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Petroleum Institute Campaigns to Educate About New Oils Heavy Duty Trucking / July 21, 2016 The American Petroleum Institute is ramping up efforts to educate diesel engine users about the two new diesel engine oil standards it approved earlier this year, API CK-4 and FA-4. Having two different oil categories is likely to cause confusion among truck owners. And putting the wrong oil in your engine will at the least mean it won’t perform like it should and could cause engine damage, according to Kevin Ferrick, senior manager for engine oil licensing at API. That’s because FA-4 was designed for use in new 2017-model engines that are required to get better fuel economy for lower greenhouse gas emissions. The different viscosity parameters needed in these oils generally won’t work well in older engines. The new oil categories were the results of a years-long process to develop new standards and tests, a process during which the new oils were known as PC-11. API CK-4 and FA-4 will first appear in the API Service Symbol “Donut” on Dec 1. Most truck and engine makers will likely recommend truck owners that are currently using API-licensed CJ-4 engine oils start using licensed API CK-4 oils as soon as they are available. API CK-4 oils have been designed to better protect existing diesel engines. API FA-4 oils, however, are different. The FA-4 standard describes certain lower viscosity oils specifically formulated for use in diesel engines designed to meet 2017 model year on-highway greenhouse gas (GHG) emission standards. In general, FA-4 oils are not considered backward-compatible. Some engine manufacturers might recommend API FA-4 oils for their previous model-year vehicles, but it is more likely that manufacturers will recommend the oils starting with the 2017 model year engines. Making things more confusing is the different viscosity standards go beyond the basic 10W-40 or 5W-30 type of nomenclature. In fact, you could have two 10W-30 oils on the shelf, but one would be an FA-4 and one would be a CK-4. While lower-viscosity oils in general have been shown to improve fuel economy, the FA-4 oils must perform to a more stringent “high-temp/high-shear” viscosity test to stand up to the more punishing environment in the new engines. Add to all this the fact that most fleets would prefer to run a single oil, and you have potential for “misapplication” — using the wrong oil in your engine. One way the API has come up with to help truck owners identify the right oil is by changing the Service Symbol Donut. For FA-4 oils, the top of the donut has been divided, with FA-4 on the left-hand side. That part of the donut also will be shaded black or red. In addition, the API, which in the past has typically let oil marketers handle the announcements about new categories, is using everything from interviews with the press to radio and print ads to a website and social media to get the word out under the moniker “Diesel Oil Matters.” There’s a website, www.dieseloilmatters.com, a Facebook page, and a Twitter feed under @dieselmatters. Ferrick said he’s concerned that some truck owners “might believe that all oils are the same, and in this case this is not true. If you have two 10w30s side by side on the shelf, we’re worried they may mistakenly grab the wrong one. "The only way we know to mitigate that is to do the two things we’ve done. We named the oils differently — we called it FA-4 and CJ-4, we didn’t call it CK-4A and CK-4B – and we put a new API donut on the FA 4 without changing the CK 4 donut. Between those two things, we hope we get enough information out through our campaign to educate consumers, and if not we hope the difference in the donut will give them pause.” For fleets that aren’t buying oils off the shelf, Ferrick says, “the other thing I would say gives me some concern is there are a lot of fleets used to having only one oil. They need to come to grips with the idea that as they get new equipment, they may need to start carrying a second oil.” .

Transport Topics / July 21, 2016 Daimler AG, the world’s largest truck manufacturer, reported second-quarter net profit rose 3% to $2.64 billion — or $2.50 per diluted share — powered by sales of cars and vans even as U.S. orders for medium and heavy trucks plunged. Revenue for the quarter ended June 30 climbed 3% to $42.5 billion. In its earnings report, the company said, “In North America, weak overall investment is having a significant impact on the truck market. From today’s perspective, demand for Class 6-8 trucks is likely to decrease by approximately 15%.” In the quarter, orders for Daimler's U.S. medium and heavy trucks plunged 43% to 19,989 units from 34,822 a year earlier. U.S. retail sales of medium and heavy trucks fell 10% to 36,739 in the quarter compared with 40,694 in the 2015 period. At the same time, Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) increased its Class 8 market share by in the NAFTA region to 43.2% from 35.9%. But Daimler’s medium truck market share slipped to 36.4% from 40.9%. For the six-month period, net profit fell 13% to $4.2 billion, or $3.90 Euros. Revenue climbed 3% to $81 billion. But incoming U.S. orders for medium and heavy trucks plummeted 50% to 41,123, compared with 82,751 a year earlier. U.S. retail sales of medium and heavy trucks fell 3% to 72,501. Daimler’s Class 8 market share in the NAFTA region rose to 43.6%, compared with 37.9% in the 2015 six-month period. It’s medium truck market share dropped to 38.5% from 41%.

The Guardian / July 21, 2016 Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlelm the radical Islamist who drove a truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, killing 84 people and injuring hundreds more, had help planning the attack, says Paris prosecutor François Molins. Evidence from mobile phones and computer records indicate Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was not a recently radicalised “lone wolf”, but had several accomplices and had planned his attack for up to a year. Molins says after the attack on the offices of the Charlie Hebdo magazine in January 2015, in which 12 people died, Bouhlel sent a text message to one suspect that read: “I am not Charlie. I’m happy they have brought some of Allah’s soldiers to finish the job.” French authorities have made “significant advances” in the investigation. Four men and a woman suspected of helping Bouhlel appeared before a judge in Paris accused of being involved in a terrorist operation. The five suspects were in contact with Lahouaiej-Bouhlel shortly before he ploughed into crowds gathered for the traditional Bastille Day fireworks last week along the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, where the Tunisian man lived. Police have uncovered thousands of calls and messages between Lahouaiej Bouhlel, and five accomplices, after going through his social media accounts, laptop and phone records. "Put 2,000 tons of metal in the truck, f**k the brakes, and I'll be watching," says one message sent to Lahouaiej Bouhlel in April. In the past year alone, Lahouaiej Bouhlel, had more than 1,270 conversations from his mobile with one of the men. The accomplices continued to support Lahouaiej Bouhlel up until the day of the attack. Seconds before Bouhlel drove the truck for almost 2km through groups of people, he sent two “odious messages” that appeared to have been pre-recorded on his mobile phone. The prosecutor said it was increasingly evident that Bouhlel’s attack was premeditated and that he had logistical and planning support from the five others, with whom he had been in regular contact. “He seems to have envisaged and developed his criminal plans several months before carrying them out,” Molins said. The five people include a married couple from Albania, accused of supplying the automatic pistol that Bouhlel used to shoot at police, two French-Tunisian men and a Tunisian man. None were known to the French security or intelligence services and only one, a 41-year-old French-Tunisian, had a criminal record, for robbery, theft, assault and drug offences. Photographs and searches on the attacker’s mobile phone included pictures of the Bastille Day fireworks in July 2015, and an article referring to the “magic potion called Captagon”, which Molins said was a drug “used by certain jihadis preparing terrorist attacks”. At the home of one of the men, detectives reportedly found drugs, €2,600 in cash and 11 mobile phones. One photograph discovered by investigators showed one of the suspects in the cab of the truck used to carry out the massacre, taken three hours before the attack. France’s interior minister has acknowledged that there was no national police presence at the entrance to the pedestrian walkway in Nice during the attack. Backtracking on his previous claim that national police were present, Bernard Cazeneuve said local police, who are more lightly armed, were guarding the entrance through which Bouhlel drove his truck. Meanwhile, the 51-year-old motorcyclist who tried to stop the attacker spoke about his experience to Nice-Matin. Franck, an airport worker whose surname was not given, said: “I wanted to stop him at any price … my aim was to get to the [driver’s] cabin. When I drew level with him, I asked myself, what are you going to do with your poor scooter, so I threw it against the lorry and continued to run after him. “Finally I grabbed on to the cabin. I was on the steps at the level of the open window facing him. I hit and hit him and hit him again. With all my strength, with my left hand in the face. He said nothing. He didn’t even flinch. He had his gun in his hand but the pistol was not working. I had the impression he was trying to fiddle with it, I don’t know. He pointed it at me and pulled on the trigger but it didn’t work. “I was ready to die. I was conscious and ready to die to stop him and I kept hitting him. I tried to drag him out through the window because I couldn’t open the bloody door. I kept hitting him. Then he finally hit me on the head with the butt.”

Hillary and Bill Clinton: The for-profit partnership The Financial Times / July 21, 2016 They have made $22 million from the education industry since 2010 In 2010, Bill Clinton made a deal that drew him closer to some of the most high-powered investors in the world, including the private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Citigroup, hedge fund managers Steven Cohen and George Soros and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. Under the arrangement, the former US president would serve for five years as honorary chancellor of Laureate International Universities, a global network of for-profit institutions of higher education that had been taken private in 2007 in a $3.8bn leveraged buyout by its founder Douglas Becker and the KKR-led consortium. Mr Clinton’s duties included providing advice on “issues like social responsibility, youth leadership and civic engagement” and visiting 19 campuses in 14 countries, Laureate’s website says. His pay exceeded $16.5m — or more on an annualised basis than the president of Harvard University. The one-time commander-in-chief had become a globetrotting connector par excellence, as Mr Clinton explained during a speech in November 2010 at Malaysia’s Inti International University, one of dozens of Laureate schools serving more than 1m students around the world. “I agreed to be the honorary chancellor of Laureate because it is first of all a true global network of universities and I’m very big on establishing networks,” he said. “I think tying people together across national, religious, ethnic [and] ideological lines is the key to the 21st century.” Soon, Mr Clinton will find out whether his sense of the situation was correct. In the coming weeks, the Clinton brand of networking will be put to the political test as his wife Hillary, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, takes on Donald Trump, her Republican rival and proprietor of Trump University, his own for-profit education business, in what promises to be a rugged general election campaign. Learning curve For the Clintons, the Laureate connection has been a profitable step in one of the most lucrative post-presidential business careers in US history. After leaving the White House in 2001 in self-described penury, Mr and Mrs Clinton made close to a quarter of a billion dollars, largely by giving speeches, publishing books and consulting. The question is whether voters will understand. Today’s electorate is wary of the well connected. In the Democratic primaries, Mrs Clinton struggled to fend off Bernie Sanders, foe of the wealthiest 1 per cent of the citizenry and advocate of free public universities. On the Republican side, Mr Trump won the nomination by casting himself in the role of a tycoon beholden to no one. The Clintons, by contrast, have profited financially by using their connections to the global elite — including in such highly regulated sectors as for-profit education, finance and healthcare. Big banks such as Goldman Sachs and UBS, which have together paid almost $2m for speeches from the Clintons since 2013, are the obvious example. “In the realm of appearance, it’s just unnecessary,” says Robert Reich, who served as Mr Clinton’s labour secretary from 1993 to 1997. “It would be one thing if they were financially needy. But from all the accounts I have read that doesn’t seem to be the case. So why take the risk of the appearance of impropriety? Why give ammunition to the vast networks of people looking for ammunition? It’s a complete mystery to me.” The Clintons’ income from for-profit education could prove an especially sensitive subject at a time when US student debt exceeds $1.2tn. Critics argue that for-profit operators devote too much revenue to marketing and providing themselves with a return, and too little to teaching. Their case is made stronger by evidence that students at for-profit schools are less likely to pay back their loans or find jobs. Tax returns released by Mrs Clinton’s campaign show that she and her husband reported income of more than $22m from interests in the for-profit education industry since 2010. In addition to the $16.5m that Mr Clinton received from Laureate between 2010 and 2014, he was paid $5.6m as honorary chairman of the Varkey Gems Foundation, the charitable arm of Gems Education, a Dubai-based company founded by Sunny Varkey, an Indian-born billionaire. Payments from Laureate and the Varkey foundation continued in 2015, according to another filing by Mrs Clinton, which says only that the amounts in each case exceeded $1,000. Laureate, in turn, donated between $1m and $5m to the Clinton Global Initiative, says a representative of the education company. The Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation also lists Gems Education as a donor in the same $1m-$5m range. Mrs Clinton has made far less personally from the education sector than her husband. However, after stepping down as secretary of state in February 2013, she was paid a total of $451,000 in 2014 to speak to two for-profit education companies: Academic Partnerships of Dallas, Texas, and New York-based Knewton, founded by Jose Ferreira, a former strategist for John Kerry, Mrs Clinton’s successor at the state department. In 2013, Mrs Clinton received $225,000 to speak to KKR, the Laureate investor. ‘Coalitions of money’ The irony is that the Clintons might have made more money in education than the ostensible industry entrepreneur in the presidential race. Eric Schneiderman, New York state’s attorney-general, says the available evidence suggests Mr Trump received $5m in profits from his real estate university while it operated from 2005 to 2010. The exact figures are unavailable because Mr Trump has refused to release his tax returns, citing a continuing audit. The comparison is somewhat unfair. Despite its name, Trump University was not a university. A New York judge ruled in 2014 that it was an unlicensed school. Three lawsuits — one filed by Mr Schneiderman, two by former students — have alleged it was a fraud. None of the suits has been tried. Mr Trump has denied wrongdoing and suggested that the US-born judge in the students’ cases is biased because his parents came from Mexico. He has also vowed to reopen his school — now called the Trump Entrepreneur Initiative. As a business indicator, however, the appearance of both the Clintons and Mr Trump on the for-profit education scene was revealing. During the early years of this century, it seemed like everyone wanted to get in on the act — with investors, technologists and other business interests all looking to upend traditional educational models. “You had hedge funds, private equity funds, all these coalitions of money that came into the for-profit education arena,” says AJ Angulo, author of Diploma Mills. “There was sort of a feverish approach to build up these institutions as quickly as possible.” Laureate Education, the university chain’s parent, based in Baltimore, Maryland, was started by one of the more unlikely players in the game. Mr Becker, 50, the company’s chairman and chief executive, never attended university. While still in his teens, he and some friends developed a high-tech medical records card that made them millionaires in the 1980s. Mr Becker and one of his partners turned to education in the early 1990s, acquiring Sylvan Learning Systems, a publicly traded tutoring company. From Sylvan grew Laureate, which began acquiring for-profit university assets in 1999, starting with the Universidad Europea de Madrid in Spain. Mr Clinton became honorary chancellor in 2010 as US regulatory pressure on the education sector grew and industry participants realised that dealing with the government had become essential. “For an education business, having political connections is a reality,” says Michael Moe, co-founder and chief investment officer of GSV Capital, a California fund manager with holdings in more than a dozen education companies. “[In] education, like healthcare, you have to have that as part of the playbook.”

Ian Wright, chief executive officer and founder at Wrightspeed and co-founder at Tesla, talks about Tesla's plans to produce an electric freight truck and discusses demand for his company’s electric garbage trucks. He speaks on "Bloomberg Markets." http://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2016-07-21/tesla-s-tech-shortfalls-on-path-to-truck-production

Bloomberg / July 20, 2016 The U.S. Navy’s newest aircraft carrier isn’t ready for warfare. The $12.9 billion USS Gerald R. Ford -- the most expensive warship ever built -- may struggle to launch and recover aircraft, mount a defense and move munitions, according to the Pentagon’s top weapons tester. On-board systems for those tasks have poor or unknown reliability issues, according to a June 28 memo. “These four systems affect major areas of flight operations,” Michael Gilmore, the Defense Department’s director of operational test and evaluation, wrote Pentagon and Navy weapons buyers Frank Kendall and Sean Stackley. “Unless these issues are resolved, which would likely require redesigning” of the aircraft launch and recovery systems “they will significantly limit the CVN-78’s ability to conduct combat operations,” wrote Gilmore. More Delays The reliability woes mean that delivery of the Ford -- the first of three carriers ordered up in a $42 billion program -- will probably slip further behind schedule. The Navy announced last week that the ship, originally due by September 2014, wouldn’t be delivered before November this year because of continuing unspecified testing issues. The service has operated 10 carriers since the retirement of the USS Enterprise in 2012. Extended deployments of the remaining ships have placed stress on crews and meant added strain meeting global commitments from the battle against Islamic State to ensuring freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, home to $5 trillion in annual trade. A prolonged delay could also hamper the military if a new conflict arises. “Based on current reliability estimates, the CVN-78 is unlikely to conduct high-intensity flight operations” such as a requirement for four days of 24-hour surge operations “at the outset of a war,” Gilmore wrote. As delivery of the Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. vessel approaches, “my concerns about the reliability of these systems remain and the risk to the ship’s ability to succeed in combat grows as these reliability issues remain unresolved,” Gilmore said. ‘Unacceptable’ Delays Republican Senator John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, called the Navy’s announcement of additional delays last week “unacceptable,” adding that it was a “case study in why our acquisition system must be reformed.” A Navy spokeswoman, Lieutenant Kara Yingling, said the Navy was aware of the report but referred additional comment to Kendall’s office. Kendall spokesman Mark Wright said in an e-mail "we don’t feel it is appropriate to release our response to this internal memo.” The Navy has said that Newport News, Virginia-based Huntington Ingalls is performing well as the shipbuilder. Many of the technologies installed on the first-of-class carrier are produced by other companies. As of last month, the ship’s construction was 98 percent complete, the Navy said. Huntington Ingalls has turned over 97 percent of the carrier’s compartments and 89 percent of shipboard testing is completed, the Navy said. Ship Trials The Navy plans to deploy the Ford by 2021 for worldwide operations after a series of maintenance and training exercises and completion of full ship-shock trials by fiscal 2018, so there is time to correct deficiencies before potential combat operations. Yet the problems cited so far are critical for the vessel’s success. Gilmore said the carrier’s advanced arresting gear for snagging landing aircraft and the launch system, both made by General Atomics of San Diego, are experiencing different but still inadequate levels of reliability. Meghan Ehlke, a General Atomics spokeswoman, didn’t respond to an e-mail seeking comment. The arresting gear, which was criticized by the Pentagon’s inspector general in a July 6 report, has the most serious reliability limitations and “is unlikely to support high-intensity flight operations,” Gilmore said. Reliability “is well below expectations and well below what is needed to succeed in combat.” Arresting Gear The Navy estimates the arresting gear could be operated for approximately 25 consecutive landings, or cycles, between critical failures. That means it has a “negligible probability of completing” a 4-day surge “without an operational mission failure,” Gilmore wrote. The electro-magnetic launch system’s reliability is higher but “nonetheless I have concerns,” Gilmore wrote. Recent Navy data indicates the carrier can conduct only 400 launches between critical failures, “well below the requirement” of 4,166 takeoffs, Gilmore wrote. Gilmore said the system would have to increase its reliability to 1,600 launches between critical failures “to have a 90 percent chance of completing a day of sustained operations.” The Navy program office’s determined that the carrier “has less than a 7 percent chance of completing the four-day combat surge” plan, Gilmore wrote. Radar Systems The reliability of Raytheon Co.’s dual-band radar used for air-traffic control and self-defense against aircraft and missiles “is unknown.” Land testing of the system is using software still under development and some hardware reliability issues have surfaced, he said. Testing indicates failure rates of power sources and transmit-receive modules have dropped but a production model of the radar “will not be fully tested” until the ship goes to sea, he said. Nonetheless, the Navy has praised the radar system, saying that in testing all six of the arrays designed to detect and track targets “have been successfully energized at high power” and “targets of opportunity” have been successfully tracked. Testing also has been limited in the elevators used to move bombs between magazines and flight desk so “their reliability is unknown and is a risk,” Gilmore said. The Ford is designed to have 11 advanced weapons elevators. McCain Senator John McCain slammed an announcement earlier this month that stated the ship will not be rolled out until at least November this year, more than two years after its planned delivery date of September 2014. “The Navy’s announcement of another two-month delay in the delivery of CVN-78 further demonstrates that key systems still have not demonstrated expected performance,” says McCain. “The advanced arresting gear (AAG) cannot recover airplanes. Advanced weapons elevators cannot lift munitions. The dual-band radar cannot integrate two radar bands. Even if everything goes according to the Navy’s plan, CVN-78 will be delivered with multiple systems unproven.” “This situation is unacceptable and was entirely preventable. After more than $2.3 billion in cost overruns have increased its cost to nearly $13 billion, the taxpayers deserve to know when CVN-78 will actually be delivered, how much developmental risk remains in the program, if cost overruns will continue, and who is being held accountable.”

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Truckstop TV / July 20, 2016 Truckstop TV talks to Glen Richards about his 1950 AEC Matador. .

Isuzu F Series Dealer Drive Day 2016 Isuzu Australia Press Release / July 20, 2016 Victorian-based dealers and customers were invited to drive Isuzu's brand new range of four and six cylinder F Series models out of Shadow Fax Winery in Melbourne's west. Here's what they had to say about the range. .

Isuzu Australia Press Release / July 20, 2016 Traversing a challenging 150 kilometer test route in and around Brisbane, members of the Australian truck media put no less than seven of Isuzu's brand new four and six cylinder F Series models through their paces across a range of environments. Check what they had to say about Australia's most flexible and efficient medium-duty truck range. . .

Steve Brooks, Trade Australia / July 20, 2016 In his first interview, managing director Andrew Hadjikakou talks exclusively with Steve Brooks about Paccar’s entrenched commitment to local manufacturing and much, much more It’s one of those things where you just have to see it to truly appreciate it. Such is Paccar Australia’s headquarters and production facility in Bayswater, an hour or so east of Melbourne in the shadows of the Dandenong foothills. It’s where Kenworths are made for Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea and it is, beyond any shadow of doubt, the jewel in the Kenworth crown. Still, getting a tour ticket isn’t easy. In fact, it can cost hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars. You see, most times you need to be a customer or a highly likely prospective customer to be given the nod for an escorted tour through the plant. Or, you’re part of an invited entity which has the capacity to at least comprehend the extent of the Bayswater facility and subsequently impart that knowledge for the greater good of Paccar and Australian manufacturing generally. An industry leader, a politician, a special interest group, or very occasionally, the press. Two things are certain, however. Cameras are not allowed inside the factory and competitors are not welcome. Ever! Some years back the managing director of another truck brand who had several times heard glowing praise of the Bayswater plant’s prowess as a world-class custom-builder, asked if I thought his Paccar counterpart would agree to show him through the factory. "Don’t waste the phone call," he was advised. Not to be swayed, he made the call anyway and forever after delighted in recalling the story of the most eloquently polite rendition of ‘piss off’ he’d ever known. Seriously, a true story. Some might say the seeming exclusivity of factory visits is all part of a carefully managed corporate doctrine to protect the Kenworth image, even mystique. Personally, I think not! It’s protection, for sure, but of the purely commercial kind and if that generates a certain image or mystique, then so be it. The truly surprising fact, however, is that plant tours are not nearly as rare as some may think. Indeed, in 2015 Paccar Australia says it hosted an astonishing 349 plant tours and as one Kenworth senior executive recently emphasised, "This plant is a huge asset … the most effective tool we have to gather and maintain a customer base." It sure is! Ask any customer who has been shown through the plant and I’d be staggered if any weren’t extremely impressed with what they saw and learned. They may not always buy a Kenworth but more times than not they will expound the extraordinary impression left by the day they were shown through Bayswater. Even its fiercest competitors acknowledge that Paccar and its Kenworth flagship are massively successful and among numerous reasons for that success, the Bayswater factory stands at the top of the tree. The first Australian-built Kenworth emerged in 1971 and according to new managing director Andrew Hadjikakou, they will continue to be built here while ever the Australian market continues to throw up conditions and demands unlike anywhere else in the world. ‘Australian made. World’s Best.’ It’s more than just a slogan at Bayswater. It is a genuine and deeply ingrained belief. The pride that pervades every part of this clinically clean facility, and especially on the factory floor, is neither concocted nor orchestrated. It just is! "As a country and as a transport industry, we are unique. For that reason we build trucks that are unique to Australia’s requirements," says Andrew Hadjikakou in the hour or so before a recent press tour of the Bayswater plant. Yet despite the numerous groups that pass through Bayswater, press tours are an uncommon event. In almost 40 years of reporting on trucks and road transport, I can count on one hand the number of ‘official’ visits to the factory. Sure, I’ve managed a couple of unofficial strolls as well but generally, choreographed excursions such as this most recent event are as rare as hen’s teeth. That said though, it’s this rarity which brings into sharp focus the vast extent of the Bayswater plant’s evolution. At the first visit in the early ’80s, it was a comparatively modest and relatively low-volume factory producing W-models, SARs and K-series cab-overs. Back then, build quality was the strongly stated priority just as it is now but build rates were a fraction of today’s output and automation of any sort was non-existent. Meanwhile in the main office, engineers worked on large drawing boards producing blueprints for factory tradesmen to convert to hardware while almost all sub-assemblies were completed on site before being fed onto the production line. But just as technology has had a major impact on the performance and efficiency of trucks over recent decades so, too, has manufacturing technology and the incessant drive for greater efficiency provided the platforms for massive changes to design, production and quality control systems at Bayswater. The vast investment in engineering, production technology and the land required for expansion has obviously been huge but so have the returns delivered by robotics, automation and critically, ongoing investment in equipment and training. As it stands today, the factory covers 12,000 square metres and sits little more than a stone’s throw from a parts distribution centre covering more than 9000 square metres. Decisions made decades ago to invest in neighbouring land that were initially criticised as unnecessary expenditure are today hailed as fortuitous and wise examples of planning for the future. Meantime, the incessant push for streamlined efficiencies continues and nowadays there’s a far larger number of local suppliers producing and delivering a greater range of complete sub-assemblies on a just-in-time basis to the production line. Perhaps best of all from Paccar’s perspective, the dedication to investment in local manufacturing continues to deliver big dividends and in turn, strengthens the operation’s ongoing viability. Paccar Australia last year achieved combined revenue of $750 million and given current production rates, it shouldn’t be too much longer before the 55,000th Bayswater-built Kenworth rolls off the line. Add to that the 4000-plus DAFs which have now been delivered in Australia since 1998, it’s easy to understand the strong sense of satisfaction lurking just under the surface at Paccar Australia. The evolution has been huge but it’s certainly not over. Not by a long shot. Surprisingly perhaps, one of the very few things at Bayswater that hasn’t changed much over the decades is the head office, and notably, that even includes the managing director’s corner. Next in Line Andrew Hadjikakou is just the fourth managing director at Bayswater since 1980. He is, however, also the third man to fill the MD’s chair in less than four years. From 1980 to 2007, the company was run with a firm, calm hand by the pragmatic and shrewd Andrew Wright whose commitment and contribution to the local manufacture of Kenworth trucks remain legendary. It was no surprise that following Andrew’s retirement, his loyal lieutenant Joe Rizzo would step into the role. Needing a replacement for his vacated general manager’s position, Rizzo in 2007 appointed an aspiring and impressively qualified executive from the steel industry, Andrew Hadjikakou. Predictably, Joe Rizzo ran a tight ship and Paccar continued to plan and prosper under his leadership. However, in late 2012 Joe surprisingly announced his retirement. After 35 years with Paccar, he’d done more than his fair share. It wasn’t long before his replacement was announced. Mike Dozier, a highly regarded executive from within Paccar’s US ranks with a strong background in engineering and manufacturing. He officially took the reins at Bayswater in February 2013 and being an American, the rumour mill went into immediate overdrive with speculation that Dozier was here to wind back the local manufacturing operation and pave the way for fully imported Kenworths from the US. For his part, Andrew Hadjikakou remained in the 2IC role and, from the outside looking in, it appeared Australian managing directors had become a thing of the past. Appearances, however, can be deceiving. From the outset the long, lean and likeable Dozier strongly refuted suggestions of any reduction in local manufacturing and it was soon obvious he was speaking the absolute truth. Kenworth trucks would continue to be built in Australia and as far as he could see into the future, an emphatic Dozier asserted there would be no American imports. But if Joe Rizzo’s retirement had been surprising, so too was Mike Dozier’s return early this year to a major role in the US. Most surprised of all, perhaps, was Andrew Hadjikakou. In fact, Andrew only learned of Mike’s pending departure when he received a phone call from the US offering him the managing director’s position, ending speculation that Australians would no longer be appointed to the MD role. "It was certainly a nice surprise to be offered the position," remarked the affable and astute Hadjikakou, "but the biggest surprise was hearing of Mike’s return to the US. He’d been here three years and I thought, just like he did, that he’d be here for at least another couple of years." Asked if his goals and administration will be any different to his predecessor, a thoughtful Andrew Hadjikakou answered, "No, my role will continue where Mike left off. I learned a great deal from Joe and Mike so fortunately, there are no surprises about the job. One thing about Paccar is there’s always great clarity around goals and disciplines. "There are a lot of exciting things happening that will be revealed in time but my role is not to change the world but to keep doing the good things and ensuring the company remains stable and viable." But in a company renowned for management consistency, three managing directors in the space of just four years could suggest a corporate mindset to change managing directors more regularly. "There is definitely no changing mindset," he said firmly, asserting that Mike Dozier’s appointment to Australia was perfect timing because "… it met with the goal to be more integrated with Paccar globally. "In fact, I believe the management here is actually very consistent. It’s historic within Paccar to appoint from within and I believe it’s one of Paccar’s real strengths." As for the decision to open the Bayswater facility to the press just one month into the top job, Andrew Hadjikakou was quick to explain, "When you look at all the negatives around the loss of automotive manufacturing in this country, the time is right to showcase this factory. We have a great story to tell here." What’s more, it’s a story which has been firmly endorsed from the highest levels of Paccar. As Andrew explained, "Our executive chairman Mark Pigott made an address to all the employees in the factory, reflecting on the deterioration of the automotive industry in this country. "He said that sad as that is, Paccar continues to invest in this country and that is something to be extremely proud of. "Paccar provides access to capital to improve quality, we employ more than 800 people directly and many thousands more through our dealer and supplier networks. "So while Toyota, Ford and Holden are ending local car production, Paccar continues to increase its investment in truck manufacturing at Bayswater. "We stand on our own two feet without government handouts and this company has achieved so much and our goal is to continue to achieve. There’s a lot to look forward to. "The people we employ are well trained and motivated, there’s a great deal of gratitude that goes both ways between us and our suppliers and our dealers, and we play a big part in the broader community," an upbeat Andrew Hadjikakou continues. "We are committed to manufacturing in this country. Absolutely! "We’re all about technology, quality, innovation, investment in Australia and our people, and through events such as this press visit we’re acknowledging all those who contribute to the company and its success." The passion is palpable. Tough Competition Still, Paccar is not the only company producing trucks in Australia. Volvo Group Australia (VGA) is the other big supplier of trucks at least assembled in this country and while Paccar’s investment in local manufacturing is undoubtedly greatest, they are easily the most formidable players in the heavy-duty market. Indeed, competition between the two powerhouses has moved up several notches over the past few years and while Kenworth comfortably maintains its ranking at the top of the heavy-duty ladder, VGA brands (Volvo, Mack, UD) collectively dominate the total heavy-duty market, marginally ahead of Paccar’s Kenworth and DAF. Does that fact trouble Andrew Hadjikakou? "No, it does not," he answered abruptly. "There’s no doubt we’re in a very competitive market and we always keep a close eye on our competitors, but our focus entirely is on making sure we hit the needs of our customers. "Our priority is building the best trucks possible for Australia, meeting the needs of our customers and training and caring for our people. They are the things that make everything else possible. "Being number one is not what we are about. It never has been." Fair enough, but Kenworth has always held the prestige of a premium product at a premium price. Given the intensity of competition these days, how hard is it to maintain the price premium? It was a question that drew a carefully measured response. "We are a very viable and profitable organisation but certainly, as markets decline, competition increases. "Yes, the costs of Kenworth do rise and fall depending on currency and supplier input costs but overall our commitment is to make sure we produce a truck in less hours with the highest amount of quality and pass that on to the customer. "It will always be a premium product and fortunately, a lot of operators understand the lifecycle costs, whether that comes from lower maintenance expenses, greater durability and uptime over the longer term, or higher resale. They are the things that make Kenworth a premium truck." Still on the competition, it’s surprising to some that Volvo rather than Freightliner’s Argosy has emerged as the most prolific competitor to Kenworth’s super-successful K200 cab-over. After all, as the only other US-derived cab-over in the market, Argosy has long been viewed as the one truck that could actually threaten K-series supremacy. "That’s a good observation," Andrew comments with a somewhat wry grin. "We couldn’t be happier with the acceptance of K200. It’s our biggest selling model and there’s no doubt lifecycle cost is the thing that keeps it on top in the minds of customers. "At the end of the day, Argosy is just another competitor and while we keep an eye on all competitors, our priority is supplying the best product we can, cab-over or conventional." Cab-over queries But when it comes to cab-overs, has DAF yet achieved its true potential despite being part of Paccar Australia since 1998? "Certainly we’d always like more (sales) but the DAF product is doing well in the 13 litre cab-over market," he quickly responds. "We don’t want to see DAFs pulling roadtrains across the Nullarbor. It’s not that sort of product but there are many other applications where it is perfectly suited." As for the suggestion that DAF is something of a poor cousin to Kenworth, an adamant Andrew Hadjikakou says, "No, it’s definitely not a poor cousin. Our dealers are committed to it and run dedicated DAF sales, service and support teams. "DAF is a vital part of our business and I can guarantee it will continue to be." Derived from DAF, of course, is the MX13 engine released in Kenworth’s T4 range at the end of 2014 after a long and detailed development program. "The MX is now a third of all our T4 sales, so it is definitely meeting our expectations," he insists. "Driver and fleet feedback has been exceptional." The other two-thirds of T4 sales are, of course, powered by Cummins 15 litre ISXe5 engine. Asked if the MX13 and perhaps even its MX11 sibling will become more widespread in the Kenworth range, Andrew says candidly, "Yes, there are certainly opportunities in the T3 range and maybe other cab-over product." What ‘other’ cab-over product? The answer this time was a tad more cautious. "Of course, K200 is only available with a 15 litre (Cummins) engine and at this stage there’s no plan to put the MX into a Kenworth cab-over but that’s not to say it won’t happen or that we’re not already looking at it. "Let’s just see what happens," he smiles. Still on engine business, Cummins is obviously the core of Kenworth’s power base and in the big bore department, that won’t change. "Cummins is a fantastic partner to Kenworth and that partnership has only strengthened in the last five years," Andrew remarks. It is, however, a partnership which has also endured some testing times, not least during a protracted spate of problems with early EGR versions of the 15 litre ISX engine. Fortunately, those problems are now largely in the past thanks to determined remedial work by Cummins and the introduction of the ISXe5 engine with SCR emissions technology. "But even so," Andrew quickly adds, "the EGR product today has improved immeasurably and Cummins has done an amazing job to get it to where it is now. The updates to hardware and software on EGR have really eliminated all the earlier issues. "We still sell EGR today, it’s about five percent of our 15 litre sales, mainly to customers like livestock haulers who are in remote areas for long periods and may not have access to AdBlue or just don’t want to carry it. "And we will continue to offer the EGR engine," he confirms. "Besides, EGR will be back with us soon enough when new emissions standards (Euro 6) are introduced in a few years’ time, and SCR and EGR will form part of the same emissions package." Meanwhile, Andrew Hadjikakou is certainly aware of another card up the Cummins sleeve. It’s called the ISG12, an advanced 12 litre engine with significant potential for Kenworth’s T4 and perhaps T3 families. So, given Kenworth’s historic platform to give the market what the market wants, is the ISG a possibility despite its potential clash with Paccar’s own MX engine? "Yes, it’s a possibility," he replies, "but right now we’re focussed on bedding down the MX across our product range. Like I said, the feedback we’ve had from customers about the MX shows us that it’s right on the mark for T4 and possibly other models in our range. "When it’s all boiled down, our aim is to add value by enhancing our product and we do that by constantly innovating and looking for new opportunities. When we find an opportunity we pursue it, whether it be new interiors or common cab platforms or the introduction of new engines. "But we’re only able to do those things effectively and efficiently because our trucks are engineered and built here. In Australia," an emphatic Andrew Hadjikakou concludes. Photo gallery - http://www.tradetrucks.com.au/features/1607/paccar-australias-world-class-kenworth-factory/

Reuters / July 20, 2016 Volkswagen is ready to make an acquisition for its trucks business in North America if the right opportunity comes along, despite the rising cost of its "dieselgate" emissions cheating scandal, the head of the trucks division told Reuters. Andreas Renschler said his main focus remained on deepening cooperation between Volkswagen's (VW) truck brands - MAN and Scania - a process started last year and aimed at saving up to 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) a year by 2025 from joint procurement and development of gearboxes, axles and engines. But he said VW's absence from the lucrative North American trucks market was something he wanted to address over the longer term, as he seeks to build a global business to challenge rivals Daimler and Volvo. And he said VW management's support for such a move was as strong as before the company was engulfed in a damaging and costly scandal over cheating emissions tests last September. "The question is whether you try to find solutions or hide away in the corner," he said. "We are looking ahead." VW said on Wednesday it was taking another 2.2 billion euro ($2.4 billion) one-off hit in its first half results - on top of the 16.2 billion euros it has already set aside to cover the costs of its emissions test cheating, including fixing vehicles and a settlement with U.S. authorities. Some analysts had speculated VW might sell or spin off its trucks business to help raise funds, but it made clear in a strategy overhaul in June it had no plans for major asset sales. First-half earnings figures on Wednesday also signaled the company's recovery may be gaining momentum. Renschler said in an interview that VW was under no pressure to do a trucks deal in the United States, adding it was important "to pick the right moment to take the right step". He also declined to discuss potential deals. Analysts have suggested Navistar International Corp or Paccar Inc as possible acquisition targets or partners. Renschler said a public listing for VW's trucks business was not a top priority at the moment, though all options were being kept open to that end, he added, without being more specific. The trucks business made 24.4 billion euros of sales in 2015, out of a VW group total of 213.3 billion. June's strategy announcement was the start of a transformation at VW that could last 5-10 years, and in which the trucks business would play its part, Renschler said. He said VW would use the 2016 IAA Hanover truck fair on Sept. 21-22 to unveil a new platform to expand digital services for truck drivers and logistics operators. The company may also announce new financial targets for MAN, whose profits have been hammered by a downturn in its key Brazilian market, and the higher-margin Swedish unit Scania, Renschler said. VW is seeking to expand cooperation with Chinese partner Sinotruk Hong Kong, and is open to talks about joint projects with other peers, he added. A former Daimler executive who joined VW in February 2015, Renschler indicated he may not seek a second term when his contract expires in 2020. "It always depends on how I feel and whether or not I want to work operationally," the 58-year-old said. "I have a five-year contract, I have promised to fulfill it."

Commercial Motor / July 20, 2016 MAN will showcase its first trucks fitted with Scania transmissions at the 2016 IAA int’l commercial vehicle show in Hannover, Germany this September. The new truck models are equipped with Scania’s 12 + 2 transmission, with MAN control software. The new transmission will initially only be available on 6x2 tractors initially. The new models will offer the 640 horsepower version of MAN’s 15.2-liter D38 engine available. Previously, that power rating was only offered for heavy haulage. MAN is cancelling the “Top Torque” function. Now, all engines feature the extra 200Nm of torque in all gears. The changes coincide with the introduction of a modified engine line-up of 12.4L D26 and 15.2L D38 engines to comply with the forthcoming OBD2, step C, changes to Euro-6. The latest models also showcase a new black background for the MAN lion logo, together with a front bumper and grille with improved cooling airflow.

SAF-Holland Press Release / January 27, 2016 Luxembourg-based SAF-Holland has introduced a hydraulic-driven trailer axle. The new "SAF TRAK" drive axle supports your tractor unit during inclines and on difficult terrain, using a hydraulically driven motor. SAF Trak provides the construction and refuse industries with an alternative to often-costly multi-drive trucks. “The integrated additional drive axle takes the required performance precisely to where it is needed – right to the trailer. Here, the drive axle carries the full axle load and is able to transmit all of the drive torque,” the company says. The hydraulic drive motor was developed by French company Poclain. The driver can activate the auxiliary drive axle from the cab at the push of a button. The system then automatically recognizes the direction of travel and turns on the axle’s drive motor if speed is reduced due to a lack of traction. The driven axle will switch to stand-by mode if a pre-defined speed is exceeded or the brakes are applied. The SAF-Holland Trak axle is available for retrofit onto existing trailers. .

Tesla to introduce electric heavy trucks in 2017 Bloomberg / July 20, 2016 Elon Musk unveiled his latest “master plan” for Tesla Motors, delivering a long-term vision that includes an integrated solar and battery product, the addition of a pickup, heavy truck and bus to its electric vehicle lineup. “In addition to consumer vehicles, there are two other types of electric vehicle needed: heavy-duty trucks and high passenger-density urban transport,” said Musk on Wednesday. “Both are in the early stages of development at Tesla and should be ready for unveiling next year. We believe the Tesla Semi will deliver a substantial reduction in the cost of cargo transport, while increasing safety and making it really fun to operate.” The semi-truck business is being led by Jerome Guillen, a former Daimler AG executive who recently returned to Tesla after a leave of absence.

Dagens Industri / July 20, 2016 Volvo risk lawsuits in the billions from its participation in the price-fixing truck cartel scandal. The Nordic industry association for the trucking companies, NLA, says there are grounds for a lawsuit for compensation from the truck manufacturers. "The truck operators were cheated", said NLA President Søren Larsen to Dagens Industri.

Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / July 20, 2016 Net trailer orders for the U.S. hit 11,900 units in June, the weakest June since 2009. Down 10 percent month-over-month and 56 percent year-over-year, orders came in below expectations due to elevated dry van cancellations. Market analysts say it appears that Q4 backlog has begun to soften because of moderating freight demand, with fleets reevaluating their second-half requirements. Monthly trailer orders have averaged only 13,700 units, so the market is cooling. Backlogs fell 15,000 units, likely a record drop for one month. Orders have totaled 271,000 units the last 12 months with backlogs falling to their lowest level since September 2014. Orders in all trailer segments were similar to May’s totals with the exception of dry vans, which were down by 2,000 units from the previous month. The good news is that production remains strong in the van segments. Backlogs are still decent and production should fall only moderately in the coming months. However, flatbeds and tankers are not expected to improve any time soon. Dump trailer orders have weakened, so production cuts are probably on the way.

Shell Debuts Oils Formulated for API CK-4 and FA-4 Categories Heavy Duty Trucking / July 19, 2016 Years of work in the lab and millions of miles of road testing has culminated in three new Rotella engine oils formulated to meet the API CK-4 and FA-4 oil-service categories that will start coming on the market later this year, Shell Lubricants announced here at a July 19 media briefing. “We have been working on the new CK-4 and FA-4 specifications for more than five years, keeping in mind that meeting the new specifications was simply a starting point for Shell Rotella,” said Chris Guerrero, Brand Marketing Manager for global heavy-duty diesel engine oil.” Once industry product licensing begins in December, CK-4 oils will replace current CJ-4 oils and will be completely backwards-compatible with all current engines, according to Shell. To meet the CK-4 specs, oils will be formulated with improved oxidation resistance, shear stability and aeration control. To meet FA-4, oils will also be formulated with lower viscosity grades designed for next-generation diesel engines— those of model year 2017 and newer-- to help maximize fuel economy without sacrificing engine protection, the company stated. Also per Shell, because some older engines were not designed to operate with lower-viscosity oils, the backwards-compatibility of FA-4 products will be limited by individual engine makers. Rotella T4 Triple Protection, offered in 15W-40 and 10W-30 grades, will meet the CK-4 spec while Rotella T5 Ultra10W-30 Synthetic Blend will comply with FA-4. However, no product will be marked with the API CK-4 or SA-4 donut until December 1, the date of first licensure for both categories. Rotella T5 Ultra 10W-30 will be introduced in December. It’s formulated for improved fuel economy compared to Rotella CK-4 oils yet offers “equivalent wear protection to CK-4 products,” according to Shell. The company noted that Rotella T5 Synthetic Blend 15W-40 and Rotella T6 Full Synthetic 5W-40 will also be reformulated to meet CK-4 specifications. Also to be rolled out will be Rotella T6 Multi-Vehicle 5W-30, which will meet CK-4 and SN category specs so it can be used in both diesel and gasoline engines. “Shell Lubricants has been a leader in the development and testing of next generation engine oils that will meet the new API specifications without compromising oil life or wear protection,” said Dan Arcy, Global OEM technical manager. “We’ve conducted more than 40 million miles of real-world testing to demonstrate the performance of our next-generation engine oils to meet the CK-4 and FA-4 specifications.” According to Arcy, T4 Triple Protection oil will “effectively sustain emissions control system durability where diesel particulate filters and after-treatment systems are used. It provides enhanced protection against viscosity loss due to shear and improved oil aeration. The exclusive low-ash formulation helps protect the exhaust catalysts and diesel particulate filters found on the latest low-emission vehicles.” He added that a fuel-economy benefit may be realized from running the 10W-30 grade of this oil. As for the 15W-40 T4, Arcy said it will provide “wear protection beyond CK-4 standards. In API industry wear tests, T4 Triple Protection 15W-40 didn’t just meet CK-4 specs, it delivered an average 50% more wear protection than required. It also provided strong wear protection in CK-4 engine tests, including the Cummins ISM and ISB.” He added that the T4 Triple Protection 15W-40 will “defend against deposits and help keep engines cleaner over the entire oil drain interval. It delivers reduced deposits in engine tests including Caterpillar 1N and OM 501.” Rotella T5 Ultra 10W-30 has been enhanced with synthetic base oils, plus advanced additive technology to provide “Triple Protection Plus technology that adapts to driving conditions,” Arcy said. “It provides excellent wear protection and deposit control/cleanliness. It also protects against oil breakdown and sustains emission control system durability in particulate filters and aftertreatment systems. He said that T5 Ultra “delivers excellent wear protection and deposit control/cleanliness. It also provides protection against oil breakdown and sustains emission control system durability in particulate filters and aftertreatment systems. And tests prove that this new oil has better cold cranking properties and low temperature pumpability at -25˚C and -30˚C respectively. Arcy noted that T5 Ultra has been shown to provide a 1.6% fuel economy improvement compared to 15W-40 oil in an independent third-party test. Guerrero called the new oils Shell’s “most technically advanced, hardest working products to date.” He said that selecting the proper engine oil will be easy once the new API categories kick in: “If it was built prior to 2016, whether it is on- or off-highway, choose CK-4 oil, which directly replaces CJ-4 oils. For a 2017 on-highway vehicle,; check with the manufacturer before changing the oil for the first time and if they allow an FA-4 oil, choose Rotella T5 Ultra 10W-30.” The new products will come in new packaging “to protect the recognizable look of our bottles while simplifying the naming and developing a strong label design to help our customers select the proper Rotella product to meet their needs,” Guerrero pointed out. “The logical naming structure of T4 to T5 to T6 and the Triple Protection identifier makes each engine oil easy to identify,” he explained. “Rotella T4 products will maintain their white bottle, T5 Synthetic Blend products their silver color, and T6 Full Synthetic products will continue in blue bottles.” He added that the jugs will retain their “much-preferred two-handled design for easy pouring and the thinner dimension fits easily on retail shelves, in a shop or truck.” The products will be offered in one-gallon and quart jugs. .

Heavy Duty Trucking / July 20, 2016 Fitzgerald Glider Kits has finalized the purchase of two Peterbilt dealerships in the southwest region of Virginia, formerly known by the name Performance Peterbilt of Bristol. The dealerships are located in Glad Spring, Va., and Fancy Gap, Va., and will now be renamed and operated as Fitzgerald Peterbilt. Tommy Fitzgerald Jr., the partner and head of marketing for Fitzgerald, will oversee the operations and growth of the dealerships. "I'm truly honored to be accepted into the Peterbilt dealer community,” said Fitzgerald. “I couldn't begin to thank my father, Tommy Sr., and Peterbilt enough for believing in me and giving me this opportunity.” The popularity of glider kits face an uncertain future, thanks to more stringent emissions regulations expected to be made final soon by the federal government. Performance Peterbilt of Bristol offers sales, parts, service and contract maintenance to the Tri-Cities region.

Today’s Trucking / July 20, 2016 As engine platforms go, Cummins' ISX has to be considered slightly remarkable. It was introduced in 1998, although the program that brought the engine to life began in 1994. It survived the transition to EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) and then to SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) aftertreatment. Several other engines did not. And it's still very much alive and kicking today. We spent a day test driving a couple of production-intent versions of the 2017 X15 (as it's now known), and a current ISX15 for comparison. Coming in 2017 are two distinct versions of the engine -- one tuned for fuel economy, the other for performance. Most of the changes are electronic, but Cummins has made some physical changes to the air handling system and reduced internal parasitic drag on both models. In the case of the performance version, Cummins has optimized the combustion hardware and improved what it calls the combustion recipe. The impact of the enhancements is subtle but noticeable. In plain English, the 2017 models felt peppier, a little quicker, and smoother to respond, and generally had a firmer feel. The engine brake’s performance at very low rpms was quite a surprise, and even more so in the performance version of the engine, which boasts a new and improved version of the venerable Cummins variable geometry turbocharger. With trends in engine speed drifting lower with each passing year, drivers were becoming dissatisfied with the engine brake’s performance, apparently not realizing (or forgetting) that a simple downshift would restore the massive retarding power available from a 15-liter engine. That downshift is no longer required, but be prepared for a treat if you decide to drop it down a gear. Electronically speaking, it's pretty clear that Cummins and Eaton have been spending a lot of time together in the lab and on the track. The 2017 version of the SmartAdvantage powertrain is as smooth and perfectly integrated as any of the vertically integrated powertrains they compete with. Clutch engagement on the Eaton side is dramatically improved over earlier versions, and slipping between the top two small-step gears was barely noticeable on modest highway grades. The close ratio-step between 9th and 10th is meant to keep the engine running close to its fuel-efficient sweet spot as long as possible. Interestingly, the 2016 engine would lug -- if we can still use that term (it hardly applies anymore) -- down to 1,070 rpm before making a downshift on a grade, whereas the 2017 dipped down to 1,040 before giving up a gear, starting from a cruising rpm between 1,100 and 1,125. If for some reason you aren't using cruise control, the 2017 version will deliver peak torque all the way down to 975 rpm. Both of the fuel-efficient versions of the engines I drove had the ADEPT (Advanced Dynamic Efficient Powertrain Technology) technology suite featuring SmartCoast and SmartTorque2 (ST2). The 2017 version also had Cummins own Predictive Cruise Control (PCC) feature, currently available only on Paccar products. Cummins will have its own PCC package for 2017 and it will be available across all truck platforms. SmartTorque has been around for a few years, but the latest evolution known as ST2 provides additional torque when transmission sensors detect the vehicle is on an uphill grade. SmartCoast was new in 2016. It disengages the engine from the transmission on modest downgrades for almost drag-free coasting with the engine at idle. Coupled with SmartCruise, customers can set their own droop settings (between five kilometers per hour below, and 10 kilometers per hour above, set cruise speed) for reengagement and engine brake activation on grades, so they can harvest the maximum amount of momentum from a hill. Previous versions of SmartCoast dropped the engine to a 600-rpm idle, but for 2017, Cummins says it is so confident in the new air handling system’s faster transient response that it is comfortable letting the engine drop to 500 rpm with no worries about rapid re-engagement. The performance version of the engine I drove did not have ADEPT because it had a manual transmission. ADEPT is designed to work with the SmartAdvantage powertrain only, featuring an Eaton Automated Manual Transmission. On the road For each truck, we ran about 65 kilometers south of Cummins' hometown of Columbus, Indiana on I-65. There were a few modest 2-3% grades en route to get a sense of how it all worked. The PCC feature was interesting. It has GPS maps loaded into the computer, and with the aid of terrain mapping and inclinometers built into the engine and transmission, PCC looks about three kilometers ahead to get a picture of what's coming. The PCC manages throttle and gearing based on the terrain, and does a really good job. It would begin roll on a bit of power just ahead of a grade to build up momentum before climbing, and throttle back just as we began to crest the hill to take advantage of gravity on the downside. It's nothing more than a pro driver would do, but even the best of us have lapses in attention. We might miss an opportunity or six to conserve a little more fuel. Not PCC. Before leaving the plant in Columbus, Mario Sanchez-Lara, director of on-highway marketing communications and my tour guide for the day, reset the fuel economy display for a fresh start. Granted, it was a short run, but we saw the average fuel economy trending upward throughout the run. It went from 6.6 miles per gallon (35.6 liters per 100 kilometers) to 7.7 (30.5) with the 2017 engine, and from 6.1 (38.5) to 7.2 (32.6) with the 2016 engine when we returned to the plant. In real-world reporting on a round trip from the Cummins Engine Plant in Columbus to the Jamestown, New York plant, the 2017 engine logged an average of 8.4 miles per gallon (28 liters per 100 kilometers) with an average road speed of 87 kilometers per hour pulling a trailer loaded to a 66,000-pound Gross Vehicle Weight. It also had 213 SmartCoast events on the trip, where the engine was disengaged from the transmission and the truck was coasting for free. My feeling, after a day out with the two generations of engine, is that Cummins has made a good thing better. Even with the automated transmission and a lack of direct involvement in operating the engine and transmission, that peppy and tight feeling was obvious. It's just a nicer-running version of the current ISX15. I have always been inclined to let an engine drift into the lower end of the rpm range to take advantage of the torque down there, but various older Cummins and Eaton products didn't always cooperate. They are now completely over their aversion to low-rpm operation, and the two – better described as “one” under the SmartAdvantage banner -- handle it very well. I'll save my report on the performance engine for a future feature, but I would say that engine had all the performance attributes of the fuel efficient version, but with 605 horsepower and 1,850 lb ft of torque to play with. Sweet! The rating of the 2016 ISX15 engine and the 2017 X15 engine were the same: 450 horsepower with ST2 1,550/1,750 lb ft. The 2017 engine enters limited production in October, with full production slated to begin in January.

Mark Hernandez and Wade Watson should get together for lunch and exchange stories.

Fleet Owner / July 20, 2016 Eaton has increased the warranty coverage for two of the company’s heavy-duty manual transmissions. New truck customers who specify either an Eaton RTLO 13-speed or 18-speed transmission, a Solo Advantage clutch and Eaton-approved lubrication will now receive a 7-year/750,000-mile warranty on the transmission and 5-year/500,000-mile warranty on the clutch. The program was introduced July 1, 2016, and will remain in effect until June 30, 2017, for all makes and models of new trucks purchased in the U.S. and Canada. “Our rugged manual transmissions have been the trucking industry standard for years,” said David Karnes, vice president, Commercial Vehicle Sales, North America, Eaton. “That robust design, coupled with the one of industry’s best clutches and lube offerings, has allowed us to provide our customers with these free warranty extensions.” The design of the Eaton Fuller RTLO transmissions feature a mainshaft without splines, and helical gears in the auxiliary section of the transmissions, which provides quieter operation and increased durability. Eaton’s PS-386 Synthetic Transmission Fluid is designed specifically to optimize performance in Eaton transmissions. PS-386 also improves fuel efficiency and gear wear to help promote longer transmission life.

Fleet Owner / July 20, 2016 Its CK-4 blend rolls out in August, while its FA-4 formulation will arrive in December. Shell Lubricants took the wraps off its new “portfolio” of Shell Rotella CK-4 and FA-4 oils diesel engine oils, designed to meet Proposed Category 11 (PC-11) specifications finalized back in February, at a special event in the nation’s capital this week. Shell’s Rotella T4 Triple Protection 15W-40 and 10W-30, along with T5 Synthetic Blend 10W-30, meet the new CK-4 service category and will become available in August – replacing current lubricant formulas as they are completely backwards compatible with all current engines, though those oils will not be “licensed” as CK-4 on the API donut until Dec. 1. Chris Guerrero, global HDEO brand manager for Shell Rotella and Shell Rimula, added that FA-4 formulations, which include lower viscosity grades designed to maximize fuel economy in 2017 model year engines, will have limited backwards compatibility because some older engines were not designed to operate with lower viscosity grades. Shell won’t introduce those oils until December. He added that Shell’s new engine oil “portfolio” will also include a new “multi-vehicle” synthetic blend, Rotella T6 5W-30, for both diesel and gasoline engines that allow CK-4 blends as well as API SN performance standards. “This oil cut its teeth in the diesel setting; we did that first before seeing if it could work in the gasoline setting,” Guerrero explained. Other details regarding Shell’s new CK-4 and FA-4 oils include: Rotella T Triple Protection is being renamed Rotella T4 Triple Protection, with Rotella T5 Synthetic Blend 10W-30 reengineered as well, to meet the new CK-4 spec. Both of these engine oils will be on retail shelves in August but won’t display the API CK-4 donut until Dec. 1; the official date of first license for CK-4 and FA-4 engine oils. The Rotella Synthetic Blend 15W-40 and T6 Full Synthetic 5W-40 will also be reformulated to meet CK-4 specifications. Rotella T5 Ultra Synthetic Blend 10W-30, which will meet the API FA-4 specification, will be introduced in December. The naming structure of Shell’s engine oils – T4 to T5 to T6 – will correspond to a specific “bottle color” to make them easier for customers to identify, with Rotella T4 products in white bottles, Shell Rotella T5 Synthetic Blend products in silver color, and T6 Full Synthetic products in blue bottles, with bottles available in either one-gallon and quart sizes. If a truck engine was built prior to 2016, whether on- or off-highway, Shell recommends using CK-4 oil as those blends replace its CJ-4 oils. For a 2017 on-highway vehicle, follow the OEM recommendation before changing the oil for the first time to see if they allow FA-4 oil to be used. Dr. Richard Tucker, general manager-technology for B2B lubricants, stressed that there is a “global trend” towards lower viscosity engine oils in order to reduce fuel consumption and that PC-11 represents “just the starting point” for Shell to further pursue further formulations to that end. “It’s really just a matter of time before we see wider adoption of FA-4 oils, for the pressure for greater fuel economy and from GHG rules is not going away,” he pointed out. Dan Arcy, Shell's global OEM technical manager for the Americas, said that based on Shell’s testing of its new oils, there should a 1.5% improvement in fuel economy by switching from current 15W-40 engine oil blends to the new 10W-30 formulations. But Guerrero noted that the development of PC-11 compliant CK-4 and FA-4 is only the beginning of Shell’s effort to create higher performing engine oils. “PC-11 is not the finish line for us,” he said. “The real ‘destination’ is creating the most technically advanced Rotella [oils] ever.” Matt Urbanak, HDEO technology manager, added that Shell is already testing viscosity formulations even lower than the 2.9 level of FA-4 blends. “The challenge has always been the fear of sacrificing [oil] durability when moving to lower viscosity formulations,” he explained. That’s why Dr. Jason Brown, global technology manager for heavy duty diesel engine oil (HDEO), said extensive field testing of the new PC-11 oils – efforts that encompassed 40 million miles of on-road prototype formulation testing for its PC-11 family, along with 50,000 hours of off-road testing for its CK-4 product line alone – is critical to winning acceptance from trucking customers. “Field testing is what drivers the most credible numbers,” he explained. “It helps our customers see directly the benefits [the new oils] bring to their equipment.”

Transport Topics / July 20, 2016 During a tough time for the trucking industry, the Freightliner plant in Mount Holly, North Carolina, has gone through a leadership change this week. General manager Mark Hernandez is no longer with the company, a spokesman confirmed July 19. Hernandez joined the plant in December 2011. His job description states he managed a budget of $350 million. The Mount Holly plant produces medium and heavy trucks. Hernandez’s responsibilities will be shared by plant logistics director Jane Rosaasen and production director Janine Wright, Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) spokesman David Giroux said. Giroux said he could not comment on whether Hernandez was fired or if he left on his own. Hernandez has been with Daimler since at least 1994, six years after he graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy. He managed the company’s plant in Saltillo, Mexico, for 17 years before moving on to the Mount Holly plant. While with Mount Holly, he managed the Cleveland plant in Rowan County for seven months, starting in November 2014. That plant is Freightliner’s largest in the nation. The two women who take on Hernandez’s responsibilities have long careers in the auto industry. Janine Wright has worked for Daimler since at least 1984. She started as a design engineer and spent at least 17 years at the Mount Holly plant. Jane Rosaasen, has worked for the company since at least 2004, starting in human resources and working at plants in Rowan County and Mexico. Before working for Daimler, she spent 20 years with Chrysler in the automaker’s Canada division. In June, Daimler announced layoffs for its Mount Holly and Gastonia plants. Mount Holly lost 600 workers, reducing it to one shift. Gastonia, which fabricates and assembles parts for Daimler products, lost 200. The company previously stated the temporary layoffs were part of an international reduction in workers. Daimler expected a 15% decrease in sales of medium and heavy trucks, the kind of trucks made at the Mount Holly plant. Truck manufacturing follows a cycle that relies on factors outside a company’s control, Gaston County Economic Development Commission executive director Donny Hicks previously told reporters. As one of the largest employers in the county, Freightliner pays a large amount of tax and provides work to local suppliers of smaller parts that go into truck components, Hicks said. Recently, Volvo and Mack also have laid off workers nationwide. In February, about 700 workers were temporarily laid off, reducing the Mount Holly plant to two shifts a day. About 300 laid off workers attended a March job fair hosted by the county, but it’s not known how many of those workers found new jobs. Officials with United Auto Workers Local 677, which represents the Mack workers, did not respond to requests for comment July 19. The union is negotiating with Mack, since the existing contract expires in early October. One positive of the nonproduction time, according to the announcement, is it allows the company to more easily do work related to Mack's $70 million investment in the plant, a project aimed at modernizing the 40-year-old structure and turning it into a "world-class manufacturing facility." The letter said Mack plans to conduct maintenance, do construction work and make improvements to the facility during the shutdowns. When the employees do return to work, they're not likely to find a bustling truck market reminiscent of 2015, when Mack delivered 27,411 trucks, its strongest year since 2006. That's something Volvo realizes. In its report July 19, the group lowered its heavy truck market forecast for 2016 to 240,000 trucks. By comparison, the total North American retail market for heavy-duty trucks was 301,700 last year. "A continued good development in the economy, low fuel prices and low interest rates support the market, but with stagnant freight volumes, increased availability of competitively priced used trucks and less need for fleet renewal, the market is expected to settle on a more normal level during 2016," Volvo said. In a July 6 report, Stifel transportation analysts said North American heavy truck orders of 13,100 units in June was the lowest level since the third quarter of 2010. In terms of North American heavy-duty truck production, Stifel is forecasting 230,000 units in 2016, 205,000 units in 2017, 200,000 units in 2018 and 250,000 units in 2019. "We continue to believe there is more risk to the downside than upside in the next few years, especially for those names that are most exposed to the North American heavy-duty cycle," the Stifel analysts wrote. That means this could be a sign of things to come at Mack, which had 93% of its second-quarter orders and deliveries in North America.