On Thick Ice
Power Plays
Life on Canada’s ice roads PG. 36
The latest in heavy-duty engines PG. 44
Canadian Mail Sales Product Agreement #40063170. Return postage guaranteed. NEWCOM Business Media Inc., 451 Attwell Dr., Toronto, ON M9W 5C4.
The Business Magazine of Canada’s Trucking Industry
TUNNEL VISION Inside the feds’ wind tunnel tests — PG.16 —
+
Creature Comforts Options for your sleeper PG. 40
Natural Investments Will carbon taxes support natural gas? PG.12
February 2017
www.todaystrucking.com
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Contents February 2017 7 9 11 31 33
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VOLUME 31, NO.2
Letters John G. Smith
12
16
36
40
Rolf Lockwood Heather Ness Mike McCarron
NEWS & NOTES
Dispatches 18 Tow the Line Ontario pulls tow operators into CVOR rating system
22 23 24 25 26 27 30 54
Truck Sales Pulse Survey Stat Pack Trending Logbook Truck of the Month Heard on the Street Faces
In Gear
Features 12 Natural Investments Will funds from new carbon taxes revive interest in natural gas?
By John G. Smith
16 Tunnel Vision Federal wind tunnel helps reshape thoughts about aerodynamics.
44 Power Plays The latest in engine designs
48 Talking Trash Advances in waste vehicles
50 Lockwood’s Products 52 Guess the location, win a hat
By Jim Park
36 On Thick Ice Inside the real world of ice road trucking.
By David Henry
40 Creature Comforts Sleeper options are not limited to size alone.
By John G. Smith
For more visit www.todaystrucking.com FEBRUARY 2017
5
Innovation that moves you.
Volvo Trucks’ new SuperTruck concept vehicle offers a glimpse into the future of fuel savings, achieving a remarkable 88 percent freight efficiency improvement with fuel economy topping 12 mpg. Many of the innovative aerodynamic solutions featured in this project can already be found in the Volvo VNL. And our new powertrain will offer additional fuel savings by featuring the SuperTruck’s wave piston design, common-rail fuel injection system and turbo compounding. Learn more: Supertruck.VolvoTrucks.ca
Fuel Efficiency
Volvo Trucks. Driving Progress
Letters The Business Magazine of Canada’s Trucking Industry
PUBLISHER Joe Glionna joe@newcom.ca • 416/614-5805 VICE PRESIDENT, EDITORIAL Rolf Lockwood, MCILT rolf@newcom.ca • 416/614-5825 EDITOR John G. Smith johng@newcom.ca • 416/614-5812 CONTRIBUTORS: Steve Bouchard, Peter Carter, David Henry, Mike McCarron, Heather Ness, Jim Park, Nicolas Trépanier DESIGN / LAYOUT Tim Norton, Frank Scatozza production@todaystrucking.com • 416/614-5818 NATIONAL ACCOUNTS MANAGER Heather Donnelly heather@newcom.ca • 416/614-5804 REGIONAL ACCOUNTS MANAGER Nickisha Rashid nickisha@newcom.ca • 416/614-5824 QUÉBEC ACCOUNTS MANAGER Denis Arsenault denis@newcom.ca • 514/947-7228 CIRCULATION MANAGER Pat Glionna 416/614-2200 • 416/614-8861 (fax) PRODUCTION MANAGER Lilianna Kantor lily@newcom.ca • 416/614-5815
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NEWCOM BUSINESS MEDIA INC. 451 Attwell Dr., Toronto, ON M9W 5C4 416/614-2200 • 416/614-8861 (fax) CHAIRMAN AND FOUNDER Jim Glionna PRESIDENT Joe Glionna VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS Melissa Summerfield CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Anthony Evangelista DIRECTOR OF CIRCULATION Pat Glionna
Today’s Trucking is published monthly by NEWCOM BUSINESS MEDIA INC., 451 Attwell Dr., Toronto, ON M9W 5C4. It is produced expressly for owners and/or operators of one or more straight trucks or tractor-trailers with gross weights of at least 19,500 pounds, and for truck/trailer dealers and heavy-duty parts distributors. Subscriptions are free to those who meet the criteria. For others: single-copy price: $5 plus applicable taxes; one-year subscription: $40 plus applicable taxes; one-year subscription in U.S.: $60 US; one-year subscription foreign: $90 US. Copyright 2017. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without prior written consent of the publisher. The advertiser agrees to protect the publisher against legal action based upon libelous or inaccurate statements, unauthorized use of photographs, or other material in connection with advertisements placed in Today’s Trucking. The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising which in his opinion is misleading, scatological, or in poor taste. Postmaster: Address changes to Today’s Trucking, 451 Attwell Dr., Toronto, ON M9W 5C4. Postage paid Canadian Publications Mail Sales Agreement No.40063170. ISSN No. 0837-1512. Printed in Canada. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.
Member
Thanks for clearing the air Re: Clear the Air (January 2017) Your recent Diesel Particulate Filter/diesel emissions maintenance article was refreshingly accurate, and the curated advice within it is worth a million dollars if owners and operators will heed it. I read over many articles and blogs related to our industry, and it’s rare to see consistently accurate information. — Norie Kingsbury Brockville, Ontario
Kudos for Ulch’s healthy approach Re: Fit to Drive (January 2017) I was a health and safety representative at a major trucking company for 12 years and quit the position because I could not get the company or the union to help me do what [Ulch Transport] has done. They did not care about how to give truck drivers incentives geared to healthy living. As long as the trucks rolled, that’s all they cared about in the corporate office. Kudos to the company that cares about the health and wellbeing, both mentally and physically, of their people. — Dorothy Sanderson By email
A lesson in defensive driving So, I’m driving today from a safety conference in Waterloo, Ontario to my home in Mississauga along Highway 401. As is my habit and duty, I notice most everything related to defensive driving, including the behavior of other drivers. I happen to notice the licence plate of a vehicle in the middle lane, whose driver is contravening Section 147 of the Highway Traffic Act. Since no vehicles are close behind me, I pull up alongside him [left side], match his speed, and try to get his attention. No luck – he’s staring straight ahead, ignoring my horn and the traffic passing him on both sides. The driver hurts my feelings by not acknowledging me at all. In the interest of utilizing the left lane correctly, I accelerate and continue on my way, secure in the knowledge that I at least attempted to greet an old friend. — George Smagala Mississauga, Ontario
Ed: Full disclosure – George is referring to my car and the personalized WORDSMTH licence plate. It proves that we can all use a reminder about defensive driving from time to time. Apologies, George. I’m moving over and plan to refocus on my surroundings!
Back in England, and settling in Re: Unskilled and Unwanted (July 2016) Ed: Many readers have asked us for an update on what happened to the Taylor family, after Dave’s work visa expired and ended his job as a truck driver. We’re passing along this note from them. We are now settled back in own country, both working and getting with our lives. As you can understand we are extremely unhappy with the Canadian authorities and would rather put the whole five years behind us. — Dave and Fiona Taylor England
Email: johng@newcom.ca
SEND YOUR LETTERS TO: Newcom Business Media, 451 Attwell Dr., Toronto, ON M9W 5C4 If we publish your letter, we’ll even send you a Today’s Trucking hat as our thanks. FEBRUARY 2017
7
Editorial By John G. Smith
Trucks and Terror Recent terror attacks reinforce the value of sound security measures
S
ecurity protocols are nothing new to well-managed fleets. It’s why trucks come with keys, fences enclose yards, and procedures track drivers and loads alike. The threat of cargo and equipment theft is all too real, and there is a price to pay for any losses. Recent headlines reinforce another reason to be vigilant. We now live in an era of the weaponized truck. Early last month, 28-year-old Fadi Qunbar slammed a truck into a group of soldiers in Jerusalem, killing four and injuring 10. On December 19, 24-year-old Anis Amri killed 12 when he drove a truck into a popular Christmas market in Germany; the driver of that truck was shot dead in a related hijacking. And it is impossible to forget how 86 people were killed and 434 were injured when they were mowed down by a 19-tonne truck that sped into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, France. It would be all too easy to dismiss these threats as something limited to foreign lands. There is an ocean between us, after all. The war against Daesh is fought in regions like Syria and Iraq. But we need to look no further than Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec for proof that Canada is not immune from vehicles being used in rolling attacks. Martin Couture-Rouleau wasn’t at the wheel of a truck when he sped through a parking lot in that community, but he rammed his car into a pair of Canadian soldiers and killed Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent. The only difference in the weapon for his October 2014 attack was mass and momentum. Remember when discussions about weaponized trucks were limited to roadside bombs? Timothy McVeigh brought that threat home in 1995 when he loaded a Ryder straight truck with diesel and fertilizer, leveling Oklahoma City’s Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building and killing 168 people. In 2005 North American fuel haulers were put on notice when the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation warned that Al Qaeda might
commandeer fuel trucks for attacks on Los Angeles, New York and Chicago. Those attacks never occurred, but they wouldn’t have been without precedent. A suicide bomber killed 21 people in Tunisia when he detonated a propane tanker next to a synagogue. A load of sodium cyanide was also hijacked near Mexico City before its cargo was recovered. Imagine if that had fallen into the wrong hands. No longer do we have to limit the focus on hazardous materials that might be transformed into an explosive device or dirty bomb. Grabbing the keys requires far less planning. No expertise in explosives or specific load is required. It all serves as a reminder of the need to be vigilant no matter what your trucks carry or where you travel. Many security measures can be traced to common sense – controlling the access to yards and loads, ensuring idling trucks are not left unattended, and addressing any business-specific weaknesses that exist. The best practices of preclearance programs like the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT), launched in the wake of the September 2001 terrorist attacks in the U.S., could be applied to yards everywhere. Hiring practices can be refined to include criminal background checks. Lights, cameras and security guards can make it tougher to hide in the shadows. But once procedures are in place, everyone plays a role in taking them seriously and avoiding shortcuts in the name of saving time. It’s not all about fighting terror, of course. It’s about keeping everyone safe from any threats which emerge. TT
“We now live in an era of the weaponized truck.”
John G. Smith is editor of Today’s Trucking. You can reach him at 416-614-5812 or johng@newcom.ca. FEBRUARY 2017
9
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Lockwood By Rolf Lockwood
The Real Blues Truck drivers may be especially vulnerable to what we dismiss as the simple winter blues
I
t’s that time of year again, when many of us get what we lightheartedly call the “February Blues”. We don’t normally take it too seriously. Everybody complains, after all. But when winter seems to be going on too long, I think truck drivers face bigger challenges than maybe anyone else. And “lighthearted” soon stops being an applicable word. It can easily become more than a mild case of the blues when the roadside snow has turned into gray piles of ugly ice, when you know the highways can go treacherous in seconds, when the last thing you want to do is crawl under your rig to check brake adjustment (yeah, some still do). Add the radical idiocy of four-wheelers who don’t seem to know the first thing about winter driving, and you’ve got a good chance of seeing vague feelings of the blues turn into moments of frustration and rage. String too many of those together and depression will almost surely follow. Regular readers will know that I worry about the mental state of drivers at the best of times. And whenever I write about the subject of mental health, I’m urged to keep doing it. The thing is, we still don’t talk enough about it and the urge to sweep it all under the rug remains very strong. I’ve written previously that over-worked, under-paid, and hyper-regulated drivers might well find themselves with mental health issues, guessing that depression could be utterly rampant. Worse, that almost nobody knows how to recognize the signs of trouble. At this time of year we have a well understood, well documented issue that affects many of us, drivers and civilians alike. Seasonal Affective Disorder by name, or SAD, it really is a thing, and it really can be a big deal. Five years ago I heard from a driver I’ve known for some time, a very capable veteran who suffered quite severely from SAD. He told me about his affliction in some detail and urged me to write about it, thinking it might be common – and commonly misunderstood – in the tough-man world of trucking.
As he suggested, I’d bet my next paycheque that SAD is hardly known at all outside the professional healthcare world, though I think it’s universally recognized. That’s not a contradiction because, as I wrote above, it can start as what we normally dismiss as the simple winter blues. For most of us, a sunny day that speaks of spring will lift our spirits. Two or three such days in a row and we’re ready to fight again. But it seems not everyone can break out of it quite so easily. For some folks, things are much darker than that. According to Dr. Robert Levitan, senior scientist and research head in the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program at the Center for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, SAD has several forms. He says that up to 5% of Canadians suffer from severe clinical depression that appears as the days get shorter and we slide into winter. Another 10-15% show a milder but still serious depression, and a further 25-35% of us just have those blues. My guess is that the percentages would be higher in the first two categories for truck drivers, though I’m not aware of any study that proves it. Note the symptoms and beware: depression, hopelessness, anxiety, loss of energy, a heavy, leaden feeling in the arms or legs, social withdrawal, oversleeping, loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed, appetite changes, weight gain, and difficulty concentrating. If not treated, SAD can get worse and lead to suicidal thoughts or behavior, work problems, and substance abuse. Remember that, please. TT
Seasonal Affective Disorder by name really is a thing, and it really can be a big deal.
Rolf Lockwood is vice-president, editorial, at Newcom Business Media. You can reach him at 416-614-5825 or rolf@todaystrucking.com. FEBRUARY 2017
11
Will funds from new carbon taxes revive interest in natural gas trucks? By John G. Smith
expect some support of their own. Carbon taxes and cap-and-trade systems are increasing the cost of diesel – most recently in Ontario and Alberta – but they’re also generating funds for lowcarbon technologies. Ontario, for example, has pledged $250 million over the next five years to reduce carbon emissions from heavy trucks. And the
Times were different when C.A.T. signed the deal for 100 trucks that run on Compressed Natural Gas. The Canadian and U.S. dollar were essentially valued at par, increasing the fleet’s buying power on U.S.-made equipment. Quebec’s provincial government also pledged $15,000 per truck, helping to offset any sticker shock around the emission-friendly designs, and natural gas was clearly cheaper than diesel when oil was close to $100 per barrel. That was August 2014. With today’s exchange rate and equipment prices, the same trucks would cost about $50,000 more than their diesel counterparts, says Daniel Goyette, president of the Quebec-based fleet. As for the price of oil? “At $50 per barrel, the way it is now, there is no ROI,” he says. “Nobody wants to give you a decent residual
Canadian Natural Gas Vehicle Alliance estimates that natural gas vehicles generate 20-25% lower carbon emissions when total lifecycles are considered. The barriers are not limited to cost alone, of course. Westport abandoned its 15-liter GX engine that could support heavy Gross Vehicle Weights and Long Combination Vehicles; Cummins put its plans on hold as well. But Goyette doesn’t see that as a problem.
Natural Investments
12
TODAY’S TRUCKING
C.A.T. remains committed to natural gas despite affordable diesel and high equipment prices. (Ryder photo)
at the end because they don’t know what the market [for the equipment] is going to be.” But Goyette remains committed to the fuel and equipment alike. Through a partnership with Ryder his trucks can travel from Quebec to Mexico, tapping into a network of five fast-fill fueling stations along the way. The financial returns will emerge when the price of oil begins its inevitable rise, he says. Other fleets thinking about a switch to natural gas could
The vast majority of trucks running between Ontario, Quebec and the U.S. still weigh less than 80,000 pounds, making them candidates for 12-liter engines like the ones used by C.A.T., he says. The fleet addressed challenging hills by selecting flatter routes and 13-speed transmissions. Besides that, dual-fuel systems are available for companies that want to build on larger diesel blocks. “I’m quite optimistic about where we’re going in the next couple of years,” says Bruce Winchester, executive director of the Canadian Natural Gas Vehicle Alliance, referring to the opportunities for natural gas. “We don’t expect every single vehicle to be running on natural gas ... [but] there is some opportunity to deploy new technology and ensure infrastructure is up to speed.” That will still come at a cost. It’s one of the reasons the Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) is asking its provincial government to offer up to $60,000 per natural gas vehicle, stressing that funders should consider more than vehicle and fuel station costs alone. The typical rollout of a mid-sized natural gas fleet can cost $68,000 in management or consulting time, according to Natural
PG. 15
Meyers closes PG. 19
Carbon surcharges PG. 20
IMT Group sold
Canadian interest in natural gas dropped after 15-liter engines were abandoned. But not everyone needs them. (Photo by Natural Gas Vehicles for America)
ISX 12G and 8.9-liter ISL G can cost $10,000 to $25,000 more than an equivalent diesel engine. And a Class 8 back-of-cab system that holds 160 Diesel Gallon Equivalents (DGE) of fuel can cost $50,000 to $75,000, while saddle tanks holding 60 DGE can cost $30,000 to $50,000.
Fueling
Gas as an Alternative Fuel for Canadian Truck Fleets, a white paper commissioned by the group. Simply evaluating the alternatives can take anywhere from 200 to 500 hours. Another $19,500 would be needed to track any deployments, gathering the data needed to support future investments. “Ancillary” fees such as management time and evaluation, training, monitoring, and shop upgrades can account for 9% of the related investments, the white paper concludes. Training, for example, might cost $2,000 per technician and $200 per driver. Goyette agrees that the training is vital. “We didn’t
do enough,” he admits, referring to messages that need to be conveyed to drivers – not just about how the trucks work, or even solving the anxiety about equipment ranges, but how each driver is playing a role in the industry’s future. Maintenance teams certainly need to prepare to work with spark plugs and unique engine oils, even if they don’t have to worry about carrying Diesel Exhaust Fluid. “Education is going to be the big key to the success,” he says. “Trucking companies are in the business of moving freight. We are not fuel transition experts. The more the Government of Ontario’s program assists the industry in
making a seamless transition to natural gas, the greater the likelihood the program will be successful,” says Stephen Laskowski, OTA president. “Without assistance and funding in these critical areas, fleets can easily become frustrated, making a successful conversion to natural gas vehicles less likely.” There’s no denying the higher upfront purchase costs for the equipment itself. American Power Group offers conversion kits for diesel engines, adding about $20,000 to $40,000 to equipment prices depending on tank sizes and configurations. Smaller-displacement engines including the Cummins Westport 11.9-liter
A growing network of fuel stations – particularly those that offer fast-fill capabilities – have helped Compressed Natural Gas offset advantages once held by Liquefied Natural Gas, which has traditionally been seen as the best option for over-theroad trucks and their longer routes, the Ontario white paper concludes. Drawing on natural gas stored at 4,300 psi, a fast-fill station can fuel a Compressed Natural Gas vehicle in about the same time it takes to fill a diesel tank. “Vehicle operating range anxiety has diminished with recent improvements from fuel system providers to increase capacity,” the authors add. The cost of the fueling stations themselves depend on the size and number of compressors, which will be dictated by estimated demands for peak times, the existing
FEBRUARY 2017
13
Dispatches location of natural gas utility lines, property costs and access, not to mention the unique demands of local operating authorities. Recently opened fast fill stations have been built for between $2.1 and $2.7 million, not including the price of the land itself, the OTA report concludes. Maybe that explains why fueling opportunities are still limited. At this point, Ontario has just six natural gas fueling
stations open to the public. There are 1,600 Compressed Natural Gas stations across North America, including 80 public fueling stations in Canada. Many sites are privately controlled. It’s the classic case of chicken and egg. Fueling networks need a higher volume of trucks; trucks need fueling networks to reach their destinations. Establishing the fueling network was one of C.A.T.’s biggest challenges.
The site that was ultimately located in Carolina, for example, required trucks to travel out of route for a few miles on their north-south routes. The best fueling option will always depend on duty cycles, Winchester says. The question is whether the fueling option needs to fit a fleet, or if the fleet might want to change business practices to match the fueling option. Maybe a smaller engine displacement will work. Trips could be rerouted. Most of the growth in natural gas vehicles has been around operations that return to home base for fueling, he adds. Those don’t require the pricier fast-fill infrastructure. “The silent and invisible growth in natural gas fueling has been there,” he says, noting that 30% of today’s natural gas vehicles don’t rely on card locks.
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TODAY’S TRUCKING
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Natural gas tanks can be filled as quickly as diesel counterparts. (Photo by Natural Gas Vehicles for America)
Fueling infrastructure can be shared between fleets and station operators, too. “Not all Class 8 fleets will elect to build their own stations, choosing instead to rely on public fueling stations. Nonetheless, fleets who choose to use public stations can pay close attention to pricing and contract provisions – negotiating for pricing concessions based on volume commitments, assured fuel quality, and suitable accommodations during station outages,” the Ontario Trucking Association report says. Government support will make an undeniable difference in embracing any of this, Goyette says, referring to a role for those that want to limit carbon in the first place. “We really need some help.” TT
Dispatches
Meyers fleet closes after 90 years operations, one focus is to help those who are being displaced. “These are long-time, experienced, professional drivers,” Natalie said, stressing that she would welcome calls from any recruiting carriers. “I’m really hoping they’ll be able to find new work fairly quickly, and certainly the office About 190 people lost their jobs this January when Meyers Transport closed its doors after 90 years in business, citing a steady drop in freight volumes. “LTL is definitely a volume business. You need critical mass,” said Natalie Meyers, chairwoman of the business that had been counted among Canada’s largest fleets. “The profitability in LTL just isn’t there.” Much of its freight came from industrial clients, which have been gradually declining in Eastern Ontario, where the fleet was headquartered. Margins continued to erode because of a glut in LTL capacity. As 2016 came to a close, the end became inevitable. “There’s not a lot of surprise,” she says of the decision, “but more sadness.” The owners just wanted to close the doors on their terms, rather than waiting for the situation to be forced on them. The January 20 closure marks the end of a “family legacy”, admits Meyers, who represents a fourth generation in the business. “It is sad to think there won’t be any trucks and trailers going up and down the road with ‘Meyers’ on it anymore.” She will continue running the Mortrans truckload and dedicated specialty services along with Larry Meyers. President Jacquie Meyers takes over Mosaic Logistics, a third-party logistics service in Peterborough, Ontario. Meyers Transportation Services reported 122 tractors, 700 trailers, 54 owneroperators and 302 employees last year. Mortrans will retain about 50 tractors and 100 trailers for its business. The rest will be sold privately or through auction. The company will move out of leased terminals in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa, and continues with pre-existing plans to sell a terminal in Brockville, Ontario. As Meyers Transport wraps up
staff – they’re continuing to work with us as we work to shut the company down.” The fleet just concluded its fiscal year, and final days were filled with the inevitable accounting and invoicing. Says Meyers: “There’s still a lot of work to do after you stop handling freight.” TT
www.isaac.ca/fleet
FEBRUARY 2017
15
Dispatches improvements that various commercial products can deliver.” For example, the 30% scale truck model he uses is similar to an International ProStar, but with modifications to the roof fairing, hood profile, bumper and A-pillar. The modifications were needed because researchers did not want to use the exact geometry of an existing truck. Still, it’s remarkably realistic, complete with a scale replica of the engine bay and cooling package. Even the mirror mounts and back of cab details are just like the real thing. The trailer model’s underbody is similar in structure to a real trailer, including crossmembers, landing gear, some suspension detail, rotating wheels and more, providing a similar level of surface roughness and resistance to airflow. The models are fitted with nearly 200 surface-pressure sensors to measure where and to what degree a change in the aerodynamic configuration affects the airflow around the vehicle. In a 2015 report, Evaluation of the Latest Drag Reduction Technologies for Heavy-Duty Trucks and Trailers, McAuliffe’s team outlined more than a dozen combinations of devices and placements, sometimes with curious results. “We have seen some interesting interactions between technologies,” he says. “We see that some technologies, such as The research team is now side skirts and boat looking at various add-on tails, actually completechnologies for trailers, ment each other. The including side skirts and fuel savings you get boat tails; things that are when they are comappended to the otherwise bined exceeds the sum brick-like box dragged of the savings from the behind highly refined aeroindividual components. dynamic tractors. They Brian McAuliffe, research We have also found that, still use 30% scale models officer at the aerodynamics when combined, some here, but the modeling is laboratory of the National technologies can cancel much more precise, and the Research Council in Ottawa. one another out to instruments used to gather some extent.” data are far more sophisMcAuliffe’s boat tail studies have ticated. The results make it possible for produced some interesting results. He fleets to determine which aerodynamic found, for example, that the potential add-ons, and in which possible combifuel savings from such a device could nations, will provide the best Return on be cut between 20 and 30% if the device Investment in a given application. is installed to comply with lighting “We are investigating simple shapes, regulations. “A few years ago we tested not specific commercial products per a commercially available product and se,” says McAuliffe. “These are in-house we didn’t get nearly the performance designs that represent the same sort of
Technicians prepare the 30% scale model for a test in NRC’s nine-meter wind tunnel.
Tunnel Vision
Canada’s National Research Council wind tunnel exploring the secrets of trailer aerodynamics By Jim Park For nearly 40 years, scientists at Canada’s National Research Council have been building scale-model trucks and testing aerodynamics inside a nine-meter wind tunnel. Of course, back in the days when fuel was 25 cents a liter, aerodynamics was hardly top of mind for most people in the trucking industry. Few saw any merit to installing goofy-looking devices on the roofs of their tractors just save a half mile per gallon (470 liters per 100 kilometers). With diesel creeping back to more than a dollar a liter, Brian McAuliffe – a research officer at the National Research Council aerodynamics laboratory – is still building and testing scale models. He knows how to save a half mile per gallon these days, but that’s on a tractor-trailer combination that’s probably 2-3 miles per gallon (115-78 liters per 100 kilometers) more efficient than the trucks tested four decades ago.
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TODAY’S TRUCKING
Dispatches
TEST TUBE
Just a few hundred meters north of the Ottawa International Airport sits the National Research Council’s nine-meter wind tunnel. Inside the wind tunnel It’s an enormous tube-like structure that’s impossible to miss when driving onto the airport property. And it’s one of only a handful of wind tunnels in the world large enough to accommodate full-size tractors and trailers up to 28 feet long. This is known as a low-speed wind tunnel, with velocities limited to 200 kilometers per hour. With a 9.1-meter cross section (30 by 30 feet) it’s ideal for testing 30% scale models of trucks with minimal interference from the tunnel walls, and it’s where teams evaluate common aerodynamic devices, configurations and combinations alike. A turntable in the test area can twist up to 30 degrees off axis for better crosswind simulations, and up to 10 degrees with a full-size truck. The facility also has a “rolling road” surface for more accurate ground-effect simulations, as well as the ability to create turbulence and wind gusts rather than just a steady stream of air. “Wind gusts and the turbulence created by other traffic on the road have a larger impact on fuel economy than we originally believed,” says Brian McAuliffe, research officer at the aerodynamics laboratory of the National Research Council. “We developed our ‘road turbulence’ system based on a series of measurements we got from some on-road testing and built the simulation based on conditions trucks are likely to see in service. We do see differences in the performance of various technologies under conventional smooth-flow conditions versus our road-representative turbulence conditions.”
long way towards reducing the overall drag on the vehicle. Such designs are already in use in Europe, but they have different freight carrying requirements than most North American carriers consider important.” Commercial manufacturers typically don’t do this because in can reduce
cargo volume. McAuliffe’s team did the work to demonstrate that some simple shaping might have some long-term benefits – somewhere in the order of 1,000 liters of fuel per year for a typical fleet. His 2015 study showed that trailer equipped with a flush-mounted boat tail, full side skirts, and a sculpted roof line would lower trailer-induced drag 27%, saving an estimated 2,700 liters a year. Cargo volume apparently still rates higher than fuel efficiency for most fleets, but the National Research Council is showing the potential fuel savings that come with slight trade-offs. TT V
we expected, based on predictions for similar shapes,” he notes. “We wanted to install the tail in a compliant manner, so we mounted the tail [to the] scale equivalent of about three inches from the top of the back of the trailer, to leave room for the clearance lights. We discovered that gap has a significant influence on the performance.” “We have also seen that the design of a boat tail can influence how much of a detrimental effect the gap can have. Future designs and installations will have to take this into account in order to get best performance,” he says. The team is clearly focused on trailers, too. While Original Equipment Manufacturers are constantly tweaking cabs, trailer shapes have remained pretty much the same for the past 40 years, he says. McAulife would like to see the industry start to design trailers with aerodynamics in mind right from the start, rather than appending technologies in the aftermarket. “That way, they can be designed to perform optimally, together,” he adds. “If you could design a trailer with aerodynamics mind, you could come up with a design that not only retains the majority of your cargo volume and is operationally efficient to use, but can save a significant amount of fuel.” They have rounded top edges on the sides and at the front of a trailer, and tapered the final 10 feet by three degrees, which equates to around six inches. “If you taper the back end of the vehicle you increase the pressure on the back end of the truck, which essentially helps to push it forward,” he says. “Simple shaping like that can go a
A simple three-degree taper on the final 10 feet of the trailer and rounding the edges of the roof line can save up to 1,000 liters of fuel per year. FEBRUARY 2017
17
Dispatches
Under CVOR, but some exemptions remain.
Tow the Line Tow operators pulled into Ontario rating system By John G. Smith Ontario’s Commercial Vehicle Operator’s Registration (CVOR) system expanded to include tow trucks on January 1, but there is some breathing room for those who are still waiting on the related paperwork. Enforcement teams will follow an “education” period until May 31, which in the absence of a CVOR certificate will let towing operators supply copies of a “written test required” letter, a completed application, payment receipt, or copy of an application submitted online. “There is no backlog in processing the applications,” says Transportation Ministry spokesman Bob Nichols, adding that 424 tow operators have now applied for a CVOR. “The five-month education period is intended to provide those tow truck operators who have not completed the application process (e.g. not yet applied or not yet written their CVOR knowledge test) with some additional time to comply.” The updated rules focus on traditional tow trucks as well as commercial vehicles with a flatbed that can tilt to load and is used exclusively to tow or move other motor vehicles. Any motor vehicle “designed, modified, configured or equipped” to tow other vehicles rounds out the list.
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TODAY’S TRUCKING
The province requires CVOR certificates – and their nine-digit numbers – for trucks with a Gross Vehicle Weight above 4,500 kilograms (about 9,900 pounds), or buses that hold 10 or more passengers, if the vehicles are plated in Ontario, the U.S. or Mexico. Equipment plated in other Canadian jurisdictions don’t require the CVOR, but do need a safety fitness certificate from the province or territory where the vehicle is plated. Towing operators that occasionally hauled freight such as small machinery were already required to carry a CVOR. Details about the regulatory changes have been publicized over the last year, using everything from letters to information sessions and teleconferences, and the ministry is also producing a “tip card” that enforcement teams will distribute during the education period. Ontario’s Provincial Towing Association has hosted 20 of its own information sessions about the changes, so there should be little surprise about the requirements, says Abrams Towing’s Joey Gagne, the group’s president. “Any good business is following most of the CVOR regulations already – inspecting your vehicles, and hiring safe
drivers, and making sure your vehicles are safe for the road,” he added. “There’s no profit in downtime.” Towing operators will, until further notice, enjoy exemptions from Hours of Service rules, daily inspection requirements, and the need to pull into highway scales for inspections. The next phase of regulations will include specific rules for operators, drivers and vehicles, said Nichols. Gagne believes such exemptions exist for good reason. “We deal with the public, and the public is different from hauling goods,” he told Today’s Trucking. Scales are not equipped to host passengers while inspections are being conducted. Besides that, most towing businesses work within a 10-kilometer radius and would seldom be exposed to the highway scales, he said. When it comes to work hours, meanwhile, there is no hope of scheduled work. “Your car breaks down when it breaks down. You don’t know when that’s going to happen,” Gagne said. There are other exceptions to the CVOR, including trucks or buses leased to an individual for no more than 30 days to move personal goods, unloaded trucks with dealer plates or in-transit permits, and pickups with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 6,000 kilograms (13,227 pounds). But there are limits to what the CVOR will accomplish in the towing industry, Gagne said. “I don’t believe CVOR is going to be a fix-all,” he said, noting how it will not address concerns about businesses that recklessly “chase” accidents. Under a CVOR, carriers are responsible for driver conduct, the mechanical condition of the vehicle, load security, and filing records on vehicle repairs, kilometers traveled per year, and annual inspection reports, among other documents. The CVOR monitors safety records over two years, tracking factors such as convictions, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) inspections, reportable collisions, and ministry sanctions. Potential sanctions range from disciplinary letters to interviews, audits or sanctions. At severe levels, that can mean limited fleet sizes, seized plates, or the outright cancellation of operating privileges. TT
Dispatches
TransForce International acquiring National Fast TransForce International (TFII) is acquiring National Fast Freight from Calyx Transportation Group, the companies have announced. National Fast Freight is a non-assetbased company that was formed in 1992 and provides Less than Truckload (LTL) intermodal service across Canada, generating $80 million in revenue in the past year alone. It will continue to operate under current management as a standalone business unit. TransForce International’s existing LTL intermodal operations include Clarke Transport and Vitran. Alain Bédard, chairman, president and Chief Executive Officer of TFI International, referred to the deal as “a strategic step which builds upon our existing foundation in the intermodal segment.”
Fleets introducing carbon tax surcharges
Canadian fleets are beginning to introduce a new surcharge in a bid to offset the higher diesel costs that come with carbon taxes. “The carbon levy will apply to all carbon-emitting fuels throughout the supply chain. The added cost of this levy is too great for us to absorb,” Hi-way 9 Group of Companies, a division of the Mullen Group, informed customers late last year. Its carbon surcharge is 0.80% of freight charges on any shipments heading in or out of Alberta. Carl Rosenau, the retiring president of Rosenau Transport, says the new carbon levy will add about $600,000 to his 450truck fleet’s fuel bill this year, and that’s on top of the cost of heating company warehouses. “I can’t absorb that, and so it’s going to affect the price of your lettuce to your bread to everything that
consumers purchase, because all carriers are doing it,” he said. British Columbia, Quebec, Ontario and Alberta now apply carbon taxes to fuel, and other jurisdictions are expected to follow. The federal government plans to introduce a minimum carbon tax of $10 per tonne in 2018, effectively increasing prices by about four cents per liter.
PacLease network grows in B.C. PacLease has added three British Columbia locations to a network that now includes 454 facilities throughout North America. Inland PacLease in West Kelowna, Peterbilt Pacific Leasing in Lantzville, and Peterbilt Pacific Leasing
DOWNTIME VS.
SEAT TIME THE TRUE COST OF WORN SHOCKS. The cost of a new set of shocks is roughly the same as the cost of just one steer axle tire. Worn shock absorbers not only add to driverr fatigue, but they can also impact safety on rough roads, lead to truck downtime, and could contribute to increased operational expenses. Be sure to include shock replacement as part off your preventative maintenance schedule and always remember to use high quality Monroe ® Commercial Vehicle replacement products. To learn more visit monroeheavyduty.com
C O M M E RC I A L V E H I C L E © 2017 Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
FEBRUARY 2017
19
Dispatches in Delta were among 10 new locations announced in December. Further expansion is planned in 2017. Jake Civitts, director of franchise operations at PacLease, cited a National Private Truck Council survey which showed 66% of respondents expecting to add equipment and drivers over the next five years. “That paints a very bright
TRAILER
picture for our business, and leasing as a whole, as private fleets remain our main customers,” he said.
Asbestos remains in aftermarket The Canadian government has announced a plan to ban asbestos and
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asbestos products by 2018, and about 60 countries other than the U.S. have already outlawed the carcinogenic substance. Most Original Equipment Manufacturers haven’t built brakes with asbestos for years. But there are still countless asbestos brake pads and linings in use. According to brake manufacturer Rick Jaimeson, president and Chief Executive Officer of ABS Friction, most of the concern is with aftermarket brake products that include asbestos, posing a threat to technicians. “Mechanics strip down the brake and then use an airgun to clean it off and they’re suddenly blowing asbestos all over the place and being exposed to it. It’s a pretty sad state of affairs,” he explained. Cheryl Peters of Carex Canada, which monitors carcinogens in Canadian workplaces, advises that unless a product package clearly states that a product is asbestos-free, technicians should not assume a product is safe.
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TODAY’S TRUCKING
The Canadian-born and raised IMT Group – widely known as Ingersoll – is selling its light-, medium-, and heavyduty axle business to the Dexter Axle Company of Indiana. Dexter describes itself as the “global leader in trailer running gear and chassis assemblies.” The IMT divisions to be acquired by Dexter include Ingersoll Axles division of IMT Partnership in Ingersoll, Ontario, and Indianapolis, Indiana, and the light-duty axles division of IMT Standen’s Limited Partnership in Calgary. Once the transaction is completed, Ingersoll Axles and Standen’s lightduty axles division will operate as divisions within the Dexter group of companies. The IMT Group operates several businesses, including IMT’s Defence, Machining, Forging and Heat Treating businesses and the other core elements of the Standen’s business.
Dispatches
Mexico’s Market A “land of opportunity”, says Daimler’s Kurschner By John G. Smith role in Daimler’s growing market share, In a year when dealers in Canada and he added. the U.S. face a dramatic downturn in Many customers collect their revetruck sales, Mexico is a world apart. As of nue in pesos, Kurschner says. “If they November the market for Class 4-8 vehiearn pesos, they want to pay in pesos.” cles was up 18.5%, and Daimler Trucks Daimler, meanwhile, has access to finanNorth America accounted for 36% of it – cial instruments that can help to hedge up 7.8% over last year. against currency shifts. Stefan Kurschner, president and Chief There are other challenges ahead. Executive Officer of Daimler Vehiculos Mexico is also preparing to move from Comerciales Mexico, says there’s room for more. “It’s a country which has its Kurschner (left): “If they earn pesos, problems, but it is a land of they want to pay in pesos.” opportunity as well,” he said in a briefing to media from across North America. The year-to-date sales of 30,190 Class 4-8 trucks – 26,890 of which were Class 8 models – is still a fraction of what Mexico should require, he said, suggesting the country could handle double those volumes. The average age for a truck in Mexico is also 17.8 years; more than 150,000 vehicles on the road are still over 20 years old. EPA 04 emissions standards to EPA 13 There are undeniable economic chaltechnology. The draft rules could take lenges, though. The Gross Domestic hold as early as 2018. But Ultra Low Product will grow by just over 2% this Sulfur Diesel, widely available in Canada year, and the peso continues to struggle and the U.S., is not available everywhere in the face of low oil prices. The national in Mexico. Local governments also set currency is worth about 6.5 cents against up their own emission-related rules, its Canadian counterpart, and has fluctuKurschner said. Some larger cities ated wildly. have restricted truck access in a bid Daimler is offsetting the currency chalto tackle pollution. lenge by setting prices in pesos, unlike Drivers and mechanics alike will need other manufacturers in the market, and to be educated about the new standards, guaranteeing the prices for six months at Kurschner said. The change could also a time. Prices had been set in U.S. dollars lead to a “pre-buy” if fleets rush to buy until as recently as 2015, leaving dealers EPA 04 equipment to delay the higher to account for shifting exchange rates in costs associated with the newer generaquotes and when filing taxes. “It was very, tion of equipment. very complicated,” said Fernando Zapata “That’s obvious with every emission of Zapata Camiones, a dealership group change,” he said. with 558 employees. But the peso pricing Mexico does have an incentive has simplified the issue, and is playing a
program for those who want to scrap old trucks, but it is very bureaucratic, Kurschner added, noting how Daimler has applied it to about 1,000 vehicles.
Refined systems The country’s dealers are clearly taking steps to eliminate red tape on their own, adopting programs that streamline processes and establish best practices. The recently adopted Promesa Mutua – essentially a customer bill of rights – commits to optimizing operations, simplifying processes, effectively communicating, and establishing the same level of service from one dealer to the next. A new Dealer Management System more seamlessly shares data between dealers and the Original Equipment Manufacturer, said dealer council president Alejandro Rivera, offering the example of one change that has emerged. His own dealership, Camiones Rivera, was also one of the first to be certified through the Evolucion Elite program, which commits to measures such as better service times. “We are measuring the time the customer spends in the workshops, trying to make it shorter every day,” he said. Gains are being realized. The country’s 56 Freightliner shops completed about 65,000 service orders last year, but saw 110,000 of them in 2016. Where service and repairs took an average of 9.8 days in 2013, they now average 2.7 days. Spare parts, which were delivered just once a week in 2014, now arrive every single day. Jose Luis Gonzales of Euro Centro Camionero refers to a Joint Action Development Group that has helped reduce warranty-related paperwork by about 70%. “Everyone in the headquarters gets the chance to work a couple of days with the dealer,” Kurschner said. It’s where finance teams have the chance to see issues like invoice-related challenges first hand. “Turning a table has created a much easier conversation with the dealer network … Everybody sells in our company.” TT FEBRUARY 2017
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Dispatches
Truck sales in a “trough”, says Navistar’s Clarke
Eastern Canada www.easterncanada.cummins.com
Freightliner continues to dominate Canada’s Class 8 truck market, recording 693 sales in November and holding 33.6% of the year-to-date business. International, meanwhile, held 47.3% of the country’s Class 7 market during the same timeframe, securing 88 of its sales in November. The one universal story is that sales continue to lag. Overall year-to-date sales hit 21,126 Class 8 units and 4,134 Class 7’s as of the end of the month. Class 6 sales amounted to 1,015 units during that timeframe, led by Hino’s 47.6% of the market. Ford, meanwhile, accounted for 43.6% of the 5,036 Class 5 sales. “This is just the trough of the truck cycle,” Navistar Chief Executive Officer Troy Clark said during a recent conference call. “It will end, and our call is that it corrects as we go through 2017. The sooner, the better.” Navistar predicts a market of 305,000 to 335,000 Class 6-8 trucks for Canada and the U.S. in 2017.
Canada – November 2016 SALES CLASS 8 Freightliner Kenworth International Volvo Truck Western Star Peterbilt Mack Other Total
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MARKET SHARES
Nov.
YTD
Nov. %
YTD %
693 260 183 243 198 203 119 0 1,899
7,103 2,814 2,717 2,565 2,187 2,164 1,576 0 21,126
36.5 13.7 9.6 12.8 10.4 10.7 6.3 0.0 100.0
33.6 13.3 12.9 12.1 10.4 10.2 7.5 0.0 100.0
Nov.
YTD
Nov. %
YTD %
International Hino Freightliner Kenworth Peterbilt Ford Total
88 65 59 45 38 8 303
1,957 780 624 386 293 94 4,134
29.0 21.5 19.5 14.9 12.5 2.6 100.0
47.3 18.9 15.1 9.3 7.1 2.3 100.0
CLASS 6
Nov.
YTD
Nov. %
YTD %
44 26 9 2 14 0 95
483 227 163 71 69 2 1,015
46.3 27.4 9.5 2.1 14.7 0.0 100.0
47.6 22.4 16.1 7.0 6.8 0.2 100.0
CLASS 5
Nov.
YTD
Nov. %
YTD %
Ford Hino Dodge/Ram Isuzu Freightliner International Mitsubishi Fuso GM Kenworth Peterbilt Total
210 78 79 53 3 3 3 0 0 1 430
2,198 1,079 1,008 588 100 48 13 0 1 1 5,036
48.8 18.1 18.4 12.3 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0
43.6 21.4 20.0 11.7 2.0 1.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0
TODAY’S TRUCKING
• Wholesale parts distribution • Retail parts sales • Engine and power generation equipment sales • Maintenance & Repair
U.S. – November 2016
CLASS 7
Hino Freightliner International Peterbilt Ford Kenworth Total
www.westerncanada.cummins.com
SALES CLASS 8 Freightliner Kenworth Peterbilt International Volvo Truck Mack Western Star Other Total CLASS 7 Freightliner International Peterbilt Kenworth Ford Hino Total CLASS 6 Ford Freightliner International Hino Kenworth Peterbilt Total CLASS 5 Ford Dodge/Ram Isuzu Freightliner Hino International Mitsubishi Fuso GM Kenworth Peterbilt Total
MARKET SHARES
Nov.
YTD
Nov. %
YTD %
5,538 1,965 2,062 1,418 1,451 1,096 403 10 13,943
68,138 26,396 24,411 20,103 18,189 15,250 4,428 120 177,035
39.7 14.1 14.8 10.2 10.4 7.9 2.9 0.0 100.0
38.5 14.9 13.8 11.4 10.3 8.6 2.5 0.0 100.0
Nov.
YTD
Nov. %
YTD %
2,253 857 417 352 113 158 4,150
26,486 15,226 5,290 4,262 2,390 1,453 55,107
54.3 20.7 10.0 8.5 2.7 3.8 100.0
48.1 27.6 9.6 7.7 4.3 2.6 100.0
Nov.
YTD
Nov. %
YTD %
2,061 1,168 544 580 199 27 4,579
19,352 16,988 10,887 6,318 1,937 182 55,664
45.0 25.5 11.9 12.7 4.3 0.6 100.0
34.8 30.5 19.6 11.4 3.5 0.3 100.0
Nov.
YTD
Nov. %
YTD %
3,520 1,415 450 360 158 25 2 11 0 0 5,941
37,195 13,325 4,502 2,201 1,595 644 56 10 28 8 59,564
59.2 23.8 7.6 6.1 2.7 0.4 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 100.0
62.4 22.4 7.6 3.7 2.7 1.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0
Source: WardsAuto
Dispatches
Pu se Reader Survey Tell us your views on...
Infrastructure Funding Concrete and asphalt comes at a cost, but the same can be said for crumbling highways and bridges. Inadequate infrastructure can lead to delays, damage equipment, restrict allowable weights, and pose threats to highway safety. This month we asked you to take a closer look at Canada’s infrastructure and some of the funding options available for repairs and upgrades.
Do you believe Canada’s municipal, provincial and federal governments are investing enough into roads, bridges, and other infrastructure used by trucks?
8.7 % NO
76.1% In selected cases
15.2 %
Fines for overloading Fuel taxes Licence fees Permit fees Highway tolls Bridge tolls Sales taxes Property taxes Private investments Income taxes “Stop wasting what they already collect, and that would be enough.�
n Terrible 4.4% o Poor 43.5% p Acceptable 37% q Good 13% r Excellent 2.2%
Which of the following best describes your view on tolls?
Which of the following methods are acceptable ways to raise money for infrastructure projects? 56.5% 54.4% 39.1% 37.0% 30.4% 26.1% 26.1% 23.9% 17.4% 13.0%
How, on a scale of 1-5, would you rate the condition of the roads and bridges that your business currently uses?
YES
41.3% 28.3% 17.4% 10.9% 2.2%
Tolls can be used to repair existing infrastructure and pay for new infrastructure. Tolls should never be allowed under any circumstances. Tolls should only be used to pay for new infrastructure. Tolls should only be used to repair existing infrastructure. Tolls can be used to fund any public projects.
Several recent announcements about infrastructure investments are for public transit – such as buses, subways, and commuter trains. Do you believe better public transit will help to reduce congestion? YES
NO
In selected cases
23.9 % 28.3 % 47.8 % Results are rounded to the nearest percent.
Today’s Trucking Pulse surveys are conducted once per month, covering a variety of industry issues. To share your voice in future surveys, email johng@newcom.ca.
Next month: CUSTOMERS
FEBRUARY 2017
23
Dispatches
StatPack Hundreds of protesters surround Quebec’s National Assembly.
Lyne Gilbert was not the only person to complain about Quebec’s new rules for pre-trip inspections, nor the exhaustive Mechanical Verification Guide for Road Vehicles that outlines what inspections have to include. But she aired her grievances in front of a video camera, referring to the new laws as “aberrations”. That video went viral, spread through social media channels, and was widely credited for spurring 580 truckers to protest at Quebec City’s National Assembly on November 19 – a day before the rules took hold. “I do not represent anyone,” the fleet operator told Transport Routier, which is published by the same company as Today’s Trucking. “I mentioned that there were gaps and people agreed with me. We just have to wake up now.” Protesters called for an additional six-month grace period – on top of the one that enforcement teams had been running since May – and complained about the way government documents were structured. In the end, though, the inspection regime changed. Among those changes, Quebec drivers must now document circle checks at the beginning of every work day instead of checking equipment prior to every trip. The checks themselves have also been harmonized with National Safety Code Standard 13. Vehicles with major defects must immediately be pulled from the road, while minor defects need to be addressed within 48 hours. And the related documents, which have also been updated, need to be filed for at least six months. It is a new system to learn, and that was part of the challenge. Protesters complained that most small fleets and owner-operators don’t belong to trade groups like the Quebec Trucking Association where such details are shared. Via Prevention, an industry health and safety group, had educated 1,500 people through 70 information sessions, but protesters had not participated in those, either.
580 PROTESTERS
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TODAY’S TRUCKING
500 JOBS That’s the number of positions Volvo Trucks North America is eliminating from its plant in Dublin, Virginia as it moves to eliminate a second shift effective February 13. The company eliminated 300 jobs at the plant in September. But there’s no mistaking the slump in North American truck sales. The truck plant employed a peak of 2,800 workers earlier in the year, which was up from approximately 1,000 in early 2009. The average worker on the production line makes more than US $20 per hour.
1,000 VOLUNTEER HOURS
On November 29, more than 250 Ryder employees at 50-plus commercial-rental locations across Canada and the U.S. participated in the global “#Giving Tuesday” initiative, offering a combined total of more than 1,000 volunteer hours. Activities included volunteering at local food banks, making bagged lunches, and conducting toy drives for local community centers. Ryder employees also volunteered at elderly centers and a variety of community outreach facilities in the U.S. and Canada with one common goal – to promote generosity and improve the communities where they work and live. GivingTuesday, which follows Black Friday and Cyber Monday, is recognized as a day for giving back.
Dispatches
Trendingg on
.com
The Drug Database The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is establishing a national drug and alcohol clearinghouse for commercial truck and bus drivers – creating a central repository of testing violations. “Creating a central, comprehensive, and searchable database of commercial motor vehicle drivers who violate federal drug and alcohol testing requirements has been a departmental priority,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “This system will be a new technological tool that will make our roads safer.” Any carriers involved in cross-border trucking will use their USDOT number to register.
Once the clearinghouse is established, employers will have to check the system for information about current or prospective employees who have unresolved violations that prohibit them from operating a commercial motor vehicle. Along with
Medical Review Officers, employers will also have to report drug and alcohol testing program violations. The national drug and alcohol clearinghouse Final Rule went into effect January 4, with a compliance date of January 2020.
FOR MORE DETAILS VISIT: µ https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/commercial-drivers-license-drug-and-alcohol-clearinghouse
@todaystrucking Your go-to social media source
20.2K FOLLOWERS
If you’re not following us on Twitter, you’re missing out on some interesting discussions in the world of trucking. From regulations to product news, we have you covered.
HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF TWEETS FROM AROUND THE INDUSTRY THIS MONTH
Î
UPS News @UPS_News National Returns Day: Online Holiday Shopping Drives Record Returns Buff.ly/2htpvey #ecommerce
facebook.com/ TodaysTrucking Government of Sask @SKGov It’s illegal to pass snowplows travelling over 60km/hr. Slow down, stay back & stay safe in snow zone. Plows pull over every 10km to pass.
Sonny Subra @SonnySubra There it goes!!!! OMG todays accident on hwy 401 WB express/ 400
KEEP IN TOUCH
CTA @CanTruck CTA Chair Reaches Out to Virden Responders for Aiding Stranded Truckers
@todaystrucking
TodaysTrucking1 FEBRUARY 2017
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Dispatches
L gbook2017
23 - 25
FEBRUARY 8- 9
MARCH 2
26 - 29
CARGO LOGISTICS CANADA’S EXPO AND CONFERENCE Vancouver Convention Centre Vancouver, BC www.cargologisticscanada.com
WOMEN WITH DRIVE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel and Conference Center Toronto, Ontario www.truckinghr.com
11 - 18
14 -16
TORONTO TRUCKING ASSOCIATION’S ANNUAL CONVENTION Riu Palace Antillas Aruba www.torontotrucking.org
GREEN TRUCK SUMMIT Indiana Convention Center Indianapolis, Indiana www.ntea.com
15 - 16 TRUCK TRAINING SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO’S STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE CONFERENCE Centre for Health and Safety Innovation Mississauga, Ontario www.ttsao.com
27- March 2 COLD CHAIN GDP AND TEMPERATURE MANAGEMENT LOGISTICS SUMMIT Hyatt Regency Toronto Toronto, Ontario www.coldchainpharm.com
27- March 2 TECHNOLOGY AND MAINTENANCE COUNCIL ANNUAL MEETING AND TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY EXHIBITION Music City Center Nashville, Tennessee www.trucking.org
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TODAY’S TRUCKING
14 -17 THE WORK TRUCK SHOW Indiana Convention Center Indianapolis, Indiana www.ntea.com
19 - 21 INTERNATIONAL WAREHOUSE LOGISTICS ASSOCIATION CONVENTION AND EXPO Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort and Spa Indian Wells, California www.iwla.com
MID-AMERICA TRUCKING SHOW Kentucky Expo Center Louisville, Kentucky www.truckingshow.com
TRUCKLOAD CARRIERS ASSOCIATION’S ANNUAL CONVENTION Gaylord Opryland Nashville, Tennessee www.truckload.org
APRIL 2 -5 TRUCK RENTING AND LEASING ASSOCIATION’S ANNUAL MEETING Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa Bonita Springs, Florida www.trala.org
4 -6 SAE WORLD CONGRESS EXPERIENCE Cobo Center Detroit, Michigan www.sae.org
6 -7 NATIONAL HEAVY EQUIPMENT SHOW International Center Toronto, Ontario www.nhes.ca
Log your events Do you have an event you’d like to see listed in this calendar or on the interactive online calendar?
www.todaystrucking.com
Contact John G. Smith
416-614-5812 johng@newcom.ca
Dispatches
Truck of the Month
Big Mack in Fort Mac When Robert Hurley turned the page on a new year, he was greeted by a familiar image. Mack’s annual calendar features a picture of his 2015 Mack Titan to represent January 2017. It is admittedly a picture of toughness. The Hurley Brothers truck usually hauls 40-ton loads of sand and aggregate around Fort McMurray, Alberta, drawing on the MP10 engine’s 605 horsepower and 2,060 lb-ft of torque. These days it’s moving snow at night. The daily loads of aggregate are being used to build an apartment building in the community that was ravaged by wild fires earlier this year. Votes were admittedly stacked in his favor during the race for a spot on office walls across North America. Hurley told supporters of a local minor hockey association that he would donate 50 cents a vote to the cause. “The truckers were ganging up on us in the States, voting for each other,” he says, referring to his approach to the Facebook campaign that awarded a role in the calendar. The photo crews arrived in July. This is one of eight Macks in the Hurley fleet, two of which are Titans and the remainder are CH models. And every truck the business has owned since 2003 has featured a bulldog on the hood. “I borrowed enough off my life insurance policy as a down payment on the first,” he says. “I had $17 left in my pocket when I started.” “I’m pretty loyal,” he adds, referring to the Mack brand. TT
THE SPEC’S Mack Titan 18-speed Eaton transmission MP10 engine 605 horsepower 2,060 lb-ft torque
Do you have an unusual, antique, or long-service truck to be profiled? Send your Truck of the Month ideas or photos to johng@newcom.ca, or mail Today’s Trucking Magazine, 451 Attwell Drive, Toronto, ON, M9W 5C4 FEBRUARY 2017
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FIFTY YEARS AGO WE PUT OUR NAME ON THE MAP BY DOING THE JOBS THAT AREN’T. We built our company by delivering the trucks that performed in the most remote, most hostile places on the planet. Trucks you can count on not just to get the job done, but get you back in one piece. And it’s how we still build them today. Here’s to fifty years of legendary awesomeness, and the start of fifty more. | westernstar.com/50
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Dispatches
Heard Street on the
Calandrino to lead Fastfrate fleets Manny Calandrino is taking over as president and Chief Operating Officer of the Fastfrate Group of Companies, marking his latest promotion an a 30-year career with the fleet. In the new role he will oversee Fastfrate, Fastfrate Integrated Logistics, Canada Drayage and Bruce R. Smith. He will report to Ron Tepper, executive chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Manny has his finger on the pulse of our organization,” Tepper said. “He was most recently executive vice president for eastern Canada and was extremely successful in managing and accelerating growth in the region.”
Manny Calandrino
Irwin named vice president at Trailer Wizards Mark Irwin, formerly of Bison Transport, is the new vice president of fleet for Trailer Wizards. In the role on the executive team he will be responsible for a fleet of more than 24,000 trailers and 23 locations. Irwin most recently led WINIX Developments, a fleet consulting company, and he held long-term positions as director of maintenance at Bison Transport and Stock Transportation. “Mark’s industry experience and knowledge is unsurpassed,” said Anne McKee, Trailer Wizards’ Chief Operating Officer.
Trailcon promotes Foss Trailcon Leasing has promoted John Foss to executive manager – national accounts. He joined the trailer business in 2005 as account manager, securing a presence with service, rental and leasing portfolios. Foss is co-chairman of the Ontario Trucking Association’s Next Generation Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) program, and is a former president of the Toronto Transportation Club.
Fast named president of Toronto club Gary Fast, Canadian Tire’s associate vice president – international transportation, is the new president of the Toronto Transportation Club (TTC). He replaces Quik X Transportation
Gary Fast
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president Lori McCreight, who will now serve as the club’s past president. CH Robinson Company general manager Mike Fontaine is the new first vice president, and APPS Transport Group vice president – national accounts James Mitton will serve as second vice president. The club recently celebrated its 103rd year.
Ventures West driver cited for heroism John Cleary, a 26-year-old driver for northern Alberta’s Ventures West, is being cited as a hero because he swerved off a highway to miss a family of five in a fishtailing pick-up truck. Cleary was southbound near Red Earth Creek, Alberta, about four hours from his Edmonton destination, while hauling a load from the Ekati diamond mine in Yellowknife. Cleary reports – and RCMP have confirmed – that he was crossing a bridge covered with black ice when he saw the pickup’s trailer start fishtailing, and drove off the road to avoid it. His monthold truck was a write off, and he suffered fractures to his face.
Distributers form NEXUS North America group The Automotive Distribution Network (The Network), Automotive Parts Associates (APA Group), and VIPAR Heavy Duty have formed NEXUS North America – building on this spring’s decision to join the NEXUS Automotive International SA (N!) aftermarket trade group. NEXUS North America will be the exclusive North American partner for N! The organization has offices located in Germantown, Tennessee; Kansas City, Missouri; and Crystal Lake, Illinois. David Prater (The Network) is president; Chris Baer (VIPAR Heavy Duty) is vice president; Gary Martin (APA Group) is secretary; and Beth San Filippo (VIPAR Heavy Duty) is treasurer. The new group’s areas of focus include Parts Distribution Centers, technology sharing, national fleets, and global supplier relationships.
Compliance
Ins and Outs Do you understand the limitations of cabotage? By Heather Ness
C
abotage sounds like a play on words; a hybrid of truck cab and sabotage. But the domestic point-to-point transportation of goods, also known as “interstating”, carries real consequences for Canadianbased carriers operating in the U.S. When considering allowable moves in international commerce, there are really two facets to cabotage – the driver and the conveyance. The moves by a driver are covered by immigration laws, while moves of the conveyance and cargo are covered by customs and security laws. In the U.S., foreign drivers are prevented from working in the country without the proper permits or work visas. And foreign-based conveyances are prohibited from making point-to-point domestic moves. Canada-based drivers engaging in international commerce between the U.S. and Canada typically qualify for B-1 Visitors for Business status. To qualify for that, drivers must have a home in Canada they have no intention of giving up; leave the U.S. after their temporary entry authorization ends; have adequate finances to support themselves during the visit and for leaving the U.S.; and, not be otherwise inadmissible because of criminal status, health status, improper documentation, or other immigration violations. They also need to provide
citizenship documents such as a Canadian passport. Then there’s the question of whether a particular movement of goods is part of an international move. If a load meets this definition, it’s allowed. If not, it’s cabotage. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Canadian drivers are prohibited from picking up a shipment at one U.S. location and delivering it to another
can’t pick up and deliver loads between those locations. Drivers can pick up a return shipment from one or more U.S. locations for delivery to Canada, but these types of shipments must generally be pre-arranged. Once a shipment is delivered to a U.S. location, drivers can move the same empty trailer to another U.S. location and live load that trailer for delivery to Canada, or drop
ance is silent. For example, consider a Canadian driver who enters the U.S. with a shipment and delivers it to the wrong U.S. location. Can they pick up the delivered load and move it to the correct U.S. location? Is this “re-delivery” a domestic point-to-point movement or is it considered a “necessary incident” of international commerce? Erring on the side of caution and taking a
Driver moves are covered by immigration laws, conveyance and cargo by customs and security laws.
U.S. location. They’re even banned from soliciting shipments for domestic deliveries while in the U.S. Canadian drivers are also not allowed to reposition an empty trailer between two points in the U.S. if they did not enter the country with that trailer or intend to depart with it. Nor can they pick up U.S. domestic shipments to “top off” an international shipment. Virtually all the moves allowed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security involve loads that are returning to Canada. These are defined as international movements. While drivers can deliver a shipment from Canada to one or more U.S. locations, they
the empty trailer and pick up a second loaded trailer for delivery back to Canada. They can also pick up an empty trailer and move it to another U.S. location where it will be live loaded for delivery to Canada, or drop a loaded trailer from Canada at one location in the U.S. and bobtail to another location to pick up a loaded trailer and return to Canada. In addition to that, Canada-based drivers can perform “necessary incidents” of international commerce such as loading or unloading international cargo. The topic of cabotage gets interesting (or confusing) when the Department of Homeland Security’s guid-
conservative approach would be to consider this re-delivery of goods as a domestic pointto-point movement. It’s gray areas like these that can get you into trouble. Cabotage offenses are serious and carry significant penalties. If you have situations involving international shipments and you’re not sure how to proceed, you may want to reach out to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security or U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the port of entry where your drivers will enter the U.S. TT Heather Ness is the editor of Transport Operations at J.J.Keller and Associates. Contact her at transporteditors@jjkeller.com FEBRUARY 2017
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THE MOST
© 2016 , Inc. All rights reserved. All marks are trademarks of their respective owners.
INTRODUCING THE NEW INTERNATIONAL® LT™ SERIES. What makes the new International LT Series so breakthrough? We gave drivers a voice in its design. Feedback from hundreds of drivers informed its new interior, featuring the latest ergonomic design and a customizable driver display, placing everything within comfortable reach. Dramatically improved aerodynamics and the 2017 Cummins® X15 engine deliver improved fuel economy and outstanding uptime, which means happier drivers who stick around for the long haul.
InternationalTrucks.com/LTSeries
Open Mike
Let me tell you a story By Mike McCarron
C
omedian Jerry Seinfeld has an interesting take on public speaking. “According to most studies,” he says, “people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means, to the average person, if you go to a funeral you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.” It’s true. Twenty-five years ago I was invited to speak to a group of transportation lawyers in Florida about the state of trucking in Canada. I couldn’t believe my luck: I’d finagled a free vacation in exchange for 15 minutes of my BS. My preparation amounted to jotting notes on a breakfast napkin a few hours before hitting the stage. When the time came, I strutted up to the podium, arranged my napkin, looked out at the 25 people in the audience … and froze. What ensued was the most terrifying few minutes of my life. Gripped by stage fright, I was unable to get a single word out. If you don’t think public speaking is part of your job, that’s hogwash. Call it whatever you’d like, but if you give a sales presentation, host a meeting, or lead a customer on a tour, then you are public speaking. It pays to hone your craft. Here are some tips:
Over prepare After my Florida flop I asked TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie, whose son at the time was playing on my junior hockey team, for advice. He said preparation gives you the confidence to deliver as promised and to deal with the unexpected. Today I over prepare so I don’t need diapers every time I’m asked to speak. Your audience sees you as a subject-matter expert. You owe it to them to be ready to deliver.
Tell a story Don’t give a “speech”. Forget about “presentations”. You’ll lose your audience with unending data, jargon, and bullet points read from a slide. Instead, try to tell a memorable story delivered in a way so people will recall your most important messages. Think about inspiring, not number-crunching, the next time you speak at a sales meeting.
Hone your act You might be surprised to learn that words account for only 8% of a speaker’s overall impact. Far more important are the tone of your voice (38%) and body language (55%), according to Albert Mehrabian, a professor of psychology at UCLA. What good is a strong message when it’s undermined by weak vocal inflection
and body language? No one remembers or frankly pays attention to vanilla. My personal motto is to entertain, engage, and educate whenever I have the floor.
Power of the pause Speakers think they always have to be speaking. Many panic at the thought of a moment of silence. I was one of them until learned about the power of the pause. A planned pause might be the most powerful tool you have to control your audience. It can make you look authoritative. It can get attention. When you slow down and take a break, people listen. I’ll never forget the first time I gave this tactic a whirl. I was blown away at the difference it made to my
stage presence. If you take nothing else away from this column, write “pause” in 24-point type at the top of every page of speaking notes, like I do. For what it’s worth, I never finished the presentation in Florida. Turtling on stage was arguably the most embarrassing moment in my business career. Certainly put a damper on my free vacation. But it taught me a lesson. And gave me a great story to tell. TT Mike McCarron is the president of Left Lane Associates, a firm specializing in growth strategies, both organic and through mergers and acquisitions. A 30-year industry veteran, Mike founded MSM Transportation, which he sold in 2012. He can be reached at mmccarron@leftlaneassociates.ca, 416-931-7212, or @AceMcC on Twitter. FEBRUARY 2017
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Inside the real world of ice road trucking By David Henry
ON THICK Long hours, little wiggle room
“Four north on 49, last one is wide.” “OK convoy, we have a wet spot right after the portage, and security is making sure we’re staying at 10, then we’ll be back to 25 at the half-K sign. Keep your spacing in the slow zone.” The instructions over the radio sound like a convoy operating with military precision, and it is that very thing. Mine resupply in Canada’s Arctic is an operation that lasts approximately two months in late winter. It is busy, closely monitored, and has no room for error. About 85% of the “road” itself is floating on water, with anywhere from 500 to 800 trucks cruising on top; the main stretch is 400 kilometers long, branching out in spurs to various mines. This is extreme trucking that few in the world get to experience. And it is essential to the economy in Yellowknife and the survival of the mines. Every year since 1982 a road has been
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built over ice-covered water to bring supplies northward. It’s been there so long that it is even found on most Global Positioning Systems. The route can change a little from one year to the next, but usually not by much. Once established it will support anywhere from 3,500 to almost 11,000 loads in a single season. The skills needed to drive the route are familiar, but a demand to closely follow the rules is exacting. Some experienced drivers arrive in the north with a cocky outlook. Before you know it, they head home for good. The next driver may be a rookie with very little experience who takes to the job and returns for many successful years. The pioneers of this road, and the ones in charge, have tested and proven what works safely. If you follow instructions from your convoy leader, you are less likely to make a mistake that will lead to a warning or suspension.
You must drive for up to seven hours with no breaks, all at 25 kilometers per hour. When loaded northbound you must slow to 10 kilometers per hour when heading on and off the ice, and follow the speed limit religiously. Even 27 in a 25, or 15 going on or off the ice, will net you a five-day suspension and loss of a safety bonus. There is very little wiggle room, and for good reason. A “blowout” where the ice cracks and water flows up onto the ice – caused by speeding or unsafe actions – can limit a road to really slow speeds, or in the worst case, close the road for the season. All loaded northbound trucks are dispatched in convoys from Yellowknife every 20 minutes. A convoy consists of at least two, but usually four trucks. The first 70 kilometers is on a narrow territorial road that twists and leaps over and around small hills. Drivers are required to stay one kilometer apart from each other, so you rely on the leader calling out the mileage markers and gauging where you are in relation to that. Security patrols the road and watches speed and spacing. Try to imagine that challenge. Narrow road. Each truck with different weights. Twists in the road only allow for an occasional glimpse of the truck ahead. Convoy leaders call out locations. Maintain your
On Thick Ice Hour after hour of avoiding cracks in the ice, straining to see through the blowing snow, hoping your truck doesn’t die in the -40 Celsius temperatures or need a regen, takes its toll.
has ever gone through the ice into the lake below. An ice worker vehicle has, but never the resupply trucks. It’s an amazing safety record for the Joint Ventures that manage the road. Still, many drivers have gone home early, never able to get over the tension. A good portion of the road is above the treeline, so it is like a barren moonscape. Harsh, but beautiful. It’s wonderful to see the animals roaming or flying around. All of the land belongs to the Tlicho people and nature is king. If you throw a breadcrumb out the window to feed an animal, you will be immediately sent home and banned for life. Leave the land as you found it. The parking areas and the roads are scraped clean at the end of the season and disposed of in a safe manner. The portages, or land crossings, are the same ones every year and tend to be quite narrow. No more land is crossed than absolutely necessary. You are never allowed to approach wildlife or honk your horn to get it to move. Burial grounds are passed at slow speeds to respect the ancestors.
Construction starts as soon as there is enough ice to support an amphibious vehicle.
speed and spacing. It doesn’t matter if you’re perfect for 69 kilometers. If you slip up in the wrong place you could end up in the ditch or be suspended by ever-watchful security teams. Some people can’t handle the boredom. Hour after hour of avoiding cracks in the ice, straining to see through the blowing snow, hoping your truck doesn’t die in the -40 Celsius temperatures or need a regen, takes it toll. Speed and spacing is the mantra. Follow the speed religiously and keep 500 meters away from the truck in front. Security is everywhere, and listening on the radio. They’re in pickups, so they can travel much faster than you. It makes it seem like they’re everywhere. You do this for 60 days straight. Legally allowed 16 hours on duty per day, it is exhausting. No days off required. That’s 112 hours per week. You get to the point that you want a road closure to get some extra rest, or voluntarily take a day off in Yellowknife.
Solitude, yet closeness
Road work
Constantly in a convoy with at least one other person, except in special circumstances. The solitude, yet closeness to the same people, can cause some to crack. No foul language, harassment or bullying of any kind is tolerated, whether from drivers or security or other workers. People who act like that are quickly weeded out. During the season you’ll probably spend some quality time stranded on a portage in a howling blizzard, trying to keep warm and hoping you don’t have a case of diarrhea. (There are only two areas that have “bathrooms”.) Cooking in a small area, no room for exercise, no one to talk to, except by radio which is constantly monitored by the authorities, and hoping the truck keeps pumping heat and that you’ll have enough fuel to get to the next fuel stop. It is nerve-wracking. The fear of plunging through the ice is hard for some to manage. This is despite the fact that no resupply truck
Construction of the ice road starts as soon as there is enough ice to support an amphibious vehicle that maps the thicknesses of the ice, using ground penetrating radar. These radar sleds are towed up and down the ice constantly until the season is practically over. This data is used to determine the weights allowed and where ice needs to be made better or thicker. In an area of poor or thin ice, a crew will go out with a truck-mounted auger. Usually they set up in the middle of the 150-foot-wide road and drill holes several yards apart. Others in the crew take special water pumps and suck water from the hole. Like flooding a backyard rink, they pump water over the ice, one side at a time. Traffic will pass by at 10 kilometers per hour on the dry side. There are many crews constantly repairing the road 24/7. It’s a great system and they do a tremendous job, all at temperatures that would frighten most sane people. FEBRUARY 2017
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On Thick Ice On any large body of water, pressure ridges can rise up and form as the ice freezes. This is where ice pushes together, forming an impassable peak. The crews work hard to reinforce the ridges and shave them with graders. Traffic here can be reduced to five kilometers per hour on a bad ridge. On rare occasions the road will have to steer away from the planned route to find a better place to cross the ridge. Everyone sees the toll that heavy vehicles take on the roads made of cement and asphalt or stone. It’s no different on the ice. A loaded truck will cause the ice to deflect up to three inches, creating a wave effect. Have you ever watched a train at a crossing and felt the road move up and down and the rails flexing? It is the same idea on the ice, except the “solid” roadbed is a minimum of 39 inches of ice. The approaches to portages are rarely straight in. They’re curved to allow the wave to dissipate away from where you need to land. All of this flexing also causes cracks in the ice. These cracks can swallow a tire if you’re not careful, so you watch. Sometimes as you’re passing near a crack, the flexing causes a snowball to pop up and skid across the ice. These chunks can literally be as big as basketballs, and if they haven’t broken totally free, can present a real hazard. The ice workers highlight them with reflective paint so they’re easier to see. If you’re sleepy and one fires up under your truck, you certainly sit up a little straighter for a few minutes.
At the end of the season you feel relief and may swear you’ll never come back. If you’ve made it the whole season with no suspensions or incidents, you’ll walk a little prouder. But just making it is an accomplishment no matter what. The bonds with the other drivers is never forgotten and will continue when you go back home.
It’s brutally tough, monotonous, frigidly cold like you’ve never seen before, rules strict beyond belief, but the pay is decent. Don’t worry. You’ll come back for another “last” year just to do it all over again. TT David Henry has traveled ice roads for four seasons.
Keep moving There are no special trucks here. Each trailer is loaded to the maximum allowed, either by weight or space. A Super B can be permitted 67,000 kilograms (about 3.5 tonnes more than most jurisdictions). Every vehicle must be stocked with emergency rations, spill kits, and have a working VHF radio. Extra insulation and belly tarps are used to try and keep out the cold. One rule is never to shut off your engine. If you are in fueling in Yellowknife you can shut down to check oil, but the hard rule is to leave your truck running. At -40 or -50 Celsius, it doesn’t take long for it to freeze and not restart. No one wants to take the risk of freezing while trying to re-fire a truck. FEBRUARY 2017
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CR ATURE Freightliner’s new Cascadia can be spec’d with a dinette that will transform into a murphy bed in about 10 seconds. (Freightliner photo)
Sleeper options are not limited to size alone
T
he choice of one sleeper over the next inevitably comes down to a tape measure, and for good reason. This is clearly a spec’ing choice where size matters. Regional bulk haulers, looking for every possible way to shed weight, might opt for a 40- or 52-inch area behind the seats if drivers spend only a night or two on the road. But that would be downright claustrophobic for team drivers who live long-hauling lives. As important as size is, the various options inside determine exactly how comfortable and productive the spaces will be. “Something as small and simple as a heated seat can make a real difference between a good and bad day on the road – and holding or losing a good employee,” says Claude Ricciardi, director of purchasing at Transervice, a leasing and dedicated contract fleet. And idling a truck won’t be much of an option if drivers head through jurisdictions which restrict idling time, or park in the individual neighborhoods which establish noise bylaws. “Take the time to understand your driver needs and what they go through on a day to day basis. It will make a difference for them and for you in the long run,” he says. Consider some of these factors when outfitting a sleeper.
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| By John G. Smith
1. Bunk mates For team drivers, an upper bunk can offer a sense of personal space, but the option often doubles as an unofficial shelf to support duffel bags and storage totes. The same nets used to restrain sleeping drivers can even be used to hold everything in place. “Most customers, whether they’re team driving or not, will spec’ an upper bunk because it has better resale value,” adds Mike McHorse, Freightliner’s manager – on-highway product marketing. Of course, purpose-made shelves are still available for those who want to maximize the storage. Freightliner’s new Cascadia can come equipped with an upper shelf that has a lip and D-rings to secure any cargo.
2. Now we’re cooking No home away from home is complete without the appliances to cook dinner. “The fridge can be very important to drivers who are concerned on eating right,” says Ricciardi. “It’s also a saver in food expenses. Eating out all the time can be both unhealthy and expensive.”
COMFORTS wave inverter can cause microwaves to overheat, or cause fridge When spec’d from the Original Equipment Manufacturer, compressors to misstart, he says. Either situation will shorten the all-important ice box comes with a streamlined look and appliance life. “The devices that you’re powering, they just want well-sealed wiring. But a case can be made for purchasing fridges 60-hertz power. They don’t want 120 or 180,” he says, referring to and microwaves in the aftermarket, and looking instead for the square waves as a “dirty form of energy.” purpose-made shelves and cubby holes to hold them in place. McHorse suggests the challenge can be addressed with a 1,500Many fleets give drivers a provision to buy their own appliances, watt inverter that has a “burst mode” capable of feeding up to observes Stu Russoli, Mack’s highway product manager. Those 3,000 watts for three to five minutes. It’s not enough time to microcan also be easily moved when a driver changes trucks. Fleets wave a turkey, but who would want to eat a microwaved turkey? aren’t responsible for any related damage, either. And don’t forget that the inverter is part of a broader system. Just keep in mind that the cubby holes and shelves may limit Running wires through the floor some options. A space that’s too without an appropriate grommet tight might only support smaller Internal mattress structures will vary. (Peterbilt photo) will eventually create a rudimenta750-watt microwaves, McHorse ry welding machine, Klasen warns. says. He also stresses the value of Any Direct Current supply wires storage space that’s big enough for also need to be robust enough to something like a crock pot or rice handle the current, while fuses to cooker, or flat surfaces that are big protect it all are best mounted right enough to set up a portable inducat the battery. tion element.
3. Plugged in
4. Transformations
The power for everything from Sleepers can transform from one Cabinet doors preferred for fridges to entertainment systems use to the next with the help of long hauls. (Volvo photo) can come from inverters that draw individual features that slide out on batteries, diesel-fired Auxiliary or fold away. Consider the tables Power Units, or connections to and seats that can be hidden under shore power. Even a combination bunks when not in use. A top shelf of them. that pulls out of a dresser becomes The size of inverter needed to an instant work area. transform Direct Current into About 80% of the buyers of Alternating Current is largely dicVolvo’s 77-inch sleepers spec’ tated by exactly what will be powthe company’s Workstation, says ered. While a 1,000-watt model will be up to the job if someone Wade Long, Volvo’s director of product marketing. In contrast, is powering no more than a CPAP machine and flat-screen TV, 35% order the same feature in 61-inch sleepers. And it can be appliances like microwaves crave more than that. Add up the further enhanced with a foldable upper bunk, so those who use wattage of each device to be supported, and include a 20% safety it don’t have to sit in a cave-like space. margin, advises Michael Klasen, a product manager with Eaton’s “It really comes down to how the truck is being operated,” Long says, referring to who will find the greatest value in options controls and power conversion division, adding that an 1,800that fold and collapse. watt inverter offers the same power as a typical household outlet. Granted, some fleets opt for smaller models as a way to keep drivers from over-stressing batteries, asking drivers to idle a truck 5. A place for everything when running something like a microwave. This can limit battery replacements or frequent Preventive Maintenance needs. In a well-designed sleeper, there is a space for everything and But the wattage is only part of the equation, Klasen stresses. everything in its place. Items that need to be close at hand are The quality of power makes a difference, too. A modified sine easiest to access if they hang on hooks or sit behind the nets that wave inverter offers the broad frequency of energy that will be enclose a shelf or cubby hole. Larger supplies can be stowed in important when powering something like a microwave. A square areas under the lower bunk or behind cabinet doors. FEBRUARY 2017
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Creature Comforts Sleeper sizes even seem to make a difference in how the storage spaces are configured. Larger spaces are more likely to be equipped with cabinets that have doors, while smaller sleepers tend to be purchased with a wider mixture of doors and nets, Long says. The more the space is used as a home away from home, the more people want the space to look like one. Jorge Medina, Peterbilt’s director of marketing, refers to a floor-level roll-out drawer as an example. Storage space like that, he says, is both functional and discreet. Where hinges and latches do exist, Russoli suggests taking a look at how sturdy they feel. Anything will wear over time, but “the more robust right off the bat, the better.” Remember that the size of every opening will play a role in how easily supplies can be loaded and unloaded, too. Kenworth, for example, refers to how its lower bunk lifts a full 90 degrees to expose storage underneath. Access is further enhanced through a combination of outer doors and hatches.
Don’t forget ease of access from the cab. (International photo)
Look for controls, plugs where they’re needed. (Mack photo)
6. Go to the mattresses When off-duty hours need to be logged, few features will play a bigger role in driver comfort than a mattress, and the choices of size and quality vary widely. Medina, for example, refers to the Model 579’s 82-inch mattress as just how big they can be. Beneath the surface, the support can come from anything from memory foam to coiled springs or premium pocket springs. Models that are expected to fold out of the way are typically thin, so it might make sense to carry an extra sleeping pad to pile on top. Russoli also stresses the need to examine the platform any mattress sits on, as well as related supports. “If your mattress is great, but it starts to sag underneath, it doesn’t help you.” If looking to trim costs, one option could be to spec’ a thinner and simpler mattress for upper bunks that might never be used, McHorse says. “You probably wouldn’t want to put a real high premium mattress in that.”
7. Let the sun shine in Skylights and windows welcome natural light, but well-placed windows can do more than that. Those who drive smaller sleepers in tight locations may benefit from windows at the back, Kenworth notes. It combines the visibility of a day cab with the comfort of a sleeper. Just keep in mind that the extra windows which offer natural lighting could also transform a sleeper into a greenhouse. A curtain between the bunk and the driving environment will help, but it can be claustrophobic, Long says. “It’s like stepping in the bathroom and shutting the door.” Instead, he leans toward a curtain that closes off the windshield, offering a sense of privacy
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while maximizing the sense of space. Available coverings can vary in quality, too. The one that drops in front of a bunk, for example, might have a higher insulating value than the windshield model. “How hard is it to put the covers back on or close the curtains,” Russoli asks. “And does it really black out the light?” That will make a difference when parked under the lamps at a truck stop.
8. For the control enthusiasts Optional control panels put the power of everything from HVAC systems to individual lights, entertainment systems and more at a driver’s fingertips. They are also available with working features of their own, such as integrated clocks, alarms and panic buttons.
9. Access the features No matter how comfortable a sleeper may be, the experience will be improved if the space can be easily accessed. That’s where well-placed grab handles, step designs, and seat openings will make a difference. International, for example, refers to the way its driver’s seat pivots toward the sleeper when it is time to head into the back; Medina focuses on the way Peterbilt’s Model 579 passenger seat swivels, and how the driver’s seat has foldaway armrests. The spaces available between seats and around the dash will all make a difference. Back in the sleeper itself, Freightliner offers a telescopic ladder for the top bunk in its redesigned Cascadia. “We joked about it being a jungle gym and needing to work with Cirque de Soleil to get up there,” McHorse says of bunks without the ladder. Available openings can also serve dual purposes. That 2x3 hatch used to load gear into a sleeper? It can be propped open to allow a comfortable breeze to flow through.
10. Insulating value Sleeper walls and doors require attention of their own. “The most important thing is to spec’ a premium insulation package,” McHorse says, referring to the one Freightliner has developed using 3M’s Thinsulate material. The added layer is about more than controlling temperatures, too. It can help muffle the sounds of something like nearby diesel-fired Auxiliary Power Units.
11. Light it up “Enhanced lighting packages with skylights can transform the feel of a space,” Ricciardi adds. Depending on the sleeper, those can include individual task lights, brighter footwells, or snake lights that can be moved about. TT
Cummins is reinventing the heavy-duty engine category with two unique X15™ engines.The X15 Efficiency Series has the highest compression ratio in the industry, for unmatched fuel efficiency and responsiveness, delivering up to 1850 lb-ft of torque starting at 1000 rpm. The X15 Performance Series delivers unprecedented power, with up to 605 hp and 2050 lb-ft peak torque. Plus, every X15 engine comes with over-the-air calibration capability, a Single Module™ aftertreatment system, the most powerful engine brake in the industry and extended service intervals, for maximum uptime. Two X15 engines. Zero compromises. Learn more at cumminsengines.com. ©2017 Cummins Inc., Box 3005, Columbus, IN 47202-3005 U.S.A.
In Gear
48 Talking Trash 50 Lockwood’s products
EQUIPMENT NEWS, REVIEWS, AND MAINTENANCE TIPS aftertreatment systems. Benefits to the buyer include such things as lighter engines, more torque at lower rpm, less horsepower at higher rpm, better drivability, and lower fuel consumption. It’s still a bit early to make a call on reliability, but each of the engine reps we spoke with stressed they improved that very thing. We’ll know soon enough.
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Detroit will stay the course for 2017, having made their engines GHG17 compliant more than a year ago.
Detroit Diesel DD13, DD15, DD16 (Daimler Trucks North America)
Power Plays Engine makers have met the latest emissions requirements head-on, with lineups promising better fuel efficiency and greater reliability By Jim Park Most North American heavy-duty diesel engine manufacturers rolled out substantially revamped engines to meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) 2017 Greenhouse Gas emissions regulations. Those rules were the final step for diesel engines in Phase 1 of the grand carbon dioxide reduction plan. Engine makers now have a few years to figure how to meet the next – and even more restrictive – round of fuel-efficiency improvements, which come into force for Model Year 2021 engines. According to DieselNet, an independent online information service covering technical and business information on diesel engines, 2017 Model
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Year heavy-duty diesels have limits of 460 grams/bhp-hr for carbon dioxide emissions, which translates into a fuel consumption limit of 4.52 gallons/100 bhp-hr. While that won’t mean much to most of us, it forces truck makers to improve fuel economy between 7% and 20% compared to Model Year 2010 engines. And, by popular demand, they also had to improve reliability. To meet those goals, engine makers deployed more advanced electronic controls and mechanical changes, which in several instances included new injections systems, new piston designs, variable speed accessory drives, low-friction components, lighter lubes, higher compression ratios, and new
Detroit Diesel had its compliant engines in production throughout 2016. They will not undergo any significant changes this calendar year. While there are no changes to the published power ratings, oil drain intervals have been extended to 80,000 kilometers for normal on-highway service. Meanwhile, Detroit and Daimler Trucks have made a number of enhancements to its Detroit Connect electronic interface, including a new Detroit Connect portal and mobile app. Users will have access to full diagnostic information provided by the Detroit Connect Virtual Technician remote diagnostic system. Rather than relying on the e-mail notifications that Virtual Technician delivered previously, the new portal places all that information at fingertips. The new portal will also serve as a hub for other Detroit Connect features available in 2017, such as Remote Updates. This gives fleets the ability to remotely change select engine parameters, such as maximum road speed, as well as receive Detroit-initiated engine and powertrain firmware updates without having to stop and physically connect the vehicle at a service center. Detroit Connect Analytics will be available in the first half of this year, and will enable fleets to quickly identify behaviors, trends, root causes and key insights on fuel consumption and safety
In Gear performance data across the fleet. “Using the new portal, fleets also have more power to customize who gets access that information so that the right people get access to the right information to make decisions,” says Greg Treinen, Detroit’s sales and marketing manager for connectivity.
Paccar MX-11 and MX-13 Paccar’s 2017 lineup includes new ratings for the MX-11 and MX-13; 430 horsepower and 1,650 lb-ft, and 510 horsepower and 1,850 lb-ft. The MX-11 also gets a new rating on the low end: 335 horsepower and 1,150 lb-ft. The engines now deliver peak torque at 900 RPM for the majority of engine ratings, which supports the wider use of downsped drivelines. Paccar says it has done some tuning around the injectors and pistons on the MX-13 to drive further efficiencies in the combustion cycle. Additionally, engineers have opted for two different turbochargers for engines above or below 485 horsepower for further combustion optimization. The 2017 MX-13 and MX-11 engines also feature a single cylinder air compressor, along with an electronically controlled variable displacement oil pump – based on pressure and temperature, and a variable speed coolant pump – based on heat rejection needs. Together, these eliminate some of the parasitic drag on the engine, leaving more output to drive the truck. Kevin Baney, Kenworth’s chief engineer, told reporters last fall the new MX-13 engine will be at least 3% more fuel efficient than the 2016 version of the engine. “The MX-11, which we introduced in April of last year, and the MX-13, provide 85% coverage of our customers’ torque and horsepower requirements,” Baney says. “With the new round of Greenhouse Gas regulations, we believe the MX-11, with its lower-displacement but still significant torque and horsepower ratings, will provide an excellent alternative to customers in some market segments.” Paccar has also developed a single-cannister aftertreatment system that combines the Diesel Particulate
Paccar is switched to a “single can” aftertreatment system that saves about 100 pounds, makes servicing easier, and frees up valuable frame space.
Filter, Selective Catalytic Reduction and Diesel Exhaust Fluid mixing pipe. “This innovative single-canister aftertreatment system improves serviceability, extends service intervals and reduces weight by up to 100 pounds,” says Darrin Siver, Peterbilt general manager and Paccar vice president. “The new system’s compact design allows for a wider range of spec’ing options and configurations to meet additional customer requirements and applications.” Both engines now offer extended oil and fuel filter change intervals from 96,000 to 120,000 kilometers.
Cummins X15 Last fall, Cummins rolled out two GHG17-compliant versions of its X15 engine – one to satisfy the fuel economy fanatics, the other for performance. Both are essentially the same engine, but the Performance features a few different bits of hardware to give it beefier ratings, while the Efficiency version take advantage of all the latest hardware and software upgrades targeted at fuel economy. Jim Nebergall, Cummins’ X15 program leader, says uptime is the focal point of the current program. “Uptime was our largest priority heading into 2017,” he says. “Our customers told us, ‘It doesn’t matter what else you do, if the engine doesn’t meet our needs, it won’t be in our fleet.’ So, we made a lot of changes to the basic engine such as using more robust materials in engine construction. We changed the wiring harness to reduce the possibility of water ingress. And we looked hard at some of the late-life, off-warranty failures,
usually seen by the second owner after 750,000 miles [1.2 million kilometers], and said we have to do something about these to bring some value back for the secondary market.” Cummins has modified a long list of components, such as using a more robust Variable Geometry Trubocharger actuator and a revamped Exhaust Gas Recirculation cooler. The new aftertreatment system is probably the biggest story. With the previous system, manufacturers could package them differently, and that led to variations in performance that had to be managed with sensors and software changes. Now it’s essentially a straight pipe and exactly the same on every truck. Gone from the X15 is the so-called seventh injector, the external hydrocarbon injector used to regenerate the Diesel Particulate Filter. Nebergall says Cummins now uses a post-combustion injection of fuel that flows out of the cylinder and into the aftertreatment device to heat the substrate to desired temperatures. Nebergall says customers won’t see much of a difference in the 2017 engine, but the results will reveal themselves in longer maintenance intervals, better performance and drivability, and less unplanned downtime.
V Both versions of Cummins’ X15 boast a substantial number of mechanical and electronic upgrades that promise to deliver a more reliable engine with improved performance and fuel efficiency.
FEBRUARY 2017
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Canada’s Largest Inventory of New and Used Trucks and Trailers Visit us on the web at truckandtrailer.ca • 1-877-682-7469
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In Gear Volvo Group
The current version of Navistar’s 13-liter N13 engine will remain as is until 2018, but an updated version is scheduled to launch later this month. “We’ll need to make changes to meet the 2017 [Greenhouse Gas] regs, so we will be introducing a new-generation 13-liter engine at the annual meeting of the Technology and Maintenance Council in Nashville on February 27,” says Jim Nachtman, marketing manager – on-highway products. Navistar could not share many details of the new 2017-compliant engine, but did hint that it would have a single-stage variable geometry turbocharger, among other new features, and it will share Cummins’ single-module aftertreatment system. Navistar nearly doubled the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) cleaning intervals for the current product by adding an anti-polish ring to the cylinder sleeve to remove carbon deposits from the pistons that can increase oil consumption. Reducing oil consumption limits the amount of ash that winds up in the DPF, Nachtman explains. “We implemented this change some time ago, but resisted publishing the new cleaning intervals until we had enough data back from the field showing the change was effective,” he says. Navistar is also now allowing the use of lighter-viscosity 10W-30 and 5W-30 engine oils, up to higher ambient temperatures. “Reducing oil viscosity increases fuel economy, but if viscosity is too low, engine damage can occur,” Nachtman points out. “Extensive durability testing in hot conditions has shown that we can increase the maximum allowable ambient temperature to use 10W-30 up to 115 Fahrenheit.” Navistar will launch a replacement to the current TransStar product in April at Montreal’s Expocam Show, and that truck will launch with the new N13 engine, says Nachtman. “Unfortunately, I can’t share a lot of detail now, but I can tell you the new N13 will be a monumentally better engine.”
Both Mack and Volvo continue to offer three heavy-duty engine platforms for 2017 – the 10.8-liter D11 (Mack MP7), the 12.8-liter D13 (MP8) and 16.1-liter D16 (MP10). All are GHG17-compliant, and they feature a number of noteworthy hardware changes. It all begins with the addition of common rail fuel injection. Something new to Mack and Volvo, but in widespread use on other engines. John Moore, Volvo Trucks’ powertrain product marketing manager, says the common rail system allows for multiple injection events at very high injection pressures.
Scott Barraclough, says the engines also features a two-speed clutched coolant pump on certain engine ratings for lower parasitic loss, and customers will see turbo-compounding on the MP8 engine (and D13) come the spring. “That puts about 30-50 horsepower right back to the crankshaft,” he says. “We have tuned this as an efficiency enhancement rather than a performance addition. If you have a 450-horsepower engine, you only have to fuel it for say 420 horsepower, taking that much more load off the engine.” Mack and Volvo have also improved the design of their aftertreatment
V
Navistar N13
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Mack will add turbo compounding to is MP8 engine lineup in the spring, along with the Volvo D13.
Volvo engines are now using common rail fuel injection, and the new “Wave Piston” optimizes combustion and nearly eliminates soot as a byproduct.
“This allows for very precise injection timing, and because we can introduce the fuel to the cylinder in stages, we get a more complete burn. It improves fuel economy and performance while reducing soot production,” he says. “Combined with the Wave piston design, which came our SuperTruck research, we have almost eliminated [90% reduction, Volvo says] soot from the combustion process, and that take a big load off the aftertreatment system.” Mack’s technology product manager,
system, bringing it into a smaller package and using a copper zeolite catalyst for improved NOX conversion. Mack and Volvo, of course, use the same basic engine platforms, but program the engines differently for their own specifications. Both companies are saying we can expect fuel economy improvements in the 2-3% range in the small block engine, and up a 6.5% or better improvement in the mid-range D13 and MP8 engines spec’d for downsped operation. TT FEBRUARY 2017
47
In Gear
Ginove has abandoned cylinders in favor of an auger-based system for its Rotopac side loaders.
but it’s going to go down soon.’ We can schedule you with a dealer, find out if he’s got the part, get the truck in there, and the dealer knows exactly what to do.” With GuardDog, fleets can also tap into fleet management services including Telogis cloud-based intelligence software, and Omitracs, which uses GuardDog Connect’s telematics hardware to communicate data such as road speed and idling time. Earlier this year, GuardDog became a standard offering on TerraPro cabovers, which serve refuse, concrete pump, dump or mixer applications. It has been standard on Pinnacle, Granite and Titan models since 2013.
Alternative fuels
Talking Trash Waste and Recycling Expo showcases the latest advances in waste vehicles By John G. Smith Curbside waste collection is a punishing activity for any truck. The work involves the repeated stops and starts which lay waste to tires and brakes alike. And in the midst of it all, fleets continue to search for the tools that promise to boost productivity and maximize the amount of trash any given truck will haul. The recent Waste and Recycling Expo Canada showcased many of the equipment updates being introduced to answer some of the underlying challenges.
Telematics Mack used the show as a backdrop to introduce the power of telematics to its refuse vehicles, unveiling Mack GuardDog Connect as a standard offering in its LR low-entry cabover models with MP engines. The system monitors fault codes, giving service teams a tool to diagnose issues, proactively schedule repairs, and ensure parts are available before a truck ever reaches a service bay. That’s all managed by Mack OneCall agents through the cloud-based Mack ASIST Service Relationship Management tool.
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“The waste industry, it’s all about uptime,” said Roy Horton, Mack’s director – product strategy. “To be able to monitor the engine and transmission and other vehicle faults, alert the decision makers, and then help plan to reduce any maintenance that has to be done, just increases the bottom line.” Refuse vehicles can face particularly challenging duty cycles. In a city like New York, they could see 1,000 start-stops per day, while suburban counterparts might face the “really nasty environments” like trips to landfill sites, Horton added. Unlike their linehaul cousins, which benefit from long and steady runs, such trucks also tend to rely more on active regens for Diesel Particulate Filters, too. “We can monitor the truck in real time, and if there’s an issue that’s going to take the truck down, we can contact the customer – a phone call, an email, a text message, whatever works for him,” said Curtis Dorwart, Mack’s refuse product marketing manager. “We can tell him, ‘You’ve got an issue with the truck. It’s going to go down. Maybe not right away,
While the price of diesel remains relatively low, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) continues to be a popular fuel for curbside collectors as well. Canadian operations just have to take a different approach than U.S. fleets when spec’ing the related equipment. “Here in Canada, we need a lot of [fuel] volume because of the routes,” said Thierry Jacques, Labrie Enviroquip Group’s manager – estimating and customer service. Where U.S. operations will settle for 60 to 75 Diesel Gallon Equivalents, Canadian buyers tend to ask for 100 because the trucks typically travel longer distances before refueling. The shape of the fuel tanks can address another challenge altogether. Labrie was showcasing a streamlined roof-mounted tank, which had been rounded to eliminate sharp edges that would otherwise snag tree branches in residential neighborhoods.
Weight not U.S. waste fleets are typically more weight conscious than their Canadian counterparts, too, but some Canadian operations also remain focused on shedding unwanted pounds. London Machinery’s 19,500-pound McNeilus Atlantic refuse truck is still the company’s preferred option for Canadian buyers, but the 17,000-pound Meridian front loader is gaining traction, said Adam Ashley, London Machinery’s Canadian sales manager – refuse. That’s
In Gear
ELECTRIC DREAMS? Chinese company taking orders for BYD trucks Few North American fleets will have heard of BYD (Build Your Dreams) trucks, but the all-electric vehicles created by a company headquartered in Shenzhen, China are securing domestic orders. The company even enjoys financial backing from financial sage Warren Buffet, who invested US $230 million in BYD eight years ago. BYD describes itself as one of the three largest battery makers in the world. The new vehicles range from a shunt truck – 27 of which have already been ordered by San Bernadino, California Associated Governments for use in rail yards and some California distribution centres – to a Class 8 truck, and a sanitation vehicle now being produced with Wayne Engineering of Cedar Falls, Iowa. The 3.9-ton sanitation truck has a 160-kilometer range after a 2.5-hour charge. The manufacturer says haulers can expect a 58% drop in operating costs with that, and notes the truck will produce zero tailpipe emissions and minimal noise pollution. “This truck represents a new era in waste management, one of the last remaining sectors untouched by green energy and electrification,” Stella Li, president of BYD Motors, said at the truck’s launch event in Phoenix, Arizona. At the heart of a BYD truck is a proprietary lithium ion phosphate rechargeable battery. Transversely mounted motors are integrated with the drive axle, regenerative braking prolongs battery life and reduces brake wear, and “Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G)
especially true in specific regions of the country. “Winnipeg west, they’re all very concerned with weights,” he said. Granted, shedding weight from a vocational application like this is no small feat. “Weight has always been tough to shed out of these trucks. They’re just inherently heavy. You don’t want to lighten them up too much because you start to sacrifice longevity and quality,” said Shawn Watson, technical sales at Universal Handling Equipment. But savings are realized. His company, for example, now builds packer floors with a single sheet of Hardox, which is the same material that had traditionally been limited to the walls. Monitoring weights can be as important as shedding pounds. Fork scales, for example, are becoming increasingly popular, Watson said. “Everyone is more sensitive to landfill fees and wanting to track their tonnage.”
technology” lets the truck deliver power back into the grid, a load, or another vehicle. BYD’s fully electric trucks will be designed and manufactured in Lancaster, California. The sanitation bodies will be installed at Wayne Engineering plants in Phoenix and Cedar Falls. “BYD’s Class 8 heavy-duty yard truck and Class 5 medium-duty service truck technology will prove that vehicle electrification is a solution that can be applied today to a variety of needs – not just passenger vehicles,” said Stella Li, president of BYD Motors. “By deploying these trucks in 24/7 operations, this project will prove that truck electrification can be adopted at any major freight location, and scaled for any facility and business need in the U.S.” The lineup launched at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo in Long Beach, California this May included: ■ BYD T9 Class 8 – employs BYD’s first purpose-built batter for vehicle electrification. BYD claims a range of 160-plus kilometers; ■ BYD T7 – comes with a 23,600-pound Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and 200-kilometer range; ■ BYD T5 – designed for longer routes and sports a 16,100pound Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. The T5 batteries reportedly deliver 250 kilometers of all-electric range. The T5 can be designed as a refrigerated box, stake bed, or with a bucket, depending on the application; ■ BYD Class 6 step van – offers a 160-kilometer range and is designed for urban deliveries. This was developed specifically for UPS under a joint venture. Finally, the all-electric forklift charges fully in one or two hours, and that’s after running two full shifts.
It’s all about loading as much waste on a truck as possible. Ginove, for example, has abandoned cylinders in favor of the auger-based system in its Rotopac side loaders. “It’s not a typical packing ram device. It’s a single auger, which is a chain drive. It allows for higher compaction ratios, smaller and lighter bodies,” said Christian Lapointe, Ginove’s Chief Executive Officer. “Greater legal payloads is equal to lesser trucks needed to do a specific contract.”
Added reach Individual routes introduce different challenges of their own, and tight streets are not even limited to dense urban cores, said Kenneth Beugger, regional sales manager with New Way. That’s why his company was showcasing the 12-foot reach of the arm on its Sidewinder XTR Automated Side Loader, compared to other models that often
extend no more than seven or eight feet. “The extra four feet helps them when they’re in a cul de sac,” he said. “They have a better reach so they don’t have to get out of the truck and pull [a bin] to them, or back up several times. Backing up is the number-one occurrence for accidents in this industry.” By switching to CAN bus connections, New Way has also streamlined processes for body builders. “We’re speaking the language of the chassis now,” Beugger explained. “With that we’ve eliminated the air [lines]. In a cold environment air has a tendency to freeze, so we’re now straight electric-over-hydraulic.” “It’s just plug and play,” he said, referring to the varying codes that apply to vehicle lighting. “With the CAN we can just go in there and we don’t have to run the wire. You can hit it and turn lights on or turn lights off.” No time is wasted. TT FEBRUARY 2017
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PRODUCTWATCH WHAT’S NEW AND NEWS FROM SUPPLIERS
For more new product items, visit PRODUCT WATCH on the web at todaystrucking.com
Tire for dropdeck trailers Cooper Tire has added to its Roadmaster line with new RM272 sizes Cooper Tire and Rubber has added two new sizes to its Roadmaster RM272 commercial tire line, speciďŹ cally engineered for the demands of dropdeck trailers. It now includes 11R22.5 and 295/75R22.5 sizes. Designed to ward off irregular wear and damage due to curbing, the RM272 features a four-belt steel casing and has a slightly rounded tread footprint, along with a reinforced shoulder to help withstand extreme side forces. Its tread compound is said to have been formulated to provide optimum balance between resistance to side forces and maximum wear. Tires in this application are arguably the most abused of any in the trucking industry, according to Cooper. The company designed the RM272 with that harsh punishment in mind, seeking a tread proďŹ le that could minimize the load on the shoulder rib and distribute the load more evenly across the entire footprint so that the shoulder takes on less of the lateral forces. See www.coopertire.com
BOX-FRAME FLATDECK SG CUSTOM TRAILERS’ GREY WOLF FLATDECK
New from SG Custom Trailers is the Grey Wolf atdeck that incorporates Vang’s steel box frame with what’s called “the strongest aluminum oor available in the market.â€? With no crossmembers to rot, it’s said to offer “extremely high torsional strength.â€? It’s now available through SG Custom, Remorques Lewis, and East Coast International. SG says the trailer boasts the highest load-per-foot rating and superior roll stability. It’s new to North America but well established in Europe, suited to heavy-haul applications. It integrates Damsen’s oor with Wolf Innovations’ design and manufacturing. The trailer has a galvanized smooth ďŹ nish with corrosion-prevention technology. It features Ridewell’s galvanized running gear, steer axles with 9.5 inches of lift, and it comes with two to eight axles. A coil-hauling package is available. See www.sgcustomtrailers.com
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Product Watch CONNECT BASED ON ANDROID PLATFORM
Zonar has unveiled its new Connect tablet, basing it on the Android operating system so it can be easily customized. Protected with features including Gorilla Glass, the ruggedized tablet always remains linked to the outside world by combining LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and RFID connections, recognizing that some fleets will want drivers to be able to use it outside the truck. The device can even integrate with Electronic Vehicle Inspection Reports, using an RFID reader and tags around a vehicle to confirm a driver has actually worked their way around the truck during a pre-trip inspection, showing exactly how long they dwelled at each inspection points. A customizable interface can include information such as available Hours of Service at the top of the screen. The Android platform opens the door to third-party software and customized Zonar apps. It also integrates with the company’s Ground Traffic Control web portal and third-party maintenance, payroll, navigation, and workforce management software. There is a quad-core processor including 2 GB of built-in memory and 32 GB of storage, and it will run for 10 hours in a standby mode or three hours in continuous operation. It also recharges whenever it is secured in its cradle. The first version is being launched with Android’s KitKat operating system, although there are already plans to upgrade to Marshmallow in the near future. See www.zonarsystems.com/connect
2017 ENGINE LINEUP FROM PACCAR
Diesel Price Watch
MX-11 AND MX-13 DESIGNS UPDATED
PACCAR has made 1.4 million engines since 1957, and it’s taking yet another step in its evolution with updates to the 2017 MX-11 and MX-13 engines. The 2017 MX-13 is now offered with as much as 510 horsepower and 1,850 lb-ft of torque, while the MX-11 output climbs to 430 horsepower and 1,650 lb-ft. Yet another MX-11 is offered at 335 horsepower and 1,150 lb-ft. The peak torque is reached at 900 rpm in the majority of the engine ratings. Oil drain intervals on the 2017 engine family climbs to 120,000 kilometers from about 95,000 kilometers. The MX engines are also designed with a B10 life of a
million miles, meaning that 90% of them are expected to reach that threshold without needing a major overhaul. And they come standard with factory-installed remote diagnostics. The one thing they offer less of is weight. About 100 pounds was reduced with a new singlecanister aftertreatment system. Close to 50 pounds has been shed form the MX-13, largely with the help of a new high-performing turbocharger. One version is used for models with up to 485 horsepower, while a second version is made beyond that. See paccarpowertrain.com FEBRUARY 2017
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WHITEHORSE VANCOUVER * VICTORIA PRINCE GEORGE KAMLOOPS KELOWNA FORT ST. JOHN ABBOTSFORD YELLOWKNIFE CALGARY * RED DEER EDMONTON LETHBRIDGE LLOYDMINSTER GRANDE PRAIRIE REGINA * SASKATOON PRINCE ALBERT MOOSE JAW WINNIPEG * BRANDON TORONTO * OTTAWA KINGSTON PETERBOROUGH WINDSOR LONDON SUDBURY SAULT STE MARIE THUNDER BAY NORTH BAY TIMMINS HAMILTON ST. CATHARINES BARRIE BRANTFORD GUELPH KITCHENER OSHAWA MONTRÉAL * QUÉBEC SHERBROOKE GASPÉ CHICOUTIMI RIMOUSKI TROIS RIVIÈRES DRUMMONDVILLE VAL D’OR GATINEAU SAINT JOHN * FREDERICTON MONCTON BATHURST EDMUNDSTON MIRAMICHI CAMPBELLTON SUSSEX WOODSTOCK HALIFAX * SYDNEY YARMOUTH TRURO KENTVILLE NEW GLASGOW CHARLOTTETOWN * ST JOHNS * GANDER LABRADOR CITY CORNER BROOK GRAND FALLS
115.9 119.7 114.3 110.9 109.6 110.3 113.5 111.8 117.9 104.7 103.4 103.8 106.2 102.9 102.6 98.8 99.0 99.9 100.7 103.0 102.7 109.8 109.7 108.3 107.6 107.0 109.1 110.5 113.6 111.8 109.1 115.8 108.3 108.9 107.7 107.4 107.9 108.7 108.2 117.3 117.3 116.7 115.4 112.6 116.1 116.7 120.3 115.5 115.8 118.6 119.2 120.3 119.1 119.7 119.9 120.6 118.6 121.1 111.5 115.6 113.1 112.6 112.8 112.6 119.0 126.0 126.5 133.3 126.7 128.5
0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 -0.2 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 -0.4 -1.2 -0.9 0.6 0.5 -1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 -0.3 0.0 -0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 -0.3 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 -0.2 -0.2 0.0 0.0 0.6 -0.1 -0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 -2.1 -2.8 -2.1 -2.9 -2.7 -2.3 -3.1 -2.8 -3.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 -0.7 -0.7 0.0 -3.0 -3.0 -3.0 -3.0 -3.0
99.2 76.3 78.7 78.9 77.7 78.4 81.4 79.8 99.2 77.3 76.1 76.5 78.8 75.6 75.3 75.1 75.3 76.1 76.9 80.1 79.8 78.8 78.8 77.6 76.9 76.4 78.2 79.5 82.3 80.6 78.2 84.2 77.5 78.1 77.0 76.7 77.2 77.9 77.5 77.8 77.8 77.3 80.0 77.6 78.6 77.3 80.4 80.1 76.5 77.6 78.2 79.1 78.1 78.6 78.8 79.4 77.6 79.8 77.6 81.1 78.9 78.5 78.6 78.5 79.3 84.0 84.5 90.4 84.7 86.2
CANADA AVERAGE (V)
111.2
-0.1
77.8
CITY
HIGH PERFORMANCE ENGINE OILS total-canada.ca
Updated prices at www.kentgroupltd.com • Prices as of January 12, 2017 • V-Volume Weighted. (+/-) indicates price variations from previous day. (*) Denotes markets used in Volume Weighted Canada Average. Diesel includes both full-serve and self-serve prices.
ZONAR TABLET
Product Watch REMAN TRANSMISSIONS EATON IS BRINGING ITS FLEX REMAN TRANSMISSIONS TO THE CANADIAN MARKET
IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES
Eaton has brought its lineup of FLEX Reman transmissions into the Canadian marketplace for the first time. It will allow Canadian OEM dealers to offer customers two tiers of Eaton Factory Reman products – standard reman transmissions with clutch housings, and FLEX Reman transmissions with no clutch housings. The FLEX line also includes a shipping cover and gasket that allows dealers to re-use their existing housings to enhance inventory flexibility for the stocking and servicing of a wide range of North American heavy-duty vehicles. The 18 FLEX part numbers represent approximately 90% of the replacement transmission models sold in Canada. FLEX eliminates the need to stock the entire portfolio of Eaton replacement transmissions yet still allows participants to maintain a healthy inventory
FOR YOUR BUSINESS
with a wide range of available torque ratings for multiple trucking applications, says Eaton. It adds that fleets also benefit from the FLEX program’s competitive pricing and enhanced access to the many models available. The standard FLEX transmission warranty in Canada provides nationwide coverage of two years/unlimited mileage. The warranty may be extended to three years/unlimited mileage with the purchase and installation of a Genuine Eaton clutch and Eaton-approved lubricant under the Eaton Bundled Warranty program. See www.eaton.com/roadranger
• Work Permits and Extensions • Temporary Visas • Express Entry Applications • Permanent Residence Applications • Provincial Nominee Program Rebecca J. Lockwood >à > iÝV Õà Ûi >vw >Ì Ü Ì Ì i >Ü "vwVià v ` > i ] vviÀ } iÝÌÀ> >Ãà ÃÌ> Vi v À V i ÌÃ Ü Ì Ì ià ` >°
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www.lockwoodlegal.ca
YOU CAN’T GET THERE FROM HERE Small wonder this country is home to the Friendly Giant and the Sleeping Giant. Canadians do giants in a big way. Take last month’s mystery monstrous Holstein cow, for example. She watches over the offices of the Temiskaming Shores Chamber of Commerce in the town that most people still call New Liskeard, Ontario. Quite a few readers identified her, by the way. And next month, we’ll tell you how this month’s ginormous mystery critter came to be. But first, you have to guess where it is. If you’re one of the first 10 readers to correctly do so, we’ll send you a swell Today’s Trucking hat. Email your guess to johng@newcom.ca.
January Answer:
Holstein cow located in New Liskeard, Ontario
YOU CAN’T GET THERE FROM HERE c/o Today’s Trucking Magazine 451 Attwell Drive, Toronto, ON M9W 5C4 Phone: 416-614-5812 • Fax: 416-614-8861 Or email: johng@newcom.ca P.S. If you call your answer in, don’t forget to leave your contact details!
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TODAY’S TRUCKING
National Advertisers Cummins Canada 22 www.cummins.com Cummins Inc. 43 www.cumminsengines.com Eaton 4 www.roadranger.com/reman Eberspaecher 39 www.eberspaecher-na.com ExpoCam 34-35 www.expocam.ca Freightliner 2-3 www.freightliner.com/75 years Hendrickson 55 www.hendricksonsolutions.com
Hino 38 www.hinocanada.com Howes Lubricator 14 www.howeslube.com International Truck & Engine 32 www.InternationalTrucks.com Isaac Instruments 15 www.isaac.ca Mack Trucks 10 www.macktrucks.com Meritor 8 www.runwiththebull.com Peterbilt back cover www.peterbilt.com
Tenneco Monroe 19 www.monroeheavyduty.com Total Canada Inc. 51 www.total-canada.ca Truck & Trailer 46 www.trackandtrailer.ca Trailer Wizards 20 www.trailerwizards.com Volvo Trucks North America 6 www.Supertruck.VolvoTrucks.com Western Star 28-29 www.westernstar.com/50
COMPANIES IN THE NEWS A ABS Friction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 APPS Transport Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Automotive Distribution Network . . . .30 Automotive Parts Associates . . . . . . . . .30 B Bruce R Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 BYD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 C C.A.T. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Calyx Transportation Group . . . . . . . . . .19 Camiones Rivera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Canada Drayage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Canadian Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 CH Robinson Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Cooper Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Cummins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 D Daimler Trucks North America. . . . . . . .44 Daimler Vehiculos Comerciales Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Dexter Axle Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 E Eaton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40, 52 Euro Centro Camionero . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
F Fastfreight Group of Companies. . . . . .30 Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Freightliner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21, 40 G Ginove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 H Hino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Hi-way 9 Group of Companies . . . . . . . .19 I IMT Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 International. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22, 40, 44 K Kenworth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 L Labrie Enviroquip Group . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 London Machinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 M Mack Trucks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40, 44, 48 Meyers Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Mullen Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 N National Fast Freight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 New Way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
P PACCAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44, 51 PacLease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Peterbilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Q QuikX Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 R Rosenau Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Ryder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12, 24 S SG Custom Trailers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 T Trailcon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Trailer Wizards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30, 54 TransForce International . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 U Ulch Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Universal Handling Equipment . . . . . . .49 V Ventures West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Vipar Heavy Duty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Volvo Trucks North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24, 40, 44 Z Zonar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
FEBRUARY 2017
53
Faces As Trailer Wizards new vice president – fleet, Mark Irwin is responsible for 24,000 units.
The Trailer Wizard Mark Irwin thinks trailers should enjoy a long and predictable life. Here’s how. By John G. Smith Mark Irwin believes fleets should expect more from their van trailers, and that’s no small goal in the context of Canadian winters. Corrosive magnesium chlorides and brine solutions – used to keep pavement free of ice – tend to wick up wires and cracks, and stick to every imaginable surface. The resulting corrosion has been known to reduce the thickness of metal plates by about 20% in as little as 10 to 12 years. But with the right specifications, he’s confident that trailer life can be longer and more predictable. Trailer maintenance comes down to utilization and time in service, explains Trailer Wizards’ vice president of fleet, a new role that makes Irwin responsible for more than 24,000 trailers and 23 locations from coast to coast. “Our philosophy is to bring the cost of ownership to a predictable maintenance plan, and
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TODAY’S TRUCKING
move away from that unpredictable side,” he says. “How do we do it? We do it by galvanization. We do it by introducing barriers between two dissimilar metals.” Galvanizing metal that’s found from coupler plates to rear bumpers can extend respective lifecycles out as far as 15 to 20 years. Need proof? Look at the condition of guardrails which line roadsides across Canada, Irwin says. Ignore this step and crossmembers might need to be replaced long before a trailer is scheduled to reach the end of life. Electrical connectors, meanwhile, can be completely sealed, and the underside of wooden trailer floors can be made watertight with the help of upgraded layers. The heaters in temperature-controlled units, which might otherwise need to be replaced in 12 years, can also last as long as the trailers themselves if barn doors are upgraded to versions that are typically
associated with full-fledged reefers, Irwin adds. Combined with tighter controls, he has seen the heater run times drop by 60%. Their tanks of fuel last seven days instead of three. Other productivity gains are realized by rethinking components prone to damage. Bumpers, their subframes, and pintle hitch sub assemblies can be bolted in place rather than requiring welding, Irwin says. “Some bumpers can take up to four hours to replace in the old traditional fashion. Now with a bolt-on assembly, we can see that done in 30 minutes.” Only an impact gun is required. Manufacturers have their own roles to play in supporting the lifecycles with extended warranties for landing gear, wheel ends, suspensions, and wiring harnesses. It’s why they’re also invited to participate in the pilot reviews of incoming equipment, to see if any changes need to be introduced before full orders are completed. That’s when there is still time to reroute wiring harnesses, or eliminate unwanted elbows in air lines. “This helps to reduce finger-pointing on final products,” he says. TT
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