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Redesigned Duramax 6.6L Diesel Offered on 2017 Silverado HD Trailer/Body Builders / October 4, 2016 Chevrolet announced the redesigned Duramax 6.6L V-8 turbo-diesel offered on the 2017 Silverado HD. This next-generation redesign offers more horsepower and torque than ever — an SAE-certified 445 horsepower (332 kW) and 910 lb.-ft. (1,234 Nm) — to enable easier, more confident hauling and trailering. Along with a 19 percent increase in max torque over the current Duramax 6.6L, the redesigned turbo-diesel’s performance is quieter and smoother, for greater refinement. In fact, engine noise at idle is reduced 38 percent. “With nearly 2 million sold over the past 15 years, customers have forged a bond with the Duramax diesel based on trust and capability,” said Dan Nicholson, vice president, Global Propulsion Systems. “The new Duramax takes those traits to higher levels.” The new Duramax 6.6L shares essentially only the bore and stroke dimensions of the current engine and incorporates a new, GM-developed control system. The Duramax’s signature low-rpm torque production hasn’t changed and still offers 90 percent of peak torque at a low 1,550 rpm and sustains it through 2,850 rpm. “Nearly everything about the Duramax is new, designed to produce more torque at lower rpm and more confidence when trailering or hauling,” said Gary Arvan, chief engineer. “You’ll also notice the refinement improvements the moment you start the engine, and appreciate them as you cruise quietly down the highway — with or without a trailer.” Additional highlights include: New, stronger cylinder block and cylinder heads New, stronger rotating and reciprocating assembly Increased oil- and coolant-flow capacity New EGR system with single cooler and integrated bypass New electrically actuated/electronically controlled turbocharging system All-new advanced solenoid fuel system All-new electronic controls New full-length damped steel oil pan that contributes to quietness New rocker cover/fuel system acoustical treatments B20 bio-diesel compatibility SAE-certified 445 net horsepower (332 kW) at 2,800 rpm SAE-certified 910 net lb.-ft. of torque (1,234 Nm) at 1,600 rpm A new, patent-pending vehicle air intake system — distinguished on the Silverado HD by a bold hood scoop — drives cool, dry air into the engine for sustained performance and cooler engine temperatures during difficult conditions, such as trailering on steep grades. Cooler air helps the engine run better under load, especially in conditions where engine and transmission temperatures can rise quickly. That allows the Duramax to maintain more power and vehicle speed when trailering in the toughest conditions. The intake design is another example of the advanced integration included in the 2017 Silverado HD that makes it over-the-road capable. As with previous versions, the new Duramax block features a strong cast-iron foundation known for its durability, with induction-hardened cylinder walls and five nodular iron main bearings. It retains the same 4.05-inch (103mm) and 3.89-inch (99mm) bore and stroke dimensions as the current engine, retaining the Duramax’s familiar 6.6L (403 cu.-in./6,599 cc) displacement. A deep-skirt design and four-bolt, cross-bolted main caps help ensure the block’s strength and enable more accurate location of the rotating assembly. A die-cast aluminum lower crankcase also strengthens the engine block and serves as the lower engine cover, while reducing its overall weight. The new engine block incorporates larger-diameter crankshaft connecting rod journals than the current engine, enabling the placement of a stronger crankshaft and increased bearing area to handle higher cylinder loads. An enhanced oiling circuit, with higher flow capacity and a dedicated feed for the turbocharger, provides increased pressure at the turbo and faster oil delivery. Larger piston-cooling oil jets at the bottom of the cylinder bores spray up to twice the amount of engine oil into oil galleries under the crown of the pistons, contributing to lower engine temperature and greater durability. A new, two-piece oil pan contributes to the new Duramax’s quieter operation. It consists of a laminated steel oil pan with an upper aluminum section. The aluminum section provides strength-enhancing rigidity for the engine, but a pan made entirely of aluminum would radiate more noise, so the laminated steel lower section is added to dampen noise and vibration. There’s also an integrated oil cooler with 50 percent greater capacity than the current engine’s, ensuring more consistent temperatures at higher engine loads.

Kenworth Offers 52-Inch Mid-Roof Sleeper on T680 Advantage Heavy Duty Trucking / October 6, 2016 Kenworth has introduced the fuel-efficient T680 Advantage Package with 52-inch mid-roof sleeper for regional haul and less-than-truckload operations. The new T680 Advantage configuration features an optimized powertrain with the 2016 Paccar MX-13 engine or Paccar MX-11 engine and Eaton Fuller Advantage series 10-speed automated transmission. This powertrain is combined with more fuel-efficient Meritor MT40-14X drive axles, rated at 40,000 pounds. The 52-inch sleeper features aerodynamic elements to help redirect airflow around the chassis and sleeper to improve fuel economy. They include a front air dam to redirect around versus under the tractor, mini-kickout fairings to force air around the trailer and drive tires, and lower fairing extenders. Other fuel-efficient features include Kenworth’s Predictive Cruise Control, Neutral Coast, Driver Performance Assistant and FlowBelow wheel covers. “Our expanded Kenworth T680 Advantage lineup now provides three excellent Advantage choices – day cab, 52-inch mid-roof sleeper and 76-inch sleeper – to those regional haul, LTL fleets and truck operators in constant pursuit of achieving greater fuel economy and lower operating costs,” said Jason Skoog, Kenworth assistant general manager for sales and marketing. The 52-inch mid-roof sleeper is especially suited to regional hauling applications – including tank, bulk, flatbed, heavy haul and lowboy – where drivers may spend just two or three nights on the road during a typical week. The sleeper features a liftable lower bunk and upper storage units on the back wall with enough space for drivers to hang their clothes and jackets, plus an optional upper bunk for driving teams. The optional passenger swivel seat expands the living space into the cab to provide more comfort for the drivers when parked. The design also provides sufficient head room for a driver or passenger up to 6-foot-4 to easily stand up between the seats. It features a 2.1-meter wide cab, with reduced interior noise levels, adjustable advanced suspension seats with climate control, air-assisted hydraulic clutch, ergonomic dash, the Driver Performance Center, and LED interior lighting. .

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WikiLeaks brings attention back to Clinton’s Wall St speeches The Financial Times / October 8, 2016 Hacked emails portray candidate as sympathetic to banking sector Hillary Clinton apparently advocated for “open trade and open borders” and admitted to being “kind of far removed” from the middle class in paid speeches to Wall Street institutions, according to newly released documents from WikiLeaks. Mrs Clinton has refused to release the transcripts of six-figure paid speeches to Wall Street banks — an issue that became a key point of contention during the Democratic primary. But on Friday, WikiLeaks published the hacked emails of Mrs Clinton’s chairman John Podesta, which appear to shed light on the content of some of those speeches. In one email sent to Mr Podesta, a Clinton campaign staffer flagged specific remarks Mrs Clinton had made during her paid speeches that the staffer believed might pose problems for Mrs Clinton during the Democratic primary. In one speech, given to Deutsche Bank in 2014, Mrs Clinton appears to suggest that she believed individuals from the banking sector should play a role in helping to regulate the financial industry. “The people that know the industry better than anybody are the people that work in the industry.” In another speech, she seemed to throw her weight behind a free-trade society. “My dream is a hemispheric common market, with open trade and open borders,” she said, according to the email. Mrs Clinton also appeared to admit that she was out of touch with regular voters, saying she was “kind of far removed” from middle class struggles “because [of] the life I’ve lived and the economic, you know, fortunes that my husband and I now enjoy”. The Clinton campaign declined to confirm whether the emails were authentic. The campaign stressed that Mr Podesta’s emails had been “stolen” and suggested that documents could be “faked as part of a sophisticated Russian misinformation campaign”. The WikiLeaks release came on the same day that the US formally blamed Russia for several hacks on US political institutions, including the Democratic National Committee, and accused Moscow of trying to interfere in the US election. In total, Mrs Clinton received more than $20m for speeches she made between 2013 and 2015. While Mrs Clinton said during a Democratic primary debate that she would “look into” releasing the speech transcripts, she has yet to do so, even as her campaign has skewered Donald Trump for refusing to release his tax returns. During the Democratic primary, Mrs Clinton’s primary opponent Bernie Sanders frequently attacked her for being too cozy with Wall Street institutions, and for being unlikely to go after banks and big corporations in the way she was promising to do in her campaign. In the excerpts of Mrs Clinton’s speeches, the Democratic nominee suggests she might have more sympathy for Wall Street figures than she has suggested on the campaign trail, saying that there was “such a bias against people who have led successful and/or complicated lives,” and that she herself believed it was “very onerous and unnecessary” that successful business people were forced to sell so many assets just to take on roles in the US government. Mrs Clinton also indicated that her public and private positions on issues did not always add up. “I mean, politics is like sausage being made,” she said, according to the email. “It is unsavory, and it always has been that way, but we usually end up where we need to be. But if everybody’s watching, you know, all of the back room discussions and the deals, you know, then people get a little nervous, to say the least. So, you need both a public and a private position.” WikiLeaks’ release of the hacked emails came Friday evening, not long after the Washington Post published a 2005 video of Mr Trump where the Republic nominee was heard bragging in crude terms about groping women. On Saturday, US cable networks were referring to the video and WikiLeaks release as “October surprises” for the two candidates. However, the fallout from Mr Trump’s video appeared to have significantly worse repercussions, with numerous Republican leaders condemning his comments, and several elected Republican officials calling for Mr Trump to halt his campaign and let another member of his party lead the ticket. During the day on Saturday, most networks were devoting full coverage to Mr Trump’s controversy, and only Fox News discussed the video and WikiLeaks release of Mrs Clinton’s speeches in parallel. However, the WikiLeaks documents could hurt Mrs Clinton among some former Sanders supporters who believe that Mrs Clinton has not been fully transparent about her true views on financial regulation, trade, and the influence of big corporations on US politics.

Bloomberg / October 7, 2016 It’s a good time to buy a truck. To hold a slowing market at bay, carmakers in the U.S. are offering the biggest incentives on full-sized pickups since December 2008, when the country was mired in recession and the auto industry was collapsing. Last month, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV’s Ram raised its average incentive on the trucks to $7,082, up 29 percent from a year earlier, according to J.D. Power data obtained by Bloomberg. A price war on pickups has been simmering for a while. Last year, Ford Motor Co. cut prices by more than $10,000 on some models as it rolled out a new aluminum-bodied F-150. This summer, General Motors Co. offered 20 percent off on its trucks. Ram is also continuing to offer a 20 percent discount on its oldest models. Ram’s recent deal was its most generous in at least three years, and sales rose 29 percent in September. The company was the No. 2 seller in the U.S. truck market for the month, knocking off Chevrolet Silverado for the first time since at least 2010. Silverado sales fell 16 percent in the same period, and Ford’s F-Series, which has been the top selling pickup for almost 40 years, dropped 2.6 percent. “In this race the Detroit Three have with each other, there is no limit to what they will do to win,” Dave Sullivan, an analyst at AutoPacific Inc., said in an interview. He noted that as truck inventories grow and factories cut back overtime shifts, automakers are falling back on an old tactic. “This price war is going to continue until the end of the year.” Profit Drivers Detroit derives much of its profit from pickups -- as much as $10,000 per truck -- and analysts expect the deals to get even richer as the market slows. Over the last three months, full-size truck sales have been growing at a 5 percent rate, compared with a 15 percent growth rate during the same period last year, Joseph Spak, an analyst for RBC Capital Markets, wrote in an Oct. 3 note. Sales gains in September were “driven by discounts,” Spak wrote. Deliveries of large pickups rose 1.2 percent last month, according to researcher Autodata Corp. GM groused about Ram’s September success, calling it “a pyrrhic victory at best.” “Sure, they sold a lot of full-size trucks but they had incentives that were close to $1,000 more per unit than Chevrolet,” Jim Cain, a GM spokesman, said in a statement. “Profligate spending like that could set them up for a dead cat bounce.” Fiat Chrysler spokesman Ralph Kisiel said the company was “not going to respond to a competitor’s comments.” Ram appeared to outsell Silverado in March 2014, by 285 trucks, according to figures released at the time. Fiat Chrysler has since restated sales going back to 2011 after a dealer lawsuit spurred a U.S. Justice Department investigation into whether its figures were inflated to mislead investors. Last month, Ram outsold Silverado by 2,412 trucks. Silverado outsold Ram in every other month since 2011, according to Kisiel, the company spokesman. GM boosted discounts on the Silverado in September as well, averaging $5,647, up 21 percent from August, according to the J.D. Power data. The F-Series averaged incentives of $5,173, down about $43 from the month before. The discounts have also grown as trucks have gotten more expensive. Pickups have added creature comforts and technology to improve fuel economy, towing and hauling capacity. Automakers are offering bigger incentives to combat sticker shock. “People want trucks, but they’re finding that they’re not affordable,” said Michelle Krebs, an analyst with Cox Automotive’s Autotrader. The greatest imbalance between shopping interest and inventory on Autotrader’s site is in the pickup segment, she said, an indicator that at this point, demand for used models far outstrips supply. The new trucks have “just gotten so expensive.” .

Associated Press / October 6, 2016 United States immigration authorities caught just over half the people who illegally entered the U.S. from Mexico last year, according to an internal Department of Homeland Security report that offers one of the most detailed assessments of border security ever compiled. The report found that 54% of people who entered illegally between border crossings got caught in fiscal 2015. That's much lower than the 81% success rate that Homeland Security cited publicly using a different counting method. The 98-page report was completed in May, and Homeland Security officials have declined to release it, despite calls from some members of Congress to do so. The Associated Press obtained a copy from a government official involved in border issues who acted on condition of anonymity because the department has not made the report public. The department said Thursday that the report was "one building block provided by a research organization" toward developing more reliable measures of border security and that its methodology needed refinement. "DHS does not believe it is in the public interest to release, and it would be irresponsible to make policy or other judgments on the basis of analysis that is incomplete and remains a work in progress," spokeswoman Marsha Catron said. The report offers some of most detailed measures yet of how secure the border with Mexico is -- a major issue in a presidential campaign that features Republican nominee Donald Trump calling for a wall along the entire 1,954-mile border. The report includes enough material to argue that the government has made big strides or that it is falling woefully short. In terms of people, 170,000 got away from the Border Patrol during fiscal 2015, 210,000 the previous year and 1.7 million in 2005. The huge drop over the last decade is largely explained by the decline in job opportunities since the Great Recession, with more Mexicans now leaving the United States than arriving here. During that time, there has also been a massive increase in border enforcement, including jail time and other serious consequences for those who get caught, and significant increases in the number of people getting deported. The drop in illegal entries continued well after the economy rebounded. The government now spends $14 billion annually on border security. The number of people who got away is larger when including those who escaped detection at border crossings or who entered by sea, which is the responsibility of Homeland Security agencies outside the Border Patrol. Adding those, 200,000 people got away last year, 260,000 in 2014 and 1.9 million in 2005. The Border Patrol's capture rate on the Mexican border was 55% in 2014 and 36% in 2005, according to the report prepared for Homeland Security by the Institute for Defense Analyses, a federally funded research organization. The Border Patrol achieved an 11-point improvement in 2014 after years of slow but steady gains. The report does not offer an explanation for the sudden improvement. The report, which includes an appendix of more than 100 pages on methodology and a review of previous efforts to count border crossers, offers detailed analysis dating to 2000, shortly before the U.S. erected hundreds of miles of fences along the Mexican border, added surveillance gear and doubled the number of Border Patrol agents. Homeland Security has been under pressure to show if those multibillion-dollar investments yielded results. The primary measure that Homeland Security has released for public consumption is the number of Border Patrol arrests, which tells how many people got caught but not how many got away. Arrests dropped to the lowest level in 44 years in 2015, down 80% from a peak of nearly 1.7 million in 2000. For the last two years, the department has released an "interdiction effectiveness rate" that measures the percentage of people who got caught among all who attempted to enter between crossings on the Mexican border. The figure includes those who set foot in the U.S. and turned around and asylum seekers. It was 81% in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 2015. The report obtained by the AP takes a different approach. It does not credit the government for people who turn around or turn themselves in to agents to seek asylum, a common occurrence among Central American women and children who have entered the country in large numbers over the last five years, many of them fleeing drug-fueled violence. The report says there were 140,000 asylum seekers on the Mexican border last year and 170,000 in 2014, compared with about 20,000 a year a decade ago. Homeland Security's practice of counting those as captures goes a long way toward explaining why its success rate was so much higher. The report also counts people who entered the country illegally at border crossings -- typically by presenting fake or stolen documents to immigration inspectors. Homeland Security does not publish those numbers. The report says 28,000 escaped detection last year, down from 46,000 in 2014. The capture rate improved to 39% from 29%. Counting border crossers who elude capture is a mammoth and imprecise task but one that many experts believe is necessary to judge whether the border is secure. Homeland Security approaches the job by tracking physical evidence, such as footprints in the desert and other signs of human presence, and by agent sightings. The internal report uses that information, along with migrant surveys and techniques developed by social scientists.

White House Coordinated on Clinton Email Issues, New Documents Show The Wall Street Journal / October 7, 2016 Newly disclosed emails show top Obama administration officials were in close contact with Hillary Clinton’s nascent presidential campaign in early 2015 about the potential fallout from revelations that the former secretary of state used a private email server. Their discussion included a request from the White House communications director to her counterpart at the State Department to see if it was possible to arrange for Secretary of State John Kerry to avoid questions during media appearances about Mrs. Clinton’s email arrangement. In another instance, a top State Department official assured an attorney for Mrs. Clinton that, contrary to media reports, a department official hadn’t told Congress that Mrs. Clinton erred in using a private email account. The previously unreported emails were obtained by the Republican National Committee as part of a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit seeking records of Mrs. Clinton’s time in office. The RNC provided to The Wall Street Journal only some of the emails, leaving it unclear what was in the remaining documents. The RNC said it released only emails relevant to the communication between the White House and State Department. Meredith McGehee, chief of policy, programs, and strategy at the nonpartisan advocacy group Issue One and an expert on ethics and campaign finance, said the email exchange would probably raise no legal concerns because federal law permits members of the White House staff to engage in some political activity. Mrs. Clinton’s email arrangement has dogged her campaign for months, with Republicans and other critics saying it shows a carelessness with government secrets and undermines her claim to good judgment. Donald Trump’s campaign posted a statement on his website last month saying the Obama White House knew Mrs. Clinton was using a private email server. Mrs. Clinton has acknowledged the arrangement was a mistake, but she has rejected the notion that national secrets were placed at risk. Her campaign didn’t respond to a request for comment about the new email disclosures. The emails highlight the revolving door between the State Department, the White House and the Clinton campaign in early 2015 as Mrs. Clinton geared up to run for president. The New York Times reported on March 2, 2015, that Mrs. Clinton had exclusively used a private email account for government business when she was secretary of state. That set off months of controversy for Mrs. Clinton’s campaign, culminating in a Federal Bureau of Investigation probe that recommended against prosecution of Mrs. Clinton. At the time of the initial report, Mrs. Clinton hadn’t formally declared her intention to mount a presidential campaign, but she had begun hiring staff ahead of her formal announcement on April 12, 2015. Ten days after the story broke, White House communications director Jennifer Palmieri emailed State Department spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki to ask, “between us on the shows…think we can get this done so he is not asked about email.” That apparently referred to Mr. Kerry, who appeared in an interview on CBS ’s “Face the Nation” three days later. Ms. Palmieri had previously announced she would be leaving the administration to join Mrs. Clinton’s campaign in mid-2015, but was still at the White House when she sent the email. Other emails show Ms. Palmieri helped arrange for Ms. Psaki to move from the State Department to the White House communications job Ms. Palmieri was vacating. “Agree completely and working to crush on my end,” wrote back Ms. Psaki, who would move to the White House weeks later. A day later, Ms. Psaki added, “Good to go on killing CBS idea.” She continued, “And we are going to hold on any other TV options just given the swirl of crap out there.” Mr. Kerry wasn’t asked on CBS about the email server, though it isn’t clear how Ms. Psaki could have guaranteed that. Teased by Ms. Palmieri about her use of the phrase “swirl of crap,” Ms. Psaki wrote back: “Ha I mean—the challenging stories out there.” CBS spokeswoman Caitlin Conant said the network had made no commitments about what questions Mr. Kerry would face. “No subject was off-limits when this interview was arranged, as is the CBS News standard,” she said. “CBS News’ State Department correspondent was in Egypt with Secretary John Kerry in the home stretch of the Iran nuclear deal negotiations and discussed policy issues of the day with him on this official trip.” State Department spokesman John Kirby added that there was nothing unusual about the Palmieri-Psaki exchange. “It is common practice for State Department and White House staffers to be in touch when agency officials are potentially conducting television interviews,” he said. The RNC also obtained an entirely redacted discussion between nearly a dozen top White House communications officials with a subject line referring to Mr. Kerry’s appearance on CBS. A White House official said the internal debate at the time was about whether Mr. Kerry should appear on the shows at all, rather than any attempt to influence what questions were asked. In another email coming from the State Department, Patrick Kennedy, the undersecretary for management, told Heather Samuelson, one of Mrs. Clinton’s attorneys, about new documents the State Department had posted concerning the former secretary of state. Ms. Samuelson was one of the attorneys who reviewed Mrs. Clinton’s emails to determine which were government-related and which were personal before providing the official ones to the State Department. She was interviewed by the FBI as part of its probe and granted limited immunity in exchange for turning over her laptop as part of the investigation. In another exchange, Mr. Kennedy told Ms. Samuelson that Politico was “running [a] story that State official said Secretary Clinton did wrong thing. Wildly inaccurate reporting.” A Politico spokesman said the organization stood by its reporting. The story reported that Joyce Barr, assistant secretary of state for administration, had said in testimony to Congress that Mrs. Clinton’s record-keeping practices were “not acceptable.” An internal watchdog report later concluded that Mrs. Clinton’s email use wasn't permitted under State policy. Mr. Kirby, the State Department spokesman, said Mr. Kennedy was “simply offering a reaction to a press article.” He added it wasn’t unusual for State officials to be in contact with former secretaries or their staff.

Ford bumps up fuel economy on new F-150 Automotive News / October 5, 2016 A new 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine and 10-speed transmission make the 2017 Ford F-150 as much as 2 mpg more efficient than the current version, Ford said today. The 4x2 version of the F-150 is EPA-rated at 25 mpg in highway driving, 18 mpg in city driving and 21 mpg combined. Each of those figures is 1 mpg higher than the 2016 model. The 4x4 version gets a combined rating of 20 mpg, a gain of 2 mpg. Highway and city ratings each rise 1 mpg, to 23 and 17. The improvements give the aluminum-bodied F-150 a slight fuel-economy advantage over its all-steel rivals. The 2017 Chevrolet Silverado with a 4.3-liter V-6 and a six-speed transmission has the same city ratings but lags the F-150’s highway and combined ratings by 1 mpg each. The 2017 Ram 1500 with a 3.6-liter V-6 and eight-speed transmission ties the F-150’s highway ratings but trails by 1 mpg on the city and combined figures. Ford said the second generation of its 3.5-liter V-6 and its first volume-production 10-speed transmission also improve the F-150’s acceleration, performance and refinement, particularly when hauling heavy payloads and towing trailers. The new engine delivers 470 pounds-feet of peak torque, 50 more than the first generation and more than all diesel and gasoline-powered competitors, Ford said. It produces 375 hp, 10 more than the previous version.That compares to 285 hp for the Silverado’s 4.3-liter V-6 and 305 hp for the Ram’s 3.6-liter V-6. Ford said the 10-speed transmission, which it developed jointly with General Motors, uses closer ratios between gears and patented hydraulic controls to optimize engine power and torque ranges. It is Ford’s first transmission made without cast-iron components, using a design that reduces its weight and size compared to previous gearboxes. About 60 percent of F-150s are sold with EcoBoost engines, which use turbochargers to improve performance while saving fuel. Ford also sells the 2017 F-150 with a carryover 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine.

Cummins Rolls Out 2017 Greenhouse Gas Compliant X15 Engines Transport Topics / October 6, 2016 Cummins Inc. rolled out its X15 heavy-duty engine at its engine plant in Jamestown, New York, saying it exceeds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2017 greenhouse gas and fuel-efficiency standards. Two configurations are available: the X15 Performance Series and the X15 Efficiency Series, Columbus, Indiana-based Cummins said. Both configurations are available in limited production through the remainder of 2016, with full production beginning in January 2017. The X15 Performance Series is rated at 485 to 605 horsepower, a power match for heavy-haul, vocational and emergency vehicles with a peak torque of up to 2,050 pound-feet delivered across a wide engine rpm range, and up to 600 horsepower engine braking at 2,100 rpm. For linehaul and regional-haul applications, the X15 Efficiency Series offers a 400 to 500 horsepower ratings range and up to 1,850 pound-feet of peak torque available at 1,000 rpm. The new X15 builds on the current ISX15 product and uses an optimized compression ratio, air handling system and combustion process to increase both fuel efficiency and performance capability. The engine has about a 20% better fuel economy and 40% lower maintenance costs than 2010 ISX15 engines. The X15 also comes factory-ready to connect to a telematics system that enables over-the-air engine programming, customization and diagnostics. “I am proud of the innovative, hard work that has gone into this game-changing engine platform, and we are excited to see these important products rolling off the line,” said Srikanth Padmanabhan, president of Cummins engine business. “Attention to detail was paramount from product design to our talented colleagues bringing them to life on the manufacturing floor, to every step in between.” The second half of federal greenhouse gas and fuel-efficiency Phase 1 standards are due to take effect Jan. 1, 2017. The GHG Phase 1 rule called for an initial reduction of carbon dioxide emissions and improvement in mileage standards by 3%, from a 2010 baseline, by January 2014. The upcoming second step moves that another 3%.

Transport Topics / October 6, 2016 Detroit Diesel Corp. will pay $28.5 million in fines and pollution-reduction projects to resolve violations of the federal Clean Air Act, the U.S. Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency announced Oct. 6. The company was cited by the federal regulators for selling heavy-duty diesel engines that were not certified by EPA and did not meet applicable emissions standards. Detroit Diesel will pay a $14 million civil penalty and will spend $14.5 million on projects to reduce nitrogen oxides and other air pollutants, including replacing high-polluting school buses and locomotive engines with models that meet current emissions standards, the federal agencies announced. Detroit Diesel is an affiliate of Daimler Trucks North America, a wholly owned subsidiary of the German Daimler Group. The government's complaint, filed Oct. 5 along with the settlement announcement, alleges that Detroit Diesel violated the Clean Air Act by producing and selling 7,786 heavy-duty diesel engines for use in trucks and buses in model year 2010 without a valid EPA-issued certificate demonstrating conformity with Clean Air Act standards to control nitrogen oxides, or NOx, emissions. The engines also didn't comply with emission standards for 2010 model year engines, the federal complaint alleges. The school bus and locomotive engine replacement projects that are part of the settlement will reduce ambient air levels of nitrogen oxides and other pollutants, Justice and EPA officials said. Dave Giroux, director of corporate communications for Daimler Trucks North America, said in an e-mailed statement that Detroit Diesel received an unexpected increase in customer orders for model year 2009 engines in the second half of 2009. "To complete production of those engines in 2009, Detroit would have had to ramp up production by adding shifts," he said. "But because of the low number of orders for MY2010 engines, Detroit would have then had to lay off workers at the end of the year and run a skeleton shift for the first half of 2010." Instead of interrupting its labor force, Detroit Diesel began assembly of the model year 2009 engines in 2009 and completed the engines in 2010, something it believed it was allowed to do under EPA regulations, Giroux said. Using this “short block” assembly method, Detroit Diesel assembled about 80% of each engine in 2009, including the crankshaft, block, pistons,and connecting rods. The company then stored the short block engines temporarily and completed the remaining assembly in early 2010, Giroux said. Before beginning short block assembly, Detroit informed the EPA of its intent, Giroux said. But EPA officials later asserted that because the engines were completed in 2010, the short block engines should have met stricter 2010 standards, Giroux said. "Ultimately, the EPA disagreed with Detroit’s interpretation of the regulations, but not until it was too late for Detroit to reverse course," Giroux said. “While Detroit disagrees with the EPA’s position and was surprised to receive the EPA’s conclusion that its definition of ‘produced’ didn’t apply to our engines, to avoid litigation and stay focused on producing the most efficient engines in the market, Detroit has decided to settle with the EPA,” said Brian Burton, Detroit Diesel's general counsel. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, EPA will release all of its claims of violations related to the short block engines in question and will not order their recall, Giroux said. In exchange, the company will spend $10.87 million to replace older, higher-emitting school buses across the country, with a special emphasis on economically disadvantaged school districts. Detroit Diesel also will spend $3.625 million to upgrade diesel locomotive engines, with a special emphasis on engines used in more polluted areas, he said. Detroit Diesel was named a Green Leader for large businesses in Michigan by the Detroit Free Press last year, as decided by an independent panel of judges. The company was lauded for its efforts to improve efficiency and reduce pollution. The case demonstrates the critical importance of EPA's vehicle and engine certification program to achieving the goals of the Clean Air Act, John Cruden, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division, said in a written statement. "By not certifying the engines in accordance with the rules, Detroit Diesel Corp. increased pollution and undercut competitors," he said. "We will uphold the integrity of that program by holding accountable those that skirt the rules.” "Today’s settlement protects clean air for many communities and vulnerable people across the country, including school children," said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. The EPA will continue to hold engine manufacturers accountable for meeting emissions standards that protect public health and the air we breathe."

Paccar is already in Class 5 with the Kenworth T170 and Peterbilt Model 325. http://www.kenworth.com/media/52627/t170-t270-and-t370-combined.pdf http://www.peterbilt.com/products/medium-duty/325/

Paul, both Finland and Sweden have had the wisdom to allow B-doubles, under the "modular concept", since 1997. https://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trans/wp24/wp24-presentations/documents/pres08-04.pdf http://www.nvfnorden.org/lisalib/getfile.aspx?itemid=260

Bosch Shows off Concept of Trucking Future at IAA Heavy Duty Trucking / October 3, 2016 Job description for the truck driver of the future: perform key freight forwarding tasks, including checking transport status via cloud, responding to e-mails, organizing routes, and adjusting them to take on additional cargo. Ideal candidate: a team player with good multitasking capabilities – confidence in using new media a must! That’s Bosch’s vision of the driver’s job in the not-too-distant future as shown off at the IAA Commercial Motor Vehicles show in Hannover, Germany, recently. "The truckers of the future will go from being drivers to serving as logistics managers,” says Dr. Markus Heyn, member of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH. The commercial vehicles of 2026, Bosch said, will be automated, connected, and electrified. Bosch showed off the “VisionX” concept study it’s using to demonstrate what commercial vehicles will be capable of in just a few years. Fully connected and in some cases offering automated driving, they will run on highly efficient diesel or even electricity as the situation demands. “The truck of the future will be a 40-ton smart device on wheels,” said Heyn. Smart connectivity and automation will enable it to navigate traffic on the freeway itself, mostly without driver intervention. This will give drivers time to take care of other tasks, such as planning routes, processing shipping documents, or simply taking a break. Visitors to the Bosch booth at IAA got a chance to sit behind the wheel and watch a highly realistic animated feature that allowed them to experience the future of truck driving firsthand. The Bosch booth also featured a bevy of real-world technologies that are available now, including: • New display and user interfaces. Bosch is putting large displays and touchscreens in trucks to make connectivity and infotainment functions easy to use. • Digital exterior mirror: The Mirror Cam System replaces the two side-view mirrors, reducing wind resistance considerably and cutting fuel consumption by 1 to 2%. Connected horizon: Bosch’s electronic horizon advanced cruise control is being expanded to include real-time data. In addition to topographical information, the assistance function will also be able to draw on real-time data from the cloud. This will allow the engine and transmission management to take construction areas, traffic jams, or even icy patches into account. • Camera system: The MPC 2.5 is a multi-purpose camera with integrated image processing system that identifies, classifies, and locates objects in the vehicle’s surroundings. Besides a predictive emergency braking system, which has been mandatory across the EU since fall 2015 for all trucks with a gross vehicle weight of more than 8 metric tons, the camera opens up a host of assistance functions. One of these is intelligent headlight control, which automatically turns on the headlights during night driving or in tunnels. The camera also aids recognition of traffic signs, incorporating them into the cockpit display to keep the driver better informed. • Servotwin steering: Bosch Servotwin electro-hydraulic steering system offers speed-dependent steering support with active response and consumes less fuel than purely hydraulic steering. Servotwin compensates for potholes and provides the driver with a good grip on the pavement. Thanks to its electronic interface, the steering system is the basis for driver assistance functions such as a lane-keeping assistant or cross-wind compensation. The steering system is used in Mercedes-Benz’s autonomous Actros. • Electrical hybrid powertrain: Bosch has developed a parallel hybrid system with 120 kW of power for heavy commercial vehicles. The system makes it possible to cut fuel consumption by up to 6%. The main components for long-haul transport are the electric motor and power electronics. The space-saving electric drive is integrated into the powertrain between the engine and gearbox, so no extra transmission is needed. It assists the internal-combustion engine, recuperates energy, enables coasting, and makes electric driving possible.

Heavy Duty Trucking / October 3, 2016 Eaton and Cummins have expanded the SmartAdvantage powertrain lineup to include a new transmission model with 1,850 lb.-ft. of torque. The SmartAdvantage powertrain will be offered as a multi-torque model that is compatible with Cummins’ SmartTorque2 functionality on ISX15 SA and X15 SA engines rated up to 500 horsepower and 1,550/1,850 lb.-ft. of torque. Additionally, the SmartAdvantage powertrain will not require the use of a transmission cooler. “The 1,850 lb.-ft. rating has been added to provide customers with improved grade capabilities and acceleration while broadening the downsped SmartAdvantage powertrain offerings,” said Alex Stucky, product strategy manager, commercial powertrain, Eaton. “It will provide superior performance on grades and highway on-ramp entrances.” .

Transport Topics / October 4, 2016 The Rolling Stones played a blistering 90-minute surprise set on Oct. 3 for 1,200 truckers at the 2016 Freightliner customer appreciation dinner here. The event took place during American Trucking Associations’ annual Management Conference & Exhibition. The band played a 14-song set spanning their legendary catalog inside a conference room converted into a concert venue at the Bellagio hotel. Throughout the evening lead singer Mick Jagger praised the work that truckers perform and thanked Martin Daum, president of Daimler Trucks North America, for inviting them to play. At one point, Jagger named several Freightliner truck models, saying they were great for taking the family on a Sunday afternoon drive. He also joked he was asked not to name any specific trucking companies or executives, something that Paul McCartney had done during his set at last year’s Freightliner dinner in Philadelphia. The Rolling Stones and McCartney are both taking part in a musical festival each of the next two weekends in California, billed as the Desert Trip. The Stones also return to Las Vegas to perform on Oct. 19 and Oct. 22 at T-Mobile Arena. The Stones updated their website Oct. 3, hinting at an announcement coming Oct. 6. Music industry speculation is that the announcement will reveal the release date for an upcoming blues-themed album. The set list performed by The Rolling Stones at the Freightliner event: Start Me Up You Got Me Rocking It’s Only Rock 'N Roll Out of Control Tumbling Dice Wild Horses Mixed Emotions Honky Tonk Women Miss You Gimme Shelter Brown Sugar Sympathy for the Devil Jumpin' Jack Flash Encore: (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction .

The Morning Call / October 3, 2016 Volvo Group subsidiary Mack Trucks, which is the largest employer in Lower Macungie Township, Pennsylvania, and the union representing its local workers reached a labor agreement the weekend of Oct. 1. "We reached a tentative three-year agreement yesterday, but we can't provide any other details at this time," Mack spokeswoman Kim Pupillo said Oct. 3. Mack's existing contract with United Auto Workers Local 677 expired at midnight Oct. 1. While union officials did not return calls seeking comment on Oct. 3, the union posted on its website at 2:45 p.m. Oct. 2 that a tentative agreement had been reached. In addition, a pre-recorded message on the union's answering machine informed workers of the agreement and told them to report to work as scheduled. Online posts from the union indicate negotiations continued until after 2 a.m. Oct. 2, with those talks revived again shortly after, at 8:30 a.m. Even before the agreement was reached the afternoon of Oct. 2, a post from the union at 8 a.m. Oct. 2 told members to report to work as scheduled unless they heard from picket captains saying they were going on strike. The 1-million-square-foot plant in Lower Macungie is where all Mack trucks built for the North American market and export are assembled. The company's Lehigh Valley Operations employ approximately 1,500 employees. With heavy-duty truck demand sagging this year, Mack has several weeklong production shutdowns — or temporary layoff weeks — scheduled this fall. In fact, the Lower Macungie plant will be idled during the week of Oct. 17, when one of the weeklong shutdowns is scheduled. The local plant also has a new manager. Rickard Lundberg, a longtime executive at Sweden-based parent company Volvo Group, started as vice president and general manager of Mack Lehigh Valley Operations on Oct. 1.

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Navistar Unveils International LT to Replace ProStar Transport Topics / October 3, 2016 Navistar Inc. turned its product renewal strategy toward Class 8 highway tractors, unveiling its new International LT Series of trucks here Sept. 30 in front of more than 400 customers, dealers, employees and journalists. Lisle, Illinois-based Navistar is using a three-pronged approach to sell the five versions of LT: driver appeal, fuel economy and vehicle connectivity. Company executives said they already have orders for 2,000 LTs to be built at the Navistar plant in Escobedo, Mexico, starting in November, and the first vehicle will be delivered in December. “The new International LT Series reflects our vision for the future of the trucking industry, with a host of advancements that support improved driver safety and productivity, as well as fuel efficiency and uptime,” said Bill Kozek, Navistar president for Truck and Parts. “This new vehicle reflects our strong belief that integrating the best technology will provide customers with a significant operating advantage,” he added. LT — for linehaul transportation— will replace the 10-year-old ProStar models, which are being phased out in the United States and Canada. LT’s five body types are a day cab and four sleepers: 56 inches deep, low-roof or high-roof; and 73 inches, high-rise or sky-rise. LT engines will come with 15 or 13 liters of displacement. The first engine option for LT is the new Cummins X15 made in Jamestown, New York. This is the replacement for the ISX engine series and it is designed to comply with the federal government’s Jan. 1, 2017, greenhouse-gas emission standards. In April, Navistar will add its in-house N13 engine as an option. Also coming that month will be LT’s smaller sibling, the International RH for regional hauling. Jeff Sass, Navistar senior vice president for sales and marketing, said all of the RH trucks will be day cabs and will be aimed at private fleets for distribution work, drayage carriers and petroleum haulers, among others. LT is the offspring of Navistar’s 2014 concept truck, Project Horizon, that was built to explore fuel economy and advanced technologies. LT also benefitted from the Department of Energy’s SuperTruck research and development program. Shortly before the LT event, Navistar said it completed its SuperTruck for DOE known as CatalIST. Company engineering vice presidents Stephen Gilligan and David Majors said several elements from CatalIST are present in LT: the aerodynamic sculpting of the cab, including the slope of the windshield; roof fairings; the dashboard; and lightweight materials such as aluminum and carbon-fiber panels. Combining benefits from aerodynamic improvement, weight reduction and the new engines, Navistar said LT will get 7% better mileage than the final ProStars now being made, and that three of those seven percentage points come from aerodynamics. Gilligan said the changes were incorporated with a consideration for return on investment. “Resoundingly, yes, this does pay out,” Gilligan said of the price increase for LT over ProStar. He said fuel-economy savings should recoup the roughly $2,000 price hike during the first year of operation. CEO Troy Clarke said vehicle connectivity is a crucial part of the company’s strategy, including telematics for maintenance, active safety systems and multi-truck platoons. “Companies that will win will be those who embrace this change. It will be a disruptive force for good,” Clarke said. He expects connectivity rates to soar over the next 10 years and said LT was designed as “a springboard to where trucking is going next.” While fleet owners will write the checks for the trucks, drivers were a crucial constituency to be pleased. A marketing video featured Clarke, Sass and another executive riding with drivers in their ProStars and talking about what would make a good truck. Navistar counted 500 ways in which a driver touches a truck, and made improvements where possible, including the return of air horn lanyards, more storage space — including cup holders and improved road visibility so a driver doesn’t have to turn his or her head so far. Majors, the engineer, said the design process included comments from 100 drivers and fleet managers. Because of that, the truck runs more quietly, making it easier for occupants to talk. He said there are multiple changes on technology attachments, control buttons and heating/air conditioning units, making it easier for drivers to do paperwork, rest and, of course, drive.