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Laredo facility supports Freightliner and Navistar plants [in Mexico] Heavy Duty Trucking / May 17, 2017 Fontaine Modification Fleet Services announced it has moved its Laredo, TX, modification center 14 miles down the road to a new 27,000-sq.-ft. facility adjacent to TruckMovers, a yard management and third-party logistics service provider. This modification center specializes in installing work systems, off-loading and electronics systems, vehicle tracking systems, safety equipment and graphics packages for heavy-duty trucks. The purpose-built facility at 15617 U.S. Route 83, Unit B, supports nearby Freightliner Trucks and Navistar International manufacturing plants, utilizing ship-thru agreements with both OEMs. TruckMovers transports the vehicles from the OEM plants [in Mexico] to the Laredo location for modification and preparation for final delivery. “Working closely with TruckMovers lets us minimize truck scheduling and movement delays, so together we can reduce the time between trucks leaving the factory and their delivery to the customer’s location,” says Jamil Young, president, Fontaine Modification Fleet Services. The new modification center includes 22 truck bays, five drive-through lanes and two acres of securely fenced and lighted parking. It is fully supported by an onsite staff of engineering, quality control and inventory personnel. Production at the new Fontaine modification center began April 3 led by facility manager Angel Salas. .

Heavy Duty Trucking / May 17, 2017 Volvo Group is working with Swedish waste and recycling company Renova to test an autonomous, self-driving refuse truck in an urban environment. The project will explore how an autonomous refuse truck can be used in a busy environment to improve traffic safety and working conditions and reduce environmental impact. “There is amazing potential to transform the swift pace of technical developments in automation into practical benefits for customers and, more broadly, society in general,” said Lars Stenqvist, chief technology officer, Volvo Group. “Our self-driving refuse truck is leading the way in this field globally, and one of several exciting autonomous innovations we are working with right now.” Volvo’s autonomous refuse truck is designed to make driving safer in built-up areas and while backing up. Sensors on the vehicle will monitor the vicinity and stop the truck immediately if an obstacle suddenly appears in its path. The route is pre-programmed and the truck drives itself to each location. The driver can focus on refuse collection and does not have to climb in and out of the cab every time the truck moves to a new collection bin. “One important benefit of the new technology is a reduction in the risk of occupational injuries, such as wear in knee joints – otherwise a common ailment among staff working with refuse collection,” said Stenqvist. The autonomous truck also offers environmental benefits, according to Volvo. Gearchanging, steering and speed are constantly adjusted for low fuel consumption and emissions. The joint project with Renova will continue through the end of 2017. The autonomous truck is fitted with a sensor system for identification, navigation and monitoring of the vehicle’s vicinity. Most of the technology is also used in Volvo’s autonomous mining truck that the company unveiled in 2016. The mining truck is undergoing tests in the Kristineberg Mine in northern Sweden. .

FASTLANE Freight Grants to Be Announced Shortly, Secretary Chao Says Transport Topics / May 17, 2017 The recipients of federal grants designed to assist states to pay for large-scale freight projects will be announced soon, the country’s top transportation officer told a Senate panel May 17. “The department is set to award a number of FASTLANE grants very shortly,” Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao told senators on the Environment and Public Works Committee. Transportation agencies in Rhode Island, Maryland, Virginia and Idaho are among the applicants seeking grants under the Fostering Advancements in Shipping and Transportation for the Long-term Achievement of National Efficiencies (FASTLANE) program. Chao explained that the grant program established in the 2015 FAST Act highway law is meant to provide financial assistance to projects that seek to improve safety, efficiency and reliability of the movement of freight and people, as well as reduce highway congestion and bottlenecks. In July, DOT selected 18 projects to split $759 million in fiscal 2016 for freight programs. The Florida Department of Transportation won a $10.7 million FASTLANE grant in July to help pay for a $23 million truck parking project. The project would deploy a real-time information system about commercial vehicle parking availability to help truckers find parking.

Senators urge Chao to maintain TIGER grants Fleet Owner / May 17, 2017 DOT secretary emphasizes need to streamline permitting process during hearing Days before the Trump administration is expected to release its fiscal 2018 budget plan, senators asked Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to restore funding for a popular grant program. The Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program was part of the 2009 stimulus law, and has been popular among states and local governments ever since. However, no funding was included in the president’s “skinny” budget issued in March. At a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing on May 17, senators from both parties said TIGER grants leverage private investment, a stated goal of the administration, and should be revived as the blueprint for a $1 trillion infrastructure plan is finalized in the coming weeks. “I know how popular they are with members of Congress,” Chao told the committee. “This particular issue about TIGER grants is something we are discussing. There may be a more holistic approach to infrastructure, and perhaps these TIGER grants will be recast in the future.” Chao said she was not sure whether TIGER funding would be included when a full budget proposal is issued next week. Separately, Chao said winners of the FASTLANE grant program, created out of the FAST Act, would soon be announced. The TIGER issue was first raised by Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD), who singled out a $14.6 million grant, miniscule when discussing a $1 trillion bill, to highlight how powerful the grants can be. That award was given to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe to pave a dangerous gravel road leading to Highway 83, offering jobs and an economic lifeline to an extremely poor county. “This is small in nature, but important,” Rounds said. “Rest assured we would love to give additional input and advice” regarding the grants. Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) were others voicing support for TIGER. The two-hour hearing was a mostly cordial gathering, with Chao and senators expressing a joint commitment to work together on infrastructure. Chao provided few new details, again saying an initial plan will be issued within weeks. She did emphasize the importance of streamlining the permitting and review process in order to get highway projects built more quickly. Chao said it could be done “in way that is responsible,” with a focus on removing hurdles viewed as duplicative and only serve to slow down projects. Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) stressed the importance of this step, and said he did not believe earlier congressional efforts to accomplish that goal had been properly implemented under the Obama administration. In his opening remarks, EPW Chairman John Barrasso (R-WY) encouraged a formula-based approach to distribution funds to ensure rural and urban states all receive their fair share. "Using a formula-based approach will expedite the delivery of additional infrastructure spending which will ensure highway projects will be built faster, as opposed to adopting a new funding structure that is less understood by stakeholders," he said. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) was among several who inquired specifically about planning for freight projects. Chao responded she is well aware of what is at stake. “Freight is a very important part of our overall commerce and helps keep the economy vibrant,” she said. “We will do everything we can to facilitate commerce so it brings greater vitality and prosperity to our country.” There was also consensus at the hearing that public-private partnerships should be part of the overall plan, but some cautioned it was only a small piece of the overall puzzle. Many states have not yet considered PPPs, and Texas recently rejected a bill that would allow use of them to fund highway projects. That feeling was shared by senators representing rural areas, where needed projects may not have a high-enough price tag to make PPPs a favorable option. Conversely, Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) indicated more PPPs should be considered. “We should not discriminate against the private sector in their desire to help finance” these projects, he said. Throughout the hearing, a familiar chorus of funding options was raised, from raising fuel taxes, increasing the use tolling, especially on new highways, and implanting a vehicle miles tax. Beyond highway infrastructure, funding needs for passenger transit and water infrastructure were other main discussion areas.

International Trucks opens flagship Used Truck Center Fleet Owner / May 17, 2017 International Truck announced the grand opening of the new flagship Used Truck Center in Melrose Park, IL. While the current Used Truck Center is also located in Melrose Park, the four block move will bring it in the same building as Navistar’s Melrose Park Plant; occupying previously unused space on the land. In addition, it will finish off a consolidation effort which brings engine testing, the Used Truck Reconditioning Center, certified technicians and used truck sales all in a single location. “The Used Truck Center move provides an opportunity to create our most comprehensive used truck facility yet,” said Jeff Heichel, vice president, Used Truck Operations. “On one side of the building, we will be selling our used trucks; and on the other, we have certified technicians working on reconditioning them. It creates a great environment that promotes sales and customer service.” According to the company, the new truck center is a 5,500 sq. ft. building – an improvement from the 2,500 sq. ft. location it is replacing – and sits on a 150,000 sq. ft. lot, with the potential to expand to 206,000 sq. ft. The new facility comes with accommodations for both customers and International’s sales team.

EU launches legal action against Italy over Fiat emission tests Reuters / May 17, 2017 BRUSSELS -- The European Commission launched legal action against Italy for failing to respond to allegations of emissions-test cheating by Fiat Chrysler, in a procedure that could lead to the country being taken to court. "The Commission decided today to send a letter of formal notice asking Italy to respond to concerns about insufficient action taken regarding the emission control strategies employed by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles," the Commission said in a statement on Wednesday. The Commission has been mediating a dispute between Rome and Berlin after Germany accused Fiat Chrysler of using an illegal device in diesel versions of its Fiat 500X, Fiat Doblo and Jeep Renegade models. That mediation ended in March. EU officials have become increasingly frustrated with what they see as governments colluding with the powerful car industry and the legal move is the biggest stick the European Commission has available to force nations to clamp down on diesel cars that emit high levels of polluting nitrogen oxide (NOx). EU regulators say Italy has failed to convince them that the so-called defeat devices used to modulate emissions on its vehicles outside of narrow testing conditions are justified. Defeat devices have been illegal under EU law since 2007. Their use has come under renewed scrutiny following Volkswagen's admission that it used software to mask real-world NOx emissions, which are blamed for respiratory illnesses and early deaths. European carmakers have argued they are not doing anything wrong, citing an exemption that allows them to turn off emission control systems when necessary for safety or to protect engines. Last December, the Commission launched cases against five nations, including Germany, Britain and Spain, for failing to police the car industry adequately. Despite the accusations leveled against its own carmakers, Germany has accused Fiat Chrysler of using an illegal device to scale back emission controls after 22 minutes -- just longer than official tests. Under the current EU type approval system, which the Commission is trying to overhaul, national regulators approve new cars and alone have the power to police manufacturers. But once a vehicle is approved in one country, it can be sold throughout the bloc. Earlier on Wednesday Italy's Transport Minister, Graziano Delrio, had asked for a delay in starting the infringement procedure to allow time for clarification on the issues raised by the Commission.

Ford Sees 1,400 Salaried Workers Leaving by End of September Bloomberg / May 17, 2017 Ford Motor Co. said it’s making an “accelerated attack on costs” by offering voluntary buyout packages to salaried workers in North America and Asia, as Chief Executive Officer Mark Fields faces pressure to improve profit and boost the carmaker’s stock price. The automaker expects 1,400 salaried employees to leave by the end of September, according to an emailed statement. The early retirement offers won’t be extended to key employees engineering new models and developing technology such as self-driving cars. . The staff cuts are part of a plan to lop $3 billion off the company’s costs this year. Fields was grilled by his board last week and impugned by investors eager for a turnaround in Ford’s declining earnings and shares. Ford is pouring billions into developing driverless cars, while sales of its conventional models are struggling to keep pace with rivals including General Motors Co. amid a slowing U.S. auto market. Read more: Motown slowdown counters Trump touting American auto growth Salaried personnel will shrink by 10 percent in Ford’s North American and Asia Pacific operations, the Dearborn, Michigan-based company told employees Wednesday. Buyout offers won’t be extended to workers in product development, plant manufacturing, information technology, global data and analytics and the Ford Credit financial-services unit. The early retirement offers also won’t apply to Ford’s operations in Europe and South America, which already have retrenchment plans underway. In North America and Asia, targeted salaried employees will begin receiving buyout offers in early June, according to the company.

U.S. Prepares Lawsuit Over Fiat Chrysler Diesel Emissions Bloomberg / May 18, 2017 The U.S. Justice Department is preparing to sue Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV if talks fail to resolve differences over the automaker’s alleged violations of U.S. clean-air rules with its diesel vehicles, according to two people briefed on the matter. A lawsuit could be filed as soon as this week, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing the confidential matter. Negotiations are still ongoing and the parties may reach an agreement to avoid prolonged litigation. A suit would mark an escalation of the U.S. government’s months-long inquiry and could expose the automaker to significant penalties. The suit being prepared alleges the company used illegal defeat devices, one of the people said. Such devices -- software in computerized systems -- improperly disable pollution controls to enhance performance. Volkswagen AG admitted in 2015 to using defeat devices that turned on emissions controls to pass tests but turned them off during driving. Fiat Chrysler is adamant that its controls weren’t designed to cheat emissions tests like Volkswagen’s. Investigators have said Fiat Chrysler hasn’t been able to fully explain the purpose of all the functions to their satisfaction. “In the case of any litigation, FCA US will defend itself vigorously, particularly against any claims that the company deliberately installed defeat devices to cheat U.S. emissions tests,” Fiat Chrysler said in an emailed statement. “The company believes that any litigation would be counterproductive to ongoing discussions with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board.” Fiat Chrysler has been seeking approval for updated software for 2017 model year diesels that it then intends to install in 2014-2016 vehicles cited by the EPA in a Jan. 12 violation notice. Court Hearing The U.S. has been preparing a potential complaint ahead of an initial hearing for separate lawsuits, brought by owners of the diesel SUVs and pickups, on May 24 at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The San Francisco court oversaw VW emissions litigation. Volkswagen’s defeat devices permitted its diesel cars to pass emissions tests even as they exceeded pollution standards on the road. Regulators stepped up testing in the wake of that scandal, leading to the discovery of Fiat Chrysler’s alleged violations. Prior story: Fiat Chrysler Accused of Diesel Emissions Cheating by U.S. Spokespeople for the Justice Department and EPA declined to comment. The EPA alleged in January that the automaker sold 104,000 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs and Ram 1500 pickups with diesel engines containing “auxiliary emissions control devices” that the company failed to disclose to the agency. EPA’s Notice In the notice of violation, the agency also said that one or more of the undisclosed emissions controls may be defeat devices and challenged the automaker to convince investigators otherwise. Some of the controls “appear to cause the vehicle to perform differently when the vehicle is being tested than in normal operation and use,” the EPA said in its notice. Test data showed that the vehicles produced high levels of nitrogen oxide pollution under certain conditions, the agency said in January. The alleged violations carried potential penalties of up to $44,539 per vehicle, then-EPA enforcement chief Cynthia Giles said at the time. That translated to a penalty of up to $4.6 billion based on the number of vehicles involved. Prior story: Fiat Chrysler Said to Face U.S. Criminal Emissions Probe Fiat Chrysler Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne denied the allegations on a Jan. 12 conference call. “We have no defeat devices,” he said. Possible Mistakes Marchionne addressed the issue again last month. “We may have made mistakes” on diesel software disclosure, he said, though Fiat Chrysler “never tried to break any rule.” The EPA said in January that Fiat Chrysler’s lack of disclosure by itself constituted a Clean Air Act violation, adding that it may find additional violations. Auxiliary emissions control devices are permitted under the Clean Air Act as long as they’re disclosed and explained in detail within applications carmakers file with the EPA. QuickTake Q&A: Volkswagen Embarks on Life After Diesel Scandal Fiat Chrysler and EPA officials have been in talks to resolve the issues since January, and those talks continue, one of the people said. At the same time, the automaker has been working to obtain EPA certifications for its 2017 model year diesel Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500, which the agency has thus far refused to grant. Volkswagen admitted to using defeat devices on about a half million vehicles to pass U.S. emissions tests. Its then-CEO Martin Winterkorn resigned and the company has committed to spending more than $24.5 billion to cover costs stemming from the scandal, including a $2.8 billion criminal penalty as part of a guilty plea agreement reached in January with the Justice Department.

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Volvo CEO says new generation of diesel engines could be the last Reuters / May 17, 2017 Volvo's latest generation of diesel engines could be its last because the cost of reducing emissions of nitrogen oxide is becoming too expensive, CEO Hakan Samuelsson was quoted as saying on Wednesday. [Volvo Car CEO Hakan Samuelsson is a former Scania executive vice president, 1977-2000] "From today's perspective, we will not develop any more new generation diesel engines," Samuelsson told German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in an interview. However, a Volvo spokesman said on Wednesday that Samuelsson had been discussing options rather than a firm plan to stop the further development of diesel engines. Samuelsson later said in a statement emailed to Reuters he believed diesel would still play a crucial role in the next few years in helping the company meet targets to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, being more fuel-efficient than petrol engines. "We have just launched a brand new generation of petrol and diesel engines, highlighting our commitment to this technology. As a result, a decision on the development of a new generation of diesel engines is not required," he said. In the FAZ interview Samuelsson said Volvo would continue improving the current range, first introduced in 2013, to meet future emissions standards, with production likely to go on until about 2023. And until 2020 he said diesel would be needed to help meet carbon dioxide emission limits set by the European Union, but after that other regulations would come into play, with the costs of making engines compliant with ever higher anti-pollution standards meaning it would no longer be worth it. Instead, Volvo will invest in the electric and hybrid cars, with its first pure electric model due on the market in 2019. "We have to recognize that Tesla has managed to offer such a car for which people are lining up. In this area, there should also be space for us, with high quality and attractive design," Samuelsson said. Samuelsson has previously said that tighter emissions rules will push up the price of diesel-engined cars to the point where plug-in hybrids will become an attractive alternative. The average carbon dioxide emissions limit for European carmakers' fleets will need to fall from 130 grams per kilometer to 95 grams in 2021, forcing them to invest more in exhaust emissions technology. Diesel cars account for over 50 percent of all new registrations in Europe, making the region by far the world's biggest diesel market. Volvo, owned by China's Geely, sells 90 percent of its XC 90 SUVs in Europe with diesel engines. The scandal over Volkwagen's cheating of U.S. environmental tests to mask emissions of nitrogen oxides, which can cause or aggravate respiratory disease, means manufacturers are facing intense scrutiny over the true level of pollutants being emitted by their cars. Goldman Sachs believes a regulatory crackdown could add 300 euros ($325) per engine to diesel costs that are already some 1,300 euros above their gasoline-powered equivalents, as carmakers race to bring real NOx emissions closer to their much lower test-bench scores.

Regeringskansliet / May 14, 2017 Martin Lundstedt has been CEO of Volvo Group since 2015. He is a civil engineer and previously was CEO of Scania. From 2017, he is also a new member of the Swedish Government’s Innovation Council headed by Prime Minister Stefan Löfven. What do you want to contribute to the work of the Innovation Council? "I want to bring insight into the challenges the Volvo Group faces as one of the world's largest manufacturers of commercial vehicles. Although most of our research and development takes place in Sweden, the Volvo Group is a global company with production in 18 countries and sales in over 190 markets. We are working in an industry that faces a major transformation and where the demands for innovation are very high. In order for us to be competitive, we must constantly develop new innovative transport solutions, new business models and drive the development of future production. How can the Innovation Council help develop Sweden's innovative ability and competitiveness, do you think? "I think it's an advantage for Sweden if government and industry share the same reality picture. Then decisions can be more fact-based and we can all go in the same direction, all for the good of society. The Innovation Council offers a good place for exchange of experiences and dialogue, but also paves the way for concrete measures and decisions to strengthen Sweden's innovative power. A point at the meeting on May 15 is about Sweden as a fossil-free welfare country and how we change. What innovative solutions are needed to reduce emissions, especially in the transport sector and industry, do you consider? "The automotive industry is an industry that invests heavily in research and development and facing a paradigm shift; Electric mobility, automated driving and an ever more logistics chain will lead to a much more efficient and sustainable transport system. To achieve this, there is a need for cooperation between the state, industry and academia, and here I think that the FFI program (a state-automated cooperation to jointly finance research, innovation and development activities) has helped to build networks that make That Sweden carries out research for social benefits and requires large-scale demonstration projects to evaluate new technologies. "Completely decisive for the conversion is that all players go in the same direction, a vehicle supplier can not even switch to fossil-free. A major challenge is the availability of fossil fuels. Today, access is limited so we need to utilize several different fuels and commodities and prioritize energy efficiency at all stages. Do you have any heart questions that you are passionate about, as you want to lift into the Innovation Council's continued work? "I am passionate about constantly improving and developing business and creating system solutions. Continuous improvements are also a good way to streamline and develop innovative solutions for production and the entire logistics system. I want to work to create environments where people reach their full potential, where they can develop, have fun and create values for companies and society at large. I am also passionate about developing Sweden as an innovative home port to reach the world market. Therefore, as a small open economy, we need to promote free trade, invest more in education and research, and work more together across the entire value chain to increase productivity and build global competitiveness. .

Daimler Press Release / May 16, 2017 Daimler Trucks wants to expand its market position in Japan with all new heavy duty truck FUSO Super Great New model is benchmark for efficiency, safety and connectivity Global platform strategy works: FUSO Super Great uses powertrain components from Mannheim, Gaggenau, Kassel Marc Llistosella, President & CEO of FUSO and Head of Daimler Trucks Asia: “With this new vehicle we position ourselves at the top of our market in Japan. The new FUSO Super Great is a completely new development and uses state of the art technologies from our global Daimler Trucks platforms. We will offer our customers the most efficient, safest and best-connected truck they can get in the Japanese market." Stuttgart/Kawasaki –Presenting its all new heavy duty truck FUSO Super Great (above 15t) Daimler Trucks is determined to expand its position in the Japanese market. With the latest generation of the FUSO flagship, the world’s largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles sets a new benchmark for efficiency, safety and connectivity in Japan. With the FUSO Super Great Daimler Trucks’ global platform strategy takes it full effect: the engines, transmissions and axles already established in the triad, are supplied from powertrain plants of the sister brand Mercedes-Benz in Mannheim, Gaggenau and Kassel as well as the plant of US-powertrain subsidiary Detroit in Redford, Michigan. “With this new vehicle we position ourselves at the top of our market in Japan,” Marc Llistosella, President & CEO of FUSO and Head of Daimler Trucks Asia explains. “The new FUSO Super Great is a completely new development and uses state of the art technologies of the global Daimler Trucks platforms. We will offer our customers the most efficient, safest and best-connected truck they can get in the Japanese market.” Increased efficiency: Up to 15 percent less fuel consumption From now on the newly developed FUSO Super Great sets the benchmark for efficiency in heavy duty trucks in the Japanese market. With a number of new technologies the fuel consumption of the new truck is reduced by up to 15 percent compared to the previous model. The new FUSO Super Great’s powertrain components come from the current product platforms and are only slightly adjusted to fit the specific demands of the Japanese market. Daimler Trucks’ global platform strategy guarantees consistent quality standards, cost benefits due to scale effects and flexibilities in the use of production capacity. With more than 50 percent value-added share, the powertrain of a truck –engine, transmission and axle – is a key factor for a successful business of manufacturer and customer. The integrated powertrain of Daimler Trucks is perfectly tuned and offers both cost and efficiency benefits as well as the lowest total cost of ownership for the shippers. The 10.7 l engine OM470, used in the new FUSO Super Great, fully complies with the Japanese emission standards JP17, includes the HDEP (Heavy Duty Engine Platform) Fuel Efficiency Package and was further optimized regarding consumption and emissive efficiency as well as payload compared to its preceding powertrain. The engine is manufactured in the Mercedes-Benz plant Mannheim. The automated manual transmission (AMT), installed in the FUSO Super Great, also comes from the latest heavy duty transmission generation. The so-called ShiftPilot transmission is produced at the Gaggenau plant and contributes to the reduction in fuel consumption as well. The automated 12-gear-transmission perceivably increases the driver’s comfort. The heavy duty truck axle of the FUSO Super Great is a good examplefor the successful cooperation in the global powertrain production network. The axle is locally manufactured and installed at the Japanese plant in Kawasaki. The centerpiece is the axle gear, transmitting the engine power to the driving wheel. It is produced in the Mercedes-Benz plant Kassel as well as the US plant of the powertrain subsidiary Detroit in Redford, Michigan. State-of-the-art safety systems The new Super Great features state-of-the-art safety and assistance systems for the first time in the Japanese market. These systems already make all Daimler Trucks commercial vehicles the safest vehicles in Europe and North America. The emergency braking system Active Brake Assist 4 (ABA4), the fatigue alert Active Attention Assist and the turning assistant Active Sideguard Assist minimize accident and danger risks for the driver as well as all other road users, therefore contributing to a safer and more efficient freight transport. Connectivity through the Truck Data Center To minimize downtime, the telematics function Truckonnect is available as standard in all models and enables the customer to make real-time requests for all crucial truck data. This is achieved by connecting the truck to the internet with the Truck Data Center, globally installed in the brands Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner and FUSO. The Truck Data Center is – so to speak – the heart of the connected truck: With this hardware module Daimler Trucks vehicles can be equipped with innovative electronics components beyond the regions and markets much faster. FUSO is the first Japanese commercial vehicle manufacturer to offer this service. Also visually a lot has happened – FUSO has completely reworked the interieur and exterior of the new Super Great and now offers the drivers improved comfort and operability. Besides new seats and a new stearing wheel, a digital dashboard and the Truck Center Control with touch screen are installed in the cockpit. .

MAN Truck & Bus Press Release / May 16, 2017 All Costs at a Glance. Effectively reduce your Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). With MAN. Training you for the future: By providing intensive training and coaching, MAN ProfiDrive® can prepare drivers perfectly for their work. Find out more about the MAN ProfiDrive® trainings here: http://www.profidrive.man .

The Washington Post / May 16, 2017 The Trump administration said Monday that it will dismantle part of the Affordable Care Act that created online insurance marketplaces for small businesses and tried to foster a greater choice of health plans for their workers. Moving to end the ACA's small-business enrollment system by 2018 represents the first public step by the Health and Human Services Department to implement an executive order President Donald Trump signed his first night in office, directing agencies to ease regulatory burdens of the health-care law. In starting with the Small Business Health Options Program, or SHOP, the administration is targeting an aspect of the ACA that has been troubled from the outset and never lived up to its proponents' expectations. As of early this year, federal figures show, nearly 230,000 people were covered through SHOP health plans - a fraction of the 4 million that congressional budget analysts had predicted as the small-business marketplaces began in 2014. Although that means relatively few Americans will be directly affected by the decision, its symbolic impact is large. The specifics of the impending change are a work in progress, and federal health officials said Monday that they plan to propose a new federal rule to take effect in January. The basic idea is to narrow, but not eliminate, the federal website for small-business insurance so that companies could still go online to apply for government tax credits under the law. However, they no longer would use that website to select health plans. The site instead would show the names of available insurers and tell companies to deal directly with brokers of the health plans. "We're still working out the details on that," said a senior official at HHS' Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, who spoke on the condition of anonymity about decisions that have not been finalized. "The goal here is to reduce the burden," he said, noting that the current method is cumbersome for insurers. The official said the announcement was made now because insurers selling ACA health plans are deciding this spring and summer whether to continue next year. Kevin Counihan, chief executive of the ACA's HealthCare.gov during the Obama administration, said it's unclear whether the 2010 law allows the Trump administration to legally make such a change. The law's language is vague on whether the small-business part of the law must mirror the enrollment system for people buying coverage on their own, he said. "The irony in some of this," Counihan said, is that "they've now added more steps in the goal of being simpler" - because businesses would need to use two websites, one to check whether they qualify for ACA business tax credits and another to work with a broker or an insurer. The SHOP exchange has long been troubled. The separate marketplaces for businesses with 50 or fewer employees were intended to correct difficulties that many such companies had encountered with insurers because their size made it difficult to spread out the risk if an individual worker had high medical costs. As a result, small companies were much less likely to offer a choice of health plans or any coverage at all. But the Obama administration was late in building the SHOP part of HealthCare.gov. Officials also postponed an ACA requirement that workers in small businesses be offered a choice of health plans. "Arguably, it never took off in the first place," said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor at Georgetown University's Center on Health Insurance Reforms. And even before Trump took office, Corlette said, the Obama administration had begun unraveling the SHOP exchanges through a late 2016 rule change: It removed a requirement that health plans with many people enrolling in the ACA's individual marketplaces also had to sell coverage plans in the small-business marketplaces. A spokeswoman for America's Health Insurance Plans, the industry's main trade group, said Monday that the further changes the Trump administration is planning "will simplify the enrollment process for small groups in many states." But John Arensmeyer, chief executive of the Small Business Majority, condemned the idea of ending the online enrollment and requiring business to go to a broker or insurer to get coverage. "Forcing small employers to make this extra effort just to enroll in SHOP will make it likely that SHOP usage dwindles to little or nothing," he said, calling the plans "just one more example of how the Trump administration would rather undo key parts of the Affordable Care Act."

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Ford plans to cut global work force by 10% Automotive News / May 15, 2017 Reuters and Bloomberg contributed to this report. Ford Motor Co. is preparing major reductions to its worldwide work force amid CEO Mark Fields’ renewed efforts to hike profits and address the company’s falling share price, The Wall Street Journal and Reuters reported, citing people briefed on the move. A source familiar with the plan told Reuters on Monday that Ford plans to shrink its salaried work force in North America and Asia by about 10 percent. Reuters, citing a person briefed on the plan, said Ford will offer generous early retirement incentives to reduce its salaried ranks by Oct. 1, but the company does not plan cuts to its hourly work force or production levels. In Germany, where Ford’s European operations are based, the company has made voluntary buyout offers to a limited number of staff members over the past few months, according to IG Metall union official Witich Rossmann, who added that he hasn’t been informed of a larger job-cut program. Ford is targeting $3 billion in cost reductions this year to enhance earnings in 2018 as U.S. light-vehicle demand begins to slip after seven straight years of gains. Ford shares closed Monday at $10.94, up 2 cents, just above their 52-week low of $10.90 a share and well off their 52-week high of $14.04 a share. The company's stock price has suffered during the three years Fields has been CEO, succeeding Alan Mulally, and Ford’s market value has slipped behind those of Tesla Inc. and General Motors. The job reductions, expected to be disclosed as early as this week, affect salaried employees and aim to cut Ford's global head count by about 10 percent, the Journal reported late Monday. It is unclear if more employment cuts are planned, Reuters said. “We remain focused on the three strategic priorities that will create value and drive profitable growth, which include fortifying the profit pillars in our core business, transforming traditionally underperforming areas of our core business and investing aggressively, but prudently, in emerging opportunities,” Ford said in a statement in response to the Journal and Reuters reports. “Reducing costs and becoming as lean and efficient as possible also remain part of that work. We have not announced any new people efficiency actions, nor do we comment on speculation." Ford ended the first quarter with about 202,000 employees worldwide, with half of that head count in North America. The automaker may face potential fallout from President Donald Trump, who has made boosting U.S. auto employment a top priority. The company plans to emphasize the voluntary nature of the staff reductions, Reuters said. Ford said last month when it reported first-quarter earnings that it planned to cut $3 billion in costs. The company's first-quarter profits fell by $900 million to $1.6 billion from a year earlier, as revenue rose and profit margins shrank. Even with first-quarter revenue rising by $1.4 billion, or 4 percent, to $39.1 billion, reflecting a strong sales mix, profits were pinched by charges for recalls, continued investment in new mobility services and higher parts costs for some 2016 product launches. Ford says the first quarter will be the toughest in what is expected to be a down year overall for the automaker. The rest of 2017 is expected to be about even with, or better than, its financial performance last year, when it earned $10.4 billion in pretax profits, the second-best in the company’s history. Ford shareholders last week criticized company leaders over what one investor called the “pathetic” performance of the automaker’s shares and questioned how the board can continue to support Fields, who has been CEO since July 2014. The board convened ahead of last week’s annual meeting to press Fields on his plans for improving the company’s fortunes, a person familiar with the discussions said. Fields faces sharp questioning of his strategy with Ford’s shares having fallen about 36 percent since he replaced Mulally, who steered the company through the global financial crisis without a government bailout. Fields has been pouring billions into electric vehicles, self-driving cars and ride-sharing experiments as Ford’s conventional vehicle business has struggled more than rival GM amid a slowing U.S. market.

I think you're being rather unfair. Under Volvo, a great deal has been done. For example, Volvo Group shut down Mack Trucks' World Headquarters and squeezed a handful of people into their nice Greensboro, North Carolina Volvo Truck headquarters. Volvo Group also closed Mack Trucks' Engineering, Development & Test Center (ED&TC) in Allentown, taking over Mack brand R&D. And, Volvo Group has replaced American Mack engineering, now having all the Mack models on the Volvo platform. Furthermore, the Mack brand trucks now all have Volvo powertrains. Taking a pedigreed American truck and evolving it into a nameplate on a Volvo-based truck is no simple task. It took significant time, money and effort. It's a noteworthy achievement. I'm entirely confident that, under Volvo's ownership, the Mack brand will soon rank number 3 or higher very soon in North America.

“We're not on anybody's side, ever,” said former FBI Director James Comey in a March speech. “We're not considering whose ox will be gored by this action or that action, whose fortunes will be helped by this or that — we just don't care and we can't care.” .

Ending West's dominance in the power tools market China Daily / July 25, 2016 Chances are high that on your next visit to a hardware store in the United States, you may notice that Chinese fall clean-up tools are among the best-selling products, giving Germany's Bosch, the world's top power-tool maker, stiff competition. Before you attribute the sales to presumably lower prices of made-in-China goods, take a reality check: Worx products are costlier than Bosch's. That's not all. The cordless, lightweight Worx grass-trimmer won an award from the US Electronic Retailing Association in 2010 for its quality and innovation. There's more. GFK, a European research and consulting company, said in a report that some costlier Worx products outsell Bosch in the latter's home market Germany. The person behind the brand is Don Gao, president of Positec, a leading Chinese maker of power tools, lawn and garden equipment, and accessories. "It's not very easy to make inroads into some well-established markets such as the US, Germany and the UK because customers are very loyal to local brands. But we did it, step by step," he said. When it was founded in 1994, Positec was just a trading company engaged in exports of power tools, including hand drills, trimmers, chainsaws and mowers. Business was good, spurred by the country's foreign trade. But Gao knew the company had to grow beyond simple trading. For the long run, Positec had to have its own products. So, in 1995, Gao set up a factory in Suzhou in Jiangsu province, East China. The plant made products for large home improvement retailers overseas such as Sears and home improvement stores B&Q (UK) and OBI (Germany). Positec was clearly not aiming to be a glorified original equipment manufacturer. OEMs typically dream of making products for industry leaders such as Bosch and Black & Decker. But Gao was aiming higher. Not for him an OEM at the bottom of an industrial value chain. "We have no say in pricing because you always find someone sets prices lower than yours. The cut-throat competition in China squeezed profits of many traditional producers," he said. He asked himself: "Why can't we have our own brands?" In 1999, he decided to create his own brand of power tools. "The shift meant that your old partners became your competitors, so you faced a huge risk of losing orders." The risk was real and, to be sure, huge: turnover that year plunged by $50 million. Some erstwhile partners even threatened to withdraw their existing orders. "We said, 'Go ahead'." After several years' efforts and research, Gao finally launched a brand called Worx in 2004. In the same year, Positec acquired Rockwell, a well-known US brand founded in 1945. Positec, in order to avoid direct competition with local brands, took a shortcut to gain local resources in the US market. The Rockwell acquisition was a quick way to squeeze into a foreign market and help the company build up reputation and a distribution network. Positec spent some 15 percent of its annual revenue on TV commercials and online social media promotions in new markets. The campaigns worked so well US sales almost doubled, even during the housing crisis from 2008 to 2010. Gao said the key to winning a marketing battle lies in what he calls product innovation. "Consumers don't care about the technologies you are putting into products. They only care about whether it works well when they are cleaning up their gardens or assembling their own bookshelves," he said. A Forbes report said Positec now spends 6 percent of its revenue on innovation, much higher than Black & Decker's less than 2 percent and Bosch's 1.8 percent. In recent years, it has invested 1 billion yuan on innovation and launched more than 100 products every year, most of them complete with smartphone applications that allow remote control as well as access to product information and after-sales service. To keep up with the latest trends in power-tool products, Gao spends one-third of his time every year travelling around in the US and Europe and attending various fairs. "If there's a new launch of a product in the marketplace, I want to know," he said. The company has a distribution network and operations in 13 countries and three research and development centers in China, Italy and Australia.

The Bullen of IVECO Magirus dominates 2017 Austrian Truck Race Trophy at Red Bull Ring Iveco Trucks Press Release / May 15, 2017 A perfect weekend for IVECO: the Bullen of IVECO Magirus leads the team ranking following a superb start to the new season. Jochen Hahn is Number 1 in the driver ranking and Gerd Körber is in 4th place. The Bullen of IVECO Magirus Team, a brand new partnership between the two teams powered by IVECO, Hahn Racing and Schwabentruck, dominated the 2017 Austrian Truck Race Trophy at the Spielberg Red Bull Ring. The newly formed partnership tallied up two impressive victories plus a podium placement for Jochen Hahn of Team Hahn Racing, and two podium wins for Gerd Körber of Team Schwabentruck. The defending champion Jochen Hahn inaugurated his brand new IVECO truck – a Stralis 440 E 56 XP-R race truck with an IVECO Cursor 13 engine, specially prepared by FPT Industrial – by making a clean sweep of victories at Austrian Truck Race that placed him in the lead of the driver ranking. Gerd Körber of the Schwabentruck Team reached two podium places and finished the weekend in 4th place in the driver ranking. The Austrian Truck Race took place over the two days of the weekend with four competitions, two on Saturday and two on Sunday. On Saturday, Jochen Hahn took the first FIA European Truck Racing Championship race of the season at Red Bull Ring after a commanding display of his driving skills. Claiming his first win for IVECO, the champion converted pole position into a maximum points result, holding off Steffi Halm throughout the 20-lap race. Gerd Körber had to manage his pace in the closing stages of the first race but he held on to begin the new season with a 3rd place. In the second race, which started with a reverse grid respect to the first race arrival, Jochen Hahn reached the 5th place and Gerd Körber achieved another 3rd place on the podium. Local driver Markus Altenstrasser brought his Schwabentruck Team home in 8th and 9th place in the two races of the day. On Sunday, Jochen Hahn claimed his final victory of the weekend with a second win in the first event of the 2017 FIA European Truck Racing Championship at Red Bull Ring. He succeeded in moving up his new IVECO truck from 3rd place to the lead in one manoeuvre after contact between the leading pair Sascha Lenz and Adam Lacko. He closed the 3rd race ended with another podium – the 2nd place. Gerd Körber had some bad luck in this race because of an accident and finished in 11th place. In the final race, which started with a reverse grid respect to the first race arrival, Hahn closed with a first place and Körber succeeded in working his way up the placements and finished 5th. .

You're right. But the Mack brand remains in 6th place, no longer appearing to be on customer's short list. Remember, today's product is not the same product that we think of from 20 years ago. And, when Mack salesmen go in to bid on deals and, again and again, find themselves $10,000 to $15,000 higher than the competition, it becomes rather demoralizing. No. 1 Freightliner No. 2 Navistar No. 3 Kenworth No. 4 Peterbilt No. 5 Volvo No. 6 Mack In 1999, Mack ranked number 3, but now number 6. That speaks volumes in itself.