9:47 AM

CARB extends emissions deadlines

T

he California Air Resources Board last month voted to amend some of its emissions regulations deadlines, giving new alternatives to owner-operators and small fleets that were unable financially to comply with the original rule.

Final versions of the amendments will be produced within the next few months and will have a 15-day public comment period, after which CARB will put them into effect. The vote came a day after the board heard more than five hours of testimony from fleet representatives and owner-operators, with some speaking for the amendments and some speaking against.

Key changes implemented by the amendments include: Loan denial extension: For owners of three or fewer trucks who were denied a loan, the board voted to allow operation of those trucks as is – without a filter – if the owners make a commitment to buy a new

truck or have a particulate matter filter installed by December 2016. This differs from the original proposal, which would have allowed them to run noncompliant until Jan. 1, 2018, if they committed to buying a new truck and did not include the PM filter commitment option.

NOx-exempt counties extension, expansion: The amendments include a provision to delay the PM filter retrofit deadline for trucks running only in NOx-exempt counties to Jan. 1, 2015; the previous deadline was Jan. 1, 2014. They also add more counties to the list of NOx-exempt areas.

Expanded credits: The changes will push back three years, from 2020 to 2023, the date by which truck owners must replace an older truck with a 2010 or later-year model truck and engine if they installed a PM filter on a truck with a 2006 model-year engine

by Jan. 1, 2014.

Extended phase-in deadlines for small

CARB’s amendments include a provision to delay the particulate matter filter retrofit deadline for trucks running only in NOx-exempt counties to Jan. 1, 2015.

fleets: Truck owners with three or fewer trucks now have an extra year to bring their second truck into compliance and an extra two years for their third truck. The board extended the phase-in deadlines for second and third trucks from Jan. 1, 2015, and Jan. 1, 2016, to Jan. 1, 2016, and Jan. 1, 2018, respectively.

Low-use exemption changes: The lowuse exemption requirements now include trucks that travel fewer than 5,000 miles in a year total, in California or otherwise, in addition to those that run 1,000 miles or fewer in California. – James Jaillet

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june 2014

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fter a brief flurry of activity a few years ago, hybrid technology for heavy-duty trucks and tractors largely has faded from view in the industry. But it continues to reap dividends in the automotive and light-duty truck markets, and now it appears that hybrid technology is changing the way refrigerated fleets will keep their cargos cold en route to market.

David Kiefer, director of sales, marketing and product management for Carrier Transicold, says hybrid reefers offer fleets a wide array of benefits that simply are not possible with conventional diesel-only trailer refrigeration units.

Chief among those are fuel savings, quieter operation and reduced maintenance, he says.

Carrier’s hybrid Vector TRUs use the company’s E-Drive all-electric refrigeration technology. When mobile, the Vector system is powered by a 21 kVA generator coupled to the diesel engine, and when stationary, the unit can be plugged into an electric power supply to run like a large sophisticated electric refrigerator. This standby power capability enables the diesel engine to be shut down, eliminating noise and emissions while conserving fuel.

Additional hybrid-specific design benefits also allow

Date: 05/02/14

Client: CMA Job #: 01412014 commercial carrier journal | june 2014 29 File Name: 0141-CMA-Tire-Ad-CCJ-June14 Page 1 Untitled-6 1

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The answer is simple thanks to FuelSense® and the TC10. Real world test fleet users found an average 5% fuel economy improvement with the new Allison TC10 tractor transmission over their current manual or automated manual transmissions. Regardless of driver experience or expertise, it automatically achieves the best fuel economy. The TC10 shifts at just the right points on the power curve, with virtually no loss of acceleration, right into cruise gear. And because it’s an Allison Automatic, the TC10 doesn’t require regular clutch maintenance or replacement, like manuals and automated manuals. This results in significant savings in service and downtime over the life cycle of the truck. alliso n tran s mi s s i o n .co m / t c 1 0 Text INFO to 205-289-3554 or visit www.ccjdigital.com/info

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the unit’s electric architecture to be streamlined compared to conventional belt-driven mechanical systems and semi-electric systems, Kiefer says.

Eliminating mechanical parts such as belts, fan shafts, pulleys, clutches and vibrasorbers that require service and periodic replacement reduces service requirements and costs.

“Many mechanical parts that are subject to wear and tear are simply not required,” he says. “In short, if it’s not there, it can’t break.”

hybrid Vector units eliminate many traditional components that require adjusting and frequent replacement, the units can actually be easier to service than mechanical systems.”

For straight trucks, Thermo King’s HowesCCJS14_HalfPageIsland.pdf T-Series TRUs offer stationary or optional over-the-road Hybrid Smart-

Fuel eye-opener Perhaps the real eye-opener for fleets is the fuel savings these units offer. Kiefer says hybrid units are up to 26 percent more fuel-efficient than conventional systems while delivering even higher cooling capacities using less power.

“This results in 5 to 30 percent more Btus of cooling per gallon of fuel,” he says.

“With electric-standby capability, drivers can tap into electric power supplies to run the system when parked for loading and unloading, or rest breaks at truck stops equipped with power receptacles.”

The lower cost of electricity versus diesel fuel means operating costs can be reduced by up to 70 percent compared to diesel operations, Kiefer says. And when operating on standby, engine run-time hours are reduced, helping to further extend service intervals and reduce maintenance costs.

From a driver perspective, there is no significant difference in operation of Carrier’s hybrid Vector units compared to conventional belt-driven units, Kiefer says. Fleets wishing to take advantage of electric standby should add the needed electric infrastructure in their distribution centers, including power receptacles at loading docks and parking areas.

Maintenance adjustments to service hybrid reefers also have been minimal.

“Technicians need to learn how to work with the electric facets of the system,” Keifer says. “But interestingly, since the

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Text INFO to 205-289-3554 or visit www.ccjdigital.com/info commercial carrier journal Untitled-31 1

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31 2/13/14 12:45 PM

Photo by Jack Roberts

Today, housing starts are up, and oilfield work is going like gangbusters, so when I called Mack about getting behind the wheel of a Titan at the company’s home base in Allentown, Pa., they were happy to oblige.

For a good indicator of Titan’s toughness, you need only look to the Australian Outback, where the truck is a popular pick for pulling roadtrains across barren desert. So it was a good bet that my test truck was more than up to hauling a flatbed of concrete barricades The gold Mack Bulldog sitting that brought us to 80,000 on the nose signified an all-Mack pounds. powertrain and drivetrain.

Stu Russoli, Mack’s product manager for vocational ccj test drive: 2014 titan by mack market segments, said my test Titan was spec’d for Texas oilfield work with a longer wheelbase, high horsepower, 52-inch axle spacing, the company’s 18-speed manual transmission and

By JACK ROBERTS Rawhide interior package.

Despite the truck’s size, visibility f you went into a lab and boiled ed the model in 2006, just in time to from the driver’s seat was extremely down everything Mack Trucks has watch the economy crash and take the learned over the past 114 years from construction sector with it. Since then, good. The cab height, combined with every jobsite, battlefield, dam and the company hasn’t done much to pro- some artful engineering, provided highway that have seen its trucks, mote the truck, preferring to wait until extended visibility to the front of the you’d probably come away with a the business environment improved.

Continued on page 34 truck like the 2014 Titan By Mack.

This is Mack’s heavy-haul/severe-service big dog: A beast of a truck with a 265-inch wheelbase, a 44,000-pound Mack S440 rear axle and a 605-horsepower Mack MP10 diesel engine. In an age where Mack is known as an aerodynamic and fuel economy leader, the Titan is a throwback to a time when trucks got their work done through brute force.

Titan isn’t really new. Mack debut-

Mack’s big dog

Titan By Mack primed to meet toughest challenges of construction rebound

Easy-to-read gauges and a dash-mounted driver information center provided critical information at a quick glance.

32

commercial carrier journal | june 2014

Photo by Jack Roberts

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Continued from page 32 truck over the long-nosed hood required to create room for the MP10.

Russoli picked a fairly demanding The test truck’s 605-hp MP10, with 2,060 foot-pounds of torque, did not break a sweat negotiating mountain slopes.

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route over the Blue Ridge Mountains for our drive. Thanks to the generous 2,060 foot-pounds of torque and 605 on-demand horses, the truck effortlessly accelerated and pulled tough mountain grades. On the downslope, the MP10’s PowerLeash engine brake easily held the fully loaded rig at my desired speed with minimal braking.

Considering my test Titan’s size and the long oilfield flatbed behind it, in-town maneuvering took a bit of patience, but the deep front-axle wheel cuts and the excellent side and rear views helped tremendously in heavy traffic and tight surroundings.

On the open road, Titan handled like a much smaller truck. While it’s not unusual for a truck this size pulling a heavy load to wander around at highway speeds, this Titan did no such thing. It was extremely docile at cruise speeds, with precise, smooth handling.

My Titan featured 17-inch front air disc brakes that provided more than enough sure stopping power. The truck never felt like it was in danger of getting away, even with its whopper payload.

In the cab, the slate gray Rawhide interior with button-tuck upholstery contrasted well with the brushed aluminum dash and door facings. Ergonomically, the truck was very comfortable thanks to the Mack air suspension seat, well-designed armrests, convenient control placements and infinitely adjustable steering wheel.

Large gauges provided critical information at a quick glance, while Mack’s dash-mounted driver information center provided a wealth of in-depth vehicle intelligence, including instant mpg numbers and driver “sweet spot” coaching to help ensure consistent fuel economy performance.

If your job description calls for tough hauls, tough terrain or both, Titan By Mack is more than up to doing the dirty work.

Text INFO to 205-289-3554 or visit www.ccjdigital.com/info

commercial carrier journal | june 2014

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The custom-built 43-axle trailer built to accommodate the STG comes in at 362 feet long with trucks and a maximum carrying capacity of 800,000 pounds, the biggest trailer Contractors Cargo has ever built and used, Rabaino said.

Contractors Cargo, a Los Angeles-based super-heavyhaul company, set off in April from two California ports on circuitous routes to Agua Prieta in the Mexican state of Sonora – hauling some massive pieces destined for an electrical power-generating station for the Federal Electrical Commission of Mexico. Contractors Cargo representative Keoni Rabaino provided these pictures that tell the story of the equipment used to haul the freight, including this 661,000-pound steam turbine generator. Planning began in February, and the haul was completed in May.

The STG offloaded from the sea at the Port of San Diego was the heaviest shipment the port had done in 10 years, said Rabaino.

The route from San Diego moved north into Arizona, then traveled back down into Mexico. Weight and height restrictions dictated the route. “There are limited roads it can travel on,” Rabaino said. Preparations included building special roads and obtaining permits from Indian reservations – likewise the use of rail on other portions of the load.

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COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | JUNE 2014

The 562,000-pound generator unit pictured here, a separate piece of the haul, moved on a 24line dual-lane Scheuerle trailer at the offload at the Port of Long Beach.

From there, an 800-ton gantry was used to load it to railcar, then back to a Scheuerle trailer in Cochise, Ariz., for the border crossing and final leg to Agua Prieta.

Pictured here is a 492,000-pound gas turbine on a Scheuerle like the one used to roll the generator, one of three such turbines that were part of the move. Contractors Cargo’s trucks are Kenworth T800W models powered either by 550-hp or 500-hp Cummins engines with, respectively, 18-speed/2-speed auxiliary or 17/4 transmissions.

Combinations for larger pulls, depending on grade, typically go as follows: 1 push and 1 pull, or 2 pulling. On the STG module, “we used 4 trucks,” said Rabaino, “either 3 push and 1 pull or 2 and 2.” All told, more than 70 flatbed loads of components and accessory cargo were moved along with the five main large pieces.

AERO HAS FOUND ITS EDGE. The All New 5700. Fall 2014.

Sign up for email updates at allnew5700.com WS/MC-A-502. Copyright Š 2014 Daimler Trucks North America LLC. All rights reserved. Western Star Truck Sales, Inc. is a subsidiary of Daimler Trucks North America LLC, a Daimler company.

Western Star - A Daimler Group Brand Text INFO to 205-289-3554 or visit www.ccjdigital.com/info

EQUIPMENT

Western Star 4700 production added to N.C. plant Following a demand boost, Western Star’s 4700 model manufactured at the Daimler Trucks North America plant in Portland, Ore., now also is being produced at the company’s plant in Cleveland, N.C. Introduced in 2011, the 4700 features a mid-bumperto-back-of-cab configuration, available in both set-back and set-forward axle configurations.

The 110-inch BBC Read about Jack Roberts’ 2013 test drive of this Western Star 4700SF dump by searching truck or tractor the truck model at CCJDigital.com. includes custom features suited for both highway and tough vocational applications. Customers can equip the 4700 with the Detroit DD13 or Cummins ISL engines.

Western Star, WesternStarTrucks.com

The Freightliner 122SD of the Florida-based Kling Towing and Recovery fleet.

122SD mid-chassis exhaust, other Freightliner vocational options Freightliner’s 122SD model now comes with a mid-chassis exhaust option for the Detroit DD16 engine. At the ConExpo-Con-Agg show in March, the truck was featured on a unit with a 45-ton boom crane. The mid-chassis exhaust package also is available with a 34-inch sleeper cab. The mid-chassis-mounted horizontal aftertreatment system features dual cab-mounted vertical tailpipes with improved packaging for vocational applications. Production on the configuration begins this summer.

Freightliner Trucks, FreightlinerTrucks.com

W900L glider rolls in log-hauling fleet Last year, Dan Pardovich and his brother, Ryan, took the engine and transmission from a donor truck and built the Kenworth W900L glider pictured here. Kenworth offers glider kits for the T660, T800 and W900L models in all sleeper sizes, all with the latest amenities and updates.

The Pardovich family has operated Elmira, Ore.-based PER Trucking since 1980. Originally an engine rebuilding shop – Precision Engine Rebuilders – PER evolved into a loghauling fleet in the 1980s with the help of an old Kenworth.

“One day my father came into the shop and said he saw an

old logging truck sitting in a field,” said Dan, who joined the family business in 1983 when he was a junior in high school.

“He told us to see if we could buy it and rebuild it between engine jobs. After we rebuilt it, a logger called and said, ‘I hear you have a logging truck. Do you want to haul logs?’ ” The company has a fleet of 21 Kenworth T800s and W900s.

Kenworth Trucks, Kenworth.com

New waste-haul cabover built for driver comfort Mack Trucks’ new LR series of low-entry cabover refuse trucks will be available in 2015 in three-axle 6x4 configurations and powered either by diesel or natural gas. The LR offers new access points and mounting locations for wiring, controls and joysticks.

The cab’s enhanced driver environment includes tilt and telescopic steering, power 38

COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | JUNE 2014

windows and door locks, memory mirrors, in-dash air-conditioning, in-cab LED lighting and an LCD instrument cluster.

Powertrain options include the Mack MP7 11-liter diesel engine or Cummins Westport ISL G natural gas engine, with Allison RDS five- or six-speed automatic transmissions.

Mack Trucks, MackTrucks.com

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MAINTENANCE MATTERS

Q&A WITH RONNIE HUMPHREYS, DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE FOR REYNOLDS NATIONWIDE, AND GENERAL MANAGER JIM LINCOLN

R

onnie Humphreys, director of maintenance for Reynolds Nationwide, headquartered in San Antonio, has been with the company for nearly 30 years and supervises 32 employees, servicing 360 trucks and more than 1,000 trailers.

Humphreys says he relies on the full range of Shell Rotella products to run his maintenance program. “We depend on the support and reliability of Shell. Our business is based on an on-time, efficient and timely process, and we choose products that keep our trucks running,” Humphreys says.

The family owned company operates a fleet of baby-blue colored trucks with sparkling trailers hauling time sensitive products such as milk, liquids and chocolate.

Jim Lincoln, general manager for Reynolds Nationwide, says they have recently ventured into the natural gas market with the purchase of 20 CNG trucks/engines to haul milk to the Houston area. “Our relationship with Shell has helped with the transition into the CNG driven trucks,” Lincoln says.

How does the Shell product-line fit in with your new CNG trucks?

We will use Rotella T3 NG 15W-40, a product engineered specifically for natural gas engines when we begin preventive maintenance on these trucks.

According to Shell, the new oil uses a customized combination of high-performance additives to adapt and protect under the range of pressures and temperatures found in CNG/LNG fueled engines.

How does the cargo impact your maintenance procedures?

A lot of our business is “just-ontime” delivery. Without a proper maintenance program, we would not have such long time loyal customers.

We pick up 85 to 110 loads of milk per day. Some of these loads are a 500-mile, one-way haul. Milk is a very temperature sensitive product, and you only have a 5-degree window. If delays cause you to pick up the milk late, they have to dump the milk. We can’t afford breakdowns.

How crucial is your maintenance program to the bottom-line?

The electronics demand a higher level of skill from technicians, and we believe that preventive maintenance is the key to success. You can fix it in our shop or fix it on the road. The first option is more efficient, and we train technicians and drivers to anticipate problems before they get away from you.

What Shell products do you use to run your maintenance operation?

Rotella T3 15W-40 engine oil, Spirax S6 75W-90 gear lubricant, Spirax S6 GME 50 transmission fluid, Gadus S3 V220C 2, Rotella ELC 5050 coolant plus a smattering of HD PhosFree coolant. We recently took advantage of Shell’s Lube VideoCheck Service to look at a couple of engines we had some difficulties with, and may start using Lube Analysis again in an effort to catch coolant leaks a little earlier.

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Ready.

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CCJ and its CCJ Innovators partners are proud to highlight the achievements of the industry’s most innovative fleets.

The CCJ Innovators program profiles fleets that have shown initiative in addressing critical areas in their businesses: • • • • • •

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

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INNOVATORS

Celadon elevates its workforce to attract,

BY AARON HUFF develop, retain top talent

S

teve Russell, a mathematician, takes a methodical and planned approach to life and business. Even his beard is the result of a calculation he once made on how many minutes he could save throughout his life and apply to tasks more productive than shaving.

One day nearly 30 years ago, Russell, from Brooklyn, stopped at a toll booth on the Henry Hudson Parkway. He always carried exact change for tolls to travel as efficiently as possible. This day was different; he had to stop and wait for his change. At the booth, he spotted a former colleague in the next lane. They both quickly rolled down their windows. The colleague wasted no time in telling Russell about an opportunity to start a business transporting automotive freight into the United States from Mexico.

The rest, as they say, is history. From this chance encounter, Russell created the Celadon Group in 1985. Today, the Indianapolis-based company (CCJ Top 250, No. 36) operates 3,500 trucks and 9,200 trailers and has diversified its operations to include dry van, temperature control, intermodal, local, regional and dedicated.

Like all carriers, Celadon is focused on recruiting and retaining qualified drivers, but with the logistics industry growing at 22 percent annually, driving is not the only job in high demand. Attracting top talent from within and outside of the supply chain can be a challenge for trucking, which often lacks the sizzle of other careers.

Taking ownership In 2012, Celadon was in the process of hiring a few industry “outsiders” to

CELADON GROUP Indianapolis achieve its vision of creating a new service culture. Lauren Howard, a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in business administration, had studied Celadon in school and admired the things the company was doing. Upon graduation, Howard applied for a job.

Celadon hired her as a customer service manager, overseeing the order entry team. When Howard started, keeping capacity commitments with customers was one – if not the only – criteria the team used to determine which load offers, or tenders, to book.

Order entry was considered a lowvalue job, and turnover was high.

People who excelled at it were looking for jobs outside of Celadon or moving to more “high-value” departments within the company, Howard says.

To change this culture, Howard gave everyone a new title; the order entry team became known as freight analysts. Celadon also developed a new software tool called Order Entry 2 (OE2) to provide freight analysts with a holistic view of profitability and customer scorecard metrics, along with other information, to use when booking loads.

Order entry soon became a carefully measured and strategic process. “People underestimate the value of a title,” says Howard, who soon was promoted

The company focuses on recruiting top talent from within and outside of the supply chain to create a new service culture.

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49

to director of customer service, where she managed a new set of teams then known as appointment setters and customer service representatives.

She gave appointment setters a new title – utilization analysts – and a new toolset that showed them the value of what they were doing and how it impacted metrics that were important to the company. CSRs also got a new title – customer relationship analysts – and new visibility and planning tools to gauge the impact they had on fleet profitability.

After these and other changes proved successful, Celadon promoted Howard to vice president of customer service. In April 2013, she helped Celadon launch a new career ladder in the customer service department, where CRAs can be promoted to senior CRAs – where they mentor and coach their peers – as well as assistant manager and managing director.

Celadon also began new outreach efforts to college students to visit the office or join its internship program and experience the “high-value” jobs in the company’s customer service department.

Balancing the network Celadon recently went live with a new strategic planning tool called Load Analyzer that helps it take a methodical, planned approach while responding quickly to new opportunities at hand.

Load Analyzer summarizes supply and demand information for today and five days in the future for each market, or area, in Celadon’s network.

The supply columns in the Load Analyzer screen show the number of trucks, trucks short and trucks due in each market for each day. The software also recommends what empty trucks to bring from surrounding markets to address immediate capacity needs.

One demand column shows the 50

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After changes implemented at Celadon by Lauren Howard proved successful, the company promoted her to vice president of customer service.

number of loads booked in the area without trucks. It also gives recommendations for what customers and loads to solicit to move trucks out of the market and into areas where they are needed to satisfy customer lane commitments.

The tool also shows CRAs and other users the operating ratios of loads as well as other profitability and service metrics to prioritize their calls to customers to solicit freight.

Howard describes Load Analyzer to CRAs and other users as “your crystal ball for telling you exactly what is happening with your network so that you can plan accordingly.”

Before implementing Load Analyzer in November 2013, Celadon’s customer service department had a strong approach for soliciting loads, Howard says, but the approach was “take whatever we could get.” If the company had 15 extra trucks in the Dallas area, its CRAs would get on the phone and find loads to move those trucks.

The profitability of those moves was an afterthought and created another problem of landing excess capacity into markets. “They didn’t necessarily care where they were taking trucks,” she says. “They just had to move the trucks out of Dallas since that was their job.”

Moving trucks from Dallas to markets like Arizona often would result in contacting a broker to find a backhaul. “That didn’t make sense,” Howard says. “If South Carolina was overbooked by 10 loads, that’s really

where we needed to drive a truck.

Load Analyzer fixes all of those problems for us, which is why it’s so great.”

Some of the results Celadon has achieved since implementing Load Analyzer include a 49 percent reduction in brokered loads, year over year, in February; a reduction of layovers by 67.5 percent; and an increase in load solicitations by 30 percent since November 2013, with a 15 percent higher success rate.

Paying for performance Every Monday morning, customer service managers get a report that shows the performance for each CRA during the past week. Metrics in the report include the number of load solicitations, loaded miles and average operating ratio of loads. High performers are recognized, while lower performers are coached for improvement.

Going forward, Celadon will evaluate all analysts in its customer service department on how their performance measures up to goals in order to reward them more objectively. Quarterly and annual performance reviews will be “100 percent data-driven,” Howard says, with pay increases based on merit.

“I think that is the next wave for how we will elevate the department,” she says. “You control your fate. Performance will be rewarded.”

With advanced technology and other customer service changes, Celadon is following the pattern established

by Russell 30 years ago even as the scale and complexity of the business continues to grow. The company is attracting young talent, taking a methodical approach and responding quickly to new opportunities.

CCJ INNOVATORS profiles carriers and fleets that have found innovative ways to overcome trucking’s challenges. If you know a carrier that has displayed innovation, contact Jeff Crissey at jcrissey@ccjmagazine.com or 800-633-5953.

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MAKING THE CASE Predictive analytics promises major improvements in safety, retention

BY MAX HEINE

L

oad One expediter Tom Evans drives team with his wife, Tina, running a three-truck Class 8 straight truck fleet based in Mattoon, Ill. Besides their compensation for doing their jobs the right way, the Evanses are eligible for additional perks for the same reason.

Load One uses a driver rewards program called Stay Metrics that takes data gleaned from surveys of drivers during their first weeks with the carrier to help predict which ones are at risk of leaving. The system builds on that relationship with a program that allows drivers to earn points redeemable for merchandise.

“The biggest thing is simply getting rewards for doing something that’s no more than what you’re already supposed to be doing,” such as turning in logs on time and completing surveys, Tom Evans says.

The pace of available information and data gathering in trucking is accelerating, and with it, more companies to manage that data for fleets.

A handful of vendors are helping fleets crunch mountains of information to spot broad patterns and take preemptive action with individual drivers to improve retention and safety. The results so far have been impressive.

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| JUNE 2014

Predictive modeling remains relatively new in trucking, and while no major complaints have emerged within the industry, broader concerns over privacy or misapplication of data-based conclusions have been voiced elsewhere.

One major fleet using a predictive analytics company expressed such concerns. The fleet’s media contact, declining an interview request, wrote that, “It’s a topic we aren’t eager to talk publicly about due to its tendency to be used in litigation.”

An expert in the field says he’s unaware of actual litigation based strictly on predictive modeling practices. Still, there has been controversy, says Eric Siegel, founder of the Predictive Analytics World conference series and author of “Predictive Analytics.”

Much of the concern has stemmed from publicity over telephone eavesdropping by the National Security Agency.

Yale law professor Jack Balkin, writing about NSA’s data mining, says such activities “allow the state and business enterprises to record perfectly innocent behavior that no one is particularly ashamed of and draw surprisingly powerful inferences about people’s behavior, beliefs and attitudes.”

One striking inference was contained in a 2012 New York Times article that led to further coverage on major TV talk

ees from leaving. Siegel reports shows. The story described how the program has had modest Target uses not only baby regsuccess at HP. istration data but also purchasStill, there can be problems, ing data to direct its marketing as he points out: “What if your efforts to women it believes are score is wrong, unfairly labeling pregnant. you as disloyal and blemishing The story, with “a tone that your reputation?” implies wrongdoing,” wrote Here the application to Siegel in his book, “punctuates this by alleging an anonymous trucking is more direct. With story of a man discovering his Load One expediter Tom Evans drives team with his wife, turnover rates so high, predicTina, running a three-truck Class 8 straight truck fleet teenage daughter is pregnant tive analytics could become a based in Mattoon, Ill. By simply doing their jobs, Load only by seeing Target’s marketmajor tool.

One’s Stay Metrics program allows the Evanses to earn ing offers to her.”

So far, predictive analytics’ points redeemable for merchandise.

In trucking, the impetus to use in human resources largely use predictive analytics isn’t to sell products, but rather to has held to the high road, say Siegel and those involved with it in trucking. show whether a driver is about to leave the company or “We’re not peering into drivers’ personal lives,” says Vikas have an accident.

Jain, general manager of FleetRisk Advisors. “We’re not As for improving safety, whether in trucking or any field, accessing any data the fleet doesn’t already have. We are ethical concerns “are few and none,” says Siegel. “There’s a helping the driver.” lot of potential to do a lot of good.”

Still, the process can involve identifying driver stresses But when it comes to concerns over companies using that are unrelated to trucking. However, no major comdata to reveal personal problems that could affect loyalty plaints stemming from fleets using predictive modeling or performance, “There are places where the world is not have come from members of the Owner-Operator Indepencomfortable with that yet,” he says. dent Drivers Association, says spokesman Norita Taylor.

Perhaps the most publicized human resources applicaHere is a look at three vendors with varied approaches to tion of predictive analytics involves Hewlett-Packard. In 2011, two HP scientists analyzed data on more than 330,000 the same problems and serving differing niches of fleets by size. They are leaders in helping fleets use data, to varying company employees to measure each one’s “flight risk,” or degrees with predictive modeling, to improve retention, chance of quitting. safety or both.

The intention is to help managers prevent good employ-

FleetRisk AdvisoRs MARKETED AS: Predictive analytics EMPHASIS: Safety, retention and workers comp DATA USED: Extensive trucking data, such as drivers’ starting times or change in empty miles relative to fleet average TARGET CUSTOMERS: Fleets of 500-plus trucks

A

unit of Omnitracs, FleetRisk Advisors positions itself explicitly as a vendor of predictive analytics, and a good one: It received the IBM Business Analytics Excellence award in the ROI Achievement category in 2013.

The FleetRisk model uses a broader data set to spot patterns that can be more accurate than what fleets traditionally have predicted using more simplistic analysis, says Jain.

Every fleet uses some version of “scorecarding,” says Jain, “where the fleet creates a set of attributes” such as hard-braking events or violations. “They also try to make an extrapolation that if they’re not performing well, they’re probably at a higher risk.”

However, FleetRisk’s analyses show insufficient correlation

there. Likewise, the company has found little correlation between accident risk and related data generated by the federal Compliance Safety Accountability program.

“What we do is gather 1,500 to 2,000 data points from fleets,” says Jain. That includes not only driver performance data, but also operational data such as telemetDavid Broyles, rics, driver start times and variances in operations manager for Averitt Express, driver schedules, pay and miles. says the fleet has A fleet client can check its website acfound retention to be a “byproduct” count “to review a list of drivers most likely of using FleetRisk to have a preventable accident, voluntary Advisors’ safety module. turnover, or workers comp claim in the next 28 days,” says the FleetRisk website.

Managers typically then would hold a 15- to 20-minute remediation talk with each driver on that list, Jain says. “Not to address the issue necessarily, but to assure them the fleet is there to supcommercial carrier journal

| june 2014 53

C ov e r s t o ry: P r e d i C t i v e A n A ly t i C s Averitt Express is using FleetRisk for the 1,300 to 1,400 trucks in its truckload division and the 700 in its dedicated division.

port him through his challenges.”

It’s common to find certain behaviors point to a driver stressed for a personal reason – a pregnant wife, a sick child or a pending divorce. The solution is to decrease the stress, Jain says, by helping the driver manage that situation, whether through counseling or other means, and not to punish him.

One fleet customer talked with a driver who appeared to be at risk and discovered that his wife of 40 years had died. He kept driving “just to keep his mind off things,” but had not come to terms with the death, Jain says. The fleet gave him a week of paid leave.

The system also helps fleets in that they “don’t have the time or resources to call all drivers every few months or weeks,” says Jain.

“We’re able to help them talk to the right driver at the right time on the right subject.”

FleetRisk says every one of its customers has seen retention increase. That’s true even for those who use only FleetRisk’s safety application “because drivers now feel connected,” says Jain.

When fleets remediate with the 10 percent of drivers most at risk for an accident, those drivers have post-remediation accident rates that are 85 percent lower than what the remaining 90 percent of drivers experience, FleetRisk says.

The cost is $6 per month per driver for each of the three models: safety, workers comp and retention.

CASE STUDY: Averitt Express In its six years of working with FleetRisk, Averitt Express has made big improvements in safety, says David Broyles, operations manager. The Cookeville, Tenn.-based company is using FleetRisk for the 1,300 to 1,400 trucks in its truckload division and the 700 in its dedicated division. In the last three years alone, Averitt’s truckload division has seen a 41 percent drop in preventable accidents.

The fleet is using only FleetRisk’s safety module but has found retention to be a “byproduct” of that effort. With the advent of Qualcomm years ago, Averitt, like many fleets, “quit using the telephone like we used to,” says Broyles. “You lose that relationshipbuilding with drivers.”

Now, when the data identifies at-risk drivers in need of remediation, “We’re forcing the fleet manager to get back in the 54

commercial carrier journal

| june 2014

business of talking to drivers on the phone,” says Broyles.

Averitt started with identifying the 10 percent of drivers most likely to be facing an accident in the near future. As the accident rate dropped for that group, managers began addressing the top 30 percent.

Some typical predictors at Averitt have been financial stress, accidents in the past 90 days, and the frequency of working midnight to 5 a.m. in the past two weeks.

Broyles says some “curious” predictors also have emerged. Even though the company pays for empty miles, drivers with the most empty miles were the most accident-prone.

One big operational change has been getting proactive with fatigue. By measuring the frequency of overnight driving, each driver gets an ongoing fatigue rating. “If the fatigue number goes up, we change their dispatch,” Broyles says.

Vigillo’s athena MARKETED AS: Big data EMPHASIS: Safety, efficiency and profitability DATA USED: Broad, ranging from driver-generated and CSA-related to areas such as weather and population density TARGET CUSTOMERS: Fleets of 50-plus trucks

A

fter getting its jumpstart in 2009 by analyzing information generated through the CSA program, Vigillo since has created more than two dozen data products. This year it added Athena, which the company describes as its “state-of-the-art big data platform and the answer to the business intelligence challenges facing the trucking industry.”

In the first week following Athena’s February launch after months of customer testing, Vigillo brought on about a dozen carriers representing about 7,000 drivers.

The data approach is to “take a holistic view of everything,” says Steve Bryan, Vigillo’s chief executive officer. “Whether it’s onboard vehicle, back office, government – wherever it lurks, we’re trying to pull all of it together into one unified analytic predictive platform where we can start to do things with data nobody’s done before.”

That means casting a wide net for data. Historical weather information overlaid on other data can reveal unanticipated patterns involving safety, routing, pricing and other things. Or population data from the U.S. Census: “Where exactly and what kind of freight is going to what kind of people,” says Bryan.

“Our big goal is to become the hub of all data the industry has,” he says. Athena customers receive analytics based on 12 channels of data, including U.S. Census and CSA data.

C ov e r s t o ry: P r e d i C t i v e A n A ly t i C s

John Christner Trucking can use Vigillo’s Athena product to educate its customers about the inevitable problems with CSA alerts.

Athena’s primary focus is safety, though its website says it offers “about 30 highly customizable dashboards for effectively managing safety, operations, sales, maintenance, fuel purchasing and driver recruiting and retention, among others.”

While retention is on Athena’s menu, it’s a target that remains a challenge, says Bryan. “What data do you look at? There’s a lot of room for driver retention improvement that doesn’t have to do with a lot of scientific analytics.” Namely the basics, he says: higher pay, more home time and better treatment.

It’s reasonable to expect that some thorny issues will develop as carriers apply more predictive models to their recruiting and retention, especially in the pre-hire stage, Bryan says, but such problems are well understood by HR departments. “This is where the world’s going – to a more data-driven decision-making process.”

Athena’s pricing is based on a per-truck subscription and the desired channels. For a fleet of 100 trucks, the Athena platform would cost $35 per month without the Vigillo CSA channel or $88 for the full package.

CASE STUDY: John Christner Trucking Though John Christner Trucking only recently employed Vigillo’s Athena, it appears to be “a pretty incredible product,” says Shannon Crowley, vice president of risk management for the all-owner-operator fleet based in Sapulpa, Okla.

“The possibilities are endless because of how easy it is to customize, to take slivers of information and put them in reports, or even design your own dashboard, your launch site, and see what you specifically want to see,” says Crowley.

One of the biggest uses for JCT might be the ability to educate its customers about the inevitable problems with CSA alerts. Athena can help the fleet craft a periodic report about points dropping off or coming on, and “help alleviate some of the concerns a customer does have,” says Crowley. “To make sure they understand that even though a percentage may not fall back

below a threshold in a month or two, they can see that progress is being made.”

Having more detailed and current violation data should be able to help with retention, he says. “If you start to see that, and if you can be proactive and intervene with folks before there are patterns of violations you can’t ignore and have to terminate leases over, that’s a retention tool.”

Athena’s data should prove effective in various operations areas, Crowley says. Lanes that have more inspection stations experience prolonged delivery times, so the fleet might adjust pricing accordingly.

JCT expanded its data-crunching in late 2013 when it began using a FleetRisk retention module, says Crowley, who sees that as more of a pure predictive analytics tool.

“What Athena is about is less about modeling and more about putting data in a format and comparing the data and analyzing the data any way you want,” he says.

Stay MetricS MARKETED AS: Driver feedback and rewards program EMPHASIS: Retention DATA USED: Driver feedback: engagement in rewards program, satisfaction surveys and exit interviews TARGET CUSTOMERS: Fleets of 100 to 1,000 trucks

F

ocused on retention, Stay Metrics offers a driver rewards program that helps carriers predict which drivers are at risk of leaving. “We already know, across the board, that drivers who don’t engage their employees’ recognition programs are twice as likely to leave,” says Tim Hindes, Stay Metrics CEO. Usually 44 percent of turnover occurs in the first 90 days of employment.

Interviews are done after a week on the job and again at day 45. The first is mostly about recruiting and buy-in to the

Load One saw retention improve 27 percent with the introduction of Stay Metrics nearly two years ago.

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| june 2014 55

C ov e r s t o ry: P r e d i C t i v e A n A ly t i C s company culture, Hindes says. The second checks to see if promises made during recruiting have been fulfilled and if the driver is “embedded.” If those surveys show a serious lack of Five-truck fleet owner Steve engagement, “those Wolfe says the number of surveys drivers go back administered through the Stay Metrics program at Load One isn’t to the recruiting burdensome. Wolfe says he never department,” says hears other drivers complain about Hindes. the nature of the survey questions, which tend to focus on a part of the Another survey company such as dispatch. Partly is done annually, because of the Stay Metrics program, company morale is excellent, says covering driver Wolfe, who’s been in trucking off and pay, quality of on since 1976. equipment, dispatcher relationship and other factors. “We can actually show a carrier comparatively how they rank against their peer group,” says Hindes.

A key part of the surveys is the dispatcher relationship, says Tim Judge, a Notre Dame faculty member who works closely with Hindes. “People who are satisfied with their dispatchers are 57 percent less likely to leave than people who are dissatisfied,” Judge says.

As Stay Metrics has gained more customers, it’s been able to aggregate its data so that it can discern differences among carriers by size.

“A fleet of 50 really doesn’t need predictive modeling,” says Hindes. “They’re a family. Where we see it most helpful is where we get to the 100-and-up stage.”

One Stay Metrics customer fired two dispatchers after seeing how drivers felt about them. Another fleet was about to increase pay rates, then learned that non-pay issues were affecting driver satisfaction levels more, so those also were addressed, Hindes says.

Another fleet, paying 33 cents a mile plus a 10-cent safety bonus, thought the pay was high enough. When surveys showed the drivers didn’t see it that way, the structure was killed, and base pay was set at 43 cents.

Hindes and Judge hope to use their expanding analytics knowledge more deeply in the recruiting process so that fleets and individuals can avoid wasting time and money. “We want to identify the characteristics and traits of people who seem to be the most suited for the industry long-term,” says Judge.

Having more refined data also can work by identifying what’s unique about certain fleets and then matching like56

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| june 2014

minded drivers, like a professional eHarmony, Hindes says.

Retention improves for 83 percent of the fleets that have been in the program a year, he says. The average improvement is 15 percent.

Stay Metrics’ program pricing is based on a per-driver subscription.

CASE STUDY: Load One Retention improved 27 percent with the introduction of Stay Metrics in July 2012, says John Elliott, president of Load One, Stay Metrics’ first customer. Elliott says turnover has fallen to below 40 percent and has held there for months.

Load One is a Taylor, Mich.-based expedited carrier with about 375 trucks, 80 percent of them owner-operators.

Going with Stay Metrics meant not just getting more data

Other predictive analytics leaders

LYTx (fOrmErLY DrivECAm inC.) Lytx helps fleets identify and address the causes of risky driving behavior by collecting vehicle and driver data and combining it with predictive analytics. The system interprets video recordings and telematics data before passing it to the fleet client for use in identifying unsafe drivers. The company’s RAIR Compliance Services enables fleets to improve CSA scores through analysis of driver logs, inspection reports and driver qualifications.

SmArTDrivE This system’s driving skills program applies predictive analytics to its database of analyzed audio, video and telematics data. SmartDrive has two programs, one focused on safety and the other on fuel efficiency, to help identify areas where drivers can improve their skills.

TrAnSpOrTATiOn pErfOrmAnCE inC. TPI’s main product, Driver Performer, brings operations data together in a dashboard that allows managers to compare drivers by equipment, type of work and driver type. It also facilitates more precise analysis of safety risks and productivity, including fuel use and retention issues. One sub-component is CSA Performer, which integrates driver data and FMCSA-posted inspections and crashes to help fleet managers identify at-risk drivers.

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C ov e r s t o ry: P r e d i C t i v e A n A ly t i C s from the driver surveys, but also instituting its rewards program. “I was surprised by the direct correlation between involvement in the program and retention,” says Elliott.

Drivers’ preferences also came as a surprise. “Everyone assumes pay is the number-one driving factor,” he says. “I think it was number five.” Respect came in No. 1.

Getting driver feedback on not just dispatchers but also maintenance, administration and safety “opened peoples’ eyes a little bit more,” says Elliott. “When drivers saw they were not always the only ones under the microscope, that it was a two-way street, it increased the level of awareness and respect.”

The rewards program “is not based on taking one more load, to coerce him to do something he didn’t want to do,” he says. “We tailored it to ‘Here’s the thing you’re supposed to be doing, and if you do it to standard, we want to reward you for it.’”

Practices such as turning in maintenance reports on time, keeping accurate logs and reaching six-month anniversary dates produce points that can be redeemed for items like electronics or jewelry.

Identifying and reaching out to dissatisfied drivers is effective, Elliott says, because “so many times, until the question is asked, the driver doesn’t say anything.”

A new driver might forget what was said during orientation about applying for paid layover, then get upset when the layover pay doesn’t come.

“We put so much information out during orientation, we’d love to assume when they graduate that they’re fully acclimated, ready to go,” says Elliott.

“Realistically, it’s a 90-day period for that to really happen.”

Fleet One addressed that problem by putting a retiring driver into a part-time position to help with the post-orientation transition.

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“In a world of bureaucracies, politics and second guessing, the forum CVSA provides for members’ insight and implementation is indispensable.” —Ken Presley, United Motorcoach Association

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CVSA has several hundred associate members representing industry who are committed to helping the Alliance achieve its mission to promote commercial motor vehicle safety and security by providing leadership to enforcement, industry and policy makers throughout North America and the world. The companies that operate commercial vehicles play a particularly important role within CVSA. With their practical experience, they provide valuable input to the creation of laws, regulations and policies that govern the roads and determine how they are enforced. Through member involvement, the best of the best are not only setting new standards in highway safety, they are seeing results that pay off down the road.

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Pomona, Calif.-based KKW Transportation runs with Yokohama Tire’s Zenvironment low-rolling-resistance tires.

The give-and-take of low-rolling-resisTance Tires No one questions their fuel economy benefit, but do fleets pay a longevity penalty for it?

N

o one’s gotten around to reinventing pine-scented air fresheners yet, but otherwise it seems that virtually every component or system found on today’s heavy-duty trucks is undergoing some sort of evolutionary change. Tires are no exception.

For profit-minded fleets, extending tire life always has been a priority. However, an increasing focus on fuel economy means that spec’ing tires simply for longer mileage no longer cuts it.

Today, low-rolling-resistance tires have become a prime tool in a fleet’s fuel-economy arsenal, and the results have been encouraging. Doug Jones, customer engineering support manager for Michelin, says low-rolling-resistance truck tires can contribute as much as 20 percent toward a vehicle’s fuel consumption performance.

But truck spec’ing often is a game of give-and-take. At first glance, it’s a given that low-rolling-resistance tires deliver superior fuel economy performance. But does that performance come at the cost of tire durability and longevity?

Fuel-efficient tire science Three main factors impact a tire’s rolling resistance: tread compounding, tread pattern design and tire structure. “Tests show over 50 percent of the rolling resistance of a tire is generated from the tread and belt package,” says William Estupinan, vice president of technical service for Giti Tire USA.

By Jack RoBeRts

Tire manufacturers develop tread compounding techniques to reduce the energy absorption and consequent heat generation within the tread and belt package while not compromising other important factors such as durability. These low-energy-absorbing materials sometimes are referred to as “reduced hysteresis” materials.

“The tread pattern design is also an important consideration when trying to improve the fuel efficiency of a tire,” says Estupinan, who lists other critical factors: streamlined ribs, blocks and lugs; a good balance between the cap and base compounds; a shallower tread depth; and a stiffer belt package.

The dynamics of rolling resistance allow tire manufacturers to deliver greater fuel economy gains for truck fleets. “Like air

The tread pattern design is also an important consideration.

– William Estupinan, vice president of technical service, Giti Tire USA commercial carrier journal | june 2014

61

EquipmEnt: Low-RoLLing-Resistance tiRes A technician for San Bernardino, Calif.-based Bear Trucking checks a Yokohama tire. As a tire rolls, there is less “squirm” with a shallow tread-depth tire than with a deep tread tire.

resistance, rolling resistance increases with speed,” Estupinan says.

Part of a tire’s rolling resistance is its aerodynamic resistance as it moves. Even though rolling resistance doesn’t increase as fast as air resistance with an increase in speed, rolling resistance is present – and a major factor – at lower speeds.

Just as with air resistance, the actual amount of rolling resistance is influenced by many factors, including load, speed, inflation pressure, tread pattern and tire design. “Although fuel economy has a greater impact in high-speed long-haul operations, it plays a role even in high-load on-off operations,” Estupinan says.

Rick Phillips, senior director of commercial and over-the-road sales for Yokohama Tire, says different products have different tread depths for a reason.

Depending on the application, steer tires can go from 16⁄32- to 23⁄32-inch, drive tires can be from 22⁄32- to 32⁄32-inch, and trailer tires can go from 11⁄32- to 17⁄32-inch.

“Everything else being even, the tire with less tread depth is typically more fuel-efficient,” Phillips says. A deep tread tire will have more rolling resistance when it is new than it will when it’s half worn; that’s why tires don’t hit their fuel economy “sweet spot” until experiencing some road wear.

As a tire rolls, there is less “squirm” with a shallow tread-depth tire than with a deep 62

tread tire, Phillips says. “The more squirm a tire has, the more horsepower is required from the engine to overcome its rolling resistance,” he says.

Deep treads tend to deform and squirm more and generate more heat than shallow treads as the tire rolls on the highway, Estupinan says. “A shallow-tread tire, like a trailer tire, typically has lower rolling resistance than a deeper drive pattern with blocks and lugs,” he says. “Another advantage of a shallow tread is that the initiation and expansion of irregular wear are less likely to occur as results of the reduced squirm.”

the lowest rolling resistance we possibly can without sacrificing performance and safety.”

Guy Walenga, director of commercial products engineering for Bridgestone Americas, says the fuel savings from low-rolling-resistance tires are real, and fleets must keep that in mind and learn a new formula for calculating tire costs.

“I hear fleet managers say today that by giving up tread wear, their cost per mile will go up,” Walenga says. “They’re right, but if their fuel economy has gone up, they’re making money. Fleets that are buying fuel-efficient tires know tire costs are going up, and they also know that at the end of the year, their overall MPG number has increased from 6 or 7 percent or more. They’re

Where do tires fit in fuel economy?

Tire rolling resistance is the third-biggest factor affecting a vehicle’s fuel economy, says Rick Phillips, senior director of commercial and over-the-road tires for Yokohama Tire. For a typical Class 8 tractor

Changing the equation

at normal operating conditions, here’s

While shallower tread depths equate to better fuel economy, it’s only natural for fleet managers to wonder about the impact these new designs have on tire life. Tire manufacturers such as Michelin are aware of this inherent tradeoff and are using modern technology to counter it, Jones says.

“The key is the different compounding and silicate makeups that each manufacturer has developed to enhance tire life,” he says. “The goal for all of us is to develop a more durable longer-lasting material to build tires with and deliver both low rolling resistance and longer life. Tires are not perfect products by a long shot. It’s a process of continuous improvement for us. We are constantly trying to improve our tires to get

where $1 worth of fuel goes:

commercial carrier journal | june 2014

• 60% is wasted by engine inefficiency.

• 21% is consumed by aerodynamic drag.

• 13% is consumed by overcoming tire rolling resistance (average values vary according to tread type).

• 15% by steer position • 35% by trailer position • 50% by drive position • 4% is consumed by the load.

• 2% is consumed by the drivetrain.

A tire underinflated by 10 percent can result in a 20 percent loss in fuel economy, so even if a fleet does everything right, researches all of its options and chooses to run fuel-efficient tires, it won’t realize any benefit if it fails to keep them properly inflated.

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EquipmEnt: Low-RoLLing-Resistance tiRes not getting the same cost per mile, though, because these new tires are designed for fuel economy, not mileage.”

Walenga counsels fleets that need a better understanding of the new fuel-efficient tire dynamic. “With conventional tires, it was easy,” he says: To determine cost per mile, divide the tire’s cost by its

accrued mileage. Today, fleets have to incorporate fuel – in the form of fuel costs and gallons burned – into the equation.

“This new method gives you your total tire cost per mile,” Walenga says. “The first thing fleet managers say when they do the math is ‘That’s a bigger number,’ but it only looks big compared to the fig-

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ures they’re used to seeing. The context of tire cost and fuel savings have to be built around that number.”

Getting the math right can have a huge positive effect on a fleet’s bottom line. “The largest expense for any trucking company is usually the cost of fuel,” Estupinan says. “In many cases, it can account for 39 percent of a fleet’s total expenses.”

According to studies conducted by Giti Tire, a single commercial truck can use as much as $70,000 worth of diesel a year, which translates to about 20,500 gallons.

“On a tractor-trailer combination, the steer tires contribute 15 to 20 percent to total tire fuel economy, drive tires 30 to 40 percent, and trailer tires about 40 to 50 percent,” Estupinan says. “Considering that trailer tires have the biggest impact on fuel economy and that trailer tires represent the biggest population in the average fleet in America, selecting the proper trailer tires for the fleet will have the biggest impact on miles per gallon consumed than any other wheel position.”

The first step is to use more fuel-efficient U.S. Environmental Protection Agency SmartWay-verified tires, starting with the trailer axles and continuing with steers and drives. “Following the math on these numbers, we see that a 20-truck/trailer fleet can save as much as $42,000 in a year simply by switching to SmartWay-certified tires,” Estupinan says.

Chris Han, commercial tire marketing manager for Kumho Tire, urges fleets to consider, evaluate, check and determine for themselves what tires work best for them. “They should do this by placing a few sets of tires on a trial basis, and following them through the first life and retread stage,” he says.

Fleets also should keep in mind that rolling resistance is only part of the fuel consumption picture, Han says. “Not all fleets are converts to wide-based single tires, yet tests have shown that they have the lowest rolling resistance and deliver the best possible fuel economy,” he says.

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commercial carrier journal | june 2014

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UNDERSTANDING FINANCIAL RATIOS The following is an excerpt from How to Use Financial Statements, a manual produced by Commercial Carrier University and sponsored by Chevron Delo. CCU is an educational program produced by Commercial Carrier Journal that includes business management manuals, seminars aimed at improving management skills and a website. For more information, visit www.commercialcarrieruniversity.com.

By now, you have developed a solid basic understanding of financial statements.

Now it’s time to learn what sophisticated readers do with these numbers. Bankers, accountants, credit analysts, financial officers and potential buyers pull certain numbers out of the financial reports and perform mathematical calculations, called financial ratios, to measure your company’s health.

Your own personal health, as measured by your annual physical exam, is a good model for how this works. After your lab work comes back, your doctor examines your blood test results and discusses them with you. He might say your cholesterol count is 185, which by itself means nothing to you, and you have no idea how the lab arrived at that figure. If the doctor says that you generally are healthy as long as the number stays below 200, you relax. But if he says that over the last four years it’s climbed steadily from 140, then you need to explore ways of reducing the number.

Financial ratios and analyses are no different. You don’t have to be an expert at the computation, but you should know what the ratios say about your company’s financial health.

Also, lenders almost always have loan covenants that dictate the minimum

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| JUNE 2014

ratios the company must achieve.

Financial ratios help you compare current results with your company’s trends over time and with the current results of others.

By examining the same ratio over time, you can determine whether the company is getting stronger or weaker in the area the ratio measures.

Similarly, you can compare your profit margin to that of another company or to industry averages. Using ratios this way helps analysts make sense of pure dollar amounts, which can be confusing when comparing companies having different revenues or assets.

Owners or managers who don’t have financial backgrounds might not realize that they already use ratios in their companies. If you’ve ever signed for a business loan, you likely agreed to keep the financial condition of your company within certain bounds. These affirmative covenants appear in the loan agreement as minimum financial ratios. Is your company in compliance? You won’t know unless someone in your company regularly computes the ratios. There are dozens of financial ratios, but they commonly fall into major groupings.

Liquidity ratios measure the company’s working capital and how it is man-

aged. It takes money to make money.

Has the company invested enough to keep operating? How financially liquid or flexible is the company?

Working capital is that part of the company’s current assets needed to keep its doors open: cash in the bank, plus receivables and other current assets, minus amounts borrowed from creditors for short-term needs. These may include lines of credit; payables due suppliers, drivers and employees; and for taxes. Although employees expect to be paid as often as weekly and vendors at least monthly, your customers might take 45 to 60 or more days to pay. That’s why you need more current assets than current liabilities. In other words, you need working capital.

Suppose your current assets total $1 million and your current liabilities total $750,000. That leaves net working capital of $250,000. Without working capital, you will spend so much time making ends meet and answering calls from creditors that sales, operations and profits will suffer.

Current ratios are current assets divided by current liabilities. In our example, $1 million divided by $750,000 produces a current ratio of 1.33 to 1. The minimum healthy

COMMERCIAL CARRIER UNIVERSITY range for current ratios in the trucking industry is at least 1.1 to 1 or better.

Profitability ratios are measurements drawn primarily from the P&L. Strong sales are important, but more important is maintaining the margins as you grow your company’s revenues.

Operating ratio, known as “OR,” is a basic and widely used measure of cost efficiency. It is calculated as a company’s total operating expenses, less interest and income taxes, expressed as a percentage of total company revenues. This is not to be confused with “operating margin.” Suppose your company’s total revenue was $1 million and that your total expenses were $1 million, including interest of $30,000 and income taxes of $10,000. To compute operating ratio, subtract interest and taxes, leaving $960,000. Divide $960,000 into $1 million, and your resulting operating ratio is 96 percent. Obviously, the lower your operating ratio, the better. Typically, an operating ratio below 95 percent is considered good, and outstanding com-

panies often post ORs in the 80s.

Operating profit margin is operating profit divided by total revenues earned and is expressed as a percentage. This is generally income before interest expense or taxes. Four to six percent is considered average, and the most profitable companies may have eight percent or more.

Pre-tax net is income before tax divided by revenues. Three to four percent is average for trucking companies; the most profitable are above five or six percent.

Return on equity is computed by dividing after-tax net income by average equity from the balance sheet. If your company earned $150,000 after tax on average equity of $900,000, you earned almost 17 percent return on equity. Evaluate this number against what other investments earn.

Efficiency or activity ratios measure management’s effectiveness in certain business activities. The most common is average days outstand-

ing for accounts receivable or DSO (Days Sales Outstanding), computed by dividing receivables by average daily revenues. If annual revenue is $7 million, each day averages $19,200 in revenue. If receivables total $850,000, the average receivable is outstanding 44 days ($850,000 divided by $19,200) from end of haul to payment — about industry average. If a company’s ratio is 60, then someone needs to get busy collecting. A similar ratio can be computed for vendor payables, with most averaging 30 days or less.

DSO computations can go much deeper than a simple financial calculation. More sophisticated trucking companies start counting DSO from the time the truck is dispatched to the time the check is deposited into the bank. The masters of DSO do everything operationally possible to reduce this number. These guys want their cash! Refer to the CCU book “How to Manage Cash Flow” to see how to reduce DSO.

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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MEETING THE BUSINESS NEEDS OF FLEET EXECUTIVES The goal of COMMERICAL CARRIER UNIVERSITY 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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Brake drum

Air fresheners

Webb Wheel Aftermarket’s Vortex Unlimited brake drum features the company’s wear indicators and Cool Running Technology vents designed to conduct heat away from brakes and increase airflow to facilitate cooler operating temperatures, improved braking performance and longer drum life.

RoadPro’s Ninja Odor Fighters are a line of in-vehicle air fresheners consisting of Dual-Scented Vent Clips, Adjustable 2-Pack Vent Clips, 3-D Hanging Scent Pods, Standard Scent Danglers and a Spray Bottle. The products come in a variety of scents, including Cologne, New Car, Mint, Cotton, Tropical Berry, Marine, Fresh Linen, Cedar, Vanilla and Ocean.

Webb Wheel Products, www.webbwheel.com, 256-775-7548, Text INFO to 205-289-3554 or visit www.ccjdigital.com/info

Air brake hose repair kit Tramec Sloan’s Quick-Fix air brake hose repair kit for ½-inch hoses has a permanent live swivel and all-brass construction of the sleeve and pre-greased barb. The kit will repair two damaged ½-inch rubber air brake lines and is available with pre-applied thread sealant and 3/8- or ½-inch male fittings for use with ½-inch rubber hose.

Tramec Sloan, www.tramecsloan.com, 616-395-5600, Text INFO to 205-289-3554 or visit www.ccjdigital.com/info

Ninja Odor Fighters, www.ninjaodorfighters.com, 717-964-3642, Text INFO to 205-289-3554 or visit www.ccjdigital.com/info commercial carrier journal | june 2014

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PRODUCTS

Safety lights Peterson’s LumenX Series 7 safety lights are powered by white-diode LEDs and feature optics engineered for efficient light dispersal to illuminate the entire lens without hot spots or dead zones, regardless of viewing angle. The series comprises S/T/T lights, turn signals, backup lights and work lights available in 4-inch round models with 7- or 9-diode versions, and 6-inch oval footprints with 7- or 10-diode versions. The lights are built with high-grade plastic resins and fully integrated insert molded terminals for added protection. Models include red, amber and white and are available with AMP-compatible connections; 7-diode rounds and ovals also are available with a

PL3 connection. Integrated voltage regulation is supplied on all models, with multivolt design available on certain models.

Peterson Manufacturing Co., www.pmlights.com, 816-765-2000, Text INFO to 205-289-3554 or visit www.ccjdigital.com/info

Lightweight Mack Granite bumper Hendrickson Bumper and Trim’s durable corrosion-resistant Aero Clad bumper for both set-forward and set-back-axle Mack Granite truck models provides a bright mirror-like finish and is 32 pounds lighter than the standard steel bumper. The bumper is built to resist chipping and rusting.

Hendrickson Bumper and Trim, www.hendrickson-intl. com, 800-356-6737, Text INFO to 205-289-3554 or visit www. ccjdigital.com/info

Truckers are the backbone of America!

Are you giving them the recognition they deserve?

CUSTOM AWARDS FOR: • • • •

Millions of Safe Driving Miles Years of Service Leadership And so much more!

Let us help you recognize your drivers!

Visit AwardCompany.com to see our full line of awards and recognition products or call for a quote 1.800.633.2021.

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COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | JUNE 2014

Text INFO to 205-289-3554 or visit www.ccjdigital.com/info

TAKE THE WEIGHT OFF YOUR TANKS!

MINIMIZER POLY FENDERS

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Are you looking to increase efficiencies? Don’t take our word for it, look around and you will see our fenders on all major tank haulers. You will achieve greater pay per haul, lighter trailer, reduction in aerodynamic drag, and maintenance free fenders.

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FuelSurchargeIndex.org provides shippers, carriers and owner-operators with average retail fuel prices updated every 24 hours and specific to the route that the load is actually traveling.

• FuelSurchargeIndex.org provides fuel data transparency for the entire industry • Use the actual retail price of diesel along a specific route to calculate the fuel surcharge • Accurate, detailed fuel data updated daily • Interface options available

Aug. 20-21, 2014 Wednesday, 11:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m Thursday, 7:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas

Bret Baier | Keynote Speaker

PRODUCED BY:

MEET TRUCKING’S FUTURE Learn about the equipment, technology and economic issues that will drive the evolution.

SPEAKER LINEUP KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Bret Baier, chief political anchor for Fox News Channel and anchor of Special Report with Bret Baier, will discuss “The Obama Administration, Congress and a Look at Politics in America.”

WEDNESDAY PANEL: CHANGING EQUIPMENT LIFECYCLES

Bruce Ewald, senior vice president, sales & marketing, Wabash John Diez, senior vice president, Ryder Dedicated

David Hames, general manager, marketing and strategy, Daimler Trucks North America

THURSDAY’S OPENING SPEAKER

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products

Truck-mounted spill kit New Pig’s Spill Kit in Truck-Mount Container is designed to help contain and clean leaks and spills that can occur during transportation. Available for universal, oil-only and hazardous materials applications, the kit is prepackaged with Pig Repair Putty, a containment pool,

a shovel and Pig Absorbents that can absorb up to 14.8 gallons of fluids. Slots on the kit’s base are designed to facilitate fast, easy mounting to vehicles and other flat surfaces, and a heavy-duty polyethylene container protects its contents from harsh weather and UV rays.

New Pig Corp., www.newpig.com, 800468-4647, Text INFO to 205-289-3554 or visit www.ccjdigital.com/info

Enhanced brakes Meritor’s QPlus drum brakes now are named Q+ and have been enhanced for upgraded performance and lining life to comply with reduced stopping distance regulations. The company’s EX225 air disc brakes now are named EX+ and have an enhanced twin piston design, improved redundant sealing at each potential ingress path and an enhanced adjuster suited for severe vocations.

Meritor, www.meritor.com, 866-6687221, Text INFO to 205-289-3554 or visit www.ccjdigital.com/info

Swivel connection system Phillips has integrated its swivel S7 socket technology with its anti-corrosive swinging gladhands prefastened to a galvanized mounting plate to offer the Sta-Dry S7, a swivel system designed to allow air and electrical cables to follow the tractor’s movement to help prevent damage to the cables, nosebox, connectors and gladhands.

Phillips Industries, www.phillipsind.com, 800-423-4512, Text INFO to 205-289-3554 or visit www.ccjdigital.com/info

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text INFo to 205-289-3554 or visit www.ccjdigital.com/info

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Fitzgerald Glider Kits is excited to announce that we are building several glider kits to help raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The entire sales Price will be donated directly to St. Jude for more infomation visit:

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commercial carrier journal | june 2014

83

John Doe’s Rig

Braking Truck

Preventable or not?

Drum dings Doe’s trailer during delivery

M

uch to his relief, the palletized load of drums for Pooka’s Pool Supply was John Doe’s last scheduled delivery for the day. After backing his trailer to the loading dock, supervising the unloading process and completing the usual exchange of paperwork, he hurried over to the employee vending area to buy some heavy-duty coffee for the ride to his favorite area rest stop.

Returning to his rig, Doe saw forklift operator Morty Furndock returning a 55-gallon drum to the trailer. It appeared that the drum was destined for Pooka’s second store on the other side of town. So Doe relayed the news about the extra delivery to his dispatcher, found some rope and secured the drum to a section of rub rail by the rear door. The rest of the trailer now was empty.

A few minutes later, Doe was cruisWhen another truck in ing down the freeway at 55 mph in front of John Doe’s rig the wake of another truck. Suddenly, stopped, he hit the brakes the trucker in front panic-stopped to hard, causing a drum in his trailer to damage avoid a deer, so Doe also hit the brakes the header. Was this a hard, causing the drum to break free, preventable accident? slide down the length of the metalfloored trailer and smash into the header, damaging it severely. Since Doe contested the warning letter for a preventable accident from his safety director, the National Safety Council’s Accident Review Committee was asked to make a final ruling.

NSC quickly ruled in Doe’s favor because he had been traveling at a safe speed for conditions, had been following the truck at a safe distance, had made a totally-controlled stop, and presumably could not have anticipated the heavy rope he had acquired from Pooka’s Pool Supply was faulty and, therefore, insufficient to restrain the drum during rapid deceleration.

84

commercial carrier journal | june 2014

Rig Dig_CCJ0413_PG108.indd 1

3/21/13 9:56 AM

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Text INFO to 205-289-3554 or visit www.ccjdigital.com/info