CCJ1117 combined

NOVEMBER 2017

ELD BUYERS' GUIDE Find detailed specs, features of 64 systems

CCJ's TECH TOOLBOX

Making the most of your fuel economy page 65

BUSINESS SOLUTIONS FOR TRUCKING PROFESSIONALS

OEM NEWCOMERS Companies keen on alt-fuel, edgy look page 87

Introducing the A26 Uptime Assurance Program We stand committed to your uptime, and we want to prove it.

That’s why we created the International® A26 Uptime Assurance Program. If your truck is diagnosed with an International® A26 engine issue and then experiences downtime of more than 48 hours, we will give you a $250 credit good for a future parts or service purchase.* It’s our way of showing that we know what’s important to you — having trucks on the road and making money.

in t e rn at io n a lt rucks . c o m /A 2 6 © 2017

, Inc. All rights reserved. All marks are trademarks of their respective owners.

* Two-year assurance coverage provided for International® A26-powered International® RH™ Series and International® LT™ Series vehicles.

Customers must be enrolled in OnCommand® Connection during coverage period. Maximum 8 International Advantage® cards per VIN. Navistar reserves the right to cancel or modify this program at any time. For a complete set of terms and conditions, visit InternationalTrucks.com.

Android Platform: Now FMCSA Self-Certified

Nobody grows up dreaming about ‘Hours of Service.’

PeopleNet’s electronic logs are all about streamlining the truck driving experience – from automatically recording drive time to real-time monitoring of driver performance.

But anyone can just sell you an electronic log.

With PeopleNet you get the backing of a full-service fleet mobility partner. One that’s dedicated to doing everything we can to make your fleet smarter, safer and more efficient.

For you, the benefits go without saying. For your drivers, it means getting the job done and returning to the time that truly matters: The hours of living.

safety

efficiency

intelligence

PeopleNet’s electronic logs: one part of our full-service ConnectedFleet solution.

ConnectedFleet is a trademark of PeopleNet. ©2017 PeopleNet. All rights reserved. This information is subject to change without notice. Printed in the U.S.A. 03/17

peoplenetonline.com/ELD

Goes to extremes to protect your engine.

Mobil Delvac™ Extreme diesel engine oil offers proven protection for up to double OEM-recommended ODI’s. It maximizes the uptime of your fleet and makes your business more efficient.

Learn more at mobildelvac.com

Results may vary based on vehicle/engine condition, driving and environmental conditions. Consult OEM or ExxonMobil before implementing extended ODI’s. © 2017 Exxon Mobil Corporation. Mobil and Mobil Delvac are trademarks or registered trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation or one of its subsidiaries.

We are Mack.

This is our Anthem.

Introducing Anthem, the next-generation highway truck from Mack. Born of the American spirit, Anthem comes standard with a bold design that delivers serious aerodynamics, and a new interior that keeps drivers comfortable and productive.

See how Anthem is built to move your business forward.

MackTrucks.com/NewAnthem

“We have over 100,000 units on the road and each one represents our company. So I need a tough paint that looks great over the long haul. That’s why PPG is our coatings partner.”

ALAN HARRIS, Maintenance Supervisor, J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc.

Leading fleet companies demand great looking paint and long-lasting coating solutions—backed by an exceptional level of service and support. Visit ppgcommercialcoatings.com to learn more.

©2017 PPG Industries, Inc. All rights reserved.

The PPG Logo is a registered trademark and We protect and beautify the world is a trademark of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.

LEADING NEWS, TRUCKING MARKET CONDITIONS AND INDUSTRY ANALYSIS

OOIDA coalition to press for ELD mandate delay

I

n another late-game effort to postpone the date by which truck drivers must begin using electronic logging devices to track hours-of-service compliance, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association last month The coalition is OOIDA's latest attempt to have the announced the formation of a coali- ELD mandate stalled or struck down outright. So tion to back a two-year delay of the far, those attempts have been unsuccessful. mandate’s compliance deadline.

The coalition, which includes 31 organizations, supports a bill introduced in the U.S. House earlier this year by Rep. Brian Babin (R-Texas) that would bump the ELD mandate’s compliance deadline from Dec. 18, 2017, to December 2019.

Despite drawing dozens of co-sponsors, Babin’s bill has seen no movement in the House, and no such bill has been introduced in the Senate. Moreover, an attempt

by Babin to attach a similar amendment to another bill to delay the mandate at least through Sept. 30, 2018, failed in a vote on the House floor, potentially signaling the House’s reluctance to proceed with such legislation.

OOIDA filed a lawsuit challenging the mandate in 2016, but the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Oct. 31, 2016, to uphold it. OOIDA later appealed the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court, which denied the association’s petition to hear the case.

The group also filed a petition with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration claiming that nearly 30 states had not specifically adopted the mandate as their own and thus state enforcement personnel tasked with enforcing the federal mandate didn’t have the authority to do so.

OOIDA’s new coalition includes industry trade groups representing agriculture, pyrotechnics, utility contractors, livestock and others — groups the association say would “be negatively impacted by the mandate.” The coalition includes just one other truckingfocused group, the National Association of Small Trucking Companies.

“The electronic logging device mandate is written so broadly that it has far-reaching implications well beyond the traditional trucking industry,” said Todd Spencer, OOIDA executive vice president.

Absent from OOIDA’s coalition are the American Trucking Associations, Truckload Carriers Association and Trucking Alliance, all three of which support the ELD mandate. The Trucking Alliance said OOIDA’s push “[takes] its members perilously close to having their trucks taken out of service” for lack of Scan the QR code with your smartphone or visit ccjdigital.com/news/subscribe-to-newsELD compliance by “sugletters to sign up for the CCJ Daily Report, gesting the rule may not a daily e-mail newsletter filled with news, happen.” analysis, blogs and market condition articles.

– James Jaillet

Legislation would force FMCSA to pursue sleep apnea rule

F

ollowing the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s

announcement this summer that it had tabled a rule meant to implement screening criteria and treatment protocol regulations for obstructive sleep apnea, Democrats in both chambers of Congress hope to press the agency to resume working on the rule.

Last month, bills were filed in both the House and Senate to force FMCSA to produce and administer a rule that sets steadfast criteria by which medical examiners would refer truck operators for apnea testing.

FMCSA worked on the rule throughout 2016, including fielding rule suggestions from its Medical Advisory Board and seeking input from industry stakeholders via public meetings and a pre-rule notice.

A sleep apnea rule would give clarity to medical examiners, carrier employers and drivers about what criteria or combination of criteria would prompt a driver to be referred for an in-lab apnea test, as well as treatment protocol.

– James Jaillet

Democrats in both chambers of Congress are seeking a rule that sets criteria for medical examiners to refer drivers for apnea testing.

commercial carrier journal

| november 2017 9

JOURNAL NEWS

NACFE fuel demo exceeds 10 mpg

T Seven participating trucks drove a combined 50,107 miles during NACFE’s 17day Run On Less event.

10

commercial carrier journal

he North American Council for Freight Efficiency’s Run On Less initiative achieved a cumulative average of 10.1 mpg during 99 days of driving, the agency announced at last month’s North American Commercial Vehicle Show in Atlanta.

| november 2017

The results from the cross-country long-haul fuel efficiency demonstration exceeded the original 9 mpg goal set by hosts Carbon War Room and NACFE. Seven participating trucks drove a combined 50,107 miles during the 17-day event. They used commercially available technologies such as 6×2 axles, trailer and tractor aerodynamics, engine accessories, tire pressure systems, automated transmissions and low-viscosity oils.

The participating fleets were from Albert Transport, PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay Division, Hirschbach Motor Lines, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Nussbaum Transportation, Ploger Transportation and U.S. Xpress. Each truck hauled its normal freight within its usual lanes, and the average gross combination weight was 55,498 pounds, with 31 of the 99 days over 65,000 pounds.

Of the 99 days, the highest daily mpg achieved was 12.8, and three trucks had days over 12.5 mpg. The national average for heavy-duty trucks is 6.4 mpg.

Mike Roeth, NACFE executive director, said if the 1.7 million trucks on North American highways today achieved the same level of efficiency as the trucks in the demonstration, it would save 9.7 billion gallons of diesel fuel, $24.3 billion and 98 million tons of carbon dioxide annually.

The seven trucks were three Freightliners, two Internationals and two Volvos. The drivers were Henry Albert, Bradley Long, Tommy Revell, Roberto Sandoval, Joel Morrow, Clark Reed and Mark Risien.

Mike O’Connell, senior director of supply chain for PepsiCo, said the challenge now is to continue exploring new efficient technologies as they emerge, continue to share best practices and think beyond the truck itself.

– Jason Cannon

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JOURNAL NEWS

INBRIEF 11/17 • Crashes involving large trucks were responsible for 4,317 fatalities in 2016, a 5.4 percent increase over 2015 and the highest since 2007, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s 2016 Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes report. Of that number, 17 percent were truck occupants, 72 percent were occupants of other vehicles and 11 percent were non-occupants. Information was not available in the report on the number of people injured in crashes involving large trucks.

• Berkshire Hathaway, billionaire investor Warren Buffett’s company, last month purchased 38.6 percent of Pilot Flying J; terms were not disclosed. Until 2023, the Haslam family will retain 50.1 percent ownership in the company, Jimmy Haslam will continue as chief executive officer, and the Maggelet family, owners of FJ Management Inc., will retain 11.3 percent ownership. In 2023, Berkshire will acquire an additional 41.4 percent stake, leaving the Haslam family with 20 percent ownership.

• Love’s Travel Stops expanded its truck service network with the acquisition of Speedco from Bridgestone Americas.

The acquisition will add 52 trucking service and lube locations to the Love’s network, bringing the number of Love’soperated tire and lube facilities to 323 nationwide.

• The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance named Kansas Highway Patrol Capt. Christopher Turner as its new president for the 2017-18 term. Turner has served in law enforcement for 20 years and manages KHP’s Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program and its weight enforcement and crash reconstruction teams. Joining CVSA with Turner will be Capt. Scott Carnegie of the Mississippi Highway Patrol as vice president and Sgt. John Samis of the Delaware State Police as secretary.

• FedEx Freight technician Mark McLean of Montgomery, New York, won his third Grand Champion title at the National Technicians Skills Competitions, the most in the 13-year history of the event hosted by the American Trucking Associations’ Technology and Maintenance Council. McLean also led FedEx Freight to its fifth straight victory in the event’s team competition.

12

commercial carrier journal

Trump: ‘Lower taxes, bigger paychecks for America’s truckers’

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resident Trump last month asked the trucking industry to stump for his plan to reform the U.S. tax system, telling a crowd of fleet managers and truck drivers that his tax reform framework would put more money in the pockets of U.S. workers and be a boon for A tractor-trailer touting President Trump’s tax reform the U.S. economy. message read “Win Again — Lower taxes. Bigger “We love our truckers,” paychecks. More jobs.”

Trump said during the roughly 45-minute address held at an airport in Harrisburg, Pa. “These great, great people are our heroes. Nothing gets done in America without the hard-working men and women in the trucking industry.”

The American Trucking Associations organized the event and said it supports the White House’s plan to cut taxes for both individuals and businesses.

“Every single day from coast to coast and border to border — where we will have a wall, by the way — you see the incredible beauty of [our country],” Trump told the crowd. “You see the enduring strength of the American spirit in those truckers.”

The framework for the White House’s tax reform push calls for cutting the number of tax brackets from eight to four — zero percent, 12 percent, 25 percent and 35 percent. Trump said he also wants to cut corporate tax rates “from 35 percent all the way down to 20 percent” and do away with the estate tax assessed on the deceased.

The plan also would allow companies to write off “100 percent of the cost of new equipment in the year you buy it,” Trump said. “That’s going to be big.”

During the address, Trump recognized a few of the fleet representatives in attendance, including Kevin Burch, president of 220-truck Dayton, Ohio-based Jet Express and ATA chairman; and Calvin and Steve Ewell, a father-and-son team who run H.R. Ewell, a roughly 200-truck fleet based in East Earl, Pa. Corporate tax cuts would help Burch’s Jet Express “invest in new equipment and additional training,” said Trump. “He wants to create more American jobs. We are helping him do exactly that.”

Ending the estate tax would ensure that the Ewells’ business stays in the family, said Trump. “Trucking runs in their blood,” the president said. “And Calvin wants to pass [the company] on to his children just as it was passed to him by his father. We’re going to protect small business owners and families so they can run [them] with dedication and love.”

Lastly, Trump said he still hopes to see the passage of a major infrastructure funding package, promising “smooth, beautiful highways — no potholes. It will be beautiful again.”

– James Jaillet

| november 2017

MOST PEOPLE JUST SEE TRUCKS. YOU SEE OPPORTUNITY. You aren’t most people. You can see the potential in your business and you’re working hard every day to realize it. We see it too. That’s why Shell ROTELLA T4 Triple Protection is our most advanced Shell ROTELLA ever, with exceptional wear protection and resistance to oxidation 50% longer than the previous generation. So you can keep working harder to take your business even farther. Learn more at www.rotella.com ®

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JOURNAL NEWS

Shell: All engine makers back new CK-4 lubricants

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he trucking industry’s transition to a new generation of engine oils, which began in December, has gone smoothly, say top engineers for Shell Rotella. Dan Arcy, the company’s OEM technical manager, said that all major North American engine makers are recommending use of the new CK-4 lubricants for their equipment and have extended their recommended drain intervals.

What’s more, all but two heavy-duty diesel engine makers are recommending the use of low-viscosity FA-4 oils for their current-model engines to boost fuel economy and cut greenhouse gas emissions. Shell said use of FA-4 oils can improve fuel economy by as much as 2.8 percent.

Arcy and Matt Urbanak, Shell’s head of field testing, updated the media on the implementation of the new CK-4 and FA-4 oils at a press event last month in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Paccar, maker of Paccar MX engines and owner of Peterbilt and Kenworth, is not yet recommending FA-4 in its current model-year engines, Arcy said.

Mack and Volvo also are not yet recommending use of FA-4. However, Paccar, Volvo and Mack all recommend use of CK-4 oils for their current model-year equipment, he said.

Cummins recommends use of FA-4 oils in 2017-model X15 engines and newer. Navistar also recommends use of FA-4 oils for its new A26 engine and uses FA-4 oils as the factory-fill lubricant. Detroit not only recommends use of FA-4 oils in its current-model heavy-duty engines but also for model-year 2010 and later engines.

CK-4 and FA-4 lubricants improve oil oxidation stability, boost shear stability and reduce oil aeration, Arcy said. CK-4 oils have spurred longer drain intervals, he said.

The oils’ improvement in oxidation stability was the key to extending drain intervals, Arcy said. Oxidation causes oil to become acidic and thicken, thereby limiting its ability to protect engines over time.

– James Jaillet Shell Rotella’s Dan Arcy spoke to trucking industry press last month, detailing updates on the deployment of CK-4 and FA-4 oils.

14

commercial carrier journal

| november 2017

Rising driver pay spurs carrier cost hike in 2016

D

river wages for the second straight year topped carriers’ cost-permile spending in 2016, according to data released last month by the American TransThis pie chart in ATRI’s “An Analysis of the portation Research Operational Costs of Trucking” report shows Institute. Carrier the breakdown of survey respondents by costs on the whole fleet size. climbed 1.5 cents a mile last year, with increases in spending on driver wages and benefits outpacing savings from lower fuel expenditures.

Carriers’ total cost per mile in 2016 was $1.592. ATRI did not say how many carriers submitted responses to the survey, but they operate a total of 89,664 power units.

ATRI has produced its “An Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking” report since 2008. Until the 2015 calendar year, fuel costs had topped per-mile spending. However, upward pressure on driver wages in recent years — combined with cheaper fuel costs and more fuel-efficient equipment — have spurred driver wages to overtake fuel the last two years.

ATRI predicts costs to rise again in 2017, “with the same driver shortage factors holding firmly in place and a number of indications that average diesel prices will slowly rise,” the research firm says.

Spending on driver wages averaged 52.3 cents a mile for the carriers surveyed, a 2.4-cent-per-mile increase from 2015.

Carriers spent on average 15.5 cents a mile on driver benefits in 2016, also a 2.4-cent increase from the previous year.

Expenditures on truck and trailer leasing and purchases also climbed in 2016, rising 2.5 cents a mile to 25.5 cents.

Repair and maintenance costs rose a penny per mile to 16.6 cents. Per-mile costs for tolls, permits and insurance premiums all rose a fraction of a penny from 2015.

Spending on fuel fell a few cents a mile, down to 33.6 cents from 2015’s 40.3 cents and well below 2014’s 58.4 cents and 2013’s 64.5 cents. ATRI attributes the declines in fuel spending to both cheaper diesel prices and increased miles per gallon. Spending on tires also dipped slightly, eight-tenths of a cent to 3.5 cents a mile.

Adoption of electronic logging devices in 2016 rose sharply, with 74.8 percent of survey respondents saying they use the devices; that’s an increase of 11 percentage points from the previous year.

– James Jaillet

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PRODUCT REVIEWS, OEM & SUPPLIER NEWS, AND EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT TRENDS

BY JASON CANNON

Letting the bully have your milk money… …and taking a beating for the privilege

A

recent survey conducted by the American Automobile Association revealed that 61 percent of U.S. adults feel less safe passing large commercial trucks than passenger cars. I’d bet you $1 per mile that if you surveyed 100 truck drivers, more than 61 of them would say they feel less safe being passed by a passenger car than a semi.

Whether it’s texting and driving or turning to the backseat to discipline an unruly child, the levels of in-car distraction are climbing, while the general public’s ability to focus on one mostly simple task is disappearing.

Reports by the American Trucking Associations consistently show that car drivers are the cause of most accidents. According to a study conducted by Big things have a higher tendency to roll over than small things when hurtling down the highway at high speeds. the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, they were the cause of a whopping 80 the electronic stability control mandate, mainly because I think percent of the crashes over a three-year period from 2007 it protects the truck driver. According to HLDI, 52 percent of to 2009. large truck occupant deaths in 2015 occurred in rollover crashes, According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s a similar percentage to the number of SUV and pickup occupant Highway Loss Data Institute, about one in 10 highway deaths deaths in rollover crashes. occurred in a crash involving a large truck in 2015. That means News flash: Big things have a higher tendency to roll over than the other nine deaths involved car-on-car or single-car violence. small things when hurtling down the highway at high speeds.

Despite this fact, about one in four passenger car drivers say Gravity and inertia are going to do what they do. adding safety technology to large trucks would help them feel One traffic fatality is one too many, but commercial drivers better about sharing the highway. shouldn’t be on the hook financially for protecting four-wheelers Apparently it’s not widely disclosed that truck drivers have to from themselves – the equivalent of giving the bully your milk take the regular license test, a minimum of three more written money so he’ll leave you alone and him beating you up anyway. tests and an addiAAA does a good job of promoting safe driving habits, but tional multi-series DISTRACTED DRIVING: The the public does an awful job of heeding its road test to get their general public’s ability to focus on advice. Until distracted driving laws are commercial driver’s one simple task is disappearing. widely enforced on passenger cars, trucklicense. It puts them NOT THE CAUSE: Trucks weren’t ing will continue to undeservedly receive through a graduinvolved in about 90 percent of black eyes … and no milk. ate-level-type trainon-highway deaths in 2015. ing that should make NOT LISTENING: The public does them at least more a terrible job of heeding advice JASON CANNON is Equipment Editor of Commercial aware. about safe driving.

Carrier Journal. E-mail jcannon@randallreilly.com or call (205) 248-1175.

I’m on board with 16

commercial carrier journal

| november 2017

Navistar betting on driver preference

B

attle lines for OEM market share are redrawn on a routine basis. In 2009, when diesel was $4 per gallon, fuel efficiency was king. After an initial round of greenhouse gas emissions regulations and the government-funded SuperTruck program,the playing field soon leveled.

After diesel’s precipitous price drop, attention shifted to dealer service networks, productivity and remote diagnostics. Uptime became the focus.

With the driver shortage reaching critical mass, OEMs now are turning their attention from what’s under the hood to who’s behind the wheel.

Navistar is in the process of rebranding its lineup of heavy- and medium-duty trucks, and the company’s new “DriverFirst” design philosophy has permeated every new product introduced in the last year, including the International LT and RH (replacing the ProStar and TranStar) Class 8 tractors and the severe-duty HX and HV vocational trucks (formerly the PayStar and WorkStar). The HV was launched at the North American Commercial Vehicle Show in September.

“A fleet’s number-one cost of total operation is driver retention,” said Jeff Sass, Navistar’s senior vice president of sales and marketing. The company’s redesigned interiors involved input from hundreds of drivers and fleet customers. “[DriverFirst] is how we make trucks attractive to fleets for being driver-centric, safer and easier to drive.”

Common design improvements to International trucks include new switch placements, a steering column-mounted shifter, an instrument cluster with a customizable digital display, repositioned mirrors to reduce head movement and neck fatigue, and relocated tractor air supply and parking brake control valves.

Denny Mooney, Navistar’s group vice president for product development, said the company learned that fuel economy and other performance attributes remain important in conversations with fleet customers, “but at the end of the day, we found that if the drivers like our trucks, fleets will buy them.”

Technology and safety improvements also are playing a bigger role in driver and fleet preference, paying back in the used truck market for fleet owners and making trucks easier to drive for drivers, Mooney said. Take rates on disc brakes have doubled in the past year, and take rates for automated manual transmissions are now over 70 percent. Mooney said predictive cruise control is beginning to gain acceptance as fleets realize the value it brings to improve fuel economy,

Navistar’s new International HV vocational truck replaces the WorkStar and is available in four models with 107- or 113-inch BBC and set-back and set-forward axle configurations. Features include a 12.4-liter International A26 engine option and a redesigned cab interior.

Navistar is in the process of rebranding its lineup of heavy- and medium-duty trucks, and the company’s new “DriverFirst” design philosophy has permeated every new product introduced in the last year.

while take rates for collision mitigation systems are now above 50 percent.

Citing increases in freight rates and load activity, Sass is bullish on truck sales for the remainder of 2017 and into 2018. “[2018] should be a big year for trucking and truck manufacturers,” he said, adding Navistar will close out its fiscal-year 2017 at the end of October with a 3 percent yearover-year growth in medium-duty market share and 0.5 percent growth for the Class 8 market. “That is a testament to our customer experience and dealer network,” he said.

Sass cautioned the electronic logging device mandate could negatively impact productivity – as much as an initial 8 to 12 percent for fleets that haven’t converted to ELDs and are beginning the learning curve, and 3 to 5 percent thereafter – and cause further turmoil in the used truck market.

“Half the freight in America is hauled by a truck on its second or third owner,” he said. “Most of them haven’t implemented ELDs yet. Will they be able to maintain their standing moving forward?”

– Jeff Crissey commercial carrier journal

|

november 2017

17

INBRIEF • A potential problem with certain Dana D-Series and E-Series steer axles has prompted a recall of more than 17,700 model-year 2016 Peterbilt and Kenworth trucks, nearly 1,200 model-year 2016 Navistar trucks and about 1,000 trucks manufactured by Volvo, Mack and Autocar. NHTSA’s recall numbers are 17V-533, 17V-534, 17V-536 and 17V-575.

• Kenworth announced that the new Paccar Automated Transmission now is available for order in its on-highway T680 in line-haul and regional-haul applications up to 110,000 pounds gross vehicle weight. The 12-speed transmission is paired with Paccar’s MX-13 engine and axles to facilitate added efficiency and driveability.

• Hino Motors Co. will build new Class 7 and Class 8 trucks starting in 2019 at a new assembly plant that the truck maker will be building in Mineral Wells, W.Va. Hino’s $100 million plant investment is expected to create 250 jobs.

• Ryder, a provider of commercial fleet management and dedicated transportation, signed a partnership with Aperia Technologies, a supplier of tire inflation systems for tractors and trailers. The Halo Tire Inflator will become the standard specification for Ryder’s heavy-duty commercial rental fleet.

• Truck-Lite, a provider of heavy-duty lighting, wire harness, mirror, telematics and visibility systems, announced that its 99 Series harness system will be standard on all East BST, BST II, MMXTM and Narrow Neck flatbed trailers. The 99 Series is designed as a closed system by integrating a molded plug with two sealing surfaces, which helps keep moisture and debris out of the plug and guard against corrosion.

• The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. redesigned its OTR tire website at GoodyearOTR.com to provide a more user-friendly experience for its customers in mining, construction, quarry and port operations, as well as information on how the company can help them enhance their efficiencies and lower their operating costs.

18

commercial carrier journal

Mack upgrades Granite, Pinnacle

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ack Trucks’ updated Granite model has an all-new interior and LED headlights. Switches are repositioned higher on the new gauge cluster A new racecar-inspired flat-bottom steerand dash layout, and the Mack mDrive ing wheel helps improve driver comfort automated manual transmission shift and makes entering and exiting the pad now is within easier reach. The dash vehicle easier. The steering wheel can be panel has room for up to 18 switches equipped with illuminated cruise control, Bluetooth and audio system buttons. that feature laser-etched labeling.

HVAC controls now include Automatic Temperature Control, which maintains the temperature set by the driver.

A new lower center console includes cup holders and storage bins and can be removed easily for cleaning. Multiple 12-volt and USB charging ports are available throughout the dash and on a non-slip pad on top of the dash.

On the right-hand steering column stalk are the controls for Mack’s Co-Pilot 5-inch display, a full-color screen that helps the driver monitor engine and oil temperatures, trip odometers, aftertreatment status and tire pressures. A Pre-Trip Assistant guides drivers through inspection points.

A new information and entertainment option, featuring a 7-inch touchscreen display, is available in Pinnacle and Granite models, providing access to Apple Car Play, satellite radio, weather radio and TomTom truck navigation. The display also is compatible with third-party back-up camera systems.

Pinnacle axle-forward models, which will be referred to simply as Pinnacle, will get all-new interiors and LED headlights and a new grille. Pinnacle axle-back models are being replaced by the new on-highway Anthem tractor.

– Jason Cannon

Shell concept rig may see early ’18 test

S

hell’s futuristic concept tractor-trailer, the Starship Initiative, is nearing completion and could perform a cross-country efficiency test run as early as the first quarter of 2018.

The rig, being built by AirFlow Truck Co., aims to combine existing lightweighting and aerodynamic Shell displayed this technologies to create the world’s most efficient truck as model-sized rendering of its Starship Initiative measured by freight-ton efficiency, said Bob Sliwa, head during a press event. of AirFlow and the project’s chief designer.

Bob Mainwaring, technology manager for Shell’s Innovation segment, pointed to the truck’s front end, the tractor-trailer gap closure systems, aerodynamic skirts that run around the entire truck and trailer, the trailer’s tail and under-the-tractor aero systems.

Together, those features “halve the aero drag of the vehicle compared to the standard U.S. truck today,” Mainwaring said. Also, the truck’s cab is made of lightweight carbon fiber, he said.

There’s no mpg target for the truck’s cross-country test run likely to occur early next year, said Megan Pino, global brand manager for Shell Rotella.

– James Jaillet

| november 2017

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TEST DRIVE:2018 ISUZU FTR

The champ is back Return of Isuzu’s Class 6 FTR worth the wait

BY JASON CANNON

I

suzu has been the best-selling import commercial truck in the United States every year for 30 years, and it hopes to carry that banner forward with the reintroduction of its Class 6 entry.

The FTR, which relaunched in May, was shelved during General Motors’ bout with bankruptcy in 2009, but was reborn when GM elected to resurrect its medium-duty cabover line in a partnership with Isuzu in 2015. Despite a production hiatus eight model years ago, about 25,000 Isuzu F-Series trucks – badged either GM or Isuzu – remain in the market.

The Michigan-built 2018 FTR – the company’s first truck to be principally designed, engineered and built in North America – gets the same 5.2-liter four-cylinder 215-hp diesel engine offered in the upper end of Isuzu’s N-Series, but its match with an Allison six-speed automatic transmission with left-hand power-takeoff capability gives the powertrain about 70 more foot-pounds of torque – up to 520 lb.-ft. Isuzu opted for the Allison 2550 transmission over the Allison 2500 for the inclusion of a parking gear, making it safer for drivers with limited experience using air brakes.

The FTR’s standard inline four-cylinder engine is a first in the segment, reflecting a change of taste for fleet customers in search of faster payback and improved efficiency.

“I can’t tell you the last time I had to tilt the cab to show the engine to a customer,” says Shaun Skinner, president of Isuzu Commercial Truck 20

commercial carrier journal

The 2018 Isuzu FTR is designed for city delivery applications such as beverage, box and refrigerated box trucks, and that capability really shines in tight corners.

of America. “As long as it does the job, they don’t care.”

Skinner says the medium- and heavy-duty truck segments are beginning to follow the light-duty segment in the movement to drop engine cylinders two or four at a time.

“With the technology we have today, we’re getting so much more power and so much more torque from a four-cylinder engine than we’ve been able to before,” he says. “With the exception of performance cars, you don’t see a V8 [in a passenger car] much anymore.”

For the 2009 model year, the FTR featured a 7.8-liter diesel – the second-largest standard engine on the Class 6 market at the time – with the same 215 horsepower as the 2018

| november 2017

model, but only 40 more foot-pounds of torque, and Isuzu’s torque number was the segment leader. Today, the 2018 FTR features the smallest standard engine by a liter-and-a-half but offers the same torque as other comparable models except for the Ford F-650 and its 675 lb.-ft.

Featuring a 25,950-lb. GVWR, the FTR features a body/payload allowance of up to 15,690 pounds, about 3,000 pounds more than the NRR. Eight wheelbase lengths – ranging from 152 to 248 inches – accommodate bodies from 14 to 30 feet at true dock height, and FTR’s low-cabforward design also dramatically increases visibility while improving maneuverability with an inner 50-degree wheel cut.

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in focus: TRUCK WINTERIZATION TIPS

Check lubes, batteries, HVAC, belts, hoses, tires

BY JASON CANNON

T

emperatures nationwide are beginning their annual downward trend. In extreme temperatures, lubricants can harden or become too viscous, possibly causing equipment to seize up or fail.

To avoid this situation, truck owners need to use a lower-viscosity oil, one that can maintain flow as temperatures plummet.

“A lower-viscosity lubricant is better able to move around machinery at a quicker pace, keeping the components cool and running,” said Brian Humphrey, OEM technical liaison for Petro-Canada Lubricants.

Truck owners that routinely run in cold weather should consider SAE 0W-40, 0W-30 or 5W-40, Humphrey said. “These fully synthetic formulations are designed to shield critical engine components from the coldest climates and have been developed to deliver the highest performance standards in extreme heavy-duty applications,” he said.

The entire powertrain and hydraulic system also can experience improved operating efficiency in colder temperatures by using a lower viscosity grade.

“Fleet managers should also be looking at their multi-grade hydraulic, driveline and gear oils,” Humphrey said.

The truck’s battery also contains often overlooked fluids that need a cold-weather checkup.

“For a new battery, the winter is no problem because of the level of electrolytes,” said Daniel Mustafa, TA Truck Service assistant manager of technical development. “As a battery ages, the more the electrolytes become water, which can cause a battery to freeze.

New batteries are richer with acid and less likely to freeze.”

22

commercial carrier journal

While inspecting the coolant system, also check the truck’s belts and hoses since the hood already is tilted.

Mustafa suggests testing any battery that has been in service for more than a year.

“A typical battery on a perfectly maintained truck is going to give you about three years, and that’s a best-case scenario,” he said. “If you’re getting close to that, rather than just making sure the connections are tight, you need to have it tested.”

The truck’s cooling system probably gets the most attention as temperatures change since the demand for its antifreeze properties become just as important as its ability to keep the engine cool.

“If you have a cooling mixture that is rich on water, it’s going to freeze at a lower temperature, and that expansion [of fluid] can damage the engine,” Mustafa said.

“In addition to that, if the additive is not right, it won’t protect against cavitation and damage to the engine.”

A properly maintained coolant system also has a positive impact on the truck’s heating system. “As long as you’ve got the cooling system right and the blowing motor is working right, you should be OK,” he said.

While inspecting the coolant system,

| november 2017

also check the truck’s belts and hoses since the hood already is tilted, said Tom Lee, Continental marketing manager.

“Typically, we might just look at the radiator hose, and that’s a mistake,” Lee said. “Rubber products, in general, when they fail, they are catastrophic failures, which means when they fail, that vehicle is in for a tow.”

Heat is detrimental to any rubber part, and under the hood is the hottest zone possible, he said. “More heat means more [rubber] curing, and more curing means more age, and that takes the life out of the part.”

Belts should be inspected for abnormal rib wear and cracks. Any belt showing more than two cracks within two inches should be replaced. Also, noisy belts are audible indicators of an issue.

“That [belt] drive is designed to be quiet, so if there’s a noise coming off that belt, there’s a reason,” Lee said.

A drop in ambient temperatures also impacts a tire’s air pressure. “Temperature and pressure go hand in hand,” Mustafa said. The onset of the first cold snap can drop a tire’s air pressure by about 10 pounds, he said.

ROUNDUP EDITOR’S NOTE: THE FOLLOWING IS A ROUNDUP OF NEWS AND PRODUCT ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE FIRST NORTH AMERICAN COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SHOW, HELD IN LATE SEPTEMBER IN ATLANTA.

BY JEFF CRISSEY, JASON CANNON AND JAMES JAILLET

INTEGRATED POWERTRAIN, ELECTRIC TRUCK ON DECK FOR NAVISTAR-VOLKSWAGEN PARTNERSHIP TOP EXECUTIVES at Navistar and Volk-

15-liter engine in conjunction with Volkswa-

swagen announced plans for the coming

gen for use in International Trucks.

“[Volkswagen] allowed us to be a part of the next generation of engine develop-

Navistar also announced it will con-

ment,” he said. “This is an engine being

powertrain for the North American market,

verge its connected vehicle technologies,

developed from scratch that will serve all

as well as projects related to connected

including OnCommand Connection, with

the alliance partners.”

vehicles and an electric truck to debut by

Volkswagen’s global connected vehicle

the end of 2019.

platform, beginning with a common in-

years, including a proprietary integrated

“We believe a proprietary powertrain

cab hardware device. Navistar currently

is important for Navistar, our dealers and

has 350,000 connected vehicles in North

our customers,” said Troy Clarke, Navistar

America, and Volkswagen has 300,000 in

chairman, president and chief execu-

international markets.

The two companies entered into a part-

tive officer. “Yet, we also understand the challenges of developing a proprietary

nership last year, with Volkswagen buying a

powertrain on our own.”

16 percent stake in Navistar. When the al-

The powertrains will launch in Interna-

liance was first announced last year, Clarke

tional heavy-duty products as early as 2021.

said it would allow Navistar to introduce a

Navistar also plans to develop a big-bore

new 15-liter heavy-duty engine by 2021.

Volkswagen Truck & Bus CEO Andreas Renschler (left) and Troy Clarke, Navistar chairman, president and CEO (right), discuss plans for future product integration.

FREIGHTLINER ADDS MID-ROOF SLEEPER OPTIONS FOR CASCADIA

MACK MAKING BENDIX WINGMAN FUSION STANDARD ON ANTHEM

configuration for its Cascadia, including 48-, 60-

FUSION, a camera-

FREIGHTLINER is adding a mid-roof cab

BENDIX WINGMAN

and 72-inch XT sleeper cabs in both 116- and

and radar-based

126-inch BBC platforms. All three configurations offer Aero or AeroX aerodynamic packages.

Customers can place orders for January delivery.

New features on the 116- and 126-inch

platforms include a service-friendly electronic vault (eVault) that offers convenience and

A Driver Loft option is available in the 72-inch mid-roof XT configuration with a two-seat dinette/ work table and opposing seating.

The seats fold flat to allow a full Murphy-style bed to swing down.

weather protection to increase uptime. All-LED interior and exterior lights

also are available, as is an ergonomic dashboard and display screen. Detroit Connect and Detroit Assurance 4.0 have been integrated.

Freightliner Trucks also has partnered with Hendrickson to offer the Optimaax

6×2 liftable forward tandem axle on the Cascadia.

24

commercial carrier journal

| november 2017

driver assistance platform, will be a factoryinstalled standard on all models of Mack’s new Anthem tractor.

Fusion provides colli-

Bendix Wingman Fusion will be a factoryinstalled standard on all Mack Anthem models.

sion mitigation, adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning.

Wingman Fusion will be installed at Mack’s Lehigh Valley Operations in Macungie, Pa., where all Mack truck models are assembled.

EQUIPMENT | NORTH AMERICAN COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SHOW

EATON, CUMMINS LAUNCH NEW TRANSMISSION PAIRING FOR X15

ALLISON TO BRING 9-SPEED AUTOMATIC TO MARKET BY 2020

tomated Transmission

speed fully automatic transmission for its global

EATON Cummins Au-

Technologies debuted its

medium- and heavy-duty vehicle markets by 2020.

new Endurant 12-speed

The transmission uses the same interface as its pre-

automated transmission.

decessor, Allison’s 2000 Series six-speed automatic.

With ratings up to 1,850 lb.-

ft. of torque, Endurant – the

ALLISON TRANSMISSION will release a nine-

The control system builds on Allison’s xFE (Extra

A Cummins X15 engine

first product to launch under is shown mated to an the Eaton-Cummins joint Endurant transmission. powertrain venture – will be

matched with the Cummins X15 Efficiency Series en-

Fuel Economy) and FuelSense 2.0 with DynActive

Allison’s 9-Speed Fully Automatic Transmission is the successor to its 2000 Series six-speed product.

shifting features, “incorporating learning algorithms to establish new benchmarks and find a balance between fuel economy and performance,” said Randy Kirk, Allison’s senior vice president of product engineering.

The transmission features a deep first-gear ratio to allow the engine to run

gines rated up to 510 hp for Peterbilt’s 567 and 579

at lower speeds sooner to improve fuel savings, as well as a torque converter

Kenworth also will offer a variant of the Endurant for

sion engagement and vehicle hold while the engine is restarted.

models and Kenworth’s T680 tractor. Peterbilt and the Paccar MX engine line.

lock-up in first gear. An engine stop-start system provides immediate transmis-

Endurant features an internal electrical system

routing that helps minimize exposure and corrosion

INTERNATIONAL DEBUTS HV SERIES SEVERE-DUTY LINEUP

A new prognostics feature provides clutch replace-

severe-service truck, now available for order.

uling. A transmission fluid pressure sensor notifies

redesigned doors improve seals and minimize air

to wires and connectors for improved reliability.

ment notification to better plan maintenance scheddrivers of low oil levels to provide burn-up warranty coverage.

NAVISTAR continued its tractor reinvention with the debut of its HV Series As with International’s RH and RT trucks, newly leaks and wind noise. Pedestal mirrors have been moved forward, improving visibility and allowing

Smooth and intuitive shifting strategies are

designed to enhance the driving experience.

Predictive shifting uses look-ahead technology to execute shifting decisions that help improve fuel

drivers to turn their head to a lesser degree.

A new premium instrument cluster with a driver information display sits center of the driver and is the same unit featured in the LT,

Navistar’s HV Series severe-service lineup is available for order in regular cab, extended cab and crew cab specifications.

efficiency and provide additional driver comfort.

RH and LoneStar models.

designed for resale value improvement, and Endu-

BBCs of either 107 or 113 inches and set-forward or set-back front axles; a

A standard eight-bolt power-takeoff opening is

rant also employs a pneumatic clutch actuator.

Configurations range from 4×2 to 8×6 with clean cab-to-axle (CA) configuration also is available.

The HV comes standard with International’s A26 engine, with Cummins’ B6.7 and L9 engines available as options.

ACCURIDE INTRODUCES KIC HUB SYSTEM ACCURIDE introduced a new hub system designed for extended life and performance. The Rolliant system, built by Accuride subsidiary KIC, features a patent-pending technology to better maintain proper bearing adjustment for tight consistent alignment and improved hub component life, the

DANA DEBUTS NEW DRIVESHAFT DANA announced the launch of its SPL 250 Lite driveshaft. Optimized for the

most popular configurations of heavy-duty commercial trucks and designed to handle

Dana’s SPL 250 Lite driveshaft is designed to handle torque ratings of more than 18,000 lb.-ft.

torque ratings of more than 18,000 lb.-ft., the SPL 250 accommodates the

company said.

The system comes with a 10-year warranty.

Accuride-KIC’s Rolliant hub system is engineered to maintain proper bearing adjustment for tight consistent alignment.

lower numeric axle ratios required to support engine downspeeding that can cause stress to the drivetrain and alter harmonics in driveline components.

The driveshaft has been engineered to reduce NVH (noise, vibration and

harshness) levels, improve performance and enhance vehicle dynamics without compromising strength.

Steve Slesinksi, Dana’s director of product planning, said the removal of

components aided in reducing weight.

commercial carrier journal

| november 2017 25

EQUIPMENT | NORTH AMERICAN COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SHOW

GOODYEAR DEBUTS NEW ENDURANCE LONG-HAUL DRIVE TIRE GOODYEAR rolled out its newest

stabilize the tire’s belt package and life,

long-haul drive tire, the Endurance LHD,

and Goodyear’s Tredlock Technology helps

which the company said contains several

stabilize the tire’s tread area for resistance

improvements over the G572A drive tire it

to irregular wear.

The SmartWay-verified Endurance LHD

will phase out next year.

drive tire now is available for order in

A new cap base tread combination

The Endurance LHD long-haul drive tire is the latest addition to Goodyear’s Endurance line.

helps promote longer miles to removal

295/75R22.5 (Load Range G) and 11R22.5

and lower rolling resistance, while a new

(Load Ranges G and H). Size 11R24.5 (Load

sidewall compound also facilitates lower

Range G) will be available in December,

rolling resistance, promoting fuel efficiency,

and sizes 11R24.5 (Load Range H) and

matching retread next year that will feature

and a steel belt package helps enhance

285/75R24.5 (Load Range G) will be avail-

the company’s UniCircle spliceless design

casing toughness. A shoulder wedge helps

able in January.

that matches the shape of the tire’s casing.

Goodyear also plans to introduce a

BENDIX SYSTEM AIMS TO PREVENT ROLLAWAYS

UPDATED JAKE BRAKE ON TAP

prevent truck rollaways. The Intellipark system is

THE JAKE BRAKE, built by Jacobs

BENDIX introduced a new system designed to

THE NEXT GENERATION OF

an electronic parking brake that engages truck

Manufacturers, likely will come

and trailer air brakes automatically if a driver

to market in 2019, the company

forgets to do so and exits the vehicle, leaving the

announced. The new High Power

truck vulnerable to rollaways.

Density engine brake will offer

Intellipark works through interlocks installed

in critical areas – such as the seat, seatbelt and cab door – to engage the brake if the driver leaves the seat or opens the door without

setting it first. In addition to rollaway preven-

tion, the system makes it easier for drivers to

Bendix’s Intellipark system replaces traditional pushand-pull buttons with more ergonomic switches.

engage air brakes manually, Bendix said, replacing the push-andpull buttons with more ergonomic switches.

twice the braking power of the current Jake Brake and provide improved engine braking capabilities

Jacobs Manufacturers announced that it recently sold its 7 millionth Jake Brake.

at a lower rpm range, said Steve Ernest, Jacobs’ vice president of engineering.

The system is designed to improve fuel economy when the engine brake is engaged and help keep foundation brakes cooler. Current braking capacity at 2,100 rpms will be

The company also introduced its new line of EnduraSure and En-

available at only 1,300 rpm with the HPD system, Ernest said.

performance over its previous EverSure spring brake. The brakes are

ogy, Active Decompression, to aid start-stop systems that

duraSure Pro spring brakes designed to offer enhanced durability and engineered to provide weight savings, improved corrosion resistance and longer life.

Jacobs also is developing and testing another technolcut engines off and on in high-idle situations such as congestion, Ernest said. The system is designed to reduce

Bendix also announced that its Wingman Fusion driver safety sys-

tem will receive a software update in the middle of next year.

engine and truck vibrations associated with start-stop functionality to provide a more comfortable ride.

SAF-HOLLAND UNVEILS LIFT AXLE SUSPENSION SUITED FOR SHORTER-WHEELBASE TRUCKS

SAF-HOLLAND introduced its large-capacity 20K Neway LSZ Auxiliary Steer-

able Lift Axle Suspension. With a package size of 18.3 inches, the LSZ is

designed to allow customers to choose shorter-wheelbase trucks for better

maneuverability. Air tanks for the suspension are mounted inside the suspension itself, creating more frame rail space.

The SuperChamber is engineered to increase the lift speed of the air springs

and keep the axle from bouncing and banging on the chassis. The angled de-

sign of the air springs improves tracking, stability, tire life and ground clearance. SAF-Holland’s 20K Neway LSZ Auxiliary Steerable Lift The lift axle uses rolling lobe-style air springs to facilitate a softer ride.

Axle Suspension has a package size of 18.3 inches.

26

commercial carrier journal

| november 2017

EQUIPMENT | NORTH AMERICAN COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SHOW

MICHELIN UPDATES XDA ENERGY TIRE WITH NEW COMPOUNDS, SIDEWALL HELP

PREPASS DATA TOOL PROVIDES ADDITIONAL TOLL VISIBILITY

MICHELIN AMERICAS TRUCK TIRES

of the PrePass weigh station bypass

introduced its latest fuel-efficient dualdrive line-haul tire, the XDA Energy +. The new tire, which replaces the XDA Energy, features the same tread design but with an improved tread compound.

The tire features wide circumferential grooves for more efficient water evacuation and grooved, angled walls to help resist stone retention that can lead to stone drilling. The sidewall also features the company’s TW6 OzoneShield technology for increased protection against weathering.

A durable casing is capable of supporting multiple retreads. The tire is engineered for improved rolling resistance and will be available in 275/80R22.5 size in load range G. Michelin also has added a 275/80R22.5 low-profile size to its X Multi D lineup,

HELP INC., the nonprofit provider

service, introduced a new tolling data

analytics product designed to help driv-

ers and fleets monitor and manage their toll transactions. Inform Tolling provides data analytics so customers can confirm they are getting the best toll rates, and

it also identifies fraudulent toll charges.

Inform Tolling works with PrePass

Plus, the single transponder system that combines weigh station bypassing and electronic toll payment services under

for both. Inform Tolling allows custom-

Inform Tolling allows customers to view their PrePass Plus toll transactions to analyze and manage tolling activity.

actions to analyze and manage tolling

shows how much they are saving by

manage their financial exposure.

ing the cash toll rate. A beta version

one account with consolidated invoices ers to view their PrePass Plus toll transactivity to improve efficiency and better Customers using Inform Tolling also

can view an annual statement that

using PrePass Plus as opposed to payof Inform Tolling currently is available through Help Inc.

replacing the XDE M/S with an additional 65 percent improvement in mileage. The X prevent water intrusion and minimize air

truckload, pickup-and-delivery, food and

STOUGHTON ENTERING REEFER TRAILER MARKET WITH PUREBLUE LINEUP

beverage and other vocational segments.

STOUGHTON will debut its new

or uneven areas.

Multi D line originally launched in July, and the newest entry targets regional, less-than-

loss, and the platen-foamed sides and roof insulate 360 degrees without voids

PureBlue line of refrigerated trailers

Stoughton’s composite rear door de-

next year. There is no wood in the

sign helps optimize thermal efficiency

structure, extending the trailer’s life,

and reduce weight.

and the 5.25-inch extruded aluminum crossmembers in the bay area provide a rigid lightweight floor substructure; steel crossmembers also are available.

A rivetless aluminum scuff and integral composite scuff liner help prevent damage while loading and unloading. Bonded side posts reduce the number of holes in the sidewalls and prevent moisture intrusion to help improve presentation for graphic applications.

A heavy-duty non-skid duct floor helps provide support for loads even in high-use areas. The fully enclosed floor design has a knurled-edge top surface for skid resistance.

Michelin’s XDA Energy + fuel-efficient dualdrive line-haul tire replaces its XDA Energy.

The refrigerated trailer is built with a triple wiper-seal door gasket to help

Stoughton’s PureBlue line of refrigerated trailers is set to hit the highway early next year.

commercial carrier journal

| november 2017 27

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

Trucking in aerospace

Fleets looking beyond compliance to increase safety

W

hile the trucking industry has made big strides in safety, the trends have been moving in the wrong direction as of late.

Large truck and buses were involved in 4,317 fatalities in 2016. This was a 5.4 percent increase from 2015, which in turn was up 4.8 percent from 2014, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes report. Last year’s total was the highest since 2007.

By comparison, the commercial airline industry had a record safety year in 2016, with 19 fatal accidents worldwide resulting in 325 deaths — down from 560 in 2015. The last fatal crash in the United States was in February 2009.

The aviation mindset toward compliance and safety is markedly different than in trucking, where being “roadworthy” leaves room for interpretation.

For an aircraft to be “airworthy,” it has to meet or exceed very strict Federal Aviation Administration regula‘ROADWORTHY’: The aviation mindset towards compliance and safety is markedly different than in trucking.

INCREASING SAFETY: New metrics will allow Fleetworthy’s clients to evaluate risk and take proactive steps.

GROWING ONLINE PLATFORM: New products will help fleets assess risk and chart a path beyond compliance.

28

commercial carrier journal

|

Dan Kaufman, director of development for Fleetworthy Solutions, is working on new updates to the company’s web portal that gives fleets visibility to compliance metrics.

tions and extensive preflight checklists by mechanics and pilots.

“There’s a thing called an airworthiness directive — an AD,” said Rob Getz, a former commercial pilot who has a degree in aerospace engineering. Whenever FAA issues an AD for an aircraft, the owners and operators take the potential safety issue seriously, Getz said.

“You could still take (the aircraft) off, probably, but if something happened, the liability would be astronomical,” he says.

Getz, who joined Fleetworthy Solutions in 2016 as chief executive officer, has a vision and goal to make roads safer.

In September, Fleetworthy Solutions was launched as a rebranded version of ITS Compliance, which has provided compliance outsourcing services to commercial and private fleets for nearly 35 years. The company was founded as Interstate Transportation Services.

Intelligent compliance To the company’s clients, Getz said the meaning of Fleetworthy encapsulates all of the daily services it provides to ensure a fleet’s drivers and assets are worthy to represent their company’s name on the road. Prior to joining Fleetworthy, he was an executive at Five Cubits, a fleet management and telematics provider that developed cloud-based software applications for ready-mix concrete fleets.

Getz sees an opportunity to use technology to differentiate Fleetworthy from other fleet compliance and risk management providers by leveraging big data and predictive analytics. Fleetworthy plans to partner with data scientists and

november 2017

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

invest a “significant amount of money” in new product development that will give its customers “forward visibility” of risk to help reduce accidents, he said.

As part of this effort, the company plans to deepen its integration with fleet electronic logging device and telematics application providers. Currently, Fleetworthy’s integrations are focused on compliance by capturing and auditing hours of service, mileages and other data for customers.

With a deeper integration, Getz envisions Fleetworthy will be able to capture and measure vehicle and driver behavioral data with consistency.

The intended result will be new safety and compliance metrics for its customers to evaluate risk and take proactive steps to increase safety.

The company also is going through a review process to optimize the delivery of services through its people, processes and technology products. Two full-time business analysts have been tasked with identifying the minimum Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, International Fuel Tax Agreement and International Registration Plan requirements for each service, as well as any changes in processes or technologies that will improve its services to help customers go beyond compliance.

“Through this philosophy, we’re taking fleets of all types and sizes to new heights through the power of intelligent compliance,” Getz said.

Assessing new risk One of the centerpieces of Fleetworthy’s technology and services is a customer-facing portal that gives fleets a dashboard view of compliance.

A number of new features and updates are coming, said Michael Precia, senior vice president of sales and account management.

The dashboard currently has a series of “tiles” and reporting functions that show fleets where they stand on HOS, driver applications and “whatever else they are measuring compliance on,” Precia said.

Fleetworthy is building a mobile notification and alerting service for management and executive teams based on information that fleets want to track. The alerting system also will be able to communicate directly with drivers through their mobile devices, he said.

New products will expand the online platform to help fleets assess risk and chart a path beyond compliance. Besides using telematics data, Fleetworthy plans to integrate with additional technologies fleets use, such as customer relationship management and accounting packages, to consume the data and “lay algorithms on top of it,” Precia said.

AARON HUFF is Senior Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal.

E-mail ahuff@ccjmagazine.com or call (801) 754-4296.

Lytx adds 360-degree view, recording

L

ytx announced Lytx Video Services, an integrated service enhancement to its DriveCam video event recorder and telematics safety system, designed to give fleets the option of reviewing extended video clip recordings from multiple locations around a vehicle.

The company said the new product can help eliminate “fleet and operations blindspots” such as cargo theft, workers’ compensation claims and customer service issues. The DriveCam program with Lytx Video Services uses the new Lytx ER-SF64 event recorder equipped with features that include: • A driver-facing lens that captures 12- or 20-second exception-based video clips triggered when a driving event occurs, such as a hard brake or a sudden swerve; • An outside lens that has continually recording video plus a livestream option; • An onboard cloud-connected digital video recorder with a 64-gigabyte memory, enough to store video for about a week’s worth of vehicle operations; • Advanced sensors used by other Lytx event recorders to capture critical data about driving events; and • Connections to third-party PAL- or NTSC-based cameras, including those already installed on client vehicles, enabling 360-degree views in and around the vehicle.

– Aaron Huff

Lytx said the new product can help eliminate cargo theft, workers’ compensation claims and customer service issues.

commercial carrier journal

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november 2017

29

technology

INBRIEF • Orbcomm, a provider of machine-to-machine and Internet of Things technologies, acquired Blue Tree Systems, a provider of mobile transportation management applications for trucks, refrigerated straight trucks and refrigerated and dry trailers. Blue Tree serves more than 300 customers in North America, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. Orbcomm said the acquisition will provide its customers with access to an integrated offering encompassing nearly all transportation assets from one source.

• Total Quality Logistics, a freight brokerage firm, announced TQL Carrier Dashboard, its new web portal and free mobile app designed to allow carriers and dispatchers to manage their freight from search to delivery. The technology replaces TQL’s Carrier Web Portal platform and adds features designed to simplify how carriers search for loads. Carriers also can submit quotes on available loads, send invoices, upload load documents and provide location updates.

• EFS, a provider of fleet payment products, launched EFS CarrierControl, a mobile app designed to provide secure access and enhanced functionality to fleet managers, allowing them to better manage and control time-sensitive employee or contractor payment card needs.

• CX North America, a provider of Software-asa-Service and app-based freight visibility and collaboration products, debuted Replay, an advanced tracking feature designed to capture drivers’traveled miles per job from beginning to end, vehicle speeds, arrival and departure times and more. The recorded information can be downloaded into an electronic file for emailing or printing.

• Comdata Inc., a provider of fleet payment products, announced a partnership with FR8Star, a web-based freight operations platform for finding and booking oversize, overweight and open-deck loads. The partnership allows fleets using Fr8Star to receive fuel advances and payment upon proof of delivery through Comchek Mobile, Comdata’s secure debit card and digital app platform.

• ERoad, a provider of fleet management systems, electronic tax reporting and electronic logging devices, announced real-time truck location and driver’s hours-of-service data from its ELD products will be integrated with McLeod Software’s LoadMaster Symphony Mobile Communications and Dispatch modules within its transportation management software system. ERoad said LoadMaster users will be able to manage driver availability, plan routes and improve visibility of in-progress dispatches.

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Stay Metrics rebrands training collections

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tay Metrics rebranded its online driver training platform to reflect the distinct packages it offers for driver onboarding, safety and health and wellness. The platform is part of the evidence-based driver engagement, research and analytical products Stay Metrics provides to motor carriers that focus on driver retention.

Stay Metrics offers the following training collections individually or as a complete platform by subscription: • Drive First: An orientation onboarding solution with digital employment forms, nearly 100 driver training Stay Metrics has modules and online assessments. partnered with Luma • Drive Safe: A safety training collection of 48 modules to deliver “eNuggets” that prepare drivers for consistent industry challenges and that break down training into short, new regulations. interactive modules • Drive Fit: A collection of 26 modules covering a wide that help drivers remember what they range of health and wellness topics that include financial have learned. wealth, mental well-being and eating and fitness.

Stay Metrics has partnered with Luma to deliver “eNuggets” that break down essential content into short, interactive training modules. Carrier administrators can assign training to individuals or groups of drivers on a scheduled or remedial basis, and they also can view driver performance data using the online platform. Drivers also can login to their carrier’s training portal to view personalized learning records and track their progress.

– Aaron Huff

MiX Asset Manager helps fleets track assets

M

iX Telematics, a provider of fleet and moMiX Asset Manager provides bile asset management technology, released an automatic electronic MiX Asset Manager, which is designed to provide registry of assets with their fleets with visibility of the locations of all types of status and locations. assets as they move around worksites and depots.

MiX Asset Manager is designed to offer protection for mobile and fixed assets such as vehicles, trailers, shipping containers and cargo, with or without a dedicated power source, eliminating the costs of not knowing an asset’s location and optimizing asset deployment and usage.

The company provides a range of asset tracking devices, including wired devices with a dedicated power source, solar-powered devices, wireless devices, batteryoperated devices and MiX Tabs, a device for nonpowered assets that leverages the communications networks of nearby connected vehicles.

Once data is collected and transmitted by a device, asset managers can access it via MiX Fleet Manager. MiX Asset Manager provides an automatic electronic registry of assets with their status and locations so that they can be: • Located and tracked on a map, historically or in real time; • Managed in terms of service intervals and odometer readings; and • Billed accurately when rented out.

– Aaron Huff

november 2017

technology

INBRIEF • Coretex, a provider of fleet management technology, announced a collaboration that will allow McLeod Software users to manage a wide range of refrigerated truck and trailer settings remotely from within the LoadMaster interface. The two-way interactive portal builds on the one-way integration between LoadMaster and Coretex IBright.

PeopleNet debuts McLeod-ready features

P

eopleNet, a provider of fleet mobility technology, introduced five new features for fleet managers and drivers through its integration with The PeopleNet features are McLeod Software: part of McLeod Software’s • Trailer drop-and-hook events: These events LoadMaster Enterprise and PowerBroker management for fleets using PeopleNet’s Power Line Communisystems version 17.1. cation Trailer Tracking are processed by McLeod without having the driver enter the data manually.

• Automatic signature capture: Fleets with PeopleNet devices that support signature capture can use a driver form to capture the information. Signature data can be stored through the integration with McLeod’s DocumentPower imaging and is accessible to McLeod users.

• M2M cycle time availability: PeopleNet’s cycle time availability now publishes data to McLeod in terms of how many hours a driver has available and how many hours are left in their cycle, providing real-time visibility for trip planning.

• More detailed stop descriptions: Expanded stop descriptions from McLeod in PeopleNet’s Automated Workflow allow drivers to get their stop instructions directly from their trip and negate the need to refer to the inbox and retrieve stop information from messaging.

• Enhanced vehicle alarms and PerformX engine data elements: Visibility within McLeod’s LoadMaster to additional PeopleNet alarms and vehicle management data is available for items such as unexpected fuel level drops, seatbelt and cruise control usage, hard braking and overspeed occurrences.

– Aaron Huff

• DriverFacts, an employment verification service, announced new integration features with McLeod Software’s LoadMaster transportation management software system. The interface uses a secure file transfer to send updates to DriverFacts for reportable accidents, drug alcohol positives and employment dates.

DriverFacts also provides various daily reports, including one that shows the member carrier which other carriers are searching for their drivers and another that tells which drivers have applied for a job with another carrier.

• BlackBerry and Fleet Complete announced a reselling partnership designed to provide fleet managers with an aggregate real-time view of their operations. The integrated products incorporate the environmental conditions of trailers and containers in a single interface to facilitate better asset capacity management for carriers and allow for digital freight brokering.

• FourKites, a provider of supply chain tracking and predictive analytics, announced a partnership with SMC³, a less-than-truckload data and API solutions provider, that enables FourKites to provide real-time visibility of LTL shipments based on accurate location data that accounts for freight handoffs at crossdocks and distribution centers.

• SmartDrive Systems announced that Bangor, Maine-based truckload company Pottle’s Transportation deployed its video-based safety program fleetwide. SmartDrive said that during Pottle’s pilot test of its system, the fleet improved its SmartDrive Safety Score by 69 percent, which demonstrated a significant reduction in risk.

Paragon enhances routing reporting

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• Infiniti-I, a provider of a learning management system, announced that Roadrunner Transportation Systems implemented its technology to provide employees with an online platform that enables continuous education and development. The less-than-truckload company said Infiniti-I will support its renewed focus on improving how it communicates with and builds partnerships with drivers and customers by facilitating training, setting goals and tracking individual progress to increase job satisfaction and performance.

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november 2017

aragon Software Systems, a provider of vehicle routing and scheduling optimization software, announced improved reporting The enhanced reporting functionality to help logistics operations betcapabilities come standard in Version 6.0 of Paragon’s routing ter engage with drivers to ensure that planned and scheduling software. routes are followed and that associated efficiency, performance and service improvements are achieved.

Mapping images now can be embedded into manifest and debrief documents to provide added guidance and feedback to drivers in an easy-to-understand format. Drivers have access to a visual overview of their daily work schedules, the sequence of drops and the details of planned routes. Debrief documents also can incorporate mapping images that show planned versus actual routes taken, using data taken from an integrated telematics system, so that transport managers can discuss any unexpected diversions or discrepancies with the driver.

“By making critical operational data available in a convenient form to the people that can really benefit from using it, these businesses can make the most of their routing and scheduling software and achieve the greatest value,” said Phil Ingham, support director.

– Aaron Huff

technology

in focus: PAPERLESS PROOF OF DELIVERY

Delivery reconnaissance Fleet uses CRM app to reward drivers for safety, service, training

BY AARON HUFF

A

s the human resources manager of Liquid Trucking, Jason Eisenman wanted to accelerate driver training.

“One of the challenges in the driver market is getting drivers up to speed when we hire,” Eisenman says. “These guys have lot to learn.”

Liquid Trucking has terminals in Plattsmouth, Neb., and Sioux City, Iowa. The fleet delivers agricultural, food-grade and hazmat products throughout the United States with 150 tractors and 280 tanker trailers. Its drivers have more delivery hurdles compared to other operations such as dry van truckload, he says.

Eisenman says two years ago he had an idea to “revolutionize the way drivers can manage the information at the delivery.” He shared the idea with Liquid Trucking’s owners, Josh and Gabe Schmidt, and Chip Thompson, owner of a web design and marketing company and a longtime vendor partner.

They decided to form a company, Epic Ideas, to develop a cloud-based application, DeliveRecon (short for “delivery reconnaissance”). Liquid Trucking was the first customer using the product and shaped its development.

The DeliveRecon app functions as a mobile customer relationship management system for drivers. Through its cloud-based platform, drivers are able to share valuable delivery information with other drivers in the fleet, such as where to turn at a customer site, what to avoid, who to ask for and what numbers to call.

Drivers also can upload photos, videos and audio clips, and the app has workflow functions to capture, index and submit proof-of-delivery receipts and other documents such as incident reports.

When using the app, drivers tap a “Near Me” function to see pinpoint icons on customer locations nearby. The driver taps a pinpoint to bring up the name of the customer and then taps the customer name to view delivery data and edit any fields about the location.

Rewarding work Liquid Trucking rewards drivers for their reconnaissance efforts. Using a custom-branded online rewards platform from Stay Metrics, the fleet created a reward category for DeliveRecon updates, adding to its other reward categories based on measurable data for safety, customer service, training and more.

DeliveRecon’s cloud-based app functions as a mobile CRM system for drivers that allows them to share information with other drivers and provides them with workflow tools.

Drivers earn points through the platform that can be redeemed toward thousands of items from an online catalogue.

Popular items include meat smokers and tickets to theme parks, Eisenman says.

When a driver makes a DeliveRecon entry, a fleet manager is notified immediately and can review the entry and assign a level of points (1 to 3) based on the value of data received from the driver and the effort it took.

The app is designed to link to other applications and serve as a central hub or “one-stop shop” for drivers, Eisenman says.

Drivers can click on one tab to login to the company’s rewards portal and another to its employee portal. Drivers use the app on their phones, but the company plans to install the app on a tablet as part of its mobile computing platform, he says.

After testing and developing the product at Liquid Trucking, DeliveRecon is now at a go-to-market stage. The company is working with a new set of developers to make the system secure and scalable to any size of fleet.

“What we are trying to do is put the power in the driver’s hands to help gather all of the necessary information that any driver in the fleet is going to need to deliver on time, safely and as efficiently as possible and to eliminate frustration,” says Thompson.

The company is seeking new beta partners and plans to offer a significant discount in the first year of the contract as it “tweaks things,” Eisenman says. “We understand the requirements of bulk liquid are very different than dry van, refrigerated, etc.” commercial carrier journal

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Dec. 18: Flipping the e-log switch page 1

How the two basic types of ELDs operate page 3

How devices and drivers track duty status changes page 6

The right price page 10

Specs and pricing for 64 products page 16

ELD product showcase page 24

TOP PICK!

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*Offer valid October 1, 2017–December 31, 2017. Standard ELD monthly service plan applies. One month up-front payment of $25 required; no further payments until March 2018; $25 per month thereafter. Must purchase and activate by December 31, 2017. ©2017 Pegasus TransTech, LLC. All rights reserved. Transflo and the Transflo logo are trademarks of Pegasus TransTech, LLC. Pegasus TransTech is an Authorized Geotab Reseller. TF10162017

You can now purchase the Transflo ELD T7 at participating truck stops.

S

ince the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s late 2015 release of its final rule for using electronic logging devices, there’s been a rising swell of ELD development. Customers can choose from hardware and software options offered by dozens of vendors, many of them new to the trucking industry.

This also means serious preparation on the enforcement side. FMCSA has had reported delays implementing its roadside data-transfer system by which officers will interface electronically with any of these systems.

Nevertheless, the agency expects to have it in place prior to Dec. 18, the scheduled enforcement date for using electronic logs.

Fleet-focused onboard devices offer a lot of bells and whistles, but independent owner-operators are likely to gravitate to a baseline-compliance device. They can benefit from additional

DO YOU USE ANY FORM OF AN ELECTRONIC LOGBOOK IN YOUR OPERATION? Yes, a smartphone app untethered to the engine 7% Yes, an engineconnected e-log platform 11%

No 82%

An Overdrive survey from a year ago showed minimal e-logging by owner-operators. Since then, many larger fleets have added ELD systems to get a jump on compliance before Dec. 18, but some independent owner-operators have yet to install an ELD.

functions such as IFTA data collection, making mileage tracking automatic and easily reportable.

As you’re making your decision, consider these issues: Support. The final rule specifies an eight-day timeframe for repairing/ replacing a malfunctioning ELD. Does the provider stock the kind of hardware inventory to meet such a quick turnaround? How are replacements/ repairs handled?

For carriers needing more than eight days to replace any ELD, the rule also spelled out a process for requesting more time. It involves contacting your state’s FMCSA division office and making your case.

FMCSA registry and compliance.

Technically, compliant ELDs must be on FMCSA’s registry of devices. The agency’s vetting process does not entail testing for compliance, relying largely on manufacturers to self-certify that they meet the rule specs.

That’s prompted worry among motor carriers about what happens if their device is later found to be noncompliant. FMCSA’s website addresses that scenario: “FMCSA will work with affected motor carriers to establish a reasonable timeframe for replacing noncompliant devices.”

At this stage, part of the complexity involving the registry is that automatic onboard recording devices meeting fairly minimal requirements compared to ELD specs are essentially grandfathered through Dec. 16, 2019. The rule notes that any carrier installing an AOBRD prior to this year’s ELD enforcement date can use that device until the 2019 date.

EXEMPTIONS: FEW BEYOND OLDER ENGINES Perhaps the biggest exemption to FMCSA’s ELD requirement is the exclusion of trucks with 1999 and older model-year engines from complying.

Narrower exemptions exist for the following applications: • Drivers in drive-away/tow-away operations, where the vehicle being driven is the commodity being delivered.

• Drivers operating under the timecard exception to the hours-recording rules – the 100- and 150-air-mile radius short-haul exceptions – exclusively.

• Drivers who occasionally keep a logbook but do not do so for more than eight days in any 30-day period.

Practically, what that means is that enforcing the requirement to use a registry-listed device is unlikely before that time, particularly for carriers who comply with the ELD rule and install an engine-connected e-log prior to Dec. 18. So the registry’s importance for carriers choosing ELDs at this stage is minimal.

As the comparison chart of devices beginning on p. 16 of the ELD Buyers’ Guide shows, some established ELD vendors remain off the registry. Those providers consulted for stories in this buyer’s guide, if not already on the registry, expressed plans for eventual ELD compliance for their products through firmware/software updates as the enforcement rollout progresses.

Nonetheless, for any product not listed on the registry, ask the vendor about its plans for registering its device and whether it has a plan for success and support for its product beyond 2019. november 2017 | eld buyers’ guide

1

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How the two basic types of ELDs operate A

BY TODD DILLS

ll compliant electronic logging devices will share a common bond: They can record data coming in from the system that controls the truck’s engine and component parts. The final rule from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration was specific in requiring synchronization with the electronic control module. That’s one of the reasons the agency didn’t require ELDs in trucks with model-year 1999 or older engines.

The rule requires ELDs to automatically record date, time, location information, engine hours, vehicle miles and identification information for the driver, carrier and vehicle itself. Unless the driver is enabled for use of the vehicle in a “personal conveyance” mode outside of work hours, ELDs are required to record all of those elements “when the driver indicates a change of duty status or a change to a special driving category” such as a yard move, the rule states.

When in motion, ELDs are required to record all of the information on an hourly basis at a minimum. Many ELDs are offered as part of systems built for detailed tracking purposes, useful to fleets and owner-operators for purposes such as automatic notification of arrival times.

Those systems are capable of recording in a much more refined manner, and some may default to that. Providers may or may not have the ability to adjust the refinement.

Though there are plenty of variations, two types of ELDs have emerged, as labeled on the chart that begins on page 16: In dedicated unit configurations, the device is supplied by the provider and is likely to remain in the truck.

BYOD (“bring your own device”) systems allow buyers to purchase their own hardware for the driver interface, such as an owner-operator using an app on a personal Android- or iOS-powered smartphone. A carrier may seek out a deal on tablets to dedicate to its power units and drivers.

Dedicated units Most older forms of electronic logging devices, known as electronic onboard recorders (EOBRs) or automatic onboard recording devices (AOBRDs), have been the dedicated-unit type. Two examples that have been available for years are Omnitracs’ MCP series and PeopleNet’s current products used by many drivers employed by or leased to larger carriers.

Many of these units provide ELD functionality in a single device package tied directly to the ECM by a cable and plug.

Like mobile phones, such units use connections to the cellular network and GPS functionality to deliver on the ELD rule’s requirements for recording location, mileage and engine hours. Data storage occurs using a combination of the internet cloud, back-office servers and the device itself.

A notable exception among devices available for years now exists in the base model of the Continental VDO RoadLog, which is limited to hours of service recording and inspection-report functionality.

With no connection to the cellular network with the device, fleets and owner-operators manage data storage via a USB-connected drive to transfer records to a laptop or other computer.

Other dedicated devices may pair two pieces of hardware, bridging the gap between the traditional single-unit EOBR and the two-piece BYOD systems readily available today.

In most cases, those devices are in evidence on the chart when a BYOD and a dedicated version exist from one manufacturer. While the J.J. Keller Encompass and Rand

ISE Fleet Services’ eFleetSuite baseline compliance device is a dedicated unit with its own cellular data connection but without a lot of extra functionality beyond logs. november 2017 | eld buyers’ guide

3

PA R T N ER S O LU T I O N S / C O R E T E X

Why putting all your eggs in one basket makes perfect sense.

ELD is here, it’s real and it’s now.

But not all ELD solutions are created equal, so what are the right questions to ask before deciding on an ELD provider?

The first question is usually a financial one. Do you want to comply for the least possible cost, or do you see ELD as an opportunity to solve a series of other compliance issues at the same time?

If you run a mixed fleet of trucks, trailers, reefers and straight trucks then ELD is arguably the perfect opportunity to make your operation a whole lot smarter and more efficient.

By looking at ELD as a feature within a suite, rather than a standalone system, operators can use the compulsory investment in ELD to address other compliance challenges, such as FMSA, DVIR and IFTA. This saves money because it displaces the technical solution ordinarily required for each mandate and also allows operators to introduce efficiency and safety features, that will more than offset any additional cost.

The usual argument is that features included as part of a suite, are never as good as a dedicated system. If you’re buying a stereo that’s probably right, but if you’re buying an ELD solution then it’s wrong. ELDs that are integrated into a suite are better, because they can drive other tasks and business processes, like DVIR and job dispatch.

Powered by

Beyond FSMA, ELD, DVIR and IFTA, the right fleet management system should incorporate a host of other features that help operators run safer and more efficient operations.

Integrated features include: • High Definition vehicle tracking • ABS / Remote tire inflation monitoring • Driver behavior monitoring with camera monitoring as an option • Trip replay and black box reporting • Engine management data reporting

The best ELDs are:

• Service manager

• Easy for drivers and back office staff to learn and use

In the same way that not all ELDs are equal, not all fleet management solutions are equal. The best systems:

• Able to support a range of different rule sets and driver types • Easily portable between vehicles • Integrated into a broader system • Rock solid and reliable For operators that haul reefers, FSMA is about to become a big deal, with some serious consequences for operators caught asleep at the wheel. The right fleet management solution, will give operators all the twoway remote control tools necessary, to meet their FSMA obligations and become a preferred carrier. And, in the case of straight trucks, it should achieve this using a single piece of in-vehicle hardware.

• Allow operators to see their fleets in High Definition from the same platform • Are active, rather than passive, allowing operators to manage by exception • Are tightly integrated into all of the major Transportation Management Systems (TMS) So, if you’re a fleet operator and you see ELD as an opportunity to change your business, then you should look for an integrated fleet management solution, like Coretex 360, that offers ELD as part of a powerful suite of fleet management features.

Don’t just log hours. Get more out of them.

Turn compliance into a competitive advantage with a fully integrated ELD solution. coretex.com/eld

ELD BUYERS’ GUIDE McNally HD100 systems both are BYOD-capable, they also are offered with company-branded Android tablets that come preloaded with software: the Compliance Tablet from J.J. Keller and the TND from Rand McNally.

Any fleet or owner-operator willing to make the investment in dedicated tablets can turn a BYOD system into a dedicated one.

Jack Schwalbach, who manages the private fleet of Reinders, a Wisconsin-based turf and irrigation products company, moved all of his trucks’ tablets to ELD functionality by signing on with Geotab’s program for leasing engineconnection hardware to pair to tablets.

“We have dedicated tablets,” Schwalbach says. “The tablets are used just for logging – the data plan, we have locked down. Everybody’s got their smartphone on their own, so they use that” for anything else.

Bring your own device The “bring your own device” phrase and its BYOD acronym came into use with the profusion of smartphones over the past decade. In trucking, it’s a common term to describe a

major part of today’s ELD market.

Dozens of providers are offering their own versions of BYOD systems. A BYOD-configured ELD consists of a “dongle” that connects to the ECM via the cab’s onboard diagnostics port. The dongle typically pairs via a Bluetooth connection with a smartphone or tablet to transmit data.

Software from the ELD vendor on your smartphone or tablet enables you to change duty status manually when you stop. When your vehicle goes into motion, the ELD automatically will shift to the drive line in the logbook.

Variations exist. The engine-connection dongle may or may not have a cellular connection. In the case of the KeepTruckin ELD, the ECM-connected device maintains a GPS connection but no cellular connectivity itself. For that, the system relies on the connected smartphone or tablet and its data plan.

Meanwhile, Geotab’s Go — also a BYOD solution (and marketed as the Transflo ELD T7 by Pegasus TransTech) — maintains its own cellular connection and is capable of being updated and troubleshot over the air if software/firmware updates are needed.

How devices and drivers track duty status changes

W

Previous versions of rules that would have mandated electronic logs for some carriers would have required the devices to notify drivers regarding their hours status when they were approaching a limit. That feature is not a part of the device specs for the new rule, but many e-log providers offer quick-glance views, such as the one shown from ERoad, that amount to quick-compliance dashboards, showing time remaining in the daily and cumulative hours limits.

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eld buyers’ guide

| november 2017

BY TODD DILLS

hile electronic logs generally automate parts of logkeeping and in some ways simplify the rest, they still require direct driver involvement in most duty status changes. As any driver will know, too, turning the entire process over to a device and its interaction with the truck just isn’t possible.

As with paper logs, drivers using electronic logs are in control of all duty status inputs. The exception is the drive line, which functions automatically as specified by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s final rule. It’s also the only status the driver will be unable to edit directly through his driver login.

To minimize the need for annotations required with any edit, the long-in-practice habit of “catching up the logbook” by drivers will mostly fall by the wayside. With no pencil to be pushed across paper, as long as the device is operational and open, duty-status changes happen with the simple push of a button in real time.

AT&T Fleet Complete

Reliable ELD compliance the easy way AT&T Fleet Complete’s ELD solution is an easy-to-use integrated solution that covers your fleet’s ELD compliance from start to finish.

It operates under 11 interstate and cross-border ELD rules in both, the U.S. and Canada, and provides automated DVIR reporting for quick and easy vehicle inspections. With this solution, all data is secure and easily accessible in the AT&T Fleet Complete portal.

Get ahead of the curve and get your business ELD ready today! Learn more at att.fleetcomplete.com/eld or call us at 1-844-944-0870.

Leading ELD app This app is your driver’s safety and compliance manager that accurately records daily logbooks.

Fast roadside inspections All critical information is accessible at a touch of a screen, making roadside inspections quicker with minimal paperwork.

Flexibility

Easy reporting

Better load planning

Drivers are always in control of the ELD device and can edit logs with a reason code.

Get a grid view of driver logs and summary reports on drive time, events, and mileage.

Having near real-time visibility on driver’s duty status allows for optimal load planning while staying ELD compliant.

Proud Winner of Frost & Sullivan Award for Customer Value Leadership in ELD Solutions Industry ELD SOLUTIONS INDUSTRY

© 2017 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T and the AT&T logo are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property.

ELD BUYERS’ GUIDE

Courtesy of Mobile Warrior

to 0 miles per hour and stays at 0 miles Edits made by the driver are possible per hour for 3 consecutive seconds,” for every line but the drive line, which after which manual duty status changes is locked down since drive time is are possible. based on vehicle movement. The drive FMCSA noted it would expect that line can be edited from the administrain most cases drivers would make a tor’s account to classify an unassigned duty status change in such an event driving event or drive time as personal before shutting the vehicle down. conveyance or a yard move.

The ELD will record all engine on/ Any edits made from the adminisoff activity. trator account in the back-office login 3) The default duty status for any must be certified as accurate by the ELD is on-duty not-driving. Absent a driver. This occurs through the driver’s driver’s direct change, after the vehicle user interface of the ELD when the edit has been in motion, the ELD automatiis made. cally should transfer the driver to Line An independent owner-operator 4 after the vehicle has been stationary may have two separate logins for the for five minutes. system: one as a driver, the other as the 4) Yard moves functionality was administrator. An independent lacking specified in the ELD final rule as two email addresses may need to get a way for carriers to move vehicles a second one. Some systems require around company terminals without unique addresses to associate with the automatically triggering an on-duty logins as administrator and driver-user. driving status.

When it comes to the look and feel Yard-moves mode for particular of the user interface that e-log provider drivers will be enabled from the admincompanies are required to produce, the istrator account and then selected by ELD final rule leaves plenty of room for Ray Cox, Mobile Warrior sales director, says his company’s iDDL device has a “touchthe driver when making a yard move. variation. It did, however, make these free ELD gauge.” The screen, locked while The default status for a yard move is requirements of all ELDs: the truck is in motion, “shows the driver Line 4, on-duty not-driving.

1) A graph grid of any driver user’s everything going on from a compliance perspective. Our gauge will show how many 5) Personal conveyance uses of the hours analogous to that used in paper hours and minutes are left before the driver truck while off-duty also are enabled logs, showing the various off-duty, must take a 30-minute break or how long from the administrator account for sleeper berth, driving and on-duty they have left for driving, and if they have drivers. The personal conveyance mode not-driving lines. The grid display – or any violations that need to be addressed.” then can be selected by the driver using as an alternative, a printout, being used the truck for personal reasons during off-duty periods.

by Continental’s VDO RoadLog device and its built-in printer Once selected, the default duty status is off-duty for the – is intended for quick interpretation by law enforcement. This ELD for as long as it’s selected, including when in motion. serves as a backup to other required methods of data transfer.

GPS refinement is reduced during personal conveyance mode Most providers integrate the grid into the driver’s basic selection from a 1-mile radius to 10 miles. log view on the interface. Many reproduce it with further 6) Various hours exemptions and special rule variants information in a special inspection screen for display to law such as those pertaining to the 30-minute break and rules for enforcement, similar to what officers are used to seeing on oilfield operations can be handled as they have been, FMCSA’s paper today. rule states, via notes sections to the logs.

2) On-duty driving status is required to be triggered With the exception of yard moves and personal conveyance, automatically when the speed hits 5 mph. If the driver is not logged into the system prior to that change in status, an “unas- “all other special driving categories, such as adverse driving conditions … or oilfield operations … would be annotated by signed driving event” is recorded by the system and can be the driver, similar to the way they are now.” reconciled only from the administrator account, not via the However, numerous ELD providers support special oilfield driver interface. rule sets, including Apollo, E-Log Plus, Hutch, Omnitracs’ According to the rule, after a driving status is triggered, the XRS device, PeopleNet and others. vehicle is considered in motion by the ELD until “speed falls 8

eld buyers’ guide

| november 2017

You wouldn’t trust your security with a newcomer.

Why risk your entire fleet with one?

Experience matters. With the ELD Mandate just around the corner, a lot of inexperienced, untrained operators are popping up, promising quick fixes. But choosing the wrong ELD provider can turn around and bite you in the, er, assets. You could end up with a non-compliant device, lousy ongoing support and significant fines. With decades of experience and a proven track record, Zonar® is a smart call.

Custom solutions for your company. Whether your plan is to delay transitioning to ELD or go all in with full compliance now, we can tailor a plan to fit your needs and timeline. Our transportation technology pros and compliance experts will be with you every step of the way, and our live support team is there for you 24/7/365.

A bigger return on your investment. Zonar can do a lot more for your business than meet the mandate’s requirements. Our suite of solutions will help you enhance driver performance, decrease downtime, lower fuel costs and improve the overall efficiency of your operation. You might say Zonar ® is a fleet’s best friend.

ELD: Get the facts, be prepared, know your options.

877.843.3847 • zonarsystems.com

Free download! The Ultimate ELD Survival Guide.

Everything you need to know, straight from the pros. Go to zonarsystems.com/ELDsurvival to get yours!

The right price In the crowded ELD market, a few companies set themselves apart with systems requiring no monthly fee BY TODD DILLS

A

s efforts to derail the electronic logging device mandate continue to fail, more fleet owners are considering their options. With the mandate’s Dec. 18 enforcement date only a month away, software and hardware providers old and new are trying to set themselves apart.

For the fleet owner who’s certain to be part of the industry for a long time and who wants simplicity at a low price, the devices available without a monthly subscription fee can be a good match.

As of press time, five providers offered either a dedicated-unit or BYOD (bring your own device) ELD for a onetime purchase price. For the four BYOD devices here, freeware installed on a phone or tablet supports the engine plug-in for full in-cab and/or back-office functionality. For the one

The Zed ELD’s U.S.-based support team is available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, says sales director Jill Nowlin.

“Drivers have the ability to contact support straight from their [Zed] mobile app, direct calls or through the Fleet Management portal as well. They can also email through phone, app and the website.” Nowlin also expressed confidence, as did other suppliers featured in this story, in the company’s ability to replace a malfunctioning ELD unit in eight days or less, as the ELD final rule stipulates carriers must do.

10

eld buyers’ guide

| november 2017

dedicated unit provider, Continental’s VDO RoadLog is supported via laptop software and a USB-based data transfer device for updates.

Prices overall have continued to fall.

What might be the most affordable device, One20’s provocatively named F-ELD, is available for $170 and even less for drivers eligible for discounts.

If results of a 2016 Comdata survey are any indication, the F-ELD and other generally low-cost ELDs are about to see a surge in orders. Cost was identified as the top selection criteria of a third of all respondents.

Cost was a factor for Utah-based Wade Spencer, owner of a fourtruck fleet of Freightliner Cascadias outfitted with Blue Ink Technology’s BIT ELD. The BIT electronic control module plug-in device is available for $295, ordered directly through the company’s website. Free smart-

Longtime GPS device maker Garmin recently became just the fifth ELD provider out of more than 60 to offer a device that’s operable without a direct ongoing monthly service fee. Garmin’s eLog device, shown in the hand in this picture of a demo unit, retails for $250 and can pair with Android- and iOS-powered devices, as well as devices in Garmin’s dezl line of GPS navigation devices.

phone/tablet apps available for both Android and iOS devices provide the driver interface.

For his reefer fleet, Spencer invested in four BITs for his own 2015 Cascadia, the truck of his Utahbased partner-owner and two operated by drivers in Ohio. To serve the company’s principal shipper account, Spencer and the partner load out of Utah and meet the company’s other two Ohio-based drivers in Morris,

LET J. J. KELLER HELP YOU MAKE THE

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ELD BUYERS’ GUIDE

CELLULAR SERVICE CAN ADD MONTHLY FEES TO ELD Most any BYOD-type ELD with dedicated tablets will come with monthly costs for a data plan. In the case of Wade Spencer’s four-truck fleet, running the BIT ELD from Blue Ink Technology, the ECM plug-in devices are paired with dedicated $10 LG tablets. These come with their own fees for cellular service, necessary for the ELD to work properly.

In Spencer’s case, that amounts to about $20 a month per tablet on his unlimited data plan. If he tried, he says, he could negotiate that cost down, given the BIT ELD uses only about 200 megabytes per month.

If you’re pairing BIT or another BYOD with a smartphone or tablet you already have with a service plan, such cost wouldn’t necessarily figure into your back-of-the-envelope return-on-investment calculation. Also keep that 200-MB data figure in mind when considering lumping ELD service into a pre-existing data plan. It’s probably a good estimate, unless perhaps the device is collecting/communicating position data more frequently for IFTA purposes.

Spencer says BIT estimates a 700-MB monthly figure per ELD with its add-on IFTA featured enabled. Other companies have estimated a good deal less than both figures.

Cellular services can be limited to particular functions with most cellular providers. As other fleets have done, Spen-

Continental’s VDO RoadLog is the only dedicated ELD with a built-in printer for log checks, which sales manager Jeff Waterstreet believes roadside enforcement is going to like as states continue to transition to electronic ELD data transfer. At press time, FMCSA continued to work on building out infrastructure for that, and most states had yet to be close to implementing it.

Illinois, to swap loaded reefers with the others’ empties.

Adding ELDs was just another expense to be minimized. Spencer says his biggest issue with another BYOD ELD product he tried, BigRoad, was its monthly fee. BigRoad charges $25 per truck for full ELD service.

12

eld buyers’ guide

| november 2017

cer locks down the LG tablets to just a few functions (BIT, the company website and email, CoPilot truck navigation). For functions such as Netflix viewing during downtime, drivers can use a WiFi connection.

The web-based administration back end of Blue Ink Technology’s ELD system is four-truck-fleet owner Wade Spencer’s portal into his company’s hours of service records. Blue Ink provides the portal free for all buyers of its BIT ELD and offers IFTA recording and other features for a price.

With BIT, he’s eliminated those fees and also mitigated an issue he saw with BigRoad and BYOD ELD competitor KeepTruckin. “They don’t leave things simple” when it comes to the driver’s navigation upon making changes, in Spencer’s view. “My partner’s 72 years old, almost done [trucking]. I’m 47. One of our [Ohio] drivers is 58 or 59, one is 68. I’ve got older drivers who can’t stand change and technology.”

With brothers Mike and Chris Riegel of Blue Ink, Spencer believes he’s found a company committed to simplicity.

“I said, ‘If you’re going to make changes, leave the old version, or have the option to leave the screens as they sit. I cannot deal with lots of changes with these guys who just don’t want to deal with technology.’ ” Spencer proposed a fix, and they accommodated that and other suggestions, he says.

All five companies to one degree or another sing the same tune, offering low costs and simplicity to appeal to the small fleet market.

Zed, whose Zed Connect ELD is

its first product, was launched by Cummins as a separate but affiliated company to provide technology features to fleets. “There are a lot of truckers out there who don’t want to have that monthly fee and the charges for a lot of things that aren’t applicable to their business,” said Jill Nowlin, sales director.

One20’s marketing of the F-ELD,

CARRIERS’ MOST IMPORTANT ELD SELECTION CRITERIA

More carriers cite low cost over any other factor in choosing an ELD. SOURCE: 2016 COMDATA SURVEY

www.vdoroadlog.com

Compliant now. Compliant in the future.

VDO RoadLog™ ELD ✓ 100% FMCSA ELD mandate compliance – with free software updates to maintain compliance in the future.

VDO, RoadLog, and RoadLog Office – Trademarks of the Continental Corporation

✓ Built-in printer to get through inspections faster. ✓ Works with RoadLog Office™ – online fleet management and compliance reporting tool.

✓ Available with no monthly fees.

www.vdoroadlog.com (855)-ROADLOG roadlog-sales@vdo.com

ELD BUYERS’ GUIDE

INNOVATIVE PRICING AS COMPETITION HEATS UP BIGROAD: Smartphone logging app and ELD provider BigRoad offered an incentive to users and others in its efforts to make a bigger splash with its DashLink ELD: Join its network of referrers, and get $75 for each tracked referral. The referral program’s not limited to current BigRoad DashLink subscribers; the company says it’s open to the public. The company views the program as one way to potentially “offset the financial burden of electronic logging devices.” For rewards to be delivered, the referred customer must sign up for a one-year contract, paid upfront. BigRoad’s DashLink product is available for no initial hardware cost, with subscription fees at $19.50 monthly, a three-month-free promotion also offsetting costs.

MAGELLAN: Longtime GPS provider Magellan’s new ELD software is capable of operating in a BYOD configuration with select Samsung tablets and smartphones. The company also is offering an ELD bundle, including the first three years of service, for an MSRP of $849. The companies pitch the Magellan/Samsung partnership as a way to separate work and play on Samsung’s marquee TAB-E tablet. Drivers can use the device in both ways, with sophisticated truck-specific navigation easily toggled to the hours of service software module, with The Magellan ELD’s marriage between sophisticated navigation and its electronic access to online streaming, games and logbook allows for one-touch toggling more via the tablet’s consumer-focused between the two. features. The ELD bundle includes a ruggedized mounting device, the Samsung tablet, ECM connector and more. After the first three years, owners can choose to renew annually or on longer terms at a price comparable to what other ELDs are offering, between $15-$25 monthly.

KEEPTRUCKIN: For carriers contracted with the TQL brokerage, the KeepTruckin BYOD-type ELD offered a 20 percent discount on the $20 monthly fee associated with its product. Carriers contracted with TQL, the No. 2 largest truckload brokerage in the nation, are eligible to take advantage of the discount for a $16/month rate (no startup costs) on the KeepTruckin service. KeepTruckin’s basic smartphone-based log book has long been among the two most popular with drivers. (BigRoad is the other.)

as suggested by the name, is targeted directly to those who see the mandated shift to e-logs as little more than a nuisance or worse. The driver-oriented company’s principal smartphone app attempts to harness the buying power of groups to deliver discounts on services and products on the road.

Continental has long spoken of its noncellular base model VDO RoadLog as a small fleet-focused device.

Sales manager Jeff Waterstreet notes ongoing confidence in that pitch, though the RoadLog is the most 14

eld buyers’ guide

| november 2017

expensive among devices without monthly fees.

“VDO is maybe the only appliance-type device that’s out there specifically designed to record hours of service, Waterstreet says. Also given that it doesn’t open up a cellular connection to the internet, Waterstreet believes it will appeal to a small fleet interested in covering the need for an ELD with a device dedicated to logging and little else.

The company’s positioned to service its user base in the event of malfunctions, given a distribution

network that includes most major truck dealers. Hotshot driver Buster Lewis, based near Charlotte, North Carolina, runs with the VDO RoadLog and lauds Continental’s technical support. “This company has treated me like I have a fleet of trucks,” Lewis says.

The RoadLog comes with a builtin printer and a one-year warranty, which the company honored twice for Lewis after early iterations of the product gave him trouble.

Yet another trucking household name has gotten into this market, turning heads earlier in the year when it announced intentions to market a no-monthly-fee ELD product. Garmin’s eLog ECM plug-in ($250) is operable with BYOD Android and iOS devices and also is compatible with the company’s dezl line of truck-specific GPS navigators.

Says Tim Farrell, Garmin’s national accounts sales manager, “We saw a need for one that was not going to require a subscription and major installation processes with third parties being involved.”

The Garmin eLog plugs into the diagnostics port and has a built-in nine-pin connector.

“We also include a six-pin adapter,” enabling it to cover the majority of commercial trucks, Farrell says, though Mack/Volvo is a bit different.

“No subscription is a huge benefit,” he says.

Farrell also sees his company’s pricing model as covering a hole in the ELD market, one that’s going to give all of them a leg up in the mad dash to adopt as Dec. 18 approaches.

“We’ve definitely tried to make sure we’ve got things set up with our distributor partners and key retailers that will be carrying it,” Farrell says. “It’s a sort of onetime thing. It’s a push all at once, and it may be a consistent sales volume after that.”

Factory-fit telematics work with ELD partners

I

their investments in remote diagnostics and telematics can pay dividends for third-party ELD providers.

Paccar installs a PeopleNet telematics unit in Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks with Paccar MX-13 engines at the factory. To run PeopleNet’s eDriver Logs application, truck owners would need to purchase or lease one of the vendor’s driver displays, but they would gain additional value beyond compliance.

“The customer gets access to Paccar’s detailed and advanced maintenance services preloaded on the device, along with PeopleNet’s fleet management capabilities,” says Eric Witty, vice president of product for PeopleNet. Daimler Trucks North America installs Zonar’s telematics unit, the

V3, in Freightliner and Western Star trucks at the factory. DTNA uses V3 to power its Virtual Technician remote diagnostics service, allowing Zonar’s Connect and 2020 tablets to run the ELD application.

The 2018 Freightliner Cascadia has a new platform with the capability to integrate with other third-party ELD applications, says Greg Treinen, sales and marketing manager of connectivity for DTNA. Navistar recently expanded its OnCommand Connection diagnostics platform. The company rolled out OnCommand Connection Telematics and OnCommand Connection Marketplace, which features an ELD app.

See the chart on page 16 for more information.

Courtesy of Mack Trucks

n a perfect world, any ELD software developer could leverage the mileage and engine data from telematics devices that truck makers install at the factory. The data could be accessed by a mobile app through a local Bluetooth connection or be fed to apps installed on a truck’s touchscreen infotainment system.

Absent a printer as a backup, the ELD rule requires that logs be viewable by law enforcement officers in a display. For this reason, it might not make sense for truck makers to install a computing device with a non-mobile display, says Wes Mays, director of OEM solutions for Omnitracs.

While truck makers are not in the ELD business — at least not yet —

BY AARON HUFF

Mack Trucks and Telogis are offering a free 30-day trial of Mack Fleet Management Services with Telogis Fleet. As with Volvo, Telogis has a connectivity agreement with Mack, allowing the telematics service provider to use data from Mack’s factory-installed telematics device to deliver on a variety of management applications, including electronic logs. november 2017 | eld buyers’ guide

15

ATS Fleet Management Solutions

BigRoad

Blue Ink Technology

Blue Tree Systems

CarrierWeb

ELD ABW w/ ATS e-Track Certified

DashLink ELD

BIT ELD

BT500

CarrierMate

BYOD | Android, iOS | tablet options available

BYOD | Android

BYOD | Android, iOS

BYOD | Android, iOS

BYOD | Android Dedicated unit | two options, Win-CE (5700) and Android (7000) OS

$69 BYOD, $0 with lease, $195 dedicated $75 to purchase ECM link

$0

$99 (includes first month of service) or $199 (includes first year)

$0 with lease, $295 option to bring own engine-connection hardware

Monthly: $17$43 depending on options

Monthly: $15$40 depending on options

Monthly: $25 and higher

Monthly: $15

Monthly: $15 per user, $10 per truck; $15.60 per user/truck for first 15 months for 1-2-truck O-Os

$0

Monthly: $20- Monthly: $31 $55 depending and lower on options

Other capabilities beyond logs

IFTA, truck routing, navigation, dispatch

IFTA, AOBRD/ ELD operating modes, signature capture, proactive notifications, back-office integration, Canada/California/oilfield support

Customizable for fleet management functions, dispatching, engine diagnostics, geofencing, driver behavior reporting/ management, more from Fleet Complete Store

IFTA, optional close support software; ELD ABW otherwise is a baseline compliance device, and ATS provides e-Track Certified software that powers it

Document capture and sharing, engine diagnostics, back-office dispatch geared to small fleets

IFTA, fault code reading, maintenance features available

Wi-Fi hotspot, driver scoring (in performance, safety and compliance), navigation, jobs workflow management, reefer temperature monitoring

Driver/truck performance and engine diagnostics/ preventive maintenance reporting, incab scanning, navigation; road segment speeding available at additional cost

On FMCSA registry?

Yes (powered

by HOS247)

Yes

Yes (powered

by BigRoad)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Find more information

A1ELD.com

AssuredTracking.com

ATT.FleetComplete.com

ELD.ABW.com

BigRoad.com

BlueInkTech. com

BlueTreeSystems.com

CarrierWeb. com

Provider

A1 ELD

Apollo Solutions

Device Name

A1 ELD

Apollo

AT&T Fleet Complete HOS

Type of Device

BYOD | Android | or dedicated unit

BYOD | Android, iOS

Initial cost

Ongoing lease or service fees per truck

AT&T Fleet Complete

$0 with lease/ purchase over 3-5 years

$749, lease options available

Provider

Cartasite

Continental

Coretex

Dispatching Solutions

DriverTech

Device Name

DriveTime

VDO RoadLog

Coretex Drive

DSI eLogs

DT4000 Rev 7

Type of Device

BYOD | Android, iOS | or paired with ruggedized tablet

Dedicated unit

Dedicated unit

Dedicated unit or BYOD | Android, iOS

Initial cost

$0 with lease, $600 approximately with dedicated tablet

$700, or $0 with lease option

$750

Ongoing lease or service fees per truck

Monthly: $15$30

$0 for logs, DVIR, IFTA miles

Other capabilities beyond logs

IFTA; work order dispatching; option to pair with driver safety features, scorecards, GPS tracking, notifications and additional fleet management tools

On FMCSA registry?

Find more information

Eclipse Software

E-Log Plus

ELD Solutions

RapidLog ELD-200

E-Log Plus

ELDS

Dedicated unit

BYOD | Android mobile device or Windows laptop

BYOD | Android (iOS coming soon) or paired with ELP-branded Samsung tablet

BYOD | Android or paired with dedicated tablet

$450-$700 depending on hardware, capabilities

$799

$299

$169 in BYOD configuration, higher with tablet

$0 with 3-year hardware lease

Monthly: $40 and higher

Monthly: $20 for ELD, $40 for ELD and GPS

Monthly: $30 and higher depending on options

Monthly: $15$35 depending on option package

Monthly: $19

Monthly: $20 and higher for BYOD, $50 and higher for dedicated

Built-in thermal printer, real-time data transfer, fuel consumption, engine diagnostics, driver scorecard, integrated dispatch for small fleets

IFTA, driver behavior monitoring, EMS data, vehicle service manager, tracking, replay

GPS tracking, transport and order management, smart forms, alerts, geofencing, IFTA, device events, more

Dashcam w/ critical event capture; navigation; integrations with some TMS, diagnostics and tire-inflation providers; smartphone app to link business processes to drivers

Special pricing for current log-audit customers, IFTA, route tracking, phone lock, three-tiered compliance warnings

IFTA, maintenance alerts, oilfield-capable, auto-backup to cloud storage account, supports up to 6-driver slip seat

IFTA, driver communication, geofencing, engine diagnostics, custom alerts, 100+ reports, third-party software integrations

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Cartasite.com

VDORoadLog. com

Coretex.com

DSIMobile. com

DriverTech. com

RapidLog.com

E-LogPlus.com

ELDSolutions. com

ERoad

Fleetmatics

FleetUp

Forward Thinking Systems

Device Name

ERoad ELD

Reveal Logbook ELD

FleetUp

Field Warrior

Garmin eLog

HG100

Geotab Go

Prime8 ELD

Type of Device

Dedicated unit

BYOD | Android

BYOD | Android, iOS

BYOD | Android (iOS coming soon) | or paired with dedicated Garmin Fleet

BYOD | Android, iOS (also compatible with dezl GPS navigators)

BYOD | Android, iOS

BYOD | Android, iOS

BYOD | Android, iOS | hard mount options available

Initial cost

$0 with monthly plan

$0

$0 with lease

$0 with hardware lease

$250

$0 with oneyear service commitment, otherwise $129

$170

$175 to purchase, $7 monthly to lease

Ongoing lease or service fees per truck

Monthly: $35$60 depending on options

Monthly: $46

Monthly: $25 and higher

Monthly: $10$40 depending on device type

$0

Monthly: $17

Monthly: $20-$30 approximately

Monthly: $12$24

Other capabilities beyond logs

Electronic weight-mile tax, IFTA, IRP recordkeeping; driver behavior reporting/ management; maintenance, fuel and other management functions; geofencing and retrospective event tools; TMS integrations

Work optimization, over-the-air updates, IFTA data collection, engine diagnostics, route optimization

Patented fuel waste analysis, e-maintenance, engine diagnostics, IFTA, geofencing, voiceover HOS, driving and vehicle alerts, complete trip history, full fleet management solution

Geofencing, maintenance tracking, driver scorecards, IFTA, systems integration, truck-specific navigation, live-streaming cameras, signature/ image capture, roadside assistance program, more

IFTA, local transfer of logs via USB/ Bluetooth during inspections, in-device storage, quick-glance compliance

Maintenance resolution/ tracking, paperless manifests and barcoding, dispatch, time-card functionality, route logging, signature capture, detention tracking/billing, mapping

IFTA data collection, engine diagnostics, driver scorecards and coaching, safety/risk management functions, data integration for management, IOX expansion, more custom add-ons from Geotab Marketplace

Fleet management portal, user/vehicle list details, driver alerts, integrated AOBRD option, short haul and e-log settings available for blended fleets, various packages available

On FMCSA registry?

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Find more information

ERoad.com

Fleetmatics. com

FleetUp.com

FTSGPS.com

Garmin.com

Geowiz.biz

Geotab.com

GorillaSafety. com

Provider

Garmin International

GeoSpace Labs

Geotab

Gorilla Safety

ISE Fleet Services

J.J. Keller

Edge MDT / Journey8 tablet

eFleetSuite

Encompass

Dedicated unit

Dedicated units

Dedicated unit

BYOD | Android, iOS | or paired with dedicated J.J. Keller Compliance Tablet

$0

$475, lease options available

$499 and up depending on configuration

$575, lease options available

$0 with BYOD option

Monthly: BYOD, $17-$23 | Dedicated, $31-$37

Monthly: $15 (two years prepaid) or $18 (one year)

Monthly: $15 and higher depending on options

Monthly: $25 and higher depending on options and configuration

Monthly: $24

Monthly: $11 (less with multi-driver discounting)

IFTA data collection, engine diagnostics, routing, hierarchy functions for larger fleets, suite of tailored GPS tracking solutions

IFTA; compliance monitoring; document management; vehicle diagnostics; third-party access for shippers, brokers and accountants; custom integrations with dispatch, routing and load boards

IFTA data collection, AOBRD/ELD modes

IFTA, engine diagnostics, maintenance management, compliance systems, tire pressure/trailer monitoring, signature capture, Canada/U.S. oilfield and utility service vehicle support, more

Edge MDT features ruggedized builtin scanner; Journey8 tablet paired with a wireless dongle to the ECM (optional scanner); 8- and 10-inch screens, a la carte pricing for options, more

IFTA data collection, compliance, mapping, customizable

Optional IFTA reporting, navigation, engine diagnostics, driver qualification, drug and alcohol management, accident tracking, training, recordkeeping

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

GorillaSafety. com

GPSInsight. com

HOS247.com

HOS-Reporter. com

HutchSystems. com

iGlobalLLC. com

ISEFleetServices.com

JJKeller.com/ ELogs

Gorilla Safety

GPS Insight

HOS 247

HOS Reporter

Hutch

iGlobal

Device Name

Flex AOBRD

ELD 2000

HOS 247 ELD & ELD Connect

HOS Reporter-BT

Mercury

Type of Device

BYOD | Android, iOS | hard mount options available

Dedicated unit

BYOD | Android (iOS coming soon) or ELD Connect dedicated unit

BYOD | Android, iOS | or paired with dedicated tablet

Initial cost

$0

$650 for ELD2000 and GPS tracking device combo; rental, $150 set-up fee

BYOD: $0 with oneyear service commitment, otherwise $69 | Dedicated: $149-$218

Monthly: $10

Monthly: $35 and higher with ELD/GPS purchase; rental: $60

Other capabilities beyond logs

AOBRD only, available to install only prior to Dec. 18 ELD deadline; fleet management portal, user/vehicle list details, driver alerts, short haul and e-log settings available for blended fleets

On FMCSA registry?

Find more information

Provider

Ongoing lease or service fees per truck

Load Logistics

M2M in Motion

Linxup ELD

Load Logistics TMS

BYOD | Android, iOS

Dedicated tablets | Android, iOS options

$0 with hardware lease

$0

Monthly: $20 for service

Other capabilities beyond logs

Magellan

MiX Telematics

Mobile Warrior

M2M018

Magellan HOS Compliance

MiX Rovi

iDDL

BYOD | Android tablets

BYOD | Android (iOS coming soon)

Dedicated unit | BYOD select Samsung devices

Dedicated unit

BYOD | Android, iOS

$100 with contract, $250 without

$499 for adaptable engine relay

$0 with lease-purchase

$849 for dedicated Magellan bundle | BYOD varies

$0 with lease

$0 with lease, $175

Monthly: $20 or $10 with three-year commitment

Monthly: $30$50 depending on options

Monthly: $25 and higher

Monthly: $18 and higher

$0 while under contract for Magellan device | BYOD varies monthly with service bundle

Monthly: Varies with service plan/ bundle

Monthly: $15-$30

IFTA, idle-time tracking, engine diagnostics, geofencing, driver scorecards, TMS integrations (TMW, McLeod)

IFTA, simple installation, control tower, dashboards, fuel options, navigation/ mapping, patent-pending GoLoad truckload freight matching

AOBRD/ELD and reporting capabilities, IFTA, tracking/ fleet management options

IFTA, dispatch/ load functions, engine connection easily transferred from truck to truck, engine diagnostics, lane analysis, customizable for small fleet management

IFTA, engine diagnostics, dashcam with critical-event capture and delivery, driver scoring, trailer tracking, mobile device management/ lockdown capabilities, more

IFTA, refined GPS, other functionality depending on configuration

IFTA, geofencing, maintenance tools, driver/ vehicle utilization tools, fuel/engine monitoring, integrated video cameras, distracted and fatigued driving monitoring, collision avoidance, mobile apps

IFTA, touchfree driver ELD gauge, dispatch/load functions, document capture, time card and expense tracking with integration to accounting, DVIR, backend admin portal for office, more

On FMCSA registry?

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Find more information

KeepTruckin. com

Konexial.com

Linxup.com

Load-Logistics.com

M2MinMotion. com

MagellanGPS. com

MiXTelematics. com

MobileWarrior. com

Provider

KeepTruckin

Koniexal

Linxup

Device Name

KeepTruckin

My20

Type of Device

BYOD | Android, iOS

Initial cost

Ongoing lease or service fees per truck

Omnitracs

Omnitracs

One20

Pedigree Technologies

Pegasus TransTech

Nero Global Tracking

MCP/IVG

XRS

F-ELD

ELD Chrome

Transflo ELD T7 eDriver Logs

BYOD | Android, iOS

BYOD | Android | or paired with dedicated Android tablet

Dedicated units

BYOD | Company-certified Android devices

BYOD | Android, iOS

Cab-Mate Open: BYOD, Android | CabMate Connect: Dedicated unit | Cab-Mate One: All-in-one plug-and-play

BYOD | Android, iOS

Dedicated units

$120

$0 with hardware lease, $200 or higher without

$799 and up depending on model, lease options available

$0 with hardware lease option

$170

$0 with lease, $399-$799 for dedicated unit, $299-$399 for BYOD solution

$99 for hardware/ harness, $0 with long-term contract

$0 with lease option up to $2,000 depending on capabilities

Ongoing lease or service fees per truck

Monthly: $20 and higher

Monthly: Monthly: $20 and higher $23 and higher

Monthly: $23 and higher

$0

Monthly: $20 and higher

Monthly: $18 and higher depending on plan selected

Monthly: $30-$60 for service, more with lease if applicable

Other capabilities beyond logs

Vehicle location tracking, geofencing, harsh braking/ acceleration/ idle reporting, breadcrumb trails; error help and alerts of violations, IFTA, advanced vehicle diagnostics

Engine diagnostics, fuel management, IFTA data collection, alerts and reports, geofencing, driver scorecards, maintenance module, more

Engine diagnostics, mobile-based weigh station bypass, IFTA, in-cab scanning, truck navigation, geofencing, custom forms, TMS integration, idle tracking, video recording, simple installation, more

Base service plan includes engine diagnostics and fuel-purchase and maintenance functions; Premium package includes IFTA and navigation with oilfield capability

Base functionality for logs and DVIR, roadside mode password-protected

IFTA, engine diagnostics standard; customizable with fleet management functions including dispatch, forms, job management, maintenance, tires, seatbelts, trailer tracking, temperature monitoring, more

IFTA, engine performance data, driver behavior insights, accident detection and reconstruction, TMS integration, loads, dispatch chat, weather, routing, document scanning, more

Customizable for fleet management functions, mobile-based weigh station bypass

On FMCSA registry?

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Find more information

OnCommandConnection. com

NeroGlobal. com

Omnitracs.com

Omnitracs.com One20.com/ ELD

ELDCertified. com

Transflo.com

PeopleNetOnline.com

Navistar

Nero Global Tracking

Device Name

OnCommand Connection

Type of Device

Initial cost

Provider

PeopleNet

Simple Truck ELD

Spireon

Stoneridge

Teletrac Navman

ELD50

Simple Truck ELD

FleetLocate Compliance

EZ-ELD

Director Drive

Dedicated unit

BYOD | Android | or paired with TND tablet

BYOD | Android, iOS | tablet options available

BYOD | Android, iOS

BYOD | Android, iOS

Dedicated unit

$399, custom options available for larger fleets

$699, custom options available for larger fleets

$149

$0 for BYOD, $10 for tablet with 200 MB subsequent data allowance

$0 with lease

$149

$0 with lease

Monthly: $19.20-$22.20/ month or $4/ month on top of InfoPlus subscription

Monthly: $25 and higher

Monthly: $20 and higher

Monthly: $15 and higher

Monthly: $19 and higher

Monthly: $28 and higher

Monthly: $15 | Annually: $150

Monthly: $45 and higher depending on options

Other capabilities beyond logs

Sophisticated tracking tools, fleet management functions (including dashboards), IFTA, more

TMS integration, workflow, IFTA, mapping, analytics, engine diagnostics, cellular modem

Truck-specific navigation, TMS integration, workflow, IFTA, mapping, analytics, diagnostics

TMS integration, workflow, IFTA, mapping, analytics, diagnostics

IFTA, free 2290 filing with affiliated tax service, parking assistance, diagnostics data, load boards, roadside assistance, discounted fuel cards, fuel management, available in Spanish

IFTA, driver safety alerts/ reports, driver scores, audible alerts, engine diagnostics

IFTA, engine diagnostics, three interchangeable onboard diagnostics (OBD) port connectors, maintenance/ driver alerts, sophisticated tracking/vehicle location, six months of on-device data storage, more

IFTA, engine diagnostics, dispatch and messaging, safety analytics, workflow solutions, truck-based navigation, driver scorecards, TMS integration

On FMCSA registry?

No

No

No

No

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Find more information

Quartix.com

RandMcNally. com

RandMcNally. com

RandMcNally. com

SimpleTruckELD.com

Spireon.com

EZ-ELD.com

TeletracNavman.com

Quartix

Rand McNally

Rand McNally

Rand McNally

Device Name

Electronic Logging from Quartix

DC200

TND765

Type of Device

BYOD | Android tablets

BYOD | Android | or paired with TND tablet

Initial cost

$79-$119 depending on available promotions

Ongoing lease or service fees per truck

Provider

Provider

Telogis

Trimble

Trucklogger

TruckX

TruxTrax

UTech Inc.

Zed Connect

Zonar

Device Name

Telogis WorkPlan

FieldMaster Logs

Trucklogger 4.0

XELD

TruxBox ELD

GPSTab ELD Edition

Zed ELD

Zonar Logs

Type of Device

BYOD | Android, iOS

Dedicated unit

BYOD | Android, iOS

BYOD | Android, iOS

BYOD | Android, iOS

BOYD | Android

BYOD | Android, iOS

Dedicated unit (Zonar Android tablets)

Initial cost

$0 with lease option up to $100 and more

$0 with monthly plan

$99

$0

$0

$0 with lease, $200 to purchase ELD plug

$200

Varies according to fleet size and options chosen

Ongoing lease or service fees per truck

Monthly: $36 including hardware lease and up

Monthly: $60 and higher depending on options

Monthly: $5

Monthly: $15$21 per truck, unlimited drivers

Monthly: $20 with one-year commitment, $25 month to month

Monthly: $20

$0

Varies with service plan/ features

Other capabilities beyond logs

Document capture, trip plan sharing, engine diagnostics and prognostics, more

Rule sets for vocational trucks, driver monitoring, proactive alerts, geofencing, offroad telematics, PTO tracking, engine diagnostics

IFTA, per diem and load analysis reports

IFTA, route history, dispatch, share specific load tracking, engine diagnostics, service and maintenance reminders

IFTA, expense and fuel tracking/reporting, more

IFTA, load location sharing with customer, document scanner, driver scorecard, flexible reporting

Route management, fleet dashboard

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity for dispatch, management, operational functions; camera; navigation; Android compatibility; over-the-air updates

On FMCSA registry?

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Find more information

Telogis.com

Trimble.com

Trucklogger. mobi

TruckX.com

TruxTrax.com

UtechCorp. com

Zed-ELD.com

ZonarSystems. com

Product Roundup AT&T FLEET COMPLETE

COMPLIANCE ASSURANCE SERVICES TRULOG

Fleet Complete provides fleet management telematics and technologies to businesses of all sizes. It has an exclusive relationship with AT&T to provide a nationwide wireless network and an intuitive cloud-based IoT platform. The AT&T Fleet Complete ELD, powered by BigRoad, is designed to be simple and flexible. It automates recordkeeping and improves compliance without interfering with the driver’s actions. The app proactively notifies drivers of hours-of-service violations and form-and-manner errors, allowing them to correct issues before they result in costly fines. It is available on Android and iOS, requiring no proprietary mobile device. There is no initial cost, and the monthly fee starts at $25/month.

The integrated AT&T Fleet Complete BigRoad platform is offered through our North American channel partner, AT&T. We are proud to be the winner of this year’s Frost & Sullivan Award for Customer Value Leadership in ELD Solutions Industry.

AT&T Fleet Complete, ATT.FleetComplete.com/ELD

Compliance Assurance Services’ TruLog is a mobile app for electronic logging device compliance that meets all FMCSA regulatory requirements. The ELD easily plugs in to the vehicle’s electronic control module, which communicates with the app on a mobile device (smartphone or tablet) and transmits required data to update hours-of-service information that is stored securely and shared easily with safety investigators and regulatory agencies. The user-friendly app has a sleek design that’s simple to use and easy to read. The information includes easy-to-understand updates on mileage, fuel and GPS location.

The app’s comprehensive tools provide advanced functionality such as electronic DVIRs, automated maintenance work orders and accident reporting. It is designed for simple, fast image and file uploading, including bills of lading or pictures from an accident. The app’s multi-user capability allows owner-operators to manage two accounts, one as a driver and one as a supervisor.

Compliance Assurance Services, TrulogELD.com

CONTINENTAL VDO ROADLOG

CORETEX DRIVE

VDO RoadLog has a built-in thermal printer that provides an instant hard copy that resembles a traditional paper logbook grid for an inspection officer to review.

A paper printout eliminates technical issues involving transferring log data that otherwise might lead to drivers handing over their personal cell phones to an officer or having the officer climb into the cab to review an electronic logging device screen. VDO RoadLog ELDs work with VDO RoadLog Office, an online fleet management tool for automated compliance reporting designed for fast, secure data transfers and automatic online record backup. The product also helps automate IRP and IFTA reporting, as well as pre-and posttrip inspections.

VDO RoadLog is designed for easy installation and use and is available without monthly fees or contracts. Optional features include Driver/Vehicle Track & Trace, Load & Trip Management, VDO RoadLog Office Advanced and VDO RoadLog Office Premium.

VDO Commercial Vehicles, VDORoadLog.com 24

eld buyers’ guide

| november 2017

The FMCSA-registered Coretex Drive electronic logging device is a purpose-built tablet-based in-cab system that links drivers to vehicles and vehicles to dispatchers. Working in harmony with Coretex 360, Drive gives drivers the information they need to do their jobs efficiently and safely. Built around a modular app framework, Coretex Drive also offers single-pane-of-glass access to turn-by-turn trucking navigation, messaging, jobs, DVIRs, checklists, fatigue information, real-time driver feedback, IFTA data collection, vehicle service management, tracking, replay and a choice of custom applications.

Drive is optimized to run on Coretex-supplied Samsung and TomTom Bridge tablets, and the system also makes it easy to roll out Android-based mobile apps to drivers quickly and securely. The initial cost for the device and service is $750, and the ongoing lease or service fees per truck are $40 per month and higher.

Coretex, Coretex.com

Tue Aug 01 2017

ELD BUYERS’ GUIDE GEOTAB DRIVE

GPS INSIGHT ELD-2000

Geotab Drive is a FMCSA-compliant device for monitoring hours of service, DVIRs and driver identification.

The app syncs data between the Geotab Go plug-in device and a tablet to provide automatic duty status changes, violation alerts and end-to-end inspection workflow, all in one user-friendly platform. Geotab Drive is compatible with the company’s Go 6 and Go 7 devices, IOX-USB and Android or iOS. In addition to electronic logging, Go’s capabilities include IFTA data collection, engine diagnostics, driver scorecards, safety/risk management functions and data integration for management; more custom additions are available from the Geotab Marketplace.

The initial cost for the FMCSA-registered device is $170, and the ongoing lease or service fee per truck is about $20 to $30 per month.

Geotab, Geotab.com

GPS Insight’s ELD-2000 system bundles a GPS tracking, alerting and reporting device hardwired to a ruggedized Android tablet designed with an intuitive user interface.

The electronic logging device also offers messaging for drivers and dispatch to reduce the number of phone calls and streamline communications with individual drivers or the entire fleet, as well as navigation to allow management to dispatch audible and visual directions using designated truck-specific routes for each job to drivers.

A web-based management portal is accessible via PC, tablet and smartphone. Costs range from $34.96 to $60 depending on customer requirements and purchasing method.

GPS Insight, GPSInsight.com

J.J. KELLER ENCOMPASS

PEDIGREE TECHNOLOGIES CAB-MATE ONE

The J.J. Keller suite of electronic hours-of-service products provides companies a full range of services, including electronic logging device technology, startup assistance, data management and HOS guidance. J.J. Keller ELogs offers flexibility with an ELD that works with all vehicle classes, can be used with drivers’ smart devices and installs in just 10 minutes.

J.J. Keller ELogs features the Encompass cloud-based fleet management system that automatically audits drivers’ logs against available HOS rule sets, helping fleet professionals immediately identify violations through exception-based reports and compliance alerts. Encompass offers fleets the ability to accommodate personal conveyance and track nonregulated and exempt drivers, giving companies a real-time view of critical fleet information.

Fleets can upgrade Encompass for automated IFTA reporting; paperless recordkeeping; tracking of driver qualification, alcohol and drug reporting; accident tracking; unit permitting and registration documentation; and more.

J.J. Keller, JJKeller.com/ELogs

Pedigree Technologies recently launched Cab-Mate One as the most affordable and easiest electronic logging plug-and-play device to install (five minutes).

The Cab-Mate One is the third addition to the company’s FMCSA-certified ELD Chrome offering, built on the award-winning, intuitive and reliable OneView platform.

Not only are packages based on a customer’s specific needs and budget, the offerings also are developed using customer feedback and real-life applications.

This means Android-ready ELD Chrome offers FMCSA compliance with options for expandability into a full suite of comprehensive business management tools, from basic ELD to trailer, equipment and asset tracking and tire pressure, tank level and temperature monitoring. ELD Chrome was designed to enable consistent real-time visibility and actionable information with reliable connectivity and a fleet manager-approved interface.

Monthly fees are as low as $22/month depending on expanded applications and quantity pricing. The Cab-Mate One runs as low at $399 each when purchasing 100 or more units; $0 with lease.

Pedigree Technologies, PedigreeTechnologies.com

26

eld buyers’ guide

| november 2017

DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE UNKNOWN. GET TO KNOW US TODAY!

THE MOST POWERFUL SUITE OF TOOLS TO MANAGE YOUR FLEET AND TO COMPLY WITH NEW FMCSA ELD REGULATIONS

• • • • • • • • • • • • 1 World Trade Center, Ste. 2360 Long Beach, CA 90831

888.228.4460

FMCSA registered FREE service thru 2017 30-day money back guarantee Buy-Back guarantee Leasing options Financing options IFTA Location sharing Document scanner Driver score card Messaging Flexible Reporting

2900 S. 21st Avenue Broadview, IL 60155

| info@gpstab.com

www.gpstab.com

ELD BUYERS’ GUIDE PEGASUS TRANSTECH TRANSFLO ELD T7

ELECTRONIC LOGGING FROM QUARTIX

Pegasus TransTech’s Transflo ELD T7 is a BYOD device – smartphone or tablet – that is easy to use and available for both Android and iOS. At less than 3 inches, the device is durable and compact. Plug in and activate in minutes without a mechanic or special tools.

The Standard ELD Plan includes hours-of-service compliance, DVIRs and IFTA reporting information. The premium Fleet Telematics plan adds detailed truck maintenance and engine performance data, as well as driver behavior insights. It’s also available with transportation management software system integration. The hardware is available for less than $99, with monthly subscriptions starting at $18.

Transflo ELD T7 can be integrated with the rest of the Transflo Mobile product suite. Manage not only HOS but also loads, dispatch chat, weather and routing, document scanning, settlement statements and more. The device is available for purchase from Transflo, Transflo channel partners and Pilot Flying J, Love’s and TA Petro travel stops.

Pegasus TransTech, Transflo.com

Vehicle tracking specialists Quartix’s Electronic Logging product puts its current and future customers into compliance with FMCSA’s mandate.

It can be installed on its own or partnered with the company’s comprehensive vehicle tracking services. Available on the Google Play Store and compatible with Android tablet devices, Quartix’s Electronic Logging uses simple menu screens and input fields that allow drivers to log and change their duty status with minimal effort.

“Having been in the vehicle telematics industry for over 15 years providing fleet owners with management reports extending from real-time GPS tracking to IFTA filing figures, we are delighted to be able to further support our growing long-haul trucking customer base with our FMCSA-compliant solution,” says Ed Ralph, Quartix chief operating officer.

Starting at just $14.99, Quartix’s Electronic Logging is affordable for any budget.

Quartix, Quartix.com

UTECH GPSTab ELD EDITION GPSTab ELD Edition provides a powerful suite of tools to help you manage your fleet and comply with FMCSA regulations (AOBRD option coming soon). Evaluate the product risk-free with the company’s 30-day money-back guarantee with no contract and an “If Repealed” buy-back program and free software option for 2017.

It features live GPS tracking, location sharing, document scanning, driver scorecards, IFTA accounting, messaging, flexible reporting, detention hours tracking and telematics. The ability to share live shipment locations with customers reduces unnecessary tracking-related correspondence, enabling dispatchers to manage more accounts and focus on customer service. Tracking intervals from five seconds to one hour supply fleet owners with accurate, relevant information for better fleet management. Monitor location, speed, miles traveled, route selection and other driver activities to improve overall fleet safety and operations.

Alerts help drivers prevent violations, and proof of detention time and document scanning help drivers get paid faster.

GPSTab ELD Edition, GPSTab.com

28

eld buyers’ guide

| november 2017

ZONAR CONNECT Zonar Connect is a dedicated electronic logging device-compliant tablet that also offers Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity for dispatch, management and operational functions, as well as a camera, navigation, Android compatibility and over-the-air updates. Zonar Connect is connected even when outside of the cab, allowing the driver to submit completed documents and electronic DVIRs to dispatch without returning to the truck. The tablet recharges in its in-cab cradle and integrates with the company’s Ground Traffic Control to help provide fleets with better visibility of assets on the road.

Pricing for the unit and ongoing service varies according to fleet size, service plan and options chosen.

Zonar, ZonarSystems.com

TruLog ELD

THE APP BUILT BY DRIVERS FOR DRIVERS MAKE SURE YOU’RE READY FOR THE DECEMBER 18TH MANDATE. GET UP AND RUNNING IN A SNAP WITH TRULOG ELD. SLEEK DESIGN Simple to use and easy to read for both the Driver and Safety Investigator CLEAR & ACCURATE Easy-to-understand updates on mileage, fuel and GPS location COMPREHENSIVE TOOLS Advanced functionality like electronic DVIR, automated maintenance work orders and accident reporting

REGULATORY COMPLIANT Meets all FMCSA regulatory requirements UPLOAD PICS & DOCS Painless image and file uploading, such as bills of lading or pictures from an accident MULTI - USER CAPABILITY Owner-operators are able to manage two accounts, one as a driver and one as a supervisor

Find out for yourself how easy ELD compliance can be.

Contact us today for a TruLog demo at 888.627.5499 or TruLogELD.com.

SACK OLD HARDWARE & PAPERWORK IN NO TIME! TACKLE THE ELD MANDATE WITH GEOTAB.

New regulations mandate the use of electronic logging devices (ELDs) for records of duty status.

We’ll help you tackle the switch from paper to electronic logs with ease.

Count on Geotab to be your go-to source for fleet compliance management.

Our open platform and Cloud ELD solutions will help you meet compliance quickly and easily. We’ll enable your fleet to stay current with your choice of connected smartphones and tablets, so you not only stay in the game — but also in the lead. Learn more at geotab.com/SpikeELD

Your go-to guide for understanding, selecting and using technology in your trucking business.

SPEC’ING THE RIGHT TRACTOR FOR THE JOB

TRAILERS HAVE A BIG SAY IN MPG BATTLE

PAGE 68

PAGE 73

EASIER SHIFTING WITH AUTOMATED TRANSMISSIONS

HOW ELDS MAKE DRIVERS FEEL A NEED FOR SPEED

DON’T IGNORE WHO’S BEHIND THE WHEEL

PAGE 70

PAGE 71

PAGE 72 Tech Toolbox is a CCJ Special Report brought to you by OnCommand Connection.

Š 2017 , Inc. All rights reserved.

All marks are trademarks of their respective owners.

Today, no industry is going through change more rapidly than transportation. That’s why we’re committed to driving the future of connectivity within your business like never before.

You can either follow and try to keep up, or you can lead. At OnCommand® Connection, we’re not waiting for change, we’re leading the charge of change. Our innovative OnCommand Connection solutions are growing into new areas which allow you to harness all your transportation data, and make sense of it quickly and accurately. Giving you control at your fingertips.

We’re pushing the boundaries in connected services to get you the big data that’s most relevant to your business needs. Take command of uptime like never before with OnCommand Connection.

PART 11: Technology’s role in fuel economy

IT ALL STARTS WITH THE TRUCK

Spec for the application, but don’t overdo it FlowBelow’s wheel covers and tandem fairings are among a host of aerodynamic add-ons that have hit the highway in recent years to help fleets improve their fuel economy numbers.

How technology helps fleets earn more mpgs for their bucks

BY JASON CANNON THE U.S. NATIONAL FUEL ECONOMY

average for a Class 8 truck is about 6.4 mpg, but every year that number inches upward as a host of aerodynamic add-ons and more efficient modern engines hit the highway.

If you could boil it all down, the mpg potential for a line-haul U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2017-compliant Class 8 truck is probably around 8, while aggressive and complementary aerodynamic efficiency packages – along with persistent driver training and education – have pushed those figures to above and beyond 10 mpg.

As recently as just a few years ago, 10 mpg seemed like the kind of pie-in-the-sky figure that only truck stop braggarts would claim, but it’s real-world feasible as of this year.

In this 11th edition of CCJ’s Tech Toolbox, we look at the role technology has played in boosting fuel economy and, in at least one case, how it can have unintended negative effects.

This installment comes just more than a month after seven trucks, each driving specs common in their respective fleets, participated in the North American Council for Freight Efficiency’s Run On Less program. The trucks averaged 10.1 mpg over 99 days of driving and a combined 50,107 miles.

Be sure to visit CCJTechToolbox.com for other installments and multimedia content and to sign up for special Tech Toolbox webinars and newsletters.

WITH ALL THE aerodynamic upfits on the market today, it’s easy to focus on optimizing airflow around the truck to decrease fuel consumption.

But Jerry Morrow, vice president of Bellevue, Ohiobased regional carrier Ploger Transportation, says it’s critical that you first begin with the right truck for the job.

“You want to spec to your application,” Morrow says. “You want to get the right engine, transmission and [rear-end] ratio for your application. That would be the number-one thing that I would say someone needs to focus on. The other stuff, it’s just add-ons.”

Early on, Ploger recognized the impact that fuel efficiency could have on its bottom line.

Morrow says the fleetwide average is about 7.6 mpg – more than a full mpg over the national average and the fruit of nearly 20 years of work crafting the company’s truck specification.

“Before achieving fuel mileage was cool, we’ve been doing this,” he says.

“Back in the early ’90s, we

PART 11: Technology’s role in fuel economy were working on it.”

Part of that work involved getting a drive axle off the ground. Ploger, primarily a Volvo fleet, worked with the truck maker on the development of an adaptive loading lift axle.

Nussbaum Transportation made a similar change, leaving an axle down but taking power away from it. The Hudson, Ill.-based company has been spec’ing a 6x2 configuration since 2010 and fully converted its fleet of Freightliners by 2012.

That change has helped push the fleet’s warm-weather mpg average to 9.25 across 320 trucks per day.

“That means I’ve got drivers getting 10, 10.5, 11 miles a gallon,” says Brent Nussbaum, chief executive officer. “As a fleet on a year-round basis, we’re running about 8.5 miles a gallon.”

Nussbaum says dropping

“You want to spec to your application. You want to get the right engine, transmission and [rear-end] ratio.”

– Jerry Morrow, vice president, Ploger Transportation power to one drive axle hasn’t resulted in traction concerns.

“We have had very few jackknives on a 6x2 versus a 6x4,” he says. “If we have one or two a winter, it’s pretty rare.”

Ploger also was an early player in the lightweighting movement by adopting 11liter engines.

“We went to that probably six years ago,” Morrow says of Volvo’s D11 engine, adding the benefits of the shorter hood and smaller sleepers also were attractive.

“Some people question our preference of 11-liter engines, but they’re ideal for general freight applications, allowing us to haul heavier loads while

providing more than enough pulling power to tackle any hill,” adds Joel Morrow, Ploger’s senior driver and vice president for fleet equipment procurement. “It just makes good business sense.”

As recently as last year, Nussbaum Transportation looked at migrating to Detroit’s DD13, a reduction in size from the fleet’s preferred DD15. However, Nussbaum says he couldn’t make the same business case for the transition.

“If we could save some money on the 13-liter and a few pounds of weight, why would we not do that?” he says. “When we got done, we decided to stay with the

15-liter. There aren’t that many 13-liters out there in the overthe-road application.”

Nussbaum says comparing the fuel economy potential of the 13-liter versus the 15-liter didn’t make a strong case for the change, either. “They were absolutely identical,” he says.

The fleet doesn’t trade in its used tractors, opting rather to sell them to smaller fleets that are drawn to the company’s fuel-friendly specs.

“They’re used to buying 15-liters, and they like 15liters,” Nussbaum says. “Yeah, [a 15-liter engine] is a little bit more money, but ultimately I want to be able to sell the truck in the end.”

Bellevue, Ohio-based regional carrier Ploger Transportation, a Volvo fleet, worked with the truck maker on the development of an adaptive loading lift axle.

PART 11: Technology’s role in fuel economy Las Cruces, N.M.based Mesilla Valley Transportation started spec’ing automated transmissions after their technology and reliability blossomed.

AMTS PLAYING BIGGER ROLE

Smoother shifting, no over-revs both save fuel THE AUTOMATION of

many driver functions was designed for safety, but in the cases of automated transmissions and cruise control, more fuel efficiency has come along for the ride.

Prior to joining Las Cruces, N.M.-based Mesilla Valley Transportation (CCJ Top 250, No. 72), Emmanuel Santiago had grown accustomed to his manual transmission and plodding along at around 6 mpg.

Now outfitted in an International LT Model with an Eaton 10-speed automated transmission, Santiago almost has doubled that mark.

“It was new to adapt to it, but overall I’m happy with it,” he says, noting his personal average mpg can hit 12 under normal conditions. “It just depends on if we hit Rocky Moun-

tain areas. Sometimes I’ll go down as low as 10.5.”

Even at 10.5, Santiago is getting 4 mpg more than the national average and about 3 mpg more than what some OEMs consider average for EPA 2017 engines. He says his attention to fuel efficiency rivals only the checks he gives his mirrors on the highway.

Jerry Morrow, vice president of Ploger Transportation, says the regional carrier is also a believer in the impact an automated transmission can have on fuel consumption.

“For a typical driver, the [Volvo] I-Shift [AMT] takes the driver out of the equation if it’s spec’d right and it’s programmed right,” Morrow says.

“I would never buy anything else other than an AMT,” adds Brent Nuss-

baum, CEO of Nussbaum Transportation.

Mike Kelley, MVT chief information officer, says the company originally began spec’ing AMTs nearly a decade ago but abandoned that effort after seeing little benefit.

In the 10 years since, AMT technology and reliability have blossomed, and Kelley says MVT re-embraced them on new truck specs.

“I think that with the current AMTs that are out there, they are so much better,” he says. “The newer transmission will help you do the shifting at the right rpm and keep you in the lower spectrum of the rpm but will give you enough power.

It does have a good effect on the mpg and helps you maintain that because it’s taking away the driver’s ability to over-rev [the engine].”

Around 2010, Nussbaum Transportation switched from a 10-speed AMT to a 12-speed to capitalize on emerging optimized shifting technologies on Detroit’s DT12.

“That 12-speed has definitely made a difference,” Nussbaum says.

“The 12-speed is a skipshift transmission, so it senses your payload, and it will skip-shift to get you up to speed if you’re running empty or you’re running with a light load. If you’re at a traffic light and need to take off, it’s going to sense your load and determine that maybe you need to start in second, maybe then jump you up to fourth and then to sixth. It has kept the truck from having to go literally through every gear.”

By relying on the AMT

PART 11: Technology’s role in fuel economy to handle shifting and leaning on more advanced cruise controls, Santiago has been able to focus more on fuel efficiency and less on the intricacies of shifting patterns and fighting traffic.

“Smooth driving,” he says of one of the benefits of predictive cruise control.

“It’s knowing the terrain, slowing down when you hit a hill, adjusting to the road and conditions.”

International’s predictive cruise control uses preinstalled GPS maps and the latest commercial route data to adjust cruising speed without the need to pre-drive the route.

Santiago uses a combination of the capabilities of the technology and his own know-how to optimize his haul’s efficiency potential.

“If it’s flat, I’ll use it, but if I’m about to hit a hill or something, I’ll turn it right off and adjust,” he says. “Personally, I love the adaptive cruise. It gives me a little break.”

Santiago says he’s made comparisons of runs using the adaptive cruise and assuming control himself and found the difference to the fuel tank negligible.

“I’ll put the cruise on just to make sure it isn’t hurting me,” he says.

“Sometimes if you hit just a small elevation, the boost goes up, and you’re burning more fuel, and I end up turning it off and on. Overall, I don’t think it hurts the fuel. I think overall that when the driver does it himself, it’s better, but the difference is so miniscule, I would say it’s almost exactly the same.”

Hudson, Ill.-based Nussbaum Transportation elected not to adjust its governed speed after adopting electronic logging devices.

MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME

Fleets find ELDs make them go a little faster LOOMING OVER TRUCKING

next month is a nationwide mandate for electronic logging devices – a tool largely designed to increase transportation efficiency.

However, not all good intentions bear good results. While some argue the long-term benefits of ELDs are worth the shortterm pains, raising your operating efficiency can have a negative impact on fuel consumption.

Jerry Morrow, vice president of Ploger Transportation, says the implementation of ELDs dragged the regional carrier’s average mpg down as the company raised speed limits on its trucks to make up for lost time.

“About four years ago, we were averaging about

8.3 mpg in the summertime,” he says. “Now that’s slipped. We’re down to about 7.6, but we sped up eight miles an hour.”

Ploger raised its speed limiters to 70 mph, while Mesilla Valley Transportation dialed up three extra miles per hour, jumping from 65 to 68.

“Anything over 60 mph, for every mile per hour you increase, you decrease your mpg by .1,” says Mike Kelley, MVT CIO. “Any time drivers are stuck in traffic or delayed at a shipper, any of those hours where the wheels aren’t turning, there’s no chance to make it up. The only way to make it up is to allow them to go a little bit faster.”

Nussbaum Transportation, which logs an annual

fleet average of about 8.5 mpg, has been running ELDs for a decade. However, CEO Brent Nussbaum says the company elected not to adjust its governed speed of 63 at the pedal and cruising speed of 65, opting rather to adjust and optimize routes.

“You’re going to bump your governors up to try and get as many miles out of the truck as possible,” he says. “But in the meantime, you’re going to wind up burning fuel in the process. If they get down to 59 and 60 miles an hour, that’s where we get our best fuel economy.”

Nussbaum says his fleet of trucks is governed only a little higher than the optimal fuel window for the driver’s safety.

“You’re going to bump your governors up to try and get as many miles out of the truck as possible. But in the meantime, you’re going to wind up burning fuel in the process.”

– Brent Nussbaum, CEO, Nussbaum Transportation

PART 11: Technology’s role in fuel economy “We also realize they’re out on the road, and they’re dealing with drivers that are running 75 miles an hour,” he says. “We’re cognizant of the fact that we don’t want them to be run over.”

Ideally, ELDs help fleets optimize routing and maintenance and can help them improve fuel economy by tracking aggressive driving, harsh braking and idle time.

However, that is low-hanging fruit for fleets new to focusing on fuel efficiency or companies hoping the access to the kind of data an ELD can capture will help drive efficiencies across the board. For fleets that have had a fuel-friendly focus for decades, those strategies have long been implemented.

“If you haven’t been running any kind of telematics device until you add an ELD, now you suddenly have vision into your [engine control module],” Kelley says.

But extracting better fuel economy through an ELD isn’t realistic unless you have systems in place to monitor driver behavior, he says.

“One of the other ironies here is that all of those things have nothing to do with the ELD, nothing to do with the managing of the logs and the safety aspect,” Kelley says. “All of that comes from leveraging all the ancillary systems that the ELD happens to have access to. The ECM data doesn’t really have anything to do with the ELD other than, maybe, speed.”

Dayton, Ohio-based Jet Express uses Vnomics’ True Fuel platform that establishes a truck’s potential fuel economy, then assists drivers in achieving it.

LEADFOOT LAMENT Drivers often require coaching to play their part in saving fuel DRIVERS – SPECIFICALLY

their right foot – play a significant role in fuel consumption, but many fleets lack the level of detail needed to coach them on their fuel economy impact.

Through the implementation of the SmartDrive platform, Nussbaum Transportation has seen an improvement of about 0.5 mpg across its driver force.

The idea was born in 2010 when Jeremy Stickling, vice president of human resources, and the fleet’s IT department created an automated driver scorecard and performance-based pay program.

Drivers are awarded or deducted points based on the year and model of truck, use of auxiliary power unit, trailer type and length of haul. Heavier loads get more points. Lighter loads take points away.

Excelerator, Nussbaum Transportation’s proprietary software program designed to measure mpg

data, captures data every 15 minutes and updates the driver’s score.

In 2015, Stickling began the integration of SmartDrive’s driver insights as he sought to create better driving habits rather than focus on results.

Through the platform, the truckload carrier can glean data that can measure behavior that may indicate inefficient engine operation – such as harsh braking or aggressive throttle use – and reward drivers for more efficient driving.

While the driver earns a score based on his fuelfriendly habits, low scores are not penalized formally since the driver technically hasn’t done anything wrong.

“Since it’s not a safety issue, we don’t treat lower scores as any kind of violation,” Stickling says. “It’s really more about measuring driver habits than it is about correcting driver behavior.”

The system captures real-time data from the

engine control module, including G-force sensor data, time spent at different speed intervals, idle time and throttle actuation. All that is aggregated with following distance observations from onboard event recorders.

Stickling says the driver’s score is essentially a “skills rating,” measuring smooth driving, speed management, throttle usage and space management.

“It gives us a way to reward drivers, but not just for results,” he says. “It’s more about rewarding them for the skills that lead to the results.”

The incentive for drivers to get better mpg comes from payouts, Stickling says, since the ones with higher scores tend to have an easier time making their bonuses.

Stickling says an internal recognition system has been instrumental to the program’s success. He says it’s also helped foster a spirit of competition among the drivers, as the ones with lower scores press to catch those who are ahead.

“Our top driver, he has been number-one for more than a year,” Stickling says.

“He has people calling him, asking him questions, asking advice, and he likes that.”

Jet Express, a Dayton, Ohio-based carrier with lanes extending into the Southeast and West, also leans on technology to help tutor its drivers on fuel consumption.

Vnomics’ True Fuel plat-

PART 11: Technology’s role in fuel economy form establishes a truck’s potential fuel economy considering only the factors that a driver can control, such as engine speed, truck speed and idle time. Payload, route, weather and the truck’s configuration are normalized automatically.

True Fuel then assists

drivers to achieve the truck’s potential mpg through in-vehicle coaching, such as audible alerts when they should act to reduce fuel consumption.

Jet Express driver Tammy Newcomer recently drove almost 2,500 miles with an efficiency of more than 99.92

TRAILER TALES

Don’t neglect that 53-foot-long box FLEETS CAN SPEC THE MOST

fuel-efficient truck on the highway, but unless they also account for the 53-footlong block it’s dragging down the road, fuel-friendly technologies can’t help it reach its full potential.

With the truck spec’d properly for its application, Jerry Morrow, vice president of Ploger Transportation, begins to evaluate how aftermarket add-ons can help increase the trailer’s performance.

Ploger has added FlowBelow wheel covers and tandem fairings, along with a lift axle with slotted skirts on the sides. Approximately 25 percent of the company’s trailer fleet already has skirts, and that number is growing.

“Besides the fuel mileage gains, with side winds, [the trailers] are a lot more stable,” Morrow says. “When you put all of the bottom skirts, the nose cone, the tail fin on it, we’re seeing nearly a mile a gallon [improvement].”

Before adding trailer tails, Nussbaum Transportation saw its fuel savings benefit capped at about 3 to 4 percent, thanks mostly to skirts

and wide-base tires. The carrier was among the first fleets to adopt aerodynamic tails widely, and Brent Nussbaum, the company’s CEO, says his employees regularly fielded phone calls early on from other fleets wondering what they were.

“Or people calling saying, ‘Hey, your driver’s running down the road with their doors open,” he says.

Of all the fuel-sipping technologies Ploger has embraced, capturing the full benefit of trailer tails has been “tricky,” says Morrow, who’s undecided if the fleet will continue to spec them on orders going forward.

“There’s no doubt about it, [trailer tails] work, but we’ve driven down the highway too many times and seen them folded up,” he says, “That is a concern of ours, because it does work, but how are we going to get a benefit out of it if it’s not deployed?”

Nussbaum says he’s looked at systems that deploy the

Chattanooga, Tenn.-based U.S. Xpress specs SmartTruck’s TopKit on its trailers. Drivers have no interaction with the aerodynamic enhancement system.

percent of potential mpg, meaning only two-tenths of a gallon of fuel – of the more than 280 gallons her truck used – was consumed in excess of the fuel a “perfect” driver would have used under the same conditions.

Newcomer’s achievement translates to a

monthly savings of about $350 in fuel, says Ed McCarthy, vice president of operations and customer success for Vnomics.

“In addition, due to Newcomer’s skill, last year alone her truck emitted 13.2 tons less CO2 compared to a typical driver,” McCarthy says.

tails automatically once the truck reaches 45 mph and closes them below 45, but he has yet to test them.

In the meantime, he’s relying on the almighty dollar to remind the driver to make sure the tails are extended.

Drivers can earn up to an extra 5 cents per mile for the safe and fuel-efficient operation of their truck.

“If a driver is running down the road and doesn’t have his tails open, he’s only hurting himself,” Nussbaum says.

To take the driver’s mindfulness out of the equation and eliminate the risk of smacking a dock with extended tails, U.S. Xpress (CCJ Top 250, No. 16) recently began spec’ing SmartTruck’s TopKit on all its trailers.

TopKit offers a similar aerodynamic benefit to

trailer tails by reducing the drag of the low-pressure wake that forms just behind the trailer and creates back-pressure on the vehicle.

However, the TopKit system doesn’t have to be opened and closed by the driver.

“Drivers have no interaction with it whatsoever,” says Gerry Mead, formerly senior vice president of maintenance for Chattanooga, Tenn.-based U.S. Xpress. “That way, the driver’s job is easier, friendlier, and they can focus on the job at hand, which is driving safely down the road and delivering the freight.”

There’s also the added benefit of style. “It really looks good when you look at it on the trucks,” Mead says.

“It’s red, and it matches the U.S. Xpress red trucks that are out there.”

n PA R T N E R S O L U T I O N S / N A V I S TA R

Catalyzing groundbreaking fuel-economy improvements

Navistar’s CatalIST SuperTruck blew past the Energy Department’s freight-efficiency goal, and the innovations it debuted are already being implemented in production vehicles.

L

ast year, Navistar’s CatalIST SuperTruck easily sailed past the U.S. Department of Energy’s goal of demonstrating a 50-percent improvement in Class 8 tractor-trailer freight efficiency compared to 2009 base-model trucks.

CatalIST achieved a freight-efficiency improvement of 104 percent and fuel efficiency of 13 mpg.

Navistar created the CatalIST demonstration vehicle as part of the Energy Department’s SuperTruck program, a five-year-long research and development initiative. Much of the technology Navistar developed through the program is already being integrated into current models.

“Almost all the technologies on the CatalIST truck will make it to production at some point,” says Dean Oppermann, who led development of many of those innovations as Navistar’s chief engineer of advanced vehicle technologies. “In the near term, there will be continued movement toward ‘low-voltage’ electrification and micro-hybridization to support both fuel economy and drive-comfort systems. With component electrification comes added control options, making possible breakthrough innovations such as Navistar Predictive Cruise Control. With this data and appropriate vehicle infrastructure, we can continue to During 17 years with Navistar, Dean Oppermann has spent time optimize the engine and vehicle for in the departments of advanced technology, engine calibration, specific operating conditions.” vehicle integration and computer-aided design and analysis.

We asked Oppermann to tell us Oppermann, now chief engineer of advanced vehicle more about the CatalIST SuperTruck technologies, has led the development of engine technologies such as Navistar’s camless-engine program, as well as vehicle and Navistar’s fuel-efficiency technologies included in Navistar’s SuperTruck program strategies.

Q

What technology does Navistar offer to help customers achieve better fuel economy?

A

Navistar continues to prioritize customer fuel economy in all of our products, from our leading aerodynamic performance and technologies to our high Brake Thermal Efficiency (BTE) engines. The new LT Series has a hood designed with a contoured top, shoulder and fenders that are sealed to the cooling module.

This hood, coupled with newly designed chassis skirts and pedestal mirrors, continues our company’s reign as an aerodynamic leader in the linehaul market.

The International A26 engine also resets the bar with 5-percent better fuel economy versus its predecessor. This improvement is due to low-friction coatings for reduced parasitic losses and a redesigned cylinder head with less restriction and higher peakcylinder-pressure capability. While increasing BTE, we were also able to reduce the weight of the A26 engine by more than 600 pounds with its compact graphite iron crankcase, assembled camshaft, composite valve covers and aluminum flywheel housing.

Q

What are the main technologies that make the CatalIST SuperTruck’s stellar performance possible?

A

Navistar was able to exceed the DOE’s goal of 50 percent freightefficiency improvement by focusing on reducing the aerodynamic drag of the vehicle, increasing engine efficiency and enhancing energy-recovery systems and vehicle electrification. Coupled with traditional trailer technologies such as extended skirts, boat tails and gap treatments, Navistar developed a unique pitch control that changes the vehicle profile as a function of speed to reduce aerodynamic drag at speeds above 50 mph.

The CatalIST is also unique among SuperTruck participants because it is the only vehicle tested without rearview mirrors. Mirrors were replaced with exterior cameras and interior pillarmounted monitors, and this slashed aerodynamic drag.

Base engine BTE was demonstrated to exceed 49 percent, with waste-heat recovery improving it to more than 50 percent. This was accomplished with increased cylinder pressure, a redesigned combustion system that utilizes high-flow, low-restriction air handling, a high-efficiency ball-bearing turbocharger and low-friction coatings.

The vehicle is electrified though a kinetic-energy-recovery system (KERS) at 48 volts with supporting solar panels. The KERS strategy is also extended to the pneumatic system of the vehicle with smart control of the air compressor.

Q

What SuperTruck innovations are already being implemented in today’s vehicles?

A

Navistar's CataLIST was the only SuperTruck vehicle to completely shed its mirrors in favor of exterior cameras.

calculate the desired speed trace over the next 3 kilometers for optimum fuel economy. Traditional predictive-cruisecontrol systems will maintain a constant speed regardless of the terrain ahead. With PCC, vehicle speed varies depending on load, terrain, productivity constraints, etc. I, personally, liken it to riding a bike. If you are riding a bike and you see a hill coming, what do you do? Navistar’s PCC does all this math for you, setting the optimum speed before you get to the hill and preparing your vehicle to climb it.

Numerous technologies developed during the SuperTruck program have already gone into production or will be going into production within the next couple of years. Some of the aerodynamic styling, including the heat-exchanger sealing, is already evident in today’s LT Series. The What other technical A26 engine also has borrowed innovations will affect fuel technology from the SuperTruck economy in the near future? program, including incremental steps in peak-cylinder pressure and low-friction There will be continued coating. Most significant, though, is the development of KERS and full production of Navistar’s Predictive electrification of HVAC systems, electric Cruise Control system. cooling pumps, electric fans and possibly waste-heat recovery systems.

Some technologies will require Tell us more about Predictive legislation before production.

Cruise Control.

Mirrorless vehicles, for example, are not currently legal for mass Predictive Cruise Control (PCC) production in the United States. combines GPS technology with preloaded maps to accurately position However, they are legal in Europe, so it shouldn’t be long before this design the vehicle, with trajectory, on a road or highway. That information is used to is approved in the United States.

Q A

Q A

© 2017 , Inc. All rights reserved.

All marks are trademarks of their respective owners.

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Visit worktruckshow.com/fleets for information on registration, educational sessions, exhibit hall and more.

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FOR 2018 EPA to Revisit Phase 2 Rule’s Glider Provisions After “Legitimate Questions” Raised

O

n August 17, 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection been arguing all along—that the Phase 2 Rule’s gliderAgency announced that it would revisit certain related provisions rest on shaky ground. provisions of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium and Heavy-Duty Congressman Black issued a press release expressing Engines and Vehicles – Phase 2 (Phase 2 Rule) after strong support for the EPA’s latest move: stakeholders in the glider industry raised concerns about their legal and factual bases. In a letter penned on the “The Obama administration’s rule not only ignores the same day, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said that the benefits of gliders, it destroys an entire industry. To say stakeholders had raised “legitimate questions regarding that I am grateful for the hard work of Administrator the EPA’s authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate Pruitt and his team is an understatement. Tennesseans gliders as well as the soundness of the EPA’s technical deeply value the work ethic that those in this industry exemplify, and it is with great pride that we can count this analysis used to support the requirements.” as a victory for communities across our state. I applaud Congressman Diane Black (R-TN- the Administrator for recognizing the harmful effects 06) has led efforts on Capitol Hill this overreaching regulation would have on thousands of to combat the adverse impact families dependent on this trade as a way of life.” of the Phase 2 Rule on gliders.

In 2015, Congressman Black Tommy Fitzgerald Sr., co-founder of North America’s largest introduced legislation to prohibit glider assembler, Fitzgerald Glider Kits, issued his own the E PA from extending the statement backing the EPA’s decision to revisit the Phase 2 Phase 2 Rule to gliders because Rule. “On behalf of my family and the terrific employees they were incorrectly classified at Fitzgerald Glider Kits, I want to thank Congressman Black as “new motor vehicles” to and Administrator Pruitt for their leadership on this issue which the Phase 2 Rule applies. and genuinely caring for the concerns of small businesses That legislation passed by voice like ours,” said Fitzgerald Sr. “There is a way to strike a rational vote, but the Phase 2 Rule, balance between environmental concerns and jobs, but including its glider-related provisions, was nevertheless this rule is not it. The EPA’s announcement should inspire finalized on October 25, 2016, and began limiting small businesses everywhere.” glider assembly effective January 1, 2017. The EPA’s announcement last month appears to confirm what The Phase 2 Rule’s standards apply to “new motor vehicles,” Congressman Black and those in the glider industry have and the Obama-era EPA classified gliders as “new motor

vehicles” to bring them within the purview of the Phase 2 Rule.

That classification was controversial and ill-informed, to put it mildly. Glider kits, which are not self-propelled, hardly constitute “motor vehicles.” In addition, gliders are not “new,” as any buyer paying less than the retail price of a comparable, new truck can confirm. Gliders are titled in most states as “used”, “remanufactured,” or “glider” so as not to confuse consumers or otherwise disguise their true nature.

The EPA’s decision to limit glider assembly under the Phase 2 Rule was also based on outdated and misleading data.

The Obama-era EPA determined that worn or wrecked trucks rebuilt with glider kits using pre-2010 engines would have NOx and PM emissions twenty to forty times higher than current engines. But the EPA made that determination not by conducting any scientific testing or studies but by simply comparing 2010 standards to pre-2002 standards and making assumptions based on that comparison.

The Obama-era EPA’s conclusions ignored its own standards and testing data on ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel. The EPA’s ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel standards, which required that all diesel fuel used by trucks and other equipment be ultra-low; sulfur, was fully phased in at the end of 2010.

According to the EPA’s website, these diesel standards reduce harmful emissions from highway vehicles and nonroad engines and equipment by more than ninety (90) percent. The Phase 2 Rule ignored the impact of these standards on glider emissions. Comparing engine data collected before the use of ultra-low sulfur diesel and engine data collected after the ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel requirements went into effect is like comparing apples to oranges.

Further underscoring the shortcomings of the Phase 2 Rule’s glider-related provisions is a 2016 study performed

by Tennessee Technological University. That study showed that rebuilt engines in gliders assembled by Fitzgerald Glider Kits had GHG emissions equal to or lower than those of OEM engines. The study also demonstrated that the gliders had twenty (20) percent better fuel economy, and a smaller

carbon footprint, than OEM engines due to the reuse and recycling of 4,000 pounds of cast steel in the components of the glider. Tommy Fitzgerald Jr., who works alongside his father in the family business, explained that Fitzgerald Glider Kits has expended significant time and effort on research and development into making its products efficient and clean, including light-weighting engines by almost thirty (30) pounds of rotating mass. Fitzgerald Glider Kits also has its own proprietary engine set-up, with parts and technology to make the engine clean, efficient and reliable.

So why did the Phase 2 Rule go awry? Fitzgerald Jr. believes that the Obama-era EPA’s erroneous assumptions were the result of a lobbying campaign by a certain foreign OEM truck manufacturer (which does not produce glider kits) to gain an undue competitive advantage. “We will not stand by idly while a company and dealers in its network utilize inaccurate or false information in an effort to harm our business,” said Fitzgerald Jr. “We care about our community and our employees and we will not allow people to put American jobs in jeopardy with half-truths and disinformation.”

Tommy Fitzgerald Sr. & Tommy Fitzgerald Jr.

For trucking, blockchain technology has the potential to speed up transactions, secure data transfers and eliminate intermediaries.

Will blockchain become the new communications protocol?

BY AARON HUFF

E

lectronic data interchange has been engrained in the transportation industry for years, and now new technologies are coming to a supply chain near you.

The EDI protocols for load tenders, shipment status updates, invoices and other routine communications between shippers, third-party logistics providers and carriers still are used widely. But the shortcomings of EDI have become more apparent.

One issue is that EDI transactions typically are sent and received in batches, and the delay in transmission gives carriers a chance to review and edit data before sending. This editing has caused trust issues.

With newer technologies, data is shared in near-real time with no chance for editing.

“The new thing is the immediate tracking of shipments in five- to 10-minute intervals,” says Jerry Robertson, chief technology officer of Bolt Software, a cloud-based dispatch and transportation management system for commercial and private fleets.

Shippers are “looking for far more data and more accurate 80

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| november 2017

data than they had before,” Robertson says. Carriers are getting requests to provide visibility of individual product SKUs in transit and accurate estimated times of arrival that consider hours of service, traffic and weather conditions.

“That is the kind of data that people want to evolve to,” he says.

Intelek Technologies, a company that provides EDI and data translation services for transportation clients, has seen non-EDI forms of communications growing to meet the e-commerce demands of shippers.

“You can reach in your pocket and pull out a phone to find out information about anything in the world,” says Terry Wood, vice president of business development. “That is the same type of information access and requirements the transportation industry is faced with.”

Application programming interfaces and extensible markup language (XML) are protocols that have been replacing or supplementing EDI transactions for some time. They soon are likely to take a backseat to blockchain technology, which experts say can expand the visibility and security of freight transactions in an unprecedented fashion.

TECHNOLOGY: NEXT-GENERATION EDI

Freight visibility Tim Leonard became familiar with EDI while working for a major truckload carrier. For a system that was supposed to automate freight transactions, he remembers EDI involving a lot of human touches, interventions and data editing.

As chief information officer for transportation management software developer TMW Systems, Leonard has seen other forms of communication overcome the inherent trust issues of EDI. “Technology is evolving around getting two marriages together and having that trust of what (data) is being delivered and when,” he says. “The technology we are seeing today is not any faster or quicker than EDI, but it enables the faith and trust.”

Freight visibility companies have been growing rapidly. They use APIs and other protocols to forward track-and-trace data from carriers to 3PLs and shippers.

MacroPoint, FourKites, 10-4 Systems and Trucker Tools are some of the companies that capture tracking data directly from the source — from drivers’ smartphone apps and software integrations with carriers’ electronic logging devices and fleet management systems.

One reason their platforms are popular is that they expand the universe of automated shipment tracking. Small carriers traditionally have not had EDI communications, and these platforms bring visibility to this segment of the market that for many shippers is 20 percent of their capacity, says Robert Brothers, manager of product development for McLeod Software.

McLeod provides EDI translation services to carriers and 3PLs that use its TMS. The cost and labor to map EDI transactions for carriers and 3PLs is no different than integrating freight visibility platforms with the company’s TMS systems using newer protocols such as APIs, Brothers says.

Some shippers and 3PLs are bypassing freight visibility platforms by capturing data directly from carriers. C.H. Robinson has partnerships with ELD providers to obtain shipment tracking data from carriers that it books on loads, says Kevin Abbot, the 3PL’s vice president of North American truckload services.

C.H. Robinson uses API integrations to request tracking information automatically from the carrier’s ELD system once it is booked on a load. The APIs request tracking information for the appointed time windows of pickup through delivery, Abbot says.

The ELD provider’s servers follow the API requests and send tracking updates to C.H. Robinson’s TMS system, NaviSphere, which then translates the information into EDI messages sent to shipper customers.

In some cases, C.H. Robinson uses direct API integrations with its shipper customers to provide shipment status updates, Abbot says.

Through its ELD partnerships, C.H. Robinson is offering discounts to thousands of its partner carriers. For carriers that

MacroPoint (pictured), FourKites, 10-4 Systems and Trucker Tools capture tracking data directly from the source — from drivers’ smartphone apps and software integrations with carriers’ electronic logging devices and fleet management systems.

presently do not have ELDs, C.H. Robinson collects shipment information using its NaviSphere smartphone apps. The ELD integrations are preferred since they require no driver interaction to start and stop the tracking.

To reward carriers for participating in these automated systems, C.H. Robinson plans to offer earlier access to higher-paying loads that require frequent tracking updates. The 3PL also can monitor the loading and unloading times and give carriers the first choice of loads that have faster turnaround times.

“We want to make sure there is value being sent back as a result of sending track-and-trace information,” Abbot says.

It’s coming to trucking Blockchain is an emerging protocol that is able to break down freight transactions into separate “blocks” during the chain of custody. Linking these blocks together creates a record for parties involved in a supply chain to access using a digital ledger.

No one owns blockchain; it is a computer code and set of digital algorithms that anyone can use. Professional services firm Deloitte explains on its website that the links between the blocks and their content are protected by cryptography, so that previous transactions cannot be destroyed or forged.

For trucking, the technology has the potential to speed up transactions, secure data transfers and eliminate intermediaries.

However, there likely will be transaction fees for companies that use blockchain applications in a network.

Craig Fuller, founder of the Blockchain in Trucking Alliance, says the possibilities go beyond freight transactions. The technology also could change how people buy and sell used trucks.

A digital ledger could provide all members of a blockchain network access to previous ownership, maintenance, driving and tire records.

BiTA’s mission is to educate its members and develop comcommercial carrier journal

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TECHNOLOGY: NEXT-GENERATION EDI The Blockchain in Trucking Alliance’s mission is to educate its members and develop common standards for blockchain applications. More than 60 companies already have applied to become BiTA members.

mon standards for blockchain applications. BiTA will have no direct commercial interests other than helping its members benefit from working together to create applications, Fuller says.

Fuller predicts blockchain will become a predominant technology in the trucking industry within a decade, and more than 60 companies already have applied to become BiTA members.

On a larger scale, Deloitte predicts that at least 10 percent of the global GDP will be stored on blockchain platforms by 2025.

A trustless environment Blockchain will leapfrog EDI and APIs for sharing information, Fuller says. It does not have the data latency issues of EDI, and it can provide everyone in a supply chain better visibility of the movement of goods from source to final destination.

Food supply chains stand to benefit the most from blockchain technology, says Stanton Whitney, a partner at Infosys Consulting, a global technology services and consulting firm. Contamination in food could be traced back to the source quickly to determine which products were affected.

Creating blockchain networks will involve negotiations among stakeholders to address what data will be visible. Shippers, 3PLs and carriers can negotiate all of their business rules for freight transactions. Once those negotiations are established, trust issues will evaporate because the data will tell the full story — something that EDI never could do.

“The more you capture those business rules in negotiation, the better the blockchain becomes,” says TMW’s Leonard.

Blockchain applications in a network could recognize that a load is delivered and trigger escrow funds to be released automatically for freight payment. He estimates that 40 percent of back-office labor could be eliminated, as credit and collections would be unnecessary.

TMW has developed a “metadata configuration” for its TMS platforms to use when parties are negotiating blockchain agreements, Leonard says. The Trimble Freight Cloud already is being used for integrations with third-party freight visibility systems, with blockchain on the horizon.

TMW won’t release data from the Freight Cloud unless the carrier acknowledges a third party has the authorization to grab that information. The data can include accounting, trip moves, stops, shippers, consignees, commodity types and more, Leonard says.

Like other technology suppliers, McLeod is in the discovery phase of how it will be a party to new blockchain technology.

“We know we will end up being part of the transactional record,” Brothers says, adding that shippers will drive the adoption of blockchain technology. “Our role is to make sure there are standards so that the implementations of blockchain don’t end up being such that every shipper and every transaction is different.”

Real-world applications IBM is developing blockchain applications with a number of companies in the foods business, including Golden State Foods, Nestle, Unilever, Walmart and Tyson. One of the project’s goals is to trace the source of contaminated products in mere seconds.

Bob Wolpert, senior vice president of GSF Logistics, which manages transportation for Golden State, sees blockchain as a “cloud-based fabric” to weave together the different “handshakes” that take place today between various systems in the food supply chain that use EDI and APIs. GSF operates more than 1,000 tractor-trailer combinations that support the last-mile distribution of food products to customers, which include some of the world’s largest restaurant chains. The company runs more than 60 million miles per year.

GSF Logistics, which manages transportation for Golden State Foods, operates more than 1,000 tractor-trailer combinations that support the last-mile distribution of food products to customers.

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TECHNOLOGY: NEXT-GENERATION EDI By using blockchain, GSF will have single-system access to the complete chain of events as food moves from origin to final destination. The chain of events will include temperatures, load tracking, certificates of quality and other details at every stage, and the event data will be “immutable, secure and real-time,” Wolpert says.

Paper Transport (CCJ Top 250, No. 136), a 700-truck carrier based in Green Bay, Wis., is a BiTA member. Peter Covach, director of information technology, says he likes the idea of a distributed ledger to “verify transactions as they occur” to eliminate disputes about who is to blame for a late delivery or detention event.

Parties involved in a freight transaction — shipper, consignee, 3PL, carrier and freight visibility provider — currently work with different systems, and all have their own record of their role of the chain of events, Covach says.

“I think the value (of blockchain) comes in eliminating the amount of effort and manpower that goes into reconciling events,” says Ben Schill, vice president of Paper Transport. “It’s not going to speed up the delivery of a truck, but it will create significant improvements in the actual operation by eliminating all of the slop and backend support that goes into supporting and reconciling what happened.”

Schill also sees an opportunity to use blockchain to defragment the trucking industry. With a common network, carriers can unite capacity to compete against the likes of Uber Freight. “Blockchain can do the same thing, which is going to be beneficial in the end to consumers,” he says.

Blockchain has the potential to be disruptive, but given the amount of change the trucking industry already has gone through in the last few years, Schill and Covach want Paper Transport to be in a position to take early advantage of any new opportunities.

“If we decide to stay status quo as an industry, in 30 years we will be phased out,” Covach says. “If we are not constantly re-evaluating new technology, there is no way we are going to stay in competition with the Ubers and Googles of the world.”

Peter Covach, director of information technology for Paper Transport, believes blockchain technology will help the trucking industry make freight transactions more efficient and accurate.

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Upstart truck makers carving out their own niche

BY JASON CANNON

B

rand loyalty dating back generations has been the hallmark of trucking behemoths such as Freightliner, Peterbilt, Kenworth, Mack, Volvo, International and Western Star. But it complicates entry into the industry for entrepreneurs seeking their own piece of the pie.

“Credibility is everything, and we have to build it,” says Trevor Milton, founder and chief executive officer of Nikola Motor Co., which is developing a hydrogen fuel cell-electric tractor. “We don’t have a legacy of issues or a legacy of success. It kind of goes both ways.”

Recalls, warranty repairs and trucking technology that debuts ahead of its time are not uncommon, but for brands working to raise their profiles, there’s no wiggle room for getting it right.

“The most important thing is that we have to make sure this truck is 100 percent sound and perfect,” Milton says.

“We’re focused solely on our electric semi over-the-road truck. We are not overpromising. We’re going to deliver

Alkane Truck Co.’s Class 8 cabover truck is slated to get Cummins’ 11.9-liter ISX12 G compressed natural gas engine when it rolls out in 2019.

While the next truck Tesla rolls off its assembly line will be its first, the company has built-in brand recognition thanks to its electric cars.

what we have [promised].”

To crack into a market dominated by legacy diesels, Milton’s company is blazing a new trail by trying to become both a contender as a truck OEM and a leader in the green movement. “Unless it’s zero emissions, we simply won’t do it,” he says.

“We want to establish our name as a powerful brand around the world.”

Through his Myrtle Beach, S.C.-based operation, Bob Smith, CEO of Alkane Truck Co., also is betting on cleaner fuels.

Propane autogas and compressed natural gas propel his company’s Class 7 cabover that debuted over the summer.

Featuring a GVW of up to 33,000, the Alkane truck uses a PSI 8.8-liter 535-CID high-performance liquid propane engine and an Allison transmission.

A Class 8 cabover truck is slated to get Cummins’ 11.9-liter CNG engine – the ISX12 G – when it rolls out in 2019.

The elephant in the room of upstart truck makers is Silicon Valley car company Tesla, which announced earlier this

year its intentions to enter trucking.

While the next truck Tesla rolls off its assembly line will be its first, the company already has built-in brand recognition thanks to its electric cars.

“I love seeing [Tesla] coming into the industry, because it helps the industry and brings a lot of attention to it,” Milton says.

Carving out a niche Business icon Warren Buffet is quoted as saying, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.

If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.”

For Nikola, the plan of building a reputation goes hand in hand with doing things differently, as Milton seeks to provide a transportation solution rather than simply a transportation method.

“There’s a couple things that people really care about more than anything, and it kind of transcends transportation – it covers every aspect of life,” he says. “If you can solve someone’s problems, they

commercial carrier journal

| november 2017 87

EQUIPMENT: THE RISE OF THE LITTLE GUYS Nikola Motor Co. is developing a hydrogen fuel cell-electric tractor. It will roll out its fueling system on its customers’ dedicated routes.

ultimately begin to respect you.”

Among the problems Nikola is positioning itself to address is driver turnover, which Milton believes is goaded by a new generation of drivers who increasingly value their home time. Nikola is seeking to keep them out of the truck for extended periods while keeping it moving.

“We’ve created an ecosystem where the drivers are allowed to drive in town,” he says. “We have dedicated routes from city to city where the trucks can drive essentially autonomously. Our trucks will move freight on the freeway by themselves.”

Milton says the plan is for the trucks to pilot themselves to one of Nikola’s fueling stations along its route, where the driver then would pick it up and complete the delivery in town.

“This allows the driver to stay home,” he says. “This also allows the driver to have a 20 to 30 percent pay increase. Any driver will love you if you can give them more money.”

Milton says Nikola will roll out its fueling system on dedicated routes that support the trucks sold along those lanes, and he says it will take about 10 years to cover the entire country.

The pay raise, Milton says, comes from slashing a fleet’s fuel expenses by using Nikola One’s electric drivetrain and hydrogen fuel cell.

“We’ve taken [oil companies] out of the picture,” he says, adding that fleets can 88

commercial carrier journal

cut upwards of $600,000 in expenses over his truck’s lifecycle. “We’re able to take that money and give them a truck that drives much cheaper and absorbs some of the cost of fuel so that they have a better margin on their route.”

Design is another area where the next-generation truck companies are looking to stand out. Alkane’s products are cabovers; the company doesn’t offer a conventional tractor.

“We’re a niche market company,” Smith says. “We’re not out to sell 100,000 trucks.

We’re out to sell 1,500 to 2,000 trucks a year in all of North America.”

The Class 7 straight truck’s cabover design and its tight turning radius have found favor with propane delivery companies and some bottling operations that run in heavy urban areas, he says.

“Turning radius is a major thing for them, and being able to get out of tight spots,” Smith says. “You don’t have that 6-foot nose on the truck. With a cabover, you have 6 feet more cargo space. If you can pick up another 6 foot of cargo space, you’ve got another 15 percent capacity.”

Green machines The Nikola One tractor’s design is as much bullet train as it is 18-wheeler, a tactic Milton says targets new-age drivers. He mostly has conceded that many owneroperators and drivers won’t embrace the aggressive styling, so he’s catering to the

| november 2017

growing base of millennial customers.

“They’re all about efficiency … the new look,” Milton says. They are also the generation most likely to appreciate a zero-emissions powertrain. “They’re saving the planet,” he says.

Alternative fuel and unconventional style are also pathways taken by Tesla on its on-highway truck. Tesla has not confirmed any rumors surrounding its semi other than it will use an electric powertrain.

However, teaser photos released by the company and spy shots uncovered in late September show the Tesla tractor also will feature a low sloping nose and the kind of aggressive aerodynamic styling not unfamiliar to the company’s cars.

Eco-friendliness aside, there are plenty of other incentives for making a play in the alternative and electric truck market.

Many rebates and tax incentives are available for alternative powertrains, and Smith says many propane distributors will install pumps and tanks at no charge to a fleet if an agreement is in place to purchase propane in bulk.

“The only thing the fleet will need to do is put in a foundation and electricity,” he says. “Then you’re buying propane at $1.15 per gallon as opposed to $3 per gallon for diesel.”

Smith says Alkane also is working on a Class 7 electric truck equipped with a range extender and is planning a mid2018 rollout.

Milton says that by engineering a truck from the ground up, his company will be able to meet industry needs in unconventional ways. He says Nikola One will provide the torque capabilities that fleets need with power to spare.

“There’s nothing more fun than passing a diesel truck on a hill,” he says.

Credible partners Nikola has worked to build its credibility through partnerships with truck rental and leasing company Ryder and component supplier Bosch. Through Ryder,

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Rainier Truck and Chassis became the first outside component assembler to market a line of Class 4-7 cabover models in North America.

Nikola will go from zero dealership locations to a national footprint overnight.

“With 800 locations, we will have more locations than any other dealership in America,” Milton says of Ryder’s coverage map, which also includes 6,000 technicians that will allow Nikola’s trucks to be serviced and warrantied nationwide.

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Alkane has component relationships with traditional suppliers such as American Axle and PSI and uses a network of established truck dealers to sell its trucks.

“We don’t try and set up our own dealerships,” Smith says. “We go through the existing dealership network that is in the business of selling and servicing trucks.

We’re not trying to do it all.”

All of the company’s medium- and heavy-duty trucks are shipped to Alkane as kits from each component manufacturer. Every component is tested and approved under U.S. Department of Transportation regulations before being integrated and assembled at an Alkane-certified assembly facility.

Each Alkane dealer is assigned a territory, and Alkane doesn’t charge a franchise fee to the dealer. However, each dealer is required to buy at least two trucks per month. To-date, the Alkane dealer network is 103 rooftops, with expansion plans for 650 locations over the next four years.

In January 2014, Yakima, Wash.-based Rainier Truck and Chassis made its debut with hopes of filling a void in the market left by the exit of Chevrolet and UD. Rainier became the first outside component assembler to market a line of Class 4-7 cabover models in North America.

Gary Jones, the company’s CEO, says he also relies on proven supplier partners such as Dana, Allison and Cummins because fleets are familiar with their components and reliability.

By 2015, Rainier had built out a small network of 20 dealers and sold out its production lineup that year. The company plans to begin production on its 2018 model-year trucks by next spring, with deliveries planned for midyear.

Tesla already boasts a dealership network of 109 rooftops in 27 states, but it’s unclear how the company would sell an electric tractor – whether alongside its passenger cars or through an established trucking partner.

Object detection sensor system Trailer light monitor

Grote’s Guardian Smart Trailer System light monitoring technology is designed to maximize safety and uptime while minimizing maintenance costs and Compliance Safety Accountability exposure.

The system is engineered to attach to any type of LED or incandescent light and give drivers real-time alerts about their trailer lighting systems, communicating light outages and electrical shorts, logging information on status changes and providing data analysis tools. The system communicates in two ways: It can be connected through the trailer’s telematics system or via Bluetooth to the operator’s Apple or Android device through Grote’s Guardian Smart Trailer System app.

Grote Industries, www.grote.com, 800-628-0809

ASA’s Voyager CVFPS16 Front Sensor System is designed to help drivers easily maneuver large vehicles. The system comes with four sensors and a waterproof camera engineered to produce visual and audible alerts that become more frequent when detecting increasing proximity to objects. The independent sensors can be spaced evenly along the vehicle’s front bumper to offer a three-foot detection zone. When an object is detected, the camera will activate automatically and transmit a video image showing the potential obstacle the sensors have detected.

ASA Electronics, www.asaelectronics.com, 877-305-0445

Electric APU

Thermo King’s all-electric TriPac Envidia auxiliary power unit is an environmentally clean device engineered for long run times without tractor startup, and because there is no diesel engine, the APU is quieter and requires minimal maintenance. The unit’s in-cab controller indicates the battery charge level and allows drivers to select their desired function – cool, fan or heat modes – and also adjust fan speed and cab temperature. The unit’s patented battery management technology oversees individual charging and discharging for each battery; a threestage charging profile designed to optimize performance and extend the life of the NXT dry cell battery; and full discharge of the auxiliary power-pack batteries before switchover to minimize depletion of tractor batteries during HVAC operation.

Thermo King, www.thermoking.com, 952-887-2200

Wheel end monitor

ConMet’s SmartHub is designed with prognostics capabilities that allow drivers and fleet managers to monitor the health of a wheel end through access to real-time data on the hub’s functions and be alerted to any variations outside of acceptable operational parameters. Embedded sensors measure and transmit data on hub temperature, lubricant level, hub vibration, speed, miles traveled, spindle nut torque readings, hub load and bolt tension. The data can be viewed at any time.

ConMet, www.conmet.com, 800-547-9473 commercial carrier journal | november 2017

91

PRODUCTS

Integrated wireless alert system

Purkeys’ Aware Integrated Wireless Alert System is designed to make receiving audio updates in truck cabs easier and more effective.

Aware connects with the speaker system in a truck’s cab to route messages received from the telematics alert system through the speakers, enabling alerts to be broadcast clearly instead of through the smaller speakers of a telematics system tablet. Drivers don’t have to turn the radio down or take their hands off the wheel, and they also can receive messages through the truck speakers when the radio is off. Aware also allows for a wireless connection to a cellular phone for hands-free use.

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

Spring-ride trailer scale

Air-Weigh’s next-generation LoadMaxx Trailer Scale now is available for spring-ride suspensions. LoadMaxx combines the company’s previous LoadMaxx and Quickload trailer scales into one trailer scale with two options: LoadMaxx base model, and LoadMaxx with ComLink, which is designed to enable drivers to view steer, drive, trailer, GVW and net payload on the display; tractor/trailer weight information also can be sent to the fleet’s transportation management software system via the built-in data communication interface.

When used with the Bluetooth-compatible LoadMaxx Tractor Scale, weight data also is available on any personal device through Air-Weigh’s LoadMaxx App. Air-Weigh, www.air-weigh.com, 888-459-3444

Integrated magnetic switch

BorgWarner’s aftermarket Smart Integrated Magnetic Switch is suited for Class 6-8 on-highway trucks for integration with the company’s 39MT heavy-duty starter. Six functions are designed to improve the starter’s durability and reliability by protecting it from potential damage caused by system or operator error: • In case of click-no-crank, an engagement monitor automatically retries the starter to avoid overheating the solenoid; • Rapid re-engagement lockout helps prevent damage to the pinion and ring gear; • Running engine lockout helps avert failures from engagement with a running engine; • Low-voltage lockout helps avoid overcranking and solenoid chatter; • Time-limited crank also helps prevent overcranking; and • Auto-disengage at engine start helps avoid extended overruns.

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

Push rod system

TSE Brakes’ TSE-REX (Rapid EXchange) with VCT (Variable Clocking Technology) Push Rod System is engineered for easier installation, better chamber sealing and fewer necessary model numbers. The system helps prevent errors caused by bent push rods and manually cutting rods to the incorrect length. The ports can be spun freely during installation and secured with one bolt, and they have variable locations instead of left-hand or right-hand. The design includes a factory-sealed diaphragm that helps eliminate hose chaffing.

TSE Brakes, www.tsebrakes.com, 256-736-6288

Cascadia LED fog light Truck-Lite’s LED fog light is the latest addition to the company’s Truck-Lite By Rigid line and is designed as a direct replacement for Freightliner Cascadia model-year 2007-16 lights. The SAE-compliant light is engineered to produce an output closer to the color temperature of daylight for improved visibility and is rated for over 50,000 hours. It features a durable die-cast housing and polycarbonate lens to help combat shock and vibration. The kit includes mounting brackets and hardware.

Truck-Lite Co., www.truck-lite.com, 800-562-5012

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commercial carrier journal | november 2017

Wide-base drive-axle retread

Oliver Rubber’s SmartWay-verified Ultra Low Profile Vantage Drive is a wide-base drive-axle retread suited for line-haul and regional applications. The retread uses the company’s VDI Plus feature designed to resist stone retention and road debris and help enforce any pull-point schedule.

It is pressed with Oliver’s proprietary compound engineered to deliver added traction, wear and low rolling resistance.

Oliver Rubber Co., www.oliverrubber.com, 866-464-2580

PRODUCTS

Greaseless fifth-wheel plate Minimizer’s greaseless Insert-Style Slick Plate is designed for trucks that have Holland FWAL, FW31 and FW33 fifth wheels with built-in lube plate inserts. The plate is designed to keep drivers and fleets from having to grease the fifth wheel’s top plate.

Minimizer, www.minimizer.com, 800-248-3855

A/C refrigerant handling system Mahle’s ArcticPro ACX1180C refrigerant handling system is engineered to service heavy-duty vehicles that use R134a refrigerant. The SAE-certified unit is designed for easy use, service and maintenance and to increase technician productivity due to its fully-automatic program to recover, vacuum, leak-test and charge heavy-duty A/C system refrigerant. An integrated test function allows the user to capture a before-and-after service snapshot. The hybrid-certified unit also has a high-capacity 50-pound internal DOT cylinder, a 5-cfm vacuum pump, an integrated printer, an ambient humidity sensor, three temperature sensors, four pressure sensors, a vacuum micron sensor for system diagnostics capabilities and a heater belt.

Mahle Service Solutions, www.servicesolutions.mahle.com, 800-468-2321 commercial carrier journal | november 2017

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J .J . Keller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jjkeller .com/eldspecialist . . . . . . . . . . ELD 11

ZamZow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . zamzow-tarp .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94

Kenworth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . kenworth .com/drivers . . . . . . . . . . . .16 & 17

Zonar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . zonarsystems .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ELD 9 commercial carrier journal | november 2017

99

PREVENTABLE or NOT?

Train or sedan?

Doe must decide

A

t the roadside safety inspection earlier that morning that had netted him a CSA Satisfactory rating, tractor-trailer driver John Doe had a brief chat with the state trooper about the agency’s new emphasis on enforcement. Truckers now must get a tough-love look from head to toe, Doe was advised, and most commercial vehicle enforcement personnel were unlikely from now on to be willing to swap tall tales at roadside about longago pullovers with highly unusual passengers and freight. How sad!

John Doe approached a railroad Suddenly, Doe’s musings were crossing and stopped at the interrupted by the realization that he tracks, but a car approaching was approaching a railroad crossing fast from behind caused him to inch ahead, and a signal arm with signal arms flashing and bells descended and hit his cab. Was ringing to warn of an oncoming this a preventable accident? locomotive. He stopped out of an abundance of caution, but also took note of a small car approaching fast from behind. The driver probably was on his cellphone and not paying any attention to what was going on, he guessed.

However, Doe quickly realized that the car wasn’t slowing down, so he decided to inch ahead to give the driver more time to wake up to the fact he was about to run smack-dab into his trailer’s underride guard … CRACK! Oh no!

A signal arm had descended upon and severely mangled Doe’s hood! Argh!

Since Doe contested the preventable-accident warning letter from his safety director, the National Safety Council’s Accident Review Committee was asked to render a final decision. To Doe’s dismay, NSC ruled against him, noting that it’s better to risk being rear-ended by a sedan than to be sideswiped by a freight train. Doe should have stayed put and trusted that the car would stop in time, NSC decided.

100

commercial carrier journal | november 2017

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