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In a perfect world.......Evans heavy duty waterless engine coolant...........http://www.evanscoolant.com/products/heavy-duty-coolant/ .

Everyone here has some good points. Everyone. But I suggest you all "step out of the box" for a moment, relax, and then continue. "I'm not paying for dead beat losers to get cheap healthcare" I completely agree. I don't want to support people, both the low AND wealthy upper class, who abuse the system. But my own largest concern at the end of the day is for the middle class American family. We've all watched the cost of health insurance go thru the roof and to the moon.

Automotive News/Reuters / March 14, 2017 As to whether VW had any interest in discussions with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles about a possible merger, Volkswagen’s CEO Matthias Mueller said at the automaker’s annual press conference in Wolfsburg, “There is no contact at this time between me and [FCA CEO Sergio] Marchionne.” In a later discussion with reporters, Mueller said, "I am not ruling out a [future] conversation." "It would be very helpful if Mr. Marchionne were to communicate his considerations to me too and not just to you," Mueller told reporters.

Building Trucks Australian Truck Drivers Want To Drive Diesel News AU / March 14, 2017 Kenworth have been the dominant player in the heavy duty truck industry for over twenty years, building trucks Australian truck drivers want to drive. The changes which have arrived with the new T610 and the T610 SAR from the Bayswater-based company suggest the tastes of the Aussie truckie have changed, but not that much. Any Kenworth truck is always going to be a compromise. the Australian trucking industry is just not big enough to justify designing and building a tailor made truck for Australia, from the ground up. Instead, the art is to take components sold in the big truck markets of the world, namely the US and Europe, and then adapt and mix them in such a way to suit our conditions and climate. Paccar Australia has a good long term relationship with a number of Australian component suppliers to draw on and it also has the resources of Kenworth and Peterbilt in the US and DAF in Europe at its disposal to come up with a solution which works for us. The result is a mix and match which has to be designed to become unified whole, with its own look and feel. The time has come for the conventional truck in Australia to bring itself up to date. Modern electronics and assembly technology have introduced many new possibilities. The modern truck owner is also looking for a lot more from each truck in terms of productivity, information as well as driver safety and comfort. The Paccar group, as a whole, is moving towards a unified cabin design and Kenworth in Australia have come up with their unique adaptation of this to give us the T610. These two new truck models are a direct replacement for the T409 and T40SAR, but we can expect them to also replace the T609, as well, the high power options are all available in the T610. The Cummins X15 will be available from 450 hp all of the way up to 600 hp in all models. This is due to the new improved cooling package, which is claimed to have more capacity in hand than the current package offered on the C500 from Kenworth. However, we must not forget, this is Kenworth, a very careful and conservative brand, with conservative customers, who are willing to embrace change, but not too much in one go. The T610 seems to have hit just the right balance of old and new to keep most people happy.

FNM - the melancholy end of a giant Truck Blog (Brasil) / March 14, 2017 In June 1985, one of the directors of Fiat Trucks in Brazil, Camilli Donatti, heralded in Rio de Janeiro, the stoppage of the company's assembly lines. Reduced from about 600 to 100 employees, officials of the company that was once the powerful Fiat Diesel, would now devote themselves exclusively to the manufacture of spare parts for Brazil’s large fleet of Fiat/FNM trucks. During the company’s existence, which operated under the names of FNM, Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Fiat Diesel Trucks, production reached 57,330 heavy trucks, 6,756 medium trucks, 9,129 light trucks and 2,684 buses, totaling 75,899 vehicles produced from 1949 until 1985. Between 1976 and 1978, Fiat has invested $450 million in Brazil's Assembly lines, and could produce between 20,000 to 25,000 truck engines a year trucks, in a 600,000 square meter plant. However, with the amount invested, the Italian company expected immediate results, which never happened. In 1984, just 484 trucks had been produced. In 1985 thru May, only 117 units rolled off the assembly line, a decline of 44% compared to 1984 on account of strikes. To try and save the truck plant from failure, Fiat was planning to begin local production of the European “TurboStar” to compete with the new and powerful competitors from Mercedes-Benz, Scania and Volvo. In addition, a market downturn occurred during the mid-1980s which saw truck sales fall by over 50 percent, adding to the woes of a truckmaker whose history had been marked by mistakes of strategy and misconceptions. Fábrica Nacional de Motores (FNM) was founded in 1942 to manufacture 450 horsepower American Wright radial aircraft engines for use in training aircraft during World War II. With the end of the war and the fact that the engines had become obsolete, the company switched over to the production of refrigerators. In 1949, an agreement was signed with Italy’s Isotta Fraschini to manufacture a 7.5 ton diesel truck. This resulted in the introduction of FNM’s model D-7300. However, after the production of just 200 units, Isotta ceased production. In 1950, FNM signed an agreement with Alfa-Romeo to produce its diesel trucks, resulting in the model D-9000. Production began in 1957. By 1964, the D-9000, the D-9000 utilized almost 100 percent domestically sourced components and enjoyed a 50 percent market share in Brasil. In 1964, there was an estimated 20,000 FNM trucks in operation throughout Brasil. Even back then, the state-owned company was an example of clutter and excess employees, becoming a big pickle. There was aggravating internal disorganization, unrealistic costs, lack of definition of responsibilities and overall inefficiency. The situation became so bad that it took government support to keep the plant in operation. In a government-led effort to reverse the situation, the factory was sold to Alfa-Romeo. In 1971, FNM’s veteran model D-11000 heavy truck was replaced by the modern new 180 and 210 models. Before long, Alfa-Romeo was absorbed by Fiat in Brazil. Fiat had grandiose plans for FNM so as to participate in Brazil’s fast growing economy. Fiat invested in the factory, aiming the production of up to 15,000 trucks per year. Fiat introduced several new truck models beginning with the Fiat 70, and later the Fiat 80, 130 Semipesado, and 140. Several other models were fielded including the Fiat 160 and 400 horsepower Fiat 260. The best selling Fiat model proved to be the Fiat 190H, though it did not meet sales expectations. In 1980, control of the company passed on to Iveco. Sales continued to fall. In the heavy truck segment, FNM’s market share was now down to 12 percent. The Fiat models 120 and 140 were discontinued due to a lack of buyers. In June 1985 the company ceased operations. However even with its abrupt ending, FNM negotiated and paid all its debts to the dealers and suppliers. . .

Meritor Press Release / March 8, 2017 .

Hendrickson Press Release / February 23, 2017 .

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DAF Trucks Press Release / March 14, 2017 Always wondered how we build your DAF truck and who's involved in the process? .

Life-saving airport behemoths to the rescue Scania Group Press Release / March 14, 2017 Oshkosh Corporation – leading the way at airports and beyond. Oshkosh is a city in the north-eastern part of the US state of Wisconsin, an area known as the Fox Valley. Known for its dairy farms, lakes and ardent Green Bay Packers football fans, it’s a growing hub of industry and manufacturing companies, including its iconic namesake, the Oshkosh Corporation. Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2017, Oshkosh is an international manufacturing colossus, unmatched in the production of heavy-duty speciality vehicles for markets that include defence, fire and emergency, commercial and access equipment. “We are true heavy manufacturers,” says Jeff Resch, Vice President and General Manager of Oshkosh Airport Products, a business unit of Oshkosh Corporation that produces airport emergency vehicles. “We design, build and sell everything, from scratch.” Resch and others in the Fire and Emergency segment of the company are excited about a new truck called the Striker 8×8 (the numerals refer to the number of wheels and the power to those wheels). It’s a redesigned Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) vehicle that’s making its debut in April 2017, a mammoth eight-wheeler capable of carrying 4,500 gallons (17,000 litres) of water. “We’ve had an 8×8 before, but this new 8×8 is the highest-performing ARFF vehicle out there,” Resch explains.” He ticks off the specs: “It has all-wheel drive, can go off road, has high water capacity – just an awesome firefighting truck.” Salim Hawi, Vice President for International Sales at Oshkosh, agrees. “This truck has so much horsepower, you put wings on it, this monster will fly!” That horsepower comes from two Scania Tier 4 final, 16-litre 770 hp V8 engines. Scania partnered with Oshkosh from the beginning of the design phase to supply the engines on the new 8×8, whose biggest markets will initially be China and the Middle East. Scania also supplies engines for Striker 6×6 and 4×4 trucks, as well as snow removal, concrete mixer and refuse trucks. The collaboration between Oshkosh and Scania was smooth from the beginning, with both companies leaders in their fields and dedicated to high-quality products sold throughout the world. “It’s been a great relationship,” says Resch. Adds Hawi, “And Scania provides premium service and a warranty second to none.” The Oshkosh Airport Products Group also produces snow blowers, the newest a 3,000-tonne, single-engine machine that is more manoeuvrable, less costly and requiring less maintenance than its double-engine sister. Resch explains, “Similar to the 8×8, we said we’re building a new product. What’s the right engine for us?” And the 8×8 design team pointed again to Scania products. Those Scania-powered blowers are now being used at the Metropolitan Airports Commission in the Minneapolis, Minnesota, area, a region known for bitterly cold temperatures and annual snowfalls of 115 cm. Oshkosh airport trucks have a worldwide reach. They’re custom-built to order, with available features such as the Snozzle, an extendable boom arm that can reach above or below a plane and is capable of piercing an aeroplane cabin or cargo area to spray a powerful shower of water or foam. The vehicles also find their way out of airports. After the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon, an ARFF truck came from Dulles International Airport to aid in the firefighting. And in May 2016, when Fort McMurray, in the Canadian province of Alberta, suffered a devastating wildfire that forced the evacuation of nearly 90,000 residents, two local energy-producing companies that are Oshkosh customers rushed several of their Striker 8×8 vehicles to aid firefighters. Both Hawi and Resch point with pride to the company where they’ve worked for many years. Says Hawi, “It has a unique culture rooted in strong values, a culture of ‘people first’. Our most important capital is human capital.” Oshkosh was recently included in a listing of the world’s most ethical companies, an award given by the organisation Ethisphere. In addition, Forbes magazine named Oshkosh one of America’s best large employers in 2016. 8×8 Striker ARFF vehicle Newly redesigned ARFF truck debuting at Fire Department Instructors Conference in April 2017 Carries 17,000 litres of water and 2,400 litres of foam 62-tonne total weight Top speed 110 km/h Dual Scania Tier 4 final 16-litre V8 engines with a max power of 770 hp and a max torque of 3,183 Nm Vehicle features power and maneuverability, ride stability, cab comfort and excellent visibility. Oshkosh www.oshkoshcorp.com The company: Oshkosh Corporation is a leading maker of heavy-duty speciality vehicles and truck bodies for markets that include defence, fire and emergency, snow removal, concrete and construction. Oshkosh by the numbers Founded in 1917 Four business segments comprising defence, fire and emergency, access equipment and commercial 13,000 employees worldwide Manufacturing operations in eight US states plus Canada, Australia, Belgium, France, Mexico, Romania and China Net sales of USD 6.1 billion in fiscal 2015. .

Volvo Trucks expands VHD model capabilities with I-Shift Fleet Owner / March 14, 2017 Volvo Trucks North America introduced at ConExpo-CON/AGG 2017 new safety and performance features for the Volvo I-Shift, I-Shift for Severe Duty, and I-Shift with Crawler Gears automated manual transmissions. Auto neutral provides a key jobsite safety feature, according to the company, while Paver Assist bolsters the Volvo VHD’s performance in paving applications. “Auto neutral and Paver Assist mark the latest Volvo VHD updates centered on the capabilities of the Volvo I-Shift,” said Allison Athey, Volvo Trucks product marketing manager – transmissions. “The intelligence of the I-Shift gives us a great platform for customizing application-specific solutions that make a big difference for operators across a range of applications.” According to Volvo, Auto Neutral can help improve jobsite safety in many applications, including concrete mixers, where remote throttle is often used. The auto neutral feature helps reduce the possibility of the truck moving as a result of inadvertent throttle application by placing the I-Shift transmission into neutral when the parking brake is set. When the parking brake is released simply shift to “drive” for the transmission to go back into gear. Auto Neutral will be available for order during the second quarter of 2017 for vehicles equipped with Volvo GHG 2017 engines and the latest generation Volvo I-Shift. For trucks already in service, it can be activated with the Volvo Premium Tech Tool. Paver Assist for the I-Shift on Volvo VHD model dump trucks helps eliminate bumps and disturbances in the pavement laying process that traditionally occur while shifting from “neutral” to “drive.” Truck operators can engage “drive” without first applying the brakes when transitioning from “neutral” and being pushed by a paver to driving operations and pulling away from the paver equipment. To do so, the driver simply shifts from neutral to drive while rolling very slowly and depressing the plus (+) button on the I-Shift shifter. Paver Assist can also be used in other low-speed applications when a vehicle needs to drive away without applying the brakes. The feature is currently available on Volvo VHD models equipped with Volvo GHG 2017 engines and the latest generation I-Shift transmission. Paver Assist can be activated using the Volvo Premium Tech Tool. The Volvo VHD comes standard with the 12-speed I-Shift for Severe Duty, which features hardened gears and other hardware to help withstand frequent shifting in rugged operating environments. The Volvo I-Shift with Crawler Gears, available in 13- and 14-speed versions, was introduced in March 2016. The 13-speed I-Shift with Crawler Gears helps provide improved startability on steep-grades, soft terrain, or when the truck is under heavy load. The 14-speed variant is ideal for applications like concrete pouring that require low-speed maneuverability.

Eaton ups ratings for Procision AMT Fleet Owner / March 14, 2017 The Procision automated mechanical transmission (AMT) for medium-duty Class 6 and 7 applications has expanded its application coverage with increased horsepower and GVW ratings, according to Eaton Corp. Maximum horsepower is now 300 HP, up from 260 HP, and maximum GVW ratings have been boosted to 35,000 lbs. for air-braked trucks and 33,000 lbs. for those equipped with Eaton’s Park Pawl. The 7-speed Procision is the only Class 6/7 AMT using dual clutch technology, which provides the fuel economy of a manual transmission with the smooth shifting of an automatic transmission, according to Eaton. It was specifically designed for the medium-duty truck and bus markets as an alternative to torque converter automatic transmissions. “By extending the horsepower and GVW ratings on Procision, Eaton is providing more customers with the opportunity to spec this transmission to help them achieve better fuel economy and improve driver confidence across applications,” said Jeff Walker, product director, heavy-duty/medium-duty/hybrid transmissions, Eaton’s Vehicle Group. “Fleets that have specified and are running Procision today have seen the benefits, and today’s announcement broadens the range of applications for Procision.”

US Retail Sales of Class 8 Trucks Drop in February Transport Topics / March 14, 2017 U.S. retail sales of Class 8 trucks in February fell 29.5% from a year earlier, as all truck makers posted double-digit declines. Class 8 sales hit 11,200, compared with 15,876 in the 2016 period. The last time Class 8 sales rose year-over-year was in November 2015. However, February improved on January’s total, which experts viewed as marking the bottom of the market. Class 8 sales for the full year reached 22,144, down 30.4% from 31,826 year-over-year. Mack Trucks, a unit of Volvo Group, had the smallest decline, 11.9% to 1,105 units, compared with February 2016. Kenworth Truck Co., a unit of Paccar Inc., had the sharpest decline, down 39.7% to 1,331 units. Freightliner, a unit of Daimler Trucks North America, led the way with sales of 4,310, and a 38.5% market share.

Wards Auto / March 14, 2017 Despite large double-digit gains in three out of the five classes, Canada’s medium- and heavy-duty truck sales continue to fall with February marking the industry’s 17th consecutive month of year-over-year drops, down 8.3% in February to 2,603 deliveries compared with like-2016’s 2,840. February also marks Class 8’s 17th consecutive month of year-over-year drops, falling 21.1% to 1,466 units. Daimler’s Freightliner and Western Star both posted double-digit losses of 35.9% and 25.9%, respectively. Paccar’s Kenworth (9.7%) and Peterbilt (52.2%) were among the few to increase in sales. Medium-duty truck sales posted a 15.8% gain with only one class underperforming. Year-to-date sales totaled 1,950 deliveries, 10.7% ahead of 2016’s 1,762. Class 7 dropped 14.2% to 332 units, the only segment in this sector to underperform in February. Freightliner, International and Kenworth posted losses of 40.0%, 27.8% and 5.4%, respectively. Hino stayed flat at 92 units, but saw a 3.9% drop to 23.8% market share. Ford nearly doubled its low-volume sales with a growth of 87.5%. Class 6 sales climbed 46.9% over year-ago on volume of 141, with large gains from International (187.0%) and Hino (86.2%). Ford and Freightliner floundered, with 16.7% and 25.0% losses, respectively. With a 54.7% increase from Ford on 314 deliveries, Class 5 rose 28.8% to 514 units in February. Isuzu (50.0%) and FCA (14.1%) also posted gains. International performed the worst in the group, dropping 83.3% on only one delivery. Class 4 soared 50.0% to 150 units with a large increase of 56.5% in its domestic line. Ford led the way with a triple-digit rise in sales, up 108.2% to 127 units, gaining 23.7% market share to 84.7%. This balanced out the large losses from Hino (-40.0%) and Isuzu’s domestic line (-47.6%). Through February, medium- and heavy-duty truck sales totaled 4,793 deliveries, down 7.3% from year-ago’s 5,169. .

Wards Auto / March 14, 2017 U.S. sales of medium and heavy trucks fell 15.6% in February, compared with like-2016, marking the industry’s 11th consecutive month of year-over-year losses. The decline in Class 8 sales was the largest in the sector, as all brands suffered double-digit losses in February, plunging 29.4% to 11,200 units compared to prior-year’s 15,875. Only two months in, Class 8 sales were behind 30.4%, down to 22,144 from year-ago’s 31,827. Medium truck deliveries totaled 16,768 for a decline of 2.8% as every segment, Class 4 through 7, posted mild losses for the month. Class 7 sales slipped slightly from like-2016, down 2.7%. Hino saw the largest growth in the segment of 78.7%, but on small volume. Ford also posted a large gain, up 31.3% on 168 deliveries. Volume-leader Freightliner dropped 7.1% to 2,131 units with 54.6% market share. Class 6 deliveries were down 4.0% on unit volume of 5,650 vs. 5,885 year-ago. Peterbilt posted the best performance, up 80.0%. Sister brand Kenworth fared the worst in the segment as deliveries plunged 27.3% on only 101 units. International and Hino also posted losses of 5.5% and 25.8%, respectively. Class 5 sales fell 1.8%, with a 1.2% gain in domestically built models canceling out the 31.7% drop in low-volume imports. FCA posted the only increase for Class 5, up 34.3%, while International suffered the biggest drop, down 89.4% to only 15 deliveries. Ford dropped a mild 1.0% on high volume, while Daimler (-40.3%), Hino (-30.0%) and Isuzu (-31.9%) posted large losses. With a 22.5% gain in domestics but a 37.0% drop in imports, Class 4 nearly levels out at 908 deliveries, a 2.5% decline from prior-year’s 1,005. Isuzu’s domestic line increased 12.1%, and raised its share to 44.3% from 38.5% a year earlier. Their import line, on the other hand, sunk 48.5% in sales and dropped to 19.8% from 37.5% market share. Hino doubled in sales on 50 deliveries in February. Through February, sales of medium and heavy trucks were running 16.7% behind year-ago with 53,694 deliveries. Class 8 ended the month with 32,636 units, for a 70 days’ supply, compared with year-ago’s 52,200 and 79 days’ supply. Medium-duty inventory fell to 57,009 units, compared with 57,791 in like-2016. Days’ supply for the segment grew to 82, from 80 year-ago. .

More technology taken into consideration in Phase 2 of EPA emission standards Truck News / March 14, 2017 With Phase 2 of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) greenhouse gas emission standards currently being ironed out, for the first time, upfitters will see opportunities to gain emissions credits. During a panel discussion at the Green Truck Summit today (March 14), Matthew Spears, center director of heavy-duty diesel standards for the EPA, outlined the differences between the first and second phases of the fuel efficiency rules, saying Phase 2 reaches much further into the technology pot to include such items as the chassis (tires, light-weight materials and inflation systems), powertrain (engine, transmission and axle), idle reduction (automatic engine shutdown, stop-start and hybrids), as well as additional credits for aerodynamic and all-electric options. The chassis manufacturer will also provide the upfitter with ‘delegated assembly’ instructions for technology installation, which Spears said will create a compliance responsibility for the manufacturer, as well as the upfitter. Delegated assembly allows an OEM to claim emission credits to the EPA for upfitter installed technologies. On the other hand, an upfitter can work out an agreement with a chassis manufacturer to retain the emissions credits for the installation of a fuel-reducing technology, such as aerodynamic fairings. Tires were the lone item included in the first phase of the GHG emissions standards for vocational vehicles, a point of contention for Ken McAlinden, manager for on-board diagnostics and regulatory compliance for the Ford Motor Company, who said it was too narrow in scope and failed to take other factors into consideration. McAlinden said GEM, which is a computer simulation of the technology used on a truck to determine emission credit value of any given technology, is better used in the second phase, as it takes more into account when looking at a vehicle’s emission curbing efforts. Rob Stevens, vice-president of strategy and engineering for upfitter Roush CleanTech, said although Phase 2 is a more complex model, it presented an avenue and path for upfitters to get to where they need to be. “It really does spell opportunity for all of us,” said Stevens, adding that upfitters will be able to work more closely with OEMs and be more a part of the entire process of meeting the new EPA standards. Stevens said that in the end, what customers really want to see from the EPA rules is a benefit to them, and that when fleets see a reduction in their fuel usage, it is the benefit they are looking for. Spears said the EPA does not require any specific type of technology to be used in its first two phases of the GHG rules, just that a certain standard be achieved. He added that there were several changes to Phase 2 from its original proposal due to the amount of stakeholder feedback the EPA garnered leading up to the drafting of the new rules. “We tried to make it a very interactive process,” said Spears. In the process of establishing a pathway to meet the new emission standards, Spears said the EPA did not assume an OEM would have to use delegated assembly with an upfitter, but if they did and it works out cheaper to get there, it would benefit both parties. Full implementation of Phase 1 will be achieved by 2018 and was first introduced in 2014. The ruling on Phase 2 is not yet final.

Cummins unveils improvements to its mid-range lineup of engines Truck News / March 14, 2017 Cummins announced further improvements to its mid-range engine lineup, including the diesel V5.0, B6.7 and L9, as well as the Cummins Westport natural gas ISB6.7 G and ISL G Near Zero engines. “Innovation is not only related to the brand new,” said Jeff Caldwell, executive director of North American Truck OEMs for Cummins, during the Work Truck Show March 14. “Cummins announced our new mid-range engine platforms last year, but we haven’t been resting on our laurels. We constantly strive to make our products better for our customers, so they can keep their truck on the road longer, getting the job done. Cummins is a company committed to innovation, and in 2017, the market leader keeps getting better.” Caldwell said Cummins has the broadest range of mid-range diesel and natural gas engines on the market today, powering a variety of transportation customer vehicles. Its ‘uptime champion’, enhancements to the B6.7 improves on fuel economy, with the engine seeing an average of 8.5% on efficiency ratings and 5% on performance ratings over the former leader, its 2013 ISB6.7. “Our B Series engines have been at the heart of many hard-working trucks through North America over the past few decades. And in 2017, the B6.7 maintains its bulletproof reliability while bringing tangible fuel economy savings for our customers,” said Caldwell. “The program started with a goal of delivering 7% better fuel economy on the efficiency ratings and 1% better fuel economy on the performance ratings over the 2013 product. As the program progressed, we found opportunities to tune and optimize the engine, delivering further efficiency, and allowing us to surpass initial expectations.” The B6.7 also has stop-start capability, which Cummins said provide improved fuel economy of between 3% and 15%. Caldwell said stop-start technology offers reduced consumables, increased durability and enhanced productivity. Cummins, which has been working with natural gas exports for almost five decades, has also improved its Westport natural gas engines. The ISL G Near Zero engine, along with the ISB6.7 G, is currently in production for bus, medium-duty truck and vocational applications. “Our most compact natural gas offering – the ISB6.7 G – offers strong performance, reliability and durability to customers requiring low-emissions vehicles,” said Rob Neitzke, president of Cummins Westport. “With the publicly available natural gas fueling infrastructure growing across North America, the ISB6.7 G offers mid-range customers operating in local areas a low-emissions, cost-effective solution.” For the ISL G Near Zero, Cummins has added a closed crankcase ventilation system, slightly larger three-way catalyst and software enhancements. Cummins said the ISL G Near Zero is the first mid-range engine in North America to receive emissions certification from the US Environmental Protection Agency and Air Resources Board for meeting the optional 0.02 g/bhp-hr near zero oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions standards, 90% lower than the EPA’s 2010 standards. “Based on the reliability and operating improvements of the base ISL G engine, the ISL G Near Zero is a game-changer,” Neitzke said. “The engine offers customers the benefit of performance with the lowest emissions at a much lower cost than battery electric-vehicles. It is zero-emissions technology at conventional propulsion system values.” Both the ISB6.7 G and ISL G Near Zero operate exclusively on compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas or renewable natural gas.

Jason Cannon, Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / March 14, 2017 Diesel prices at their lowest point in more than a decade have hindered wide adaptation of alternative fuels, but historical volatility in the market underpins the transportation industry’s efforts. “In 2007, we had $60 per barrel oil,” says Mark Howerton, manager of national accounts, vocational sales for Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA), “before jumping to $140 per barrel in 2008.” Three years ago, oil crashed to $40 per barrel and diesel prices have floated below $3 per gallon ever since. “We have to be prepared for change,” Howerton says, adding alternative fuels, including electrification, are still a viable solution to dependence on foreign oils. “We still see robust interest in natural gas vehicles in our customer base,” he says. “[But] true long haul transportation will be dominated by clean diesel.” “Our workhorse is the diesel engine,” adds Dr. Wilfried Achenbach, DTNA senior vice president of engineering and technology. Both Howerton and Achenbach were featured speakers at the Green Truck Summit in Indianapolis Tuesday. With diesel’s high energy density and wide availability, its largest drawbacks Achenbach says are basically the fuel’s emissions. Over the last nearly 30 years, the amount of pollutants spewing from a truck exhaust has been slashed. Achenbach says one truck from 1988 emits as much NOx as 35 EPA 2010 trucks, and 60 trucks worth of particulate matter. However, trucks contribute 6 percent of the CO2 emissions in the U.S., with 75 percent of that coming from long haul trucks. Green House Gas Phase 2 regulations passed last year target a 25 percent efficiency improvement by 2027, which Achenbach says will lead to fuel economy in excess of 10 – or even 11 – miles per gallon. “In the future, 10 miles per gallon will become the new normal,” he says, “and I don’t think we need to wait the 10 years. I believe it will happen much sooner.” To reach efficiency targets, truck and trailer OEMs will be challenged to improve many areas not necessarily related to power generation. According to Achenbach, a truck needs 170 hp to power a 76,000 pound load to 62 mph on a straightaway. Aerodynamic drag takes up about 85 hp and rolling resistance takes up 74. Losses from the drivetrain eat up about 6 hp and auxiliary losses take the remaining 5. Unlike previous GHG regulations, which mostly sought to reduce emissions to near-zero levels, Phase 2 looks to improve the efficiency of the combination unit and changing propulsion methods to a “cleaner burning” source isn’t the low-hanging fruit many people it to be. “It doesn’t make any sense to go to electricity,” Achenbach says, noting the coal used to generate the electric power needed to charge a truck’s battery bank. Green energy aside, while both the cost and weight associated with batteries have fallen, they’re still not comparable with diesel. For 600 miles of driving, a truck would need a battery pack weighing 11,022 lbs. that costs $156,239. Compare that to a diesel tank that weighs 840 lbs. and cost $1,162. “Many people investigate what can be done, what is reasonable, but there is no simple answer,” Achenbach says. “Do not discount diesel, and I would recommend to have a close look at renewable [fuel].” Autonomy could also lead to some measurable efficiency improvements, but Achenbach says he’s not bullish on fully autonomous trucks in the near future. He says significant infrastructure improvements are still needed, including vehicle-to-vehicle communications, better mapping and higher resolution GPS data that would maximize safety for fully autonomous trucks. “We all need to accept that at some time, we will have mixed traffic [human and autonomous],” he says. “We are on a path to more autonomous, but it will not be a revolution. It will be more evolution. Partial autonomous is feasible. Fully autonomous, I foresee a significantly longer timeline.”

Ford names Lightning Hybrids, XL Hybrids, Motiv Power its first eQVM upfitters Green Car Congress / March 14, 2017 Ford is expanding its Advanced Fuel Qualified Vehicle Modifier (QVM) program to include companies that develop and install electrified and hydraulic hybrid powertrains for Ford trucks and vans. The new eQVM program kicks off with three developers: XL Hybrids, Motiv Power Systems and Lightning Hybrids. These companies offer electrification or hydraulic hybrid solutions for a range of Ford vehicles popular with fleet and commercial customers, including F-150, F-250 to F-550 Super Duty, F-650 and F-750 medium-duty trucks, Transit and E-Series vans and chassis, and F-53/F-59 stripped chassis. The new eQVM program, unveiled at The Work Truck Show, helps fleet and commercial customers meet their unique and specific needs for durable, reliable electrified and hydraulic hybrid work trucks that retain the original powertrain warranty. Ford is investing $4.5 billion in 13 new electrified vehicles in the next five years. These include an all-new fully electric small SUV, a high-volume autonomous vehicle, a hybrid F-150, a hybrid Mustang, a Transit Custom plug-in hybrid and two new pursuit-rated hybrid police vehicles. Ford supports electrification for a variety of vehicle types. The eQVM program extends that support to the vocational truck industry where customers need relatively small numbers of specialized vehicles—there is no one-size-fits-all work truck. —Richard Cupka Jr., Ford sustainability and QVM program manager The Ford QVM program includes more than 200 companies dedicated to modifying the automaker’s broad commercial vehicle lineup for customer applications in a number of industries, including motorhome, school bus, mobility, emergency services, conversion van, police and limousine. Additionally, QVM upfitters install a wide range of equipment onto Ford trucks and vans to transform them into the work trucks that help build America’s infrastructure and keep it running. Ford’s QVM qualification process includes on-site assessments at each location to verify the operation meets manufacturing, assembly, workmanship, customer service and quality requirements and that it has processes in place to produce vehicles that meet federal regulations. Vehicles modified by a Ford QVM in compliance with Ford guidelines retain their factory warranties. The eQVM program builds on the success of the Advanced Fuel QVM program Ford launched in 2010. Through that program, customers can obtain Ford Transit Connect, Transit or E-450 vans and chassis, F-Series trucks and F-53/F-59 stripped chassis that run on compressed natural gas or propane. The eQVM program expands available alternative power options to include electrification and hydraulic hybrid systems. The eQVM developers are: · XL Hybrids: Offers a hybrid electric drive system for Ford Transit, E-350 and E-450 chassis, F-250 to F-550 Super Duty trucks, F-650 and F-750 medium-duty trucks and F-53/F-59 stripped chassis; as well as a plug-in hybrid upfit for the F-150 pickup. · Motiv Power Systems: Offers an all-electric powertrain for the Ford E-450 and F-59 chassis. · Lightning Hybrids: Offers a non-electric hydraulic hybrid energy recovery system for the Ford E-350 and E-450 chassis, F-350 to F-550

Heavy Duty Trucking / March 14, 2017 Ford has expanded its Qualified Vehicle Modifier (QVM) program to include companies who install electrified and hydraulic hybrid systems so those vehicles will retain the factory powertrain warranty. The newly christened eQVM program, announced at the Work Truck Show in Indianapolis, is launching with XL Hybrids, Lightning Hybrids, and Motiv Power Systems. These three companies produce hybrid versions of Ford trucks and vans. "Ford supports electrification for a variety of vehicle types," said Richard Cupka Jr., Ford's sustainability and QVM program manager. "The eQVM program extends that support to the vocational truck industry, where customers need relatively small numbers of specialized vehicles. There is no one-size-fits-all work truck." XL Hybrids offers a gasoline-electric hybrid drive system for the Transit, E-350 and E-450 chassis vans; F-250 to F-550 Super Duty trucks; F-650 and F-750 medium-duty trucks; F-53 or F-59 stripped chassis; and a plug-in hybrid upfit for the F-150. Lightning Hybrids offers a hydraulic hybrid energy recovery system for the Ford E-350 and E-450 chassis; F-350 to F-550 Super Duty trucks; F-650 and F-750 medium-duty trucks; and F-59 chassis. Motiv Power Systems offers an all-electric powertrain for the Ford E-450 and F-59 chassis. The Ford QVM program includes more than 200 companies. To be included in the program, companies must complete on-site assessments at each location to verify that the operation meets manufacturing, assembly, workmanship, customer service and quality requirements. The company must also show it uses processes to produce vehicles that meet federal regulations. The eQVM program builds on the Advanced Fuel QVM program Ford launched in 2010. Through that program, customers can obtain Ford Transit Connect, Transit or E-450 vans and chassis, F-Series trucks and F-53/F-59 stripped chassis that run on compressed natural gas or propane autogas. "There are a lot of unknowns when it comes to new energy options for trucks, but our eQVM program gives Ford commercial customers confidence in choosing these new technologies," said John Scholtes, chief program engineer commercial vehicles.

Associated Press / March 14, 2017 Goodyear has let the helium out of the last of its fabled fleet of blimps, but the company's flight program will continue. About two dozen employees were on hand early Tuesday to witness the deflation of California-based Spirit of Innovation. But shed no tears, blimp fans, you'll still see a familiar blue-and-gold form floating over your favorite sports event or awards show. Although the blimp's replacement, Wingfoot Two, will look about the same when it arrives at Goodyear's airship base in Carson later this year, it will be a semi-rigid dirigible. Such aircraft, one of which has already replaced Goodyear's Florida blimp, have a frame, which means they maintain their shape when the helium is drained. Blimps, on the other hand, go flat. Wingfoot Two, currently operating in Ohio, will be replaced by yet another dirigible when it leaves there for Southern California. Far more important to Goodyear is that the new airships are faster, quieter, larger, easier to fly and more maneuverable than the blimps it introduced more than 90 years ago. Still, the company plans to keep calling the new models blimps. "Because a Goodyear Semi-rigid Dirigible doesn't roll off the tongue," laughed company airship historian Eddie Ogden. Crew members Tuesday yanked a rip line to open a section at the top of the blimp's big gas bag, known as an envelope. It took about two minutes for it to crumple to the ground. Ogden said Goodyear employees watched the deflation with mixed emotions. "There were a couple tears because they've been working with blimps for so long," he said. "But the program has always changed over the decades and this is a step forward. The new model is incredible to watch fly." The switch to dirigibles offers a similar-looking, cigar-shaped flying machine but one that's 246 feet long, nearly the length of a football field and 50 feet longer than the old blimps. With room for three engines instead of two, it will be able to hit freeway speeds of over 70 miles per hour and turn on a dime. The quieter engines also will provide an advantage in covering golf tournaments, Ogden said, by eliminating the racket that can sometimes disrupt golfers lining up their putts. The ability to hover will allow a pilot to better position the aircraft to capture NASCAR race finishes and key moments in a baseball game. And the ability to take off and land like a helicopter will put an end to those funny-looking runway pursuits by the ground crew. Still, Spirit of Innovation was an innovator in its day and its deflation comes with some emotion. Its gondola, originally christened Columbia in 1986, became Eagle in 2002 and finally Innovation following a public name-that-blimp contest in 2006. With the lifespan of the envelope nearing an end, it was time to mothball it, said Matthew St. John, chief pilot at the Carson airship base and the man who took the blimp on its final flight above last month's Academy Awards. The craft's historic gondola will be shipped to Goodyear's century-old Ohio airship base to be put on permanent display. Other parts are going to museums, and the envelope is being recycled. "The engines can be repaired and replaced, the gondola can be repaired and refurbished, the tail fins can be refurbished," said St. John, who plans to fly "Innovation's" replacement. "But with the envelope, there's a safety measure there that we take a very serious look at and say, 'OK, this is the mark, and we're not going to go beyond that mark,'" he said. Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ij4u1_tkT4

My 2 cents, which really has zero value.......... Technically, the people all agreed to create a country and government, and gave their government (3 branches) the power to.....govern them. The Supreme Court is an unusual beast, with justices serving thru many presidential administrations, until they die or step down. I don't know any people who actually feel they have any control whatsoever over their local, state and the federal government. If you look back one decade or ten, the masses never had any say in government. Power has since day one been in the hands of a small group. We all can recall 40-50 years ago when you company covered 100% of your health insurance AND your family. From then, the burden shifted to the worker to the point that, today, one has incredible amounts deducted from their salary, and jaw-dropping deductibles. The health care, pharmaceutical and insurance (health, car, ect.) industries are government-supported scams of the highest magnitude.

Associated Press / March 14, 2017 The Congressional Budget Office report on a Republican health care bill set off an intense reaction in Washington, and some on both sides of the debate are playing loose with the facts. Republicans are overlooking President Donald Trump's promise to deliver "insurance for everybody," which the CBO makes clear will not happen if the legislation becomes law. Democrats are assailing Republicans for "attacking the messenger," seeming to forget all the times they assailed the budget office themselves. The Congressional Budget Office is respected for nonpartisan rigor in its estimates of the costs and impacts of legislation. But no projection is infallible, particularly when it comes to large, complex programs. For example, the agency in 2010 overstated the number of people expected to buy insurance under President Barack Obama's health care law, misjudging how many would join because of the threat of tax penalties. Yet, CBO's neutrality has been valued by both parties - though not always at the same time. It depends whose ox is being gored. A look at statements in the debate and how they compare with the CBO's estimates and the underlying facts: TRUMP: "We're going to have insurance for everybody. There was a philosophy in some circles that if you can't pay for it, you don't get it. That's not going to happen with us." - To The Washington Post, Jan. 15. CBO: It estimates the bill would leave 14 million fewer people insured in the first year, 24 million fewer by 2026. In the first year, the biggest reason more people are uninsured would be repeal of penalties Barack Obama's law imposes on those deemed able to afford insurance but who don't buy it. Still others would decide to forgo coverage because of higher premiums or do without Medicaid. In following years the main reason for a drop in the number of insured would be that the Republican bill scales back Medicaid for low-income Americans. Altogether, CBO estimates 52 million people would be uninsured by 2026, a vast distance from "insurance for everybody." --- SEAN SPICER, White House press secretary, Tuesday: "Having a card and having coverage that when you walk into a doctor's office has a deductible of $15,000, $20,000 a year isn't coverage. That's a car. That doesn't get you the care you need." THE FACTS: He's wrong about deductibles under Obama's law. Out-of-pocket expenses for consumers are limited. Deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance together can't exceed $7,150 this year for an individual plan sold through HealthCare.gov or similar state markets. For a family plan it's $14,300. After that, the insurance plan pays the full cost of covered benefits. In addition, more than half of customers in these plans get subsidies to help with their out-of-pocket costs. --- SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER, Senate Democratic leader: "CBO is virtually unassailable. Everyone, Democrats and Republicans, whether it be George Bush, Barack Obama or anyone else has gone along with CBO. ...CBO speaks the truth. They've been speaking the truth for decades and to try to attack CBO is simply attacking the messenger." - Comments to reporters Monday. REP. NANCY PELOSI, House Democratic leader, on Republican reaction to the CBO: "Some of them are trying to pin a rose on this report and make it sound like it's a good thing and the others of them are trying to discredit the CBO, but it's completely wrong, completely wrong. ... Numbers are quite elegant things, you know. They speak very clearly." - Comments to reporters Monday. THE FACTS: Democrats have not hesitated to attack this messenger when its conclusions have not suited them. "The Congressional Budget Office never gives us any credit," President Obama said in 2009 when the CBO pointed to the expense of Democratic health overhaul proposals. Complained Pelosi at the time: "The CBO will always give you the worst-case scenario." Again in 2014, Pelosi did not consider CBO's numbers "elegant," or correct, when they forecast job losses from a Democratic effort to raise the minimum wage. She accused the CBO of making arguments that "contradict the consensus among hundreds of America's top economists" and said it "ignored new perspectives in the wide array of analysis on the minimum wage." --- TRUMP: People covered under the law "can expect to have great health care. It will be in a much simplified form. Much less expensive and much better... lower numbers, much lower deductibles." CBO: It says cost-sharing payments in the individual market, including deductibles, "would tend to be higher than those anticipated under current law." Cost-sharing subsidies would be repealed in 2020, "significantly increasing out-of-pocket costs for nongroup (private) insurance for many lower-income enrollees." --- TRUMP, at a Cabinet meeting Monday: "Obamacare, all of a sudden, the last couple of weeks, is getting a false rep that maybe it's OK. It's not OK, it's a disaster and people understand that it's failed and it's imploding. And if we let it go for another year, it'll totally implode." CBO: Not in the view of the budget experts. They described the market for individual policies under Obama's health care law as "stable." They said it is likely to remain stable under the proposed GOP replacement legislation, too. --- MICK MULVANEY, Trump's budget director: "If you have coverage that doesn't allow you to go to the doctor, what good is it in the first place? ...Democrats took all of this credit for giving people coverage, but ignored the fact that they had created this large group of people that still could not go to the doctor." - Tuesday on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." THE FACTS: Republicans gloss over reality when they make this argument. While deductibles are high for the Affordable Care Act's private insurance plans (averaging $3,000 last year for a standard silver plan), the law requires preventive care to be covered at no charge. And more than half of the people enrolled in the health law's insurance markets get an extra subsidy when they go to seek care. It can reduce a deductible from several thousand dollars to a few hundred. The GOP bill would repeal those subsidies. Other evidence points to tangible benefits from Obama's coverage expansion. For example, government researchers have found fewer Americans struggling to pay medical bills. A 2015 report found that problems with medical bills had declined for the fourth year in a row. Most of the improvement was among low-income people and those with government coverage, and it coincided with the ACA's big coverage expansion. --- TOM PRICE, health and human services secretary: "I firmly believe that nobody will be worse off financially in the process that we're going through." - NBC's "Meet the Press," Sunday. CBO: There are losers as well as winners, the analysts found. Generally, older people are bound to face higher costs because the legislation would let insurance companies charge them up to five times more for premiums than they charge young people. They can only be charged three times more now. The bottom line, the analysts say, would be "substantially reducing premiums for young adults and substantially raising premiums for older people." --- MULVANEY: "Actually I don't think the costs will go up at all." - ABC's "This Week," Sunday. CBO: It estimates that some costs indeed will go up, at least for a few years. The analysts say average premiums in the private insurance market would rise in 2018 and 2019 by 15 percent to 20 percent, compared with current law, then start to come down. By 2026, average premiums could be 10 percent lower, compared with the existing law. One reason: insurers could eliminate a current requirement to offer plans that cover a set percentage of the cost of certain benefits.