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Navistar Locates Used Truck Reconditioning Center at Prototype and Testing Facility Transport Topics / December 12, 2016 Navistar has reopened its Used Truck Reconditioning Center and co-located it at its prototype and testing facility in Melrose Park, Illinois. The move follows the closure and sale of its Indianapolis center. “One of the greatest advantages of a centralized reconditioning center is the ability to work hand-in-hand with the on-site product engineering and prototype team in order to fully understand product durability and use this knowledge to provide the highest level of service to our customers,” said Jeff Heichel, vice president, used truck operations. The center supports used truck activities by examining the Diamond Renewed reconditioning process to ensure a consistent product is available to all International dealers and Navistar’s own 15 Used Truck Sales Centers. Additional benefits of the center include the ability to handle large transactions in a timely fashion, ensure quality improvements and meet internal cost targets. It includes a wash bay, detailing and paint booth, welding room and a parts storage area. “We worked with the Local UAW to structure a competitive agreement which facilitated the work coming to Melrose,” said Kevin Turner, director of reconditioning operations. .

Automotive News / December 12, 2016 Stocks balloon to 8-year high The stout sales discipline that's producing huge profits for General Motors has a troublesome side effect: GM's vehicle inventory has ballooned 28 percent since Aug. 1, to the highest level in nearly nine years. Crowded dealership lots could force the automaker to make more production cuts -- beyond the layoffs of 2,000 workers in Michigan and Ohio announced last month -- if demand slips in 2017. Heading into the slower winter season, the situation shapes up as a critical test of GM's determination to resist profit-eroding incentives and fleet deliveries as relief valves. It also reveals a stark contrast between GM's rosy outlook for the industry and the pessimism at Ford Motor Co., which has reduced output this fall with downtime at many of its North American plants. While Ford warns of threats to its financial goals and reduces inventory to prepare for a slowdown, GM's production and inventory keep climbing. GM's inventory as of Dec. 1, 873,200 vehicles, is the highest of any month since February 2008, when it had four more brands to support and less-flexible union contracts that made it tougher to adjust production as consumer demand rose and fell. "Incentives are elevated, residuals are declining, and rates are rising," Brian Johnson, an analyst with Barclays Capital, wrote in a Dec. 2 note to clients. "And while GM in particular may benefit in the months ahead from new product launches, it's important to recognize that GM's inventory is elevated at the moment, and it wouldn't surprise us if they need to announce another production cut -- which could pressure the stock." Camaros galore GM officials acknowledge that the company has more inventory of some vehicles than it wants. In November it said plants in Lordstown, Ohio, and Lansing, Mich., where workers build the Chevrolet Cruze and Camaro and two Cadillac sedans, would lose their overnight production shifts in January. The move amounts to GM's first significant layoffs since 2010, when the company was streamlining operations after bankruptcy. As of Dec. 1, GM had a 177-day supply of the Camaro and about 120 days' worth of the three other affected nameplates. Average for the industry was 73 days, more than the 60-day supply that executives and analysts say is ideal. On those vehicles, "we have an oversupply -- there's no question about it," said GM spokesman Jim Cain. "We're going to be living with high days supply of those vehicles until the shift change can work its way through the system." Cain wouldn't rule out additional production cuts, but he disputed any notion that the excess would revive the destructive habits of Old GM. He said GM is strategically stockpiling crossovers ahead of impending redesigns and can't keep up with demand in some segments, including midsize pickups and large SUVs. New products "We're pretty optimistic that we're going to continue growing retail share and the industry is going to stay near these record levels," Cain said. "Carrying higher inventory is actually good business. We feel like we've got a real opportunity to keep improving our results." GM told analysts Oct. 25 that it was increasing production "marginally" in the fourth quarter. It no longer reports North American output publicly, but Automotive News estimates that GM produced 14 percent more vehicles in October than a year earlier and 18 percent more in November. "What's really driven the increase is filling out inventory on newly launched products and new entries that we didn't have before, like the [Cadillac] CT6 or the [Buick] Envision as an example," GM CFO Chuck Stevens said in an Oct. 25 conference call with analysts. "Our inventory levels will be dictated by matching supply with demand. We will continue to watch inventories closely, especially cars, and will take actions if and when required." Ford, on the other hand, after building 10 percent more vehicles in the first half of the year, produced 12 percent fewer from July through November as its forecast shifted. Ford CEO Mark Fields has said the company is merely being proactive and realistic to keep itself out of trouble. "It's still a very healthy industry by historical standards," Fields told Automotive News in October, "but there are stresses in it, and we're getting ahead of that. 4-month spike Ford started 2016 with more inventory than GM despite having fewer nameplates and lower market share, but GM entered December with about 224,000 more vehicles in stock than Ford, the biggest disparity between the two automakers in four years, according to the Automotive News Data Center. Until 2007, GM regularly carried inventory of more than 1 million vehicles, given that it had to pay workers at idled plants almost as much as when the assembly lines were running. A deal tied to its federal bailout in 2009 eliminated the Jobs Bank, and that change, combined with the permanent closure of some plants, cut inventory to fewer than 400,000 vehicles later that year. After rising with the industry's recovery, GM's stockpile declined gradually from early 2014 through the end of last year, before beginning to spike in August. The 28 percent gain since then is the company's largest four-month jump in inventory since the aftermath of GM's wildly popular employee-pricing discounts in 2005.

Automotive News / December 12, 2016 Grand Wagoneer, redesigned Ram heavy-duty pickup delayed Fiat Chrysler dealers will have to wait a bit longer for two highly anticipated big-ticket vehicles: a fully redesigned Ram heavy-duty pickup and a luxury SUV for Jeep, the Grand Wagoneer. Sources told Automotive News that FCA's Ram brand will not redesign its current heavy-duty pickups onto its new DT pickup platform in 2018 but instead will keep the same body-in-white and refresh the existing DS-based model. Meanwhile, the automaker has placed a hold on its development of the Jeep Grand Wagoneer luxury SUV, supplier sources say. The vehicle has been on Jeep's product plan since 2014 and was to boast three rows of seats and a six-figure price tag. It is unknown why these actions on important products for FCA's two most profitable brands are taking place; FCA has refused to comment. The automaker is in a financial race to erase nearly $7 billion in net debt that was on its books at the end of the third quarter. CEO Sergio Marchionne has said he plans to retire in 2018 and wants to leave the global automaker generating billions of dollars in free cash flow annually. To do that, the company is, in part, undergoing a major revamp of its North American manufacturing footprint in order to build more Jeep and Ram SUVs and pickups and fewer slow-selling sedans. It has also spent billions of dollars to resurrect the Alfa Romeo premium sport brand, introducing a new Giulia sedan and Stelvio crossover, neither of which is on sale yet in the U.S. Through the first nine months of 2016, FCA said it had generated $1.49 billion in global profits. Saving cash Delaying or abandoning its plan for what FCA called in 2014 a "major update" of its heavy-duty Ram 2500 and 3500 pickups in 2018 will save FCA money on a changeover of its heavy-duty pickup plant in Saltillo, Mexico. Saltillo is FCA's only heavy-duty pickup factory, so keeping the current truck going with only a freshening will also ensure that Ram heavy-duty pickups remain available to dealers in an uninterrupted supply. But the delay will also leave the Ram 2500s and 3500s with a significantly older design than their heavy-duty competitors from top rivals Ford and General Motors. Ford, for example, just redesigned its heavy-duty pickups this year, boasting improved towing capabilities and better fuel economy. In its five-year business plan presented in May 2014, Ram had forecast what it called a "major update" for its heavy-duty pickups and chassis cabs in 2018. FCA has since dramatically altered its business strategy, abandoning U.S. production of low-profit cars to focus primarily on building more pickups and SUVs, taking advantage of sweeping changes in consumer preferences. The DS-based Ram 2500 and 3500 pickups were first introduced in 2010. They have been refreshed to various degrees in the intervening years, expanding their capabilities amid a customer base that is about 75 percent commercial, according to the brand's 2014 business plan. FCA reports combined sales of light-duty and heavy-duty Ram pickups each month, and said in 2014 that about a quarter of the brand's pickup sales are heavy-duty models. Through November, Ram pickup sales are up 8.1 percent. '$140,000 Jeep' The development hold on the Jeep Grand Wagoneer is surprising in part because FCA executives have been unusually forthcoming about the vehicle compared with the company's usual practice of refusing to comment on future product plans. In late June, Jeep brand head Mike Manley told reporters that the Grand Wagoneer would push the premium boundaries of the SUV brand. He elaborated at the Paris auto show, telling reporters that pushing the Grand Wagoneer "up to $130,000 to $140,000 may be possible." The Grand Wagoneer was initially scheduled to be launched in 2018 but was pushed back last year to 2019 so the vehicle could be co-developed with the next-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee, Marchionne said last year. The key to the Grand Wagoneer's most recent delay may lay in the constraints FCA is under with its North American manufacturing plants and the company's ongoing product shift away from passenger vehicles. During its negotiations with the UAW in 2015, FCA unveiled a product plan that called for the unibody Grand Wagoneer to be built at the company's Warren Truck Assembly plant, after that plant's product, the Ram 1500 pickup, was redesigned and moved to the nearby Sterling Heights Assembly plant. But building the Grand Wagoneer at Warren would require the plant to be completely retooled from body-on-frame assembly to unibody assembly. That's a large added expense for an automaker already paying to retool two unibody assembly lines at Sterling Heights and in Toledo, Ohio, in 2017 to body-on-frame production. FCA already builds a three-row crossover -- the Dodge Durango -- off of the current Jeep Grand Cherokee platform at its Jefferson North Assembly plant in Detroit. That plant's capacity is already maxed out, however, meaning FCA could not easily add another product there without incurring major expenses or disruptive production changes. Prior to being run by Fiat, Jeep produced a three-row, high-end SUV off of the Grand Cherokee platform, the Jeep Commander. It did not sell well, suffering in part because its third-row seating lacked sufficient legroom. Marchionne hated the Commander as well, telling reporters in 2011: "That car was unfit for human consumption. We sold some, but I don't know why people bought them."

KrAZ Trucks / December 5, 2016 The Christmas and New Year holidays are on the horizon and everybody young and old are waiting for their favorite winter holiday. Contributing to the occasion, a new KrAZ model 6446 all-wheel-drive tractor, popular with Ukraine’s logging industry, was chosen to retrieve an 86-year-old 26-meter-tall fir tree from the Ivano-Frankovsk region for public display in the center of Sofiyskaya Square in Kiev where holiday celebrations will take place. A KrAZ-255B crane truck, the legendary predecessor to the 6446, supported the tree’s mounting. Few heavy trucks are capable of traveling deep into the forest to retrieve such a tree, but the 6x6 model 6446 was easily up to the task with its famous off road credentials. The 6446, with a gross combination weight rating of 34 metric tons both on and off road, excels in forestry applications. Very soon, the huge tree will be decorated with thousands of decorations made in Yavorov, and wrapped with 3 kilometers of lighting. The Christmas tree opening will take place on Monday, December 19, on the day of St. Nicholas. .

Hino Trucks Press Release / November 25, 2016 “We will be aiming to win our 8th straight championship in our class with a 1-2 finish, and to join the group of leading finishers in the overall trucks category.” Team holds event announcing entry in Dakar Rally 2017. .

Owner/Driver / December 9, 2016 The best photos and coverage from Victoria's Castlemaine Truck Show held in November The 2016 Castlemaine Truck Show proved once again why it is the premier Victorian truck show. Held at the Campbell Creek recreation reserve on November 19-20, the show attracted a wide variety of trucks from brand new trucks, customised trucks, working trucks and vintage trucks. One of the beauties of the show is its laid back atmosphere with many arriving on Friday afternoon and setting up camp for the weekend. It’s a friendly and welcoming crowd with many regulars attending year after year. The Rotary Club has now held 28 truck shows and together with other local service clubs and organisations provided everything that is needed for a great weekend. The winner of the Rig of the Day on Saturday was Troy McLean with his Kenworth T908. Sunday is the big day commencing with a truckies’ breakfast and then the convoy through Castlemaine. The main street is lined with residents and the sounds of truck horns can be heard all over the district. As crowd numbers grew, so did the intense heat when the sun came out, thankfully there were some cloudy patches during the day. There were raffles over both days with a bar fridge on offer and an auction on Sunday afternoon. The standard of presentation of trucks was excellent and as Castlemaine is known as a truck town, the American marquees had new trucks on display. The winner of Truck of the Show was Leo Kelly and his impeccably restored W model Kenworth. Once again Castlemaine put on a top show, it’s a big effort but the rewards are great with Rotary using the raised $9,965 to assist with valuable community causes. Photo gallery - https://www.ownerdriver.com.au/events-news/1612/castlemaine-truck-show-2016

Electric Trucking Charges Up The Wall Street Journal / December 8, 2016 In a pilot project, vehicles equipped with ‘receiving coils’ will draw power from another coil buried in the road in Colorado Officials in Colorado are planning a public-road test of battery-charging technology capable of powering electric trucks while they drive. In the pilot project, believed to be the first of its kind in the U.S., vehicles equipped with “receiving coils” will draw power from another coil buried in the road. The Colorado Transportation Department and infrastructure developer Aecom Inc. are scouting potential sites, including busy roads near Denver International Airport, with a goal of launching in 2018. Heavy-duty electric trucks remain a rare sight on highways, in part because they need to make frequent stops to recharge and must carry heavy, expensive batteries. The pilot’s developers say their goal is to extend the distances electric trucks can drive and reduce the bulkiness of in-vehicle batteries. “It’s one of those, ‘if you build it, they will come’ things,” said Peter Kozinski, director of Colorado’s RoadX program, a state fund aimed at using new technologies to ease congestion and improve road safety. Under terms reached earlier this week, RoadX will pay Aecom $200,000 to help identify a location for the pilot, design the in-motion charging grid and find electric-truck partners to participate in the testing phase. They will license the technology from researchers with the Sustainable Electrified Transportation Research Center, or SELECT, at Utah State University, who have been conducting their own tests with a bus on a closed loop track. The Colorado project is slated to begin construction by the end of 2017 and start testing by the end of 2018. Data collected during the testing phase will provide insight into how well the technology works under real-world conditions, the researchers said. Mr. Kozinski said they are considering several sites in Denver for the project, including an area near the airport with heavy freight traffic. The Colorado pilot will focus on freight-moving vehicles because they emit the most pollution and supporting their shift to electric power could have a big impact on air quality, the developers said. The charging equipment can either be built into new trucks or affixed to electric vehicles as a retrofit, but it isn’t cheap, experts say. Nor is the technology and construction needed to outfit miles of roadway. “The cost of retrofitting roads around the country, even if only one lane, would take a big effort and it probably would be pretty expensive,” said Lewis Fulton, director of the Sustainable Transportation Energy Pathways program at the University of California, Davis. Still, he added, “it can work.” Mr. Fulton said other groups around the world are testing different ways to make electric vehicles competitive with conventional cars and trucks. Some projects have tested stationary wireless charging for passenger buses. A group in Southern California is building a trolley-like system developed by Siemens AG that relies on overhead electric wires to power freight trucks while they move.

Commercial Motor / December 9, 2016 Volvo Group UK has been fined £900,000 (US$1,132,794) after an employee fell and suffered head injuries whilst repairing a truck cab at an Enfield, London site. In September 2015 a man working for Volvo Truck and Bus Centre London was knocked unconscious after he fell from a step ladder and hit his head. He was put into a medically-induced coma for two weeks to help manage the swelling on his brain. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said he suffered “life changing” injuries and has been unable to return to work since. An HSE investigation found that the step ladder was damaged and its anti-slip feet were worn. The ladder was not Volvo property and had not been checked to see if it was suitable for use. The HSE said that at the time of the incident the company had not trained its staff to select, inspect and use equipment suitable for working at height. Volvo Group UK pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 30 November. It was fined £900,000 and must pay £5,820.28 in costs and a £150 victim surcharge. The company said it expressed “deep regret” to the court for the failures which led to the incident and the impact it had on the employee and his family. It said in a statement: “Since the incident occurred, all parts of the business have been challenged to review the use of ladders and step-ladders and implement procedures and training to ensure safe working practices are carried out, including the use of safe access equipment. “The court was satisfied that arrangements had been and continued to be made to provide for the employee affected by the accident, by both the company and its insurers, and therefore the court made no order for compensation. “Volvo Group UK received full credit from the court for its submission of an early guilty plea and the fact that the company had co-operated fully with the Health and Safety Executive.”

Commercial Motor TV - sponsored by DAF Trucks / December 9, 2016 .

MAN Truck & Bus Press Release / December 9, 2016 .

Navistar opens new reconditioning center in Melrose Park, Ill. Truck News / December 9, 2016 Marking a new chapter for its Diamond Renewal certified brand of used International trucks, Navistar held the grand opening of the company’s Used Truck Reconditioning Center in Melrose Park, Ill. The facility replaces the now closed Indianapolis Center and will act as Navistar’s new home for its 180-plus point inspection and servicing center, which examines the Diamond Renewal reconditioning process to ensure a consistent product is available to all International dealers and the company’s own 15 used truck sales centers. “One of the greatest advantages of a centralized Reconditioning Center is the ability to work hand-in-hand with the on-site product engineering and prototype team in order to fully understand product durability and use this knowledge to provide the highest level of service to our customers.” said Jeff Heichel, vice-president of used truck operations for Navistar. The Melrose Park location is fully scalable to meet demands and includes a wash bay, detailing and paint booth, welding room and a parts storage area. “We worked with the Local UAW to structure a competitive agreement which facilitated the work coming to Melrose,” said Kevin Turner, director of reconditioning operations for used truck organization with Navistar. “I’m very proud of our team for completing the move in record time and in line with Navistar’s lean principles.” The company plans to relocate its nearby International Used Truck Sales Center to the Melrose Park facility in the New Year.

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Heavy Duty Trucking / December 8, 2016 Westport has gained approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to equip 2017-model-year Ford vehicles with its WiNG Power System that enables the vehicles to run compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquid propane gas (LPG), also known as propane autogas. Vancouver, B.C.-based Westport gained approval for the F-150 5.0L CNG and LPG, Transit 3.7L CNG, F-450/F-550/F-650/F-750/F-59 6.8L CNG, and E-450 6.8L CNG. Westport has also streamlined the supply chain through a Ford-approved ship-through process for the F-150, F-250, F-350, and Transit. Westport has been certified under Ford's Qualified Vehicle Modifier (QVM) program that allows the vehicles to retain their factory warranties after the modification. Related reading - http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47841-chevrolet-gmc-increase-alternative-fuel-fleet-offerings/#comment-353606

Heavy Duty Trucking / December 9, 2016 The Colorado State Department of Transportation is working with private partners to explore the development of an energy-transfer highway segment. The project will allow real-world testing of a stretch of an electric grid embedded in a stretch of highway that transfers electricity to electric-powered trucks through a coil transmission and reception system. Much like a cell phone charging surface commonly used today, the project would use powerful energy coils to transmit electric power upwards and into energy receiving coils mounted on the underside of trucks traveling in the dedicated energy-transfer lane. Peter Kozinski is director of CDOT’s RoadX program - a forward-looking initiative that seeks out new, energy-efficient transportation technologies. He says the agency has been working with AECOM, a Los Angeles-based infrastructure builder for approximately 8 months to flesh out the beginning stages of the pilot program. “It is tremendous to see this leadership by Michigan which will accelerate progress across the nation. We are actively working with Michigan to develop our plan for initial and ongoing platooning operations in the state,” said Steve Boyd, Peloton’s VP of external affairs. “Our plan includes early activities to promote public awareness on the key role of professional drivers in our truck platooning system and the safety, efficiency and mobility benefits that this technology provides to fleets and the public.” “We feel the vehicle of the future will be electrically powered,” Kozinski said, “and yet the cost of battery packs, combined with range anxiety concerns are real barriers to widespread acceptance of this technology. Our goal with this project is to determine if this power grid and energy transfer system can work in real-world driving conditions.” Andrew Liu, vice president, AECOM Ventures said his company is a progressive, and forward-thinking road building and infrastructure construction firm that is committed to helping the United States move its road network into the 21st Century. “We’re already seeing the rise of all-electric vehicles and autonomous vehicles,” Liu said. “But what we have today are increasingly smart vehicles driving on dumb roads. And we want to help change that.” According to Liu, AECOM has been working with the Sustainable Electrified Transportation Research Center, (SELECT) at Utah State University on related projects that have shown the potential for an energy-transfer roadway. “SELECT has been working on static charging pads that can wirelessly transfer energy to city buses,” Liu explained. “We started talking to them about the feasibility of charging an electric vehicle while it is in motion. They responded by developing a ¼-mile closed loop track that can charge buses while they drive. And this is the basis for our pilot program with RoadX and Colorado DOT.” Currently, Liu says the SELECT closed loop track can charge buses moving between 35 to 40 mph with an efficiency rate between 85 and 95% transmitted by coils ranging from 6 to 8 feet in diameter. He says further work is being done now to determine if that high energy transfer rate can be sustained at higher speeds and in varying weather conditions, including rain and snow. Kozinski says currently RoadX and AECOM are in the preliminary stages of the project and hope to identify additional OEM, technology, and fleet partners, as well as identify the criteria for a test highway and optimal locations for the roadway. “We hope to have those goals accomplished in the next 6 to 8 months, and begin planning for actual construction to begin something in early 2018,” he said. Additionally, Kozinski says the project must overcome challenges including maintaining a consistent distance between transmitting and receiving energy coils to ensure efficient transmission of electricity as well as determining the environmental impact of the technology. “We can’t have a bunny hopping onto one of these coils and getting zapped,” he noted. Similarly, Liu says AECOM is working with its global partners to identify new technologies and procedures that might benefit the energy-transfer lane project as well as seeking 3 to 5 additional partner cities elsewhere in the country to conduct further studies. “Key areas of interest for us include “Key areas of interest for us include heavily congested urban areas as well as freight corridors,” he said. “We’re also looking to hear from other OEMs and interested parties. We view this as an open invitation for people, companies and organizations to get involved. Our feeling is the more people we have involved, the more successful this project will be.” Related reading - http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/47935-scania-tests-fast-wireless-charging-in-urban-traffic/

Michigan Law Opens a Door for Platooning Heavy Duty Trucking / December 9, 2016 Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) has signed S.B. 995 into law on Dec. 9, authorizing electronically coordinated truck platooning on Michigan roads by creating an exception to the state’s minimum following distance for commercial vehicles. Originally there was a minimum of 500 feet of following distance required by commercial vehicles, which presented a hindrance to testing and implementing truck platooning technology that requires at least two vehicles to follow closely. Using technology to link two vehicles together, a platooning truck can respond to braking by the lead truck in 10 milliseconds, bypassing a lag in driver perception and reaction time. “We are committed to advancing safety and efficiency in commercial trucking operations and accelerating the economic benefits that result from improving the movement of goods,” said Kirk Steudle, director of the Michigan Department of Transportation. “Michigan is proud to be a leader in paving the way for the deployment and growth of vehicle platooning technologies.” Connected and automated vehicle technology company Peloton applauded Michigan’s decision to support platooning technology calling it a “landmark law.” “Michigan now leads the nation in the rollout of commercial truck platooning,” said Josh Switkes, CEO of Peloton Technology. “We are proud to be working with forward-looking state leaders like those in Michigan who prioritize prudent, driver-assistive truck automation systems that will provide strong economic benefits and improve the safe, efficient movement of goods." Under the new law, Michigan DOT and State Police will review plans submitted by the operators of platoons before vehicles are allowed to use the technology on state roads. The law also requires that truck platoons allow access for other vehicles to move safely between platooning trucks. Drivers holding a valid commercial driver’s license must be behind the wheel of every truck in a platoon. Peloton is in a partnership with suppliers and truck manufacturers to create production-level platooning technology. While 11 other states have approved testing and trial activity, Michigan is the first state to support the deployment of platooning in commercial fleet operations. The company is currently preparing a plan for platooning operation to submit to the State of Michigan as required by the new law. “It is tremendous to see this leadership by Michigan which will accelerate progress across the nation. We are actively working with Michigan to develop our plan for initial and ongoing platooning operations in the state,” said Steve Boyd, Peloton’s VP of external affairs. “Our plan includes early activities to promote public awareness on the key role of professional drivers in our truck platooning system and the safety, efficiency and mobility benefits that this technology provides to fleets and the public.”

Automotive News / December 11, 2016 Chevrolet's new nine-speed automatic transmission illustrates the difficulty of eking out fuel economy improvements as automakers work to meet increasingly stringent fuel efficiency standards. Launched in the Chevrolet Malibu in September, the nine-speed, co-developed with Ford Motor Co., delivers just 1 mpg more in highway driving than the eight-speed automatic it replaces -- up to 33 mpg in the 2017 Malibu from 32 in the 2016 version. General Motors plans to use the gearbox in 10 models across its brands by the end of next year. GM executives say the transmission adds refinement over the outgoing six- and eight-speeds, giving vehicles a premium feel. GM will also save money by using its own transmission. In the Malibu, for instance, GM bought the outgoing eight-speed automatic from Aisin AW Co. "The big goal when working with internal combustion engines is to keep the engine in the optimal operating position," said Chris Meagher, GM's executive director of electrical hardware engineering. He said the transmission's shorter steps result in smoother shifts. The next GM vehicles to get the nine-speed are the 2017 Cruze compact and 2018 Equinox. Ford has not announced which vehicles will use Ford's version of the nine-speed, said Ford spokesman Craig Von Essen. Related reading.....the Ford-GM jointly developed/produced 10-speed auto trans - http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/46728-10-things-to-know-about-the-new-fordgm-10-speed-automatic-transmission/#comment-344801

Cummins Westport’s ISB6.7 G, a 6.7 liter midrange, factory-built natural gas engine is now fully available as a production engine for shuttle bus, medium duty truck, and vocational applications in North America. (Earlier post.) As previously announced, the engine has been available for school bus applications since May 2016 from Thomas Built Buses. The 6.7 liter engine platform has large OEM availability for midrange trucks, vocational trucks and mid size buses and the expansion of applications potentially available for the ISB6.7 G engine more than doubles its addressable market. The ISB6.7 G is based on the Cummins ISB6.7 diesel engine platform, the industry leader in the Cummins midrange engine family, and operates exclusively on natural gas, including compressed, liquid, or renewable natural gas (RNG). The ISB6.7 G is the second engine from Cummins Westport (CWI) to receive emission certification from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Air Resources Board (ARB) in California for meeting the Optional Low NOx Emissions standards. An engine of this size is a natural addition to CWI’s portfolio of natural gas engines. Many customers using school and shuttle buses, medium duty trucks, or vocational vehicles operate within a local area where the return to base nature of their operation allows them to use fleet-owned or growing publicly available natural gas fueling infrastructure. The ISB6.7 G offers the midrange customer an ability to take advantage of the most cost effective overall solution with the benefit of a low emission natural gas engine that has proven performance, reliability, and durability. In addition, operating on RNG offers customers a tremendous greenhouse gas savings opportunity versus fossil fuels. —Rob Neitzke, President of CWI The ISB6.7 G features the same advanced combustion controls with Three-Way Catalyst (TWC) as Cummins Westport’s ISL G & ISX12 G engines. NOx emissions of the ISB6.7 G are 0.1 g/bhp-hr—50% lower than the current EPA and ARB NOx limit of 0.2 g/bhp-hr. CO2 emissions meet the 2017 EPA greenhouse gas (GHG) emission requirements. All CWI natural gas engines are lower than the 2010 EPA standard for particulate matter (0.01 g/bhp-hr). The ISB6.7 G utilizes CWI proprietary spark-ignited, stoichiometric combustion with cooled exhaust gas recirculation (SEGR) technology. It features electronic control with programmable features, a closed crankcase ventilation system, and maintenance-free three-way catalyst aftertreatment. No diesel particulate filter or selective catalytic reduction aftertreatment is required. The SEGR technology was introduced with the ISL G in 2007, and was developed to meet 2010 EPA emission requirements. The cooled-EGR system passes exhaust gas through a cooler to reduce temperatures before mixing it with fuel and the incoming air charge to the cylinder. Stoichiometric combustion in combination with cooled-EGR offers increased power density and thermal efficiency. It also reduces in-cylinder combustion temperatures and creates an oxygen-free exhaust, which then enables the use of a three-way catalyst (TWC) for NOx control. The ISB6.7 G will be manufactured in the Cummins engine plant and offered in three ratings up to 240 hp (179 kW) and 560 lb-ft (759 N·m) torque. Power Take-Off and automatic transmission capability meet customer and original equipment manufacturer requirements. Base warranty is two years, with unlimited miles/kilometers. Extended Coverage options are also available. Partial funding in support of the ISB6.7 G engine development has been received from the California Energy Commission through its Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) Program in conjunction with the Gas Technology Institute.

Trump hints US 'One China' policy could end "I fully understand the 'one China' policy, but I don't know why we have to be bound by a 'one China' policy unless we make a deal with China having to do with other things, including trade.” "I mean, look, we're being hurt very badly by China with devaluation, with taxing us heavy at the borders when we don't tax them, with building a massive fortress in the middle of the South China Sea, which they shouldn't be doing, and frankly with not helping us at all with North Korea." "You have North Korea. You have nuclear weapons, and China could solve that problem, and they're not helping us at all." "I don't want China dictating to me and this was a call put into me. I didn't make the call, and it was a call, very short call saying 'congratulations, sir, on the victory.” "It was a very nice call. Short. And why should some other nation be able to say I can't take a call. I think it actually would've been very disrespectful, to be honest with you, not taking it." President-elect Donald Trump December 11, 2016

You're so right, our intended expression doesn't always come across well (as intended) on a written forum. When I write "if what we are told is true", I do so with a serious tone. I'm not being sarcastic. The powers that be, the aristocracy including big business, uses information, and disinformation, to manipulate the masses, from getting the majority to stay in line, to buying the latest material items. There are always conspiracies, if we want to call them that, to discredit people, if not destroy them altogether. The battle for power in Washington is endless. "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men." - Lord John Dalberg-Acton, 1887 Regarding Trump, Hillary and the 2016 election, I'm sure there are many pieces to the puzzle that we will never know. I imagine half of the story, from the beginning to the end, will remain forever secret. Reflecting on our generation, do you really think you were told the complete truth, and nothing but the truth, on how Kennedy was killed? On Watergate? On Iran-Contra? On WMD in Iraq as an excuse for us to enter the second Iraq war? Truth........has an unmistakable air of clarity. It's not rocket science. I try to post factual news, including direct quotes. I avoid unfounded conjecture, but will post articles that, I feel, have creditable substance. I'm a serious person by nature. I apologize if you perceived me as being sarcastic.

There's no issues regarding warranty. If you buy an Isuzu-branded truck, your Isuzu dealer will handle it. If you buy a Chevrolet-branded truck, your Chevrolet dealer will handle it.

"The gasoline-powered models will be assembled from complete knock down (CKD) kits in the U.S. at the Spartan Motors assembly plant in Charlotte, Michigan." http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/40483-déjà-vu-gm-to-source-medium-duty-trucks-from-isuzu/#comment-293513

David and Paul, I agree with you. That said, I seriously doubt that Hillary Clinton will see time, because for decades, we've watched dozens of these types of people avoid it. Politicians and the wealthy aristocracy including big business leaders all successfully avoid prosecution, again and again and again. Recall, for example, the 2008 financial crisis. Nobody on Wall Street went to jail. Companies were fined, but none of the "people" who made the corrupt company decisions were prosecuted. They are the "untouchables".