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The Star Press / February 2. 2016 A 2016 Western Star city snow plow/salt spreader truck parked inside the Muncie, Indiana street department garage mysteriously went up in flames on Tuesday morning. Street Supt. Duke Campbell said the $140,000 Western Star truck hadn't been driven for several days. A mechanic and another worker heard a loud pop before seeing flames coming from under the hood. They tried to extinguish the blaze with a fire extinguisher but were driven back by heavy smoke that filled the building and poured out of doors. City firefighters brought the fire under control before it spread from the truck. The truck was almost brand new and there are four others like it, Campbell said, expressing concern that one of the other trucks could also catch fire. In case one of the other trucks catches fire, they were moved outdoors. The service garage, which is attached to the street department's offices, was flooded and also sustained smoke damage. Fortunately, no containers of chemicals caught fire. Police kept media and others away from the scene because of the potential for chemical explosions. While street department offices were able to be re-occupied after the fire, the service garage remained without power, heat or water, and some of the building's wiring was melted. The fire activated sprinklers in the garage but not in the offices. The garage can't be used until water is restored and pressure brought back up into the sprinkler system. "The fire definitely started with the vehicle," Muncie Fire Chief Eddie Bell said. "One employee was close enough to hear a pop … and saw it burning under the hood inside the building. He tried to get a fire extinguisher to put it out but basically it got to the point where there was too much smoke so he called 911. At this time there is no definite cause on what happened with the vehicle. That is not something that's very common. That's really something kind of strange." The street department is headquartered on Kilgore Avenue west of Elm Ridge Funeral Home and Memorial Park. Photo gallery & video - http://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2016/02/02/fire-muncie-street-dept-building/79688410/

Transport Engineer / February 3, 2016 Digger hire specialist HE Services is reporting success with its move to DAF CF 8x2 rear-steer trucks fitted with Sterling fold-forward cheese wedge plant bodies equipped with ‘working at height’ handrail systems. “The decision to give Sterling the opportunity to supply [us] was based on the excellent lead times offered as well as their ultra-low ramp loading angle,” states HE Services managing director Peter Durey. He explains that his company needs a particularly shallow approach for loading large excavators, not least because it means more grip, so safer and faster plant loading. “Likewise, the galvanised ramp systems ensure they will last for a long and safe working life,” he adds – observing that the streamlined design of the ramps also delivers reduced drag, compared with traditional upright ramp systems. The new trucks – two joined HE Services’ almost exclusively DAF 8x2 rear-steer fleet last year – were processed for type approval through Sterling’s National Small Series certification, without recourse to IVA testing – another contributory factor in the company’s short eight-week lead time offer. Sterling Bodies - http://www.sterlinggp.com/products .

I believe the window regulator for Mack C-Series fire apparatus was unique to that one series. Remember, Mack purchased C.D. Beck (of Sydney, Ohio) in September 1956, as a means of getting back into the inter-city bus business. But Beck had also produced Ahrens-Fox fire apparatus from 1953, first under contract and later as sole owner and producer from 1956. A few months ahead of the Mack purchase, Beck had introduced the revolutionary new cab-forward design Ahrens-Fox ECB (open cab) and FCB (enclosed cab). Mack’s legendary C-85, C-95 and C-125 fire apparatus were directly based on these models, re-engineered with a Mack drivetrain. So, I believe the regulator to be a Beck design. I suspect you will have to work with a fabrication shop.

TMC Transport Buying 1,500 Peterbilt Model 579s Heavy Duty Trucking / February 2, 2016 TMC Transportation has ordered 1,500 Peterbilt Model 579s as part of a multi-year agreement, Peterbilt announced. TMC is a large flatbed carrier based in Des Moines, Iowa. TMC’s fleet is made up of late-model trucks with premium specs, and the ordered Model 579s will be equipped with Peterbilt’s 80-inch sleepers. When the Model 579 came out in 2012, TMC ordered 1,500 units. The trucks were purchased for their fuel efficiency, which factored into TMC’s decision to purchase 1,500 more, according to Peterbilt. TMC also took into consideration the look of the trucks which it uses to recruit and retain drivers. “TMC has long been a Peterbilt partner,” said Rod Simon, TMC’s vice president of maintenance. “Peterbilt trucks help us recruit and keep the industry’s best drivers, and the distinctive styling and Peterbilt image help make TMC’s fleet the best-looking trucks on the road.”

Eaton Expands AMT Line for Vocational Use Heavy Duty Trucking / February 2, 2016 Eaton has expanded coverage of its Fuller Advantage series of 10-speed automated overdrive transmissions to include use in vocational applications. Initially launched in other applications in 2013, the Fuller Advantage now has been configured with features designed to improve vehicle control for vocational use. Fuller Advantage transmissions can be configured with optional Urge to Move, Creep Mode and Blended Pedal functionality for better low speed maneuverability in situations such as backing into a loading dock or moving around a construction site. Eaton says Fuller Advantage transmissions offer many benefits compared to its UltraShift Plus automated manual, including reduced weight, increased efficiency and lower maintenance costs. “The Fuller Advantage automated transmission has proven to be extremely reliable,” said Evan Vijithakumara, product strategy manager, Eaton. “Now it’s ready for vocational duty with 110,000-pound GCW capability, 6- and 8-bolt PTO openings, and driver confidence features such as Hill Start Aid and intelligent gear selection logic.” Another key feature of the transmission is the Precision Lubrication system, which reduces oil churn energy losses found in traditional transmissions by 33%. With less heat being generated, Fuller Advantage transmissions do not require a transmission fluid cooler or the corresponding lines and fittings. As a result, less preventive maintenance is required, according to Eaton. Engine fans also cycle less, reducing horsepower demand.

Analysis: Digging Deeper into Navistar's New International HX Heavy Duty Trucking / February 2, 2016 A mock police chase lent humor to Navistar’s unveiling Monday of its new International HX series of vocational trucks, as sirens, flashing red-and-blue lights, clouds of dust, and fire and smoke livened up a construction site in Las Vegas, in conjunction with the World of Concrete trade show. The object of the Hollywood-style pursuit was an HX620 dump truck supposedly stolen from outside a downtown casino. “Robbers” dressed as Elvis impersonators used the truck as a getaway car, racing down I-15 – the chase photographed from above, like an O.J. event on a Los Angeles freeway – then onto a large gravelly lot on Sin City’s near west side. Play-acting police cornered the truck in front of bleachers filled with laughing dealers, customers and trade-press reporters. The cops collared the crooks and stashed them in patrol cars, and the drama wrapped up. It was funny, but the HX represents serious business for Navistar. “2016 will be International’s year,” declared Bill Kozek, president of Navistar Truck and Parts, as he delivered a normal presentation. The HX trucks and tractors come in four models, and will be part of the company’s climb back from its product and sales woes. He reiterated Navistar’s current theme of “uptime,” facilitated by production of high-quality trucks and reinvigorated maintenance services. The HX is a premium vocational model, something International Truck and its dealers haven’t had for several years because they lacked a big-bore diesel that the segment requires, executives have said. The big engine disappeared when previous management dropped Cummins power and went exclusively with the ill-fated MaxxForce engine series, which also caused Navistar to lose much of the vocational business that it once dominated. The latest PayStar, on which the HX is based, came only with a 12.4-liter MaxxForce engine (now updated to the N13 that the company says is more reliable). But 15-liter power is needed to fully compete in the premium vocational market, company executives and dealers have said. In addition, the PayStar was available only with a setback steer axle. That’s all changed with the HX series. It’s available with the Cummins ISX15 as well as the Navistar N13, both using Cummins-supplied exhaust-aftertreatment equipment. And an available set-forward steer axle makes the HX usable in certain applications in bridge-formula states that reward longer wheelbases with higher legal gross vehicle weights. HX trucks have Navistar’s Diamond Logic multiplex wiring system, which PayStars never had, said a dealer sales representative in the audience. This will speed hooking up and controlling specialty bodies such as mixer drums. And Kozek said the HX cab’s rear is suspended on twin air bags designed to filter out shocks commonly encountered while running over rough terrain and broken pavement. Lines of guests waited to drive a few HX models at the event; that limited this reporter to a very brief spin around the dirt lot with an HX615 mixer truck. That loop suggested that the new model is comfortable and smooth riding, but a much longer experience will be needed to fully gauge the truck’s driver-oriented attributes. While the N13 diesel, aluminum cab and some frame components carry over from the PayStar, the HX is a bona fide new model by virtue of a boldly styled three-piece plastic-composite Metton hood and grille, and a redesigned cab interior. Some features inside the cab are taken from the Cat Truck, which Navistar is building for Caterpillar through the end of this year. Most noticeable is a single large combination speedometer and tachometer that was exclusive to the Cat starting in 2011. That’s part of the “shared intellectual property” that Navistar gained from the Cat Truck project, executives said, so the interior design is fair game for their new HX. As previously announced, Caterpillar this year will take over assembly of Cat Trucks and Navistar will phase them out. In the meantime, the two products will be very similar, but HXs will cost less than comparably equipped Cats, which for now will lack 15-liter power. The HX series has gone into production at Navistar’s plant in Saltillo, Mexico, where Cat Trucks have been assembled. Cat will build its trucks at a plant in southern Texas. Navistar also continues to make and sell the lower-cost WorkStar series for the vocational market, which uses steel cabs with shorter hoods. The WorkStar, which will get a new alpha-numeric designation later this year, primarily serves the municipal market, while the HX will go after retail vocational customers who want lighter weight and, in some cases, premium trim, executives said. International HX trucks will use popular vendor-supplied powertrain and chassis components from Cummins, Eaton and Allison, among others, in what Kozek called “open integration.” This is counter to an industry trend of is sometimes called "vertical integration," in which competitors have introduced and encouraged the sale of their own components. Turning to suppliers such as Cummins helped Navistar in its recovery from financial and product problems following a failed EPA-2010 emissions strategy, and Kozek called Cummins a "great partner." The truck builder is working hard to regain its reputation by building quality products and focusing on reliability and service advancements, some using telematics and electronics. Since new management took over, executives have appeared enthusiastic about their products and improved corporate performance. .

Fleet Owner / February 2, 2016 New York Supreme Court nixes trucking tax plan. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) has won a class-action lawsuit launched two and a half years ago against the state of New York nixing a decal fee imposed on all commercial trucks operating in the Empire state. OOIDA challenged the taxes as unconstitutional and discriminatory, taking the case to the New York Supreme Court, which declared the fees invalid and unenforceable. The association said it argued that the fees constituted an “undue burden” on interstate commerce in violation of the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution. OOIDA noted that the taxes were imposed not only on New York-based trucks – which are driven proportionately higher miles in New York, the group said – but also on trucks based outside of New York, which are driven mostly in states other than New York. Yet trucks owned and/or operated outside of New York travel fewer miles on New York highways than trucks owned and/or operated in New York meaning the imposition of New York’s decal fees resulted in a higher per mile tax rate being imposed on out-of-state trucks. OOIDA President and CEO Jim Johnston noted that the group’s next step is to submit a memorandum to New York’s Supreme Court regarding damages, class administration and attorney’s fees – monies he believes could total up to $20 million. “A number of similar tax cases were fought against states back in the 1980s and 1990s and the states lost every one of them,” Johnston said in a statement. “Given that history, we were shocked that New York even thought they could get away with this unconstitutional tax,” he stressed. “The amount for the New York HUT [highway use tax] decal is $19, which is not huge, but if other states were to implement this tax, it would be huge collectively and in administrative costs.”

Note, no mention of the Mack brand in the article. The former Mack Trucks was the undisputed leader in construction truck segment. Mack is at the show, but ??? (http://www.volvogroup.com/group/global/en-gb/volvo%20group/worldwide/volvo-group-north-america/_layouts/CWP.Internet.VolvoCom/NewsItem.aspx?News.ItemId=151443&News.Language=en-gb)

Fleet Owner / February 2, 2016 While Navistar has made a lot of news with the introduction of its new HX Series of Class 8 vocational trucks this week at the World of Concrete show here, several other truck makers have also garnered their share of attention with prominent displays of their vocational models as well. Peterbilt has three Model 567 mixers on display. First introduced last year, the 567 models on display feature set-forward front axles (the line also includes a set-back axle configuration). A 115-in. BBB has a bumper to front axle distance of 29 in. and a 121 in. BBB model has a distance of 31 in. “The Model 567 SFFA is carefully engineered to let customers maximize payloads while helping meet state and federal bridge law requirements,” said Robert Woodall, Peterbilt assistant general manager of sales and marketing. “The Model 567 is a low-weight leader and this new configuration will let customers take full advantage of that through optimized weight distribution.” All three models on display are powered by Paccar MX engines, which is standard on the 567. The 567 is standard with the MX-13 engine with up to 500 hp. An d1,850 lbs.-ft. of torque. However, two of the models feature the MX-11, a more fuel-efficient option with up to 430 hp. And 1,550 lbs.-ft. of torque. The Model 567 is available as a day cab or with Peterbilt’s complete lineup of detachable sleepers, including the new 58-in. sleeper. It is available with single, tandem or tridem axles and multiple lift axle options. Kenworth’s showcase vehicle at this year’s show is a 7-axle, T880 short hood mixer. Featuring a Paccar MX-11 engine, the mixer “represents a new T880 configuration developed to provide contractors with a highly maneuverable 80,000-lb. federal bridge formula truck that can haul up to 12 yards of concrete,” the company said. The display model includes the Diamond VIT interior for driver comfort and an Allison 4700RDS 7-speed automatic transmission. It is the first time the Allison automatic has been included in the 116.5-in. short hood T880. Four other Kenworth trucks are also on display, including a Kenworth T880 short hood with a 10.5-yard standard mixer and 425-hp. MX-11 engine with 1,450 lbs.-ft. of torque; a twin steer Kenworth T880 with a 12-yard mixer, 455-hp. MX-13 engine with 1,650 lbs.-ft. of torque, and Simard twin steer conversion to make the truck compatible with Ontario’s vehicle weight and dimension regulations; a 5-axle Kenworth W900S with an 11-yard mixer, 425-hp. MX-11 engine with 1,450 lbs.-ft. of torque, and Allison 4700RDS 7-speed automatic transmission; an a 4-axle Kenworth W900S with a 10.5-yard mixer and 345-hp. PX-9 engine with 1,150 lbs.-ft. of torque. Volvo Trucks also had several models on display showing off its VHD lineup of trucks. The company’s booth included a Volvo VHD 200 8x4 axle forward bridge formula mixer. Equipped with a Con-Tech concrete mixer, the vehicle is powered by a Volvo D11 engine producing 385 hp. and 1,450 lbs.-ft. of torque mated to an Allison 4500 RDS transmission. A multileaf with left-hand stiffener front suspension and 46,000-lb. Haulmaax rear suspension round out the key specs. Also on display is a VHD 200 6x4 axle back model with McNeilus concrete mixer. It also includes a Volvo D11 engine rated at 365 hp. and 1,350 lbs.-ft. of torque and Allison 4500 RDS transmission. The 46,000-lb. Haulmaax rear suspension is complemented by a Parabolic leaf front suspension. Freightliner had several trucks on hand, including three 114SD models. “Severe duty customers require trucks that do more than just show up to the job site – they need trucks they can depend on all day, every day, no matter what,” said Mary Aufdemberg, director of product marketing for Freightliner Trucks. “Freightliner’s severe duty products combine quality, durability and ease-of-upfit, resulting in a dependable solution that contribute to the bottom line.” Freightliner had a 114SD SFA tri-drive with an Alliance Concrete pump; a 114SD SBA truck with Beck Industrial mixer; a 114SD SBA with McNeilus mixer and Cummins ISL engine; a 114SD SFA with a Schwing America booster mixer and Detroit DD13 engine; and a 108SD SBA truck with Holcombe Volumetric mixer equipped with a Cummins ISL engine featuring rear engine power take-off (REPTO) capability. Western Star conducted its “Western Star Trucks Get Tough Challenge” at the event. The sixth annual ride-and-drive event takes contestants along a short course in their choice of a Western Star truck and scores them on a 50-point scale. “Once they get in a Western Star truck, drivers appreciate the comfort, maneuverability and power that defines the Western Star brand,” said Ann Demitruk, vice president of marketing for Western Star. “Last year we had more than 250 drivers compete in the challenge, and this year we’re expecting even more. Come to the Get Tough Challenge and experience what Western Star is all about.” Among the Western Star trucks available are a 4700SB wallboard truck equipped with a Detroit DD13 engine and Allison 4500 Rugged Duty Series (RDS) transmission; a 4700SB crane truck equipped with a Detroit DD13 engine and Eaton Fuller transmission; a 4700SF mixer with a Detroit DD13 engine and Allison 4700 RDS transmission; a 5700XE with a Detroit DD15 engine and Eaton Fuller transmission; and a 6900XD with a Detroit DD16 engine and Allison 4700 RDS transmission.

Fleet Owner / February 2, 2016 No fluid cooler needed, which reduces weight and maintenance needs. Eaton is widening the vocational availability of its Fuller Advantage 10-speed automated manual transmission (AMT) overdrive models, offering optional “Urge to Move,” “Creep Mode” and “Blended Pedal” functions to improve low-speed maneuverability in situations such as backing into a loading dock or maneuvering in a construction job site. Evan Vijithakumara, Eaton’s product strategy manager, said in a statement that the Fuller Advantage 10-speed AMT can now be used in 110,000 lbs.-plus gross combined weight (GCW) vocational truck applications, with 6- and 8-bolt power take off (PTO) opening options, “Hill Start Aid” and intelligent gear selection logic functions. He pointed to the AMT’s precision lubrication system as a key feature, as that system reduces the oil churn energy losses found in traditional transmissions by nearly 33%. “With less heat being generated, Fuller Advantage transmissions do not require a transmission fluid cooler and corresponding lines and fittings,” Vijithakumara said. “The result is less preventative maintenance is required while engine fans cycle less, further reducing horsepower demand.” He added that the precision lube system uses only 16 pints of oil, which is nearly half the amount used in traditional transmissions. “Vocational fleets currently operating our FR series manual transmission, and who are considering an automated transmission in their next truck, will really appreciate the performance and peace of mind that the cooler-less Fuller Advantage transmission offers,” said Eaton’s heavy-duty transmission sales manager Molly Doyle.

Transport Topics / February 2, 2016 Peterbilt Motors Co. has received a multiyear order from TMC Transportation, the largest privately held flatbed carrier in the United States, for 1,500 of its Model 579 Class 8 trucks equipped with premium 80-inch sleepers. Rod Simon, TMC’s vice president of maintenance, cited in a statement the model’s distinctive styling as a means of recruiting and keeping drivers. “TMC has long been a Peterbilt partner. We take great pride in the professionalism and skill of our drivers and the appearance and performance of our fleet,” Simon said. Peterbilt said the Des Moines, Iowa-based fleet first ordered 1,500 of the 579s when the model was introduced in 2012.

Why be concerned about appointees having appropriate experience now? Congress has been approving EPA heads for years who lacked any and all qualifications for that position.

Transport Topics / February 2, 2016 Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune (R-S.D.) said senators on the panel have raised concerns about Scott Darling, President Obama’s choice to lead the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). “Some of our members have concerns about, I think, just the depth of experience he has on some of those issues,” Thune told Transport Topics on Feb. 2. Thune added that a vote on Darling's nomination is possible after the committee handles other affairs during the next couple of weeks. The Commerce Committee has jurisdiction over trucking regulations. The committee heard testimony from Darling on Jan. 20 to consider his nomination to become FMCSA administrator. At the hearing, he told Thune and the rest of the panel the FMCSA safety performance scoring program, known as Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA), would be reviewed by the National Academy of Sciences starting this month. FMCSA removed the scores from public view in December soon after the enactment of the FAST Act, the 2015 highway law. Darling, FMCSA's acting administrator, had served as the agency's chief counsel since September 2012. He came to FMCSA from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, where he served as deputy chief of staff and assistant general counsel. .

Navistar hopes more choice leads to better trucks, loyal customers Fleet Owner / February 1, 2016 As more and more vertical design has come to the truck market – think integrated powertrains – Navistar has been embracing the concept of “open integration” in its vehicle designs. That means the option of Cummins engines. But it also means customers can choose Allison or Eaton transmissions, Dana or Meritor axles, Continental tires (standard) or some other brand. Many OEMs also embrace this philosophy - give the customer what they want – but Navistar executives gathered here in Las Vegas believe it is a winning formula that will once again have the International nameplate back atop the vocational market share ladder. “We want to give the customer what the customer wants,” Bill Kozek, president-truck and parts, told Fleet Owner at the launch of the company’s newest models – the HX Series of vocational trucks. According to Jeff Sass, senior vice president of North America truck sales and marketing, Navistar’s Class 8 severe duty market share is around 17%. “We want to get over 20%,” he told Fleet Owner. “It’s really close right now [between OEMs], it ebbs and flows, and we don’t want it to be that close.” To increase its market share, not only is Navistar focused on building quality trucks, it’s focused on providing customers options through its open integration philosophy. “While many of our competitors go to vertical integration, we have done something different,” Sass said. “We have gone to open integration where we work seamlessly with our [partners] to integrated the leading products into our trucks.” ass explained that vertical integration has some advantages, but to be a vertically integrated truck maker requires the OEM to “an expert in everything.” “We’re taking the expertise of our [supplier] experts,” he added. “Most of the suppliers we’re partnering with have a long history in the marketplace. They have sales support teams behind them.” Just as importantly, as Kozek noted, an owner of an International truck who has trouble with, for instance, an Cummins engine, has many options to seek service on that vehicle. They can go to their local International dealer, who can service all the components, they could seek out a Cummins dealer or they can have that engine serviced at any truck OEM dealership that services Cummins engines. Related reading - http://fleetowner.com/equipment/vegas-provides-backdrop-international-s-hx-series-debut

Trailer/Body Builders / February 2, 2016 As more and more vertical design has come to the truck market – think integrated powertrains – Navistar has been embracing the concept of “open integration” in its vehicle designs. That means the option of Cummins engines. But it also means customers can choose Allison or Eaton transmissions, Dana or Meritor axles, Continental tires (standard) or some other brand. Many OEMs also embrace this philosophy - give the customer what they want – but Navistar executives gathered in Las Vegas believe it is a winning formula that will once again have the International nameplate back atop the vocational market share ladder. “We want to give the customer what the customer wants,” Bill Kozek, president-truck and parts, told Fleet Owner at the launch of the company’s newest models – the HX Series of vocational trucks. According to Jeff Sass, senior vice president of North America truck sales and marketing, Navistar’s Class 8 severe duty market share is around 17%. “We want to get over 20%,” he told Fleet Owner. “It’s really close right now [between OEMs], it ebbs and flows, and we don’t want it to be that close.” To increase its market share, not only is Navistar focused on building quality trucks, it’s focused on providing customers options through its open integration philosophy. “While many of our competitors go to vertical integration, we have done something different,” Sass said. “We have gone to open integration where we work seamlessly with our [partners] to integrated the leading products into our trucks.” Sass explained that vertical integration has some advantages, but to be a vertically integrated truck maker requires the OEM to “an expert in everything.” “We’re taking the expertise of our [supplier] experts,” he added. “Most of the suppliers we’re partnering with have a long history in the marketplace. They have sales support teams behind them.” Just as importantly, as Kozek noted, an owner of an International truck who has trouble with, for instance, an Cummins engine, has many options to seek service on that vehicle. They can go to their local International dealer, who can service all the components, they could seek out a Cummins dealer or they can have that engine serviced at any truck OEM dealership that services Cummins engines. Conversely, he added, if you have a vehicle that has components from only the truck maker, there is only one option for maintenance – that truck’s dealership network. “It’s to the customer’s benefit to have options [like that],” Sass said.

The Washington Post / February 2, 2016 In the aftermath of an E. coli outbreak at Chipotle, which sickened dozens of people across the United States last fall, and led to an overhaul of the company's food safety practices, Americans reacted by avoiding the beloved fast food chain. Restaurants that once sported long lines were suddenly empty, a phenomenon that was almost surely happening nationwide. The risks, in other words, were simply too great in people's minds for them to continue frequenting the Mexican-inspired favorite, because Chipotle had a food safety problem. But the outrage was at least partly misplaced, according to Bill Marler, a lawyer specializing in food-borne illness. The outbreak, he says, was less of an anomaly specific to the chain than a symptom of the American food system, which isn't as safe as it could be and really should be. Marler, who has been involved in many high profile outbreaks over the past 30 years, including the 1993 E. coli outbreak at Jack in the Box, which killed several children and forced the government to administer a zero tolerance for the presence of the pathogen in food, reminds that problems like the one at Chipotle are far more common than most people realize. Food recalls, of which there are many, frequently fly under the radar. In 2014, the most recent year for which data is available, more than 8,000 food products were recalled by the Food and Drug Administration and nearly 100 were recalled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The problem touches organic foods, too. The industry, Marler says, does a good job of nudging people to forget about all this, and we all do a good job of obliging, because food safety isn't the sort of thing anyone likes to think about. The way in which the American food system works is often perplexing if not entirely nonsensical, according to Marler. For this reason, he takes precautions people less familiar with food safety oversight might find absurd. In a recent piece, published in Bottom Line Health, he lists six foods he no longer eats, because he believes the risk of eating them is simply too large. The list includes raw oysters and other raw shellfish, raw or under-cooked eggs, meat that isn't well-done, unpasteurized milk and juice, and raw sprouts. "You wouldn't believe some of the things I have learned over the years," he said. "I have some crazy stories." I spoke with Marler to hear some of these stories, learn about the things we might want to think twice about eating, and better understand what exactly it is that people don't understand about food safety in the United States. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. Would the average person be horrified if they knew what you know about the food system? I think there are a lot of things about the food system that the general public would find completely nonsensical—not necessarily frightening, but definitely nonsensical. Like how E. coli is considered an adulterant in hamburgers, but salmonella and many other pathogens are not. How salmonella is allowed on chickens, which the USDA oversees, but salmonella is not allowed in any product that the FDA oversees. There are a lot of disparate pieces in the food safety system in the United States, and there is no one really who is fully in control of it. And the public health system is made up of 51 separate departments of public health—the CDC and 50 states—and they’re not necessarily playing from the same sheet of music. I know a lot more about the flaws in the system than the average person, and these would be incredibly perplexing to most people. If people knew these kind of things, I’m pretty sure they would question why the system is built the way it is. So it isn't safe? From a safety standpoint, I don’t necessarily think that we’re the safest food system in the world, but neither do I think that we’re the worst food safety system in the world. We do have a fairly amazing ability to surveil foodborne illnesses. Not necessarily to find out why they happened, or what we could do to prevent them, but we’re pretty good at keeping track of people who have positive stool cultures. I speak all over the world on food safety issues, and almost everyone around the world uses the CDC foodborne illness statistics, and then just extrapolates those onto their populations. In 22 years of doing this, I’ve obviously seen things that are chilling. But I’ve also seen some great progress. I made hundreds of millions of dollars for my clients in the first decade or so of my practice off the beef industry. Most of the work we did was E. coli cases linked to hamburgers, and those are now almost non-existent, because the beef industry and the government finally figured out that it was a really bad idea to poison people, and that it was expensive, and they created systems that allowed to lower the level of E. coli in hamburger meat. Now there are fewer people getting sick, and Bill Marler isn’t making as much money, which is a great thing. Why is it that the government has acted on E. coli, but not on other pathogens, namely salmonella? A crisis happened. The Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak in January of 1993 came at an incredibly fortuitous time to get government to pay attention to it. It basically broke on inauguration weekend for Bill Clinton. In many respects, and I know this because I know people who were working at USDA and at the White House, this was one of the first things that was on Clinton’s plate—this E. coli crisis in the Pacific Northwest. People wanted to know what he was going to do about it. The USDA, in 1994, said that E. coli could no longer be in hamburger meat, and the industry went absolutely nuts. They sued the government, saying E. coli is a naturally occurring bacteria. To the government’s credit, they used science and the court agreed that the government had the power to do exactly what it did. And over time, that determination that E. coli was an adulterant worked its way through the system and got us to the place we are now. Where we are now is kind of where we are with vaccine and people, where you have some people questioning the necessity of a system that works, without question. You know, when was the last time you saw someone with polio? But you hear people in certain parts who take that reality and then wonder whether they need to vaccine their children since polio hasn’t really been around. We see places advertising that they’re undercooking hamburgers, because it tastes better. I find that worrisome. Even though we’ve pushed a lot of E. coli out of hamburgers, they’re playing with fire by not cooking their hamburgers thoroughly. Is the presence of salmonella any less dangerous? No. In my view, what the government did in 1994 with E. coli, was they knew what they wanted to do, which was to get it out of hamburger meat. They justified it by saying that the infectious dose was low, that people don’t necessarily cook hamburgers the way they should—it’s difficult to cook them thoroughly, and there’s a high risk of cross contamination. They had a long list of arguments as to why they needed to take that action. But frankly all of that applies to salmonella. The infectious dose for salmonella is higher, but we’re talking about infinitesimal, invisible quantities of bacteria. 100,000 bacterium of salmonella would fit on the head of a pin. So you’re not really looking at a product that is grossly contaminated; you’re looking at a product that is a little contaminated, and that little bit of contamination is enough to get people really sick. Salmonella kills more Americans every year than E. coli does, and can cause severe long-term complications. If salmonella is so problematic, why hasn't the government protected consumers from it? There’s a case that goes back to the 1970s, American Health Association (AHA) vs. Earl Butz, who was the secretary of agriculture under President Nixon. The AHA didn’t even know about E. coli 0157, the kind that gets people really sick, back then. They were focused on salmonella, and they wanted to put a label on it that said ‘hey consumer, you need to cook this,’ and the meat industry went nuts, they said no way we’re not going to do this. So the AHA sued the government because they thought it was necessary, and the government sided with the industry, and in essence said it was a naturally occurring bacterium on meat, which is untrue, and housewives—this is actually in the case, I swear—know how to cook it, what to do to make this food safe. That mentality is just below the surface in the meat industry, whether it’s the beef, chicken, or any other facet. That sort of mentality that there’s really nothing we can do about it, and it’s really the consumer that is at fault if anybody gets sick, it’s their problem. This is exactly the argument that the industry waged in 1994, with E. coli, but there the government changed its tone because there were 700 people who got sick and 4 children who died, and it was kind of hard to ignore that. The government has not faced a salmonella crisis like the Jack in the Box E. coli crisis in the early 1990s, that solidifies consumers, government, business, and everyone else to do the thing that would ultimately be the correct thing, which is to do with salmonella exactly what they did with E. coli 0157. And the way the system is set up now, with FSIS being in USDA and essentially just being a captured, controlled agency of the industry, it’s just never going to happen. When I applied for the job, back in 2008, and allegedly made it to the shortlist, you can imagine the industry was quite concerned about what I might do if I actually took office. You mentioned to me in the past that you have a few major frustrations with food safety in the United States. Can you talk a bit about those? I think certainly the salmonella thing is probably the biggest frustration—and maybe the biggest public health threat. That has to be on the top of my list. Secondly, the failure of government to have sufficient resources to allow for the level of inspection that should be required for FDA overseen products, which are different—meat, generally, is overseen by the USDA. So for instance, the USDA, or really FSIS [Food Safety and Inspection Service] in particular, looks at meat products save for fish. There’s an inspector in every single meat plant in America. That came about post The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair. And, allegedly, the legislation was such that the industry was supposed to pay for the inspectors. But, unsurprisingly, the industry got taxpayers to pay for the inspectors. Now those inspectors are unionized, and now there’s an inspector in every plant, and that’s the system. On the FDA’s side, which is 80 percent of our other food supplies and imports, there’s a skeleton crew of inspectors. Most of the foodborne illness outbreaks that I have been involved in over the past 20 or 30 years, most of the manufacturing facilities have never had an FDA inspector in them. Even if they did, it was five to ten years earlier. And that’s just the system—we chose not to have a system, which basically grew up post World War II—the mass manufacturing of foods is really a post World War II phenomenon—and by the time we started looking at that in terms of what we needed for inspections, we didn’t have much interest in paying for what was safest. What’s funny, or really tragic, is that we, the consuming public, pay billions of dollars every year for a sort of half-hearted system of inspections, called third party audits, where the Wal-Marts and the Costcos and the McDonald’s of the world tell their supply chain that they need to pay for an audit of their businesses. And that’s been a well known problem for the industry, because when you pay for your own audit, the likelihood that you’re going to get a bad or unfavorable audit is remarkably close to zero. When you look at the audits that have been performed during some of the worst outbreaks that have occurred in the United States, it’s really troubling. The lack of taxpayers stepping up and the government stepping up, and the allowing of third party audits that are in many respects a complete sham, is just really frustrating. So yeah, I’d say that salmonella and government inspections are really my two main major frustrations. I think we could have a much safer food system and food supply, if we applied the rules of adulteration across the board, regardless of the product, and we had an inspection core that would actually be available. And I think we could actually make this happen, if we wanted to. While reporting on Chipotle’s recent foodborne illness outbreaks, several food safety experts, including yourself, suggested the company might have a hard time implementing its new rules, because the poultry industry is pretty resistant to more stringent testing for pathogens. What’s up with the poultry industry? The poultry industry is a tough one. If you just look at the Foster Farms outbreak that went on for 18 months, it gives you a really good sense. PBS’s Frontline did this fantastic documentary about the outbreak, which I was involved in, and it really showed the scary level of symbiotic relationship that exists between the FSIS, which is the government agency tasked with overseeing food safety in the United States, and the poultry industry. Since salmonella, for reasons I cannot understand, isn’t considered an adulterant, they, the FSIS, couldn’t do a thing about an ongoing, clear outbreak, that was sickening several hundred people that we know about, and many times more, because the real number is something like 30 times that due to underreporting. So you’re looking at an 18,000 to 20,000 person outbreak, that the government isn’t doing a damn thing about, other than writing letters. There was this great scene in the documentary, where the interviewer is talking to an official from FSIS. He asks what they did to Foster Farms, and the official says ‘oh, well, we wrote him a letter.’ Then he asks him what he did next, and the guy says ‘well, we wrote him another letter.’ He asks him again, and he says the same thing. And then he asks what they’re going to do if it keeps happening, and he says 'well, we’re going to keep writing them letters.’ And that’s the problem, we really don’t have the ability to hold companies accountable. Look, you and I in about five minutes could draft a speech for FSIS about why salmonella is an adulterant. There’s plenty of explanation and evidence for how risky salmonella is, and how consumers don’t handle chicken properly and how they don’t cook it properly—really, the same exact arguments that were made for E. Coli 0157. You could easily make this argument, and the court would back you up. You’d be bucking a lot of angry chicken guys, but nevertheless you could get it done. Really, this is the story of an emasculated agency, and one where they don’t even want to ask for that authority. The issues of food safety really come to life when there are big scares or stories. But it’s the companies that are associated with them—like Chipotle, most recently—that suffer the PR blow. Are companies like Chipotle to blame, or is the framework or system they function within the real problem? Each outbreak is different—the players, the causes, the size. If you look at the Chipotle case, they had six outbreaks in six months, that’s pretty unprecedented. I mean, I cannot think of any restaurant, any chain, anything where there have been six outbreaks in that short of a period. I look at what happened with Chipotle, and I just think they were so focused on their mission to serve food with integrity, as defined by their commitment to local, organic, non-GMO, and humanely raised food, that they used those words as a proxy for safe food. I think they believed, and probably people did too, that it was true. If you asked people six months ago whether they thought McDonald’s or Chipotle was safer, more than 90 percent of people would have said Chipotle in an instant. But the problem isn't really Chipotle. It's the system, which allows for these sorts of things to happen too often. Chipotle was, for the most part, complying with food safety standards. In many senses, they were exceeding them. You were trending on Facebook recently, because you listed a handful of things that people love to eat but you refuse to eat for safety reasons. It depends on how you look at it. I mean, if I went back and looked at all the foods I have been involved in that have poisoned people, you could make a very long list—the things you would be left with would be very short. When I made that list, I stuck a couple things together, like unpasteurized milk and juice. It’s based on more than 20 years of experience, that has taught me that these are the food items that are, from my perspective, the ones that have caused more issues, and, especially in a restaurant setting, where you’re not controlling the handling of your food, are best left alone. This doesn’t mean that other things, like cantaloupe couldn’t find their way onto the list. But these are the ones that I have had to deal with the most often over the years. You keep telling me that you have all these crazy stories—all these things I wouldn’t believe. Can you share one of them? I actually have the perfect one, which I told at a recent conference, and really floored people. Do you know the juice Odwalla? Well, the juice is made by a company in California, which has made all sorts of other juices, many of which have been unpasteurized, because it’s more natural. Anyway, they were kind of like Chipotle, in the sense that they had this aura of good and earthy and healthful. And they were growing very quickly. And they had an outbreak. It killed a kid in Colorado, and sickened dozens of others very seriously, and the company was very nearly brought to its knees. [The outbreak, which was linked to apple juice produced by Odwalla, happened twenty years ago]. If you look at how they handled the PR stuff, most PR people would say well, they handled it great. They took responsibility, they were upfront and honest about it, etc etc. What’s interesting though is that behind the scenes, on the legal side of the equation, I had gotten a phone call, which by itself isn’t uncommon. In these high profile cases, people tend to call me—former employees, former government officials, family members of people who have fallen ill, or unknown people giving me tips. But this one was different. It was a Saturday—I remember it well—and someone left me a voicemail telling me to make sure I get the U.S. Army documents regarding Odwalla. I was like 'what the heck, what the heck are they talking about?' So I decided to follow up on it, and reached out to the Army and got something like 100 pages of documents. Well, it turned out that the Army had been solicited to put Army juice on Army PX’s, which sell goods, and, because of that, the Army had gone to do an inspection of a plant, looked around and wrote out a report. And heres what’s nuts: it had concluded that Odwalla’s juice was not fit for human consumption. Wow. It’s crazy, right? The Army had decided that Odwalla’s juice wasn’t fit for human consumption, and Odwalla knew this, and yet kept selling it anyway. When I got that document, it was pretty incredible. But then after the outbreak, we got to look at Odwalla’s documents, which included emails, and there were discussions amongst people at the company, months before the outbreak, about whether they should do end product testing—which is finished product testing—to see whether they had pathogens in their product, and the decision was made to not test, because if they tested there would be a body of data. One of my favorite emails said something like “once you create a body of data, it’s subpoenable.” So, basically, they decided to protect themselves instead of their consumers? Yes, essentially. Look, there are a lot of sad stories in my line of work. I’ve been in ICUs, where parents have had to pull the plug on their child. Someone commented on my article about the six things I don’t eat, saying that I must be some kind of freak, but when you see a child die from eating an undercooked hamburger, it does change your view of hamburgers. It just does. I am a lawyer, but I’m also a human. That Odwalla story is one of the crazier stories I can think of, but there are many others, and there would be many fewer if the way we handled food safety here made more sense.

Iowa Caucus entrance poll results https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/2016-election/primaries/iowa-entrance-poll/?hpid=hp_hp-banner-main_clinton-banner-145am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory

Reuters / February 1, 2016 Four Oklahoma high school wrestlers were charged on Monday with raping two boys aged 12 and 16 after a wrestling tournament in January. All suspects were members of the Norman North High School wrestling team. Three were charged as youth offenders and one was charged as an adult stemming from the Jan. 9 incident. The two victims were assaulted on a bus after a wrestling tournament in Garvin County, and the 12-year-old was assaulted a second time when the bus arrived back at Norman North High School. The adult suspect was charged in Garvin County with felony counts of first-degree rape by instrumentation by force and fear, meaning rape with an object other than a sexual organ. He was also charged with two counts of first-degree rape by instrumentation of a victim under the age of 14, police said. The three other suspects were charged with rape by instrumentation and two counts of rape by instrumentation of a victim under the age of 14. In addition to the arrests, an adjunct coach was dismissed in January and another coach was suspended, the school district said.

Muslim “refugees” attack Germans on Munich subway RT / February 2, 2016 Two elderly metro passengers in Munich were attacked by a group of young men of Middle Eastern appearance last weekend as they tried to protect a woman from being sexually harassed. The alleged asylum seekers attacked the old men intervened. The assault, which took place on a subway train traveling from Sendlinger Tor station to the Munich city center terminal, was recorded on a mobile phone by Munich resident Tom Roth. The video shows several young men of Middle Eastern appearance attacking two elderly Germans, who moments earlier had come to the defense of a young woman harassed by the group. After seizing the Germans by the hands and insulting them verbally, a young attacker kicks one of the old men, then holds him by the neck from behind and threatens him. The other attackers make sure none of the passengers can interfere by creating a safe zone. The second German man is seen grappling with one of the migrants. Tom Roth said the incident broke out after a young woman rejected one of the migrant's advances, who had addressed her in English and placed his hand on her back. After being brushed off, the harasser struck a window with full force to express his dissatisfaction, said Roth. This is when the old men asked the migrants to behave. The man wearing a brown jacket acted aggressively, patting the head of one old man, who immediately stood up. Other passengers tried to call the disrespectful asylum seekers to order. Once the train arrived at the station, Tom Roth called the police, but law enforcement officers said there was nothing they could do. The incident in Munich is a minor one in a series of conflicts between Germans and migrants who are arriving in Europe en masse. The country’s Interior Ministry said 1.1 million refugees came to Germany in 2015. Berlin expects 1.5 million asylum seekers to arrive in 2016. The worst assault to date on locals in Germany took place in Cologne on New Year’s Eve, where mass sexual harassment was reported. Similar attacks also took place in other German cities. State Interior Minister Ralf Jager said more than 1,200 people fell victim to attacks on New Year’s Eve in German cities, with more than a half of them suffering sexual assaults.

Hillary Clinton pushed to the limit as Iowa caucuses offer night of high drama The Guardian / February 2, 2016 Democratic race against Bernie Sanders too close to call but Republican Ted Cruz humbles Donald Trump in first contest of US presidential campaign Hillary Clinton was given the fright of her life as veteran socialist senator Bernie Sanders pushed her to the limit in the Iowa caucus, on a night of extreme drama in the first test of the US presidential election year. Ted Cruz, the maverick Texas senator, used his formidable ground game to beat the bombastic property tycoon Donald Trump into second place in the Republican race. And with Florida senator Marco Rubio enjoying a strong night in third place, the congested Republican field could yet be reshaped as a head-to-head between two Cuban Americans vying to become the first Latino president of the United States. Yet it was in the Democratic race where the closest of finishes caused high anxiety in the Clinton camp. With more than 99% of the precinct results in, Clinton led 49.9% to 49.6% over Sanders after seeing an apparently comfortable lead slip. The Associated Press and multiple outlets said the race was simply too close to call. Both candidates will now move on to New Hampshire buoyed up, Clinton with a “sigh of relief” that her bid to be the first female president of the United States is alive, and Sanders believing that his revolution against the “billionaire classes” truly began in the snowy cornfields of Iowa. With half of the results in across the rural midwest state, Clinton appeared to be easing to victory, three points up on the Vermont senator, whose relatively ramshackle campaign seemed to be no match for her mighty political machine. But as the night wore on, Clinton’s lead shrank to two and then one point, until she was locked in a virtual tie with the 74-year-old whose passion has ignited a fervour among young Americans. Appearing onstage in Des Moines before the final tally arrived, Clinton hailed “a contest of ideas” and appeared battle-ready for the fight of her political life. She congratulated her opponent, saying: “I am excited about really getting into the debate with Senator Sanders about the best way forward to fight for us in America.” The democratic socialist, though, had clearly stolen the momentum heading into the New Hampshire primary on 9 February – and a prolonged fight appears inevitable, a far cry from what had been envisaged as a graceful procession toward the nomination for Clinton. By almost 11pm local time, the two Democratic rivals had both given what sounded like competing victory speeches. Sanders raised the roof as he told supporters: “While the results are still not known, it looks like we are in virtual tie,” adding: “The people of Iowa have sent a very profound message to the political establishment, the economic establishment, and by the way to the media establishment.” Largely written off by both the media and Democratic leaders, Sanders has been attracting huge crowds across the state since he first started campaigning here in the summer and made Clinton’s poll leads that reached as high as 32% all but evaporate. Late on Monday night in Des Moines, a crowd at Sanders’ victory party was watching him inch to within 0.2 percentage points down, to a tie on the television overhead, then back down to 0.2 points. Someone put on Sanders’ fight song – the Simon & Garfunkel anthem America. “They’ve all come to look for America,” sang the throng. Iowa proved Bernie Sanders can win – and that Hillary Clinton is beatable | Lucia Graves Across town at the Clinton event, the former first lady, secretary of state and senator was introduced by retired Iowa senator Tom Harkin and his wife Ruth, both popular figures who endorsed Clinton last summer. Harkin embraced what he said was a “narrow” victory for Clinton, even as the results were still being counted. “Hey, folks, a win is a win!” he exclaimed. Clinton herself stopped short of declaring victory as she took the stage, flanked by husband Bill and daughter Chelsea, before a crowd of roughly 700 supporters. “Wow, what a night, an unbelievable night,” she said. “Now, as I stand here tonight breathing a sigh of relief – thank you.” At times the cheers so deafening they drowned out Clinton’s words. It was an outright celebration, however narrow the result, of a candidate who eight years ago suffered a bruising defeat in the same state at the hands of Barack Obama. This time, she will head to New Hampshire having hit her stride – campaigning laboriously for every vote. Last time she slipped to third in Iowa behind Obama and John Edwards. As midnight approached, with 50 of the 1,683 precincts still to declare, Clinton led 49.9% to 49.6%. However, rumours began to circulate that some of the results were in dispute and that the Democratic party had failed to staff 90 caucuses, raising the prospect of an ugly clash between the Clinton and Sanders camps. In the Republican contest, it was a predictably chastening night for Jeb Bush, the candidate with all of the money and the presidential lineage who has been diminished by the taunts of Donald Trump saying he is “low energy”. Bush barely registered, in sixth place on 2.8% behind retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson in fourth and libertarian Rand Paul in fifth. But the Republican night belonged to Cruz, who called it “a victory for courageous conservatives across Iowa and all across this great nation”, vowing that the Republican nominee for 2016 “will not be chosen by the Washington establishment”. If the taming of Trump was a surprise – Cruz picked up the most votes ever in a Republican Iowa caucus – there is also a warning from history. In the last seven contested national caucuses, they have chosen the eventual nominee only three times. Donald Trump gave a rare display of humility during a brief speech at a hotel in West Des Moines. “We finished second and I want to tell you seriously I am honoured,” he said, making a point to “congratulate Ted”. After months of crowing about how he was destined to win, he immediately moved to reframe expectations, saying that he had been warned “do not to go to Iowa. You could never finish even in the top 10”. “We’re just so happy about the way everything turned out,” he added. However, the mood at Donald Trump’s party in western Des Moines went from subdued when it emerged he had been pushed into second place by Cruz, to outright downbeat when it became apparent he had been almost tied by third-place Rubio. A defiant Rubio echoed the words of Barack Obama in 2008 when he took the stage at his caucus night party in Des Moines. “So this is the moment they said would never happen. For months, they told us we had no chance,” Rubio told a raucous crowd inside a ballroom at the downtown Marriott. “They told me I needed to wait my turn. They told me we had no chance because my hair wasn’t gray enough and my boots were too high,” he said, referring to a minor media storm about his Cuban heel boots. “But tonight, here in Iowa, the people of this great state have sent a very clear message after seven years of Barack Obama we are not waiting any longer,” he added. If Rubio can lead the establishment crowd in New Hampshire, Chris Christie, John Kasich and Jeb Bush will be all but done and he may come through the middle as a youthful alternative. Cruz is deeply unpopular in his own party and Trump is diminished if not yet vanquished. “Ground game, ground game, ground game” was the reason that Cruz’s Iowa’s co- chair Matt Schultz gave for his candidate’s triumph. Cruz staffers had long been supremely confident that they had the resources on the ground to triumph and felt confident that they had done everything right. Unlike Trump, their candidate had visited all 99 counties and built up what was universally acknowledged to be the best field organisation of any candidate. The mood at the Cruz party was jubilant. A cover band played rock and country music as attendees slowly started to grasp their achievement in winning the caucuses. The crowd’s enthusiasm barely flagged as Cruz spoke for about 25 minutes to the assembled audience at the Elwell building on the grounds of the Iowa state fair. In an interview on caucus day, Cruz’s state director, Bryan English, told the Guardian that their organisation “was a model”. “It’s an organic process … go straight to people, meeting them where they are, in twos, threes, and fives, then dozens, hundreds and thousands … It’s not through paid media, not through direct mail, but through person to person relationship building.” The two casualties of the night were Martin O’Malley, who dropped out of the Democratic race, and Mike Huckabee, who suspended his Republican campaign.

The Times-Picayune / February 1, 2016 Short-haul truckers that serve the Port of New Orleans will soon be able to apply for funds to upgrade or replace their trucks, thanks to a $727,000 "Clean Diesel" grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The grant was given to the port as part of its Clean Truck Replacement Incentive Program, or Clean TRIP. Drayage and short-haul truck owners who operate within the Port's three-parish jurisdiction are now eligible to replace truck models between 1993 and 2006 with model year 2011 or new through the program. "This program will enable truck owners to voluntarily invest in cleaner air by replacing older trucks," port president and CEO Gary LaGrange said in a statement. "It will also enable us to initiate a community dialogue around air quality and opportunities for improvement." In a separate statement, Sen. David Vitter said he appealed to the leader of the EPA's Diesel Emission Reduction Act in June, urging the agency to grant funds necessary to "update and modernize their aging trucking fleet." The port's environmental department will oversee the program, ensuring the application process for replacements and upgrades is fair and transparent, a spokesman for the port said in a news release. The total project cost is $1.537 million, with $700,000 coming from mandatory cost share with eligible truck owners and $110,636 coming from the Port for administrative costs. Press Release - http://portno.com/clean_TRIP_Grant2016

Transport Engineer / February 2, 2016 Exeter-based heavy haulage firm Aardvark Hire has taken delivery of the UK’s first Renault Trucks Range C520.26 6x4 tractor running at 80 tonnes under Special Types Category 2. Supplied by Renault Trucks Exeter, the Range C has a reinforced chassis and fifth wheel as well as a Voith retarder, uprated braking system and light bars and lamps supplied through Kelsa. This is the third Renault vehicle on Aardvark’s fleet of four – the others are a Renault Lander 6x4 and two Range T tractors. The Range C is moving heavy plant machinery including large excavators and dump trucks across the South West and throughout the UK. “Business is booming and we needed an additional vehicle to cope with the extra demand,” says Andy Lowe, Aardvark’s director. “The customer service we received from Renault Trucks Exeter with previous vehicles has been superb so we had no hesitation in contacting them again for our latest requirements.” The Range C, he adds, is living up to its promise: “We needed a seriously tough vehicle and the Range C hasn’t let us down. We are often delivering to open fields which are muddy and wet. Where other manufacturer’s vehicles would get stuck, the new Range C doesn’t and we can literally send it anywhere. “The traction is incredible and the double drive pulls the vehicle effortlessly out of difficult terrain. We’re also seeing some pretty impressive fuel consumption figures, too, returning 8 mpg on general work and 5 mpg fully loaded. “All in all it’s a fantastic bit of kit and the driver is over the moon, too.” .

Transport Engineer / February 1, 2016 A fully refurbished bonneted Scania T Series 6x4 tipper, which has just rejoined KW Purvis’s fleet, is recording more ‘likes’ than ever on Thompsons’ new Facebook webpage. Far more than six new Scania/Thompsons 8x4 tippers specified with Thompsons curved floor steel Multimaster bodies, which were recently delivered to the Alnwick, Northumberland-based company. KW Purvis has been running Thompson-bodied Scania tippers for years, and selected a top-spec, all-steel Loadmaster for its refurbished Scania T-cab. “Our T-Cab tipper is special, not only because it’s a very rare truck in the UK, but also because we’ve had it from new,” explains company owner David Purvis. “It’s already earned its keep through a 16-year working life, but I really want to keep it going for many more years to come,” he continues. “As well as being a really rugged and reliable vehicle, it’s also a key part of our company heritage. And being a highly individual truck, it also creates lots of recognition.” All chassis and cab work was undertaken by truck restoration specialist Ian Bone & Sons, of Carlisle. Adding the Loadmaster tipper body means the T-Cab’s future life is now almost indefinite, according to Purvis. “This has been a unique project for us,” comments Thompsons sales manager Ian Chaplin, who oversaw bodybuilding at the firm’s Blackburn factory. “We always appreciate the opportunity to do something a bit special, and this truck certainly is,” he continues. “The body is [different to] standard Loadmasters too, not only because it’s much shorter, but by also because it has a dual-purpose automated tailgate, which can operate either as a conventional top-hinged design or as barn doors for demolition work.” As for KW Purvis’s latest Scania tippers, these were all specified with the trucks’ larger G-cab and the 450bhp engine. They have been fitted with auto tailgates, electric sheeting, underfloor tipping gear and alloy wheels. They tare off at 13,100kgs. .

Scania Group Press Release / February 1, 2016 Scania is celebrating 125 years of innovation in 2016. From its founding as a privately owned wagon-building company back in 1891 to today’s connected vehicles, Scania has stood steady through hostile take-over attempts and financial crises. And today, that successful journey continues. Here’s a brief rundown of Scania’s history, from its beginnings in 1891 through to today,: 1891: The privately owned wagon-building company Vabis is established in Södertälje and sets about producing open goods wagons and transport wagons. Some 20 years later, Scania-Vabis is created through the amalgamation of Vabis with the Malmö-based, privately owned machine-manufacturing company Scania. 1923: Scania-Vabis designer August Nilsson develops a four-cylinder, overhead-valve engine. The engine’s power and reliability are of major benefit in trucks and buses. 1936: Scania-Vabis develops its first diesel engine, something that impresses the trade press during test drives. “To my surprise, I could hardly hear the engine,” wrote one journalist. “However, I certainly felt its effect as the bus shot forward like an arrow.” 1961: Scania-Vabis builds on its success in Brazil, opening its first ever production facility outside Sweden in São Bernardo do Campo, near São Paulo. 1969: A legend is born! Scania introduces a 350 hp, 14-litre V8 turbocharged engine. It is the most powerful truck motor in Europe at the time and pioneers Scania’s low-rev philosophy with a high-torque output at low engine speeds. 1980: Scania launches the 2-series, the first modular commercial vehicle range 1988: The new 3-series is launched and the following year takes the International Truck of the Year award. Scania is now able to tailor trucks according to customer specifications. 1995: The 4-series is launched and the following year also receives the International Truck of the Year award. 2000: Scania’s millionth vehicle rolls off the assembly line. 2003: Scania’s Young European Truck Driver competition makes its debut. Numerous winners have since been crowned. 2009: Scania launches the Scania Touring, a new coach built in partnership with Chinese bus bodybuilder Higer. Scania and Higer has joined forces to produce buses in China for the world market – a pioneering step forward in bus manufacturing. 2010: Boasting 730 hp, Scania’s new V8 engine is the most powerful in the world without having to compromise on fuel efficiency. 2011: Two years before it becomes legally compulsory, Scania introduces Europe’s first Euro 6 truck. 2013: New Streamline models for long distance transport are launched. 2015: Scania delivers its 150,000th truck with activated connectivity. Scania is contributing to global sustainable transport, making it much larger than just its products. During 2016, the company’s most important asset – its employees – will also be in focus. There’s a definite pride associated with working at Scania. Together, we have shaped our past and, together, we are building the future. Press Release - http://mb.cision.com/Main/209/9905448/471087.pdf .