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Fleet Owner / November 2, 2016 For the first time, insurer Travelers brought its Sting Trailer crime-busting tool to the American Trucking Association’s safety, security and human resources gathering last week and gave attendees tours. Fleet Owner caught up with Travelers transportation crime and theft specialist Scott Cornell to hear the latest on cargo theft — and five reasons why it has many in the freight and distribution business concerned. 1. It's a very big problem. The scope of cargo theft in the United States is broad and extensive. "It's a much bigger cost than people realize," Cornell says. The FBI, he adds, places the annual economic toll cargo theft takes somewhere in the range of $15-$30 billion, depending on how you count, which is more than auto theft or all employee theft at the workplace. Why such a range? Cargo theft is often reported under various crime codes, Cornell explains, and there's debate about how you tally it up. "Is it just the cost of the TVs on a trailer that were stolen, for example, or is it that cost and the cost of replacing them — manufacturing them again, reshipping them, the value the store lost by not having TVs on its shelves?" he notes. "How much did 'company A' lose by not having those items in a given week when their competition did? "There are all sorts of costs associated with cargo theft," Cornell says. 2. No matter where or when it happens, the crime essentially can be invisible. Even if it's taking place in broad daylight and right under people's noses, chances are good they might not even notice. "How many times have you pulled into a shopping mall and seen a tractor and a trailer there in the parking lot?" Cornell muses. And the obvious answer could be any or every time — as the distribution method for about four out of five goods or packages to stores across the nation, trucks and trailers frequently, if not nearly always, go hand-in-hand with shopping malls, storefronts and other places of business. As a result, it'd be quite normal to see a truck pull up to a trailer, hook up and pull away, even if a particular instance of that happens to be cargo theft. Alternately, cargo theft can take place out of the public's view in areas like industrial parks where trucks are picking up and dropping off loads or in dark lots where tractor-trailers are parked for the night. And in that case, it's simply "out of sight, out of mind" when it comes to being noticed. "Cargo theft is one of those things where it affects everybody, but you don't see it or necessarily feel it up front," Cornell tells Fleet Owner. "And you don't realize when you buy that TV or cell phone that there may be some cost associated with cargo theft in that purchase — you just see it as the cost of the item." 3. A worrying new trend has been emerging. There've been several major trends in cargo theft, Cornell notes, and the nation may now be facing another. Following the economic calamity of 2008, he says cargo thieves began to shift from high-dollar items like electronics and target more food and beverage items — things like nuts, energy drinks and frozen meats and seafood. "I kind of joke that cargo thieves are good capitalists. They understand that if they steal it, they have to be able to sell it," Cornell contends. "People didn't have the extra money for expensive electronics." And there are other benefits: if you steal food and beverage items, the evidence tends to be consumed and disappears quickly. Then around 2011 and 2012, another trend was that cargo thieves began to commit less straight cargo theft — you pull up to a standing trailer and haul it off on the sly, for example — and more strategic cargo theft. Straight cargo theft is still most common, but strategic cargo theft includes things like identity theft, fraudulent carriers and fictitious pickup. "With identity theft, somebody poses as a legitimate trucking company, books freight, picks it up and then disappears with it," Cornell says. "Everybody eventually realizes what happened, and it's a scramble to try to figure out where the load went." With fictitious pickup, thieves find out about a load to be picked up by a legitimate trucking company, "and the classic example is that they show up a couple hours early and say, 'Hey, here's our paperwork — we got here a little early. Can you load us up and get us out the door?'" he explains. A key point with identity theft or fraudulent carrier crimes is that there's more contact with the criminals and more of a potential trail of leads to investigate, Cornell notes, whereas you don't have that with fictitious pickup. Now the latest trend: cargo thieves are taking to more advanced technology. "We've seen more involvement with cybercrime. We've seen thieves use 'sniffers' to find covert tracking devices in trailers and jammers that take out tracking devices, so they can steal the cargo even if you have a tracking device in there," Cornell says. And for a new twist, how about 3D printers? "We've seen the use of 3D printers to duplicate seals," he adds. "They can break a seal on a truck, take out part of the load, and then create a duplicate, fake seal with a 3D printer to close the trailer back up. So we're seeing a solid increase in the use of technology." 4. By nature, cargo theft is attracting more intelligent criminals. Some criminals are just plain stupid, and that makes them easier to detect and catch. Unfortunately in that regard, cargo theft actually offers a lot of "perks" and tends to attract the thinkers, and here's why. Not only has there been the increase in technology involved as noted in No. 3 — which indicates cargo thieves are often a more sophisticated, savvy bunch — but cargo theft has a nice, low overhead. Even with lower-value loads like stolen foods and beverages, "it can be a good 'return on investment,' if you look at it that way," Cornell explains. "Or let's say you get a load of electronics worth $500,000 and you can sell it for $200,000-$250,000, maybe even $150,000, depending on how quickly you want to move it. "Keep in mind, that's all profit. It's not like cargo thieves have a storefront," he continues. "So even if they sell a $500,000 load for $150,000, their profits could be through the roof." And this isn't like Wild West train heists: cargo theft today is also, by and large, nonviolent. "Depending on what numbers you read, less than 2-3% of cargo theft in the U.S. involves violence," Cornell notes. "So you have a high-dollar crime with a large take, a high profit margin, and you don't have to be violent to do it. "There's so much freight just sitting out there," he adds. "So if I'm a bad guy, why would I want to increase my chances of going to jail for a longer period of time? I'll just take the stuff I can get easily, and if I stay away from violence, even if I do get caught, I won't have all those mandatory minimum sentences that go along with violent crimes." 5. It's not just the holiday season anymore. Even recently, trucking companies, shippers and others in the distribution business could expect more of a seasonal nature to cargo theft. But those times may be a-changin'. "It used to be pretty consistent: from Sept. 1 on, we would start to watch cargo theft tick up. It was kind of fourth quarter, Christmas cargo's on the move," Cornell recalls. Expecting a surge, investigators and law enforcement would "get geared up and get ready for it," while companies involved in distribution "would kind of brace themselves and be ready to answer that phone quickly," he notes. That's begun to change in the last two years or so. "It's been less consistent. It still goes up and we still see an increase in thefts, but what we've ended up seeing is more targeted increases — maybe we'll see more alcohol stolen around the holidays, maybe some more video games and video consoles, things like that," Cornell says. "So we still see an uptick, but it seems like cargo theft is kind of leveling out more across the year. We're not seeing the peaks and valleys we used to see." And while that doesn't mean there won't be a spike in cargo theft this holiday season, Cornell notes, the takeaway for fleets, trucking companies, shippers, freight brokers and others is this: You need to be vigilant not only seasonally but all the time for cargo theft, and the criminals you're facing are often very clever and adaptable. There may be things you can do to give yourself an advantage. Travelers is the only insurance company to have a dedicated cargo theft unit, according to Cornell, and it's been in operation and growing since late 2004. The unit works with law enforcement to find and eliminate cargo theft rings and recover stolen goods, and also works with Travelers customers to train them on the best ways to prevent thefts from happening. "We have this dedication with our special investigative group and our knowledge and expertise behind this. We think we give you an advantage; we think we bring an extra level of capability to our insureds," he contends.

More fuel trucks expected on roads due to Alabama pipeline explosion WTOC / November 2, 2016 Fuel may not be a problem in the Lowcountry and Coastal Empire, but a higher number of tanker trucks on the roads might be. The trucks are coming from as far away as Atlanta to get their fuel following the pipeline explosion in Alabama. Georgia Governor Nathan Deal issued an executive order lifting their driving restrictions. Fewer tanker trucks will be coming through weigh stations for the next several days. That's because the governor's executive order allows them to bypass weigh stations to make sure gas stations have fuel. They still have to be safe, though. "We'll be out patrolling for safety violations. We'll be looking for unsafe drivers, erratic drivers, to try and keep the roadways safe,” said Sgt. Bill Blocker with the Department of Public Safety. Truck drivers normally can drive 11 hours or 700 miles daily. The executive order lifts both for up to 14 days and prevents price gouging. "As far as safety, I don't think it's going to affect anybody. The drivers know what they're doing. They're going to rest. They're resting as they're waiting to get loaded. They may have a longer day," said truck driver Randy Chambers. That longer day mainly a result of long lines to fill up their trucks. Many drivers say they're sure safety won't be a problem. "It kind of helps us to stop having to run through the weigh scales and slowing down. At a point, it helps. Sometimes it may not,” said truck driver James Hubbard. "They may work a 20-hour day, but I doubt they'll drive any further because there are longer waits to get loaded up,” said Chambers. Department of Public Safety officers won't make random stops on these tanker trucks during this emergency period. They will still make sure drivers aren't fatigued and stay safe. "Of course safety is still our number one priority with the state. We want to make sure our roads remain as safe as possible,” said Sgt. Blocker. Gov. Deal did ask that you not rush to the pump to get gas. That only causes the demand to spike and in turn prices too.

https://tlinetrucks.com/ .

Related reading: http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/43839-restored-scania-t-cab-tops-new-tipper-fleet-at-kw-purvis/ http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/41910-the-conventional-cab-scania-t-series-–-past-and-present/ .

IEPIELEAKS / November 2, 2016 Now here is an interesting illustration! The new Scania R- cab with a hood (bonnet). That amounts to being the new Scania T-Series, but of course this is not official. A lot of Scania customers would love to see this in production, but Scania ceased T-Series production in 2005 due to declining sales. The market for these trucks is simply not big enough. Even in Latin America where the T-Series was immensely popular, the market has all but shifted to cab-over-engine models. The only big markets for conventional cab trucks are the U.S. and Australia. And then still, the U.S. market requirement dictates completely different trucks. That makes this an interesting picture of a really talented Photoshop artist. Still chances are good that we are going to see these models on the road. As with the present model, some truck conversion companies like Netherlands-based Vlastuin retrofit Scania COEs into T-Series conventionals to meet continued customer demand. .

Freightliner Trucks Press Release / November 2, 2016 .

Heavy Duty Trucking / November 2, 2016 Peterbilt is adding the Bendix Wingman Advanced collision mitigation technology to its medium-duty Model 337 and 348 trucks. Wingman Advanced gives drivers alerts to take evasive action and will actively engage braking if the system detects an imminent collision. The technology is designed to improve safety and integrate with the Bendix ESP full stability system. “This collision mitigation technology will enhance safety for our customers operating medium-duty trucks, which are often used in congested urban areas or jobsites,” said Scott Newhouse, Peterbilt chief engineer. “It complements existing safety features, such as Bendix ESP, to help maintain vehicle stability during hard braking and assists the driver in operating safely with automation when needed.” Bendix Wingman Advanced uses a radar-based sensor to help drivers maintain a safe following distance through adaptive cruise control and to detect stationary metallic objects in darkness, fog, rain, smoke or snow. The system will alert drivers with an audible warning when a hazard is detected and will also display the warning on an in-dash module that also acts as the driver interface with the system. When cruise is on and speed is set, the adaptive cruise control feature, depending on the situation, automatically engages the throttle, engine retarder or foundation brakes to maintain a safe following distance; the collision mitigation technology activates by alerting the driver and applying the foundation brakes when the system determines a collision is imminent. Bendix Wingman Advanced is available now for order through Peterbilt dealerships. Bendix Wingman Fusion – a driver assistance safety system that includes lane departure warning, enhanced collision mitigation and in-lane object recognition – is also currently available for Peterbilt’s heavy-duty Models 579 and 567. .

OOIDA Not Throwing In ELD Towel Heavy Duty Trucking / November 2, 2016 While several trucking lobbies are applauding the court ruling that upholds a Congressional mandate to require electronic logging devices, the association that had sued to overturn the pending ELD rule has not yet given up the fight. The Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association had argued strongly in its March filing with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit that the ELD rule would violate truck drivers’ rights to privacy under the Fourth Amendment. In denying OOIDA’s petition for judicial review, the court ruled on Oct. 31 that the ELD rule is “not arbitrary or capricious, nor does it violate the Fourth Amendment” provisions against unreasonable searches and seizures. However, the court’s crystalline opinion has not convinced OOIDA that it has done all it can to quash the ELD rule. The association does have the option of appealing the appellate court's decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. “We are disappointed and strongly disagree with the court’s ruling,” OOIDA President and CEO Jim Johnston said in a statement. “Because this issue is of vital importance to our members and all small business truckers, we are reviewing our next steps to continue our challenge against this regulation.” The court decision means the final ELD rule, published last December by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, remains on track to go into effect starting on Dec. 18, 2017. The American Trucking Association (ATA), which has championed the adoption of ELDs, was cheered by the court’s decision. “ATA is pleased that the court has cleared the way for this important regulation and we look forward to its implementation," said Sean McNally, ATA spokesperson. The Truckload Carriers Association also supports the decision, which it pointed out “mirrors TCA’s own ELD policy, established by its Regulatory Policy Committee and approved by the Board of Directors in 2011.” “I can remember a time when we referred to this technology as electronic on-board recorders and opposed them,” said TCA Chairman Russell Stubbs. “However, our members, being the innovators that they are, recognized the need for such technology, tested it, adopted it, and became leaders in a field that has placed safety and compliance at the forefront. We applaud the court’s decision in helping to level the playing field and getting ELDs another step closer to being placed in every truck on our roadways.” David Heller, TCA vice president of government affairs, said that “TCA members have always been proactive in adopting technology that can aid in motor carrier compliance, so I know that the majority of them will be ahead of the curve when it comes to adopting ELD equipment. We will enjoy focusing on what’s next in trucking technology that will truly have a positive effect on motor carrier and driver safety.” TCA noted that the court’s decision does not change the rule’s exemption for pre-2000 MY trucks and that, after Dec.16, 2019, all drivers and carriers subject to the rule must use certified, registered ELDs that comply with requirements of the ELD rule. The Alliance for Driver Safety & Security (aka the Trucking Alliance) went so far as to declare that the court decision “clears the way for a new era in the freight transportation industry,” noting that the ruling “virtually assures" that all interstate freight carriers must install ELDs" and thus will provide law enforcement with "a more accurate way to verify compliance with drivers’ on-duty driving time.” The Trucking Alliance said a key aspect of the Seventh Court’s ruling was that the three-judge panel frequently cited the import it lent to Congress having mandated ELDs back in 2012, including their statement that “requiring ELDs was not left to the discretion of the agency; Congress mandated it.” Because Congress mandated ELDs “rather than relying on FMCSA to simply promulgate a rulemaking, gave this issue much more weight,” said Lane Kidd, the Alliance’s managing director. “Congress mandating ELDs will prove to be the pivotal point that changed the trucking industry for the better and [began] a new era of safety and compliance.” “ELDs, when embraced by our industry, will improve commercial highway safety,” said Reggie Dupré, president and CEO of Dupré Logistics and secretary/treasurer of the Trucking Alliance as well as a former chair of the American Trucking Associations’ Safety Policy Committee. “ELDs are another technology that assists our drivers in their effort to be safe and reduce accidents.”

Class 8 registrations declined during the first 8 months of 2016 Fleet Owner / November 2, 2016 Heavy-duty Class 8 registrations down 17.1% from January through August this year New registrations of Class 4 through 8 vehicles dropped 4.2% overall from January through August this year, with registrations of Class 8 models dropping 17.1% and Class 7 vehicles down 0.6%, according to data tracked by research company IHS. Additionally, new vehicle registrations by those fleets operating more than 500 vehicles have declined, resulting in the decline of Class 8 tractors versus the same period in 2015. “These large fleets have been in a replacement cycle for the past five years, and large fleets have accounted for more than 50% of [Class] 8 new registrations during this period,” said HIS analyst Gary Meteer, pointing out that. Freightliner leads the market for Class 4-8 vehicles with 27% of registrations during the January to August timeframe. “Some of this year’s slowing may be the result of uncertainty in the demand for goods with the general slowing of the economic growth in the most recent quarters,” he added. Based on a truck market analysis in June, there are 9.4 million commercial vehicles (Class 4-8) in operation on U.S. roads. When comparing new registrations against vehicles in operation, fleets operating more than 500 heavy vehicles show a 43% share of new registrations through August, while only representing 22% of vehicles in operation. By contrast, all other gross vehicle weight [GVW] classes experienced gains over the same timeframe last year, with recent analysis from IHS Markit indicating that the lowest volumes of vehicles registered to a business are to those in the Class 1, with just 24% share registered to a business, while nearly 96% of Class 7-8 commercial vehicles are registered to a business. “Traditionally, the larger trucks have a single purpose – for work applications – versus the smaller trucks, which are used for both personal and business needs,” Meteer emphasized. “As we work our way up the weight (GVW) scale, the business use gets larger.” While commercial vehicle new registrations are still dominated by diesel-powered engines, overall diesel share is influenced by the availability of diesel-powered engines within each GVW class. Thus the restricted availability of diesel engines in Class 4 vehicles has pulled the overall share diesel engines account for in Class 4-8 vehicles down. When looking at engine OEMs, Cummins leads the industry in share of new diesel registrations, with 38.4% of the market. Other details of the commercial vehicle analysis include: The Central and South regions of the U.S. account for 30% and 28% of the vehicles in operation respectively. Nationally, the largest vehicle population is heavy tractors at 34% of the vehicle population followed by straight trucks. Overall, Class 8 trucks account for 45% of the vehicle population nationally. The “sweet spot” for full commercial vehicle overhaul is about five to six years, and as a result, data indicates that there are less than 200,000 Class 4-8 2010 model year vehicles in operation and less than about 100,000 units, on average, of 2008-2011 model year Class 8 units in the vehicle population. Nationally, the average age of commercial vehicles (Class 4-8) on the road is 14 years, which is the highest it has been since IHS began tracking this metric. Some of the oldest vehicles on the road are Class 6 straight trucks and all buses. In Canada during the first eight months of 2016, new commercial vehicle registrations (Class 4-8) were down 8.2% from the same timeframe last year, with the largest declines in Class 8 trucks, down more than 21%. Commercial vehicle growth segments in Canada include Class 3 at 1.7%; Class 4 at 12.5%, and Class 7 with nearly 6% growth through August.

Heavy Duty Trucking / November 2, 2016 The number of commercial vehicles in GVW Classes 4-8 registered this year through August fell 4.2%, mostly due to a steep decline in Class 8 over-the-road trucks, IHS has reported. Registrations of Class 8 vehicles are 17.1% lower than a year ago, while registrations of Class 7 vocational trucks are down only 0.6%. Freightliner leads the market for Classes 4-8 with 27% of registrations from January to August. IHS has also analyzed light-duty registrations and found that Class 1 — a segment that would include compact vans and mid-size pickups — has the lowest volume of vehicles registered to a business with a 24% share. Almost 96% of vehicles in Classes 7 to 8 are registered to a business. "Traditionally, the larger trucks have a single purpose — for work applications — versus the smaller trucks, which are used for both personal and business needs," said HIS analysts Gary Meteer. "As we work our way up the weight [GVW] scale, the business use gets larger." New vehicle registrations among fleets operating more than 500 vehicles have declined, resulting in the decline of tractor-trailer trucks versus the same period in 2015. "These large fleets have been in a replacement cycle for the past five years, and large fleets have accounted for more than 50% of GVW 8 new registrations during this period," Meteer said. "Some of this year’s slowing may be the result of uncertainty in the demand for goods with the general slowing of the economic growth in the most recent quarters." When comparing new registrations against vehicles in operation, businesses with more than 500 vehicles have 43% share of new registrations, while only representing 22% of vehicles in operation. Class 6 vehicles are leading new registrations with a 54% share, while Classes 7 and 8 have the highest share (24%) of vehicles in operation. Diesel-powered engines continue to dominate newly registered commercial vehicles. Overall diesel share is influenced by the availability of diesel-powered engines within each GVW range. The restricted availability of diesel engines in GVW 4 vehicles has pulled the overall diesel engine share down. Cummins leads the industry in share of new diesel registrations with 38.4% of the market.

Here we were all expecting the first Wrightspeed electric refuse chassis to be a Volvo-Mack LR, and it turns out to be a Condor. Mack had announced that it was going to be the "first" to evaluate Wrightspeed's new technology (http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/45567-waste-concept-mack-tests-out-wrightspeed-electric-powertrain/#comment-335858). But it turns out to be a Freightliner/American LaFrance (ALF) “Condor”. Ironic, given the Mack announcement and the Condor being out of production (ALF closed its doors in 2014). (New Freightliner/ALF Condor cab still available........ http://www.trucksite.com/inventory/638-complete-freightliner-sterling-american-lafrance-condor-cab.html) Related reading: http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/38533-tesla-co-founder-electrified-about-garbage-trucks/#comment-275237 http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/39936-wrightspeed-unveils-new-turbine-range-extender-for-medium-and-heavy-duty-electric-powertrains-30-more-efficient-than-current-microturbine-generator/#comment-289053 Ian Wright is a brilliant (and humorous) engineer. .

Turbine-Electric Hybrid Trash Truck Deployed Heavy Duty Trucking / November 2, 2016 The Ratto Group, a Santa Rosa, Calif.-based refuse, yard waste and recycling collection and processing company, has announced it is deploying a turbine-electric hybrid refuse truck, the first of a fleet to be supplied by Wrightspeed Powertrains. Existing vehicles are being equipped with Wrightspeed’s Route heavy-duty powertrain, which consists of a turbine engine, generator, battery pack and electronic controls. Ratto's plans to retrofit Freightliner Condor trash-collection trucks were first described last year in a TruckingInfo.com story. "In a business that puts a premium on re-use, this represents the ultimate in recycling,” said Lou Ratto, CEO of The Ratto Group. “We're literally recycling the recycling truck. By integrating Wrightspeed's powertrains into our existing commercial fleet, we're initiating a progressive solid waste and recyclables collection strategy that will maximize the life of our vehicles, cut fuel consumption and emissions, and have a positive environmental impact on our service areas." "As an early adopter of our powertrain technology, Lou Ratto has solidified Sonoma County as a leader in pioneering new technologies that will improve and preserve the region for future generations," said Ian Wright, founder and CEO of Wrightspeed. "We're proud to collaborate with Lou and his team and to establish our powertrain technology as the economical and environmental choice for cleaner, quieter and more efficient communities." After the Nov. 2 unveiling, Ratto and Wrightspeed will roll out more than 15 Route-equipped trucks over the next 12 months. Designed to deliver economic, environmental and performance benefits in both OEM-installed new vehicles and existing fleet retrofits, the Route has been recognized by the State of California for its ability to help meet progressive climate and air quality mandates, Wright said. Wrightspeed was awarded $7 million in grants by the California Energy Commission to further develop the technology for broad-based adoption. After comments from Ratto, Wright, and Sonoma County Board Chairman Efren Carrillo, attendees watched the county's elected officials drive and ride in the first Wrightspeed-retrofitted Freightliner Condor. "Today is a milestone for Sonoma County in terms of improving local air quality and upholding environmental standards," said Carrillo. "As a government entity, we have led with innovative programs to reduce greenhouse gases." The Ratto Group said its fleet of refuse, recycling and compostable yard waste trucks services over 140,000 customers in Sonoma County, Mariposa County, the City of Novato, and West Marin. Ratto is a group of companies employing more than 300 people. It is owned by the James Ratto family, which resides in Santa Rosa. James Ratto, founder, worked his way up in the refuse business beginning as a garbage loader in San Francisco during his teen years after immigrating from Italy. .

Wrightspeed, Ratto Group introduce range-extended electric refuse truck Green Car Congress / November 2, 2016 Wrightspeed, the leading manufacturer of range-extended electric vehicle (REV) powertrains for heavy-duty applications, and The Ratto Group, a Santa Rosa, California-based refuse, yard waste and recycling collection and processing company, unveiled the first commercial application of a range-extended electric refuse truck. Ratto and Wrightspeed will roll out 15 Route-equipped trucks—retrofits of trucks in Ratto’s fleet—over the next 12 months to meet community needs. With the support of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, communities in Sonoma and surrounding counties will be serviced by a fleet of clean, quiet trucks from The Ratto Group, powered by Wrightspeed’s range-extended powertrain, The Route. (Earlier post.) Designed to deliver economic, environmental and performance benefits in both OEM-installed new vehicles and existing fleet retrofits, The Route is a scalable solution that has been recognized by The State of California for its ability to help meet progressive climate and air quality mandates. Wrightspeed was awarded $7 million in grants by the California Energy Commission to further develop the technology for broad-based adoption. In a business that puts a premium on re-use, this represents the ultimate in recycling. We’re literally recycling the recycling truck. By integrating Wrightspeed’s powertrains into our existing commercial fleet, we’re initiating a progressive solid waste and recyclables collection strategy that will maximize the life of our vehicles, cut fuel consumption and emissions, and have a positive environmental impact on our service areas. —Lou Ratto, Ratto Group COO The Wrightspeed Route is a Range-extended Electric Vehicle (REV) powertrain designed for original or retrofit applications that can be customized to fit a variety of heavy-duty platforms, replacing the engine, the transmission and the differential systems. The Route electric powertrain drives more low-end torque to the wheels than conventional diesel engines, with less fuel, less emissions, and less noise. The on-board microturbine generator, the Fulcrum, is fuel-agnostic. The Wrightspeed range-extended electric powertrain is optimized for heavy-duty frequent-stop drive cycles. Wrightspeed designed its own motor, motor controller, clutchless transmission, and vehicle dynamics software (the Wrightspeed GTD drive system), as well as the Fulcrum. The Wrightspeed GTD features a four-speed clutchless gearbox using software controls in place of heavy and complex traditional transmission components, saving on weight while delivering an exceptional range of power and speed. In June, at WasteExpo2016, Mack Trucks showcased one of its LR model refuse trucks fitted with a Route 1000 powertrain. Capable of powering vehicles weighing up to 66,000 pounds up grades as steep as 40%, the Route provides the refuse market with the power-to-weight ratio needed for collection duty cycles. (Earlier post.) Outfitted with 730 kW regenerative braking power, as well as an 80 kW Fulcrum, the powertrain kit gives the vehicles unlimited range with refueling. The company’s patented Geared Traction Drive (GTD) digitally drives each rear wheel of the vehicle, providing the slip control needed to operate in tough road conditions. The Ratto Group’s fleet of refuse, recycling and compostable yard waste trucks services over 140,000 customers in Sonoma County, Mariposa County, the City of Novato, and West Marin. .

Wrightspeed, Ratto Group Launch Electric Refuse Truck Waste 360 / November 2, 2016 The Route is the first commercial application of a range-extended electric refuse truck. Wrightspeed and The Ratto Group unveiled The Route, the first commercial application of a range-extended electric refuse truck, at a press conference in Sonoma County, Calif., yesterday. With The Route and backing of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, communities throughout Sonoma County and neighboring counties will be serviced by a clean and quiet fleet of trucks. “[The unveiling] is a milestone for Sonoma County in terms of improving local air quality and upholding environmental standards,” said Sonoma County Chairman of the Board Efren Carrillo in a press release. “As a government entity, we have led with innovative programs to reduce greenhouse gases, such as the Sonoma County Energy Independence Program, Sonoma Clean Power and Evergreen, a nationally recognized Green Fleet, the Water Agency’s Carbon Free Water program and our Regional Climate Protection Authority. Sonoma County citizens have shown their high interest and support for innovative solutions that benefit our greenhouse gas reduction goals. We applaud Wrightspeed and The Ratto Group for their commitment to innovation and for blazing a path for the future of solid and compostable waste, as well as recycling in Sonoma County and beyond.” The Route, which has been recognized by the State of California for its ability to help meet progressive climate and air-quality mandates, is designed to deliver economic, environmental and performance benefits in both OEM-installed new vehicles and existing fleet retrofits. “As an early adopter of our powertrain technology, Lou Ratto has solidified Sonoma County as a leader in pioneering new technologies that will improve and preserve the region for future generations,” said Wrightspeed Founder and CEO Ian Wright in a press release. “We’re proud to collaborate with Lou and his team and to establish our powertrain technology as the economical and environmental choice for cleaner, quieter and more efficient communities. Currently, Ratto’s fleet of refuse, recycling and compostable yard waste trucks services more than 140,000 customers throughout Sonoma County, Mariposa County, the City of Novato and West Marlin. And to meet community needs, Ratto and Wrightspeed are rolling out more than 15 Route trucks over the next 12 months. “In a business that puts a premium on reuse, this represents the ultimate in recycling. We’re literally recycling the recycling truck,” said The Ratto Group Chief Operating Officer Lou Ratto in a press release. “By integrating Wrightspeed’s powertrains into our existing commercial fleet, we’re initiating a progressive solid waste and recyclables collection strategy that will maximize the life of our vehicles, cut fuel consumption and emissions and have a positive environmental impact on our service areas.” Additionally, Wrightspeed was awarded $7 million in grants by the California Energy Commission to further develop technology for broad-based adaption of The Route. .

And the serviceable 1RY torque rods don't supercede to a non-serviceable torque rod, per the current Volvo Group Mack brand parts system. Euclid..............https://www.meritorpartsonline.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?urlRequestType=Base&catalogId=10051&categoryId=56021&pageView=detailed&urlLangId=-1&beginIndex=0&langId=-1&top_category=10001&parent_category_rn=10397&storeId=10154 Something like the TR20005, TR20009 or TR21014? ..................http://www.atrobushing.com/category/truck-torque-rod/

Secret Recordings Fueled FBI Feud in Clinton Probe The Wall Street Journal / November 2, 2016 Agents thought they had enough material to merit aggressively pursuing investigation into Clinton Foundation Secret recordings of a suspect talking about the Clinton Foundation fueled an internal battle between FBI agents who wanted to pursue the case and corruption prosecutors who viewed the statements as worthless hearsay. Agents, using informants and recordings from unrelated corruption investigations, thought they had found enough material to merit aggressively pursuing the investigation into the foundation that started in summer 2015 based on claims made in a book by a conservative author called “Clinton Cash: The Untold Story of How and Why Foreign Governments and Businesses Helped Make Bill and Hillary Rich.” The account of the case and resulting dispute comes from interviews with officials at multiple agencies. Starting in February and continuing today, investigators from the FBI and public-corruption prosecutors became increasingly frustrated with each other. At the center of the tension stood the U.S. attorney for Brooklyn, Robert Capers, who some at the FBI came to view as exacerbating the problems by telling each side what it wanted to hear. The roots of the dispute lie in a disagreement over the strength of the case, which broadly centered on whether Clinton Foundation contributors received favorable treatment from the State Department under Hillary Clinton. Senior officials in the Justice Department and the FBI didn’t think much of the evidence, while investigators believed they had promising leads their bosses wouldn’t let them pursue. These details on the probe are emerging amid the continuing furor surrounding FBI Director James Comey’s disclosure to Congress that new emails had emerged that could be relevant to a separate, previously closed FBI investigation of Mrs. Clinton’s email arrangement while she was secretary of state. Amid the internal finger-pointing on the Clinton Foundation matter, some have blamed the FBI’s No. 2 official, deputy director Andrew McCabe, claiming he sought to stop agents from pursuing the case this summer. His defenders deny that, and say it was the Justice Department that kept pushing back on the investigation. At times, people on both sides of the dispute thought Mr. Capers agreed with them. Defenders of Mr. Capers said he was straightforward and always told people he thought the case wasn’t strong. Much of the skepticism toward the case came from how it started—with the publication of a book suggesting possible financial misconduct and self-dealing surrounding the Clinton charity. The author of that book, Peter Schweizer—a former speechwriting consultant for President George W. Bush—was interviewed multiple times by FBI agents. Mr. Schweizer said in an interview that the book was never meant to be a legal document, but set out to describe “patterns of financial transactions that circled around decisions Hillary Clinton was making as secretary of state.” As 2015 came to a close, the FBI and Justice Department had a general understanding that neither side would take major action on Clinton Foundation matters without meeting and discussing it first. In February, a meeting was held in Washington among FBI officials, public-integrity prosecutors and Leslie Caldwell, the head of the Justice Department’s criminal division. Prosecutors from the Eastern District of New York—Mr. Capers’ office—didn’t attend. The public-integrity prosecutors weren’t impressed with the FBI presentation. “The message was, ‘We’re done here.’ ” Justice Department officials became increasingly frustrated that the FBI agents seemed to be disregarding or disobeying their instructions. Following the February meeting, officials at Justice Department headquarters sent a message to all the FBI offices involved to “stand down.’ Within the FBI, some felt they had moved well beyond the allegations made in the anti-Clinton book. At least two confidential informants from other public-corruption investigations had provided details about the Clinton Foundation to the FBI. The FBI had secretly recorded conversations of a suspect in a public-corruption case talking about alleged deals the Clintons made. The agents listening to the recordings couldn’t tell from the conversations if what the suspect was describing was accurate, but it was, they thought, worth checking out. Prosecutors thought the talk was hearsay and a weak basis to warrant aggressive tactics, like presenting evidence to a grand jury, because the person who was secretly recorded wasn’t inside the Clinton Foundation. FBI investigators grew increasingly frustrated with resistance from the corruption prosecutors, and some executives at the bureau itself, to keep pursuing the case. As prosecutors rebuffed their requests to proceed more overtly, those Justice Department officials became more annoyed that the investigators didn’t seem to understand or care about the instructions issued by their own bosses and prosecutors to act discreetly. In subsequent conversations with the Justice Department, Mr. Capers told officials in Washington that the FBI agents on the case “won’t let it go.” As a result of those complaints, a senior Justice Department official [Attorney General Loretta Lynch?] called the FBI deputy director, Mr. McCabe, on Aug. 12 to say the agents in New York seemed to be disregarding or disobeying their instructions. The conversation was a tense one, and at one point Mr. McCabe asked, “Are you telling me that I need to shut down a validly predicated investigation?’’ The senior Justice Department official replied: ”Of course not.”

Fed flags US rate rise as early as December The Financial Times / November 2, 2016 Central bank keeps benchmark unchanged days before presidential election The Federal Reserve signalled that an increase in short-term interest rates is in prospect as soon as its next meeting amid a pick-up in inflation, even as it held rates unchanged on Wednesday. The US central bank kept the target range for its benchmark rate at 0.25 per cent to 0.5 per cent as it avoided stirring up markets just days ahead of the presidential election. But in its post-meeting statement, the central bank reiterated that the case for a rise has “continued to strengthen”, adding that it was now just waiting for “some” further evidence of progress before pulling the trigger. The Fed’s next meeting — its final of the year — is on December 13-14. US stocks extended their losses after the Fed announcement while US Treasuries were little changed. The Fed dropped previous language that predicted inflation would stay low in the near term, saying that it expects a pick-up of price growth after the inflation rate increased somewhat since earlier this year. The Fed has now held rates steady for seven straight meetings as political uncertainty and mixed economic data stay policymakers’ hands. However, a growing contingent of policymakers has been agitating for a second rate increase since December’s rise, fretting that the central bank risks allowing the economy to get too hot and subsequently being forced to tighten more aggressively. By saying in its new statement that it only needed “some” further evidence before lifting rates, the Fed signalled that it was getting closer to lifting. Two members of the Federal Open Market Committee dissented in favour of an immediate increase — regional Fed presidents Esther George of Kansas City and Loretta Mester of Cleveland. Eric Rosengren, who had dissented at the Fed’s last meeting, fell in line with the rest of the committee in opting to hold fire. Traders have long seen a move on Wednesday as unlikely, as they assumed the US central bank will not risk roiling global markets with an unexpected rate increase less than a week ahead of the presidential election. But economic data leading up to this week’s meeting have been solid, with Gross Domestic Product growing at an annualised 2.9 per cent pace in the third quarter and monthly payroll employment growth averaging 178,000 so far this year. Janet Yellen, the Fed chair, argued in September that the labour market recovery had further room to run as she justified the central bank’s decision not to tighten policy, but she suggested a move was not a long way off. Even if the Fed does lift rates in December, it would still represent a glacial pace of tightening compared with previous recoveries. In December of last year policymakers were predicting four upward moves in 2016. Markets now expect a single, quarter-point rise in December. According to CME Group data before Wednesday’s decision, traders were putting the chances of a December increase at just under 70 per cent. A key risk ahead is the US election. If Donald Trump were to win next week, academic research suggests the victory could trigger a sell-off in financial markets. That would create fresh uncertainty as to the timing of the Fed’s next move.

The Guardian / November 2, 2016 Tablet that ‘switches off’ production of toxic amyloid proteins could be first treatment licensed in a decade if it is also shown to slow mental decline An Alzheimer’s drug has been shown to successfully target the most visible sign of the disease in the brain, raising hopes that an effective treatment could be finally within reach. A small trial of the drug was primarily aimed at assessing safety, but the findings suggest it effectively “switched off” the production of toxic amyloid proteins that lead to the sticky plaques seen in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. If the tablet, produced by pharmaceutical giant Merck, is also shown to slow the pace of mental decline – a crucial question that a major clinical trial should answer when it reports next year – it could be the first treatment for Alzheimer’s to be licensed in more than a decade. Prof John Hardy, a neuroscientist at UCL who first proposed that amyloid proteins play a central role in Alzheimer’s disease, welcomed the results. “People are excited,” he said. “This is a very nice drug and I’m sure Merck are feeling very pleased with themselves.” Matt Kennedy, who led the trial at Merck, said: “Today there are very limited therapeutic options available for people with Alzheimer’s disease, and those that exist provide only short-term improvement to the cognitive and functional symptoms. They do not directly target the underlying disease processes. There is an urgent need for [these].” How BACE1 blocking drug could reduce toxic proteins in Alzheimer's patients The new therapy is designed to do this by halting the steady production of amyloid-beta proteins, which are known to clump together in sticky plaques in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. A leading theory of Alzheimer’s is that the accumulating proteins kill off healthy neurons, eventually leading to memory loss, cognitive decline and changes to personality. Kennedy said it was too early to predict when a drug might reach the market if the next step is successful. “We are eagerly awaiting the results of the phase three clinical trials,” he said. “It is premature to speculate on availability.” In the trial, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine on Wednesday, 32 patients with early stage Alzheimer’s disease were given the drug, called verubecestat, daily for seven days. Healthy volunteers were also given the drug for up to two weeks. This was not long enough to show visible changes to the accumulation of plaques in the brain, by MRI scans for instance. However, samples taken from the fluid surrounding the brain showed the drug had reduced the levels of two compounds that are known to be the building blocks for abnormal amyloid proteins. Hardy said that the changes to the biomarkers convince him that the drug is successfully targeting the buildup of plaques in the brain. The real remaining uncertainty, he said, was whether this would convert into cognitive benefits for patients. “What we have to be worried about is that the plaques have set off other pathologies - that it is too late,” he said. The drug works by blocking a brain enzyme called BACE1, which fuels the production of two small molecules that link together to form amyloids. Mutations in genes related to BACE1 have been found in people who appear to be protected against Alzheimer’s disease. There have been previous attempts to develop drugs that inhibit BACE1, but these have mostly failed due to unacceptable side-effects, such as liver toxicity and eye problems. The Merck drug appears to have very few side-effects and it will be the first of its kind to make it into a large efficacy trial. The company is running two phase three trials, in 1,500 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s and in another 2,000 patients in the earliest stage of the disease. The results of the first of these are due to be reported in July 2017. There are 850,000 people with dementia in Britain, and this figure is expected to reach one million by 2025. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of the condition. Rosa Sancho, head of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, welcomed the findings, adding that the Merck drug is one of several that are heading into the final stages of clinical testing. “There is a wave of potential new treatments currently being tested for dementia, with the results of these studies hotly anticipated over the course of the coming months and years,” she said. Competing drugs include one developed by the biotech firm Biogen, which reported promising results in August and which also targets the plaques. The Biogen drug aims to sweep the proteins away once they appear rather than halting the production of proteins in the first place, however. “With us, it’s a question of switching off the tap. With them it’s mopping up the water,” said Ian McConnell, a spokesman for Merck. Hardy suggested that Merck’s drug is likely to be far cheaper and easier to produce than the Biogen therapy, which involves injecting patients with antibodies.

Malaysia to buy navy vessels from China in blow to U.S. Bloomberg / November 2, 2016 Malaysia said it will buy at least four littoral naval Ships from China, as Prime Minister Najib Razak announced “new steps” in military cooperation between the two countries. A key security partner of the U.S., Malaysia undertook its first bilateral military exercise with China two years ago amid increasing uncertainty over Beijing’s territorial ambitions in the South China Sea. China’s claims to more than 80 percent of the waters that host around $5 trillion of trade a year were rebuffed by an international court in July. China has been Malaysia’s largest trading partner since 2009, with two-way trade last year valued at $86.3 billion. Nearly two years since Najib enjoyed a cozy round of golf with U.S. President Barack Obama, the two leaders’ close relationship was shaken in July by a U.S. Justice Department bid to seize $1 billion linked to alleged money laundering involving a Malaysian state fund known as 1MDB. The lawsuits allege over $3.5 billion was misappropriated from 1MDB, some of which ended up with a 'Malaysian Official 1,' identified later by U.S. and Malaysian authorities as Najib. Najib said that former colonial powers should not lecture nations they once exploited on their internal affairs, in a veiled attack on the West as he looks to strengthen ties with China. His visit to Beijing follows that of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who announced a "separation" from the United States and signed a raft of memoranda of understanding for Chinese investment in the country. Najib said that larger countries should treat smaller countries fairly. "And this includes former colonial powers. It is not for them to lecture countries they once exploited on how to conduct their own internal affairs today," Najib said. "The truth is we could have bought these from a number of countries. But China is the only country that has provided political support for Malaysia during the 1MDB scandal. This is payback for that political support," said Najib.

Leaked emails reveal cast of Clinton’s courtiers The Financial Times / November 2, 2016 Correspondence offers clues to who might be in — and out — of a Democratic White House A stream of leaked campaign emails and a new FBI probe into Hillary Clinton’s private server have brought the 2016 presidential campaign to a virtual tie in some polls just one week before the election. Those emails, released by WikiLeaks, expose a cast of acolytes scrambling to head off damaging political fallout for the Democratic candidate while vying for influence inside the sprawling Clinton world. So who are these Clinton courtiers and what role would they play in any Democratic White House? Huma Abedin: the protector For years, political observers have wondered what role Huma Abedin, Mrs Clinton’s longtime aide, actually plays in her world, and whether she could be a candidate for chief-of-staff should Mrs Clinton be elected. Now, thanks to the hacked emails, as well as emails released from Mrs Clinton’s private email server, they have their answer. A near constant fixture by Mrs Clinton’s side, Ms Abedin plays the role of the Democratic nominee’s back-office, managing requests and acting as her first protector while staying out of the way of policy decisions. The renewed scrutiny of Ms Abedin and her estranged husband that has come on the back of the new FBI probe does not help her chances of becoming chief of staff though. While some aides are at times willing to criticise Mrs Clinton, Ms Abedin appears not to be one of them. When others advised that Bill Clinton should cancel a paid speech scheduled around the time that Mrs Clinton was to announce her presidential bid, Ms Abedin said she would tell Mrs Clinton that it was her husband’s decision to pull out, shielding her from the fact her former aides were going behind her back. “HRC very strongly did not want him to cancel that particular speech,” Ms Abedin, wrote, using Mrs Clinton’s initials. “I will have to tell her that [former president Clinton] chose to cancel it, not that we asked.” John Podesta: the realist The unwitting star of his own hacked emails, Mrs Clinton’s campaign chairman comes off much the way he does in the political arena: a dry-witted and no-drama political veteran with little motive to climb any higher in the Clinton world — or grab any more of the spotlight. In a universe dominated equally by sycophants and back-stabbers, Mr Podesta appears frank and realistic about Mrs Clinton’s flaws as a candidate, while remaining loyal to her. When there was talk of Mrs Clinton not taking any questions from the press duriing the summer of 2015 — the time when news of her private email server broke — Mr Podesta pushed back. “If she thinks we can get to Labor Day without taking press questions, I think that’s suicidal. We have to find some mechanism to let the steam out of the pressure cooker,” he wrote. Donald Trump has said he would dismiss Mr Podesta for the content of the emails if he were his own chief of staff. “I would say: John, you’re fired!’” Mr Trump told a rally on Tuesday night. Mrs Clinton, meanwhile, is reportedly looking to keep Mr Podesta on as White House chief of staff if elected, a job Mr Podesta also performed for her husband. Neera Tanden: the truth teller One of Mrs Clinton’s longtime policy advisers, Neera Tanden has long been a public surrogate and defender of Mrs Clinton on panels and television programmes. In the hacked emails, however, a starkly different profile of Ms Tanden emerges, as one of the few people in the Clinton world calling the candidate and her campaign the way she sees it, in the most blunt and biting terms. In one email, Ms Tanden suggested that the person who had come up with the idea for Mrs Clinton’s private email server should be “drawn and quartered”. In another, she declared that Mrs Clinton’s inability to apologise was “her Achilles heel”. When Mr Podesta suggested that it might have been Cheryl Mills, Mrs Clinton’s former chief of staff, who had greenlighted the private server idea, Ms Tanden responded: “I’m reading [Hilary Mantel’s] Wolf Hall. There is something to be said for the power of torture,” she deadpanned. While her emails make for fun reading, they may hurt Ms Tanden’s chances at securing a senior position in a Clinton White House. Robby Mook: the rising star Mrs Clinton’s campaign manager, Mr Mook, 36, is one of the youngest players in the Clinton world — but is also largely seen as one of its best additions and a reason that Mrs Clinton has fared better in the 2016 race than she did in the 2008 primary. Like Mr Podesta, Mr Mook is seen as low-drama and a voice of reason, something that comes out in Mr Podesta’s hacked emails. It was Mr Mook who pushed for Mr Clinton to cancel a paid Wall Street speech right before the campaign’s roll out and who initially argued that Mrs Clinton should not take any donations from people who worked as lobbyists for foreign governments. (He eventually relented when others on the campaign pushed back.) Like Ms Tanden, Mr Mook also had issues with Ms Mills, particularly when Ms Mills launched a cryptic internal investigation of the Clinton campaign. “What she is doing isn’t improving anything. It is secretly going around a transparent system we all agreed upon,” he complained to Mr Podesta. “…The secret shit has to stop.” Philippe Reines: the backroom guy A former senior adviser to Mrs Clinton while she was at the state department, Philippe Reines has not taken on an official position during her 2016 campaign. However, he continues to play an important role behind the scenes. In Mrs Clinton’s debate preparations, Mr Reines has played the role of Mr Trump and in recent days he has travelled with Mrs Clinton while Ms Abedin has stayed behind in the wake of the new FBI investigation. It was Mr Reines’ idea that Mrs Clinton’s team launch something called “Transparency Day”, one email shows. Yet in another email, Ms Tanden warned that Mr Reines was “going off the rails”, pointing to a drawn-out exchange he had entered into with Gawker, the now defunct media outlet. Donna Brazile: the casualty The former campaign manager for Al Gore in 2000, Donna Brazile has been one of the hardest hit by the release of the hacked Podesta emails. In October, Ms Brazile resigned from CNN, where she had served as one of the network’s political commentators, after it emerged that she had shared information with the Clinton campaign ahead of a CNN Democratic primary debate. “One of the questions directed to HRC tomorrow is from a woman with a rash,” Ms Brazile wrote to Clinton aides in March. “Her family has lead poison and she will ask what, if anything, will Hillary do as president to help the [people] of Flint.” CNN has severed ties with Ms Brazile, but she remains the interim head of the Democratic National Committee after former chairwoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz resigned because she too was perceived as being too close to the Clinton campaign, something that emerged in a different set of hacked emails. .

RT / November 2, 2016 The US will have to negotiate with Russia on finding solutions to international issues as no state is now able to act alone, the Russian foreign minister said, adding that problems in bilateral relations began to mount long before the Ukrainian crisis broke out in 2014. The international community should not play by Washington’s rules despite the US being a great power, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday, referring to a recent statement by President Vladimir Putin. “Two or three months ago US President Barack Obama said it is they who set the rules,” Lavrov said. “If our American partners think so, they will go through quite painful periods of realizing [the fact] that no one in this world could act alone any longer,” he added. Both Washington and Moscow are destined “to negotiate anyway,” the foreign minister said, adding “the sooner it happens, the better.” US-Russia relations are now at their lowest point since the Cold War. Lavrov added that, contrary to widespread opinion, the problems did not surface overnight, but rather began long before the 2014 ‘Euromaidan’ coup in Ukraine that toppled the elected president, Viktor Yanukovich. “[The problems] emerged when the US saw … President Putin restoring independence in our foreign policy,” Lavrov said. The Russian president’s course, Lavrov emphasized, implies taking into consideration partners’ interests but “not lining up after a leader who is confident of his exceptionalism.”

Reuters / November 2, 2016 Volkswagen's supervisory board will hold an extraordinary meeting on Friday, Nov. 4, to consult on a wide-ranging restructuring of the carmaker. Management and labour leaders are seeking to agree on cost cuts and investments that will form part of the German carmaker's efforts to revive its fortunes more than a year after the diesel emissions scandal broke. Two weeks before the supervisory board is scheduled to ratify spending plans for the multi-brand group through 2021, the sheer number of issues facing the 20-member panel on Nov. 18 made the extraordinary meeting necessary. Europe's largest carmaker is under pressure to make cuts at high-cost operations in Germany to help to pay for a shift to electric cars and autonomous driving while still dealing with billions of euros in costs for the emissions scandal. Herbert Diess, head of Volkswagen's (VW) namesake brand, wants to cut annual costs at the troubled division by 3.7 billion euros ($4.11 billion) through 2021 in a so-called future pact with workers [Merely scratching the surface]. But VW's powerful works council* [union], whose members occupy almost half the seats on the supervisory board, have said they will support cut backs without a commitment from management to fixed targets and quotas for products, output and investment. [In today’s auto world, nothing can be “fixed”......every new day is evolving]. When announcing VW's post-dieselgate transformation plan in June, Chief Executive Matthias Mueller said the overhaul would require a double-digit billion amount of investment, funded by an efficiency drive aimed at delivering around 8 billion euros in annual savings. VW's two profit engines Audi and Porsche, will be under particular pressure to cut costs. * VW Group is the most inefficient "car" manufacturer in the world, all due to Germany's social welfare policies and its co-determination act of 1976 (Mitbestimmungsgesetz) which requires that half the seats on a company's board be held by Works Council (union) members (companies with over 2,000 employees).

Philippines' Duterte rails at U.S. 'monkeys' for halting gun sale Reuters / November 2, 2016 Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte chided the United States on Wednesday for halting the planned sale of 26,000 rifles to his country. U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said he regarded Duterte's latest salvo as "inexplicably at odds with the close relationship that we continue to have with not just the Filipino people, but the Filipino government." The State Department halted the sale of the assault rifles to the Philippine police after staff from U.S. Senator Ben Cardin's office said he would oppose it. Aides said Cardin, the top Democrat on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was reluctant for the United States to provide the weapons given concern about human rights violations in the Philippines during Duterte's bloody, four-month-old war on drugs. "Look at these monkeys, the 26,000 firearms we wanted to buy, they don't want to sell," Duterte said. "Son of a bitch, we have many homemade guns here. These American fools." "They're blackmailing me that they won't sell weapons? We have lots of explosives here," Duterte said. " remember what the Russian diplomat said: Come to Russia, we all have here anything you need." More than 2,300 people [drug dealers and buyers] have been killed in police operations or by suspected vigilantes as part of Duterte's anti-narcotics effort, which was the linchpin of his election campaign. Duterte has vented his anger at the United States for raising concerns about the extrajudicial killings. "That's why I was rude at them, because they were rude at me," he said. The Philippine police chief, Ronald dela Rosa, said if the arms sale does not go ahead, "We have many options and it's their loss, not ours, if the report is true." Duterte reiterated that Russia and China had shown willingness to sell arms to the Philippines. "Russia, they are inviting us. China also. China is open, anything you want, they sent me brochure saying we select there, we'll give you.”