CCJ1114 by dwatson

november 2014

MOBILE DISPATCH

How to move trucks anytime, anywhere page 57

FUEL-SAVING AXLES

6x2 tandem spec gaining ground

page 28

THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT

Personal devices help save diesel BUSINESS SOLUTIONS FOR TRUCKING PROFESSIONALS

page 40

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NovEMbER 2014 | vol 171 | No. 11

CCJ’s Fuel economy survey

CCJ conducted an online poll to help determine today’s top fuel economy specifications among fleets. The top five showed an interesting blend of technologies, from the latest fuel-efficient tires to weight consciousness and anti-idling measures, as well as a growing acceptance for aerodynamic add-on devices – an indication that most fleets understand that overall vehicle fuel economy cannot be increased by simply adopting one or two new technologies or practices. Cover design by David Watson

features

Dispatch goes mobile

Fleets and brokers traditionally have used transportation management software systems in an in-office client-server setup. Today, TMS systems have become more mobile-friendly, providing transportation providers more freedom to extend robust applications to employees on the go. Fleets and brokers are using a variety of technologies to extend the knowledge and automation in their office out to their mobile workers.

Innovators: U.S. Xpress

The Chattanooga, Tenn.-based truckload company develops in-house Xpress Mobile app for drivers and office staff to better stay connected.

journal lEADiNG NEWS, TRuCKiNG MARKET CoNDiTioNS AND iNDuSTRy ANAlySiS

News Navistar seeks to consolidate engine lawsuits … FedEx Ground contractors deemed employees in Kansas Supreme Court … Agency allowing more comments on insurance hike proposal … Panel dissects challenges, costs of traffic congestion … Report: National freight plan should consider community impact … Truck tonnage remains at record high in September … ATA economist: Freight volumes rising, but so is driver turnover … Report: Driver pay, equipment prices drive up trucking costs … Walmart: Morgan, others not wearing seatbelts in crash … Truck driver in deadly crash didn’t perform evasive maneuvers

10 InBrief

commercial carrier journal

| november 2014 1

DEPARTMENTS

ccjdigital.com

technology

facebook.com/CCJMagazine

31 19 20

Automated manual transmissions could help inexperienced drivers Detroit medium-duty engines, safety upgrades on the way

32 34

20 InBrief 22

24 24 26 26

Navistar announces OnCommand upgrades, new ProStar fuel-efficiency powertrain spec Volvo puts natural gas engine plans on hold Mercedes-Benz updates North American van market FedEx Freight’s McLean repeats as SuperTech winner

28 InFocus: Tandem axles

38 38 38

Analyzing ATA’s tech news

Orbcomm expands M2M platform to intermodal chassis Magellan adds electronic logging to truck navigation device SkyBitz touts new GPS tracking device EBE creates mobile document capture app Pegasus TransTech updates mobile scanning app

40 InFocus: Fuel-saving apps ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

Upfront Another year, but worries remain the same

Fuel system cleaner, drive tire, socket inserts, more 2

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Products 79

linkedin.com/ccjmagazine

Editorial

Wireless roadside inspections enter field testing phase

34 InBrief 36

Mack touts scalable vehicle telematics package

TMW Systems focuses on customer support

@CCJnow

Ad Index

Editor: Jeff Crissey Executive Editor, Trucking: Jack Roberts Senior Editor: Aaron Huff Managing Editor: Dean Smallwood Trucking News Editor: James Jaillet Contributing Editors: Carolyn Magner Mason editorial@ccjdigital.com

Design & Production

Art Director: David Watson Graphic Designer: Kenneth Stubbs Quality Assurance: Timothy Smith Advertising Production Manager: Anne Marie Horton production@ccjdigital.com

Trucking Media

Vice President of Sales, Trucking Media: Brad Holthaus sales@truckingmedia.com

Corporate

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

3200 Rice Mine Road N.E. Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 800-633-5953 randallreilly.com Commercial Carrier Journal (ISSN 1533-7502) is published monthly by Randall-Reilly Publishing Co. LLC, 3200 Rice Mine Road N.E., Tuscaloosa, AL 35406. Single copy price U.S., $6; Canada/ Mexico, $9; Foreign, $12. Subscription rates, payable in U.S. dollars, $48 per year (in Canada $78 U.S. currency). For subscription information/inquiries, please email commercialcarrierjournal@ halldata.com. Periodicals Postage-Paid at Tuscaloosa, AL, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTERS: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 507.1.5.2); NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: send address corrections to Commercial Carrier Journal, PO Box 2186, Skokie, IL 60076-9919. Unsolicited letters, manuscripts, stories, materials or photographs cannot be returned except where the sender provides a postage-paid, addressed, stamped envelope. Address all mail to Commercial Carrier Journal Editorial Dept., P.O. Box 3187, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403. All advertisers for Commercial Carrier Journal are accepted and published by RandallReilly Publishing Co. LLC on the representation that the advertiser and/or advertising agency are authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof. The advertiser and/or advertising agency will defend, indemnify and hold Randall-Reilly Publishing Co. LLC harmless from and against any loss, expenses or other liability resulting from any claims or suits for libel violations of right of privacy or publicity, plagiarisms, copyright or trademark, infringement and any other claims or suits that may arise out of publication of such advertisement. Copyright © 2014, Randall-Reilly Publishing Co. LLC All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Commercial Carrier Journal. is a registered trademark of Randall-Reilly Publishing Co. LLC. Randall-Reilly Publishing Co. LLC neither endorses nor makes any representation or guarantee regarding the quality of goods and services advertised herein.

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leading news, trucking market conditions and industry analysis The International ProStar was powered by Navistar’s MaxxForce engine line in the years concerning the lawsuits.

FedEx Ground contractors deemed employees in Kansas Supreme Court

art of appealed multijurisdictional litigation ongoing for

years, the Kansas Supreme Court last month answered two questions put to it by the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals relative to the question of whether a class of about 500 FedEx Ground drivers were classified properly as independent contractors. “The plaintiff drivers are employees,” the court stated. “FedEx has established an employment relationship with its delivery drivers but dressed that relationship in independent contractor clothing.” As it did following a ruling of

Navistar seeks to consolidate engine lawsuits

the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

avistar-International last month filed a motion requesting consolidation of the more than two dozen lawsuits brought against it over alleged problems with its exhaust gas recirculationonly engine line, along with 21 other similar lawsuits the company is expecting to come. The Oct. 3 request was filed with a federal judicial panel on multidistrict litigation, according to court documents. Navistar says in the motion that it is facing 15 lawsuits in federal courts across the country and 11 suits in state courts. It also says it has received notices of intents to sue from 21 other parties. All of the lawsuits make similar allegations, Navistar says: that the company knew

ers, FedEx issued a statement express-

its 2008-13 model MaxxForce engines were defective but concealed that information from buyers. Navistar was the only major North American manufacturer to use EGR alone to try to meet 2010 emissions standards. All others opted to adopt selective catalytic reduction. In its Oct. 3 filing, Navistar asks that the suits be not only consolidated but also transferred to a federal district court in Illinois to be heard by Judge Joan B. Gottschall. Navistar headquarters are outside of Chicago, and most of the documents and witnesses in the cases are in Illinois, Navistar says. A federal judge ruled in August against a Navistar Scan the QR code with your smartphone or visit ccjdigital.com/news/subscribe-to-newsrequest to dismiss some letters to sign up for the CCJ Daily Report, a of the lawsuits brought daily e-mail newsletter filled with news, analyagainst it. sis, blogs and market condition articles. – James Jaillet

concerning a class of California driving its fundamental disagreement with the decision and its commitment to protect “the rights of thousands of independent business owners to continue owning and operating their own businesses. More than 100 state and federal decisions – including that of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit – have upheld our contractual relationships with independent businesses. At this time we are considering available options.” The decision applies to “mostly former” at this point, the company noted, “independent contractors operating in Kansas from 1998-2007. The model that the court reviewed is no longer in use. Since 2011, FedEx Ground has only contracted with incorporated businesses, which treat their drivers as their employees.”

commercial carrier journal

– Todd Dills

| november 2014 7

journal news

Agency allowing more comments on insurance hike proposal

FMCSA has yet to comment on the amount of the proposed increase in the required amount of liability insurance, which now is $750,000.

arriers and brokers will have an added opportunity to comment on an upcoming rule to increase the required amount of liability insurance they must carry. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s proposed increase initially is expected to be issued as an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking sometime this month. The rule was sent to the White House’s Office of Management and Budget for clearance in early October, after which it will be published for comment. The ANPRM will give the industry, public and any other stakeholders the chance to have their say on the rule at regulations.gov. The agency still must issue a standard Notice of Proposed Rulemaking prior to issuing a Final Rule, which will allow for a second comment period. This month’s ANPRM will have a 60-day public comment period, according to a U.S. Department of Transportation report. FMCSA has yet to comment on the amount of the proposed increase from $750,000. Ryan Bowley, director of government affairs for the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, said owner-operators should ready themselves for discussion on the issue. “[There’s] still a long process for FMCSA to go through before anything will be final,” Bowley said. “Truckers should be preparing to talk about the impacts of higher insurance costs, but the issue is far from over. OOIDA will certainly be pushing against this action, which we see having no safety benefit whatsoever.” – James Jaillet

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JOURNAL NEWS

INBRIEF 11/14 • Freightwatch International reported 182 cargo thefts between June and August, a 16 percent drop from the prior March-May quarter. The average loss value per load, $182,115, also fell 16 percent in the quarter. Food-drink loads remained the most stolen, accounting for 19 percent of the total. California had the most thefts among the states and made up 20 percent of the total. • California Gov. Jerry Brown on Oct. 3 signed legislation into law that will allow the state to implement a pilot program to test whether charging a road usage fee – or mileage-based tax – could effectively replace fuel taxes as the primary means to fund highway and road projects. The legislation calls for the pilot program to begin no later than Jan. 1, 2017. With Brown’s signature, California became the third West Coast state to implement vehicle mileage tax testing. • Knight Transportation (CCJ Top 250, No. 26) acquired Barr-Nunn Transportation (CCJ Top 250, No. 187), a 550-truck fleet based in Granger, Iowa. The enterprise value was $112.4 million, plus $3.5 million in incentives for hitting income targets and retaining key personnel over the next four quarters. Phoenixbased Knight said it will continue to operate the business under the BarrNunn name and expected the current management team to remain in place, adding that Barr-Nunn drivers, nondriving employees and customers “should notice little change.” • Kriska Holdings Ltd. and Britton Transport were honored by Volvo Trucks and Michelin America Truck Tires with the 2014 Volvo Trucks Safety Award at the 2014 American Trucking Associations Management Conference & Exhibition in San Diego. Both were Continued on page 12 10

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| NOVEMBER 2014

Panel dissects challenges, costs of traffic congestion

n 2013, transportation companies lost about $9.2 billion in productivity due to traffic congestion on the nation’s interstates. A panel of trucking industry experts and fleet executives discussed this growing problem and ways to address it during last month’s American Trucking Associations’ Management Conference & Exhibition in San Diego. In April, the American Transportation Research Institute released the first of what likely will become an annual study on the cost of congestion to the trucking industry. The research firm has compiled a database of truck positions over a 12-year period for the calculations. On the interstate system alone, traffic congestion caused 141 million hours of lost productivity in 2013, the equivalent of more than 51,000 truck drivers sitting still for a year, the study found. “In a time when we The Government Accountability Office last month recommended clarifying the federal government’s struggle to put drivers in role in the National Freight Strategic Plan and the seats, we can ill afford to purpose of the nation’s primary freight network. Sen. have 50,000-plus drivers John Walsh (D-Mont.) had requested the agency just sitting still,” said panelreview freight flow trends and how communities can lessen freight-related congestion. ist Rebecca Brewster, ATRI The 2012 two-year surface transportation reaupresident and chief operatthorization requires that the U.S. Department of ing officer. Transportation establish a national freight plan and network. On Sept. 8, President Obama signed a conJim Ward, president tinuance of the 2012 law after Congress approved and chief executive officer extending it through May 31. of Baltimore-based D.M. The reauthorization’s goals include reducing freight congestion and environmental impact, and Bowman Inc., said that it also mandates that the national plan identify best increasing the density of its practices to mitigate the impact of freight moveshipping lanes and optimizment on communities. GAO’s report recommended ing its network to allow for that the national plan should clarify the federal role for decreasing local freight-related congestion and more efficient use of assets that DOT should include a strategy for improving – like operating a nighttime data. shift – have helped. Other recommendations were for Congress to consider clarifying the purpose of the primary freight The 350-truck company network and revise the mileage limit requirement also uses research from set by the omnibus bill. Under the reauthorization, ATRI and other sources the primary freight network is to be comprised of 27,000 centerline miles on existing roads considered to identify bottlenecks and most critical to freight movement. monitors internal metrics, DOT and other freight stakeholders have such as the average speed of expressed concern over this limit, saying it will result loads from pickup to delivin a network lacking certain roads where national freight movement affects local traffic congestion, ery, to identify areas it can such as port-to-freeway connectors. improve. In its draft network, the department identified “We try to dispatch at more than 41,000 centerline miles it said would be necessary to establish an efficient primary freight an average of 50 miles per network. DOT currently is reviewing public comment hour,” Ward said. Using on that proposal. the data collected from – Jill Dunn Continued on page 16

Report: National freight plan should consider community impact

journal news

Truck tonnage remains at record high in September

Compared to the same month last year, ATA’s Truck Tonnage Index rose 3.7 percent in September, down slightly from August’s 4.5 percent year-over-year gain.

ruck tonnage was unchanged in September from August and remains at a record high, according to the American Trucking Associations’ monthly seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index, released last month. Compared to the same month last year, the index rose 3.7 percent, down slightly from August’s 4.5 percent year-over-year gain. The not seasonally-adjusted index – a representation of the change in tonnage actually hauled – rose 1.7 percent from August, however. ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said that based on the mix of other economic indicators in the month, such as falling retail sales and increasing factory output, no change in truck tonnage is unsurprising. 2014’s third-quarter average also was the highest on record, Costello said, following a second-quarter jump of 2.4 percent from the first quarter and a 4 percent surge in the third quarter from the second quarter. Trucking serves as a barometer of the U.S. economy, representing 69.1 percent of tonnage carried by all modes of domestic freight transportation, including manufactured and retail goods, according to ATA. Trucks hauled 9.7 billion tons of freight in 2013, and motor carriers collected $681.7 billion, or 81.2 percent of total revenue earned by all transport modes. ATA calculates the tonnage index based on surveys from its membership and has been doing so since the 1970s. The report includes monthto-month and year-over-year results, relevant economic comparisons and key financial indicators. – Jeff Crissey

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journal news Continued from page 10 selected based on U.s. Department of Transportation recordable accident frequency rates and their safety and accident prevention training programs. Prescott, Ontario-based Kriska won in the more-than 20-million-mile category, while Grand Forks, n.D.-based Britton won in the less-than 20-million-mile category. • T rucking Moves America Forward last month had reached more than 80 percent of its $1 million fund-raising goal, representatives of the image-building campaign said. The initiative – launched in March at the Mid-America Trucking show – aims to inform policymakers, motorists and the public about the benefits of trucking and to help strengthen and grow the industry. • D uane Long, chairman of Raleigh, n.C.based Longistics, was elected as ATA’s 70th chairman. Long succeeds Phil Byrd, president of Charleston, s.C.-based Bulldog Hiway express. • B ill Graves, who has served as ATA’s president and chief executive officer since 2003 after serving two terms as governor of Kansas, reached agreement on a contract extension. • M ack Trucks is again sponsoring the American Trucking Associations’ share the Road program, marking 13 years of continuous support for the public safety education effort. As part of the sponsorship, Mack is providing a 2014 Pinnacle sleeper model. • T he Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s three-year cross-border trucking pilot program with Mexico officially ended Oct. 14, and FMCsA said that the 13 carriers participating in the program have been converted to provisional or standard operating authority, allowing them to continue to operate in the United states. 12

commercial carrier journal

| november 2014

ATA economist: Freight volumes rising, but so is driver turnover

ven as freight volumes conATA Chief Economist Bob Costello particitinue to improve, the looming pates in an economic panel discussion at driver shortage could hold back the ATA Management Conference & Exhibigrowth in the trucking industry, tion in San Diego. American Trucking Associations Chief Economist Bob Costello told the annual ATA Management Conference & Exhibition in San Diego last month. “Freight volumes are growing nicely on a year-over-year basis for most trucking sectors as economic growth remains solid,” Costello said during a panel discussion, “The Economy and Its Impact on Trucking.” Costello noted the ATA tonnage index hit an all-time high in August. “Industry revenue and average revenue per mile are increasing nicely as capacity remains constrained,” he said. “However, the industry is having a difficult time adding trucks due to the driver shortage.” He said that turnover in the second quarter rose 11 percentage points to an annualized rate of 103 percent, its highest point since the third quarter of 2012. Turnover at small truckload fleets – fleets with less than $30 million revenue – surged 16 points to 94 percent, the highest level since the third quarter of 2012. To simply replace retiring drivers, the industry must attract 92,000 new drivers a year, Costello said. Also, a booming oil and gas industry and revitalized retail and manufacturing sectors mean that trucking will have a lot of competition for qualified workers, the panel agreed. – Kevin Jones

Report: Driver pay, equipment prices drive up trucking costs

he average cost per mile for fleets rose 5 cents in 2013 to $1.68, according to the American Transportation Research Institute. The jump was the fourth consecutive year-to-year increase and was driven primarily by big increases in equipment and labor costs, ATRI said in its annual report “An Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking.” Retention and recruiting efforts by fleets to mitigate a perceived driver shortage, including wage increases for drivers, are what drove “labor costs” higher, ATRI said. “Carriers have experienced signifiATRI attributed higher labor costs to retention cant increases in equipment and labor and recruiting efforts by fleets to mitigate a costs, as well as second-level line items perceived driver shortage. like tolls and health care benefits,” said Andrew Boyle, executive vice president of Boyle Transportation and a member of ATRI’s Research Advisory Committee. Data for ATRI’s report is derived from fleets’ financial and operational information. – James Jaillet

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journal news

Walmart: Morgan, others not wearing seatbelts in crash

almart and its private fleet subsidiary last month denied negligence allegations brought in a lawsuit by actor Tracy Morgan and others involved in a June 7 crash that left comedian James McNair dead and Morgan and others critically injured.

The private carrier and retail giant also claims as a defense to the suit that Morgan, McNair and others were not wearing their seatbelts when the crash occurred. “Upon information and belief, plaintiffs’ injuries, if any, were caused, in whole

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or in part, by plaintiffs’ failure to properly wear an appropriate available seatbelt restraint device,” according to Walmart’s legal defense. “By failing to exercise ordinary care in making use of available seatbelts … plaintiffs acted unreasonably.” The crash happened on the New Jersey Turnpike when a Walmart Transportation tractor-trailer driven by Walmart driver Kevin Roper rear-ended a Mercedes van carrying Morgan, McNair and others. Roper reportedly had been awake for 24 hours preceding the crash, but the National Transportation Safety Board in its preliminary report said Roper was within federal hours-of-service limits. But he did have to commute 700 miles in his own vehicle from his home in Georgia to a Walmart terminal in Delaware to begin work the morning of June 7. The July 10 suit filed by Morgan and other survivors of the crash alleges Walmart should have known about Roper’s long commute and therefore was negligent in allowing him to drive. The suit claims Roper fell asleep at the wheel before hitting Morgan’s van. The plaintiffs also allege Walmart drivers regularly violate hours-of-service limits and that the practice is condoned by the carrier. Roper has been charged with vehicular homicide and assault by auto in the case and has pleaded not guilty. NTSB’s preliminary report says Roper was traveling more than 20 mph over the 45 mph speed limit. The crash also came days after a Senate committee voted to include an amendment in its annual U.S. Department of Transportation funding bill to suspend the 34-hour restart provisions implemented by the 2013 hours-of-service rule changes, sparking Sen. Cory Booker to propose another amendment to strip the hours-related amendment from the funding bill. The bills have not seen any action since June. – James Jaillet

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journal news

Truck driver in deadly crash didn’t perform evasive maneuvers

he operator of a Quickway Transportation truck that left a northbound interstate lane Sept. 27 and entered the southbound lane and subsequently collided with a bus – killing four college-age women – did not brake or perform any evasive maneuvers,

according to a preliminary National Transportation Safety Board report. NTSB board member Robert Sumwalt said the northbound lane of I-35 near Davis, Okla., where the crash occurred, curved slightly to the right, but the truck driven by driver Russell Staley, 53, did

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commercial carrier journal

| november 2014

not continue with the curve. Instead, the truck and trailer traveled through the median for about 900 feet before entering the southbound lane, hitting the bus and continuing off the road until hitting trees, Sumwalt said. The bus was carrying the North Central Texas College softball team. The truck’s brakes appeared to have no problems upon post-crash inspection, Sumwalt said. Oklahoma Highway Patrol Capt. Ronnie Hampton said investigators are looking into Staley’s story that he was distracted. No charges have been brought against Staley at press time, and NTSB and OHP are continuing to investigate the crash. – James Jaillet Continued from page 10 electronic logging devices also has helped. Kevin Knight, chairman and chief executive officer of Phoenix-based Knight Transportation (CCJ Top 250, No. 26), said that as a company and as an industry, the focus needs to be on improving the flow of freight movements among different customers to help drivers avoid certain areas during peak congestion. Knight said he strongly believes that legislation is needed to increase the fuel tax and for all public motorists to pay additional fees to use highways. Tracy Rosser, senior vice president of transportation and supply chain for Walmart, said the company is focused on the things it can control to increase efficiency. Walmart’s private fleet has more than 6,000 trucks and runs about 650 million miles annually. In 2005, the company set a goal to double its fleet efficiency by 2015. It has moved 700 million more cases over 300 million fewer miles. “We think that anything we can do to help mitigate congestion will actually help our customer’s pocketbook,” Rosser said. – Aaron Huff

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product reviews, oeM & supplier news, and equipMent ManageMent trends by Jack roberts

A driver shortage fix?

Automated manual transmissions could help inexperienced drivers

AMTs gAin MArkeT shAre: Fleets and driving schools could use this fact as a marketing tool.

Old-schOOl Thinking: Many believe drivers need to know how to operate a manual transmission.

A lArger view: class e endorsements could be promoted as a viable option for potential students.

was attending Western Star’s launch of its eye-catching 5700XE aerodynamic truck in Las Vegas in September when an offhand remark by Ann in emphasizing manual training in his Demitruk, the company’s director of marketing, caught my attention. school. Demitruk said that with automated manual transmissions rapidly gainAll of which seems to prove Demiing market share in Class 8 applications, it seemed to her that fleets and drivtruk’s point: Bias against AMTs still ing schools should use AMTs as a marketing tool to help attract new drivers to exists. Fleets, which desperately need the industry. drivers, are turning qualified candiThis struck me as a sensible and viable suggestion. According to the Federal dates away because they can’t drive a Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s website, it is perfectly legal and acceptmanual-equipped truck. Meanwhile, able to train, test and receive a commercial driver’s license without learning how FCMSA policy clearly states that the to operate a heavy-duty manual transmission. The agency gives such drivers an ability to operate a manual transmis“E” endorsement code on their CDLs to indicate they are restricted to AMTs sion is not a requirement to obtain a only. CDL. But the thinking at the moment – both on the fleet and driver school sides of The basic question here seems simthe equation – seems to be that all drivers should know how to operate a manual ple. If you’re running a fleet, which is transmission. I called David Johnson, president and chief instructor at my drivmore important: Your desire (or need) ing school, Premier Driving Academy in Theodore, Ala., to get his thoughts on to run manual transmissions, or your this idea. need for drivers? As a graduate of the school, I was surprised to hear Johnson tell me he still Taking a larger view, as an industry believes in training students on manuals because, in his opinion, it gives them a struggling to attract talent, perhaps better overall feel for the vehicle. He also thinks it is vital for drivers to underhighlighting the fact that Class E stand the mechanics and physics of up- and down-shifting.Finally, as a point of endorsements are a viable option for pride, he wants to graduate fully trained drivers capable of operating any truck potential students can be a make-oron the road today and – just as importantly from the students’ perspective – able break move that encourages inexperito go after and get any driving job they want. enced drivers to take a leap At the same time, however, Johnson admitted that AMTs can be a and earn their CDLs. make-or-break factor for some students who don’t test well. In limited But that’s only going to cases – about one in five students, he estimates – he’ll let a student who happen if this industry is trained and proficient on a manual but also nervous about using one steps up and offers viable jobs to new drivers with with an examiner sitting in the passenger seat take the CDL driving “automatic only” endorseexam with an automatic transmission. ments on their CDLs. Johnson mentioned a fleet customer of his school that recently had dropped two competitive driving schools from its “acceptable” list because those schools were sending Class E drivers to them – but the fleet JACK ROBERTS is Executive Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal. E-mail jroberts@ccjmagazine.com or call (205) 248-1358. doesn’t run any automatics. So, Johnson said, he had a vested interest commercial carrier journal

november 2014

InBrief •

Mack Trucks said it is making its mDrive automated manual transmission a standard spec on all of its Pinnacle models due to a surge in market acceptance of AMTs. The 12-speed mDrive AMT is engineered to work with Mack MP series engines to provide a 1.5 percent improvement in fuel efficiency as part of the Mack Pedigree powertrain or up to 4.0 percent with the Super Econodyne integrated powertrain package.

•

Navistar will offer Tremec’s 10-speed manual transmission in International ProStar models equipped with its 13-liter MaxxForce engine. Navistar said Tremec offers a wide range of high torqueto-weight ratios designed for weight-sensitive over-theroad and city applications and that the pairing also will help maximize payloads in bulk-haul applications. Navistar already offers Tremec transmissions as an option in ProStar models equipped with Cummins’ ISX 15 engine.

•

Utility Trailer Manufacturing Co. announced its largest single trailer order in the company’s history: Springfield, Mo.-based Prime Inc.’s purchase of 2,500 3000R refrigerated trailers from Utility Trailer Sales of the Ozarks.

•

Mesilla Valley Transportation of Las Cruces, N.M., is outfitting its entire fleet of 1,200 tractors with FlowBelow’s Tractor Aerokits, which consist of patented quick-release wheel covers and tandem fairings designed to fill the gaps around the tractor drive axles.

•

ATDynamics’ full-length maximum-efficiency TrailerTails now will be permitted to operate within all Canadian provinces.

•

Accuride Corp. decided to remain based in Evansville, Ind., reaching agreement on Continued on page 22

commercial carrier journal

Detroit medium-duty engines, safety upgrades on the way D

aimler Trucks North America announced its intentions to launch two medium-duty engines – the DD5 and DD8 – beginning in 2016. The announcement came during a press roundtable at the 2014 American Trucking Associations’ Management Conference & Exhibition in San Diego. “We have the confidence that we can offer our customers another great choice in addition to the Cummins engines,” said Martin Daum, DTNA president and chief executive officer. “We want to have nothing but the best medium-duty engines in this market and give the best solution for our customers and increase the choices available.” The DD5 and DD8 engines are part of Daimler Trucks’ Global Excellence Strategy to have uniform production standards and processes worldwide. The engines, which will New Detroit Assurance safety enhancements coming to the Freightliner Cascadia include a new be tailored in terms of radar system and lane departure warning system. horsepower ratings and specs specifically for the North American market, initially will be supplied from Daimler’s engine plant in Mannheim, Germany, before production moves to the United States as early as 2018. The medium-duty DD5 and DD8 will join Detroit’s heavy-duty DD13, DD15 and DD16 engines, providing DTNA the ability to offer proprietary engines to customers across its entire truck model line, including Freightliner, Western Star, Thomas Built Buses and Freightliner Custom Chassis vehicles. DTNA executives also discussed new Detroit Assurance safety enhancements coming to the Freightliner Cascadia, including a new radar system and lane departure warning system. The radar system will include adaptive cruise control designed to allow fleet operators to slow the truck automatically when it comes within a preset distance from another vehicle, as well as active braking assist that will help alert the driver of slow or stopped traffic and is designed to bring the truck to a full stop automatically to avoid a rear-end collision if the driver does not interact. The lane departure warning system is powered by a series of cameras and is designed to communicate to the driver when he goes out-of-lane. “Safety systems are critical to the future needs of society,” said Richard Howard, DTNA’s senior vice president of sales and marketing. “In terms of the evolution of our trucks, this is another step in that journey. Safety systems are the next step, and there is more to come.” The integrated safety systems will be available on all Detroit-powered Cascadia models beginning in March 2015. – Jeff Crissey

| november 2014

INBrief

Continued from page 20

a 10-year lease extension for its headquarters building following a review of options for reducing costs, including consolidating activities in other cities. •

Volvo Trucks increased its service capabilities in the Northeast with the $4 million expansion of the Young Truck Sales facility in Canton, Ohio. The full-service dealership added 16 service bays, increasing capacity by 100 percent. It also carries $800,000 in parts inventory and has a separate onsite facility for servicing natural gas-powered vehicles.

•

The Bridgestone Group donated $1 million to efforts in Liberia and the region to combat the Ebola outbreak. Bridgestone Americas donated $500,000 to Samaritan’s Purse for its work in Liberia, and Bridgestone Corp. donated $500,000 to support UNICEF’s efforts in Liberia and Nigeria.

•

Hino Trucks announced that Matt Kiernan of O’Connor Motor Co. in Portland, Maine, earned top honors at the truck maker’s 6th annual National Service Skills Competition, held at its training facility in Novi, Mich.

•

WheelTime Network launched “Total Tech,” a WheelTime University series of online training and certification modules that follows ASE’s focus on theory, knowledge and diagnostics and uses tools and focus inspired by the TMC SuperTech competition. The program was designed to enhance the scope of work, quality and speed of WheelTime’s more than 3,500 truck and motor coach technicians at 200 shops across North America.

•

Anhui Jianghuai Navistar Diesel Engine Co. Ltd., a joint venture between Navistar International and Chinese truck maker Anhui Jianghuai Continued on page 24

commercial carrier journal

Mack touts scalable vehicle telematics package M

ack announced a major expansion package for its GuardDog Connect fleet telematics system. The new system, which now features three configurable application packages, builds off of Mack’s existing GuardDog Connect platform and will be available on the company’s Pinnacle, Granite and Titan truck models. The new system dovetails with a range of high-value investments Mack and its dealer network have made recently to improve both its customer service and overall total cost of ownership, said John Walsh, the truck maker’s vice president of marketing. A collaboration with Telogis allows Mack to offer three telematics packages – Telogis Compliance and Navigation, Telogis Fleet and a bundled package of the two called Mack Fleet Management Services, which will offer the flexibility to work with multiple partners. Kevin Moore, vice president of global automotive and OEM sales for Telogis, said Telogis Compliance and Navigation is a basic package designed to enable drivers to manage hoursof-service requirements and driver vehicle inspection reports. The package also provides dynamically updated road conditions collected from an existing community of more than 140,000 commercial drivers in North America. Telogis Fleet is a more comprehensive, scalable fleet management solution that can be activated over the air, Moore said. Combined with The Telogis collaboration allows Mack proprietary Mack to offer three telematics packages – Telogis Compliance data, it provides and Navigation, Telogis Fleet and a real-time visibilbundled package of the two called ity into the fleet’s Mack Fleet Management Services. vehicle and driver performance on one dashboard to help improve safety and efficiency. The combined option, Mack Fleet Management Services, is focused primarily at data-driven large fleets to provide a complete overall picture of operational costs, including indicators for overall vehicle performance, fuel economy and preventive maintenance. “The key here is information and choice,” said David Pardue, vice president of business development and software products for Mack. “We know fleets don’t want data. They want usable information. That’s why we have designed all three packages to be completely flexible and convenient. Fleet managers can customize the coverage and information they receive to meet the entire application range Mack trucks work in today – everything from construction and vocational applications to regional and long-haul delivery segments.” “Mack Fleet Management Services offer customers tools to effectively and efficiently manage their operations, improving their total cost of ownership,” said Stephen Roy, president of North American sales and marketing for Mack. “Integrating technology and services facilitates customer choice and offers them the best return on investment. We are pleased to be working with Telogis out of the gate in providing these types of services.” – Jack Roberts

| november 2014

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InBrief

Continued from page 22

Automobile Co. Ltd., has begun engine production at its 1,000,000-square-foot facility in Hefei, China. •

BFGoodrich Truck Tires redesigned its website to be more interactive and user-friendly, with new tools that include a tire selector and dealer selector and the ability to quickly access frequently used reference materials. The information on BFGoodrichTruckTires. com is formatted for mobile devices and can be shared via social media sites.

•

The Volvo Group recognized three North American companies – Tru-flex LLC of West Lebanon, Ind., Tenneco of Lake Forest, Ill., and Donaldson of Bloomington, Minn. – and 12 companies worldwide with the 2014 Volvo Group Supplier Award for commitment to performance excellence and continuous improvement.

•

Hankook Tire America donated $50,000 to the Disabled American Veterans Mobile Service Office, which brings free services directly to veterans and covers 70 stops within the Southeast region annually.

•

Cummins was recognized with the 2014 United States Overall Best Heavy-Duty Truck Engines Product Leadership Award from Frost & Sullivan at its North American Growth, Innovation & Leadership Gala in San Jose, Calif. The award was based on Frost & Sullivan’s 2014 independent research survey of U.S. heavy-duty fleet, safety and service managers.

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. 24

commercial carrier journal

Navistar announces OnCommand upgrades, new ProStar fuel-efficiency powertrain spec

avistar announced several enhancements to its OnCommand Connection remote diagnostics platform as well as fuel efficiency upgrades to its ProStar tractor during a press conference at the 2014 American Trucking Associations’ 2014 Management Conference & Exhibition in San Diego. Beginning this month, Navistar will roll out new feature enhancements for OnCommand Connection, including a mobile app, customized geofencing capabilities designed to allow customers to filter their dashboards into geographic zones, and direct integration with major component suppliers, beginning with Cummins. Integration with Cummins Connected Diagnostics will provide customers with the option of viewing Cummins Jodi Presswood, vice president recommendations via the OnCommand Connecand general manager of Navistar’s Heavy-duty Truck Product tion portal. Line, describes the International Navistar also displayed the new fuel-efficienProStar’s new fuel-efficiency spec cy spec for the International ProStar with the that features the Eaton-Cummins SmartAdvantage 10-speed Eaton Fuller Advantage SmartAdvantage powertrain. automated manual transmission paired with the Cummins ISX15 engine with SmartTorque2 ratings that automatically sense vehicle weight, grade and operating gear to select the optimum torque to optimize fuel economy and performance. – Jeff Crissey

Volvo puts natural gas engine plans on hold

olvo Trucks North America announced that it has put on hold plans to launch its own compression-ignition liquefied natural gas engine for North America as it adapts to the pace of the North American alternative fuel Volvo Trucks will continue to offer spark-ignited natural gas engines in its VNM and VNL models. market. The company said it will continue to offer spark-ignited natural gas engines in its VNM and VNL models, and that field testing of its dimethyl ether-powered vehicles also will continue. Volvo said development of the natural gas infrastructure to support long-haul trucking has been modest over the last year, and that the needs of customers in the primary markets for natural gas vehicles – regional haul and dedicated routes – are being met with the company’s current natural gas lineup. Volvo said that while it continues to believe that DME – which can be produced from natural gas – holds promise as a heavy-truck fuel, it has decided not to establish a commercialization date as it continues to monitor market and stakeholder interest in the fuel. – Jack Roberts

| november 2014

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Mercedes-Benz updates North American van market

uring a roundtable discussion at last month’s IAA Commercial Vehicles 2014 truck show in Hanover, Germany, Mercedes-Benz executives said they expect strong growth in the large van market in the United States with its Sprinter offering. Year-to-date through August, Mercedes-Benz van sales in the United States are up 21 percent from 13,200 units to 16,000 units compared to the first eight months of 2013. Volker Mornhinweg, head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, said the overall U.S. large van market is up 16.8 percent from 170,400 units to 199,000 units. While Mercedes-Benz van sales have achieved double-digit growth in Western Europe (up 16 percent) and China (up 12 percent) in the same time period, sales are declining in Latin America (down 23 percent) and Eastern Europe (down 3 percent) where local economies continue to struggle. Sprinter gaining ground The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has been available in North America under a number of badges since it was introduced in 2001, and the Euro-style van has challenged the traditional domestic vans in the marketplace, said Bernhard Glaser, president and managing director of commercial vans for Mercedes-Benz USA. Model-year 2015 Sprinters include a new Crosswind Assist feature that uses ESP sensors to brake the wheels and counter wind forces. Optional equipment includes a 7-foot super-high roof, a super-ultra-low-emissions vehicle (SULEV) diesel engine

Mercedes-Benz’s mid-sized van will be available in the United States in fall 2015 in both cargo and passenger versions with a long wheelbase, 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine and rear-wheel drive.

for four-cylinder models and two 4-by-4 packages that will be available in the United States early next year. Mid-sized van coming to U.S. The Sprinter currently is the only van Mercedes-Benz offers in North America, but that will change in fall 2015 when the company introduces its new Vito (VS20) mid-sized van that recently launched in Europe, providing North American customers with a smaller option from Mercedes-Benz. While it likely will come into the United States with a different name, the VS20 will be available in both cargo and passenger versions with a long wheelbase, 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine and rear-wheel drive beginning with the 2016 model year. Unlike the Sprinter, which is badged in North America as Mercedes-Benz or Freightliner, the VS20 will bear only a Mercedes-Benz logo. It will be assembled alongside the Sprinter at the company’s assembly plant in Charleston, S.C. – Jeff Crissey

FedEx Freight’s McLean repeats as SuperTech winner

ark McLean held off challenges from FedEx Freight co-workers Eric Vos and Charles Kerr to become the third repeat winner in SuperTech history at the Technology & Maintenance Council’s Fall Meeting in Orlando, Fla. McLean, 25, won three individual stations – drivetrain, service information and wheel end – during the two-day event, the most of all competitors. He took home nearly $25,000 in gift cards and prizes, including an all-inclusive package to the 2015 Daytona 500. Vos took second behind McLean for the second year in a row and won the liftgate division. Despite not winning an individual station, Kerr used a steady performance through the competition to snag third place. Vos and Kerr also nabbed trips to NASCAR races. Former winners Brian Lewis from Walmart and Christopher Tate from Mohawk Trucks rounded out the top five, followed by Matthew Nolan (FedEx), Jeffrey Schlecht (Omaha Truck Center), 26

commercial carrier journal

| november 2014

Chris Barnett (Ryder), Robert Gonzalez (Ryder) and Joseph Calloway (Wal-Mart). In addition to 134 professional techs, this year’s 10th annual SuperTech also featured new team and student contests. Behind McLean, Vos and Kerr, FedEx Freight nabbed the first team title; while 23 technicians participated in the student contest, with WyoTech student Gunnar Lueck coming out on top. – Lucas Deal Mark McLean became the third repeat winner in SuperTech history at the Technology & Maintenance Council’s Fall Meeting in Orlando, Fla.

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in focus: Tandem axles

When only one is needed New 6x2 options boost fuel economy, flexibility By Jack RoBeRts

or a long time, 6x4 drive axles on heavy-duty commercial vehicles were the default spec for fleets regardless of application. The thinking was straightforward: Torque was king, and getting a load rolling as quickly as possible was a primary concern. Diesel fuel wasn’t as expensive, and there was little reason to consider any alternative axle options. Today, fuel economy is a vital interest for fleets with razor-thin margins and competitors breathing down their necks. To help alleviate those worries, more fleets are turning to 6x2 tandem axles, which have made significant inroads for a variety of reasons, including higher-horsepower engines and more efficient drivetrains. According to a recent study by the North American Council for Freight Efficiency, a 6x2 tandem axle will provide an average 2.5 percent improvement in fuel economy. As with many new technologies, however, several disadvantages offset the benefits derived from running 6x2 tandems as a fuel-saving spec. “The benefits are both fuel economy and weight reduction,” says Brad Williamson, marketing communications manager for Detroit. In many applications, 6x2s are available with faster axle ratios, which deliver even greater fuel economy, Williamson says.

Hendrickson’s Optimaax is designed to lift the forward tandem axle automatically when loads are light and shift the unsprung weight to the rear drive axle without overloading it.

In terms of how they work with a truck’s powertrain, 6x2 axles aren’t much different from a standard 6x4 configuration; the engine and transmission still deliver power to the driveline and then to the axle and tires. Williamson says a 6x2 axle’s main benefit is the reduction of moving and interacting parts, creating less friction loss and therefore reducing rolling resistance. “Reducing the rolling resistance improves fuel economy by allowing the energy created by the powertrain to transfer to the ground with fewer losses so that there is more usable power to move the vehicle,” he says. Dave McCleave, director of marketing for Hendrickson, acknowledges that removing a drive tandem axle reduces weight and results in a 3 percent fuel economy improvement due to the elimination of parasitic losses. “However, the 6x2 application is limited by traction concerns, particularly when bobtailing or partially loaded,” McCleave says.

There is more usable power to move the vehicle.

– Brad Williamson, marketing communications manager, Detroit

commercial carrier journal

| november 2014

To address these limitations, Hendrickson designed its Optimaax liftable forward tandem axle to lift the forward axle automatically when loads are light and to shift the unsprung weight to the rear drive axle without overloading it to provide additional traction and enable 6x2 applications. “Additionally, an empty or lightly loaded tractor has the ability to operate as a 4x2,” McCleave says. This configuration eliminates the forward drive axle’s rolling resistance, as well as thrust and tandem scrub, allowing fleets to adjust their axle settings to meet the application at hand, he says. In the lifted position, a minimum 2 percent fuel economy improvement is gained, resulting in more than a 5 percent improvement compared to 6x4 configurations, McCleave says. “When rolling resistance, thrust and tandem scrub is removed by having the forward tandem axle in the lifted position when the capacity is not required, powertrain components are not working as hard,” he says. “This plays a part in the overall fuel efficiency gains for the vehicle.” Optimaax’s flexibility is suited for bulk and other variable-load haulers, including large deadhead runs, McCleave says.

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technology

technology Making the latest technology developMents work for your fleet by AAron Huff

A new framework for growth TMW Systems focuses on customer support

t TMW Systems’ annual TransForum user conference and exhibition in late September, David Wangler, the company’s chief executive officer, compared the challenges of running a fast-growing software company to expanding a truckload carrier. In today’s world, a carrier needs transportation management software and onboard computers to grow beyond 50 trucks. Once it exceeds 100 trucks, its people need distinct roles and additional technologies to weed out inefficiencies. To surpass the 1,000-truck mark, it would need business analysts to develop and execute strategies yielded by the mounting volume of data. At this point, the fleet is managing so much information and activity that its “organizational momentum becomes both an ally and a foe to further growth,” Wangler said. “The momentum that is driving revenue production also makes it hard to respond quickly to new and different market opportunities.” All along the growth curve, the Too much Too sooN: organizaorganization finds tional momentum becomes both an that keeping in touch ally and a foe to further growth. with its most valuable TmW 3.0: tMw systems says it is assets – its drivers – taking a keen focus on improving the becomes more diffisupport experience. cult even as it grows in TakiNg The lead: tMw wants to importance. provide a more prescriptive approach “In any business, to meeting its customers’ needs. as you grow, you will have to realign resources and invest in new ones to enable you to adapt and respond to market demands,” Wangler said. “This is exactly what we are doing at TMW Systems today.” The main announcement was not the latest version of software but about the company itself; company executives call the new iteration TMW 3.0. “We’ve taken a keen focus on improving the support experience,” said Rod Strata, executive vice president of operations, who joined TMW last year. “We want to make it better.” TMW 3.0’s mission also is to improve the user experience and interoperability of the company’s software products. As part of the project, it created a new product management group to align the delivery of its software more closely with the developing business needs of its customers. TMW is taking a more prescriptive approach to meeting its

David Wangler, TMW Systems chief executive officer, addresses attendees of TransForum, held Sept. 21-24 at the Gaylord Opryland hotel and convention center in Nashville.

customers’ needs rather than asking “How do you want to do it?” Strata said. Customers are asking for TMW to take the lead because of its collective experience in transportation technology, he said. New products TMW Systems also made several new product announcements at TransForum. Companies that use TMWSuite, TMW’s enterprise TMS platform, have a new user interface option called TMW Operations. In the past, users had to toggle between different TMW applications to enter orders and move freight. By comparison, TMW Operations is written in the modern Microsoft .NET framework and offers a cleaner, more customizable display. File maintenance, the dispatch planning grid and the order entry applications no longer are separate; all three have been combined into one screen with a tabular layout. Full-service transportation Another major announcement was a new partnership between TMW Systems and 3G-TM. The two recently began working together to meet growing demand from both asset and nonasset companies to offer comprehensive logistics services. TMW offers multiple TMS platforms for asset-based carriers and brokers. With the complementary 3G-TMS platform, TMW’s carrier and brokerage customers can take on more freight from their own shipper customers and prospects. The platform is designed to optimize the service and cost parameters of shipments. It can deliver shipment visibility to the customer no matter what truck powers the load – company-owned or third party. aaron huff is senior editor of Commercial Carrier Journal. e-mail ahuff@ccjmagazine.com or call 385-225-9472. commercial carrier journal | november 2014

technology

Wireless roadside inspections enter field testing phase

eginning in December 2015, up to 1,000 drivers will have their logbooks, licenses and other credentials inspected by the U.S. Department of Transportation while at highway speed. The reward for a

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commercial carrier journal | november 2014

clean inspection? Keep on rolling. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has been working to make wireless roadside inspection a reality for a number of years. The project is entering its third and final phase, called a field operational test (FOT). Innovative Software Engineering, a company that offers telematics and custom software development services, recently was awarded a three-year FOT project by FMCSA to evaluate WRI viability for commercial motor vehicles. In 2010, ISE participated in the WRI program’s pilot phase and was the first firm to successfully demonstrate the technology’s viability during an FMCSA-sponsored event in East Tennessee. The current WRI FOT is managed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory and currently includes 20 inspection sites in five southeastern states: Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky and North Carolina. The number of locations is expected to grow before the FOT officially begins in December 2015. ISE is working to create an interface with a new government WRI system that will obtain the location of participating roadside inspection stations in the form of virtual geofences. When a vehicle crosses the geofence, ISE software will transmit the current logbook status, license and vehicle credentials to the WRI system. If everything checks out, the driver will be given an instant “green light” notification in the cab to bypass the inspection point or, vice versa, a red light indicating he must pull over. Fleets and owner-operators interested in participating in the FOT will need to purchase the ISE eFleetSuite telematics system, which includes electronic driver logs and driver vehicle inspection reporting applications. For more information, contact ISE at 888-316-3533 or info@ isefleetservices.com. – Aaron Huff

technology

INBrief •

Help Inc. announced that 485,000 trucks have enrolled in the PrePass program and that the service will be deployed at several new sites in Delaware, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin and Wyoming over the next few months.

•

Velociti announced a Deployment as a Service model designed for fleets to choose a customizable subscription-based offering that incorporates all phases of a technology deployment, from project planning to post-installation repairs.

•

U.S. Bank announced that its Freight Payments service now includes a free Freight Bill Lookup application designed to allow carriers to view the status of invoices online in real time, helping to improve transparency and collaboration between shippers and carriers.

•

Omnitracs and TMW Systems announced that fleets using TMW’s TL2000 and Omnitracs’ thin-client AS/400 integration for its Mobile Computing Platforms now can gain increased visibility into Omnitracs Portal features, as well as enhanced integration for Driver Workflow and ALK RouteSync navigation, supporting improved fleet management, customer service and profitability.

•

ALK Technologies and TMW Systems announced that ALK’s PC Miler 28 routing, mileage and mapping software has been approved for TMW’s IDSC ExpertFuel, Appian DirectRoute, Innovative IES, Access and Access Plus, TL2000, TMWSuite and TruckMate software solutions. PC Miler’s street-level routing, mapping, multiversion switch and hazmat routing modules also have been approved, the companies said.

•

Rand McNally and TMW Systems announced that data provided by Rand McNally’s mobile fleet management devices – including the TPC 7600, TND 760 and HD 100 – now can be accessed through TMW’s TMT Fleet Continued on page 36

Analyzing ATA’s tech news

Customers want data to help them solve problems

Omnitracs’s theme emerged when sorting MCP50 now is through all the technology news available with Infrom the American Trucking AssociCab Scanning and speeding alerts ations’ annual Management Conferand supplementaence & Exhibition in San Diego last ry vendor options month. Fleets and suppliers seem to for its Critical be focused on the user experience, Event Reporting applications. particularly the driver’s experience, to achieve desired results. Video-based driver risk management systems were the highlight of the show. They can improve the effectiveness of training, increase opportunities to recognize drivers for doing the right things and protect them from wrongful accusations. When using the DriveCam portal, driver managers see a priority list of drivers, ranked by risk, with video clips of the event. DriveCam’s analytics determine where managers should focus their efforts to achieve the greatest results. The numbers show that drivers with an avoidable near-collision event are six times more likely to have a collision in the next six months. SmartDrive’s risk management system is configurable to use up to four cameras to obtain a 360-degree view of the vehicle. Its new SmartDrive Assurance product line is designed to be fine-tuned to match a fleet’s risk priorities and specific operating environments. Zonar completed an agreement with GreenRoad to offer its real-time driver feedback and behavior monitoring application on the Zonar 2020 mobile tablet. Zonar said that with GreenRoad’s Android application, its customers will have ready-made driver behavior tools to help increase fuel economy, safety and fleet efficiency. Other news announcements showcased how technology can make drivers’ lives more convenient while saving their company money. PeopleNet announced an upgrade to its in-cab scanning capabilities in partnership with Pegasus TransTech. When using scanning services remotely, drivers now can scan and transmit documents using a Wi-Fi network to reduce cost. Omnitracs announced the availability of its In-Cab Scanning application on the Mobile Computing Platform 50. Also, the Critical Event Reporting application on the MCP50 now supports speeding alerts and additional third-party devices from Meritor OnGuard and Bendix Wingman that focus on collision mitigation and roll stability. Drivewyze’s PreClear weigh station bypass application now is available on Rand McNally’s TND 760 mobile fleet management devices. Technology suppliers also shared examples of how they have expanded the scope of their offerings to bundle more savings for customers. AT&T discussed how Saia LTL Freight is using its AT&T Advanced Mobility AT&T’s Cargo View is a small M2M device Solutions product suite to simplify work with global GSM/GPRS connectivity processes. to monitor cargo conditions remotely – Aaron Huff during any transportation mode.

commercial carrier journal | november 2014

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technology

InBrief

Continued from page 34

Maintenance software, allowing fleets to manage maintenance proactively with real-time details such as vehicle fault codes and location, helping to improve safety and reduce downtime. •

PeopleNet announced new integrations with TMW Systems’ TotalMail version 14.30+ that provide PeopleNet and TMWSuite users with improved access to information related to workflow stops and cycle times to help improve fleet efficiency and utilization.

•

Direct Freight Services and TMW Systems announced new integrations for TMWSuite and TruckMate via TMW’s Freight Board Interface module. The integrations are designed for brokers, carriers and third-party logistics providers.

•

Transportation Costing Group announced that Enid, Okla.-based tanker hauler Groendyke Transport Inc. has implemented its Truckload Cost Information System (TL/CIS) and integrated the solution with its enterprise management software to enhance its profitability analysis.

•

Lytx Inc. announced that Minnesota-based Long Haul Trucking Inc. has deployed its DC Protect program that combines video, predictive analytics, real-time driver feedback and coaching.

•

SmartDrive Systems announced that M&W Transportation Co. – a family-owned asset-based truckload carrier specializing in milk runs, reverse logistics, local shuttling and delivery – has deployed its video-based safety program across its fleet.

Interested In truckIng technology? Scan the barcode or go to www.goo.gl/Ph9JK to subscribe to the CCJ Technology Weekly e-mail newsletter. 36

Orbcomm expands M2M platform to intermodal chassis

rbcomm in the past few years has the GT 1100-Chassis Tracking Solution. acquired two of the largest providers of The design pairs Orbcomm’s solar-powcold-chain trailer tracking systems, StarTrak ered GT 1100 tracking and monitoring and Par Logistics, and has develdevice with its PS 100 proximity oped new hardware capable of sensor and custom mounting tracking any type of asset. More bracket. The GT 1100-CTS recently, it launched a next-genprovides chassis location with eration OG2 network of satellites. load status – container mounted The primary reason for or unmounted – to help fleets making these investments is increase asset utilization through Orbcomm’s GT 1100to provide fleets a common faster equipment turn times and CTS is designed and platform to connect to all of their engineered specifically more efficiency through accurate to facilitate chassis assets across diversified lines of billing and enhanced lane and management for business, including flatbed, reefer, owners and operators yard planning. The device uses intermodal and dry van. of any size fleet. a cellular modem with a satellite During the American option. Trucking Associations’ annual Management The device connects to the tractor’s power Conference & Exhibition in San Diego, Orbsource and its solar rechargeable battery for comm announced a new product for its mauninterrupted connectivity. chine-to-machine communications platform: – Aaron Huff

Magellan adds electronic logging to truck navigation device

t the American Trucking Associations’ annual Management Conference & Exhibition in San Diego last month, Magellan – a company known for its consumer GPS navigation devices – announced an expansion of its fleet product portfolio. Magellan’s RoadMate RC9496T-LMB is an Android GPS truck navigation device that includes electronic driver logs. The 7-inch tablet has a serial port, dash mount and black-box cable and connects to a supplemental desktop tool, the Magellan Fleet Manager, designed to enable central office management of the device’s software as well as map updates, route planning, visibility to driver logbook status and cloud content that includes real-time fuel pricing and weather information. The Fleet Manager software is compatible with any Android device. Some of the device’s navigation features include the ability to customize truck routes based on vehicle profiles for height, weight,

commercial carrier journal | november 2014

Magellan’s RoadMate RC9496T-LMB is an Android GPS truck navigation device that includes electronic driver logs.

width, length and hazmat restrictions. The software is designed to optimize stops for the most efficient route or to allow drivers to plan stops in the order they want. Traffic alerts can be sent directly to the GPS unit to let drivers plan more precise travel times and estimated times of arrival by avoiding congestion and other delays. The device’s Junction View feature displays a realistic image of the road and highway signs to help guide drivers to the correct lane for safe merging and exiting. – Aaron Huff

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technology

EBE creates mobile document capture app

SkyBitz touts new GPS tracking device

kyBitz, a provider of remote asset tracking and information management systems, rolled out the Falcon Series GXT2000, an asset tracking device designed to use 3G/4G cellular networks for seamless North American coverage and to track the location and status of assets without an external power source throughout the entire chain of events – including arrival and departure from customer sites and all events between. Device design and long battery life make the Falcon GXT2000 suited for operations tracking unpowered assets such as intermodal containers, chassis and trailers over several years, said Henry Popplewell, senior vice president and general manager of SkyBitz. The device was built on the same platform as the Falcon GXT3000 and can be deployed using the SkyBitz as a Service platform, which enables faster deployment with no upfront hardware cost. The Falcon GXT2000 was designed for fast installation with LED verification and is encased in a weatherproof housing to protect components from harsh elements. The energy-efficient device can be programmed to shut off in a specific geographic zone or for periods of time to conserve power, such as when on rail. The Falcon GXT2000 also is designed to provide cargo status data via sensors and more intelligent and responsive self-diagnostics, allowing for over-the-air troubleshooting. Information is delivered to end-users via SkyBitz InSight, a management tool for tracking, monitoring and managing assets. SkyBitz InSight can accept data feeds from other systems. – Aaron Huff 38

commercial carrier journal | november 2014

BE Technologies, a developer of enterprise business process management applications for transportation, announced a new mobile app, Xpress Mobile Capture (XMC), an integrated mobile capture system designed to allow drivers to submit delivery, settlement and safety documents via a mobile device while communicating with carriers’ back-office systems. Integration with carriers’ dispatch, safety and human resources systems ensures timely notifications to drivers of required documents and validates the accuracy of the documents they submit. XMC can be configured to capture any or all documents carriers require to be submitted. Each document is indexed by the driver at the point of service and sent directly to the carrier’s dispatch, accounting and/or safety systems, where they then are validated automatically for accuracy and processed. Drivers receive immediate feedback as to the status of the documents and completeness of the transaction. Notifications are sent automatically to drivers prior to settlement or compliance deadlines if required documents have not been received. Embedded in the XMC application is a training module using EBE’s Learning Management System and driver scorecarding to monitor how well drivers are managing their paperwork. The LMS system provides drivers access to training videos to teach them and reinforce understanding of the application. – Aaron Huff

Pegasus TransTech updates mobile scanning app

egasus TransTech said that with the release of a new upgrade for Transflo Mobile+, its mobile document scanning application offers more options for drivers and carriers. According to the company, Transflo Mobile+ 1.1 now includes: • Barcode scanning for index fields; • Document scanning and image quality enhancements with more options for drivers in the preview screen; • Easier load management capabilities, including more load details; • Enhancements to support good driver habits and driver safety; Pegasus TransTech • Full support for iOS8 and iPhone 6; and said its upgraded Transflo Mobile+ • One-touch option to find the nearest truck stop scanmobile document ning locations near the driver, directly from the home screen. scanning application The Transflo Mobile+ 1.1 upgrade now is available for offers more options for free download on the Apple App Store or the Google Play drivers and carriers. Store for the Android platform. Pegasus TransTech also announced the integration of its Transflo document management and integrated delivery system with Rand McNally’s mobile fleet management devices. – Aaron Huff

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technology

in focus: Fuel-saving apps

Maximizing mpg smartly Driver-focused apps show what it takes to move the needle by aaron huff

any software applications are focused on maximizing the 30 percent of fuel economy under the driver’s control. One thing these products have in common is the ability to correlate mpg to specific driving behaviors that can be improved. But simply reporting data from a truck’s electronic control module does not guarantee that drivers and fleet managers will know how to use it to improve behavior. How this information is presented to drivers, and how they interact with it, is what makes the difference. Fuel-training apps Nobody, drivers included, really wants

more data. “They want solutions,” says Jeff Baer, founder and chief executive officer of LinkeDrive, which offers the PedalCoach fuel-saving application. “Those solutions must be ‘human-centric,’ as we are running out of non-human OEM and accessory hardware ‘things’ to hang on a truck or trailer to save fuel.” PedalCoach shows drivers a digital gauge with a needle that represents the flow rate of fuel to the engine. The gauge’s “green” area represents the fueling target – the appropriate amount of fuel for the truck at any given moment. PedalCoach connects to the vehicle’s J1939 databus to perform instantaneous calculations using ECM data.

Zonar’s ZFuel shows the actual amount of fuel that fleets are losing due to less-than-optimal driving behaviors.

commercial carrier journal | november 2014

LinkeDrive also combines the PedalCoach application with driver recognition and reward programs. Drivers who strive for higher scores figure out how and when to slow down without sacrificing revenue miles or time, Baer says. SmartDrive’s video-based driver risk management system has both fuel-saving and safety applications that drivers can use to monitor their performance in both areas. Fleets typically start by implementing SmartDrive’s safety program that measures 80 different driving skills. After fleets have seen positive results from the safety program, they tend to implement

The ZFuel app keeps a detailed record of fuel performance along a route. Users can drill down to see what driving behaviors caused poor performance.

HENRY TRUCKER’S TRIBUTE EDITIONS Thanking Those Who Move America Made In America Or Not Made At All

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They are the road warriors of highways, truck stops, and loading docks. Blue-jeaned executives whose office is their cab. Guardian angels in 18-wheelers, often the first to stop at an accident to make sure us four wheelers are safe too. Most of all truckers are men and women who sacrifice sleeping in their own beds and kissing their kids goodnight so we have fresh milk in our fridge and gas in our cars. In recognition of their dedication to keep America moving, Henry Repeating Arms is honored to present the Henry Golden Boy Trucker’s Tribute Edition. A trucker is the real deal just like a Henry Repeating Rifle, living life based on the same values of reliability and accuracy. He knows a loaded truck, much like a loaded gun, is something to respect and that safety is key on the road. The trucker moving across America deserves a true piece of Americana -- the Henry Rifle, authentically produced, assembled and engraved in the USA by American craftsmen. ABOUT THE ENGRAVING ON BOTH MODELS: On the right side of the receiver cover is an image of an eastbound 18-wheeler moving commodities coast to coast across the wide expanse of the United States. It has been expertly cut by hand engraver Heidi Roos of Baron Engraving and plated in 24K gold with a banner that reads TRUCKERS MOVE AMERICA. Framing the image is classic truck pin striping that any trucker can identify with. The left side of the receiver cover features an engraved image of a convoy of trucks heading west on a ribbon of tree-lined highway. This image is also plated in 24K gold and sports the rightful banner BOUND FOR GLORY. The classic truck pin striping detail continues with bright cuts highlighting the artwork. GOLDEN BOY Model #H004TT .22 S/LR MSRP $1020.00

The right side of the American Walnut buttstock has a laser etched and hand painted replica of a Truck Stop sign in multiple colors. This welcoming trucker icon is a nod to the rest, good food and shared camaraderie that truckers embrace on their journeys until they are able to ﬂip ﬂop. A symbol of American Pride, this unique Henry Trucker’s Tribute Edition is a testament to our country’s appreciation of truckers, their spouses and families and the many miles they log on our behalf. Because if we’ve got it, there’s an American trucker somewhere who made it possible and we salute them.

BIG BOY Model #H006TT .44 MAGNUM MSRP $1499.95

For a FREE color catalog and Henry decal visit www.henryrifles.com or call Toll Free (866) 200-2354 Follow us!

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technology the fuel efficiency application, says Jason Morgan, president of SmartDrive. The SmartDrive Fuel app is designed to give drivers a score that shows how their fuel-saving behaviors compare to other drivers and to the target mpg for their vehicle based on individual maneuvers and route characteristics, such as the mix of freeway driving versus city routes. SmartDrive also captures fuel-inefficient events on video that fleet managers can review with drivers to improve certain behaviors such as shifting techniques. The video is displayed on a dashboard with digital gauges that show additional concurrent data such as rpms and speed for context. “That is much more impactful than showing a telematics report,” Morgan says.

ZFuel has an interactive map display to identify problem areas. Clicking on a route’s red segment zooms in and charts all the variables – speed, temperature, incline, use of cruise control, etc. – on a time scale for that segment. The ability to analyze and visualize fuel efficiency stems from the methodology

Zonar uses to capture and transmit data from the vehicle. If a vehicle is in a hilly area or in the city with frequent stops and turns, the computer will sample more frequently than if the vehicle is running down a long straight highway. The ZFuel application is an option for Zonar’s fleet management system.

Real-time analytics Zonar’s new ZFuel application is designed to analyze and visualize complex data to help fleet operators and drivers improve fuel efficiency. In the heavy-duty truck market, Zonar is a major player in connected vehicle technology. The company has about 100,000 telematics units in vehicles from Daimler Trucks North America. Zonar’s hardware and cloud computing platform powers DTNA’s Virtual Technician remote diagnostics and Visibility telematics offerings. ZFuel gives drivers a fuel efficiency score that shows how well they performed under the circumstances. The application also calculates the amount of money that drivers could have saved on each trip – each ignition on/off event – if had they done everything right. When using the online ZFuel application, a fleet manager could start by looking at a ranked list of drivers according to their fuel efficiency scores and fuel losses. The manager then could drill down and see how individual drivers performed on particular routes. The performance of one driver could be compared against other drivers who drove the same route. Text INFO to 205-289-3554 or visit www.ccjdigital.com/info

commercial carrier journal | november 2014

Radiator Works_CCJ1014_PG.indd 1

43 9/18/14 10:11 AM

Ready. Set. Learn. CCJ and its CCJ Innovators partners are proud to highlight the achievements of the industry’s most innovative fleets. The CCJ Innovators program profiles fleets that have shown initiative in addressing critical areas in their businesses: • • • • • •

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

Sponsored by:

Nominate your fleet as a CCJ Innovator at ccjinnovators.com.

INNOVATORS

U.S. XPRESS Chattanooga, Tenn. cute load planning and other processes more efficiently. With a few exceptions, the app has the same features as the company’s in-cab computing platform for drivers to manage orders from pickup to delivery. The only difference in terms of functionality is that drivers have to use the in-cab platform for turn-by-turn navigation and hours-of-service applications. Just like the onboard platform, Xpress Mobile restricts drivers from using it while in motion, thereby complying with federal and state regulations that prohibit the use of mobile devices while driving.

Automation helping U.S. Xpress improve workers’ lifestyles BY AARON HUFF

ore than 70 percent of truck drivers today own smartphones, tablets and wireless subscriptions. For U.S. Xpress Enterprises, this widespread connectivity on the front lines became an opportunity to enhance its information systems. In 2011, U.S. Xpress began developing a mobile app for its driver workforce. Today, more than 5,400 drivers and owner-operators at the nation’s second-largest truckload carrier and its affiliate companies use personal devices to connect to time-sensitive dispatch information and perform other routine office communications. Drivers become familiar with the Xpress Mobile app during their orientation training classes. The Chattanooga, Tenn.-based company also promotes the app internally using posters and Xpress Mobile charging stations at its facilities. Drivers can download Xpress Mobile to their Android and iOS devices from Google Play and the Apple App Store. After a quick registration process to verify the driver is active in U.S. Xpress’ host system, the mobile app is ready to use. With Xpress Mobile, drivers can view current load information and upcoming assignments, accept load offerings and perform other routine communications. New information arrives as notification alerts. U.S. Xpress continues to add new features to the app to help improve drivers’ lifestyles. “Everything is being designed to give drivers access to more information to make their lives easier,” says Ken Crane, director of information technology. The benefits go both ways. More than 19,000 messages a week go through Xpress Mobile – traffic that otherwise would go through the company’s in-cab mobile platform, Crane says. When using the mobile app, drivers respond to critical dispatch messages faster by virtue of staying connected inside and outside the cab. By receiving information such as load acceptances faster, U.S. Xpress can exe-

Upcoming features To shape its future roadmap for Xpress Mobile, U.S. Xpress gathers input from drivers. One idea that came from a recent roundtable discussion with drivers is for the app to deliver push notifications for vehicle maintenance events. When drivers take trucks in for maintenance, they currently have to ask the service writer for a status update. Soon, drivers will be notified automatically when their trucks are ready. Another feature in the works will help fleet managers contact drivers by phone at the most appropriate times, such as when they are not driving but in the

The truckload carrier develops mobile apps for drivers and office staff.

COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | NOVEMBER 2014

Xpress Mobile has more than 5,400 active users sending more than 19,000 messages and transactions per week.

Jeff Seibenhener, U.S. Xpress’ chief information officer, is working to enhance Xpress Mobile for drivers while creating a similar app for office workers.

sleeper berth and more likely to be using the Xpress Mobile app. This information triage will take place automatically in the company’s back-office fleet management platform, called XPM. The driver’s status will be visible to fleet managers by way of an indicator light in XPM’s planning grid, says Jeff Seibenhener, chief information officer. A recent addition to Xpress Mobile is helping to improve drivers’ work lifestyles by providing visibility to the status of load “repower” events. Drivers use this feature when they are scheduled to meet another driver at a pre-arranged location to swap trailers. The app will show each of the drivers involved in the exchange where the other truck is in relation to the designated location. The remaining miles, estimated time of arrival and location of the other driver all are visible on a digital map. Previously, drivers had to get these tracking updates from their fleet managers in order to coordinate their schedules. Besides planning and communications tools for drivers, Xpress Mobile provides drivers with mobile access to the company newsletter and training videos.

to the next to find orders, track shipments or check load confirmations; everything relevant to their jobs is available on one screen. Users also do not need to manually refresh the information displayed on the webpage or click “enter” to send information to the server. All two-way communications take place automatically in real time regardless of the device’s browser or version. In addition to making workers more productive inside and outside of the office with its unified Web platform, U.S. Xpress also has reduced its software training time by more than half. When the company hires a new fleet manager, it no longer has to spend weeks training them how to use its core legacy systems. All fleet managers and executives also have access to the company’s business intelligence platform to monitor real-time key performance metrics from their desktops or mobile devices. By using technology to stay connected with drivers and employees at every level, U.S. Xpress has been able to improve work lifestyles for everyone while being more productive.

The mobile office U.S. Xpress also is developing a mobile app called Xpress Office to provide office workers with the same real-time connec46

tivity to corporate communications that Xpress Mobile gives to drivers. Seibenhener believes the office version will be a more effective platform for communications than e-mail. Push notifications will remind people about news that is important to their work lifestyles. “This is the new normal for communicating,” he says. “Push notifications have become the standard for information and awareness.” Xpress Office will be designed like an interactive newsletter that uses video and other visual tools to present information. The company’s quarterly town hall meeting could be broadcast on video in real time for office employees to view from their mobile devices. With more than 70 remote sites, the ability to get information to people in real time will help prevent misinformation, Seibenhener says. Aside from Xpress Office, U.S. Xpress employees already are able to stay connected with the full functionality of their desktop applications using any mobile device. Fleet managers can access the company’s XPM fleet management software to dispatch drivers and view assets. U.S. Xpress has extended all of XPM’s onsite desktop applications for planning, scheduling and fleet management into a seamlessly integrated HTML-5 Web interface. Users do not have to go from one XPM application

COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | NOVEMBER 2014

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.

We asked readers to rate their top fuelsaving technologies. The results showed that aerodynamics are sweeping trucking.

New model trucks will offer substantial leaps forward in terms of both powertrain and aerodynamic advances that will boost fuel economy performance.

COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL

BY JACK ROBERTS ne bright spot in today’s tumultuous trucking industry has to be the unprecedented gains in fuel economy made by modern, highly efficient trucks and tractors. Not long ago, a long-haul tractor logging 6 miles per gallon was considered heady stuff. Today, forward-thinking fleets routinely see 8 mpg on long runs, with cutting-edge fuel economy gurus such as Las Cruces, N.M.-based Mesilla Valley Transportation pushing the envelope out past 10 mpg. Owner-operator Henry Albert, a former Overdrive Trucker of the Year, considers 10 mpg “average” and is working

| NOVEMBER 2014

actively toward a goal of a 12-mpg run on a full tank of fuel. Not every fleet can devote the resources or has the intensely-focused drivers required to consistently log 11- or 12-mpg runs. But the news is about to get better for fuel-focused fleets: The upcoming greenhouse gas emissions regulations that take effect in 2017 are also fuel economy standards for heavy-duty trucks. While actual performance figures currently remain closely guarded OEM secrets, it’s safe to assume that new model trucks will offer substantial leaps forward in terms of both powertrain and aerodynamic advances that will boost fuel economy performance for fleets nationwide.

3 But even when 2017 arrives, not every fleet will be able to run out and buy new equipment immediately. Most will continue to run older trucks that nonetheless are doing surprisingly well on the fuel economy front. That prompted CCJ to conduct an online poll to help determine today’s top fuel economy specifications among fleets. The top five most common specs showed an interesting blend of technologies, from the latest fuel-efficient tires to weight consciousness and anti-idling measures, as well as a growing acceptance for aerodynamic add-on devices. The results indicate that most fleets seem to understand that overall vehicle fuel economy cannot be increased by simply adopting one or two new technologies or practices. More fleets appear to be taking a comprehensive approach, with multiple components and proactive strategies working hand-in-hand, day in and day out, to achieve consistently higher fuel economy averages.

omy became a priority for fleets, it was obvious just from looking at a tractortrailer that having airflow directed up and over a reasonably aerodynamic hood and windshield only to smack headlong into a tall, flat trailer nose was an extremely inefficient way to design a vehicle. In 1976, automotive engineer Donald Herpel resigned from Ford Motor Co. and founded Airodyne, which soon introduced one of the first threedimensional roof fairings for the North American trucking industry. With cheap diesel fuel the order of the day, Airodyne struggled to interest fleets – until the OPEC oil embargo later in the

decade forced carriers to look for new ways to save fuel. Today, roof fairings are standard equipment for many North American fleets. Airodyne says modern full three-dimensional fairings, with closed sides and tops that can extend to the truck cab’s rear, can deliver up to a 15 percent fuel savings and pay for themselves in an average of three months. Even more basic flat-style roof fairings, typically found on daycab tractors, can deliver up to 5 percent in fuel savings. Airodyne says a full roof fairing delivering just a 10 percent increase in fuel economy can save a fleet $6,904 a year in fuel per truck.

Roof fairings

It’s fair to say that the tractor-trailer aerodynamic revolution began with roof fairings. Long before fuel econ-

Today, roof fairings are standard equipment for many North American fleets. COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL

| NOVEMBER 2014 49

C ov e r s t o ry: F u e l e C o n o m y s u rv e y

The runner-ups

A multitude of other highly effective specs can help boost overall fuel economy. Here’s a rundown of other technologies in CCJ’s online poll that didn’t quite make it into the winner’s circle.

Automated manual transmissions The surge in popularity of AMTs is rooted in several factors, driver retention and safety among them. But another benefit for fleets has been the potential fuel savings they can provide. When it comes to fuel economy, a good driver on a good day can beat an AMT, but day in and day out, the AMT can give every driver respectable mpg numbers. Experts say an AMT can increase a vehicle’s fuel economy by as much as 5 to 7 percent.

Automatic transmissions Fully automatic transmissions differ from AMTs in that they have a torque converter instead of a computer-actuated clutch. Proponents claim this gives automatic transmissions a smoother ride than AMTs. Overall fuel economy is virtually identical to AMTs, however, with 5 to 7 percent increases being the norm in fleet operations.

High-ratio rear axles High-ratio rear axles are engineered for top-end speed and efficiency and require less engine horsepower to get a truck moving and keep it at cruising speed. While the tradeoff is a loss in low-end torque, many nonvocational fleets like the modest fuel economy gains they offer in long-haul applications.

Centrifugal oil filter While centrifugal oil filters aren’t commonly considered as fuel-economy enhancement devices, these highly efficient bypass filtration systems keep engine oil cleaner for longer periods of 50

commercial carrier journal

Utility Trailer offers a proprietary line of skirts designed to work with its family of dry vans.

Trailer side skirts

Trailer side skirts have gone from curiosity to commonplace in just a few short years, earning them a No. 2 ranking in CCJ’s online poll. While early aerodynamic efforts targeted the tractor itself, streamlining what is essentially a long rectangular box proved to be a more problematic issue. Trailer side skirts were the first serious attempt to streamline the airflow moving past the dry van trailer’s bottom to eliminate drag and turbulence. As with other aerodynamic devices, side skirts are designed to allow the truck and trailer to move more efficiently through the air, thereby putting less demand for power on the engine, which in turn burns less fuel. While early side skirts suffered from durability issues, the latest generation is engineered to achieve greater ground clearance to reduce the chance of impact damage. Utility Trailer offers a proprietary line of skirts designed to work with its family of dry vans. These skirts feature a galvanized high-tensile steel bracing system that allows the side skirt to flex both inward and outward and to be bent back if damaged. The skirt also is

| november 2014

manufactured with a UV-protected bidirectional fiberglass reinforced plastic construction, while its forward edge is bolted with a spring attachment at the support leg assembly. Side skirt manufacturers say the devices can boost overall tractor-trailer fuel economy by more than 5 percent in most applications.

Aluminum wheels

It’s all about weight control when it comes to the third most popular fuel-saving spec. Robert Flynn, director of product marketing for Accuride, says that while aluminum wheels can cost up to three times more that those made of steel, most longhaul fleets looking to lower a tractor’s weight are willing to pay that premium. Flynn says Alcoa’s most drastic weight savings package with aluminum wheels is a 14-inch wide-based tire configuration that cuts a drive axle’s typical weight from 130 pounds to 58 pounds, which works out to a total weight savings of 1,400 pounds per vehicle. Those numbers work for fleets even more when fuel and maintenance savings are considered. Flynn says that while fleets typically see a 30 to 40 percent upcharge for aluminum wheels

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C ov e r s t o ry: F u e l e C o n o m y s u rv e y time, and they also offer as much as a 2 percent boost in fuel economy thanks to increased engine efficiency.

Wide-based single tires Wide-based single tires remain controversial, but their fuel-saving benefits are undeniable in long-haul applications. Their lighter overall weight helps to translate to nearly 3 percent better fuel economy.

Aerodynamic wheel covers Wheel covers are starting to make inroads with fleets nationwide. These lightweight covers smooth over truck wheel wells and help eliminate drag at highway speeds, and they can generate fuel savings of up to 2 percent when used on both a tractor and a trailer.

Trailer gap reducer Engineers routinely cite a big-rig’s trailer gap as a fleet’s toughest aerodynamic challenge. Trailer gap reducers help direct airflow past this troublesome area, reducing drag and turbulence and boosting vehicle fuel economy by 1 to 2 percent.

Air dam Air dams were the industry’s first aerodynamic attempt to prevent drag and turbulence by diverting air from flowing underneath a tractor-trailer. Simple air dams push air around a tractor instead of under it, and when working in tandem with a roof fairing, they can create a more “slippery” truck.

Aerodynamic mirrors The days of large, flat rectangular rearview mirrors are drawing to a close. Vastly improved aerodynamic designs now offer modest fuel economy increases while helping to eliminate a major drag-inducing component.

Adjustable fifth wheel Another strategy designed to deal with the highly inefficient trailer gap is the adjustable fifth wheel, which can be 52

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Some fleets can see a return on investment for aluminum wheels in a year or less.

at purchase, the resale value yields a 75 percent return on that investment up to 10 years later. More immediate are fuel savings and additional freight revenue, and depending on usage, application and the number of miles run, some fleets can see a ROI for aluminum wheels in a year or less, Alcoa says.

Low-rollingresistance tires

Finding fuel savings where the rubber meets the road is the case for the fourth most popular fuel-saving spec, according to CCJ’s online poll. Lowrolling-resistance tires have become a prime tool in many fleets’ fuel-economy efforts. Doug Jones, customer engineering support manager for Michelin, says low-rolling-resistance tires can contribute as much as 20 percent toward improving a vehicle’s fuel consumption performance. Rick Phillips, senior director of commercial and over-the-road tires for Yokohama, says a deep tread

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tire will have more rolling resistance when it is new than when it’s half-worn; that’s why tires don’t hit their fuel economy “sweet spot” until experiencing some road wear. As a tire rolls, there is less “squirm” with a shallow tread-depth tire than with a deep tread tire, Phillips says; the more squirm, the more horsepower required from the engine to overcome the tire’s rolling resistance.

Low-rolling-resistance tires have become a prime tool in many fleets’ fuel-economy efforts.

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C ov e r s t o ry: F u e l e C o n o m y s u rv e y used to bring the tractor and trailer closer together to decrease drag at highway speeds.

Vortex tabs

Trailer-end fairings have been gaining ground in the United States and now have been approved for use in Canada.

Vortex tabs are designed to smooth airflow over and around blunt vehicle surfaces, typically roof areas on both tractors and trailers. Manufacturers say these devices can enhance overall vehicle fuel economy from 2 to 5 percent in highway applications.

In-cab heater As with auxiliary power units, in-cab heaters eliminate the need for idling a truck to keep drivers warm in cold weather and can offer fleets significant fuel savings in winter months.

Synthetic lubricants Efficient engines get better fuel economy. Proponents of synthetic engine oils say these lubricants by themselves offer only slight fuel economy gains but are an essential building block for a highly efficient engine.

Trailer UnderTray System SmartTruck’s Trailer UnderTray System, a newcomer to the industry as an alternative to side skirts, is designed to smooth airflow underneath a trailer at highway speeds and help eliminate drag. SmartTruck says the devices can offer fuel savings from 5.5 to 10.5 percent depending on vehicle model and application.

Tandem axle fairings One of the newest trends in vehicle aerodynamics is tandem axle fairings. Often used in conjunction with wheel covers, they help eliminate drag and turbulence in and around a tractor’s drive axle.

Inverter Another anti-idling technology, inverters allow truckers to power a full range of electronic devices in a truck cab and sleeper while at rest without burning diesel fuel. 54

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Low-rolling-resistance tires capitalize on these characteristics by using advanced compounding materials to construct tires with shallower tread depths. Because these shallower-depth tires have lower rolling resistance, a truck’s engine does not have to work as hard to get, and keep, the vehicle moving. Meanwhile, the advanced compounding materials give the tire a service life comparable to conventional tires made from more traditional compounds. According to studies conducted by Giti Tire, a single commercial truck can use as much as $70,000 worth of diesel a year, which translates to about 20,500 gallons. The study also showed that on a tractor-trailer combination, the steer tires contribute 15 to 20 percent to total tire fuel economy, drive tires 30 to 40 percent, and trailer tires about 40 to 50 percent. By using SmartWay-certified low-rollingresistance tires, the study concluded, a 20-truck fleet that switched to lowrolling-resistance tires starting with the trailer axles and continuing with steers and drives could save as much as $42,000 in fuel costs annually.

Trailer-end fairings

Trailer-end fairings – commonly known by ATDynamics’ brand name, TrailerTails – are relative

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newcomers to the world of aerodynamics. But their inclusion as the fifth most popular fuel enhancement device as voted on in CCJ’s online poll shows that fleets nationwide believe in the fuel-saving benefits provided by these trailer-mounted fairings. The devices steadily have been gaining ground in the United States for more than four years and now have been approved for use in Canada. Andrew Smith, ATDynamics’ chief executive officer, says the concept behind trailer-end fairings is simple. A semitrailer moving at highway speeds creates a natural vacuum at the trailer’s rear, which slows the truck down and forces the engine to work harder to overcome the associated aerodynamic drag. A TrailerTail fairing directs and streamlines the airflow moving past the trailer’s rear surfaces, reducing the vacuum pocket and easing the load – and lowering the fuel burned by the engine. Today, Smith says 30,000 TrailerTail units have been deployed and that the device has undergone extensive testing showing the technology has been proven to deliver fuel savings of more than 5 percent – and 9 to 12 percent when combined with ATDynamics’ trailer skirts in an AeroTrailer package.

dIspatch goes mobIle Technology expands fleeT operaTions beyond office walls By aaron huff

n September, the entire office staff of Sweetland Transport left Rochester Hills, Mich., to attend a networking event in Nashville, Tenn. While they were gone, paychecks still had to be filled, loads dispatched and communication lines kept open with customers and drivers. Not a problem. Sweetland’s staff set up a mobile office in Nashville using the company’s cloud-based transportation management software, a portable printer, a scanner, laptops, a mobile device and an Internet connection. “We can dispatch trucks from anywhere we want,” says Mike Gavriloski, operations manager. “We can do it from a phone if needed.” Sylectus organized the networking event for motor carriers and brokers who

subscribe to its protected load board, the Alliance network. Sweetland joined in 2012 with one truck; two years later, it operates more than 40 trucks. About 35 percent of its business comes from the Alliance network, Gavriloski says.

Sweetland is one of about 200 companies using Sylectus’ premium Virtual Fleet Pro subscription. With this, the Alliance network is integrated with the company’s cloud-based TMS. Sweetland can dispatch its own trucks

In two years, Sweetland Transport has grown from one to 40 trucks, with 35 percent of its business coming through the Alliance network, a protected load board from Sylectus.

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Technology: Dispatch software

Sweetland Transport can access its office essentials in a mobile environment by using the Sylectus cloud-based transportation management software system.

and trucks from any Virtual Fleet Pro member. Available trucks appear on Sweetland’s dispatch board in the TMS, while its own available trucks can be dispatched by other carrier and broker members, Gavriloski says. The capacity of the Alliance network and the visibility, connectivity and e-commerce tools of the integrated TMS platform both help Sweetland compete with larger companies and retain customers, he says. Fleets and brokers traditionally have used TMS systems in a client-server setup. Users needed the screen space and function keys of desktops and laptops to enter orders, dispatch loads and perform other complex tasks. Today, TMS systems have become more mobile-friendly, providing transportation providers more freedom to extend robust applications to employees on the go. Fleets and brokers are using a variety of technologies to extend the knowledge and automation in their office out to their mobile workers. The mobile fleeT manager An Internet connection makes it possible to access the full features of nearly any TMS system, but people expect to use information differently in a mobile environment. They want to see it presented in a clear summarized fashion and be able to perform quick simple tasks. Chris Hummer, vice president of Don Hummer Trucking, a 200-truck company 58

commercial carrier journal

based in Oxford, Iowa, recently used the McLeod Anywhere mobile app while talking to a carrier that does business with his company’s freight brokerage operation. Don Hummer Trucking is one of more than 120 motor carriers and brokers who use the app. The carrier raised a question about an order. Hummer used his mobile device to pull up an image of the invoice that the carrier had sent and viewed other information about the order. The questions were answered immediately – while both people were out of the office. The McLeod Anywhere app is designed to allow users to view information from McLeod Software’s LoadMaster and PowerBroker TMS systems as well as create and edit orders, dispatch trucks and send electronic funds to drivers, among other interactive features. Hummer says McLeod Anywhere helps him and other company managers stay on top of exceptions, called Rapid Alerts. Users get an instant notification and can take steps to clear the alert while away from their desks. Clay Murdock, president of Doug Andrus Trucking, uses McLeod Anywhere to keep a close eye on his business’ performance. The 280-truck carrier based in Idaho Falls, Idaho, uses the optional Vital Signs module to Sylectus offers apps for fleets looking to leverage the convenience and efficiency of mobile devices to enhance business operations and improve communication with drivers.

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monitor key performance metrics for deadhead, miles and revenue. “I am really passionate about Vital Signs,” Murdock says. “Maybe so passionate that it drives my wife crazy because when we are on a date, I’m always checking to see where we are at and what is going on. It consumes you because you really want to know where you are at right now.” TMW Systems is in the final stages of developing its TMW Go app for both Apple and Android devices. TMW Go will be designed to provide fleet managers instant access to load status and order summary information viewable on a map from ALK Technologies. Companies can set up individual filters, views and reports for each mobile user. TMW Systems also is working to make the user experience for its enterprise software more closely resemble that of mobile devices. “You expect a user experience that guides you in understanding the app, one that presents information in a logical

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technology: Dispatch software

The McLeod Anywhere app is designed to allow users to view information from McLeod Software’s LoadMaster and PowerBroker TMS systems as well as create and edit orders, dispatch trucks and send electronic funds to drivers.

way that applies to what you need to do at that moment,” says David Wangler, president of TMW. “Our goal is to enable a new customer to start working with their TMW enterprise software within hours of installation because it has been preconfigured to employ the best practices for their type of business.” Internet Truckstop is developing apps that will integrate with its Web-based TMS platform, Real Time Freight. Brokers and carriers that use the TMS will be able to extend the apps to their drivers and shipper customers for a direct line of communication, says Trent Broberg, general manager of Real Time Freight. For brokers that use Real Time Freight, the branded apps can be used to negotiate rates with carriers, tender loads and track shipments electronically. Real Time Freight also is integrated with Internet Truckstop’s load board and freight matching services. Because Real Time Freight is Webbased, users can track shipments and search for and post available loads and trucks using any device with a browser. Driver mobility TMS systems help office workers solve complex problems and streamline the quote-to-cash cycle. With the help of mobile applications, they also can help drivers be more productive and give shippers more timely and accurate information, says Ken Weinburg, president of Carrier Logistics Inc. 60

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CLI offers the Facts TMS system used by less-than-truckload carriers with multistop routes. Facts customers can use tablets and smartphones to run apps that connect drivers with live information from the TMS. CXI Trucking uses Samsung Galaxy tablets in its vehicles, and some of its drivers also use their personal phones to run a Cheetah Software app to receive dispatches and update shipment status. CXI has more than 65 trucks that operate in a 75-mile radius of its headquarters in Melrose Park, Ill. The company implemented the Facts system with the Cheetah app about three years ago. “It is by far the best decision I ever made,” says Dave Gronke, president. “We’ve grown by at least twofold and haven’t increased the number of dispatchers.” Double D Express, a 62-truck carrier based in Peru, Ill., uses the Facts system and an Acordex app to get information to drivers as quickly as possible. Incoming orders are routed automatically by location to drivers who use Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 devices. The Acordex app shows the pickups and deliveries on the route, and drivers determine what order to do the work. By touching an order’s address, the location is displayed on Google Maps. Drivers also can touch the order’s PRO number to see an image of the original bill of lading to resolve any discrepancies such as shipment quantities with the customer. By having a direct interface between the TMS and its drivers, Double D Express has increased its routing efficiency by as much as 40 percent, says Tim Robey, operations manager. Another efficient way to communicate with drivers is to use cellular networks to run fleet management applications while By having a direct interface between its transportation management software and its drivers, Double D Express has increased its routing efficiency by as much as 40 percent.

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Mobile apps, such as this one from Acordex, can help drivers be more productive and give shippers more timely and accurate information.

keeping in touch with them via apps with push-to-talk communications. AT&T’s integrated PTT dispatch system includes a Web-based fleet management portal with a map view. By clicking on the driver’s location, the fleet manager can communicate with the driver through the driver’s PTT phone. The software also can send out group communications to as many as 200 people. Freight haulers and service fleets use the integrated PTT system as part of a work order management system, one of several products that AT&T offers in its AT&T Fleet Management Solutions bundle. To avoid distraction, drivers can initiate and respond to office PTT calls using hands-free accessories such as a foot pedal, says Igor Glubochansky, executive director of advanced mobility solutions for ATT Business Solutions.

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UNDERSTANDING FINANCIAL RATIOS The following is an excerpt from How to Use Financial Statements, a manual produced by Commercial Carrier University and sponsored by Chevron Delo. CCU is an educational program produced by Commercial Carrier Journal that includes business management manuals, seminars aimed at improving management skills and a website. For more information, visit www.commercialcarrieruniversity.com. By now, you have developed a solid basic understanding of financial statements. Now it’s time to learn what sophisticated readers do with these numbers. Bankers, accountants, credit analysts, financial officers and potential buyers pull certain numbers out of the financial reports and perform mathematical calculations, called financial ratios, to measure your company’s health. Your own personal health, as measured by your annual physical exam, is a good model for how this works. After your lab work comes back, your doctor examines your blood test results and discusses them with you. He might say your cholesterol count is 185, which by itself means nothing to you, and you have no idea how the lab arrived at that figure. If the doctor says that you generally are healthy as long as the number stays below 200, you relax. But if he says that over the last four years it’s climbed steadily from 140, then you need to explore ways of reducing the number. Financial ratios and analyses are no different. You don’t have to be an expert at the computation, but you should know what the ratios say about your company’s financial health. Also, lenders almost always have loan covenants that dictate the minimum

COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL

ratios the company must achieve. Financial ratios help you compare current results with your company’s trends over time and with the current results of others. By examining the same ratio over time, you can determine whether the company is getting stronger or weaker in the area the ratio measures. Similarly, you can compare your profit margin to that of another company or to industry averages. Using ratios this way helps analysts make sense of pure dollar amounts, which can be confusing when comparing companies having different revenues or assets. Owners or managers who don’t have financial backgrounds might not realize that they already use ratios in their companies. If you’ve ever signed for a business loan, you likely agreed to keep the financial condition of your company within certain bounds. These affirmative covenants appear in the loan agreement as minimum financial ratios. Is your company in compliance? You won’t know unless someone in your company regularly computes the ratios. There are dozens of financial ratios, but they commonly fall into major groupings. Liquidity ratios measure the company’s working capital and how it is man-

| NOVEMBER 2014

aged. It takes money to make money. Has the company invested enough to keep operating? How financially liquid or flexible is the company? Working capital is that part of the company’s current assets needed to keep its doors open: cash in the bank, plus receivables and other current assets, minus amounts borrowed from creditors for short-term needs. These may include lines of credit; payables due suppliers, drivers and employees; and for taxes. Although employees expect to be paid as often as weekly and vendors at least monthly, your customers might take 45 to 60 or more days to pay. That’s why you need more current assets than current liabilities. In other words, you need working capital. Suppose your current assets total $1 million and your current liabilities total $750,000. That leaves net working capital of $250,000. Without working capital, you will spend so much time making ends meet and answering calls from creditors that sales, operations and profits will suffer. Current ratios are current assets divided by current liabilities. In our example, $1 million divided by $750,000 produces a current ratio of 1.33 to 1. The minimum healthy

COMMERCIAL CARRIER UNIVERSITY range for current ratios in the trucking industry is at least 1.1 to 1 or better. Profitability ratios are measurements drawn primarily from the P&L. Strong sales are important, but more important is maintaining the margins as you grow your company’s revenues. Operating ratio, known as “OR,” is a basic and widely used measure of cost efficiency. It is calculated as a company’s total operating expenses, less interest and income taxes, expressed as a percentage of total company revenues. This is not to be confused with “operating margin.” Suppose your company’s total revenue was $1 million and that your total expenses were $1 million, including interest of $30,000 and income taxes of $10,000. To compute operating ratio, subtract interest and taxes, leaving $960,000. Divide $960,000 into $1 million, and your resulting operating ratio is 96 percent. Obviously, the lower your operating ratio, the better. Typically, an operating ratio below 95 percent is considered good, and outstanding com-

panies often post ORs in the 80s. Operating profit margin is operating profit divided by total revenues earned and is expressed as a percentage. This is generally income before interest expense or taxes. Four to six percent is considered average, and the most profitable companies may have eight percent or more. Pre-tax net is income before tax divided by revenues. Three to four percent is average for trucking companies; the most profitable are above five or six percent. Return on equity is computed by dividing after-tax net income by average equity from the balance sheet. If your company earned $150,000 after tax on average equity of $900,000, you earned almost 17 percent return on equity. Evaluate this number against what other investments earn. Efficiency or activity ratios measure management’s effectiveness in certain business activities. The most common is average days outstand-

ing for accounts receivable or DSO (Days Sales Outstanding), computed by dividing receivables by average daily revenues. If annual revenue is $7 million, each day averages $19,200 in revenue. If receivables total $850,000, the average receivable is outstanding 44 days ($850,000 divided by $19,200) from end of haul to payment — about industry average. If a company’s ratio is 60, then someone needs to get busy collecting. A similar ratio can be computed for vendor payables, with most averaging 30 days or less. DSO computations can go much deeper than a simple financial calculation. More sophisticated trucking companies start counting DSO from the time the truck is dispatched to the time the check is deposited into the bank. The masters of DSO do everything operationally possible to reduce this number. These guys want their cash! Refer to the CCU book “How to Manage Cash Flow” to see how to reduce DSO.

Commercial Carrier University is an educational initiative for owners and managers of trucking companies that are held at select Truckload Carriers Association events. We’re certain you will find this program a valuable resource in managing your business more easily and more profitably. CCU’s goal is to provide you with an in-depth road map for success through clear advice on basic and advanced business practices. CCU Titles Available: • How to Evaluate Life Cycle Costs • How to Manage Cashflow • How To Plan For Succession • How to Use Financial Statements • How To Write A Business Plan Produced by:

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