Ccj0716

JULY 2016

NONASSET TECHNOLOGY How trends are affecting carriers page 59

FOCUS ON FLATBEDS

page 64

Rounding up the latest models, specs BUSINESS SOLUTIONS FOR TRUCKING PROFESSIONALS

TAKING A CLOSER LOOK FASTER

page 29

Making the most of pre-trip checks

A FUN DAY BEHIND THE WHEEL Involving drivers with gamification page 40

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JULY 2016 | VOL 173 | NO. 7

JOURNAL LEADING NEWS, TRUCKING MARKET CONDITIONS AND INDUSTRY ANALYSIS

48

SHIFTING SMALLER

9

As more carriers regionalize their delivery patterns, many of them are re-evaluating their need for larger sleeper tractors. In some cases, the flexibility offered by a bigger sleeper makes sense. But to other customers, the efficiency gains from smaller, lighter trucks are hard to ignore.

Design by David Watson

FEATURES

59

The path to visibility

64

Trailer focus: Flatbed trailers

45

Innovators: Daryl Flood Relocation & Logistics

A few years ago, it would have seemed unrealistic for any shipper, 3PL or broker to expect total visibility from every carrier in their freight networks. While wrinkles such as updated shipment status and current pricing information always have been part of freight transactions, new technologies are ironing them out.

Today’s flatbed trailers are more productive, require less maintenance, are safer and are built to last longer. Modern engineering techniques have made them stronger and lighter, while running gear and other ancillary items also have made progress. And more flatbed purchasers are willing to pay to protect certain areas that are damaged prematurely by harsh road chemicals or repeated exposure to the elements.

News

FMCSA: ‘Government supervision’ of trucking justifies ELD mandate … Truck passengers now required to wear seatbelts … New rule to cut truck emissions, boost fuel economy minimums moves to White House … Senate bill opposes increase to federal excise tax on trucks … Navistar reports first profit in more than three years … Sleep apnea research: Driver testing costs average $1,200 … Prime Inc. to settle EEOC discrimination suit for $3M … New York chiropractors removed from National Registry … Aero device maker asks DOT for mounting exemption … CSA scores likely to be hidden for two years, DOT chief says … Court strikes down California emissions compliance options

12 InBrief

The Texas-based relocation and dedicated carrier achieves high marks by establishing a commitment to safety and a culture of trust with its driver base.

16 MarketPulse

commercial carrier journal

| july 2016 3

DEPARTMENTS

ccjdigital.com

technology

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

Editorial

20 21 21

Autonomy may be a technology the public really doesn’t want More layoffs coming at Volvo’s Virginia plant API releases new donut symbol for new engine oils

23 InBrief 24 Eaton’s UltraShift Plus expands 5700XE’s utility

24 26 26

Mack testing zero-emissionscapable port drayage trucks Volvo concept truck slashes fuel use 30% SAF-Holland debuts new series of air disc brakes

32 34 34

Estes talks evolution at ALK Summit Vigillo: Safety fitness rule no big improvement J.J. Keller launches ELD rollout system for fleets

34 InBrief 36 Trucker Path: Lots of parking 36 38 38

CarriersEdge gives driver training an app Toter adds RFID service to waste containers

42

Verizon Networkfleet solution targets small businesses

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

71

4

Products

Tires, turbos, A/C, more

commercial carrier journal

| july 2016

79

production@ccjdigital.com

sales@truckingmedia.com

29 InFocus:

80

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

Janam adds XT2 rugged touchscreen

Driver gamification

6

Design & Production

Trucking Media

40 InFocus:

Pre-trip inspections

editorial@ccjdigital.com

available at peak hours

28 Test drive: Kenworth T880 with 40-inch sleeper

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

Upfront

Ahead of the (ELD) curve

Preventable or Not?

When another truck in front of John Doe’s rig stopped, he hit the brakes hard, causing a drum in his trailer to damage the header. Was this a preventable accident?

Ad Index

Vice President of Sales, Trucking Media: Brad Holthaus

Corporate

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

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UPFRONT

Staying ahead of the (ELD) curve Shippers calling for early carrier compliance as final rule deadline approaches

BY JEFF CRISSEY

I

f your fleet is comprised entirely of trucks manufactured before model-year 2000, you may stop reading now (but please send me an email, because I have some equipment maintenance-related questions for you).

For the rest of you, please, stay with me.

“December 2017 is a long way off,” you think convincingly. You don’t need to worry about installing electronic logging devices before then, right? “Maybe the OwnerOperator Independent Drivers Association will be successful in its current lawsuit like it was for the 2010 rule,” you reassure yourself.

In reality, the Dec. 18, 2017 deadline for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s final rule requiring ELDs is much closer than you think – especially if you haven’t yet dipped your toe into the ELD waters.

The good news is you’re not alone. In a telematics/electronic logging survey conducted last month by Commercial Carrier Journal, 35.6 percent of carrier respondents with 10 or more power units currently do not use ELDs in their fleet equipment. If you expand the data set to include respondents with fewer than 10 power units, that number increases to 42.4 percent.

The bad news? You’d better get on board in a hurry.

Even if you don’t have to comply until the end of next year, ELD implementation comes with a steep learning curve and productivity losses between 2 and 7 percent, according to the carrier executives we’ve spoken with in recent years. After a year or so, those same carriers report a net benefit in productivity and capacity utilization as a result of ELDs. But there may be a more pressing reason for you to ditch your pencils and paper log books. A growing number of shippers are asking – if not requiring – their carrier partners to comply before the final rule’s deadline. If you are hearing the same from your customers, you are putting your business at risk if you choose to wait it out in the interim.

Shippers prefer doing business with ELD-equipped fleets for three primary reasons. First, it demonstrates they are doing their due diligence by

partnering with responsible and safety-conscious carriers. Secondly, it provides greater visibility into shipment tracking and cuts down on traditional communications among shippers, carriers and drivers. Lastly, and perhaps the largest factor in their carrier selection decision process, is uninterrupted capacity; shippers fear that carriers that wait to install ELDs all will experience the accompanying productivity losses at the same time, resulting in supply chain disruptions.

During last month’s CCJ webinar, “Preparing for the ELD Mandate,” Amy Mielke, senior supply chain transportation sourcing leader for Owens Corning and co-chair of the Truckload Carriers Association’s Carrier/Shipper Relations Committee, provided the shipper community’s perspective on the looming ELD mandate.

“It’s all about risk – how much risk you are willing to take as a shipper using noncompliant carriers,” Mielke says, likening the current situation to the carrier selection process used by shippers in the early days of FMCSA’s Compliance Safety Accountability program. Some shippers will do nothing, some will demand compliance, and some will do research to determine their risk and change carriers if necessary, she says.

“As a shipper, I don’t want to change my carrier base out,” adds Mielke. “I would want the carriers that are noncompliant to become compliant so I don’t have to worry about the risks.”

In today’s softer freight rate climate, many analysts and trucking company chief financial officers point to December 2017 as “brighter days ahead” with the ELD final rule’s likely capacity disruptions tipping the pricing balance back in carriers’ favor. There is growing concern among shippers about an internal pricing war that would lure carriers from one shipper to the next as they chase rate premiums, causing capacity disruptions for other shippers in the process.

But Mielke cautions that opting for higher rates may not be the best strategy for carriers in the long term. “[Owens Corning] expects to develop relationships and work together and identify inefficiencies in the supply chain,” says Mielke. “Be open and honest in discussions with your customers. We need to work together and both benefit.”

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

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LEADING NEWS, TRUCKING MARKET CONDITIONS AND INDUSTRY ANALYSIS

FMCSA: ‘Government supervision’ of trucking justifies ELD mandate

T

he Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on June 15 filed its response to the lawsuit by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association against its 2015-issued electronic logging device mandate, defending its final rule against arguments challenging its constitutionality and saying the mandate stands up to a costFMCSA says the rule will improve hours-of-service benefit analysis. The agency filed the compliance, prevent 1,844 crashes a year and save 60-page document on the day it was 26 lives annually. due, a deadline set by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, the court overseeing the case.

FMCSA says the rule will improve hours-of-service compliance, prevent 1,844 crashes a year and save 26 lives annually. The agency also contends the rule does not violate truckers’ constitutional privacy rights, as OOIDA charges in its lawsuit against the proposed mandate.

Relative to ELDs’ potential to infringe on truckers’ privacy, FMCSA says that trucking has a “long tradition of close government supervision,” citing the 1987 court decision New York v. Burger. Drivers should have a lower privacy expectation while on the job because trucking is such a highly regulated industry, FMCSA argues.

Given that ELDs are meant to track only hours-of-service compliance, they infringe on truckers’ rights no more than keeping paper logs, the agency argues.

The alleged infringement on drivers’ 4th Amendment protections against illegal search and seizure – which OOIDA attributes to the tracking requirements spelled out in the ELD rule – is one of the association’s principal arguments against the mandate that will require the majority of truck operators who currently have to keep records of duty status to use an ELD by Dec. 18, 2017, to track hours compliance.

OOIDA successfully challenged FMCSA’s prior attempt to require ELDs, and the association’s new lawsuit will be heard by the same court that overturned the agency’s Scan the QR code with your 2010-published ELD mandate. smartphone or Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court denied visit ccjdigital.com/ a trucker’s request to intervene in OOIDA’s news/subscribe-tolawsuit, siding with the 7th Circuit Court’s newsletters to sign up for the CCJ Daily Report, a daily e-mail newsletdecision to bar William Trescott from the ter filled with news, analysis, blogs case. and market condition articles.

– James Jaillet

Truck passengers now required to wear seatbelts

T

he Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will require pas-

sengers in property-carrying commercial vehicles to wear seatbelts while in operation on public roads.

The agency’s final rule “holds motor carriers and drivers responsible” for making sure passengers in their trucks wear seatbelts.

Of the 17 commenters on the rule, 12 supported it. Those dissenting did not support the rule, didn’t believe a rulemaking was necessary or didn’t support drivers or carriers being held responsible. The agency responded that many states already hold drivers responsible for their passengers and that the rule is an extension of that.

The rule doesn’t require the use of sleeper berth restraints, and the National Transportation Safety Board commented that restraints should be required. FMCSA said it “has no information on the effectiveness of current sleeper berth restraints in reconciling crash protection with fatigue prevention.”

The rule will take effect 60 days after its June 7 publication in the Federal Register.

– Matt Cole

FMCSA’s final rule‘holds motor carriers and drivers responsible’ for making sure passengers in their trucks wear seatbelts.

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JOURNAL NEWS

New rule to cut truck emissions, boost fuel economy minimums moves to White House

T

he National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency submitted to the White House Office of Management and Budget the final version of a rule to implement the second phase of the greenhouse gas emissions standards.

Last June, the agencies introduced their joint proposal for Phase 2 of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles that will begin taking effect in model year 2018 for trailers and 2021 for tractors. The plan goes through 2027 when the entire vehicle – engine, truck and trailer – will be required to meet the standards.

When the proposed rule was announced last year, EPA said the standards would “significantly reduce carbon emissions and improve fuel efficiency of heavy-duty vehicles, helping to

address the challenges of global climate change and energy security.” A month later, in July, the full 629-page notice of proposed rulemaking was published in the Federal Register.

The trailer standards, which will begin implementation first, proposed aerodynamic and tire improvements by manufacturers to help reduce fuel consumption of the entire tractor-trailer by 3 to 8 percent from the model-year 2017 baseline. Examples include low-rollingresistance tires, automatic tire inflation systems, weight reduction, side and rear fairings, gap-closing devices and undercarriage treatment for box trailers.

The tractor standards proposed for model-year 2027 would lower carbon dioxide emissions and fuel consumption by up to 24 percent from a 2017 model Phase 1 tractor. The proposed rule said these standards could be met by improvements in the engine’s waste heat recovery system, transmission, driveline, aerody-

The plan goes through 2027 when the entire vehicle – engine, truck and trailer – will be required to meet the standards.

namic design, tire rolling resistance, idle performance and other accessories.

The agencies also proposed a 4.2 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions and fuel consumption from 2017 baseline engines. The engine standard requirements will begin in 2021 and become stricter in 2024 before meeting the 4.2 percent goal in 2027.

The White House OMB has 90 days to clear the rulemaking for publication in the Federal Register.

– Matt Cole

Senate bill opposes increase to federal excise tax on trucks

L

egislation currently sitting in the U.S. Senate opposing any increase to the federal excise tax on new heavy-duty trucks drew the applause of American Truck Dealers Chairman Steve Parker last month.

Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) introduced S.Con.Res. 40, putting the Senate on record opposing an increase of the FET, which at 12 percent is already the highest tax by percentage levied by Congress on any product.

Companion legislation, H.Con.Res. 33, was introduced in the House by Reps. Reid Ribble (R-Wis.) and Tim Walz (D-Minn.) last year and has 30 bipartisan cosponsors.

“The existing 12-percent FET on heavy-duty trucks, which adds

10

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nearly $20,000 to the cost of a new truck, is already a severe detriment to businesses looking to replace aging fleets with newer, safer and more fuel-efficient vehicles,” said Parker, president of Baltimore Potomac Truck Centers. “An increase in the FET would only further deter these important investments that help keep our roads safer.”

The FET originally was imposed to help defray the cost of World War I. Since 1955, the excise tax rate on new heavy-duty trucks, tractors and trailers has increased by 300 percent, ballooning from 3 percent to its current rate of 12 percent.

All of the heavy-duty trucks sold in the United States in 2015 were manufactured in North America,

The existing 12-percent federal excise tax on heavy-duty trucks adds nearly $20,000 to the cost of a new truck.

and Parker said any increase in the FET would depress new sales to the direct detriment of the American trucking industry and their more than 8 million U.S. employees.

– Jason Cannon

WHEN IT COMES TO THE ELD MANDATE, KNOWLEDGE IS THE BEST PARTNER. Starting now, there’s one place to turn for everything you need to know about the ELD mandate. Not just the regulations, but how it can actually help you increase efficiency, profitability, and most importantly – safety.

We know ‘mandate’ is no one’s favorite word. But with PeopleNet on your side, you’ll learn how to take advantage of it.

Visit peoplenetonline.com/ELD, and start putting the mandate to work for you.

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JOURNAL NEWS

INBRIEF 7/16 • The U.S. Department of Transportation finalized a Februaryproposed expansion to the commercial freight zone at the U.S.-Mexico border crossing in El Paso, Texas, following the opening of the new cross-border TornilloGuadalupe New International Bridge. The expanded zone includes the intersection of Interstate 10 with O.T. Smith Road and Texas Farm-to-Market Road 3380 and allows Mexican carriers an expanded area in which to deliver and pick up crossborder loads.

• FedEx Corp. (CCJ Top 250, No. 2) finalized a $4.4 billion deal to acquire European carrier TNT Express. Memphis, Tenn.-based FedEx announced the acquisition last April, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission stamped its approval on the deal in November, and other global entities signed off in the following months. Amsterdam/ Hoofddorp will be the European regional headquarters of the combined companies, and TNT Express’ hub in Liege, Belgium, also will remain a significant location.

• Schneider (CCJ Top 250, No. 8) purchased Missoula, Mont.-based less-thantruckload company Watkins & Shepard (No. 126) and final-mile delivery provider Lodeso; terms were not announced.

Watkins, which specializes in difficultto-handle shipments such as home furnishings and overdimensional goods, has 20 terminals and roughly 800 trucks and 2,000 trailers, while Michigan-based Lodeso has nearly 600 agents. Schneider, a Green Bay, Wis.-based truckload company, said the acquisitions will complement its Final Mile+ service.

• Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Leslie Richards announced a state Autonomous Vehicles Testing Policy Task Force to help develop guidance for PennDOT to use when drafting autonomous vehicle policies. The agency will chair the task force, which is comprised of state, federal and private industry officials, including the Federal Highway Administration, AAA and Carnegie Mellon University.

• The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration will require certain employers to electronically provide

injury and illness information they already must report on onsite OSHA Injury and Illness forms. As of Aug. 10, trucking and other certain high-risk industries with 20-249 employees must submit information from their 2016 Form 300A by July 1, 2017.

• Truckers now need an appointment to pick up imported containers at Port of Oakland’s largest marine terminal, Oakland International Container Terminal, to shorten waits. The terminal handles 67 percent of Oakland’s container shipments, and import pickups represent the most time-consuming process at the facility.

• REM Safe Technologies is looking for 50 truck drivers interested in participating in a pilot proof-of-concept test of its Dynamic Assessment of Situation Awareness fatigue management system. The system uses the psychomotor vigilance task test, taken eight times throughout the first day on an operator’s smartphone or tablet, to set a baseline for each individual’s fatigue levels throughout a typical day. Tests will be taken less frequently thereafter. Go to Remsafetech. com/contact.

Navistar reports first profit in more than three years

F

or the first time since Troy Clarke launched his plan to return Navistar International Corp. to profitability more than three years ago, the company last month announced a positive quarterly net income – its first profitable quarter since the third quarter of 2012. The $4 million in reported quarterly earnings was up considerably from the $64 million net loss posted the same time last year.

“Our performance this quarter begins to demonstrate the earnings potential of this company,” said Clarke, president and chief executive officer. “The fact that we earned a profit despite lower Class 8 truck volumes that impacted the entire industry underscores the tremendous progress we continue to make in managing our costs effectively and improving our operations.”

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Revenues slid to $2.2 billion, down 18 percent, compared to $2.7 billion on lower truck sales in the U.S. and Canadian markets, softer industry conditions and the discontinuation of the company’s Blue Diamond Truck joint venture with Ford in mid-2015.

Clarke said Navistar already has secured 70 percent of its anticipated HX Series truck orders for this year, although second-quarter truck segment net sales fell 25 percent to $1.5 billion. The truck segment loss narrowed to $23 million versus a loss of $51 million, driven by lower structural cost, improved mix, lower accelerated depreciation charges and other income.

For the second half of 2016, Navistar lowered its sales forecast range by 20,000 units, blaming a weak market for Class 8 trucks.

Navistar said it already has secured 70 percent of its anticipated HX Series truck orders for this year.

“While we were net income-positive in the second quarter, it will now be difficult for us to be profitable for the entire year given the tougher-than-anticipated market conditions,” Clarke said. “We are confident we will generate and implement additional performance improvements to partially offset current industry conditions.”

– Jason Cannon

JOURNAL NEWS

Sleep apnea research: Driver testing costs average $1,200

T

he American Transportation Research Institute last month released the results of its sleep apnea survey, based on data from over 800 commercial drivers (eight in 10 of them company employees, the balance owner-operators). ATRI’s report is the first to quantify the costs and other impacts that truck drivers experience as they address obstructive sleep apnea diagnosis and a potential treatment regimen.

Among the findings: • Among drivers referred to a sleep study, 53 percent paid some or all of the test costs, with an average of $1,220 in out-of-pocket expenses, representing just over 1.5 weeks of median driver pay at $805 per week.

• Health insurance assistance with sleep study costs impacted driver out-of-pocket costs significantly – 61 percent of drivers with no health care coverage of their sleep study incurred out-of-pocket costs exceeding $1,000 compared to 32 percent of drivers whose health insurance did cover

some portion of the sleep study with costs exceeding $1,000.

• Among drivers reporting time away from work associated with sleep apnea screening, 41 percent indicated days off ranging from one to 30 days.

• Use of a continuous positive airway pressure machine was the most commonly prescribed treatment regimen. This includes drivers diagnosed with mild sleep apnea, a condition that does not require treatment for medical certification.

• The number of drivers who report not adhering to a prescribed OSA treatment was only 1.95 percent of the moderate/severe OSA diagnosed respondents.

• Driver-perceived treatment efficacy varied by OSA severity. As OSA diagnosis severity increased, drivers experienced more positive CPAP treatment effects. For example, drivers diagnosed with severe OSA and being treated with CPAP reported increased amounts of sleep (84%), feeling better when they woke up (71%) and lower

A pilot program could help determine the practical costs and implications of a proposed rule on obstructive sleep apnea, stakeholders said.

blood pressure (75%).

• Conversely, among the 91 percent of drivers being treated with CPAP — despite a diagnosis of mild sleep apnea — less than a third (32%) experienced improved sleep.

• Among drivers who have had sleep studies and those who have not, there is concern about the use of neck circumference and body mass index as measures to refer drivers to sleep studies. Also, among drivers who have been tested, 64 percent believe that U.S. Department of Transportation guidelines for referring drivers are too broad and that medical examiners do not follow the guidelines.

– Todd Dills

Prime Inc. to settle EEOC discrimination suit for $3M

P

rime Inc. (CCJ Top 250, No. 16) agreed to pay more than $3 million to settle a discrimination-based lawsuit brought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of more than 60 female truck drivers who claimed they were denied jobs at the company.

EEOC charged that a Prime policy stating that female drivers only be trained by female trainers effectively denied women driving jobs at the Springfield, Mo.-based company based on their gender.

EEOC said Prime previously had agreed to pay $250,000 to resolve a discrimination claim brought by

one of the female truckers. The carrier then agreed to pay $2.8 million in lost wages and damages for 63 other women who said they were denied jobs.

Prime’s adoption of the policy was intended to prevent male trainers from sexually harassing female truck operators. The company instituted the same-sex trainer policy in 2004 following a separate EEOC-brought lawsuit claiming the carrier had violated Title VII provisions.

The court overseeing Prime’s suit, however, determined Prime’s samesex trainer policy “forced female trainees to wait extended periods of

time to be trained, which resulted in most female trainees being denied employment,” according to EEOC. The court permanently barred Prime from continuing with the policy in a May 27-issued order.

– James Jaillet EEOC charged that a Prime policy stating that female drivers only be trained by female trainers effectively denied women driving jobs.

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JOURNAL NEWS

New York chiropractors removed from National Registry

C

hiropractors in the state of New York have been removed from the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners and no longer are certified to conduct U.S. Department of Transportation physicals.

In a June 1 email letter from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, New York chiropractors were told they had been removed from the registry “on the grounds of the public health, interest and safety or because of willful conduct.”

The New York State Board of Chiropractic notified the doctors in September 2015 that under their authorized scope of practice, chiropractors licensed in New York weren’t authorized to conduct DOT physicals.

FMCSA also said the DOT physicals were “beyond the scope of chiropractic practice as defined under New York state law.”

The chiropractors were ordered in FMCSA’s letter to immediately stop

FMCSA said the DOT physicals for commercial drivers were‘beyond the scope of chiropractic practice as defined under New York state law.’

issuing medical examiner’s certificates to commercial drivers and to stop marketing themselves as medical examiners listed on the National Registry.

“Effective as of the date of this letter, you are no longer certified to conduct medical examinations to determine whether commercial motor vehicle drivers meet FMCSA’s

physical qualification standards,” FMCSA stated. “Your information will remain publicly available in the National Registry for three years, with a notice that you are no longer listed on the National Registry as of the date of removal.”

FMCSA spokesman Duane DeBruyne said all medical certification cards issued by these doctors before June 1 “are in good standing and will remain valid up to their expiration date.”

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association said it was opposed to the removal of chiropractors as certified medical examiners in New York and hoped the move didn’t set a precedent for other states.

The National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners was established in May 2014 and requires drivers seeking their medical certifications to see a doctor listed on the registry.

– Matt Cole

Aero device maker asks DOT for mounting exemption

T

railerTail manufacturer Stemco is petitioning the U.S. Department of Transportation for an exemption to allow rear identification and clearance lamps to be mounted lower on van trailers and box trucks than currently permitted by federal regulations.

In an exemption request published last month in the Federal Register, Stemco asked the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to allow lamps to be moved lower so its TrailerTail aerodynamic devices can be flush with the top of the trailers to maximize their aerodynamic effect.

Rear identification lamps are defined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as three red lights to indicate the presence of a wide vehicle.

Rear clearance lamps are defined 14

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as a minimum of two red lights to show a vehicle’s width and may not be combined with taillights.

The current regulations state rear identification lamps have to be mounted “as close as practicable to the top” of the trailer, with one “as close as practicable to the vertical center line and one on each side of the center lamp,” spaced between 6 and 12 inches apart.Regulations also require one clearance lamp to be on each side of the vertical center line to indicate overall width, and both must

Stemco asked FMCSA to allow lamps to be moved lower so its TrailerTail aerodynamic devices can be flush with the top of the trailers.

be “on the same level and as high as practicable.”

Stemco says for new trailers, the TrailerTail top panel is mounted 1½ to 3½ inches below the top of the trailer to comply with the current regulations, but adds the “inset creates an unaerodynamic gap as airflow transitions from the trailer roof onto the TrailerTail panels and has prevented TrailerTails from delivering the maximum available fuel economy benefit.”

The company adds that relocating the lights to a lower position is “equivalent to the current lamp location on a flatbed trailer of intermodal chassis,” therefore not impacting safety.

To comment, go to Regulations. gov and search Docket No. FMCSA2016-0167.

– Matt Cole

JOURNAL NEWS

CSA scores likely to be hidden for two years, DOT chief says

T

he reforms required by Congress to the federal Compliance Safety Accountability carrier ranking system will take about two years to complete, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx told a Senate panel last month.

That’s the same timeline the industry can expect to see CSA scores – the percentile rankings in the CSA Safety Measurement System’s seven BASICs – return to public view.

“Based on our preliminary assessment, it’s going to take a while to do the revised analysis,” Foxx told the Senate’s Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, referring to the changes in the CSA scoring methodology called for by Congress in the 2015 FAST Act highway bill.

“We expect it to take a year or two, probably more like two, before that information (CSA SMS rankings) will be posted back up.”

The FAST Act required the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to pull CSA SMS rankings from public view, though much of the underlying violation data remains available publicly. Congress also directed the agency to work with the National Academies of Science and other government accountability agencies to develop a plan to reform the system before the scores can be returned to public view.

Since the program’s 2010 inception, many inside and outside the trucking industry have pointed to flaws in the program’s data well and the methods

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx told a Senate panel that work on the federal CSA carrier ranking system may take two years.

used to calculate carriers’ scores. The resulting flawed scores were available for third parties such as shippers, brokers and insurers to view and make determinations about carriers and their crash risk despite their inconsistent underlying data.

The program has been particularly unfair for small carriers and owneroperators, studies have shown. The required reforms are meant to bring CSA scores more in line with carriers’ actual crash risk.

– James Jaillet

Court strikes down California emissions compliance options

A

California Superior Court ruled last month to strike down several 2014made amendments to the state’s strict emissions rules. The amendments were meant to give compliance flexibility to owner-operators and other small fleet owners who might have trouble affording equipment upgrades or add-ons to bring their trucks into compliance.

The Superior Court of Fresno directed the California Air Resources Board to void the amendments to its Truck & Bus Rule. CARB says the amendments will remain in effect, however, while it appeals the court ruling.

The court decision did not affect the Truck & Bus Rule itself.

Opponents of the amendments, including the suit’s plaintiff California Trucking Association, argue the delayed compliance schedule afforded by the amendments effectively punishes fleets and owner-operators who

made the effort and spent the money required to comply by putting them at a competitive disadvantage.

The judge overseeing the case, Superior Court Judge Mark Snauffer, agreed with the plaintiffs. CARB, however, argues the compliance alternatives offered by the amendments “provide badly needed flexibility to smaller fleets.”

CARB’s strictest-in-the-nation emissions regulations were phased in over a nearly decade-long period, eventually requiring all pre-2007 model-year truck owners to either upgrade to a newer emissions-compliant truck or install particulate matter filters by Jan. 1, 2014.

However, CARB voted in April 2014 to amend some of the deadlines associated with its regulations. Under the amendments, fleets with three or fewer trucks that were denied a loan to purchase a retrofit diesel particulate filter – the costs of which can be upwards of $20,000

CARB says the amendments to its Truck & Bus Rule will remain in effect while it appeals the court ruling.

– could run their truck as-is if they committed to buying a new emissionscompliant truck or installed a particulate filter by the end of 2016.

To take advantage of this amendment and others, operators would have to file an application with the state and prove they couldn’t get a loan or otherwise could not afford to purchase a new truck or a particulate matter filter.

The amendments also gave carriers with three or fewer trucks extra time to bring their second and third trucks into compliance. Such carriers’ second trucks had to become compliant by January of this year – a delay from the previous January 2015 deadline – while third trucks had until Jan. 1, 2018, to become compliant.

– James Jaillet commercial carrier journal

| july 2016 15

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PRODUCT REVIEWS, OEM & SUPPLIER NEWS AND EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT TRENDS

BY JASON CANNON

Afraid of progress?

Autonomy may be a technology the public really doesn’t want

A

ccording to a study by the University of Michigan, investments being made in autonomous driving are in stark contrast to the wishes of the people who will be affected most by it – the motoring public.

The university polled 618 people – each identified as U.S. licensed drivers 18 years and older by SurveyMonkey’s audience tool – with nearly 46 percent saying they preferred no vehicle automation at all.

Another nearly 39 percent were willing to sign off on partial vehicle automation.

The prospect of full vehicle automation scared the hell out of all but 15.5 percent of respondents.

“In two different questions, respondents were asked how concerned they would be about riding in a completely self-driving vehicle and a partially self-driving vehicle,” says the report, which builds on a series of eight reports addressing public opinion, human factors and safety-related issues concerning self-driving vehicles. “The responAUTONOMOUS ANXIETY: Nearly 46 percent polled said they preferred no vehicle automation.

STEERING WHEEL, PLEASE: The availability of vehicle controls were a huge sticking point.

FUTURE SHOCK: As we inch closer to autonomous technology, drivers appear to want it less.

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If the majority of survey respondents want nothing to do with autonomous cars, it shouldn’t be a surprise that even more want nothing to do with self-driving heavy trucks.

dents were more concerned about riding in a completely self-driving vehicle than in a partially self-driving vehicle.

“For example, 37.2 percent were very concerned about riding in a completely self-driving vehicle (and 66.6 percent were very or moderately concerned), as opposed to 17 percent for a partially self-driving vehicle (with 50.7 percent being very or moderately concerned). Conversely, 9.7 percent were not at all concerned with riding in a completely self-driving vehicle, as opposed to 16.5 percent for a partially self-driving vehicle.”

Not surprisingly, the availability of vehicle controls were a huge sticking point, with nearly 95 percent of all respondents wanting a steering wheel, gas and brake pedal available, even in completely self-driving vehicles.

The 2016 study was the second round of a 2015 report, which asked respondents the same questions a year earlier. Surprisingly, as we inch closer to making autonomous technology a viable “thing,” drivers appear to want it less.

In 2015, 43.8 percent of respondents wanted no self-driving capabilities; that’s 2

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.

About 97 percent of U.S. motorists had some level of concern sharing the roads with autonomous trucks and trailers. percent fewer than in 2016. Partially self-driving tech in 2015 was OK’d by 40.6 percent of respondents, another nearly 2 percent more than 2016.

The only category remaining anything close to flat were the number of people who were OK with autonomy (15.5 percent in 2015 vs. 15.6 in 2016).

If 85 percent of respondents want nothing to do with autonomous cars, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that even more want nothing to do with self-driving heavy trucks. In a similar survey, about 97 percent of U.S. motorists had some level of concern sharing the roads with autonomous trucks and trailers.

Nearly 60 percent were very concerned, nearly 25 percent moderately concerned and 12.2 percent slightly concerned.

Among the countries covered in the report (Australia, China, India, Japan, United Kingdom and United States), American motorists listed self-driving Class 8s on the highway as their top concern. For comparison, people were 10 percent less concerned by automated buses and public transportation.

Consumer skepticism isn’t going to slow these innovations since the self-riding horse is already out of the barn. With every passing day that doesn’t see a “robot car” become self-aware and go on a “Judgment Day” rampage, sentiments are likely to ease.

But it’s interesting to see that as more players get into the game – Toyota, Uber, General Motors, Google and Lyft, among several others – the higher the latest trepidation trends on the roads.

JASON CANNON is Equipment Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal. E-mail jcannon@randallreilly.com or call (205) 248-1175.

More layoffs coming at Volvo’s Virginia plant

V

olvo Trucks will lay off an unspecified number of workers from its Dublin, Va.-based truck manufacturing plant late this summer, the company said. The layoffs stem from a slowdown in North American truck orders, said Volvo spokesman John Mies.

Volvo notified the plant’s workers that production cuts will come The layoffs at Volvo’s Dublin, in early August, Va.-based truck plant stem from a slowdown in North but details on worker layoffs American truck orders. remain scant, Mies said. “It’s too soon to say how many people or exactly when” the layoffs will come, he said.

The late-summer round of layoffs will be the second of the year for Volvo’s New River Valley plant, where all of its North American trucks are built. The plant cut more than 700 workers in February due to projected slowdowns in truck orders.

– James Jaillet

API releases donut symbol to identify new engine oils

T

he American Petroleum Institute introduced API’s new FA-4 Service a special Service Symbol Donut features Symbol Donut to a shaded section to difhelp consumers ferentiate FA-4 diesel identify the recently oils from CK-4 oils. approved FA-4 diesel engine oil designed to protect the next generation of diesel engines. API approved two new diesel oil standards, FA-4 and CK-4, earlier this year for use in truck engines designed to meet 2017 model-year on-highway greenhouse gas emissions standards.

The new donut features a shaded section to differentiate FA-4 diesel oils from CK-4 oils. The API CK-4 Service Symbol Donut will look the same as the current CJ-4 donut.

– CCJ Staff commercial carrier journal

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INBRIEF • Daimler Trucks North America reduced headcount by about 1,240 workers at its North American production facilities last month, the Salisbury (N.C.) Post reported.

Nearly 600 workers were laid off from the Mount Holly (N.C.) plant, 200 from the Gastonia (Ore.) logistics facility, 170 from the Western Star plant in Portland (Ore.) and 270 from the Santiago (Mexico) location.

• Michigan lawmakers were poised to pass HB 4344, which would ban the use of aftermarket and remanufactured parts on vehicles less than five years old. The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association issued a call to action asking its Michigan membership to contact their representatives and voice their displeasure, saying the bill would limit consumer choices about repair options, increase prices by mandating that only OEM parts be used, and impact aftermarket retail sales and manufacturing jobs.

• Kenworth’s plant in Chillicothe, Ohio, is in the midst of a $17 million project to enhance truck quality and assembly efficiency through construction of a new parts management system and automated storage facility to achieve rapid storage of painted parts and faster delivery of those parts when needed on the assembly line. A 25,000-square-foot addition is being built on the top of the current plant.

• Daimler Trucks North America now offers Hadley’s SmartValve as an optional replacement for standard leveling valves on new 6×4 trucks. Installed on the drive axle suspension, SmartValve is designed for convenient raising of the tractor frame to assist in raising a trailer when its landing gear is too low.

• Bendix parent company Knorr-Bremse, a provider of braking systems, acquired Wülfrath, Germany-based Tedrive Steering Systems, a manufacturer of rack-and-pinion and recirculating ball steering gear systems.

Knorr-Bremse said the acquisition will allow the company to generate added value for its customers, including commercial vehicle manufacturers or operators, through the smart connection of systems and subsystems for driver assistance and automated driving functions.

• Ryder System launched new commercial vehicle lease options designed to allow customers to choose from three different flexible Ryder ChoiceLease maintenance plans: Full Service, Preventive and On-Demand.

The scalable model enables customers to decide the terms of their lease alongside the

level of maintenance they prefer, from total bumper-to-bumper coverage to pay-asyou-go maintenance.

• Navistar agreed to manufacture General Motors’ cutaway commercial vans starting next year at its plant in Springfield, Ohio.

GM’s full-length on-frame Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans are upfitted into utility or service vehicles, ambulance or rescue vehicles, shuttle buses and school buses. Navistar will add about 300 jobs and recommission the plant’s second line.

• Navistar said nearly 40 percent of all of its truck and bus dealers qualified as Diamond Edge Certified in the second quarter of 2016. To achieve Diamond Edge status, International Truck and IC Bus dealers must meet or exceed service dwell time metrics and define long-term action plans for continuous and ongoing service improvements.

• Fontaine Modification Fleet Services now is authorized to install and distribute Idle Smart’s idle management system, an automatic engine start-and-stop technology that actively manages engine idle time and battery voltage levels while helping to prevent cold starts. Idle Smart also provides remote management capabilities and delivers performance reporting and vehicle diagnostics.

• Boss Truck Shops now carries Yokohama Tire Corp.’s full line of commercial tires at all of its 44 U.S. locations. Boss also now offers Yokohama’s roadside assistance program, Yokohama Emergency Service, to service all Yokohama National Account customers.

• Bridgestone Americas launched a nationwide all-inclusive battery service program at Speedco, a provider of on-highway preventive maintenance and tire service.

The program includes free battery testing and the addition of Interstate Batteries to the service center’s product offering at all of its locations.

• Mitchell 1 released an updated series of training videos for its repair shop management system. The videos are accessible from the company’s online Get2Know Training Center and also from inside its Manager SE software by clicking on the “Training Videos – How Do I” link.

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• Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems announced that its remanufactured brake shoe plant in Huntington, Ind., surpassed 4 million units. The 74,000-square-foot facility opened in fall 2012 and handles the complete salvage, coining and assembly processes. commercial carrier journal

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23 6/7/16 2:02 PM 6/8/16 8:55 AM

Eaton’s UltraShift Plus expands 5700XE’s utility

W

estern Star Trucks will offer up to 140,000 pounds GCVWR and an The Eaton announcement was part Eaton’s UltraShift Plus transmis18-speed transmission with no published of a press event Western Star held at sion in its aerodynamic 5700XE this GCVWR limit.

Michelin’s proving grounds in Laurens, fall, allowing the truck to S.C. There, journalists were operate with an automated able to drive three models manual transmission in of the 5700XE – a day cab, new applications that a 68-inch high-roof and an require power-takeoffs and 82-inch sleeper. higher gross combination The DD15 engine (14.8 ratings. liters, 505 hp) in the two The new Eaton Advanlarger units provided tage 10-speed AMT will be ample power for the two available for the 5700XE in maxed-out trailers, and the early 2017, with multiple DT12 AMT was more than PTO locations. This transresponsive. mission model lineup lets Cabin noise was shockcustomers spec a 10-speed ingly low, even with the transmission up to 110,000 DD15’s three-stage engine pounds gross combinabrake helping to aggressiveWestern Star’s Mike Guarino says designers strove to retain the company’s tion vehicle weight rating, ly slow the truck ahead of a trademark boxy look while still achieving an aerodynamic design that often a 13-speed transmission turn. – Jason Cannon results in more than 7 mpg.

Mack testing zero-emissions-capable port drayage trucks

I

n partnership with the South Coast Air Quality Management District, Mack Trucks announced that it will demonstrate two zero-emissions-capable Class 8 drayage trucks as part of a California-based heavy-duty truck development project designed to help reduce air pollution at freight-intensive locations throughout the state.

SCAQMD will partner with four separate California air quality districts for the project, which is funded through a $23.6 million state grant. As one of the truck manufacturers selected to receive funding, Mack will focus on ultra-low nitrogen oxide technologies while advancing plug-in hybrid and geofencing capabilities explored in previous and ongoing projects.

Dennis Slagle, president of Mack Trucks, said the project’s goals include reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions at ports, rail yards and the freight corridors connecting them.

“This unique collaborative effort is aimed at fostering the development of advanced zero-emissions truck technologies that are vital to improving air quality in communities near our busy freight corridors,” said Joe Buscaino, Los Angeles City Councilman and SCAQMD board member. “Cleaner truck fleets on our roadways are important for air quality and climate goals and are essential to protecting public health.”

Mack’s efforts will build upon its experiences in designing and demonstrating a plug-in hybrid-electric drayage truck 24

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| july 2016

based on a Pinnacle daycab model. The drayage truck was built as part of an earlier SCAQMD-sponsored project and integrates an MP7 diesel engine with a parallel hybrid system and lithium-ion battery pack. Additional lightweight and aerodynamic-enhancing components also were included to extend the hybrid technology’s benefits and maximize its zero-emissions range.

The truck uses geofencing capabilities similar to those enabled by the GuardDog Connect telematics platform to switch between zero-emissions and hybrid operating modes.

When inside the zero-emissions geofence – which includes locations with the heaviest freight traffic, such as a port – the truck operates in pure electric mode. When outside the geofence, such as on the way to a rail yard or distribution center, the diesel engine is enabled, allowing for hybrid operation and battery recharging.

– Jason Cannon The Mack drayage truck currently is undergoing evaluation and testing in a drayage fleet at the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles.

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Volvo concept truck slashes fuel use 30%

V

olvo Trucks, with support from the Swedish Energy Agency, has developed a new fuel-sipping concept truck, The Volvo Concept Truck – an FH the result of a 420 with a D13 Euro 6 engine – five-year research boosts both truck and trailer aeroproject aimed at dynamic efficiency by 40 percent. creating more energy-efficient vehicles.

Claes Nilsson, Volvo Trucks president and chief executive officer, said energy-efficient trucks are a high priority for the company and that the Volvo Concept Truck – an FH 420 with a D13 Euro 6 engine – cuts fuel consumption by more than 30 percent thanks to a 40 percent boost in both truck and trailer aerodynamic efficiency.

The rig was test-driven on Swedish roads last fall. “We’ve modified the entire rig and optimized it for improved aerodynamics as much as possible,” said Åke Othzen, chief project manager. “We use cameras instead of rearview mirrors to cut air resistance, so less energy is needed to propel the truck.”

Aerodynamically optimized chassis side skirts cover the rear tractor wheels and all of the trailer wheels, while spoilers extend the trailer to cut air resistance. The company also minimized air resistance at the front of the tractor, the wheel housings and entry steps while optimizing airflow for the engine’s cooling system.

The concept truck also is outfitted with an improved driveline and newly developed lower-rolling-resistance tires. The trailer weighs two tons less than the reference trailer, which translates into either lower fuel consumption or the possibility of a higher payload.

Work on the concept truck has been in progress since 2011 with a goal of improving long-haul truck transportation efficiency by 50 percent. Some aerodynamic features already have been implemented on Volvo’s series-produced vehicles, and more of its solutions may be fitted in the future.

– Jason Cannon 26

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| july 2016

SAF-Holland debuts new series of air disc brakes

S

AF-Holland introduced a new series of air disc brakes that the company’s president of the Americas, Steffen Schewerda, hopes will drive disc brake adoption rates upwards of threefold.

The P89 Series is comprised of two models – the P89 and P89 Plus – and is designed to drive down the price point of disc brakes when compared to previous-generation systems. The P89 Series is available on the SAF CBX air-ride and ULX spring-ride suspensions.

The SAF SBS 2220 caliper and 430 mm-diameter heavy-duty vented rotor are the heart of the P89, the series’ base model, which can be customized to suit specific fleet demands. The dual-piston SBS 2220 caliper applies a more even pressure pattern across the brake lining than single-piston designs, while the rotor – with a 430 mm diameter and 45 mm SAF-Holland’s P89 Series is comprised of thickness – provides two models – the P89 and P89 Plus – and is added wear volume. available on the SAF CBX air-ride and ULX The P89 comes stanspring-ride suspensions. dard with a 3½-inch-diameter parallel spindle or an optional lightweight taper spindle configuration that reduces weight by 10 pounds per axle, uses industry-standard bearings and wheel seals to help reduce maintenance costs and is backed by a five-year warranty.

The premium P89 Plus comes standard with a seven-year maintenance-free bearing system that uses large 89 mm-thick front and rear bearings, which are individually sealed and lubricated with high-temperature long-life grease, eliminating traditional wheel seals. Precision bearing spacers are installed between the inner and outer bearings to precisely control bearing preload for added life.

The SAF Integral rotor’s bimetallic design allows it to expand and contract in a radial direction, keeping the braking surface flat and helping to eliminate the umbrella effect.

Steffen said take rates for disc brakes last year reached upward of 15 percent on tractor steer axles, 10 percent on drive axles and 10 percent on trailer axles. He predicts those numbers to skyrocket in the years ahead as prices come down and ease of maintenance continues to outpace that of drums.

– Jason Cannon

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TEST DRIVE: KENWORTH T880 WITH 40-INCH SLEEPER

A compact workhorse Kenworth’s smaller vocational model offers weight savings, new suspension

BY TOM QUIMBY

K

enworth recently provided test drives of its new T880 40-inch sleeper at its assembly plant in Chillicothe, Ohio.

The T880’s Paccar MX-13 engine, coupled with an Eaton Fuller 18-speed vocational Ultrashift Plus automated transmission, made easy work of 55,000 pounds of concrete blocks on a flatbed.

To assist in curbing, creeping, paving and spreading, the Ultrashift Plus features extended-low and -reverse gear-ratio coverage.

Deep-reduction and fast-reverse gearing are additional hallmarks, along with auto-neutral and hill-start aid. When taking on power-takeoff minimum and maximum drive gears, the transmission uses all gear ratios.

The 40-inch sleeper joins Kenworth’s midsize 52-inch and full-size 76-inch models.

“It’s predominantly a vocational type of sleeper targeted at the oilfield industry, towing and recovery and bulk-haul applications,” said Kurt Swihart, marketing director. If the sleeper’s fenders are damaged, they can be unbolted quickly and traded out for new ones.

The 40-inch sleeper with a 219-inch wheelbase has been designed with weight savings in mind, thanks to its aluminum cab coupled with stamped aluminum doors.

Compared to the midsize 52-inch sleeper, the 40-inch cab shaves 260 pounds.

To lighten the load an additional 400 pounds, customers can substitute the new MX-11 engine for the MX13. The MX-11 has 430 horsepower and 1,550 lb.-ft. of

The 40-inch sleeper includes 22 cubic feet of storage and can accommodate a 24-inch mattress.

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The Kenworth T880 made available for test drives featured Meritor axles in the front and rear.

Photos by Tom Quimby

torque, while the MX-13 offers 500 horsepower and 1,850 lb.-ft. of torque.

Swihart said while the MX-11 is being spec’d mostly by concrete customers, the engine is suited for any application seeking to reduce weight, including dump, bulk haul, lessthan-truckload, pickup-and-delivery and regional haul.

Kenworth also launched a new suspension option: Hendrickson’s Ultimax, a heavy-duty system rated for applications above 46,000 pounds. “It’s for customers who are looking for very good roll stability, high-center-of-gravity types of applications,” Swihart said. “We think that’s going to be a nice option for vocational customers as well.”

The T880’s interior projects a toned-down back-tobasics utilitarian look – air suspension seats notwithstanding. However, those hungering for more technology can pull up electronic gauges and more that can be enlarged on a dash-mounted screen for easy readability. Cobra’s 29 Sound Tracker CB is available factory-installed with or without weather radio.

Other new options for the T880 include a diesel exhaust fluid tank mounted under the cab, providing a clear back-ofcab and opening up the rails for various component mounts.

Swihart said though Kenworth still will continue manufacturing its narrower T800, customers are moving to the wider T880 that has become the company’s flagship vocational model, accounting for about 30 percent of total sales.

in focus: PRE-TRIP INSPECTIONS

Erasing the pencil-whipping

Technology, education keys to consistent quality checks

BY JASON CANNON

P

re-trip inspections are one of the first things listed in the Commercial Driver License manual, hammering home the importance of the process.

However, with fleet managers outnumbered by tractors and drivers tens or even hundreds to one, the inspection process can be one of the most challenging to organize.

“Pre-trip inspections are really a people process,” says Joe Puff, NationaLease’s vice president of technology and maintenance. “We can have all of the electronics and all of the behind-the-scenes telematics at our fingertips, but at the end of the day, if the driver wants to bypass the process and pencil-whip it, he or she can make it look pretty good.”

Fred Fakkeman, Zonar’s vice president of compliance, estimates that about 85 percent of all pre-trip inspections are done incorrectly – if at all.

E-confirmation Electronic systems such as Zonar’s Electronic Vehicle Inspection Report have taken the pencil out of the pencil-whip by forcing drivers to scan a radio-frequency identification barcode at each inspection point.

“It’s time-stamped, so you know how long that driver is in that specific zone and, over the totality of it, how long it took for them to do the entire inspection,” says Fakkeman, a 25year veteran of the enforcement field.

Once the scanning tablet is returned to its cradle, a customizable inspection report is synched automatically to a fleet’s Zonar platform for back-office and maintenance personnel, streamlining and documenting the process from inspection to repair and the truck being placed back in service.

Backup checks For fleets that still rely on pencil and paper, one way to measure the quality of a driver’s pre-trip inspection is to re-inspect behind them periodically.

“A re-inspection makes sure that everybody is doing things by the book, and it sends a clear safety commitment message,” Puff says. “It’s a no-excuse great coaching opportunity.”

Problems rarely stem from a driver’s unwillingness to perform a proper pre-trip, Puff says. Many times, it comes down to training and education.

“They really need to understand what they’re looking at,” he says. “One of the things I often see is drivers looking at brakes

Dave Swenson, a lease driver for Excelsior Springs, Mo.-based Waller Truck Co., conducts a pre-trip inspection.

and tires, but they really don’t know what they need to look for. They don’t know at what point it’s a pass or fail.”

Fakkeman agrees. “Number one, do [drivers] know what they are looking at when they are doing the pre- and posttrip?” he asks. “Then, number two, are they actually doing it?”

“The more training we can give drivers to teach them the process correctly, the better,” Puff adds. “If you notice in re-inspections that pre-trips are not being done as they should, you need to retrain on specific areas, like recurring issues with brakes.”

Education, incentives Bob Waller, chief executive officer of Excelsior Springs, Mo.based Waller Truck Co., says driver education will be a big part of his company’s focus as it rounds the corner on the second half of 2016.

“As part of our third-quarter safety efforts, we will be focusing on a driver education program encouraging pre-trip inspections,” Waller says. “There will be social media, in-cab messaging and an incentive-based program that catches our drivers in the act of doing a pre-trip inspection.”

The top violations during Compliance Safety Accountability roadside inspections generally relate to lights, tires and brakes, all of which Fakkeman says can be spotted during a quality pre-trip inspection before they drag down CSA scores.

“Enforcement [officers are] like everybody else,” he says.

“You’re always looking for that low-hanging fruit. If they see a couple of marker lights out or a headlight out, that’s the easy stuff, and then you see where you inspection can go from there.” commercial carrier journal

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29

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technology From coin toss to e-commerce Estes talks evolution at ALK Summit

T

o support his large family during the Great Depression, W.W. Estes of Chase, Va., began hauling farm supplies in 1931 with a used Chevy truck. His trucking business supplemented his farming income, and in 1938, he opened the first two branches of his fledgling business, Estes Express Lines, in Richmond and Norfolk, Va. He went to the bank to get a loan to buy more trucks. As the story goes, the banker told Estes he could get the loan – but on the condition he discontinue either farming or trucking. “You can’t do both,” the banker said.

Faced with a weighty decision, Estes pulled a coin from his pocket. If the toss showed heads, he would be a trucker; tails, a farmer. As fate would have it, the toss was heads.

Today, Estes Express (CCJ Top 250, No. 14) is the largest privatelyheld less-than-truckload carrier in the United States, with 7,700 drivers and 2015 revenues of $2.3 billion.

BACKING THE ‘MOTHERSHIP’: Estes Express Lines is seeing a lot of growth from specialized services.

UPDATED EQUIPMENT: Innovations have improved the company’s service capabilities and efficiency.

FLEET ‘WHIZ KIDS’: The in-house incubator team is focused mostly on the e-commerce revolution.

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Billy Hupp, COO and executive vice president of Estes Express Lines, presents his keynote address at last month’s ALK Transportation Technology Summit in Philadelphia.

“We want to become a paperless freight flow company.”

– Billy Hupp, COO and executive VP, Estes Express Lines

A grandson of W.W. Estes, Billy Hupp, shared this story during his keynote address at last month’s ALK Transportation Technology Summit in Philadelphia.

As chief operating officer and executive vice president of the family-owned business, Hupp also has been involved in a lot of weighty decisions at Estes. LTL service continues to be the “mothership,” he said, but the company is seeing a lot of growth from specialized services that include time-critical shipments, out-oftown residential moves, dedicated hauling and freight forwarding. Later this year, it plans to add a new technology-based final-mile product called Estes Final Mile (EFM) to take advantage of e-commerce opportunities.

On the equipment side, Hupp discussed innovations that have improved the service capabilities and efficiency of his fleet. Its forklifts are mobile workstations with mobile displays, shrink-wrap equipment, an air hose to feed compressed air to airbags used to secure freight, and other items that “keep guys more effective and efficient, and not wandering the dock looking for tools,” he said.

Hupp said that tracking more than 130,000 shipments that pass through Estes’ 215 facilities every day is an ongoing commitment. Freight costing is another challenge, with the number of freight profiles continuing to grow. Estes uses freight dimensioners — machines that scan freight to capture volume (cube) and density.

Together with weight scales installed on forklifts, information is fed to software that identifies any differences from the order to adjust the freight bill if necessary.

Estes now is rolling out another scanning system at its cross-docks to capture freight automatically as it enters and leaves trailers. This new system helps eliminate missed loads due to misplaced paper documents. “We want to become a paperless freight flow company,” Hupp said. “This is a real game changer for us.”

Hupp previewed other technologies at Estes, such as the pickup-and-delivery app the company designed and PeopleNet built for increased shipment visibility, driver communications and optimized routing.

MAKING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS WORK FOR YOUR FLEET

BY AARON HUFF

Using telematics data from its PeopleNet fleet management platform, Estes has created a Performance and Safety (PAS) scoring system. Drivers receive a daily score and have used the information and coaching they receive to improve fuel efficiency by 15 percent. The fleet’s average mpg is 7.1, up from 6 mpg three years ago.

“That allows us to be competitive in the marketplace,” Hupp said.

To help prepare for what lies ahead in the future, Estes has an in-house incubator team of “whiz kids” that come up with new ideas.

“Eighty percent of their ideas are crazy, but 20 percent are engaging and good,” he said.

The team is focused mostly on the e-commerce revolution, as well as technologies that could disrupt the supply chain such as 3D printing, which could reduce the need for transportation.

“We’ve got to be aware of those things,” Hupp said. “Developing our technology capability is going to be the differencemaker in the market.”

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

INTERESTED IN TRUCKING TECHNOLOGY?

Scan the barcode or go to www.goo.gl/Ph9JK to subscribe to the CCJ Technology Weekly e-mail newsletter. commercial carrier journal

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july 2016

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technology

INBRIEF

Vigillo: Safety fitness rule no big improvement

C

oncerns about underlying Compliance Safety Accountability datarelated issues aside, would the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Safety Fitness Determination carrier rating rule actually allow the agency to expand the number of unsafe carriers it targets each month?

Not really, according to a report from private carrier rating firm Vigillo, which concludes there’s just a 0.4 percent difference between the number of carriers the agency would be able to review and place out of service under the new rule compared to its current system.

Vigillo compares such a change to a 250-pound person dropping a single pound, or a marathon runner shaving two minutes off of a 260-minute run.

“If we reduced the headcount of federal government employees of 2.7 million by 0.4 percent, we’d still have 2.7 million,” Vigillo’s report states.

FMCSA’s Safety Fitness rule proposed in January would usher in an era in which the agency relies heavily on roadside inspection and violation data instead

• Safe Fleet acquired Rear View Safety, a provider of backup camera systems and video-based road safety solutions for commercial fleets, including government fleets, recreational vehicles, truck, trailer, commercial van, construction, emergency, bus and shuttle, agriculture and industrial vehicles.

• Bestpass added Oklahoma’s toll roads to its bypass network, allowing the company to provide full nationwide U.S. toll road coverage with its Bestpass Complete device by yearend. Customers will receive one consolidated bill at the end of each month. Oklahoma has 606 miles of toll roads, second in the nation behind Florida.

• DriverFacts, an online service designed to allow trucking companies to manage commercial drivers’ employment and safety records securely and efficiently, made its DriverPortal service available to all nonmember carriers for a monthly fee. DriverPortal automates driver requests for corrections and rebuttals for information on employment records, including reportable or preventable accidents and positive drug and alcohol tests. Carriers that are DriverFacts members receive DriverPortal access as part of their membership benefits.

J

.J. Keller & Associates introduced a new service – Driver DataSense Plus with ELD Rollout – designed to help carriers ease their transition from paper logs to electronic logging devices.

The rollout system includes a custom ELD implementation plan, installation of J.J. Keller ELDs, configuration of J.J. Keller’s Encompass back-office compliance system, setup of the J.J. Keller Mobile logging app and driver training on the system.

After J.J. Keller’s Managed Services team completes the rollout, the system will aggregate ELD data, along with paper log data and driver time sheets. A J.J. Keller employee will analyze the data to look for compliance and performance issues and help carriers resolve problems.

• Fleetio, a provider of fleet maintenance and asset management software, released a digital purchase order module designed to allow users to streamline their approval and payment processes, create POs faster and gain complete visibility into purchasing history and habits while reducing clerical expenses and errors and commercial carrier journal

of on-site and off-site investigations to determine whether a carrier is fit to operate. FMCSA says the rule would allow it to target 75,000 carriers a month — about 150 times more than it can now.

Vigillo says that while it’s true that many more carriers under the SFD proposal would meet the minimum thresholds for intervention (11 inspections, as proposed in the rule), only 67 DOT-registered carriers would be identified as Unfit to operate once non-English speaking driver violations are removed from the system.

– Todd Dills

J.J. Keller launches ELD rollout system for fleets

• CarriersEdge, a provider of online safety and compliance training tools, now offers a “Maximizing Fuel Efficiency” course that uses interactive learning to help drivers understand their role in reducing fuel costs. The training program covers a number of real-world factors that influence fuel use and impact fuel costs to provide participants with a comparison of effective and ineffective fuel-saving techniques. A performance summary is provided to drivers.

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Vigillo concludes there’s just a 0.4 percent change between the number of carriers FMCSA would be able to review and place out of service.

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J.J. Keller’s Driver DataSense Plus with ELD Rollout service is designed to help carriers ease their transition from paper logs to ELDs.

“This new service makes it far easier for fleets to meet FMCSA’s ELD mandate deadline by letting us facilitate the process,” said Rustin Keller, J.J. Keller executive vice president and chief operating officer.

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technology

INBRIEF

Trucker Path: Lots of parking available at peak hours

controlling spending. The module also is designed to improve order fulfillment, track order status and automatically update inventory levels.

• Paragon, a provider of vehicle routing and scheduling optimization solutions, expanded its end-to-end HDX Home Delivery Software System to include a number of last-mile fulfillment modules designed to help maximize omni-channel fulfillment operations, increase first-time delivery success and manage and track order fulfillment.

• Nexiq Technologies announced the expanded integration of its eTechnician HD diagnostic application with Mitchell 1’s RepairConnect software to give truck technicians instant access to diagnostic fault-related service information on a PC platform.

• SmartDrive Systems announced that Phoenix-based truckload company Knight Transportation (CCJ Top 250, No. 24) is deploying its video-based safety program across its fleet following an extensive head-to-head evaluation of video safety programs. SmartDrive said Knight’s pilot program realized an 84 percent improvement in safety performance.

• ConversionU announced that Mondovi, Wis.-based refrigerated company Marten Transport (CCJ Top 250, No. 50) and Claremont, N.C.-based Cargo Transporters No. 206) both selected its customizable online driver orientation platform, Conversion Orientation, to onboard new drivers, present more material, improve retention and reduce onboarding time. Cargo Transporters also implemented Conversion Onboarding, which allows drivers to fill out pre-hire paperwork online.

• Electronic Funds Source, a provider of customized corporate payment solutions, announced that St. Louis-based Hogan Transports (CCJ Top 250, No. 74) selected its payments platform with customized reporting functionality. Hogan is using a portfolio of EFS solutions including its Fuel Card, SmartFunds

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A

ccording to analysis by Trucker Path, creators of the free trucking trip-planning app of the same name, 36 percent of truck parking spaces along the National Highway System are open during peak hours.

Trucker Path found from its crowdsourcing service in its app that 12 percent of truck parking locations along the NHS are completely empty between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m., while 24 percent of locations have empty spots during this time.

The company says the combination of its crowdsourcing from more than 400,000 active users and three years of historical data help predict availability at locations by day and time with more than 90 percent accuracy.

“The data makes it incredibly clear that access to information is key to addressing the truck parking shortage,” said Ivan Tsybaev, founder of Trucker Path.

The app also allows drivers to review truck

Trucker Path says crowdsourcing from more than 400,000 active users helps predict parking availability with more than 90 percent accuracy.

stops, and the company said the top-rated locations based on 26,405 driver reviews in the first quarter of the year are: • Kent Kwik, Alamogordo, N.M. (U.S. 54 and 82) • Hixton Travel Plaza, Hixton, Wis. (I-94) • Fred’s Fuel & Food, Gilman, Ill. (I-57 and U.S. 24) • Petro, Brazil, Ind. (I-70) • Pilot, Lincoln, Ala. (I-20) • Warren Travel Plaza, Warren, Ind. (I-69) • Pilot, Austintown, Ohio (I-80 and I-680) • Love’s, Cumberland, Md. (I-68, U.S. 40 and U.S. 220) • Busy Bee, Live Oak, Fla. (I-10 and U.S. 129) – Matt Cole

Janam adds XT2 rugged touchscreen

J

anam Technologies, a provider of rugged mobile computers that scan barcodes and communicate wirelessly, has a new rugged, compact XT2 touch computer designed for use in challenging environments.

Janam said it designed its Android-powered XT2 to be the lightest and most rugged device in its class for mobile workers in transportation and logistics, among other fields.

A few highlights of the device’s various features: • A weight of 10 ounces with a 5-inch touchscreen strengthened with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for maximum durability; Janam designed the • Dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 and 4G LTE connectivAndroid-powered XT2 to be the lightest and ity; and most rugged device • Equipped with Zebra’s slim-format SE4710 scan engine to in its class for mobile quickly and accurately capture barcode data from more than 2 workers in transportafeet away, with an optional magnetic stripe reader and NFC and tion and logistics.

RFID reading capabilities.

The XT2 is engineered to withstand 5-foot drops to concrete on all sides across a wide temperature range per MIL-STD 810G standards and is sealed to IP67 standards to provide added protection from dust and survive immersion in up to 3 feet of water.

– Aaron Huff

july 2016

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technology

INBRIEF

CarriersEdge gives driver training an app

C

driver pay solution, Electronic Fuel Management tool and SecureFuel solution that helps carriers identify and reduce potential theft and unauthorized purchases.

• Lytx announced that Omaha, Neb.-based TransWood Carriers (CCJ Top 250, No. 113), a dry and liquid bulk transportation company, selected its DriveCam safety program that combines video capture of road incidents such as hard braking or sudden swerving, data analysis of those incidents and personalized coaching insights to improve driving behavior.

TransWood conducted a 90-vehicle trial of the DriveCam program and then moved to a 450-vehicle full rollout.

• TCG, a provider of activity-based costing and profitability management tools for truckload and less-than-truckload companies, announced that Buffalo Lake, Minn.-based Kottke Trucking is reporting a 10.5 percent increase in revenue per mile by using its Cost Information System. Kottke operates 100 trucks and provides dry freight, refrigerated and dedicated services in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, Southeastern and Southwestern United States.

Toter adds RFID service to waste containers

• QuikQ, provider of a cardless direct fuel connection between truck stop point-of-sale and motor carrier enterprise systems, announced that Trailiner Corp., a Springfield, Mo.-based refrigerated hauler with 200 tractors and 300 trailers, selected its Q-Gate technology, an RFID-based system designed to reduce the risk of a driver picking up the wrong trailer before exiting a facility or having an unauthorized vehicle enter a secure location.

• EBE Technologies, a provider of enterprise automated decision support applications, announced that its User Conference, Connect 2016, will be held Oct. 17-19 at the Hyatt Lodge in Oak Brook Ill. The forum will offer learning and networking opportunities for transportation and logistics providers to help identify and implement processes and applications to improve efficiency. Go to ebe-inc. com/connectthedots2016/register.

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arriersEdge, a provider of online safety and compliance training tools for transportation, introduced a dedicated mobile training app for truck drivers. With the app, drivers at fleets that subscribe to CarriersEdge can access the company’s library of orientation and refresher courses and knowledge With the app, drivers at fleets that subscribe to tests, as well as custom content.

CarriersEdge can access the company’s library of The app is available on Google orientation and refresher courses and knowledge tests, as well as custom content.

Play and at the Apple App Store for iOS and Android devices. “There are generic productivity apps that can be used to run basic training programs, but until now, there hasn’t been anything dedicated exclusively to driver training, and we felt that needed to change,” said Jane Jazrawy, CarriersEdge chief executive officer.

CarriersEdge offers courses on Defensive Driving, Winter Driving, HOS and Logbooks (U.S. and Canada), Practical Cargo Securement, Hazardous Materials, CSA, Fire Safety, Drug and Alcohol, Recognizing and Preventing Fatigue, Maximizing Fuel Efficiency and more.

Push notifications allows fleets to notify drivers of new training assignments or when deadlines for completing courses are approaching. Once the app is installed, drivers stay logged in and don’t have to remember a password; they can begin or resume a course by tapping the icon.

– Aaron Huff

|

T

oter, a Wastequip brand and manufacturer of products used in the collection of waste, recycling and organics, released an integrated RFID-based assembly and delivery service.

ToterTrax is designed to provide detailed information on when and where new garbage cans are delivered. Toter said the Toter’s ToterTrax RFID application and portalnew RFID application and portal-based service is its first step based assembly and detoward offering a complete technology solution for the munici- livery service is designed pal and private hauler waste management industries. to provide detailed information on when As part of this service, Toter has developed a proprietary and where new garbage app that will read an RFID tag to provide real-time data, cans are delivered. including a delivery confirmation, time stamp and geocoordinates to a centralized server. Once sent to the server, the information is verified to ensure accuracy and that there are no duplicates in the system.

Information is sent back immediately to crews delivering the carts and to the municipality or hauler via the portal. The Toter app also features an offline mode to ensure accuracy by forcing a portal validation as soon as the user is back in Wi-Fi or cell range.

Although initially used for A&D, Toter plans on expanding its RFID services and portal to include longer-term tracking capability for issues such as cart pickups, swapouts, maintenance and recycling use.

– Aaron Huff

july 2016

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technology

in focus: DRIVER GAMIFICATION

Mobile rewards Fleets using tech to enliven driving experience

BY AARON HUFF

A

bout six years ago, Paper Transport (CCJ Top 250, No. 200) reconfigured its telematics platform to automate arrival and departure workflow for drivers. The Green Bay, Wis.-based dry van carrier also purchased tablets to further expand driver connectivity.

During the past year, management for the 570-truck fleet has opted to replace both of these systems in favor of developing a custom mobility platform to offer drivers an even better work experience. “We try to be as much of a driver-focused company as possible,” says Peter Covach, IT systems analyst.

Paper Transport, which has a turnover rate of about 35 percent, chose Omnitracs’ XRS mobile platform because it runs on devices and operating systems that drivers know how to use. “We wanted something that was first easy for the driver, and something that we could scale out,” Covach says.

Paper Transport customized the XRS platform to integrate with its own proprietary Android app and back-office systems. The app includes a scorecard that shows drivers a daily snapshot of their overall score and individual scores in four categories: safety, production, equipment and administration.

One safety metric is derived from sudden deceleration or “harsh braking” events. The XRS system captures a detailed record of vehicle speed, location and driver inputs starting at 90 seconds before the event and 30 seconds afterward. The morning after

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a critical safety event takes place, a driver can see an updated score and drill down to view more details, such as what happened, when and where.

“Our scorecard used to be very high-level and didn’t have detail,” Covach says. “Drivers would only get a score 30 days later. With the new iteration, we are able to download, validate and display that data to drivers in a timely manner. Now they actually believe what is coming out of scores. It has really been driving their behavior, which is fantastic.”

Fuel performance Paper Transport’s custom mobile platform has a single sign-on for drivers. When a driver uses the app, his or her ID is pushed automatically to other cloud-based apps, including XRS for electronic logs, the driver scorecard and an app the company uses to deliver online training.

However, fleets don’t have to develop their own mobility platform to provide feedback to drivers. A number of third-party software applications and services offer driver scoring and gamification programs.

Some collect data by connecting directly to the vehicle’s communications system, while others use data from any source.

PedalCoach’s app and connectivity device gives drivers a score for fuel performance that is independent of factors they cannot control, such as equipment type, load weight, topography and other operating conditions.

Vnomics TrueFuel gives an overall fuel efficiency score and instant

Paper Transport developed a mobile app with a driver scorecard that has four reward categories.

feedback – a distinctive beep – when drivers exceed the rpm threshold for optimal fuel economy.

At the end of each trip – an ignition on/off event – both PedalCoach and TrueFuel show drivers a fuel efficiency score based on a scale of 100. Additional details – such as the gallons a driver wasted over a certain time period or how much time they spent in each gear – are available for review through a fleet management web portal.

Automating rewards Stay Metrics clients can use metrics from virtually any type of telematics or driver management system to engage drivers with its online rewards and recognition platform. Once carriers set up the custom rewards program, clients can award automatic points to drivers for achievements.

The rewards platform sends email notifications to drivers when points are awarded, prompting them to login regularly and monitor their progress. Drivers can redeem their points for more than 40,000 items in an online catalog.

With driver performance data readily available, automated scorecards and gamification programs have made it easy to recognize and reward drivers for positive contributions.

Safe Driving Has Many Rewards.

Mark Tricco – Owner-Operator Of The Year.

Danny Smith – Company Driver Of The Year.

Cummins is a proud co-sponsor of the TCA Owner-Operator of the Year and Company Driver of the Year Awards. Drivers are the heart and soul of trucking, and these two individuals represent professionalism at its best. Mark Tricco is an owner-operator from Winnipeg, Canada, running a leased vehicle who has logged over 4.3 million accident-free miles during his 36-year career. With 21 years and 3 million consecutive miles without an accident, Danny Smith was named Company Driver of the Year.

He drives for Big G Express out of Shelbyville, Tennessee. Cummins is proud to recognize their contributions to their communities, the trucking industry and the promotion of safe and efficient driving.

©2016 Cummins Inc., Box 3005, Columbus, IN 47202-3005 U.S.A.

technology

Verizon Networkfleet solution targets small businesses

V

erizon Networkfleet, a provider of fleet management solutions, launched Expressfleet, which the company described as a costeffective and easy-to-install solution for small business owners to meet their fleet management needs. The

technology is designed to provide a complete view of a fleet’s performance, allowing owners to keep their vehicles on the road and out of the garage, monitor unsafe driving behavior, reduce fuel usage and ensure that drivers and technicians are

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as efficient and effective as possible.

Key features, according to Verizon, include: • Ease of use by plugging directly into the onboard diagnostics port on most vehicles with no harness or cables needed, while the Fleet Management Web Portal provides easy access to diagnostics reports, safety and efficiency reporting and more.

• Maintenance reminders to ensure vehicles are operating smoothly and getting all needed maintenance while keeping track of service records.

• Speed and boundary activity alerts that allow companies to know in real time if a driver exceeds preset speed thresholds or arrives at a designated location.

• Vehicle location and stolen vehicle assistance that allows small businesses to have visibility into their fleet for a reliable look at their assets 24/7 and, if the worst happens, help law enforcement track a stolen vehicle by pinpointing its location.

• Vehicle diagnostics that provides reoccurring reports to predict and prevent mechanical issues.

“With Expressfleet, we’ve created a powerful tool to help small businesses run their operations smoothly and cut unnecessary costs by empowering them with the information they need,” said Shane Scoville, vice president of Verizon Telematics.

“The product’s key features drive safety, efficiency and utilization, reduce operational costs and idle time, and track necessary vehicle repairs, which ultimately fuels business growth.”

Verizon Networkfleet also launched a driver mobile app designed to keep drivers connected and improve efficiency by helping to streamline routes and facilitate better planning.

– CCJ Staff

july 2016 1/21/16 12:54 PM

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Lighter trucks, powerplants have their place – but do your research first

BY JASON CANNON

A

s more carriers regionalize their delivery patterns, many of them are re-evaluating their need for larger sleeper

tractors.

In some cases, the flexibility offered by a bigger sleeper makes sense. But to other customers, the efficiency gains from smaller, lighter trucks are hard to ignore.

“Over the last five years or so, we’ve seen a more pronounced shift entirely away from any size of sleeper to day cabs,” says Scott Perry, Ryder’s vice president of supply management and global product management. “We’ve seen development of more regional-based delivery operations where a driver can work a shift and then go home. This is more a function of driver lifestyle quality and the ability to recruit and retain drivers versus operations where sleepers 48

commercial carrier journal

and multiday dispatches were previously the norm.”

Koester says Ford’s heaviest Super Duty and its 6.7-liter diesel engine already has begun to carve a niche in several applications, including beverage delivery, moving companies and car haulers.

“The guys who actually haul [Ford’s fleet cars], we put two tractors with them, and they’re running five-car haulers with them,” he says. “They’re going across the country, up and down through the mountains, and it’s working great for them.”

Anthony Gansle, Peterbilt’s on-highway marketing manager, says the shift toward smaller trucks is what led the company to develop a 58-inch sleeper last year.

“There is certainly a measurable trend

| july 2016

toward fleets wanting the flexibility to spec trucks with smaller sleepers to accommodate more regional routes and new logistical strategies,” Gansle says. “Our customers wanted the same Peterbilt quality, comfort and amenities drivers expect but in a smaller sleeper size, and the 58-inch sleeper length has been received very well.”

Even smaller-class size OEMs are eyeing traditional Class 8 customers. Kevin Koester, Ford’s medium-duty truck and Super Duty fleet brand manager, says his company has targeted fleets looking to get smaller with its F-650 and F-750 Super Duty models. A nontraditional player in the tractor space, the company has successfully converted customers looking for smaller, lighter haulers once they climb into its cabs, Koester says.

“For the tractor guys, we just need

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COVER STORY: SMALLER CVs to get them behind the wheel,” he says.

“They’re used to what they have. That is a vocation where they can be pretty loyal to the trucks they already have, but it just takes time to have something like [the F-650 and F-750] out there in the field and feel comfortable when you’re towing 30,000 and 40,000 pounds every time.”

Cautious research However, a conversion to something smaller isn’t something that should be done with a gut feeling. Steve Gilligan, Navistar’s vice president of product marketing, says those decisions should be made with caution.

“A few years ago, we started seeing a

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© 2016 Lytx, Inc. All rights reserved.

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migration away from larger sleepers to smaller sleepers,” Gilligan says. “What drove that were fleets that were trying to blur the line in what they considered regional-haul and long-haul trucks.”

But the movement toward a common spec for those fleets caused more issues than it solved.

“I think there was some movement with fleets that wanted to standardize their specification and move to a more common single specification,” Gilligan says. “But the same fleets that initially did that found that it was causing them to have other issues, primarily in the area of driver retention.”

As a result, fleets that pushed toward a single spec had to diversify again to what would be considered traditional regional-haul and long-haul trucks.

“Fleets want to provide more amenities, more perks for drivers,” Gilligan says. “I think that’s also a consistent theme for vehicle specification. If a guy can have a shorter flattop sleeper versus a full-height walk-in with a larger bunk, which one would he prefer to drive for?”

But smaller sleepers don’t necessarily have to be a disadvantage in driver retention.

Kurt Swihart, Kenworth marketing director, says there are plenty of premium features available on smaller sleepers to make them more comfortable, such as high-end audio, satellite radio, premium seats, television packages and upgraded mattresses.

Staying big For fleets wanting to stick with larger sleepers, they can offer greater flexibility for sporadic longer hauls.

“A fleet that has a vehicle set up for long-haul can still do regional-haul with those vehicles, especially for backhauls,” Gilligan says. “It just gives them more flexibility in deployment.”

Swihart says Kenworth has found that interest in smaller-displacement engines and smaller sleepers has resulted from

| july 2016 5/19/16 9:07 AM

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COVER STORY: SMALLER CVs Ford has targeted fleets looking to get smaller with its F-650 and F-750 Super Duty models.

Ryder and Navistar both have seen development of more regional-based delivery operations.

denser freight, reshored manufacturing and changing freight movement patterns.

“Freight is becoming denser as shippers load heavier items and more pallets per trailer,” he says. “To accommodate those denser loads, trucking companies generally have two choices – choose lighter-weight specifications for their trucks so that each unit can carry more freight, or add more trucks to carry the loads.”

Over the last decade, the average of sleeper orders versus day cab orders is mostly unchanged, Gilligan says.

“For a regional-haul spec, which traditionally is going to be a smaller sleeper or a day cab, we’re really not seeing a lot of change,” Gilligan says, noting that year-to-date, sleeper order volumes have been flat month-to-month. “As of April 52

commercial carrier journal

2016, [International’s] split for sleepers is 48 percent, and our split for day cabs is 52 percent.”

For all OEs, the split is 46 percent sleepers and 54 percent day cab, including severe service, according to ACT Research.

“We haven’t really seen that change in 10 years,” Gilligan says. “We’re seeing a consistent split of day cab versus sleeper over time.”

Mary Aufdemberg, Freightliner Trucks’ director of product marketing, says the company’s largest sleeper is still its most common spec.

“For on-highway heavy-duty applications, we haven’t seen an increase in the number of smaller sleepers,” she says.

“The 72-inch BBC Freightliner Cascadia Evolution spec’d with a Detroit DD15

| july 2016

downsped engine remains our most popular product.”

The freight’s the thing Swihart, however, expects day cabs to carve a larger order slice in the years ahead as freight destinations grow closer.

“With fewer loads needing to cross from one coast to the other or from one part of the United States or Canada to the other, we anticipate the demand for smaller sleepers and smaller-bore engines to continue increasing,” he says.

Perry says that while Ryder has seen its most common spec shrink in size, when customers still need a sleeper, they go big or go home.

“We are not seeing a material shift away from full-size stand-up configurations to mid-roof or smaller configurations,” he says.

Swihart says that for weight-sensitive operations, Kenworth has seen increasing interest among fleets for its 52-inch midroof sleeper, with its savings of up to 700 pounds compared to its 76-inch sleeper.

In 2014, Woody Bogler Trucking, targeting fuel-efficiency gains, purchased two of the first-production Kenworth T680s with the truck maker’s then-new 52-inch mid-roof sleeper for its regional hauling operations. Previously, T680s with 76-inch sleepers and T660s with 72inch sleepers were the carrier’s norm.

“I’m making the T680 mid-roof sleeper our new standard going forward,” says Tracy Bogler, president of the Rosebud, Mo.-based fleet.

Swihart says the spec, while smaller, still provides drivers with ample room for storage and a comfortable environment to work productively and get the rest they need. “In the Kenworth T680 or T880, the 52-inch mid-roof sleeper provides the height needed for a driver or passenger up to 6-foot-4 to easily stand up between the seats,” he says.

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“The (40-inch) sleeper can also be a good fit in the Kenworth T680 for regional bulk haulers who prefer to operate a highly fuel-efficient tractor,” he says. That tractor-sleeper spec provides a 260-pound weight savings compared to the company’s 52-inch regional sleeper.

Bogler says that even though his company dropped down in sleeper size by more than 20 inches, his drivers have been happy with the available space.

“They like the bigger, wider cab and extra-roomy space between seats and the extra headroom,” he says.

Woody Bogler Trucking purchased two of the first-production Kenworth T680s with the truck maker’s thennew 52-inch mid-roof sleeper for its regional hauling operations.

where smaller sleepers have been favorable, remain the top market for that spec.

Otherwise, fleets have to find weight-saving benefits from day cabs or offsetting efficiency gains from a full-size sleeper.

“You will also likely find that a full-size stand-up sleeper configuration often

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Ancra_CCJ0716_PG.indd 1

provides the best aerodynamics when compared to mid-roof configurations, especially where a standard full-height trailer is being utilized,” Perry says.

Swihart says Kenworth’s smallest 40-inch sleeper has drawn interest from truck operators who might use day

Smaller power Shrinking cabin size may not make sense for everyone, but under the hood, there are other opportunities to go smaller.

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commercial carrier journal

| july 2016

through higher fuel economy and lighter weight, allowing up to an additional 400 pounds of payload,” Swihart says. “The additional payload means more cargo to haul, which maximizes the earning power of the truck.”

Swihart says one reason for the MX11’s enhanced fuel economy is that the engine requires fewer active regenerations. However, while today’s smallerdisplacement engines make more power, large-displacement powerplants still have their place.

“We have seen a shift to 13-liter configurations in day cabs,” Perry says. “But we still see an affinity for 14- and 15-liter power for sleeper tractors.”

For those thinking about getting closer to single-digit liter size, Perry says the decision should be made with the truck’s lifecycle and used market price in mind.

“Smaller beverage tractors are seeing some configurations where a 9- or 11-liter engine could be utilized,” he says. “But a fleet needs to understand the long-term potential uses for that product throughout its life, as well as implications around residual values when making a decision about engine horsepower, torque and displacement.”

Gansle says Paccar’s 11-liter engine is poised to capitalize as momentum builds in many weight-sensitive and other applications to spec a powerplant that has the right balance of power and weight. “ ‘The more horsepower, the better’ is no longer the dominant mindset,” he says.

“Fleets are willing to look at all available engine options and find the right one for their businesses. In the case of a smaller liter-size engine, customers can get ample horsepower, improved fuel economy and reduced weight for more payload.”

Swihart agrees. “Over the past 10 years, we’ve seen customer demand shift from predominantly 15-liter engines to nearly half 13-liter engines today,” he says. “We anticipate that the trend from 15-liter to 13-liter engines among our customers will continue.”

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New technologies connect carriers to shippers, third parties for instant communication

BY AARON HUFF

A

few years ago, it would have seemed unrealistic for any shipper, third-party logistics provider or broker to expect total visibility from every carrier in their freight networks.

While large and mid-size carriers had the technology to provide shipment visibility, small carriers traditionally have lacked advanced onboard computers and software with electronic data interchange to be on equal footing.

Today, about 97 percent of active U.S. Department of Transportation-registered carriers operate less than 20 trucks, according to RigDig BI Online, a trucking industry business intelligence tool from Randall-Reilly, publisher of CCJ. To bridge the technology gap, small carriers and drivers routinely have had to answer check calls or manually update tracking information in each customer’s web portal.

Another challenge for shippers and third parties was obtaining instant pricing information from smaller carriers to eliminate phone calls, emails and faxes to inquire about and negotiate rates.

While these wrinkles always have been part of freight transactions, new technologies are ironing them out.

Total visibility Many shippers and 3PLs now require carriers to have automated shipment tracking and tracing, which is easier with today’s consumer technology.

Any connected device, even a driver’s cell phone, can be used to automate shipment tracking, says Dave Halsema, executive vice president of MacroPoint, a track-and-trace platform provider.

MacroPoint’s system uses location data from drivers’ mobile devices and carriers’ back-office transportation management software systems to provide visibility to shippers and logistics firms.

The process can be automated using geofences, or virtual perimeters, that are set up at arrival and departure locations on routes. When drivers enter or leave the designated spots, MacroPoint automatically updates the status of shipments. The system provides exception and predictive reports that show shippers loads that are ahead of schedule or running behind.

While the system can provide tracking information using EDI, it typically sends data directly to shippers and brokers’ TMS systems through an application programming interface, a web service that moves information faster, provides more frequent updates and identifies exceptions earlier, Halsema says.

McLeod Software, a developer of TMS systems for motor carriers and nonasset logistics firms, has developed an interface with MacroPoint’s load tracking platform.

Over the last three years, MacroPoint says it has seen requests for its tracking platform increase by 300 percent. The company now works with 84 of the top 100 freight brokers and 39 of the top 50 3PLs, as well as nine of the 10 largest asset-based carriers through their brokerage divisions.

McLeod Software, a developer of TMS systems for motor carriers and nonasset logistics firms, has developed an interface with MacroPoint and load tracking platforms from FourKites and 10-4 Systems.

More carriers are being asked to provide automated tracking data to customers using these providers, and the ultimate goal is to use the interfaces for shippers and brokers to identify carriers that have available trucks to solicit spot-market capacity.

“That is the next step of the platforms commercial carrier journal

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july 2016

59

TECHNOLOGY: NONASSET TECHNOLOGY

TMW Systems’ IDSC MatchAdvice shows optimal matches for drivers and loads. The company sees an opportunity to participate in the evolution of load board functionality.

they are trying to build,” says Robert Brothers, McLeod’s director of product development.

Carriers already can post available equipment to load boards, but this manual process does not give the shipping community immediate visibility to the current location of trucks for more accurate freight matching.

TMW Systems, a provider of TMS systems for asset and nonasset transportation companies, sees an opportunity to participate in the evolution of load board functionality.

The dispatch and load planning information in TMW’s software used by carriers could be shared with third parties to identify when and where trucks will be available, says Brad Young, TMW’s principal of brokerage, asset light and 3PL divisions.

Automated pricing Perhaps a greater challenge than shipment visibility is to obtain instant and reliable pricing information from carriers, particularly for spot-market transactions.

Online marketplaces such as Expedia.com are used to search for and book hotel reservations and airline tickets, and a number of companies are trying to create a similar experience for booking truckload and less-thantruckload shipments.

Due to the complexity of freight transactions, many companies that have developed sophisticated applications that provide instant pricing and ordering features also have brokerage authority to execute the transactions. Other compa60

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| july 2016

nies have websites that connect shippers with carriers and provide instant quotes and online orders.

Last year, uShip created an online marketplace for LTL shipments that gives shippers instant rate quotes by entering a few parameters about their freight. The rate quotes are provided by 35 major LTL carriers that work with uShip to share pricing information using a web service API. The price quotes can change by day of week, equipment type and other factors depending on how each carrier sets up their pricing and shares that information with the marketplace.

LTL carriers use uShip for free and frequently are able to reach a new set of shippers, says Dick Metzler, uShip’s chief marketing officer. Currently, 350,000 small- and medium-sized shippers pay a match fee to be registered on uShip, many of which are merchants that sell their larger-than-parcel products through Amazon and eBay. More than half of the shippers’ transactions on uShip are conducted using mobile devices to eliminate phone calls, faxes and texts to arrange transportation.

Shipment tracking information is provided electronically by carriers.

Compared to the first quarter of 2015 when its site was in its infancy, uShip has increased revenue by 228 percent, Metzler says.

Other services allow fleets to provide real-time rates to the TMS systems used by their customers and prospects.

Chino, Calif.-based Sunset Pacific Transportation uses a pricing engine API

The uShip online marketplace for less-than-truckload shipments gives shippers instant rate quotes by entering a few parameters about their freight.

from Project44 to automate communications with shippers and brokers looking for spot quotes.

The 135-truck carrier consolidates parcels and LTL shipments into truckloads outbound from California to locations nationwide. Its return trips to California are full truckload moves.

The API directs rates from Sunset Pacific’s TMS system into the TMS systems of its shipper and broker customers. The fleet also uses the API on its corporate website to present rates to customers and prospects through an instant search tool.

The impact of ELDs Companies that purchase transportation are preparing for a capacity shortage caused by the electronic logging device mandate, making visibility to pricing and other data more critical as the December 2017 enforcement deadline approaches.

Industry studies show that 53 percent of carriers currently have ELDs, but that means 47 percent of carriers don’t have the technology. Studies also have shown that 43 percent of brokers have no knowledge of the current usage of ELDs among their carriers.

Not knowing which carriers use ELDs exposes shippers and logistics companies to the risk of losing capacity as more fleets implement the technology. Also, some carriers might not be able to sustain their contract rates as they tighten up on hours-of-service compliance.

Last year, rates were in favor of carriers, but they have softened considerably

TECHNOLOGY: NONASSET TECHNOLOGY Chino, Calif.-based Sunset Pacific Transportation uses Project44’s pricing engine API to automate communications with shippers and brokers looking for spot quotes.

this year. Criss Wilson, vice president of operations of nonasset provider Barton Logistics, believes the current pricing environment has driven rates down to an unsustainable level before the industry ramps up to meet the ELD mandate.

“The ELD mandate will only compound the problem,” Wilson says.

The Medina, Texas-based company has contracts with owner-operators and carriers to offer shipper customers a virtual fleet of 100 trucks and trailers.

As proof of a looming capacity shortage, Wilson points to a sudden spike in trucking company bankruptcies as tracked by Avondale Partners. The 3,585 bankruptcies in the first quarter of 2016

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were nearly as much as all of 2015.

Wilson says he has mined his own data and industry data to determine that drivers legally can run between 80,000 and 110,000 miles a year, while drivers that do not run ELDs can run between 140,000 and 150,000 miles a year.

By running legal 110,000 miles a year, drivers would have to earn 50 cents a mile in pay to make what he believes is a sustainable income of $60,000 a year.

Meanwhile, American Transportation Research Institute research shows the average operating cost, excluding driver wages, is 69 cents per mile, which means the break-even point for carriers that run ELDs is $1.19 per mile.

Barton uses software systems to identify lanes where contract rates need to be held steady so that the company and its carriers will be able to sustain business as the conversion to ELDs continues.

“It is essential for me to not exaggerate the problem by creating contract rates that are unsustainable for drivers,” Wilson says.

These and other insights are common as connectivity tools for all parties involved in freight transactions become faster and smarter.

Medina, Texas-based nonasset company Barton Logistics believes the current pricing environment is driving rates to an unsustainable level prior to the ELD mandate.

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Kinedyne Kaptive Beam Regional Supermarket Chain Cuts Reefer Run Schedule by One Third, Saves Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars with Kinedyne’s Kaptive Beam Decking System A large East Coast supermarket concern used to distribute its seafood much the same way as others still do – inefficiently and at great cost.

As a cargo, seafood presents a number of challenges. The containers come in odd shapes, and because the goods are often still alive, can be easily damaged, so loads can’t be stacked.

Additionally, seafood is a value-dense cargo and even minor product losses can be extremely expensive.

Like most others engaged in moving refrigerated seafood, the supermarket chain was forced to floor-load everything and was unable to fit more than 24 pallets in any load. In order to satisfy demand, the supermarket chain was making two to three runs a day from its central Pennsylvania shipping location to its distribution hub in central New York State.

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tive Beam System, a fleet can immediately reduce its run schedules and overhead costs. Fleets can minimize the number of tractors, trailers and drivers required to move their freight, because they’re maximizing the capacity of every load their fleet moves. The system easily handles mixed cargo and it can also help reduce damage to freight due to double stacking and load shifting.

The supermarket chain worked with its dealer, Southside Trailer in Buffalo, NY, to order a new Vanguard reefer outfitted with the Kaptive Beam System. When the new Vanguard reefer arrived, a Kinedyne representative trained six of the supermarket’s staff members on best practices and overall use of the Kaptive Beam System.

The results were astonishing right from the start. The supermarket chain was able to double the load capacity of its new 53-foot reefer, moving from 24 palletized containers to 48, essentially taking the original loadable floor space from 450.5 square feet to 901 square feet of loadable area.

Kinedyne usually tells customers to expect a Kaptive Beam System to pay for itself within three months. The supermarket chain has reported that it calculates the savings associated with this single Kaptive Beam System to be about $400,000 annually.

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Flatbed trailers

oday’s flatbed trailers, if properly spec’d, are more productive, require less maintenance, are safer and are built to last longer. They may look similar to their predecessors, but modern engineering techniques have made them stronger and lighter. Aluminum alloys offer the durability of high tensilestrength steel at less than half the weight.

Meanwhile, running gear and other ancillary items also have made progress in recent years. Suspensions are easier to install as a module, and other improvements include better wheel seals and bearings, lighter wheel-end components, redesigned wiring harnesses and LED lighting.

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BST/BST II ALUMINUM FLATBED Length: BST, up to 53 ft., 21-in. beam; BST II, up to 53 ft., 24-in. beam Width: 96 and 102 in.

Floor: Knurled, 2-nailers, integrated outside rail Landing gear: 2-speed Jost AX150 AlumiLight, d/s crank, maintenance-free Crossmember: 22 in. with CLP deck reinforcement Distributed load capacity: BST, up to 90,000lb. GVW; BST II, up to 100,000-lb. GVW Concentrated load capacity: BST, up to 52,000 lbs. in 64

commercial carrier journal

4 ft., 60,000 lbs. in 10 ft.; BST II, up to 65,000 lbs. in 4 ft., 72,000 lbs. in 10 ft.

Suspension: AAT25K, twoaxle spread Brakes: 16½-by-7 in., automatic brake adjusters, 4S-2M ABS Tiedowns: Adjustable optional and integrated winch track on both sides; optional double-L winch side rail Axles: TP spindles

MMX ALUMINUM FLATBED Length: Up to 53 ft., 28-in. beam Width: 96 and 102 in.

Floor: Knurled, 2-nailers, integrated side rail Landing gear: 2-speed Jost AX150 AlumiLight, d/s crank, maintenance-free Crossmember: 22 in. with CLP deck reinforcement,

| july 2016

Some flatbed purchasers are willing to pay more for the protection of certain areas of the trailer that are damaged by normal wear, harsh road chemicals or repeated exposure to the elements. Options include hot-dipped galvanized rear frames, impact guards and other rear components designed to minimize rusting after scrapes against docks; hot-dipped galvanized understructures, landing gear bracing and front components that are impacted during coupling and uncoupling; and coating crossmembers with materials such as wax that is self-healing following impact with road debris.

The following are standard specifications for popular flatbeds marketed by leading suppliers. – Dean Smallwood

16 in. optional Distributed load capacity: Up to 145,000-lb. GVW Concentrated load capacity: Up to 80,000 lbs. in 4 ft., 89,000 lbs. in 10 ft.

Suspension: AAT30K, twoaxle spread Brakes: 16½-by-7 in., automatic brake adjusters, 4S-2M ABS Tiedowns: Adjustable optional and integrated winch track on both sides Axles: TP spindles

BST II ALUMINUM NARROW NECK FLATBED Length: 48 ft., 21-in. beam, 8-in. neck Width: 102 in.

Floor: Knurled, 2-nailers, integrated outside rail Landing gear: 2-speed Jost AX150 AlumiLight, d/s crank, maintenance-free

Crossmember: 22 in. with CLP deck reinforcement Distributed load capacity: Up to 80,000-lb. GVW Concentrated load capacity: Up to 50,000 lbs. in 4 ft.

Suspension: AAL25K, twoaxle spread Brakes: 16½-by-7 in., automatic brake adjusters, 4S-2M ABS Tiedowns: Adjustable optional and integrated winch track on both sides; optional double-L winch side rail; adaptable to rolling tarp and curtainside systems Axles: TP spindles

BST/BST II ALUMINUM DROP DECK Length: Up to 53 ft.

Width: BST, 102 in., 26-in. drop deck; BST II, 102 in., 28-in. drop deck

TRAILER FOCUS FLATBEDS Floor: Knurled, 3-nailers, integrated side rail Landing gear: 2-speed Jost AX150 AlumiLight, d/s crank, maintenance-free Crossmember: 16 in. with CLP deck reinforcement Distributed load capacity: Up to 80,000-lb. GVW Suspension: AAL25K, twoaxle spread Brakes: 16½-by-7 in., automatic brake adjusters, 4S-2M ABS Tiedowns: Adjustable optional and integrated winch track on both sides; optional double-L winch side rail Axles: TP spindles

BST/BST II EXTREME LOW DECK Length: BST, 53 ft., 28-in. drop; BST II, 53 ft., 30½-in. drop Width: 96 and 102 in.; low-slung, 36-in. deckto-ground measurement at highest point loaded; 42-in. fifth-wheel height; 32-in. rear deck height Floor: Knurled, 2-nailers, integrated outside rail Landing gear: 2-speed Jost AX150 AlumiLight, d/s crank, maintenance-free Crossmember: 16 in. with CLP deck reinforcement Distributed load capacity: Up to 80,000-lb. GVW Suspension: HT250US Brakes: 12¼-by-7½ in., 17.5 tires, automatic brake adjusters, 4S-2M ABS Tiedowns: Adjustable optional and integrated winch track on both sides; optional double-L winch side rail Axles: TP spindles

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REVOLUTION ALUMINUM DROP DECK Length: 48 ft.

Floor: Friction-stir welded aluminum with coil support Main beams: Aluminum Weight: 8,720 lbs.

Crossmember: Unitized construction, box beam design Rub rail/side rail: Aluminum, single routed extrusion, single-piece design Concentrated load capacity: 50,000 lbs. in 4 ft.

Suspension: Hendrickson Intraax AANL23K with 122-in. spread Brakes: 16½-by-7 in. fast change, cast drums, spring brakes, automatic slack adjusters, Meritor Wabco 4S/2M ABS Tiedowns: 15 pairs recessed in side rails, optional aluminum removable deck chain and chock supports available with unlimited position capability; 12 sliding winches without straps, sliding rope hook/strap hook keepers Axles: Hendrickson Intraax

REVOLUTION ALLALUMINUM 52/60 TANDEM/TRIDEM FLATBED Length: 48 ft.

Floor: Friction-stir welded aluminum with coil support

Main beams: Aluminum Weight: 8,608-10,464 lbs.

Crossmember: Unitized construction, box beam design Rub rail/side rail: Aluminum, single routed extrusion, single-piece design Concentrated load capacity: 52,000-60,000 lbs. in 4 ft.

Suspension: Hendrickson Intraax AANT23K with 122-in. spread from front to rear axle Brakes: 16½-by-7 in. fast change, cast drums, spring, automatic slack adjusters, Meritor Wabco 4S/2M ABS Tiedowns: 15 pairs recessed in side rails, optional aluminum removable deck, chain and chock supports available with unlimited position capability; 12 sliding winches without straps, sliding rope hook/strap hook keepers Axles: Hendrickson Intraax

VELOCITY STEEL DROP DECK Length: 48 ft.

Floor: 11⁄8-in. wood, continuous Crossmember: 18-in. centers front deck, 12-in. centers rear deck, 4-in. junior I-steel Rub rails: 3⁄8-by-2½-in. steel, double pipe spools Side rails: 6-in. structural channel at 6½ lbs. per ft., full length on rear deck Distributed load capacity: 80,000 lbs.

Suspension: Hendrickson

Intraax AANL23K with 122-in. spread Brakes: 16-by-7-in. fast change, cast drums, spring, automatic slack adjusters, Meritor Wabco 4S/2M ABS Tiedowns: 12 sliding winches without straps Axles: Hendrickson Intraax

INFINITY COMPOSITE FLATBED Length: 48 ft.

Floor: 11⁄8-in. aluminum with four wood nailer strips Crossmember: 12-in. centers, 4-in. junior I-steel, single coil hauling package Rub rail/side rail: Aluminum, single routed extrusion, single-piece design Distributed load capacity: 80,000 lbs.

Concentrated load capacity: 55,000 lbs. in 4 ft.

Suspension: Hendrickson Intraax AANT23K with 122-in. spread Brakes: 16½-by-7 in. fast change, cast drums, spring, automatic slack adjusters, Meritor Wabco 4S/2M ABS Tiedowns: 15 pairs recessed in side rails, full-length winch track, integrated aluminum on both sides, 12 sliding winches without straps, sliding rope hook/strap hook keepers Axles: Hendrickson Intraax

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TRAILER FOCUS FLATBEDS GREAT DANE www.greatdanetrailers.com

FREEDOM SE Overall length: 48 ft. for WSAR 121 axle centers Undercarriage design: Tandem axle, fixed air ride Main beam flanges: 3⁄8-by5 in. top Overall width: 102 in.

Upper coupler height: 48 in.

Kingpin location: 30 in. from nose Landing gear location: 112 in. from kingpin Crossmember: 4-in. steel I-beam on 16-in. centers Rub rails: 1⁄2-by-2 in.

Side rails: 6-in.-deep 6.5 structural channel Floor: Apitong, 11⁄8 in.

Landing gear: GD60 (Non Fast Gear) Suspension: Hendrickson AANT 23K Axles: Hendrickson tapered spindle Brakes: Wabco 2S/1M Easy Stop, 161⁄2-by-7 in.

FREEDOM LT Overall length: 48 ft. for WSAR 121 axle centers Undercarriage design: Tandem axle, fixed air ride Main beam flanges: 3/8-by5 in. top and bottom Overall width: 102 in.

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Upper coupler height: 48 in.

Kingpin location: 30 in. from nose Landing gear location: 112 in. from kingpin Crossmember: 4-in. steel I-beam on 16-in. centers Rub rails: 3-in. aluminum Side rails: Extruded aluminum Floor: Aluminum, 1¼ in. with four apitong nailing strips Landing gear: GD60 (Non Fast Gear) Suspension: Hendrickson AANT 23K Axles: Hendrickson tapered spindle Brakes: Wabco 2S/1M Easy Stop, 161⁄2-by-7 in.

FREEDOM XP Overall length: 48 ft. for WSAR 121 axle centers Undercarriage design: Tandem axle, fixed air ride Main beam flanges: 3⁄8-by5 in. top and bottom Overall width: 102 in.

Kingpin location: 30 in. from nose Landing gear location: 112 in. from kingpin Crossmember: 4-in. aluminum on 16-in. centers Rub rails: 3-in. aluminum Side rails: Extruded aluminum Floor: Aluminum, 1¼ -in.

Safety-Grip with two apitong nailing strips Landing gear: GD60 (Non Fast Gear) Suspension: Hendrickson AANT 23K Axles: Hendrickson tapered spindle

| july 2016

Brakes: Wabco 2S/1M Easy Stop, 161⁄2-by-7 in.

MAC www.mactrailer.com

TANDEM FLATBED Models: M-52, M-60, M-72, M-80 Construction: 6061-T6 aluminum mill finish; fully welded, unitized Frame: Two T-sections assembled with center axis weld, 4-ft. concentrated load, 26-29 in. deep, 52,000-80,000 lb.

Upper coupler: 5⁄16 -in. galvanized steel plate, heavyduty aluminum extrudedmember reinforcement Rear: DOT bumper, center filler plate with two steps, enclosed light pocket to protect rear lights and wiring Dock bumpers: Two 8-in., aligned with main beams Floor: 1¼-in. extruded hollow-core tubularsectioned, 1¼ -in. web section and knurled top surface; two apitong nailers along side rail Crossmembers: 5-in.-tall channel, 2-in. capped top flange, 2-in. bottom flange; spacing, 12-21 in.

Side rail: 6¾-in.-tall openbacked extrusion; 7-in.tall heavy-duty hollowcore extrusion optional Suspension: Hendrickson AANL-230 tandem 122-in. spread with Hendrickson axles, TP bearings, oilbath hubs

Brakes and air system: 161⁄2-by-7-in. lining with 30/30 chambers, automatic slack adjusters; 12-in. jumbo aluminum air tank, Sealco air valves; 4S2M ABS Drums and hubs: Centrifuse drums, DuraLite hubs Landing gear: Jost AX150 with drive handle, 55,000lb. lift, no lube

DROP DECK FLATBED Models: Tandem, SingleAxle Slide, Tri-Axle Slide Construction: 6061-T6 aluminum mill finish; fully welded, unitized Frame: Lower deck, two 72,000-lb. T-sections, 26-in. deep beam, 52,000lb. concentrated load Upper deck: Built with stress-relieved extrusions, heat-treated after forming, 10 ft. long, square front corner, 16-in. kingpin setting, attached to lower deck with Huck bolts Lower deck: Length determined by upper deck length; 41 in. w/ 255/70R22.5 tires Upper coupler: 5⁄16-in. steel plate, heavy-duty aluminum extruded member reinforcement Rear: DOT bumper, center filler plate with two steps, enclosed light pocket to protect rear lights and wiring Dock bumpers: Two

FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS,

CONGRATULATIONS To TCA’s Driver of the Year winners.

2015

COMPANY DRIVER OF THE YEAR

DANNY SMITH of Big G Express

2015

OWNER OPERATOR OF THE YEAR

MARK TRICCO of Bison Transport

We salute you for your dedication to enhancing the image of the trucking industry and are proud to be your partner.

LOWERING YOUR 1-800-OK-LOVES | loves.com

TRAILER FOCUS FLATBEDS 8-in., aligned with main beams Floor: 1¼-in. extruded hollow-core tubularsectioned; two apitong nailers along side rail Crossmembers: 5-in.-tall channel, 2-in. capped top flange, 2-in. bottom flange; spacing, 12-21 in.

Side rail: 6¾-in.-tall openbacked extrusion; 6¾-in.tall heavy-duty hollowcore extrusion optional Suspension: Hendrickson AANL-230 tandem 122-in. spread with Hendrickson axles, TP bearings, oilbath hubs Brakes and air system: 16½-by-7-in. lining with 30/30 chambers, automatic slack adjusters; 12-in. jumbo aluminum

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air tank, Sealco air valves; 4S2M ABS Drums and hubs: Centrifuse drums, DuraLite hubs Landing gear: Jost AX150 with drive handle, 55,000lb. lift, no lube

ROGERS BROTHERS CORP. www.rogerstrailers.com

Neck support: Universal Neck Support, twin leg jack system to eliminate manual blocking Storage: Bucket pocket, full depth, rear center of deck; boom trough, rear frame

TALBERT MANUFACTURING www.talbertmfg.com

COBRANECK PLATFORM DECK Deck height: 18 in. standard fully loaded Deck length: 25 ft.

Capacity: 55 tons Concentrated load: 13 ft.

Gooseneck: CobraNeck detachable

| july 2016

4050TA HEAVY HAUL Deck height: 36 in.

Length: 50 ft., California legal

Capacity: 80,000 lbs. evenly distributed, 50,000 lbs. in 10 ft.

Load angle: 7 degrees E-chain: Metal Planetary winch: 15,000 lbs., 20,000 lbs. optional Bulkhead: 48 in., aluminum/steel

TRANSCRAFT www.transcraft.com

ALUMINUM FLATBED TRAILER Floor: 1¼-in. hollow-core box design, extruded

5/20/16 9:15 AM

TRAILER FOCUS FLATBEDS aluminum with three apitong nailers, two outboard strips and one double-width center nailer Crossmember: 47⁄8-in. aluminum C-channels on 16-in. centers, flatbeds include coil package with five additional crossmembers on 8 in.

Length: 28-53 ft.

Width: 96 in. and 102 in.

Main beams: Welded, 2-piece, 6061 T6 extruded aluminum “T” cross sections, welded along neutral axis Side rails: Extruded box section with patentpending Lock-Rite multiposition tiedown system; stake pockets on 24-in. centers, double

pipe spools Rub rails: Extruded aluminum with recessed groove to protect conspicuity tape Beam ratings: Flatbeds, 52,000 lbs. in 4 ft./57,000 lbs. in 10 ft./110,000 lbs. evenly distributed; 72,000 lbs. in 4 ft./78,000 lbs. in 10 ft./140,000 lbs. evenly distributed; drop decks, 52,000 lbs. in 4 ft./57,000 lbs. in 10 ft./105,000 lbs. over lower deck Suspension/axles: Hendrickson Intraax air suspension, 121-in. widespread with QuikAlign axle alignment; parallel “P” spindle wheel ends

COMBO FLATBED TRAILER Floor: Interlocking, four nailer, apitong and aluminum floor system Crossmember: 80K hightensile 4-in. steel “I” beam on 12-in. centers; 5-in. aluminum available Length: 28-53 ft.

Width: 96 in. and 102 in.

Main beams: Flange and web fully welded at all joints Rub rails: Extruded aluminum rub rail with recessed groove that protects conspicuity tape Side rails: 6061-T6 extruded aluminum; stake

NICE TRY

pockets on 24-in. centers, double pipe spools Available beam ratings: Flatbeds, 55,000 lbs. in 4 ft./60,000 lbs. in 10 ft./93,700 lbs. evenly distributed; 65,000 lbs. in 4 ft./70,000 lbs. in 10 ft./110,400 lbs. evenly distributed; 73,000 lbs. in 4 ft./80,000 lbs. in 10 ft./125,000 lbs. evenly distributed; drop decks: 55,000 lbs. in 4 ft./60,000 lbs. in 10 ft./80,000 lbs. over lower deck; 80,000 lbs. in 4 ft./85,000 lbs. in 10 ft./94,000 lbs. over lower deck Suspension/axles: Hendrickson Intraax air suspension, 121-in. widespread with QuikAlign axle alignment; parallel “P” spindle wheel ends

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TRAILER FOCUS FLATBEDS UTILITY www.utilitytrailer.com

STEEL FLATBED TRAILER Floor: 11⁄8-in. apitong floor system Crossmember: 80K high-tensile 4-in. steel “I” beam on 12-in. centers Length: 28-53 ft.

Width: 96 in. and 102 in.

Main beams: Flange and web fully welded at all joints Rub rails: Steel with recessed groove that protects conspicuity tape Side rails: 5½-in.

10-gauge steel designed for 4-in. crossmembers; stake pockets on 24-in. centers, double pipe spools Available beam ratings: Flatbeds, 55,000 lbs. in 4 ft./60,000 lbs. in 10 ft./93,700 lbs. evenly distributed; 65,000 lbs. in 4 ft./70,000 lbs. in 10 ft./110,400 lbs. evenly distributed; 73,000 lbs. in 4 ft./80,000 lbs. in 10 ft./125,000 lbs. evenly distributed; drop decks: 55,000 lbs. in 4 ft./60,000 lbs. in 10 ft./80,000 lbs. over lower deck; 80,000 lbs. in 4 ft./85,000 lbs. in 10 ft./94,000 lbs. over lower deck Suspension/axles: Hendrickson Intraax air suspension, 121-in. widespread with QuikAlign axle alignment; parallel “P” spindle wheel ends 70

commercial carrier journal

4000A Floor: 11⁄8-in. extruded aluminum with two hardwood nail strips Crossmember: 3-in. steel I-beam on 16-in. centerline Rub rails: 3⁄8-by-3-in. extruded aluminum with recess for conspicuity tape Side rails: 53⁄8-in. deep extruded aluminum with integral sliding winch track on each side Distributed load capacity: 80,000 lbs. evenly distributed Suspension: Hendrickson AANT 23K Intraax air ride Brakes: Outboardmounted cast-iron drums, 16½-by-7-in. with Bendix 2S/1M TABS-6 system Tiedowns: Extruded aluminum pipe spools on 24-in. centers Axles: Hendrickson LDA

4000S Floor: 11⁄8-in. dimensional shiplap hardwood Crossmember: 3-in. steel I-beam on 12-in. centerline Rub rails: 1/4-by-3-in. high-strength steel Side rails: 47⁄16-in. highstrength bolt-on steel

| july 2016

Distributed load capacity: 80,000 lbs. evenly distributed Suspension: SAF Holland SP9000 Series Duralite spring Brakes: Outboard-mounted cast-iron drums, 16½-by7-in. with Bendix 2S/1M TABS-6 system Tiedowns: Steel pipe spools on 24-in. centers Axles: Hendrickson LDA, 121-in. spacing

DROP DECK Floor: 11-ft. front deck with 21-in. drop and 40¼-in. rear deck height, 11⁄8-in. extruded aluminum with two hardwood nail strips Crossmember: 3-in. steel I-beam on 12-in. centerline Rub rails: 3/8-by-3-in. extruded aluminum at sides with recess for conspicuity tape, 3⁄8-by3-in. high-strength steel at rear with recess for conspicuity tape Side rails: 53⁄8-in.-deep extruded aluminum with integral sliding winch track on each side Distributed load capacity: 80,000 lbs. evenly distributed Suspension: Hendrickson AANL 23K Intraax air ride Brakes: Outboardmounted cast-iron drums, 16½-by-7-in. with Bendix 2S/1M TABS-6 system

Tiedowns: Extruded aluminum pipe spools on 24-in. centers Axles: Hendrickson LDA, 121-in. spacing

XL SPECIALIZED www.xlspecializedtrailer.com

XL 80 SLIDER/ CALIFORNIA LEGAL/ R-TAC LEGAL Crossmember: Four beams comprised of 4-in. junior I-beams and 3-in. I-beams on 8-in. centers Length: 48-53 ft.

Dump angle: 15-17 degrees Load angle: 6½ degrees Capacity: 80,000 lbs. overall, 50,000 lbs. in 10 ft. concentrated Axles: Sliding assembly tilts for loading and unloading; filamentwound composite rollers slide without grease Tiedowns: Chain drops down center deck and side beams; energy chain protects air and electrical lines from damage; two toolboxes in upper deck provide storage space Hydraulic winch: 20,000lb. capability with manual kick-out and 100 ft. of 9⁄16-in. cable; seven-function wireless remote; recessed roller at top of gooseneck rolls with winch to pull cable Digital scale: Air-Weigh

NEW Long-haul tire line Goodyear’s mid-tier Marathon tire line for long-haul applications includes the Marathon LHS, Marathon LHD and Marathon LHT. The Marathon LHS is suited for the steer position and features a five-rib construction to help provide uniform wear and long tire life; pressure distribution grooves to help promote even wear; enhanced tread compounds for SmartWay-verified fuel efficiency and low cost per mile; a steel belt construction to help balance fuel economy and mileage; and lateral grooves and rib-edge sipes to help enhance traction in all weather conditions.

Designed for the drive position, the Marathon LHD features the company’s proprietary Tredlock Technology with interlocking

microgrooves to help stabilize the tread for more miles to removal; semi-solid shoulder ribs to help provide long life; highly siped center rib and lateral grooves for added all-season traction; and enhanced tread compounds for SmartWay-verified fuel efficiency and low cost per mile.

The Marathon LHT, designed for the trailer position, contains a strong casing construction to help enhance tire life, toughness and retreadability; a protective shoulder compound that helps guard the tire’s outer tread from curb damage; and fuel-saving compounds to help reduce energy loss and achieve SmartWay-verified performance.

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., www.goodyeartrucktires.com, 330-796-2121

Remanufactured turbos

Misting reduction seal

BorgWarner’s Reman turbochargers are restored with new production-validated parts by disassembling the unit, replacing damaged or worn parts with new OEM-qualified parts, reconditioning serviceable parts using cleaning technologies, assembly-line reassembling and high-speed core rebalancing of the turbocharger rotating assembly. They are tested afterward to verify quality.

Gabriel’s misting reduction seal for its heavy-duty shock absorbers is designed to impede oil from escaping the shock and coating the outside surface, where it then might accumulate dust and debris and impede performance. The seal is available in the company’s FleetLine commercial truck, trailer and bus shocks and GasSLX adjustable shocks.

BorgWarner Inc., www.borgwarner.com, 248-754-9200

Gabriel/Ride Control, www.gabriel.com, 800-251-5932

A/C assistance

Tire mount for super singles

The Dometic Air Tower is engineered to maximize airflow from the company’s Blizzard Turbo auxiliary air conditioning unit to produce quicker cool-down in the cab by directing cool air where needed via the extendable device’s multiple louvered vents. Two duct sizes are available, both with flexible ducting: The kit with 4-inch ducts includes two Air Towers, with one tower stacked to reach the upper bunk area; and the kit with 5-inch ducts includes one Air Tower with vents for the lower and upper bunk. The unit can be removed and reinstalled in another cab.

Stemco’s SuperSpare tire mount is designed to help simplify tire-related roadside maintenance and make super-single tire use more practical, efficient and easy. The mount is engineered for installation on tractors with at least 43 inches of available frame rail space and is compatible with both super-single and regular truck tires.

Dometic Group, www.dometic.com/usa, 954-973-2477

Stemco, www.stemco.com, 800-527-8492 commercial carrier journal | july 2016

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PRODUCTS

Electric APU THIS YEAR’S ACTIVITIES:

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

Phillips & Temro’s Idle Free Series 4000 eAPU is suited for over-the-road sleepers with limited frame rail space or when pulling a refrigerated trailer. The APU mounts behind the cab rather than on the rails, which also helps minimize exposure from the elements. It is designed to capture and store energy from the truck’s alternator in independent AGM batteries, then convert the energy into power for cooling and electrification. The company’s proprietary Reefer Link technology allows the APU to link both the truck and a reefer unit to convert the reefer unit’s energy for added run time.

Phillips & Temro Industries, www.phillipsandtemro.com, 800-328-6108

Hybrid polymer air hose

TA|Petro Truck Parking Community

Gates’ Hybrid Polymer Air Hose is engineered with zero memory to lay flat and remain flexible without kinking or curling, helping to improve productivity while torqueing, cutting or grinding. The hose also is designed to withstand high temperatures up to 170 degrees Fahrenheit and to remain flexible in extreme cold temperatures down to -40 degrees Fahrenheit.

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

Discovery Pavilion This year GATS is introducing a brand new pavilion where you can touch, try and test the newest products and gadgets in the industry! Trucking professionals and everyone else will find something to discover.

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

FREE ADMISSION ONLY WHEN YOU PRE-REGISTER!*

Register at GATSonline.com or call 888-670-7549.

REGISTRATION SPONSORED BY

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

Fan clutch repair kits TRP’s Fan Clutch Repair Kits are packaged to include everything needed to rebuild Horton’s Drivemaster and DM’s Advantage on/off fan drives. The kits are engineered to meet OEM standards and include double-row angular-contact sheave bearings, air cartridge seals and friction liners, all designed to help provide added reliability and reduced maintenance frequency. For older S and HT/S clutches, rebuild and repair options from TRP include both super kits and seal kits.

TRP Parts, www.trpparts.com

Single-axle fenders Hogebuilt’s single-axle fender line now includes the Lowrider single fender with a 30½-inch drop and the Ultimate Lowrider with a 35½-inch drop. The fenders are available in both a premium 304 perfect-mirror finish and a mid-grade 430 mirror-shine stainless steel.

Hogebuilt, www.hogebuilt.com,

*Onsite registration is $10

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615-988-9747

Landstar Health & Wellness Pavilion Being healthy is important to drivers. A clean bill of health can be the deciding factor in keeping jobs, maintaining a high quality of life and ensuring that your family has peace of mind. Landstar and GATS want to do their part to help the industry thrive and enjoy great health. After all, we’re family. #GATS #TruckShow

@TruckShow

GreatAmericanTruckingShow

Thursday, August 25 Friday, August 26 Saturday, August 27 2016 Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas

FREE ADMISSION ONLY WHEN YOU PRE-REGISTER!* Register at GATSonline.com or call 888-670-7549. *Onsite registration is $10

Will your fleet go the distance?

Presidents, VPs, CEOs, directors and managers of fleets from all over the continent gather every year. They come to put their knowledge to the test and discover if they have what it takes to lead their fleets forward. Commercial Carrier Journal and companies from every segment of the trucking industry invite you to the 2016 Fall Symposium to hear from experts, fleet executives, and thought leaders who are shaping the future of the industry. /CCJnow, #CCJSymp

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SPONSORED BY: Cummins

Inc. | Freightliner Trucks Great Dane | Lytx DriveCam™ | Maxion Wheels | Meritor/PSI Shell Lubricants | WEX Fleet One

See more details online and save your spot at CCJSymposium.com or call 888-594-6132.

PRODUCTS

Brake lining Federal-Mogul Motorparts’ expanded range of Abex reduced stopping distance-certified commercial-grade friction linings now includes RX 6297 for 23,000-pound tractor applications. The copper-free crack-resistant lining is engineered to help maintain likenew braking performance while experiencing minimal swell and growth and offering added lining and drum wear.

Federal-Mogul Holdings Corp., www.fmmotorparts.com, 248-354-7700

Mobile booster

LED work lamps Optronics’ Opti-Brite Wide-Angle LED Work Lamps feature a slim profile and a convex lens designed to produce a 40 percent wider area of illumination to help augment lateral visibility. The durable lamps are built to resist water, steam and particulate ingress. Five models offer a wide range of lumen outputs, and all feature ultra-smooth polycarbonate lens surfaces engineered to resist dust adhesion. Each lamp is constructed with a durable die-cast aluminum housing and comes with a stainless-steel mounting bracket. All are designed to accommodate both 12- and 24-volt electrical systems and have reverse polarity protection.

Optronics International, www.optronicsinc.com, 800-364-5483

Wilson’s weBoost Drive 4G-X OTR mobile booster is engineered to amplify incab cell signals up to 32 times stronger.

The device receives a cell signal, amplifies it and sends it over the cable to an antenna, which broadcasts the amplified signal throughout the cab, improving both data and voice reception. An internet connection is not required, and there are no monthly fees. The package includes the signal booster, a slim low-profile antenna, a mounting bracket and a 12-volt DC power supply. Users adjusting their phone to the signal can display results by putting the phone into test mode; Android users can download the free app “Network Signal Info.”

Wilson Electronics, www.wilsonpro.com, 888-503-5329

Liftgate tester Purkeys’ Liftgate Double Check is designed to test liftgate charging systems by simulating loads, even if a trailer is not available, to ensure there is no issue with the trailer or tractor. An LED light display indicates a connection to a good power source and shows how many amps the batteries are pulling. The LDC’s connections can fit a dual pole, single pole or 7-way; a breaker at the top is provided for safety, while two inputs at the bottom allow for multimeter leads.

Purkeys, www.purkeys.net, 800-219-1269

Sensor cleaner Penray’s 2520 cleaner for mass airflow sensors is designed to remove contaminants such as dust and oily vapors from the fine wire that senses airflow entering the induction system.

Cleaning the sensor’s wire helps prevent rough idle, hesitation and the appearance of a “check engine” light. The cleaner is formulated to not harm plastics, coatings or adhesives.

The Penray Companies, www.penray.com, 800-323-6329 commercial carrier journal | july 2016

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JULY 2016

77

AD INDEX American Truckers Legal Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-525-4285 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 Ancra International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-233-5138 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Bitimec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-637-1900 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 CCJ Fall Symposium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CCJSymposium .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 CCJ Market Movers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CCJMarketMovers .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 CCJ Innovators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-633-5953 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Cummins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CumminsGenuineParts .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Detroit Diesel Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313-592-5000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23, 30-31 Direct Equipment Supply Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-992-1478 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 Drivewyze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-988-1590 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 East Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-405-3278 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Eaton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Roadranger .com/Reman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Eaton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Roadranger .com/Reman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40-41 EpicVue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 844-EPI-CVUE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Fitzgerald Collision & Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 931-450-4450 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 Fitzgerald Truck Sales & Glider Kits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-553-0369 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Freightliner Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 503-745-8000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18-19 Fumoto Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 707-545-7020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 Great American Trucking Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-349-4287 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72, 73 Great American Trucking Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-349-4287 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56-57 Great Dane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 773-254-5533 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Harrington Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-MPG-FUEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 Hoover’s Truck & Equipment LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330-878-6630 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 Howes Lubricator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-438-4693 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Isuzu Commercial Truck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-441-9638 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 J .J . Keller & Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-564-2333 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Kinedyne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-848-6057 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Love’s TCA Driver Congrats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-OK-LOVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Lytx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-419-5861 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Minimizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-248-3855 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 MobilDelvac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MobilDelvac .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Navistar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . InternationalTrucks .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12-13 O’Reilly Auto Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FirstCallOnline .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Omnitracs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-348-7227 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 PCS Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281-419-9500 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 PeopleNet Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-346-3486 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Peterbilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-473-8372 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BC Phillips 66 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phillips66Lubricants .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC-1, 27 Pilot Flying J . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PilotFlyingJ .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 ProMiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-324-8588 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78 Safety First Sleep Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-728-9229 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 She Drives Trucks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SheDrivesTrucks .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Shell Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-231-6950 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80-IBC Technology & Maintenance Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 703-838-1763 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Thermo King . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ThermoKing .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Truckstop .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-203-2540 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 TSI/SSG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-223-4540 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 Vipar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-494-4731 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 VIS Service Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-847-8721 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 Volvo Trucks North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336-393-2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Western Star Trucks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-850-STAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Xtra Lease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . XtraLease .com/Rebills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 commercial carrier journal | july 2016

79

If I use thinner oils will my engine still be protected?

The ability of engine oil to prevent wear by keeping moving parts separated is one of the key functions that it has to perform. That ability comes from the fluid viscosity and the additives which protect

By Dan Arcy Shell Lubricants the metal surfaces.

John Doe’s Rig

The thickness of the oil film which separates the moving parts is dependent on the viscosity of the oil and it will also depend on the speed and load of the engine operation. If oil is too thin to provide effective separation between moving parts or does not effectively control contaminants, this could result in increased wear through the contact of metal parts or abrasive wear, and could possibly shorten engine life.

As truck and engine manufacturers are trying to achieve the maximum fuel economy for their equipment, the trend is to use lighter viscosity oils to assist in reducing fuel consumption. These full synthetic or synthetic blend oils are expected to provide fuel economy benefits, but not compromise on engine durability. Through extensive testing on synthetic blend Shell Rotella® T5 10W-30, Shell has demonstrated a 1.6% fuel economy improvement benefit vs. conventional 15W-40* with no compromise on durability.

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 and semi-stale (but still tasty) chocolate doughnuts with sprinkles on top.

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 found When another truck in some rope and secured the drum to front of John Doe’s rig stopped, he hit the brakes a section of rub rail by the rear door. hard, causing a drum in The rest of the trailer now was empty. his trailer to damage the A few minutes later, Doe was cruisheader. Was this a preing down the freeway at 55 mph in ventable accident? the wake of another truck. Suddenly, the trucker in front panic-stopped to avoid a deer, so Doe also hit the brakes hard, causing the drum to break free, slide down the length of the metal-floored 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.

Manufacturers develop their engines to operate efficiently with specific viscosity grades, so you should check with them to see which viscosity grades they allow and/or any specific conditions such as ambient temperature, which may influence the use of those viscosity grades. The SAE and API have established minimum requirements for lighter viscosity oils which should allow for effective protection of key engine parts.

A number of diesel engine manufacturers recommend lower viscosity lubricants in their newest engines, and the move to lower viscosity lubricants is reinforced by the announcement that one of the focus areas for the next generation of heavy-duty diesel engine oils will be fuel economy improvements, which lower viscosity oils have demonstrated the ability to provide. This is particularly important as the first-ever fuel economy regulations for heavy trucks will begin in 2014.

Synthetic engine oil also can help keep the engine clean through improved sludge, deposit and varnish protection, and helps reduce overall engine wear under extreme operating conditions.

Synthetic engine oils typically have more stable viscosity and provide better protection when the engine is running under high-temperature conditions, such as high speeds and heavy loads. *as demonstrated in 2009 on-the-road field testing for 10W-30 viscosity grade only, highway cycles, compared to Shell Rotella® T Triple Protection® 15W-40.

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

Visit ROTELLA.com, call 1-800-237-6950 or write to The ANSWER COLUMN, 1001 Fannin, Ste. 500, Houston,TX 77002.

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

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Braking Truck

commercial carrier journal | july 2016 11/9/15 9:07 AM

MOST PEOPLE JUST SEE TRUCKS. YOU SEE OPPORTUNITY. You aren’t most people. You can see the potential in your business, and you’re working hard every day to realize it. We see it too. That’s why Shell ROTELLA® Heavy Duty Engine Oil is working to make our best products, even better. Shell ROTELLA® T5 Synthetic Blend Technology is made to give you 1.6% in fuel economy savings*, extended drain capabilities and excellent wear protection. So you can keep working harder to take your business even farther. Learn more at www.rotella.com

THE SYNTHETIC ENGINE OIL THAT WORKS AS HARD AS YOU.

*In on-the-road field testing in medium-duty trucks. (For 10W-30 viscosity-grade-only, highway cycles compared to Shell ROTELLA® Triple Protection 15W-40).