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Bob, there is one aspect that nobody here or on the BON (Blue Oval News) site has brought up. Ford is promising 16 new electric vehicles within three years, and they surely will be cars, pickups and SUVs. Meanwhile, almost all the light, medium and heavy truckmakers around the world are planning electric versions of their trucks. However does anyone honestly believe that Ford is planning (investing in) an electric F-650/F-750? The current diesel trucks are the last generation. The next generation will by electric, plug-in, micro-turbine or fuel cell powered. For the low mileage customer who chooses the 7.3L gasoline option, an electric F-650/F-750 with acceptable range would be even better in that operating situation. The 2021 Ford mediums are only faintly rehashed versions of the same old truck. Minimal investment. And the 2021 design is supposed to soldier on for how many more years after that? By 2021, the Ford mediums will be beginning to look like dinosaurs, versus the other latest product on the market. The 2021 Ford mediums might prove to be the last.

New Zealand Trucking / March 2019 Richard Thomas from Dynes Transport was manning the Omarama ‘pump truck’, pumping milk over into other Dynes Transport and Temuka Transport trucks when Craig Andrews caught up with him just north of the small Mackenzie Country town. Richard was born in Tapanui where he spent a fair chunk of his life painting and decorating for a living. He and his wife Karen moved to Australia in 2002 but moved back to New Zealand in May last year. Richard starting truck driving about 11 years ago in Australia, most of it on road trains, and mainly Kenworth and Mack. He took up a position with Dynes in September last year to help carry milk. The pump truck is a 2011 T408 Kenworth with more than 1.7 million kilometres on it now. “She’s a bit of a rough riding thing,” says Richard. But every day there is something different to see for Richard and he enjoys the scenery that this part of the world offers him. “Plenty of fresh air and sunshine.” He struggles to find a negative but believes some of our infrastructure could be better, saying it’s not that user-friendly sometimes. Once his day was finished in Omarama, he then took a load of milk back to Clandeboye. .

Isuzu Trucks Australia / March 4, 2019 . .

Prime Mover Magazine / March 5, 2019 Bulk liquid logistics company, McColl's Transport, has invested in two new ProStar Sleeper Cab prime movers, bolstering a 220-strong fleet of company-owned trucks. McColl's Transport General Manager – Fleet, John Hovey, told commercial vehicle manufacturer, Iveco Australia, that he sees similar DNA in the International S-Line and ProStar models. He explained that McColl's had invested in International S-Line trucks during the 1980s and 1990s. “The S-line was just a great fleet truck – it was a world beater,” said Hovey. “It had the right specification for the job and provided outstanding longevity, I see similar fundamentals in the ProStar, although it is a much classier truck than the S-Line ever was.” Last year, Hovey was convinced by his local International Dealer, Adtrans Trucks, to trial a ProStar with the promise that he would not be disappointed. “We took one for a few months and found that it did all the right things and the driver acceptance was very positive – it was also returning quite respectable fuel consumption figures of around 1.9 kilometres per litre,” said Hovey. The two new ProStars are reportedly undertaking linehaul B-Double tanker work along the eastern seaboard as well as to Adelaide. Both trucks feature the Cummins X15 engine rated at 550hp (410kW) and 1850 Lb Ft (2,508 Nm) which are coupled to Eaton 18-speed manual transmissions. “Another aspect that appealed to us about the ProStar was its proven driveline,” said Hovey. “We have other North American trucks on our fleet with the Cummins and Eaton combination and these drivelines perform very well.” According to Iveco Australia, McColl's Transport drivers and equipment can clock up some high kilometres each year, meaning that vehicles can be replaced in as little as three or four years, or when they reach the million kilometre mark. It also means that linehaul drivers regularly sleep in their trucks. To accommodate this extended time on the road, the ProStar sleeper cabin features a 2,250 mm wide sleeper and full height standing cab with storage areas. “Our drivers sometimes live on the road so it’s important they have a comfortable space to get restful sleep,” said Hovey. “And there’s certainly been no complaints from our drivers about the ProStar’s cabin appointments and comfort levels.” The two ProStars are part of a fleet expansion program; McColl's Transport also turns over an additional 30 to 40 prime movers a year as part of its fleet renewal process. .

Defense Blog / March 6, 2019 The defense arm of Oshkosh Corp. has received a U.S. Army order for recapitalized Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks (HEMTT), in a deal worth more than $23 million. The contract, from U.S. Army Contracting Command and announced on Tuesday, provides for process upgrades of HEMTT vehicles to the latest configuration with the same high performance and life cycle cost advantage of a new vehicle. Through recapitalization, vehicles come off the line in zero-mile, zero-hour condition. According to a statement, work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2020. The HEMTT is extremely durable and it has the power to traverse even the most treacherous environments and the capacity to carry supplies, equipment or ammunition wherever it needs to support mission success. The key mission of the HEMTT is to offer heavy transport capabilities for resupply of combat vehicles and weapon systems. The huge payload capacity and off-road capabilities make it a key logistics player. The HEMTT has been in the Army’s fleet since 1981, and Oshkosh has been performing recapitalization services on these vehicles since 1995. .

Commercial Motor / March 4, 2019 Devonshire haulier WG Underhill explains why a V8 is best for their workload. .

Ford Trucks Russia / February 22, 2019 The all-new Ford F-MAX has arrived in Russia! .

Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / March 5, 2019 Navistar, parent company of International Trucks, has been ordered by an Ohio-based jury to pay Dutch Maid Logistics, a 150-truck fleet out of Willard, Ohio, at least $1.3 million in damages relating to Navistar’s now-defunct MaxxForce engine line. A Navistar spokesperson said the company is disappointed in the ruling and that Navistar is “reviewing its options” for proceeding. Attorneys for Dutch Maid say the final settlement could reach upwards of $2 million, once payback for attorney’s fees has been calculated. The jury in Licking County, Ohio, common court awarded Dutch Maid $1.025 million in punitive damages and another $275,000 in damages for allegedly concealing MaxxForce engine defects that the company knew existed. In August 2017, after Navistar was ordered to pay more than $30 million to 400-truck fleet Milan Supply Chain Solutions, the company denied allegations that it hid known defects from customers. Then, the company said in a statement that its engines had undergone millions of miles of testing and that the company was “confident, based on this testing, that the product would perform” properly. It also said it had successfully defended similar lawsuits. Navistar in March 2016 reached a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for $7.5 million to end a criminal probe into the accusations that it misled investors about the alleged defects of the MaxxForce line. The company has since discontinued the manufacturing and sale of its MaxxForce engines and revamped its truck and engine lineup. Warrantable claims on the engines spurred billions of dollars in financial losses for the company between 2012 and 2016, though in more recent years the company has turned a profit. Navistar was the only North American engine maker to opt to pursue exhaust gas recirculation — instead of the DEF-based aftertreatment system — to meet tighter federal emissions standards that took place in 2010. However, it abandoned its EGR-only strategy in 2012 and instead introduced new engines that use exhaust aftertreatment.

Ford 2021 Medium Duty .

Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT) / March 5, 2019 Ford has provided meaningful updates for its 2021 E-450 cutaway and stripped chassis vans, as well as its F-53 and F-59 stripped chassis trucks that add a new engine choice and other upgrades, Ford has announced at the Work Truck Show in Indianapolis. The incomplete vehicles will offer available features such as the Co-Pilot360 advanced driver assisting technology, traction control, hill start assist and auto headlamps are standard. Other options include adaptive cruise control, electronic stability control, lane departure warning, Driver Alert System and auto high-beam headlamps. Ford is also offering its new Super Duty engine — a 7.3-liter V-8 that replaces a 6.8-liter V-10 — with the vehicles. Ford will offer two engine calibrations, and the vehicle platform now has a GVWR of 14,500 pounds. An updated interior features a refreshed instrument panel that includes a new cluster, steering wheel and standard AM/FM stereo radio with Bluetooth and USB ports. A new upfitter interface module provides a more seamless experience with auxiliary equipment. The F-53 and F-59, which are used for step vans, get a new steering column, instrument cluster, and electrical architecture. .

Paul Clinton, Heavy Duty Trucking / March 5, 2019 Ford's Transit full-size van will enter the 2020 model year with a heavy refresh that adds an available all-wheel-drive system, two new engine choices, and a 10-speed automatic transmission, as well as new interiors and seating options for the passenger model, Ford announced at the Work Truck Show. This update is the most significant since Ford introduced the globally-sold Transit to North America for the 2015 model year. An all-wheel drive full-size cargo van offers benefits to several fleet customers, including package delivery services that need help reaching rural addresses or need to operate in challenging weather. It would also help construction fleets on dirt or muddy job sites. Utility fleets could use the additional traction to reach powerlines or more remote addresses for telecommunications service installations. "Our 2020 Transit answers the demand in the market for a capable, all-wheel-drive full size van to help our commercial customers get the job done in challenging driving conditions," said Tiffany Chang, Transit brand manager. "In cold-weather markets where snow or slippage can slow things down, commercial fleet applications such as package delivery services, shuttle services or mobility services need reliable performance to stay in business." Government or military users could use it to reach training areas with unpaved roads or food service missions to deliver goods to people in rural areas. The passenger variant could help shuttles services that need to pick people up at ski resorts or hospital shuttles that operate in cold weather conditions. Fleets and commercial users who operate in areas of the country with inclement weather can now purchase an all-wheel-drive model that doesn't raise the load floor or seat height, according to Ray Eyles, the Transit's chief program engineer. The model will compete with the 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 4x4 as the only other all-wheel-drive van from the factory. "We integrated Transit's new all-wheel-drive system into the vehicle design early on, making this van configuration as easy to enter and exit as the standard rear-wheel-drive model," Eyles said. "This is a significant benefit for commercial drivers who are in and out of their vehicles dozens of times a day, as well as for shuttle bus passengers and families." Ford revamped the engine lineup with a new standard 3.5-liter gasoline V-6 and 2.0-liter bi-turbo inline-four diesel. The 3.5-liter V-6 will provide greater efficiency than the 3.7-liter V-6 it replaces, while the new diesel engine offers more power and torque than the outgoing 3.2-liter inline-five diesel it replaces. The carryover 3.5-liter turbocharged gasoline V-6 adds automatic stop-start. The engines deliver power though Ford's 10-speed transmission, which will improve fuel economy. Because the vans have a GVWR above 10,000 pounds, Ford isn't required to release fuel economy ratings. The Transit's chassis cab and cutaway models have also been updated so they're now rated at a maximum GVWR of 11,000 pounds from the 10,360 GVWR of the outgoing models. The Transit is also adding an array of driver-assisting features such as pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, post-collision braking, a lane keeping system, and automatic high beam headlights. The Transit XLT passenger van is equipped with Ford's Co-Pilot360, which includes these features and adds a blind spot alert with trailer coverage and cross-traffic alert. A new side sensing system joins the existing reverse sensing system as standard on XLT. The 2020 Transit is a more connected vehicle, as Ford will offer an embedded FordPass Connect modem with a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot to connect up to 10 devices. Commercial buyers can add Ford Telematics or Ford Data Services, which offer features such as live GPS tracking with order-to-delivery status, geofencing with alerts, and key performance indicators. Fuel waste reporting helps identify ways to save costs, and the telematics system suggests coaching opportunities to increase efficiency, reduce waste, and reveal concerns such as seatbelt use or speed compliance. Managers can receive maintenance notifications and vehicle health alerts. .

In a way, the Chevrolet 6500HD and Navistar CV now have a competitor in the all-new baby Class 6 segment they started. However, Ford's F-600 is a rehashed F-550.....meaning the hood still doesn't tilt. FCA really has to launch a Class 6 now (or two, 6000 and/or 6500).

Ford expands F-series lineup with first new nameplate in more than 20 years Michael Martinez, Automotive News / March 5, 2019 The F-series line of pickups is Ford Motor Co.'s undisputed golden goose. And the nest is about to get bigger. For the first time since it created the Super Duty brand of heavy-duty pickups for the 1999 model year, Ford next year is adding a nameplate to the venerable line: the F-600. The 2020 F-600 Super Duty, available in the middle of next year, will slot between the F-550 Super Duty and the F-650 medium truck. It's meant to offer commercial businesses more power in roughly the same package as the F-550. Mike Pruitt, Ford's Super Duty chief engineer, said the F-600 "hits a sweet spot" in the commercial pickup business. "It's the right size to deliver the capabilities of a Class 6 truck ... in that familiar Class 5 Super Duty package," he said. "Customers no longer have to choose between a truck that doesn't have enough payload or a truck that's too big." The F-600 will have a gross vehicle weight rating of 22,000 pounds, which is roughly equal to the F-650. Ford did not release any power or capability figures. The chassis-cab configuration will come with three engine options: a new 7.3-liter V-8 gasoline engine, the third-generation 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 diesel or a 6.2-liter V-8 gasoline engine. All come with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The 7.3-liter engine is expected to be the most powerful gasoline V-8 in its class, Ford says. The F-600 arrives as Ford freshens the rest of its Super Duty lineup for the 2020 model year. On a larger scale, the automaker is shifting 90 percent of its capital allocation to producing pickups, vans and utilities. By 2020, roughly 75 percent of its lineup will be updated or new. Other commercial updates Ford also said Tuesday that it's updating its F-650 and F-750 medium trucks for the 2021 model year. The vehicles, on sale in January 2020, will feature an updated instrument panel, a new steering column, Bluetooth functionality and multiple USB ports. Customers can pick between the new 7.3-liter gasoline engine and 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 diesel. Ford says it is the only automaker to offer a gas or diesel option on its Class 6 and 7 trucks. Ford also is freshening its E-series vans. Even after it replaced the nameplate with the Transit, Ford continued to produce cutaway and stripped-chassis E-series variants for uses such as shuttle buses, ambulances and small recreational vehicles. The E series will get a similar interior freshening as the F-650 and F-750. It will have an updated upfitter interface module for easier installation of custom equipment. Ford also will update its F-53 and F-59 stripped-chassis vehicles. Ford Press Release - https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2019/03/05/updated-ford-commercial-vehicle-lineup.html .

Scania Group Press Release / March 4, 2019 A new gas engine developed by Scania for power generation can use a completely natural, sustainable and renewable fuel source – your waste. The most cost-efficient and sustainable production comes from a mixture of gases created by the breakdown of organic matters in liquid waste, sewage sludge and food waste. With up to 90 percent reduction in C02 emissions, better air quality with less particle emissions and lower operating costs than the equivalent amount of diesel, the sustainability aspects of biogas are also important, and impressive. Increased interest in gas engines “This new gas engine is ahead of the curve. We hear more and more from our customers that they are interested in this type of engine and in renewable fuel sources. We are starting to see an increased interest in gas engines across the world, especially in Brazil and Russia,” says Hans Petersson, Global Product Manager Power Generation, Scania Engines. The Scania V8 16-litre gas engine will run on biogas for power generation purposes. It features output ranges from 320 kW for continuous operating power and can be switched between 1,500 / 1,800 r/min at 360 kW for prime power. Another step towards sustainability “This engine is another step towards meeting Scania´s sustainability goals. While customer demand for biogas engines hasn’t fully taken off yet, our customers will learn more about the benefits of this type of engine and in the meantime, we will continue to refine it; perhaps in collaboration with some key customers,” says Petersson. He believes that early adopters of the biogas engine will include customers who are looking for power generation and who have agricultural or municipal waste in their industries. As a result they will obtain “biogas for free, so they can create their own power.” Read more about the new gas engine at scania.com/mee .

Facing lawsuit, New England Motor Freight agrees to increase severance package for employees Jon Harris, The Morning Call / March 4, 2019 New England Motor Freight, the less-than-truckload carrier that abruptly filed for bankruptcy and began shuttering its terminals last month, has agreed to boost the severance package for its full-time employees. The package for 2,500 workers, approved Friday, provides up to an additional $2.7 million, a roughly 20 percent increase from the original proposal, according to Chuck Ercole, a partner at Klehr Harrison Harvey Branzburg LLP in Philadelphia and one of the attorneys representing the employees. The settlement allows each full-time employee, union and nonunion, to get eight weeks of fully paid health care benefits and at least 14½ days of pay — up to five weeks pay if the workers had more than two weeks of unused vacation and time off, Ercole said in an email Sunday. The larger severance package comes about two weeks after employees filed a class-action complaint against New England Motor Freight, claiming the Elizabeth, N.J., firm did not provide them with proper notice under the federal WARN Act. The law requires employers to provide workers with 60 days notice ahead of a closing or mass layoff, but hundreds of the company’s employees reported getting an informal heads-up only days before working their last shift. That included about 200 employees at the company’s longtime terminal in Mahoning Township, Carbon County, along with 150 workers at a terminal in Cumberland County and another 100 at a Westmoreland County terminal, according to notices filed with the state Feb. 14 — a day before the closures began. That lack of notice was at the forefront of the case brought by Klehr Harrison Harvey Branzburg, which was retained by more than 500 of New England Motor Freight’s drivers, dockworkers, warehouse workers and clerical staff. While the employees’ complaint sought eight weeks pay, the case could have dragged on for years. New England Motor Freight, meanwhile, claimed in its notice to the state that the WARN Act did not apply because the company was a “debtor in possession in liquidation under the bankruptcy laws.” “It is a good result under difficult circumstances,” Ercole said. “Employees get money now and continued health benefits instead of waiting perhaps for years with no guarantee of success and/or whether there would be funds to pay for a larger victory.” With the additional severance funds, the employees’ counsel is in line for up to $300,000 in court-approved attorney’s fees, according to the settlement. New England Motor Freight, which has not returned calls from The Morning Call since its bankruptcy filing Feb. 11, provided less-than-truckload carrier services in the United States and Canada. As the term suggests, less-than-truckload services are geared toward small loads of freight, with a company such as New England Motor Freight combining the loads of several clients on its trucks to provide more cost-effective shipping. The company had about 40 terminals throughout the Northeast, Midwest and Puerto Rico. New England Motor Freight operated the Carbon County terminal for more than 30 years, ever since buying the assets of International Distribution Centers — formerly Interstate Dress Carriers — out of bankruptcy in September 1986.

Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT) / March 4, 2019 Fontaine Modification Company developed a narrow cab for Peterbilt trucks to help fleets improve maneuverability and efficiency when hauling special loads. The narrow cab option provides a unique method for hauling utility poles and steel to off-road sites. Utility companies and steel haulers often need to carry large items, like utility poles, to locations where tractor and trailers have trouble going. Because the cab width limits the amount of product that may be hauled on either side of the cab, fleets have typically had to use trucks that have been crudely modified, or they run over-width trucks which require permitting each time they haul a wide load. When presented with this problem, Fontaine worked with equipment manufacturers and a utility company to develop a solution. “We narrowed the cab of a Peterbilt 365 6x6 truck by 18.5 inches, taking it from 72.5 inches wide down to 54 inches wide,” says Dan Jaynes, VP of Product Development for Fontaine. “This modification creates more space to transport poles or steel on both sides of the cab, while meeting legal requirements.” One of the most important aspects of the modification was Fontaine’s ability to narrow the cab while maintaining the factory aesthetics particularly in the interior driver environment. The design also provides a unique door in the back of the cab that allows the driver to exit the cab when cargo is loaded on the sides. The narrow cab was designed in Fontaine’s Charlotte Product Development Center. .

Matt Cole, Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / March 4, 2019 A number of recalls have recently been announced by Daimler Trucks North America, Paccar, Volvo, Mack and Great Dane, which include thousands of trucks and other equipment, according to documents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The recalls from Paccar, Volvo and Mack all stem from issues on trucks equipped with automated manual transmissions. In the affected trucks, an internal component in the clutch assembly could fail, possibly resulting in unintended vehicle movement. The recall population was determined based on part number. Eaton Electronic Clutch Actuation (ECA) clutch part numbers 122002-35, 122003-42 are the OEM parts used in production. The aftermarket part numbers are 122002-35A and 122003-42A. The largest of the recalls, from Paccar, includes approximately 25,343 Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks. Affected makes and models include: 2018-2019 Kenworth C500 2018-2019 Kenworth T270 2018-2019 Kenworth T370 2018-2019 Kenworth T440 2018-2019 Kenworth T660 2018-2019 Kenworth T680 2018-2019 Kenworth T800 2018-2019 Kenworth T880 2018-2019 Kenworth W900 2018-2019 Peterbilt 337 2018-2019 Peterbilt 348 2018-2019 Peterbilt 365 2018-2019 Peterbilt 367 2018-2019 Peterbilt 389 2018-2019 Peterbilt 567 2018-2019 Peterbilt 579 2018-2019 Peterbilt 587 Owners of affected trucks will be notified by Paccar, and dealers will update the transmission control module for free. Owners can contact Paccar customer service at 1-918-259-3258 with recall number 18PBE and 18KWH. NHTSA’s recall number is 18V-931. Volvo’s recall affects approximately 1,220 model year 2018-2019 Volvo VNL tractors. Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will update the transmission control module for free. Owners can contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-528-6586 with recall number RVXX1901. NHTSA’s recall number is 19V-032. Mack’s recall only affects approximately eight model year 2018 Mack Anthem and 2018 Mack Pinnacle trucks. Mack dealers will update the transmission software or replace the clutch for free. Owners may contact Mack customer service at 1-800-866-1177 with recall number SC0415. Daimler Trucks also issued a recall recently of approximately 501 tractors and chassis equipped with Detroit axles. The affected vehicles may have loose steering and tie rod arm bolts, which could lead to separation of the tie rod arm and disconnection of the front wheels of the trucks. Affected trucks and chassis include: 2017-2019 Freightliner Custom Chassis MT45 2017-2019 FCCC MT55G 2017-2019 FCCC S2G 2017-2019 FCCC S2RV 2017-2019 FCCC XBS 2017-2019 FCCC XCL 2017-2019 FCCC XCM 2017-2019 FCCC XCR 2017-2019 FCCC XCS 2017-2019 Freightliner 108SD 2017-2019 Freightliner 114SD 2017-2019 Freightliner 122SD 2017-2019 Freightliner Business Class M2 2017-2019 Freightliner Cascadia 2017-2019 Western Star 4700 2017-2019 Western Star 4900 2017-2019 Western Star 5700 Daimler is notifying owners, and dealers will inspect the steering arm and tie rod arm bolts to make sure they are properly tightened, installing new fasteners as necessary. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712 with recall number FL-802. NHTSA’s recall number is 18V-913. Finally, Great Dane issued a recall of approximately 100 model year 2018 Champion drop deck trailers equipped with aluminum crossmembers. The spare tire carriers may have been improperly installed, possibly resulting in the spare tire carrier detaching from the trailer. Great Dane will notify owners, and dealers will reinstall the tire carrier using the correct attachment fasteners for free. Owners can contact Great Dane customer service at 1-877-369-3493. NHTSA’s recall number is 18V-923.

Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT) / March 4, 2019 Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc. will begin offering several new "Ready-to-Work" utility and service bodies from Knapheide and Supreme Corp. for its N-Series cabover trucks. Isuzu will offer Knapheide's KUVcc, dump, and landscaper utility bodies for cab-chassis models. The 11-foot KUVcc is available on the 109-inch wheelbase NPR and NPR-HD gasoline-powered models. The KUVcc will offer 20-gauge galvannealed steel, eight exterior components with adjustable shelving, two fixed interior shelves, two pipe doors, two interior dome lights, a 9-by-30-inch glass window in the front bulkhead, and master locks on both sides. Options include a keyless locking system, LED compartment lighting, a side-mounted ladder rack, and a drop-down single ladder rack. Knapheide's 11-foot dump body will be available on the 109-inch N-Series with GVWRs of at least 14,500 pounds. Features include a quarter cab protector on 10-gauge high-tensile steel, electric hoist powered by a 12-volt pump with power up and down, quick-release tailgate with one-handed level, Class 5 hitch, seven-way flat trailer plug, ICC bumper, and mud flaps. The dump body will retail for $14,064, including delivery fees. Knapheide's 11-foot landscaper body will be available on N-Series models with 109- or 132.5-inch wheelbases with GVWRs of at least 14,500 pounds or 150- and 176-inch wheelbase crew cabs with GVWRs of at least 14,500 pounds. Standard features include three doors with a 50-inch-wide curbside opening and two 270-degree swing-out rear gates, removable 40-inch side panel, LED clearance and market lights, electric hoist powered by a 12-volt pump, a side step, grab handle, ICC bumper, and mud flaps. The landscaper body will retail for $16,728, including deliver fees. Supreme's 12-foot Spartan service body for Isuzu N-Series gasoline trucks will be available for 109-inch-wheelbase NPR and NPR-HD models. Standard features include eight compartments with adjustable shelving for more cargo-organizing versatility, spacious interior height with a standard street-side pipe door, stainless-steel D-ring compartment handles for easier gripping with work gloves, and two interior LED dome lights. Options include Plexiglass sliders for ease of access to interior horizontal compartments, with one row of E-track on each side of Plexiglass slider, a curbside pipe door, translucent roof, and Prime Design drop-down double ladder rack. "The competitive price coupled with a great warranty and Isuzu support will make this an attractive body for those in the service industry," said Shaun Skinner, president of Isuzu Commercial Truck of America. "Carpenters, plumbers, homebuilders, mobile auto repair companies, and many others will find this body and chassis combination a very appealing solution for their needs." Supreme bodies are manufactured by Wabash National Corp.

Cummins Provides USPS with EVs in California Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT) / March 4, 2019 Cummins Inc. is delivering eight battery-electric vehicles to the United States Postal Service fleet that are aimed at eliminaing vehicle emissions and reducing fuel and maintenance costs, the powertrain provider announced. The pilot program which the delivery is based on was made possible by a grant from the California Air Resources Board to the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District and administered by CALSTART, according to Cummins. The program will place the zero-emission vehicles in Fresno and Stockton, Calif. Cummins will also provide operator training, vehicle support, and data collection to support the program. The eight Cummins-powered vans will be in service by March 31. The vans have an electric range of up to 85 miles with a full load on urban drive cycles typical of USPS collection vehicles. The direct-drive architecture provides improved performance over the gasoline-powered version in critical areas of power and efficiency. The vans use the same charging system as passenger electric vehicles and can reach a full charge in about eight hours. In 2017, Cummins announced its commitment to invest $500 million in electrification across many applications, markets, and regions over a three-year period. In 2018, the company announced partnerships and collaborations with on- and off-highway OEMs who are working on electrification solutions in products ranging from bus to medium-duty trucks, light commercial vehicles, excavators, and drayage trucks.

Zacks / March 4, 2019 Allison Transmission Holdings is making an investment to build a vehicle testing facility in Indianapolis, Indiana. The new facility will be sited within the campus of the company’s global headquarters on the westside of Indianapolis. This new vehicle environmental testing center will allow Allison to test replicating vehicle environments and duty cycles. Testing will also aid the company to offer products for highly specialized vehicles that can perform under severe weather conditions. Further, the testing center can be utilized by third parties to test their products in times when not used by Allison. Planning for construction of the testing facility has already started and is scheduled to be completed in 2020. It will consist of two environmental chambers that will simulate extreme temperature, altitude and on-road conditions. The simulation will help in assessing on-board diagnostic development, regulatory compliance and performance improvements for vehicle functional optimization. Additionally, the facility will support testing of a wide range of propulsion systems, including conventional powertrains, alternative fuel, electric hybrid and fully-electric vehicles. The center will support the industry’s move toward innovation. Strong cash flow allows Allison to invest in the development of the test center in Indianapolis. In 2018, the company’s adjusted free cash flow was $737 million compared with $567 million in the prior year. For 2019, it expects the figure to be $550-$600 million. For the current year, growth initiatives along with strong demand in the North America On-Highway end market and price increase of certain products are expected to be the major drivers for Allison’s financials. It projects net sales of $2.58-$2.68 billion and net income of $535-$585 million.

The Detroit Diesel Series 60......one of the best truck engines ever designed. I nicknamed it "The Money Maker".

Nothing humiliating about it.

US urges UK to embrace chlorinated chicken [Why US chicken has no taste] BBC / March 2, 2019 US ambassador to Britain Woody Johnson has urged the UK to embrace US farming methods after Washington published its objectives for a UK-US trade deal. EU rules currently limit US exports of certain food products, including chicken and beef - but Mr Johnson wants that to change in the UK after Brexit. Downing Street has repeatedly denied it will accept lower food standards. A No 10 spokeswoman said: "We have always been very clear that we will not lower our food standards as part of a future trading agreement." Mr Johnson, however, described warnings over US farming practices as "inflammatory and misleading" smears from "people with their own protectionist agenda". He also said the EU's "Museum of Agriculture" approach was not sustainable, adding: "American farmers are making a vital contribution to the rest of the world. Their efforts deserve to be recognised. "Instead, they are being dismissed with misleading scare-stories which only tell you half the story." On chlorine-washed chicken, Mr Johnson said the process was the same as that used by EU farmers to treat their fruit and vegetables. Describing it as a "public safety no-brainer", he insisted it was the most effective and economical way of dealing with "potentially lethal" bacteria such as salmonella and campylobacter. 'Welfare standards' President of the UK's National Farmer's Union (NFU) Minette Batters said that while Mr Johnson was correct in saying chlorine-washed chicken and hormone-fed beef was "safe" to eat, there were other factors that needed considering. "The difference is welfare standards and environmental protection standards," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "Our consumer has demanded high standards of animal welfare, we've risen to that challenge - he's right to make the point that food security is crucially important, we would say the same - but all we're saying is: 'Produce the food to our standards and we'll have a trade deal.'" Ms Batters said chicken farms in the US were not required, for example, to include windows in their sheds or clean out in between flocks. The US National Farmers' Union has always maintained that its chicken and beef, which use processes banned by the EU, are "perfectly safe" and argues there has been a lot of "fear-mongering". However, its British counterpart said the UK government should not accept a US deal "which allows food to be imported into this country produced in ways which would be illegal here". That, Ms Batters said, "would just put British producers out of business". Amy Mount from Greener UK, an environmental lobby group, said: "This wish-list shows that a hard-Brexit pivot away from the EU in favour of the US would mean pressure to scrap important protections for our environment and food quality. "Any future trade deals should reflect the high standards that the UK public both wants and expects." Despite the NFU's insistence that consumers are keen to maintain the current welfare standards in farming, Ms Batters said there was a possibility the UK would give in to the US. She said: "There's always been the risk - and agriculture has always been the last chapter in any trade deal to be agreed - so yes there is a huge risk that British agriculture will be the sacrificial lamb in future trade deals." Meanwhile, Dr Emily Jones, who is an associate professor of public policy at the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford, also said the issue was likely to be a sticking point for the US. "I think the US won't buy it in negotiations with the UK," said Dr Jones, referring to the UK's insistence on maintaining its current standards. "It's wanted, for a very long time, the EU to harmonise with US regulations and approaches to the production of food and it's exactly what it'll ask of the UK as well." What is chlorine-washed chicken? In the US, it is legal to wash chicken carcasses in strongly chlorinated water [Why???]. Producers argue that it stops the spread of microbial contamination from the bird's digestive tract to the meat, a method approved by US regulators [it saves US producers money]. But the practice has been banned in the EU since 1997, where only washing with cold air or water is allowed. The EU argues that chlorine washes could increase the risk of bacterial-based diseases such as salmonella on the grounds that dirty abattoirs with sloppy standards would rely on it as a decontaminant rather than making sure their basic hygiene protocols were up to scratch [as is the case in the United States]. There are also concerns that such "washes" would be used by less scrupulous meat processing plants to increase the shelf-life of meat, making it appear fresher than it really is [tell it like it is].