CCJ0917 by dwatson

SEPTEMBER 2017

SPECIAL REPORT: ELDS

Will devices comply with intrastate rules? page 42

CCJ's TECH TOOLBOX

You bought it, now implement it page 59

ROLL AWAY FROM CSA

Maintain your tires to avoid inspections

page 71

BUSINESS SOLUTIONS FOR TRUCKING PROFESSIONALS

GOT A CRYSTAL BALL?

Predictive analytics can prevent trouble page 77

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LEADING NEWS, TRUCKING MARKET CONDITIONS AND INDUSTRY ANALYSIS

Senate DOT bill skips ELD mandate, driver breaks

spending bill cleared by the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee last month is free of any federal trucking-related policy reforms, a departure from the House’s version that includes several trucking policy riders. The Senate’s 2018 fiscal year U.S. Department of Transportation The Senate, at least in its initial draft of 2018 appropriations bill does not include fiscal year DOT-funding legislation, didn’t address federal trucking reforms. any changes to the coming electronic logging device mandate, nor does it include the Denham Amendment, which intends to block states from enacting rest break laws for truck drivers. But a separate bill in the Senate, a bill to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration, does include the amendment sponsored by U.S. Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Calif.). The House bill, passed by its Appropriations Committee in early July, offers livestock haulers an extra year to adopt ELDs and includes the Denham provision. The House bill also blocks the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration from pursuing a Safety Fitness Determination rule until the agency implements required reforms to the Compliance Safety Accountability program. Appropriators in the House also released a report corollary to the legislation that advised FMCSA to study whether a delay of the ELD mandate is needed, particularly for smaller carriers and owner-operators. The Senate’s version includes two amendments regarding truck size and weight limits in North Dakota and New Hampshire. They would allow trucks weighing up to 129,000 pounds to operate in North Dakota and trucks weighing up to 99,000 pounds to operate in New Hampshire. The current national limit for gross vehicle truck weight is 80,000 pounds, though some states have allowed heavier trucks on their roadways to test increasing size and weight limits. The Senate DOT bill has been sent to the full Senate for consideration, where amendments could be added. Neither the Senate nor the House have indicated a timeline for considering their respective bills, but if the two chambers pass bills that are not identical, legislators from both will need to confer to produce a unified bill. Scan the QR code with your smartphone or visit ccjdigital.com/news/subscribe-to-newsTrucking-related reforms letters to sign up for the CCJ Daily Report, could be adopted or disa daily e-mail newsletter filled with news, missed during that process. analysis, blogs and market condition articles. – James Jaillet

FMCSA: Pre-2000 ELD exemption applies to engine, not chassis model

leets and drivers with trucks equipped with model-year 2000

engines and older will not be subject to the electronic logging device mandate regardless of the truck’s model year, according to updated guidance from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. But if a truck’s model year is older than 2000 and the engine model year is newer than 2000, the driver must adhere to the ELD mandate. FMCSA says in its website’s Frequently Asked Questions that drivers are not required to carry documentation in the truck that confirms their engine’s model year, but notes that federal regulations require motor carriers to keep all documentation on motor and engine changes “at the principal place of business.” The agency says that during a roadside inspection, law enforcement should refer the case for further investigation if they can’t determine the engine’s model year. FMCSA’s previous guidance emphasized the model year as determined by the VIN on the truck’s chassis.

– Matt Cole

The updated guidance deviates from FMCSA’s previous guidance, which emphasized the model year as determined by the VIN on the truck’s chassis.

commercial carrier journal

| september 2017 9

JOURNAL NEWS

DOT withdraws sleep apnea screening criteria rulemaking

A ROTELLA ROUNDUP

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commercial carrier journal

1151572_SB01_ROTroundup_2_25x9_5 f.indd 1

rulemaking meant to establish criteria and processes for instituting sleep apnea screening requirements for truck operators was withdrawn last month by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The Senate’s top The rule’s withdrawal preserves the current Democrat, Minority Leader Chuck system of giving medical examiners the Schumer, asked the U.S. Department discretion to determine which truckers are referred for apnea testing. of Transportation to “immediately reverse course” on that decision. A sleep apnea rule would have provided clarity to medical examiners, carrier employers and drivers about what criteria or combination of criteria would prompt a driver to be referred for an in-lab apnea test, as well as treatment protocol. The rule’s official withdrawal came two weeks after the agency hinted it was on the chopping block in an annual regulatory update issued in July. There was some confusion then, given that the report said the rule had been withdrawn on an unspecified date in June. However, no official notice was published in the Federal Register until early August. FMCSA worked on the sleep apnea rule persistently in 2016, including publishing a pre-rule and conducting listening sessions around the country and apneafocused meetings by two of its advisory committees. However, the agency did not gather enough data to warrant a rulemaking, it said in the July regulatory update. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said DOT’s decision to withdraw the rule “commemorates a disaster waiting to happen” and called on FMCSA to “get the [rule] and this process back on track.” “It’s high time to move forward with making sleep apnea testing a federal requirement, no ifs, ands or buts about it,” he said. “We don’t want big-rig drivers to doze off at the wheel.” In the Federal Register notice published last month, FMCSA says the current protocol in place for apnea screening is sufficient. That protocol, spelled out in a bulletin issued by the agency in January 2015, puts the onus on drivers’ medical examiners, encouraging them to refer drivers for apnea testing if they “believe the driver’s respiratory condition is in any way likely to interfere with the driver’s ability to safely control and drive a commercial motor vehicle.” FMCSA’s advanced notice of proposed rulemaking, published in March 2016, sought industry input for guidance on developing a rule. The agency also sought input from its advisory committees last year, including the MRB and the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee, whose members include trucking industry stakeholders. The groups recommended that FMCSA in its sleep apnea rule require drivers who have a Body Mass Index of 40 or higher be referred automatically for apnea testing. They also recommended that truckers with a BMI of 33 or higher and who meet other qualifiers, such as being male and older than 42, also be referred. Truckers referred for testing would receive a temporary certification pending their test results. – James Jaillet and Todd Dills

| september 2017 6/15/17 1:49 PM

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JOURNAL NEWS

INBRIEF 9/17 • The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Operation Safe Driver Week is set for Oct. 15-21. Drivers can expect increased commercial motor vehicle and passenger vehicle enforcement throughout the blitz, a partnership between CVSA and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to address unsafe behavior of all drivers operating in or around a CMV. Law enforcement will be patrolling for speeding, distracted driving, texting, failure to use a seatbelt, traveling too closely, improper lane change and failure to obey traffic control devices. • American Trucking Associations’ Agricultural and Food Transporters Conference, along with the American Frozen Food Institute, launched an online self-assessment tool to help carriers evaluate their processes and procedures for complying with the Food Safety Modernization Act. The tool, designed in partnership with Seneca Corp., generates a readiness report and indicates where action may be needed by food shippers, carriers, receivers and loaders. It is $199 for ATA members and $495 for nonmembers and is available at https://fsmatool.org/ collections/ata. • The American Transportation Research Institute’s 13th annual Top Industry Issues Survey, commissioned by ATA, asks stakeholders to rank their top trucking industry concerns, along with strategies for addressing each issue. Go to ATRI-Online.org. • Roland Buldoc, a Massachusetts-based FedEx driver, was named the 2017 Bendix Grand Champion at ATA’s National Truck Driving Championships, held Aug. 9-12 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. Buldoc, who competed against more than 420 truckers and won the Sleeper Berth class, has over 1.9 million safe driving miles and has been driving for over 36 years, 23 of those with FedEx. • Navistar announced plans to cease engine production at its plant in Melrose Park, Ill., by early next year as the truck maker continues that facility’s transformation into its technical center. The move will bring the company’s medium-duty N9/10 engines to an end and is expected to affect about 170 employees and reduce Navistar’s operating costs by about $12 million annually. Navistar has made Cummins’ medium-duty engines the standard spec in its mediumduty lineup.

commercial carrier journal

Navistar ordered to pay $31M to fleet over alleged engine defects

ruck and engine maker Navistar-International last month was ordered by a Tennessee jury to pay trucking company Milan Supply Chain Solutions (CCJ Top 250, No. 237) $30.8 million in damages related to alleged defects of Navistar’s MaxxForce engine line. The jury concluded Navistar violated consumer protection laws by selling its MaxxForce engines without proper testing. Navistar said it disagrees with the ruling and is “evaluating its options to challenge it.” The company also said its engines were tested properly in line with industry standards. “We have successfully defended similar claims regarding our MaxxForce 13 engines in several other jurisdictions, including dismissal of claims of fraud in courts in Texas, Wisconsin, Michigan, Milan Supply Chain Solutions purchased Indiana, Alabama and Illinois,” 243 International ProStar tractors equipped with MaxxForce engines in 2011 and 2012. Navistar said. Milan, a 400-truck fleet based in Milan, Tenn., claimed Navistar knew its MaxxForce engines had defects but brought the engines to market anyway. According to a press release distributed by Milan’s attorney, Clay Miller of Miller Weisbrod, several former Navistar executives testified in the case, including Jim Hebe, senior vice president of North American sales. Hebe and others testified the engines weren’t tested properly before being marketed and sold, Miller said. Navistar denies these claims. “Navistar tested the MaxxForce 13 engine consistent with industry standards,” the company said. “They were tested for 12 million miles prior to launch under rigorous conditions, in tests cells and on the road. At the time of the product launch, we were confident, based on this testing, that the product would perform. All products undergo continuous improvement throughout their lifecycle. When some parts unexpectedly failed, we fixed them under warranty for our customers, including Milan Supply.” Milan purchased 243 International ProStar tractors equipped with MaxxForce engines in 2011 and 2012. The jury awarded the carrier $10.8 million in actual damages and $20 million in punitive damages for the problems the carrier experienced with the engines. The verdict in the Milan case is the latest chapter in Navistar’s continued headache over its MaxxForce engine line, which it has discontinued. In addition to lawsuits from fleets over the engines’ reliability and the ouster of some of its top executives, the company also faced criminal charges from the Securities and Exchange Commission. Last March, Navistar reached a settlement with the SEC. Navistar was the only engine maker to attempt to meet 2010 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency emissions standards using only exhaust gas recirculation. All other North American engine makers chose to use the diesel exhaust fluid-based selective catalytic reduction system to meet the stricter emissions standards. Navistar in late 2012 abandoned its EGR-only strategy and opted for SCR. – James Jaillet

| september 2017

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JOURNAL NEWS

FMCSA eyes removal of diabetic drivers’ exemption requirement

ruckers with insulin-treated diabetes may no longer have to request a formal exemption from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to drive a commercial vehicle, should a new federal rule come to fruition. FMCSA last month announced it is seeking comments on a revision to a 2015 rule that would eliminate the exemption requirement for insulindependent diabetic drivers. Instead, the rule would give individual medical examiners authority to grant or deny diabetic drivers their medical certifiThe revised rule would give individual medical examiners authority to grant or deny diabetic drivers their medical certificates.

cates. The agency says the revision is due to its anticipation of a final rule to revise its regulations to eliminate the blanket prohibition against insulindependent diabetic drivers who currently must request an exemption to operate a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce. As part of the revised rule, the agency may have drivers submit an assessment form to their medical examiner. The form would ask about the driver’s history with insulin, date of their last comprehensive eye exam, any diabetes-related complications they’ve experienced and more. FMCSA is accepting comments through Sept. 25. Go to Regulations. gov and search Docket No. FMCSA2005-23151. – Deanne Winslett

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States can accept CLP applications from out-of-state driver candidates

he Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration last month issued regulatory guidance to clarify that states can choose to accept out-of-state commercial learner’s permit applications and administer the general knowledge test to out-of-state applicants. In a notice published Aug. 3 in the Federal Register, FMCSA says the state administering the general knowledge test can send the test results “directly, securely and electronically” to the applicant’s home state, and the driver’s home state can accept the test results and issue the CLP. The guidance is in line with FMCSA’s final rule issued Oct. 13, 2016, that amended commercial driver’s license regulations to ease the transition of military personnel into the trucking industry. Previously, states only could accept out-of-state applications from military personnel, but the new guidance applies to all drivers. FMCSA clarified that the guidance does not allow states to issue a CLP or CDL to a driver who is not domiciled in that state; those must continue be issued by the driver’s home state. – Matt Cole

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commercial carrier journal

| september 2017

Assembled In

Previously, states only could accept out-of-state applications from military personnel, but the new guidance applies to all drivers.

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JOURNAL NEWS

EPA eyes change to tractortrailer emissions regulations

he U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last month signaled it intends to reevaluate truck and trailer emissions standards enacted by the Obama administration that are scheduled to take effect in the coming years. EPA said it will “revisit” the Phase 2 emissions standards related to trailers and glider kits, citing “significant issues raised” by stakeholders in the trailer and glider industry. The Phase 2 rule, finalized last year, requires truck, engine and trailer manufacturers to make significant gains in boosting tractor-trailer fuel economy as a means to cut industry emissions of greenhouse gases. The standards are scheduled to be phased in over the next decade. EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are requiring model-year 2027 tractor-trailers to achieve up to roughly 25 percent lower CO2 emissions and fuel consumption versus an equivalent model-year 2018 rig. EPA’s intentions to alter the rule apply only to the portions related to glider vehicles and trailers. “We intend to initiate a rulemaking process that incorporates the latest technical data and is wholly consistent with our authority under the Clean

EPA has said it will “revisit” emissions regulations related to trailers and glider kits that the agency itself finalized last year.

Air Act,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. The Phase 2 rule was the first time EPA called on trailer manufacturers to play a part in reducing trucking emissions. The Truck and Trailer Manufacturers Association filed a lawsuit against the rule last year, arguing that efforts to boost trailer aerodynamics should be done on a voluntary basis, not as a requirement. The agency hinted earlier this year that it may alter parts of the Phase 2 standards. Facing the lawsuit from TTMA, EPA in April noted in a court motion that it would “undertake actions that could obviate the need for judicial resolution.” Phase 2 emissions standards do not dictate how equipment makers such as trailer manufacturers should meet the more restrictive emissions rules. Instead, they require only percentage-based improvements in fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions. – James Jaillet

FMCSA makes strides in targeting highest-risk carriers

he Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has taken steps to hone in on high-risk carriers and intervene more quickly for investigations, according to a report issued last month by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General. OIG was tasked by the 2015 FAST Act highway law to review FMCSA’s intervention methods, identify any weaknesses and make recommendations as to how it can improve the process it uses to prioritize high-risk carriers and perform compliance reviews more quickly. Congress called for the review in part because of a report issued in 2014 by the National Transportation Safety Board that questioned the agency’s oversight of carriers’ safety. The NTSB report cited several fatal crashes that involved carriers that, according to the board, had been identified by FMCSA

Last year, FMCSA targeted 187 of the highestrisk carriers per month compared to 500 under its former intervention policies.

commercial carrier journal

| september 2017

as high-risk. The agency had not intervened for a review or investigation of any of the carriers involved in those crashes, NTSB says, despite having known of their safety issues. At the beginning of 2016, FMCSA altered its intervention methods in an attempt to better target high-risk carriers, partly in response to the criticisms in recent years. The agency altered parts of its Compliance Safety Accountability program to better hone-in on safety-averse carriers and shortened its intervention timeline from 12 months to 90 days. The OIG report notes that in 2016, after implementing the changes, “FMCSA completed an investigation of highrisk carriers, on average, within 1.2 months, compared to 7.2 months under the previous policy.” Both policy changes made in 2016 – narrowing its focus to the most at-risk carries and shortening the review window – helped mitigate some of the concerns uncovered by NTSB in 2014. Last year, the agency targeted 187 carriers per month compared to 500 a month under its former intervention policies. The smaller sample size accounted for the highest-risk carriers, OIG says, and allowed agency investigators to better target those carriers. – James Jaillet

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PRODUCT REVIEWS, OEM & SUPPLIER NEWS AND EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT TRENDS

BY JASON CANNON

Looking at the future of looking backward Will rearview mirrors be in the rearview mirror?

s part of CCJ’s ongoing coverage of the future of trucking, here’s my prediction: Rearview mirrors are going away – eventually. I can’t predict a model year other than to tell you I think it’s a long way off, but having driven two trucks equipped with cameras and monitoring systems – Volvo’s and International’s Super Trucks – I think this type of technology is coming mainstream. Currently, it’s not legal to rely solely on a rear-facing camera, so vehicles equipped with such still must be outfitted with traditional mirrors. But mirrors are little more than ears of aerodynamic drag, and they’re completely avoidable. Keith Brantley, Volvo Trucks’ lead project manager for advanced complete vehicles and the father of the company’s Super Truck, said the federally required rearview mirrors are the single biggest aerodynamic drag remaining on his truck. I know you’re saying “Sure, let’s replace $500 worth of mirrors with $1,000 worth of cameras.” But it might be a better, more efficient and safer way to drive. Blind spots can be minimized only to the extent of your ability to place a mirror in a location where you can see it from the driver’s seat. Multiple cameras can be placed at any point along the truck or trailer and fed into A REAL DRAG: Mirrors hurt aerodynamic performance, and they’re avoidable.

ELIMINATING BLIND SPOTS: Cameras can do some things a mirror could never do. SOME LIMITATIONS: Your field of view is fixed, which takes some getting used to.

commercial carrier journal

| september 2017

Two screens mounted on the passenger side allow the driver to see down the side of the trailer and in the truck’s blind spot. Volvo’s Super Truck also features two traditional pillar-mounted mirrors as required by law.

a monitor mounted to the interior pillars. You can select multiple angles to feed into the screen without having to look in multiple locations and multiple mirrors. Cameras indeed can do some things a mirror could never do: Eliminate both blind spots and headlight glare. And unlike mirrors, where literally what you see is what you get, cameras can adjust for low lighting and rain. Granted, glancing in a mirror is a simple process that doesn’t require a lot of automation, but so was manually cranking down a window 20 years ago. Cameras do have some limitations. For example, your field of view is fixed. You can lean as far forward or as far back as you’d like, but you’re not going to expand your field of view. That takes some getting used to, but after a few miles, it starts to click. Backup cameras will be standard on passenger cars for the 2018 model year. My wife’s car has one, and I hate it, mainly because everything that I can see through that monitor, I also can see over my shoulder. I don’t even use it other than to make a quick glance just because it’s there. On each Super Truck, with the exception of the loss of peripheral field

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.

It’s not legal at this time to rely solely on a rear-facing camera.

Marc Llistosella, president and CEO of Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus Corp., describes production requirements of the new eCanter to Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, president of the Portuguese Republic.

All-electric eCanter to debut in New York

itsubishi Fuso announced the start of production on its all-electric medium-duty truck, fulfilling the self-imposed timeline the company announced at the Work Truck Show in Indianapolis earlier this year. Production kicked off at the company’s 1.7 million-square-foot plant in Tramagal, Portugal. “We will mark the global launch of this truck in New York this September,” said Marc Llistosella, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus Corp. president and chief executive officer. Llistosella said the company already has received its first customer orders. – Jason Cannon

Nikola tweets tractor updates of view, I thought the camera/monitor system functioned remarkably like mirrors. Between the three monitors – one mounted on each pillar and one in the dash – I had five complementary angles. I didn’t have the opportunity to back either of these trucks a great distance, and I’d like to see what the limited depth perception does to that process. I’m sure it would make it more difficult, but I’m curious as to what degree. Is it something that could be solved with a wider angle? Maybe a fisheye perspective. Or could the application of a platform such as Ford’s Pro Trailer Backup Assist be integrated with a rearview camera? Now that would be interesting. As we march toward autonomous driving, standard mirrors will play a diminished role, and as video resolution improves – and it’s already excellent – the reasons not to implement this kind of thing shrink. JASON CANNON is Equipment Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal. E-mail jcannon@randallreilly.com or call (205) 248-1175.

ikola Motor Co. in late July provided a few updates on the Nikola One tractor it expects to road-test next year. Via its Twitter account, the company said the hydrogen fuel cell-powered truck will feature a 6×4 allwheel-drive configuration that is compatible with dual or super-single tires. The steer axle will feature a nearly 60-degree turning radius. The tandem driveline, the company said, is engineered to handle a 30-percent grade loaded to Nikola Motor Co. said it is 80,000 pounds planning a “huge party/ at 0 mph standevent” when the Nikola One truck rolls off the test still takeoff. – Jason Cannon assembly line next year.

commercial carrier journal

september 2017

INBRIEF • Nearly 2,500 2018 Daimler trucks were recalled because of tow hooks that were not manufactured properly and could fail during a recovery, causing the truck’s sudden release. Trucks affected include Freightliner’s Cascadia, 114SD, 122SD and M2 Business Class and Western Star’s 4700 and 5700. • More than 70 2017-18 Daimler trucks and more than 1,700 Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks equipped with Cummins ISX15 engines were recalled due to a potential problem that can cause the drive gear on the fuel pump to spin loose on the driveshaft, resulting in the loss of the fuel pump’s functionality and possibly causing the engine to stall. • Paccar recalled 5,731 trucks equipped with optional spotlights with circuits that could short, increasing the risk of fire at the fuse block. Affected trucks include 2013-17 Kenworth T680 and T880 models manufactured between Jan. 25, 2012, and Nov. 10, 2016; and 2013-16 Peterbilt 567 and 579 models built between July 13, 2012, and Dec. 14, 2016. • Yokohama Tire Corp. increased prices by up to 4 percent on all U.S. commercial and offroad tires. The company previously implemented a price increase earlier this year because of “the escalation in operating and material costs that peaked in late 2016,” said Jeff Barna, chief operating officer. But the initial price hike wasn’t enough to offset those expenses, Barna said. • Mack Trucks certified its 100th dealer location as a Mack Certified Uptime Center, which signifies the dealer has met stringent requirements for service and customer uptime by implementing standardized workflows and processes and redesigning its service bays to facilitate uniform service and quicker repairs. Mack Certified Uptime Center accreditations began in January 2016. • Freightliner’s Cascadia raised-roof sleepers now can be spec’d with eNow’s eCharge solar system as a predelivery installation option at Custom Truck Service centers. The eNow system, which supplies ongoing power to the batteries to provide in-cab power for driver amenities, also has been purchased by Las Cruces, N.M.-based Mesilla Valley Transportation (CCJ Top 250, No. 72) for 1,000 of its Navistar trucks. • Pioneer, a supplier of automated tarping systems for the waste, recycling and construction industries, extended the warranty on new models of its Rack ‘n Pinion tarping system to five years.

commercial carrier journal

Daimler launches Detroit Connect portal, analytics service

reightliner and Western Star customers with Detroit engines now have access to the Detroit Connect portal, the new online hub for Daimler Trucks North America’s Detroit Connect proprietary connected vehicle solution. DTNA said portal access is available at no cost to customers with active subscriptions to A mobile app Detroit Connect services, including DTNA’s Virtual Technician version of remote diagnostics service. the Detroit Connect Subscribers can use the portal to drill down on specific fault portal will be events and access full diagnostics information and real-time fault available later notifications generated by Virtual Technician, as well as view and this year on iOS and Android archive Detroit Diesel Engine Control reports to better analyze platforms. metrics and identify trends. DTNA said the new portal improves on traditional manual data downloads, local machine-based storage and aggregated data collection. Owners of new Freightliner Cascadia tractors equipped with Detroit engines soon will be able to use the portal to remotely access DDEC reports over the air. The Detroit Connect portal also will serve the forthcoming Detroit Connect Remote Updates over-the-air software updates. Later this year, subscribers also can access Detroit Connect Analytics, a new reporting tool that tracks fuel-efficiency analytics and driving habits to help fleet managers improve productivity and safety. Features include vehicle trip analytics and reporting that automatically uploads data at the end of each trip and identifies significant deviations across the fleet, driver fuel-efficiency scoring and fleet fuel use analysis. The analytics program’s safety reporting feature records and reports safety-related events such as hard braking, lane departure and roll stability and allows user-defined time-based scoring. – Jeff Crissey

SmartAdvantage adds downsped overdrive model

new downsped overdrive model is being added to the Eaton and Cummins SmartAdvantage powerThe latest Eaton-Cummins SmartAdvantage model is capable of lower rpms and train lineup, with a 1,550/1,850 lb.-ft. fuel-saving downspeeding. torque rating compatible with rear axle ratings down to 2.47:1. The taller ratio enables engine cruise speeds as low as 1,075 rpms. Alex Stucky, product strategy manager of heavy-duty linehaul transmissions for Eaton-Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies, said fleets running 2010 model-year trucks can expect to see 20 percent better fuel economy with the current X15 SmartAdvantage Powertrain versus the 2010 ISX15 powertrain. Available through North American OEMs in October, the new unit combines Cummins’ X15 engine and Eaton’s Fuller Advantage Series automated 10-speed transmissions with a choice of small-step overdrive or direct-drive gearing. – Jason Cannon

| september 2017

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INBRIEF • Kenworth and Paccar Financial introduced a cargo van lease program for pickup-and-delivery operators who purchase T270 Class 6 conventional models equipped with a 26-foot Morgan van body and a liftgate. The program offers a 60-month lease term with monthly payments of $885. • Peterbilt and Paccar Financial introduced a U.S. fair market value lease program for a Model 337 with a 26-foot Supreme van body on a 60-month term with monthly payments as low as $799 depending on vehicle specifications. • Paccar Financial redesigned its used trucks website, PaccarUsedTrucks.com, with enhanced functionality, such as the ability to search by make, model, truck components and mileage. Users can save their search parameters and individual truck specs to their profiles. The site offers a payment calculation tool and product walkaround videos. • Eco Flaps announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency preapproved its SmartWay-verified aerodynamic trailer splash guards to be used by vehicle manufacturers to help meet greenhouse gas regulations through model-year 2020. • TP Commercial Solutions moved to a new office headquarters in San Diego as part of its expansion in the United States and Canada for truck, agricultural and offroad tires. • Denso, a supplier of automotive technology, systems and components, invested $75.5 million to expand its North American regional headquarters in Southfield, Mich., and one of its satellite offices in Dublin, Ohio. The company said the investments will bolster its staff by about 130 employees over the next three years and attract top talent. • Utility Trailer Manufacturing Co. announced that one of its dealers, Craftsmen Utility Trailer, completed development of its new 25,500-square-foot facility in Davenport, Iowa. The 14-acre location, acquired in 2015, can accommodate 300 trailers. • Double Coin/CMA completed construction on its new Thailand manufacturing facility, where it will make 50,000 over-theroad tires yearly for the North American market and 2.5 million truck, bus and industrial tires annually. The facility sits on a 3.6-million-square-foot site and is Double Coin’s sixth plant and its first outside of China.

commercial carrier journal

Thermo King, Carrier Transicold target GHG emissions

hermo King and Carrier Transicold both announced they will offer an option for their truck and trailer products designed to help lower the greenhouse gas footprints for their North America customers. This technology is now an option due to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s July 21 Significant New Alternatives Policy approval of the next-generation refrigerant, R-452A, which has a nearly 50 percent lower global warming potential compared to R-404A, the hydroAll of Thermo fluorocarbon refrigerant used in most land-based transport King’s truck and trailer products applications. using R-452A are All of Thermo King’s products using R-452A are part of part of parent parent company Ingersoll Rand’s EcoWise portfolio designed for company Ingersoll Rand’s EcoWise a lower environmental impact with next-generation low-GWP product portfolio. refrigerants and high-efficiency operation. “Our products using this next generation of refrigerant will continue to deliver on our brand promise,” said Ray Pittard, Thermo King president. Carrier Transicold will provide R-452A as an option for its new-model Vector and X4 Series trailer refrigeration units, Supra truck units and direct-drive truck units that currently use R-404A. “As a near drop-in substitute, R-452A offers similar levels of refrigeration performance, fuel efficiency, reliability and refrigerant charge in new equipment as R-404A,” said David Brondum, Carrier Transicold’s director of product management and sustainability for North American truck, trailer and rail. EPA has not banned R-404A, enabling both companies to allow refrigerated haulers to choose the refrigerant option best suited for their operations, taking into consideration price, availability, fleet size and maintenance budgets. – Jason Cannon

Hino can mount safety tech lower on windshields

ino Motors Manufacturing was granted an exemption last month to allow it to install certain safety technology systems on the windshield outside the area currently allowed by federal regulations. Hino petitioned the Federal Motor Hino Motors can mount an automated Carrier Safety Administration in Janemergency braking and lane departure warning system camera near the center of uary to allow it to mount an optional the windshield of its trucks. automated emergency braking and lane departure warning system camera near the center of the windshield of its trucks. In its exemption request, Hino stated the bottom edge of the cameras would be about 7 inches below the upper edge of the windshield, which is outside the 4 inches allowed by regulations. FMCSA, in an Aug. 3 Federal Register notice, granted the five-year exemption, stating that placing the camera lower on the windshield would not affect safety. – Matt Cole

| september 2017

TEST DRIVE: PACCAR TRANSMISSION

Power trio Paccar’s new automated gearbox completes company’s integrated powertrain BY JASON CANNON

he debut of Paccar’s drive axle last October gave the company two-thirds of a fully integrated powertrain. For the 2018 model year, the truck maker will slide the last piece of the puzzle into place with its own transmission. The introduction of an automated transmission signals the transition to a standard gearbox that isn’t a manual for the Kenworth T680 and a Peterbilt Model 579. That transition, at least from my experience on a Texas highway, should be as smooth as the transmission’s shifting. Sales of automated manual transmissions among the two brands have soared. AMTs have been spec’d in almost 60 percent of Model 579 orders this year, up from 40 percent in 2015. I took the new gearbox, outfitted in a Peterbilt Model 579 Epiq and matched to a 455-hp Paccar MX-13 engine, for a 120-mile-plus spin last month around Decatur, Texas. The 12-speed transmission is rated at 1,850 lb.-ft. of torque and 110,000 GCVW and features standard eight-bolt power-takeoff capability. It isn’t a manual design with automated components; it is purpose-built as an automated transmission, which is why Paccar engineers don’t refer to it as an AMT. Aluminum construction, the absence of an oil cooler and a lubrication system that needs only 16 quarts of oil all contribute to lower weight. Paccar included an industry-exclusive oil pressure sensor in place of a sensor that provides only temperature alerts. If the sensor detects a low-fluid warning, it will cause a derate, allowing the truck to limp in first gear. This offers improved burn-up protection, as the sensor doesn’t just warn the driver about the problem; it takes action to keep it from getting worse. A column-mounted shifter places controls at the driver’s fingertips, allowing for increased focus on the road. It allows for the integration of the three-stage engine brake, which can be activated by pushing the selector switch downward, and it also frees up the dash panel for better switch placement. The Paccar transmission’s gear ratio translates to better startability and lower rpm at cruising speeds. While the trans26

commercial carrier journal

| september 2017

The Paccar automated transmission is the fruit of a 3½-year development program with Eaton. It is available for order, with an expected mid-October build date, and will be manufactured at Eaton’s plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

mission’s smoothness stands out, what steals the show are the quiet, intuitive and seamless shifts, coupled with low-speed maneuverability. An “Urge to Move” feature prevents the truck from rolling in the wrong direction at start and allows the driver to use the brake to control truck speed. By lifting your foot off the brake with the truck in drive, it starts to roll forward, even fully loaded on a grade as steep as 15 percent. If you fall behind in traffic, you can upshift manually to close the gap quickly without touching the accelerator; you also can downshift manually as the need arises. When you reapply the brake, the transmission downshifts, as you would expect. This feature also works in reverse; when backing up, you can creep, bumping between high and low reverse gears as needed. You don’t have to feather the accelerator and risk smacking the dock with an ill-timed lurch. When you need to come up to speed quickly, the transmission skip-shifts through the first eight gears based on torque needs, the road grade and the load. Capping the skip-shift feature at eighth gear lets the tractor build speed faster at both the top and bottom end and reach a cruising speed of 65 mph at about 1,100 rpm. The transmission puts itself into neutral automatically when the air brakes are applied, giving a hurried driver a failsafe that the truck is parked and out of gear when he hops out of the cab. The Paccar transmission will be available only as a mate for the MX-13 engine, but it can be spec’d with Paccar, Meritor or Dana rear axles.

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TEST DRIVE: INTERNATIONAL RH SERIES

Redesigned regional International’s RH Series tractor, A26 engine make great local team BY JASON CANNON

hen International debuted its RH Series tractor in April, conventional wisdom suggested the R in its nomenclature stood for “regional.” But there’s at least one other word it could connote: Redesigned. Little influence remains from the ProStar 113-inch BBC and TranStar 107 models that the RH – the second of four tractors that will be born from the company’s Project Horizon – soon will supplant. Some interior features have carried over from International’s LT Series, such as the placement of switches and gauges that was driven by driver surveys and feedback, but for the most part, the RH is distinctly its own thing. The chassis has been light-weighted, with the rear suspension coming in about 130 pounds lighter than comparable models. International left no stone unturned when it came to shedding weight. For example, by integrating cast aluminum fuel tank hangers, the truck dropped 60 pounds. The RH features a 27-foot 10-inch curb-to-curb turning radius due to its 50-degree wheel cut, and a major component of the design process was increasing visibility to complement that improved maneuverability and further enhance safety on congested city streets and in delivery applications. Driving around Aurora, Ill., the tight turning radius easily navigated a crowded alleyway adjacent to the historic building that originally served as home base for International Harvester Manufacturing Co. 28

commercial carrier journal

The truck’s high stance and low sloping hood mean someone barely 10 feet from the front bumper is fully visible to the driver. Pedestal door-mounted mirrors have been moved down and out, allowing for another 20 inches of visibility closer to the door than legacy models, and the redesigned aerodynamic mirrors also reduce wind noise. A fin mounted on the door’s side keeps the window cleaner and improves mirror visibility. R may stand for regional – or maybe redesigned – but the RH also is ridiculously quiet. The door was designed to be twice as stiff as the models RH will replace, and its two-stage seal locks out wind and road noise. The engine’s sculpted crankcase and oil pan are isolated through a specially designed rubber gasket that absorbs vibration before it is amplified through the oil pan, further reducing noise. Window switches on the door have been moved forward, and the door lock pin has been moved back from the elbow, resulting in a comfortable and natural resting position. Bill Distel, Navistar’s director of product marketing for on-highway trucks, said that a lot of work went into moving frequently used switches closer to drivers to help them keep their eyes on the road. Things needed while the truck is stopped – such as hazard lights, air brakes and trailer brakes – have been pushed farther out. Steering wheel-mounted buttons for cruise control and Bluetooth are laser-etched and backlit, ensuring the lettering won’t wear off after years of

| september 2017

The International RH Series’ high stance and low sloping hood mean someone barely 10 feet from the front bumper is fully visible to the driver.

use. Each has a tactile feel that gives the driver feedback that the switch has been activated when pressed. The shifter for the Eaton automated manual transmission has been moved to a stalk on the steering column, up from a bank of dash-mounted buttons at the driver’s right knee, providing a more comfortable and intuitive position that also allows for an extra two inches of space between the seats. Drivers can shift to manual mode and use the engine brake from the same stalk without taking their hands off the wheel. First A26 drive My drive around the Chicagoland area also was my first opportunity to experience International’s new A26 engine, which began deliveries in late June. The Man-inspired powerplant replaces the N13 with a host of improvements. International is putting all its chips on the A26, the only engine available in the RH Series. Distel said that because of the truck’s compact cooling system, the Cummins X Series was too large, and a Cummins 9-liter would be underpowered. Orders for the A26 are about twice what the company expected this early into production, with about 1,600 engines preordered between LT Series and RH Series trucks, Distel said. Even though Navistar has been building engines based on the Man platform since

2007 – a partnership that was strengthened when Volkswagen acquired shares in the Lisle, Ill.-based truck maker almost a year ago – engine design isn’t a one-way street, he said. “There’s parts of this engine that [Volkswagen engineers] like and they are looking at,” Distel said. “Everyone assumes the technologies come from there to here, but it’s going both ways.” Among the design tweaks Navistar engineers had to make to the Man D26 was to redesign an engine built for a European cabover into one more suitable for an American conventional. All the air coming through the front of the grille now is forced through the compact cooling module, allowing for the use of a six-blade radiator fan that needs less horsepower to operate. The six-blade fan needs only about 50 hp compared to 80 hp for a standard 12-blade. The A26 – and its 370 to 450 hp and 1,350 to 1,750 lb.-ft. of torque – is 55 pounds lighter than the N13 and has a dry weight of just under 3,000 pounds, Distel said. The engine saves 200 pounds off the chassis, and another 105 pounds of weight savings comes from switching to a single-canister aftertreatment system. Designers further reduced weight by migrating from a dual-turbo setup to a single variable-geometry turbocharger, which uses a titanium compressor wheel

with a single-stage design, simplifying the engine’s air and cooling system while boosting engine braking power by up to 67 percent. An improved onboard computer now includes the aftertreatment controls, which previously were under the driverside door.

International’s RH Series is a smart “re-refreshment” of its regional-haul entry that maximizes maneuverability while ramping up drivability, and its pairing with the nimble and powerful A26 gives Navistar a capable short-haul delivery truck that makes a strong business case for its share of the highway.

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september 2017

29 7/20/17 11:11 AM

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in focus: OIL FILTER REPLACEMENT

Longer drain intervals affect media, construction BY JASON CANNON

ith every new generation of engine technology and improved oil formulation, fleets and OEMs have added tens of thousands of miles to engine oil drain intervals that now have crept close to 75,000 miles in some long-haul segments. A fleet’s application isn’t the only factor in how long a drain interval can be pushed. The oil filter also has to be up to the task. In the early days of oil filtration, sawdust was a key component. That’s since been replaced by sophisticated pulp and resin blends and polymer-based media. “You’ve got to make sure the gaskets and the media will last long enough and are rated for whatever that service interval will be,” said Jonathan Sheumaker, Cummins Filtration’s manager of liquid filtration research and technology. When looking for a longer-lasting filter, other major considerations include higher capacity and suitable adhesive, said Todd Krzycki, Champion Laboratories’ director of heavy-duty engineering. An unnecessary practice As more fleets migrate to longer-life synthetic oils, it’s become more common to replace the filter on a shorter cycle than the oil – a practice Sheumaker said is unnecessary in almost every case. “There’s no data that suggests there’s a need to swap out the filter before replacing the oil on an extended drain interval,” he said. “It comes down to the oil quality and how long that oil lasts. As long as the oil remains healthy, we don’t see an issue with restriction.” Krzycki said that while all standard viscosity grades work with standard filters, higher-viscosity oils have the biggest impact

on the flow restriction and durability of a filter’s media. “In a high-viscosity or coldflow condition, the restriction is higher, which shortens the life of the filter,” he said. New oils’ impact Last year, trucking was introduced to two new engine oil categories – FA-4 and CK-4. The new oil formulations are designed for better performance in modern hotter-running engines and, in some cases, to stretch drain intervals. “We’ve seen no impact from the new oils,” Sheumaker said of their effect on filters. “If anything, they are helpful, thanks to better oxidation resistance, better shear stability and all the other improvements.”

The higher-capacity filters in Luber-finer’s XL line are made with more durable synthetic media for extended drain intervals.

Krzycki said most of today’s filters are engineered to withstand a higher operating temperature range than what is common on the highway.

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commercial carrier journal

september 2017

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

Real-time world

PeopleNet, TMW stress ‘on-demand’ transportation, logistics

P Venezia has a problem. The assistant director of maintenance for Venezia Bulk Transport has trucks shutting down on highways, seemingly at random, with emissions-related issues. Venezia Bulk Transport, based in Limerick, Pa., operates 500 trucks in the Mid-Atlantic region. The fleet’s trucks are equipped with modern diesel engines that are programmed to derate their speed and torque when malfunctions with exhaust aftertreatment systems negatively impact emissions. The fleet does not receive an advance warning of when these engine shutdowns are imminent – at least not yet. The costs of “towing trucks all over” are high, and the fleet’s customer service takes a hit when these unexpected events happen, Venezia said. Many of its customers expect deliveries within a onehour time window of appointments. Last month, Venezia and nearly 2,000 attendees from transportation companies and technology suppliers came to the 2017 PeopleNet and TMW Systems in.sight user conference in Nashville, Tenn. PREDICTING DERATES: Trimble’s technology can anticipate engine breakdowns before they happen. RETENTION INTERVENTION: A driver turnover model can predict which ones are more likely to quit. ON-DEMAND ECONOMY: PeopleNet, TMW leaders stressed the importance of a connected supply chain.

commercial carrier journal

During the morning’s general session, Venezia learned of a new predictive maintenance tool that he believes is “on the front edge” of technology. “It spoke to me,” he said. Venezia Bulk Transport runs a mixed fleet. All Peterbilts come standard with PeopleNet Mobile Gateway devices that connect to real-time data from the engine. The devices wirelessly transmit data to a remote diagnostics portal to view notifications when diagnostics trouble codes appear. But a truck Brian McLaughlin, president of PeopleNet, speaks at the 2017 already could be derating when a DTC appears. in.sight user conference. With the new TMT Predict.Fault Code product, users like Venezia will be notified up to three days in advance of an imminent derating event. With this information, fleets can take the necessary actions to avoid shutdowns. Trimble companies PeopleNet, TMW Systems and Trimble Transportation Mobility Analytics jointly developed the product. PeopleNet has PMG devices in Peterbilt and Kenworth trucks that power the OEMs’ remote diagnostics services. TMW Systems has the TMT Fleet Maintenance system, and TTM Analytics (formerly Vusion) transforms the data captured by the PMG devices into predictive information that fleets can act on within TMT Fleet Maintenance. Anne Hunt, a data scientist for TTM Anne Hunt, data scientist for Analytics, used a statistical learning method TTM Analytics, called “random forest” to create the model. developed new The method successfully identified the paths statistical modthat dozens of signal variables – temperature, els that predict equipment pressure, velocity, torque, throttle, etc. – follow breakdowns. to reach eight types of “red lamp” fault codes for imminent breakdowns. When data follows the red lamp paths for derate events, the model predicts with more than 90 percent accuracy that an event will occur. Information about this and other probable failures appear in the TMT Fleet Maintenance software dashboard. Maintenance was not the only breakthrough predictive model announced at the conference. Thomas Fansler, president of TTM Analytics, spoke of a driver retention model that uses mobility data from PeopleNet and enterprise data from TMW Systems to predict the specific factors that will determine turnover for each driver in a fleet. Fansler said that after testing a proof of concept of this model with three fleet customers, the predictions for which of their drivers would quit within one week

september 2017

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

A new technology predicts engine derating events. were more than 94 percent accurate. “Without data science, you’re just another person with data,” Fansler said. “These analytics take complex business problems and transform our ability to solve them and manage them effectively.” Keeping pace with demand Also at the conference, the presidents of TMW and PeopleNet encouraged transportation companies to keep pace with the on-demand economy. In their opening addresses, TMW President David Wangler and PeopleNet President Brian McLaughlin emphasized that mobile technology and related technologies have been the driving force behind the rapid rise of B2B and B2C e-commerce and the omni-channel business model. As online sales continue to grow and consumer expectations increase, the transportation industry is becoming increasingly reliant on the capture, analysis and exchange of data to deliver products as quickly and efficiently as possible. “The winners in this revolution will be those who maximize their ability to leverage information in real time for increased efficiency and agility,” Wangler said. He compared transportation businesses to the engine of the on-demand economy and noted the increasingly complex global supply chain characterized by evolving distribution models, shrinking delivery windows and reduced margin for error. Both speakers stressed the need to use technologies that allow near realtime decision-making through the use of predictive analytics and deep visibility into each step of the order and fulfillment process. McLaughlin emphasized the importance of achieving a connected supply chain to address the competitive challenges associated with an on-demand economy. He also pointed to the connected nature of Trimble’s own transportation businesses as a strategy for companies that want to capitalize on growth opportunities in a transformational market. McLaughlin then shared Trimble’s vision of a supply chain made up of connected trucks, drivers, freight and intelligence. “The right technology, and the right technology partners, can enable supply chain simplicity, precision and efficiency,” he said.

ALK’s PC Miler 31 adds weather, parking alerts

LK Technologies announced the availability of PC Miler 31, the latest version of its truck routing, mileage and mapping software. With the new Road Conditions display, users can gauge potential weather-related impacts on the route plan and proactively route around hazardous conditions. Dispatchers and fleet managers also will receive a notification if a generated route intersects an area flagged as a Wind Alert zone. Also, where truck parking has been confirmed at a location, PC Miler now relays the total num- PC Miler 31 provides authenticated ber of truck spots amenity and truck available, if 10-hour parking information parking is allowed at over 7,000 rest and if parking reser- areas, truck stops and truck fueling vations are offered. stations. – Aaron Huff

Paragon tracking subcontracted vehicles

aragon Software Systems, a provider of vehicle routing and scheduling optimization software, announced added visibility of subcontracted loads to its enhanced Route Execution module. Data now can be combined from as many as 35 different telematics systems, making it possible to see in real time how third-party vehicles are performing against plan, even if they use a different telematics system. Paragon said the offering will allow companies to ensure customers are kept up to date regarding order status and have a complete picture of on-time performance. – Aaron Huff Route Execution is one of the Paragon Live modules that can be used alongside Paragon’s routing and scheduling software.

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

commercial carrier journal

september 2017

technology

INBRIEF • Drivewyze introduced its PreClear weigh station bypass service in North Dakota at 13 different approaches to seven fixed weigh stations, as well as eight mobile sites, for a total of 21 locations on Interstate 29, I-94, U.S. 2, U.S. 12, U.S. 81, U.S. 85, U.S. 281 and State Route 2. The company also added PreClear service in Ohio at six new sites on I-70, I-74, I-75, I-80 and U.S. 30, bringing its total sites in the state to 16. Drivewyze also added PreClear service in Arizona at seven new locations on I-8, I-10, I-15, I-40, U.S. 93 and State Route 68. • Paragon Software Systems, a provider of vehicle routing and scheduling optimization products, enhanced the reporting capabilities of its fleXipod electronic proof-of-delivery software by adding a dashboard function designed to allow logistics operations to access key reports at a glance to analyze trends and manage the performance of delivery teams. • Pegasus TransTech announced that travel center operator Pilot Flying J implemented its Transflo cloud-based mobile document imaging application across its fleet of tanker trucks. Pilot Flying J distributes fuel to more than 750 U.S. travel plazas, and its 1,850 driv-

ers will use Transflo Mobile to help reduce fuel delivery paperwork and simplify workflow. • FourKites, a provider of real-time tracking and visibility products, partnered with 3GTMS, a provider of transportation management software systems, to incorporate FourKites’ freight visibility platform with 3GTMS’ software to enhance processes for third-party logistics providers and shippers. FourKites’ technology gathers shipment status and location information from GPS/ ELD tracking devices and driver cellphones. Users of 3GTMS’ TMS can access FourKites’ ETA information, which is updated every 15 minutes, as well as predictive weather and traffic information. • Geotab announced the availability of ALK’s CoPilot Truck navigation on the Geotab Marketplace. The integration is designed to provide fleets with a complete view of driver behavior, trip history, customer locations and idling times, as well as the ability to plan the most efficient PC Miler-based route with real-time guidance and a driver interface. • FreightRover, a freight exchange and freight management app used by shippers, brokers and carriers, announced integrations with MacroPoint,Transflo, SaferWatch and

TriumphPay, all available through FreightRover’s vendor marketplace. FreightRover users can use MacroPoint’s tracking and real-time analytics, Transflo’s document indexing and repository, SaferWatch’s safety management services and TriumphPay’s QuickPay options – all through a single connection point. • Noregon updated its JPRO Professional 2017 advanced diagnosis and repair software for all makes and models of commercial vehicles. The v2 update expands bidirectional coverage and educational features, including fault assistance and vehicle health indicators to include alerts that inform a technician whether a diesel particulate filter regeneration is necessary, including DEF doser pump override tests, actuator tests and air management tests. • Mitchell 1 entered into a preferred partner agreement with Roady’s Truck Stops to provide TruckSeries, an all-makes truck repair information software suite, to all Roady’s member repair shops and service stations. The TruckSeries software delivers information for every stage of the repair process, which will enable Roady’s 300-plus independent member locations to more efficiently diagnose, estimate labor times for and repair all makes of medium- and heavy-duty trucks.

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The certifications expand the number of devices that can run company apps, third-party programs and PeopleNet software concurrently.

TMW develops ETA planning tool

PeopleNet certifies devices, develops Custom Reporting

eopleNet announced new products and enhancements to its fleet mobility platform. The Samsung Galaxy Tab E, Note 4 and J3 now are certified to run PeopleNet software. PeopleNet said the certifications of the additional devices are part of its larger focus to address the market need for company-owned personally enabled devices that provide multi-platform accessibility and enterprise mobility management. Also, a new Custom Reporting feature now is available in PeopleNet Central Intelligence, a user interface that combines all of PeopleNet’s reporting, business intelligence and analytics solutions in a single web portal. With Custom Reporting, customers can create their own custom dashboards and reports and access data with an online database connection, allowing fleets to create reports specific to their business needs that go beyond PeopleNet’s standard Dashboard and Report offering. Custom Reporting also gives users the ability to blend PeopleNet data with other fleet data to create customized charts, graphs and analysis. – Aaron Huff

MW Systems introduced TruETA, a new trip planning and execution tool that calculates an estimated time of arrival for each stop along a commercial Ray West, senior truck’s route. vice president and Available to users of TMW’s Innovageneral manager of TMS solutions tive IES, TMW.Suite, TMWSuite and for TMW Systems, TruckMate transportation management announces platforms, TruETA is a cloud-based TruETA during the company’s in.sight application that automates the calculaconference. tion of ETAs based on current vehicle position, PeopleNet’s Driver Hours of Service and real-time and predictive traffic patterns. TruETA also generates Red-Yellow-Green alerts indicating the ability of each vehicle to meet its customers’ scheduled delivery times, reducing the need for dispatcher-driver phone calls and mobile communications messages. TruETA uses the ALK Maps commercial mapping platform to visualize live traffic flows, as well as weather overlays of current conditions – including radar, cloud cover, alerts and road surface conditions – to quickly identify potential scheduling issues. TruETA also accounts for required driver rest breaks and calculates the driver’s remaining HOS at each destination with PC Miler’s Hours of Service planning engine. – Aaron Huff

TMW expands mobile app portfolio

MW Systems introduced a portfolio of user-friendly mobile apps for operations personnel, freight brokers, logistics managers and other professionals who want to access core transportation management system application data. Each app is available via the Apple App Store and Google Play marketplace. • TMW Go Dispatch, for TMW.Suite TMS. Key functionality includes adding/viewing check calls, updating stops, assigning resources, running reports, splitting trips and more. • TruckMate Dash Dispatch, for TruckMate TMS. Users can monitor status changes, manage exceptions, approve advance requests, track resources, visualize and map trips and more. • IES InMotion Dispatch, for Innovative IES, IES Access and Access Plus TMS. Capabilities include reviewing and accepting/rejecting EDI 36

commercial carrier journal

september 2017

shipments, entering check calls, reviewing driver information, issuing advances to drivers, tracking and tracing customer orders and more. • TMW Go Drive enables vehicle operators to review trip, pay and appointment data. • TruckMate Dash Drive offers access to daily trip schedules and details, pay information, mapping and important notifications. Drivers also can request fuel advances. • IES InMotion Drive allows users to review trip details, read messages, monitor hours of service, view paycheck information, upload photos of receipts and view their current route on a map. • TMW Vehicle Inspection enables drivers to perform pre- and post-trip inspections, review prior inspection reports and confirm that appropriate repairs have been completed. – Aaron Huff

Each app is available via the Apple App Store and Google Play marketplace.

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ITI overhauls defensive driving program

The technician force will have to embrace the change in technology by seeking out new knowledge as autonomous truck fleets become a reality.

nstructional Technologies Inc., a provider of training products for the transportation industry, announced its Pro-Defense defensive driving program, a series of courses designed to address the increasing amount and types of distractions encountered by professional drivers. “The concept of defensive driving hasn’t changed much since the mid-1950s,” said Laura McMillan, vice president of training development for ITI. “In that time, the roads have gotten more congested, the vehicles faster and the drivers more distracted and aggressive. The changes mean any single-subject defensive driving course is outdated. Yet, while many of the basic skills still apply to defensive driving, we knew we needed to rethink it with a modern, structured approach. The Pro-Defense program gives drivers the skills, focus and attitude they need to safely navigate modern roads and protect themselves from the distracted drivers on them.” Research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Academy of Sciences and National Safety Council points to distracted and fatigued driving as leading causes of accidents, surpassing traditional causes such as excessive speed. “This research led many of our customers to ask for a new approach to use when talking to drivers about defensive driving,” McMillan said. “They realize that while the same basic principles apply, vehicles, traffic and operations that require multitasking have all changed. Defensive driving is now increasingly about being able to read the road and the actions and intentions of other drivers. Pro-Defense is designed to change behaviors and replace them with actions that are instinctual. The result is a safer fleet with fewer crashes and injuries.” The Pro-Defense program is a structured system of eight courses that introduce defensive driving and address seven concepts using a mental checklist that spells out D-E-F-E-NS-E: Distractions, Effective communication with other drivers, Fatigue management, Evaluating space, Navigating hazards, Speed management and Essential planning. – Aaron Huff ITI’s Pro-Defense defensive driving program is a series of courses designed to address the increasing amount and types of distractions encountered by professional drivers.

commercial carrier journal

september 2017

Self-driving tech to pressure maintenance practices

rivers may the largest group affected by the widespread application of autonomous driving technology, but unless those trucks can fix themselves, there’s another segment of the industry bracing for impact. Last month, Waymo struck a deal with Avis Budget Group to maintain and service the rental company’s fleet of selfdriving cars, and similar deals for trucking are likely to follow as this type of technology is refined. “Technology will not slow down,” said Tom Wiers, chief executive officer of Wiers Fleet Partners. “As the mechanics and technicians for the trucking industry, we can’t either. The advanced technology will require specialized services and technicians who will be required to have an advanced knowledge revolving around autonomous tech.” Wiers said tire blowouts, oil changes and drivetrain issues still will need to be addressed routinely but that the technician force will have to embrace the change in technology by seeking out new knowledge as autonomous truck fleets become a reality. Drew Hettich, Wiers Fleet Partners chief operating officer, said the company works to head off the need for further education by developing its technicians, mechanics and staff to be familiar with digital technology platforms such as telematics. “We also look forward to growing our relationship with the manufacturers of the new self-driving semi-trucks as we proactively seek out ways to be a leader in the fleet management industry,” Hettich said. Since 2012, at least 41 states and Washington D.C. have considered legislation related to autonomous vehicles, and 19 states and Washington D.C. have passed legislation related to autonomous vehicles. “We don’t see truck cabs being completely empty for a while but know it is on the horizon and are proactively watching government regulations and compliance issues to ensure we are fully prepared to handle the coming evolution in trucking,” Wiers said. – Jason Cannon

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SPECIAL REPORT: ELECTRONIC LOGGING DEVICES

The crazy quilt of intrastate logging States failing to adopt an e-logging mandate. State hours-of-service regulations differing from the federal rule. ELDs missing state-specific features. For the intrastate driver required to use e-logs, the change could get complicated. BY TODD DILLS

o small amount of road rumor has swirled around the trucking community about just what states might do relative to the electronic logging device mandate for the subset of truckers operating entirely within a state’s borders and keeping logbooks. If a state’s intrastate hoursof-service regulations differ at all from the federal interstate rule, they tend to be less restrictive. They often allow more on-duty time, more drive time and higher cumulative limits. Joe Rajkovacz of the Western States Trucking Association says that until recently, the big question was: “Do states, for their intrastate markets, thumb their noses at the federal mandate?” Rajkovacz is based in California, which, with Texas, 42

commercial carrier journal

represents the nation’s two largest intrastate markets in the lower 48. Texas seemed to answer that question this year with additions to its regulatory code governing intrastate operations. It adopted the federal mandate by reference to it, thus requiring implementation of ELDs for intrastate carriers. However, there was one significant revision: Given the size of Texas’ intrastate market, officials decided to delay the implementation timeline. “If you’re a carrier in a small state, you’re probably always under interstate rules,” says Texas Department of Public Safety Maj. Jeremy Nordloh. “But you can have a significant intrastate operation in Texas.” Adding further fuel to the intra-

| september 2017

state-related road rumors is the additional complexity of a local hauling exemption from the federal ELD mandate. Drivers always running under the shorthaul (100- or 150-air-mile radius) HOS exemptions do not need to use an ELD. But if they do occasionally run outside the radius, they can avoid using an ELD as long as they keep a logbook for no more than eight days in any 30-day period. For intrastate mandates, the exemptions for pre-2000 model-year trucks and driveaway operations also will apply. Apart from state or federal ELD mandates, intrastate HOS regulations in Texas are different than the federal rule. Texas allows 12 hours of driving in a 15-hour window, with a 70-hoursin-seven-days cumulative on-duty

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SPECIAL REPORT: ELECTRONIC LOGGING DEVICES limit. Hours regulations also differ in other states with significant intrastate markets, such as California, Alaska and Florida. Many ELD providers support a variety of intrastate rules, delivering hours-limit warnings to drivers and carrier staff operating under a specific rule. However, many new providers entered the market following the federal mandate. Most of their products offer compliance warnings, time counters and such, but not all have options for particular intrastate rules. Texas’ relaxed timeline for intrastate haulers requires ELD use on Dec. 19, 2019, two years beyond the December 2017 deadline for interstate truck-

ers. Chief in calculating that delay, Nordloh says, is a concern over having enough providers to support Texas’ intrastate rules. “We gave it a blanket deadline in December 2019 to give as much benefit to the intrastate carriers as we could,” he says. With that date, Texas has pushed adoption and enforcement of the ELD rule a bit further than is technically allowed by federal regulation, meaning there could be some risk to federal funding of safety and enforcement programs. Guidance in Title 49, Part 355, of the Code of Federal Regulations requires states to “adopt and enforce” federal regulations pertaining to intrastate commercial vehicle operations within three

Is it necessary for an ELD to ‘support’ intrastate hours rules? The short answer: As a matter of regulation, no. The electronic logging device mandate is written in a manner that is more or less agnostic to the hours-of-service rule a particular driver is operating under. Hence so many states’ ability to adopt the federal regulations for ELDs with relative ease and speed. This went unnoticed by most watchers until it mattered, when Texas, with a massive intrastate market as well as an intrastate hours rule that differs significantly from the federal rule, adopted the mandate by reference with some addenda. But when it comes to picking an ELD for intrastate operation, choose wisely if your state has significant hours differences from the federal rule. If the device doesn’t support your rule in its functionality, you might not benefit from compliance warnings and quick-glance counters that most devices supply. “The ELD mandate technical specifications do not mention anything about the [60 hours in seven days or 70 in eight days] cycle rule or exceptions that a CMV driver is currently operating under, and that information is not captured in the required data output file” in roadside inspections, says Ryan Johns, chief technology officer for ELD provider KeepTruckin. “That said, KeepTruckin has implemented a number of state-specific rules to help drivers and safety managers avoid HOS violations.” Among those supported by KeepTruckin’s app are the California, Texas and Alaska intrastate rules, plus several Canadian rules. From the admin account where an ELD user would set up a driver profile, there’s also an option to select “Other” for the applicable rule, allowing for the program to work on a baseline recordkeeping level like a slightly more automated paper log, with little added compliance assistance in computing available hours. Many prominent providers of ELD hardware and software support California’s intrastate rule. Tom Reader, J.J. Keller marketing director, says support for differing rule sets in ELD applications is necessary for the value proposition of minimizing the compliance burden. Keller Encompass “has 18 rule sets built into the app,” Reader says. “The driver can choose which rule set applies to him or her. These features are present to ensure proper compliance and remove doubt or confusion around regulations.” Ravi Kodavarti, Rand McNally’s director of product management, concurs that ELDs ought to deliver benefits beyond just bedrock compliance. A basic-compliance-only device “wouldn’t be telling the driver how much time you have left to drive, a key part of the value proposition.” 44

commercial carrier journal

| september 2017

years of the effective date of the federal regulation. Since the effective date for the ELD rule was Feb. 16, 2016, the three years would be up in February 2019, 10 months before the state’s deadline for compliance with its intrastate rule. Many states already have adopted the ELD regulation and are sticking to the federal timeline for the intrastate haulers under their state HOS regulations. However, most of these states use hours limitations for intrastate hauling, with some exceptions, that are identical to the federal rules. Not all exception states are pushing against the three-year regulatory adoption requirement as aggressively as Texas. Florida’s Legislature last month was adopting federal regulations and specified a Dec. 31, 2018 date for ELD implementation for carriers operating under its daily limits of 12-hour-drive/16-on-duty, or cumulative 70 hours in seven days or 80 in eight. “This gives the intrastate industry time to come into compliance after our legislation passes,” says Major Derek Barrs of the Florida Highway Patrol’s commercial vehicle enforcement office. He notes this is similar to what was “done for interstate carriers after the rule went into effect” in early 2016, with interstate enforcement following near the end of this year, Barrs says. California might be the most significant remaining intrastate outlier, given the size of its market. Jill Schultz, hours regulations expert for J.J. Keller & Associates, suspects that, unlike Florida’s legislative and Texas’ quick adoption-by-reference methods, the Golden State likely will go through a regulatory action. “California has not put a proposal out yet,” Schultz says. Officials with the California Highway Patrol declined to comment on a timeline. Fran Clader in CHP’s communications office says the agency is developing “regulations for ELDs, including applicability to intrastate drivers/carriers.”

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INNOVATORS

earn ISO certifications without being pushed by regulations or prodded by customers. The company started on this path to get ahead of FDA and customer requirements. “We try to look five to 10 years ahead and see where we are at,” Oakley says. ISO 9001 is an internationally recognized standard for quality management. ISO 22000 sets requirements for a food safety management system, but leaders saw opportunities to improve customer service, safety and other areas beyond food safety. “The whole program is customerfocused,” Warner says.

Oakley Transport scientifically validates the effectiveness of all new tank wash procedures.

Oakley Transport’s quality initiatives redefine food transportation excellence BY AARON HUFF

OAKLEY TRANSPORT Lake Wales, Fla.

n 2011, the Food Safety Modernization Act expanded the domain of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration beyond regulating food producers alone. “Everyone in the entire food supply chain is now responsible to the FDA,” says Allen Warner, director of quality for Oakley Transport (CCJ Top 250, No. 139). “The FDA had rarely walked into a trucking company before, so that put us on a different level of inspection and responsibility.” With FDA’s broad authority to regulate the food supply chain, motor carriers began to investigate how the agency’s new rules would impact their organizations. The wheels of government turned slowly. “It kept going on,” says Tommy Oakley, president and chief executive officer of the Lake Wales, Fla.-based company. “They [FDA] would pass the ball from one group to another, and it never got traction.” As the regulatory process dragged on, Oakley Transport saw an opportunity to take the lead. The fleet’s management team began working with customers and trade groups such as the Juice Products Association, which represents the fruit and juice products industry, to establish standards and best practices for food safety and food defense. Having been in the food industry since 1961, Oakley Transport had become familiar with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certifications. While many of the fleet’s customers had quality management systems, most motor carriers in the food sector did not. More than three years ago, Oakley Transport’s management team decided to

Culture change Soon after Oakley Transport started on this path, the company hired Warner to steer its ISO certification process. He came from a 35-year career at Pepsi, where he led quality initiatives. “We realized we had to convert a trucking company into a food hauler of all bulk commodities,” Warner says. “It sounds simple, but the company is much different now. We are no longer just a trucking company, but we are a food transporter that is customer-focused.” Among the first orders of business was to revamp the fleet’s training programs, focus employees and change its culture to that of a food transporter. Whereas many over-the-road carriers will dispatch a new driver after only a

The fleet revamps its training programs, focuses employees and changes its culture to that of a food transporter.

commercial carrier journal | september 2017

couple of days of training at the office, Oakley Transport’s driver orientation training takes a minimum of five days and can last up to two weeks. “Most trucking companies want to feed the machine and get (drivers) producing,” says Ryan Walls, director of risk management and driver relations. “We can’t do that with what we do.” In retrospect, creating new quality management policies and procedures for employee background checks, seal security, tank washes and other areas was the easy part. The harder part was change management. “It was pretty painstaking, because we had to change the whole culture of the company,” Oakley says. “People had to be thinking these things every day, know the processes, and if they had a problem, they had to know where to go look for it.” Standing out As Oakley Transport rolled out new quality management and continuous improvement programs, its customers and vendors took notice. One quality initiative led to designing custom tank washes for customers with more challenging commodities. Oakley Transport scientifically validates the effectiveness of all tank wash procedures. If need be, samples are sent to a third-party laboratory to validate the fleet’s findings. “The last thing we want and the customer wants is to contaminate food anywhere,” Walls says. “We absolutely work with customers to make sure their products are coming onto and leaving our trucks in pure form. That for us is the end game.” Some shipper customers have asked Oakley Transport to certify the quality of their own private tank washes. The focus on quality recently led to an alliance with one of the fleet’s vendors, Quala, which operates more than 60 wash locations nationwide. “They put in some first-class food bays for us,” Oakley says. “We also partnered with them to put in terminals at their 48

of our customers by providing on-time delivery of cargo in the same condition that it was received.”

Thomas Oakley (left), president and CEO of Oakley Transport, and Allen Warner, director of quality, worked with the fleet’s management team, customers and trade groups to establish standards and best practices for food safety and food defense.

locations, which has created great efficiencies for us.” Last year, the Juice Products Association, which includes many of Oakley Transport’s customers, held a meeting at the fleet’s headquarters to draft new testing specifications for the quality of tank washes nationwide. “Food safety and defense has to be taken seriously,” Warner says. “When you help a customer or a supplier, everybody wins. Reject reports Warner says Oakley Transport takes its customer complaints one step further and tracks its own internal errors. The company also conducts random simulated mock recalls to ensure that the processes in place are being followed. Findings are acted upon and changes are made to improve processes continuously. Sometimes an error or “rejection incident” may be a shipper issue such as the loading of the wrong product in a tank trailer. Also, a shipper or receiver may have a capacity issue and not be prepared to take 7,000 gallons of product upon delivery. Any type of incident, no matter how minor, is investigated by a team to conduct a root cause analysis and come up with a solution. Oakley Transport’s acceptance rate — or loads without a rejection incident — currently is above 99.8 percent, Warner says. “We will continue to strive for improvement every day and serve the needs

commercial carrier journal | september 2017

Continuous improvement Oakley Transport also formed a crossfunctional Performance Excellence Team that meets at least once per month to review the company’s quality initiatives and to discuss process improvements, Warner says. Each department has a subcommittee that executes the plans. The fleet also works with its vendors and customers on quality initiatives. Trailer seal policies are one area where improvements have been made. “We work with suppliers and shippers to make sure food stays safe throughout the entire supply chain,” Warner says. “Some might use plastic seals. We insist on using a steel cable. This is much more difficult to cut or have an issue with.” Every time drivers make a stop along a route to fuel or for another reason, they must inspect all trailer seals and send a macro message through the in-cab computing system to verify all seals are intact. Upon delivery, drivers can use a mobile app to scan the bills of lading with the seal numbers written on the paper. “We are continually working to streamline the process for the drivers wherever we can,” says Zane Schwenk, director of national customer service. “It makes our lives easier, and it really makes the lives of our drivers easier who have one of the toughest jobs.” In August, Oakley Transport completed the certification process for ISO 22000:2005 and ISO 9001:2015, becoming the first liquid food grade transportation company globally to earn both. “This process has been a challenge, but it’s been terrific,” Oakley says. “It’s the best thing we have ever done with the company.” 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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Best of both worlds IronPlanet and Ritchie Bros. join forces to lead the asset disposition industry

Jeff Jeter, president of sales U.S. for Ritchie Bros., oversees the strategic accounts and regional sales teams supporting national, regional and local customers.

itchie Bros. and IronPlanet, each an industry powerhouse in its own right, have joined forces to become the undisputed leader in asset disposition. For their clients, achieving the next level of excellence means much more than just becoming the biggest and the best. It’s an across-the-board approach that includes delivering a range of asset disposition choices, offering a one-stop shop approach to customers, and using their combined considerable resources to allow the company to serve as a partner and trusted adviser to clients. Jeff Jeter, president of sales U.S., answers questions about their new mission.

Before Ritchie Bros. acquired IronPlanet, both companies were industry leaders with their own vision. How have the companies come together to form a single cohesive mission?

IronPlanet had an excellent online model, and Ritchie Bros. had a deep legacy of live, onsite unreserved auctions. Even though the channels were slightly different, the two companies had synergies in place, particularly with respect to serving the customers’ needs, and with the desire

to understand clients’ disposition requirements. In that, there was a shared vision. What there needed to be was the ability to have different solutions to meet those needs, and by bringing the two companies together, the customer now has the best of both worlds. Our combined sales force can now talk to clients from a consultative standpoint, and give them the solution best for them, given what they’re trying to achieve. We can now be a trusted adviser, because we look at what is in the customer’s best interests. That differs from what either company was able to offer before.

Historically, when thinking of either IronPlanet or Ritchie Bros., the first word that comes to mind is “auction.” In fact, auctions are just one of the asset disposition options available to clients now. As part of delivering more choices to customers, what are some of the other solutions?

In our role as a partner, we look for ways to help customers think of disposition before their assets go to auction, and we now have solutions that are “upstream” to auction. In fact, auction as a percentage of the total of asset disposition is small – and today, it’s one of many channels available to our consignors. We now have solutions in place that allow customers to sell assets all the time, not just at auction. For example, our online marketplace Truckplanet.com allows a customer to decide if they’d like to have a “buy it now price” or “make offer price,” and to place a reserve on the asset. This format empowers our customer to make the decision on the selling format. Coming in October, we will introduce a new online marketplace that will provide our customers additional choice and flexibility – stay tuned for that. This flexibility works well with our buyer base, which is the largest in the world. They buy trucks and construction equipment all the time, and while they certainly enjoy the experience of buying at our live auctions, they also want the flexibility of not having to wait for a live auction event — and the ability to buy every day from many of our different channels. We’re going to give our sellers those other formats.

Customers have more tools and options than ever before. How can they leverage their relationship with Ritchie Bros. to take advantage of these features?

Our clients expect us to deliver choices, and we have the capabilities to do so. We’re putting that to work in ways people have traditionally not associated with our company. We’ll continue to offer onsite live unreserved auctions and weekly online auctions, because many customers prefer to manage their assets in those ways. However, we’ll use our considerable technology to continue to offer customers both flexibility and control, such as with TruckPlanet, and with TruckLocator. TruckLocator, a recent product launch for OEMs and large fleets, provides the seller the flexibility to list a single representative asset when multiple like units exists — buyers have the ability to buy these configurations in multiple quantity. It’s a need we identified and a win-win for our buyers and sellers.

How will merging the synergies between the technology of IronPlanet and the operational excellence of Ritchie Bros. impact serving fleets?

Large fleets – both in transportation and construction – want insights into the right time to sell. It’s one thing to have the platform and choices on how to sell their assets. It’s another thing when you can take data and information from the market, and then deliver insights that help them decide their disposition strategies and timing in the market, as well as the demand, which determines the supply you can put into the market. How we package that and give that back to them to make better decisions? Data is big; information is king, and we use our resources for tools and information to enable people to make better decisions. It differentiates us in the marketplace in a significant way and allows us to deliver something meaningful to our customers. Through a partnership with Ritchie Bros., clients not only can take advantage of their one-stop shop capabilities, but reduce the uncertainty traditionally associated with asset disposition. Using our powerful tools, data and information, the company’s clients are firmly in control. That’s what Delivering Choices is all about.

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PART 9: Integrating technology

How to add, evaluate new technologies BY LUCAS DEAL IT’S A SCENARIO EVERY

fleet knows too well. After months of investigation, research and assessments, you’ve finally found the product your company needs. You’ve found the answer to your problem; the solution to your success. That was the easy part. Now that you know what you want, you must bring it on board.

Bringing in a new technology is an exhaustive affair, but with careful planning and a transparent approach with employees, strategies can be built to streamline implementation and ensure maximum productivity with new equipment. In this ninth edition of CCJ’s Tech Toolbox, we look at the factors fleets should consider and best practices they can use for imple-

With careful planning and a transparent approach with employees, strategies can be built to streamline implementation and ensure maximum productivity with new equipment. menting new technologies into their operations. Also be sure to visit CCJTechToolbox.com for

other installments and multimedia content and to sign up for special TechToolbox webinars and newsletters.

PLANNING TECH IMPLEMENTATION Coming up with a strategy

When GCR Tires & Service advises customers on their tire policies, the company first tries to sit down with them and understand their business.

ANY TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT THAT ENDS IN ACCEPTANCE should transition its focus immediately from evaluation to implementation. Both fleets and technology providers alike say the cautious traits of research and investigation that help fleets choose valuable technologies are equally useful in their implementation. Once a carrier knows what it wants, it can’t just buy it and move onto something else, says Joel Beal, general manager for LoadTrek, provider of a cloud-based onboard computer and telematics and transportation management system. Implementation and operational procedures must be developed, he says. Leadership must delegate a technology’s rollout to project managers capable of handling it, and that team must work with fellow employees and the technology provider to create a strategy and timeline, Beal says. The delegation decision cannot be overlooked, he says. Because the executives who purchase new technologies are rarely the point people who will implement them, it is necessary for leaders to select an employee not only with project management experience but also the respect of fellow employees and a drive to successfully push a rollout through to completion. “I strongly believe, regardless of the technology, that it’s

PART 9: Integrating technology the person in charge of getting it implemented who has the biggest impact on the success,” Beal says. “It’s more about the person than the process.” But process still matters. Newly tapped project managers should meet with suppliers to discuss their implementation methods and adapt their general strategies to their individual fleet. Goals should be presented immediately so that both parties are aware of expectations, says Christopher Platt, vice president of strategic accounts for Omnitracs. “It’s very important both sides are up front with each other for a successful deployment and implementation,” Platt says. Installation planning should follow, as the two sides collaborate to determine the best way to add the technology to the carrier’s operation. These plans can vary substantially depending on the technology and its expected usage, says Ron Greenleaf, Mountain District regional sales manager for GCR Tires & Service. “Because we are advising a customer on their tire policy, we first try to sit down with them and understand their business,” Greenleaf says. “We want to know what they are driving toward and tailor our product to those business objectives.” This step is best followed by informing employees, particularly drivers, if the technology will have any impact on their work. The effectiveness and value of any technology entering the field ultimately is determined by drivers, so they’re not a group to overlook, says Taylor Brown, executive vice president for Urbandale, Iowa-based Brown NationaLease. “The worst thing you can ever do is make a decision on a product and put it out to the field without having their buyin,” Brown says. “Then it’s dead on arrival.” It’s only after these steps are completed that Beal advises a fleet to move forward with a new technology implementation. “We spend so much time on pricing and not nearly enough on planning,” he says. “It’s totally backward. It’s so much easier to do it if you have a plan and everyone knows what they are going to do.”

WHO TRAINED YOUR EMPLOYEES AFTER YOUR FIRST ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY PURCHASE? The technology provider

25.1%

A third-party facilitator

3.6%

The technology provider trained our managers, who in turn trained our employees

36.6%

A third-party facilitator trained our managers, who in turn trained our employees

4.9%

Our employees were expected to learn the technology on their own

7.1%

No training was necessary

16.2%

I don’t know

2.9%

Other

3.6% Source: CCJ survey of fleet professionals, 429 respondents

Rush Enterprises’ RushCare Service Connect supplements onboarding training for its fleet maintenance technology with an on-call Customer Support Center.

WORKING WITH TECH PROVIDERS

Using your subject matter experts THE BIGGEST RESOURCE

for fleets working to implement new technology properly is the providers selling it. Even the most tech-savvy carriers lack the implementation experience that the product experts have compiled. “We’ve found we have the most success when we listen to our providers,” says Mike Moran, president of Moran Transportation, based in Elk Grove Village, Ill. “We use their expertise to guide us on how to move forward.” Suppliers say this is important because there are so few technologies that have identical implementation. An electronic logging device may need identical attaching components, and a new safety system may fit only in a specific configuration, but

how a fleet plans for and installs both can vary wildly. Mike Schwanzl, director of field sales and service for Dana, says he’s seen that in how customers evaluate his company’s newest technologies. While some customers prefer to spec new components directly into their next truck order, others may opt for retrofitting where applicable, or some combination of both. Schwanzl says Dana offers detailed guidance for any potential avenue, “pointing out any circumstance” where one strategy is required or strongly recommended. Technology providers are equally useful in building and maintaining a timeline for implementation — sometimes even offering real-world expe-

PART 9: Integrating technology rience as direction. “We recommend customers implement technologies in stages and improve in areas of need,” says Brian Mulshine, director of operations, technology and innovation for Rush Enterprises, which introduced its RushCare Service Connect platform in 2016. “This is what we did for our own fleet,” Mulshine says. “The available data has to be configured and is pivotal to improving fleet performance. Smaller continuous improvement actions are the best way to achieve adoption and success.” Also, in cases where fleets are making large-scale changes, relying on a provider is more than just recommended: It’s mandatory. Fleet management software providers require access to many departments to properly embed their technologies within a carrier’s business. Depending on the provider and the scope of the software, these implementations may take months or even years. No matter the timeframe, the providers say it is imperative the customers rely on the expertise of their

implementation team to maximize onboarding efficiency and minimize business disruptions. “When you’re changing the entire base system of how a customer does its business, that’s going to take time,” says Ray West, TMW Systems’ senior vice president and general manager of transportation management software product lines. West says technology providers also double as a customer’s best training resource. “Our implementation teams are experts in the industry,” he says. “We offer very customized training based on the customer’s business model and work face-to-face with them to make sure they understand exactly how to use the systems.” Rush Enterprises does the same with its RushCare Service Connect portal, while also supplementing onboarding training with an on-call customer service support team. “We focus on explaining not just the technology itself, but the benefits the technology provides,” says Mulshine.

WHICH FACTOR HAD THE LARGEST IMPACT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TECHNOLOGY IN YOUR BUSINESS? CCJ survey responders were mixed on the drivers of acceptance of new technology, with performance and operational gains edging out top-level buy-in as the main motivating factor.

St. Louis-based Hogan Truck Leasing, with more than 7,000 units, relies on vendor support for all technology rollouts and conducts small test rollouts with early-adopting customers.

HOW MUCH TO IMPLEMENT What can you handle? ONE COMMON BUT

avoidable mistake that carriers make when onboarding new technology is tackling too much too fast. “I think in a lot of cases, fleets often underestimate how important it is to have implementation as part of their project plan,” says Deryk Powell, president for Velociti, a provider of technology deployment services. “I think sometimes companies find what they what and move forward, not realizing how much work it is going to be.” Implementing new technology is more than adding parts or providing access to new computer tools and resources. To Powell, implementation is a comprehensive strategy that ensures a fleet earns the maximum benefits and

return on investment on any product it chooses to purchase. For fleets with a multiple technology to-do list, determining the manpower and resources necessary to implement each technology is a good pre-work assessment. Powell says this helps the fleet identify how much the business can manage without losing implementation effectiveness. No two rollouts are the same, which means that in some cases, one fleet may be able to implement only one technology at a time, while another might have the ability to install the same system and additional products concurrently. Conversely, in cases where near-immediate product implementation

PART 9: Integrating technology is necessary — such as with the upcoming ELD mandate — fleets should be especially cautious in risking the deviation of resources to implement a second technology. When internal assessments still don’t show an obvious path, it’s best to ask the vendor, says Joel Beal, general manager for LoadTrek. “This is where a vendor can be a big help, because the vendor has done this before and will do this again,” Beal says. “They know how long it’s going to take, who has to do what, what the priorities are. They have the experience to tell the customer what needs to be done.” Tom Boyer, vice president of maintenance for St. Louis-based Hogan Truck Leasing, says he relies on his vendors’ support for all technology rollouts. Boyer says that with more than 7,000 units on the road, he can’t implement any new technology without knowing exactly what’s required of his team and how it will impact his customers. He says small test rollouts with early adopting customers and Hogan’s sister companies — Hogan Transportation and Hogan Dedicated — have proven useful in this area since the real-world results can be used to assuage questions and concerns from other customers. “You want to make new technology implementation as invisible as you can so you don’t negatively affect them in any manner,” Boyer says.

When implementing a new technology that will impact its drivers, St. Louis-based Moran Transportation initially trains a select group of lead drivers before a fleetwide rollout.

WINNING EMPLOYEE BUY-IN Cultivating company acceptance is critical ANOTHER ASPECT OF

implementation that cannot be overlooked is employee acceptance. While new technology is change for the better, it’s still change. Altering an employee’s equipment and/or responsibilities without proper instruction and training can be counterproductive and potentially harmful. “Most people don’t talk about employee buy-in or

really even think about it, but it’s so critical,” says Deryk Powell, president for Velociti. “It’s the biggest influence on whether something works for us, absolutely,” says Thomas Newby, vice president of equipment and maintenance for Thomasville, N.C.-based Old Dominion Freight Line (CCJ Top 250, No. 10). “You have to show employees what’s in

WHO TRAINED YOUR EMPLOYEES ON ADDITIONAL NEW TECHNOLOGY? The technology provider

26.5%

A third-party facilitator

4.8%

The technology provider trained our managers, who in turn trained our employees

38.7%

A third-party facilitator trained our managers, who in turn trained our employees

10.9%

Our employees were expected to learn the technology on their own

8.7%

No training was necessary

6.5%

I don’t know

0.9%

Other

3.0% Source: CCJ survey of fleet professionals, 429 respondents

it for them.” The reasons for this are twofold. First, there’s the functionality aspect. It’s unfair to expect employees to use new technology properly if they haven’t been trained, Powell says. But perhaps even more important than practical training is justification. Employees, particularly drivers, should know exactly why a new technology is being implemented and, as Newby says, how it will benefit them. Powell says the risk from skipping this training is enormous. “There are a lot of opinions around the technology out in the market today,” he says. “If you don’t control the messaging of why you’re adding something and show drivers how it benefits them, it can be perceived the wrong way. Word travels fast in the driver community. You don’t want your

PART 9: Integrating technology

When adding a new technology, Thomasville, N.C.-based Old Dominion Freight Line brings in older drivers who might be more resistant and trains them first to get them more comfortable. people to misunderstand what you’re doing.” Many carriers use onsite terminal meetings to acclimate drivers to new technology. These meetings, typically led by a member of the fleet’s implementation team, allow the carrier to brief large numbers of employees on a new product in a short period of time. “We develop formal training for the drivers and have training facilities at every single one of our service centers,” says Woody Lovelace, senior vice president of corporate planning and development for Lexington, S.C.-based Southeastern Freight Lines (CCJ Top 250, No. 27). “We have mobile training units that travel to each location to provide the training. We believe it is very important that our drivers understand why things change.”

In cases where a fleet is unable to bring its drivers together in a timely manner — or believes more training is necessary for them to fully understand a change — additional training options exist. Brent Nussbaum, chief executive officer for Hudson, Ill.-based Nussbaum Transportation, says his fleet uses its monthly newsletter and coaching

runs to help onboard and teach new employees about technology. Nussbaum says the newsletter allows the company to disseminate all technology training materials and provide drivers guidance on where to find the information if they need to reference it again. Nussbaum’s coaching runs mirror another common industry training

WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO IMPLEMENT A NEW TECHNOLOGY? For fleets remaining hesitant to add new technology into their operation, government mandates dwarf all other potential drivers of change. Responders to CCJ’s survey peg such requirements as likely the main reason they’d ever implement new technology.

Source: CCJ survey of fleet professionals, 429 respondents

method — using drivers to train their colleagues. ODFL has been doing that for some time, says Newby. “We’ve found success bringing in older drivers who might be more resistant and training them first to get them more comfortable,” he says. “Then when we roll it out, they start selling it to everyone else.” “We’ve found it helps to have a few lead drivers trained first,” says Mike Moran, president for Moran Transportation. “Drivers tend to talk to peers differently, and it helps to have some of those guys on the front lines.” But the front line isn’t the only place where low employee acceptance rates are damaging. If executives also don’t show vocal support for a technology, it’s hard to get everyone else on board. Implementation requires everyone working toward the same goals. “We’ve found through the years when we’ve had major implementations of technology that we become so concerned about those front-line associates,” Lovelace says. “But the paradigm shift is actually with leadership.” He says every action plan at SEFL has executive ownership, and these action plans are addressed at the corporate level with regularity. This ensures that when the carrier selects a new technology, executives remain invested through implementation and into its use. “For us, getting to full utilization is very critical,” Lovelace says.

PART 9: Integrating technology Remote diagnostics and vehicle maintenance software are technologies customers are likely to undervalue, says Jim Nachtman, product marketing manager of on-highway trucks for Navistar.

EVALUATING IMPLEMENTATION Get out the measuring tape to assess success THE SUCCESSFUL

onboarding of new technology doesn’t end when every truck is equipped and each driver is trained. New technology is purchased with specific benefits in mind, and once it’s in use, those benefits should be confirmed. “I think that’s a huge challenge for us as an industry,” says Joel Beal, general manager for LoadTrek. “It can be very difficult to follow up on a product once it’s out there.” Beal believes there are multiple reasons for trucking’s struggles in measuring a technology’s effectiveness. One stems from general business structure. Some fleets lack the manpower and resources to continue monitoring a technology once it’s working. Project managers are assigned new tasks, and leadership shifts its focus to new potential technologies. In the shuffle, the focus on what was implemented slips, and an evaluation isn’t completed. Another barrier to proper technology evaluation is

measurement. Carriers can avoid such common missteps and still fall victim to mistakes during a product assessment. This is especially common with fuel efficiency technologies, where vendor-provided fuel-savings estimates sometimes far exceed real-world data. Tom Benusa, chief information officer for Eagan, Minn.-based Transport America, says his fleet rebuilds vendor return-on-investment calculators using its own data to better gauge expectations for a new technology. These updated calculators are used initially in product selection, then again during product trials and finally after fleet-

wide implementation. Benusa says the updated formula is necessary because vendor calculators usually “show how great the tools are” in optimal conditions, not the real world. “In my experience, it is best to have your own methodology,” he says. “You have to have confidence in the numbers you’re using to make any decision.” Beal says vendors also can be helpful in this area, amending their own ROI calculations to provide more accurate expectations while also ensuring a new technology is operating properly. The latter is in-

credibly important, because implementation mistakes that aren’t corrected immediately become costly over time, he says. There’s also the issue of usage and ensuring product training is successful. Jim Nachtman, product marketing manager of on-highway trucks for Navistar, cites remote diagnostics and vehicle maintenance software as technologies customers are likely to undervalue. “I think sometimes customers get a product to do one thing, and that’s all they use it for,” Nachtman says. “That’s what they wanted, so that’s what they learn, unaware that it could do so much more.” Beal agrees and says that such oversight isn’t just a problem with new technology. “Even if you’ve been doing this for a while, sometimes it doesn’t hurt to take a step back just to reevaluate things and make sure things are working like they’re supposed to,” he says.

WHICH TECHNOLOGY ARE YOU MOST LIKELY TO ACCEPT? n Safety technology (collision mitigation, lane departure warning, stability control, etc.) n Fuel-efficiency technology (aerodynamic devices, 6x2 axles, tire monitoring/ inflation, etc.) n Asset management technology (vehicle routing, mapping, geofencing, etc.)

n Driver management technology (ELDs, etc.) n Maintenance and service technology (telematics, predictive analytics, service event management software, etc.) n Other Source: CCJ survey of fleet professionals, 429 respondents

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To prevent irregular and premature wear, know why it happens BY JASON CANNON

The following story is Part 3 of a three-part series on “Preventing CSA Vehicle Maintenance Violations.” July’s installment highlighted brake violations, while August’s story focused on violations involving lights.

ire troubles are among the top three causes of Compliance Safety Accountability violations, and with more tires on the truck and trailer than just about anything other than lights, they can be difficult to manage. Improper tread depth is the most common tire-related CSA penalty, said Gary Schroeder, director of Cooper’s truck and bus tire business. There’s an old business idiom that says “what gets measured gets managed,” and while the first line of defense in measuring tire health falls on pre- and post-trip inspections, most tire experts agree that knowing “The Super Six” causes of irregular and premature tire wear will aid a fleet’s maintenance management practices. 1. Picking the wrong tire When it comes to optimal tire perfor-

mance, the first and most important factor is to make sure the tire is designed to handle the forces specific to its operational demands. “Wear, tread life and damage resistance all are vital items that need to be considered when making this decision,” said Tom Clauer, Yokohama’s manager of commercial and OTR product planning. The right tire on the wrong truck also is problematic, Clauer said. “Many times, long-haul trucks supplement shorter regional urban operations in a pinch, and that’s acceptable,” he said. “Over time, it can show advanced tire wear, not to mention equipment wear.” Wheelbases and axle sets are engineered to handle specific operations, and anything outside of their design parameters creates challenges. Using a fuelefficient long-haul drive tire in a regional application could cause tire wear from high torque or cut-and-chip damage.

“Tread depth, groove geometry, tread compounds and other engineering factors all play a role in tire wear,” said Scott Pall, Continental’s Northern U.S. sales manager for commercial vehicle tires. 2. Inadequate air pressure Under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s CSA program, a tire operating with less than 50 percent of its maximum pressure is considered flat – an 8-point out-of-service violation. “Underinflation is the biggest issue in the industry,” said Delvin Webb, Michelin Americas Truck Tires’ U.S./Canada customer engineering support department manager. “It is the number-one cause of premature tire removal.” Maintaining correct inflation pressure not only will keep your CSA scores down, it also will have a positive impact on tire wear, casing life and overall performance. “Both overinflation and underinflation

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| september 2017 71

EQUIPMENT: TIRE VIOLATIONS

Freddy Navarro of Rancho Foods checks the tread depth of a Yokohama 104ZR Spec-2 tire.

can change a tire’s footprint, making it susceptible to premature irregular wear,” said Evan Perrow, senior product marketing manager for Goodyear. Inflation levels should be checked daily when possible, Perrow said. “Temperature fluctuations can have an impact on tire inflation levels,” he said. “Think of a tire on a truck that has been running in a hot area, such as the southwestern desert. The tire could run all day in 110-degree heat and then sit overnight in 60-degree weather, which could affect psi levels.” A tire is designed to contain air pressure and provide traction and driver comfort throughout its casing life. Properly maintained air pressures will ensure the life of both the tread and the casing for retreading. “A tire is a containment vessel,” Clauer said. “Air pressure is what carries the weight, so it’s important that the air pressure is set correctly. Improper air pressure is a constant culprit in irregular wear, abbreviated tread life and premature tire failure.” Prosser Carnegie, Continental’s North America head of product development for truck tires, said tires typically lose up to 2 percent of their air pressure every month. When checking inflation levels, also make sure that the measurement tools are calibrated properly, as usage condi72

commercial carrier journal

tions can cause a pressure gauge to lose accuracy beyond the 2-psi tolerance range recommended by manufacturers. An inflation pressure mismatch of greater than 5 psi will result in the two tires of a dual assembly being different in circumference, resulting in irregular wear and possible premature casing fatigue. “A difference of 5 psi between steer tires will cause the vehicle to pull to the side with the lower pressure,” Webb said. Schroeder said inflation levels should be based on a scale weight by axle and the load/inflation chart for the tire’s size. Truck tires have two scales, one for singles and one for duals. 3. Improper mounting Tires that aren’t mounted correctly to the truck or trailer never stand a chance to reach their wear potential. “A tire that has not been properly seated can created immediate irregular wear patterns and ride, handling and vibration issues,” Clauer said. If the tire is not seated properly to the wheel flange area, the tire and wheel assembly will have an “out-of-round” posture, creating wear. “If the tire bead doesn’t fit into the wheel properly – for example, if the tire was not sufficiently lubed during installation – it will not properly center onto

| september 2017

the wheel flange,” said James Matarelli, Continental’s western U.S. sales manager for commercial vehicle tires. “This prevents the tread from lying flat as the tire rolls forward and backward and causes uneven wear on the shoulders.” Most major tire manufacturers offer proper mounting procedures on their websites. Also, organizations such as the Tire Industry Association have developed training programs to ensure service personnel are equipped to handle all mounting procedures, such as ensuring tread depths match on both sides of the axle. “Mismatched tires can lead to problems,” Perrow said. “Diameter differences of larger than a quarter-inch can create scrubbing patterns for the smaller of the two tires.” A difference as small as 4/32nds in tread depth can cause premature wear. Mounting tires from different manufacturers also can cause an unintended mismatch. “In some cases, tires can have identical tread depth but a different overall diameter due to engineering differences,” said Travis Despain, Continental’s Canada sales manager for commercial vehicle tires. Carnegie said if one tire in a dual position is damaged and requires premature replacement, fleets ideally should either replace both tires with matching new tires or have an inventory of used tires to select a close match to the damaged tire. 4. Tire imbalance and alignment Wheel balancing can reduce ride complaints and vibrations, but it’s also instrumental in prolonging tread life and eliminating irregular wear. “It’s also an easy way to check that there is no excessive runout due to the mounting process,” Clauer said. Balance techniques, procedures and equipment vary, but any attempt to balance is better than no attempt at all. Clauer recommends starting “on the vehicle” so the tire, wheel, hub and

EQUIPMENT: TIRE VIOLATIONS

Joe Godina, fleet manager for Heavy Weight Transport, checks the air pressure of a Yokohama RY023 tire.

brake rotor/drum are balanced as a single unit. Alignment refers not only to the various angles of the steer axle geometry but also to the tracking of all the vehicle’s axles, including the trailer, Webb said. When diagnosing alignment issues, the steer tire is the best place to start because that’s where irregular wear is the most visible, said Rod Conner, Continental’s warranty and field services manager for technical customer services. However, alignments at all wheel positions should be considered at each inspection and service cycle and when tires are replaced. “With 18-wheelers, a traditional front-end alignment isn’t always enough,” Perrow said. “Drive axles must be aligned, too, making sure they are perpendicular to the chassis, and in the case of tandem axles, parallel to each other.” Trailers take a beating and are usually the last piece of equipment to receive any attention or maintenance, Clauer said. “Trailers are subject to tire damage, as well as other components, due to curbing, overrunning railroad tracks and other surface objects, including damage from intermodal functions,” he said. Also ensure the fifth wheel is tight, set and lubricated at least every 90 days or 30,000 miles, whichever comes first. 74

commercial carrier journal

“More frequent lubrication may be necessary if the truck operates in a frequent hook-and-unhook environment,” said Homer Hogg, TravelCenters of America’s manager of technical development. 5. Worn parts Any part that moves will wear, and if a technician performing routing maintenance can initiate even the slightest irregular movements in tie-rod ends, kingpins, wheel bearings and torque rods, “imagine what 4,000 to 10,000-plus pounds of weight on a single assembly can accomplish,” Clauer said. Once a wear pattern is established, it will continue to worsen. Wear patterns typically seen with mechanical issues include spotty and diagonal wear, Despain said. Clauer recommends shock absorbers be checked every maintenance service cycle and replaced in pairs if there’s any sign of leaking fluid. “Waiting to replace any parts that show signs of looseness, damage or wear can cause irreversible irregular wear damage to your tires,” he said. 6. Drivers Considering factors such as a truck’s quick launch, harsh braking and sharp turns, it’s easy to see how drivers can have

| september 2017

a significant impact on tire maintenance, wear and failures. “[Brake] skids remove generous amounts of material from tires,” Clauer said. “The best remedy for flat-spotted tires is to have them buffed or retreaded. Trailer tires are most susceptible to these occurrences for multiple reasons. Ensuring the power unit and trailer brakes are properly set at each hook will prolong the life of all tires dramatically.” Drivers are also the first to see most irregularities, so pre-checks are the best place to begin thorough tire lookovers, he said. “Tires will tell you what is happening to them, and drivers should be knowledgeable to what the signs and indicators are to understand what the tire is telling them,” Clauer said. “This is the front line in tire maintenance and the most efficient.” One element of tire wear drivers have complete control over is how they drive the truck under less-thanideal conditions. A shock absorber is designed to keep the tires in contact with the road, but to do that, they dampen road irregularities. “It’s not just about the ride,” Clauer said. “Once a tire takes a bump, all or part of the tire loses contact with the road surface. Every time it happens – this includes tread flexing – it creates wear.” Webb recommends training drivers to check air pressure and tire condition during their pre- and post-trip inspections. Maintenance staff should support those inspections with immediate repairs as needed. “Operators are strongly encouraged to be aware not only of their tires’ visual condition and inflation pressure but also of any change in dynamic performance, such as increased air loss, noise or vibration,” he said. “While on the road, drivers should be vigilant for road conditions, debris and other driving behaviors that may lead to premature tire degradation.”

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Leveraging data for fleet maintenance, operations, customer service, driver safety and retention BY AARON HUFF

xceptions are the norm in transportation and logistics. At any moment, a load can fall behind schedule, a driver could have an accident or a truck might break down, among other possibilities. Fleets use a variety of technologies to see exceptions the moment they happen. Software, whether on their own servers or in the cloud, constantly monitors live data from vehicles, transportation management software systems and other sources to report on what went wrong. While the reporting is helpful, the damage often is done by the time the information arrives, and those exceptions can be costly. That’s why more technology-savvy fleets now are looking for ways to act on predictive data rather than exceptions. Imagine a fleet manager knowing a truck is likely to break down due to a problem with its exhaust aftertreatment system. With this foresight, the manager can route the truck to a dealer and reassign its load to another truck. The manager may get another report that identifies a driver or group of drivers who are likely to quit, allowing him to reach out to resolve the conflict. Another report could show which drivers are most likely to be in a collision and what intervention strategies will best mitigate the risk.

With so much data, computing power and software tools, these scenarios are possible by studying predictive analytics to anticipate future events and using workflow tools to change the outcomes before the exceptions take place.

Predictive maintenance All truck OEMs now offer remote diagnostics services to help their customers reduce unplanned equipment downtime. OEMs and fleets are building on this foundation to predict maintenance needs of assets and take cost-saving preventive measures. The data from a single fleet or the collective data an OEM has on a truck model might show a turbo is likely to fail at 270,000 miles under certain conditions, such as having routes with high elevations or certain driver behaviors and weather patterns. “When you pull all of this together, you could start to predict component failures with enough certainty to change a $25,000 part before it fails,” says Dick Hyatt, chief executive officer of Decisiv. “It is a little bit of a dream right now, but I can see it will happen over the next several years.” Volvo, Paccar and Hino Trucks use Decisiv’s cloud-based platform to manage service events for customers. The events are triggered by diagnostics trouble codes from vehicles. commercial carrier journal

september 2017

TECHNOLOGY: PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS Remote diagnostics services by OEMs will lead to new breakthroughs for predictive maintenance, says Dick Hyatt, Decisiv CEO.

Decisiv works with OEMs to categorize the severity of DTCs on a scale of high, medium and low. For high-severity fault codes, Decisiv opens a “PM due” process. All participants in this workflow — the OEM call center, dealer network and fleet — are notified via email, text and the online dashboard. Medium-severity faults go into a “pending work mode” and “travel with the truck,” Hyatt says. The next time the asset shows up at a shop location, technicians can look at the pending work file and recommended repair plan for the DTCs. Similarly, the low-severity faults stay with the asset profile. Remote diagnostics is more complicated than reading fault codes, and OEMs have made big strides to analyze data to get to the root causes of problems. Bsquare, a data analytics provider, works with OEMs and fleets to bring information together from different sources — the engine, subsystems and historical information — to “have a high level of confidence of what the issue might really be,” says Dave McCarthy, the company’s senior director of products. Once the root cause is known, an automated workflow can identify the parts and technician skill levels needed to complete the repair at the closest service center. “All of this could happen while the truck is rolling down the road,” McCarthy says. Bsquare is working with Paccar to develop business intelligence dashboards, analytics and workflow tools to power its remote diagnostics platforms and services. Once a vehicle arrives at Kenworth and Peterbilt dealers, technicians are using Bsquare’s technology to guide them through a decision tree of fault codes to shorten diagnostics and repair times. Bsquare also works with motor carriers that operate mixed fleets to bring their DTCs into a single dashboard and provide “a combined understanding of what is happening” with assets, McCarthy says. Trailers also are entering into the predictive maintenance picture. Dean Croke, vice president of data products for 78

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| september 2017

Spireon, a provider of trailer tracking and monitoring technology, says an analysis he is developing shows it is possible to predict — with a high degree of probability — which trailers will have roadside failures before they get dispatched. However, predictive maintenance does not rely solely on remote diagnostics data. Technicians in the shop also can have the necessary tools to predict certain issues accurately. Noregon, providers of the JPro in-shop diagnostic and repair system and TripVision real-time vehicle health and safety monitoring system, says that JPro displays the number of times a fault has become active and then inactive. This fault history, according to the company, is a strong indicator of future issues with an engine or any particular subsystem. Extensive fault histories built into the tool allow fleets to examine prior issues on the vehicle to detect recurring problems, Noregon says. Coolant level problems could oscillate between active and inactive for days, which could indicate a likelihood of becoming permanently active and causing a vehicle to derate.

Escaping accidents Motor carriers use a variety of Internet of Things devices and applications to monitor driving behaviors. Most of these technologies are designed to alert management if drivers exceed safe thresholds for speed, acceleration/ deceleration, g-force and other vehicle operation and sensor data. Many also can score driver behaviors and create risk profiles. To get picture-perfect visibility of behaviors and metrics that can predict accidents more accurately, a growing number of fleets are using video-based driver risk management systems. These systems use forward- and driver-facing event recorders to capture risk factors attributable to driver distractions, Cummins’ Guidanz mobile app allows fleets and end-users to quickly read Cummins fault codes and other key information on 2007 and newer engines.

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TECHNOLOGY: PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS Jeremy Collins, director of business and safety development for Postal Fleet Services, says the SmartDrive system has helped reduce the company’s risks of distracted driving.

short following distances, traffic violations, lack of weather precautions and other bad habits that cannot be detected by sensors alone. Some technology providers offer managed services and have analysts review video clips of critical events that have captured risky driving. Some also have devised powerful algorithms to correlate driving behaviors with future collision risks. The algorithms are designed to translate a complex set of driving behaviors into easy-to-use scores and drill-down reports to help manage the fleet’s overall risk. The SmartDrive video-based safety system has a scoring algorithm that combines recent observations of risky behaviors with their predictive value. The algorithm normalizes individual driver scores for risk exposure based on hours or miles driving. The SmartDrive Safety Score is designed to identify specific skills and behaviors that individual drivers need to improve to help reduce collision risk. Fleets use these scores alongside video clips to coach drivers and manage their behavior behind the wheel. Postal Fleet Services, a mail hauler that contracts primarily with the U.S. Postal Service, was not using any technology to monitor driving behaviors before it deployed SmartDrive. “We did it old-school,” says Jeremy Collins, director of business and safety development. The St. Augustine, Fla.based carrier was assessing risk by looking at motor vehicle records, employment history, logbook records and road tests, among other manual time-intensive practices. As a result, management was “reactive” to information from Compliance Safety Accountability inspections, citizen complaints and accidents, Collins says. Postal Fleet Services piloted the SmartDrive system and within a few weeks saw its SmartDrive Safety Score improve by 85 percent. The company since has deployed the technology across its 700-truck fleet. Collins says the system provides Postal Fleet Services with visibility of risky driving behaviors, such as not using seatbelts and many kinds of distractions, including texting. He recalls a situation where the system discovered a driver had a bad habit of drifting to the left. 80

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“It was a small behavior that he was not aware of,” Collins says. “That is the level of detail we can get to.”

Real-time risk predictions As fleets adapt new safety technologies on the path toward autonomous vehicles, some risky driver behaviors will go away, but others may emerge. On a monthly basis, Lytx – provider of the video-based DriveCam safety system – analyzes the correlations its proprietary algorithms find for behaviors and risk to see if “anything has significantly changed,” says Michael Phillippi, vice president of software development and operations. Lytx’s algorithms use an analysis of the company’s database of more than 70 billion driving miles to assign point values to risky behaviors. The Lytx score increases as drivers accumulate risks that the system has identified from previous driving events that trigger a video capture. The score include both observed behaviors and combinations of those behaviors. An example of a behavior combination is a driver being distracted by a handheld cellphone while having less than two seconds of following distance. Using Lytx’s algorithm, this combination would have more risk than the sum of the individual behaviors; in other words, 1+1=3. Lytx says its algorithms move past causal relationships of risk, such as drowsy driving, and identify correlative behaviors that multiply the Lytx demonstrated a new scoring system risk. Not wearing at its most recent user conference. a seatbelt is an example of a correlative behavior; the company’s data show that an unbelted driver is 3.4 times more likely to have a collision than an average driver. The overall goal for the Lytx score, Phillippi says, is to provide fleets and drivers with easy-to-use information that makes coaching events more effective. Omnitracs offers seven predictive models tailored to different types of fleets and industry challenges. For larger carriers, the company builds custom models that use any data the customer is willing to share — safety, operations, finance, demographic data and more. For smaller carriers, Omnitracs offers two predictive models that both use hours-of-service data for different purposes. One detects driver turnover risk, while the other

TECHNOLOGY: PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS provides accident risk. By using hours-of-service data, both predictive models have a standardized data set for analysis. Ram Renganathan, senior Omnitracs channels data from electronic logging devices to predict data modeler for accidents and driver turnover. Omnitracs, says the company is working on projects designed to enable real-time predictions and deliver them to managers and drivers. Renganathan says Omnitracs already has invested in the infrastructure to handle big data and real-time analytics. As an example of what might be possible, imagine a tired driver getting a message that the system has detected he is fatigued and at a high accident risk and recommends he pull over to take a nap. Omnitracs is looking for opportunities to create such real-time predictive models. As one step in this process, its Critical Event Video product could be updated with algorithms that identify traffic signs and objects. This would make it possible to capture drivers’ reactions to speed limits and stoplights and to monitor their following distances, Renganathan says.

Turnover warning signs According to the American Trucking Associations, driver turnover rates dropped to historically low levels during the first part of 2017. Truckload carriers with revenues of over $30 million had a 74 percent annualized turnover rate, and smaller carriers had 66 percent. While those trends may point to brighter days ahead for turnover, a more useful statistic would be to find out which drivers are more likely to leave, and why, to prevent it from happening. Driver surveys are perhaps the easiest way to identify the early signs of turnover, especially during critical periods of the employment lifecycle. Research from Stay Metrics shows that 33 percent of new driver hires will leave their carriers within 90 days and that an additional 22 percent will quit within 180 days. The company administers driver surveys for motor carriers at the seven- and 45-day periods of employment to gather feedback on early job expectations, experiences and satisfaction levels. The surveys are sent to drivers through text messages with a link to an online form. Stay Metrics immediately notifies the carrier via email if a driver’s responses indicate 82

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a high degree of turnover risk, such as unrealistic expectations for pay or home time. The company also alerts fleets if drivers do not respond to the surveys in a timely manner. Stay Metrics research shows that drivers who do not respond to surveys are 48 percent more likely to leave, says Tim Hindes, CEO. The company also administers an in-depth annual Driver Satisfaction survey for clients. The responses can be run through its predictive model to show what specific factors cause turnover at each company relative to industry peer groups for dry van, refrigerated, flatbed and other sectors. Survey data is only one of many possible sources for predictive driver turnover models. Maven Machines recently put the finishing touches on its new fleet management platform, SmartSense. The platform includes a wireless headset that captures head movements of drivers, along with data from electronic logging devices and various telematics applications. SmartSense sends all of its captured mobile data to a cloud platform that integrates data from other sources such as weather, traffic and fleets’ back-office IT systems. The Maven Machines offers the SmartSense fleet management system with real-time cloud platform predictive modeling tools. processes “hundreds of millions of events every hour,” says Avishai Geller, CEO. All of this data processing creates a real-time predictive score for driver safety and performance that accounts for real-time conditions. If the driver was in bad weather, fewer head movements are better, Geller says. Maven Machines also is working on new predictive models for driver turnover. Drivers can use SmartSense’s mobile app to input home-time requests to dispatchers. The company is building algorithms to help dispatchers optimally schedule loads to meet home-time commitments. Maven is leveraging its data points to predict which drivers are at a high risk of leaving. SmartSense can capture detention time, requested home time, driver pay information and equipment quality. “All of these are factors that go into driver satisfaction,” Geller says. “We are creating a platform that helps companies operate better, end-to-end, and driver retention is a huge pain point.”

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Handheld electrical analyzer Purkeys’ Handheld Electrical Analyzer is designed for testing the electrical systems of heavyduty trucks. The analyzer has a menu-driven system formatted to guide users through tests of starting, charging and battery systems and to help simplify identifying and troubleshooting issues. It has multiple leads and can apply 40 to 120 amps for automated load tests while also checking for voltage drop. The device is optimized for both flooded-cell and absorbed glass mat batteries and can record its testing history with printable results. The portable lightweight design allows the tester to be used on the road. Purkeys, www.purkeys.net, 800-219-1269

Cordless grease gun kit

Legacy’s Flexzilla 20-Volt Cordless Grease Gun Kit features a 42-inch grease hose with a non-kink bend restrictor and a four-jaw coupler. The hose is made with a hybrid material engineered to remain flexible in temperatures ranging from subzero to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The gun features the company’s proprietary Rapid Reload feature designed to make it faster and easier to switch grease cartridges. Non-slip pads on the base and sides of the tool help allow for secure operation at any orientation, and a built-in LED light illuminates work spaces in dark areas. The kit includes two heavy-duty 20V lithium-ion batteries and a one-hour quick charger. Legacy Manufacturing Co., www.flexzilla.com, 800-645-8258

Loose nut, hot wheel identification device

Wheel-Check is designed to identify a loose wheel nut and is heat-sensitive to help detect brake and bearing problems. When the wheel nuts are torqued properly, a Wheel-Check can be placed on each one in a uniform pattern; once a wheel nut has loosened, the attached Wheel-Check will appear out of sequence for easy identification. If a brake binds or a bearing seizes, the heat is transferred through the stud and nut; once the temperature exceeds 248 degrees Fahrenheit, the Wheel-Check will start to blister around the circumference and eventually begin to distort. Seventeen sizes are available in custom colors. Wheel-Check, www.wheel-check.com, 888-829-1556

commercial carrier journal | september 2017

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PRODUCTS

License/utility light

Peterson’s 290 Series LED License/Utility light features a compact rugged design and the company’s proprietary single-diode Great White LED technology for more precise optics and optimized light dispersal. The light is available in a low-profile utility/ auxiliary format measuring 3 inches wide and 0.6 inch high, or as a legal license light when installed with either a top- or side-mount spacer bracket. Hard-wired with a choice of either stripped leads or 0.180 bullet connectors, the light can be surface-mounted on 2-inch centers. Peterson Manufacturing Co., www.pmlights.com, 800-821-3490

Load organizing, securement

Ancra’s Security Divider and Deck Board is designed for organizing and securing loads by configuring the lightweight panels for use as a deck board or a secure bulkhead to keep freight separated. Manufactured using high-density polyethylene panels, the dual-use device has lockable E-Beams, and the panels have hand slots to help with handling for added versatility in cargo-carrying capacity and to support double-decked loads. It is available as a kit with two lockable E-Beams and two panels, and the kits come with either standard or heavy-duty beams; the panels also are available separately. Ancra International, www.ancracargo.com, 800-233-5138

Fuel processors

Wheel polisher flapwheel VIS’ 6-inch flapwheels for its VIS-Polish Robotic Wheel Polisher offer an injection-molded hub, a securement ring and redesigned sanding paper, all to facilitate added longevity. Vehicle Inspection Systems, www.everythingpolish.com, 866-847-8721

Dieselcraft’s Water Test Kit is designed to find hidden water in fuel. The kit consists of five 10-milliliter test tubes with the reaction powder capsule in them and one transfer pipette. Depending on the fuel blend and the amount of biodiesel, the pass-fail test is formulated to detect between 500 and 1,500 ppm. The powder is made to turn pink if there’s any detection of suspended water. Dieselcraft Fluid Engineering, www.dieselcraft.com, 772-215-8087

Davco’s latest fuel processor models – Fuel Pro 485 and 487 and Diesel Pro 245 – incorporate a filter assembly comprised of three elements designed to not only capture contaminants but also provide water separation throughout the filter’s life, even in cases with poor fuel quality. The Diesel Pro 245 is engineered for 2017 Detroit medium-duty DD5 and DD8 engines and 2017 Cummins medium-duty ISB and ISL engines; optional features include a 12- or 24-VDC preheater, a 120-VAC overnight heater and a water-in-fuel sensor. The Fuel Pro 485 and 487 models are engineered for 2017 Detroit heavy-duty DD13, DD15 and DD16 engines in Next Generation Cascadia, Classic Cascadia, Western Star and M2 114SD/122SD chassis; optional features include a 12-VDC preheater, a 120-VAC overnight heater and a water-in-fuel sensor. Davco Technology, www.davco.com, 800-328-2611

Water test kit

Air disc brake kit

Abex’s ADBHD1369 air disc brake kit is available with green coat stripes, a proprietary material applied to the friction surface to aid the brake material’s effectiveness. The pads feature a mechanical retention system that helps support the friction material from shearing from the back plate. ADBHD1369 comes with an installation hardware kit and conforms to 2025 copper-free requirements of less than 0.05 percent by weight. Federal-Mogul Motorparts, www.fmheavydutyparts.com, 800-325-8886

commercial carrier journal | september 2017

PRODUCTS

Custom wheels

American Racing’s ATX Series “Big Rig” Custom Wheels for semi-trucks are available in four designs and finished in a highly detailed satin black with special window milling or a traditional bright luster polish. The wheels also feature bolt-on center caps and can be manufactured with a customized color finish. They are manufactured with high-quality forged 6061 aluminum alloy and are engineered for high load limits. American Racing Custom Wheels, www.atxwheels.com/OTR, 800-959-1969

Metal protector

Amsoil’s Heavy-Duty Metal Protector is formulated to inhibit corrosion on metal surfaces that are exposed to salt, moisture or chemicals. The quick-drying long-lasting protectant helps displace water and resist dirt and is suited for steel, iron, aluminum, brass, copper and other metal surfaces. It is available in a 16-ounce spray can designed to deliver a consistent spray on hard-to-reach places, leaving a wax-like film upon drying. Amsoil Inc., www.amsoil.com, 800-777-8491

commercial carrier journal | september 2017

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FirstCallOnline .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Penske . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 844-868-0817 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 PeopleNet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PeopleNetOnline .com/ELD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Peterbilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-473-8372 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75, BC Prestolite-Leece Neville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-354-0560 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 ProMiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-324-8588 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Rand McNally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RandMcNally .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rotella .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10, 11 Successful Dealer Congratulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SuccessfulDealer .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 TA-Petro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TA-Petro .com/CitizenDriver .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Telogis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Telogis .com/ELDNow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 TMW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TMWSystems .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15, 31 Total Specialties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TotalSpecialties .com/Heavy-Duty .html . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 TSI Manufacturing Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TSIssg .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 VDO RoadLog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VDORoadLog .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 & 17 Volvo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NewVNL .VolvoTrucks .us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-19 ZamZow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ZamZow-Tarp .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 commercial carrier journal | september 2017

PREVENTABLE or NOT?

Doe woolgathers his way into a wreck

n a sunny, quiet Friday afternoon, John Doe was maneuvering his straight truck down Butafooco Boulevard, a one-way thoroughfare in Kansas City, Mo., daydreaming about his impending weekend visit to the Harley-Davidson dealership where he planned to buy an “almostnew” Spotify-ready entertainment system, complete with Bluetooth, from Billy Bob, the shop’s mechanic. Doe had just passed some parked cars on his right and was approaching the intersection with Main Street, making mental weekend plans and keeping an eye on the traffic signal that, for the moment, remained encouragingly green. At that instant, Mrs. Mattie Crowly-Bubkis, who was stuck behind Doe, decided that the nasty ol’ truck was moving too slowly. Fearing that she’d be caught at the John Doe was driving intersection by a red light, Crowly-Bubkis slowly in the right lane of became impatient and accelerated her a two-lane one-way street 2014 augmented auburn Audi R8 around when an impatient driver the right side of Doe’s rig through some tried to pass on his right empty parking spaces and, losing control, but lost control, leading to a three-vehicle crash. Was ended up sideways, right in front of poor this a preventable accident? Doe’s bumper! The Audi then was stopped dead in its tracks – after impacting the right front fender of a rusty Chevy van piloted by Gramps Grumbley, who’d been pacing Doe in the left lane! Next, Doe’s truck slammed into the side of the stationary luckless sports car. After Doe contested the preventable-accident warning letter from his safety director, the National Safety Council’s Accident Review Committee was called upon to render a final decision. NSC immediately upheld the preventable judgment, noting that Doe should have kept an eye on his right-side mirror. Had he done so, he could have avoided smashing into the maniacal Crowly-Bubkis. 92

commercial carrier journal | september 2017

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