kscarbel2

.

.

.

Big Rigs / July 31, 2017 It may sound like an obituary for a person still alive, but let's face the facts, it's not looking good for Cat Trucks in a market as hard and competitive as Australia. Let's make it clear that I have nothing against Cat Trucks, I have driven them in road train combinations across the nation, through Mount Victoria and Sydney traffic in the smaller rigid version and thousands of other kilometres all over the country and I like the truck and have written so. The frustration is that it is not selling. Road transport writer Steve Brooks, who I consider the foremost media authority on truck companies, brands and recent history, in the past couple of weeks wrote: "It would take an incredibly optimistic mind to believe that Cat Trucks are not on the edge of extinction, bringing to a close one of the most tumultuous, disjointed and ultimately disappointing brand histories to ever impact the Australian trucking industry.” Steve hit the nail on the head and expressed in print what we've been talking about for a long time. A song from The Doors comes to mind, the signature song from the film Apocalypse Now, The End: "This is the end, beautiful friend / this is the end, my only friend, the end.” So if I'm bold enough to call the Cat Truck a good truck, one with a viable place on Australian roads, which I have done many times, what the hell went wrong? The conception of the Cat Truck in Australia can be traced back to the ill-conceived decision of Caterpillar in the US to pull the Caterpillar engine out of the on-road market. This decision cut deep in Australia, where the yellow engine, particularly the C15, had a passionate following. Many operators, some who I have worked with closely, never forgave Caterpillar for this decision. The corporate reasoning for this decision was simple, all the scratchings on the whiteboards in Peoria told the simple truth that the Cat engines did not have a long engineering shelf life with the global restrictions of emission standards. The big company, apparently, was not prepared to invest in emission management technology to take the engine even to the next standard, Euro 6, a standard expected to be written into Australian ADRs around 2020 or a little later. This shelf life was longer in Australia than in many other countries so a market was identified here to be viable over a reasonable period. To bring this about Caterpillar and Navistar got their corporate heads together and produced a company to handle the Australian invasion called NC2, an acronym supposedly meaning Navistar Caterpillar squared, symbolic that the new company is greater than the combination of the two American giants which in itself is laughable. More than 500 of what I considered to be, and wrote about, Caterpillar on-road engines turned up in Australia each wrapped nicely in a white Navistar ProStar. A marketing exercise. In spite of a hugely expensive launch at Uluru, the new trucks sat at Tullamarine for a long time, in their original form they did not meet Australian emission standards. Some engineering tweaking, the addition of a big DPF and probably considerable lobbying brought the trucks over the line to meet ADR80/08 standards and make them legal to sell on the Australian market. The executives of the Australian colonisation were never comfortable from the beginning right through to the present day. From the early days there were corporate back stabbings and reshuffles during a time when the Navistars were proven not ready for Australian conditions. But there was some great Australian talent on the ground both in engineering and marketing. The trucks were worked on continuously and what evolved over three or four years was a damn good truck. The marriage of Navistar and Caterpillar was on the rocks and the company changed to Navistar-owned Navistar Auspac. A young marketing executive, Glen Sharman, who for what it's worth, I consider one of the best talents in Australia, was given the reins. The recipe was there, a good truck coupled with good marketing talent, was this the long awaited launchpad? At the 2015 Brisbane Truck Show, Sharman announced the imminent introduction of the International brand under the auspices of Navistar Auspac. This was the peak of the Cat Truck in Australia, the optimism of 2015. Many of the technical problems had been ironed out, the Caterpillar dealer distribution and service network was working reasonably well. The International truck was about to offer a post-2020 future to dealers with the option of Cummins. But there is no accounting for the masters across the Pacific and in the two years following the 2015 truck show, interventions into local management made an uncomfortable environment. The decision when and how the International was to be introduced was not made until late 2016. The decision to take the International ProStar back into the fold of Iveco was the coup de grace of Cat Trucks in my humble opinion. The Caterpillar distributors were hanging on for the International option to boost sales and make their support for the product viable. The rug was pulled out from under their feet. How International will go with Iveco is still in the misty clouds of the crystal ball. The partnership previously had a viable arrangement with heavy end trucks like the Eagle with the Caterpillar engine. Today Cat Trucks needs some kind of corporate rabbit to be pulled out of the hat, or "this is the end, my beautiful friend”. .

Cruising the Mediterranean with François | Driver's Day | Episode Four Scania Group Press Release / July 30, 2017 In the small town of Bonifacio on Corsica's southern coast, boat captain François Cassin operates a Scania-powered 16-metre vessel, ferrying tourists on trips in the cliff-lined strait between the French island and its Italian neighbour, Sardinia. Born and bred in Bonifacio, François gives us a glimpse into his life on and off the boat. .

Scania Group Press Release / July 28, 2017 Scania’s net sales rose to a record high SEK 58.7 billion, an increase of 17 percent compared to last year. Summary of the first six months of 2017 Operating income rose to SEK 6,464 m. (1,316) Operating income, excluding items affecting comparability, amounts to SEK 6,464 m. (5,116) Net sales increased by 17 percent to SEK 58,738 m. (50,110) Cash flow amounted to SEK 3,291 m. (-492) in Vehicles and Services Comments by Henrik Henriksson, President and CEO “Scania’s net sales rose to a record high SEK 58.7 billion, an increase of 17 percent compared to last year. The period was affected by a high investment level and increased production costs for double product ranges. In spite of this, the company delivered a very strong performance thanks to strong demand for the new truck range and a continued positive trend in services. Earnings in the first half of 2017 amounted to SEK 6,464 m., giving an operating margin of 11.0 percent. Order bookings for trucks rose by 29 percent compared to the same period last year. Demand for trucks in Europe is holding up due to the favourable economic situation and Scania’s market share for trucks in Europe remains strong at 16.8 percent. The trend in Latin America is positive and we see increased demand in Brazil from very low levels, mainly related to increased activity in the agricultural sector. In Eurasia, the trend in demand is positive as Russia is continuing to recover. In Asia, demand increased thanks to a good sales performance, particularly in China and Iran. In Asia, the European truck segment is growing in line with the advancement of the logistics systems − a development largely driven by the major e-commerce players. Order bookings in Buses and Coaches remained strong overall but fell slightly compared to the same period in 2016. In the business area Engines, the demand trend is positive in all three segments, industrial, marine and power generation. Service revenue amounted to a record high SEK 11.7 billion, an increase of 12 percent. This was driven by high uptime in customer vehicle fleets and an increase in services directly or indirectly generated from the 270,000 connected vehicles in the Scania fleet. Connectivity is an important business driver, which is enabling Scania to offer customers more efficient services aimed at improving their profitability. Financial Services reported operating income of SEK 520 million and credit losses remain at low levels.” Scania Interim Report, January-June 2017 Scania Interim Report, January–June 2017 .

Volkswagen Acquires 158,026 Shares of Navistar Stock Stock News Times / July 30, 2017 Navistar International Corporation (NYSE:NAV) major shareholder Truck & Bus Gmbh Volkswagen acquired 158,026 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 19th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $29.18 per share, for a total transaction of $4,611,198.68. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Major shareholders that own at least 10% of a company’s shares are required to disclose their sales and purchases with the SEC. Truck & Bus Gmbh Volkswagen also recently made the following trade(s): On Tuesday, July 25th, Truck & Bus Gmbh Volkswagen acquired 24,750 shares of Navistar International Corporation stock. The stock was purchased at an average price of $29.72 per share, for a total transaction of $735,570.00. On Monday, July 24th, Truck & Bus Gmbh Volkswagen acquired 106,262 shares of Navistar International Corporation stock. The stock was purchased at an average price of $29.28 per share, for a total transaction of $3,111,351.36. On Tuesday, July 18th, Truck & Bus Gmbh Volkswagen acquired 52,625 shares of Navistar International Corporation stock. The stock was purchased at an average price of $29.13 per share, for a total transaction of $1,532,966.25. On Monday, July 17th, Truck & Bus Gmbh Volkswagen acquired 43,501 shares of Navistar International Corporation stock. The stock was purchased at an average price of $29.25 per share, for a total transaction of $1,272,404.25. Navistar traded down 0.23% during midday trading on Friday, reaching $30.52. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 329,569 shares. The firm’s market capitalization is $3.00 billion. Navistar International Corporation has a 52 week low of $11.59 and a 52 week high of $33.46. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $27.92 and a 200 day moving average of $27.05. Navistar last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, June 7th. The company reported ($0.73) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.08) by $0.65. The company had revenue of $2.10 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.08 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.05 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was down 4.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts predict that Navistar International Corporation will post ($0.72) earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of NAV. FNY Partners Fund LP acquired a new position in Navistar during the first quarter valued at $123,000. Creative Planning boosted its position in Navistar International Corporation by 7.7% in the second quarter. Creative Planning now owns 5,464 shares of the company’s stock valued at $143,000 after buying an additional 389 shares in the last quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC acquired a new position in Navistar during the fourth quarter valued at $206,000. Bank of Montreal Can boosted its position in Navistar by 88.5% in the second quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 8,659 shares of the company’s stock valued at $228,000 after buying an additional 4,065 shares in the last quarter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. boosted its position in Navistar by 2.3% in the first quarter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. now owns 11,720 shares of the company’s stock valued at $289,000 after buying an additional 264 shares in the last quarter. 82.68% of Navistar stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. A number of equities analysts have recently commented on NAV shares. UBS AG restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $31.00 price objective (up from $29.00) on shares of Navistar in a report on Sunday, June 11th. Royal Bank Of Canada restated a “hold” rating and issued a $28.00 price objective on shares of Navistar in a report on Tuesday, May 9th. Seaport Global Securities reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of Navistar in a report on Thursday, April 6th. Jefferies Group LLC reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $35.00 target price on shares of Navistar in a report on Friday, July 21st. BidaskClub upgraded Navistar International Corporation from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, July 6th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the stock. The company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $27.31.

Navistar International : 10 years later, plant is booming Times Daily (Florence, Alabama) / July 30, 2017 More than 1,000 employees work at a nearly mile-long plant in Barton Riverfront Industrial Park that houses three industries. That's a success story, but it was not the original plan when construction of the plant was announced 10 years ago this month. How the plant reached that point involves a winding tale that includes a Canadian railcar company, securities fraud case against its chairman and CEO, the establishment of a local economic development fund and the Retirement Services of Alabama providing $625 million to help secure and rescue the plant. "The success is not exactly what we thought it was going to be, but it has been extremely successful for the community, especially those who have the 1,000-plus jobs," said Bank Independent President Macke Mauldin, who was a key player in developing the Shoals Economic Development Fund that helped make the plan possible. "Plus, we have a world-class facility in Colbert County that can only bode well for us in the future." "I wasn't very happy with the way it started out at all," said David Bronner, CEO of the Retirement Systems of Alabama that financed the company $275 million for 15 years to finish construction and equip the plant. RSA already had lent the company $350 million in 2007 to help build the plant. "It was a complete disaster and the challenge was, 'Do you walk away from it and let it be a disaster or do you put the effort into it to try to make it a success?' Over 1,000 employees now makes it a success." The story started with a venture that those involved dubbed "Project Tiger." In 2006, a Canadian company called National Steel Car was shopping locations for a railcar plant, with plans to ultimately have some 1,600 to 1,800 workers there. The Barton site was among those they were eyeing, and the community stepped up in 2007 by issuing a half-cent sales tax in Colbert and Lauderdale counties. The tax would help provide incentives for the program, but the long-term goal was to create what would become the Shoals Economic Development Fund. "There was very little opposition to it at the time," Mauldin said. "When we were putting it together as a team, the idea was we needed it to get the plant, but we needed it worse if we didn't get it." Today that fund, which has grown beyond $43 million, goes toward various local economic development projects. The Shoals, along with state officials including Bronner, also offered up various incentives to National Steel Car, and in July 2007 the company announced it would build the National Alabama railcar plant in the industrial park. At the time, it was hailed as one of the biggest industrial announcements in the state's history. Soon, however, problems surfaced. The national economic downturn delayed production of the railcars. By 2009, RSA provided a $275 million loan to assist the company. That was on top of the $350 million the agency put into the program in 2007. By August 2011, National Alabama CEO Greg Aziz had resigned and RSA took over ownership of the plant. Things started moving forward since then. In September 2011, officials announced Navistar would obtain the facility in 2012. FreightCar America officials followed that up by announcing plans to sublease a portion of the plant in 2013. In June 2015, it was announced that a start-up company, American Intermodal Container Manufacturing Co., would team with Navistar to build intermodal containers at the plant in a move that meant an additional 125 jobs. While those movements were taking place, Aziz was battling legal issues. In 2013, he would be charged with 11 counts of securities fraud regarding the way he represented to RSA the costs of plant construction and his company's finances, according to court records. Ultimately, a deal was reached in which charges were dropped, and in exchange he provided RSA with $21 million in damages and reimbursed about $1 million to the Alabama Securities Commission and the Colbert County District Attorney's Office for investigative costs associated with the case, according to authorities. Forrest Wright, president of the Shoals Economic Development Authority, said projects involving industrial prospects tend to be fluid. "Every major project that we've ever embarked on has changes throughout the process," Wright said. "That's typical of the business. Seldom do they change as much as that one's changed." He said having a large construction project ongoing in 2008 and 2009 helped mitigate the local impact of the national recession. "All those thousands of workers coming in, coming out, renting spaces, buying food -- we felt an impact but we didn't feel the impact that a lot of people felt," Wright said. "That provided a source of tax income in the community that would not have been evident without that project going on." Looking back, he said the plant's success exemplifies the combination of a determined community and resources such as RSA. "We started at zero people working there and zero investment in a big cotton field," Wright said. "And now 10 years later, thanks in great part to David Bronner and RSA and the local community by being able to rise to the challenge that Dr. Bronner and others have put forth with the economic development fund and other inducements, we now have an investment in hundreds of millions of dollars in the property. "Plus we have more than 1,000 people able to go to work there every day, and a company that spends millions of dollars a year in local infrastructure and part purchases. And thank goodness they're still growing down there." Bronner, whose RSA earlier this century provided investments that included two 18-hole Robert Trent Jones golf courses in Colbert County, said the Shoals is growing into its potential and his investments are evidence of his belief in the area. "It's a beautiful, beautiful part of the state," he said. "It's really hard-working good people and it's been sort of ignored for a long time and had a lot of starts and stops. This one was also almost a start and stop. This project has gotten to point now where everybody can be proud of it." Mauldin said the plant made a statement for the Shoals and it got Montgomery's attention. "The railcar plant was a symbol to the state that we are here for business and that we exist in the Shoals area," he said. "Prior to that, all we got was lip service." He said the economic development fund also is a major benefit from the project. "The fund has helped a whole bunch of small industries," Mauldin said. "A lot of people have benefited from the vision of that sales tax and what we're using it for." Looking back, Mauldin shudders at the notion of where the Shoals could have ended up without the plant and the fund. He also sees continued growth for the area. "Just think what it would have been if we didn't have it," Mauldin said. He paused and added, "But we can do so much more."

The tandem United States Post Office (USPS) MCs and MRs had Rockwell drive axles, as I recall SQ100s with Reyco 101A or 102W four-spring suspensions.

Billy, daylight running lamps (DRL) have never been federally mandated. It was GM that pushed it, not the insurance companies. The United States does not require DRLs. But, if voluntarily equipped, DRLs are required to comply with the requirements specified in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, “Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.” The provision covering the voluntary installation of DRLs in passenger vehicles was incorporated into FMVSS No. 108 in January 1993 in response to a General Motors (GM) petition to permit, but not require, DRLs. The DRL performance requirements resolve conflicts among State laws that inadvertently prohibited certain forms of daytime running lights and harmonizing with Canadian DRL requirements. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daytime_running_lamp https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/811029

Trucks with older engines exempt from ELD mandate, FMCSA says Matt Cole, Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / July 28, 2017 The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has posted new guidance for the electronic logging device mandate that exempts trucks equipped with model year 2000 engines and older from adhering to the mandate, regardless of the model year of the truck. However, if a truck’s model year is older than 2000, but the engine model year is newer than 2000, the driver is still required to adhere to the ELD mandate. FMCSA says in a freshly updated FAQ on its website that drivers are not required to carry documentation in the truck that confirms their engine’s model year, but notes that federal regulations require motor carriers to keep all documentation on motor and engine changes “at the principal place of business.” During a roadside inspection, FMCSA says law enforcement should refer the case for further investigation if they can’t determine the model year of the engine. This guidance deviates from FMCSA’s previous guidance, which emphasized the model year as determined by the VIN on a truck’s chassis. Efforts have been made in Congress recently to delay the Dec. 18, 2017, compliance date for the ELD rule, but it will be difficult for such a bill to gain enough traction to be enacted, as CCJ reported this week.

2017 Fiat Chrysler diesel vehicles approved for sale by regulators Reuters / July 28, 2017 WASHINGTON -- Fiat Chrysler Automobiles won approval from U.S. and California regulators on Friday to sell 2017 diesel vehicles after it came under scrutiny for alleged excess emissions in older diesel vehicles. Fiat Chrysler hopes to use the software upgrade in 2017 as the basis of a fix to address agencies' concerns over 2014-2016 Fiat Chrysler diesel vehicles after the Justice Department sued the automaker in May, alleging excess emissions. Regulators contended the older vehicles had undisclosed emissions controls that allowed vehicles to emit excess pollution in normal driving. Reuters on Thursday reported the planned approvals by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board. In May, the Justice Department sued Fiat Chrysler, accusing it of illegally using software to bypass emission controls in 104,000 diesel Jeep Grand Cherokees and Dodge Ram 1500 trucks sold since 2014. FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne said in a statement announcing the approvals on Friday that the company was eager to update the emissions control software in its earlier model-year vehicles. The company had been seeking permission for months to begin selling 2017 diesel vehicles. Fiat Chrysler had begun assembling diesel trucks this month in anticipation of approval. The software update will have no effect on the fuel economy ratings or vehicle performance, the automaker said. The company has denied any wrongdoing, saying there was never an attempt to create software to cheat emissions rules. The EPA said on Friday that it had subjected these and many other vehicles to additional scrutiny with tests to prevent the use of illegal devices. The EPA and California first accused Fiat Chrysler in January of using undisclosed software to allow excess diesel emissions in 104,000 U.S. 2014-2016 Jeep Grand Cherokees and Dodge Ram 1500 trucks. Reuters reported on Thursday that it could take weeks or months for regulators to sign off on testing and then approving Fiat Chrysler's plan to use the software in 2017 diesels to update older vehicles. The January notice of violation was the result of a probe that arose out of regulators' investigation of rival Volkswagen AG's excess emissions. Regulators are also investigating emissions in Daimler AG Mercedes-Benz diesel vehicles, but have yet to take any action. The German automaker withdrew its request for approval to sell 2017 U.S. Mercedes-Benz diesels in May.

Ford to repair U.S. police vehicles after carbon monoxide concerns Reuters / July 28, 2017 WASHINGTON -- Ford Motor Co. said Friday it will pay to repair police versions of its Ford Explorer SUVs to correct possible carbon monoxide leaks that may be linked to crashes and injuries after U.S. regulators escalated an investigation into 1.33 million vehicles. Ford said it will cover the costs of specific repairs in every Police Interceptor Explorer SUVs that may be tied to after-market installation of police equipment. The company said the modifications may have left holes in the underbody of the vehicles. "If the holes are not properly sealed, it creates an opening where exhaust could enter the cabin," Ford said in a statement. Ford acted amid concerns by some police departments about the safety of officers. The city of Austin, Texas, said Friday it was removing all 400 of the city’s Ford Explorer SUVs from use. Several Texas media outlets cited a city memo that said 20 police officers have been found with elevated levels of carbon monoxide and three have not returned to work. Ford said it has not found any elevated levels of carbon monoxide in regular Ford Explorers, but NHTSA is investigating reports of exhaust odors in those vehicles. Ford did not say how much it expected to pay to repair police vehicles and said its investigation is ongoing. On Thursday, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it was upgrading and expanding a probe into 1.33 million Ford Explorer SUVs over reports of exhaust odors in vehicle compartments. Police have reported two crashes that may be linked to carbon monoxide exposure and a third incident involving injuries related to carbon monoxide exposure. The auto safety agency said it was also aware of more than 2,700 complaints that may be linked to exhaust orders and possible exposure to carbon monoxide and 41 injuries among police and civilian vehicles in the probe covering 2011-2017 model year Ford Explorer SUVs. Ford has issued four technical service bulletins related to the exhaust odor issue to address complaints from police fleets and other owners, NHTSA and Ford said. NHTSA said it is evaluating preliminary testing that suggests carbon monoxide levels may be elevated in certain driving scenarios. NHTSA said it recently learned that the police version of the Ford Explorer was experiencing exhaust manifold cracks. The agency said the reported injuries include "loss of consciousness, with the majority indicating nausea, headaches, or light-headedness."

Land Line (OOIDA) / July 27, 2017 Nearly 2,000 Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks are being recalled over a fuel pump issue, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) documents. More specifically, 10 models of Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks from 2017 to 2018 equipped with Cummins ISX 15L engines are being recalled. Affected engines have a fuel pump whose drive gear could possibly slip on its drive shaft, causing a fuel pump function loss, resulting in an engine stall. Trucks involved in the recall include: 2018 Kenworth C500 2018 Kenworth T680 2018 Kenworth T800 2018 Kenworth T880 2018 Kenworth W900 2017-2018 Peterbilt 367 2017-2018 Peterbilt 389 2017-2018 Peterbilt 567 2017-2018 Peterbilt 579 2017-2018 Peterbilt 587 Owners of affected trucks will be contacted by Cummins. Dealers will replace the fuel pumps for free. Notification has yet to be released. For more information, contact Cummins customer service at 800-286-6467 or Paccar at 425-468-7400. Paccar’s number for this recall is C1909.

The agreement with the Reo Motor Car Company to sell Reo trucks through some of the Mack factory branches during 1935 led to the introduction of Mack Jr. trucks and buses, which were built at the Reo plant in Lansing, Michigan. The Mack jr. line for 1936 consisted of four basic chassis sizes with capacities from 1/2 to 3 tons. These trucks were well built, but of lighter construction than regular Mack models and comparatively less expensive. During 1936, the Mack Jr. models and their rated capacities were designated as: 1M / 1/2 ton 10M / 1-1/2 tons 20M / 1-1/2 to 2 tons 30M / 2 to 3 tons There was also a "traffic type" [low cab forward cab-over engine] variant of the 30M designated as 30MT. Reference: Mack, by John B. Montville

New Cascadia driving higher penetration of proprietary components James Menzies, Truck News / July 27, 2017 Orders for the new Cascadia have now surpassed those for its predecessor, and buyers of the new truck are increasingly adopting proprietary powertrain components and safety systems. “Within the next couple weeks, we will crest 10,000 builds with the new Cascadia already,” Mike McHorse, Freightliner product marketing segment manager, on-highway, said during a business update here today. Production of the new Cascadia began in January and was slowly ramped up through March. McHorse said customer are confirming Freightliner’s claims of an 8% fuel economy improvement over the classic Cascadia. Interestingly, the new Cascadia, despite coming at a price premium, is being spec’d with more Daimler-made parts. The take rate for the DT12 automated transmission is at 94% with the new Cascadia, compared to 68% in classic Cascadias. The Detroit Assurance suite of active safety systems is being ordered in 59% of new Cascadias, compared to 25% of legacy models. And the new Cascadia is rolling off the line with more Detroit front (91%) and rear (74%) axles, compared to the legacy models with 65% and 42%, respectively. Freightliner continues to expand offerings on the new model, most recently adding a 116-inch BBC day cab, a 72-inch raised roof sleeper, the Cummins X15 engine, and Eaton automated manual transmissions. A new driver loft is also now in production. More options will be announced this fall at the North American Commercial Vehicle Show, McHorse added. Freightliner has also updated its Team Run Smart website, and will be bringing in its 50,000th member within a month or two. The new, simplified website, now features three sections: Live Smart; Business Smart; and Truck Smart. Live Smart focuses on living a healthy lifestyle on the road, and includes nutritional and exercise advice. Business Smart provides tools for owner-operators to be more successful in running their businesses. And Truck Smart shares insights and tips on how to drive efficiently. A group of Run Smart pros share tips on how to maximize fuel economy, spec’ trucks, and live a healthy life on the road. Truckers can sign up for free and receive a weekly newsletter and participate in an online forum. You don’t have to be a Freightliner customer to join. “Our hope is that as they become more successful and start to look for a new truck, or to add to their fleet, that they put Freightliner into consideration when doing that,” McHorse said. The new site can be found at www.TeamRunSmart.com. .

Proposed U.S. border tax killed by Republicans Automotive News / July 27, 2017 Republican leaders in Washington, D.C., conceded on Thursday that a border-adjusted tax doesn’t have support to be part of negotiations to overhaul the U.S. tax code, a move that is sure to make U.S. and Canadian auto executives happy. The controversial border adjustment tax was meant to discourage U.S. companies from manufacturing products overseas and then importing them back into the United States for sale. The decision is a major victory for large importers who lobbied aggressively against the proposal, including a coalition that included automakers such as Toyota Motor Corp. A statement Thursday from the so-called Big Six -- House Speaker Paul Ryan, R- Wis., House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Calif., White House economic adviser Gary Cohn, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah -- said due to unknowns associated with the border-adjusted tax, the group “had decided to set this policy aside in order to advance tax reform.” "And we are now confident that, without transitioning to a new domestic consumption-based tax system, there is a viable approach for ensuring a level playing field between American and foreign companies and workers, while protecting American jobs and the U.S. tax base," according to the statement. Ryan and Brady had been telling Republicans prior to the statement’s release that the controversial border-adjusted tax on imports would no longer be part of tax-legislation negotiations, according to four people familiar with the ongoing discussions. Canadian Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association President Flavio Volpe believed the debate over a border adjustment tax ended a long time but he’s still happy to hear it’s official. “It’s interesting timing…less than a month before we begin debating NAFTA. It’s a good signal,” Volpe told Automotive News Canada. “If you remove the anxiety around it being on the table as part of NAFTA, or you remove it from the table as being part of a future tax reform package, you don’t have to model into a trade deal between the three countries.” A border tax could have severely hurt the Canadian auto industry, he said. “I don’t think anyone believe threats of 20 or 30 percent were anything but political but threats of 3.5 percent or something in that order would have crippled a lot of the segment,” Volpe said. The border-adjusted tax, which would replace the current 35 percent corporate rate with a 20 percent levy on companies’ domestic sales and imported goods, had been a centerpiece of the House GOP tax plan endorsed by Brady and Ryan. It was estimated to generate more than $1 trillion over a decade, which would help pay for tax cuts promised by Republicans. The concept had been under attack by retailers and other industries that rely on imported goods, who mounted a campaign saying it would raise prices for working Americans on everyday goods. In January, Linamar CEO Linda Hasenfratz told an audience at the Automotive News World Congress in Detroit that a border tax would be detrimental to business. “The prospect of trying to put some trade barriers up between those countries is extremely troubling,” she said at the time, noting that the average automotive part crosses a border seven times in North America before it ends up in a consumer’s driveway. “Can you imagine adding a border tax seven times to these products that are passing back and forth between our borders?” asked Hasenfratz. “It would add enormous cost that no one can bear.”

I posted this in June, 2015. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The former Allentown-based Mack Trucks for years had the most effective and yet ingeniously simple part numbering system in the global truck industry. The beginning of the part number (prefix) told you what kind of part it was, with P-number suffixes that told you what variation it was. Here are just a few examples of the part number prefixes: 1AX - fine thread bolt 4AX - course thread bolt 36AX - lock washer 37AX - flat washer 62GB - engine bearing 631GC - turbocharger 2ME - muffler 4ME - exhaust pipe 47MO - turn signal lamp 1MR - electrical switch 11MR - circuit breaker 3MT - temperature gauge 10QH - tie rod end 2QK - front spring 4QK - rear spring 10 QK - suspension rubber insulator 1QM - hood 301SQ - king pin set .........and so on. The "P" suffixes were equally straightforward, continuing the brilliant simplicity of the Mack system. 2QK3378P1 10,500lb front spring 2QK3378P2 12,000lb front spring An "A", "B" or higher letter between the base part number and the "P" suffix denoted an engineering improvement. For example, 3MT35AP2. 3MT - temperature gauge 35 - R/U/DM A - see above P2 - negative ground or P3 (positive ground) Because of the brilliant Mack part numbering system, the part numbers were very easy to remember, due to the fact that each part of the number had a logical and clear meaning. This is why veteran Mack parts people, in my humble opinion, were significantly better than their peers in the truck industry. With literally thousands of Mack part numbers comfortably in their head, veteran Mack parts people were faster than a New York deli. (Did anyone ever have the nightmare of obtaining parts from a Ford heavy truck dealer?) But now, Volvo has largely replaced Mack part numbers with Volvo global part numbers, randomly selected part numbers that have no meaning whatsoever. This is why the handful of veteran Mack parts people still around can no longer quickly assist you. The Volvo parts system, by design, is immensely time consuming. Not to mention the horrible, inconsistent Volvo Group electronic parts catalog for Mack brand trucks. For Volvo to throw away the staggeringly efficient Mack Trucks parts numbering system, frankly the truck industry's best, and replace it with meaningless Volvo global part numbers so as to meet the demands of their arrogant bureaucracy, is a tragedy for the Mack brand customer. As a Mack veteran, it leaves me totally disgusted. Even though today's Mack brand truck is for the most part a rebadged Volvo, the Swedish truckmaker would have been better off to adopt Mack's superior part numbering system rather than force their often criticized system upon the former Mack dealers. But then, the culture of arrogance at Volvo prevents them from admitting they are inferior at anything.

I'm seeing a lot of that, and it's very sad. I say this proudly and as a matter of fact, the former Mack Trucks had the best parts people in the industry, a highly talented family that worked together, from the PDCs (parts distribution centers) to the distributors and factory-owned branches. We had the sharpest people in the business, and the best parts "system" in the truck industry.

KrAZ Trucks Press Release / July 11, 2017 Half century ago, in July 1967, KrAZ Trucks (aka. the Kremenchug Truck Plant) began production of the legendary Model 255B. In production until 1993, KrAZ built 160,732 units including 30,000 tropical versions for export to foreign countries. The high point of production was the 1978-1987 period, when an average of 7,500 to 8,000 units rolled off the assembly line each year. Conqueror of rugged terrains, general favorite, “laptyozhnik”, legend - all these nicknames were given to the KrAZ-255B truck for its reliability, rugged design, endurance, repairability and excellent off road capability. Fifty years is a considerable age for a truck, for some 10 years is the limit. But the KrAZ-255B truck is not about to go away any time soon. Today, almost a quarter of century after the KrAZ‑255B was discontinued, you can still see them in CIS countries, on mountain roads of India, Afghanistan, Iran, in savannahs, sands and tropical jungle of Africa. Service with the army in combat operations, peace keeping missions, emergency response, operation in extremely harsh environmental and road conditions is the past and present of the KrAZ‑255B. Today, the KrAZ-255B vehicle is still “on duty” in Eastern Ukraine with the military engineers of the country’s armed forces, carrying pontoons in the construction of a 70-meter long bridge across Severskiy Donets near the village of Krymskoye. Age seems to have no effect on the KrAZ-255B. KrAZ’s off road legend is still in service with the army and economy of over 50 countries worldwide. It is a pride of the company, it’s high standard only exceeded by today’s KrAZ-5233 and KrAZ-6322 trucks. Photo gallery – http://www.autokraz.com.ua/index.php/en/novosti-i-media/news/item/3210-laptozhnyku-kraz-255b-50 .

Diesel News Australia / July 2017 The rough roads of far western Queensland are not good for the major joints in livestock trailers. The road conditions the trailers meet every day on very rough roads can cause damage. Items like the top corners and the frames on the doors all get extra reinforcement on trailers belonging to Surat, Queensland, livestock operator Mark Johnstone. This does mean the trailers are slightly heavier than the norm, but Mark has learnt the hard way. “Ninety per cent of the time, the roads we drive on are pretty ordinary,” says Mark. “We go as far as Epsilon Station, out at Cameron’s Corner. Then we go just over the South Australian border, down the Birdsville track. “Come winter, in the cooler months, that’s when we start pulling cattle out of remote South West Queensland. We take the stock through to Grantham, in the Lockyer Valley. The abattoir there does all organic meat. “When we bring the cattle in from out there we have to do a layover with them, then we can sell them in Wyandra or Cunnamulla. You’ve got to be careful, it has to be somewhere which has organic hay.” There are only a few places in outback Queensland where the right organic feed is available. Even some of the bigger sale yards do not have organic facilities. Organic cattle need to be kept separated, at all times, from ordinary animals, with their own loading ramps and yards, etc. Ninety-five per cent of all of Mark’s loads comes directly from farms. He spends little time loading out of sale yards. Cattle from farms in the area to the west of Surat are hauled to places like Roma, Dalby, or sometimes even as far as Biloela in Central Queensland. Most of the time Mark is dealing directly with the farmers who own the cattle. Mark prefers to operate face to face with the owner, not necessarily via an agent. These relationships are long term and both parties can feel comfortable dealing directly with each other. The seasonal nature of the work suits Mark’s business. In the colder months, when Mark’s work is further west in the more remote areas, there are quite a few livestock trucks working in the Surat region. However, in the summer, many of those competing operators move over to bulk grain transport, while Mark picks up livestock work in the area. “When the seasons are good, it’s really good for everyone,” says Mark. “Everyone’s got enough work, but when it gets dry, it’s hard. We have found in every drought we’ve been through. There’s plenty of work and you can make money, but when it rains big time, for the next twelve months there’s nothing. “If the seasons flow just right, the fellow on the land has got money in his pocket, and you always seem to have a bit more money in your pocket. “When there’s a drought, everyone hangs on until the last minute. You can’t blame them for doing that, but then they have got to move, and it’s got to go today. You miss out on half of your customers. Once the drought breaks, customers will try and work you in with the timetable and ask you when you can do them. This only lasts for about two months, and then it’s just ‘sit down time’.” .

Iveco Australia to build Stralis AT in Melbourne Prime Mover Magazine / July 25, 2017 Iveco Australia has announced that it will be assembling the Stralis ATi model at its facility in Dandenong, Melbourne, renaming it Stralis AT. The Stralis AT is currently sold in Australia as a fully imported model, with Australian manufacturing and selected component sourcing, including mirrors, wheel angles, trailer connections, batteries, wheels and liquids, to begin in the fourth quarter of 2017. The Stralis AT variants will include a 6x4 prime mover and 6x2 rigid in a variety of specification options, and will join existing Stralis AS-L, Powerstar, and ACCO models which are locally built or manufactured in Melbourne. According to Iveco, local production of AT models will reduce lead times from vehicle order to delivery, and introduce the ability to customise orders with factory-fitted special options and local accessories. Iveco Australia Managing Director, Michael Jonson, said the increase in local production highlighted the company’s commitment to Australian manufacturing. “Iveco is one of only a few remaining commercial vehicle brands to manufacture here – this latest expansion in Australian-based production demonstrates the company’s commitment to having a strong local manufacturing presence,” Jonson said. “The addition of Stralis AT variants to the local production mix along with other initiatives will ultimately see a modest increase in the facility’s manufacturing workforce, so this is good for the local workforce but also for Australian truck buyers, who can further reap the benefits that locally-manufactured vehicles provide. “The expansion of local production not only reflects a strong belief from Iveco Australia that local manufacturing is sustainable, but the initiative is also strongly supported by Iveco’s parent company, CNH Industrial,” Jonson said. The addition of the Stralis AT to the production mix will see the Dandenong facility undergo investment in tooling and software to calibrate the AT’s adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning systems, and therefore introduce new technology to the site. .

Pictures of the China market Ford Cargo at the Shanghai Motor Show product launch. 6x4 - https://product.360che.com/img/c1_s66_b17_s7015_m37891_t0.html 4x2 - https://product.360che.com/img/c1_s66_b17_s7015_m37894_t0.html