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Trump, trucking, and the outlook for 2017 Sean Kilcarr, Fleet Owner / December 6, 2016 Lots of change may be on the menu for trucking in 2017 as economic trends and federal policy efforts could make further alterations to the U.S. freight market – everything from canceling regulations to the adoption of new strategies for meeting customer demands. “When you move 70% of the nation’s domestic freight there are few issues out there that we are not a part of either directly or indirectly,” Chris Spear, president and CEO of the American Trucking Associations (ATA) trade group, explained in a recent phone interview with me. “Tax reform, trade, and infrastructure: we have a role to play in all of those issues.” For starters, he noted that the 10-year $1 trillion infrastructure proposal put on the table by President-elect Trump could be a big positive for the industry in a number of ways. “Infrastructure is our industry’s lifeblood: We need good infrastructure and getting such a package passed is key right out of the gate,” Spear said. “At least as proposed, that package will likely be tied to tax reform.” Trade is another really pivotal issue in Spear’s view, as over 76% of NAFTA surface trade is carried by trucks. “Again, we have to help shape whatever trade proposals will look like,” he noted. When it comes to regulation, though, you can boil Spear’s view down to two words: “it depends.” “We’re not afraid of regulations – we’re a very heavily regulated industry. But what we want are good, clear regulations that we can comply with without undue burden and a measurable return,” he explained. “Look at the Phase 2 greenhouse gas [GHG] rules: they will define future efficiency for our industry and offer a measurable return for our investments. This is a win-win for us and the environment,” Spear said. “But where regulations don’t work, we’ll oppose them. For example, the speed limiter rule we will oppose [because] it’s completely flawed approach.” In the end, he stressed, it “all really comes down to good give and take between industry and the regulators.” Sandeep Kar, global vice president for mobility at Frost & Sullivan, added that few industries will face the impact — whether net positive or negative — of a Trump presidency as strongly as trucking, which is a leading indicator of economic activity and typically feels the effects of economic swings and fluctuations well before many other industries or sectors. “While the effect of Trump administration’s legislative actions will be experienced primarily by the U.S. commercial vehicle industry, global market participants and markets will have much to note and consider,” he noted in a recent report. “Most presidential transitions include reasonable certainties regarding upcoming policy priorities and changes that enable nations, markets, and industries to prepare for their impact,” Kar said. “Over the past several decades, proposed policy changes generally have had narrow boundaries. This time it is different, and it is going to be more different for trucking than ever before.” He added that Trump’s publicly stated stand on lowering corporate taxes will definitely have cascading effects on all aspects of U.S. and global industries. “Lower corporate taxes would likely result in businesses considering either establishing or reshoring US operations,” Kar explained. “While on the surface this would appear to be great news for the U.S. trucking industry, it may not be as great for either U.S. or global truck manufacturers and suppliers. Lower corporate taxes will most likely drive service-based businesses to the U.S., which would be of less benefit to freight movement than a move of manufacturing operations.” Another concern: Labor costs could spike as lower corporate taxes could drive inflation, resulting in wage hikes which would render the incentive of lower taxes much less effective. Moreover, Kar thinks the U.S. and many other economies are still “unstable,” with many nations skating dangerously close to “recessionary boundaries.” Thus economic and trade policy changes could induce short-term recessionary spasms before a clearer and stable picture emerges, he said. Where trade is concerned, modifications or rejections of trade treaties such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) or the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) could adversely impact U.S. truck OEMs and their suppliers as many manufacture and/or source materials from Mexico. However, there may be a “silver lining” from that as well, Kar emphasized. “Several Asian OEMs in recent years have secured strong positions in light- and medium-duty truck markets [and] new trade policies could hurt them, forcing more U.S. localization and higher taxation for market access — both of which will favor U.S.-based OEMs,” he explained. Another positive: expedited infrastructure refurbishment and/or enhancement projects and public-private partnerships focused on improving U.S. highways and freight movement infrastructure could have a net positive impact on freight and vehicle efficiencies, route congestion, and sales of off-highway vehicles if the administration implements many such projects immediately. “[But] this could prove difficult because funding [needs] could trigger higher taxes – and Trump has stated his opposition to increase the deficit to pay for his infrastructure plans,” Kar noted. Roei Ganzarski, a former Boeing executive and now CEO of BoldIQ, which provides optimization software for asset scheduling, added another economic twist to trucking’s outlook where the economy is concerned: the rise of “demand-driven” freight transportation service. “Consumers or customers want to get what they want, at the time and place they want it, and only want to ask for it [delivery service] when they are ready to ask and not before,” he explained to me recently. “Thus the transportation operator must be ‘demand-driven’ in order to serve such on-demand needs in an efficient manner that enables scale, growth, and profitability.” That “on-demand economy” is also shortening planning cycles and significantly shortening decision making time frames. “This means the need for intelligent, data driven, and real-time decision making is critical,” especially in trucking, Ganzarski said. He added that this “demand-driven” view assumes that trucking companies and other freight service providers have finite resources to do their work. “This must be viewed differently from the so-called ‘sharing economy’ where an operation will use someone else’s resources because they are so inefficient, they have spare time or capacity on their resources,” Ganzarski pointed out. That will lead to more consolidation and even elimination of some transport companies that cannot adapt fast enough to the change, he said. I’ll tell you one thing: all of that adds up to what will no doubt be a very busy 2017 for motor carriers, on a whole range of fronts. Better load up on the coffee!

FlowBelow signs up Swift Sean Kilcarr, Fleet Owner / December 6, 2016 Swift Transportation plans to begin equipping FlowBelow Aero Inc.’s Tractor AeroKit tandem axle aerodynamics package on its company trucks, with the initial deployment of the kits through 2017 expected to account for approximately 40% of the TL carrier’s company trucks. “Over the years we have refined the specs of our trucks and trailers to optimize the air flowing around the vehicle and reduce drag as much as possible,” noted Bert Kinsel, Swift’s vice president of heavy equipment procurement, in a statement. Swift maintains a fleet of more than 18,000 trucks and 60,000 trailers – operated by 16,000 company drivers and 5,000 owner-operators – along with a network of more than 40 full-service terminals across the continental U.S., Mexico, and Canada. “Many aerodynamic products for trailers exist today, and we certainly utilize those that work well for us,” he said. “But because we operate over three trailers for every one truck in the fleet, meaning that our trailers are utilized approximately one-third as much as the tractors, the return on an investment for a trailer-mounted technology can take a lot longer than a comparable technology installed on one of our trucks.” Kinsel emphasized that because FlowBelow’s system only needs to be installed on tractors, “it makes an impact on every mile we drive.” Swift first began testing FlowBelow’s Tractor AeroKit in 2014 and after completing initial SAE fuel efficiency tests against a control vehicle, it deployed 100 of those kits into its fleet for nine more months of testing before deciding to install them fleet wide. Citing multiple third party tests, FlowBelow claims the Tractor AeroKit is verified to provide up to a 2.23% fuel savings. Josh Butler, FlowBelow’s CEO, told Fleet Owner that when motor carriers the size of Swift begin installing such aerodynamic devices fleet-wide, “it’s a big deal because it represents big change in the industry.” He added that, “it’s a sign of a bigger shift. They are a very sophisticated operator that conducted significant control tests – 100 trucks for nearly a year. Not many fleets can invest in that kind of testing.” And while Swift isn’t the first fleet to adopt FlowBelow’s AeroKit, their sheer size “helps set the direction to where the industry goes” in terms of installing tractor aerodynamic devices, Butler noted. “Fleets are still going to test our product – they want to make sure the [fuel] savings are there,” he added. “But this [Swift’s adoption] is a big milestone for us.” .

Transport Topics / December 6, 2016 Truckload carrier Swift Transportation Co. will begin deploying thousands of FlowBelow Aero Inc.'s Tractor AeroKit systems in its fleet. The initial large-scale deployment of the Tractor AeroKit through 2017 is expected to account for about 40% of Swift’s company trucks. Swift ranks No. 6 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest U.S. and Canadian for-hire carriers. The carrier operates 18,000 trucks and logs more than a billion miles per year. Swift began evaluating the technology in 2014 and deployed an initial 100 systems for nine months. “Many aerodynamic products for trailers exist today, and we certainly utilize those that work well for us," said Bert Kinsel, Swift vice president of heavy equipment procurement. "But because we operate over three trailers for every one truck in the fleet, meaning that our trailers are utilized approximately one-third as much as the tractors, the return on an investment for a trailer-mounted technology can take a lot longer than a comparable technology installed on one of our trucks." FlowBelow’s system only needs to be installed on the tractor, Kinsel said. “The best thing about it is that it makes an impact on every mile we drive.” The Tractor AeroKit reduces aerodynamic turbulence and drag around the rotating wheels of the truck, Austin, Texas-based FlowBelow said. The system includes four quick-release wheel covers as well as four fairings placed between and behind the drive wheels of the truck. The system is effective at reducing drag for trucks traveling faster than 40 mph. Lower drag means less horsepower is required to move the vehicle, which results in improved fuel efficiency. Citing multiple third-party tests, FlowBelow said its Tractor AeroKit is verified to provide up to a 2.23% fuel savings. “It is truly amazing when you consider how much fuel is consumed by trucks today,” says FlowBelow CEO Josh Butler. “A countless number of engineers and entrepreneurs are working tirelessly to bring new ideas into practice in order to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions from heavy vehicles." .

Reuters / December 6, 2016 Ford is stockpiling 2017 model F-150 trucks, delaying delivery to dealers while it runs final tests on a new 10-speed transmission. The trucks should be delivered by the end of the year, Joe Hinrichs, head of Ford's automotive operations in the Americas said in an interview on Monday. "We are launching the new Raptor and F-150 with the new 10-speed transmission," Hinrichs said. “We continued building but we’re holding (trucks) longer so we could do more testing and make sure everything is right before we release them,” Hinrichs said. Extra testing is surely prudent in an industry plagued by frequent and costly automotive safety recalls. But Ford's shipping delays come as rival General Motors is aggressively trying to cut into Ford's lead in U.S. pickup sales. Taking aim at the "Built Ford Tough" ad campaign, as part of a bid dominate the lucrative light truck and sport utility vehicle market, GM rolled out a series of hard-hitting TV commercials over the summer. Punching holes, literally, in the lightweight aluminum beds featured in Ford's new line of pickups, the ads tout the alleged advantages of the roll-formed, high-strength steel beds in GM's trucks. The Ford F-series line of pickups has been the best-selling model line in the United States for 34 years, and Hinrichs predicted 2016 will make it 35 years in a row. Ford refused to say how many F-150 pickups it is holding. But several hundred vehicles were stored earlier this week behind a chain link fence on an empty factory parking lot in Detroit. More were parked on Tuesday near the Detroit-Wayne County airport. Many were well-equipped Limited or Platinum models with sticker prices above $50,000. Ford designed the 10-speed transmission jointly with GM. The 2017 model F-150s equipped with a 3.5 liter six-cylinder engine and the 10-speed automatic gearbox get a one mile per gallon improvement in fuel economy over comparable 2016 models with six-speed transmissions. Ford remains the leader in large, light duty pickups with 733,287 F-series trucks sold on the U.S. market through the end of November. However, Ford in October said it would cut a week of production at a Kansas City assembly plant that builds F-150s. GM has sold 718,994 of its large pickups during the same 11 months. GM said in November it had increased inventory on U.S. dealer lots by 111,000 vehicles at the end of the third quarter. GM, Ford and other major automakers in the United States are promoting holiday-themed discounts and financing deals to clear out inventory by the end of the year. December is a critical month for truck sales, said Pete DeLongchamps, vice president of manufacturer relations with Group 1 Automotive, a Houston auto retail chain. "I expect them to be aggressive."

Bob, no-nonsense Dwight D. Eisenhower aside, politicians have long acted as though they are specially gifted, that only they can manage/steer the country. They say the common people can’t see/understand the “big picture”, and shoe them aside, while they serve the will of big business and special interest. Here’s an excerpt from one of my favorite movies: .

Bob, I "know" that I posted news on the I-Shift Dual-Clutch, but I can't located the link. To date, sales remain very low, and to my knowledge are only in Western Europe where Volvo can monitor them closely. Here's some info: . . ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Volvo I-Shift Dual Clutch: Smooth Operator Heavy Duty Trucking / December 2014 Volvo Truck claims to be first in the world to launch a dual-clutch automated mechanical transmission in heavy trucks, and to this reporter’s knowledge, that is correct. Deliveries of the [12-speed] I-Shift Dual Clutch started in Europe this fall. There's no official word yet if they will be available in the U.S., but it's seen as likely by many in the industry. As a concept, dual clutch transmissions appeared in the 1980s in auto rallying and racing. Some European cars now offer them, and Eaton recently introduced a dual-clutch transmission for medium-duty trucks. The current I-Shift automated manual, with a single clutch, goes back to 2002 in Europe and 2005 in the U.S. About 95% of Volvo's sales of heavy trucks in Europe last year included the I-Shift, and in the U.S. it's now in 74% of Volvo heavy trucks. The two Volvo I-Shifts are similar mechanically, but to the driver they operate much differently. I-Shift Dual Clutch can basically be described as two parallel connected gearboxes in one housing. One gearbox contains the even gears and the other has the uneven gears. When one gear is active, the next gear is pre-selected in the second unit. When shifting changes from the first gearbox, the other is poked in. This provides ratio changing without any disruption in power or speed. The I-Shift Dual Clutch has two input shafts, one located inside the other, and the two clutches. This allows two gears to be engaged simultaneously. Which of the gears that is activated is determined by which clutch is engaged. Volvo’s I-Shift Dual Clutch weighs 222 pounds more and is 4.72 inches longer than the single-clutch I-Shift. Demanding driving Volvo showed the I-Shift Dual Clutch to the European press corps recently in south-coastal Spain. We drove almost 300 kilometers (about 180 miles) using 12 vehicles. All were typical European 4x2 tractors with three-axle semi-trailers, loaded to 40 metric tons or 90,000 pounds GCW. Some were equipped with Dual Clutch I-Shifts, while others had the regular single-clutch I-Shift. The reason for choosing this part of Europe was the demanding, long and steep ascents and descents of up to 7 and 8 percent. One 65-kilometer (40-mile) leg started at sea level, rising to 916 meters (2,005 feet). I became especially fond of a FH13-liter with 500-hp engine and 2500 Nm (1844 lb-ft) of torque equipped with the Dual Clutch. It took off almost like a bullet and changed gears fast and without any interruptions. One could only hear, not feel, most gear changes. Like a regular I-Shift, the new transmission skips some gears whenever possible, and makes only one small pause, during a range shift between 6th and 7th gear. Gear changes were made at low rpms, but revs did not drop during gear shifting. Low engine speed gave an extra comfortable setting in an already quiet cab. Volvo says fuel consumption does not exceed a "normal" I-Shift. In the long and steep downhills, the transmission shifted down more quickly and more often than otherwise, due to the activated engine brake and retarder. This is controlled by the cruise control, where the desired maximum speed is set. The Volvo cruise control switches are on the left side on the steering wheel, and prompting slower or faster set speeds is done with a superb thumb switch. It is amazing how quickly one can lose previous frames of reference. After time in a truck with an I-Shift Dual Clutch, an otherwise distinguished and popular long-haul FH 13 with a 460-hp engine and a single-clutch I-Shift felt far weaker with its slower gear changes. .

Oh, I do too. No doubt about it. But if we do a recount, and any decent system should be easily capable of a recount in a short period of time, then there's added validation of the original result.........or, in fact an issue is revealed that should indeed be brought to light.

I haven't read anyone (of stature) saying Trump is destroying free markets. We all know NAFTA was a scam, crafted by big business to enhance their profitability. I hope Trump terminates our participation in NAFTA, or completely rewrites it. I don't care about lawless Mexico.......I'm on the U.S. team.

The way I see it Paul, if the original count was correct, and there's nothing to hide, who could possibly argue with counting one more time to make double sure (reconfirm)? It never hurts to count twice, especially when it's important and/or expensive.

You're right, you certainly can't learn what's going on by just skimming headlines. You have to actually read the article. That one wasn't too long, just 18 sentences. "My" news? No. I didn't write it. The folks at the Pulitzer Prize-winning Guardian wrote it. I didn't notice any bias. Just laying out the facts/situation.

David, based on the news (what we're told), of the 2,100 Carrier jobs that were being shifted to Mexico, 1,100 are still heading south of the border. A genuine success story, a true demonstration of skill, would have been all 2,100 jobs remaining in the US. China was a significant currency manipulator. But global (western) economist all claim that is no longer the case. Every country, including the US, pushes buttons and pulls levers to manipulate their currency to a degree. Our “Quantitative Easing” scheme, for example, kept the value of the dollar lower than it might otherwise be. It's going to be fun watching Trump jerk on everyone's chain ("rocking the boat"). Hopefully, some good will come of it. That said, Trump is flip-flopping on his campaign promises faster than a PEZ dispenser can shoot out candy.

And Paul, we couldn't have done it without the help of Australia and New Zealand. Some of the best troops in the Pacific theater of war. Thank you.

Shinzo Abe to visit Pearl Harbor in symbol of reconciliation The Financial Times / December 5, 2016 Prime minister’s visit is first by Japanese leader since attack 75 years ago Shinzo Abe will make a historic visit to Pearl Harbor later this month where he will remember the dead of World War Two alongside outgoing US president Barack Obama. The visit will make Mr Abe the first sitting Japanese prime minister to visit Pearl Harbor since his country’s surprise attack on the Hawaiian port began the Pacific war 75 years ago. Following Mr Obama’s visit to the atomic bombing site of Hiroshima earlier this year, it will break down one of the last remaining taboos between the US and Japan, symbolising the reconciliation between former enemies who have become close allies. The visit will also provide a powerful closing scene for Mr Obama’s foreign policy before the inauguration of Donald Trump, highlighting the value of patient diplomacy, and letting him take one last step in his “pivot to Asia”. Mr Abe will visit Hawaii on December 26 and 27 and hold a summit with Mr Obama. “On this occasion, along with President Obama, I will visit Pearl Harbor,” Mr Abe told reporters at his official residence in Tokyo. “The purpose is to comfort the spirits of the dead.” He said the visit would show their determination never to repeat the calamity of war. “It will be a chance to show the world the significance of our effort to look to the future and build an even stronger US-Japan alliance,” said Mr Abe. “This final summit is the culmination of all we have done.” A statement from the White House echoed Mr Abe’s comments, saying: “The two leaders’ visit will showcase the power of reconciliation that has turned former adversaries into the closest of allies, united by common interests and shared values.” The visit marks another step in Mr Abe’s effort to reconcile his own conservative nationalism — which has occasionally veered into historical revisionism — with his desire to strengthen the US-Japan alliance and settle the ghosts of Japan’s history. Last year, he referred to Pearl Harbor in a well-received speech to the US Congress, and gave a statement on the 70th anniversary of the war’s end without offending Japan’s neighbours. Mr Abe has landed on a formula where he often talks of his grief and sadness at the events of the war without offering specific apologies. Although Mr Abe declined to pledge a Pearl Harbor trip when Mr Obama went to Hiroshima in May, a reciprocal visit was widely anticipated and has been discussed with US diplomats in the past. The prime minister said Mr Obama’s words at Hiroshima had “entered the hearts of many Japanese people”. Akie Abe, the prime minister’s wife, visited Pearl Harbor in August where she prayed at laid flowers at the USS Arizona memorial. That was widely regarded as a test run for a prime ministerial visit. Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor using carrier-born aircraft sunk four US battleships and damaged four others. Coming without a declaration of war, it prompted US president Franklin D Roosevelt to declare December 7, 1941, “a date which will live in infamy”. But America’s three aircraft carriers were out at sea during the attack and survived, so Japan gained little strategic advantage, leading to its ultimate defeat three-and-a-half years later.

. .

The “Infamy Speech” (aka. Pearl Harbor Speech) delivered by United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt to a Joint Session of Congress on December 8, 1941, one day after the Empire of Japan's attack on the US naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and the Japanese declaration of war on the United States and the British Empire. Within an hour of the speech, Congress passed a formal declaration of war against Japan and officially brought the U.S. into World War II. Yesterday, Dec. 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with the government and its emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to the United States and his colleagues delivered to the Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack. It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time, the Japanese government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. Very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu. Yesterday, the Japanese government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last night, Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night, Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night, the Japanese attacked Wake Island. This morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island. Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation. As commander in chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense. Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory. I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again. Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger. With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounding determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God. I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, Dec. 7, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt December 8, 1941 .

Davenport, Iowa-based, American family-owned Sears Seating (optional in Macks), or Germany's Grammer (GRA-MAG) that come in Kenworth, Peterbilt and most European trucks. http://www.searsseating.com/product-category/truck-seats/ http://www.gramag.com/products.html

HGVUK / December 5, 2016 Goodyear is introducing a High Load version to its fuel-frugal FUELMAX T range of trailer tyres with EU tyre label ‘A’-grading in fuel efficiency. The new Goodyear FUELMAX T “HL” (High Load) 385/65R22.5 tyre is engineered for axle loads of up to 10 tonnes, to meet the increasing demand for such tyres as more and more European countries adopt higher vehicle weights. Almost 80% of European countries have now extended regulations to permit axle weights in excess of the so far standard 40 tonnes on five-axle articulated vehicles. There are now 32 countries in the region that allow total weights in excess of 44 tonnes even. The new tyre has been developed to meet fleets operators’ demands for high load trailer tyres capable of enabling total weights in excess of 40 tonnes. The new High Load version of the 385/65R22.5 FUELMAX T trailer tyre features FUELMAX Technology, which gives the tyre the most economical ‘A’ EU tyre label grade in fuel consumption. The tyre’s launch follows the successful introduction of the High Load version of the KMAX T trailer tyre, which is optimized to deliver high mileage. The carcass of the FUELMAX T HL 385/65R22.5 is engineered for axle loads up to 10 tonnes giving it a load/speed index of 164K/158L. This not only provides the higher load capacity but also high levels of robustness. A further advantage of the new FUELMAX T HL size is that it carries the M+S designation, fulfilling truck winter tyre requirements across Europe. The introduction of the FUELMAX T HL means that Goodyear now offers in total three FUELMAX T trailer tyres boasting the coveted ‘A’ label grade in fuel efficiency. These comprise the new Goodyear FUELMAX T HL 385/65R22.5, the FUELMAX T 385/55R22.5 and the FUELMAX T 435/50R19.5. The new Goodyear FUELMAX T HL 385/65R22.5 with ‘A’ label grade in fuel efficiency, ‘C’ label grade in wet grip, 69 dB and one wave for external noise is available now. Related reading - http://www.goodyear.eu/uk_en/truck/tires/fuelmax-t/

Buried in the article??? I think not. The Guardian used the same black and white print in noting the seven Democratic electors as the one Republican elector. They assume you are going to read the entire article.

Volvo Trucks Press Release / December 5, 2016 .

US election: broken machines could throw Michigan recount into chaos The Guardian / November 5, 2016 Broken polling machines may have put vote counts in question in more than half of Detroit’s precincts and nearly one-third of surrounding Wayne County, possibly throwing the Michigan recount into chaos. If the discrepancies can’t be solved by recounting every paper ballot in question by hand, a recount in those precincts simply won’t happen. Donald Trump’s slim margin over Hillary Clinton means any chance that the state might flip on a recount likely hinges on Wayne County, where she won by a landslide. Clinton lost by 10,704 votes in Michigan; Wayne’s population of 1,759,335 makes it the likeliest candidate to contain errors bigger than that margin. Eighty-seven of Wayne County’s decade-old voting machines broke on election day, according to Detroit’s elections director, Daniel Baxter. Baxter told the Detroit News, which first reported the story, that ballot scanners often jammed when polling place workers were trying to operate them. Every time a jammed ballot was removed and reinserted, he suspects the machine may have re-counted it. Preliminary investigation by election officials in Wayne County found that 610 of the area’s 1,680 precincts could not reconcile the number of votes cast according to the machines with the number of ballots issued according to the electoral rolls. Detroit contains 662 of Wayne’s precincts; in 392 of those, the number of votes didn’t match up. Baxter said he was confident a recount would match the ballots issued to the paper records, which are sealed and stored under guard. “I don’t think it’s going to be 100%,” he said, “but it never is with a recount.” If hand-tallied ballots can’t resolve all the mismatches, the votes will stand in the counties where the errors remain. State law rejects a recount in places where the two figures don’t match up: a precinct is ineligible to be recounted if the “number of ballots to be recounted and the number of ballots issued on election day as shown on the poll list or the computer printout do not match and the difference is not explained to the satisfaction of the board of canvassers,” the law says. The recount was triggered by Green party candidate Jill Stein in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. On Monday, Stein asked a federal court to intervene in Pennsylvania after state courts demanded a million-dollar bond before it would proceed. Computer scientists have been sounding the alarm about shoddily made, insecure and incompatible voting machines for several years. The only way to find out whether technical problems or even malicious hacking have contributed large errors to the electoral tally is to audit the vote, wrote the University of Michigan’s J Alex Halderman in an affidavit supporting Stein’s call for a recount. Now that a recount is under way, Michigan officials are indeed finding major technical problems. Jeremy J Epstein, a researcher with SRI, successfully campaigned in 2015 to have Virginia’s WinVote machines decertified when he discovered that the factory-set network passwords for WinVote voting machines were often “abcde” and “admin”.

First Republican 'faithless elector' announces intent to vote against Trump The Guardian / December 5, 2016 A Republican presidential elector has become the first to announce that he intends to defect from Donald Trump when he casts his vote as part of the electoral college, vowing to try and block the president-elect from reaching the White House. Writing in the New York Times, Christopher Suprun has declared that he will break ranks with his fellow Republican electors in Texas and cast his vote for a GOP candidate whom he deems to be more fit for highest office. Suprun argues that under the electoral college system he has the constitutional duty to vote according to his conscience, not just according to party loyalty – and his conscience tells him that Trump is unfit for the presidency. Citing the Federalist Papers, the historic documents that laid out the principles behind the electoral college system, Surprun, who as a firefighter was one of the first responders to the Pentagon on 9/11, says that each elector must decide whether “candidates are qualified, not engaged in demagogy, and independent from foreign influence … Mr Trump urged violence against protesters at his rallies during the campaign. He speaks of retribution against his critics.” He adds: “I owe no debt to a party. I owe a debt to my children to leave them a nation they can trust.” Suprun’s declared defection from Trump marks the first time that a Republican has broken ranks in this election cycle to become what is known as a “faithless elector”. Up to now only Democratic electors within states won by Hillary Clinton have expressed the intention to vote against party affiliation as a form of protest against Trump’s imminent ascendancy to the White House. Until Suprun’s defection, seven of the 538 electors across the country had indicated that they intended to become faithless electors by breaking ranks with party affiliation. However, they were all Democrats within states won by Clinton. Under the electoral system laid down by the founding fathers, US presidents are not chosen directly by the popular vote of the American people. Instead, they are elected indirectly by 538 electors who selected by the political parties within each state. In contemporary America, it is widely assumed that the electors will simply vote according to their party affiliation in tune with which candidate won their state. Thus in Texas, which has been assigned 38 of the 538 electoral college votes, it was assumed that all 38 electors would vote for Trump who beat Clinton in the state by 52% to 43%. However, one of the Texan electors, Art Sisneros, has already resigned from the state’s electoral college delegation on grounds that Trump does not satisfy his religious and moral principles. Now Suprun says that he will go further – he will show up on 19 December when the electoral college assembles in each state and actually cast his ballot against Trump, by writing in an alternative Republican candidate of the likes of John Kasich, the governor of Ohio. “I believe electors should unify behind a Republican alternative, an honorable and qualified man or woman such as Gov John Kasich of Ohio,” he writes. The idea that several of the 538 electors might take it into their own hands to attempt to sway the outcome of an election that involved more than 127 million voters has proven to be quite contentious. Some have taken the view that it is in itself a deeply retrograde and undemocratic step; others have lauded it as exposing the implicit undemocratic nature of the electoral college itself that imposes an indirect barrier between presidential candidate and people. Either way, few expect that this year’s rebellion of electors will have any definitive impact on the outcome of the race. Though it looks like being historically large in number, it is most unlikely to tip the balance of electors from Trump to Clinton, who currently hold 306 to 232 electoral votes respectively.

Can Nikola truly transform the trucking industry? Sean Kilcarr, Fleet Owner / December 5, 2016 So Nikola Motors Co. unveiled its Nikola One prototype Class 8 highway sleeper tractor last week at its “world headquarters” in Salt Lake City, Utah – a truck that runs on electricity generated by a hydrogen-powered fuel cell. The company claims the Nikola One’s range is between 800 to 1,200 miles on a single fill up and, with its fuel cell linked to a 320 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack, the truck can crank out 2,000 hp and 2,000 ft.-lbs. or torque – enough to handle heavy-haul operations, which is a trucking niche Trevor Milton, Nikola’s president and CEO, is including in his marketing plans. The sales pitch for the Nikola One is pretty straightforward; indeed, refreshingly so, if the company and its partners (Ryder System being playing perhaps the most critical role handling sales, service, and warranty coverage for the vehicle) can make good on their claims. Milton said during the event that he expects to “sell” the Nikola One tractor via an “all-inclusive and integrated lease” costing anywhere from $5,000 to $7,000 per month. And by “all-inclusive” Milton means “all-inclusive”: Not only does it cover the vehicle, but all of its hydrogen fuel as well (“one million miles worth,” he explained), along with maintenance support, warranty coverage, tires, wiper blades, everything – even truck washes. Milton plans to provide hydrogen fuel and amenities to Nikola One owners through a yet-to-built network of 364 refueling “sites” modeled on the Maverik convenience store chain – making refueling a “destination” for Nikola One operators, rather than a necessary evil. Another twist Milton is planning for the Nikola One: Incorporating a freight matching service, Nikola Shipments, as part of the trucks base package of services. Truck drivers will be able to access that service via the 21-in. computer screen built into the dashboard – a computer screen that technicians can also use as a diagnostic tool as well. “Look at it this way: an iPhone would not be an iPhone of you couldn’t listen to your music, send text messages, take photographs, surf the web, and do hundreds other things with it,” Milton explained. “That’s what we are trying to do with the Nikola One. It won’t happen all at once, but essentially we’re going to try and integrate everything a driver needs into this one vehicle.” Of course, there are safety and environmental angles to the Nikola One being played as well. The air disc brakes on the Nikola One will be connected to a “regenerative braking” system to provide more stopping power – stopping power further enhanced through linkage with automatic emergency braking systems (AEB) such as Bendix’s Wingman Fusion and Meritor’s OnGuard Active product. The Nikola One’s battery pack, electric motors and fuel cells will all be positioned at or below its frame rails – providing more stability and a lower center of gravity to reduce the chances of a rollover. Then there are the environmental factors. For starters, fuel cells only emit water vapor, so no expensive and heavy exhaust aftertreatment systems will be needed. Milton also expects the Nikola One to last at least two million miles due to its independent suspension and electrical powertrain, with the first million miles in operation for “new owners” and the second million for those who favor buying used trucks. Even the lithium-ion battery pack can be re-sold, Milton noted: “sliced up” for use in electric back up generating systems for residential homes. “The goal here is to reuse and recycle as much as possible from the truck,” he said. Yet will trucking companies pay $5,000 to $7,000 a month for a hydrogen-powered torpedo-looking truck? And will truck drivers be willing to pilot such rigs? Sandeep Kar, global vice president for mobility at Frost & Sullivan, for one, believes total cost of ownership or “TCO” factors may play into the Nikola One’s favor. “The North American trucking industry is grappling to find ways to address the TCO issue [with] fuel, lease, and repair and maintenance costs are the key components to be tackled,” he explained in a recent report. “They contribute to over half of a truck’s TCO.” With Nikola claiming that its Nikola One prototype can offer twice the power and two to four times more fuel efficiency than an average Class 8 diesel truck, plus all the fuel and maintenance costs rolled into the lease price for good measure, Frost & Sullivan estimates that will provide savings of $21,127 per year on a lease purchase deal versus a traditional Class 8 diesel truck. And even though the Nikola One won’t start full production until 2002, the company said that it’s received over 8,000 reservations for the vehicle with deposits of $1,500 each. Milton claimed during the unveiling that amounts to nearly $4 billion worth of pre-orders – money that Nikola will no doubt use to help fund the development of its hydrogen refueling network. Will that be enough to sway truckers to start switching to hydrogen- powered electric big rigs? We’re going to find out as clock tracking the time to full production of the Nikola One is now ticking. Slide Show - http://fleetowner.com/running-green/digging-nikola-one-details#slide-0-field_images-206851