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Volvo Trucks Press Release / December 19, 2017 This video describes how the Tyre Pressure Monitoring system (TPM) works and what to do for example when changing tyres. To learn more, visit the driver’s handbook web site: https://drivershandbook.volvotrucks.com .

Renault Trucks Press Release / December 21, 2017 Ready to break through all obstacles? Renault Trucks offers vehicles with proven reliability. .

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Rainier Truck looks to start 'low-tech, low-cost' MD cab-over production Fleet Owner / December 22, 2017 After what it said have been "two significant launch delays" with its truck cabin suppliers, Rainier Truck & Chassis LLC of Yakima, WA is targeting summer 2018 to start production of its Class 4-7 line of cab-over-engine (COE) trucks. This "low-tech, low-cost" truck start-up said it is ready to move forward now that Sinotruk of Hong Kong has agreed to supply truck cabins. Customers can order trucks online at www.rainiertruckandchassis.com and take delivery through the Rainier Dealer closest to them. Rainier's lineup of COE trucks features: • MSRPs starting at $37,185 • Cummins 6.7L diesel with 300 hp./660 lbs.-ft. or torque or HEMI 6.4L 370 hp./429 lbs.-ft. gas engines will be standard on Class 4 and 5 models • Cummins 6.7L diesel with 325 hp./750 lbs.-ft. of torque will be standard on Class 6 and 7 models • A load-leveling air suspension is standard on all models "What has been a significant challenge since November of 2014 is over, and we look forward to producing an innovative cab-over work truck that delivers what our customers want: lower acquisition costs, more power, better dependability, simpler to service and comfortable to drive," said Gary Jones, owner of Rainier. Jones added in communication with Fleet Owner that the company is "excited" to begin production after 36 months of developing Rainier's truck platform and also plans a fully electric-powered offering "in a couple of years."

Fiat Chrysler issues recall for nearly 1.8 million Ram trucks over shifter problem CBS News / December 22, 2017 Fiat Chrysler is recalling nearly 1.8 million Ram trucks mainly in North America because they can be shifted out of park without the driver's foot on the brake or possibly without the key in the ignition. Included are certain 2010 through 2017 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickups, many 2011 through 2017 Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 chassis cabs, and 2016 and 2017 Ram 3500 chassis cabs that weigh less than 10,000 pounds. Also covered are some 2009 through 2017 Ram 1500 pickups. Trucks from 2017 built after Dec. 31, 2016 are not included. About 1.48 million vehicles subject to the recall are in the U.S. The company says the brake-transmission shift interlock device can fail due to long-term exposure to high interior temperatures linked to an electrical problem. That can let the shifter move out of park without the brake pedal being pressed or without a key in the ignition. The problem increases the risk of the trucks rolling away accidentally. Fiat Chrysler says it knows of seven injuries that may be related to the problem, in addition to a small unspecified number of crashes. The company says drivers should always use parking brakes as a safeguard. Fiat Chrysler is working on a fix. Owners will be notified when service is available. Customers with questions can call (866)-220-6747. You can check if your vehicle is subject to a recall by entering its VIN on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fiat Chrysler to recall 1.8 million trucks to fix shifter issue Automotive News / December 22, 2017 Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said on Friday it would recall about 1.8 million Ram trucks in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and some other markets to fix a function that prevents occupants from inadvertently moving the shifter out of the "park" position. The recall applies to several Ram models from the 2009 to 2017 model years with shifters mounted in the steering column. It does not apply to vehicles with rotary dial or floor-mounted shifters. And it does not apply to 2017 trucks built after Dec. 31, 2016. FCA said it is aware of "seven potentially related injuries and a small number of potentially related accidents." "An FCA US review of field data led to the discovery that Brake Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) may not function properly if subject to specific high-temperature conditions for prolonged periods," FCA said in a statement. "The conditions are consistent with those that occur when there is protracted brake-pedal application while a vehicle is idling in park. "If BTSI becomes disabled, a vehicle’s shifter may be moved out of park without brake-pedal application, or the presence of a key in the ignition. In such circumstances, a vehicle may exhibit inadvertent movement -- if its parking brake has not been set." About 1.48 million vehicles are being recalled in the U.S. along with another 249,520 units in Canada. "FCA US will restore BTSI function in the vehicles subject to this recall," Tom McCarthy, FCA's head of safety compliance and product analysis, said in the statement. "Nevertheless, as always, we urge customers to use their parking brakes, as recommended, and to ensure that child occupants are not left unattended."

Massive leak exposes data on 123 million US households Steven Musil, C/Net / December 19, 2017 The door to your personal data got left wide open once again. Researchers revealed Tuesday that earlier this year they discovered a massive database -- containing information on more than 123 million American households -- that was sitting unsecured on the internet. The cloud-based data repository from marketing analytics company Alteryx exposed a wide range of personal details about virtually every American household, according to researchers at cybersecurity company UpGuard. The leak put consumers at risk for a range of nefarious activities, from spamming to identity theft, the researchers warned. No names were exposed, but the data set included 248 different data fields covering a wide variety of specific personal information, including address, age, gender, education, occupation and marital status. Other fields included mortgage and financial information, phone numbers and the number of children in the household. "From home addresses and contact information, to mortgage ownership and financial histories, to very specific analysis of purchasing behavior, the exposed data constitutes a remarkably invasive glimpse into the lives of American consumers," UpGuard researchers Chris Vickery and Dan O'Sullivan wrote in their analysis. A cascade of recent database breaches has left consumers on edge about the security of their personal information. After credit monitoring company Equifax revealed in September that cybercriminals had made off with data on more than 145 million Americans, US lawmakers began efforts [not really] to hold such businesses accountable to the everyday people whose data they collect for profit. The Alteryx database was discovered in October in a misconfigured Amazon Web Services S3 cloud storage "bucket," the researchers said, allowing access to anyone with an easily obtainable account. The repository contained massive data sets belonging to Alteryx partner Experian, a consumer credit reporting agency that competes with Equifax, and the US Census Bureau, researchers said. Alteryx apparently purchased the data from Experian's ConsumerView marketing database, a product sold to other companies that contains a combination of publicly available information and more personal data. Neither Alteryx nor Experian responded to a request for comment. In a statement to Forbes, Alteryx said the database had been secured, and it downplayed the leak's severity. "Specifically, this file held marketing data, including aggregated and de-identified information based on models and estimations provided by a third-party content provider, and was made available to our customers who purchased and used this data for analytic purposes," Alteryx said. "The information in the file does not pose a risk of identity theft to any consumers." Experian struck a similar note in response to Forbes' query about the leak. "This is an Alteryx issue, and does not involve any Experian systems," a spokesperson said. "Alteryx has already confirmed with you that the data in question contained no names of any individuals or any other personal identifying information, and does not pose any risk of identity theft to any consumers. We have been assured by Alteryx that they promptly remedied this issue." The UpGuard researchers disagreed with that assessment. "The data exposed in this bucket would be invaluable for unscrupulous marketers, spammers and identity thieves, for whom this data would be largely reliable and, more importantly, varied," the researchers said. "With a large database of potential victims to survey -- with such details as 'mortgage ownership' revealed, a common security verification question -- the price could be far higher than merely bad publicity."

GM plant in Oshawa won't produce redesigned 2019 GMC Sierra, Chevy Silverado Greg Layson, Automotive News / December 20, 2017 General Motors Canada will indeed assemble the GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado at its Oshawa plant, but they won’t be the redesigned 2019 models. GM unveiled the sleeker, more aerodynamic 2019 Silverado on Saturday in Texas. Instead, the plant will finish assembling and paint outgoing 2018 models shipped to Oshawa from Fort Wayne, Ind., for the foreseeable future. “Oshawa will be building current model (K2) pickups that helps us meet customer demand while we are in transition to next-generation (T1) pickups,” GM Canada spokeswoman Jennifer Wright wrote in an email to Automotive News Canada. “This strategy will help us meet customer demand as we transition our production and introduce our exciting new models into the market starting later in 2018. “The length of the program in Oshawa will be dependent on market demand.” Wright said GM CEO Mary Barra recently told investors she expects Oshawa to produce 60,000 trucks a year. Jerry Dias, president of Canada's Unifor union, said he doesn’t know when production of the current model will end. “They are being very careful about what they are announcing right now. But they have invested a fortune in Oshawa,” Dias said. “Right now the commitment is to the existing portfolio. More decisions will be made.” The idea of building two different versions of the same nameplate isn’t new to the industry -- and certainly not to General Motors. As the automaker transitioned to the next-generation Equinox in early 2017, it still produced the outgoing model alongside the new version for a time. Unfinished Equinox vehicles were sent to Oshawa from GM Canada’s Ingersoll, Ont., plant. Eventually, Oshawa stopped receiving the overflow Equinox. At least one of GM’s competitors plans on doing the same thing in the red hot North American truck market. Fiat Chrysler will build the current version of the Ram light-duty pickup well into 2019, even after it launches a redesigned Ram 1500 in early 2018, Automotive News reported on Oct. 31. GM is spending more than $310 million to upgrade Oshawa’s consolidated line, which used to build the Equinox but will now build trucks. The existing flex line, which has the ability to produce multiple different vehicles at one time currently produces the Cadillac XTS and Chevrolet Impala. The upgrade was part of a four-year contract the automaker and Unifor, the union which represents GM workers in Ontario, agreed to in September 2016. Meanwhile, GM is spending nearly $3 billion alone to upgrade factories in Michigan, Indiana and Mexico to build the next Silverado and Sierra. It’s a sleeker, more aerodynamic version with expanded powertrain options and functionality, for the 2019 model year.

Engine Review: X12 fights above its weight class Jim Park, Today’s Trucking / December 20, 2017 EAST LIBERTY, OH -- Cummins' new X12 engine is slated to hit the street sometime early this year, probably shortly after its formal launch in February or March. The engine was introduced in August 2016 and I had a short drive with it then around the 11-kilometer track at the Transportation Research Center in East Liberty, Ohio. It wasn't much of an opportunity to get to know the engine, but it whet my appetite. Cummins invited me to drive the new X12 this past November on a longer real-world route, starting from the plant in Jamestown, New York, where the X12 is to be built. The X12 has a displacement of 11.4 liters, which according to conventional mathematical rounding principles, should have caused the engine to be named X11. However, the engine punches above its weight, and to call it X11 would have diminished some of its brightest attributes. Tipping the scales at just 2,050 pounds, it has the highest power-to-weight ratio of any heavy-duty engine from 10 liters to 16 liters in size. It's lighter than any 11-liter block on the market (subject to interpretation on how "dry weight" is determined), but its published ratings put it squarely in 13-to-15-liter territory for torque and horsepower. It is slightly bigger than competitors' 11-liter offerings (10.8 liters, according to the spec’ sheets), but the sly naming convention leaves the impression that it's significantly larger in displacement, if not performance. The X12 was developed back in 2013 through a collaboration with China's Beiqi Foton Motor Co. There, it was known as the ISG. The version of the engine we'll see here in the next month or so has been almost completely re-engineered. Cummins tells me that close to 90% of the engine saw some re-engineering to ready it for North America. We'll learn more about the engine when it's formally introduced, but based on what we know about the ISG, the X12 has about half the number of parts found on other diesel engines. It uses a sculpted block design to deliver extra rigidity and less resonant noise. The block was engineered to remove as much metal as possible to reduce weight without sacrificing structural integrity. Several composite components such as the rocker cover and oil pan also help reduce overall weight. It features optimized intake and exhaust ports for easier breathing, and coolant and oil galleries were engineered for easier flow with less pumping effort. It uses the XPI high-pressure injection system and a Cummins-designed integrated engine brake that delivers up to 50% more engine braking horsepower than traditional engine brakes, the company says. I have also been told that the X12 will be available with Cummins' full suite of electronic fuel efficiency and operational enhancements, such as ADEPT (SmartTorque2, SmartCoast, Predictive Cruise) Load-based Speed Control, and Connected Diagnostics. It will also use Cummins' Single Module aftertreatment system. For this test drive in a van trailer grossing 61,100 pounds, I ran about 150 kilometers on a nice mix of interstate, and flat and hilly two lane roads. I headed west on I-86 from the plant in Lakewood, New York, to North East, Pennsylvania, where I flipped back east on I-90. I got onto New York State Route 5 at Ripley, New York,, headed east to Westfield, and then back south to the plant on State Route 394 and 430. It's a great route to test an engine like this because it's exactly the kind of terrain on which it will operate in real life. The engine was installed in a Freightliner Cascadia daycab with a manual transmission. I opted for the manual because it gave me a better feel for what the engine could do, unaffected by an automated transmission with ideas of its own. It was a 10-speed Eaton manual with a 0.78:1 OD ratio, 3.58:1 rears and 11R22.5 tires -- a typical spec’ for a regional or pickup-and-delivery operation. This engine was rated at 455 hp/1,700 lb-ft. The power curves indicate peak torque extends from 1,000 rpm all the up to 1,400, while the peak horsepower of 455 is available from 1,400 to 1,900 rpm, which is a dream configuration. You have a 400-rpm range for peak torque, which gave me a 24 kilometer per hour range on the Interstate in top gear where I was cruising at peak torque, from 80 to 105 kilometers per hour. At 105 I was running 1,400 rpm. I was down to 1,000 at 80 kilometers per hour, which is a bit low for a hilly road, but OK on flat ground. At 90 kilometers per hour, the engine was rolling along happily at 1,200 rpm, which gave me a 200-rpm margin before I'd have to think about downshifting. I can't say how an automated manual would have handled it, but my inclination is to run the engine down as low as possible before downshifting, without trapping myself at too low an engine speed. I suspect an Eaton automated would have opted for higher shift points, and so might have spent more time in 9th gear on the two-lane sections than I did. I did cruise along in 9th for a while on a hilly section of State Route 394 and was quite pleased with the very spry performance of the engine at between 1,500 and 1,700 rpm. The 9th gear gave me a speed range from 70 to 105 kilometers per hour at a useable engine speed, so I could have happily left it in that gear the whole time I was in the hills. The engine responds very nicely to low-rpm operation in the bottom five gears, when I usually shift between 800 and 1,000 rpm. Startability is great with that gear combination. In the higher gears, shifts were comfortably made at 1,200 to 1,400 rpm. The engine brake was fantastic for such a small displacement engine, and when the revs get up to 2,100 or so, you can really feel it digging in. With today's low-rpm operation, it's easy to forget about the top 500 rpm in the engine range, but that's where the engine brake works best. On a less technical level, I found the engine to be very quiet, and it has a very pleasant low growling sound. It won't bother anybody. Because the engine is so light, I'm sure it will be a hit in weight-sensitive applications. The variety of ratings is astounding: they go up in roughly 25-rpm increments from 325 to 500. The 500 rpm rating is vocational only; on-highway goes as high as 475. Torque ratings run from 1,350 to 1,700, and there are several multi-torque ratings in there as well -- 1,550/1700 and 1,450/1,650. I think the X12 is exactly the right engine for the emerging regional haul market, and Cummins has nailed the performance curves. There's nothing missing on this engine except a few hundred surplus pounds of engine block. X12 Specifications Displacement: 11.4 liters Horsepower: 455 (1,400-1,900 rpm) Peak Torque: 1,700 lb-ft (1,000-1,400 rpm) Clutch Engagement Torque: 800 lb-ft Number of Cylinders: 6 Dry weight: 2,050 pounds .

Jim Park, Today’s Trucking / December 20, 2017 NEW CARLISLE, INDIANA -- Looks can be deceiving. International’s new LT highway tractor may look much like the 11-year-old ProStar it replaces, but the resemblance is barely skin deep. The LT retains the signature International grille -- though it’s shaped differently if you look closely -- but almost everything behind the grille was touched in some way by the sweeping overhaul of the company’s best-selling highway truck. The primary drivers in the reshaping exercise were increased fuel efficiency and driver appeal. “If drivers do not want to drive the trucks, fleets aren’t going to buy them,” noted Denny Mooney, International’s senior vice president - global product development. Designers conducted dozens of driver clinics to get feedback from folks who use the product, and a few interesting themes emerged. For one, truck drivers want a truck designed like a truck. “Career truck drivers aren’t interested in automotive designing like chrome accents and such. They want trucks designed to do a job,” said Jeff Sass, International's senior vice president - sales and marketing, when the truck was unveiled. Feedback from drivers resulted in a review of more than 500 points of contact between the driver and the truck that produced a cab with more elbow, hip, and leg room along, with a more ergonomic but truck-like dash layout and greatly improved mirror design. By popular demand, International even put the air horn back where it “belongs,” on a lanyard above the driver-side door. Sass calls the LT “the most driver-centric Class 8 vehicle we’ve ever built.” A very close second priority to driver preference at the design stage was fuel economy. At the Las Vegas launch of the LT on September 30, 2016, International’s then-president Bill Kozek said the 2018 LT with an N13 engine would be 7% more efficient than a 2017 ProStar with a Cummins ISX 15 engine. He claimed a 3% improvement in aerodynamic efficiency alone, with lighter weights and new engine technology contributing the remaining 4%. When International’s new engine, the A26, appeared in February, Darren Gosbee, International’s vice president - advanced engineering, said the A26 would boost fuel economy by 5% over its predecessor, the N13. If you’re not keeping track of the numbers, that’s a potential fuel efficiency increase of close to 10% compared to a 2017 ProStar. At the A26 launch event, Gosbee said an A26-equipped LT highway truck bettered 29.4 liters per 100 kilometers over three runs on a 765-kilometer fuel-economy test route known as the Illinois Hilly Route, said to simulate real-world driving conditions for 75% of International’s customer fleets. Around the LT The LT is a considerable step forward from the ProStar. Beginning with the cooling module, the A26 engine uses the same radiator as the X15, so there's considerable cooling capacity there. The interstage cooler has been dropped, so there is only the rad and the AC condenser up there. A new rubber gasket around the rad seals out dust that gets kicked by the fan, so the fins stay cleaner for longer, preventing clogging and a loss of cooling capacity over time. You'll hardly ever hear the fan come on, and when it does, it's much quieter because it has only six blades rather than the previous 11-blade model. It draws 31 horsepower less than the larger fan, and is much easier on the fan clutch, too. The hood is now taller at the top, and longer overall, stretching the bumper-to-back-of-cab measurement to 125 inches. This, the company says, improves the front profile of the truck for smoother air flow and less drag. Built into the hood are a pair of splash guards that were formerly chassis-mounted. This makes engine access much easier while still protecting from muck. The three-piece bumper offers a couple of advantages. First, it's less expensive to repair than a one-piece bumper. Second, it's available in several different configurations, depending on the type of trailer you pull. Aero research conducted during International's SuperTruck project revealed that the bumper has a large influence on how airflow interacts with the trailer, whether there are side skirts, no side-skirts, trailer tail or not. The bumper also sits about eight inches off the ground to minimize damage from curb strikes. The suspension at the rear of the cab now has a wider stance, giving the cab a distinctly more stable ride. The fuel tank mounts and the spring hangers in the International Ride Optimized Suspension (IROS) are made of cast aluminum, saving close to 200 pounds in chassis weight. The doors were redesigned and made two times stiffer than the ProStar's doors, International says. The new doors are also canted slightly inward at the top to force a tighter seal around the opening. This helps keep out cold drafts as well as noise. Stiffening the door also helps reduce vibration and the associated resonant noise. The new mirrors are perhaps the most striking change. They are now pedestal-mounted and set significantly further forward than the ProStar's, which reduces the degree to which a driver's head has to twist to see them. And they are mounted low for better visibility alongside the truck. What's more, when looking out the right-side window, I could actually look over top of the mirror at traffic approaching from that side. This eliminates a dangerous blind spot that exists on most other Class 8 cabs. Cab and sleeper The sleeper on the truck I drove was the 56-inch HiRise model with the Diamond interior. My tour guide, International's director of product marketing for on-highway trucks, Bill Distel, called this one the J.B. Hunt Special. I'd call it a regional-plus sleeper -- more than adequate for a few days on the road. It's not what you'd call plush, but it's airy and comfortable with lots of storage. The cab is where International's design team really went to town. Highlights of the redesign include a completely new HVAC system, tons of room around the driver's seat and between the seat back and the wheel. The dash now features a 5.5-inch display set between the speedometer and the tach. It's bright and easy to read, and drivers can scroll through at least a dozen screens of useful information. My ride did not have the B-panel display where a navigation screen, an ELD, or another digital gauge display might go. Mine had the cubby hole. The trim package on the truck seemed to be a combination of the Classic and Diamond package. I had the wood-grain trim and colored accents from the Diamond package, but it was missing certain features like the optional gauges on the outer side of the B-panel. New with the LT is a stalk-mounted transmission control that also controls the engine brake. It's easy to use and much easier to handle than the old one was, mounted on the dash board. Moving the shifter opened up some room for three large cup holders on the lower portion of the dash panel, leaving still enough clearance to swing your legs past when pivoting from the driver's seat to the sleeper. Out on the road Driving the LT was a very satisfying experience. The cab is super quiet even when the engine is in a good pull. Bill and I were able to carry on a conversation without raising our voices. The driving position was spectacularly comfortable and seemed designed to fit my frame. I spent a few minutes fiddling with it before pulling out, and suspect that with the range of movement in the seat, almost any driver will be able to dial in a comfortable a position. The A26 engine and the Eaton Advantage 10-speed were very nicely paired, and the shift calibrations favored low-rpm shift points and skip shifting, as they should. Engine braking was quite adequate even in the second position, and downright aggressive in the third position. That VGT ups the engine brake's game on what many would consider a medium-displacement engine. The power curves on my engine gave me the full 1,700 lb-ft of torque from 975 to 1,200 rpm, and with the gearing I had, I cruised at 80 kilometers per hour at 975 rpm. That was fine on flat road, but on hilly road I'd have been inclined to drop it into 9th gear for better driveability. I was running 1,075 rpm at 100 kilometers per hour, and 1,100 rpm at 105 -- a very economical cruising speed. Much of my route was on two-lane road, and even some nice twisty two-lane roads, which provided a better impression of the truck's steering and handling. Here, the stiffer cab suspension became obvious, and the mildly stiff steering was a joy to drive. There's not much I would change on the LT. The noise attenuation was great, the performance and handling was top-notch, and the overall driving experience was, as I said, very satisfying. The ProStar was never one of my favorite trucks, but the LT has boosted my opinion several notches. I'd take the helm of one of these anytime. International’s A26 Engine International's new 12.4-liter engine, known as the A26, replaces the N13 and comes with ratings of 370 to 475 horsepower and 1,350 to 1,750 lb-ft of torque. It shares a block, crank, and a few other components with the European MAN D26 engine, but the fuel, cooling, intake and exhaust systems are new for the North American market. It weighs 2,229 pounds. The A26 is quite different from the N13. For example, it has a single-stage variable-geometry turbocharger with a high-strength titanium compressor wheel, and a 36,300-psi high-pressure common rail fuel system. The Exhaust Gas Recirculation system has been redesigned and now features a stainless steel, laser-welded, single-stage EGR cooler. Several lightweight components such as an aluminum flywheel housing and composite valve covers and oil pan help make the A26 about 50 pounds lighter than the N13. Oil change intervals have been extended out to 110,000 kilometers in certain cases, subject to the manufacturer’s approval, but typical applications will see intervals of 50,000 to 80,000 kilometers. DPF cleaning intervals range from 550,000 to 950,000 kilometers depending on lifetime fuel economy. International says the engine has a B10 design life of 1.9 million kilometers, and it comes with a two-year warranty with unlimited miles. On-highway ratings range from 370-475 hp with 1,350-1,700 lb-ft of torque. Spec Sheet: International LT Engine: International A26 450 hp, 1,550/1,700 lb-ft Transmission: Eaton Fuller Advantage 10-speed AMT Front End Axle: Meritor 14K Suspension: Hendrickson 14K taperleaf Brakes: Air disc Rear End Axles: 6x4 Meritor 40K, 2.64:1 ratio Suspension: International Ride Optimized (IROS) Brakes: Air disc Diamond Logic electrical system Sleeper: 54-inch HiRise Wheelbase: 209 inches/125-inch BBC Dry weight: 17,820 pounds .

Dana Spicer Axles Offered on Kenworth T270 and T370 Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT) / December 20, 2017 Kenworth's T270 and T370 medium-duty truck modelsare now available with Dana Spicer S140 series single reduction single-drive axles, ranging from 16,000- to 21,000-pound GAWR. The S140 Series axles are designed for a range of applications and feature broad ratio coverage from 3.31 to 6.50. The axles are designed with high-capacity gearing and bearing systems to provide better durability and reliability with higher horsepower and torque engine. Standard “R” series spindles are used for ease of fit and commonality. The S140 axle design also features GenTech extra-quiet gearing to reduce noise levels by up to 12 decibels versus standard gear designs and to provide a smoother ride. The axles also offer a weight savings of up to 85 pounds compared to the Dana P20060S axle. “We continue to expand the product offering for the Kenworth T270 and T370,” said Kurt Swihart, Kenworth marketing director. “Our customers appreciate the opportunity to have more choices on key components when specifying their new Kenworth T270 and T370.” Kenworth also announced that it will offer the Bendix Wingman Fusion advanced driver assistance system as an option on both the T270 and T370. Bendix Wingman Fusion integrates a suite of Bendix safety technologies into a comprehensive driver assistance system. The suite includes radar, camera, the vehicle’s foundation brake system, and SafetyDirect by Bendix CVS. Built on the Bendix ESP full stability program, Wingman Fusion offers enhanced collision mitigation, lane departure warning, stationary vehicle braking, and over speed alert and action. This combination typically enables the system to assess a situation faster and react earlier, alerting the driver and decreasing the vehicle’s speed by up to twice as much as Bendix Wingman Advanced, while also reducing instances of false alerts and false interventions. “We began offering the Bendix Wingman Fusion as an option for the Kenworth T680 and T880 two years ago, and it has been a popular option in the Class 8 market,” said Swihart. “Our customers will now have the opportunity to choose this factory-installed option on their new Kenworth T270 and T370 trucks.” .

WABCO makes $10 million investment in Nikola Fleet Owner / December 20, 2017 The two companies will also jointly work on developing safety systems specifically for electrified commercial vehicles. WABCO Holdings Inc. is investing $10 million for a 1% stake in hydrogen-electric vehicle maker Nikola Motor Co. In addition to the strategic investment, WABCO and Nikola said they signed a separate agreement to accelerate the development of safety technologies specifically designed for electrified commercial vehicles, including electronic braking systems (EBS), as well as traction and stability control technologies. “As vehicles become increasingly autonomous, electric and connected, WABCO continues to be at the forefront of breakthrough technology innovation,” noted Jacques Esculier, WABCO’s chairman and CEO, in a statement. “We are excited to invest in Nikola to help the industry realize our joint vision of electrified and autonomous trucks, buses, trailers and off-highway vehicles,” he added. “WABCO’s technologies, notably braking, traction and stability control systems, continue to advance the transportation industry.” Nikola said it plans to begin testing its zero emission trucks with commercial vehicle fleets in late 2018 and launch full production in 2021. “WABCO is a vital business partner to enable autonomous driving, electronic braking, and stability control for trucks and trailers,” noted Trevor Milton, Nikola’s founder and CEO. “We have added a world-class supplier to the Nikola truck family and are looking forward to our collaboration to bring Nikola’s zero emission trucks to market.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wabco Invests $10 Million in Nikola Motor Company Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT) / December 20, 2017 Wabco Holdings has announced a $10 million strategic investment in Nikola Motor Company, manufacturer of the upcoming Nikola One and Nikola Two hydrogen-electric Class 8 trucks. In addition to the investment, which gives the Belgium-based Wabco a 1% equity stake in Nikola, the companies signed an agreement to accelerate the development of safety technologies specifically designed for electric commercial vehicles. These technologies include electronic braking systems as well as traction and stability control technologies. “We are excited to invest in Nikola Motor Company to help the industry realize our joint vision of electrified and autonomous trucks, buses, trailers and off-highway vehicles,” said Jacques Esculier, Wabco chairman and CEO. “Wabco’s technologies, notably industry-leading braking, traction and stability control systems, continue to advance the transportation industry.” Nikola’s first vehicle, the Nikola One, was unveiled in late 2016 and is expected to go into production by 2021. The company will begin testing the truck in fleets in 2018. Nikola will offer Nikola One and Two, daycab and sleeper versions, respectively, that promise to generate1,000 horsepower and 2,000 lb.-ft. of torque. The vehicle features a hydrogen fuel cell, electric motor hybrid setup that allows it to travel 800 to 1,200 miles on a single fill-up while operating free of emissions. “Here at Nikola, we are driving a paradigm shift in the transportation industry by creating the most advanced semi-truck ever built," said Trevor Milton, Nikola founder and CEO. "Wabco is a vital business partner to enable autonomous driving, electronic braking, and stability control for trucks and trailers. We have added a world-class supplier to the Nikola truck family and are looking forward to our collaboration to bring Nikola’s zero emission trucks to market.”

Trailer-Body Builders / December 20, 2017 Nestlé Waters North America is deploying more than 400 additional medium-duty ReadyRefresh by Nestlé beverage delivery trucks fueled by propane autogas. Nestle operates nearly 600 of these trucks, which make up about 30% of its total North American fleet. ReadyRefresh’s additional Ford F-650/750 delivery trucks are equipped with a Roush CleanTech propane autogas fuel system that provides 55 usable gallons of fuel. “With propane being domestically produced, it’s proven to have a more stable cost per gallon, while the fueling and maintenance infrastructures are much more cost effective than other alternative fuel options,” said Bill Ardis, national fleet manager for ReadyRefresh. The company has been running propane autogas vehicles since 2014, beginning with five Class 5 vehicles.The fuel system is certified to 0.05 grams per brake horsepower-hour for nitrogen oxide (NOx). It is 75% cleaner than the current Environmental Protection Agency standard, and 99% cleaner than diesel vehicles built before 2007. “We are excited about this strategic endeavor that will ultimately drive awareness, efficiency and sustainability,” said Robert Austin, director of supply chain for ReadyRefresh. “Our new fleet will ensure that ReadyRefresh is poised to meet our consumer’s needs and the delivery of our great brands while improving our environment.” Roush said propane autogas is the third most commonly used vehicle fuel, following gasoline and diesel. Nestlé Waters North America plans to replace more older delivery vehicles with propane autogas to reach its goal of operating 52% on the alternative fuel by 2019. .

Peterbilt Motors Press Release / December 14, 2017

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Michael Wayland, Automotive News / December 16, 2017 Cargo box will be lighter and even more functional 'than ever before' FORT WORTH, Texas -- The Chevrolet Silverado, GM's top-selling and most profitable nameplate, will be sleeker, more aerodynamic and available in more trim lines, with expanded powertrain options and functionality, for the 2019 model year. Chevrolet introduced the 2019 Silverado LT Trailboss, one of eight 2019 Silverado models planned, at the Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday before hundreds of Silverado owners as part of celebrations to mark 100 years of truck output. "The next-generation Silverado is poised to change, really change, the face of trucks again," said Alan Batey, president of GM's North America operations. "It’s strong. It’s modern. But it’s instantly recognizable as a Chevy truck." General Motors is adopting more light-weight materials, is expected to add a 10-speed automatic transmission and enhancing aerodynamics to improve the fuel-economy and overall competitiveness of the pickup. Big program The redesign and re-engineering of the next Silverado and its GMC counterpart, the Sierra, are the biggest product program ever undertaken by GM, analysts say. GM is spending nearly $3 billion alone to upgrade factories in Michigan, Indiana and Mexico to build the next Silverado and Sierra. Batey said the redesigned Silverado will offer more engine/transmission combinations, and additional technology and convenience features; however he did not disclose any other details. “We are truly committed to building a truck for every customer,” Batey said. Additional information is expected to be released when the Silverado makes its formal public debut at the Detroit auto show next month. The sleeker, yet aggressive, exterior on the fourth-generation Silverado is noticeably different than the more upright outgoing version. The cab has a slight slope in the roofline similar to GM's current midsize pickups, likely to aid aerodynamics and fuel economy. The rectangular grille on the truck features two large horizontal bars compared with one on the current-generation pickup that run into headlamp stacks that include prominent outward-boomerang daytime running lights. Lightweighting Chevrolet did not specify how much steel and aluminum is used on the latest truck; however it's expected to be a mix of both and other light-weight components as part of GM's strategy of using "the right materials in the right place." GM said changes in engineering and materials will result in "a significant reduction in total vehicle weight" and "improved performance in many measures" on the pickup. The 2018 model has a curb weight between roughly 4,700 and 5,300 pounds, depending on the configuration. The company is also expected to eventually offer a pickup bed that utilizes carbon fiber. Batey on Saturday said the pickup will have “a stronger, roll-formed steel alloy for the bed and floor, contributing to a cargo box that is both lighter and even more functional than ever before.” As in recent years, General Motors aims to differentiate the Chevrolet Silverado from the GMC Sierra. Based on previous spy photos, both have unique front fascias. But the bodies mostly appear the same with slight differences in the rear. The Trailboss trim integrates the off-road equipment of the Z71 package as well as a two-inch suspension lift. Unlike aftermarket lift kits, the Trailboss suspension is fully tested, validated and warrantied by Chevrolet. GM says the improvements to the next-generation pickup reflects feedback from more than 7,000 consumers -- the most customer research in the company’s history. "We spend a ton of time listening to our customers, doing market research and taking that feedback and rolling it into the vehicle," Eric Stanczak, GM's chief engineer for full-size trucks, told Automotive News on Friday prior to the unveiling. "If we are limited in terms of what we can update on the current architecture, we're almost always putting those new features the customer's asked for, or that new capability, or that improvement, into the next-generation." Truck battle The redesigned Silverado kicks off what is expected to be a renewed battle for pickup buyers starting next year. GM, with U.S. Silverado sales down 0.5 percent and GMC Sierra deliveries off 3.5 percent this year, has lost ground in a large pickup market that has grown 5.5 percent and an overall light-truck market that is still growing -- up 4.7 percent. (The U.S. light-vehicle market is off 1.4 percent overall this year, mostly on weaker car demand and lower fleet volumes.) Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is slated to unveil the next-generation Ram 1500 next month at the Detroit auto show. FCA will begin selling the retooled Ram in the first quarter next year and GM plans to start 2019 Silverado output in the fourth quarter of 2018. Both companies have strived to reduce weight, boost fuel economy and enhance the functionality of their pickups to better compete against Ford Motor Co.'s F-150, the top-selling vehicle and large truck in the U.S. The Silverado is the nation's No. 2 selling vehicle, ahead of Fiat Chrysler's Ram pickup, at No. 3. Ford shifted its F-series pickups, including the full-size F-150, to lightweight aluminum alloy bodies starting in 2014. The F-150's styling and features were updated this year, and Ford plans to introduce a gasoline-electric hybrid variant in 2020. A long-awaited milestone -- an EPA rating of 30 mpg in highway driving -- could be hit next year with the latest pickups. Some analysts speculated Ford would achieve the feat with its change to aluminum, however, the 2018 F-150 achieves up to 26 mpg in highway driving with a 2.7-liter V-6 EcoBoost engine and 10-speed automatic transmission. The 2018 Ram 1500 with a 3.0-liter V-6 diesel engine achieves up to 29 mpg with an aerodynamics package, while the Ram's 3.6-liter V-6 engine is rated at 25 mpg highway. Both Ram models come standard with an automatic eight-speed automatic transmission. The 2018 Silverado is rated at 24 mpg highway with a 4.3-liter V-6 and eight-speed automatic transmission. Healthy outlook “2018 is shaping up to be a year of truck wars," said Michelle Krebs, executive analyst for Autotrader. "For Detroit automakers, pickup trucks account for a big chunk of profit and revenues -- and provide the important profit-sharing checks for workers." Cox Automotive says large pickups now generate average transaction prices of $46,984 in the U.S. Ford has begun selling a luxury F450 pickup with an MSRP as high as $94,455. Krebs said a strong housing market and low gasoline prices have kept pickup truck demand strong since the Great Recession, and added volume is expected to remain healthy "with an improving economy and a [major federal] infrastructure package being a possibility.” Saturday's surprise unveiling, which some expected to occur at the Detroit auto show, came nearly five years to the day when GM unveiled the current-generation Silverado and Sierra for the 2014 model year in Pontiac, Mich. About 1,000 people, including 450 or more current truck owners, were expected to attend Saturday's centennial celebration event. Photo gallery - http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=CA&Date=20171216&Category=DETROIT_AUTO_SHOW&ArtNo=121609999&Ref=PH&Profile=1115 .