kscarbel2

Paul, now we're seeing travel ban 2.0 with a list of 6 Muslim countries: Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Iraq has now been omitted. It is astounding to me that Afghanistan, Egypt, Pakistan, the UAE and especially Saudi Arabia aren't on the list. As written, the list is incomplete and as such ineffective for its alleged purpose. Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Egypt have no history in "training, harboring and exporting terrorists" ??? I'm a truck guy, not a national security expert. However, I think any ordinarily prudent individual seeking to ward off future terrorism would bear in mind recent history and include the countries whose citizens came to our country and committed terrorism. Their list would surely include Afghanistan, Egypt, Pakistan, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. What are your thoughts? Fast facts: 1. 15 of the 19 September 11 radical Islamist hijackers were from Saudi Arabia. Which is to say, 2,369 Americans were killed on U.S. soil by Saudi citizens over the 1975-2015 period. 2. No Americans have been killed on U.S. soil by citizens from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen over the 1975-2015 period.

Why GM decided to sell Opel to PSA Automotive News / March 6, 2017 General Motors executives said they decided to sell Opel because Europe’s changing geo-political and regulatory climate demands more investment at a time when they see a greater need to focus on North America, China and emerging technologies such as autonomous vehicles. The $2.3 billion deal with PSA Group of France will not only free up GM resources for more lucrative opportunities, but it also will give the automaker a greater ability to return cash to shareholders in a continuing bid to raise its stock price. “By immediately improving General Motors’ overall business profile, the transaction will enable us to increase our returns to shareholders,” GM President Dan Ammann said at a news conference early Monday in Paris. “Just as importantly, we will be able to more sharply focus our time and resources on higher-growth, higher-return investments in our core automotive business and in new technologies that are transforming our industry.” Ammann said the European automotive market has become so different from GM’s other major regions that only 20 percent of the vehicles in Opel’s future portfolio would have been shared with the rest of GM. That means a company such as PSA is in a better position to provide the necessary scale, he explained. 'Industrial logic' Ammann and PSA Chairman Carlos Tavares repeatedly spoke of the “industrial logic” behind combining of PSA and Opel. For GM, the upside is no longer having to pour money into a region where the benefits to the rest of the company’s operations are diminishing. “We believe this is the beginning of a new era of achievement for Opel/Vauxhall,” GM CEO Mary Barra said, “as well as a bold and fundamental commitment to GM’s own future of profitable growth and success.” The sale, expected to close by the end of the year, comes as Opel was close to finally making money again after nearly two decades of losses. But the profit opportunity GM saw in Europe is far less than what it already is generating elsewhere, particularly in the U.S. PSA said it expects Opel to produce operating margins of 2 percent by 2020 and 6 percent by 2026. That compares to GM’s margins of more than 10 percent in North America for the past two years. The company has projected it will achieve that target again in 2017. Share repurchase GM said the deal will free up $2 billion in cash to use toward repurchasing its own shares. The company is in the midst of a buyback program that it recently expanded to a goal of $14 billion. At the same time, GM said it will have to take a primarily non-cash special charge of $4 billion to $4.5 billion in connection with the sale. GM said it will pay PSA 3 billion euros ($3.18 billion) to settle transferred pension obligations. GM said Opel will continue to provide some vehicles for its Buick brand and for its Holden unit in Australia. GM and PSA, which have collaborated on some vehicle development since 2012, said they also will work together on electric-vehicle technology. Last year’s vote by the United Kingdom to leave the European Union clearly played a role in GM’s decision. During today’s news conference, Barra was asked if Donald Trump’s election as U.S. president was a factor, given his emphasis on reducing imports and proposal to tax vehicles that are brought into the country. Barra said only that the “changing landscape” in Europe and other parts of the world led to the agreement. “This was really a carefully thought-out plan,” she said, “building on the success and the win-win opportunity that we saw because of our work with PSA in the last four years.”

GM agrees to sell Opel, Vauxhall to PSA Bloomberg / March 6, 2017 PSA Group is betting that size is the answer to Europe’s saturated car market as it buys General Motors’ ailing Opel unit despite years of losses. The French carmaker will pay 1.8 billion euros ($1.9 billion) for Opel, its U.K. sister brand Vauxhall and a stake in the local financing business. CEO Carlos Tavares, who turned around the maker of Peugeot and Citroen vehicles following a bailout in 2014, is bolstering his defenses in a peaking market that’s being transformed by technology, new competitors and Brexit. Payments by French bank BNP Paribas, which will operate Opel's finacing arm with PSA, will bring the total value of the deal to $2.3 billion. “It gives us the opportunity to become a real European champion,” Tavares said after announcing the deal, which reinstates PSA as the region’s second-biggest auto manufacturer. “Our plan is to build a common future for Opel and Vauxhall and fix the existing issues.” Picking up GM’s 1.2 million annual deliveries allows PSA to solidify its turnaround by spreading the costs for developing new vehicles across a larger network, while achieving the savings necessary to compete in a peaking market whose challenges include high wages and wafer-thin profit margins. Gaining scale is vital for mass-market carmakers as they try to stay ahead of self-driving, electric-car innovations and compete with new entrants including Uber Technologies Inc. Bringing the two automakers together will yield projected annual savings of 1.7 billion euros by 2026 by combining development costs, factory investments and purchasing. That will help Opel generate an operating profit margin of 2 percent by 2020 and 6 percent by 2026. Initially the deal will be a drag, with PSA’s profit margin from automaking likely to drop to 3.8 percent from 6 percent, according to an estimate from UBS AG. While job and production cuts are likely as the two companies offer a similar slate of mass-market cars from high-cost locations in Germany, France and the U.K., it’ll take years for savings to filter through. Implementing the savings measures will cost about 1.6 billion euros. “This move, on the paper, is a good deal for PSA,” in part because it gives the French carmaker access to GM’s expertise on electrification and fuel cell technologies, Bryan Garnier & Co. analyst Xavier Caroen wrote in a note to clients. However, “implementing synergies will take time, diluting group’s PSA margin on the short term, while risk of further cannibalization between brands could occur.” PSA shares rose as much as 5.25 percent to 20.06 euros, the highest level since July 2011, lifting the company’s valuation to 16.8 billion euros. The deal propels PSA to second place with a 16 percent market share, behind only Volkswagen AG’s 24 percent and pushing it past Renault SA following a steady decline in recent years. Tavares’s focus on growth comes after a bailout three years ago by the French state and Dongfeng Motor Corp. and a painful restructuring that included freezing pay, weeding out unprofitable models and shutting a plant. PSA went from net losses starting in 2012 to profit in 2015, and generated 2.7 billion euros in cash in 2016. This year, for the first time since 2011, the company will pay a dividend. .

Peugeot owner PSA to buy lossmaking Opel business for €2.2bn The Financial Times / March 6, 2017 GM cuts ties with Europe after a decade of losses in the region PSA has announced a €2.2bn agreement to buy General Motors’ lossmaking Opel division in a deal that will make the Peugeot and Citroën owner the second-largest carmaker in Europe. The agreement comes after months of negotiations between the two carmakers that have occasionally stumbled over the issue of Opel’s pension deficit and the ability of PSA to use GM’s electric car technology. The deal will see GM, which operates under Vauxhall in the UK and Opel in Europe, finally cutting ties with Europe after a decade of losses in the region. The company has racked up more than $8bn in losses there since 2010. PSA, which only three years ago was on the brink of collapse, is hoping that the acquisition will help it build on its recovery, adding much-needed scale to its operations at a time when it has been losing market share in Europe. On Monday both companies said the deal was expected to generate annual savings of €1.7bn by 2026, with Opel generating an operating profit margin of 2 per cent by 2020 and 6 per cent by 2026. Talk of synergies, however, will add to fears of jobs cuts at the groups’ UK Vauxhall plants in Ellesmere Port and Luton as well as in Germany, where two-thirds of Opel’s 38,000 employees are based. Unions and governments have already expressed fears about a potentially severe restructuring, although PSA has said that it would respect all existing labour agreements — meaning no job cuts at most plants for several years. Exiting Opel will lead to a non-cash charge of $4bn to $4.5bn for GM. The deal will continue efforts to shed underperforming assets and will free up about $2bn in cash to use for share buybacks, according to a statement. Mary Barra, GM’s chief executive, said: “We are very pleased that together, GM, our valued colleagues at Opel/Vauxhall and PSA have created a new opportunity to enhance the long-term performance of our respective companies.” Carlos Tavares, PSA’s chief executive, said: “We are confident that the Opel/Vauxhall turnround will significantly accelerate with our support . . . We intend to manage PSA and Opel/Vauxhall capitalising on their respective brand identities.” He added that it was “a game-changer for PSA” in a deal where he has taken steps to reassure governments and unions over potential job cuts. He said the idea of closing plants was “rather simplistic” and reiterated that he would respect all existing union agreements. But he said that long term, Vauxhall and Opel needed to perform better to return to profit and avoid deeper job cuts. “People understand that the only thing that really protects them is their ability to be at the right level of performance.” Mr Tavares also said the UK car market would suffer in the event of a hard Brexit, but said that it would also be an “opportunity” for Vauxhall and PSA to develop a supplier base in the UK to give the whole operation a “pound cost structure”. GM will receive €1.32bn for the Opel manufacturing business, of which €650m is in cash and €670m in PSA share warrants. PSA and French bank BNP Paribas will pay a further €900m for the Opel financing arm and operate it as a joint venture, fully consolidated by BNP. GM will retain most of Opel’s pensions deficit, estimated by analysts at as much as $10bn, despite efforts by GM earlier in the talks to load it on to PSA. On Monday, the companies said only some smaller pension funds will be transferred to PSA, along with a €3bn payment to cover their full settlement. The companies said Opel/Vauxhall will also continue to benefit from intellectual property licenses from GM until its vehicles progressively convert to PSA platforms “over the coming years”. The deal includes all of Opel/Vauxhall’s automotive operations, comprising Opel and Vauxhall brands, six assembly and five component-manufacturing facilities and one engineering centre. This represents 40,000 employees, a company statement said. GM is to retain its engineering centre in Torino, Italy. .

Trade Trucks AU / March 6, 2017 Over the age of 18? If you are, you can enter the draw to win an Isuzu NLR 45-150 Short Wheel Base Premium Servicepack and $10,000 worth of Milwaukee Tools. The compeition runs from March 1 to April 30, and to enter all you need to do is head to www.isuzu.com.au/milwaukee and fill out the form* for the chance to win this incredible prize. The custom painted Servicepack in Milwaukee red with white logos comes complete with seven centrally-lockable storage compartments, a fully powder-coated steel service body, chequer plate floor, 2,500 kg rated towbar and a reversing camera fitted as standard. The truck will include Dealer delivery charges, on road costs and one year’s registration; taking the recommended retail prize value up to over $80,000. The quality Milwaukee tools stowed in the seven huge tool compartments mean the setup can be driven straight from the prize room floor to the worksite. IAL Trucks’ National Sales Manager, Les Spaltman, is excited to present this competition to the Australian public, in appreciation of their continued faith in the brand, and their role in maintaining Isuzu’s position as Australia’s highest selling truck manufacturer. "We wanted to offer people an exciting contest with a massive reward, for making Isuzu Australia’s first choice for all their work truck needs," Mr Spaltman said. "The overwhelming response to the Servicepack tells us it has everything they want in features and under the bonnet, so the Milwaukee tool kit is our way to improve yet another area of their day-to-day experience on the job." Isuzu's combination of hard-wearing quality and ease of use aligns perfectly with Milwaukee tools, the company believes. "Milwaukee is a natural fit for Isuzu," said Mr Spaltman. "Giving away their product with the Servicepack pairs dependable, robust tools with a dependable, robust truck." "It’s a must-enter contest for anyone looking to push their business to new heights in 2017." * Conditions apply, refer to website www.isuzu.com.au/milwaukee .

New Jeep Wrangler pickup coming in late 2019 The Detroit News / March 2, 2017 Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV plans to begin producing a Jeep Wrangler-based pickup truck in late 2019, the head of the Jeep brand said. That truck does not have a name yet, but Jeep head Mike Manley and Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne are considering some historical Jeep names. The last pickup sold by Jeep was the Comanche. It was produced from the 1985 through the 1992 model years, when the company discontinued it to focus on a Dodge Dakota pickup (the Dakota was discontinued in 2011). Before that, the Willys Jeep Truck was built from 1947 through 1965, followed by the Jeep Gladiator full-size pickup from 1962 to 1971 and the J-Series from 1971 to 1988. All of the Jeep trucks were built in Toledo, which is where the Wrangler-based pickup will be built. Jeep for years has teased the idea of a pickup. It has shown pickup concepts before, such as the Jeep J-12 produced for the annual Moab Easter Jeep Safari off-roading event in 2012, and a Jeep Gladiator based on the Jeep Wrangler platform that was shown at the 2005 Detroit auto show. Cox Automotive executive analyst Rebecca Lindland said automakers need to evaluate bringing back nameplates on a case-by-case basis. The Comanche name could be especially problematic. “The issue they’re going to find with Comanche is, quite frankly, political correctness: Is it going to be seen as offensive,” she said. “The trick with bringing a nameplate back is understanding the current culture when you’re reintroducing this.” Using Willys could also be difficult, as the name is seen “as the holy grail of Jeep,” said Lindland. She said Jeep might consider offering Willys as a trim line. Many analysts had expected to see the Jeep Wrangler pickup begin production next year, which Jeep confirmed in January 2016 was coming. Analysts predict the likely midsize lifestyle-oriented pickup could sell about 40,000 to 45,000 annually. LMC Automotive estimates a Wrangler pickup could have peak U.S. volume of up to 45,000 a year and likely will be priced higher than some competitors. Sales volume could be challenged by Ford Motor Co.’s midsize Ranger pickup that is expected to be reintroduced around the same time, the research firm said. Manley said last week he expects the bulk of sales for the Wrangler pickup to be in North America and the Middle East. His comments came at an event in Texas to introduce the automotive press to the next-generation 2017 Jeep Compass. Jeep will launch a new Wrangler SUV in the fourth quarter this year, Manley said. Fiat Chrysler is spending $700 million at its Toledo Assembly Complex to retool the north plant to produce the new Wrangler. Manley said the Italian-American automaker is planning to maintain Wrangler production during the changeover to the next-generation SUV. The Wrangler is now produced in the Supplier Park part of the Toledo complex. Wrangler will shift to the north plant to give it more capacity, and Jeep will use the Supplier Park plant for the Wrangler truck, Manley said. “The key thing for me is to make sure the new Wrangler is fully up and running,” Manley said of the timing for introducing a pickup. Also in the works: Jeep plans to debut a new high-performance Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk at the New York International Auto Show in April. A facelift for the Cherokee is planned for next year. Jeep production is being shifted at several facilities: Fiat Chrysler has stopped building the Jeep Cherokee in Toledo in order to move that SUV to Belvidere Assembly in Illinois. Production of the last-generation Compass and the discontinued Patriot ended in December in Belvidere. Manley said Cherokee production is expected to begin in the second quarter at Belvidere, where FCA is spending $350 million to retool. In January, Fiat Chrysler said it would invest $1 billion to retool its Warren Truck Assembly Plant to build the all-new Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer and to retool in Toledo for the new Jeep pickup. The company said work for those projects was slated to be done by 2020 and would create more than 2,000 jobs. Manley would not give a date on when work for the Wagoneers would start in Warren. He said it would be after the Ram 1500 pickup is shifted to the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant, where Fiat Chrysler is spending $1.48 billion for retooling on a new Ram due out in first quarter 2018. “That pushes Grand Wagoneer probably until late ’19, or early ’20, which from a timing perspective I’m very very comfortable with, given all that we’ve got to achieve in the next two to three years,” Manley said. The Grand Wagoneer had been planned to debut in 2018, per Fiat Chrysler’s five-year plan released in 2014. Manley said the Grand Wagoneer could be sold in certain global regions such as the Middle East, China, Latin America and some Asian markets. Analysts expect the luxury Grand Wagoneer will compete with SUVs from brands such as Range Rover. “They have customers, they have owners, that play in that space and that have the kind of income” for more expensive SUVs, Lindland said. Manley said he expects Jeep this year to exceed its 2016 global sales of 1.4 million vehicles. U.S. sales, which rose 6.1 percent to 926,376 in 2016 will have a harder time topping 2016 figures because of plant changeovers, completing the launch of the new 2017 Jeep Compass, because it has stopped production of the old Compass and Patriot and as it has reduced fleet and rental sales, Manley said. Jeep U.S. sales fell 6.9 percent in January compared to the same period a year ago; in February, they were down 14.7 percent for a drop of 11.1 percent through the first two months of 2017. “All of those things combined will mean we’ll be down to flat this year in the U.S.,” he said.

Scania Group Press Release / March 3, 2017 We all know that as new truck models are introduced, advances are made in terms of fuel consumption and emissions. But it’s only when you take a long-term view that it becomes clear just how much progress is being made. Independently conducted on-road tests that put a 1992 vintage Scania Streamline 143 head-to-head with a New Generation Scania S 500 show this beyond a shadow of a doubt. Fuel consumption accounts for a significant proportion of running costs for all truck operators. This means that there’s considerable impetus to achieve ever higher levels of fuel efficiency. On top of this, there are also initiatives from both the public and private sectors to reduce carbon emissions for environmental reasons. “Fuel-use per transported tonne is currently the most important factor for 4×2 vehicles in European long-haul operations,” says Henrik Wentzel, a senior engineer at Scania. Since 2004, new Scania trucks have been equipped with a system for monitoring fuel consumption and emissions. The data produced is read during servicing, meaning that Scania has a relatively good idea how the area has developed over the years. “When we compare vehicles used in more or less the same way, the statistics show that fuel consumption has dropped by 1.3 percent a year since 2004,” says Wentzel. “At the same time, nitrogen oxide emissions have dropped significantly and constantly sit under the tough compulsory threshold, which is currently 0.4 g/kWh.” Rather than guessing about the development over longer periods of time, Scania decided to ask powertrain-testing company AVL to conduct an independent test. The company measured fuel consumption and nitrogen oxide emissions over six identical 140-kilometre test drives of a 25-year-old Streamline 143 and a newly manufactured New Generation Scania S 500. Both vehicles were designed for timber transport and had 500 hp engines. The older truck had a V8 engine with a displacement of 14 litres, while the new truck had a straight six with a displacement of 13 litres. Despite its smaller size, the new engine was more powerful at all engine speeds. “We did it this way [using a straight six] because both vehicles reflect typical timber transporters of their day,” says Wentzel. The test drives took place at the beginning of February 2017. The 143 was in very good condition and was on exhibit at the Scania museum in Södertälje prior to the test. Apart from a necessary update of its tyres, it was effectively in the same mint condition as the S 500. During testing, the vehicles were driven at 85 km/h on the same stretch of Swedish national road 73 south of Stockholm, at the same time, and by the same two drivers. They had the same cargo weight, which gave the new vehicle a small advantage as it was lighter overall. “The most important effect of the lower curb weight of the new vehicle is that it can transport more timber per transport. This means fewer journeys and thus lower emissions,” says Wentzel. The drivers were forced to swap between the two vehicles so that the text results wouldn’t be influenced by who was driving. The fact that the drivers were – just by chance – father and son, Johan and Lucas Remmert, seemed almost symbolic. “The biggest difference was the noise level,” says Lucas. “In the cab of the new truck, it was completely quiet. The gearbox on the R 450 is also extremely quick. It handles cold starts, eats up the hills, and knocks its current competitors out of the park.” His father Johan agrees. “Comfort-wise, it’s clear that things have become much better,” he says. “At the same time, though, I got quite nostalgic about the 3-series. It was more like real driving. I’d choose it for a Sunday drive!” So, what did the test results show? They turned out to be in line with developments since 2004. In the 24 years between the production of the two trucks, fuel consumption fell by about 25 percent. Nitrogen oxide, meanwhile, fell by 95 percent. “It’s confirmation that the improvements that we are gradually introducing produce consistent results over time,” says Wentzel. “That’s the way it is with the development of diesel engines. There’s no revolutionary fix for everything, and instead it’s all about working hard on the details.” He points to a long list of factors behind the change. Engines have become more efficient, as well having greater torque and power for their size. Aerodynamics has been improved, semi-automatic gear boxes reduce fuel consumption, rear axle ratios are lower, auxiliaries have improved, and the curb weights are lower. “This experiment provided a really pleasing result,” Wentzel says. “Our increased focus on fuel consumption and harmful emissions has given good results.” Fuel consumption and nitrogen oxide emissions for newly manufactured 2-axle tractor units with semi-trailers Production year FC [L/100 km] Legal limit NOx [g/kWh] No. vehicles reporting 2004 34,42341 5 5774 2005 33,99524 3,5 13014 2006 33,18594 3,5 16322 2007 32,78782 3,5 19830 2008 32,18854 2 18255 2009 32,13567 2 5741 2010 32,17759 2 11121 2011 32,11316 2 15349 2012 31,21401 2 12521 2013 31,71524 0,4 14190 2014 31,10265 0,4 15129 2015 29,75505 0,4 13146 The two vehicles compared Scania Streamline 143 New Generation Scania S 500 Year of manufacture 1992 2016 Engine type 14-litre V8 (DSC14 09 L09) 13-litre straight six (DC13 155 L01) Total horsepower 500 500 Gearbox GRS900 12+2 range-splitter GRS905R 14 AMT/retarder Test-drive results The vehicles were test driven at 85 km/h six times on the same 140-km stretch of road The new vehicle consumed on average 25% less fuel. Emissions of nitrogen oxide (NOx) had fallen by 95%. Factors believed to account for the improvements Improved efficiency in the engine’s sweet-spot: 6% Downsizing of the engine (greater torque and efficiency with a smaller engine): 2-3% Improved aerodynamics: 4-8% Semi-automatic gearbox with Opticruise and Eco-roll: 4-6% Higher rear axle ratio, resulting in lower engine speeds and drag during highway driving: 2-3% Improved auxiliaries: 1% Lower curb weight enabling higher payloads (5-6%) or fuel savings: 1-2% For safety reasons, both vehicles had relatively new and comparable winter tyres. In real life, tyres have also improved. .

Why not repair your E9 engine block using LOCK-N-STITCH ? . .

In conversation with Daimler’s Martin Daum Truck News / March 3, 2017 Daum reflects on time leading DTNA as he prepares to take on global responsibilities When Martin Daum got the call from Stuttgart, Germany, asking him to take the recently vacated global position of Member of the Board of Management responsible for Daimler Trucks and Buses, he felt a sense of responsibility to accept. “This was a difficult one,” Daum said today of the decision in a one-on-one interview with Truck News. Daum has led Daimler Trucks North America since 2009 and the company soared to new heights under his leadership. He also spoke often of his love for the North American market and life in the US. “I would say it was the responsibility I feel,” he continued. “It started with a huge vote of confidence from (chairman of the board) Dr. Zetsche and the supervisory board. They said ‘You’re a natural candidate, you have the experience’.” Daum’s varied background includes roles in sales, production, engineering and finance. But what he’s most proud of is the team he assembled in Portland and he credits those people with the growth Daimler achieved in North America under his watch. “We were able to form a really high performing culture in the US and we want that around the globe,” Daum explained. When offered the job, which opened when Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard chose to leave the company citing personal reasons, Daum saw an opportunity to give back to the organization that has entrusted him with so much responsibility over the years. “I worked my entire life for Daimler and I owe the company,” Daum said. “I was given responsibilities, I wondered why they did that at the time. I never failed them so they had confidence in me, but that was pretty courageous. I owe the company; I’m a good soldier.” Most, importantly, however, was the support of Daum’s family. “My wife completely understood,” he said of the opportunity. “I wouldn’t have done it without her full support.” Asked what he was most proud of accomplishing as head of DTNA, Daum said it’s about the “high octane” team he assembled. “Every single person, I would hire again,” he said. Daum also credited the people involved in DTNA’s dealer network. “When I took over, it was a pretty tense relationship (with dealers),” he acknowledged. “They agreed they would have to ramp up their game as we were going to ramp up our game.” He added being on the edge of technology was another contributor to the brand’s growth. “Daimler is uniquely positioned today to be a global powerhouse,” he said, “because we have the strong local brands in every single location – Japan, Brazil, Europe and North America – with their strong own engineering bases. In every one of those four regions, we could live completely independently. But how much more can we do if we link those four individual powerhouses together and benefit from each other, where not every one has to invent everything at the same time?” He cited the US launch of the DT12 automated manual transmission as an example. But while much of the engineering that went into the design of the transmission occurred elsewhere, Daum was adamant production occur on these shores. “That was a huge discussion,” he said about the decision to bring production to Detroit. “It took my whole authority to say, I’m not doing it for the US if I have to import, I want it localized, I want that US label.” At the time, some thought US demand would not exceed 12,000-15,000 units. “I think our capacity at the moment is north of 60,000 and we will need every single one for the North American market. We would love to export it to other Daimler markets but we need it here in our own market,” Daum said. The success of the DT12 rollout is a source of pride for Daum, as it involved taking a technology developed by Daimler elsewhere and quickly and effectively bringing it to the North American market. “It’s a singular event, but it’s a basic example of what we can do with technology,” he said. “We do it in other areas as well and you’ll see more of that. That’s the true power of Daimler globally, to have these strong local branches that can be so much stronger if they work together on a global scale.” Asked about the unprecedented market share DTNA achieved under his leadership, Daum said it was the result of focusing on all areas of the business. If it was just a matter of pounding the table and demanding higher market share, Daum joked, every CEO would just beat the table harder. “For me, market share is the result of great product, of listening to the customer and giving them great service in the market,” Daum said. “To have market share at that level, you have to be good at everything in every market. When I started, I remember in Germany people asking me, where should we attack? I said everywhere. Every place, every segment – vocational, on-highway, day cab, specialized, Canada, Mexico – everywhere. That is the secret. We are not done yet.” As for the transition, Daum took his seat on the board March 1. His replacement in North America has not yet been named, but Daum said the company has many worthy successors to consider. “I can say for sure, we have such an incredibly strong bench that I’m sure we’ll have an incredible and great successor,” Daum said.

New Spicer AdvanTek 40 Axle Ratio Supports Downspeeding Heavy Duty Trucking / March 3, 2017 Dana has added a new axle ratio for the Spicer AdvanTek 40 tandem axle that helps support engine downspeeding for linehaul trucks. The new axle ratio of 2.47:1 allows truck buyers to fine-tune their driveline specifications for an optimized balance of productivity and fuel efficiency, the compamny said. Dana now offers seven different ratios to support engine downspeeding, ranging from 2.26:1 to 2.93:1. The latest ratio is suited for direct-drive versions of the SmartAdvantage Powertrain from Eaton and Cummins. The configuration is recommended for regional-haul applications in a mix of driving environments. The SmartAdvantage Powertrain features the Cummins X15 Efficiency Series engine paired with an Eaton Fuller Advantage 10-speed automated manual transmission. The engine and transmission share critical data, determining the torque required to deliver better drivability and an optimum power level. By using engine downspeeding and leveraging the Cummins X15 engine's low-end torque, many vehicle operators will see a tangible improvement in fuel economy over traditional drivelines, according to Dana. “Dana, Cummins, and Eaton share engineering data in order to fine-tune the powertrain and maximize the benefits of engine downspeeding," said Mark Wallace, executive vice president of Dana and president of Dana Commercial Driveline Technologies. "The Spicer AdvanTEK 40 axle, which is the fastest, lightest, and most efficient axle available, is fully optimized for the best-performing powertrain on the market, delivering a powerful system that manages dynamic challenges resulting from higher torque requirements."

Today's Trucking / March 4, 2017

Modest upturn now expected for Class 8 demand Sean Kilcarr, Fleet Owner / March 3, 2017 February Class 8 orders up 28% in year-over-year comparisons; the biggest such gain in two years. Analysts are now expecting a “modest upturn: for Class 8 truck orders this year as February orders hit 23,200 units according to one industry research firm and 22,900 units according to another. Those numbers are up 28% versus February 2016, only the third positive year-over-year comparison, and the largest one at that, in the past two years. Weak orders in 2016 and an improving economy should make positive year to year comparisons a monthly occurrence as we move through 2017. “February was another very encouraging month for Class 8 truck orders. Orders have increased for four straight months, indicating the market is making a solid recovery after the second-half slump in 2016,” added Don Ake, FTR’s vice president of commercial vehicles. He said preliminary Class 8 net orders for February hit 22,900 units, exceeding expectations for the second month in a row with orders up 5% from January and 28% from February 2016. This “steady order trend” has now pushed Class 8 production backlogs to over 100,000 units for the first time since June 2016, Ake pointed out. “This order cycle is much flatter and longer than usual, but this is a healthy order total for a February,” he added. “March orders may not decline that much. This is what a turning point looks like.” Though Michael Baudendistel, vice president of the transportation & logistics research group at Stifel Capital Markets, is more cautious concerning the outlook for heavy truck production, he noted in a recent research note that the trends are strong enough for the firm to revise their production forecasts upward. “On their own, Class 8 orders of 23,200 units [in February] do not excite, being below the average 24,615 units ordered per month in the prior six years,” he said. “But, given February orders represented the third consecutive month that has exceeded our expectations – with orders continuing to build sequentially despite general seasonal patterns that would indicate a modest decline – the orders are enough of an impetus for us to increase our 2017 production outlook.” Stifel is boosting its 2017 Class 8 production estimate from 200,000 units to 215,000 units to “better reflect” year-to-date strength in orders and is also raising its 2018 production outlook as well from 230,000 to 245,000 units. “Freight is starting to pick again after sagging some in 2016. Rates are climbing and fleets are feeling much more confident about business going forward,” added FTR’s AKE. “Truck builds and sales should now begin a modest upturn which should continue throughout this year.”

Transport Topics / March 3, 2017 North American Class 8 orders in February reached a 14-month high as they cleared 23,000, and exceeded expectations, analysts said. Net orders were 23,200, up 28% from 18,078 a year earlier. In December 2015, orders hit 28,150. February’s gain was only the third positive year-over-year comparison in the past two years. Weak orders in 2016 and an improving economy should make positive year-to-year comparisons a monthly occurrence as we move through 2017. Expectations were for orders to be about 18,000, wrote Credit Suisse analyst Jamie Cook in a note to investors, and so the February total is “particularly strong.”

Car & Driver / March 2017 Pickup trucks have evolved quite a bit over the last 20 years. No longer are they dedicated tools of tradesmen or simply haulers of horses. They have created their own luxury segment so decidedly American that you have to tip your hat to whomever at Ford first said, “You know, I think the F-150 needs an interior nicer than a Lincoln.” Although we’re guessing the green light wasn’t illuminated until someone crunched the numbers and said, “And would you look at the margins?” One result is that the newest F-150 isn’t just a 10Best Trucks and SUVs winner, it’s good compared with any vehicle. Granted, towering above other traffic in the Caribou-accented leather interior of our King Ranch edition test model leaves no question as to whether you’re in a pickup, but this truck’s ride (on 55-series, 20-inch tires) is nothing short of astonishing. Both the Ford and the Ram 1500 deliver amazing ride quality, but the F-150’s tuning is even more impressive given our test truck’s higher payload capacity (1526 pounds versus 1262 for a recent Ram 1500 we tested). The greater the difference between a truck’s empty and fully loaded weight, the firmer and more jarring the unloaded ride usually is. But that isn’t the case with the F-150—attentive damper and spring tuning is evident and appreciated with every pothole, expansion joint, and speed bump traversed. EcoBoost, Take Two Headlining the changes for 2017 is a new powertrain combo. Replacing the original twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 is a gen-two unit of identical displacement and turbocharger count. This V-6 now employs port fuel injectors to bolster partial-load efficiency while direct fuel injectors do the work under full load. Max power is up by 10 ponies to 375, and peak torque jumps from 420 lb-ft to 470 at 3500 rpm. That output is routed through a new 10-speed automatic transmission co-developed with General Motors. Together, the new engine and transmission option added $1000 to the tab for our King Ranch. With 10 gears from which to choose, this powertrain sees minor increases in its EPA ratings, gaining 2 mpg in the city and 1 mpg on the highway over its 2016 counterpart, to 17 and 21 mpg. Unlike some nine-speed transmissions, this 10-speed will hold top gear while cruising on the highway at 65 mph. In our 75-mph, 200-mile highway fuel-economy test, this F-150 returned 19 mpg, 2 mpg short of its EPA highway estimate. During its stay with us, it averaged 15 mpg overall, which is about par for most of the modern, big-engined half-tons we’ve tested. In the vast majority of driving scenarios, the gearbox shifts through cogs so smoothly you won’t notice unless you happen to be staring at the gear indicator flanking the speedometer. The only time we felt some wonky shifting was during deliberate stabs at the throttle, when the transmission acted as if it were caught out between gears, a situation we intentionally provoked to see how the new transmission would interpret our commands. It’s an outcome few F-150 owners this side of a Raptor driver will ever experience. At the track, the new truck sprinted to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds, one-tenth quicker than the previous F-150, and broke the quarter-mile tape in 14.4 seconds at 97 mph, 0.2 second and 2 mph improvements. Credit both the engine and the 10-speed, which shuffled gears like a blackjack dealer. At the track we also discovered just how easy the F-150 is on the ears, with a noise level of 67 decibels at a 70-mph cruise. To put that into perspective, our long-term BMW 740i generates 68 decibels at the same speed. Big Truck, Big Price Today’s big pickups come with equally big price tags, and the F-series is no exception. A 3.5-liter EcoBoost SuperCrew 4x4 starts at $40,645, and that’s in work-truck XL trim. Jumping past the XLT and Lariat trim levels to the King Ranch requires another $16,040. Our test example also came with a $3780 equipment package consisting of inflatable rear seatbelts, upgraded front bucket seats, blind-spot monitoring, cross-traffic alert and trailer-tow monitoring, a deployable tailgate step, power running boards, 20-inch aluminum wheels, automatic high-beams, and rain-sensing wipers. The truck seen here was further enriched by a $895 towing package (netting the clever backup assistant and a 10,700-pound tow rating—although other configurations can reach 11,500), a panoramic sunroof for $1295, adaptive cruise control and forward-collision warning ($1250), a 36-gallon fuel tank for $445 (making for 680 miles of highway range), the $440 automatic parking feature, the $990 Technology package (lane-keeping assist and a 360-degree camera view), and a spray-in bedliner ($495), among other sweeteners. All in, our F-series was a $65,120 pickup. Some of the options we could do without, particularly the panoramic sunroof because it diminishes the payload capacity, but others, like the 360-degree camera, are seriously useful in myriad everyday situations. Despite what Ford’s board members might wish, daily driving a pickup isn’t for everyone. They’re a pain to maneuver through crowded parking lots, they’re expensive to operate, and they’re huge. But at least with trucks like this F-150, the driver doesn’t get banged around on a quick trip to the market or on an hour-long commute. Like we said: evolved. Photo gallery - http://www.caranddriver.com/photo-gallery/2017-ford-f-150-king-ranch-instrumented-test

Car & Driver / March 3, 2017 General Motors has officially agreed to sell its Opel and Vauxhall brands to the PSA Group as the Detroit automaker attempts to stanch more than a decade of staggering losses in Europe. According to a report by Reuters, the PSA Group (Peugeot and Citroën) approved the deal Friday, weeks after admitting it was seeking to buy the German and British brands that GM has owned for 86 and 91 years, respectively. GM and PSA are expected to announce the deal on Monday, and have resolved their competitive issues in China and the problem of Opel’s billions in pension liabilities. It is unclear whether the sale indicates GM would essentially give up the Europe market. GM Europe, primarily the Opel and Vauxhall brands, has lost money for 16 consecutive years. Cadillac has close to zero market share in Europe, and as of last year Chevrolet no longer sells any cars in Europe aside from the Corvette. Whether GM sells the Opel Vauxhall entirely (as Ford sold 100 percent of Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata) or completes a merger that would let it retain a stake in PSA, the two former GM brands will inevitably face aggressive cost-cutting measures that will further shed jobs, close factories, and shrink model lineups. In March 2012, GM took a 7 percent stake in PSA, and the two automakers continued to share product development even after GM announced it was selling that stake in December 2013. GM took full control of Vauxhall in 1925. Save for World War II when the German government seized control, Opel has been continuously owned by GM since 1931. Recently, Opel has been a key source of models for Buick; it’s unclear whether that arrangement will continue.

You need to connect with Bullhusk (Ernie). The 12.8-litre MBE4000 is a Daimler OM460. I'm not that familiar with it. In the global market back then, Mercedes-Benz used the 12-litre OM457 inline six, 12-litre OM501 V-6 and 15.9-litre OM502 V-8.

I don't know the man personally, but I agree with a lot of his thoughts shared on those videos. Some people here don't care for him, but I thought all deserved to know that he was a veteran, and a decorated one at that. I just thought to throw in that FYI about him. Now changing gears a bit, did you read this? I'm just sharing. Whereas Stone walked into the Army recruiting office, enlisted and requested combat duty in Vietnam, it appears "suspect" that Trump, like many sons of wealthy and connected parents, was found a way out of it. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/02/us/politics/donald-trump-draft-record.html Back in 1968, at the age of 22, Donald J. Trump seemed the picture of health. He stood 6 feet 2 inches with an athletic build; had played football, tennis and squash; and was taking up golf. His medical history was unblemished, aside from a routine appendectomy when he was 10. But after he graduated from college in the spring of 1968, making him eligible to be drafted and sent to Vietnam, he received a diagnosis that would change his path: bone spurs in his heels. The diagnosis resulted in a coveted 1-Y medical deferment that fall, exempting him from military service as the United States was undertaking huge troop deployments to Southeast Asia, inducting about 300,000 men into the military that year. The deferment was one of five Mr. Trump received during Vietnam. The others were for education.

The story we're getting doesn't add up, on the surface of things. I suspect what actually happened is a different tale. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “The contacts that our Russian ambassador was making and continues to make, I can say only one thing: Ambassadors are appointed to maintain relations with the host country,” says Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. “Relations are maintained.” . Russia's top diplomat at center of Trump controversy Associated Press / March 2, 2017 The Trump administration's back-to-back controversies over its Russian ties now have at least one thing in common: Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. Moscow's top diplomat in the U.S. has become the Kevin Bacon of the Trump White House's Russia imbroglio. A Washington fixture with a sprawling network, he has emerged as the central figure in the investigations into Trump advisers' connections with Russia. In a matter of weeks, contact with Kislyak led to the firing of a top adviser to the president and, on Thursday, prompted calls for the attorney general to resign. Separately, a White House official confirmed Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and ousted national security adviser Michael Flynn met with Kislyak at TrumpTower in December for what the official called a brief courtesy meeting. Flynn was pushed out of the White House last month after officials said he misled Vice President Mike Pence about whether he and the ambassador had discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia in a phone call. At issue Thursday were two meetings between Sessions and Kislyak — one in July and another in September, at the height of concern over Russia's involvement in hacking of Democratic officials' emails accounts. Intelligence officials have since concluded Moscow ordered the hacks to tilt the election toward Trump. In his confirmation hearing, the Alabama Republican denied having contact with any Russian officials, neglecting to mention the meetings with Kislyak. Although the White House dismissed the revelation as part of a political witch hunt, Sessions' former colleagues took the omission seriously. At the urging of some in his own party, Sessions recused himself from the Department of Justice's investigation. Still, Democrats called for him to step down. Observers note Kislyak is a somewhat unlikely figure to cause controversy. Over the course of a long diplomatic career, he's led the life of a somewhat typical global envoy — making himself a reliable presence on the circuit of receptions, teas and forums that make up the calendar of any ambassador. Kislyak, who was appointed to his post in 2008, is regularly spotted walking around town, heading to and from meetings. Early in his tenure, he often opened the doors of the Russian Embassy, hosting dinners for foreign policy professionals, Pentagon officials, journalists and Capitol Hill staffers. Those who have attended the events describe him as a gracious and amiable diplomat, although perhaps not as polished — nor as confrontational — as his more famous boss, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. In 2015, when Kislyak invited a group of Washington-based journalists, including one from the Associated Press, to the Russian Embassy for tea, he used the meeting to push warmer relations between the two nations — despite the conflict over Russia's seizure of Crimea and the crisis in Ukraine. Kislyak framed U.S.-Russian relations as salvageable and hoped specifically to combat what he considered cartoonish, anti-Russian depictions of his government in the American press. At a press conference where he recused himself from the investigation into the Trump campaign's ties with Russia, Sessions said he discussed a number of things with Kislyak, including counterterrorism. He said the meeting became confrontational when the discussion turned to Ukraine. Kislyak, 66, has bounced between the United States and Russia for most of his long career. His first foreign posting was to New York where he worked at the Soviet delegation at the United Nations in the early 1980s. He spent the following years as the first secretary and then councilor at the Soviet Embassy in Washington before returning to Moscow in 1989, where he took a succession of senior jobs at the Foreign Ministry. He did a stint as Russian ambassador to Belgium and simultaneously served as Moscow's envoy at NATO. He then returned to Moscow to serve as a deputy foreign minister, overseeing relations with the United States and arms control issues before being sent to Washington. Kislyak's contacts have sparked questions about his role or involvement in the hacking, questions that are difficult to answer. The U.S. and Russia, along with many other countries, have made it a practice to separate their top diplomats from espionage activities, although it is not uncommon for an intelligence agent to operate under the cover of a senior-level diplomat. Foreign diplomats to the United States likely expect that their activities will be monitored by U.S. authorities in the same manner that American diplomats are monitored in countries like Russia. Russian ambassadors most likely are aware of the intelligence agents operating under diplomatic cover, but are not believed to part of the security services themselves. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Thursday ridiculed the claims of Kislyak's involvement in espionage as "total disinformation" and part of efforts to sway public opinion. "I'll open a military secret for you: It's the diplomats' jobs to have contacts in the country they are posted to," she said sarcastically. "It's their obligation to meet with officials and members of the political establishment."

Trump Administration Plans Reconsideration of Auto-Emission Standards Bloomberg / March 4, 2017 The Trump administration plans to open the door to a possible reconsideration of greenhouse gas emission standards for cars and light trucks [medium/heavy trucks?] that has been sought by automakers. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the final days of the Obama administration decided to lock in the emissions standards through 2025 that had been negotiated with the industry in 2011. That decision will be withdrawn for reconsideration as early as next week. It will be one of a series of actions taken by the Trump administration recently to reconsider or reverse Obama-era regulations opposed by industry. On Thursday, the EPA effectively abandoned work to develop a rule clamping down on methane releases from oil and gas wells and the Department of Transportation (DOT) suspended work on a regulation requiring airlines to disclose fees for checking bags. Trump also just directed his agencies to rescind and rewrite an Obama-era environmental rule governing water pollution, after criticism from ranchers, farmers and developers. Eighteen auto industry executives sent a letter to Trump last month, asking him to reinstate the review of fuel economy regulations. The EPA’s decision in January to end the review came more than a year before deadline, which automakers say prematurely ended a promised debate over standards that they argue are costly and could jeopardize employment amid low gasoline prices and limited sales of hybrids and electric cars. The companies and then-President Barack Obama had struck a deal in 2011 to double average fuel economy of vehicles to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025, with the caveat that a mid-term review would determine whether the standards for the final years of the program were feasible. Just a week before Trump took office, the EPA said it had concluded its review more than a year ahead of schedule and the rules didn’t need to be changed. Automakers disagreed, saying falling gasoline prices have squelched demand for the most fuel-efficient vehicles, making achieving the standards more difficult. The plea from the executives came after Trump made the auto industry a major focus of his first days as president. After a Jan. 24 meeting with auto executives, Trump vowed to ease regulatory burdens to lure more car factories to the U.S., calling environmental rules “out of control.” Mid-term Evaluation The withdrawal could come as early as next week in the form of a joint notice from EPA and the Transportation Department. As a result, a “midterm evaluation” of the efficiency standards through 2025 would resume, potentially leading to relaxation of the standards sought by automakers. If the EPA revisits the mid-term review, it won’t necessarily come to a different conclusion than the one reached in Obama’s final days in office. That decision was the culmination of an evaluation that began last summer with the publication of a more than 1,200-page Technical Assessment Report that examined costs, technology effectiveness and other aspects of the standards. Association of Global Automakers spokeswoman Annemarie Pender said the trade group, which represents 12 automakers including Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Hyundai, has not received a formal response to its Feb. 21 letter asking the EPA to withdraw the decision. Environmental Push Earlier Friday, a coalition of environmental groups including the Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council and Union of Concerned Scientists issued a joint statement urging the vehicle standards be maintained. “EPA’s clean car standards are driving unprecedented reductions in carbon pollution and saving drivers money at the pump,” Natural Resources Defense Council President Rhea Suh said in a statement. “Strong standards have been a critical factor in the auto industry’s recovery from financial distress, so it makes no sense to reverse this progress. EPA should stay the course and look to the future, to protect our climate and the workers developing clean car technologies.” To change the standards, EPA must produce a new rule to replace the current one including notice and comment and raising the potential of a court challenge by environmental groups.

"Business as usual is just not an option anymore," Chao said. "Everyone can agree that our country can no longer take decades to build a new bridge or a new road, a new highway or airport." So in another words, Washington wants to persuade the American people to give up on a properly functioning government which is capable of using our tax dollars to build a bridge in an efficient and timely manner. Chao wants us to accept that our government is broken and irreparable, thus we must go for "Plan B", that being public-private partnerships. Evidently, after channeling our money to overseas "foreign aid" (e.g. $38 billion to Israel), financial support for undocumented (aka. illegal) immigrants living in the US, and a wide range of pork barrel projects, there's not enough of our tax money left to build any bridges and roads.

Transportation Secretary Chao Calls for Private Infrastructure Funding Bloomberg / March 2, 2017 U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said her office was exploring new ways to finance President Donald Trump’s proposed $1 trillion infrastructure upgrade, including through public-private partnerships. Speaking at an American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials event in Washington Wednesday, Chao offered no specifics about the type of projects that would be prioritized by the administration, or how they would be funded. But she said the department was exploring ways to unleash private investment, and said barriers that hinder public-private infrastructure partnerships need to be removed. "Business as usual is just not an option anymore," Chao said. "Everyone can agree that our country can no longer take decades to build a new bridge or a new road, a new highway or airport." Chao’s second speech since taking taking office on Jan. 31 echoed infrastructure themes of Trump’s congressional address Tuesday night. He reiterated a campaign trail pledge for significant infrastructure investments, saying "the time has come for a new program of national rebuilding." Trump said he would to ask Congress to approve a plan for $1 trillion in infrastructure spending financed by public and private capital. Chao also urged officials to streamline permitting, environmental reviews and other hangups that can slow projects. The Transportation department plans to "revisit" a number of proposed and final rules as part of the president’s bid to cut red tape, she said.

Caterpillar sued by shareholder after federal raid Reuters / March 3, 2017 Caterpillar Inc was sued on Friday for allegedly deceiving shareholders about its business, one day after federal law enforcers raided three of its buildings in connection with a probe into the heavy machinery manufacturer's offshore tax practices. In a complaint filed in Chicago federal court, Jacob Newman accused Caterpillar of defrauding him and other shareholders in regulatory filings by touting its commitment to good ethics, while concealing how it "unlawfully used foreign subsidiaries" to avoid paying billions of dollars of U.S. taxes. Shares of Caterpillar fell 4.3 percent on Thursday, wiping out more than $2.4 billion of the Peoria, Illinois-based company's market value. The company said it believed the raid by officials from agencies including the Internal Revenue Service's criminal investigation division, the Department of Commerce and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp was connected with an IRS probe related to a Swiss parts unit, Caterpillar SARL. Caterpillar has been fighting an IRS demand that it pay $2 billion in taxes and penalties for shifting profit to the Swiss unit to lessen its U.S. tax bill. Newman is seeking unspecified damages in his proposed class-action lawsuit on behalf of Caterpillar investors from Feb. 19, 2013 through March 1. The lawsuit also names Caterpillar Chief Executive Jim Umpleby, Chairman Douglas Oberhelman and Chief Financial Officer Bradley Halverson as defendants. Oberhelman preceded Umpleby as chief executive. The case is Newman v. Caterpillar Inc et al, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, No. 17-01713.

If you want good quality seats that incorporate the latest technology, specify Sears seating. They are a Mack brand factory option. http://www.searsseating.com/product-category/truck-seats/ In a Paccar product, specify Grammer - http://www.gramag.com/

Prime Mover Magazine / March 2, 2017 Melbourne-based bulk haulage specialist, Burdett's, has expanded its operations, adding new equipment to its fleet for a new service partnership with horticulture materials manufacturer, Van Schaik's Bio Gro. According to Burdett's Group Managing Director, Andrew Burdett, the transport company will be running the Victorian section of Bio Gro's transport operations, hauling raw materials such as growing and mulching mediums, soil amendments and biological growth stimulants. "It is proving to be a great partnership with another proudly family owned, Australian company," Burdett said. To carry out the work, Burdett's has purchased three high volume B-double tipper combinations with a 130m3 capacity from Bio Gro, and upgraded two prime movers to new Mack Superliners from CMV Truck and Bus in Dandenong. The new Burdett's Superliners run on the MP10 engine, boasting 685hp and 2,300 lb-ft torque, and are among the first to be commissioned with the new Mack air suspension, disc brakes and the new Mack [Volvo*] 2370 axle. "The new suspension gives us a better ride quality and for the first time we have a full Mack drivetrain from bumper to bumper," said Burdett. "We've always bought our Macks from CMV Dandenong, which understands our bulk haulage task and helps us make sure we get the right gear to get the job done. "We will be upgrading more of our trailers over the next month with new high volume B-doubles to keep pace with Bio Gro's growing business." * Volvo 2370A axle - http://segotn12827.rds.volvo.com/STPIFiles/Volvo/FactSheet/RTS2370A_Eng_05_1858096.pdf Volvo 2370B axle - http://productinfo.vtc.volvo.se/files/pdf/hi/RTS2370B_Eng_02_1128920.pdf .