CCJ0818

AUGUST APRIL 2018 2018

THINKING MACHINES

Fleet managers embracing artificial intelligence

page 84

After a lackluster year, trucking's biggest fleets take a step in the right direction in 2017

CLOSE INSPECTION

Proper pre-, post-trips help prevent violations page 90

FORGOTTEN FLUIDS There's more to pour than just coolant, oil

BUSINESS SOLUTIONS FOR TRUCKING PROFESSIONALS

page 46

The corner office redefined.

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AUGUST 2018 | VOL 175 | NO. 8

JOURNAL

COVER STORY:

The CCJ Top 250:

Gaining ground The sharp increase in available freight, coupled with one of the tightest capacity situations on record, has allowed many fleets to negotiate double-digit freight rate increases. As a result, carriers in the CCJ Top 250 reported healthy revenue gains in fiscal-year 2017 overall.

LEADING NEWS, TRUCKING MARKET CONDITIONS AND INDUSTRY ANALYSIS

Cover design by David Watson

FEATURES

84

A new frontier

8

Today’s latest artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies can give drivers visual and audible tones and feedback to deter risky behaviors such as fatigue and distraction. In many cases, this direct-to-driver coaching model can eliminate the need for managers to schedule face-to-face meetings with drivers. Meanwhile, other applications using AI instantly solve difficult transportation problems beyond the realm of safety.

90

A closer look

More than half of CSA violations are maintenance-related, with lights, brakes and tires being the most common defects. It’s universally agreed that stringent pre- and post-trip inspections can be the difference in addressing major violations before they put a truck out of service, but the manner in which fleets train drivers on the practice and evaluate their performance varies widely.

81

Innovators: Paper Transport Inc.

The DePere, Wis.-based truckload carrier develops its own technology to help drivers plan trips and improve shipment visibility for customers.

News Bill would make modest hours changes … Bill would require study of driver loss due to ELDs … FMCSA denies OOIDA’s ELD exemption request … HOS violation rate cut in half under ELD mandate … FMCSA simplifies reporting of malfunctioning ELDs … Proposed CSA changes tabled amid broader program overhaul … Search capability returns to medical examiner registry … Concrete pump haulers seek hours reprieve … Court blocks EPA’s glider kit enforcement policy …

ATA sues Rhode Island over truck tolls … Pilot for interstate under-21 vets takes next step …

Upgrade from Class B CDL to Class A could get easier

22 InBrief commercial carrier journal

| august 2018 3

DEPARTMENTS

ccjdigital.com

technology

facebook.com/CCJMagazine

28 29 29

You don’t have to buy an e-truck to go electric

Battery-powered HVAC offered for Freightliner Cascadia

electric trucks

32 34 36 36 38 40 42

linkedin.com/ccjmagazine

Editorial

Nikola inks deal for hydrogen fueling infrastructure

30 InBrief 32 Penske, NFI to help test, develop 32

@CCJnow

70 72 74

Fleets using tech to create capacity Xplore debuts L10 platform of rugged mobility devices Stay Metrics, Luma launch always-on driver training

Cummins buys electric, hybrid powertrain provider

74

Mack adds MP8HE, aero options for Anthem

74 InBrief 75 Telematics data: Rural drivers are

Paccar talks tech at Silicon Valley R&D center Peterbilt touts new Model 567, 579 features Peterbilt highlights future with e-Model 579 ZF showcases company’s path to autonomous e-mobility Continental’s eyes on ‘the road ahead’ Volvo Trucks’ electric models coming to U.S. shores

Spireon updates FleetLocate Cargo Sensor

75 76 77

Zebra launches RFID tracking portfolio Detroit Connect expands capabilities, services Solar panels extend battery life, NACFE finds

78 InFocus: Dispatch software 79 Volvo demonstrates platooning in North Carolina

46 InFocus: Forgotten fluids ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

4

Suspension, tires, purge valve, more

commercial carrier journal

| august 2018

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more risky

44 Test Drive:

95

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

6

Upfront

104

Preventable or Not?

103

Ad Index

Editor Jeff Crissey’s column

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

Publication

Commercial Carrier Journal (ISSN 1533-7502) is published monthly by Randall-Reilly Publishing Co. LLC, 3200 Rice Mine Road N.E., Tuscaloosa, AL 35406. Single copy price U.S., $6; Canada/ Mexico, $9; Foreign, $12. Subscription rates, payable in U.S. dollars, $48 per year (in Canada $78 U.S. currency). For subscription information/inquiries, please email commercialcarrierjournal@halldata.com. Periodicals Postage-Paid at Tuscaloosa, AL, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTERS: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 507.1.5.2); NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: send address corrections to Commercial Carrier Journal, PO Box 2186, Skokie, IL 60076-9919. Unsolicited letters, manuscripts, stories, materials or photographs cannot be returned except where the sender provides a postage-paid, addressed, stamped envelope. Address all mail to Commercial Carrier Journal Editorial Dept., P.O. Box 3187, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403. All advertisers for Commercial Carrier Journal are accepted and published by Randall-Reilly Publishing Co. LLC on the representation that the advertiser and/ or advertising agency are authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof.

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LEADING NEWS, TRUCKING MARKET CONDITIONS AND INDUSTRY ANALYSIS

Bill would make modest hours changes

A

House bill filed last month would institute reforms to hours-of-service regulations for some segments of the industry and allow the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to move more quickly on any rulemaking meant to provide drivers with more split-sleeper berth options.

It also would pare down the number of supporting documents drivers are required to maintain under the electronic logging device mandate.

The Honest Operators Undertake Road Safety Act (HOURS Act, H.R. 6178), introduced by Reps. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.), Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.) and Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), would allow drivers hauling livestock and agriculture commodities to be exempt from HOS limits and duty status records entirely if operating within a 150-air-mile radius of the source of their haul regardless of state-designated harvesting and planting seasons.

The bill also would cut the number of supporting documents all carriers and drivers are required to keep to verify their logs. Current regulations require drivers to maintain at least eight documents for their 24-hour work period, including fuel receipts, bills of lading

and dispatch records. The HOURS Act would cut that to two documents — one to verify the start of their workday and one to verify the end of it.

Relative to split-sleeper berth flexibility, the bill would allow FMCSA to speed up the rulemaking process should it pursue a rule to allow drivers to split their off-duty sleeper berth time into segments. Current regulations only allow drivers to split their sleeper berth time into segments of

eight and two hours for the required 10-hour off-duty period every 24 hours. FMCSA, via a pilot program, is studying the feasibility of allowing more flexible split-sleeper options such as 7-3, 6-4 and 5-5.

Lastly, the HOURS Act would allow all short-haul operators to be exempt from hours regulations and the ELD mandate if they complete their workday within a 14-hour period.

– James Jaillet

Bill would require study of driver loss because of ELD mandate

A

U.S. House bill would require the U.S. Department of

comply with the electronic logging device requirements issued pur-

Transportation to study the extent to which the electronic log-

suant to Section 31137(a) of Title 49, U.S. Code, have ceased being

ging device mandate has driven professional drivers from the truckH.R. 6159, introduced by Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), would require DOT to “conduct a study to determine how many ‘employees’ (as defined by Section 31132 of Title 49, U.S. Code) who must

8

commercial carrier journal

operators of a ‘commercial motor vehicle.’ ” “Employees” is defined to include independent contractors, or

ing industry.

| august 2018

owner-operators leased to carriers, but would not count independent owner-operators with their own authority.

– Todd Dills

JOURNAL NEWS

FMCSA denies OOIDA’s ELD exemption request

HOS violation rate cut in half under ELD mandate

A

petition to the U.S. Department of Transportation asking for a reprieve from electronic logging device compliance for small carriers with clean safety records was denied. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association filed the exemption request last November, less than a month before the deadline for drivers to begin using an ELD. The association requested that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration allow small businesses, defined as those with less than $27.5 million in annual revenue, to continue using paper logs to record duty status if they had no at-fault crashes and did not have an Unsatisfactory safety rating.

In its request, OOIDA noted several concerns with the mandate, most notably the lack of proper vetting of ELD suppliers by either FMCSA or a third party and questions about the devices’ cybersecurity. Todd Spencer, OOIDA president and chief executive officer, said the group was “puzzled and disappointed” by FMCSA’s decision.

OOIDA’s filing came after the group unsuccessfully fought the mandate in court. The association filed a lawsuit in March 2016 against FMCSA seeking to overturn the mandate, but the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago ruled in favor of FMCSA in the case. OOIDA appealed the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, which declined to hear the case.

– James Jaillet

FMCSA simplifies fleet reporting for malfunctioning ELDs

T

he Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced the creation

T

he incidence of violations of the hours-of-service regulations has been cut by about half since the electronic logging device mandate took effect in December, according to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data.

From May through August of last year, the number of inspections that yielded HOS citations trended at a consistent 1.3 percent of total inspections. In the months leading up to the Dec. 18, 2017 deadline for adoption, that percentage fell slightly to 1.2 percent.

In the first two full months since hard enforcement of the ELD mandate began April 1, that percentage had dropped to 0.64 percent, according to FMCSA’s figures.

The agency posted a graphic on its website in late June with its initial percentages. FMCSA said it intends to update the graphic monthly to report the latest HOS violation percentage.

The agency’s first graphic shows that the percentage of inspections that included an hours violation fell to 0.83 percent in January, the first full month the ELD mandate was in effect. The number trended in the 0.8 percent range until April, when inspections resulting in an hours citation fell to 0.69 percent. The number declined again slightly in May to 0.64 percent.

From April 1 through June, inspectors had conducted 559,940 inspections, with just 4,720 of those resulting in HOS violations, the agency said.

– CCJ Staff

of a centralized email that can be used by carriers that need to request an

extension of the eight-day period allowed in the regulations to repair or replace an electronic logging device that malfunctions.

In such an event, the ELD mandate rule specified, the affected driver would be able to use paper logs for up to eight days, after which the carrier would need to request an extension if more time was needed. To date, carriers have been instructed to send requests for extensions directly through the FMCSA state division office that covers the area in which the carrier is domiciled.

Now, when requesting an extension, carriers can use the ELD-Extension@ dot.gov email address. FMCSA spokesman Duane DeBruyne said email requests received still will be routed to the appropriate state division offices, and the

FMCSA posted a graphic on its website in late June with its initial HOS violation percentages. The agency said it intends to update the graphic monthly.

“FMCSA state-based Division Administrator will make the determination” whether to grant the extension and “provide notification.”

DeBruyne said that while the established route toward contacting the state division offices directly remains an option to carriers, the centralized email also would allow FMCSA’s central office to keep tabs on the “malfunctions occurring across the country.”

– Todd Dills

Scan the QR code with your smartphone or visit ccjdigital.com/news/subscribe-to-newsletters to sign up for the CCJ Daily Report, a daily e-mail newsletter filled with news, analysis, blogs and market condition articles.

commercial carrier journal

| august 2018 9

JOURNAL NEWS Continued on page 14

FMCSA withdraws proposed CSA changes, will implement broader program overhaul

P

roposed revisions to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Compliance, Safety, Accountability carrier scoring program – and to how DOT uses those scores to target carriers deemed at risk for crashes – are being withdrawn, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced last month. The changes, proposed in July 2015 by FMCSA, sought to better align CSA’s Safety Measurement System BASIC scores with carriers’ risk of being involved in a crash.

However, the proposed reforms are being tabled due to ongoing work by the agency to implement a larger overhaul of the CSA program. Spelled out in a congressionally mandated report last June, the National Academies of Science recommended that the agency rework the SMS and its underlying statistical model.

FMCSA says the reforms it proposed in 2015 conflict with the recommendations issued by the NAS report that was required by Congress later the same year, when lawmakers also forced FMCSA to remove from public view CSA’s SMS percentile rankings.

The reforms being withdrawn include: • Changes to the intervention thresholds used by the agency to target carriers deemed at risk of a crash; • Segmenting the Hazmat Compliance BASIC and making it public; • Switching violations for operating while out of service to the Unsafe Driving BASIC, away from whatever BASIC caused the OOS order; and • Increasing the maximum vehicle miles traveled used in the agency’s calculations to more accurately reflect operations of high-utilization carriers.

Under the changes, the interventional threshold in the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC would have been 10

commercial carrier journal

FMCSA says the CSA reforms it proposed in 2015 conflict with the recommendations issued by the NAS report.

lowered to the 75th percentile from the 80th, meaning potentially more carriers would have been targeted with warning letters, off- or on-site audits or other investigations. The intervention threshold in the Controlled Substances BASIC would have been raised to the 90th percentile, thus encompassing fewer fleets. The agency would have maintained the 65th percentile intervention threshold for the BASICs it says have a stronger correlation to crash risk: Unsafe Driving, Crash Indicator and Hours of Service Compliance.

In October 2016, FMCSA implemented a preview website to show carriers and owner-operators how their scores would have been affected by those changes and other reforms proposed afterward. The agency last month took down the preview site.

FMCSA said its proposals sought to institute changes to improve the system already in place. However, the NAS report recommended a major overhaul of the system, starting with the roadside inspection data that feeds the SMS ratings. The report did not go into great depth about how the agency should reconfigure the SMS system,

| august 2018

but NAS recommended the current model for determining ratings should be scrapped in lieu of one based on “item response theory” that it said would target high-risk carriers more accurately.

The report also recommended FMCSA make the scoring system more transparent and easier to understand and to depart from using relative carrier-to-carrier comparison-based scoring as the sole means for targeting carriers via safety scores.

FMCSA has not provided a timeline for when it will implement the reforms. However, FMCSA Administrator Ray Martinez told Congress in May that the agency has contracted with NAS and is developing a reformed CSA program.

Before NAS issued its report, FMCSA proposed other changes to the CSA system, including raising the minimum number of crashes needed before registering a Crash Indicator BASIC score. The agency in October 2016 issued a proposal to increase that number from two crashes to three.

Last month’s announcement did not mention that proposal as one being withdrawn.

– James Jaillet

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JOURNAL NEWS Continued from page 10

Search capability returns to medical examiner registry

G

reater search functionality has returned to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners, the list of U.S. Department of Transportation-approved examiners from which drivers must receive their biannual DOT physicals.

The return of the more extensive search options comes amid the agency’s work to restore the NRCME website since being taken offline in December after an unidentified source tried to plant malicious software (malware) in the system.

For nearly three months, drivers were unable to use the system to search for a certified medical examiner, though in March the agency added a limited search tool that allowed drivers to search for examiners via ZIP code. Now, drivers can search via an examiner’s registry number, name of examiner and business and ZIP code.

FMCSA also has restored functionality to allow medical examiners to upload the results of DOT physicals to the agency.

Search functionality has not returned in full, but the agency is “diligently working to return full functionality to the National Registry website,” said FMCSA spokesperson Duane Poly“While Deck NEW_7x4.5.pdf 1 6/11/18 9:41 AM DeBruyne. progress is steadily being made, it’s not

Drivers can search via an examiner’s registry number, name of examiner and business and ZIP code.

possible to speculate at this time when that complete functionality will be restored.”

The agency said it pulled the system offline in December after the attempted malware attack to beef up its security to prevent such attacks from occurring again. FMCSA has said the attack was unsuccessful and that no information on drivers or examiners was compromised.

The ongoing technical issues prompted the agency to delay the enactment of a system meant to combine drivers’ commercial drivers’ licenses and medical certificates by three years — to June 2021.

– James Jaillet

C

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6/11/18 3:13 PM

© 2018 Penske. All Rights Reserved.

Our connected fleet solutions and customizable online tools like Fleet Insight™ give you real-time data about your operations. With access to cost, scheduling and maintenance information on demand, you’ll save time and improve performance. It’s how we deliver confidence. Learn more at gopenske.com.

JOURNAL NEWS

Concrete pump operators seek short-haul reprieve

A

group representing concrete pump operators is petitioning the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to allow its drivers operating under the short-haul logging exemption to be able to return to their work-reporting location after 14 hours rather than 12 hours as the exemption allows.

In a Federal Register notice published June 21, the American Concrete Pumping Association says its request, if granted, would apply industrywide to all concrete pump operators, concrete pumping companies and drivers who operate concrete pumps. ACPA represents more than 600 companies employing more than 7,000 workers across the United States.

Specifically, ACPA asks FMCSA to treat concrete pump operators the same as drivers operating ready-mixed concrete trucks who can use the short-haul exemption but return to their work-reporting locations within 14 hours rather than 12 hours as the exemption requires. The group estimates that only about 25 percent of concrete pump operators’ days are spent driving, and they usually only drive about 25 miles.

The group says, like ready-mixed concrete trucks, con-

The American Concrete Pumping Association is asking FMCSA to allow concrete pump operators that use the short-haul exemption to be able to extend their day from 12 hours to 14.

crete pumps work with perishable products delivered on a just-in-time basis. ACPA adds that granting the waiver “would harmonize the hours-of-service rules for drivers of concrete pumps with the rules for drivers of the vehicles that supply the concrete.”

To view comments on the request, go to Regulations.gov and search Docket No. FMCSA-2018-0175. Last year, ACPA received an exemption from the required 30-minute break requirement that allows concrete pump operators to use onduty attendance time toward their break.

– Matt Cole

Because of we are committed to your success.

Tim Phillips

Vice President Marketing & Operations

©2018 CMA , LLC .

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Untitled-4 1

16Date: commercial | august 2018Job #: 2450 06/28/18 carrier Client:journal CMA Account Director: Van Nguyen

Editor:

7/2/18 8:42 AM

File Name: 2450-CMA-CCJ-AUG-HP-IR Designer: sn

Revised By: JM

Page 1 of 1 Production: jm

JOURNAL NEWS Continued on page 22

Court blocks EPA’s glider kit enforcement policy

R

eversing a move made July 6 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a federal court ruled July 18 to temporarily block a decision by the agency to not enforce Obama-era emissions standards on glider kit trucks.

A three-judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals in the D.C. Circuit ruled 2-1 in favor of a motion filed by the Sierra Club, Environmental Defense Fund and Center for Biological Diversity. The court’s temporary injunc-

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commercial carrier journal

Untitled-70 1 VIPAR TTS Parts ad 110816.indd 1

tion against EPA means that glider kit builders will continue to be capped at making and selling 300 trucks annually until the court lifts its injunction or EPA finalizes a rule to rescind the Obama-era regulations and permanently remove the cap on the output of glider kit builders such as Fitzgerald Glider Kits.

EPA proposed the rule to rescind the glider restrictions in August of last year, but the restrictions took effect Jan. 1 of this year, meaning glider builders were left to comply with the 300-truck cap pending a reversal.

EPA’s July 6 decision to not enforce that cap was meant to give the agency more time to finalize the rule and, in the meantime, allow glider kit makers to continue business as usual, producing and selling as many gliders as they sold in 2017.

Demand for glider trucks, which are new truck bodies equipped with older remanufactured engines and transmissions, has soared over the past decade since they’re equipped with engines that do not use exhaust gas recirculation and do not require exhaust aftertreatment.

EPA under the Obama administration sought to stymie glider-kit market growth with its 2016 Phase 2 rule, claiming gliders produced an outsize share of emissions of greenhouse gases and particulate matter relative to gliders’ share of total truck sales each year.

– James Jaillet

A lawsuit filed by several environmental groups challenged EPA’s decision to not enforce Obama-era emissions standards placed on glider kit trucks.

| august 2018 2/14/17 11/8/16 1:50 5:48 PM PM

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JOURNAL NEWS Continued from page 18

INBRIEF 8/18 • UPS (CCJ Top 250, No. 1) is adding 730 Freightliner and Kenworth natural gas vehicles to its fleet – 400 semi-tractors and 330 terminal trucks – and building five new CNG fueling stations. The Atlantabased company said the $130 million investment marks a decade of its leadership in the alternative fuel and advanced technology space.

• U.S. Xpress (No. 16) stock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange in late June under the USX ticker symbol. The Chattanooga, Tenn.-based company said it anticipated net proceeds of $250 million from its initial public offering, which it priced at $16 a share. This is second time going public for U.S. Xpress, which operates about 6,500 trucks and employs about 8,000 drivers. Founded in 1986, the company first began trading publicly in 1994 but ceased in 2007.

• The American Trucking Associations has revamped and restructured its National Accounting and Finance Council, which last month debuted a new dues-based membership structure. Among NAFC’s updated suite of services is a newly launched educational webinar series, with topics including revenue recognition, changes to the tax code and blockchain.

Go to Trucking.org/National_Accounting_ Council.aspx.

• Covenant Transportation Group (No. 38) acquired all of the outstanding stock of Landair Holdings (No. 226), the holding company for Landair Transport and Landair Logistics, for about $83 million and also assumed $15.5 million in Landair debt. Covenant said the purchase adds about 430 trucks and 900 trailers to its fleet of about 2,560 tractors and 7,135 trailers, as well as 12 distribution facilities.

Chattanooga, Tenn.-based Covenant plans to maintain Landair’s headquarters in Greeneville, Tenn.

• Big Freight Systems, a Steinbach, Manitoba-based Daseke company, announced a merger with Kelsey Trail Trucking, which will become a division of Big Freight and keep its operations intact, with locations in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and Innisfil, Ontario. Combined, the two companies will operate nearly 750 tractors and trailers; terms were not announced.

Big Freight hauls single flatbed trailers throughout the United States and Canada, while Kelsey Trail is the largest dedicated B-train operator in Canada.

22

commercial carrier journal

| august 2018

ATA sues Rhode Island over trucks-only tolling

T

he American Trucking Associations last month filed a lawsuit against the state of Rhode Island, seeking to have the state’s RhodeWorks trucks-only toll plan overturned in court. Joining ATA as plaintiffs in the lawsuit are three trucking companies — Cumberland Farms Inc., M&M Transport Services Inc. and New England Motor Freight.

In its suit, ATA says the plan discriminates against interstate trucking companies and is unconstitutional because it “impedes the flow of interstate commerce.”

“Since RhodeWorks was first proposed, the trucking industry has been strong and united in opposiA map of the truck tolling locations specified tion to this extortionate plan,” said by the RhodeWorks plan.

Chris Spear, ATA president and chief executive officer. “We’ve warned politicians in Rhode Island that these truck-only tolls were unconstitutional and should be rolled back. It is unfortunate that Governor [Gina] Raimondo and her administration did not heed those warnings, but now we will see them in court.”

The RhodeWorks plan has faced stiff opposition from all corners of the trucking industry since being introduced in 2015. It was enacted in June, with the first two toll gantries opening along Interstates 95 and 295. A total of 14 toll booths are planned, with each charging between $3.25 and $3.50 one-way.

Once all the booths are completed along I-95, it will cost a total of $20 to travel through Rhode Island, with a $40-a-day maximum charge.

The tolls, which received approval from the Federal Highway Administration in October 2016, apply only to trucks and not smaller vehicles.

Rhode Island officials say the tolls will drum up $1.1 billion for the state over a 10-year period.

ATA argues in its lawsuit that the RhodeWorks plan violates the Constitution’s Commerce Clause by discriminating against out-of-state trucking companies and by designing the tolls in a way that does not fairly approximate use of the roads.

“This toll regime was designed to, and does in fact, impose discriminatory and disproportionate burdens on out-of-state operators and on truckers who are operating in interstate commerce,” the complaint reads. “By design, the tolls fall exclusively on the types of trucks that are most likely to be engaged in the interstate transport of cargo, while exempting automobiles and the smaller vehicles that are relatively more likely to be engaged in intrastate travel.”

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Rhode Island.

– CCJ Staff

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JOURNAL NEWS

Pilot for interstate under-21 veterans takes next step

T

he Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is accepting comments on a proposed pilot program that would allow military-trained under-21 drivers to drive across state lines.

Currently, drivers under the age of 21 are restricted to drive only intrastate.

The 2015 FAST Act highway bill, however, requires FMCSA to establish the under-21 pilot program for military veterans, potentially as a means to opening the door for nonmilitary veteran under21 drivers to operate interstate.

The agency first proposed the threeyear pilot program in August 2016 and collected comments on whether there were any additional safeguards needed to ensure safety with the program. The notice published July 6 in the Federal

Register seeks comments on the pilot program as a whole before it is submitted to the White House Office of Management and Budget for approval.

FMCSA says that during the pilot program, it will collect information from participating fleets and drivers to determine if the safety outcomes of drivers under the age of 21 with military experience driving heavy-duty trucks are similar to the safety outcomes of all truckers between the ages of 21 and 24.

The agency says the plan is to have approximately 50 fleets participating in the program during a given timeframe that will hire a combined 200 current or former members of the armed forces or reserve and National Guard components between the ages of 18 and 20 per year. These carriers also will need a combined 200 under-21 intrastate drivers and 200 drivers between the ages of 21 and 24 as a control group to compare safety data during the program.

Upgrade from Class B CDL to Class A could become easier

T

he Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is proposing a change to its Entry-Level Driver Training rule that would make it easier to upgrade from a Class B CDL to a Class A. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, published June 29 in the Federal Register, would eliminate what FMCSA deems redundant classroom instruction but would not change the behind-the-wheel requirements for upgrading a CDL. It also would not change the curriculum for individuals obtaining a Class A CDL who do not already hold a Class B. The proposed rule removes eight instructional units involving “non-driving activities” for those upgrading from a Class B to a Class A. It does not set a required minimum number of instruction hours, but trainees would have to score at least 80 percent on the written exam that accompanies the curriculum.

The instructional units cut from the curriculum for those upgrading are handling and documenting cargo, environmental compliance issues, post-crash procedures, external communications, whistleblower/coercion, trip planning, drugs/alcohol and medical requirements. FMCSA says these 24

commercial carrier journal

| august 2018

FMCSA is seeking public comment on a proposed program that would allow 18-20-year-old military-trained drivers to drive across state lines.

During the comment period, FMCSA is asking the public to weigh in on whether there are specific criteria that should make a driver or carrier ineligible to participate in the pilot, whether carriers should be required to inform FMCSA of any information in addition to what already is required and more.

Comments can be made and viewed at Regulations.gov by searching Docket No. FMCSA-2017-0196.

– Matt Cole

Class A CDL curriculum units are identical, except for minor editorial differences, to instructional units for a Class B. FMCSA estimates an average of 11,340 drivers would be affected by the proposed rule, which would reduce about 27 classroom hours from the license upgrade.

The original driver training rule, finalized by FMCSA on Dec. 7, 2016, with a compliance date of Feb. 7, 2020, required the same amount of classroom training for those upgrading from a Class B to a Class A as for those seeking a Class A without a Class B. FMCSA says in its NPRM that “because Class B CDL holders have prior training or experience in the CMV industry, they should not require the same level of theory training as individuals who have never held a CDL.” Comments can be made at Regulations.gov by searching Docket No. FMCSA-2017-0371.

– Matt Cole FMCSA wants to eliminate some of the repetitive classroom instruction for drivers upgrading from a Class B CDL to a Class A.

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Bosch is addressing these problems with a new, cost-effective, and safe alternative that will change standard practices for heavyduty preventive maintenance and repair. The HPT 500 uses regular compressed air to reach and maintain a variable pressure of 2 to 20 psi throughout the vehicle’s intake and exhaust system. Compressed air mixed with a visual vapor is forced into the system, simulating the load of a running engine: both naturally aspirated and forced induction (turbo and supercharged). Many upstream leaks will only appear under these boosted pressures. The dense, highly visible vapor flows throughout the truck’s hoses, tubes and related components and escapes anywhere there is a leak, pinpointing the exact location of the problem. Retest after repair to confirm the vehicle is fixed right the first time, eliminating comebacks and cutting parts costs.

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PRODUCT REVIEWS, OEM & SUPPLIER NEWS AND EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT TRENDS

BY JASON CANNON

Power-ful developments You don’t have to buy an electric truck to drive an electrified one

T

he electrification of trucking may be “the next big thing,” but the electrification of the truck itself isn’t an entirely new concept. However, the differentiator of the two discussions is a big one.

The electrification of trucking centers on removing a traditional driveline and replacing it with a number of electric drive motors. Onboard electrification is just removing mechanically driven components that rely on power from the engine and replacing them with electric ones.

The more components that you can power electrically, the more horsepower that can be put to the driveshaft, thereby increasing the truck’s overall fuel efficiency by drying up parasitic losses. Battery-powered HVAC and hotel load systems were among the first examples of this shift, and more is on the horizon.

Replacing hydraulic steering with a computer-controlled electric motor – a technology that already exists – would negate the need for a mechanically driven power steering pump. It also could remove the steering gear, Putnam arm and drag link, thereby also reducing weight while offering more refined, precise and less fatiguing steering control.

A smoother ride You also can electrify components that don’t require direct contact with the engine to make ‘THE NEXT BIG THING’: The electrification of the truck itself isn’t an entirely new concept.

NEW POWER: You can electrify components that don’t require direct contact with the engine.

‘FREE’ SOLAR: Dumping sunlight back into your batteries can feel close enough to zero-cost.

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When considering solar panels for a tractor like this Groupe Robert unit, real estate is a premium when compared to 53 feet of available length on a trailer.

them better. I spent nearly a week with component manufacturer ZF at its headquarters in Friedrichshafen, Germany, where among the many things the company showcased was an electrically assisted truck cab leveling and dampening system.

A standard system uses air and springs to dampen shock from the highway and keep it from rocking the driver, but an electrically assisted version can use data from the truck’s computer to compensate for road input before it ever makes its way to the cab. That translates to an exponentially smoother ride, which will become increasingly important as the truck transitions itself through the levels of autonomy and ultimately becomes the driver’s mobile office.

A traditional 12-volt power system can neither support nor facilitate a

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.

A benefit of going some degree of electric is that the power supply is infinite and free if you don't plug in. wide adoption of formerly-mechanically-driven-but-now-electrically-powered components, but the conversation for a 48-volt power system gets louder every day. I don’t think a leap like that is going to be quick or easy, but I think it is going to be critical in the years ahead.

Here comes the sun Another benefit of going some degree of electric is that the power supply is practically infinite and free if you don’t have to plug in.

That’s an admittedly liberal usage of “free,” but it doesn’t rain diesel fuel.

If you’re willing to pony up the dollars for solar panels, the sun will dump free energy back into your batteries at levels that can feel close enough to zero-cost.

Solar has found its place on tractors mostly as an anti-idling and fuel economy play by supporting battery-powered HVAC and hotel loads, but the North American Council for Freight Efficiency found in a recent report that solar capabilities also help reduce downtime associated with dead batteries.

Segments that frequently start and stop over short distances were among the earliest adopters of solar power, using the sun to charge liftgate batteries since the trucks often didn’t travel long-enough distances between stops for the alternator to do it. The same goes for many reefer applications.

Small solar panels also are useful to power trailer telematics since their power draw is fairly minimal.

Solar panels can be mounted easily on the trailer’s roof because they’re long and flat. On the tractor side, that can be problematic. There are several thin and flexible panels on the market that are designed to mount on a tractor’s roof fairing, but real estate is a premium on the truck when compared to 53 feet of available length on a trailer.

An electric truck is going to make a lot of sense for a few segments such as regional and final-mile applications fairly soon. However, a strong business case for long-haul has not yet fully materialized.

In the meantime, hybridization – the electrification of certain components that can squeeze a few more mpgs from the fuel tank, and supplementing their power draw with the integration of solar energy – is a viable bridge to full electrification.

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

Nikola inks deal for hydrogen fueling infrastructure

N

ikola Motor Co. signed a deal with Norway-based hydrogen company Nel ASA for delivery of 448 electrolyzers and associated fueling equipment that will be used to support Nikola’s development of a hydrogen Nikola has placed an inifueling station tial order of more than $9 infrastructure million for two demonstration stations. in the United States. The rollout is expected to begin in 2020.

As part of the deal, 28 stations will be built near Anheuser-Busch’s breweries and distribution centers. The U.S. beer manufacturer placed an order for 800 Nikola hydrogen-electric tractors in May. – Jason Cannon

Battery-powered HVAC offered for Freightliner Cascadia

A

battery-powered HVAC system now is available as a factory-installed option for new Freightliner Cascadia models.

The new system replaces the previous ParkSmart system and is engineered to provide up to 10 hours of cooling or 34 hours of heating when parked.

Available on all new Cascadia sleeper sizes and bunk styles, the system is integrated with the truck’s For 60- and 72-inch Optimized Freightliner Cascadia sleepers, the batIdle feature for tery-powered HVAC added comfort system’s solid-state in extreme electrical center fits underneath the cab’s climates. wardrobe cabinet.

– Jason Cannon

commercial carrier journal

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august 2018

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INBRIEF

In the early stages, both synthetic and conventional oils start out as crude oil. Unlike conventional motor oil, synthetic oil goes through a process where it is refined and distilled before being broken down into individual molecules. This process purifies the oil and makes it possible for engineers to customize the crude oil’s molecules and provide better protection than conventional motor oils deliver.

Advantages of Synthetic over Conventional Oil: • Improved performance • Keeps engines cleaner • Offers improved deposit control • Enhanced performance in extreme temperatures As engines have become more technologically advanced, so have the motor oil products designed to support them.

To learn more go to Rotella.com/products

• Kenworth’s T680 on-highway tractor now is standard with the company's Predictive Cruise Control system that uses topographical GPS data inputs to aid cruising speed efficiency; its proprietary AG400L tandem rear suspension; Bendix's ADB22X front and rear air disc brakes; Bendix’s Wingman Fusion advanced driver assistance system that offers enhanced collision mitigation, lane departure warning, stationary vehicle braking and overspeed alert and action; and Jost's JSK37USB fifth wheel.

• Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies expanded application coverage for its Procision 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission to include medium-duty utility, construction, tanker, refuse and municipal trucks. Existing 35,000-lb. gross combined weight ratings and maximum engine ratings of 300 hp and 660 lb.-ft. of torque remain unchanged. Procision is paired with the Cummins B6.7 engine and features the IntelliConnect telematics system.

N/A 2.25” x 9.5” -.25” Commercial Carrier Journal August 2018

When it comes to your engine’s performance, the motor oil you select will have a big impact.

Understanding what synthetic oil is, its differences with conventional motor oil, and how it affects your engine’s performance can help you choose the right oil for your vehicle.

• Navistar now offers Allison’s TC10 transmission available as an option on International LT Series trucks and Allison’s 3000 Highway Series on International RH Series tractors spec’d with a Cummins X15 engine. Both transmissions are suited for Class 8 tractors and use a torque converter engineered to enable smoother, faster and more efficient acceleration without a dry mechanical clutch.

BLEED: TRIM: LIVE: PUB: Dates:

What is Synthetic Oil?

JWT/Atlanta SHELL Rotella 1/3 Page VERT 1168545_A255_ CCJ_Third_Aug2018 “ROTELLA ROUNDUP”

ROTELLA ROUNDUP

• Volkswagen Truck & Bus is changing its name to the Traton Group, a move made in preparation for the company becoming a publicly traded entity independent of its Volkswagen parent company. Volkswagen Truck & Bus is the umbrella company for Man, Scania, Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus and Rio and also owns a nearly 17 percent stake in Navistar, parent company of International Trucks.

Comments, questions or ideas?

Email us at RotellaRoundup@JWT.com

30

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1168545_A255_ CCJ_Third_Aug2018.indd 1 Untitled-38 1

CAPTION:

AGENCY: CLIENT: SPECS: AD CODE:

• Navistar’s OnCommand Connection telematics device with two free years of service now is standard on all International LT Series, RH Series and LoneStar models with International or Cummins engines. The device integrates a cellular-enabled hardware platform with the OnCommand Connection Advanced Remote Diagnostics platform that is integrated with over 25 telematics service providers, allowing fleets to manage all their vehicles through one portal regardless of make or model.

• Tramec Sloan, a manufacturer and distributor of commercial vehicle and industrial products for the heavy-duty truck and trailer markets, acquired Fleet Engineers, a Muskegon, Mich.based company that designs, manufactures and distributes aerodynamic products, door sys-

| august 2018

7/11/18 10:488:54 AM AM 7/12/18

tems, spray control and other parts and accessories for the truck and trailer industry; terms were not announced. Tramec Sloan will operate Fleet Engineers as an autonomous division.

• Meritor launched 20 bearing and seal kits and 70 individual bearings covering popular Meritor and Dana axles. The kits are designed for customers seeking lower-cost high-quality aftermarket parts.

• Ryder System reserved 500 new Chanje Energy medium-duty electric panel vans for its North American commercial truck rental and ChoiceLease fleet. The Chanje delivery van is equipped to haul up to 6,000 pounds and up to 580 cubic feet of cargo, all with zero exhaust emissions and a 100-mile range on a single charge. Ryder will service the Chanje vans at several maintenance facilities across the San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento and San Jose markets in California, as well as Chicago and New York.

• Penske Used Trucks now offers discounts to members of the National Association of Independent Truckers. NAIT members can save $3,000 on the purchase of select used sleeper and day cab tractors and $1,500 on certain used medium- and light-duty trucks. NAIT members also will receive a $500 rebate from the association. Maintenance history reports are available for many trucks, and financing, extended warranties and vehicle delivery also are available.

• Ancra International, a designer and manufacturer of cargo handling and restraint systems for a variety of industries, changed its name to Ancra Cargo. The company will continue to operate in its current structure with no difference in ownership or staff.

• Hyliion acquired the battery division of Gentherm, a provider of climate control and thermal management systems; terms were not announced. Hyliion uses Gentherm’s battery system in its 6x4HE hybrid-electric axle.

Hyliion also announced a strategic partnership with Toshiba, the provider of Hyliion’s battery cell technology, in which Hyliion will package Toshiba’s li-ion cells and add cooling and battery management systems.

• Peter Voorhoeve, current president and chief executive officer of Volvo Group Australia, was named president of Volvo Trucks North America, effective Sept. 1. He succeeds Göran Nyberg, who left the company in April. Per Carlsson will continue to serve as acting president until Sept.

1. Voorhoeve, a 20-year Volvo Group veteran, has led Volvo Group Australia since 2013 and has held several senior management positions in aftermarket support, supply chain management and parts logistics.

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Cummins acquires electric, hybrid powertrain provider

C Penske Truck Leasing and NFI are partnering in operating the Freightliner Electric Innovation Fleet of eCascadia heavy-duty and eM2 106 medium-duty trucks.

Penske, NFI to help test, develop electric trucks

D

aimler Trucks North America announced that Penske Truck Leasing (CCJ Top 250, No. 29) and NFI (No. 28) are partnering in operating the Freightliner Electric Innovation Fleet of eCascadia heavy-duty and eM2 106 medium-duty trucks. DTNA said the move is the next phase of a co-creation process it is using to involve customers in the development of commercial electric vehicles to meet the most valid target applications.

Starting late this year, Penske will begin taking delivery of 10 eCascadias and 10 eM2s for use in California and the Pacific Northwest, while 10 eCascadias will begin being delivered to NFI for drayage activities from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to warehouses in California’s Inland Empire. Also, DTNA plans to operate electric trucks within its own Product Validation Engineering test fleet in Oregon to expedite research and development of the technology.

“Running multiple trucks in real-world applications will provide better insights for our engineers into the requirements of integrating electric commercial vehicles into fleet operations,” said Roger Nielsen, DTNA president and chief executive officer.

In preparation for the 2021 start of production, DTNA announced its Electric Vehicle Council that will prepare customers, with viable use cases, in evaluating and integrating commercial electric vehicles into their operations. As testing progresses, the council will discuss planned product offerings to gather candid feedback as the OEM moves toward commercialization of electrified trucks.

– Jason Cannon 32

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ummins announced the acquisition of Efficient Drivetrains Inc., a designer and producer of hybrid and fully electric power systems for commercial segments.

Cummins’ acquisition of EDI, terms of which were not announced, is Cummins was among the first traditional its third in the electritrucking OEMs to enter the electrification market, unveiling a hybrid-electric Class 7 fication segment in less concept truck nearly a year ago. than a year. Last November, the company acquired Brammo, an Ashland, Ore.-based producer of electric traction motors and traction batteries. Two months later, the Columbus, Ind.-based diesel engine maker purchased Johnson Matthey Battery Systems, Europe’s largest independent designer and manufacturer of lithium-ion battery systems.

Tom Linebarger, Cummins chairman and chief executive officer, said the addition of EDI’s fully electric four-mode hybrid powertrains broadens his company’s electrification expertise and products.

– Jason Cannon

Mack adds MP8HE, aero options for Anthem

M

ack Trucks is adding a high-efficiency 13-liter engine and its HE+ package as available options on Anthem models.

The 13-liter SmartMack Anthems equipped with the Way-certified MP8HE SmartWay-certified MP8HE engine and HE+ package deliver up to a 9.5 percent engine uses waste energy fuel-efficiency improvement. from the engine’s exhaust system and converts it to mechanical energy that is delivered back to the engine’s crankshaft as added torque. The MP8HE is matched to an mDrive automated manual transmission that enables a lower and downsped cruise rpm to take advantage of the extra torque provided by waste energy recovery.

The HE+ package combines several fuel efficiency-enhancing aerodynamic features with Mack Predictive Cruise, an intelligent system that memorizes a route when cruise control is on, storing up to 4,500 hills in its memory.

– Jason Cannon

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Paccar talks technology at Silicon Valley R&D center

W

hen you think of the companies that make up the heart of Silicon Valley along the southern shore of San Francisco Bay, technology giants such as Apple, Google and Facebook spring to mind. But sprinkled in among those and other large companies and thousands of hopeful startups driving today’s technological advancements, Paccar also has found a home.

Peterbilt executives last month opened the doors to the Paccar Innovation Center in Sunnyvale, Calif., to discuss the company’s efforts to establish relationships with some of Silicon Valley’s top technology companies and develop what it calls “purposeful innovation” for future products.

The 26,000-square-foot truck laboratory serves as a collaborative incubator, allowing Paccar and its partners to develop vehicle and system prototypes and determine real-world feasibility of new innovations.

If Paccar can make a business case for its customers to adopt new innovations, conversations with potential technology partners can be frequent. Since the facility opened in November, Paccar has met with more than 125 companies for potential collaborations.

“The companies we are talking to, a lot of them developed technology for the passenger car,” said Jake Montero, general manager of the Paccar Innovation Center. “But what they are starting to find is that there is a better go-to-market opportunity in trucking if you can improve fuel economy or improve safety by reducing potential accidents. It’s nice to have that technology in passenger cars that some consumers are willing to pay for, but if there is a real savings you can show fleets with new technology, you can make a business case and invest in it.”

Paccar and its Peterbilt division are no strangers to technology. Peterbilt’s SmartLinq remote diagnostics program and service management system – launched in 2015 and expected to be completely deployed across the truck maker’s 372-location dealer network by yearend – is just one example.

“Our customers are excited to have our entire network connected so they can see real-time updates of their trucks during service events,” said Jason Skoog, Paccar vice president and Peterbilt general manager.

Paccar says that throughout its global network, it has 150,000 connected trucks transmitting data. By the end of 2018, Peterbilt plans to roll out new tools for SmartLinq, including data analytics, data security and over-the-air updates.

As Peterbilt develops its roadmap for future vehicle advancements, the Paccar Innovation Center and its area technology partners will play a critical role to ensure those innovations are 34

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| august 2018

Engineers at the Paccar Innovation Center are testing the feasibility of vehicle systems such as this LiDAR sensor from Velodyne.

fully vetted, tested and ready for market.

Scott Newhouse, Peterbilt chief engineer, said the company will release new advanced driver assistance system features this year, including Traffic Stop & Go, while lane keep assistance and platooning are scheduled for introduction in 2019. In the next several years, Peterbilt also plans to add object detection and driver monitoring.

Peterbilt also will develop and deploy new vehicle connectivity features, starting with its predictive maintenance offering in 2019. “Predictive maintenance is a tremendous opportunity to improve not only overall maintenance schedules for our customers but for them to be able to project when they need to do certain maintenance,” said Montero.

By 2020, the company plans to introduce an advanced fleet management system with a fleet dashboard to provide customers with necessary data to assist in route and equipment optimization and make intelligent decisions about their fleet operation.

Montero said that starting in 2021, Peterbilt will be rolling out additional ADAS features, dynamic 3D mapping and vehicle-to-vehicle connectivity features as it continues its development of autonomous technologies.

– Jeff Crissey

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Peterbilt touts new 567, 579 features, forecasts market share record for 2018

D

uring an economic outlook and press conference at the Paccar Innovation Center last month, Peterbilt announced several new features for its Class 8 lineup. The Model 579 now is standard with Bendix’s Wingman Fusion driver assistance technology, including automatic emergency braking and speed limit sign recognition.

Peterbilt also worked with the Women in Trucking Association to add two new safety and convenience options for its Model 567 and Model 579 sleeper tractors. The storage cabinet under the passenger seat is available with a passthrough option to allow drivers to easily load groceries, luggage and other heavy items from outside the cab without having to climb to load things over the seat.

A new alert switch located in the sleeper control panel can be used to fend away intruders or in other emergencies. When activated, the switch flashes exterior lights and sounds the horn.

Peterbilt also announced the Paccar MX-11 engine now is available with

Paccar’s 12-speed automated transmission. The drivetrain pairing is suited for heavy-duty and vocational applications where power and maneuverability are needed at low speeds.

Increasing market share With the trucking industry firing on all cylinders and across all segments, Peterbilt forecasts 2018 U.S. and Canadian Class 8 retail sales to reach 265,000 to 285,000 units. “This could challenge the 278,000 from 2015 that was the thirdbest year in history just behind 2005 and 2006,” said Jason Skoog, Paccar vice president and Peterbilt general manager.

In 2017, Peterbilt set its own market share record for U.S.-Canadian Class 8 truck sales at 15.3 percent, well above is previous record of 14 percent in both 2011 and 2012. The truck maker hopes to continue that success after the launch of its Model 579 UltraLoft intergral sleeper. The company had 2,500 orders placed before production was slated to begin last month.

Peterbilt has 2,500 orders for the Model 579 UltraLoft tractor, with production set to begin last month.

“Based on the Denton plant investments, our strong presence in both the construction and energy segments, along with the Jason Skoog, Peterbilt’s new launch of the Model GM, says now is 579 UltraLoft and one of the best our increasing share environments in gains in over-thetrucking during his 25 years in road and less-thanthe industry. truckload fleets, we are well-positioned to set market share records for the second year in a row,” said Skoog. – Jeff Crissey

Peterbilt highlights future with fully electric Model 579

D

uring a press event last month at the Paccar Innovation Center in Silicon Valley, California, Peterbilt provided an opportunity to ride along in its fully electric Model 579 demonstration tractor, one of two electric prototypes the truck maker first introduced at the ACT Expo and Waste Expo shows earlier this year. The electric 579 is designed for use in drayage applications, while the electric 520 is outfitted for municipal waste hauling.

Peterbilt co-developed its electric Model 579 with TransPower, a San Diego-based company that specializes in battery-vehicle integration for the medium- and heavy-duty markets.

The electric Model 579 is fitted with 36

commercial carrier journal

eight 44-kW battery packs that can be removed or added to the tractor to increase vehicle range. As spec’d, the demonstration unit can travel 250 miles when fully loaded, depending on terrain and driving habits.

Matt Vito, integration and service manager for TransPower, said the third-generation batteries weigh 800 pounds each, but he expects battery density to improve as battery technology continues to evolve.

“In the next year and a half, the next [battery] versions will be 50 percent more dense than these today,” said Vito.

The electric drivetrain uses the first five gears of an Eaton AutoShift 10-speed transmission since electric motors have

| august 2018

different ranges than diesel power. The electric 579 has two JJE electric motors with the equivalent of 450 horsepower.

– Jeff Crissey

Peterbilt’s fully electric Model 579 demonstration unit is equipped with eight 44-kW battery packs and has a range of up to 250 miles when fully loaded.

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The unmanned ZF Innovation Truck maneuvers depots or similar areas and autonomously coordinates lifting, shifting and stacking.

ZF showcases company’s path to autonomy

I

f there’s a heavy truck segment leading the charge toward electrification and autonomy, it’s the terminal tractor. At Technology Day at ZF’s headquarters in Friedrichshafen, Germany, the company showcased its entry: the electric autonomous Terminal Yard Tractor.

Running defined lanes within a restricted area and with high idle cycles, yard trucks present an easy use case for moving freight electrically and autonomously from point A to point B, said Wolf-Henning Scheider, ZF’s chief executive officer.

“These vehicles can prevent maneuvering damage and downtimes, which gives logistics companies a competitive advantage,” Scheider said. “The functions presented in our current innovation vehicles are therefore applications that are in high demand and pay off quickly.”

Automated driving functions will see a wider use in commercial vehicles much earlier than in the passenger market, Scheider said. “We believe autonomous technologies will become a standard in areas where they increase the operational security and reduce the operational costs. Here, the fruit is hanging lower [due to the] immediate total cost of ownership benefits and less complexity.”

An extended sensor set enables the Terminal Yard Tractor to keep an eye on its surroundings. The central computer – ZF proAI – coordinates the functions of longitudinal and lateral guidance, enabling the tractor to take the trailer from a truck and autonomously maneuver it to a ramp for loading and discharging.

“Once this has been completed, it takes the trailer back to the truck,” said Fredrik Staedtler, ZF’s head of commercial vehicles.

The yard tractor is guided to its destination by an RFID coordinate system and drops the trailer, which helps to localize the truck on-premise, said Alexander Banerjee, ZF’s Advanced 38

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Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) project leader.

An onsite computer calculates the trajectory and transfers the data to the onboard unit of the ZF OpenMatics telematics system through a wireless signal. ZF proAI then processes the information in real time, converting it into instructions for the engine, steering system and brakes.

An intelligent and dynamic routing system tells each innovation vehicle where to go, when to go and what to do there.

As soon as the autonomous driving mode is activated, the vehicles automatically log on using the depot’s individual LTE/ WLAN wireless signal and the OpenMatics onboard unit. The routing constantly checks and considers the vehicle’s current position and the routes of other vehicles on the premises and immediately adjusts the vehicle’s own routing when necessary.

A sensor set on the vehicle and a routing system on the work premises show drivers on their tablets how to approach and pick up the respective swap bodies quickly and smoothly.

With this, the technology company is pushing ahead with useful functions for truck fleets, keeping an eye to the future of both manual and autonomous driving as well as driverless logistics.

The ‘final-mile’ frontier The explosion and preference of e-commerce and expedited delivery has put increasing pressure on final-mile delivery.

ZF’s electrically driven Innovation Van uses the finer points of an electric powertrain and couples it with advanced autonomous technologies, using a smart algorithm that takes into account customer requests in real time while also calculating the most efficient delivery route.

The Innovation Van leans on a cloud-based support system where data for each package on board is stored – such as destination and preferred time of delivery – along with other

ing the need for major changes to chassis or axles by vehicle information such as shelf life of perishable goods. The algomanufacturers. rithm takes this information, adds parameters such as traffic CeTrax Lite, an electric asynchronous traction motor, offers conditions and energy consumption, and calculates the best a peak power performance of 150 kW and 280 lb.-ft. of torque. delivery sequence in real time.

CeTrax Mid, with two electric asynchronous traction motors in “Basically, the parcel itself finds the best way to get to the a parallel design, offers a peak performance of 300 kW, and its customer, and the vehicle follows,” said Georg Mihatsch, two-stage powershift transmission produces 560 lb.-ft. of torque. project manager. “The parcel courier receives this information via mixed reality smartglasses. This allows them to review all Electric steering relevant data.”

Based on ZF’s electromechanical steering concept for passenIf two addresses are close together and the best delivery ger cars, the ReAx EPS offers complete servo power of up to 50 route is on foot, the Innovation Van can follow the courier “as lb.-ft. if on a virtual leash,” said Gerhardt Gumpoltsberger, ZF’s head Mitja Schulz, ZF’s head of Commercial Vehicle Steering of Innovation Management. “If there is no parking available Systems, said full electric steering is an important enabler for outside an address, the courier can send the vehicle ahead ADAS and automated drive functions that can help improve to the next stop, where it will look for a parking space on its safety, relieve drivers and improve logistics workflow. own.”

The Innovation Van is equipped with Level 4 autonomous Active cabin suspension driving functions and is designed to maneuver independently When the truck doesn’t need a person to steer it down the through urban surroundings, stay on course even if roads do road, the cabin becomes not have clear lane markAn intelligent and dynamic routing system more of an office space. Cabings, recognize traffic lights tells each vehicle in ZF’s Innovation lineup in suspensions normally are and road signs and react where to go, when to go and what to do there. passive systems that react to to sudden and hazardous road conditions by absorbing situations. The ZF sensor set and dampening movements consists of cameras, radar with springs. and LiDAR sensors, and the ZF’s electronically conZF proAI central computer trolled active cCab system can assume control by proactively adjusts the cabin, cessing the data gathered by anticipating movements and the sensors and enabling the working preemptively to vehicle to react appropriately compensate by balancing the to situations. vehicle’s roll and pitch behavior as well as the cabin’s upward Also at its Technology Day, ZF showcased several new and downward movement. electrified components the company said will help shape the A control unit receives signals about the state of motion future of electrified and autonomous driving. from the sensors and calculates response states within fractions of a second. It controls the four cCab modules that then All-electric plug-and-drive optimize the cabin motion sequences.

CeTrax Lite and CeTrax Mid are all-electric plug-and-drive When cCab is installed on the cabin’s four bearing points, it systems designed for use in delivery vans, light commercial is able to actively rotate the cabin around the longitudinal and vehicles up to 16,500 pounds (CeTrax Lite) and medium-duty transverse axis and move it along the vertical axis to dampen it commercial vehicles up to 42,000 pounds (CeTrax Mid). simultaneously.

Mark Mohr, ZF’s head of development for commercial vehiZF also plans to enhance its Cabin Air Leveling Module cle technology, said what makes CeTrax unique is the electric (CALM) with a new electronically controlled eCALM system central drive’s integrated design, in which the electric motor, that reduces air and energy consumption in the pneumatic power electronics and transmission form a compact unit with cabin suspension system, saving energy in the vehicle itself. a shared housing.

This allows the entire air system – compressor, accumulator The power electronics do not need to be wired separately and dryer – to be smaller and weigh less. The compressor also with the electric motor since that connection already exists within the unit. Thanks to its compact design, the central drive can be operated electrically by integrating it into the eCALM system, allowing it to actuate when needed. – Jason Cannon can be installed flexibly in existing vehicle platforms, eliminatcommercial carrier journal

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Continental has its eyes on ‘the road ahead’

C

ontinental last month outlined a roadmap to what it envisions as the future of freight transportation, teasing technologies it says offer near-term benefits such as fuel savings and crash prevention and are long-term building blocks to fully autonomous trucks.

The German-based tire and component supplier provided a two-day preview in Frankfurt, Germany, of systems it plans to more fully debut later this year at the IAA Commercial Vehicle show in Hannover, Germany. Some of the platforms are ready for deployment in Europe in the coming years, while others are still in development, slated for implementation in the coming decade.

Researchers and futurists for the company outlined a trucking industry that is grappling with increasing freight demand due to population growth, efficiency-draining congestion and ever-tightening emissions standards — all hurdles the industry must address in the coming decade, said Michael Ruf, head of commercial vehicles and aftermarket for Continental.

Answers to these weighing – and worsening – issues lie within modern tools such as connectivity, big data and the “enormous” computational power of today’s computers, Ruf said. “There are three areas that will influence trucking, let’s say, in 2028,” he said. “The first is making much more utilization out of cargo space. Space waste is a waste of efficiency and fuel, producing unnecessary emissions of CO2. The second is journey enhancement through real-time data. And the third, of course, is autonomous driving.”

One such system previewed by the company, the Dynamic eHorizon platform, uses multiple streams of real-time data to see the miles of highway ahead and detect looming congestion or other events. Though still in development, the system could underpin highly automated trucks in the coming years, said Raimund Varnhagen, head of Continental’s eHorizon group.

The system uses feeds of static and dynamic data to read the highway. Static information includes invariables such as mapping and speed limits, while dynamic information includes variables such as traffic, accidents, weather and roadwork. The data, some of which is gleaned through crowd-sourcing applications, is transmitted in real time from a cloud-based system to the truck. The system can see about a half-mile ahead, and traffic information is updated every 60 seconds.

Early versions of the eHorizon have been in use in Europe since 2016. In that time, European fleets have saved about a billion Euros in fuel costs, Varnhagen said.

Another system, Right-Turn Assist, is designed to prevent truck strikes while taking right turns across walkways and bike paths. It relies on sensors such as radar and a bevy of cameras to read a truck’s surroundings. An artificial intelli40

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Continental’s Innovation Truck, a 2014 Mercedes Actros, is used to both test and showcase vehicle technology in the works by the German component and tire supplier.

Continental’s Dynamic eHorizon platform uses multiple data feeds to detect highway conditions ahead. The system is a precursor to autonomous truck deployment, the company says.

A rendering of Continental’s person-finding artificial intelligence program.

The system uses radar and cameras as sensory inputs, and an AI program detects pedestrians and cyclists around the vehicle.

gence platform developed by Continental then is able to detect pedestrians and cyclists.

Continental developed the platform due to the high number of such strikes across busy European urban areas and as a response to looming European Union regulations that could require the technology. The Right-Turn Assist first warns drivers if it detects a potential pedestrian or cyclist strike, but could intervene with active braking if the driver fails to do so. The system will come to market in 2023, said Christian Neumann, director of Continental’s advanced driving assist unit.

Ruf envisions Level 4 autonomous vehicles being deployed in real-world use by the late 2020s. Level 4 automated vehicles require a driver but little driver input. The business case for automated trucks is too strong to ignore, he said, as fleets likely will see lower fuel costs and fewer crashes with their deployment. They also could help ease the industry’s lingering need for more drivers, Ruf said.

– James Jaillet

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Volvo Trucks’ electric models to be tested in U.S.

S

everal weeks after Volvo Trucks unveiled its first two electric trucks for the European trade press in Sweden, it was the North American journalists’ turn to experience the company’s new fully electric FL and FE models.

It’s appropriate that the European press had the first look, considering these trucks undoubtedly will find a home in regional and urban environments throughout Scandinavia and Europe before the North American market identifies suitable applications for the company’s battery technology in Volvo Trucks’ North American lineup.

The Volvo FL and FE conventional cabovers are the smallest models in the truck maker’s global product mix.

The trucks are used primarily for city distribution, waste hauling, light construction and utility work, all perfect applications for electrification.

The 5- or 8-liter diesel engines and I-Shift transmissions on Volvo’s conventional FL and FE models are replaced with an all-new electric driveline and the company’s two-speed transmission. The two-axle FL Electric is mated with a 185-kW motor capable of producing 248 hp and 313 lb.-ft. torque, and the three-axle FE Electric gets double the power with two electric motors totaling 370 kW, 496 hp and 627 lb.-ft. torque.

The electric motors are powered by 50-kWh lithium-ion batteries weighing in at 236 pounds each. Both the FE and FL can be equipped with up to six batteries for a range of 300 km (186 miles) depending on the duty cycle.

“If you have 300 kW of batteries on the vehicle, it will take you 10 to 12 hours to recharge to full load,” said Edward Jobson, chief engineer for Volvo Trucks’ electric project.

The FE and FL Electric trucks will be 42

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Volvo Trucks’ two-axle FL Electric is mated with a 185-kW motor capable of producing 248 hp and 313 lb.-ft. torque.

commercially available in 2019 starting in the European markets. “We are evaluating the entire world and markets [for electric trucks],” said Magnus Koeck, vice president of marketing and brand management for Volvo Trucks North America. “Eventually we will test these in North America with dates yet to be decided. It needs to make business sense and will start in these [light-duty] applications, but we believe this technology is here to stay.”

First impressions A day after taking Volvo Trucks’ diesel-powered FL for a spin around the company’s test track in Gothenburg, Sweden, I had the opportunity to climb into the FL Electric for a brief two-mile test drive. Outside of a few “Electric” badge plates on the side of the truck, the two models are identical to the eye.

To the ear, however, the trucks are completely different. Turning the ignition key in the FL Electric generates an indicator light to let the operator know the vehicle is on. If you listen

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hard – and I mean really, really hard – you can hear the faintest whir of the electric motor.

Aside from the lack of sound, pressing the accelerator reveals the other truly distinct characteristic of the FL Electric over a conventional diesel truck: torque.

“Combustion is completely stupid!” my Swedish ride supervisor said gleefully as we zoomed away from the ElectriCity outdoor display at the Volvo Ocean Race stopover event. As it turns out, the FL Electric delivers a seemingly flat torque curve, so stepping into acceleration the same way I did the diesel FL resulted in a surprising and satisfyingly fast launch.

The electric drivetrain generously provides ample power when asked, although we never were able to get above 45 kmph on our drive outside the fairgrounds. Letting off the accelerator slows the truck without braking, so instead of coasting as you would in a diesel truck, you have to “feather” the pedal to maintain a constant speed.

– Jeff Crissey

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TEST DRIVE: INTERNATIONAL HV

A refined powerhouse International’s HV makes heavy hauling, lifting more comfortable

BY JASON CANNON

S

evere duty and driver comfort usually don’t go hand in hand, but the inspired refinement of International’s HV Series lineup brings fit and finish to an unfamiliar place: a worksite workhorse.

Featuring the same imposing hood and grille, the HV appears to be little more than a gussied-up WorkStar, and for good reason. The Lisle, Ill.-based truckmaker used feedback from more than 100 vocational customers to shape the cab’s design features. With aerodynamic efficiencies well down the wish list, interior and safety upgrades got most of the attention.

The weather on my test drive – a warm, clear summer day in New Carlisle, Ind. – couldn’t have been more picturesque, and the visibility through the glass hardly could have been more panoramic.

Following cues from International’s RH, LT and MV trucks, the HV’s window sills were lowered, while redesigned doors remove the vent window. The improved seals minimize air leaks and wind noise.

Pedestal mirrors have been pulled forward, and a low-rake windshield improves visibility. A door-mounted airfoil helps keeps rainwater off the side window.

An optional high-visibility hood is available on set-back-axle models not equipped with front power-takeoff, adding about 6 inches of downward slope to the grille and a line-of-sight improvement of about 7 feet to the ground. With an inside wheel cut of up to 50 degrees, the added visibility makes navigating tight turns and crowded streets easier and safer — no easy feat for a truck with a 197-inch wheelbase.

In the cab A new premium instrument cluster – the 44

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International’s HV is suited for lighter-duty vocational applications that don’t need the brawn of an HX but want some of the comfort and finesse that comes with the company’s on-highway lineup.

same unit featured prominently in the LT, RH and LoneStar – sits center of the driver, complete with a driver information display. On upper-trim levels, you can get a larger screen that allows the driver to customize virtual gauges, pulling analog dial-based data off the dash panel and putting it in the driver’s field of view.

The gear selector for the standard Al-

The wing panel has been redesigned to increase knee room, and an AC vent has been added for center-seat riders. You’ll want to spec a flat panel if you’re part of a three-person crew.

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lison 6-speed automatic transmission has been moved to a stalk on the steering column and features an integrated engine brake. The wing panel has been redesigned to increase knee room, and an AC vent has been added for center-seat riders. You’ll want to spec a flat panel if you’re part of a three-person crew.

The wing takes up some of what would be the center-rider’s legroom, but if you’re a two-man group, the controls on the wing are easier for the driver to reach, and that extra vent pumps out chilly air from the upgraded HVAC system on those hot construction jobs.

The dash panel has space for up to 30 customizable switches, ensuring functionality for any type of body upfit. The switches, which were made larger so drivers can use them more easily while wearing gloves, also feature large easy-to-read text and are backlit for

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Under the hood Unlike its beefier HX Series brethren, the HV is available with all-wheeldrive for service applications such as crane and boom operators. Configurations range from 4×2 to 8×6, and BBCs of either 107 or 113 inches and set-forward or set-back front axles are available, as well as a clean cab-to-axle configuration. The HV comes standard with International’s A26 engine, with a Cummins B6.7 or L9 engine available as options.

My test unit was outfitted with the A26. The 475-hp 1,750 lb.-ft. powerplant was more than enough to force a truck that grossed just south of 44,000 pounds over a mixture of off-

nance, makes a strong argument in this segment.

With the HV, International is offering a model for lighter-duty vocational applications that don’t need the brawn of an HX but want some of the comfort and finesse that comes with the company’s on-highway lineup.

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Multiple configurations The HV Series uses International’s Diamond Logic electrical system for the automation of tasks and interlocks to help protect both equipment and crew and ease the process of body upfitting.

Diamond Logic offers nearly 200 factory-available body integration and driver efficiency features, plus the ability to customize more vehicle functions.

In a dump configuration, a fleet can use software to limit the truck’s top speed while the bed is extended. That allows drivers to spread sand or gravel but prevents them from hitting the highway before lowering the bed.

Under the truck, you’ll find a Super Single ½-inch-thick frame rail rated up to 3.35M RBM and an integral – not bolt-on – 20- and 27-inch frame extension that adds rigidity.

For serious off-road applications, a 20,000-lb. offset-bowl front drive axle allows for a lower ride height than a traditional center bowl, and crossmember-anchored tow loops prevent frame twisting.

and on-highway conditions.

HV comes standard with air disc brakes, which come in handy with five tons of sand pushing you down steep grades. Severe service has been one of the most ardent supporters of drum brakes, but ADB’s extra stopping power, coupled with ease of mainte-

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easier night viewing. The fuse panel has been integrated in the top of the dash, another nod to the LT and RH.

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in focus: FORGOTTEN FLUIDS

Tractors, trailers have many neglected lube points

BY JASON CANNON

I

mproper lubrication is a primary cause of premature component failure. Grease not only keeps parts lubricated, it also helps flush out contaminants and moisture.

There are more than 40 lube points on a commercial truck chassis, each with different requirements. Nonsealed U-joints are among the most neglected lube points on the tractor, said Steven Bowels, senior lubes product specialist for Citgo.

“They get a lot of contamination — water, road dirt, salt,” Bowels said. “The seals are susceptible to failure, which allows grease to escape and contaminants to get in.”

Most shops still have pits where someone is doing service from underneath and may forget to pop the hood, said Paul Cigala, CVL applications engineer for ExxonMobil.

“It’s that stuff that is above the tires or under the hood that seem to be the areas that are most frequently missed,” Cigala said.

Don't forget the trailer Another overlooked lube point isn’t on the truck at all, said Stede Granger, OEM technical services manager for Shell Lubricants.

“The driver seems to have a very good attachment to the tractor, but not on the trailer bearings, because he or she may be pulling different trailers, so he or she doesn’t take real ownership of that,” Granger said. “I have spoken to fleets that have have no idea where some of their trailers are. If that’s the case, how are you going to do regular maintenance?”

Other neglected lube points include the kingpin, which can be a problem because of heavy loads on the front axles; and the fifth-wheel pins where the fifth wheel connects to the chassis.

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Electrically controlled automatic lubrication systems ensure a truck’s lubrication points periodically get a small amount of fresh grease by dispensing it at regular intervals.

“If a truck comes in and has a trailer on it, a lot of guys won’t spend the extra time to jack the pressure off of that pin so it can accept grease,” Granger said.

Many shops try to perform all their lubrication work at once, but with service intervals for engine oils, transmission fluids and axle fluids lengthening and many greased components labeled “fill for life,” the service sequence has been disrupted, said James Booth, commercial sector manager for Chevron Lubricants North America.

Which grease is best?

With road temperatures often hitting 100 degrees during the summer, that puts extra stress on lubricants, Booth said.

“With greases, high summer temperatures generally require a stiffer, higher NLGI grade grease versus the winter,” he said. “Greasing is also affected by the season, with the really hot months requiring more frequent lubrication, as well as some of the winter months when driving through a lot of snow and salt.”

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Having more than one grade of grease means the wrong one eventually will be used in the wrong application. With so many lube points and various requirements for each, fleets are left with choosing to stock multiple grades or finding an acceptable multipurpose grease.

Bowels said a good NLGI 2 lithium complex grease can handle most lube points. Cigala said trailer wheel ends typically require gear oil or an NLGI 00 grease.

“If you picked out the absolute best grease for the truck, you’d probably pick out more than one,” Granger said. “Probably two or three.”

Ron LeBlanc Sr., senior technical adviser for Petro-Canada Lubricants, said one high-quality grease can be used for all chassis and fifth-wheel needs, while wheel ends may need a synthetic product.

Granger said fleets should resist the temptation to use greases developed for heavy construction equipment and instead look for one with the ASTM D 4950 LB-GC standard.

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After a soft year in 2016, CCJ Top 250 fleets rebounded with a solid recovery in 2017. Tight capacity and favorable market conditions in many segments show no signs of abating anytime soon.

BY JEFF CRISSEY

A

s the trucking industry closed the books on an anemic business year in 2016, a new White House administration had many fleet owners optimistic of a pro-business, low-regulatory environment in 2017.

The U.S. economy turned in an anemic 1.2 percent Gross Domestic Product growth rate in the first quarter last year, but economic pistons were firing behind the scenes, including growth in manufacturing, consumer spending and housing starts.

By the second quarter and throughout the rest of 2017, GDP was growing at a historically healthy clip of roughly 3 percent, and the fortunes of many of the trucking industry’s largest fleets began to change for the better.

Revenues on the rise Truck tonnage was up 3.8 percent overall in 2017, according to the American Trucking Associations’ For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index. During a five-month stretch between July and November, tonnage was up 9.6 percent before tapering off in December. Through the first five months of 2018, tonnage has increased 8.0 percent compared to the same period in 2017.

The sharp increase in available freight, coupled with one of the tightest capacity situations on record, has allowed many fleets to negotiate double-digit freight rate increases.

The Cass Truckload Linehaul Index, a measure of changes in per-mile truckload linehaul rates, increased 9.35 percent from June to December 2017. Donald Broughton, principal and managing partner of Broughton Capital and analyst and commentator for the Cass indexes, said the current freight environment dating back to mid-2017 represents “the strongest normalized percentage level of truckload pricing achieved since deregulation.”

As a result, carriers in the CCJ Top 250 reported healthy revenue gains in fiscal-year 2017 overall at 8.47 percent (based on carriers that self-reported or publicly filed financial information for both 2016 and 2017).

The flatbed/specialized/heavy haul segment, buoyed by a recovery in U.S. construction spending that began in the third quarter of 2017 and a rebounding fracking industry, turned in the highest revenue gains of any segment at 23.8 percent. The construction market has showed no signs of 48

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slowing down, leading to one of the tightest capacity environments in recent memory as shippers wait as long as two weeks for flatbed truck service.

The intermodal segment also reported significant revenue increases from 2016 to 2017 at 20.6 percent. That segment has performed remarkably well since the latter half of 2017 as shippers move more freight to rail as a result of tight capacity and higher rates among traditional truckload carriers.

Carriers in the dedicated contract carriage segment also reported double-digit revenue gains with a 13.8 percent increase in 2017 as shippers panicked to nail down long-term contracts and secure capacity.

In fact, every one of the nine segment groups in the CCJ Top 250 reported positive year-over-year figures, with the household goods and motor vehicles segments bringing up the rear with revenue growth of 1.47 percent and 2.68 percent, respectively.

Big fleets struggle to grow According to data collected by industry analyst firm FTR, monthly Class 8 truck orders have nearly doubled on a yearover-year basis starting last August, peaking at 47,200 units in January, a 116 percent increase from January 2017. Earlier this summer, OEMs reported the best June on record with 41,800 units ordered, a 140 percent increase from June 2017.

But most of the new tractor orders have gone to equipment replacement rather than fleet expansion. Carriers that appear in the CCJ Top 250 for both 2017 and 2018 added only 5,078 power units, a year-over-year increase of just 1.18 percent (excluding package giants UPS and FedEx that added a combined 8,478 trucks and tractors since last year’s ranking). Trailer counts increased 2.32 percent in the same time.

Companies in the intermodal segment of the CCJ Top 250 logged the biggest gain in equipment at 12.28 percent, largely because of Evans Network of Companies’ acquisitions of Greatwide Truckload Management and Packard Transport with roughly 1,000 power units. Carriers in the dedicated contract carriage segment logged the second-biggest equipment increase at 9.83 percent.

Fleets in the refrigerated segment saw little change in equipment counts year-over-year, while the motor vehicles segment was the only group to experience contraction,

CCJ TOP 250 BREAKDOWN BY SEGMENT Segment

Dedicated contract carriage Flatbed/specialized/heavy haul General freight Household goods Intermodal Motor vehicles Packages/small shipments Refrigerated Tank/bulk commodities

Carriers

% of total

Power units

21 25 113 8 8 8 4 24 39

8.4% 10.0% 45.2% 3.2% 3.2% 3.2% 1.6% 9.6% 15.6%

33,335 33,175 260,234 15,792 18,178 9,721 240,861 32,116 36,538

% of total

4.9% 4.9% 38.3% 2.3% 2.7% 1.5% 35.4% 4.7% 5.4%

Estimated revenue change 2016 to 2017**

13.8% 23.8% 9.2%

1.5% 20.6% 2.7% 6.4% 7.6% 5.2%

Revenue per power unit*

Revenue per driver*

$227,048 $190,341 $267,523 $228,178 $165,734 $247,610 $332,779 $258,016 $238,531

$193,743 $186,675 $241,379 $245,129 $166,901 $243,143 $359,102 $227,758 $216,737

* Excludes outlying operations that likely would skew a segment’s figures for various reasons, such as an unusual scope or operating profile or the inclusion of revenues beyond either North America or transportation by truck. ** Based on companies that self-reported revenue data for both 2016 and 2017.

falling from 10,471 power units last year to 9,721 this year, a 7.16 percent decline.

The biggest growth inhibitor for North America’s largest fleets is also the no. 1 problem in the industry: the driver shortage. Again, excluding UPS and FedEx’s figures of 14,682 additional drivers, driver counts for carriers appearing in both the 2017 and 2018 CCJ Top 250 rankings increased 3.05 percent (14,926 additional drivers).

Driver growth by CCJ Top 250 companies still outpaced power unit growth nearly three-to-one, but much of that went to fill empty seats and put idle equipment back on the road.

The driver shortage remains a barrier to organic fleet growth in 2018 and continues its tightening grip on truck capacity.

Mergers and acquisition activity on the rise There were nearly a dozen major mergers and acquisitions among CCJ Top 250 fleets in 2017, none larger than the union of Swift Transportation and Knight Transportation. Last September, the two Phoenix-based truckload heavyweights officially combined to form Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings (CCJ Top 250, No. 3) with a reported $5.136 billion in revenue in 2017. Earlier this year, Knight-Swift acquired Abilene Motor Express (No. 221 last year), a 400-truck outfit from Richmond, Va., with roughly $100 million in annual revenues.

North of the border, C.A.T. (No. 134) shot up this year’s rankings after purchasing fellow Canadian truckload firm SLH Transport (formerly No. 147), tripling its tractor and driver counts in the process.

In an $83 million bid, Covenant Transportation Group (No. 38) acquired Greeneville, Tenn.-based Landair (formerly No. 226), adding 430 trucks and 900 trailers, and Eagle Express (No. 74) acquired Beam Bros. Trucking (formerly No. 195).

Also just announced is Penske Logistics’ acquisition of Epes Transport System (formerly No. 91), one of North Carolina’s largest trucking companies with 1,299 power units, 1,381 drivers and more than $200 million in annual revenue.

Flatbed consolidator Daseke (No. 23) continues to shoot up the CCJ Top 250 rankings, putting together a string of acquisitions in the last year, including Aveda Transportation, Tennessee Steel Haulers, The Roadmaster Group and Moore Freight Service. Daseke’s annual revenues have increased from $818 million to $1.44 billion since last year’s report.

In the intermodal segment, NFI (No. 28) acquired California Multimodal (formerly No. 227), a nationwide drayage trucking and warehousing service provider, while in the tank/bulk commodities segment, Kenan Advantage Group (No. 15) purchased the fuels-transportation assets of Mission Petroleum Carriers (formerly No. 214).

Go to CCJTop250.com for more detailed information!

The 2018 CCJ Top 250 rankings are comprised from a large data set used to calculate the annual list, including revenues and counts on power units, trailers, drivers and other company information.

You can view the detailed information at CCJTop250.com and sort by primary segment type to get a closer look at a carrier’s

performance in relation to its peers. You also can view carriers by rank in several other variables.

In the pages that follow, you will see where the trucking companies rank and learn more about some of the fleets in the CCJ Top 250 as chosen by our editors.

Turn the page for the CCJ Top 250® foldout commercial carrier journal

| august 2018 49

FROM LOWERING TOTAL COST PER MILE TO SUPPLYING A NATION. TOGETHER IT’S POSSIBLE In today’s competitive transport environment, you face unprecedented pressures to reduce operating costs and increase vehicle availability. Whether you want to increase engine efficiency, save fuel, or reduce lube consumption, our lubricants can help you go the extra mile so that you can do what you do best: supply our nation’s way of life.

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THE TOP 250 FLEETS ARE EXEMPLARY COMPANIES. TOGETHER THEY SUPPLY OUR NATION’S WAY OF LIFE.

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About the

C

ommercial Carrier Journal has ranked the top forhire trucking companies since the late 1960s. The CCJ Top 250 is the most comprehensive ranking of active carriers. Our ranking takes into account not only the revenues posted by a trucking company but also its fleet size and employment base.

Rankings based strictly on revenues often capture activities that have only an indirect relationship to transportation. Blending revenue, equipment and drivers also allows for a reasonable way to capture carriers that decline to disclose revenue.

The CCJ Top 250 ranking treats all carriers under one umbrella as a single entity; carriers with significant ownership by an individual, family or company but not organized under a single management team are treated separately. For a detailed explanation of the CCJ Top 250 ranking methodology, see “Ranking Methodology” to the right.

Our presentation of the CCJ Top 250 continues to evolve.

Carriers that went out of business or were acquired by other companies in 2017 aren’t listed; instead, only active carriers are displayed. And as we have done the previous five years, this year’s print version of the CCJ Top 250 provides only very basic information on the carriers we rank.

Virtually all of the underlying data – revenues, power units and drivers – appear only online at CCJTop250.com.

The CCJ Top 250 begins with data provided by RandallReilly’s RigDig Business Intelligence (www.rigdig.com/bi) based on data supplied by carriers to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on their required Form MCS-150 filings. Because this data can be – although rarely is – as much as a couple of years old and because the MCS150 does not include information on revenues, all carriers included in the ranking were given an opportunity to review FMCSA data for freshness and to supply information not included on the form. In some cases, CCJ supplements its data with other official sources, such as reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

If a carrier declines to verify or update the data that we 68

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provide it for review, we presume the publicly available data is valid and use it for ranking purposes. Carriers are never allowed to opt out of the ranking.

Ranking methodology CCJ’s ranking of companies is a blended scale based on a combination of revenue, total power units and number of drivers rather than a ranking simply by revenue. Companies considered for inclusion in the CCJ Top 250 were ranked from high to low by revenue, power units (weighted based on the type of power unit as discussed below) and drivers and assigned a rank in each category.

The numerical rank stored in each of the three fields was added together (revenue rank + vehicle rank + driver rank) to provide a rank sum. This sum then was ordered to provide the overall ranking assigned to each carrier, with the lowest sum receiving the highest rank.

A number of carriers failed to report actual 2017 revenue. In order to be included in the blended ranking, they were assigned – for blended ranking purposes only – a calculated revenue figure determined by multiplying the carrier’s total number of power units by the average of the bottom 50 percent of revenue per power unit performers for the companies in that carrier’s primary segment.

Calculated revenue is discounted by using the average of the bottom 50 percent of performers so that carriers failing to report revenue are not given an undue advantage in the ranking. Calculated revenue almost always will differ from actual revenue, of course, but the effect on the blended ranking likely is slight.

The power unit ranking, which represents an investment as much as a physical-count measure of trucking assets, takes into account the difference between tractors and trucks. The assumption is that a for-hire carrier with 1,000 tractors has a greater investment in equipment than one with 1,000 straight trucks. For the purpose of the blended rank only, a truck was weighted at half the value of a tractor.

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technology

MAKING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS WORK FOR YOUR FLEET

BY AARON HUFF

Creating capacity Fleets using tech to squeeze out more from their own resources

C

onstraints on fleet capacity are coming from the driver shortage, electronic logging devices, rising diesel prices and the Amazon effect on delivery expectations. Businesses and consumers now expect to specify their own delivery time windows and do it using text or email, says Will Salter, president and chief executive of Paragon Software Systems, which develops route scheduling and execution applications.

Routing and scheduling software can do more than maximize available capacity; it also can assist in retaining drivers.

This is one of the objectives at Transervice, an asset-based third-party logistics provider based in Lake Success, N.Y. Transervice uses routing software to create more consistent schedules for drivers. The company is working on more ways to get them home every other night and on weekends while maximizing their earnings, says Thomas Poduch, the company’s senior director of logistics design and technology.

Where possible, the company sends drivers work assignments and routes a week in advance to set their expectations.

This strategy is easier to do for orders from Transervice’s customers in the grocery industry because of more static and predictable routes.

By contrast, its livestock business is not so predictable. Orders are ready when the product is ready, and “no one is really sure when (products) are ready until they check,” Poduch says.

Another routing strategy is to “blow open” the route plans for customers on a quarterly basis. Transervice DRIVER SHORTAGE: uses its TMW Final Mile Fleets need technology to get routing software to reanathe most from their capacity. lyze its routes by running ROUTING SOFTWARE: “what-if” scenarios to Suppliers are seeing understand the impact of increasing demand for their different time windows products. for pickups and deliveries.

SHIPPER SOLUTIONS: As capacity grows More customers are taking tighter due to the driver control of their planning. shortage, Poduch is seeing 70

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Transervice, an asset-based third-party logistics provider, uses routing software to provide its drivers with consistent work schedules.

more customers take control and ownership over their own route planning and scheduling to optimize their network of inbound and outbound shipments.

As a 3PL, Transervice typically manages one side of the ledger and has been sharing routing data with customers to improve the overall solution. “We never hide behind our data,” Poduch says. “We want to know if you can do better.”

However, the best-laid route plans may fall short if drivers do not have the right information and workflow processes at their fingertips.

Paragon’s FleXipod is a form-based mobile proof-of-delivery system that populates with routes and information about each stop. The app also gives drivers tools to send automated phone calls, text messages or emails to customers to update the status of deliveries.

Once deliveries are completed, FleXipod can speed the completion of paperwork by electronically sending invoices, statuses, work orders and other documents to the main office for billing purposes.

With delivery data transmitted in real time, office staffs are alerted to job completions and can send out immediate invoices, Salter says. FleXipod also integrates with existing systems for invoicing and other processes.

AARON HUFF is Senior Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal. E-mail ahuff@ccjmagazine.com or call 385-225-9472.

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technology

SPONSORED INFORMATION

Part III: REAL WORLD IMPLICATIONS OF DRIVERLESS VEHICLES here are three main areas in which AVs will T have a profound impact: liability, traffic enforcement and safety. This column covers

the safety implications.

Imagine traveling behind an autonomous CMV. You both enter an on ramp where the highway speed limit is 55 mph. However, traffic is traveling at 70 mph. The truck accelerates but never exceeds 55 mph. Because of the speed of the other vehicles, the truck slows traffic and creates congestion and driving hazards. Alternatively, consider if the truck decides to attempt to merge – counting on the other vehicles to brake. What additional traffic risks would emerge from the sudden braking by the other vehicles?

Some are attempting to modify the software to operate more aggressively without breaking the law. These efforts are intended to make the cars operate more like humans. Others wonder if it would make sense to allow AVs to break certain laws. Does it make sense to exceed the speed limit in order to merge on a fast-moving congested highway? Are there moral issues associated with creating an AV that can break the law?

Consider this scenario: Two cars are parked on the side of a busy highway. A truck is passing when a child steps into the path of the truck. The truck does not have enough time to brake. Should the truck swerve into oncoming traffic and sacrifice the life of those aboard, or should it take the life of the child? Which life is more important? Who makes these decisions – the person writing the software? What if you don’t agree? Should you be able to override the software and create your own settings?

The industry is aware of these issues and the moral and ethical dilemmas each present.

How the manufacturers will proceed is anybody’s guess.

There are real issues that will arise with adoption of AVs. Liability, legal and enforcement issues as well as philosophical questions all need to be considered, and I think it is time we start the discussion.

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Xplore debuts L10 platform of rugged mobility devices

X

plore Technologies announced a new rugged mobility platform with three different Windows 10-based mobile computer form factors.

The Xplore L10 lineup The Xplore L10 lineup features the XSlate L10 slate tablet PC, features the XSlate the XPad L10 tablet PC with L10 slate tablet PC, a hard handle and built-in the XPad L10 tablet PC barcode scanner option, and with a hard handle and the XBook L10 two-in-one laptop/tablet with a companion built-in barcode scanner keyboard and strap. option, and the XBook L10 two-in-one laptop/ tablet with a companion keyboard and strap.

Each Xplore L10 model is designed to be customequipped to accommodate mobile workers’ device preferences and to address a wide set of application workflows in the field, vehicle, shop or office. Customers can choose from multiple Intel processors.

“We have introduced the industry’s first shared accessory ecosystem, which is a significant cost-saver for customers,” said John Graff, chief revenue officer for Xplore. “We have also created an extremely durable future-proof computing platform that will give organizations greater flexibility within their entire IT architecture.”

Each of the three rugged tablet-based form factors in the Xplore L10 mobility platform is available with: • A 4G LTE card to boost data download speeds by up to 600 percent and upload speeds by up to 300 percent over previous generations, boosting field worker productivity; • A standard 500-nit or 1,000-nit View Anywhere display with Gorilla Glass for optimized indoor and outdoor viewing; • A number of I/O ports to stay connected to legacy and future technology systems, including standard RJ-45, two USB 3.0 and USB-C, along with optional True Serial and HDMI-in; • The latest-generation NFC, Bluetooth 4.2, 802.11 ac Wi-Fi, UBLOX GPS and 4G LTE mobile broadband technologies for uninterrupted connectivity; • Simultaneous MIMO WWAN, MIMO WLAN and GPS pass-through antennas to improve in-vehicle throughput; and • Multiple security features, including two Smart Card/ CAC reader options, a Kensington Lock, TPM 2.0, removable SSDs and a fingerprint reader. – Aaron Huff

august 2018 7/13/18 2:01 PM

technology

INBRIEF • Omnitracs, a fleet management software provider for transportation and logistics companies, formed a strategic alliance with Verisk, a provider of data analytics services for insurers, to bring its customers additional opportunities to create operational efficiencies. Omnitracs customers can opt-in to transfer fleet driving data from the company’s telematics platform to the Verisk Data Exchange designed to help commercial insurers better manage risk and help fleet operators analyze their safety and operational costs. Fleets also will gain access to fleet insurance services and operational safety feedback.

• Velociti Inc., a provider of technology design, deployment and support services, announced a partnership with Cooltrax, a provider of real-time cold chain management for fixed, mobile and product-level assets. Cooltrax will offer Velociti’s VelociCare post-deployment support program as a bundled or independent program to all customers, and Cooltrax customers will have access to Velociti’s nationwide network of mobile technicians.

• Verizon Connect launched Work Mobile, an app designed to enable mobile workers to work offline and still receive job details and share notes, photos and signatures from the field to help increase speed and performance.

Administrators can see near-real-time job status updates and communicate schedule changes to help improve visibility and communication.

A simplified map and jobs list help provide a quick glance of tasks and locations for the day.

• Verizon Connect extended a strategic partnership with Ford Commercial Solutions that it obtained last year through its acquisition of Telogis, which had delivered hardware, services and connectivity to Ford’s commercial fleet customers since 2011. Verizon Connect also will leverage its Data Services product powered by Ford’s Transportation Mobility Cloud, an open cloud-based platform designed to connect vehicles, drivers, passengers and cities through software applications.

• Spireon announced an agreement with Ford Commercial Solutions to allow its FleetLocate fleet management system to access data through Ford’s open-platform Transportation Mobility Cloud without added hardware costs or installation. Ford-specific vehicle data will be available through the FleetLocate web and mobile applications to improve fleet management for Spireon customers who own Ford vehicles, combining information such as seatbelt usage, ABS events, oil life remaining and other data with FleetLocate’s analytics, alerting and reporting.

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Stay Metrics, Luma launch always-on driver training

S

tay Metrics, a provider of driver feedback, engagement, training and retention products for the transportation industry, announced Drive Safe Always, an extension of its Drive Safe Always Drive Safe training platform. The standalone online extenis designed for sion is designed for drivers and contractors to satisfy ongo- drivers and contractors to satisfy ing safety training requirements of their motor carriers. ongoing safety “Drive Safe Always gives motor carriers a convenient training requireand effective way to manage the contractual training ments of their motor carriers. requirements they have for employee and contractor drivers,” said Tim Hindes, chief executive officer for Stay Metrics. “Drivers can also use the training platform on their own to advance and to certify their professional skills and knowledge.”

Drive Safe Always is suited for motor carriers that require driver contractors to complete ongoing safety training as part of the anti-indemnity provisions in lease agreements to maintain insurance coverages.

Stay Metrics has partnered with Luma, an instructional design and learning company, to develop the training content designed to engage and reward drivers. All courses in the Drive Safe Always platform, called eNuggets, can be customized to match company-specific policies and procedures.

“We extract the most important safety concepts and use a variety of formats to optimize the learning experience for drivers,” said Scott Anderson, chief operating officer for Luma. “We also continuously improve the training using real-time analytics and driver feedback.”

– Aaron Huff

Spireon’s FleetLocate Cargo Sensor updated

S

pireon launched its latest FleetLocate Cargo Sensor with its proprietary IntelliScan sensing technology. The company said the new sensor provides a high level of accuracy in visualizing cargo load status and will capture the entire 53-foot trailer regardless of environmental conditions or varying cargo types.

“The industry has been in dire need of a better solution for cargo monitoring,” said Rick Gruenhagen, Spireon said its FleetLochief technology officer for Spireon. cate Cargo Sensor with IntelliScan will be availSpireon said the upgraded FleetLocate device able in the third quarter. combines several sensors within a single device and adds IntelliScan’s sophisticated processing power to the sensors themselves. IntelliScan is designed to use a combination of sensing methods that include optical imaging and laser time of flight, eliminating problems associated with cargo type and proximity, to provide trailer fleet managers with a more precise picture of what is inside every trailer.

“Inefficient cargo management kills profitability for all fleet managers — truckload, LTL and private fleets alike,” said Roni Taylor, vice president of strategy and business development for Spireon.

– Aaron Huff

technology

INBRIEF

Telematics data: Rural drivers are more risky

• PCS Software, a provider of transportation management and accounting software, announced an integration with Spireon, a provider of trailer-tracking technology, to provide trailer tracking within its Express Dispatch software, with historical positions per GPS ping and locations updated continuously.

W

idespread use of telematics devices to monitor vehicle and driver performance gives fleet technology suppliers plenty of data to analyze and identify macro-level trends.

Verizon Connect recently analyzed driving data from its customers to identify states with the safest and most dangerous commercial drivers. Its analysis accounted for harsh acceleration, harsh braking, harsh cornering and speeding, as well as fatalities.

According to Verizon Connect, the top three safest states are Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Nearly all 10 of the safest states are in the New England area where speeding opportunities may be limited due to traffic congestion; states with the fewest speeding events are Vermont, Virginia and Connecticut.

The most dangerous states all have large expanses of rural areas where speeding is likely to be more common.

That may be the case for three states with the most speeding events: North and South Dakota and Montana. On the other hand, North Dakota has the safest drivers, according to Verizon Connect’s data.

– Aaron Huff

Verizon Connect recently analyzed driving data from its customers to identify states with the safest and most dangerous commercial drivers.

Zebra launches RFID tracking portfolio

Z

ebra Technologies Corp. – a provider of rugged mobile computers, barcode scanners and printers enhanced with software and services for enterprise visibility – has launched a portfolio Zebra’s MotionWorks Asof location-based products for manufacturing, set location-based product is transportation and logistics. The Zebra Motiondesigned to allow businesses Works portfolio is designed to automatically to track and manage assets with detailed information sense the location of assets and inventory using about location and condition.

RFID technology.

Powered by Savanna, Zebra’s data intelligence platform, MotionWorks can integrate operational and edge data from multiple sources, including Ultra-Wideband, UHF RFID tags, Bluetooth Low Energy beacons and cameras. The portfolio’s options include: • MotionWorks Asset, designed to allow businesses to track and manage assets with detailed information about location and condition; • MotionWorks Material, which helps manufacturers manage and automate the flow of material through integrations with plant floor and enterprise resource planning applications; and • MotionWorks Yard, which facilitates the continuous flow of goods between transportation systems, distribution centers and manufacturing plants to help ensure the right trailer is at the right door at the right time. – Aaron Huff

• BlackBerry and DMC Insurance formed a partnership to jointly develop insurance-based products using data from BlackBerry Radar to help fleets improve operations, increase safety and better manage their cost of risk. BlackBerry Radar is an asset-tracking product designed to provide fleet owners added visibility into their cargo and mobile fleet assets, providing them with near-realtime information such as vehicle location, route and mileage, temperature, humidity and door status.

• Geotab, a provider of Internet of Things and connected transportation products, acquired FleetCarma, a provider of telematics technology for electric and hybrid vehicles and a consultant to utility companies regarding EV charging and its impact on the electric grid. Geotab said the purchase, terms of which were not announced, expands its presence in the EV space and offers its customers a telematics product to help meet their changing business and fleet needs.

• LoadDelivered, a food and beverage-specialized third-party logistics firm, and related company Logistical Labs were acquired by Capstone Logistics; terms were not announced. Capstone is an outsourced supply chain products provider to distribution centers in the grocery, foodservice and retail industries. Logistical Labs is the maker of LoadDex, a Software-as-a-Service platform built for collecting, analyzing and acting on supply chain data.

• Zonar, a provider of mobile fleet management technology, now offers the Samsung Galaxy Tab E tablet to run its fleet management hardware, software and apps, including electronic logging device-compliant logs and third-party apps for performance and asset utilization, data capture, reporting and analysis.

The Samsung-Zonar combination incorporates Samsung Knox, the company’s defense-grade mobile security platform, and Zonar’s Mobile Shield for mobile device management.

• FourKites announced that Coca-Cola Consolidated selected its core freight tracking platform and FourKites Insights, an advanced analytics product, to identify insights on key operational metrics – including dwell times at delivery locations and customer, carrier and lane analytics – to proactively drive continuous improvement. commercial carrier journal

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technology

Detroit Connect expands capabilities, services

D

aimler Trucks North America added two new connectivity services to its Detroit Connect portfolio: Detroit Connect Direct and a wireless in-cab device connection. Exclusive to the new Freightliner Cascadia spec’d with Detroit engines, the new services will expand communications and reporting capabilities and provide deeper insights for customers, the company said.

Detroit Connect Direct is designed to provide fleets with direct access to critical information such as vehicle location, fault codes and diagnostics, fuel performance, safety data and driver behavior. With Detroit Connect Direct, customers can select which data sets they want, how much they want and how frequently they would like that data made available so it can be imported into their backend systems.

“In addition to the vehicle-centric services we provide today, we understand that our customers have different business requirements as well as a variety of roles in their business that need accurate and timely information to help them perform their daily functions effectively,” said Jason Krajewski, director of connectivity for DTNA. “Detroit Connect Direct is all about empowering our customers by providing on-demand information they can tailor to meet their specifications and allow them

A driver can link to the Detroit Connect platform from an in-cab mobile device.

to run their business more efficiently and profitably.”

The proprietary Detroit Connect platform also will link wirelessly with an in-cab device via Bluetooth to allow hoursof-service data to be delivered to Detroit Connect-authorized electronic logging device apps, allowing the vehicle to meet federal ELD regulations without needing additional hardware.

“We are streamlining the ability for customers to receive critical information such as vehicle performance and hoursof-service reporting,” said Krajewski. “The Detroit Connect platform continues to enhance the benefits our customer can achieve through vehicle connectivity.”

The Detroit Connect platform also enables over-the-air engine parameter changes and extraction of engine reports.

– Jason Cannon

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technology

NACFE: Solar panels extend battery life, curb breakdowns

I

nterest in solar panels has grown because truck batteries often no longer are able to meet the power needs of today’s tractors due to increased driver comfort demands, new idle reduction legislation and increased freight tracking requirements, according to a North American Council for Freight Efficiency report issued last month.

To help fleets objectively evaluate the benefits and challenges of solar panels in their operation, NACFE said it aimed its “Solar for Trucks and Trailers” Confidence Report to explain solar applications for tractors and trailers, describe considerations to take into account when evaluating whether to invest in solar panels, and create awareness about the major trends driving and influencing the field of solar technologies as applied to commercial vehicles.

The report found that the main use of solar on tractors is to supplement battery HVAC systems and hotel loads without adding additional batteries to the truck.

Solar applications for trailers include support for liftgates, telematics and refrigeration units. “If a trailer has small electrical loads like a telematics system, then a small solar panel that ensures that the system will have virtually 100 percent availabil-

ity for trailer location and other related data makes a great deal of sense,” said Mike Roeth, NACFE executive director.

NACFE’s report found that the biggest benefits of solar panels came from extending battery life and avoiding emergency roadside assistance for dead batteries. According to the report, many fleet users are happy with the investment they made and intend to continue to use solar panels in the future.

NACFE’s report also includes best practice tips for fleets evaluating whether solar panels are a good investment. A confidence matrix and payback calculator are other tools included with the report.

– Jason Cannon

NACFE’s report found that the main use of solar panels on tractors is to supplement battery HVAC systems and hotel loads without adding more batteries.

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technology

in focus: DISPATCH SOFTWARE

Automating compensation Fleets restructuring pay with technology

BY AARON HUFF

D

river pay raises of 7 to 11 cents per mile were the norm in the first quarter of 2018, according to National Transportation Institute data. In addition to raising mileage pay, many for-hire and private fleets have developed new compensation and incentive programs that incorporate many other activities and behaviors.

Some carriers now are guaranteeing weekly amounts to drivers if certain conditions are met. Others have implemented an hourly pay structure, and some have switched to a salary plan.

The variety of performance bonuses and incentives also is expanding.

Altogether, carriers are developing driver pay schemes that diverge from the linear relationship that used to exist with their rating and billing processes.

However, creating separation between payroll and billing processes may cause an IT challenge, especially when backoffice systems do not have the flexibility to accommodate such changes without disrupting the flow of information in critical areas.

Flow charts for payroll More driver pay programs are using data from multiple sources. A transportation management software system supplies the operational data, and a telematics system delivers an array of driver performance data.

Rather than compile the data from these and other systems into spreadsheets to calculate driver payroll, motor carriers can use automated business systems.

McLeod Software is seeing more of its customers use its FlowLogix engine to “quickly adapt to whatever pay scenarios they want,” said Dustin Strickland, 78

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product manager of LoadMaster, the company’s flagship transportation management platform for carriers.

Using FlowLogix, truckload and less-than-truckload carriers can create flow charts and apply custom rules to data from LoadMaster and other third-party sources to automate driver pay programs and other business processes, Strickland said.

FlowLogix also can take data from McLeod’s Driver Scorecard application and other analytical products that carriers use to perform advanced calculations, such as the vendor’s McLeod IQ business intelligence platform.

Payroll capabilities of the TMWSuite transportation management platform from TMW Systems match the various types of rate structures that carriers use for time, mileage and activity-based compensation, said Damon Langley, TMW’s director of value engineering and professional services.

TMWSuite also allows users to configure unique pay and bonus programs with a “collect” procedure that applies custom business rules to the data in TMWSuite and from third-party sources such as telematics systems, said Mike Skoda, solutions engineer.

TMW also has operational and business intelligence tools that its customers can use to apply additional rules and conditions for pay, Langley said. Some carriers offer a minimum guarantee pay program that has certain thresholds for productivity and availability that drivers must meet to be eligible.

Paying for activities Now that electronic logging devices are mandated, carriers have a time record of

august 2018

TMW Systems added a “collect” process in TMWSuite for user-defined pay to be added automatically based off the rules the customer defines.

all driving and nondriving activities. This and other data sources can be analyzed and used to create additional compensation for nondriving activities such as inspecting equipment, fueling or waiting on dispatch.

Activity- and performance-based pay are among the most common industry trends, said Jerry Robertson, chief technology officer of Bolt, an Internet-based fleet management and dispatch software system.

Fleets now are paying drivers for a myriad of time-based operational activities such as relays, drop-and-hook operations and trailer swaps, Robertson said. The Bolt system is designed to track these and other details of freight from origin to destination and to provide carriers the flexibility to create driver pay and incentives for other activities such as adjusting the settings on reefer units, strapping flatbed loads and loading or unloading.

Fleets often use custom driver forms to capture information they need to update the status of their loads and to pay drivers for these and other activities.

The forms can be completed by drivers at designated locations on their routes by using a mobile app or an onboard mobile device, Robertson said.

To stay on the leading edge of driver pay, carriers are using technology to import and unite data from multiple sources and automatically execute their specific compensation programs and incentives.

technology

Volvo demonstrates platooning in N.C.

V

olvo Trucks performed an onhighway demonstration of a three-truck platoon made up of VNL tractors and 28-foot twin trailers in Raleigh, N.C. The demonstration in late June was held in partnership with FedEx and the North Carolina Turnpike Association and was held on a tolled public highway designated as an autonomous proving ground by the U.S. Department of Transportation — State Route 540, the Triangle Expressway.

Volvo’s platooning technology relies on vehicle-to-vehicle communications and advanced driver assistance systems such as active braking and advanced cruise control to enter into a platoon, with the trucks and trailers spaced 1.5 seconds apart — about 120 feet at 60 mph.

Platooning offers fuel economy benefits by decreasing aerodynamic

drag, but Volvo said the focus of this demonstration was on safety benefits.

All three trucks in the platoon – one VNL 670 and two VNL 300s – were operated by professional drivers who maintained control over the vehicle’s steering while the trucks were in platooning mode. However, the second and third trucks were able to maintain their following distance from their lead truck without the drivers having to use the brake or throttle. The trucks were loaded with simulated loads, operating at a gross vehicle weight of 77,000 pounds each.

Whenever the lead truck slowed, braked or accelerated, that information was shared instantly with the other two vehicles, which performed the same actions as the lead truck. Drivers could assume control of the vehicle if necessary, such as if a vehicle came between the trucks and broke the platoon.

Three Volvo VNL trucks and trailers platoon along North Carolina’s tolled State Route 540, the Triangle Expressway.

Vehicle-to-vehicle communications took place via small antennas mounted atop the trucks’ hoods and transponders mounted above the bumpers.

An 18-mile stretch of the Triangle Expressway outside Raleigh makes up the autonomous and platooning testing grounds, roughly 100 miles from Volvo Trucks North America’s headquarters in Greensboro, N.C. Volvo last year held a platooning demonstration on Interstate 110 in California, carrying drayage containers from the Port of Los Angeles.

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Paper Transport develops predictive trip planning tool that aids drivers, customers

BY AARON HUFF

F

or years, GPS-based breadcrumb reports have been a staple of fleet management technologies. The reports show a visual progression of driver locations to help identify areas of risk or inefficiency.

Where the reports often fall short is identifying loads that are running ahead of or behind schedule. They also do not eliminate guesswork or manual data entry from drivers’ trip planning processes.

Fleets typically require drivers to send macro messages to update their projected time available, and load planners and dispatchers use these driver PTAs to assign work. Drivers include transit times, hours-of-service breaks, fuel stops and detention in their estimates.

Leadership at Paper Transport Inc. (CCJ Top 250, No. 133) saw an opportunity to develop technology that flips the breadcrumb trail in the opposite direction. Instead of reporting what happened, the breadcrumbs give drivers forward-looking information to use for trip planning and also provide customers with better shipment visibility.

Charting a path PTI, which currently operates 750 power units, says its growth has contributed to a younger driving force compared to industry demographics. Ben Schill, vice president of the De Pere, Wis.-based truckload carrier, says PTI drivers average 45 years old and have less than two years of tenure.

The company traditionally has paired new drivers with trainers for onboarding.

PAPER TRANSPORT DePere, Wis. While drivers learn trip planning from trainers, they may need years of experience to master those skills, Schill says.

With the new technology, PTI has shortened the learning period for trip planning to the click of a button. For every work assignment, drivers can view a simulated trip plan on a digital map.

Drivers instantly can see where and when they will arrive at customers, fuel stops and HOS rest break locations, among other insights.

PTI released the first version of its smartETA technology in January. The application calculates travel and dwell times for every trip segment by using current and future load assignments, real-time and historic locations, HOS and various routing constraints.

Developing smartETA required “a lot of spatial data analysis,” says Peter Covach, director of information technology. The analysis uses data from PTI’s own database of millions of trip segments completed by drivers, as well as dwell times at geofenced customer locations. It also uses historical and real-time data from the fleet’s electronic logging device application.

Analysis of these and other data points has created machine learning algorithms that can predict accurate travel and dwell times for every shipment in PTI’s network.

Some commercial routing and navigation products are able to calculate ETAs

The truckload carrier develops its own technology to help drivers plan trips and improve shipment visibility. commercial carrier journal | august 2018

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Peter Covach, IT director for Paper Transport, says management saw an opportunity to build its own technology to have a competitive advantage.

using similar data points and techniques, but Covach says PTI management saw an opportunity to build its own technology to have a competitive advantage.

“There are other providers, but we didn’t believe they were as precise,” he says.

Accurate ETAs are helpful when drivers are planning where to take their 30-minute or 10-hour breaks for HOS compliance. The technology can identify patterns and make recommendations.

“We are seeing that multiple drivers like to take breaks in the same locations,” Covach says. With this insight, the technology can recommend locations and identify opportunities to swap loads to prevent late deliveries.

Another reason PTI developed the technology in-house was to predict more accurate dwell times at locations that are specific to its customers and types of freight.

“Our vision was to have minute-byminute predictions of where drivers and loads will be,” Schill says.

Measuring performance Several years ago, PTI developed a custom mobile driver app that runs alongside a third-party fleet management platform. The commercial platform provides PTI’s core messaging, scheduling and ELD applications and serves as a “springboard to build in our own functionality,” Covach says.

“We don’t want to be an hours-of-ser82

vice provider,” Covach says. “What we do want is to tack on our additional pieces to add additional value.”

Using the mobile app, drivers access their new trip view map by clicking a button in the “work assignments” feature.

The view “gives drivers something to start with, but they do not have to follow the plan exactly like that,” Schill says.

As drivers progress on a route, smartETA continuously recalculates their arrival times and updates the trip view display. Drivers also can view their route performance.

A separate driver scorecard app reviews their daily performance in several measurement categories. Drivers can see where they rank and track their progress toward a monthly reward.

One scorecard measurement is for route compliance. In the past, the measurement PTI used for out-of-route mileage was the difference between billable and odometer miles. The app now gives drivers immediate feedback on out-ofroute mileage based on the route drivers took compared to the prescribed route, as well as routes that other drivers took.

“This is a way to give our drivers another set of directions,” Schill says.

Proactive service The benefits of smartETA go beyond trip planning. By accurately predicting ETAs, PTI is able to predict which shipments in its network will be on time and which ones will be late.

PTI’s customers can use an online portal to view current shipment status.

A dashboard separates in-transit orders into three categories: loads that are tracking on time, loads within one hour of ontime delivery, and loads that will be late.

PTI also created an internal report that identifies loads in its network that will be late no matter what. Its customer service team uses this “toast report” to notify customers of late deliveries in advance, Schill says.

The fleet also provides customers with automated tracking information

commercial carrier journal | august 2018

through their preferred formats. Some customers use web service integration to receive ETA updates every hour, while others prefer traditional EDI status information. Some receive updates through PTI’s integrations with freight visibility applications from third-party vendors, Covach says.

Future roadmap Six months after smartETA’s implementation, PTI management has plotted a number of future enhancements.

“We see this as a critical cornerstone to a lot of things we can do in the future,” Schill says.

One possibility is to use smartETA for proactive maintenance scheduling.

If a trailer is due for an inspection, the software could determine the best routing scenario to direct the equipment to a service center.

Schill also sees an opportunity to predict ETAs more accurately based on the performance of individual drivers. Some drivers may have a tendency to stay longer at particular truck stops, he says.

For now, PTI is focused on training drivers to use the current trip planning tool. Management plans to begin pushing training to drivers at multiple times within their first three months on the job.

“Prior to really pushing it, we sent it out and have been getting a bunch of feedback while working on specific examples that needed some tweaking and fine-tuning,” he says.

The next big evolution for smartETA will be integrating it with the company’s turn-by-turn navigation app, which will give drivers a live view of ETAs and trip planning recommendations.

“I’m excited over the future of (smartETA),” Schill says.

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

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Artificial intelligence resets the boundaries of fleet management

BY AARON HUFF

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T

he term “artificial intelligence” may evoke fears of robots writing their own software code and not taking orders from humans.

The real AI, at least in its present form, is delivering results in the business world.

Technology companies are using powerful computers and advanced statistical models to accelerate product development. Most do not call these efforts AI but refer to them as machine learning.

As a form of AI, machine learning is making it possible to identify relevant patterns quickly from data captured by Internet of Things devices and sensors, says Adam Kahn, vice president of fleets for Netradyne, provider of the DriverI vision-based fleet safety system.

Ten years ago, fleet safety managers had to interpret critical events reported from telematics systems, Kahn says. A “hard brake” event might not have been a symptom of distracted or aggressive driving behaviors. The driver simply might have hit the brakes when a car suddenly cut him off in traffic.

Video-based safety systems have given fleets more context for hard braking and other safety-critical events. With machine learning, these systems can automate the review process of video and data by identifying complex patterns of risk.

Today’s latest technologies can give drivers visual and audible tones and feedback to deter risky behaviors such as fatigue and distraction. In many cases, this direct-to-driver coaching model can eliminate the need for managers to schedule face-to-face meetings with drivers.

Meanwhile, other applications using AI instantly solve difficult transportation problems beyond the realm of safety.

Moving to the edge

Lytx ActiveVision uses machine vision to detect patterns of risk caused by lane departures, distracted driving and unsafe following distances.

The foundations of machine learning and artificial intelligence are precise data and accurate statistical learning models, Kahn says.

Data precision comes from vehicle and engine electronics, cameras, sensors and IoT devices in vehicles. With precision, technology suppliers can apply machine

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TECHNOLOGY: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Netradyne’s DriverI video safety platform uses a four-camera system that enables a 360-degree field of view. The platform monitors both moving and stationary objects such as motorists, pedestrians, signage, traffic lights, weather and road conditions to instantly assess risk and aggressive driving behaviors.

learning models for accurate identification of relevant patterns.

The patterns are detected by algorithms uploaded to servers in the cloud and to “edge” computing devices that have the processing power to support advanced mobile applications.

Some edge devices use teraflop processors similar to those in home video gaming systems. The processing power enables computer vision to detect complex patterns of risk from high-definition video, Kahn says.

Patterns for driver fatigue, such as yawning and distraction, can be detected instantly, as can other behaviors such as unsafe following distances.

Ward Trucking (CCJ Top 250, No. 154) is using Netradyne’s DriverI technology in 220 of its trucks, with plans to implement the system throughout its entire 600-truck fleet. Steve Dunn, director of safety for the Altoona, Pa.-based lessAltoona, Pa.based Ward Trucking is using Netradyne’s DriverI technology in 220 of its trucks, with plans to implement the system throughout its entire 600-truck LTL fleet.

than-truckload carrier, is paying close attention to three kinds of risky driving behaviors.

When LTL drivers have violations at stop signs and red lights, close following distances or hard brake events, it signals they are rushing around to get to their next stop and are becoming frustrated, Dunn says.

“When a driver allows that to impact how he is driving, he becomes dangerous, and it could result in accidents,” he says. With real-time information from Netradyne, “we can identify those who are experiencing that and interact with them sooner.”

Ward Trucking also is recognizing safe drivers based on information and video captured by the DriverI platform.

Road-facing video clips of safe driving events are replayed on the TV systems at the fleet’s 19 terminals to “recognize drivers for things they do well,” Dunn says.

Ward Trucking also lists drivers by name on TV when they achieve a high DriverI “Green Zone” score.

The open gateway Many motor carriers still may be cobbling together data from multiple onboard IoT systems that do not “talk” to each other. As a result, they may have operational, safety and maintenance data in separate databases, causing much of their reporting and analysis to be done after the fact.

Having disparate streams of data also can limit the opportunities for using machine learning and AI. Fleet management technology is helping to reverse that trend, as more vendors take an open platform approach.

Dell Technologies sees an opportunity to “defragment” the IoT systems used in trucking. It recently launched an edge computing device that connects to various hardware and sensors on a vehicle to “start the

analytics process powering digital transformation,” says Brent Hodges, who leads Dell’s IoT planning and product strategy.

“The trend is to put more computing power at the edge (in the cab) so that one device can run analytics on several applications before sending data to the cloud,” Hodges says.

The Dell Edge Gateway 3002 is Intel Atom-powered and runs Windows IoT 10 or Linux for local applications and analytics processes. It comes with a wide band of connectivity options. Besides native CANbus connectivity, it has Bluetooth, Zigbee, WiFi and mobile broadband wireless options.

Dell collaborated with several companies on its IoT platform. Blue Dot, an enterprise mobile software application provider, has a fleet management system that runs on Dell’s Edge Gateway, and Dell also partnered with Microsoft. Data from the gateway can reside in Microsoft’s Azure Cloud Platform for real-time analysis.

An open platform may appeal to transportation companies that want a single gateway from vehicles that communi-

The Dell Edge Gateway 3002 is designed to interface with a multitude of sensors and systems on a vehicle.

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TECHNOLOGY: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

SmartDrive Systems, a provider of video-based safety and transportation intelligence, concluded 2017 with 30 percent growth in subscriptions from customers leveraging data for operations and for driver scorecards to reduce fuel costs and inform driver recruiting, retention and rewards.

cates with a single database in the cloud through one wireless subscription.

Fleets also may want to choose their own mobile applications and software for analytics and machine learning, says John Crupi, vice president of IoT analytics for Greenwave Systems. An open platform makes that possible, he says.

Greenwave is focused on real-time analysis of IoT data. The company’s Axon software engine runs on edge computing devices such as the Dell Edge Gateway to find data anomalies. Its recent efforts have focused on real-time cargo monitoring through sensor-based data such as temperature and humidity, among other conditions, Crupi says.

Being able to detect patterns instantly at the edge, rather than in the cloud, brings transformative capabilities to carriers and shippers, he says. A shipper could know instantly if the temperature of a load fluctuates at certain locations during transit.

Without real-time analytics on the edge, “these things are really hard to catch,” Crupi says.

which provides an open video-based driver safety and fleet telematics platform.

A database of GPS locations from commercial vehicles may be useful for solving routing problems, but if the goal is solving problems with driver distraction and other risky behaviors, then a more robust data set is needed, Ghanbari says.

In March, SmartDrive announced its next-generation Smart Recorder 4 platform. The SR4 edge device and its cloud-enabled analytics infrastructure will be able to capture more data for analysis of commercial routes and events to find correlations with safety and operating efficiency.

SmartDrive says to date it has analyzed 200 million events with relevant human training data, while more than 250,000 collisions and near-collisions have been captured. The SR4 platform can support up to nine cameras around a vehicle, which will help accelerate development of computer vision products, Ghanbari says.

“Machine learning and computer vision are the backbone of what we have been doing as a company,” he says.

SmartDrive is developing a line of SmartSense computer vision products.

One product can monitor eye movements and head positions of drivers to detect inattention, distraction and drowsy driving.

New products will be able to alert drivers, assess behaviors and trigger the capture of event data and video for lane departures, short following distances, forward colli-

Accelerated development With the volume and richness of IoT data continuing to increase, some technology suppliers have accelerated their product development paths.

“What you need for the next level is not who has the most data, but who has the most that is relevant to the problem you are trying to address,” says Ray Ghanbari, chief technology officer of SmartDrive, 88

commercial carrier journal

All Truck, a Chicago-based local and regional Midwest truckload carrier, implemented Lytx’s DriveCam program and the vendor’s ActiveVision service in its fleet of 350 trucks.

| august 2018

sion warnings, posted speed detection, traffic signs and signal violations.

“Data is the new oil, and machine learning is the new internal combustion engine,” Ghanbari says.

All Truck, a Chicago-based local and regional Midwest truckload carrier, implemented Lytx’s DriveCam program and the vendor’s ActiveVision service in its fleet of 350 trucks. ActiveVision, which has been in use for over two years in more than 55,000 vehicles, uses machine learning and a precision analytics algorithm designed to detect and capture driving patterns consistent with distracted and drowsy driving.

As part of the ActiveVision service, drivers receive real-time alerts to encourage immediate self-correction. All Truck also uses Lytx’s optional video command center for remote coaching. Drivers can review videos of risky driving events.

The remote coaching option “allows me to get in touch with my drivers quickly and removes the burden of waiting for a phone call or going out to meet them in the field, which can occupy several days,” says Don Henderson, safety director of All Truck.

Lytx to date has captured and analyzed more than 80 billion miles of driving data through DriveCam.

Selective review With machine vision, technology automatically is identifying safety-critical events for management to review and ferreting out “false positives.”

Fleet mobility provider PeopleNet uses machine learning for automatic detection of video events that need management review based on safety-critical behaviors such as fatigue and distraction, says Chris Orban, vice president of cross-business unit analytics for Trimble, PeopleNet’s parent company.

PeopleNet is beta-testing a new machine learning feature with select customers, with plans to expand the offering to all fleets using its Video Intelligence

TECHNOLOGY: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

PeopleNet’s Safety Analytics dashboard segments drivers into green, yellow and red profiles of risk.

platform. Orban and his analytics team also have plans to use machine learning to create new products for fleets.

One aspiration is to match drivers to the right freight at the right time to better manage fatigue levels and improve job satisfaction. “The end game is an optimization problem,” Orban says.

Machine learning applications go beyond safety. Omnitracs has developed an advanced routing algorithm that uses proprietary business logic to create optimal routes.

A feature within its routing application analyzes historical service times to recommend and adjust future planned pickups and deliveries. The feature enables fleets to consider various delays, such as traffic and waiting at docks, to account for time that increases or decreases with volume, says David Palle, vice president of product management for Omnitracs.

The predictions determine the op-

Omnitracs channels data from ADAS technologies, electronic logging devices and more to trigger event records and video.

timal stop assignments across multiple routes and the most efficient and effective order to sequence those stops within a route, Palle says. The information helps minimize mileage and drive time while meeting customer service windows.

The predictions also identify the best time to start the route on a specific day and can auto-adjust the start time. As part of this machine learning process for routing, proactive notification alerts can leverage the dispatch algorithm and traffic data to notify the contact at each destination of the estimated arrival time.

This helps minimize back-and-forth calls between customers, dispatch and drivers, Palle says.

In these and other instances, a growing number of fleets appear to be willing to let machines learn how to identify their risks and save them time. More often, there appears to be no fear in letting the robots “take over.”

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Stringent pre- and post-trip inspections can be the difference in addressing major violations before they put a truck out of service.

Fleets emphasizing pre-, post-trip inspections

BY JASON CANNON

I

t’s universally agreed that stringent pre- and post-trip inspections can be the difference in addressing major violations before they put a truck out of service, but the manner in which fleets train drivers on the practice and evaluate their performance varies widely.

Little Rock, Ark.-based Maverick Transportation (CCJ Top 250, No. 75) uses a computer-based platform to train new hires with previous driving experience on how to perform proper inspections. Student drivers receive more formal hands-on training that is built into the flatbed

carrier’s onboarding program.

Taki Darakos, vice president of maintenance for Des Plaines, Ill.-based Transervice Logistics Inc. (No. 214), says hands-on pre- and post-trip training – “physically walking through the different areas [drivers] should be looking at and talking about what it really means,” he adds – always is best when possible.

“What happens sometimes is we assume that everybody knows what the expectation is on a specific item, but that isn’t always clear,” Darakos says. “Everybody comes from different backgrounds.”

Education varies Drivers for Tuscaloosa, Ala.-based WTI Transport are provided with a classroom curriculum for inspections that is supplemented with a practical exam that requires them to conduct an actual inspection under the supervision of a safety manager.

“The classroom is fine, but nothing will be as sufficient as actually getting out there under the sun and moon and going over each and every area of the truck, trailer and load that you are required to inspect,” says Jem Blair, WTI’s vice president of safety.

Applicants at Excelsior Springs,

EDITOR’S NOTE: THE FOLLOWING STORY IS PART TWO OF A THREE-PART SERIES ON MAINTENANCE VIOLATIONS. JULY’S INSTALLMENT ADDRESSED TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING AND AUTOMATIC TIRE INFLATION SYSTEMS. SEPTEMBER’S STORY WILL FOCUS ON BUILDING A TEAMWORK-FOCUSED PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM. 90

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EQUIPMENT: PRE- AND POST-TRIP INSPECTIONS Mo.-based Waller Trucking must have a minimum of two years of onhighway experience, so the company doesn’t start its training program from square one.

“Since we hire veteran drivers, we expect them to have some basic knowledge,” says Amanda Schuier, Waller’s director of marketing and recruiting. “But as part of the orientation process, drivers do a complete vehicle walk-around with our technicians one-on-one.”

At WTI terminal locations, it’s not uncommon for a safety manager to pretrip a truck behind a driver, but in most other cases, management has to rely on the driver’s willingness to do the work.

“After the orientation period, I’m confident the driver has the knowledge to do what he or she is supposed to be checking for,” Blair says. “But once they get out on the road, you have to rely on the driver to actually do the job he or she has been trained to do.”

Memphis, Tenn.-based Ozark Motor Lines (No. 129) gives all its drivers hands-on training with a live truck and trailer. That is supplemented with monthly online training that includes continuing pre- and posttrip education.

“All drivers go through that orientation and get that same training, regardless of experience,” says Glen McDon-

ald, Ozark’s director of maintenance.

Giving all drivers the same foundational training establishes a universal standard within the fleet, Blair says.

“Sometimes you have drivers that have been in the industry for several years that have developed less-thandesirable habits with vehicle inspections,” he says. “We explain the reasons why we inspect the equipment. Then we show them how we would like to have it done.”

Training time Curt Valkovic, Maverick’s director of training, says the amount of time the company dedicates to pre-trip inspections will vary depending on the needs of the individual driver.

Students with less than six months experience will receive up to three hours of academics and about 15 hours of practical hands-on experience before being turned over to operations, Valkovic says. For regulars with more the six months experience, 1.5 hours of academics and one to two hours of practical hands-on work is all that’s needed.

All student drivers will spend time on the road with one of Maverick’s 150 trainers performing pre- and post-trips as part of their day.

“Not only are they still learning how

More than half of CSA violations are maintenance-related, with lights, brakes and tires being the most common defects.

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EQUIPMENT: PRE- AND POST-TRIP INSPECTIONS Technology can help your fleet find issues during preand post-trip inspections before an officer does.

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

to drive, they’re learning how to do pretrips and logs, and they’re learning how to secure freight,” says Brent Hilton, Maverick’s director of maintenance.

Darakos says that once Transervice drivers hit the road, they receive refamiliarization training twice a year regardless of their level of experience and the frequency in which they find issues.

WTI offers annual retraining and remedial vehicle inspection training when any driver is cited with a Compliance Safety Accountability violation for “maintenance that we deem he or she should have been able to catch during the inspection,” Blair says.

Those unlucky drivers get half a day of retraining and are required to perform a pre-trip to WTI’s satisfaction before being returned to regular duty.

Darakos says that once a Transervice driver is trained properly on inspections, the next step is making sure they’re actually doing them.

“A lot of fleets don’t have good visibility into whether or not every driver is onboard with doing a pre-trip and post-trip every day,” he says. “The first challenge is making sure everyone is doing it, then making sure they’re taking the time to do a thorough pre-trip.”

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Trucks that regularly return to the yard with a maintenance issue often serve as an indicator that a driver’s preand post-trip inspections leave something to be desired.

“Normally, if a driver’s not doing a pre-trip inspection, it’s going to show up when that DOT inspection happens,” Hilton says. “You can normally tell that this probably was leaking or something should have been visible before he left, and he should have noticed it.”

Maintenance involvement Waller policy requires a full truck inspection every time a truck returns to the yard or a minimum of once a month.

“Our technicians go over the truck front to back regardless if the driver has reported a problem or not,” Schuier says.

Darakos says road calls and repair data are also good tools to evaluate a driver’s inspections, but he adds it’s critical to relay those findings back to the driver for a positive outcome.

“I think most people want feedback, and they want to understand whether they’re doing a good job or a bad job,” he says.

| august 2018

A good vehicle inspection is only as effective as the maintenance department’s ability to fix it.

When an item is flagged by a Maverick driver during an inspection, it is communicated to the maintenance department through the company’s Qualcomm system.

“We’ve got seven maintenance coordinators that work out here and manage the maintenance on our fleet,” Hilton says. “Those forms go not only to operations and logistics but also to maintenance coordinators so they can follow up and get those items fixed.”

Ozark’s Qualcomm system requires the driver to acknowledge having performed a pre-trip and every 24 hours prompts them to submit a driver vehicle information report (DVIR).

“Those, depending on what it is, go through our road breakdown department,” McDonald says. The department schedules any work needed and prioritizes it by severity.

McDonald says that for fleets using paper write-ups, detail is key, and the more, the better.

“It’s really important that operators are specific and detailed,” he says. “That gives the technicians a place to start addressing issues.”

The onus of a good inspection then shifts from the driver to the maintenance department. Darakos says if a driver is regularly performing highquality checks but their flagged items

EQUIPMENT: PRE- AND POST-TRIP INSPECTIONS aren’t being fixed, don’t expect their continued willingness to do the work.

“If you have a group of drivers and they’re doing the right thing – they’re writing the equipment up and saying we’ve got this problem and that problem – from a shop perspective you’ve got to get after it,” he says. “If I’m a driver and I’m writing it up for 30 days that I have this ‘check engine’ light and no one’s doing anything about it, at some point my desire or my thoroughness starts to fade, and maybe I get into a ‘I don’t give a damn’ type of mood. That’s when you start to run into a lot of problems.”

Incentivizing drivers Hilton says Maverick has found success in rewarding drivers who help keep their trucks in top mechanical condition. Drivers are incentivized for clean CSA inspections, which ensures timely performance of preventive maintenance.

“That all plays into some of their pay,” he says.

Ozark offers financial gain by way of gift cards, and WTI drivers receive $100 for each clean Level 1, 2 or 3 inspection.

With the hopes of catching CSA violations before the truck leaves the yard, WTI runs occasional initiatives where

high-quality pre- and post-trip inspections come with unexpected bonuses for drivers, Blair says.

“We’ve had programs in the past where we would be on a vehicle inspection campaign, and we actually hid a $50 bill in a certain area of a truck or trailer, in somewhat of an inconspicuous location but in an area that would be part of the driver’s inspection,” he says. “If the driver finds it, they get to keep it.”

Schuier says Waller has found that praise for a job well done helps boost both morale and uptime. The company consistently sends fleetwide messages commending drivers for their performance and communicates any improvements that may come in the company’s CSA scores because of their efforts.

This summer, Waller kicked off a companywide challenge for its drivers where they can earn poker chips for being caught performing vehicle inspections on fleet premises. Those chips and others earned through performance metrics pile up in an internal contest that will award the winner $500.

“It’s important to be proactive versus reactive,” Schuier says. “In a reactive situation, you have a breakdown on the road.”

TransPro drivers Michal Dylewski, left, and Janus Moskala conduct their pre-trip inspections during a competition at a company safety meeting. Dylewski, Moskala and other TransPro drivers routinely receive hands-on training coupled with CarriersEdge online training to hone their vehicle inspection skills. TransPro managers say the friendly competition and training go a long way in improving the company’s safety scores.

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THANK YOU TO ALL OUR CARRIER PARTNERS AND THE PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS WHO SUPPORTED OUR MISSION LAST YEAR. In 2017, nearly 500 truckloads of veterans’ wreaths were transported across the country through a network of more than 200 carriers, hundreds of professional drivers, numerous suppliers to the trucking industry and countless hours of dedicated volunteers committed to the mission to Remember, Honor and Teach.

4 D’s Trucking, Inc. A. N. Webber, Inc. A&S Kinard AAA Cooper Transportation Abilene Motor Express ACV Enviro Inc. AJ Trucking Allen Lund Company Allied Van Lines Inc. American Central Transport American Van Lines, Inc. Anchor Moving & Storage Apple Transfer, Inc. Aprin Van Lines, Inc. Arkansas Trucking Association Armellini Express Lines, Inc. Ashley Distribution Services, Ltd ATA - Share the Road B H 92 Trucking Inc. Bay & Bay Transfer Baylor Trucking Bennett Motor Express Best Cartage, Inc. Bestway Express, Inc. Big G Express, Inc. Big M Transportation, Inc. Black Lake Ventures Inc. BNSF Boyd Brothers Inc. Bristol Plymouth Moving & Storage Britton Transport Brown Dog Carriers LLC Brown Trucking Company Buchheit Logistics C.R. England, Inc. CalArk, Inc. Cargo Transporters, Inc. Carlyle Van Lines Central Oregon Truck Co. Inc. CEVA Logistics CFI Chambers Transportation City Transfer and Storage Classic Carriers Convoy Systems, LLC Cordeiro Trucking LLC Covenant Transport Cowan Systems, LLC Culpeper Transport Co., Inc. D.M. Bowman Dart Transit Company Daseke, Inc. Delaware Technical & Community College Delhaize Transportation LLC (DBA Hannaford Supermarkets)

Denka Trucking - Dick Butler Do it Best Corp/Transervice Logistics Don Hummer Trucking Corporation Dutch Maid Logistics E. W. Grenon & Son, Inc. E. W. Wylie Earl L. Henderson Trucking Epes Transport System, Inc. Erb International, Inc. Esten Lumber Products, Inc. Estes Express Lines Exodus Moving & Storage FedEx Freight Foster Hill Transport LLC Freightliner Trucks Freightliner Trucks - Joey Slaughter Fremont Contract Carriers Freymiller, Inc. Frito Lay G&P Trucking Gangloff Industries, Inc. Garner Trucking, Inc. Gateway Distribution Grand Island Express Greater Dayton Moving and Storage Gully Transportation, Inc. Halvor Lines, Inc. Hampton Roads Moving and Storage Harris Teeter Hartt Transportation Systems, Inc. Heartland Express Heritage Transport, LLC High Transit, LLC Hirschbach Motor Lines Hobby Lobby Stores Hoekstra Transportation, LLC Hofer Ag Logistics LLC Horton Inc. In Their Honor Trucking LLC International Paper Interstate Van Lines Inc. J. Grady Randolph J.B. Hunt Jagtrux, Inc. Jetco Delivery John Christner Trucking John D. Rockefeller Career Center CDL Program JTI Logistics, LLC K-Limited Carrier Ltd. Kennesaw Transportation, Inc. Knight Transportation Knudsen Trucking Company Koleaseco Inc. Kona Transporation

Landstar - Lisa McAlpine Landstar - Robert Mead Lehew Transport LLC Leonard’s Express Load One LLC Lone Star Transportation M&M Transport Services Inc. Main Street Movers, Inc. Matrix Expedited Service LLC Matson Maverick Transportation McGuire Moving & Storage Inc. Metropolitan Trucking Money Relo Motor Carrier Service, Inc. Nagle Companies National Carriers, Inc. Nestle Waters North America, Inc. (DBA Poland Spring Bottling Company) Network Transportation LLC New World Van Lines, Inc. IL NFI Industries North Carolina Trucking Association North State Transportation - Scott Harris Norton and Son Trucking Oakhurst Dairy Omni Moving & Storage, Inc. Open Range Transporation Inc. Page Transportation Inc. PAM Transport Paper Transport Inc. Paul MH Sagehorn LLC Pepsi Bottling Ventures Perdue Transportation Incorporated Performance Trucking, Inc. Pinnacle Freight Lines, Inc. Portland Air Freight Inc. (DBA PAF Transportation) Pottle’s Transportation Pride Transport, Inc. Prime, Inc. Quality Services Moving Quest Global Inc. R.C. Moore, Inc. Raider Express Red Classic Transport Reebie Storage & Moving Company Regency Transportation Rock Solid Transport Saddle Creek Logistical Services Saia Motor Freight Line LLC Schneider National Schneider National - Dave Blevins Service Transfer Inc. Sheetz Distribution Services

Silver Fern Express LLC Skyline Transportation, Inc. Smokey Point Distributing Sourdough Transfer Steve McGee Construction Stevens Transport Inc. Stoller Trucking LLC Sun Coast Resources Inc. SW Storage and Transport T.S. Boyd Grain Logistics Inc. TA/Petro - Open Road Distributing Taylor Truck Line, Inc. TG Logistics LLC The Liberty Group Thomas E. Keller Trucking Inc. TLD Logistics Services, Inc Total Transportation of Mississippi Town and Country Movers Inc. Transco Lines, Inc. Transport America Tribe Transportation Try Hours, Inc. Tyson Foods Inc. U.S. Xpress, Inc. Unifi UPS Freight URS Midwest Inc. USA Truck, Inc. V&J Strupp Trucking LLC Victory Worldwide Transportation Walmart Transportation Walter P. Rawl and Sons, Inc. Warren Transport, Inc. Waste Management Waste Masters Solutions LLC Weinrich Truck Line WEL Companies, Inc. Western Express Forwarding LLC White Oak Farms Wil-Trans Witte Bros. Exchange, Inc. WWC Inc. Zelten Trucking LLC

trucking.wreathsacrossamerica.org

We need your help to support the mission this December, please visit trucking.wreathsacrossamerica.org today!

All-position metro, regional tire TBC’s Sumitomo ST719 all-position tire for metro and regional applications uses the tread design of the company’s steer ST719SE that is engineered for increased wear, traction and performance. A wider tread width contributes to improved retreadability, while stone ejectors help minimize stone drilling and protect the tire casing. The ST719 also incorporates Sumitomo’s S-Tech Design with an extra-wide tread face to facilitate increased vehicle stability. Twelve sizes are planned.

TBC Brands, www.tbcbrands.com, 800-238-6469

Long-haul steer tire Drivetrain parts for older trucks

Dana’s Spicer Select drivetrain parts line offers all-makes coverage for the North American commercial vehicle aftermarket. Suited for aging vehicles, the portfolio features Dana-engineered and -tested drivetrain parts manufactured by a network of partners and includes u-joints and center bearings, with yokes planned. Similar to the red branding of Spicer parts, Spicer Select parts will be identifiable in aftermarket outlets by their purple packaging and branding.

Dana Inc., www.danaaftermarket.com, 800-621-8084

Stainless-steel hood shield

RoadWorks’ Stainless Steel Hood Shield is designed to transform a truck’s appearance while offering streamlined, stylish hood and windshield protection against weather, bugs and road debris, clearing the driver’s line of sight. The shield is precision-engineered with a stiffener rib along the top edge to help maintain its shape against wind. It is available for 2008-15 Freightliner Cascadia, International ProStar, Kenworth T680/T800/W900L and Peterbilt 389 models.

RoadWorks Manufacturing, www.roadworksmfg.com, 800-448-8741

Goodyear’s LHS (longhaul steer) tire is the latest addition to the company’s Endurance lineup and is the companion to its LHD (long-haul drive) tire. The Goodyear LHS will replace its G399A but will feature that tire’s tread design and geometry while adding new tread and tire casing compounds designed to extend service life while providing a more consistent footprint.

“We’re going to use tread compounds for miles to removal and casing compounds to improve fuel economy,” says Mahesh Kavaturu, Goodyear marketing manager. “We are eliminating the trade-out that you see in tires.

Typically, when you get mileage, you have to compromise in fuel [mpg] and vice versa.”

The Goodyear LHS tire also will phase out the three-layer tread compound used in the G399A in favor of a dual-layer tread that Kavaturu says provides more even and longer wear.

The Goodyear Endurance LHS is available in sizes 295/75R22.5, 285/75R24.5, 11R22.5 and 11R24.5, all load ranges G and H. Goodyear, www.goodyeartrucktires.com, 866-353-3847 commercial carrier journal | august 2018

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PRODUCTS

Cascadia cabin air prefilter Freedom Air Filters’ cabin air prefilter for Freightliner Cascadia trucks is suited for grain haulers, oilfield haulers and any trucks used in dirt- and dust-filled applications. The washable and reusable prefilter is treated with a hydrophobic water-repellant process that helps keep out rain, ice and snow.

Retainer clips are included to help facilitate a quick, simple installation without drilling or gluing.

Freedom Air Filters, www.freedomairfilters.com, 877-454-6565

Pigtail plug/receptacle safety shim Sure Shim’s pigtail plug/receptacle safety shims are made of a proprietary blend of polypropylene with additives for protection from UV rays, corrosives and extreme cold temperatures down to -25 degrees Fahrenheit. The sleeve shim slides over the pigtail plug, and when the pigtail is plugged into its receptacle, the shim is designed to seat firmly for a solid connection without any movement, eliminating flickering lights while traveling. Because ABS lights often come on with a poor plug connection, the shim also helps the ABS indicator function properly.

Sure Shim Products, www.sureshim.com, 801-989-7566

Reservoir purge valve

Haldex’s Reservoir Purge Valve is engineered to keep contaminants from building up in the reservoir by purging the tank when the parking brake is set or emergency air is released from the towed vehicle. Once the supply air pressure is removed from the valve, the Reservoir Purge Valve opens the reservoir line to purge, and when the reservoir air pressure reaches 90 psi, the valve shuts off the purge operation, maintaining the reservoir pressure at “ready” and allowing for a quick system recharge for the vehicle’s next trip. The valve has a maximum system pressure of 150 psi and an operating temperature range of -45 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Serviceable filters can be cleaned and replaced without removing the valve from the vehicle, which helps protect the valve from debris. The lightweight valve has a built-in mounting bracket to help simplify installation.

Haldex, www.haldex.com, 800-643-2374

Electric motor

BorgWarner’s High Voltage Hairpin 410 Electric Motor is suited for hybrid vehicles in urban areas and is designed to be positioned between the clutch and gearbox. The 650-volt motor drives the vehicle at low speeds when enough energy is available and charges the battery by generating power while braking or driving downhill.

With its clean, quiet operation, the HVH410 allows for operation in zero-emissions zones and noise-sensitive areas. The compact motor, available fully housed or as part of a rotor/stator assembly, features the company’s proprietary HVH stator-winding technology engineered to deliver a maximum torque of 2,000 Nm and a power output of up to 300 kW (402 hp) with peak efficiencies of over 95 percent.

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

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PRODUCTS

Thermal-barrier sleeve

Driver status monitor

Denso’s driver status monitor is designed to check for distractions, drowsiness, sleep and inappropriate posture based on the driver’s facial image, which is captured by an in-cab camera. If drowsy or distracted driving is detected, the monitor voices an alert, and the driver’s condition is recorded on a SD card. An operations manager and the driver can review the driving status, the number of voiced alerts and an image of the driver when the alert was triggered. The driver’s condition also can be notified to the operation manager in real time, making it possible to caution the driver and take quick action in the event of an emergency. The monitor can be linked with a telematics device and a cloud-based digital tachograph.

Denso, www.denso.com, 248-350-7500

Heatshield’s Lava Tube thermal-barrier sleeve is designed to protect fluid lines from heat exposure, prevent vapor lock and shield wires from heat damage. The sleeve is made from a specially formulated proprietary volcanic rock-based cloth engineered to withstand continuous heat of 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit and up to 2,000 degrees F of intermittent heat.

The sleeve’s fibers are designed for added durability to help resist abrasions and chemical exposure.

A high-temperature hook-and-loop fastening system helps simplify installation, including on lines, cables, wiring bundles and linkages. The sleeve is available in four diameters ranging from ½ to 1½ inches and in lengths of three and 10 feet that can be cut to fit.

Heatshield Products, www.heatshieldproducts.com, 844-723-2665

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(877) 557-8782 commercial carrier journal | august 2018

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PRODUCTS

Self-steer auxiliary suspension Ridewell’s RSS-2361000 self-steer auxiliary suspension for I-beam axle integration is designed for single-wheel applications and is rated with a 13,500-pound capacity. The suspension has an adjustable frame width and low-maintenance polyurethane bushings. An integrated air tank kit is available.

Ridewell Suspensions, www.ridewellcorp.com, 800-641-4122

Truck tire line

Giti Tire’s commercial truck tires for the North American market are suited for long-haul, regional, urban/light-duty and mixed-service applications. The Giti brand incorporates retreadability into 17 tread patterns and 59 SKUs, with updated pattern-naming conventions to help fleets, owner-operators and dealers select the correct tires for their applications. Tires initially available include the GSR225 (Regional Steer), GDL633FS (Long Haul Ultra Wide Base Drive), GTL933FS (Long Haul Ultra Wide Base) and GAM851 (All Position Mixed Service).

Giti Tire, www.giti.com, 866-488-4737

Entrained air in diesel fuel is the problem. AirDog® products are the solution.

AirDog®

AirDog® Champ I

AirDog® Champ II

AirDog® products provide improved fuel economy, increased power/ torque, smoother idle, longer injector life, and reduced emissions in a wide range of heavy duty diesel engine applications.

Wave inverter

Purkeys’ Invert Pure Sine wave inverter uses the company’s DynaBalance monitoring technology that monitors the battery’s state of charge, even under load, rather than just its voltage.

DynaBalance is housed within a control module remotely connected by a cable to the inverter unit. The controller displays how much power is available for the driver to use, and the DynaBalance technology is designed to allow the control module to give drivers the maximum amount of battery power possible. It is engineered to sense when the state of charge has reached a programmable predetermined set point and will shut the inverter off to ensure the truck’s batteries remain able to crank the engine. The inverter is available in 1,500 and 2,000 watts.

877-GO-DIESEL (877-463-4373) • www.AirDogDiesel.com 98

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

PRODUCTS

Bushing adapter kits

OTC’s 4250 Front Suspension Bushing Adapter Kit and 4254 Rear Suspension Bushing Adapter Kit are compiled for servicing Hendrickson heavy-duty front and rear suspensions. The adapters are designed to eliminate the need to purchase separate tools to service the front and rear suspension systems and replace rusted and frozen heavy-duty bushings. The 4250 kit aids in removing and installing select Hendrickson front suspensions, including Paccar Monoleaf,

Navistar Monoleaf and Volvo Monoleaf D-Pin pivot bushings. The 4254 kit assists with removing and installing select Hendrickson rear suspension bushings, including Primaax EX, Comfort Air and FCCC V Ride Pivot and D-Pin bushings. The kits include a custom plate designed to provide an exact fit with the suspension pieces and custom adapters to help align the tool properly.

OTC, www.otctools.com, 800-533-6127

Urethane sealer

PPG’s F4943 2.1 VOC Fast Dry Urethane Sealer, part of the company’s Delfleet Evolution lineup, is formulated to be lead- and chromate-free and fully compatible with all its primers.

F4943 is designed to provide excellent gloss holdout and fast dry times and to be topcoated in as little as 15 minutes while allowing for a three-hour pot life and a threeday recoat window. The sealer is available in black, white and gray and has a 2.1 VOC rating that makes it compliant for all parts of the United States and Canada.

PPG Commercial Coatings, www.ppgcommercialcoatings.com, 800-647-6050 commercial carrier journal | august 2018 Untitled-6 1

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Precision fit for your Tractor, Trailer, Truck or Bus

• Not affected by road grime, oils, fuels or contaminants.

For more information, visit our website at www.etcominc.com or call us at 610.325.4496.

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TOTAL FLEET SHOPPER US Trademark Reg. No. 5179055, 5193900

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Shell Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . shell .us/lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30, 31

FleetPride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . fleetpride .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

TMFS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . driversfilesonline .com/AF=CCJ . . . . . . 102

Fleetworthy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . fleetworthy .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

TMW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . tmwsystems .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89, 91, 93

Freightliner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . freightliner .com/corneroffice .com . . .IFC-1

Total Specialties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . totalspecialties .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Fumoto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . fumotousa .com/ccj . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Truck Force . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . truckforceservice .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Great Dane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . greatdane .com/microban . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

VeeBoards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . veeboards .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Howes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . howeslube .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Verizon Connect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . verizonconnect .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Imperial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . imperialsupplies .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Vipar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vipar .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18, 45

Innovative Products . . . . . . . . . . . . ipatools .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Volvo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . volvotrucks .us/safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26-27

Instructional Technologies . . . . . . instructiontech .net/onboard . . . . . . . . . 104

Volvo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . roadchoice .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . upnexttrucking .com/supplychain . .12-13

Wheel-Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . wheel-check .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Isuzu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . isuzu .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IBC

Wreaths Across America . . . . . . . . trucking .wreathsacrossamerica .org . . . 94

J .J . Keller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jjkeller .com/seals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Xtra Lease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xtralease .com/25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

commercial carrier journal | august 2018

103

PREVENTABLE or NOT? Doe can’t sneak by snack van

W

inter hauling in a straight truck had paid off for driver John Doe – as evidenced, in part, by his acquisition of two polychromatic batteryoperated “Smurdley Super Strike” fishing lures that emitted enticing noises, thrashed around a whole bunch and had enough LEDs to generate a light show. Alas, Doe’s profitable ways and daydreams of landing the perfect bass were about to take a beating … along with an illegally parked Chevy van owned by “Tasty Hot Lunch Inc.” The collision would occur at high noon under a cloudless sky as Doe had pulled away from the freight dock of the local food distribution center and was proceeding cautiously down a narrow one-way exit road when he saw that his path was obAs John Doe squeaked by structed partially. The obstacle in question a parked van in a narrow was a steaming lunchwagon-type snack van space, the van’s driver that’d dropped anchor in a “No Parking” opened the rear doors, one of which was damaged zone to sell fresh sandwiches and beverages

by Doe’s truck. Was this a to hungry freight handlers. preventable accident?

Eyeballing the situation, Doe determined that clearance was adequate to squeak past the van, so he checked all of his mirrors to make sure he had a clear path and started to pass the other vehicle at a snail’s pace. Just as Doe was about to clear the scene, the van’s driver, Jimmy Dorfman, swung open both rear doors, and the van’s left door was touching the side of Doe’s truck!

Armed with the lightning reflexes of a professional truck driver, Doe detected the sudden door-opening maneuver in his shotgun-side West Coast mirror and instantly hit the brakes, but … WHUMP! Oh no!

The right rear corner of Doe’s truck had snagged one of the van’s doors, crinkling it and causing the vendor’s supplies to cascade onto the ground! Since Doe contested the preventable-accident warning letter from his safety director, the National Safety Council’s Accident Review Committee was asked for input. To Doe’s relief, NSC declared it nonpreventable, since he couldn’t have anticipated that Dorfman suddenly would swing the van doors open.

104

commercial carrier journal | august 2018

GET YOUR CLASS 6 ISUZU FTR WORKING FOR YOUR BUSINESS THIS YEAR APR RATES AS LOW AS

2.79 %

ON ALL NEW ISUZU FTR TRUCKS See Your Local Isuzu Dealer For Further Details Vehicles shown with optional equipment; some equipment is dealer installed. F-Series vehicles are assembled from component parts manufactured by Isuzu Motors Limited and by independent suppliers who manufacture such components to Isuzu’s exacting standards for quality, performance and safety. The 2.79% APR finance offer expires 12/31/18 and is only available through Isuzu Finance of America, Inc. Finance terms are limited. Participating dealers only. Credit approval required. Please see your authorized Isuzu dealer for qualifying information. Truck bodies represented herein are products of the Morgan Corporation. © 2018 ISUZU COMMERCIAL TRUCK OF AMERICA, INC.

Introducing the Model 579 UltraLoft™, with a lightweight integral cab-sleeper design that takes the Model 579 to new levels of driver comfort and performance. The distinctive exterior features a bold, sculpted roofline and aerodynamic enhancements for increased fuel economy. The new interior offers best-in-class headroom, bunk space and storage. The standard PACCAR Powertrain, including the PACCAR MX-13 engine and the advanced PACCAR Automated Transmission, maximizes fuel efficiency and drivability, making the Model 579 UltraLoft the driver’s truck of choice.

For more information, stop by your nearest Peterbilt dealer or visit Peterbilt.com.

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