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Simon invests in Scania R560 Prime Mover Magazine / May 26, 2016 Specialised long haul transport company, Simon National Carriers has invested in six new V8-powered Scania R560 prime movers. According to Scania, four of the new R 560s will be used as B-doubles on a Melbourne-Sydney-Brisbane route, rated for 64-tonnes GCM. The remaining two will run from Brisbane to Darwin and North Queensland, configured as triple road trains, pulling up to 96-tonnes. Shaun Moloney, Simon National Carriers’ National Line-Haul Manager, said the transport company had been purchasing European trucks for years. “We have had a Scania on the fleet for the past four years and it proved to be a superior product. Even after 800,000 km it didn’t squeak or rattle,” Moloney said. “With the new trucks we have tweaked the final drive ratio slightly, to 3.07:1 and the fuel consumption so far has been impressive. As a triple road train, the R 560 has been recording 1.48 km per litre pulling on average 90-tonnes on the Darwin run, and as a B-double in line-haul guise we are getting 2.1 – 2.6 km/litre at around 52-tonnes. According to Dean Dal Santo, National Sales Manager for Scania Australia, the R 560 prime movers are fitted with safety systems such as Automatic Emergency Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning and Electronic Stability Control. The Scanias supplied to Simon National Carriers reportedly feature leather upholstery on the seats and a metro (low-line) bullbar on the line-haul trucks. The road trains destined for North Queensland and the Northern Territory gain a larger bar and an Icepack cabin cooler. “The Simon National Carriers’ drivers have already told us they admire the Scania’s drivability and stability on the road,” said Dal Santo. “They are able to make the most of the low rev, high torque engine, the fully automated Scania Opticruise gear-changing and Scania Retarder, which allows for a very relaxed journey, and they are enjoying the cabin ambience.” .

Dennis Eagle, I feel, manufactures the best refuse truck in the world. The Mercedes-Benz Econic, launched in 1998, was clearly a case study of the Dennis Eagie Elite 1 introduced 6 years earlier.

Fleet Owner / May 25, 2016 Dave Osiecki, executive vice president and chief of national advocacy for the American Trucking Associations (ATA), shared an interesting factoid this week regarding the industry’s focus on safety: motor carriers collectively invest $7 billion a year in safety technologies, programs, and other safety-related strategies. That’s an awful lot of money. But what is it going towards? Four trucking executives (along with further thoughts from ATA’s Osiecki) shared some insight into that and on other safety themes at the 2016 ALK Technology Summit in Philadelphia, PA, this week. Those executives included: Jeff Mercadante, vice president of safety for Pitt Ohio; Dale Dunaitis, EOBR administrator for Martin Transport; Chuck Radke, vice president of operations for H&M Trucking; and John Spiros, vice president of safety and claims management for Roehl Transport. [As an aside: Roehl’s Spiros is also a state legislature representative for Wyoming, providing a very interesting perch from which to view the crafting of state laws aimed at “improving” truck safety.] The discussion covered a number of important topics: the value of video cameras as a “driver exoneration” tool in accidents; whether speed or fatigue should be the focus of truck accident prevention efforts; and whether the government should “reward” motor carriers that go “beyond compliance” in their safety efforts. Before we get into all of that, a few statistic points on trucking safety gleaned from the Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts 2014 report issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) back in April: The number of large trucks involved in fatal crashes decreased by 5%, from 3,921 to 3,744, and the large truck involvement rate per 100 million miles traveled in fatal crashes dropped by 6%, from 1.43 to 1.34. Those decreases occurred despite an increase in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by large trucks of 1.5%. The number of large trucks involved in injury crashes increased by 21% between 2013 and 2014, from 73,000 to 88,000, and the large truck involvement rate in injury crashes also increased by 21% during that one-year span. The number of large trucks involved in property-damage-only crashes increased by 31%, from 265,000 to 346,000, and the large truck involvement rate in property-damage-only crashes increased by 29%. Some other interesting points noted by ATA’s Osiecki as part of the panel’s safety discussion: Some 83% of truck accidents are “non-preventable” according to government and industry data. Yet 71% of the time, it’s the car driver who is primarily at fault for triggering fatal truck-car crashes. [Click here for more on that.] So, with all of those numbers in mind, consider what I find to be some very interesting insights into trucking safety offered by the executives listed above: Jeff Mercadante, vice president of safety for Pitt Ohio: Video cameras are going to be a critical tool for the industry, because they provide “solid evidence” when the truck driver is not at fault in a crash. Pitt Ohio trucks are equipped with forward-collision prevention technology and Mercandate likes the idea of mandating such technology on commercial trucks. “We’re seeing very positive results,” he said. Pitt Ohio sets its speed governors at 67 mph for both LTL and TL operations, with some of its local-haul trucks set at 62 mph. “We haven’t seen an increase in accidents since we raised our governors from 65 mph to 67 mph,” he said. Mercadate does not believe there’s a driver shortage in the sense that there is an overall shortage of commercial driver license (CDL) holders. “There’s a shortage of qualified CDL holders,” he stressed. Chuck Radke, vice president of operations for H&M Trucking: H&M Trucking represented the “smaller” carriers on the stage, as it operates around 200 trucks. Truck parking is becoming an issue in terms of contributing to driver inefficiency, stress level, and safety while on the road. “It’s important that we talk to our customers beforehand if they have parking available near their location or not,” he explained. “If they don’t and we send our driver in, it create house of service (HOS) issues for us.” One big problem with speed limiters is that they may actually create traffic congestion, Radke said: “You’ve got one truck going 65 mph and another 64 mph; one is trying to pass the other and causing a ‘drag race’ which actually can cause more traffic congestion.” He pointed out that H&M uses an “incentive program” to release its engine governors if fuel mileage and idle time meet certain targets. “If they are below 25% idle time and at or above 7.1 mpg,” Radke said, noting that 70% of H&M’s fleet averages 7.1 to 7.3 mpg and 19% idle time. “They almost prefer that [no engine speed limit] to a 2 cent to 3 cent per mile raise.” One big issue from Radke’s perspective is all the technology being added into the truck cab. “How much stuff are we going to put in there? Because anything bolted-on to the dashboard is a distraction,” he stressed. Putting devices into the dashboard makes them more concealed and tamper-proof, but the navigation and other data can still take a driver’s eyes off the road: “It can be overwhelming sometimes.” Dale Dunaitis, EOBR administrator for Martin Transport: When it comes to video camera technology, driver buy in “is huge,” but it takes only one case of exoneration for “acceptance to spread” and spread rapidly. “We’re now at a point where our drivers won’t get in the truck if it doesn’t have a camera,” Dunaitis said. A large number of Martin’s Canadian drivers operate with speed limiters and they tend to have a better safety record than those who don’t operate with them. “They tend to operate in a ‘Zen bubble,’ driving in the right hand lane and not being hurried,” Dunaitis noted. He added that Martin drivers sing electronic logging devices (ELDs) will, after a two month comparison with drivers that don’t use them, actually drive more miles because they are better rested. And drivers who are better rested have “more energy” on their 34 hour restart break for their families, he added. “They are not on the couch trying to rest up before going out on the road again.” John Spiros, vice president of safety and claims management for Roehl Transport: Roehl’s use of accident-avoidance technology has decreased crashes “by 90% to 95%” and that adding video cameras “gives us a chance to turn things around” when it comes to who is at fault in a crash. The lack of truck parking is a “huge problem” because of the “huge inefficiencies” it creates. “If a driver is trying to maximize his hours, fueling at one place, then going somewhere else to look for parking is just one more headache to deal with; it’s why they end up leaving,” Spiros stressed. Roehl’s trucks are speed limited at 65 mph and Spiros feels that is appropriate. The problem occurs when speed limits are raise for cars, an effort he fought as a state legislator level unsuccessfully, but not for trucks as that “speed differential” can raise the risk of more crashes. “It would be nice to see the federal government move on this” in terms of correcting speed differentials not just between cars and trucks but between states as well. “It would be nice to have just one speed limit instead of 55 mph here and 80 mph over there,” Spiros noted. Technology in the cab creates driver distraction and that has to be accounted for, he stressed. “Even if you have hands free device, it’s a distraction,” Spiros noted. “You talk to someone on the phone hands free but you can’t remember the last 10 to 15 miles you drove on the highway; what you saw, etc. The job of the driver is to operate a truck in the safest manner possible down the road. And keeping their eyes on the road is a big part of that.” Mandating safety technologies is all well and good, but there’s got to be adequate training regarding its use. “You can’t just apply technology and expect [a driver] to understand it; they start hearing bells go off and that will create issues,” Spiros explained. “It still comes back to providing the right training to the right person behind the wheel.”

Car & Driver / May 2016 Slide Show - http://www.caranddriver.com/flipbook/pick-em-up-the-51-coolest-trucks-of-all-time#1

Commercial Motor TV - sponsored by DAF Trucks / May 25, 2016

Nice train garden. However, I can think of far better ways for a cash-strapped company to invest it's time, money and effort. The Daimler video was about ten times better (http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/45350-daimler-trucks-2016-efficient-safe-connected/).

Volvo Group Press Release / May 25, 2016 (originally released April 26, 2016)

Associated Press / May 25, 2016 The top-paid CEOs by state for 2015, as calculated by The Associated Press and Equilar, an executive data firm. The survey considered public companies with at least $1 billion in revenue that filed proxy statements with federal regulators on or before April 30, 2016. It includes CEOs who were newly hired, who often receive large grants as incentives. It does not include data for Alaska, Montana or West Virginia. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alabama - Jay Grinney, HealthSouth, $7.8 million Arkansas - Doug McMillon, Wal-Mart Stores, $19.8 million Arizona - Don Slager, Republic Services, $10.9 million California - Mark Hurd, Oracle, $53.2 million Colorado - Gregory Maffei, Liberty Media & Liberty Interactive, $27 million Connecticut - Ari Bousbib, IMS Health Holdings, $34.5 million Washington, D.C. - Thomas Joyce Jr., Danaher, $10.6 million Delaware - Edward Breen, DuPont, $10 million Florida - Howard Lorber, Vector Group, $37 million Georgia - Martin Flanagan, Invesco, $15.9 million Hawaii - Matthew Cox, Matson, $4.4 million Iowa - Kelly Ortberg, Rockwell Collins, $7 million Idaho - D. Mark Durcan, Micron Technology, $9.4 million Illinois - Sandeep Mathrani, General Growth Properties, $39.2 million Indiana - John Lechleiter, Eli Lilly and Company, $16.6 million Kansas - Larry Lawson, Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, $10.4 million Kentucky - Scott Thompson, Tempur Sealy International, $23.3 million Louisiana - Glen Post III, CenturyLink, $10.3 million Massachusetts - Jeffrey Leiden, Vertex Pharmaceuticals , $28.1 million Maryland - David Zaslav, Discovery Communications, $32.4 million Maine - Jonathan Ayers, IDEXX Laboratories, $4.8 million Michigan - Mary Barra, General Motors , $28.6 million Minnesota - James Cracchiolo, Ameriprise Financial, $19.4 million Missouri - Michael FNeidorff, Centene, $20.8 million Mississippi - Joe Sanderson Jr., Sanderson Farms, $6 million North Carolina - Brian Moynihan, Bank of America , $13.8 million North Dakota - David Goodin, MDU Resources Group, $2.6 million Nebraska - Lance Fritz, Union Pacific , $9.1 million New Hampshire - Timothy McGrath, PC Connection, $1.9 million New Jersey - David Cote, Honeywell International , $33.8 million New Mexico - Patricia Collawn, PNM Resources, $5.2 million Nevada - Stephen Wynn, Wynn Resorts, $20.7 million New York - Leslie Moonves, CBS, $56.4 million Ohio - Leslie Wexner, L Brands, $27.2 million Oklahoma - Rober Lawler, Chesapeake Energy, $15.4 million Oregon - Mark Parker, Nike, $16.8 million Pennsylvania - Brian Roberts, Comcast, $36.2 million Rhode Island - Larry Merlo, CVS Health, $22.9 million South Carolina - John Williams, Domtar, $6.7 million South Dakota - David Emery, Black Hills, $2.8 million Tennessee - William Carpenter III, LifePoint Health, $15.2 million Texas - Rex Tillerson, Exxon Mobil, $24.3 million Utah - Peter Huntsman, Huntsman, $11.5 million Virginia - Phebe Novakovic, General Dynamics, $20.4 million Vermont - Brian Kelley , Keurig Green Mountain, $6.1 million Washington - Dara Khosrowshahi, Expedia, $94.6 million Wisconsin - Alex Molinaroli, Johnson Controls, $17.2 million Wyoming - Colin Marshall, Cloud Peak Energy, $4.2 million

Navistar commits to new North American show Today’s Trucking / May 25, 2016 The North American Commercial Vehicle Show (NACV Show) today announced that Navistar has signed a commitment to exhibit at the inaugural NACV Show in Atlanta, Georgia from September 18-22, 2017. Navistar also will exhibit at the 2019 & 2021 NACV Shows, demonstrating its International Truck brand at all three events. Navistar also joins the NACV Show exhibitor advisory committee. “The NACV Show’s focus on the North American fleets market, trade press and its every other year cycle are the contributing factors that influenced our decision to exhibit,” said Navistar President & CEO Troy A. Clarke. “Navistar looks forward to utilizing the NACV Show to launch new products and to meet face-to-face with suppliers, fleet customers and industry press." Senior Vice President of Truck Sales and Marketing Jeff Sass continued, “The NACV Show will be the foremost North American gathering place for anyone involved in the business of commercial vehicles. Navistar’s commitment to exhibit at the NACV Show is critical to our marketing strategy.” Organized and produced jointly by Hannover Fairs USA (HFUSA) and Newcom Media USA (Newcom), the NACV Show will debut the latest innovations in the commercial vehicle industry and will offer visitors outstanding networking and new business opportunities. The first three biennial NACV Shows will be held in Atlanta. “We are so excited to experience Navistar’s latest truck innovations at the launch of the NACV Show,” said President & CEO of HFUSA Larry Turner. “We fully support Navistar’s commitment to joining our industry leading exhibitor line-up.” “The NACV Show is devoted to featuring ground breaking innovations from the world’s most important commercial vehicle brands,” added Joe Glionna, Vice President of Newcom. To register to exhibit or attend the 2017 North American Commercial Vehicle Show, please visit the website www.nacvshow.com or contact HFUSA Sales Director, Ethan Carter at ecarter@hfusa.com or (773)796-4250. About Hannover Fairs USA Hannover Fairs USA (HFUSA) develops and manages marketing programs at Deutsche Messe events in Hannover, Germany and the United States, as well as in such key emerging markets as China, India and Turkey. Working closely with its clients, Hannover Fairs helps them maintain their competitive position on and off the event floor. The company’s programs reflect the global scope of Deutsche Messe's activities. About Newcom Media USA A wholly owned subsidiary of Newcom Business Media in Toronto, Newcom is Canada's premier B2B publisher delivering information and marketing services to a wide variety of industries via magazines, directories and trade shows. Their trucking portfolio includes Today’s Trucking, TruckandTrailer, Transport Routier, Truck News, and Truck West magazines, as well as the Truck World and ExpoCam trade shows. About Deutsche Messe AG From its headquarters in Hannover, Germany, Deutsche Messe AG plans and stages leading capital goods trade fairs around the globe. The company ranks among the five biggest tradeshow organizers in Germany, with projected revenue of 329 million euros in 2015. The company’s event portfolio includes such world-leading events as CeBIT (digital business), HANNOVER MESSE (industrial technology), BIOTECHNICA/LABVOLUTION (biotechnology and lab technology), CeMAT (intralogistics and supply chain management), didacta (education), DOMOTEX (carpets and floor coverings), INTERSCHUTZ (fire prevention, disaster relief, rescue, safety and security), and LIGNA (woodworking, wood processing, forestry). With approximately 1,200 employees and a network of 66 representatives, subsidiaries and branch offices, Deutsche Messe is present in more than 100 countries worldwide.

FedEx finalizes $4.4 billion deal to acquire European carrier TNT Express Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / May 25, 2016 FedEx Corp. announced May 25 it has finalized its roughly $4.4 billion deal to acquire European carrier giant TNT Express. FedEx announced the acquisition last April, and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission stamped its approval on the deal in November. The May 25 purchase settlement concludes FedEx’s acquisition of 88.4 percent of TNT’s shares, purchased at 8 Euros each, about $9 a share, for an aggregate value of 3.879 billion Euros, or about $4.4 billion. Amsterdam/Hoofddorp will be the European regional headquarters of the combined companies. TNT Express’ hub in Liege, Belgium, will also remain a significant location for the group going forward. “This acquisition is a significant accomplishment and marks the beginning of a new era, filled with promise for our people, customers and shareowners,” said Frederick W. Smith, Chairman and CEO of FedEx. “We are proud to celebrate the joining of two iconic companies and the approximately 400,000 team members who are committed to serving customers around the world.”

FedEx Completes TNT Acquisition, Starts Asset Integration Immediately Transport Topics / May 25, 2016 FedEx Corp. announced it would begin integration of TNT Express assets immediately after completing the $4.9 billion deal that is the buyer’s largest-ever acquisition. “In the near term, customers can expect to interact with each company as they always have and receive the world-class service they have come to expect,” said the statement from the Memphis, Tennessee-based company. “Once the integration is complete, FedEx expects customers to enjoy an expanded global offering that draws upon the breadth of expertise from both companies.” FedEx didn’t give any details about its financial expectations or specific steps that would follow the acquisition that was completed 14 months after its initial offer. The statement did say the move will add “significant value for FedEx shareowners, team members and customers.” “This acquisition is a significant accomplishment and marks the beginning of a new era, filled with promise for our people, customers and shareowners,” said Frederick Smith, Chairman and CEO of FedEx. “We are proud to celebrate the joining of two iconic companies and the approximately 400,000 team members who are committed to serving customers around the world. “The timing of this historic event is important, particularly in the current market environment where global e-commerce is growing at double-digit rates,” Smith added. “Adding TNT’s capabilities to our existing world-class suite of services, including GENCO and the recently relaunched FedEx CrossBorder, will further expand the ability of FedEx to support business connections around the world.” FedEx’s announcement said the company plans to leverage technology, infrastructure, facilities and operational capabilities as a stronger package delivery company emerges in Europe, which is a $60 billion market with potential e-commerce growth at a 15% pace.

Navistar Second OE to Sign with NACV Show Heavy Duty Trucking / May 25, 2016 Navistar has signed a commitment to exhibit at the inaugural North American Commercial Vehicle Show in Atlanta, Ga., in September 2017, as well as at the 2019 and 2021 editions of the new biennial show. Navistar is the second truck maker to sign on to the new show, following an announcement from Daimler Trucks North America earlier this week, also for a three-show/six-year commitment. "The NACV Show’s focus on the North American fleets market, trade press and its every other year cycle are the contributing factors that influenced our decision to exhibit,” said Navistar President and CEO Troy A. Clarke. Navistar also joins the NACV Show exhibitor advisory committee. The company told HDT it will not attend the 2017 Mid America Truck Show. "However, we have made no final decisions beyond that," said spokesperson Lyndi McMillan. We will reevaluate where we stand in subsequent years." Organized and produced jointly by Hannover Fairs USA (HFUSA) and Newcom Media USA (Newcom), the NACV Show is aimed at medium- to larger-size fleets. It will showcase the latest innovations in the commercial vehicle industry and will offer networking and new business opportunities. The first three biennial NACV Shows will be held in Atlanta. “The NACV Show will be the foremost North American gathering place for anyone involved in the business of commercial vehicles," said Navistar Senior Vice President of Truck Sales and Marketing Jeff Sass. "Navistar’s commitment to exhibit at the NACV Show is critical to our marketing strategy.”

Bloomberg / May 25, 2016 Volkswagen AG’s truck unit MAN is nearly tripling the size of its digital division to add self-driving technology and make freight loading more efficient, seeking new sources of income as big rigs are increasingly linked via the Internet. The technology team will increase to about 120 people by the end of the year from 45 currently, MAN CEO Joachim Drees said in an interview. Volkswagen said last month its MAN and Scania commercial vehicle units will spend a combined mid-three-digit million-euro amount in the next five years on connectivity to keep pace with similar efforts at Daimler AG, the biggest truckmaker. “We’re aiming to broaden our business beyond the sale of new trucks,” Drees said, adding the company wants to help its customers “cope with the rapidly changing ecosystem of transport.” Connecting trucks online to provide real-time data is essential for logistics, Wolfgang Bernhard, head of Daimler’s trucks unit, said last month. Daimler is investing 500 million euros ($558 million) through 2020 in the technology. Truck makers say they need to offer brand-specific services such as monitoring engine performance alongside platforms open to all brands since fleet operators rarely use one type of truck only. MAN’s push includes building a platform to share information about spare capacity in a specific truck, potentially boosting goods-transport efficiency by a quarter. Currently about half of freight capacity isn’t fully used, the company said. Connecting trucks will also help manufacturers move toward autonomous driving, allowing vehicles to link to one another to move in a closely spaced platoon, saving fuel and road space.

Transport Topics / May 25, 2016 Growth of Atlanta Show Comes at Expense of Mid-America Trucking Show Momentum for the North American Commercial Vehicle Show in Atlanta grew on May 25 when Navistar International Corp. announced it has committed to the new show for three years — 2017, 2019 and 2021 — and that it definitely will not exhibit on the corporate level at the Mid-America Trucking Show in 2017. Navistar joins Daimler Trucks North America, which made a similar statement May 23 that it will turn from MATS toward the NACV Show in Atlanta in September 2017. Unlike Mid-America, which is annual in Louisville, Kentucky, in the spring, NACV is set up for Septembers in odd-numbered years. “This is the perfect showcase for the International lineup of trucks and technology,” Navistar Senior Vice President Jeff Sass told Transport Topics. He said MATS is “a very good owner-operator show, but we’re looking for a comprehensive vehicle show.” Sass said International dealerships retain the right to display at MATS if they choose, but the big corporate display will move to Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Center. He also said Navistar could return to Mid-America in 2019, depending on circumstances at the time. NACV is a new show developed by Newcom Media USA and Hannover Fairs USA, subsidiaries of Canadian and German corporations, respectively. As with Daimler, Navistar has been given a seat on the show’s advisory committee. All four North American truck-making corporations and independent engine maker Cummins Inc. backed out of MATS this year, saying that an every-other-year format makes more sense. They want to display in Europe at the IAA Commercial Vehicles Show in Hanover, Germany, in even-number years, and at a major North American show in odd-number years. Hannover Fairs’ parent company is Deutsche Messe, which owns the fairgrounds for IAA and operates the show, although it does not own IAA. Newcom is a Canadian publisher of trucking news and other information as well as the operator of truck shows in Montreal and Toronto. Sass said the new show appeals to Navistar management because it will allow the company to display all of its commercial vehicles at once, including on-highway, vocational, medium-duty, severe service and maybe even school buses. He also said he expects a greater emphasis on actual truck sales at the show. “I could foresee some fleets coming to the show to look at our lineup and giving a PO [purchase order],” Sass said in offering a best-case scenario. Sass said Navistar and DTNA compete fiercely for sales, along with the operating companies of Paccar Inc. and Volvo Group, but Navistar would like to see all truck makers at the same place. “From our view, if all of the OEMs are in one place, it lets customers compare and contrast our products with our competitors, and we like that because we’re proud of what we’ve done," Sass said. “And it’s good for the customers, too. If we’re all in it draws better attendance from key stakeholders, who don’t have to worry about going to four or five shows,” he said. In addition to Mid-America and NACV, another show was proposed in March by American Trucking Associations and Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association. Commenting after the announcements by Daimler and Navistar, ATA President Bill Graves said: “At this point, it is unlikely that our exploration of the possibility of a new truck show will be successful, but we will continue to look for ways to advance ATA’s position as the leading voice promoting trucking in the U.S.” Graves added that “ATA is proud of, and appreciates, the strong relationship we have with our allied members and suppliers — especially our OEMs — and we intend to support them and their endeavors, which we believe should benefit our industry as a whole.”

Union workers at Detroit Diesel ratify 5-year contract The Detroit News / May 25, 2016 Union workers at Detroit Diesel have ratified a 5-year contract that raises compensation and commits the Daimler Trucks North America subsidiary to future work. The agreement ratified Tuesday by UAW Local 163 includes a $5,000 signing bonus and a wage increase for all classifications. It also includes pension increases for pension-eligible employees and an increased company matching contribution for non-pension eligible employees. Detroit Diesel Head of Operations Jeff Allen says in a statement it’s a “win/win situation” for the company and workers. In a statement, UAW Local 163 President Ralph Morris Jr. says the contract “not only recognizes the hard work and contributions that our members have made to the success of Detroit Diesel, but positions Detroit Diesel to be a premier employer in southeastern Michigan for years to come.”

Automotive News / May 25, 2016 UAW members at Detroit Diesel ratified a contract Tuesday that includes a wage increase and commits Daimler Trucks North America to new engine production. UAW Local 163 members approved the contract by a margin of about 3-to-1, Local 163 President Ralph Morris said in an interview today. "The negotiation that took place was an absolute model of finding the correct balance between the needs of the business to stay competitive and the need of our employees to have competitive compensation and job security," Jeff Allen, Detroit Diesel's head of operations, said in a statement today. "We negotiated with one another is a spirit of fairness and the result was truly a win/win situation." The five-year deal includes a $1 wage increase for all workers, a $5,000 signing bonus and pension increases. It also reduces the amount of time needed for an “in-progression” worker to reach the highest wage tier by three years, according to a UAW statement. "Wage and compensation packages were negotiated that more than maintain Detroit’s competitive advantage, while at the same time rewarding the performance of our team," Allen said in the statement. "A modernized gain sharing method was adopted that rewards efficiency and output. On the non-economic side of the negotiation a new level of cooperation was shown by both sides with a goal of maintaining and increasing efficiency and flexibility." The contract also requires that Daimler Trucks build “two displacements of a medium duty truck engine in the near future,” the UAW said. “To me, what really stood out is … in the past we were holding ground or even losing, but this time around we were able to come out with some positive gains for our members,” the UAW's Morris said. Detroit Diesel is owned by Daimler AG, for whom it produces diesel engines. An email requesting comment from a company spokesman was not immediately returned.

Hillary Clinton's email server violated State Department rules, audit finds The Guardian / May 26, 2016 Efforts by the former secretary of state to move on from her email controversy hit a major setback as investigation finds disregard for department guidelines Hillary Clinton’s efforts to move on from a damaging email controversy suffered their biggest setback yet on Wednesday with the release of an internal report finding she broke multiple government rules by using a private server rather than more secure official communication systems. The 78-page investigation by the inspector general of the State Department singled out several previously unknown breaches by Clinton while she was secretary of state, including the use of mobile devices to conduct official business without checking whether they posed a security risk. Although the report is potentially less damaging than a separate investigation by the FBI into whether she broke federal laws, it poses a significant challenge to the Clinton campaign, which has recently slipped behind Donald Trump in opinion polling. Trump has stepped up attacks on Clinton’s trustworthiness in recent days and is likely to seize on the report as Democrats wait nervously for the FBI decision on whether to bring charges against Clinton or any of her advisers. House speaker Paul Ryan said: “No public official is above the law. Secretary Clinton’s actions were at best negligent and at worst harmful to our national security. The State Department should work to ensure that all employees strictly comply with the law, and follow the IG’s recommendations to strengthen its record-keeping system.” [Note: the protection of classified U.S. government intelligence is rebadged with the low-key term “record-keeping”] The Clinton campaign put a brave face on the inspector general’s report on Wednesday, pointing to sections that dealt with similar lapses in email security by previous office holders. A spokesman for Clinton said the report showed that her email practices were “consistent” with those of past secretaries and senior officials. A Clinton spokesman, Brian Fallon, said that the report showed problems with the State Department’s electronic record-keeping systems “were longstanding” and emphasized that her use of a private email server “was known to officials within the department during her tenure”. Fallon acknowledged that “steps ought to have been taken” to better maintain official records. However, the full report, a copy of which was obtained by the Associated Press (AP), cites “longstanding, systemic weaknesses” related to the agency’s communications. These started before Clinton’s appointment as secretary of state, but her failures were singled out as more serious and were said to disregard various State Department guidelines for avoiding cybersecurity risks. The report also found that state department staff who raised the issue of Clinton’s email practices were effectively silenced. Two information resources managers went to their head of department in late 2010, it found. “In one meeting, one staff member raised concerns that information sent and received on Secretary Clinton’s account could contain federal records that needed to be preserved in order to satisfy federal record keeping requirements,” the report said. But the staff member later recalled that the director said Clinton’s personal system had already been reviewed and approved by legal staff “and that the matter was not to be discussed any further”, the reported continued. Yet “as previously noted, OIG found no evidence that staff in the Office of the Legal Adviser reviewed or approved Secretary Clinton’s personal system.” The other staff member who raised the issue said the director stated that the department’s mission is to “support the secretary and instructed the staff never to speak of the Secretary’s personal email system again”. Despite guidelines to the contrary, Clinton used mobile devices to conduct official business on her personal email account and private server. She never sought approval from senior information officers, who would have refused the request because of security risks, the audit said. “By Secretary Clinton’s tenure, the department’s guidance was considerably more detailed and more sophisticated,” it concluded. “Secretary Clinton’s cybersecurity practices accordingly must be evaluated in light of these more comprehensive directives.” Clinton’s private email server appears to have been a target for hackers. The IG report found that on 9 January 2011, a technical adviser retained by former president Bill Clinton said he had shut down the server because he thought there was “someone was trying to hack us and while they [allegedly] did not get in I didn’t [sic] want to let them have the chance to”. There was another suspected attack later the same day. On 10 January, Clinton’s aide Huma Abedin told officials not to send her “anything sensitive” and said she could “explain more in person”. The IG report states that on 13 May 2011, “two of Secretary Clinton’s immediate staff discussed via email the Secretary’s concern that someone was ‘hacking into her email’ after she received an email with a suspicious link”. It added: “However, OIG found no evidence that the Secretary or her staff reported these incidents to computer security personnel or anyone else within the Department.” Asked about the hacking claims on Wednesday, a state department official, who did not wish to be named [why did our employee refuse to identify themselves?], said: “There are no findings about the security of secretary Clinton’s email system. The hacking email that is referenced includes language to the effect that the hack was not successful. That’s just from the email that it cited. But beyond that there’s no finding one way or the other about the security.” The official also told reporters: “I think it’s clear from the report that the Department could have done a better job preserving emails and records of secretaries of state and their senior staff going back several administrations. And we also acknowledge the report’s finding that compliance with email and records management guidance has been inconsistent across several administrations.” Asked for a straight answer as to whether Clinton did anything wrong, the official replied: “I think the IG report speaks for itself in that it found that leaving the Department with her emails, Secretary Clinton didn’t act in compliance with all the records policies in place. However, it also finds – and NARA has found – that she mitigated those problems and the Department has mitigated those problems. “With respect to whether secretary Clinton was allowed to use a personal email, the IG report finds that she did not seek approval and the Department did not provide it. She has said that she wouldn’t make the same decision again, and the IG report notes that senior Department officials say that they wouldn’t have recommended it had she asked.” Clinton has been dogged by questions about her email practices for more than a year, since the AP revealed that the clintonemail.com server was in the basement of her New York home while she served as the nation’s top diplomat from 2009-2013. Though accepting it “highlighted challenges [it] and others are facing” the State Department itself sought to downplay the independent report [go figure] by its inspector general at a briefing in Washington. “The policies regarding use of email have only really been clarified over the past several years. Many agencies are struggling with it,” spokesman Mark Toner told reporters at a daily press briefing. “We do now have policies that would make it hard to set up alternative email. Clinton said she would not have made same choice again.” He rejected suggestions, however, that the department was trying to “spin” the report, which will be officially published on Thursday. “There’s not any effort to spin this. There’s not any effort to hide or obfuscate,” said Toner. “We acknowledge that we need to do a better job with our record keeping.”

Gary Mahan has a wonderful collection. But his arrogant demeanor turned me off each time we had an interaction.

Big Rigs / May 25, 2016 Scania is supplying Simon National Carriers with 6 new V8-powered prime movers. Four of the new R 560s will be used as B-doubles plying the busy Melbourne-Sydney-Brisbane route, rated for 64-tonnes GCM. The remaining two will take on longer, more arduous trips from Brisbane to Darwin and North Queensland, configured as triple road trains, pulling up to 96-tonnes. This is a significant fleet acquisition for the highly regarded national operator that puts safety first in all its activities. Simon National Carriers is renowned for its 90-km/h speed limit, which promotes improved road safety and fuel efficiency. The new Scania trucks have been supplied with a four-year Maintenance and Repair programme to ensure superior levels of uptime. "We have long desired to supply Simon National Carriers with our product and for the past four years they have had one of our R 500 V8 prime movers on the fleet," National Sales Manager for Scania Australia Dean Dal Santo said. "That R 500 was an excellent ambassador for Scania, as it performed impeccably in terms of reliability and fuel use, and also impressed with its inherent quality. "The success of this vehicle from an operating cost perspective paved the way for us to supply more vehicles to Simon National Carriers when they came to market for more high horsepower prime movers. "Our total cost of ownership certainly made the difference in the consideration of which vehicles to purchase. "When we demonstrated our costs over the four year contract maintenance period, the operator was very impressed. “They undertook a very thorough and methodical review of all the elements involved in the total cost of ownership and came away with the firm belief that the Scania was the best option. "In addition, these new vehicles are fitted with our state-of-the-art safety systems such as Automatic Emergency Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning and Electronic Stability Control. “These will work in concert with the operator’s commitment to improving road safety for all road users,” he said. Shaun Moloney, Simon National Carriers’ National Line-Haul Manager, said that the company had been committed to purchasing European trucks for many years. "We have had a Scania on the fleet for the past four years and it proved to be a superior product. “Even after 800,000 km it didn’t squeak or rattle. "With the new trucks we have tweaked the final drive ratio slightly, to 3.07:1 and the fuel consumption so far has been impressive. “As a triple road train, the R 560 has been recording 1.48 km per litre pulling on average 90-tonnes on the Darwin run, and as a B-double in line-haul guise we are getting 2.1 – 2.6 km/litre at around 52-tonnes. "However, we have been impressed with the Maintenance and Repair Contract Scania has structured for us for this deal. The R 500 proved to be very cost-effective to run and this gives us confidence going forward. "As a result we will be getting the best of both worlds. "Great quality and improved running costs,” Shaun said. The Scanias supplied to Simon National Carriers feature premium interiors with leather upholstery on the seats and a metro (low-line) bullbar on the line-haul trucks. The road trains destined for North Queensland and the Northern Territory gain a larger bar and an Icepack cabin cooler. Early driver assessment of the new Scanias has been encouraging. "The Simon National Carriers’ drivers have already told us they admire the Scania’s drivability and stability on the road," Dean Dal Santo said. "They are able to make the most of the low rev, high torque engine, the fully automated Scania Opticruise gear-changing and Scania Retarder, which allows for a very relaxed journey, and they are enjoying the cabin ambience. "Currently, we are delivering our unique Peak Efficiency Programme to their drivers, through our Scania Master Driver Trainers. This programme familiarises them with the most efficient way of driving the trucks. “After this is completed we will be able to analyse the vehicles’ performance using the Scania Optimise fleet monitoring system to ensure they are delivering the results the operator has been promised. "Our aim is to ensure that Scania delivers Simon National Carriers a totally positive ownership experience.” .

A family affair at Harden Trade Trucks.com.au / May 24, 2016 A third-generation owner-driver, his son, and the family’s long-serving mechanic take a day out at the Harden Truck and Tractor Show Adam Webb, a third generation transport operator, brought his 1974 Kenworth – as well as his son Jack and long-time mechanic Gary Sherman – down from Cowra to Harden for the Classic Truck and Tractor Show. In fact, Gary has been the mechanic for Adam’s father, and his grandfather for 47 years while also holding down a job with Ford. Adam’s Kenworth is an S2. "A W925 SR they called them, a shorter model that an ordinary W model," he says. The Kenworth was previously owned by Ampol, hauling fuel tanks. Adam bought it four years ago, and last year made the trip to Alice Springs for the Road Transport Reunion. More recently, it was one of around 50 trucks that were on show at the Gnooblas Classic Car Show in Orange. "My father had three cab-overs in the late ’80s, painted up the same as this," Adam explains. "I’ve spent a fair bit of money on it, painting it up and new brakes." "It looked good with a brand new stock crate on the back the other day," Gary laughs. While the S2 is confined to truck shows, Adam recently bought a new rig for his own business Webb Transport, subbing for Thompsons Livestock Transport in Cowra. Photo gallery - http://www.tradetrucks.com.au/events/1605/a-family-affair-at-harden/

Owner/Driver / May 24, 2016 The 2016 Working Truck Show held in the grounds of Penrith’s Museum of Fire on March 20 was, as always, an outstanding event. Brent Harrison brought his camera along. Slide Show - http://www.ownerdriver.com.au/events-news/1605/gallery-the-2016-working-truck-show/

UK-based Dennis Eagle, manufacturer of Europe's leading refuse trucks, will be exhibiting at Waste-Expo 2016. Dennis Eagle is Europe’s only manufacturer of both dedicated refuse chassis and bodies. Dennis Eagle will be showcasing its new "Ëlite 6" refuse chassis. One of the key benefits is the flat, walk through floor with single step low entry. The cab has a range of features including an aerodynamic roof with LED beacons and running lights, deeper side windows to give drivers exceptional visibility and all-round disc brakes with ABS. Waste-Expo 2016 will be held June 6-9 at the Las Vegas Convention center .

Transport Engineer / May 24, 2016 Following Dennis Eagle’s launch of its first urban skiploader at the London CLOCS (Construction Logistics Cyclist Safety) Progress seminar back in March, the firm has now built its first low-entry cab urban tipper. Instead of using the Elite 6 4x2 chassis, already popular in the RCV (refuse collection vehicle) sector, the firm’s new tipper harnesses Dennis Eagle’s 8x4 tridem, with mid steer and rear double-drive. Chief engineer Jon Sayers says other configurations could be made available. “We offer tag and pusher configurations [on the 6x2 chassis], as well as mid-steer and also front two steer variants on our 8x4/2 chassis – and a rear-steer would not be a major engineering exercise.” He also draws attention to the excellent driver vision of vulnerable road users, thanks to the cab’s panoramic windows, and narrow A and B pillars, as well as its low driver seating position. And he makes the point that the on-road N3 chassis height (instead of the construction industry’s generally preferred off-road N3G) means a 100mm lower running height, so further improving driver vision. Furthermore, given its all-round air suspension, the new tipper’s ride height can be raised 65—70mm at up to 15kph – meaning off-road approach and departure angles aren’t compromised. And dropping air from the bellows can also enhance traction with, say, all power put down to the middle drive wheels. The only current limit is the company’s preferred powertrain, which in this case is a Volvo 320bhp engine driving through an Allison MD3200 gearbox. Dennis Eagle’s first production tipper has been mounted with a PPG Smoothline body and equipped with the ISS camera system and Cyclear system. .

The Chronicle / May 25, 2016 Life can be a long and hard road when you are driving Australia's biggest trucks in some of the country's hottest conditions. Toowoomba grandma Ruth Richardson is a long way from home and while she misses her grandchildren, she has embraced this new chapter of her life. While many her age fancy tea and a scone, Ms Richardson drives a Kenworth 909 with McAleese Group in Western Australia. Earlier this year the 65-year-old completed an intensive two week training course to drive four trailer road trains in Port Hedland. Now she drives one of 160 side tipper road trains known as quads. They carry up to 60,000 tonnes a day of iron ore from Atlas Iron owned mines into Port Hedland. The big rigs are 53.5 metres long, have 82 tyres and a gross weight of 175 tons. They have a top speed of 90kmh. Ms Richardson usually clocks 650km a day or more. "Being an older woman, you can cop a lot of flak. But every single person I have met has been very helpful and pleasant; I appreciate it," she said. "You have to be able to do everything a bloke can do, as much as your physical strength will allow. It's very much a man's world here. I've seen probably about four or five women of the 400 drivers." Ms Richardson grew up on a dairy farm at Westbrook with her parents, three brothers and two sisters. She has three children of her own and eight grandchildren. Ms Richardson, who previously worked in offices, said she would continue the career change until she was physically unable. "I'm over computers. When you're driving a truck, you get paid to see the country," she said. "With computers, they suck your brain out of her head. Well, that's how I was feeling. I worked with computers since they were practically invented." .