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Commercial Motor / January 23, 2020 Moody International has sold a left-hand drive Ford F-MAX 4x2 tractor unit in the UK for £75,000 (US$98,035.50). Although the F-Max is currently available in most of Eastern Europe, Italy, Spain and Portugal, Ford has no plans to officially sell the Turkish-built trucks in the UK. The Grimsby-based truck dealership sources them from a Ford dealership in Poland. They are covered by a three-year unlimited mileage warranty, which includes breakdown and recovery. “Keeping these trucks maintained over here is not hard,” said owner Mick Moody. TIP UK has been licensed by Ford to use its maintenance software and to train mechanics to work on the F-Max. And TIP’s branches are around every corner.” The F-Max, which was crowned International Truck of the Year 2019, uses Ford’s own Euro-6 12.7-litre engine, producing 500hp and 2,500Nm of torque. Safety features include lane departure warning and emergency braking. The sleeper cabs have twin bunks, climate control, satellite navigation and, according to Moody, “a really good engine brake”. The F-Max’s height and width meet UK type approval. “It’s a lot of truck for the money. And it’s not far off a Volvo and Scania to drive either – it’s really smooth and definitely one to watch. I believe that if Ford was to offer a 6x2 and a 4x2 F-Max over here, they’d take off,” Moody said. http://www.moodyinternational.co.uk/truck/ford-t1850-f-max/ .

Commercial Motor / december 18, 2019 Easy pull curtains are just one of the highlights of the SDC Freespan. .

Scania Group Press Release / January 22, 2020 HAVI is using Scania biogas trucks for deliveries to McDonald’s in Finland. Despite a population of just 5.5 million, Finland has one of Europe’s most developed biogas networks, with 33 public stations. Sixteen of these offer biogas in its purest form (CBG100) and 17 stations provide biogas blended with fossil methane. With such an excellent infrastructure in place, it was unsurprising that HAVI Logistics recently switched half of its eight-strong Finnish fleet to Scania biogas trucks. After all, HAVI, which delivers food to McDonald’s and other restaurants, is committed to phasing out its fossil-fuel operations under a Europe-wide agreement it made in 2017 with Scania and McDonald’s. “Swift action for more sustainable transport” HAVI has worked closely with Finnish state-owned energy supplier Gasum in planning its new operations. Gasum’s gas refuelling network covers HAVI’s needs throughout Finland, and the nearest gas filling station is only 500 metres from HAVI’s Finnish Logistics Centre in Vantaa, near Helsinki. “It’s very important for us to meet the aspirations of our customers and staff,” says Mikael Tuompo, Managing Director of HAVI Logistics in Finland. “That requires taking swift action for more sustainable transport.” McDonald’s is reducing the carbon footprint of its restaurant operations, through biodegradable packaging materials, recycling and by expanding its plant-based menu options. But it relies on its partners to tackle transport-related issues, as Heli Ryhänen, Communications Director, McDonald’s Finland, explains: “We focus on making hamburgers and preparing meals in our restaurants. And we trust our partners to have the necessary expertise in reducing their carbon emissions from transport.” HAVI’s actions slash carbon emissions The other half of HAVI’s Finnish fleet may still be diesel, but these four trucks will now be run on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), which will contribute to reducing the company’s annual carbon emissions from transport by 83 percent. Meanwhile, the HAVI Logistics Centre has undergone a major refurbishment to make it more energy efficient. In total, the measures will reduce HAVI Logistics’ carbon emissions in Finland by 1,388 tonnes a year; that’s equivalent to approximately 8.8 million passenger car kilometres. .

Scania Group Press Release / January 20, 2020 Electrification, automation and various hybrid and alternative fuel solutions are already attracting a lot of attention. However, one possibility that has been overshadowed in comparison is hydrogen fuel cell technology. The trucks, which are fully electric, are fitted with an electric powertrain, and energy is converted to electricity from hydrogen gas in fuel cells on board the vehicles. The fuel cell powered truck also has a battery for moments when extra power is needed, and when the vehicle needs to recuperate electric power from brake energy. Hedvig Paradis, Head of New Business Concepts with a PhD in fuel cell technology from Lund University, has been studying and working in this rapidly evolving area for several years. She is excited by its potential. “Different customers in different regions around the world will need different solutions, and hydrogen fuel cell technology can be one of those solutions. We can see for example in Japan, South Korea and California that they are pushing for hydrogen based solutions, and building hydrogen gas stations,” she says. Possibilities A major strength of hydrogen-based solutions is the fact that it is a zero emission technology; only water is actually emitted locally by the truck itself. This is based on the fact that the hydrogen is produced in a renewable way. Another real positive for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, and a reason for the growing interest, is that they have attributes comparable to conventional vehicles, such as refuelling patterns and infrastructure build-up. That’s attractive to those who are wary of making the dramatic change some new technologies require. Challenges There’s the central issue of how and where the hydrogen fuel is produced. “Hydrogen gas stations are not that developed yet, although there is more infrastructure emerging. Some, like Asko, are actually building their own refuelling stations so they are in control of their own ecosystem. There’s a need for sustainable solutions that have less environmental impact.” Added to this is the need for a lot of space on the truck or bus for the hydrogen tanks. The solution available today takes up a lot of volume to maintain a good range that could otherwise be used for transporting goods or people How it works A fuel cell creates electricity by an electro chemical process using hydrogen and oxygen. The electricity generated by the fuel cells powers the electric powertrain. The system has an integrated battery buffer. The only emissions are pure water. .

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Ford Trucks Russia Press Release / January 24, 2020 The Ford Trucks 3233S is a rigid in 8x2 configuration with two auxiliary axles, a steerable pusher and a tag. This layout allows operators to carry more cargo compared to three axle trucks. In addition, the 8x2 configuration offers class-leading operating economy. A member of Ford Trucks "Cargo" heavy series, the 3233S utilizes a sleeper cab well suited for Russia's winters featuring two auxiliary heaters in addition to air conditioning. The 3233S truck is equipped with an economical 9-liter Ford "Ecotorq" engine and easy shifting Eaton manual transmission. A standard 2-year warranty with unlimited mileage is standard, and extended warranty options are available. .

Springfield News-Sun / January 25, 2020 Navistar laid off 26 workers in Springfield on Friday as part of continuation of layoffs resulting from the company’s decision to reduce the number of trunks built there per day. Last week, truck production on the Springfield plant’s main line, which also builds medium-duty commercial trucks for General Motors, was reduced from 97 to 70 per day. That decision led to 106 workers being laid off shortly after, not including the 26 that were laid off on Friday, said Chris Blizard, the president of UAW Local 402 . Those affected by the most recent round of layoffs at the plant are members of UAW Local 402. That union represents assembly production workers as well as those with skilled trades at the Springfield plant. “In order to realign production with the current demand for our products, we will be adjusting line rates at our Springfield Assembly plant. This action is normal due to the cyclical nature of our business,” said Navistar spokesperson Lyndi McMillan in an email to the News-Sun last week. The News-Sun reported in 2019 that the number of medium and heavy-duty trucks being built have surpassed demand nationally. Some companies are beginning to adjust their production rates as a result. A reduction from 117 trucks to 97 trucks built per day at the Springfield plant in September led to 126 workers being laid off that month, the News-Sun reported. The company announced in November that it would be further reducing truck production at the plant starting in January. At the time, local union officials argued that reducing the line to a production rate of 70 would be in direct violation of their contract with the company. They said that agreement called for a minimum of 90 trucks to be built per day on the main line of the Springfield plant. Another interpretation of the contract language is that Navistar is required to staff the main line with enough employees to accommodate at least 90 trucks per day and therefore the company can reduce production without violating the contract. However, the number of workers needed at the line to support that production is still a matter of debate between union officials and Navistar, Blizard said. Earlier this month, Navistar temporarily stopped production on line two, which makes cutaway vans for GM, at the Springfield plant due to a retooling at GM’s plant in Wentzville, Mo., that makes cabs for the GM vans assembled in Springfield. However, production has resumed on that line, according to Blizard.

Cummins Press Release / January 24, 2020 Cummins presence in the truck industry extends from all the way from the 2-ton Foton pickup featuring our compact F2.8 engine to the ultra-heavy MOL hauling 400 tons powered by the strength of the X15 engine – you can see how Cummins powers it all in China here: .

The ideal piston is the one your spec engine is supposed have. In your case, 240GC2246AM.

I lost count at how many times he says "uh". Not inspiring. .

Tennessee Supreme Court to hear fleet’s case against Navistar over MaxxForce EGR engines Matt Cole, Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / January 22, 2020 The Tennessee Supreme Court will hear an appeal in a case between Tennessee-based Milan Express and Navistar, the maker of International Trucks, over alleged defects in the company’s MaxxForce engine line. In August 2019, an appellate court tossed a decision that required Navistar to pay Milan $30.8 million in damages to the fleet. Milan appealed the appellate court’s decision to the state’s highest court, which announced Jan. 16 it would hear the case. Milan, a roughly 400-truck fleet out of Milan, Tennessee, purchased 243 International ProStar tractors equipped with MaxxForce engines in 2011 and 2012. A jury in 2017 sided with Milan in the case, awarding the carrier $10.8 million for compensatory damages related to repairs for the engines and $20 million in punitive damages. A judge recently approved Navistar’s proposed settlement of $135 million that will be paid out to owners of certain International trucks equipped with defective model year 2011-2014 MaxxForce 11- or 13-liter engines. The Milan case has no bearing on the class action lawsuit. As part of the class action settlement, owners of affected trucks can choose to receive up to $2,500 in cash, up to a $10,000 rebate on a new Navistar truck with proof of ownership/lease, or up to $15,000 in repayment for repair costs for each affected truck they owned or leased.

Proudly made in #Alabama #USA. Proudly serving the City of Loveland - Public Works Department #Colorado. #Autocar #AlwaysUp #uptime #ROI #itsallabouttheuptime #madeintheUSA #AutocarSolutions City of Loveland, Colorado - Government

Autocar Trucks honored these 9 amazing truck building team members with a special luncheon today for achieving perfect attendance in 2019! Congratulations and thank you to David Barger, Brock Ellis, Kendall Geeslin, Alejandro Gonzalez, Shontel Johnson, Michael Layton, Joyce Lowe, Terry Reed and Bryan Thompson for their incredible commitment and loyalty. #AlwaysUp

The White House Statement from the Press Secretary Regarding Birth Tourism Visa Regulation Rule Change Issued on: January 23, 2020 Beginning January 24, 2020, the State Department will no longer issue temporary visitor (B-1/B-2) visas to aliens seeking to enter the United States for “birth tourism” – the practice of traveling to the United States to secure automatic and permanent American citizenship for their children by giving birth on American soil. This rule change is necessary to enhance public safety, national security, and the integrity of our immigration system. The birth tourism industry threatens to overburden valuable hospital resources and is rife with criminal activity, as reflected in Federal prosecutions. Closing this glaring immigration loophole will combat these endemic abuses and ultimately protect the United States from the national security risks created by this practice. It will also defend American taxpayers from having their hard-earned dollars siphoned away to finance the direct and downstream costs associated with birth tourism. The integrity of American citizenship must be protected.

Ford expects $2.2 billion Q4 hit due to pension plans Michael Martinez, Automotive News / January 22, 2020 DETROIT -- Ford Motor Co. on Wednesday said it will take a fourth-quarter financial hit of about $2.2 billion for how it accounts for liabilities on employee pension plans and retirement benefits. The automaker, in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, said the hit includes a $2 billion loss associated with pension plans outside the country. It also includes a $600 million loss associated with post-retirement employee benefit plans globally, although that was partially offset by a $400 million gain associated with pension plans in the U.S. Overall, Ford said the "remeasurement loss" on pension liabilities is expected to reduce its quarterly net income by about $1.7 billion, although Ford said it will not impact its total adjusted earnings before interest and taxes figure or adjusted earnings per share. Ford noted it accounts for pension remeasurement gains and losses when they occur, rather than amortizing those results over time. The automaker will report fourth-quarter and full-year earnings Feb. 4. Ford said the unfunded status of its pension funds grew to $6.8 billion at the end of 2019, up from $6.3 billion at the end of 2018. Unfunded postretirement liabilities grew to $6.1 billion in 2019 from $5.6 billion, Ford said. CFO Tim Stone in October said Ford expected total 2019 earnings before interest and taxes of $6.5 billion to $7 billion, down from its earlier projection of $7 billion to $7.5 billion. That would represent a decline from the $7 billion earned in 2018.

This model is marriage material. January #Autocar calendar features a McPherson Area Solid Waste Utility #ACX chassis w/ New Way Trucks #Sidewinder #ASL. #McPherson #Kansas Justin Lister Photography #AlwaysUp #MASWU #uptime #itsallabouttheuptime #safety #sideloader #garbagetruck #automatedsideloader

On the subject of airbags..................... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Toyota recalls 3.4 million vehicles because TRW airbags won’t deploy Reuters / January 21, 2020 WASHINGTON -- Toyota is recalling 3.4 million vehicles worldwide because of an electronic glitch that can result in airbags not deploying in crashes. The recall, which includes 2.9 million U.S. vehicles, covers 2011-19 Corolla, 2011-13 Matrix, 2012-18 Avalon and 2013-18 Avalon Hybrid vehicles. The vehicles may have an electronic control unit that does not have adequate protection against electrical noise that can occur in crashes, which could lead to incomplete or non-deployment of the airbags. It could also impede the operation of seat-belt pretensioners. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in April expanded a probe into 12.3 million potentially defective airbags covering a number of automakers, including the vehicles Toyota is recalling. NHTSA said in April it had identified two frontal crash events, including one fatal crash "involving Toyota products where (electrical overstress) is suspected as the likely cause" of airbags not deploying. Both involved newer Corolla cars. NHTSA said the TRW airbags under investigation were installed in more than 12 million vehicles from 2010 through 2019 sold by Toyota, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Honda Motor Co., Hyundai Motor Co., Kia Motors Corp. and Mitsubishi. They were equipped with an airbag control unit initially produced by TRW Automotive Holdings Corp., which is now owned by ZF Friedrichshafen. In total, NHTSA said as many as eight deaths could be tied to the issue. Hyundai, Kia and Fiat Chrysler previously issued recalls for more than 2.5 million vehicles with the TRW airbag control units in question that might not deploy in crashes. When it recalled nearly 2 million vehicles for airbag non-deployments in 2016, Fiat Chrysler said it had reports of three deaths and five injuries that might be related to the defect. Hyundai and Kia ultimately recalled more than 1 million vehicles for airbag non-deployment concerns in 2018. Hyundai and Kia in 2018 said they had reports of four deaths and six injuries in North America tied to the issue. Toyota dealers will install a noise filter between the airbag control module and its wire harness if needed. Toyota declined to say how many deaths or injuries have been tied to the defect. Toyota will notify vehicle owners of the recall by mid-March. On Wednesday, Toyota said it is recalling 361,000 older vehicles worldwide for potentially defective air bag inflators. The defect involves a different type of Takata inflator than those that have prompted the largest-ever auto safety recalls worldwide covering more than 42 million U.S. vehicles by 19 automakers with Takata air bag inflators. Honda Motor Co. said on Tuesday it will recall 2.7 million older U.S. vehicles in North America for the same type of Takata inflator that Toyota is also recalling. Toyota's new recall covers some 1998-2000 Toyota RAV4, 1998-99 RAV4 EV, 1998-99 Celica and 1997-98 Model Year Supra vehicles with a non-azide front driver airbag inflator, including 139,000 in the United States.

Trump praises Musk, wants to protect 'genius' Bloomberg / January 22, 2020 President Donald Trump on Wednesday marveled at the success of Elon Musk, along with automaker Tesla and his rocket company, SpaceX. “He does good at rockets too, by the way,” the president said of Musk. “I never saw where the engines come down with no wings, no anything, and they’re landing.” Trump expressed surprise at Tesla’s resurgence since overcoming manufacturing difficulties with its Model 3 sedan last year. “I was worried about him, because he’s one of our great geniuses, and we have to protect our genius,” Trump said. “You know, we have to protect Thomas Edison and we have to protect all of these people that came up with originally the light bulb and the wheel and all of these things.” Trump indicated he had taken note of the recent surge in Tesla’s stock price after it reported a surprise quarterly profit and opened a factory in China. Tesla’s market value climbed above Volkswagen AG’s for the first time to more than $100 billion. “I mean, you go back a year and they were talking about the end of the company,” Trump said. “And now all of a sudden they’re talking about these great things.” Trump also said he expects Tesla to build another plant in the U.S..

Ford Trucks Fire Apparatus: Keeping cities safe when every second counts. #SharingTheLoad

#Autocar custom engineers trucks for all sorts of demanding vocations. Check out this #ACMD paint striper. Learn how your heavy-duty fleet can benefit from more #uptime & #ROI: https://lnkd.in/eR-i8hv #AlwaysUp #itsallabouttheuptime #AutocarSolutions

The gray rollers pictured on the cab firewall are part number 55MX26. I can't recall the part number of the roller track that mounts on the hood, but most likely a 73RU number.

Transport Engineer / January 21, 2020 Norwegian food wholesaler ASKO is trialling four electric trucks powered by hydrogen fuel cells in a pilot venture with Scania. Scania’s modular approach sees the internal combustion engine replaced by an electric unit, powered by electricity from fuel cells fed with hydrogen and from rechargeable batteries. The electric powertrain delivers 290kW/210kW continuous output, with up to 2,200Nm of torque through a two-speed transmission. The rest of the powertrain contains the same standard components used in the manufacturer’s hybrid trucks and buses already available on the market. The 26-tonners on trial with ASKO have a 6×2*4 configuration and installed lithium-ion battery capacity of 56kWh. The 22kW AC on-board charger has a CCS charging interface. Hydrogen storage capacity is 33kg at 350bar, and the vehicles have an estimated range of between 400km and 500km. Scania says this pilot will be the basis for further learning and development for both companies. “Hydrogen gas is an interesting option for long haulage electrified transport and early tests show that the technology also works well in colder climate,” says Karin Rådström, the truck maker’s head of sales and marketing. .

Transport Engineer / January 17, 2020 Northern Ireland-based The Henderson Group has taken delivery of 15 Renault Range T460 and 14 Range D18 vehicles, citing vehicle quality and “exceptional” driver acceptance as reasons for the deal. Supplied by dealer Diamond Trucks, the vehicles operate on multi-drop distribution operations for the group’s retail franchises, which include Spar, Eurospar and ViVO. The latest additions are part of Henderson’s strategy to move from a mixed fleet to standardising on two key marques. “We introduced the Range T and D in 2015, with seven Range T460 6x2s and a Range D26 fridge, and we haven’t looked back,” says David McCracken, group fleet engineer. “Renault Trucks is now one of our preferred suppliers and business partners. We operate some 70 of its vehicles across our various divisions and forecast further investment in the Renault product by the end of 2020.” He cites positive experience, vehicle reliability and driver acceptance as factors in the decision to add more Renault vehicles, which he describes as “the perfect truck – reliable, stylish and comfortable to drive”. The Range T vehicles are doing 70 runs a day, both ambient and chilled, and McCracken says the model “offers the best compromise in terms of reliability, mpg, size of cab and driver appeal”. The Range Ds, meanwhile, are a mix of 26- and 18-tonners, and are working within the group’s wholesale and foodservice divisions. The Range D’s compact size and tight turning circle is said to be “perfect” for these duties. Henderson has acquired the Range Ds outright, with the Range Ts supplied on a four-year contract hire deal through BRS. All vehicle maintenance is carried out by Diamond Trucks. .