kscarbel2

No they can't, Mark.

The Volvo and Mack customer quotes, spec'd similarly to the competition, on average are $10,000 higher.

Owner-Driver / March 15, 2019 A couple of blinged-up Kenworth SARs have proved the sparkling final touch to Tamworth-based Lenssec Transport’s ‘eggspress’ deliveries Everybody knows the old saying, ‘Don’t put all your eggs in one basket’. It also appears to be very sound advice. However, before this adage became ingrained in our society, a very rich man by the name of Andrew Carnegie was quoted as saying, "Concentrate your energies, your thoughts and your capital. The wise man puts all his eggs in one basket and watches the basket." What he was saying also makes perfect sense – specialise in one area and focus on doing it well. Lenssec Transport in Tamworth has been doing that for over 30 years, and the funny part is their success has relied almost entirely on eggs. The operation literally has put all its eggs in one basket. Sure, Lenssec Transport has had its share of ups and downs. They’ve even tried a few different types of ‘baskets’ but now, 33 years after Cessil Turner (one half of Lenssecs’ original founders) started working as a delivery driver for Baiada, the team is still going strong. The ‘baskets’ they use today are two of the most stunning Kenworth SARs you will find. Now I have to be very careful writing this story as I have never covered a company that deals with such fragile freight and there is the temptation to get overly ‘egg-cited’ with puns. I’m definitely no ‘eggs-pert’ journalist so I need to be careful and watch out that I don’t overcook it. The last thing I want is to poach any ‘egg-celent’ puns off the internet just for a cheap laugh. I think I have that out of my system now, so we can move on and ‘eggs-plain’ the story behind Lenssec’s success (that was the last one, I promise). Chances are if you have travelled the southern end of the New England Highway between Tamworth and Sydney you would have seen one or both of the Lenssec Kenworth T409SARs. For truck lovers of any brand these two trucks are spot on. With just the right level of exterior extras and with dedicated drivers that keep them looking immaculate, these trucks are head turners. Coincidentally Turner is the family name behind the Lenssec badge. In 1986 Cessil Turner started working for Baiada in the company’s V8 Dodge. He would run as far as Marsden Park in Sydney with loads of fertile eggs. As the business grew, so did the loads and it didn’t take long before management approached Cessil about buying his own truck and taking on more work. Cessil and his wife Eleni jumped at the opportunity and formed Lenssec Transport. (‘Len comes from Eleni and ‘Ssec’ is the reverse of Cessil’s name.) Asleep on the wheel The first truck in the fleet was a single drive day cab UD with a bogie-axle 32ft trailer. Though it was a step up from the Dodge, it was still old school trucking in those days. "He’d leave at midnight and if he got a bit doughy he’d have a sleep over the steering wheel," Eleni recalls. Eleni’s son Craig, who now runs the show alongside his mum, also recalls his dad saying, "No point getting too comfortable, you’d sleep for too long!" Craig laughs as he also remembers his dad explaining the alarm clock he used back in the day. "You just put your arms down and when your hands go to sleep you’d wake up." Definitely an old school alarm clock. Eleni and Cessil’s solid bond with Baiada was established in those formative years. The old UD with a spring trailer carting fertile eggs down the infamous Putty Road to Sydney was no easy feat. Personally, I know I have enough trouble getting them home from the supermarket without breakages. The service they provided established their reputation and was the basis for their decade long relationship with one of Australia’s largest egg manufacturers. The day cab UD was eventually replaced with a sleeper cab version. For most of us, the sleeper cab UDs in those days meant somewhere to put your lunchbox, but for Cessil it was a massive improvement. As Baiada grew, so did the workload for Lenssec. With an increased workload meant the need for a bigger truck. The UD was replaced with their first brand new unit, a 1994 Kenworth T400. "It was a pretty looking truck, but it wasn’t much of a truck," Craig admits, quickly adding, "It was a bit of a lemon for us." The T400 was the start of Lenssec’s growth though. In 1995 they bought their first new trailer and in 1996 the T400 was traded in for what would become the workhorse of the fleet – a 1996 International S-Line. Eleni adores the S-Line. "They are great trucks!" she says. "If they bought out S-lines again they wouldn’t be able to keep up with sales." "The S-line was our saviour, it’s done so many miles for us," Craig points out. While more trucks would come and go from the fleet, the S-line, with nearly three million kilometres under the belt, is still part of the fleet. Craig also says there’s no shortage of offers from many people to take it off their hands. A resounding "no" is the common answer. With the workload increasing it was time for Lenssec to become a multi-truck fleet. An Iveco MP4700 was ordered and added. For almost a decade these two trucks kept Lenssec going, fulfilling the growing egg market and racking up millions of kilometres between Sydney and Tamworth. Unfortunately, in 2006 tragedy struck the Lenssec family when Cessil was killed in an unfortunate accident while fuelling up in Singleton. The death of such a legendary character like Cessil hit his family and the community hard and changed the business forever. With such tragedy comes the best of the human spirit. The coming together of family, friends and workmates at difficult times often reflects the impact that people have on those around them. Craig is very quick to exclaim the virtues of all those that dug in to help the family at that time. At the time of Cessil’s passing the company had two fulltime drivers, Cessil and John, who had been with Lenssec for over a decade. Eleni was doing a bit of the company paperwork with Cessil doing most of the general day-to-day running. After the accident Eleni and Cessil’s son Kevin left his job and drove Cessil’s truck in order to keep up with the Baiada workload. Craig, a diesel mechanic by trade, kept his job at a local Tamworth workshop and spent his mornings and nights working for the family business before joining Lenssec fulltime 12 months later. Battling on Eleni is extremely down to earth and openly admits the choice to dig in and keep the company going after the accident. "It had nothing to do with passion," Eleni states. "It had to do with your debt. You would either throw your hands in the air and sell the equipment and still owe money or you had to keep fighting." Working with siblings isn’t always the smoothest ride and Kevin eventually moved on to another project and it was Eleni and Craig that moved Lenssec forward. The Iveco was eventually sold off and replaced with the first of what would be three Western Stars to grace the Lenssec fleet. Starting with a 2008 Constellation 4800, there would be another in 2010 and again in 2014. As 2016 rolled around and Craig was looking to upgrade the older of the Stars, finances and the price of the Aussie dollar meant the idea of a new Kenworth became a distinct possibility. "You know what it’s like," quips Craig with a smile. "Kenworth’s a Kenworth, it’s the pinnacle." Though Kenworth’s can sell themselves, the deciding factor for Craig and Eleni to switch from their trusty Stars came down to salesman Alex Milne at Brown & Hurley Tamworth. "That’s what pushed me into Kenworth; the customer service from Alex was amazing. He’d bend over backwards for you". Craig admits the lure of the big bonnet 90 series was definitely calling he knew they wouldn’t be the right fit for Lenssec’s needs. A flick through the brochures and Craig fell in love with the SAR. "The SAR, it’s got to be that, that old school look" … and so it was. The wow factor of Lenssec’s trucks has slowly and surely crept in thanks to Craig. He began by adding a few extras on the first Western Star, a bit more on the next and even more on the next. When the first SAR was ordered, salesman Alex Milne would have used up all the ink in the first pen ticking all the boxes. Eleni and Craig both laugh as he recalls getting Alex to hide half the bling in the final bill of the 2018 SAR. It’s not just the looks though. Both SARs sport 50ft bunks with all the mod cons inside including stand-up fridges and sleeper air. While the trucks currently only run Tamworth to Sydney, Eleni wants them to be set up for the drivers should they need to be away for a longer period of time. Having the right ‘baskets’ to do the job is only a small part of the puzzle these days, having the right people to steer and look after those ‘baskets’ is a more important piece. "It’s not a job for everyone," Eleni admits, referring to the multi pick-up side of things as well as the hand loading and unloading. Both Eleni and Craig express their appreciation for the drivers they’ve had in the past, and give full credit to the two boys Aaron ‘Jonno’ Johnson and Neil ‘Fitzy’ Fitzsimmons that drive the SARs now. Both guys do an exceptional job looking after the delicate loads through good driving and looking after their stunning rides through meticulous care and attention. So with three decades of service to Baiada under their belt, the Lenssec team just keep getting better. They’ve put all their eggs in a couple of stunning SAR ‘baskets’ and with a close eye kept on them, the shine will continue. It’s ‘eggs-ceptional’ work all round! .

Owner-Driver / March 11, 2019 Nick Radford laughed surprisingly after he picked up the phone in February when told his 1990 Mack Valueliner had been voted the Owner//Driver Tranzmile Truck of the Year for 2018. This was the inaugural running of the Tranzmile-sponsored award, and the other 11 contenders of various makes and models were of a much more recent vintage. However, Nick was even more impressed when I arrived at his Radford Pastoral property at Penola in South Australia a few days later with the shiny 7kg trophy. "Surprised? Very much actually," Nick said on receiving the trophy. "It’s good that the public liked the truck, the old girl." Voting for the Owner//Driver Tranzmile Truck of the Year took place on the publication’s website at www.ownerdriver.com.au, beginning on December 1, 2018 and closing on January 17 this year. Nick had originally bought the Valueliner to be done up and taken to truck shows. But a surge in work around the farm at Penola brought the old Mack out of semi-retirement. "It became an everyday truck, and it was out on the road with a water tanker and single side tipper," he says. "It’s a little bit gravel-rashed since we’ve done it up, a few stone chips or whatever, but it’s still in good order and condition." As told in the article which appeared in Owner//Driver’s February 2018 edition, Nick has had diesel in his veins from a young age. Especially Mack trucks. "I was 13 when that was built," he says, pointing to the Value-Liner. "Dad had one; that was fond memories for me going with dad and the drivers in those era trucks. "Now there’s a whole new generation of young fellas that weren’t even around when those trucks were made. "Those trucks were dead and gone, and they’re interested in them. "They’re loud, they use heaps of fuel, sound good, look good, so there’s a bit of a following with the old trucks." The Value-Liner’s refurbishment meant swapping the original 12-speed ’box with an 18-speed Roadranger. "The old 12-speeds, not that they’re hard to drive, but they’re a different ’box if you’re not really trained up on them." As well as the Valueliner, Nick has an ’81 Super-Liner stored I the shed, plus four Kenworth working trucks, three of which – a T904 and two T908s – he took to the Koroit Truck Show earlier this year. The Value-Liner, the old Super-Liner plus a Mack Southern Cross which is currently under restoration and his father’s W Model, made the trip to Kyabram for the biennial Mack Muster three years ago. But attending truck shows is time consuming, especially when you have a large property to look after. Nick, however, has the Mack Muster at Gatton in south-east Queensland during September marked tentatively on his calendar. The event will coincide with the celebration of 100 years of Mack trucks in Australia. "That would be really good," he says. "I’d like to get there." Hopefully, if the Mack Valueliner does make the trip, the Owner//Driver Tranzmile Truck of the Year trophy will be hitching a ride in the passenger seat. .

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VIC transport operation reports breakthrough efficiencies with PBS B-quad combination Prime Mover Magazine / March 15, 2019 After utilising Performance-Based Standards (PBS) to last year gain approval to operate B-quads in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, vegetable grower Rocky Lamattina & Sons is reaping the rewards of this ultra-efficient combination. “We obviously went into this expecting a good outcome in terms of enhanced operational efficiencies compared to the B-triples we’d been using, but the B-quad has well and truly exceeded our expectations, making all the hard work to get it over the line well worth it,” said Angello Lamattina, Director of Rocky Lamattina & Sons. “I’d like to acknowledge the efforts of everyone involved with making this happen, including the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR), for their vision and foresight in enabling us to get this highly efficient combination up and running.” In describing the situation, Lamattina suggested that while the benefits of a B-triple over a B-double are reasonable, moving to the B-quad has enabled the company to reach a critical mass in that it now has the means to haul virtually the equivalent of two B-double loads with vastly reduced running costs compared to operating two individual B-doubles. “With our haulage work from Victoria to Queensland we couldn’t get enough weight on the B-doubles so we got permits to run B-triples which gave us an extra 15 to 20 tonnes of payload,” said Lamattina. “However, the extra weight meant we had to use a different route which adds 150 kilometres to the leg and somewhat negates the benefit of running a B-triple compared with a B-double. “The B-quad allows us an extra 30 to 35 tonnes of payload over a standard B-double which more than justifies the extra 150km added to the loaded leg due to the different route.” Lamattina clarified that because the B-quad travels one way fully loaded with bins of carrots at a gross combination mass (GCM) of close to 104.5 tonnes and returns with just the weight of the empty bins, the company has been able to secure different permits for each leg, enabling a shorter journey on the unladen leg. At this point he mentioned that the only change needed with the prime movers to make them suitable to pull the B-quad was the diff ratio. “We run the 4.11 ratio on our B-doubles, 4.33 for the B-triples and 4.56 on the B-quad,” he said. “We initially trialled the 4.33 ratio with the B-quad but we found running the 4.56 ratio gave us a higher average speed which meant a 15 to 30 minute better trip time, depending on the distance.” The B-quad has an overall length of 36.5 metres, the same as a road-train, but Lamattina points out that there is actually more useable load space due to the close coupled nature of the trailers compared to road train combinations connected with dollies. Using Kenworth K200 cab-over prime movers also helps in this regard as opposed to the typical conventional (bonneted) road-train prime mover which adds an extra couple of metres at the front. A further benefit of the close coupled B-quad over a conventional road train is the superior aerodynamics which undoubtedly enhances fuel economy. In this regard Lamattina said the results have met his expectations. “We are allowed to travel at 100km/h in Victoria and Queensland and 90km/h in New South Wales, but we’ve found it’s best to keep it under 95km/h regardless, otherwise the fuel burn rate increases significantly,” he said. “Pulling the B-quad on a return trip loaded one way we’re averaging 1.5km/l (4.24mpg) which I think is quite a respectable result.” Another bonus of the B-quad, according to Lamattina, is better than expected tyre life. He said this is due to the average axle weights being lower than that of a B-double, adding that this also contributes to excellent braking characteristics and overall good road manners and stability of the combination. Furthermore, it imposes less point loading on infrastructure like roads and bridges which can only be a good thing. With the B-quad concept having proven a huge success, Lamattina is in the process of securing more trailers through Southern Cross Trailers in Adelaide to make up additional combinations. He said the goal is to have four sets running between Victoria and Queensland with a further two operating in Victoria. “All the benefits this combination provides including less fuel used, less tyre wear and road damage, and less trucks on the road all add to an outcome that is a win-win for us, the environment and the wider community,” he said. .

Prime Mover Magazine / March 13, 2019 Governments according to the National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) should consider granting general access to heavy vehicles with widths of 2550mm and 2600mm in the case of refrigerated vehicles. The current maximum width of 2500mm costs manufacturers up to $15-30 million a year to redesign their vehicles, a reduction of between 50 to 100mm than heavy vehicles in other major markets said NatRoad. These restrictions further discourage uptake of the safer, cleaner model commercial vehicles available at a time when the industry is desperate to reduce the average age of the national heavy vehicle fleet. Work on the repercussions of making the changes advanced by NatRoad and others is being currently conducted by Austroads. In a statement on its website, NatRoad acknowledged that under section 8 Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulation heavy vehicles were permitted to be 2550mm wide when taking into account load restraint. “NatRoad believes that the arguments against the move to greater width flies in the face of available evidence,” the organisation said. “The arguments are that potential safety risks will arise because of reduced separation between vehicles and vulnerable road users such as cyclists. But the evidence shows that with greater width the capacity to install side underrun protection increases.” “These devices protect road users such as pedestrians and cyclists from slipping sideways under the wheels of trucks and trailers and may also improve the aerodynamic performance of heavy vehicles.” The assessment, according to NatRoad, of on-road performance for different heavy vehicles shows additionally that the PBS variant of each particular heavy vehicle generally performs better in safety and efficiency terms than the corresponding vehicle subject to prescriptive standards. For NatRoad the disappointing part of the work being undertaken is that it excludes assessing potential changes to vehicle mass. It currently supported greater maximum steer axle loads or at least further research on the effects of taking that step when heavy vehicles use certain tyre types. “The review of the Heavy Vehicle National Law which is now underway should mean that all of the basic building blocks of the current law, particularly about vehicle dimensions, should be under scrutiny,” NatRoad said. “A move to 2550mm maximum width should be embraced as part of the review if not sooner.”

VW, Winterkorn sued by SEC for 'fraud' over diesel emissions Reuters / March 15, 2019 WASHINGTON -- The Securities and Exchange Commission sued Volkswagen Group and its former CEO Martin Winterkorn over the automaker's diesel-emissions scandal, accusing the company of perpetrating a "massive fraud" on U.S. investors. The SEC said in its civil complaint filed in San Francisco on Thursday that from April 2014 to May 2015, VW issued more than $13 billion in bonds and asset-backed securities in U.S. markets at a time when senior executives knew that more than 500,000 U.S. diesel vehicles grossly exceeded legal vehicle emissions limits. VW "reaped hundreds of millions of dollars in benefit by issuing the securities at more attractive rates for the company," the SEC said, adding VW "repeatedly lied to and misled U.S. investors, consumers, and regulators as part of an illegal scheme to sell its purportedly 'clean diesel' cars and billions of dollars of corporate bonds and other securities in the United States." The suit seeks to bar Winterkorn from serving as an officer or director of a public U.S. company and recover "ill-gotten gains" along with civil penalties and interest. Winterkorn, who resigned days after the scandal became public in September 2015, was charged by U.S. prosecutors in 2018 and accused of conspiring to cover up the automaker's diesel-emissions cheating. He remains in Germany. VW said in a statement the SEC complaint "is legally and factually flawed, and the company will contest it vigorously. The SEC has brought an unprecedented complaint over securities sold only to sophisticated investors who were not harmed and received all payments of interest and principal in full and on time." The automaker added that the SEC "does not charge that any person involved in the bond issuance knew that Volkswagen diesel vehicles did not comply with U.S. emissions rules when these securities were sold" but repeats claims about Winterkorn "who played no part in the sales." A lawyer for Winterkorn could not immediately be reached early on Friday. VW has agreed to pay more than $25 billion in the U.S. in connection with the three-and-a-half-year-old scandal, paying claims from owners, environmental regulators, states and dealers, and has offered to buy back about 500,000 polluting U.S. vehicles. That figure included $4.3 billion in U.S. criminal and civil fines. But the SEC said VW "has never repaid the hundreds of millions of dollars in benefit it fraudulently obtained." VW admitted in September 2015 to secretly installing software in 500,000 U.S. vehicles to cheat government exhaust emissions tests and pleaded guilty in 2017 to felony charges. In total, 13 people have been charged in the U.S., including Winterkorn and four Audi managers. The SEC action also names VW arm VW Credit and Volkswagen Group of America Finance, the entity used to sell the securities.

Ford targets 5,000 job cuts in Germany Reuters / March 15, 2019 HAMBURG -- Ford Motor Co. plans to cut more than 5,000 jobs in Germany and will reduce its workforce in Britain as well as it seeks to return to profit in Europe, the company said on Friday. Ford has offered voluntary redundancy programs for employees in Germany and Britain, it said in a statement. The offers are part of a turnaround plan announced in January that would involve thousands of job cuts, looking at plant closures and discontinuing unprofitable vehicle lines. "Through these programs and other initiatives, Ford of Germany expects to reduce its headcount in excess of 5,000 jobs, including temporary staff," the company said. The total number of positions affected in Britain is still to be determined, it added. Ford also announced it would streamline its lineup by "improving or exiting less profitable vehicle lines". Ford Europe has been losing money for years and pressure to restructure its operations has increased since General Motors raised profits by selling its European Opel and Vauxhall brands to France's Peugeot. Ford's turnaround plan is aimed at achieving a 6 percent operating margin in Europe. Ford said in January that it would consult with unions on changes to create a sustainable, profitable business in Europe. Ford builds a large proportion of its light vehicles for Europe in high-wage Germany at plants in Cologne and Saarlouis. The automaker is expected to end production of the C-Max compact minivan in Saarlouis as it focuses on profitable crossovers and commercial vehicles. Ford is struggling with an aging model lineup and a contracting market in the U.K., its biggest in Europe, which is in store for further disruption from Brexit.

Ford CEO Jim Hackett received $17.75 million in 2018 Michael Martinez, Automotive News / March 15, 2019 DETROIT — Jim Hackett received $17.75million in total compensation during his first full calendar year as CEO of Ford Motor Co., the automaker said Friday. Compensation for two other top executives dropped by more than half last year as the company fell short of some performance targets and paid lower incentive-based bonuses. Ford hit 100 percent of its 2017 performance targets but only 72 percent last year. Hackett's compensation, disclosed in a regulatory filing, included a base salary of $1.8 million, stock awards of $12.7 million and $2.6 million in bonuses and incentives. It's an increase from $16.7 million Hackett earned in 2017. Ford CFO Bob Shanks was the only other executive among the five highest-paid employees to receive an increase in 2018. He earned $8.42 million, up from $6.7 million in 2017. Compensation for Executive Chairman Bill Ford fell to $13.84 million from $15.6 million in 2017. Jim Farley, Ford's president of global markets, received $5.86 million, down from $13.47 million the year before. Joe Hinrichs, Ford's president of global operations, made $5.82 million, down from $12.1 million.

Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT) / March 14, 2019 International Truck has added Powertrain Packages to the LT Series MPG Fuel Efficiency Packages, designed to maximize fuel efficiency. Powertrain Packages are now available for the International A26 and Cummins X15 engines in direct-drive and overdrive offerings. The MPG Fuel Efficiency Powertrain Packages combine efficient engines with the lightweight Eaton Endurant transmission, predictive cruise control, high-efficiency rear axles, and rear axle ratios as low as 2.15 for improved fuel economy. “Improving fuel efficiency is a major opportunity for a fleet to reduce its total cost of ownership,” said Jim Nachtman, director, heavy-duty, marketing, Navistar. “We took a holistic approach when developing the MPG Powertrain Packages – from the engine and transmission, to the rear axles and lubricants – to easily maximize fuel efficiency.” The MPG Fuel Efficiency Packages will soon include a second aerodynamic option available for the International LT Series day cab, 56-inch hi-rise and 73-inch hi-rise/sky-rise cab models, which will be available for order this spring. The new highest-efficiency spec incorporates proprietary and supplier-provided enhancements included in the first Aerodynamic Package, as well as predictive cruise control and aerodynamic drive wheel fairings. .

Good point Bob. As said, the European IPO market is decent right now, so their excuse is a smoke screen for another reason. It is said the Chrysler- Daimler merger failed because the company cultures were so far apart. I wouldn’t disagree. I don’t see a Ford - Volkswagen cooperation being any different. They’ll never admit it, but both parties have reason to be a bit desperate. And desperation breeds friends of convenience.

Volkswagen Pulls Truck Unit IPO in Setback to CEO's Revamp Bloomberg / March 13, 2019 After a poor start to 2019, the European IPO market doesn’t look that bad. It’s more likely that the German giant couldn’t get the value it wanted. Volkswagen AG canceled plans to sell a share of its Traton SE division due to weak market conditions, dealing a setback to the automaker’s plan to generate fresh funds for the heavy-truck unit’s expansion outside Europe. “We regret that we have to refrain from a stock listing of Traton SE,” Chief Financial Officer Frank Witter said Wednesday. “The management board continues to aim for a stock listing in a better market environment.” VW decided to delay after a difficult start to the new year for the global automotive industry. In Europe, Traton’s biggest market, the economy is forecast to grow this year at the slowest rate since 2013. Activity has declined in part due to uncertainty surrounding the U.K.’s departure from the European Union and U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to increase tariffs on European-made cars. Carmakers including VW are also suffering in China, the world’s biggest auto market and the top region for the company’s sales. A slowdown there has worsened in the first two months of the year, and VW this week said that its growth forecast for the year would depend on improvements in the second half. The truck unit decision was disappointing, said Arndt Ellinghorst, an Evercore analyst. The announcement came a day after the VW Chief Executive Officer Herbert Diess and Witter, the CFO, updated investors on the company’s strategy. “VW certainly takes it responsibility to maximize shareholder value seriously, which we think has been the rationale behind pulling the IPO on current valuations,” Ellinghorst said. VW on Monday said a listing, valued at as much as 30 billion euros ($34 billion), would be “highly desirable,” while warning of volatile markets and economic uncertainty. The planned minority share sale would have been the biggest in Europe this year. The IPO, which has been in the works for more than two years, is VW’s most tangible effort thus far to become less centralized and boost efficiency as part of a strategy overhaul through 2025. Gaining fresh funds would help Traton challenge global leaders Daimler AG and Volvo AB in markets outside Europe. The decision is a setback for Diess, who’s under pressure to keep up the pace on a revamp to ready the world’s biggest carmaker for the industry’s transformation to electric cars. VW seeks to gain speed and lower costs to deliver on a plan for 70 electric models by 2028 and keep up profitability.

Quebec’s TM4 part of drive toward electric vehicles Steve Bouchard, Today’s Trucking / March 8, 2019 BOUCHERVILLE, Quebec — In a facility that appears more laboratory than assembly line, a Quebec-based company is looking to play a leading role in the future of electric vehicles. Boucherville’s TM4 – a former division of Hydro Quebec – once focused on the idea of developing electric motors for automotive wheel ends. These days, though, the focus is on developing electric motors, inverters, and electric propulsion control systems for ever-larger commercial vehicles. It also has a global partner in the work. Last summer, Dana secured a majority interest in the business. Hydro-Québec still retains a 45% share, and keeps the engineering expertise in Boucherville. This is more than a research lab alone. The facilities could also produce 5,000 electric motors and related electronics per year. And it’s where TM4 is developing prototypes of engines to run on fuel cells, as well as electric motors for passenger vehicles. A global presence The first commercial customer was Novabus, and TM4 has since secured work with start-up Thor Trucks and Quebec-based Lion. “We have a factory in China that produces about 8,000 TM4 SUMO [medium-duty and heavy-duty] motors a year. If we have a big order, that’s where we produce them. The market is very strong in China, so it is important to be there to benefit from economies of scale,” says Eric Azeroual, vice-president – sales and marketing. The 12,000 Sumo motors produced to date have traveled a collective 550 million km in commercial service. The work has hardly come to an end. During a visit to the Boucherville facility, we saw a new generator, developed in collaboration with Cummins. It will power a hybrid plug-in bus as part of a pilot project with the Transportation Society of Laval. Using the on-vehicle generator to charge the all-important batteries, this could open up the option of using electricity in an urban center but a combustion engine on the open road. The TM4 SUMO motor is available in different power ratings, but is largely designed for direct drive applications – replacing an internal combustion engine and transmission. The current focus is on medium-duty trucks, but there are plans to apply the technologies to heavy trucks as well. The TM4 SUMO has a power output of 350 kW, about 470 hp, and delivers 1,991 to 2,591 lb-ft of torque. It weighs 760 lb. A question of application The electric motor and its control system costs less than a diesel engine and transmission, but the price of the required batteries continues to be a barrier. The more range is required, after all, the higher the price of the truck. “We have to size the battery according to customer needs,” says Olivier Bernatchez, sales manager – commercial vehicles. “If we put enough batteries to drive 500 km, but in the end the vehicle only travels 250 km, we carry unnecessarily weight that is very expensive.” Says Azeroual: ” The time is over when we bought a big diesel engine and a big transmission in case we went into the mountains once a year. That’s what’s interesting for us with trucking. Fleets are used to making choices based on their needs, and they are able to calculate their return on investment on a given route.” Beginning in 2021, the business expects to go to market with electric axles used to support Class 8 vehicles. It’s interesting, he says. “The axle manufacturers will become engine manufacturers.” .

Volkswagen pauses plans of taking truck unit public Jason Cannon, Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / March 13, 2019 Just shy of one year ago, then-Volkswagen Truck & Bus announced a name change to Traton Group – a move that was largely seen as a precursor for the company becoming a publicly traded entity independent of its Volkswagen parent. Citing economic conditions, Volkswagen says it will now put such a move on the back burner. “In the current market environment, Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft [Wednesday] decided not to continue with the preparation of an IPO of TRATON SE for the time being,” the company said via release. “The Board of Management is still aiming for an IPO of the TRATON SE once market conditions improve.” Traton is the umbrella company for MAN, Scania, Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus and RIO and owns a nearly 17 percent stake in Navistar, parent company of International Trucks. While the global automotive market is off to a slow start, the U.S. truck market is fresh off a record 2018. Many OEM build slots are booked solid for 2019 with limited sales slots open for the remainder of the year. That has suppressed order intake this year, a trend that is likely to slog along until boards start opening up again in 2020. Class 8 orders for the past 12 months have totaled 429,000 units.

Trailer-Body Builders / March 12, 2019 Dana Inc. has taken an equity position as a lead investor as part of a strategic partnership with Hyliion Inc., the companies report. Founded in 2015, Hyliion develops electric-hybrid architectures for Class 8 vehicles that can be installed on new trucks or retrofitted on existing models. The Hyliion 6X4HE system features machine learning algorithms and battery technology to optimize fuel savings and vehicle performance for reduced emissions. Under the agreement, Dana has becomes Hyliion’s source for traditional driveline components, as well as fully integrated e-Axles – which include motors, inverters, controls, gearboxes, and thermal-management technologies. In addition, Mark Wallace, president of Dana Commercial Vehicle Driveline Technologies, will become a member of Hyliion’s board of directors. “Together with Hyliion, we have a unique opportunity to develop long-haul solutions that revolutionize power conveyance and support fleets in meeting their efficiency goals, while simultaneously advancing decarbonization efforts,” said Wallace. “Dana’s wealth of knowledge and extensive strategic experience in the commercial-vehicle market creates a dynamic combination for our Class 8 hybrid platform,” said Thomas Healy, CEO of Hyliion. “We are excited to be joining forces to offer a go-to-market solution for fleets seeking e-propulsion technologies available today in the Class 8 segment.” Related reading - https://www.hyliion.com/6x4he-solution/ .

FCA to recall 862,520 vehicles that don't meet U.S. emissions standards David Shepardson, Reuters / March 13, 2019 Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV will recall 862,520 gasoline-powered vehicles in the United States that do not meet emissions standards, the EPA said on Wednesday. The recall was prompted by in-use emissions investigations conducted by the EPA and testing conducted by Fiat Chrysler as required by EPA regulations, the agency said. The EPA said it will continue to investigate other Fiat Chrysler vehicles that are potentially non-compliant and may become the subject of future recalls. “EPA welcomes the action by Fiat Chrysler to voluntarily recall its vehicles that do not meet U.S. emissions standards,” EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said in a statement. “We will provide assistance to consumers navigating the recall and continue to ensure that auto manufacturers abide by our nation’s laws designed to protect human health and the environment.” The recall includes the 2011-2016 Dodge Journeys, 2011-2014 Chrysler 200s and Dodge Avengers and 2011-2012 Dodge Calibers. FCA said another 103,221 vehicles are being recalled in Canada for the same reason. Not a safety issue Fiat Chrysler said in a statement the EPA announcement "has no safety implications. Nor are there any associated fines." "The issue was discovered by FCA during routine in-use emissions testing and reported to the agency," the company said. "We began contacting affected customers last month to advise them of the needed repairs, which will be provided at no charge." The EPA said vehicle owners "will receive notification from FCA when parts are available for them to bring their vehicle in to be repaired. In the meantime, owners can continue to drive their vehicles." "Due to the large number of vehicles involved and the need to supply replacement components -- specifically to the vehicle’s catalytic converter -- this recall will be implemented in phases during the 2019 calendar year beginning with the oldest vehicles first," the EPA said in its statement. In January, Fiat Chrysler agreed to a settlement worth about $800 million to resolve claims by the U.S. Justice Department and state of California that it used illegal software to produce false results on diesel-emissions tests. It is awaiting the outcome of a criminal probe. The hefty penalty was the latest fallout from the U.S. government's stepped-up enforcement of vehicle emissions rules after Volkswagen Group admitted in September 2015 to intentionally evading emissions rules.

Bill Ford: We 'fit together' with VW Bloomberg / March 13, 2019 Ford Motor Co. and Volkswagen AG, which have been in talks to team up on electric and autonomous vehicles, make for good partners because both recognize the extent of the challenges ahead, according to Bill Ford, executive chairman of the U.S. automaker. "We fit together geographically really well, product line-wise, we fit together well," Bill Ford, the great-grandson of founder Henry Ford, said Tuesday at the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston. "We both came to the same realization that as big as our balance sheets are, no company can do this alone." Talks between Ford and VW are still at an early stage, Ford said, but there's been promising progress made in building on the partnership the two companies solidified in January to jointly produce commercial vehicles. The U.S. and German automakers have established a framework for VW to invest in Ford's autonomous vehicle partner Argo AI, people familiar with the negotiations have said. The companies also are considering joining forces on electric cars. "We're really in the early days of exploring what the possibilities could be," Ford said. "We have some clear ideas of where we want to go with it and they do, too." VW CEO Herbert Diess said separately Tuesday that his company is in " very good talks" with Ford on expanding their commercial-vehicle collaboration to include autonomous vehicles. Ford also is considering using VW's electric-car platform, dubbed MEB, in Europe and China, Diess said. "The supertanker is picking up speed," Diess said in a speech at VW's annual earnings press conference. "We are aligning Volkswagen with e-mobility like no other company in our industry." Such a deal could help position Ford for a future where electric and self-driving cars will help address problems including urban congestion and pollution, Bill Ford said. He said he's attempting to reposition the 115-year-old company for the dramatic changes that are coming, which could include selling fewer cars and developing new forms of mobility such as electric scooters. "I'd like Ford to be around another 100 years, and if that's going to happen, it's clear that we really have to branch off into new directions to try to solve some of these problems," Ford said. "It's hard because our current business model is providing all the earnings and cash flow that fund a lot of this change. So we have to do both really well. If we don't make great cars and trucks today that people want, guess what? There is no tomorrow."

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UAW VP blasts GM for using temps, increasing Mexico production Michael Wayland, Automotive News / March 12, 2019 DETROIT — The UAW is ready to "fight" General Motors during collective bargaining negotiations this summer, according to UAW Vice President Terry Dittes. Dittes used a speech Tuesday to UAW delegates to heavily criticize GM for its use of thousands of temporary workers, increasing production in Mexico and the potential closure of four U.S. plants by January 2020, among other union issues. "Brothers and sisters, you can see what we're up against as we open negotiations this coming summer," he said during the UAW's 2019 Special Bargaining Convention. "But I can tell you, we are ready for the fight and I know you're ready for the fight and I know our members are ready for the fight." Dittes, who oversees the union's GM Department, said there are "more plants that may be in jeopardy as time goes on." He did not provide specifics. A GM spokeswoman, in response to Dittes' comments, said the company continuously looks at its "global operations for greater efficiency and capacity utilization." She reiterated GM remains "committed to maintaining a strong manufacturing presence in the U.S," including more than $22 billion investments in domestic operations since 2009. Dittes, a first-term vice president, particularly took aim at GM being the largest automaker in the U.S., but with fewer union members in the U.S. than Ford Motor Co. and, potentially, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in the near future. He also noted the company's increasing production in Mexico. GM last year became Mexico's largest auto producer, topping Nissan Motor Co. in a year when it reduced output by an estimated 5 percent in the U.S. and an estimated 33 percent in Canada, according to the Automotive News Data Center. Automakers routinely use temporary workers to assist during launches, heavy times of vacation and other short-term work. The UAW has argued companies overuse and misuse temp workers who do not receive the same benefits as company employees doing the same job. Dittes' comments come weeks after the UAW filed a lawsuit in federal court that accuses GM of breaching its 2015 collective bargaining agreement with the union. FCA expansion Dittes' speech, which drew a standing ovation, was in contrast to one earlier in the day from UAW-FCA Vice President Cindy Estrada, who previously led the GM division. Estrada, who drew several cheers, discussed FCA's investments under the current four-year contract exceeding expectations, increase in union employment and upward of $100,000 in additional income over the last four years for members. Estrada also noted additional oversight and efforts to fight against the company "pencil whipping." "We can negotiate all these great things, but we need to make sure they are implementing them on the shop floor," she said. UAW-Ford Vice President Rory Gamble and UAW President Gary Jones are scheduled to speak Wednesday at the convention, which sets bargaining priorities for the negotiations with the Detroit automakers. Contract deadline This year's contract negotiations are expected to be the most contentious in years, as automakers look to cut costs ahead of a potential downturn and the union pushes for higher wages and benefits to recover past concessions. Jones on Monday said the UAW boosted its weekly strike pay by $50 and will raise it an additional $25 in January to better support members if such action is deemed necessary. The pay UAW members receive if on strike is now $250, up from $200. It will reach $275 in January. Striking members would also receive continuing health care coverage, according to Jones. The current contracts between the UAW and Detroit automakers end Sept. 14, but it's common for that deadline to be extended.

Boeing is having a really bad day. Now Senators Mitt Romney, Richard Blumenthal and Dianne Feinstein are calling for all 737 MAX 8 aircraft to be grounded until what is obviously a problem has been identified and corrected. If this was a US military aircraft, the subject aircraft type would have all been grounded already. Why not a civilian aircraft? Answer - Because too much money is at stake.....the wealthy aristocracy that profits from airline investment will lobby against it.

Transport Engineer / March 11, 2019 Cornwall-based Combellack Vehicle Recyclers has taken delivery of two 26-tonne Volvo FM car transporters – the first in the UK to be fitted with fully galvanised eight-car salvage bodywork, by Belle Trailers. Supplied by dealer Stuarts Truck and Bus, both FM-420 6x2 rear-steer lift axle chassis are powered by D13K Euro VI engines rated at 415bhp and drive through I-Shift 12-speed automated transmissions. Inside the Sleeper cabs, Combellack specified full leather trims, refrigerators and Volvo sat-nav/audio packages, along with heated and cooled drivers’ seats. The twin-deck transporters’ specification also includes winches, solid decking and snatch blocks. “The new Volvo FMs are definitely the right truck for our operations and came in at the right price,” says Darren Combellack, general manager at the family-owned business. “Our drivers were involved in the specification process and they’ve been able to personalise the vehicles. The FMs are quiet and comfortable, with good pulling power for the many hills in Cornwall and Devon,” he adds. “The drivers also love the cooled seats, and both vehicles are regularly returning around 9mpg.” Both vehicles are supplied on a seven-year Volvo Gold repair & maintenance contract. .