CCJ 0719 by dwatson

JULY 2019

TAKING CARE OF TRAILERS

Don't neglect maintenance page 52

FLATBED TRAILERS Annual guide to new models, specs

Trucking insurance gets a tech-based boost

page 58

BRAKE ADJUSTERS They're not just 'set it and forget it' page 28

FOR-HIRE REPAIRS BUSINESS SOLUTIONS FOR TRUCKING PROFESSIONALS

Software can help you open your shop page 39

Buyers Guide for Trailer Testers Trailer inspections are being monitored more and more for proficiency to avoid falling behind on PM schedules and annual inspections. In fact, a poorly run trailer shop can be one of the largest contributors to hidden costs a fleet or service provider can have. If you are looking to update existing equipment such as rudimentary home-made testers without a remote control or pursuing ways to maximize your shop’s inspection output and timing, IPA® manufactures an industry-leading, professional-grade trailer tester for every type of need. Ranging ng from $200 to $5000, it is importantto identify which features best suit your shop’s needs to ensure the maximum return on investment (ROI).

The Ultimate Shop-Based, Complete Trailer Inspection System

For fleets who are seeking to maximize a shop’s output and increase profit, the Alpha MUTT® with ABS (#5700A) integrates all the areas of trailer inspection into one system that helps to limit human error and wasted time. It provides unparalleled control and diagnostic information over a trailer’s various systems using a wireless tablet. The #5700A includes customizable digital inspections that reduce paperwork and data entry while unifying inspections across the board. The ABS diagnostics read and clear codes, display diagnostic troubleshooting information, access ECU data and have no lag time when reading ABS with IPA®’s custom diagnostic software. For service providers who want professional reports, this software exports a complete inspection which can be shared directly with other departments or customers.

Specialized Service-Truck Models with All the Bells and Whistles

These bring many of the Alpha MUTT®’s features directly to a service truck with the #5705A and #5705. They are smaller, less portable (do not feature cart) and include extended cabling options such as Bluetooth range, cable and hose extenders.

#5705A

Budget-Friendly, Super Durable Diagnostics for Lights and Air Brakes

For shops looking for a slightly smaller, remote-controlled unit that’s still rugged enough to get the job done, the Super MUTT® quickly troubleshoots lighting and air brake systems on commercial trailers and is ideal for on/off-site testing and repairs (#9008-SE Base Model /#9008-DL PRO Edition / #9005A Service-Truck Model). It features audible and visual alerts, advanced trailer wiring diagnostics, access to ABS blink codes and performs leak-down tests on service and emergency lines.

For Remote, Light Diagnostics Only

#9008-DL

The Smart MUTT® is a mobile, remote-controlled, diagnostic trailer tester for commercial trailer lighting systems (#9007A Base Model / #9007M PRO Edition). The #9004A Base Model / #9004M PRO Edition test light-duty trailer lights and electric brakes. The Pulsar® mode makes trailer testing a one-man operation and allows you to test all trailer electrical systems in a fraction of time.

Ultra-Portable, Low Cost, Analog

The Ranger MUTT® is a portable, water-resistant trailer tester for lights and electric brakes on Utility/RV trailers (#9101 Light Ranger) or commercial trailers (#9102 Heavy Ranger). They feature short circuit protection, turn signal simulation and power verification LEDs. Investing in the right equipment and maximizing man hours are keys to #9102 any business's success. IPA® is known for designing equipment with a technology interface that is easy-to-use and dynamic in function. Each MUTT® is turnkey and requires no training to ensure each piece of equipment returns its investment many times over. IPA® offers a 24-Hour Repair/Replace Policy and 100% Satisfaction Guarantee on all their products, with a 3-Year Warranty on their diagnostic trailer testers. For Military MUTT® options or a complete list of the full IPA® line, visit their website, www.ipatools.com.

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Editorial

20 21 21 22 22 24

Volvo’s autonomous e-truck goes to work

ZF furthers ADAS tech with dual-lens camera

10 fleets chosen for Run On Less Regional event Daimler Trucks forms autonomous division Daimler clears the way to spin off truck division

27 27

McLeod Software’s LoadMaster updates promote driver experience

production@ccjdigital.com

FourKites enhances predictive ETA, visibility capabilities CarriersEdge adds training courses

Paragon helps fleets plan available driver utilization

Ex-Tesla, Uber engineers to test autonomous parcel delivery vehicle Peterbilt 348 modified for low clearance

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COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL

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28 InFocus: Brake adjusters

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39 InFocus:

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Tenstreet adds new features to driver recruiting software

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

Michelin debuts new high-tech airless tire

New tech aims to correct dangerous nondriving habits

Editor: Jason Cannon Senior Editor: Aaron Huff Equipment Editor: Tom Quimby Managing Editor: Dean Smallwood Senior Editor: James Jaillet News Editor: Matt Cole Contributing Editor: Todd Dills

Editor Jason Cannon's column

John Doe was in the center lane of a three-lane highway and was stopping at a traffic light, but a sport car close behind him didn’t see the signal and kept going, hitting Doe’s slowing trailer. Was this a preventable accident?

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UPFRONT

Back to school Today’s drivers can get ready for tomorrow’s trucks BY JASON CANNON

ccording to the Brookings Institution think tank, as many of 25 percent of U.S. jobs are at the mercy of automation. Last year, a study from the U.C. Berkley Center for Labor Research and Education said autonomous technology could eliminate nearly 300,000 driving jobs, with the greatest impact landing across less-than-truckload and parcel segments that historically have offered drivers the best wages. I’m bearish on autonomy in trucking. I recognize the tidal wave that is coming, but I don’t think I’ll ever, in my lifetime, see a significant number of driving jobs – certainly not to the tune of 300,000 – vaporized. Those people still will be needed, but their roles and the scope of their jobs may change, which is why I think getting out in front of this shift is important. Drivers most resistant to automation likely will be the first to go, because they’ll be the least willing to work alongside it. But baked into that is another challenge: How do you learn to work with something – or supplement something – that at this point may be a decade or more away? Last month, Tucson, Ariz.-based Pima Community College and self-driving truck company TuSimple announced the launch of a first-of-its-kind autonomous driving certificate program for truck drivers. A preemptive strike toward honing a driver’s skillset as some of their job functions are automated, the Autonomous Vehicle Driver and Operations Specialist certificate program is designed to prepare individuals for trucking’s future jobs, such as training the autonomous system as test drivers, operating the vehicle in situations where autonomous driving is not suitable and monitoring the system remotely from a command center. TuSimple and Pima co-developed the curriculum’s five classes that require a Class A commercial driver’s license prior to enrollment: Introduction to Autonomous Vehicles, Industrial Safety, Computer Hardware Components, Electrical Systems I and Transportation and Traffic Management. In conjunction with the program, TuSimple will prioritize hiring graduates of the certificate program for jobs at its Tucson testing and development center.

Pictured are Pima Community College and TuSimple representatives with TuSimple’s self-driving truck (right) at TuSimple’s testing and development center in Tucson, Ariz.

Lee Lambert, chancellor for Pima, said working with TuSimple to develop the program ensures that students will build competencies in multiple areas from logistics and information technology to automated industrial technology. “These areas are being transformed by autonomy, and drivers will need training in order to interact with autonomous trucks,” Lambert said. It’s a way for drivers to hedge their bets on a career path. The program initially will be offered at Pima in September, and registration begins in August. Once launched, the curriculum will be available on a complementary basis to other schools interested in offering the same program. Dr. Xiaodi Hou, TuSimple’s founder, president and chief technology officer, said the coursework aligns with his company’s mission to create a safe autonomous driving fleet. “An essential aspect of the training program is to ensure that drivers have access to appropriate training for this new technology and employment opportunities,” Hou said. “The program offers driving professionals a smooth transition into an emerging field that requires different skillsets in addition to existing truck driving knowledge by providing training.” The best way to survive upheaval is to take part in it — an effort of self-preservation that at least creates an opportunity for a soft landing for its participants. It may take a while to catch on, but I think you’ll begin to see more programs like this that teach drivers how they will have to work with technology or be displaced by it. Those willing to learn will thrive when we all come through the other side of this evolution.

JASON CANNON is Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal. E-mail jcannon@randallreilly.com.

commercial carrier journal

| july 2019

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LEADING LEADINGNEWS, NEWS, TRUCKING TRUCKINGMARKET MARKET CONDITIONS CONDITIONSAND AND INDUSTRY INDUSTRYANALYSIS ANALYSIS

FMCSA House bill allows wouldafter-hours return move CSA scores to park to public while view loaded

he he House’s Federal 2020 Motor U.S. Carrier Department Safety of Administration Transportationfinalized funding bill changes to would guidance require around the Federal the 150-air-mile-radius Motor Carrier Safety agriculture Administration hours-of-service to exemption make carriers’ and use Safety of the Measurement personal conveyance System scores provision. within the Compliance Both proposed Safetychanges were put forward ahead of the Dec. 18 compliance Accountability deadline for program the agency’s publicly electronic logging device mandate and pitched as providing available clarity onceand again. additional flexibility for drivers. The annual new interpretation Transportation, of when it is legal to use a truck for personal conveyance Housing allows anduse Urban whether Development the truck is loaded or not. Perhaps more significantly, the guidance appropriations answers package a common clearedquestion the of whether it’s appropriate to use personal conveyance House Appropriations status to Committee get last to month a safeand parking was sent to the full spot House orfor restconsideration. locaThe legtion islation after would hoursrequire are CSA scores exhausted to be madeby public a shipagain within six per months or receiver. of the bill’s passage. “The Scoresmovement were pulled from public The 2015 FAST Act pulled carriers’ CSA SMS rankings from public view and required NAS to from view in a shipper December 2015 by the study the program and issue recommendations to FMCSA to fix it. or FAST receiver Act highway to the bill due to nearest concerns safe about resting the data’s efficacy area and whether may be identithe system accurately portrayed carriers’ safety performance and fied safety as risk. personal conveyance,” The FAST Act texttargeted the percentile rankings within the SMS and the underof lying thedata clarification – roadside inspections and associated weighted violations – used reads, to calculate “regardless those rankings. of The new Theinterpretation act also required theitNational of personal of when is legal toAcademies use a truck for conveyance allowsany use deficiencies. whether the truck is loaded or not. whether Science to thestudy driver the system and denote exhausted The 2015his legislation or her also called for NAS to issue recommendations for how hours FMCSA of could service, reform as long theasprogram the CMVtoismake beingitmoved more accurate solely toinenable its assessment the driverofto obtain carrier the safety. required rest at a safe location.” Personal conveyance used this way should beIn annotated 2017, NAS in the issued log. a report recommending sweeping changes to CSA and thePersonal SMS. FMCSA conveyance was scheduled also is newly to begin allowed testingwhen thosearecommendations safety official requires via a a driver pilot program to movelate during last year. an off-duty period. Such a use should be “no farther than theThe nearest agency reasonable had issued and a 10-page safe areareport to complete saying the it planned rest period,” to replace the text reads. theRegarding existing the CSA150-air-mile-radius SMS with a new scoring exemption, system. FMCSA It also clarified said the it hoped definition to of the radius improve as extending the quality from of data the commodity’s used to score source. carriers, Haulers as well using as the make exemption it easierbut who for carriers extend beyond to calculate the radius theirwould scores.not The need agency to start also hours saidrecording it might until add an they reach the absolute edge of scoring the radius, sys- the agency tem instead said. Such of relydrivers Scan the QR code with your smartphone or visit ccjdigital.com/news/subscribe-to-newsreturning ing on relative emptyscores can stop letters to sign up for the CCJ Daily Report, hours that compare recordingcarriupon rea daily e-mail newsletter filled with news, entering ers to their the peers. radius. analysis, blogs and market condition articles. – James – Todd JailletDills 8

commercial carrier journal

| july 2019

Bill Registry would force hack 30-minute to delays break medical remain in hoursrule regs certificate

he U.S. House last month moved

a step he closer to passing budget Federal Motor aCarrier

bill that could impact the Federal said Motor Safety Administration Carrier last Safety Administration’s attempts month it intends to postpone to alterthe portions of federal hours of serimplementation of a system vice regulations. meant to streamline its communiTucked intowith the legislation – theagencations state licensing Transportation, Housing and medical Urban cies regarding drivers’ Development appropriations bill for the certification status. 2020 fiscalThe year – that cleared the House multifaceted rule, part of Appropriations Committee is a provision which took effect in January 2015, that would protect the to 30-minute break requires FMCSA electronically within transmit current hours regulations proto state licensing by agenhibitingcies FMCSA from eliminating it. the results of drivers’ medical Thecertifications; bill could setFMCSA up a clash receives that between lawmakers and FMCSAexaminreguinformation from medical lators. ers. It’s still Stateunknown agencies whether then will the send agency’s will attempt thehours resultsproposal to the Commercial to remove or alter theInformation 30-minute break Driver’s License requirement, it was a key topic System but to make other states of consideration in lastexam year’sresults. public aware of drivers’ debate on hours regulations. However, due in part to the However, theoutage THUD bill willNational expire ongoing of the next September, provision Registry ofmeaning Certified the Medical on the Examiners 30-minutefollowing break would expire an attempted at that hack, time. FMCSA Lawmakers need sayswould it will postpone to renew provision to uphold the thethe requirement that it submit 30-minute break fortothe 2021 fiscal year, information state agencies for shouldthree FMCSA try to eliminate it. years, until June 2021. – James – MattJaillet Cole

FMCSA said “an incident that Underoccurred current hours in early of December service regulations, 2017” led the to 30-minute interruptions break is required in developing within a driver’s the electronic first eight hours transmission on-duty. process.

commercial carrier journal

| july 2018 9

JOURNAL NEWS

House bill would increase diesel, gasoline taxes for infrastructure funding

U.S. House bill would raise per-gallon fuel taxes on diesel and gasoline by five cents a year for five years and then tie the fuel tax rate to inflation as a means to raise revenue for surface transportation infrastructure. The Rebuild America Act introduced May 22 by U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) also would compel Congress to replace the fuel tax with a “more equitable, stable source of funding” by 2029, according to the legislation’s text. The bill was filed with the House Ways and Means Committee. Under the plan, the diesel tax would climb from its current 24.3 cents a gallon to 49.3 cents in The Highway Trust Fund currently is 2023, and the gasoline tax would climb funded by an 18.4-cents-per-gallon tax on gasoline and a 24.4-centsfrom its current 18.3 a-gallon tax on diesel. The federal fuel tax was last increased in 1993. cents to 43.3 cents. The current diesel and gasoline rates have been in effect since 1993. Over the last 26 years, the taxes have lost their ability to fund the Highway Trust Fund due to inflation and more fuelefficient vehicles. “Our nation’s infrastructure is falling apart as we fall behind our global competitors,” Blumenauer said. “It is past time that we get real about funding our infrastructure needs. We can’t afford inaction any longer.” The plan is similar to that of the American Trucking Associations’ Build America Fund plan, which the group has been advocating in recent years. ATA applauded Blumenauer’s bill. “Great credit goes to Earl Blumenauer for proposing a solution to the infrastructure crisis in America,” said Chris Spear, ATA president and chief executive officer. “Truckers see that roads and bridges are deteriorating more each year, and the traffic and congestion that impacts people’s daily lives must be solved. We thank Congressman Blumenauer for his leadership and hope that Congress works with constructive leaders like him to find a solution to improve our decaying roads and bridges.” – James Jaillet

Bill would provide funding for bridge repair, replacement

Senate bill would provide states with funding to repair or replace unsafe bridges and for a corrosion protection system to lengthen the bridge’s life. The Strengthen And Fortify Existing Bridges The SAFE Bridges Act would provide $2.75 billion for each Act would provide $2.75 of fiscal years 2020-25 to DOT billion for each of fisto distribute to states for rehacal years 2020-25 to bilitating or replacing structurthe U.S. Department of ally deficient bridges. Transportation. The agency would distribute funding to states for the total cost of rehabilitating or replacing structurally deficient bridges. The SAFE Bridges Act also would permit states to use the funding to maintain surface coating and paint systems and to prevent corrosion. “My legislation would provide an overdue initial investment to repair our nation’s bridges, which will also help create jobs,” said U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), the bill’s sponsor. “Both the president and members of Congress from both parties have spoken about the need to rehabilitate our aging infrastructure. This bill presents an opportunity to begin to make good on that pledge. As bridges in New Hampshire and across the country continue to crumble from disrepair, the need for bipartisan cooperation has never been more urgent. Continued neglect poses significant public safety risks and jeopardizes our economy.” The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades worked with Shaheen to include a provision allowing states to use the funding for corrosion protection. “Structurally deficient bridges are an equal-opportunity crisis,” said Ken Rigmaiden, general president for IUPAT. “Any car or truck driver crossing an unsafe bridge is at risk. Congress needs to come together and provide states with the funding to rehabilitate or replace the 47,000 bridges considered structurally deficient.” The legislation is co-sponsored by Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Angus King (I-Maine). “This is a commonsense provision to lengthen the life of bridges, mitigate costs to taxpayers and keep them safer, making the repairs an even better investment,” Rigmaiden said. – CCJ Staff commercial carrier journal

| july 2019 9

SPONSORED INFORMATION

Part 2 of 2: Drug recognition evaluations

ast month, I described an incident in which a truck driver was placed out of service for 24 hours for an alleged violation 392.4(a), a code of federal regulation pertaining to driving while under the influence. On April 20, several states conducted drug recognition evaluations at various locations. This particular driver was flagged while at a weigh station and underwent a drug recognition evaluation; all tests resulted in negative indication of drugs. He was regardless cited as violating 392.4(a), and This is not the first time a drug recognition evaluation has been used. However, this is the first time I have seen one being used to evaluate a commercial motor vehicle driver. The drug recognition evaluation program was created by a couple of Los Angeles police officers who felt that medical doctors did not receive sufficient training in the sign of drug impairment for street drugs and therefore could not offer judgment about a suspect’s condition. In order to become qualified to perform a DRE an officer must attend a 2 day Preliminary Training Course. Upon completion of the course the office may take the 7 day DRE course. The course covers the 12 steps of the DRE procedure and the seven categories of drugs covered in the manual. Due to limited space, I am not going to list all of the 12 steps of the evaluation or the seven categories covered (if you really want to know, shoot me an email.). However, the evaluation does include a breath alcohol test, eye exams, divided attention tests, dark room examination of pupils, muscle tone, potential injection sites, opinion of the evaluator and a toxicology examination. All of these test are conducted by an officer, not a medical professional, with 9 days of training. For what it is worth, most medical doctors believe that without formal medical training the person conducting the evaluation is not qualified to make the determination that a person is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. In addition, factors other than drug or alcohol use can impact the outcome of the tests being performed. I don’t think anyone would dispute that the stress of the evaluation environment would be enough to elevate a person’s heart rate, blood pressure, temperature and can even impact a person’s muscle tone (under stress muscles tend to be firmer). The point I am trying to make is the person conducting the Drug Recognition Evaluation may lack the scientific and medical training required for the DRE to be relevant and reliable enough to be admitted under Rule of Evidence 702. In fact, several state courts have case law concerning the admissibility of DRE evidence. These include Texas, Minnesota, Florida, Oregon and Washington. Again, I am opposed to anyone operating any type of vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol; however, I am also a big believer in due process. While I think the DRE can have value I think that it is not reliable enough to be solely relied upon in the face of evidence to the contrary.

commercial carrier journal

| july 2019

JOURNAL NEWS

Lawmakers urged to support private investment in EV charging infrastructure

coalition of industry organizations last month encouraged lawmakers to support private investment in electric vehicle charging infrastructure and reconsider a provision of the Leading Infrastructure for Tomorrow’s America Act (H.R. 2741) that would allow public utilities to use rate-payer funds. NATSO, the national association representing truckstops and travel plazas, joined the National Association of Convenience Stores, the Petroleum Marketers Association of America and the Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of America. The groups said they believe private-sector involvement in the installation of EV charging stations is key to meeting the fueling needs of the motoring public, including the trucking industry, and that the associations’ members are working to invest in that infrastructure. Allowing public utilities to compete against the private sector by using rate-payer dollars to make such investments, however, would destroy The groups said they believe the incentive for privateprivate-sector involvement in the installation of electric sector investment, the vehicle charging stations is key to groups said in a letter to meeting the fueling needs of the Congressmen Frank motoring public, including the Pallone (D-N.J.), chairman trucking industry. of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Ranking Member Greg Walden (R-Ore.). Such a practice also unfairly places the burden for infrastructure developments onto the shoulders of low-income Americans, the groups said. When public utility commissions allow utilities to use ratepayer dollars to underwrite their investments in EV charging, utilities are getting a leg up into a market without putting any capital investment at risk, the groups said. An unlevel playing field will discourage fuel retailers from investing in EV charging because they cannot compete with utilities in this environment, resulting in fewer EV charging stations for consumers and, ultimately, fewer EVs being adopted, they said. “We all favor increased electric vehicle charging infrastructure,” said Lisa Mullings, NATSO president and chief executive officer. “But for EVs to be successful, policies should seek to attract private investment into EV charging so that we build and foster a dynamic competitive marketplace for EV fueling. That type of market has served current vehicle owners well and would serve future vehicle owners.” – CCJ Staff

JOURNAL NEWS

INBRIEF 7/19 • RJR Transportation, a California-based 60-truck fleet, was granted a waiver to allow its drivers to increase its 100 air-mile short-haul radius to 150 air miles. RJR said it requested the exemption because the majority of its trucks operate within 100 air miles of its headquarters, but because five of its drivers who maintain driving logs occasionally exceed 100 air miles but not 150 air miles, the company would be required to deploy electronic logging devices fleetwide at “a substantial investment” to allow its drivers flexibility to switch trucks. • Penske Logistics (CCJ Top 250, No. 29) notified the Indiana Department of Workforce Development that it is permanently shutting down a facility in Fort Wayne, Ind., due to a local trucking contract termination with a customer. The July 20 shutdown will impact 80 employees, most of whom are truck drivers. • XPO Logistics (No. 5) workers were on strike May 30 at a warehouse in North Haven, Conn., protesting what they alleged were illegal anti-worker actions and unfair labor practices and demanding affordable health care and retirement security. The striking workers voted in fall 2016 to organize with Teamsters Local 443. The facility’s exclusive customer is aircraft manufacturer Sikorsky. • The Teamsters announced in late May that the last supplement to its National Master Freight Agreement with YRC Worldwide (No. 6) subsidiaries YRC Freight, Holland and New Penn was ratified by the affected membership, putting in effect its national collective bargaining agreement.

• Hub Group (No. 21) now provides end-toend visibility of its shipments, allowing its loads to be viewed on a granular level in real time with updated estimated times of arrival by leveraging its fully GPS-equipped container fleet, railroad data and a combination of artificial intelligence and machine-learning technology that provides the company with constant analysis of more than 10 million historical and real-time data points.

commercial carrier journal

| july 2019

wo U.S. Department of Transportation agencies are seeking public input on removing regulatory barriers to allowing the integration of autonomous vehicles onto public roads. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety FMCSA seeks to better underAdministration and the National Highway stand how changes to its rules can Traffic Safety Administration last month pub- account for differences between human drivers and automated lished advance notices of proposed rulemakdriving systems. ings “to ensure that all potential approaches are fully considered” while moving forward with autonomous vehicle regulations. FMCSA is seeking comments on questions regarding several regulatory areas to better understand how changes to its rules can account for differences between human drivers and automated driving systems. The agency said the questions focus on requirements of human drivers, commercial driver’s license endorsements, hours of service, medical qualifications, distracted driving, safe driving, roadside inspections and cybersecurity, as well as inspection, repair and maintenance. NHTSA is seeking comments on identifying and addressing regulatory barriers posed by existing Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. The agency also wants to hear from the public on different approaches that could be used to measure FMVSS compliance for vehicles without conventional controls, including steering wheels and brake pedals. To comment before the Aug. 26 deadline, go to Regulations.gov and search Docket Nos. FMCSA-2018-0037 and NHTSA-2019-0036. – Matt Cole

NTSB: Tesla’s Autopilot system active at time of fatal tractor-trailer crash

he National Transportation Safety Board has determined that a Tesla Model 3 sedan’s self-driving Autopilot mode was active at the time of a March 1 crash in which the car struck the side of a tractor-trailer, shearing off the top of the car and killing the driver. NTSB has determined a Tesla Model In a preliminary report issued May 16, 3’s Autopilot system was active NTSB said the Tesla driver activated the on March 1 when it collided with a Autopilot system approximately 10 sectractor-trailer on U.S. 441 in Delray Beach, Fla. onds before the car collided with the 2019 International tractor-trailer. The crash occurred on U.S. 441 (State Road 7) in Delray Beach, Fla. The truck was attempting to make a left turn out of Pero Farms across the southbound lanes of the highway to go north. The posted speed limit in the area of the crash is 55 mph, and the Tesla was traveling southbound at about 68 mph at the time of impact, and neither preliminary data nor surveillance videos indicate the driver or the Autopilot system executed evasive maneuvers before the crash. NTSB is continuing to investigate the crash. – Matt Cole

NTSB

• Estes Express Lines (No. 12) acquired Eastern Freightways and Carrier Industries, two affiliates of New Jersey-based trucking company New England Motor Freight. The sale, terms of which were not released, was a separate part of NEMF’s liquidation following its filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February and enables Estes to expand its flatbed and dedicated transportation capabilities through its Level2 Logistics division.

DOT seeking input on regs around autonomous driving

JOURNAL NEWS

Applicants sought for under-21 interstate pilot for military vets

he Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is accepting applications for its pilot program for 18-to-21-year-old military-trained truck drivers. The pilot program will allow a limited number of under-21 drivers with the military equivalent of a commercial driver’s license to operate across state lines. Currently, drivers between the ages of 18 and 20 only are allowed to drive intrastate. Drivers participating in the pilot also will need to be sponsored, or hired, by a participating fleet. U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said the program will help military veterans and reservists transition into good-paying jobs and also help the trucking industry recruit and retain drivers. As part of the pilot, FMCSA will compare the safety records of the under-21 drivers in the program to a control group of drivers ages 21-24 with CDLs and comparable training and experience driving trucks. The agency said this will help determine whether age is a critical factor FMCSA expects to need about 70 carriers to both hire at in driver safety. least 200 participating under-21 drivers with military The program is experience and provide at least 200 control group drivers. expected to last for up to three years. Information for drivers and carriers interested in participating in the program can be found at fmcsa.dot.gov/under21pilot/under21-pilot-program. FMCSA expects to need about 70 carriers to both hire at least 200 participating under-21 drivers with military experience and provide at least 200 control group drivers. FMCSA will keep a list of approved carriers and participating drivers for law enforcement, and participating drivers will be required to carry a copy of an exemption letter from the agency and the approved carrier to present to law enforcement during inspections. In late May, FMCSA announced a proposal to expand the pilot program to allow nonmilitary-trained drivers under the age of 21 to operate in interstate operations. Comments can be filed at Regulations.gov by searching Docket No. FMCSA-2018-0346. Also in late May, Alabama lawmakers passed a bill that lowers the age for intrastate truck drivers to 18. Truckers under 21 in the state still will be restricted from hauling hazmat and/or oversized loads that require permitting. Alabama had been one of only two states, the other being Hawaii, to require drivers to be 21 to obtain a CDL to drive intrastate. – Matt Cole

INBRIEF 7/19 • KLLM Transportation (No. 34) acquired the refrigerated division of Little Rock, Ark.-based Maverick Transportation (No. 75); terms were not disclosed. Jim Richards, chief executive officer for Jackson, Miss.-based KLLM, said the company would retain any drivers from Maverick’s reefer division who wanted to join the company and that KLLM intended to “make the conversion quickly and as seamlessly as possible.” KLLM, whose core business is in the refrigerated segment, employs about 3,500 drivers, which includes sister company Frozen Foods Express. Richards said he expected about 100 to 150 drivers to transition from Maverick to KLLM. • Aliquippa, Pa.-based PGT Trucking (No. 111) launched its Project Cargo Management Division, a single-source transportation group for high-volume or complex project cargo. The new division bundles the services that PGT, Southern Pines Trucking and affiliated companies already offer and targets customers who need assistance moving high-volume, heavy, valuable or multifaceted freight using flatbeds and specialized equipment to large complex jobsites such as newly constructed commercial buildings, sports stadiums, oil and gas pipelines and industrial plants. • Milan, Tenn.-based Milan Supply Chain Solutions (No. 236) is building a new facility in Jackson, Tenn. The new location along Interstate 40 will include both corporate offices and a 200,000-square-foot distribution center with opportunity for onsite expansion and will place the entire Milan team – corporate, operations, administration and transportation – in one location. The new DC also will be built to meet food-grade compliance and will complement Milan’s existing footprint in Jackson that consists of a distribution center, truck and trailer maintenance shop and crossdock facility. • The Commercial Vehicle Training Association is releasing a three-part publication, “Entry-Level Driver Training: Compliance Guide,” a complementary guide to provide member schools with the knowledge and support they need to comply with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Entry-Level Driver Training regulation that takes effect Feb. 7, 2020. The guide contains best practices developed by CVTA’s ELDT Pilot Program Committee, forms to assist with mandatory documentation and an overview of the new curriculum and reporting requirements. The association also will begin a voluntary ELDT compliance program for its members beginning July 1. commercial carrier journal

| july 2019 13

JOURNAL NEWS

Hazmat tanker fleet can add trailer brake lights

he Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration granted a five-year waiver to Groendyke Transport (CCJ Top 250, No. 110) to Groendyke Transport allow the Enid, Okla.-based hazmat received a waiver that tanker fleet to use pulsating brake allows it to install amber brake-activated lights in addition to steady-burning pulsating lights on brake lights. the back of its tankers The waiver, effective through to increase visibility April 26, 2024, allows Groendyke when braking. to install an amber brake-activated pulsating light in the upper center portion of its trailers. The company applied for the exemption last July, stating that the increased visibility from the flashing amber lights would “be an efficient means to prevent rear-ending accidents.” FMCSA, in its decision to grant the waiver, cited an inhouse test conducted by Groendyke in which the company added pulsating brake lights to nearly half of its 1,440 trailers. During its 2½-year test, Groendyke experienced a 33.7% reduction in rear-end crashes for the trailers equipped with June AutoDeck to Ad.pdf 1 4/8/19 8:33 AM– Matt Cole the lights, according the agency.

CMY

commercial carrier journal

| july 2019

Trash hauler seeks reprieve from short-haul provisions

trash and recycling collection company petitioned the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to allow its 320 drivers operating under the short-haul hours of service Kimble Recycling exemption to extend their work days & Disposal said its short-haul drivers to 14 hours. cannot complete their Kimble Recycling & Disposal of workday within the 12 Cambridge, Ohio, said its short-haul hours required by the trash and recycling pickup drivshort-haul exemption. ers cannot complete their workday within the 12 hours required by the short-haul exemption. KRD added that electronic logs “delay and distract its drivers working to collect waste and recycling materials because they require excessive interaction.” The company said that because of frequent stops to pick up trash, its drivers have to interact with ELDs “hundreds if not thousands of times a day.” KRD cited exemptions granted to asphalt and ready-mix concrete drivers allowing them to operate up to 14 hours a day without losing their short-haul status. – Matt Cole

JOURNAL NEWS

FMCSA seeks detention data, impacts on safety

he Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is asking truck drivers and industry stakeholders for information about driver detention times at shipping and receiving facilities and the potential impacts those delays have on highway safety. The agency said a recent study by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General found that better data is needed to understand the issues around dwell times. FMCSA said it is interested in data sources, methodologies and potential technology that could provide insight into loading and unloading delays experienced by drivers. Specifically, the agency is looking for information on whether data currently is available on: • Accurately recording loading, unloading and delay times; • If technology is available to compare prompt loading and unloading times to extended delays; • What the agency should use as an estimate of reasonable loading/unloading time; and

FMCSA is seeking additional data on detention time experienced by truckers at shippers and receivers and any impacts such delays have on highway safety.

• What the agency can do to help reduce loading and unloading times. Comments can be made at Regulations.gov by searching Docket No. FMCSA-2019-0054. Detention time has long been a hot-button issue within the trucking industry. DOT reported in 2018 that detention cuts truck driver pay by between $1.1 billion and $1.3 billion annually and also increases crash risk.” – Matt Cole

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commercial carrier journal

Date: 05/29/19

Client: CMA

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| july 2019 15 Page 1 of 1

JOURNAL NEWS A Navistar spokesperson said the settlement remains subject to court approval and does not apply to the MaxxForce 15-liter engine.

Navistar agrees to pay $159M to settle MaxxForce lawsuits

avistar, maker of International Trucks, last month entered into a $159 million class-action settlement with fleets and truck owners who purchased model year 2011-14 MaxxForce

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11- and 13-liter engines — a nowdefunct engine line from Navistar that allegedly contained defects and piled up millions of dollars in warranty claims against the company. The MaxxForce fallout also led to several years of multibillion-dollar losses for Navistar. The company in the past five years has piloted a financial turnaround and revamped its product line, shedding the truck and engine models that plagued the company in its pursuit of an exhaust gas recirculationonly solution to meeting 2010 federal emissions standards. It now offers its A26 engine in a 12-liter option, and customers can spec tractors with a 15-liter Cummins. In an 8-K form filed May 29 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Navistar notified shareholders of the pending charge-out and settlement. A Navistar spokesperson confirmed the settlement, saying that it will be taken in the second quarter of this year. It remains subject to court approval, and it does not apply to the MaxxForce 15-liter engine, the company said. The settlement “denies all claims … wrongdoing, liability or damage of any kind, and denies that [Navistar] acted improperly or wrongfully in any way,” the 8-K states. It’s unclear how many members of the class might be eligible for a portion of the settlement. Navistar in 2016 settled a SEC probe into whether the company misled shareholders, paying $7.5 million to end the investigation. Navistar was the only engine maker in 2012 to pursue an EGR-only strategy to meet federal emissions standards, with all others opting to use diesel exhaust fluid-based selective catalytic reduction. Navistar later abandoned its EGR plans and switched to SCR. – CCJ Staff

| july 2019 2/14/17 11/8/16 1:50 5:48 PM PM

JOURNAL | PERSPECTIVES

Shop talk HOS, tariffs are hot topics in the trucking workplace BY MACKAY & COMPANY

n our “shop,” there is much talk about the current state of the trucking market, the current state of the economy and the current state of outside influencing factors on our industry. I recently sat down with Bob Dieli, who keeps his eye on all things related to trucks and the economy, and asked him a couple of questions on the current state of the industry. What is the current hot topic? Bob said there are two. The first is the debate over hours of service that is being covered in the congressional hearings on the subject, and the second is the effect of tariffs on freight volumes. The trade press has highlighted several areas connected to the HOS hearings, especially the matters of safety, fairness and accountability. The safety issue was discussed from both sides of the issue, starting with the concerns of folks who see truck driving as a dangerous profession that requires regulations. A new wrinkle in this discussion was the observation by truck operators that the hours mandate itself is creating safety concerns, as drivers now are always against the clock, resulting in distractions and worries that can be a safety concern. Fairness came into play, as owneroperators noted that because of the composition of their business, they have both a smaller base over which to spread the costs of the electronic logging device mandate and less

flexibility to react to the scheduling demands caused by the restart and rest periods. Their argument is that a one-size-fits-all regulatory scheme is neither fair nor efficient. The third area is accountability. With all drivers now “on the clock,” as soon as they pick up the keys to the truck, dwell time has become increasingly contentious. Several owner-operators testified that they would like to see regulations where shippers would be held accountable, and billable, for the time they make a truck wait for load. On the flip side, shippers do not like hearing that drivers will not be picking up or delivering a load because they are “out of time.” This is creating an adversarial relationship that both shippers and drivers would like to see addressed. Freight volume is the second supply chain-related topic. How will the accelerated pace of purchases that we saw late last year affect freight volumes this year? Shipping capacity – maritime, rail and truck – was strained seriously in the latter part of 2018, with shipping rates rising sharply in all three channels. We know that some of those purchases were made in anticipation of tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect this year. How much, how quickly and how long will this affect trucking activity? I then asked Bob what we should be most concerned about going forward.

“Tariffs, tariffs and tariffs.” Trade wars produce economic uncertainty. Uncertainty causes caution. Caution affects planning. Prior to the start of the trade tiff, Mackay’s Truckable Economic Activity had been expanding at about a 5% rate. Over the past six months, that rate has slowed to 3.5%. While tariffs did not account for all of that slowing, they did play a part. Tariffs are taxes that drive up the costs of importing and exporting. It has been said that the easiest way to get less of something is to put a tax on it. Imports and exports represent 25% of Truckable Economic Activity. Tariffs have the potential to reduce both severely. Trade wars generate political uncertainty. How will Congress react to the effects of the trade war? How will the Federal Reserve react to the trade war? How will the presidential campaign play out as a result of the trade war? These are among the factors that will affect how we make plans to operate our businesses. So that’s what we are talking about in our shop. What’s the talk around your shop? * TEA®, Truckable Economic Activity, is a measure of goods that move by truck. TEA® is published quarterly and includes an array of pertinent economic factors impacting our industry. Please visit MacKayCo.com to learn more.

MacKay & Company specializes in marketing research and management consulting for the commercial trucking, construction and agricultural equipment industries. Go to MacKayCo.com. commercial carrier journal

| july 2019 17

PRODUCT REVIEWS, OEM & SUPPLIER NEWS AND EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT TRENDS

Volvo Trucks last year presented Vera, its first electric, connected and autonomous vehicle designed for low-speed repetitive assignments.

Volvo’s autonomous e-truck goes to work

era, Volvo Trucks’ electric, connected and autonomous vehicle, has been tapped to transport goods from a logistics center to a port terminal in Gothenburg, Sweden, the result of a collaboration between Volvo Trucks and ferry and logistics company DFDS. The purpose of the collaboration is to implement Vera in a real application, enabling a connected system for a continuous flow of goods from a DFDS logistics center to an APM terminal in the port for distribution across the world. “Autonomous transports with low noise levels and zero exhaust emissions have an important role to play in the future of logistics and will benefit both business and society,” said Mikael Karlsson, vice president of Autonomous Solutions for Volvo Trucks. “We see this collaboration as an important start and want to drive progress in this area.” Volvo Trucks last year rolled out Vera, its first electric, connected and autonomous vehicle designed for low-speed repetitive assignments in logistics hubs, factories and ports. 20

commercial carrier journal

| july 2019

Vera is suited for short distances and is designed to transport large volumes of goods with high precision. The autonomous system is monitored by an operator in a control tower who also is responsible for the transport. The purpose is to enable a seamless and constant flow responsive to demands for greater efficiency, flexibility and sustainability. Volvo Trucks said the collaboration with DFDS is a first step toward implementing Vera in a real transportation assignment on predefined public roads in an industrial area. “This collaboration will help us develop an efficient, flexible and sustainable long-term solution for receiving autonomous vehicles arriving at our gates, benefiting our customers, the environment and our business,” said Torben Carlsen, chief executive officer for DFDS. Volvo Trucks said the autonomous system will be developed further in terms of technology, operations management, infrastructure adaptations and safety precautions before it can be fully operational. – Jason Cannon

WANT MORE EQUIPMENT NEWS? Scan the barcode to receive CCJ Equipment Weekly sign up the for the CCJ Equipment Weekly or go tonewsletter ccjdigital.com/news/subscribe-to-newsletters e-mail or go to www.goo.gl/Ph9JK. a fleet’s furthers recipe for failure: The expectation that a new hire should hit the shop ZF floor with a level of expertise comparable to employees with several years of ADAS tech seniority; a lack of a mentoring program; and a management team that doesn’t understanddual-lens today’s generation. with On average, it costs more than $8,000 to find and hire camera a technician. Having a person dedicated to onboarding

eaturing the that comemployee – ingraining them in your culture – is pany’s longitudinal critical. and lateral vehicle “Does that kid not know what he’s doing, or does he control expertise just do it different than the way you do it?” Arrants said. combined with Mobileye’s New technicians often closely follow a manufacturer’s advanced EyeQ4 procesrecommendation or procedure — the textbook way. sor, ZF’s two-lens camera However, in the “real world” – where speed and uptime designed for the commerare of more emphasis than process – the perception may cial truck market is set be that for the new employee is slow or lacking skill. release next year. Baptizing new hires in “your way” is an ongoing part Designed to be small of with their career development and an important part of a flexible and compactreducing me- turnover, said. DesignedArrants to be small with a flexible and compact design, Dual-Cam is part ofMilZF’s chanical design, Dual-Cam Tabbed as themechanical “participation trophy” generation, S-Cam4 family of automotive-grade cameras. is part of ZF’s S-Cam4lennials have gotten a bum rap in the workplace, Arrants family of automotive-grade said, adding that it takes a willingness of the employer to cameras. Dual-Cam’s learn second lens how to enables manage redundancy, the group. because if one lens becomes blinded or nonfunctional, the second helps ensure the camera “They only want two basic things, ” he said. “They want still cansafe operate to multiple paths, allowing forthey Level 2 and a clean, workdue environment, butoptical more than anything else, want to feel above SAEpart autonomous driving with a wider-angle like they’re of the family. They’re very talented, andfield theyof areview. loyal, but they expect DanaWilliams, few things head from you. of ADAS ” and autonomy for ZF commercial truck Unlike applications, the generations saidbefore Dual-Cam them, most is designed Millennials to meet value varying personal global time more than money and as such maydelivering be unmotivated by overtime pay, Arrants regulatory requirements while advanced functions such as said. Incentives such as compensation timeassist in lieuand of overtime payand mayobject become traffic sign recognition, lane keeping centering an increasingly benefit in attracting young talent, he said. and pedestrianimportant detection to enable automatic emergency braking. Competition among fleets for new technician talent is fierce, and simply To help ensure these technologies work effectively on commercial showing up at a career day isn’t going to cut it, Arrants said. trucks, a second lens is necessary for some of the more advanced func“Recruit in the beginning [of the school year], not the end,” he said. “Don’t tions, Williams said. wait for pedestrian a career fair where you’llemergency be one of 45 braking, others. Gointosome the school when a “For automatic instances school starts. ” standard mono-camera with a 52-degree field can limit the ability to Gettingvulnerable involved earlier the student’s education also detect pedestrians or other roadinusers with enough time helps careeraccidents path, Arrants to actuate the brakes andshape help their avoidpotential or mitigate for said. larger The deeper youhecan imbed your operation in a local trucks in complex environments,” said. technicaltechnologies program, the more likely that school ZF said when its camera are combined with a will fullprosuite duce the skillset you need, and the more likely you’ll be of its ADAS technologies such as forward-looking and corner radar, able to hang on to its graduates. automated functions such as lane-change assist and traffic-jam assist are enabled, forming the basis for technologies such as truck platooning to make long-haul trucking andEditor more efficient.Carrier Journal. E-mail JASON CANNON issafer Equipment of Commercial jcannon@randallreilly.com or call (205) 248-1175. – Jason Cannon

Nikola 10 fleets tochosen showcase for Run Ontractor hydrogen Less ikola Motor Co.event ’s hydrogen-electric Regional N semi-truck will take center stage early

next year he North as theAmerican cornerstone Council of a three-day for Freight eventEfficiency the company last month will usepicked to showcase 10 fleets its for its capabilities Run on Less and Regional technologies. freight-efficiency campaign “Nikola that World” willisshowcase set for mid-April trucks operat2019 in ing Phoenix, in a variety the city ofthat regional-haul serves as the applications company’s within headquarters. a 300-mile The radius first two of days, their home April 16 base. and 17,Chosen are invitation-only were C&S Wholesale for NikolaGrocers, reservation Hammond, holders, suppliers, La.; Hirschbach, media andMonterey, investors. The Tenn.; Hogan final day, AprilTransports, 18, will be open St. Louis; J.B. to the public. Hunt, A pre-production Corsicana, Texas; Meijer, version of the Lansing, company’s Mich.; PepsiCo’s hydrogen-electricsnacks Nikolaand Two beverages will share day division, one with Vancouver, the unveiling Wash.; Ploger of a 2.3-megawatt Transportation, hydrogen Norwalk, stationOhio; and the Schneider, Nikola NZT Rockford, 4X4. Ill.; Southeastern Demonstration drives Freight and Lines, hydrogen Columbia, filling S.C.; andplace UPS,the Phoenix. will take next day. On April 18, the The is three-week off Oct. 8 and public invited to event see thekicks zero-emissions culminates trucks and NZT Oct. 27 in action. at a press event at the North Registration American toCommercial the free eventVehicle will open onShow in line Dec. Atlanta.3.Like its predecessor – Jason Run on Cannon Less 2017, Run on Less Regional will feature real-time monitoring of miles traveled, fuel consumed, pickups and deliveries, elevation change, vehicle speed and other factors. Shell Lubricants is the title sponsor. PepsiuSimple,the a self-driving systems provider, Co, Geotab, U.S. Environmental Protechas been SmartWay, testing its Level 4 Class 8and autontion Agency’s LinkeDrive the omous trucks in Arizona for more thanRea year U.S. Department of Energy’s National and recently began hauling freight for-profit newable Energy Laboratory and Oak Ridge with commercial carriers state. National Laboratory also in arethe event sponsors. Earlier this year, expanded This year’s eventTuSimple is a sequel of sortsits to a testing in Tucson from 6,800 to similarfacilities challenge two years ago. NACFE’s 50,000 square feet, and next year,fuel-effithe comthen-cross-country long-haul pany plans to grow its footprint To ciency demonstration achievedfurther. a cumulasupport its development TuSimple tive average of 10.1 mpgprogram, during 99 days of projects will createthe 500original jobs across a variety driving,itexceeding 9 mpg goal of ranging fromCarbon engineering to autonosetfields by project hosts War Room mous truck driving and office management. and NACFE. The Tucson expansiontrucks has a projected total Seven participating drove a comeconomic impact $1.1 billion over the next bined 50,107 milesofduring the 17-day event. five Eachyears. participating truck used commercially The company also plans its U.S. available technologies suchto asexpand 6×2 axles, autonomous fleet to 200 trucks inengine 2019. Tutrailer and tractor aerodynamics, Simple said that with 500systems, trucks worldwide, accessories, tire pressure automated it will have theand world’s largest autonomous transmissions low-viscosity oils. truck fleet. ––Jason JasonCannon Cannon

Self-driving truck maker expanding

commercial commercial carrier carrier journal journal | october | july 2018 2019

Daimler Trucks forms autonomous division

aimler Trucks in late May announced the formation of a new internal division, the Autonomous Technology Group — the latest move by the company in its effort to put highly automated trucks on roadways within a decade. The new unit, effective June 1, was tasked with comprising strategy and implementation of a plan to deploy autonomous trucks, including research and development and setting up the required infrastructure and network as the truck maker inches toward hoped-for series production of Level 4 trucks. “We are the pioneer for automated trucks,” said Martin Daum, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for trucks and buses. “With the formation of our global Autonomous Technology Group, we are taking the next step, underscoring the importance of highly automated driving for Daimler Trucks, the industry and society as well. We will be in the perfect position to put highly automated driving onto the roads, making transpor-

Daimler clears the way to spin off truck division

hareholders of Daimler AG, the parent company of Daimler Trucks and its Freightliner and Western Star brands, last month voted to reorganize the company, clearing the way to place its truck and bus business into a legally independent entity. Shareholders also voted to allow a similar setup for the company’s car and van business. The company’s new structure is targeted for Nov. 1. From then, Daimler Trucks and Daimler Buses will be joined in a company named Daimler Truck AG, while Mercedes-Benz AG will be responsible for the current Mercedes-Benz Cars and MercedesBenz Vans divisions. The two new companies, along with the current Daimler AG and the future Daimler Mobility AG, will be co-determined German stock corporations with registered offices in Stuttgart. Daimler Financial Services AG, already legally independent, will be called Daimler Mobility AG starting July 24. Manfred Bischoff, chairman of the Supervisory Board for Daimler AG, said the new structure enhances the company’s ability to “act in a dynamically growing competitive environment, including in terms of raising capital. It will also let us better respond to customer and market needs.” As a publicly listed parent company, Daimler AG will perform the functions of governance, strategy and control and will provide groupwide services. – Jason Cannon

commercial carrier journal | july 2019

Daimler Trucks this year debuted the Freightliner 2020 Cascadia, which features a Detroit Connect-powered technology suite that enables Level 2 automated driving.

tation safer, saving lives and helping trucking companies boost their productivity.” Peter Vaughan Schmidt, who will lead the new unit, said the group’s initial focus will be on Level 4 use cases in defined areas and between defined hubs in the United States. The group will work closely with customers whose businesses match an automated driving application, Schmidt said. Software development also will be one of the new group’s main activities. Another will be the Vehicle Project that will be responsible for chassis redundancy, enabling the vehicle’s systems to take over a professional driver’s roles while on the road. The project also will be responsible for integrating the sensors required to enable autonomous operation, such as camera, lidar and radar, combined with an accurate map. Infrastructure and networks, to be set up by the group, will consist of one main vehicle control center, as well as additional stations at logistics hubs. The group will have a global reach, with researchers working in various locations throughout the company’s worldwide development network, including Portland, Oregon, Blacksburg, Virginia, and Stuttgart, Germany. More locations will follow as the test fleet is built up and deployed. Blacksburg-based Torc Robotics, recently acquired by Daimler Trucks, will be part of the group. Daimler Trucks said it will continue to work closely on automated vehicle technology across the company, including joint activities with passenger cars, for leveraging synergies. The company said truck specifications also will require their own development activities due to the different nature of the system (one-box vs. articulated) and a focus on highway goods transportation vs. inner-city passenger movements. – Jason Cannon

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INBRIEF • Volkswagen AG at press time planned another attempt at an initial public offering of its Traton truck unit. The German automaker previously had delayed its IPO plans for Traton – formerly Volkswagen Truck & Bus and the umbrella company for Man, Scania, Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus and Rio – citing poor market conditions. Traton, which also owns a nearly 17 percent stake in Navistar, said the IPO could raise upward of $2 billion. • ZF is acquiring 90 percent of the shares of Simi Reality Motion Systems, a provider of image-based 3D systems for the recording and analysis of human movement. ZF said the purchase, terms of which were not released, will enhance its development of occupant recognition systems for its autonomous driving technologies. • TE Connectivity completed its acquisition of the Kissling Group. Terms were not announced. Headquartered in Wildberg, Germany, Kissling provides high-power and high-voltage relays and ruggedized switches for the commercial transportation, industrial, military and aviation industries, as well as other applications. TE said the acquisition expands its portfolio of specialty relays and switches for commercial and industrial transportation customers. • Truck-Lite, a provider of heavy-duty and offroad lighting, telematics, engine protection, safety and visibility products, completed its acquisition of TrackPoint Systems, a supplier of asset management offerings for the transportation, utility, construction, oilfield and government sectors; terms were not announced. • Kenworth is providing a free twoyear TruckTech+ Remote Diagnostics subscription for its medium-duty T270, T370, T440 and T470 models equipped with 6.7-liter Paccar PX-7, 8.9-liter PX-9 or Cummins Westport L9N natural gas engines. The system provides real-time vehicle diagnostics to fleet managers and Kenworth dealers to help optimize truck uptime and productivity, and it also allows fleets to track truck locations. • McKinney Trailer Rentals, a provider of semi-trailer rentals and leases, purchased a three-story 49,661-square-foot building to serve as its new corporate office in Brea, Calif.

commercial carrier journal | july 2019

Michelin debuts new high-tech airless tire

t the kickoff of its Movin’ On Summit held last month in Montreal, Michelin introduced a new nonpneumatic tire, the fruit of a development program with General Motors. The Uptis concept tire meets MicheThe Uptis tire is the second concept tire to lin’s four primary pillars of innovadebut at the annual summit and follows the tion in that it is airless, connected, 2017 unveiling of the Vision tire. Following in 3D-printed and fully sustainable. the Vision’s footsteps, Uptis meets Michelin’s four primary pillars of innovation in that it is airless, connected, 3D-printed and fully sustainable. The Uptis is a next-generation renewable tire, but – and possibly most notably – it looks more like a production-ready tire than the Vision. Eric Vinesse, Michelin’s executive vice president of research and development, said he expects the tire to enter production by 2024. Michelin and GM expect to test the Uptis prototype beginning with passenger cars such as the Chevrolet Bolt EV. Later this year, the companies will initiate real-world testing of Uptis on a test fleet of Bolt EV vehicles in Michigan. Vinesse said Uptis features improvements in both architecture and composite materials that enable the tire to bear the car’s weight at road speeds. Its structure is enabled by new high-technology materials, reengineered rubber components and a new-generation resin for reinforcement that Vinesse said took more than 10 years to develop. Vinesse said these innovations can save about 200 million tires worldwide from being scrapped prematurely as a result of punctures, damage from road hazards or improper air pressure that causes uneven wear. Einride partnership Michelin also announced a partnership with autonomous technology provider Einride. Pierre Martin Heut, Michelin’s director of supply chain and logistics, said the tiremaker plans next year to deploy Einride’s autonomous-enabled cabless electric truck in a fenced area at its tire production facilities in Clermont-Ferrand, France, before heading out on public roads pending government approval. Einride’s T-pod is capable of SAE Level 4 autonomous driving via a Nvidia Drive hardware and software platform. Niklas Reinedhal, Einride chief operations officer, said the truck is designed to haul up to 16 metric tons for upward of 125 miles at speeds of more than 50 mph. Last month, Einride put its autonomous T-pod on a public road at logistics firm DB Schenker’s facility in Jönköping, Sweden. DB Schenker’s T-pod is being used to transport goods between a warehouse and a terminal. The Swedish Transport Agency in March ruled the T-pod able to operate in accordance with Swedish traffic regulations and days later approved Einride’s application to expand the pilot to a public road within an industrial area. The permit is valid through 2020. Einride and DB Schenker entered into a commercial agreement in April 2018 that includes the pilot in Jönköping and an option for additional pilots internationally. – Jason Cannon

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INBRIEF • Continental increased production and hired a second shift at its pre-cured tread manufacturing plant in Mount Vernon, Ill. The company said the plant is prepared for an expected 300 percent increase in production this year due to its high-technology manufacturing processes, its location in Mount Vernon near a large rubber-mixing operation and a double-digit percent increase in demand for ContiTread retreads in North America. • Volvo and Mack now offer factory-backed warranties for their preowned trucks. Qualified Volvo Certified and Mack Certified trucks that are four model years or newer with 450,000 miles or less undergo a comprehensive 150-point inspection and reconditioning process and are U.S. Department of Transportation safety-compliant. The trucks come with up to 24 months and 250,000 miles of coverage backed by the companies’ nationwide service networks. • Strick Trailers spec’d with overhead doors now come standard with Whiting’s 1184HD Hold Open Device designed to keep the rollup door up and out of the way when loading and unloading freight. The device locks the door in place to keep it from sagging and to minimize damage to the bottom panel. • Bergstrom partnered with ARBOC Specialty Vehicles to install a solar panel battery charger on a Ram ProMaster van. Bergstrom said the solar panel will provide added charging capabilities to maintain the van’s onboard batteries and handle increased electrical loads. • Build Your Dreams, a manufacturer of commercial electric trucks, delivered Seattle’s first all-electric refuse truck, an electric Class 8 rear loader that features BYD’s 8R Class 8 model fitted with New Way’s Viper rear loader refuse body. The vehicle is now in operation for Recology, which services the City of Seattle with solid waste pickup. BYD also announced that the Anaheim Transportation Network ordered 40 of its zero-emissions buses to serve its tourism regions. • AEV Technologies, a designer and manufacturer of compact light-duty emissions-free electric vehicles for urban, commercial, consumer and government markets, changed its name to Ayro Inc. The company’s new website is Ayro.com.

commercial carrier journal | july 2019

USPS working with TuSimple on autonomous pilot test trips

he U.S. Postal Service in late May contracted with autonomous truck manufacturer TuSimple on a series of 1,000-plus mile trips, hauling mail between USPS’ Phoenix and Dallas distribution TuSimple said the route was a new milestone as the company scales its autonomous operations outside Arizona and marks centers. its self-driving debut into Texas. Equipped with a network of lidar, radar and cameras that enable SAE Level 4 autonomous driving, each truck had both a safety engineer and a driver onboard to monitor vehicle performance and ensure public safety for the duration of the five round-trip two-week pilot test runs. Only Level 5, in which no person is required to be in the vehicle, is more advanced than Level 4. One goal of the test was to push the autonomous-enabling equipment beyond the legal capabilities of human drivers to cut delivery turn times, said Vivian Sun, TuSimple’s head of business development. To accomplish the virtually continuous driving, drivers were staged along the routes for coordinated swaps to remain compliant with hours of service. Sun said the only planned stops for the trucks were for fuel and to facilitate a driver change. The multitruck test run also was a stress test for the TuSimple platform. “Running a solo truck a couple hours is a different animal than running multiple trucks over multiple hours,” Sun said. To prepare for the testing, TuSimple developed high-definition maps by driving the route repeatedly in a vehicle equipped with sensors to collect data about the terrain. The freight that flows along the Interstate 10 corridor accounts for 60 percent of the total U.S. economic activity, and TuSimple, citing an already strong customer demand for runs between Arizona and Texas, expects it to be a central route for the company. TuSimple has several prototype vehicles currently making for-hire deliveries and plans to expand its fleet to 50 by yearend. This new route is a milestone for TuSimple as the company scales its autonomous operations outside Arizona and marks its autonomous debut into Texas. TuSimple also hoped to glean mountains of data while also testing the functionality of the low-light camera system the company debuted in March. Sun said driverless trucks are suited for long-haul routes with short turnaround times that normally are accomplished by team drivers, a population challenging to recruit due to overnight driving and the need to share close quarters with another person. USPS is exploring the feasibility of using autonomous delivery vehicle technology to improve fleet utilization through longer operating hours. – Jason Cannon

Ex-Tesla, Uber engineers to test autonomous parcel delivery vehicle

arcel logistics company OnTrac last month announced a partnership with last-mile logistics and automation provider Boxbot to test a new autonomous delivery system. Boxbot, founded by veteran Tesla and Uber engineers Austin Oehlerking and Mark Godwin, allows recipients to schedule In compliance with California reguladelivery at a time of their choosing. When tions, Boxbot’s autonomous vehicles are operating under the supervision of Boxbot’s autonomous vehicle arrives, a safety driver during testing. customers receive a text alert with a unique code that can be used to retrieve packages from lockers onboard the vehicle. Rob Humphrey, president for OnTrac, said his company worked with Boxbot for months to test its technology, identify new ways in which autonomy can improve the delivery experience and integrate it with OnTrac's existing delivery infrastructure. OnTrac and Boxbot will expand testing starting this summer in Northern California. As part of the expanded partnership, Boxbot is operating as a regional service provider for OnTrac, handling last-mile deliveries through Boxbot’s fleet of delivery vans and drivers. Boxbot will manage these deliveries via a system that combines an automated local hub close to residential neighborhoods and a fleet of street-based delivery vehicles. Boxbot’s automated local hubs store and sort parcels before loading them for delivery. Boxbot’s fleet includes two types of vehicles: parcel delivery vans and self-driving electric vehicles that can manage more complex deliveries that require signatures. Boxbot’s delivery vehicles can be reloaded with packages throughout the day at its automated local hubs, enabling drivers to get more done in less time without loading, organizing or finding packages within their vehicles. – Jason Cannon

Peterbilt 348 modified for low clearance

ontaine Modification has developed a new lowered roof modification for Peterbilt 348 extended cab trucks that lowers overhead clearance for utility and construction companies transporting chassis-mounted cranes in areas with low bridges and overpasses. While the extended cab provides room to Fontaine’s modified Peterbilt 348 store tools and equipment, its roof design also extended cab truck maintains the increases the overall cab height, which can same amount of headroom as the daycab. cause a crane in transportation mode to sit too high to travel under 14-foot bridges found in the western United States, forcing fleets to avoid those routes. Fontaine developed a modification to lower the cab roof by 5.5 inches to accommodate bridge clearance for a truck equipped with a chassis-mounted crane that has been folded over the cab roof for transport. The company developed the modification at its Charlotte Innovation Center in North Carolina, and production has shifted to its modification center in Garland, Texas, near Peterbilt’s manufacturing plant. – Jason Cannon

INBRIEF • Jacobs Vehicle Systems announced its 5783A engine brake model now is standard equipment on International’s A26 engine and comes factory-installed on the truck maker’s LT Series long-haul vehicles, RH Series regional-haul vehicles and HV and HX Series severe-service vehicles. Jacobs said the 5783A is engineered for increased foundation brake life and improved driveability. • FleetPride now offers the latest EZ Oil Drain Valve with Optional Hose Connectors. The EZ Oil Drain Valve is engineered to replace an existing drain plug to facilitate faster, cleaner and easier oil changes without additional tools. • Carrier Transicold’s free Carrier Transicold Dealers app now covers more than 300 dealerships across the Americas and offers multilanguage support in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese. The app’s look and feel has been modernized to make it more intuitive to use, with access to more operator manuals for current and legacy Carrier Transicold truck and trailer refrigeration systems, heating systems and auxiliary power units. • Ryder System opened a new maintenance facility in Norton, Mass., off I-495 and State Routes 24 and 95, replacing the company’s smaller service center in West Bridgewater, Mass. Also, Ryder’s RyderGyde mobile app now is available in Canada, allowing customers there to rent a commercial truck from any Ryder Rental location, schedule maintenance appointments and take advantage of other digital fleet management features. • Volvo Group North America said it has improved energy performance at 14 of its U.S. facilities by 17.5 percent since 2014 when the company renewed its pledge to the U.S. Department of Energy Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge to reduce energy consumption by 25 percent in 10 years. The Volvo Group said it has improved its performance by more than 44 percent since 2012 when it first made the pledge. • Link Manufacturing announced the production of its two millionth Cabmate premium cab suspension for Class 7 and 8 trucks. The company plans to commemorate the achievement with events throughout the year to recognize and thank longtime customers and employees. commercial carrier journal

july 2019

in focus: BRAKE ADJUSTERS

Don’t slack off on inspections, lubes Adjusters are critical element of braking performance BY JASON CANNON

hile automatic brake adjusters don’t need a lot of attention, they are far from “set it and forget it.” Like their manual counterparts, periodic inspection and lubrication are critical to optimal performance. When the brake is applied, a rod pushes out on the slack adjuster, which then turns the S-cam to force the brake shoes apart to apply the friction necessary to slow the truck. The automatic slack adjuster (ASA) is designed to compensate for brake lining and drum wear to maintain a constant actuator stroke. “Dimensions and the geometry have to be maintained throughout the life of the pad in order to keep the performance and efficiency of the brake up,” said Joe Kay, director of brake engineering for Meritor. “That’s where the automatic slack adjuster comes into play.” Inadequate stroke can have negative implications on braking power, making the ASA a vital component. Proper maintenance Keith McComsey, director of marketing and customer solutions for wheel ends at Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake, said ASAs often are not greased regularly during scheduled maintenance and inspections. “Slack adjusters that don’t perform properly through lack of lubrication can have a direct impact on both safety and regulatory compliance,” he said. Properly lubricating the ASA purges old grease, water and contaminants from the adjuster and protects its internal gear sets, clutches and other components from wear. McComsey said lubrication with an NGLI grade-2 lubricant at least every 30,000 miles should take less than a minute per adjuster. “You can also make things 28

commercial carrier journal | july 2019

less complicated by greasing the ASAs every time you do a preventive maintenance inspection,” he said. Mitch Forbes, senior technical service representative for Haldex, recommends at least an annual lubrication interval with a standard chassis grease applied by hand. Routine visual inspections and operational checks, including brackets and control arms, should be performed at each preventive maintenance service interval. Adjusters or anchor brackets that show damage or fail operational checks should be replaced immediately, Forbes said. As part of pre- and post-trip inspections, drivers should check the slack adjuster for correct operation, lose or missing hardware, a missing cotter pin, bent or damaged components such as the control arm or attaching anchor brackets, and worn clevises, clevis pins and clevis pin bushings. Fleets that run lightly loaded are more susceptible to vibration, which Kay said can accelerate brake stroke issues. “You want to make sure the clevis pins are inspected, because the more vibration they get, the more wear they get,” he said. “Pins wearing inside the holes can add extra clearances, and those extra clearances can add up to extra stroke when applying the brake.” McComsey also recommends checking the brake shoe return springs to ensure a proper return to the zero-stroke position. “If the stroke is too long, the brake chamber would essentially go to its maximum length, and the force of the brake drops,” Kay said. “[Stroke] is one of the first things that would indicate that something’s not right with this particular brake.” Duty cycle also can affect a slack adjuster’s life, but Kay said that in typical

Webb Brake Adjusters offers automatic slack adjusters for both the OEM and aftermarket channels in 5.5- to 7-inch arm lengths in 10, 28 and 37 spline models. The company uses a clearance-sensing design for its standard adjusters and a patent-protected design for its self-setting models.

line-haul applications, it’s common for ASAs to last for the life of the truck with basic maintenance. However, segments that feature more starting and stopping would need a maintenance cycle that includes ASA replacement. “Every component on the brake is going through a fatigue cycle,” he said. No manual adjustments Proper maintenance of automatic slack adjusters also means no manual adjustments. “The only times that an automatic brake adjuster needs to be adjusted is during a foundation brake repair or initial setup,” Forbes said. “Manually adjusting a brake adjuster causes premature wear on internal components and leads to the adjuster becoming inoperable.” McComsey said there are many reasons an ASA may fall out of adjustment, but it is unlikely that a manual adjustment will correct the problem. “Manual adjustment may seem to temporarily solve the out-of-adjustment issue, but there may be other factors at play that must be addressed,” he said. “Otherwise, the condition will reoccur.”

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Driven by data

Thermo Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s telematic solutions offer increased operational efficiency

Operating a data-driven fleet in today’s on-demand world requires telematic partners with the most cutting edge technology for maxium efficiency and profitability. To stay competitive, you juggle complex issues such as driver recruiting and retention, regulations, customer relations and the challenges of achieving optimal uptime.

dedicated to continuously making improvements on the products, in addition to the equipment being backed by a warranty, so you can rest easy knowing your business is covered day in and day out. With that relentless focus on quality, Precedent warranty claims are at the lowest rate ever seen on Thermo King trailer platforms. If you are concerned about being Evergreen CARB and EPA emissions compliant, the Precedent S Series was developed for just that purpose. “We’ve spent a lot of money through the years to stay CARB compliant and as efficient as possible so when we had the opportunity to add to our fleet in 2018, Thermo King’s Precedent S-600RR unit was a no-brainer. We knew we wanted an Evergreen solution that would be with us for the long haul,” says Christopher Brach, vice president of operations at Radiant Clipper.

DATA IS KEY: INSIGHTS ON EQUIPMENT PERFORMANCE AND INCREASING OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY Is your unit on? What’s the temperature set-point? Where are the assets located? The need for immediate answers shows that it is time for fleets to fully embrace data-driven operations. Choosing your telematic solutions partner is crucial to your fleet’s success. Telematics solutions open a window into operations in real time and OPERATING COSTS AND RETURN ON INVESTMENT provide critical visibility for items such as temperature-sensitive products, Managing rapidly growing business costs is not easy and uptime is essencargo traceability and asset monitoring. This can provide a more compretial. So what can you do to address this problem? Solar power. It’s an ideal hensive assessment of the fleet. solution to meet your power needs and save you money. Thermo King’s TracKing® telematics, a GPRS/GPS temperature and asset ThermoLite® solar panels by management system, can offer you Thermo King help lower operational real-time visibility into the location costs by reducing diesel APU run time and status of all your assets. The data by 20% to 30%, extending battery can help you increase fleet efficiency life to five or more years, and helping by detecting potential issues and dematch APU and tractor preventive termining timely maintenance pracmaintenance. With APUs, solar power tices and delivering the information offsets daytime heat loads, helps mayour customers demand. intain peak performance and provides Today’s fleets are under increasing a full battery bank. pressure to improve productivity, and Solar power offers a host of benefits many rely on data from their transport for fleets running without APUs, such management systems to direct their as reducing jump starts, cutting down operations. on expensive road calls and reducing “TracKing telematics allows our replacement frequency for costly batemployees to monitor the current teries. Solar panels can also power dieand past temperature history of a KEVIN JOHNSON, VICE PRESIDENT, CPx sel-fired heaters, keep tractor batteries load, trailer location, fuel levels, door healthy, and ensure electronics stay openings and reefer operation data in powered up even over the weekend. real time and across our organization. Martin Brower Brampton Canada knows firsthand the benefits of solar This has enabled us to improve our asset utilization, reduce fuel consumppower. “With the solar panel, we can leave the reefer on cycle-sentry mode all tion and better manage maintenance,” says Kevin Johnson, vice president, year long, including winter, without the worry of a dead battery. Previously, CPx. “We recognized the importance that our customers place on cold we’d run in continuous mode, burning fuel for no reason, just to ensure the chain security, and the Thermo King TracKing system gives us real-time battery would stay charged,” says Fleet and Warehouse Engineering Manager temperature monitoring now, and a traceability solution ready for those Chris Chua. “We are also recording fewer engine hours on the reefer, which who will be needing it in the future.” stretches out the warranty time — it takes longer to reach the 15,000-hour mark. Both translate to financial savings and reduced emissions.” FOOD SAFETY, EQUIPMENT RELIABILITY One final note regarding solar: If you want to prevent midday liftgate AND EMISSION CONTROLS battery failures and help reduce fuel consumption and delivery delays, Refrigerated transportation is changing as consumers demand fresher then solar power is the way to go. food. This adds pressure on your business to deliver a fresh product in a timelier manner with top quality controls in place. A STRONG PARTNER You rely on equipment that will not only perform to your customers’ Founded in 1938, Thermo King has long been known as a dedicated busihigh expectations but is reliable, safe and efficient. Thermo King’s first ness partner offering a wide variety of products and services that help you priority is protecting perishable products, which is why units such as the deliver peace of mind to your customers by ensuring temperature-sensitiPrecedent® are factory programmed to run with tighter temperature ve goods make it to their destinations safely and efficiently. In addition to ranges and shorter null cycle times than the competitor, to ensure the safe understanding what keeps you up at night, Thermo King is a leader in the delivery of your customers’ products. transportation industry and can help you run a more profitable business. Thermo King also takes your equipment quality and reliability concerns seriously. They have invested heavily in the resources and technology to make capable units so you can increase asset use within your fleet and Learn more at ThermoKing.com/Driven. maximize your bottom line. The quality and reliability engineering team is

“We recognized the importance that our customers place on cold chain security, and the Thermo King TracKing system gives us real-time temperature monitoring now, and a traceability solution ready for those who will be needing it in the future.”

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

Curbing work injuries

New tech aims to correct dangerous nondriving habits

otor carriers traditionally have not used technology to mitigate the risks of nondriving work injuries. The opposite could be said for behind-the-wheel accident risks, where telematics and video-based safety and advanced driver assistance systems have been in high demand. The risk of workplace injuries are nearly as serious as vehicle accidents, however. U.S. businesses lost nearly $60 billion in direct workers’ compensation costs in 2018, according to Liberty Mutual’s workplace safety index. Injuries also cost businesses 104 million production days. Shoulder, back and other musculoskeletal incidents occur regularly when loading and unloading freight and working around heavy equipment. Fleets already are struggling to find and retain qualified drivers. Losing them to preventable injuries is double jeopardy. Scaling up training A Silicon Valley-based company – Worklete (for “work like an athlete”) – is NOT BEHIND THE WHEEL: Many motor carriers haven’t used technology to curb nondriving injuries.

RECRUITING AND RETENTION: Losing drivers to preventable work-related accidents hurts efforts.

HELP IS OUT THERE: A new platform focuses on reducing musculoskeletal injuries by drivers.

commercial carrier journal

july 2019

Worklete is making inroads in the transportation industry with a technology platform that focuses on reducing musculoskeletal injuries during nondriving work tasks.

making inroads in the transportation industry with a technology platform that focuses on reducing musculoskeletal injuries. To date, all Worklete customers operate fleets, said Ben Kanner, the company’s chief executive and co-founder. Clients include customers in beverage distribution, less than truckload, final mile, intermodal and warehousing. Analysis of transportation-related workers’ compensation claims by Worklete found that 53% of the injuries are preventable, Kanner said, with root causes attributed to poor human movement patterns and habits. Worklete was formed in 2015 through a consulting business that Kanner’s father previously had started. The business initially trained workers one-on-one in proper movements for prevention of workplace injuries. The consulting business grew, but to work with larger clients, it needed to scale the training, Kanner said. Creating new habits Worklete scales training through an online platform that connects with a client’s human resources systems to assign learning modules to workers based on job functions, language(s) and other data points.

INTERESTED INTRUCKING TRUCKINGTECHNOLOGY? TECHNOLOGY? INTERESTED IN Go ccjdigital.com/news/subscribe-to-newsletters Scantothe barcode or go to www.goo.gl/Ph9JK to to subscribe to the CCJ Technology Weekly e-mail newsletter.

system The learning may show modules that at are midnight, sent to the drivers unit is still a quarter-mile away from the andunloading other workers spot.to complete using any device “We with are very internet carefully connectivity. watchingThe howmodules it is unloaded” to determine when proper movements containersdemonstrate actually are available for pickup to set realistic delivery appointhelpsaid. prevent andintermodal focus on provider is to make sure a great ments, Prince “Ourinjuries job as an Kanner said. Benumber ofdeveloping little thingshabits, happen on time and correctly.” havioral science shows that humans need 30 days to create or lose a habit Predicting trailer capacity by doing the same things consisWhen making deliveries, drivers often lose productive time unloading or To date, all Worklete customover trailers time, hetosaid. searching tently for empty take to their next load appointments. no ers operate fleets, said If Ben Each empty trailers are learning availablemodule onsite, takes officeabout personnel may the begin cold-calling Kanner, company’s chief minutes to locate complete. Some customersfive in the area to empty trailers. executive and co-founder. have(CCJ videoTop instruction experts U.S. Xpress 250, No.by 16) equips its trailer fleet with SkyBitz’s in physical therapy,with strength conditioning. Other modules are tracking system embedded cargoand sensors. One of the nation’s largest with quizzes andTenn.-based assessments.company The modules truckload interactive carriers, the Chattanooga, usesare thedelivered inforsequentially each week. mation it receives to predict when trailers will be unloaded and ready for firstWood, 10 modules show themanager basics of human movement and pickup, said The Aaron the company’s of trailer management. are followed byintegrated modules with and custom customer-specific conThe SkyBitz system is withindustryU.S. Xpress’ transportation tent.system Examples transportation-specific modules include management andofwith ESRI’s mapping software that Woodproper uses to methods exit a vehicle, unhook the kingpin, crank the landing set up geofences fortotracking arrivals, departures, turnaround times and gear andby disengage a tandem-trailer axle. trailer inventories customer location and geographical planning regions. “If wethat can bites teachus people howcarrier to use is their bodies correctly, they can “The big thing and any when we have loaded traildo anything need ” Kanner said. “The largest we ers going into marketsthey where weto dodo, not have loaded freight out,”impact he said. can have is teaching people thereiniseach a better and worse waytoto move.” U.S. Xpress is managing trailer counts planning region the online platform, Worklete cannetwork. capture analytics that maintain theWith balance of capacity across its freight The company help its clients understand if workers are engaging in theirin safety also uses secondary carriers and railroads to reposition its trailers its cultures. Reports show results from a companywide level down to regional, network. facility, and shiftU.S. levels. Worklete also using has a “train the trainer” In theteam three years Xpress has been the SkyBitz trailerprogram tracking where drivers andcount other workers become certified Worklete system, its trailer has gonecan from 17,000 to about 14,000 Champions. by increasing “Humans don’t really learn muchcapacity by watching listening,Wood ” Kanner efficiency and managing the that available in itsornetwork, said. said. “You have toU.S. practice andalso teach ” trailers at locations that have With SkyBitz, Xpress canothers. identify platform prompts drivers to participate in ancould in-person notThe moved for an extended period. These events signalpractice possiblesession meby pairingdefects two oron more people together to have one teach thehook others chanical trailers that are causing drivers to not up.what they have learned “About 90% of retention occurs when teaching U.S. Xpress alsoonline. increases trailer capacity by monitoring their use byother people,” he said. third-party carriers and shippers through interchange According“We to Kanner, companies Worklete agreements. know when one ofthat ouruse trailers starts have reduced musculoskeletal injuries by where over 55% on moving,” Wood said. The system tracks trailers average and saved millions in workers’ compensation are picked up and dropped and how many miles they costs. Worklete generallycan offers contracts moved so the company billannual carriers for the with authormonthly billing based onuse theofnumber of users. ized or nonauthorized its trailers. AARON HUFF is Senior Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal. E-mail ahuff@ccjmagazine.com or call (801) 754-4296.

Obstacle Tenstreetdetection adds new system trucks featuresfor tobig driver ear View recruiting RSafety debut- software

ed itsenstreet RVS-125announced the addition of Sensestat new Wireless features to its driver recruitObstacle ing software, Detection as well as additional network System partnerdesigned integrations. to Tenstreet’s warn trucklatest update additional Rearhas View Safety’s RVSdrivers featuresofdesigned potentialto schedule formsWireless such as 125 Sensestat Obstacle Detection obstacles an I-9 andbehind a W-4, request a signature whenSystem is designed their ever avehicle new employer with orfor school is added to easy installation aandetection applicant’s range record, and send a verification on heavy-duty trucks, with no need is tomoved install of employment up to 8 feet. The when an applicant excess cabling. system into a new is engiprocessing status. neered An update to provide also gives recruiters a timeline the viewdriver of every bothinteraction, audible and including visual warning call indicators logging through to avoid integrations backing accidents. with Marchex, and is engineered to be TheConversa wireless ECU CallSource. and A widget waterproof includes multiple antenna installation is designed to options. identify A user can connect to ainbound Sensestat-equipped calls from trailer by pressing the monitor’s drivers to remove sync button. – Aaron Huff Many of Tenthe manual process street’s products are aimed at of pairing calls with compressing applicants and help the hiring cycle, prioritize who needs a and its Xchange callback first. network helps carriers verify lliance Scale deOther features employment. buted a truck scale include a centralized engineered weigh application to center each designed axle and to provide print aeach application with receipt a free editable withoutlanding requir-page and an awards ing system a driver that to incentivizes stop. The exploring the Alliance system and AxleWeigh helps new In users learn how to use The Alliance the full array of services. Motion Truck Scale is In Tenstreet also announcedAxleWeigh integrations built to weigh individuMotion Truck with three new partners: al axles by driving over Scale is preconfigured for easy SambaSafety, carriers to the• scale at 3 mphwhich re- enables installation and monitor driver activity and sends notificagardless of truck length can be installed tions when a driver gets a violation; or configuration. on a gravel • WorkNumber, Workforce Designed for easyfrom Equifax driveway, elimithe need Solutions, which verifications use, a driver stopshelps at makenating for ramps. simpler and more the controller and thorough for users by automatically adding enters his truck’s I.D. employers to drivers’ applications; number, and and the controller will calculate the • Instructional Inc.,features which gross, tare and netTechnologies values. The scale provides a library of fleet training videos. factory-calibrated load cells and a prepro– Aaron Huff grammed indicator. – Aaron Huff

In-motion scale weighs each axle

commercial commercial carrier carrier journal journal | september | july 2018 2019

35 33

technology

INBRIEF • Descartes Systems Group, a provider of on-demand Software-as-a-Service offerings for the logistics industry, acquired Core Transport Technologies, a New Zealand-based electronic transportation network that provides global air carriers and ground handlers with shipment scanning and tracking systems, for $21 million plus a maximum $9 million in potential performance-based consideration. Descartes said the acquisition will enhance its global shipment tracking capabilities. • Geotab, a provider of applications for Internet of Things-based and connected transportation, completed its acquisition of BSM Technologies, a provider of telematics and asset management offerings for government and private fleets in the United States and Canada. Geotab also announced the availability of two mobile workforce management offerings on the Geotab Marketplace from Actsoft: Encore and Workforce Manager, both designed to help businesses streamline processes and gain more visibility into drivers and assets. • SmartWitness, a provider of camera systems, announced the availability of its GoCam fully integrated HD video telematics system on the Geotab Marketplace. GoCam is designed to enable clients to monitor driver behavior from up to four cameras at all angles in real time, collect video data for greater visibility to help improve safety and provide evidence to mitigate insurance claims. • Vector, a mobile-based document scanning and workflow management system for the trucking industry, closed a $12 million Series A funding round led by Goldcrest Capital with participation by 8VC and Congruent Ventures. Vector said it will use the funding to continue to expand its back-office document management products designed to enable fleets to manage higher volumes of freight without investing in additional resources. • Project 44, a provider of location tracking services, launched Visibility Operations Center, an application designed to provide a singular view of global multimodal transportation for all parties across a supply chain. The company said the easy-to-use intuitive VOC provides the necessary digital infrastructure and business intelligence to efficiently manage resources, improve inventory predictability, strengthen supplier-retailer collaboration and refine lead time.

commercial carrier journal

july 2019

McLeod Software’s LoadMaster updates promote driver experience

cLeod Software developed and released new features for its LoadMaster transportation management software system that focus on helping carriers create a better work experience for drivers. LoadMaster Version 19.1 includes LoadMaster Driver Choice, a tool that fleets can use to allow drivers to record their load preferences and find the best matches. It also allows carriers to offer choices about available loads when McLeod Software has a possible. mobile app for drivers that can be used to offer LoadMaster Trip Management is a new module that loads to them. gives carriers tools to interactively plan details of trips with the driver’s input and actively manage trips while underway. The module uses a driver’s current hours of service and position to create and display the trip in LoadMaster. The plan takes into account road conditions, live and historical traffic patterns and driver breaks. The trip plan feeds McLeod’s ETA/Out-of-Route module to let the carrier’s staff know when trucks are late for scheduled stops or out of their recommended routes. It also interacts with McLeod’s existing Driver Feasibility functions to help enhance planning accuracy. McLeod’s Driver Feasibility function determines if a driver can pick up and deliver the load on time based on their current position, the distances involved, the appointment windows for pickup and delivery and available HOS. McLeod Software also has expanded integration solutions with Manhattan Associates. A new interface offers visibility to Manhattan’s Load Analyzer scoring metrics upon receiving a load tender via electronic data interchange. Tenders can be accepted and orders can be created automatically based upon predetermined score criteria. Also, LoadMaster’s general ledger revenue and expense information now can be sent to Manhattan Profit Analyzer to analyze key factors affecting profitability and target problem areas with poor utilization. LoadMaster Version 19.1 also will communicate movement data and current fuel levels automatically to Manhattan Fuel & Route during dispatch to determine optimal door-to-door routing and fueling recommendations while balancing driver requests and preferences. New LTL capabilities: LoadMaster LTL, a version for carriers with multistop routes, has a new Delivery Routing Optimization module that optimizes the sequence of deliveries routed on a local movement. Route Optimization takes a set of routed deliveries and optimizes the stops based on minimal drive time while also considering appointment commitments, a location’s open and close times and the time spent unloading per stop. This module also considers potential turn time to allow for pickups based on ending at a specific delivery point. The Capacity Planning module developed for LoadMaster LTL provides a global view of the freight passing through a carrier’s network with visibility to plan routes both inbound and outbound. PowerBroker updated: On the brokerage side, McLeod Software offers its PowerBroker users a new integration with HubTran to process incoming carrier documents and invoices quickly. PowerBroker communicates load and carrier data to HubTran, which returns approved invoice data and documents to PowerBroker. – Aaron Huff

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technology

INBRIEF • Kuebix, a transportation management software system provider that delivers freight intelligence, achieved“Built for NetSuite”status. The new SuiteApp, built using the Oracle NetSuite SuiteCloud Computing Platform, is designed to drive supply chain efficiencies by providing outof-the-box customizable integrations to connect enterprise resourse planning and TMS systems. With NetSuite and Kuebix TMS, organizations can adopt highly automated capabilities to streamline shipping processes, the company said. • Genesis Fuel Corp. announced a discount agreement with Roady’s Truck Stops to use the Genesis Fuel Card and Digital Diesel at more than 300 Roady’s locations nationwide. Digital Diesel allows trucking companies to digitally lock-in current diesel prices, store Digital Diesel’s fixed fuel costs on the Genesis Fuel Card and convert it to actual diesel fuel transactions at almost 10,000 EFS, WEX and Roady’s locations. • Help Inc., which oversees PrePass weigh station bypass services, changed its name to PrePass Safety Alliance. PrePass also added an Alerts function to its PrePass Motion bypass app to provide truck drivers with roadway safety notifications when approaching areas with high winds, steep grades, traffic work zones and limited commercial vehicle access. • Opus9, a digital-based third-party logistics provider, announced a partnership with FleetUp, a fleet management system and electronic logging device provider, to provide Opus9’s truckload customers using its 9Network access to FleetUp’s real-time GPS tracking and updated estimated arrival times for added visibility. • I.D. Systems, a provider of enterprise asset management and industrial Internet of Things technologies, redesigned its ID-Systems.com website with updated branding for PowerFleet by ID Systems following its acquisition of Carrier Web. PowerFleet expands I.D. Systems’ portfolio of fleet management systems with bumper-to-bumper telematics products that cover in-cab, refrigerated, dry van and container transport. Carrier Web’s ELD and reefer hardware systems have been renamed the LV-9000 and LV400, respectively, joining I.D. Systems’LV Series line of asset-tracking and telemetry products that provide asset location, sensor data and cargo monitoring.

commercial carrier journal

july 2019

FourKites enhances predictive ETA, visibility capabilities

ourKites, a provider of predictive supply chain visibility, launched Recommendation Engine, a capability designed to help its shipper and FourKites’ Recommendation Engine can third-party logistics customers ensure provide real-time alerts when a shipment deviates from the most optimal a higher percentage of on-time deliveries by anticipating potential bottlenecks route or when new risks appear. and recommending course corrections. The company also launched Network Visibility, a product designed to provide shippers with real-time visibility across their network, including freight managed by vendors. Recommendation Engine uses a combination of historical data such as average dwell at origin facility and real-time transit conditions, including traffic and weather, to make proactive real-time recommendations to help mitigate potential problems before they occur. FourKites gives a “Departure from Origin” recommendation for the shipment to make an on-time delivery. The company said users can improve load planning accuracy, understand delivery risks before the load is picked up and reduce fees related to late rescheduling, detention and missed appointment times. “As supply chains grow in complexity, companies can no longer rely on approaches that worked in the past to plan their shipments,” said Priya Rajagopalan, chief product officer for FourKites. “The industry must evolve and become more proactive, harnessing data and intelligence that can provide actionable insights, and anticipate and mitigate problems to ensure on-time delivery of a shipment before a load has even left the dock.” The new Network Visibility product is designed to allow shippers to view real-time location updates on their vendor-managed inbound and customerpickup outbound freight, as well as the managed freight they already track with FourKites. The company said that with the added visibility, shippers can improve warehouse operations, reduce yard congestion and improve carrier and driver productivity while also making it easy to share freight visibility in a controlled environment between select suppliers and receivers through a single dashboard. “This is a significant breakthrough that eliminates blind spots for most shippers, allowing them to track unmanaged freight with the same level of detail with which they have been tracking managed freight,” said Mathew Elenjickal, chief executive for FourKites. “The average FourKites customer ships a significant portion of their freight to other FourKites customers. Now they can quickly and easily collaborate through a single visibility platform to achieve significant operational efficiencies.” The introductions of Recommendation Engine and Network Visibility follow FourKites’ launch of its DynamicETA machine learning algorithm built to predict freight arrival times with greater accuracy in narrow time windows. – Aaron Huff

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technology

INBRIEF

CarriersEdge adds training courses

• Commercial Truck Trader, a truck and trailer marketplace, introduced a mobile app designed to allow consumers to search for commercial vehicles from their smartphones and tablets. The app is formatted to allow users to identify vehicles meeting their specific requirements with fewer clicks and as few or as many filters as desired, including upfit information. • Trimble, a provider of transportation management software systems, integrated its TMW.Suite TMS with spot-market load board provider Truckstop.com’s SaferWatch software designed to provide carrier information and compliance monitoring. The companies say the integration allows TMW.Suite users to manage sourcing and onboarding of carriers more effectively with automated carrier selection rules, on-demand certificates of insurance, Compliance Safety Accountability percentile scores and other key data points. • Ward Logistics launched Warp TMS, a multimode transportation management software system developed in-house by the Altoona, Pa.-based logistics provider. Warp TMS is designed to automate and streamline manual shipping tasks, including freight bill auditing, rate quote and comparison, shipment tendering, bill of lading generation and track and trace. Ward Logistics clients are assigned a logistics solutions specialist to assist with proactive daily management and resolution that is scalable and customizable to each customer’s needs and requirements. • Lytx, a provider of video telematics, analytics and safety applications for commercial and public sector fleets, announced that St. Louis-based Hogan Transports (CCJ Top 250, No. 68) has implemented its Lytx Driver Safety Program across its entire fleet. • SkyBitz, a provider of trailer monitoring technologies, announced that Lube-Tech, a lubrication and energy services provider, is deploying thousands of its tank monitoring devices. SkyBitz is providing hardware to support a variety of fuel, lube and caustic chemical applications, and SkyBitz’s web-based SmarTank software will providie data analytics, visibility and configurable reporting. The SkyBitz platform also allows for integration with enterprise resource planning software, proxy tank service to integrate data from multiple brands of equipment and support for training and configuration.

commercial carrier journal

july 2019

arriersEdge, a provider of online driver training, added two courses to its Practical Cargo Securement library, plus courses on bloodborne pathogens and the spotted lanternfly. The new courses for cargo securement – on securing paper rolls and concrete pipes – expand the list of cargo securement courses CarriersEdge offers to 10. All CarriersEdge cargo securement courses are based on the Practical Cargo Securement handbook published by Techni-Com. “Practical Cargo Securement is considered the gold standard guide for cargo securement in North America,” said Jane Jazrawy, co-founder and chief executive officer for CarriersEdge. “Our partnership with Techni-Com allows us to develop meaningful courses that help drivers improve their load securement practices.” The “Requirements for Paper Rolls” course details the special requirements needed to transport one or more paper rolls with a combined weight of 5,000 pounds or more. The course covers the importance of correctly restraining paper rolls and describes the common methods to properly secure them, including those with different orientations. The “Requirements for Concrete Pipes,” course details special requirements needed to transport one or more concrete pipes loaded onto a flatbed trailer, using the loading method of “eyes crosswise” to prevent rolling. The new courses for cargo securement – on securing paper rolls and concrete pipes – expand the list of cargo securement courses The course breaks CarriersEdge offers to 10. down the importance of correctly securing concrete pipes, devices used to properly fasten them and things to consider before loading them onto a trailer. “Bloodborne Pathogens Safety Awareness” is designed to help drivers understand the hazards associated with bloodborne pathogens and provide guidance on how to stay safe in potential exposure areas. After completing the course, drivers will be able to identify major bloodborne pathogens, know how they are transmitted, know what to do if exposed and know how to dispose of contaminated material. For those travelling through the Northeast, the “Preventing the Spread of Spotted Lanternfly” course teaches drivers how to identify a spotted lanternfly in different stages of its lifecycle, understand the threat it poses and how to kill it, remove the eggs and report a sighting. The course also explains how to avoid having the insect attach to your vehicle and where it might hide. “We also offer Spanish versions for our ‘Lift Truck Operator Skills’ and ‘Distracted Driving’ courses,” said Jazrawy. “Our goal is to help fleets become safer, and these additions are great resources for our clients to achieve that.” – Aaron Huff

technology

in focus: MAINTENANCE SOFTWARE

For-profit maintenance More fleets opening shops to outside business BY AARON HUFF

otor carriers with extra capacity in their shops have opportunities to offset their maintenance costs by doing third-party repair work. “The technician shortage and the cost of maintaining a shop is probably driving the small guy to go down the street to a bigger fleet to maintain their vehicles,” said Renaldo Adler, industry principal of asset maintenance for Trimble Transportation. More maintenance departments are functioning as standalone business units. This trend has spurred new developments by fleet asset maintenance software vendors. Trimble traditionally has sold two versions of its Asset Maintenance Software: one for the fleet market and another for service centers. As more fleet customers were doing third-party maintenance and repair work, Trimble added the service center module as an option for fleets. Adler estimates that as much as 25 percent of Trimble AMS customers that have trucking fleets now use the service module. The AMS system keeps track of maintenance costs per mile for their fleets, and the same information is useful to set up shop rates for external customers, he said. The service module comes with options to add tables for tracking rates and negotiated discounts with customers, such as “cost plus 10 percent” agreements. The pricing and repair data can be exported to accounting systems such as Quick Books and Great Plains for invoicing, Adler said. Another option that is available with the service module is a customer self-service portal. Fleets can give their customers access to schedule appoint-

ments online, and the module can send automatic email reminders when PM services are coming due. The system can update mileage automatically to help schedule appointments by using an integration with the telematics systems used by the shop’s customers, Adler said. Expanding service options For-hire repair shops using fleet maintenance software may be shorthanded when it comes to diagnosing and repairing unfamiliar equipment. The software systems used by independent shops were developed specifically to track repair and cost data and to provide repair information for various equipment types. The Manager SE software from Mitchell 1 fits into this category. “It is not really a fleet maintenance program,” said Kristy LaPage, business manager for Mitchell 1’s commercial vehicle group. The system is best suited for “bringing in business and charging for that business,” LaPage said. It has functions for estimating repairs, scheduling mechanics, diagnosing and repairing equipment, invoicing and viewing shop profitability reports, she said. The system can export data through links that Mitchell 1 has created for most accounting programs, LaPage said. Man-

ager SE is installed locally and updated through the cloud. Connected shops Shops that want to go the extra mile and offer full-service contract maintenance to their fleet and nonfleet customers may benefit from using technology that connects them with other shops and dealer networks. Fleets that use Trimble’s AMS software have an option to gain full visibility into repairs that are performed by external shops through an integration with Decisiv. TMT ServiceConnect alows a fleet service manager to share data with any service location. Decisiv said the data sharing makes it easy to schedule and manage service and repair events at more than 4,500 medium- and heavy-duty service locations. The service network includes dealers and independent service locations. Adler said a fleet that provides contract maintenance for a third party could use TMT ServiceConnect to manage a vehicle repair for its customers that is performed outside its own shop. The transaction would start as a repair order in the AMS system but could be turned into an invoice with a markup for a handling fee, he said. Dossier Systems’ fleet maintenance management software is integrated with Zonar Systems’ Electronic Vehicle Inspection Report system and telematics data to provide bidirectional information transfer and workflows and eliminate paper forms. If a Zonar user finds a defect during an inspection, a Work Pending item is created in Dossier. Once the work is completed, Dossier automatically communicates the relevant information to Zonar to close the loop.

commercial carrier journal

july 2019

technology

Paragon helps fleets plan available driver utilization

aragon Software Systems, a provider of route optimization systems, announced the addition of resource management functionality to its routing and scheduling software to help fleets manage utilization of available drivers. The company said the enhanced func-

tionality allows fleet managers to track drivers’ vacations, shift patterns and hours worked, automatically factoring all of this with transport plans. Paragon said the added functionality will allow fleet managers to: • Manage vacation entitlement and

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approval to avoid too many drivers taking vacation at the same time; • Automatically generate advanced shift schedules to provide forward visibility and control; • Comply with hours-of-service limits at an individual driver level; and • Track individual driver hours accumulated to avoid overtime. According to the company, planners also can ensure delivery routes are efficient and make the best use of drivers and vehicles while factoring in drivers’ preferences. Paragon said the planning process itself becomes more efficient because planners are able to allocate available drivers to a plan, removing the need for the transport office to spend time allocating drivers to routes. Building on the skills functionality available in Paragon’s routing and scheduling software, fleet managers also are able to create their own list of driver skills. Paragon’s route optimization software then can ensure that calls are allocated only to appropriately skilled drivers and that skilled resources are allocated properly. “Our new resource management functionality allows fleet managers and planners do more with less, plain and simple,” said William Salter, chief executive officer for Paragon. “With resource management functionality, you can rest easy that you are getting maximum efficiency out of your assets, including drivers.” – Aaron Huff

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commercial carrier journal

july 2019

Paragon said its resource management functionality is designed to help fleets manage utilization of available drivers.

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Can technology stunt the growth of policy premiums? BY AARON HUFF

utomobile insurers offer discounts to their policyholders to install a recording device and demonstrate safe driving. Commercial insurance is a different animal. Commercial insurers generally are not willing to offer discounts to fleets that are using technology that potentially could reduce accidents. During the last four years, truck insurance companies have paid out 12 percent more in accident claims than what they brought in from policy premiums, says Tommy Ruke, founder for the Motor Carrier Insurance Education Foundation. Truck crash rates have been increasing, and insurance companies are struggling to reach quick settlements on claims. Litigation of truck crash incidents also has risen significantly. 46

commercial carrier journal

| july 2019

“The insurance industry has a problem accepting new technology,” Ruke says. “They don’t understand what it means in dollars to them.” To stay insurable and limit future cost increases, carriers seemingly have no option than to prove that their continued efforts to reduce risk actually work.

Using ELD data Not all commercial insurers have shied away from policy discounts for carriers that use certain technologies. Progressive Insurance’s Smart Haul program offers a discount for carriers that share electronic logging device data. Progressive reviews a carrier’s ELD data records on an annual basis to make

TECHNOLOGY: TECH-BASED INSURANCE

Progressive’s Smart Haul ELD is a usage-based insurance program for commercial drivers who sign up and share hours of service and driving data from their electronic logging devices.

Nationwide provides fleets with a three-month paid subscription to the Lytx DriveCam safety program and the Lytx Fleet Tracking program enhancement.

a determination about insurance premium discounts. “There’s no requirement for the driver to get another device” to track safe driving, says Rishi Arora, product development manager for Progressive. “We compare the individual’s driving habits to those of similar commercial truck drivers and determine the savings based on their most recent driving history,” which the insurer defines as the last 90 days. The Smart Haul program provides a minimum 3% savings for new qualifying truck customers. Those savings can go over 15% for the best drivers depending on their safety relative to their peer group, Arora says. New qualifying truck customers that use an ELD and sign up for Smart Haul save an average of $1,384 on their commercial

automobile policy premium for the initial policy term, he says. Most insurers at least consider the technology that carriers use to underwrite policies. Protective Insurance, based in Carmel, Ind., has researched the possibility of using ELD and telematics data from its motor carrier clients to assist with loss prevention efforts, says Dick Mahany, the company’s vice president of product development. Telematics systems that incorporate cameras have proven to be most effective for reducing risk, because they help drivers change risky behaviors and protect fleets and insurers from fraudulent claims, Mahany says. “Cameras have brought a context to the data that has been profoundly beneficial for the industry,” he says.

Going captive Faced with escalating premiums, carriers are taking on more risk through higher deductibles and are looking for savings in alternative insurance

Mentor, eDriving’s risk management insurance program, includes FICO safety scores, mobile technology and online driver training. Mentor’s app installs on smartphones to sustain behavioral improvements by engaging drivers to monitor their score and change risky behaviors.

commercial carrier journal

july 2019

TECHNOLOGY: TECHNOLOGY-BASED INSURANCE

Cambridge Mobile Telematics’ DriveWell Fleet app for commercial insurers provides feedback to drivers with scores and map visualizations that identify where drivers had risky behaviors on their routes, such as speeding, phone use, cornering and hard braking. The app also has gamification elements to encourage drivers to improve by monitoring leaderboards and participating in contests with rewards.

marketplaces such as captives. Captive insurers such as Cottingham & Butler are owned by member fleet companies that are selective of which fleets they allow to join. Captives may require their members to follow certain policies and use specific technologies. Tri-State Motor Transit operates a fleet of 485 trucks with a niche in transporting high-value and hazardous materials. The Joplin, Mo.-based company – part of the Daseke-owned Roadmaster Group – has benefited from membership in a captive insurance group. “We have been very fortunate,” says Donnie Lester, vice president of safety for TSMT. “Our insurance rates have not been escalating. This year, we had a major deduction in premiums.” Lester credits some of the fleet’s safety policies and technologies. TSMT governs its trucks at 65 mph, and the company operates driver teams, so speeding and fatigue are not major concerns. TSMT drivers can rotate on- and off-duty within their hours of service as needed with their team members, he says. Some of the safety technologies TSMT has used are proving to be less effective. Company executives recently decided to not order lane departure warning systems with its new truck purchases. The technology gives drivers audible warnings if they cross lane markings without using their turn signals. “When [the system] was beeping, it would wake up the co-driver,” Lester says. “It was causing us to be concerned with disrupting their sleep pattern.” TSMT plans to continue to use adaptive cruise, roll stability control, collision avoidance and event recorders with forward-facing cameras, he says.

Looking beyond CSA Gorilla Safety works with insurance companies that are interested in offering a discount on premiums to fleets that use its ELD. Insurance companies can use Gorilla Safety to create usage-based insurance programs to reward fleets for their efforts to improve safety and compliance. A scorecard gives fleets an easy way to share information with insurance providers.

commercial carrier journal

| july 2019

One widely used data source by truck insurers is Compliance Accountability Safety scoring. However, CSA data has not proven to be a good predictor of crash risk and claims, Mahany says. Protective Insurance developed its own methods to process CSA scores to eliminate bias and make the data useful for rating. Mahany also welcomes changes to CSA methodology coming from the new Item Response Theory scoring method. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is planning to begin rolling out the new system by yearend. “[IRT] is not a measure of ‘Are you a good fleet or a bad fleet?’ ” Mahany says. “It is really more representative of your safety culture.” Protective Insurance already has created models that show IRT scores have a higher correlation with a carrier’s accident claims than CSA scores, he says. In addition to public data sources for risk assessment, insurance companies are using various third-party reporting services to establish rates. SambaSafety Transportation sells ongoing analysis and reports to insurance companies, and fleets use the same reports to get a view of driver risk.

TECHNOLOGY: TECHNOLOGY-BASED INSURANCE

BlackBerry Limited and DMC Insurance partnered to develop insurance-based products and services using near-real-time data from BlackBerry Radar, such as vehicle location, route and mileage, temperature, humidity, door status and cargo load state.

“We do not have every piece of data, but we do have the critical data,” says Steve Bryan, vice president and general manager for SambaSafety. “Think of us as reporting on what the eyes of law enforcement see.” The company’s reporting service monitors ongoing motor vehicle record activity of drivers. Carriers are required to pull MVR reports on drivers they hire and on all their drivers once a year, but Bryan says insurance companies and fleets that subscribe to SambaSafety’s reports are alerted to any changes to driver MVR records.

Closed-loop loss prevention One area where insurance companies have an interest in using technology is to view up-to-date risk assessments on their policyholders and to give motor carriers a closed-loop approach for managing risk. Mentor, eDriving’s risk management insurance program, includes FICO safety scores, mobile technology and online driver training. The FICO scores allow Mentor to “get a really accurate identification of risk and go to the next step to reduce it,” says Ed Dubens, chief executive officer for eDriving. Mentor’s app installs on smartphones to sustain behavioral improvements by engaging drivers to monitor their score and change risky behaviors. The company has worked with insurance companies such as Zurich that consider a fleet’s present and future commitment to follow the Mentor risk reduction program for underwriting policies, Dubens says. Companies considering the Mentor program have a money-back promise from eDriving that they’ll see a 20 percent reduction in crashes in the first year. To qualify, fleets have to follow the program, but “not everyone wants to go through the pain,” Dubens says. “Insurers are eager to encourage [their clients] to commit to these journeys.”

Omnitracs, a fleet management software provider for transportation and logistics companies, formed a strategic alliance with Verisk, a specialized provider of data analytics services for insurers. Omnitracs customers can opt-in to transfer fleet driving data collected by its telematics platform into the Verisk Data Exchange that helps commercial insurers better manage risk and helps fleet operators analyze their safety and operational costs.

This fall, Mentor plans to release a new feature for drivers to use a smartphone at the scene of an accident to take pictures and answer questions for risk management. The First Notice Of Loss (FNOL) tool will submit the information directly to the insurance provider to start the claims process. Studies show that waiting 30 to 60 days to submit a claim costs an insurer 20 to 30 percent more than by submitting a claim within 14 days, Dubens says.

Personalizing risk Insurance companies tend to look at historical data to assess the risk of policyholders, but new technologies are helping them work more closely with fleets using “personalized” loss-control methods. Mobile driver apps have become the norm to personalize loss commercial carrier journal

july 2019

TECHNOLOGY: TECHNOLOGY-BASED INSURANCE

Zonar’s Driver Coach, part of the company’s mobile fleet management platform, uses a forward-facing camera that communicates with an application on Zonar’s rugged tablet display that provides drivers with audible feedback while in motion. The feedback includes warnings for following too closely, running stop signs, heavy braking, poor fuel economy and aggressive turns. Fleets that use Driver Coach can establish the metrics for their drivers to meet.

control by giving drivers a way to monitor their own behaviors. Cambridge Mobile Telematics’ mobile app monitors driving behaviors. The company has been growing its customer base primarily by working with fleets that are not required to use electronic logs and their insurance providers. CMT’s platform captures and analyzes data from the inertial sensors in smartphones to track driving behaviors and if they use their cell phones while driving. A separate device, about the size of a toll transponder, sticks to a windshield and communicates with the app to ensure that the only data captured is while drivers are in a company vehicle, says Ryan McMahon, vice president of marketing for CMT. The mobile app increases driver engagement and gives feedback to fleets that couple the app with incentive and rewards programs. CMT also integrates with off-the-shelf cameras that have machine-vision technology to determine

Tech for identifying vehicles to inspect advances rapidly

ob Holtzman, president of California-based Western Truck Insurance Services, says fleets with trucks under 15 years old generally don’t have any issues with insurance companies, but when their trucks are older, insurers either won’t accept them or will want inspections to make sure the equipment is being maintained well. “Smart” weigh stations are using new technologies to help officers spend more of their time looking at the trucks that need to be inspected. “These technology-filled stations feature so many new advancements, including vehicle waveform identification (VWI) and advanced thermal imaging systems — it’s really something,” says Brian Mofford, vice president for Drivewyze. He says most of the technology was developed and patented by

commercial carrier journal

Drivewyze’s sister company, Intelligent Imaging Systems. Mofford shared four technologies that are prevalent at modern weight stations: Thermal imaging: Many inspection station systems now use technology that can heat-sense thermal signatures associated with unsafe and defective equipment such as inoperative brakes, failed bearings and underinflated or damaged tires. “Advanced image processing, coupled with decision-making algorithms within screening software, searches and flags possible defects for a more thorough inspection,” Mofford says. “It’s a huge timesaver for law enforcement and lets inspectors focus more of their time on the trucks that truly need checking.” Mobile scanning: Automated readers collect and process information in real

| july 2019

VWI sensors provide unique magnetic ‘fingerprints’ that help law enforcement track and confirm vehicle movement from one location to another.

time before a vehicle arrives at the inspection site. Even when a truck is moving at highway speed, high-definition strobe cameras are able to capture and scan its U.S. Department of Transportation and license plate numbers, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance sticker and hazardous materials placard, and then access information from over 90 government databases to provide enforcement officers

with an instant detailed description of the vehicle and carrier. “There’s no saying, ‘It wasn’t me,’ ” Mofford says. “As you approach the scales, overview cameras snap a photo of your vehicle so that officers can match it with the information accessed by the automated readers — mainly the license plate and USDOT Number.” Mofford says an IIS system called Mobile Van Smart

TECHNOLOGY: TECHNOLOGY-BASED INSURANCE if drivers are following too closely, running stop signs and exhibiting other risky behaviors. Zonar’s Driver Coach, part of the company’s mobile fleet management platform, uses a forward-facing camera that communicates with an application on Zonar’s rugged tablet display that provides drivers with audible feedback while in motion. The feedback includes warnings for following too closely, running stop signs, heavy braking, poor fuel economy and aggressive turns. Fleets that use Driver Coach can establish the metrics for their drivers to meet, says Gary Schmidt, vice president of business solutions for Zonar. Driver Coach is intended to be highly interactive and to let a driver know when risky events are taking place so they can correct them before fleet management has to intervene. At the end of each trip, the application gives drivers a report

Roadside combines sensing and detection technologies to identify potential safety and security violations at sites where fixed stations are impractical or cost-prohibitive. Vehicle signatures: Weigh-In-Motion (WIM) scales typically are embedded in the roadway about a half-mile ahead of the inspection station. When a weight is taken, electronic screening and bypass service providers such as Drivewyze and PrePass as-

sociate the weight taken with the correct truck and provide the information to the scale house, Mofford says. “If you’re not hooked up with Drivewyze or your truck isn’t equipped with a transponder, don’t think you can roll on by undetected,” he says. “There are other applications out there that allow states to monitor WIM without the need for a transponder or the Drivewyze service.”

Pull-in rates and guidelines vary since they generally are established by individual states and jurisdictions.

showing the events that happened. Drivers have the option to hit a “contest” button and explain their version of the event. Netradyne used a mobile driver app to personalize the loss-control features of its DriverI vision-based safety system. At the end of each trip, drivers use the app on their own devices to view the status of their progress toward meeting safe driving goals and company incentives. Fleet managers also can share video events with drivers to review through the app. “We have seen lot of self-management just from the fact that a driver can have all of that information,” says Adam Kahn, vice president of fleet business for Netradyne. No matter what safety technologies motor carriers use to satisfy insurance underwriters, the motivation goes beyond loss control. Anything that reduces accidents likely will improve driving performance and reduce costs.

An electronic screening platform can gather vehicle data via VWI, which uses magnetometers mounted on overhead signs to identify vehicles by measuring the truck and trailer’s magnetic signature. “Each truck and trailer, even those spec’d identically, generate a unique magnetic footprint,” Mofford says. “While the signature changes over time, VWI can still recognize the readings and assign them to the corresponding trucks and trailers with a high degree of accuracy.” Officer discretion: Pull-in rates and guidelines vary since they generally are established by individual states and jurisdictions. “Some jurisdictions need probable cause to pull drivers in, and some can stop a truck ‘just because,’ ” Mofford says. “Officers are generally given of a lot of discretion, and some have their own system for selecting trucks for inspection. It could be as

simple as picking every fifth or tenth truck.” Typically, if a truck is not told to pass through, the officers will rely on a number of indicators related to the vehicle’s general appearance, including nonworking lights, tires in need of replacement, questionable load securement and so on. The manner in which the vehicle is being operated also gives officers a clue as to whether they need to take a closer look. Meeting inspection quotas is another factor. “In almost every jurisdiction, each inspector is required to perform a specific number of inspections,” Mofford says. “By regulation, each officer is required to do a certain number of Level I inspections to maintain proficiency. In some states, fulltime officers are mandated to conduct as many as 600 inspections a year.” – Aaron Huff

commercial carrier journal

july 2019

When inspecting trailer tires, check air pressures regularly and inflate according to the tire manufacturer’s recommendations. Also verify that the wheel’s lug nuts are tight.

Trailers deserve as much TLC as the trucks that pull them BY JASON CANNON

railer maintenance often takes a backseat to servicing the truck, but it’s vital to ensure that all components are working properly. A quality on-time preventive maintenance inspection for trailers is the best way to increase uptime, decrease running cost, ensure safety and prevent violations, said Matt Krasney, vice president of fleet management for Penske Truck Leasing. While trailers obviously are less complex than powered vehicles, there still are key areas that require regular checks. Inspect, don’t neglect The most neglected maintenance areas on trailers are the kingpin, the brakes and lubrication, said Cindy Crawford, group director of maintenance and engineering for Ryder Fleet Management Solutions. 52

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| july 2019

A list of weekly and monthly checks should be developed to complement a driver’s pre- and post-trip inspections, said Mark Sabol, platform product manager for East Manufacturing. “It’s about visual inspection,” said Steve Zaborowski, senior vice president for Xtra Lease. “If you see something’s wrong, you investigate it. If you see something that just doesn’t look right, you shouldn’t just let it ride. You should stop, take a look at it, and make sure the system is working in accordance with how it was planned to be used.” Weekly checks should include looking for structural damage and verifying that all lights function, are in place and are not obscured. “Lighting issues are easy to identify, which makes them a target for inspections and violations,” Krasney said. “Check for damaged lenses and clean, strong connections in the wiring. Loose connections, water intrusion and corrosion are all

EQUIPMENT: TRAILER MAINTENANCE common culprits when it comes to lighting failures and can be prevented with proper maintenance.” Sabol recommends checking the electrical system for chafed wires, missing clips and positive grounding. Next, he suggests lubricating the fifth wheel, checking for corrosion between the plate and the main rail and looking for loose or missing bolts, cracks and unusual or excessive wear before checking the kingpin for tightness. Ryder performs more than 200,000 PM inspections per year and emphasizes inspection of the kingpin and the upper plate. “This carries the entire load of the trailer and can often get overlooked in a preventive maintenance inspection,” Crawford said. The kingpin’s minimum diameter can be checked with a go/no-go gauge, she said. “These are the only components holding the connection between the tractor and the trailer while allowing them to pivot when turning.” Crawford said contaminants should be cleaned from the upper plate with a scraper to view the plate for damage. Lubrication and inspection are critical for long life of these components, she said. Moving further down the trailer, check the landing gear mounting plates and bracing for cracks, visually inspect all air springs and airlines for chafing, and check the brake

valves for leaks and proper operation, Sabol said. “Check for and remove any foreign material from within the dust shields, and drain the condensation from the air reservoirs,” he said. Crawford recommended keeping your top Compliance Safety Accountability violations in mind during PM checks. “Brakes are usually one of the top areas for most companies,” she said. “Opportunities can include the anti-lock brake system. Automatic slack adjuster brake stroke is another area to focus on.” Keeping them rolling A tire failure is the most likely cause of a disabled trailer. Craig Porter, operations manager for McCoy NationaLease, pegs rubber as the top trailer maintenance cost. Sabol suggests checking air pressures regularly and inflating according to the tire manufacturer’s recommendations. Next, verify that the wheel lug nuts are tight. “Pay particular attention to tire pressure, tire tread depth and the overall condition of the tire, damage, tread separation,” Krasney said. “If the trailer has a tire inflation system, be sure that the system is activated and operating correctly, including the warning light, and that all hoses and tubes are correctly installed and not leaking,

An Xtra Lease trailer technician cuts a rubber door seal for the trailer’s door.

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EQUIPMENT: TRAILER MAINTENANCE

Spireon’s IntelliScan cargo sensor for its Fleet Locate FL Flex platform provides dashboards that allow fleet managers to view trailer maintenance and operational metrics from the integrations Spireon has with tire pressure monitoring and automatic inflation systems and trailer components such as lights and brakes.

and that the pressure is correctly set using a high-quality calibrated gauge.” Brett Wilkie, field service engineer for advanced design and material for Wabash National, said many fleets that do not use tire inflation systems have switched from plastic valve caps and are using inflate-through metal caps, a good alternative that also offers labor savings. Next, check the oil level in the wheel hubs to ensure proper wheel bearing lubrication, inspect the seals and hubcaps for leaks, and grease all Zerk fittings, Sabol said. Wheel bearings should be checked for excessive wheel-end play. “Lubrication should be a key area of focus, and brake components are also very susceptible to poor lubrication practices,” Crawford said. In addition to the weekly checklist, Sabol recommends a monthly check of all welds for cracks and an inspection of the suspension system bushings for excessive wear and freedom of movement. “Check that the bolts are tight,” he said. “If the bolts are below the required torque of 225 pound-feet, re-torque. If bolts are below 225 pound-feet more than once, replace the bolts.” Check these out, too Krasney said there are many other systems and components to inspect and maintain beyond tires, brakes and lights. “Keep the exterior of the trailer clean, especially the undercarriage during winter months,” he said. “Don’t forget the rear-impact guard. It needs to be damage-free, 54

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securely attached and correctly labeled.” Crawford said that while most of a trailer’s base components – such as the brakes, tires, suspension, frame, sliding tandems, kingpin and bumpers – are the same, specialized equipment will need additional inspection criteria. “Flatbed trailers may have ratchet straps or a forklift mounting that need to be inspected,” she said. “The basic inspection items are the same for most trailers, but we find that adding transport refrigeration, liftgates, forklifts and pintle hooks increases the need to change the PM inspection items.” “One practice doesn’t fit all,” Porter added. Building them better Some trailer manufacturers have tried to help ease the maintenance burden by using more advanced and durable materials during construction. Wilkie said component manufacturers also have upgraded factory coating application systems, which have shown to limit areas of minimal coating thickness. For barrier coatings, polymer-based products such as I.D. Systems’ LV Series telematics and analytics product platform includes sensors that monitor tire pressure and anti-lock braking system lights.

EQUIPMENT: TRAILER MAINTENANCE urethane, epoxy, vinyl, nylon, acrylic, polyester, wax and rubberized undercoatings typically are used. Sacrificial metal coatings such as zinc (hot-dipped galvanized), nickel, galvalume (zinc and aluminum) and biopolymer also are used to fight corrosion, said Chris Lee, vice president of engineering for Great Dane. Trailers can sit idle for long periods of time, making their steel components highly susceptible to corrosion. “The trailer (OEMs) have gotten rid of paint on the rear ends,” Zaborowski said. “We have all galvanized frames on dry van trailers. We have stainless on the rear frames of refrigerated trailers, and most of our flatbeds are now a combination of aluminum and steel combined. The less steel is the less paint you have to worry about on a vehicle.” East uses 20-milliliter High-Density Poly Ethylene plastic in conjunction with Electrolysis Corrosion Kontrol corrosion-prevention coating during the assembly process for all its trailers. The HDPE is die-cut to match the areas that are covered, and both sides are coated with ECK, which prevents corrosion by sealing out moisture and chemicals and prevents electrolytic galvanic reactions by creating a barrier between dissimilar metals. Its zinc powder and dust absorb corrosive energies. Wilkie said trailer manufacturers also have adopted hot-dipped galvanizing processes that provide better protection of the steel structure while also extending component life, but he warned that structural repairs can strip away anti-corrosive properties. “Customers are advised to reapply undercoating to areas that have been repaired or where the undercoating has been disturbed,” he said. “To prepare for many repairs to galvanized parts, technicians remove the coating in order to repair the damaged structure.” Wilkie said many service providers are not aware of the process to replace galvanized material, which involves heating and dragging a galvanizing repair rod across the area until the desired thickness has been deposited. Todd Hobbs, vice president of engineering for East, said the company’s shake-proof fasteners come with a Magni 565 coating to improve corrosion resistance. The chrome-free duplex coating combines an inorganic zincrich basecoat with an aluminum-rich organic topcoat for added corrosion protection. The two-coat system is formulated to resist fuels and fluids. Spec’ing expectations Zaborowski said when buying new trailers, it’s important to evaluate newer processes that are designed to mitigate common maintenance issues.

SkyBitz’s cargo sensor incorporates reporting alerts from PSI, Meritor and Bendix systems that measure trailer tire pressures, axle temperatures and brake wear.

“I think it starts with how you spec the trailer,” he said. “We’re trying to put features on trailers that combat some of the basic challenges out there.” Last spring, Xtra Lease migrated to air disc brakes, part of an effort to not only improve the fleet’s brake life and performance but also extend maintenance intervals. “Braking systems, and the things that can go wrong with braking systems, is right up there at the top of the list [of challenges],” Zaborowski said. “There’s a lot less things that can go wrong with an air disc brake system than there is a drum brake system.” Xtra Lease also specs full LED lighting and compositeplate sidewall trailers that are better protected against yard damage, he said. For many years, trailers and truck bodies have been constructed with corrosion-resistant high-strength materials such as aluminum, stainless steel, coated carbon steel, engineered plastics and woods, but Lee said they continue to evolve. “These materials are applied to specific areas such as frames, floors, roofs, doors and sills to prolong trailer life,” he said. “Today, some of these materials are being replaced by composites such as a fiber-reinforced polymer resin composite and a combination of engineered metal-plastic composite to improve trailer longevity.” Wilkie said fiberglass and resin systems are proving their merit in terms of durability and repairability. “Just as the automotive industry has adopted adhesives and bonding as one of the prominent methods of construction, the trucking industry is heading that direction in many instances,” he said. “Composite floors in dry vans have been around for nearly 25 years.” “It’s all about extending the maintenance intervals and putting the right components in,” Zaborowski said. “The systems that are built today are much better than they were 15 or 20 years ago.” commercial carrier journal

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The Industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Finest

2018 Owner-Operator of the Year Danny Jewell of Warren Transport

Loveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Travel Stops and Cummins congratulate Danny Jewell, 2018 Owner-Operator of the Year, and Ester Nemeth, 2018 Company Driver of the Year, for their honors and $25,000 awards!

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2018 Company Driver of the Year Ester Nemeth of Bison Transport

Overdrive and the Truckload Carriers Association salute Jewell and the fleet heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leased to, Warren Transport. Truckers News and TCA salute Nemeth and her fleet, Bison Transport.

Truckload.org/Driver-of-the-Year

EAST

www.eastmfg.com

BST

BST II

BST/BST II ALUMINUM FLATBED Length: BST, up to 53 ft., 21-in. beam; BST II, up to 53 ft., 24-in. beam Width: 96 and 102 in. Floor: Knurled, 3-nailers, integrated outside rail Landing gear: 2-speed Jost AX150 AlumiLight, d/s crank, maintenancefree Crossmember: 22 in. with CLP deck reinforcement Distributed load capacity: BST, up to 90,000-lb. GVW; BST II, up to 100,000-lb. GVW Concentrated load capacity: BST, up to 52,000 lbs. in 4 ft., 60,000 lbs. in 10 ft.; BST II, up to 65,000 lbs. in 4 ft., 72,000 lbs. in 10 ft. Suspension: AAT25K, twoaxle spread Brakes: 16½-by-7 in., automatic brake adjusters, 4S-2M ABS Tiedowns: Adjustable optional and integrated winch track on both sides; optional Double-L winch side rail Axles: TP spindles Electrical: Truck-Lite Series 99 Plug-N-Go sealed system with LED lights 58

commercial carrier journal

MMX ALUMINUM FLATBED Length: Up to 53 ft., 28-in. beam Width: 96 and 102 in. Floor: Knurled, 3-nailers, integrated side rail Landing gear: 2-speed Jost AX150 AlumiLight, d/s crank, maintenance-free Crossmember: 22 in. with CLP deck reinforcement, 12- and 16-in. optional Distributed load capacity: Up to 145,000-lb. GVW, additional axles required Concentrated load capacity: Up to 80,000 lbs. in 4 ft., 89,000 lbs. in 10 ft. Suspension: AAT30K, twoaxle spread Brakes: 16½-by-7 in., automatic brake adjusters, 4S-2M ABS Tiedowns: Adjustable optional and integrated winch track on both sides; optional Double-L winch side rail Axles: TP spindles Electrical: Truck-Lite Series 99 Plug-N-Go sealed system with LED lights

BST ALUMINUM NARROW NECK FLATBED Length: 48 ft., 21-in. beam, 8-in. neck; up to 53 ft. Width: 102 in. Floor: Knurled, 3-nailers,

| july 2019

integrated outside rail Landing gear: 2-speed Jost AX150 AlumiLight, d/s crank, maintenancefree Crossmember: 22 in. with CLP deck reinforcement Distributed load capacity: Up to 80,000lb. GVW Concentrated load capacity: Up to 50,000 lbs. in 4 ft. Suspension: AAL25K, two-axle spread Brakes: 16½-by-7 in., automatic brake adjusters, 4S-2M ABS Tiedowns: Adjustable optional and integrated winch track on both sides; optional Double-L winch side rail; adaptable to rolling tarp and curtainside systems Axles: TP spindles Electrical: Truck-Lite Series 99 Plug-N-Go sealed system with LED lights

BST/BST II ALUMINUM DROP DECK Length: Up to 53 ft. Width: BST, 102 in., 26-in. drop deck; BST II, 102 in., 28-in. drop deck Floor: Knurled, 3-nailers, integrated side rail Landing gear: 2-speed Jost AX150 AlumiLight, d/s crank, maintenancefree Crossmember: 16 in. with CLP deck reinforcement Distributed load capacity:

Up to 80,000-lb. GVW Suspension: AAL25K, two-axle spread Brakes: 16½-by-7 in., automatic brake adjusters, 4S-2M ABS Tiedowns: Adjustable optional and integrated winch track on both sides; optional Double-L winch side rail Axles: TP spindles Electrical: Truck-Lite Series 99 Plug-N-Go sealed system with LED lights

BST EXTREME LOW DECK Length: 53 ft., 28-in. drop Width: 96 and 102 in.; low-slung, 36-in. deckto-ground measurement at highest point loaded; 46-in. fifth-wheel height; 32-in. rear deck height Floor: Knurled, 3-nailers, integrated outside rail Landing gear: 2-speed Jost AX150 AlumiLight, d/s crank, maintenancefree Crossmember: 16 in. with CLP deck reinforcement Distributed load capacity: Up to 80,000lb. GVW Suspension: HT250US Brakes: 12¼-by-7½ in., 17.5 tires, automatic brake adjusters, 4S-2M ABS Tiedowns: Adjustable optional and integrated winch track on both sides; optional Double-L winch side rail Axles: TP spindles

TRAILER FOCUS FLATBEDS Electrical: Truck-Lite Series 99 Plug-N-Go sealed system with LED lights

FONTAINE

www.fontainetrailer.com

REVOLUTION ALUMINUM DROP DECK Length: 48 ft. Floor: Friction-stir welded aluminum with coil support Main beams: Aluminum Weight: 8,720 lbs. Crossmember: Unitized construction, box beam multivoid extrusion design Rub rail/side rail: Aluminum, single routed extrusion, single-piece design Concentrated load capacity: 50,000 lbs. in 4 ft. Suspension: Hendrickson Intraax AANL23K with 122-in. spread Brakes: 16½-by-7 in. fast change, cast drums, spring brakes, automatic slack adjusters, Meritor Wabco 4S/2M ABS Tiedowns: 15 pairs recessed in side rails, optional aluminum removable deck chain and chock supports available with unlimited position capability; 12 sliding winches without straps, sliding rope hook/ strap hook keepers Axles: Hendrickson Intraax

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

Floor: Friction-stir welded aluminum with coil support Main beams: Aluminum Weight: 8,608-10,464 lbs. Crossmember: Unitized construction, box beam multivoid extrusion design Rub rail/side rail: Aluminum, single routed extrusion, single-piece design Concentrated load capacity: 52,000-60,000 lbs. in 4 ft. Suspension: Hendrickson Intraax AANT23K with 122-in. spread from front to rear axle Brakes: 16½-by-7 in. fast change, cast drums, spring, automatic slack adjusters, Meritor Wabco 4S/2M ABS Tiedowns: 15 pairs recessed in side rails, optional aluminum removable deck, chain and chock supports available with unlimited position capability; 12 sliding winches without straps, sliding rope hook/ strap hook keepers Axles: Hendrickson Intraax

INFINITY COMPOSITE FLATBED Length: 48 ft. Floor: 11/8-in. aluminum with four wood nailer strips Crossmember: 12-in. centers, 4-in. junior I-steel, single coil-hauling package Rub rail/side rail: Aluminum, single routed extrusion, single-piece design Distributed load capacity: 80,000 lbs. Concentrated load

capacity: 55,000 lbs. in 4 ft. Suspension: Hendrickson Intraax AANT23K with 122-in. spread Brakes: 16½-by-7 in. fast change, cast drums, spring, automatic slack adjusters, Meritor Wabco 4S/2M ABS Tiedowns: 15 pairs recessed in side rails, full-length winch track, integrated aluminum on both sides, 12 sliding winches without straps, sliding rope hook/strap hook keepers Axles: Hendrickson Intraax

VELOCITY STEEL FLATBED Length: 48 ft. Floor: 11/8-in. wood, fulllength finger joint boards, two screws per board per crossmember Crossmember: 12-in. centers, 4-in. junior I-steel, single coil-hauling package Rub rail/side rail: 6-in. structural steel channel, double pipe spools, 3/8-by-3-in. rub rails Distributed load capacity: 80,000 lbs. Suspension: Hendrickson Intraax AANT23K with 122-in. spread Brakes: 16½-by-7 in. fast change, cast drums, spring, automatic slack adjusters, Meritor Wabco 4S/2M ABS Tiedowns: Steel winch track installed full length where possible on roadside, 12 sliding winches without straps Axles: Hendrickson Intraax

VELOCITY STEEL FRAC DROP Length: 48 ft. Floor: 11/8-in. aluminum with wood nailers Crossmember: 12-in. centers on lower deck, 4-in. junior I-steel Rub rail/side rail: 6-in. structural steel channel, double pipe spools, 3/8-by-3-in. rub rails Main beams: Minimum 130,000-lb. top and bottom flanges, ½-in. bottom Suspension: Hendrickson Intraax AANL23K with 122-in. spread Brakes: 16½-by-7 in. fast change, cast drums, spring, automatic slack adjusters, Meritor Wabco 4S/2M ABS Axles: Hendrickson Intraax Container locks: Retractable type installed on lower deck to accept sand containers; locations available for both 8- and 10-ft. sand containers VELOCITY STEEL FRAC CHASSIS Length: 45 ft.; 48 ft. optional Width: 102 in. Frame height at rear: 40 in. loaded Bolsters: Heavy-duty fabricated type mounted on top of lower-deck main beams; heavy-duty steel bracing and supports welded to frame Container locks: Installed on lower deck to accept two 8-ft. or one 10-ft. sand container Main beams: Minimum 130,000-lb. top and bottom flanges, ½-in. bottom Suspension: Hendrickson Intraax AANL23K with 122-in. spread

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TRAILER FOCUS FLATBEDS Brakes: 16½-by-7 in. fast change, cast drums, spring, automatic slack adjusters, Meritor Wabco 4S/2M RSS/ABS Axles: Hendrickson Intraax Weighing: Scale weight installed on each trailer

Suspension: Hendrickson AANT 23K; tridem or quad axle/suspension package available Brakes: Wabco 2S/1M Easy Stop, 16½-by-7 in.

FREEDOM LT Overall length: 48 ft. for WSAR 121 axle centers Undercarriage design: Tandem axle, fixed air ride Main beam flanges: 3⁄8by-5 in. 100,000 ksi top and bottom Overall width: 102 in. Landing gear: GD65 (Non Fast Gear), 112 in. from kingpin Load rating: 80,000 lbs. evenly distributed, 50,000 lbs. concentrated in 4-ft. increments Crossmember: 4-in.-deep steel I-beam on 16-in. centers; 12-in. centers available for additional support; coil package places extra crossmembers between main beams Rub rails: 3-in. aluminum; bulkheads optional Side rails: Extruded aluminum; pipe spools, stake pockets standard on 24-in. centers; builtin winch track and provisions for flat hook anchor points Floor: Aluminum, 1¼ in. with four apitong nailing strips; options include Safety-Grip surface, full apitong, all-aluminum with smooth or SafetyGrip surface, two or three nailing strips Axles: Hendrickson tapered spindle

FREEDOM XP Overall length: 48 ft. for WSAR 121 axle centers Undercarriage design: Tandem axle, fixed air ride Main beam flanges: Aluminum Overall width: 102 in. Landing gear: Jost AX150 AlumiLight; 112 in. from kingpin Load rating: 80,000120,000 lbs. evenly distributed, 52,000-60,000 lbs. concentrated Crossmember: 4-in.-deep steel I-beam on 16-in. centers; 12-in. centers available for additional support; coil package places extra crossmembers between main beams Rub rails: 3-in. aluminum; bulkheads optional Side rails: Extruded aluminum; pipe spools, stake pockets standard on 24-in. centers; builtin winch track and provisions for flat hook anchor points Floor: Aluminum, 1¼-in. Safety-Grip surface with two apitong nailing strips and double floor fasteners in high-stress areas Axles: Hendrickson tapered spindle Suspension: Hendrickson AANT 23K; optional rearaxle sliding, front-axle

fixed suspension Brakes: Wabco 2S/1M Easy Stop, 16½-by-7 in.

MAC

www.mactrailer.com

GREAT DANE

www.greatdanetrailers.com

FREEDOM SE Overall length: 48 ft. for WSAR 121 axle centers Undercarriage design: Tandem axle, fixed air ride Main beam flanges: 3⁄8by-5 in. heavy-duty 100ksi steel Overall width: 102 in. Landing gear: GD65 (Non Fast Gear), 112 in. from kingpin Load rating: 80,000 lbs. evenly distributed, 50,000 lbs. concentrated in 4-ft. increments Crossmember: 4-in.-deep steel wax-coated I-beam on 16-in. centers; 12-in. centers available for heavy hauls; coil package places extra crossmembers between main beams Rub rails: 3⁄8-by-2 in.; bulkheads optional Side rails: 6-in.-deep 6.5 structural steel channel with steel pockets, spools Floor: Apitong, 11⁄8 in.; standard all-wood floor can be replaced by aluminum with nailing strips Axles: Hendrickson tapered spindle 60

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TANDEM FLATBED Models: M-52, M-60, M-72, M-80 Construction: 6061-T6 aluminum mill finish; fully welded, unitized Frame: Two T-sections assembled with center axis weld, 4-ft. concentrated load, 26-29 in. deep, 52,000-80,000 lb. Upper coupler: 5⁄16-in. galvanized steel plate, heavy-duty aluminum extruded member reinforcement Rear: DOT bumper, center filler plate with two steps, enclosed light pocket to protect rear lights and wiring Dock bumpers: Two 16-in., outside Floor: 1¼-in. extruded hollow-core tubularsectioned, 1¼-in. web section and knurled top surface; two apitong nailers along side rail Crossmembers: 5-in.-tall channel, 2-in. capped top flange, 2-in. bottom flange; spacing, 12-21 in. Side rail: 6¾-in.-tall openbacked extrusion; 7-in.tall heavy-duty hollowcore extrusion optional Suspension: Hendrickson AANL-230 tandem 122-in. spread with Hendrickson axles, TP bearings, HXL 5 with five-year warranty

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TRAILER FOCUS FLATBEDS Brakes and air system: 16½-by-7-in. lining with 30/30 chambers, automatic slack adjusters; 12-in. jumbo aluminum air tank, Sealco air valves; 4S2M ABS, extended brake lining Drums and hubs: Centrifuse drums, DuraLite hubs Landing gear: Jost AX150 with drive handle, 55,000-lb. lift, no lube

DROP DECK FLATBED Models: Tandem, SingleAxle Slide, Tri-Axle Slide Construction: 6061-T6 aluminum mill finish; fully welded, unitized Frame: Lower deck, two 72,000-lb. T-sections, 26-in. deep beam, 52,000-lb. concentrated load Upper deck: Built with stress-relieved extrusions, heat-treated after forming, 10 ft. long, square front corner, 16-in. kingpin setting, attached to lower deck with Huck bolts Lower deck: Length determined by upper deck length; 41 in. with 255/70R22.5 tires Upper coupler: 5⁄16-in. steel plate, heavy-duty aluminum extruded member reinforcement Rear: DOT bumper, center filler plate with two steps, enclosed light pocket to protect rear lights and wiring Dock bumpers: Two 16-in., outside Floor: 1¼-in. extruded hollow-core tubular62

commercial carrier journal

sectioned; two apitong nailers along side rail Crossmembers: 5-in.-tall channel, 2-in. capped top flange, 2-in. bottom flange; spacing, 12-21 in. Side rail: 6¾-in.-tall open-backed extrusion; 6¾-in.-tall heavy-duty hollow-core extrusion optional Suspension: Hendrickson AANL-230 tandem 122-in. spread with Hendrickson axles, TP bearings, oil-bath hubs Brakes and air system: 16½-by-7-in. lining with 30/30 chambers, automatic slack adjusters; 12-in. jumbo aluminum air tank, Sealco air valves; 4S2M ABS, extended brakes Drums and hubs: Centrifuse drums, DuraLite hubs Landing gear: Jost AX150 with drive handle, 55,000-lb. lift, no lube

package included Rub rails: 3⁄8-by-3-in. extruded aluminum with recess for conspicuity tape on sides only Side rails: 53⁄8-in.-deep extruded aluminum with integral track on each side for sliding winches Distributed load capacity: 80,000 lbs. evenly distributed Suspension: Hendrickson AANT 23K Intraax air ride with 121-in. axle spacing Brakes: Outboardmounted Accuride Trident lightweight steel drums, 16½-by7-in. with Bendix 2S/1M TABS-6 Tiedowns: Extruded aluminum pipe spools on 24-in. centers, centered between pockets at sides only Axles: Hendrickson LDA

UTILITY

www.utilitytrailer.com

4000AE Floor: 11⁄8-in. extruded aluminum with two hardwood nail strips at each side rail Crossmembers: 3- and 4-in. aluminum crossmember system in which both are suspended and supported to work as a total structural system on 16-in. centerline; three aluminum tube-shaped outriggers on each side, connected to crossmembers for even load distribution; 47,000-lb. coil-haul

| july 2019

4000S Floor: 11⁄8-in. dimensional shiplap hardwood Crossmembers: 3-in. steel I-beam on 12-in. centerline, full length Rub rails: ¼-by-3-in. highstrength steel on sides and rear only Side rails: 47⁄16-in. formed high-strength steel Distributed load capacity: 80,000 lbs. evenly distributed Suspension: SAF-Holland SP9000 Series DuraLite spring with 49-in. axle spacing Brakes: Outboardmounted cast-iron drums, 16½-by 7-in. with

Bendix 2S/1M TABS-6 Tiedowns: Steel pipe spools on 24-in. centerline centered between pockets

4000AE DROP DECK Floor: 11-ft. front deck with 21-in. drop and 40¼-in. rear deck height, 11⁄8-in. extruded aluminum flattop floor with two hardwood nail strips at each side rail Crossmembers: 3- and 4-in. aluminum crossmembers in which both are suspended and supported to work as a total structural system; 3-in. aluminum crossmembers on 12-in. centerline where practical (retains steel crossmembers in rear of front deck and over axles); five tubeshaped outriggers on each side connected to crossmembers for even load distribution; 39,000-lb. coil haul package included Rub rails: 3⁄8-by-3-in. extruded aluminum at sides only with recess for conspicuity tape Side rails: 53⁄8-in.-deep extruded aluminum with integral track on each side for sliding winches Distributed load capacity: 80,000 lbs. evenly distributed Suspension: Hendrickson AANL 23K Intraax air ride with 121-in. axle spacing Brakes: Outboardmounted cast-iron drums, 16½-by-7-in. with Bendix 2S/1M TABS-6

TRAILER FOCUS FLATBEDS Tiedowns: Extruded aluminum pipe spools centered between pockets on sides only Axles: Hendrickson LDA, 121-in. spacing

WABASH NATIONAL CORP.

www.wabash-trailers.com

BENSON PLATFORMS www.bensonflats.com Length: 28-53 ft. Width: 96-102 in. Floor: 1¼-in. hollow-core box design, extruded aluminum with four apitong nailers, two singles outside, one double in

the center Landing gear: Jost AX150 AlumiLight with galvanized lower leg Crossmembers: Aluminum C-channel crossmembers on 16-in. centers, flatbeds include coil package with five additional stub crossmembers on 8-in. centers Main beam: Mechanically welded two-piece 6061 T6 extruded aluminum “T” cross-sections, welded along neutral axis Distributed load capacity: Flatbeds up to 140,000 lbs.; drop decks up to 105,000 lbs. over lower deck Concentrated load capacity: Flatbeds up to 72,000 lbs. in 4 ft., up to 78,000 lbs. in 10 ft.; drop decks up to 52,000 lbs. in 4 ft., 55,000 lbs.

in 10 ft. Suspension/axles: Hendrickson Intraax HXL5 23-000-lb. capacity; tandem widespread with QuikAlign, parallel “P” spindle wheel ends Brakes: Hendrickson HXS, 20,000-lb. capacity Tiedowns: Patented Lock-Rite multiposition tiedown system, stake pockets on 24-in. centers, double pipe spools

TRANSCRAFT PLATFORMS www.transcraft.com COMBO PLATFORMS Length: 28-53 ft.

Width: 96-102 in. Floor: Eight 11⁄8-in. thick aluminum floorboards installed with two inner and outer apitong nailers and two grade-8 screws per crossmember Landing gear: Jost A-420 Crossmembers: 80K hightensile 4-in. steel “I” beam crossmembers on 12-in. centers; 5-in. aluminum available Main beam: Highstrength steel fully welded at all flange-web joints Finish: Shot-blasted highzinc epoxy primer finished with automotivegrade acrylic urethane paint Distributed load capacity: Flatbeds up to 125,000 lbs. evenly distributed; drop decks up to 94,000 lbs. over lower deck Concentrated load

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| july 2019 63

TRAILER FOCUS FLATBEDS capacity: Flatbeds up to 73,000 lbs. in 4 ft., up to 80,000 lbs. in 10 ft.; drop decks up to 80,000 lb. in 4 ft., up to 85,000 lbs. in 10 ft. Suspension/axles: Hendrickson Intraax HXL5 23-000-lb. capacity; tandem widespread with QuikAlign, parallel “P” spindle wheel ends Brakes: Hendrickson HXS, 20,000-lb. capacity Tiedowns: Stake pockets on 24-in. centers, double pipe spools

STEEL PLATFORMS Length: 28-53 ft. Width: 96-102 in.

commercial carrier journal

Floor: Maximum-strength interlocking apitong floorboards installed with two grade-8 screws per crossmember Landing gear: Jost A-420 Crossmembers: 80K hightensile 4-in. steel “I” beam crossmembers on 12-in. centers Main beam: Highstrength steel fully welded at all flange-web joints Finish: Shot-blasted highzinc epoxy primer finished with automotivegrade acrylic urethane paint Distributed load capacity: Flatbeds up to 125,000 lbs. evenly distributed; drop decks up to 94,000 lbs. over lower deck Concentrated load capacity: Flatbeds up to 73,000 lbs. in 4 ft., up to

| july 2019

80,000 lbs. in 10 ft.; drop decks up to 80,000 lbs. in 4 ft., up to 85,000 lbs. in 10 ft. Suspension/axles: Hendrickson Intraax HXL5 23-000-lb. capacity; tandem widespread with QuikAlign, parallel “P” spindle wheel ends Brakes: Hendrickson HXS, 20,000-lb. capacity Tiedowns: Stake pockets on 24-in. centers, double pipe spools Electrical: LED lights with enhanced visibility lighting system Finishes: Shot-blasted prior to primer, Valspar automotive-grade acrylic urethane paint system; corrosion-resistant packages available COIL HAULER/ SPECIALTY Length: 45-48 ft.

Width: 96 in. Configuration: 17-19-ft. coil well with 48-56-in. sliding canopy Landing gear: Holland Atlas 55 Main beam: Highstrength steel fully welded at all flange-web joints Finish: Shot-blasted highzinc epoxy primer finished with automotivegrade acrylic urethane paint Payload capacity: 90,000 lbs. Suspension/axles: Hendrickson Intraax HXL5 23-000-lb. capacity; tandem widespread with QuikAlign, parallel “P” spindle wheel ends Brakes: Hendrickson HXS, 20,000-lb. capacity Tiedowns: Integrated tie bar

– Dean Smallwood

Easy-pack lubricants

Amsoil’s easy-pack lubricant container is designed for durability in heavy-duty environments and improved access to tough-toreach fill holes, resulting in less mess and less wasted product. Synthetic Manual Transmission and Transaxle Gear Lube: Formulated to help reduce friction and protect against wear and heat. It is designed to deliver quicker shifts, longer service life and added protection in manual transmissions and transaxles. Severe Gear 75W-110 Synthetic Gear Lube and 80W-90 Synthetic Gear Lube: Formulated to help reduce operating temperatures while delivering added film strength to resist thermal breakdown. The premium-grade gear oils are designed for added performance and protection against wear, pitting and scoring. Amsoil, www.amsoil.com, 800-777-8491

Dual-pole socket

Phillips’ Dual Pole QCS2 Quick-Change Socket is designed for added corrosion protection for dual-pole applications such as liftgate systems. The socket consists of a dual-pole harness boot molded to the liftgate harness cable, which helps grip the socket and hold it in place. The socket has a noncorrosive housing and a sealed inner cavity engineered to block moisture and contaminants from the plug-socket union. With a longer negative pin and a shorter “hot” pin, the offset-pin connection is grounded before power is circulated through the system on the positive pin, avoiding the potential for accident arcing and sparks. The Dual Pole QCS2 is available for dual-pole connections on the tractor side, with the boot in a 6-o’clock angle and in 2- and 4-gauge options. Phillips Industries, www.phillipsind.com, 800-423-4512

Expanded accessory lineup

Belmor’s Aeroshield II, Next-Gen Aeroshield and Aeroshield hood deflectors now are available for various Hino, Peterbilt and Volvo makes and models. The company’s Ventvisor and Ventshade side window deflectors, designed to reduce interior fogging and heat and allow fresh air in the cab while raining, now can be spec’d for various International, Peterbilt and Western Star makes and models. Belmor’s bug screens now are available for various International, Peterbilt and Volvo makes and models, while the company’s Rock Guards now can be spec’d for various Hino makes and models. Belmor’s Winterfront grille covers, built to allow radiators to perform at optimal levels in all seasons, now are available on various International, Mack, Peterbilt and Volvo models. Belmor, www.belmor.com, 800-423-1855 commercial carrier journal | july 2019

PRODUCTS

Long-haul drive tire

Hankook’s e3 Wide DL21 ultra-super-single long-haul drive tire replaces the company’s DL07 and is engineered for added mileage and rolling resistance over its predecessor. The tire’s redesigned tread pattern features Hankook’s three-dimensional siping technology that helps increase traction, while seven main grooves help reduce tread block cracking. The e3 Wide DL21 also features the company’s Smartec TBR technology, an integrated manufacturing process that addresses all of a tire’s performance factors, including safety, mileage, anti-chip cutting, retreadability and traction.

Jump starter

Weego’s Crankenstein Jump Starting 12V/24V Power Pack is engineered to jump-start 0-volt batteries safely and automatically. It provides 1,200 cranking amps and 5,000 peak amps for 12-volt systems and 600 cranking amps and 5,000 peak amps for 24-volt systems. The company’s Connection Detection technology displays the quality of battery terminal connections, and its Hotfoot technology allows operation in temperatures from -28 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The 9-pound unit is built with reverse polarity, anti-spark, overcurrent, overdischarge, voltage detection and temperature protections, and its reinforced case is built for water, dust and dirt resistance. The jump starter’s lithium phosphate battery is rated for up to 2,000 lifecycles and to hold a single charge for over one year, and it can be recharged on the go in six hours. It includes a port for phones and tablets and a built-in 1,000-lumen LED worklight that offers 15 hours of light on a single charge. Weego, www.myweegopro.com, 609-265-9200

Hankook Tire America Corp., www.hankooktire.com/us, 800-426-5665

Cellular signal booster

Wilson’s weBoost Drive Reach in-vehicle cellular signal booster is designed to provide added connectivity for mobile phones and wireless carriers, providing users with strong call quality, fewer dead zones and faster data upload/download speeds while on the road. The Drive Reach is engineered to provide uplink output power capabilities of 29.5 dBm and 50 dB gain, the maximum allowable gain under Federal Communications Commission standards. Drive Reach includes a cellular amplifier, a mini-magnetic antenna, SMB connectors and a power supply, including an extra charging port. A versatile mounting plate allows everyday users to use Velcro strips to attach the booster to the vehicle’s carpeting, while more advanced installers can fasten the booster more permanently to the side walls. Wilson Electronics, www.weboost.com, 866-294-1660

Liftgate series

Woodbine’s Anteo USA medium- and heavy-duty liftgates include three lightweight aluminum platform lines: Tuckunders (REP Series), Retractables (F3RE Series) and Cantilevers (F3CL Series). Each liftgate series comes with an array of standard and optional features and ranges from 2,500 to 6,600 pounds of lifting capacity. Woodbine Manufacturing Co., usa.anteo.com, 610-557-8206

commercial carrier journal | july 2019

PRODUCTS

Lighted truck box

Weather Guard’s Lighted Truck Box features integrated lighting technology designed to deliver high-visibility and secure, durable weather-resistant tool storage lighting. The easy-to-install wiring can be completed within 30 minutes and is compatible with all full-size trucks. Weather Guard, www.weatherguard.com, 800-456-7865

Jump starter

Orange buff wheels

Vanair’s Goodall Start-All Jump-Pack series of lithium-ion cobalt jump starters are engineered to start Class 8 trucks and offroad equipment instantly. The starters are available in both 12- and 24volt systems and feature Vanair’s proprietary Protect-All Technology safety features that include reverse polarity and low-voltage, short-circuit overheat and overdischarge protection. The compact 11-pound units are easy to store and feature a power bank to charge personal electronics, including cell phones, smart watches, computers and speakers.

VIS’ Robotic Wheel Polisher now is available with orange buff wheels designed for improved polishing during shine cycles. The company also now offers highspeed cut bars engineered to work with its updated high-speed polishing software.

Vehicle Inspection Systems, www.everythingpolish.com,

Vanair, www.vanair.com, 800-526-8817

866-847-8721

Charging mount, pad

RoadKing’s Qi-Charging Mount is designed for Qi-enabled smartphones and provides a solid metal construction with adjustable arms built to hold a phone securely in place when mounted to a dash, window or air vent. The company’s mobile Qi-Charging Pad features a nonslip rubberized coating and cradles a phone to help keep it secure while charging. Both options provide Fast Charge 10W to facilitate quick, convenient charging. RoadPro Brands, www.roadprobrands.com, 866-6227979

Tough Windows tablet

Panasonic’s FZ-Q2 Semi-Rugged 2-in-1 Windows Toughpad Tablet has a standard fullsized keyboard and built-in protection and is equipped with a 6th Generation Intel Core m5 vPro processor for advanced performance with a flexible form factor, making it suitable for enterprise deployments. The FZ-Q2 provides 4G connectivity and includes a field-serviceable solid-state drive. Panasonic, www.panasonic.com, 800-405-0652 commercial carrier journal | july 2019

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PREVENTABLE or NOT?

Sports car too slow to see Doe stop

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hinking about the nifty bass boat he’d recently bought from fellow trucker Teddy Trotley put John Doe in a good mood. He approached Unit 402 on the ready line with his economy-size bag of Gummy Bears, Bass Lure Handbook, giant Thermos of coffee and other life-supporting essentials. It was a sunny clear morning. An hour later, Doe’s tractor-trailer was occupying the center eastbound lane of Rotorooter Pike, at the legal limit of 55 mph, in moderate traffic. When the traffic signal at the intersection with Route One suddenly turned yellow, Doe slowly started to brake, setting the stage for disaster. Immediately behind Doe was a purple Mustang impatiently piloted by Melvin Mudswange, who was waiting for a chance to change lanes John Doe was in the center lane of a three-lane highway and was and get away from the nasty ol’ stopping at a traffic light, but a truck. Mudswange did not notice sport car close behind him didn’t Doe’s brake lights, and he couldn’t see the signal and kept going, see the traffic signal, which now hitting Doe’s slowing trailer. Was was cherry red. this a preventable accident? Squinting through the sun’s glare, Mudswange had just checked his mirrors and was preparing to whiz past Doe when … Yikes! Too late, Mudswange realized that the big rig was slowing down fast, so he attempted, but failed, to squeak past the left corner of Doe’s trailer. BLAMMO! Its radiator smooshed, poor Mudswange’s Mustang was incapable of continuing to bolt down the highway. Because the company safety director questioned Doe’s inability to avoid being struck in the rear by the Mustang, the National Safety Council’s Accident Review Committee was asked to settle the issue. NSC quickly ruled in Doe’s favor, noting that he had no reason to anticipate being mangled by Mudswange.

WE CARRY IT ALL When you need heavy-duty parts that last, NAPA has you covered with a variety of options from the most trusted brands in the business. Quality Parts. Helpful People. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NAPA KNOW HOW.

Introducing the Model 579 UltraLoftâ&#x201E;˘, with a lightweight integral cab-sleeper design that takes the Model 579 to new levels of driver comfort and performance. The distinctive exterior features a bold, sculpted roofline and aerodynamic enhancements for increased fuel economy. The new interior offers best-in-class headroom, bunk space and storage. The standard PACCAR Powertrain, including the PACCAR MX-13 engine and the advanced PACCAR Automated Transmission, maximizes fuel efficiency and drivability, making the Model 579 UltraLoft the driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s truck of choice. For more information, stop by your nearest Peterbilt dealer or visit Peterbilt.com.

CLASS PAYS