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Fleet Owner / April 4, 2017 Company says this new tactic is one of 24 “product expectation” topics being addressed by its engineers at annual SAE gathering. Reducing weight is becoming a major engineering focus for light vehicle and commercial equipment manufacturers alike largely as part of an overall effort to generate fuel economy gains. Along those lines, the U.S. division of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA US LLC) is experimenting with “poking holes” in car and light truck frame assemblies at precise locations the reduce weight. Phil Jansen, head of product development for FCA–North America, explained this week at WCX 2017, the annual international gathering of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) in Michigan, that weight reduction is a key contributor to improved fuel economy and can be achieved by using less material. The challenge, he said, is determining which components can withstand weight reduction – and by how much – while still satisfying customer expectations for vehicle durability and performance. To that end, FCA US engineers developed multiple algorithms to quickly and precisely determine the optimal size and shape of “lightening holes” and can apply them to any number of vehicle components. The company said simulations using those algorithms on virtual truck-frame components, for example, produced weight savings of 3% to 5%. “With such a tool at their disposal, [our] vehicle development teams can accelerate their work, which benefits customers by reducing the time required to bring new products to market,” Jansen noted in a statement. “Such progress bodes well for our ongoing investigation of strategic material placement.”

Your truck's VIN, the last 6 numbers after the zero......does it begin with an 8 ?

Why does the customer have to pay "extra" for wheel-well liners, an important part that used to be included with the trucks? It's shocking what some automakers are doing today. .

https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/40235-ford-truck-targets-middle-east-bound-long-distance-fleets/

Quality takes toll on Ford exec bonuses Automotive News / April 2, 2017 Ford Motor Co. fell short of its internal quality targets in 2016, meaning executives lost out on hundreds of thousands of bonus dollars. The automaker's top brass achieved 52 percent of the quality goals its board of directors set in 2016, down from 118 percent in 2015, according to its annual shareholder proxy statement released last week. Ford measures quality in three ways: things gone wrong at three months of ownership, customer satisfaction at three months of ownership, and warranty spending per business unit. Each of those three metrics is recorded for Ford's five business regions: North America, South America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific. Ford hit 41 percent of its goals for things gone wrong, 27 percent of its customer satisfaction goals, and 88 percent of its warranty goals. Ford declined to break down each segment performance across the company's individual business units. It did say that its North American performance on things gone wrong was similar in 2015 and 2016, but the company set more stringent targets for itself last year. Door-latch recall Part of the miss stems from a $640 million warranty hit Ford took in the third quarter for a recall of 1.5 million vehicles with faulty door latches. The Ford brand ranked 15th out of 29 brands in Consumer Reports' annual owner satisfaction study.In that study, 72 percent of owners said they'd buy a Ford again. Lincoln ranked 12th, with 73 percent of owners saying they would buy the brand again. The survey focused on the 2014-17 model years. The quality shortfall drove down Ford's overall performance measurements -- used as the basis for executive bonuses -- to 76 percent in 2016, down from 113 percent in 2015. Management achieved 8 percent of their targets for automotive segment revenue and 82 percent of Ford Credit pretax profit goals. They exceeded expectations for automotive operating margin and operating cash flow. Bonus cuts The missed expectations were costly. CEO Mark Fields, for example, made a $2.7 million incentive bonus from hitting 76 percent of Ford's total goals. He could have earned $864,000 more if the company reached 100 percent. Fields' total compensation was $22.1 million, which included a $2.5 million equity incentive grant for the progress he's made expanding the company's alternative mobility services. (For details, see chart). Joe Hinrichs, president of the Americas, would have made an additional $255,120; Executive Chairman Bill Ford would have made an additional $240,000; President of Europe, Middle East and Africa Jim Farley could have made an additional $222,000; and CFO Bob Shanks could have earned an additional $207,360. The compensation committee of Ford's board of directors has set 2017 targets, which will be disclosed in next year's proxy. Ford's annual shareholders meeting will be May 11, but this year it will be virtual. Normally the meeting has been held in Delaware, where the automaker is incorporated. Bill Ford said in a statement that the virtual meeting "will enable us to increase shareholder accessibility, while improving efficiency and reducing costs." Shareholders will be able to listen, vote and submit questions from any location with Internet connectivity. On the agenda again is a shareholder proposal to end Ford's two-tier class stock system, which allows family members to maintain control of the company. Compensation for Ford executives Base salary Bonuses Stock awards Total* Mark Fields $1.8 million $2.7 milllion $14.3 million $22.1 million Bill Ford $1.6 million $760,000 $8.7 million $13.9 million Joe Hinrichs $1.1 million $807,880 $3.9 million $6.7 million Jim Farley $918,750 $703,000 $3.6 million $6.6 million Bob Shanks $858,000 $656,640 $3.8 million $6.3 million *Includes changes in pension value and deferred compensation earnings, and other compensation including perquisites such as private use of company aircraft. Source: Proxy statement

Ford recalls F-250 pickups that could roll while in park Reuters / April 1, 2017 Ford Motor Co. is recalling about 52,600 F-250 [Super-Duty] pickup trucks sold in the United States and Canada because the vehicles could roll after the driver moves the automatic transmission lever into park position, the company said on Saturday. The recall, the third announced by Ford this week, affects 2017 model year F-250 vehicles powered by 6.2-liter gasoline engines and built in its Louisville, Kentucky, truck plant, it said in a statement. Ford said it was unaware of any injuries or accidents associated with the issue.

The New York Times / March 31, 2017 Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, President Trump’s daughter and son-in-law, will remain the beneficiaries of a sprawling real estate and investment business still worth as much as $740 million, despite their new government responsibilities, according to ethics filings released by the White House Friday night. Ms. Trump will also maintain a stake in the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. The hotel, just down the street from the White House, has drawn protests from ethics experts who worry that foreign governments or special interests could stay there in order to curry favor with the administration. It is unclear how Ms. Trump would earn income from that stake. Mr. Kushner’s financial disclosures said that Ms. Trump earned between $1 million and $5 million from the hotel between January 2016 and March 2017, and put the value of her stake at between $5 million and $25 million. The disclosures were part of a broad, Friday-night document release by the White House that exposed the assets of as many as 180 senior officials to public scrutiny. The reports showed the assets and wealth of senior staff members at the time they entered government service. Those disclosures included the assets of Gary D. Cohn, the former president of Goldman Sachs who now leads the National Economic Council, Kellyanne Conway, the pollster and counsel to Mr. Trump and Stephen K. Bannon, the chief strategist to the president. Mr. Bannon disclosed $191,000 in consulting fees he earned from Breitbart News Network, the conservative media organization, $125,333 from Cambridge Analytica, a data firm that worked for the Trump campaign, and $61,539 in salary from the Government Accountability Institute, a conservative nonprofit organization. All three are backed by Robert Mercer and his daughter Rebekah, financiers and major Republican donors. Mr. Bannon’s most valuable asset was Bannon Strategic Advisors Inc., a privately held consulting firm into which income from his other investments appeared to flow. It was valued at between $5 million and $25 million. He also held bank accounts valued at up to $2.25 million, and rental real estate worth as much as $10.5 million. Kellyanne Conway earned at least $842,614 last year, and perhaps slightly more, the filings show. Her assets are valued at between $11 million and at least $44.2 million. Mr. Cohn is far wealthier, with assets valued between $253 million and $611 million, and income last year as high as $77 million. Another White House official, Reed Cordish, who heads up technology initiatives, accumulated assets as a Maryland developer valued as high as $424 million. Mr. Trump’s administration is considered the most wealthy in American history, with members of his senior staff and cabinet worth an estimated $12 billion, according to a tally by Bloomberg. The Friday filings will add voluminous detail to that top-line figure. The White house chief of staff, Reince Priebus, for example, earned at least $1.18 million — nearly half of which came from the Republican National Committee, which he formerly led. His assets totaled between $604,008 and at least $1.26 million. Until January, Mr. Kushner was the chief executive of Kushner Companies, a family-run real estate investment firm with holdings across the country. It is a growing business that has taken part in at least $7 billion of acquisitions over the past decade. Although Mr. Kushner has stepped down from his management positions at the more than 200 entities that operated aspects of the family real estate business, he will remain a beneficiary of a vast majority of the business he ran for the past decade, through a series of trusts that already owned the various real estate companies. The plan laid out on Friday “is not sufficient,” said Larry Noble, a former general counsel and chief ethics officer for the Federal Election Commission. “While removing himself from the management of the businesses is an important step, he is still financially benefiting from how the businesses do. This presents potential for a conflict of interest. Given his level in the White House and broad portfolio, it’s hard to see how he will recuse himself from everything that may impact his financial interest.” While the filing discloses Mr. Kushner’s personal lenders, it does not provide information on his business partners or lenders to his projects. His real estate firm has borrowed money from the likes of Goldman Sachs, the Blackstone Group, Deutsche Bank and the French bank Natixis. It also received loans from Israel’s largest bank, Bank Hapoalim, which is the subject of a United States Justice Department investigation into allegations that it helped wealthy Americans evade taxes using undeclared accounts. Most recently, his firm’s flagship property at 666 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan was the subject of controversy: Around the time his father-in-law received the Republican nomination last spring, Mr. Kushner’s firm began conversations with a Chinese company with ties to some of the Communist Party’s leading families about a plan to invest billions of dollars in the troubled office tower. Mr. Kushner’s company and the Chinese firm, Anbang Insurance Group, agreed to end the talks on Wednesday after weeks of negative publicity about the deal, criticized as a bailout of the Kushners. The building had already been rescued by a number of prominent firms, including the private equity giant Carlyle Group, and Zara, the Spanish fashion retailer founded and owned by Amancio Ortega, one of the world’s wealthiest men. Mr. Kushner has divested his stakes in any businesses connected to that property. The disclosures do not reveal the names of investors and lenders to ventures that Mr. Kushner is retaining a stake in. For example, the form shows Mr. Kushner is retaining a stake in a limited liability corporation that owns a Trump-branded luxury rental high-rise building in Jersey City worth as much as $5 million. That project was financed with tens of millions of dollars from wealthy Chinese investors through a controversial visa-for-sale program called EB-5. However, the filing does not disclose the names of any of those investors — or partners in any of his other projects. “We don’t know who the business partners are in many of these investments,” Mr. Noble said, “and those business partners may also have interests that will be affected by how he advises the government. And that’s a concern.” “He could have foreign business partners who have a real interest in policy, and he may be advising the president on those policies,” Mr. Noble added. “This is a dark area where we just don’t know what’s going on.” In all, the Kushner company owns more than 20,000 apartments and approximately 14 million square feet of office space. Previous disclosures by the United States Office of Government Ethics showed that Mr. Kushner had divested his interests in several entities, mostly partnerships connected to a venture capital firm run by his brother, Joshua, called Thrive Capital, that invests in technology firms like Instagram. He also shed his interests in funds run by the private equity giant Blackstone Group — whose chief executive, Stephen A. Schwarzman, is an economic adviser to Mr. Trump — as well as BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager. Over all, he has shed his stakes in 58 businesses. He is still the sole primary beneficiary of a majority of the trusts that will retain assets, with his children as the secondary beneficiaries. Mr. Kushner was required to submit some limited financial information for his wife, Ms. Trump, who will continue to receive payments from the Trump Organization as well as her fashion brand. Ms. Trump, who now serves as an assistant to the president, resigned from her leadership roles at both companies. Instead of performance-based payments, Ms. Trump will receive fixed payments from T International Realty, the family’s luxury brokerage agency, as well as fixed fees from two entities related to real estate projects, the documents show. Ms. Trump had previously rolled her fashion brand into the Ivanka M. Trump Business Trust, which is overseen by her brother-in-law, Josh Kushner, and sister-in-law, Nicole Meyer. The documents released on Friday valued the trust at more than $50 million. The brand is largely a licensing operation, meaning that it sells the use of Ms. Trump’s name to partners who manufacture her clothes, shoes and other accessories. Since it is privately held, little is known about the company’s financials, but The New York Times has previously reported that revenues were roughly between $4 million and $6 million in 2013, before the debut of a major partnership. The disclosure forms released Friday for less senior White House staff members were not reviewed by the federal Office of Government Ethics. Only the White House Counsel’s Office examines their assets to determine if there are potential conflicts, and to decide what steps employees must take to sell assets, resign positions or recuse themselves from decisions. Already, a complaint has been filed against at least one White House staff member for taking actions that might benefit his own financial interests. Christopher P. Liddell, an assistant to the president and the director of strategic initiatives, had been the chief financial officer of companies including Microsoft, International Paper and General Motors before taking his White House job. Until recently, he also owned stock in General Motors, according to disclosure forms, among more than 750 other companies. But in late January and early February, according to a complaint filed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Mr. Liddell participated in meetings that involved several of the companies in which he still owned a total of about $2 million in stock, including International Paper and General Motors. Mr. Liddell, according to disclosures, sold these stock holdings by mid-February. “It is Ethics 101 — the most basic thing you are not supposed to do: using your official capacity to benefit your financial interest,” said Norman Eisen, who served as a White House ethics lawyer during the Obama administration and now is a co-chairman of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

Commercial Motor TV - sponsored by DAF Trucks / March 31, 2017 .

Scania Group Press Release / April 1, 2017 The Scania S-series, which has been crowned Truck of the Year 2017, introduces a more spacious cab than ever with a flat floor. But Scania is now examining how this roomier cab can be gainfully used in new applications. The first of these is the Limited Cuisine Edition, whereby the cab has been fitted with purpose-built cooking utilities. “Although many drivers are content with the microwave, we’ve been well aware for some time that more discerning drivers require a higher level of cookery,” says Marcus Simmer, Head of Special Cab Design at Scania. “We can now offer them an attractive alternative.” Drivers that spend nights in cabs often feel that the limited and monotonous fast food selection at roadside stops is nutritionally and aesthetically unsatisfactory. “There are many gifted cooks among drivers that are frustrated by the inadequate cooking opportunities that they have when they are on the road.” The truck has been specially equipped with a small state-of-the-art electric cooker with induction hob and a vertical chimney hood with an exterior exhaust. A separate storage cupboard has been added for cooking utensils. “Although this is our largest cab, it’s been challenging to fit in the extra equipment without compromising comfort and safety features,” says Simmer. Scania called on renowned Swedish chef, Jimmie Hensson, to provide expertise in designing the equipment. “We’re not striving for fine dining but there should be adequate facilities for making a tasty and wholesome meal,” he says. “I’m passionate about food and thrilled by the idea that Scania has realised the needs of this overlooked group.” Extensive field trials in the French region of Alsace – home to many Michelin-starred restaurants – have confirmed that enough owners and drivers are prepared to pay a little extra for cooking facilities. “I can easily recoup the added cost in lower restaurant bills,” says French driver Antoine Sauté of the haulage firm Poisson D’avril. “Although space is limited, I’ve no problems at all in preparing tasty dishes. And the best thing is that I’ve won new friends; cooking for one is never fun and fellow truckers have been enthusiastic when I have invited them to dine with me.” The Limited Cuisine Edition, which has already been dubbed the ‘Scania Chefline’, is initially being marketed in Europe, but Scania is also examining the possibility of introducing the concept to the Asian market, where drivers will soon be able to wok and roll. .

30 years of axle production at the Salzgitter plant | 200 new jobs and investments of €30 million | Production of MAN and Scania axles on a single assembly line MAN Truck & Bus Press Release / March 29, 2017 MAN Truck & Bus has put its new assembly line for axle production at its Salzgitter plant into operation. From 2018 onward, it will see non-driven MAN- and Scania-branded axles roll of the line next to each other. This is a joint large-scale MAN and Scania project in the field of production. MAN Truck & Bus has put its new assembly line for axle production at its Salzgitter plant into operation. From 2018 onward, it will see non-driven MAN and Scania axles roll off the line next to each other. This is a joint large-scale MAN and Scania project in the field of production. Plant manager Thomas Rennemann is delighted: “The new direction that the MAN Salzgitter site is taking within the context of our PACE2017 program for the future is continuing to take shape through this. We have invested €30 million in a new, state-of-the-art assembly line. Around 200 new jobs are set to be created in connection with this, which is good news for Salzgitter and the region. Our plant plays a key role in Volkswagen’s commercial vehicle holding group Volkswagen Truck & Bus. Chairman of the Works Council Hilmar Pawel adds: “We are pleased that we finally have a unique selling point within the Group and we will do everything to keep axle production future-proof.” Workforce and Management joined in celebrations to mark the ramp-up of the new axle assembly line and 30 years of axle assembly in Salzgitter. 30 years of axle assembly in Salzgitter – Milestones Summer 1986: Assembly of the first axle in Salzgitter The new assembly line in Salzgitter was primarily taken over 1:1 from Braunschweig for cost reasons Production of around 100 front axles in the early shift alone on the front axle line First paint robot in axle assembly Type label printer the first “computer” Production of the LT-40 axles (front and rear axles) for Volkswagen (extended workbench) right up to the 1990s Approximately 90 workers employed in axle production Exclusive assembly of drum brakes (brake pads with asbestos, loud impact wrenches, solvent-based paint Around the turn of the century: Setup of A1 and A2 lines Up to three shifts Production of MAN hydrodrive axles since 2006 Over 100,000 axles for the first time in 2006 2008 through 2009 Restructuring of axle assembly | Dismantling of the old A3 line and setup of the current A0 and A3 lines Material made available pre-commissioned on the line thanks to a driverless transportation system o Annual capacity of 141,000 axles in two shifts 2012 and 2013 Awarded the “MNPS-Award Achse” for the flow of materials Axle the beacon area for “end-to-end business health management” Still to come The A5 line, which will make the cooperation with Scania visible Around 200 new jobs are set to be created in order to provide the Volkswagen Truck & Bus Group with non-driven axles Investments in the region of €30 million 940 axles to be assembled per day in two shifts in the future New technologies in the field of painting to be used for the first time at MAN (CO2 washer, dry filter for paint residues) 16 robots to ensure correct corrosion protection in the future 76 driverless transportation vehicles are to be used for assembly and logistics tasks .

Ford CEO Fields' compensation rose 19% last year Automotive News / March 31, 2017 Percentage of quality goals reached dropped to 52% from 118% Ford Motor Co. CEO Mark Fields’ total compensation jumped 19 percent last year, a regulatory filing by the automaker showed. His total compensation was $22.1 million, up from the $18.6 million he made in 2015, according to the company's annual shareholder proxy statement, released Friday. That includes a $1,787,500 base salary, a $2,736,000 million cash bonus and $14,298,356 worth of long-term stock and performance-based equity awards, making the value of the compensation awarded to Fields during the year -- excluding changes in pension value and other costs -- $18.8 million, up 8.4 percent from the prior year. Part of the raise included a leap in pension values from $858,157 last year to $2.8 million this year. Pension values vary year to year and change based on factors Ford does not control. Ford last year also spent $288,965 on Fields’ use of a private airplane. Bill Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford’s total compensation rose 7.8 percent to $13.9 million last year, from $12.9 million in 2015. That included a $1,625,000 base salary, $760,000 in bonuses and $8.7 million in long-term stock options. The automaker spent $189,489 on Ford’s use of a personal aircraft and $898,066 on security for him. Joe Hinrichs, president of the Americas, made $6.7 million in total compensation, up slightly from the $6.4 million he earned in 2015. His awarded compensation, including a base salary of $1,053,500, came to $5.8 million, down 4.7 percent from $6.1 million a year earlier. Jim Farley, president of Europe, Middle East and Africa, received total compensation of $6.6 million, up 14 percent from $5.8 million in 2015. That included a $918,750 base salary, $949,050 in bonuses and $3,597,900 in long-term stock awards. CFO Bob Shanks’ total compensation rose 13 percent to $6.3 million from $5.6 million a year earlier. That included a base salary of $858,000, $656,640 in bonuses and $3,793,207 in long-term stock options. Missed targets Last year, Ford Motor hit on 76 percent of its targets for executive bonuses, compared to 113 percent in 2015, the company said. Much of that drop is due to a decrease in its quality targets. Ford hit 52 percent of its quality goals in 2016, down from 118 percent in 2015. Ford measures quality in three phases: things gone wrong at three months of ownership; customer satisfaction at three months of ownership; and warranty spending per business unit. Ford would not break down each segment’s performance, but said its North American performance on things gone wrong was similar in 2015 and 2016, but the company had set more stringent targets for itself last year. Shareholders’ meeting Ford’s annual shareholder’s meeting will be May 11, but this year it will be virtual. Normally the meeting has been held in Delaware, where the automaker is incorporated. “We take very seriously the trust that our shareholders place in our leadership team,” Bill Ford said in a statement. “The annual meeting is an important opportunity for us to hear directly from our shareholders, and the virtual nature of this year’s meeting will enable us to increase shareholder accessibility, while improving efficiency and reducing costs.” Shareholders will be able to listen, vote and submit questions from their homes or any remote location with internet connectivity. On the agenda again is a shareholder proposal to end Ford’s two-tier class stock system, which allows family members to maintain control of the company. Ford earned a $10.4 billion pretax profit last year. It expects to make about $9 billion this year.

Finally, a judge speaking the truth. Anything less than a full purchase price refund is another crime. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Canadian VW diesel deal 'nowhere near' best interests of owners, judge says Automotive News / March 31, 2017 Owners may be entitled to a refund of their full original purchase price An Ontario Superior Court hearing to approve the Volkswagen class action settlement was held over on Friday as the presiding judge said the outlined proposal is “nowhere near” being in the best interests of consumers directly affected by VW’s diesel-cheating scandal. The proposed system for compensation would see owners of VW’s 2.0-liter TDI diesel-powered cars from the model years 2009 to 2015 receive Canadian Black Book value for their vehicle as of September 2015 -- just before their market value was affected by news of the emissions scandal -- plus additional damages ranging from $5,100 to $8,000. Under the proposal, which was agreed upon by Volkswagen Canada and the counsel representing affected owners, VW’s projected total estimated payout would be $2.1 billion. (Claims for cars with 3.0-liter TDI engines are not included in the settlement and have not yet been determined.) Ontario Superior Court Justice Edward Belobaba addressed his concerns by citing section 18.2 of Ontario’s Consumer Protection Act. Under it, because of Volkswagen’s demonstrated intentional misrepresentation of its diesel emissions, TDI owners would be legally entitled to a refund of their full original purchase price. While Justice Belobaba accepted that depreciation could be a valid factor in valuation, he stated that lawyers representing both VW and the vehicle owners need to demonstrate why it is fair and reasonable for the difference in payouts between purchase price and settlement compensation to be in the range of $10,000 or more. Because it’s a proposal already agreed upon by lawyers for both sides, both sides must prove to Justice Belobaba why the difference in payouts is fair and reasonable. Of the 105,000 Canadians represented in the class action, approximately 500 written objections to the current settlement have been received by the court. Ten were delivered orally at the hearing. The majority of those heard by the court noted that Canadian Black Book values are at wholesale rather than retail and that the settlement does not compensate consumers for extra costs such as dealer accessories, extended warranties, fees or taxes. Several objectors added that they were able to use their TDIs for only four or five years instead of an expected decade or more. Lawyers on both sides committed to file the requested memorandum to Belobaba within a week. The hearing will reconvene after that. During Friday’s proceedings, it was confirmed that an import-export clause has been added to the settlement that would see the Canadian registration requirement for compensation waived if the vehicle was registered in the U.S. during the qualifying period, with a similar clause being made available to U.S. consumers. This is the second Canadian hearing on the VW settlement in as many weeks. On March 22, Justice Marie-Claude Lalande of the Superior Court of Quebec presided over a hearing in Montreal. Her decision is pending. Should both hearings result in approval, affected consumers will be able to begin filing for claims on April 28.

3 illegal immigrant MS-13 gang members charged in Virginia teenager’s death ABC 13 WSET / March 31, 2017 Three MS-13 gang members (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS-13) have been arrested and charged in the death of 17-year-old Raymond Wood, Bedford County Sheriff Mike Brown announced Friday afternoon. Sheriff Brown didn't say how Wood died but said it had a connection to "narcotics-related activity." The motorist who found Wood's body on Roaring Run Rd. saw an older-model Honda Accord with one occupant drove by at a high rate of speed towards Rt. 221. The responding deputy met the Honda near Virginia Memorial Park on Rt. 221. The driver of the Honda identified himself as Victor Rodas, 19, of Lynchburg. While talking with Rodas, Sheriff Brown says the deputy learned that Rodas was an illegal alien. Rodas was subsequently detained and taken to the Bedford County Sheriff's Office. Sheriff Brown says U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was contacted Tuesday morning. Also Tuesday morning, the Bedford County Sheriff's Office learned there was report for a missing 17-year-old male from Lynchburg filed earlier that morning. Later Tuesday afternoon, the Medical Examiner identified the body found on Roaring Run Rd. as the missing 17-year-old Raymond Wood. Sheriff Brown says it was determined Wood did not leave Lynchburg voluntarily. Just after 8 a.m. Tuesday, a local Bedford County resident called the Bedford County Sheriff's Office to report that two Hispanic males approached him and asked him to make a call for them with his cell phone. After the phone call, a small sports car, driven by a Hispanic male, showed up and picked the two males up. A short time later, Sheriff Brown says the same vehicle returned and two more Hispanic males appeared out of hiding and left at a high rate of speed. The same resident said the car headed towards Lynchburg on Rt. 221. Dispatchers subsequently put out a description of the car and minutes later deputies found the car on Rt. 221 and stopped it on Cottontown Road. in Forest. The vehicle was occupied by three Hispanic males. Two of the three occupants in the car, including Jose Coreas-Ventura, who is wanted for a murder in Maryland, were determined to be illegal aliens. The three occupants, along with the vehicle were transported to the Bedford County Sheriff's Office. On Tuesday afternoon, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrived at Bedford County and detained Rodas and Lisandro Vasquez, 24 and transported them to Roanoke City Jail. Coreas-Ventura was taken to Blue Ridge Regional Jail and is being held on the Maryland murder charge. The driver of the vehicle was not detained. All three detained males are known MS-13 gang members and illegal aliens, Sheriff Brown says. Authorities obtained second-degree murder warrants for 19-year-old Rodas and 21-year-old Corea-Ventura, both of Lynchburg, and 24-year-old Vasquez of Maryland. The sheriff said this investigation is still on going. A few questions that remain are; what we still don't know is why was Wood killed? Why the is the charge second-degree murder as opposed to first-degree murder?

Daimler Press Release / March 30, 2017 First delivery to customers of 21 Mercedes-Benz Actros with Mercedes-Benz Uptime Schober transport company counts on significantly increased vehicle availability through connectivity of trucks with transport company and Mercedes-Benz Service Safety package with Active Brake Assist 4, Lane Keeping Assist, Proximity Control Assist and Attention Assist Sideguard Assist for the company's new tractor units Predictive Powertrain Control (PPC) for fuel-saving driving Stuttgart / Wörth – The Schober Transport GmbH from Weinstadt in the Stuttgart region took delivery in March 2017 of a total of 21 Mercedes-Benz Actros. The occasion involved a genuine premiere: the 15 Actros 1845 LS 4x2 tractor units and six Actros 1845 LSNRL 4x2 Volumer tractor units are the first trucks to be equipped with the new Truck Data Center and the new Mercedes-Benz Uptime service system. By communicating the status of the vehicle in real-time, the new system allows predictive truck maintenance and analytics while significantly increasing the availability of the vehicles. Along with Pascal Schober, responsible for Business Development at his father's company, Steffen-Kai Schober, owner and managing director of the Schober transport company, took delivery of the ground-breaking vehicles at Europe's largest truck plant in Wörth. The official handover was performed by Thomas Witzel, Sales Director Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles Württemberg: "We are delighted to grow our business relationship with Schober Transport GmbH, which is marked by dependability and honesty, with the handover of the first Actros trucks with Mercedes-Benz Uptime, thereby assuring the long-term economic success of the Schober transport company." "Our fleet is 100 percent Mercedes-Benz. These trucks guarantee utmost quality and reliability in the tightly deadlined movement of goods and they ensure that our fleet is always equipped with state-of-the-art technology," says Steffen-Kai Schober. In particular, he highlights the excellent cooperation with his Mercedes-Benz partners, the fast response to acute issues and problems as well as the high popularity of the Actros with the drivers. "The new Actros tractor units and Actros Volumer tractor units offer the best vehicle concept on the market and provide us with optimal support in the profitable realisation of our goals." He succinctly sums up those goals: punctual delivery, maximum safety for driver and cargo as well as active environmental protection through high fuel economy and lowest possible CO2 emissions – with the Mercedes-Benz Actros. Mercedes-Benz Uptime minimises downtimes and breakdowns Mercedes-Benz Uptime continuously monitors the status of the vehicle systems in real-time. Within a matter of seconds, the data are interpreted, critical states detected and specific action recommendations issued. "The ability to prevent vehicle breakdowns, to ensure absolute punctuality of deliveries and to predictably plan maintenance work is essential for our transport company. We are firmly convinced that Mercedes-Benz Uptime will help us to consistently meet these goals – a new and important tool for assuring our future," says Steffen-Kai Schober. Through the early detection of critical vehicle states, Mercedes-Benz Uptime already permits the preventive maintenance and repair of all new Mercedes-Benz Actros, Arocs and Antos trucks. In this way, breakdowns and costly downtimes are reliably prevented. This leads to significantly increased vehicle availability. Wherever it is on the road, the truck is in constant contact with the transport company's fleet manager, the Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance Center in Maastricht and the customer's preferred Mercedes-Benz service workshop. In addition, Mercedes-Benz Uptime tracks the maintenance history of all trucks equipped with the system. This records, and therefore lastingly optimises, the success of repairs by means of comparison with other vehicles. The use of Mercedes-Benz Uptime is based on the new Truck Data Center. The connectivity module receives data from the truck's sensors, cameras, etc. and analyses this information for many different applications. Uptime was unveiled at the IAA International Motor Show for Commercial Vehicles in 2016, its reliable operation and efficiency having previously been comprehensively tested over three years in more than 1400 trucks in 16 fleets and in four countries, which delivered proof of the system's suitability for use. Saving fuel, improving safety The 21 new Mercedes-Benz Actros trucks of the Schober transport company are powered by fuel-efficient OM 471 12.8 l six-cylinder in-line engines of the latest generation with an output of 330 kW (449 hp). All 21 trucks are equipped with the Mercedes-Benz Eco package as well as Predictive Powertrain Control (PPC) for fuel-saving driving. PPC combines GPS data and topographic maps with the Mercedes PowerShift 3 automated transmission and improves the fuel efficiency by up to five percentage points. "We value the safe and comfortable workplace offered to our drivers by the Actros," says Steffen-Kai Schober. The Schober transport company has therefore comprehensively equipped its Actros vehicles with safety assistance systems. In addition to the new Active Brake Assist 4, this includes a compendium of the latest Mercedes-Benz assistance systems. Comprising Lane Keeping Assist, Stability Control Assist, Proximity Control Assist and Attention Assist. The new Sideguard Assist also provides improved protection for cyclists and pedestrians when the truck makes a turn. It also means greater safety when changing lane to the right, for example at motorway junctions. Four generations of green fleets and sustainable logistics concepts Based in Weinstadt in Baden-Wuerttemberg, Schober Transport GmbH has been a leading service provider in all areas of logistics for over 80 years. From six sites across Germany, some 600 employees serve customers in many different sectors. The focus is on the industry/automotive sector as well as fresh, dry and temperature-controlled food logistics. The company's logistical bandwidth extends from contract logistics and warehousing to co-packing, empty-pallet/ returns management and goods picking to the development of tailored transport and logistics concepts. The company's own fleet comprises over 110 vehicles, all from Mercedes-Benz. As a general rule, the company's entire fleet covers an annual distance of 14.9 million kilometres. Around 1.1 million pallets a year are transported, mainly inside Germany but also in Italy and the Benelux countries. The company attaches very great importance to environmentally sound transport using the latest vehicle technologies, a safe and environmentally aware driving style, intelligent fixed-route services with no empty runs and a host of other measures. "We aim to create lasting value for our company through consistent identification with values and goals such as economic growth, qualification and training, environmental protection and quality of life," says Steffen-Kai Schober, summing up his company's philosophy. .

Bob, it's sounding like the new 7X 7.0-liter V-8 will replace the 6.8-liter V-10 in the F-650/750. Ford would be looking at economy of scale. Total V-10 annual sales can't be high.

Paul, the dictionary says the word gaggle can be used to describe a flock of geese. But the only time I heard the word used in my lifetime was in how World War 2 pilots in the European Theater of war described the sight of a number of enemy fighters.

Sean Kilcarr, Fleet Owner / March 30, 2017 In their heart of hearts, no one really likes rules in trucking, much less the transportation and logistics industry as a whole. Now, many may rightly say this rule or that regulation is needed to improve safety, but really, at the end of the day for most fleets, a rule ends up being just one more headache – one more item on the checklist of life that needs to be crossed off – on the road making a living hauling freight. [For some interesting “inside baseball”-style insight into how the rules governing transportation get made, go here, here, and here.] Yet here’s an interesting twist to add to this discussion regarding rulemaking: are regulations actually hindering the refurbishment of our nation’s transportation infrastructure? None other than U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao touched on this line of thought during her speech yesterday at the Department of Transportation (DOT) “open house” ceremony as part of the agency’s ongoing 50th anniversary celebrations. [Lyndon Johnson’s administration founded the DOT we know and love today, with the agency going into “full operation” on April 1, 1967. Click here for a detailed history on the DOT’s somewhat tortured creation.] Chao noted that President Trump’s infrastructure initiative – which she said “will be announced later this year” – will be a “strategic, targeted program of investment” valued at $1 trillion over 10 years; one that will also cover more than transportation infrastructure by including energy, water and potentially broadband and veterans hospitals, as well. “The President’s plan hopes to unleash the potential for private investment in infrastructure by incentivizing public-private partnerships … and investors say there is ample capital available, waiting to invest in infrastructure projects,” Chao said. “So the problem is not money. It’s the delays caused by government permitting processes that hold up projects for years, even decades, making them risky investments.” Even transportation safety itself seems to be threatened (if I can use that word) by the tidal wave of regulations crafted over the last several years, according to new report from the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) with this overly-long and clunky title: Toward Performance-Based Transportation Safety Regulation: Focus on Results Instead of Rigid Rules to Improve Safety and Promote Innovation. “Safety is a major concern when it comes to transporting passengers and freight around the country, but too often regulators make it difficult for industries to find new, innovative ways to meet their safety goals,” noted Marc Scribner, CEI senior fellow and author of group’s report, in a statement. More bluntly, he added that businesses and entrepreneurs have “long complained” about having to comply with unnecessarily rigid regulations that stress adherence to administrative rules rather than performance-based regulations, which focus on results. “The best way to improve transportation safety is to replace government micromanaging with performance goals, which would hold industries more accountable and encourage new technologies and practices that improve safety,” Scribner said. CEI’s data indicates that the “more prescriptive” transportation safety rule – the ones most truckers dislike – are generally found in the pipeline, aviation, trucking, and railroad regulatory regimes. “Prescriptive rules, in addition to being more onerous for the regulated entities, often produce additional social costs by hindering innovation,” CEI noted in its report. One example it used to illustrate this problem is the debate over replacing rear and side-view mirrors with cameras – an argument truck engineers are deeply engaged in, especially in terms of fuel economy improvement efforts. CEI noted in its report that new camera and sensor technologies can obviate the need for rearview mirrors by either replacing the mirrors’ viewing function with cameras or by eliminating the need for driver viewing by automating the driving function completely. [But don’t bet on automated trucks hitting the road en masse anytime soon.] Yet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 111 currently requires that all passenger cars have side-view mirrors on both the driver and passenger side and rearview mirrors inside – period. No if’s, and’s or but’s. So now we turn to the November 2015 request from Google for an interpretation of FMVSS 111 from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) office of chief counsel for a waiver from this rule. Why? Google – as we all know – had by that date developed a fully self-driving automobile and was asking about the possibility of alternative rearview mirror compliance with sensors, as the Google prototype eliminated the need for what CEI called “human driver monitoring.” But in February 2016, CEI noted that NHTSA’s chief counsel replied that under current law, “it cannot interpret Google’s [self-driving vehicle] as compliant with these standards and requirements. This would need to be undertaken through rulemaking.” NHTSA did entertain the possibility of Google obtaining an exemption in the future from FMVSS 111, but CEI the agency concluded such an exemption would not permit large-scale production and deployment, as current law caps exemptions at 2,500 units per year for two years. That same month, CEI noted that NHTSA “favorably interpreted” FMVSS 111 to permit the inside rearview mirror to double as a rearview camera display, but this permits cameras and driver displays only as supplements to mirrors, not replacements. And all of this is going on even as NHTSA is mandating the installation of rear-view camera systems on all light vehicles weighing under 10,000 lbs. manufactured on or after May 1 next year – trucks and buses included. One would think that rulemaking effort would’ve convinced NHTSA to be more open-minded about cameras. But not yet it seems. And perhaps that’s why in the larger context rulemaking can bog down infrastructure repair and expansion efforts. We’ll see if that holds true going forward.

Chinese-owned Prestolite Taking Part in SuperTruck II Program Heavy Duty Trucking / March 29, 2017 Prestolite Electric, a manufacturer of alternators, starters and new energy solutions, and its parent company Zhongshan Broad-Ocean Motor Co., will participate in the development of advanced technologies in support of the SuperTruck II program. Prestolite will work to develop the next generation of rotating electric technologies through the program and make use of its parent company’s manufacturing capabilities and experience with electric vehicles to innovate. “This activity illustrates our commitment to engineering innovative products and solutions for the Class 8 market in North America and around the world,” said Nick Laenen, vice president of sales and marketing, North America, South America and Australia for Prestolite Electric. The SuperTruck II program was created by the U.S. Department of Energy to demonstrate the most efficient technological capabilities of commercial truck manufacturers and parts makers. It aims to spur development and research in the industry. The Prestolite and Leece-Neville product line includes high-output alternators and gear reduction starter motors for on- and off-highway trucks, military applications, mining vehicles, school and city buses, motor coaches and other uses. Broad-Ocean is a global supplier of motors, alternators, and starters to multiple markets, including appliance, air handling, and commercial transportation.

Navistar recalls 2,700 trucks due to air brake issue Matt Cole, Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / March 29, 2017 Navistar has announced it is recalling approximately 2,700 International trucks because of a problem that could cause the air brakes to lose pressure. Affected trucks include 2017 International LoneStar models manufactured between June 7 and Dec. 20, 2016; 2016-2017 International ProStar models manufactured between May 5, 2015 and Dec. 22, 2016; 2016-2018 International LT models manufactured between June 1, 2015 and Jan. 12, 2017; and 2017-2018 International RH models manufactured between March 30, 2016 and Dec. 14, 2016. Navistar says the cause of the recall is the air dryer mounting bracket could fracture, causing the air dryer to separate from the frame with possible airline separation from the dryer, which could result in air system leaks or loss of air pressure to the brake system. The recall says this could result in increased stopping distances, increasing the risk of a crash. Navistar says drivers would likely see a loss of air pressure on the air gauge or hear a buzzer in the cab of the truck if the defect occurs. To fix the defect, Navistar will replace the air dryer mounting bracket with a bracket made of heavier gauge steel and thicker gussets. Dealers and owners will be mailed notification letters by May 12. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s recall number for this recall is 17V-174. If contacting Navistar for more information on the recall, the manufacturer recall number is 17502.

Midwestern Mack dealer celebrating 95th anniversary Successful Dealer / March 30, 2017 Mack dealer Pozzo Truck Center recently celebrated its 95th anniversary as a Mack dealer. Founded in 1921 by William A. Pozzo Sr., the business was opened after a Mack parts and repair facility in Gary, Indiana closed. Pozzo, an Italian immigrant who was a mechanic at the facility and also raced with the Fiat team at the Indianapolis 500, sold some bonds to build a building at 11th and Madison in Gary. In 1972, the business moved to 3001 E. 15th St., Gary, where it still resides. “Pozzo Truck Center has been serving Mack customers almost as long as Mack Trucks has been in business,” sasy Jonathan Randall, senior vice president of sales for Mack Trucks North America. “On behalf of the entire Mack family, congratulations to Pozzo on this impressive achievement.” Following the success of the East 15th Street location, Pozzo added two other locations, one in South Chicago Heights, Ill. in 1986 and the other in South Bend, Ind., in November 2016. .