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Nikkei Asian Review / May 27, 2016 Isuzu Motors and [Toyota subsidiary] Hino Motors will team up to develop a system that supports convoys of self-driving trucks, an innovation that is expected to address Japan's chronic shortage of commercial drivers. The so-called intelligent transport system will incorporate data-sharing communication among all trucks in the caravan. Information from the lead vehicle's accelerator and brakes is among the data that will guide the rear vehicles. The lead truck will be controlled by a human driver and the other rigs will maintain a constant distance between each other. The technology aims for completely driverless trailing vehicles down the road. Not only will the technology provide an answer to the trucking industry's labor shortage, short gaps between the trucks will cut down on air resistance and improve fuel economy. The Japanese government will begin a pilot program running truck convoys on the nation's highways as soon as fiscal 2018. Practical application is expected to start from fiscal 2021, with three or more commercial vehicles traveling long distances on highways at night. The practice is seen easing traffic congestion and lifting logistics efficiency. Isuzu and Hino are apparently developing the technology with those targets in mind. The pair will separately develop trucks that can operate in the system. The two Japanese automakers are competing against overseas rivals busy developing their own driverless technology for commercial vehicles. Germany's Daimler, the world's largest truck maker, plans to launch a model compatible with autonomous driving by 2025. Sweden's Volvo is also developing similar technology.

Volvo Trucks USA Press Release / May 26, 2016 VISTA (Volvo International Service Training Award) is an international competition open to all aftermarket professionals within the Volvo Trucks’ and Volvo Buses’ global service network. Currently it is the world’s largest competition for aftermarket personnel, with the last competition involving over 17,000 participants from 93 countries. Participants improve their skills, new friendships are formed, and for many it is an experience of a lifetime. The semi-finals concluded on February 11, 2016. Thirty-two teams remain but only one will win it all at the VISTA World Championship Final on May 31 in Gothenburg, Sweden. .

Peterbilt Expands Refuse Truck Lineup with Model 520 Transport Topics / May 26, 2016 Peterbilt Motors Co. announced that it has expanded its refuse truck lineup with the new Model 520 featuring new seating configurations, enhanced styling and availability of the DAF MX-11 engine. Peterbilt says the Model 520 also can be powered by natural gas using either 9- or 11-liter engines, while the diesel-fueled MX-11 provides up to 430 horsepower and 1,550 pound feet of torque. The revised truck features a dual-seated, dual-drive configuration that “allows customers to operate the vehicle from both sides of the cab for greater convenience and comfort,”says Peterbilt general manager Darrin Siver. “The Model 520 is the foundation of Peterbilt refuse collection vehicles.” Peterbilt, which is based in Denton, Texas, said the console sides are angled to give operators easy visibility and access to the same controls and displays from the right and left, adding the cab also features an enhanced HVAC system for improved airflow and climate control. Also, the Model 520 has pantograph wipers that cover 27% more of the windshield than previous designs for increased safety during inclement weather, the company said. Two headlight technologies are available for the 520, optional LED lamps and standard single halogen bulb lamps, according to the company.

Fleet Owner / May 26, 2016 Peterbilt Motors Company announced it has expanded its refuse truck lineup with the new Model 520 featuring new seating configurations for route collection versatility, enhanced styling and availability of the DAF MX-11 engine. “Peterbilt has led the refuse industry for nearly 50 years through vehicle innovations that bring our customers new levels of performance, reliability and versatility,” said Darrin Siver, Peterbilt general manager and PACCAR vice president. “The Model 520 continues this strong tradition with new productivity and safety features. The dual-seated /dual-drive configuration allows customers to operate the vehicle from both sides of the cab for greater convenience and comfort.” The dual-station cab has two nearly identical work environments so drivers can operate from the left- or right-hand side, including dual controls for the parking brakes, HVAC system and stereo. The console sides are angled to give operators easy visibility and access to the same controls and displays from the right and left. The cab also features an enhanced HVAC system for improved airflow and climate control. “Peterbilt continues to improve the popular ProBilt interior that is ideally suited for vocational applications,” said Scott Newhouse, Peterbilt chief engineer. “The Model 520 features Peterbilt’s latest ProBilt design, providing an operating environment that optimizes comfort, ergonomics and productivity.” The Model 520’s grille styling accommodates pantograph wipers that cover 27% more of the windshield than previous designs for increased safety during inclement weather. Two headlight technologies are available for the Model 520, optional LED lamps and standard single halogen bulb lamps. The Model 520 is available with the PACCAR MX-11 engine which went into production earlier this year. “The PACCAR MX-11 engine provides outstanding value in a lightweight and fuel efficient design,” Newhouse said. It is available with up to 430 horsepower and 1,550 lb.-ft. of torque. The Model 520 can also be powered by natural gas with both 9- and 11-liter engine options available. “The Model 520 is the foundation of Peterbilt refuse collection vehicles,” said Siver. “Peterbilt’s Model 520 will give our refuse customers unprecedented levels of uptime, productivity, driver satisfaction and low cost of operation.” .

Autoblog / May 26, 2016 The new, liquid-cooled XG750R replaces a 40-plus-year-old design. When a design really works, it tends to stick around a while. It's why Land Rover spent decades building the Defender, or why the original Mini and Volkswagen Beetle stuck around for so long. And it's why Harley-Davidson's flat-track team still uses a design pioneered in the early 1970s. But for Harley, the days of iconic XR750 are over. All hail the new XG750R. The motorcycle maker is introducing its all-new racer with the Screaming Eagle factory team this weekend. Besides ditching a 40-plus-year-old design, the XG750R is based on a completely different bike. It's built up from the liquid-cooled 750 Street, rather than the old-school, air-cooled Sportster. The XG750R takes that muscular look, combines it with that of a steroid-fed dirt bike, and slaps a big number on the side. It looks absolutely spectacular. "After decades of flat-track racing success behind the Harley-Davidson XR750 flat track motorcycle, we knew it was time to develop the next-generation Harley-Davidson to compete in one of the best spectator racing sports out there today," says Harley-Davidson's racing manager Kris Schoonover. Photo gallery - http://www.autoblog.com/2016/05/26/harley-davidson-new-flat-track-racing-bike/ .

Given that primer is porous, it's troubling to see a valued classic sand blasted, primed, and then placed outdoors without the process having been completed (step 3 - paint).

Associated Press / May 26, 2016 In a move that has brought the western world to a standstill, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II issued a proclamation yesterday announcing the reclamation of the United States of America with immediate effect. Calls to the White House and congressional leaders for comment following the announcement went unanswered. Notice of Revocation of Independence “In 1776, my third great grandfather King George III made a decision to grant an experimental form of self-governance to our Royal Colonies in the New World. Since I ascended the throne in 1952, I have tried my best to understand, respect and adhere to his decree, continuing to support a system of self-government in America,” said Queen Elizabeth II. “However, particularly over the last three decades, I have witnessed an appalling lack of leadership on that side of the Atlantic, owing I believe to the widespread unwillingness of properly qualified individuals to hold seats in the so-called executive, legislative and judicial branches of government.” “Further more, the level of political misconduct has reached levels I can no longer understand nor accept. As a result, a constant succession of unsuitable individuals has brought unrest and instability to America, while at the same time, diminishing America’s participative role as a source of global leadership.” “With each passing year, I am the recipient of thousands of letters from subjects in America who are frustrated with the lack of governmental leadership. As Queen, I take the welfare of all people in the Commonwealth most seriously, and act as required on their behalf.” “Effective immediately, as bearer of the charters of the Royal Colonies in America, I am hereby revoking the independence given our thirteen Royal Colonies and their subsequent outgrowth now known as the United States of America, and the Crown’s permission for it to self-govern.” Prime Minister announces changes In an announcement outside his 10 Downing Street office, Prime Minister David Cameron said The Queen will resume monarchial duties over all 50 of the united states, commonwealths and other territories. With the end of presidential elections, Cameron said he planned to appoint a deputy level minister to lead the new overseas territory by Monday.

Paul, "going the extra mile" was what the former Mack Trucks was all about. But when Volvo got their fingers into it during the 1990s, and of course when they bought it in 2000, that all ended in the North American market. Under the "Volvo Way", it's very hard for Mack brand dealers to go the extra mile. Getting a new truck from the factory is a nightmare. Handling warrant repairs, following Volvo's required guidelines to assure reimbursement, is a time-consuming nightmare.

Associated Press / May 26, 2016 Under pressure to prevent people from sneaking onto runways and planes at major U.S. airports, authorities are cracking down - not on the intruders who slip through perimeter gates or jump over fences, but on the release of information about the breaches. A year after an Associated Press investigation first revealed persistent problems with airports' outer defenses, breaches remain as frequent as ever - occurring about once every 10 days - despite some investments to fortify the nation's airfields. As Americans focus on the wait in ever-longer security screening lines inside terminals, new documents show dozens more incidents happening outside perimeters than airports have disclosed. At the same time, leaders at some airports and the U.S. Transportation Security Administration are saying some of the 345 incidents AP found shouldn't count as security breaches, even when intruders got deep into secure areas. Was it a perimeter security breach in March 2015 when a woman walked past a vehicle exit gate at San Francisco International Airport and onto the tarmac, where she tried to flag down a jet for a trip home to Guatemala? No it was not, said the airport and TSA officials, who also tried to suppress information about the case. Nor did they label it a breach when a man, following voices only he could hear, drove through a San Francisco security gate and asked a worker fueling a plane when the next flight was. After discussing intrusions openly at first, officials at several airports and the TSA started withholding details, arguing the release could expose vulnerabilities. Following a two-year legal struggle with the TSA, AP has now used newly released information to create the most comprehensive public tally of breaches. The count shows that an intruder broke through the security surrounding one of 31 major U.S. airports on average every 13 days from the beginning of 2004 through mid-February; since 2012, the average has been every 9.5 days. Many intruders scaled barbed wire-topped fences or walked past vehicle checkpoints. Others crashed cars into chain link and concrete barriers. AP's tally is of breaches at airports that handle three-quarters of U.S. passengers; it's an undercount, because several airports refused to provide complete information. While several intruders had guns or knives, the TSA and airports have been more focused on stopping weapons that passengers or baggage handlers try to sneak onto planes. "It doesn't surprise me that people sometimes try to jump over fences to see what they can get away with," said TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger. It's impossible for airports and local law enforcement to keep everyone out, he said, so "the question is: What's your ability to detect it and ... what might you do to mitigate that happening in the future?" The AP began its investigation in 2014 after a 15-year-old climbed a fence at Mineta San Jose International Airport and scrambled into a jet's wheel well. No one knew it happened until he emerged after the plane landed in Hawaii. Last spring, AP reported there had been at least 268 breaches from the start of 2004 through early 2015 at San Jose and the nation's 30 busiest passenger airports. This update identified 77 more breaches through mid-February, including 41 incidents that airports told TSA about, but not AP. Airport officials stress that the miles of fences, gates and guardhouses protecting their properties are secure and say many intruders who get through are quickly caught. They point out that no case involved a known terrorist plot. After eluding security and reaching parked planes at New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport, one intruder warned an airport worker in December that he "better not say" anything. Authorities never found the man, though they did arrest three others at different times in 2015, including one man who managed to drive his vehicle in with a convoy entering the airfield during a visit by Pope Francis. The four intrusions were the most at JFK in any year. Aviation security consultant Jeff Price said the TSA and airports have not done enough to address gaps in perimeter security. "The straight-up honest answer as to why it's not being vigorously addressed? Nothing bad's happened.......yet," Price said. Altogether, there were at least 39 breaches nationwide in 2015, which also was the annual average from 2012 through 2015. The low was 34 in 2013 and the high 42 in 2012, when incidents spiked after several years hovering around 20 breaches. Through mid-February, the large airports with the most known incidents were in San Francisco (41), Las Vegas (30), Philadelphia (30) and Los Angeles (26). New York's JFK ranked 10th, with 12 breaches. Police reports suggest many of the trespassers were disoriented, intoxicated or delusional. Some came on skateboards and bikes, while others commandeered vehicles on the tarmac. One man got into a helicopter cockpit and was preparing to take off. Some were caught immediately, others not for hours. Five intruders brought knives and one a loaded gun. In one incident, Philadelphia airport officials said last year that an intoxicated woman waited for someone to drive out of a gate in April 2012, then walked through. This year, new records described a far more dangerous situation: The woman had just stabbed the driver of a tractor-trailer hauling $1 million of Jack Daniels whiskey in an attempt to steal it. When an airport police officer confronted her, she grabbed his gun and pointed it at his head before he wrestled it out of her hands and arrested her. One month earlier, also in Philadelphia, a man rammed his SUV through a gate and sped down a runway at about 100 mph as a plane carrying 43 people was about to land. AP won an appeal to learn about airport breaches in Philadelphia through the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records, but the city appealed that decision in state court before settling the case and providing details about incidents from 2004 through early 2015. This year, the airport first refused when AP sought an update, then would provide only the total number of breaches in 2015 and early 2016, with no other details. Not everyone has withheld information. Airports including Miami, Las Vegas, San Jose and Portland, Oregon, have been relatively transparent, sending details of breaches and even in some cases surveillance videos. Instead of prioritizing perimeter security, airports have focused on other vulnerabilities, partly due to scrutiny from Congress. TSA workers are under pressure to do better after they failed to catch government investigators sneaking fake explosives and prohibited weapons through scanners. Another concern is the "insider threat," prompted by arrests of workers in several airports whom authorities say used their security clearances to traffic guns or drugs. Airport officials would not discuss how much they are spending on fortifying perimeters, but some airports that added security in the past year saw fewer intruders. After Las Vegas finished putting razor wire atop its 15 miles of fencing not far from the Strip in early 2015, breaches dropped from eight in 2014 to one in 2015 and one so far this year. Officials in Miami and Phoenix said they increased patrols along each of their 13 miles of fence. Breaches in Miami fell from four to three between 2014 and 2015, though in Phoenix they rose from two to three. Since AP published its initial findings, a half-dozen airports and the TSA have started to withhold all video surveillance footage and other details they previously released - and deny that some incidents were "security breaches" at all. TSA did not respond to detailed questions about its changing standards. In a statement, spokesman Richard Ades wrote, "The serious nature of the current daily threat to global aviation, by an enemy that is determined to attack us, demands that we be judicious in releasing information." Incidents the TSA did not classify as breaches include a man jumping a Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, airport fence, and climbing onto a jet and a man caught running near planes in Atlanta after hopping a security gate. Last year, San Francisco had the most perimeter security incidents that TSA insisted were not breaches - including the woman on the tarmac and the man who drove through a gate. San Francisco airport officials said they felt unfairly singled out as the airport with the most breaches. Spokesman Doug Yakel said he suspected other airports were not as forthcoming, making his look worse than it should. This time, San Francisco asked TSA whether five 2015 incidents were security breaches and the agency excluded them all. AP uncovered details of three, all of which qualified as breaches under the tally's methodology. AP considered an incident a perimeter security breach if someone reached a secure area by going over or under a fence, slipping through a gate, crashing a car into a fence or gate, cutting or passing items through a fence, or using fraudulent security credentials. Three dozen incidents that airports or the TSA provided did not meet the criteria, so were not included. Since last spring, the San Francisco airport has increased patrols, added lighting and closed-circuit cameras, and fortified two checkpoints with electric gates that slide open and closed, Yakel noted. Before, the gates had just an arm, which intruders simply walked past.

Bloomberg / May 26, 2016 Volkswagen AG boosted its target for cost cuts at its trucks division to 1 billion euros ($1.12 billion) as cooperation between its Scania and MAN units makes progress after years of tepid results. Scania and MAN, which had previously sought 850 million euros in long-term savings, have started to develop gearboxes together, are combining manufacturing facilities in Russia and have begun working jointly on logistics, IT systems and smaller truck components. “We have identified a very realistic long-term synergy potential,” VW trucks chief Andreas Renschler said Wednesday evening in Stockholm. The manufacturer is reaping about 200 million euros in savings already, mainly in purchasing, and “making progress at high speed” toward additional cooperation projects, Renschler said. Meanwhile, Volkswagen is keeping all its options open for building the trucks business in the U.S., he said. Renschler has said he’s now exploring growth possibilities that could include acquisitions and an initial public offering, capitalizing on the unit’s increasing independence within its parent company. Renschler came to VW last year from Daimler AG, the world’s largest truckmaker, to tighten the relationship between MAN and Scania after Volkswagen made little headway on integration despite spending billions of euros to acquire full control of both manufacturers. Target Revived Renschler’s 1 billion-euro savings plan revives a target originally stated by former Volkswagen Chairman Ferdinand Piech at a MAN shareholder meeting in 2008. VW truck executives steered clear of that goal in following years. When the company acquired full control of Scania in 2014, it estimated annual synergies of at least 850 million euros in 10 to 15 years’ time. VW folded Scania, MAN and its operation that manufactures heavy trucks under the VW marque in Latin America into the Truck & Bus GmbH holding company a year ago, decoupling it from passenger-car operations. Truck models vary significantly from region to region, and cyclical market swings in demand can be large, which makes it more difficult to create economies of scale than in the passenger-vehicle sector. All VW’s top truck engineers in research and development will gather next week for the first time to plan projects as part of Renschler’s goal of transforming the business into the world’s most profitable commercial vehicle manufacturer. Like its competitors, Volkswagen is attempting to boost Internet services that are set to become critical for trucking companies in coming years. It’s also exploring using data from HERE, the mapping unit bought last year by sister unit Audi and two other German luxury-car makers, BMW AG and Daimler’s Mercedes. Trucks are particularly well-suited to collecting traffic data because they’re constantly on the road, Renschler said. Unlike most of its passenger-car siblings, VW’s trucks operation isn’t dealing directly with fallout from the diesel-emissions scandal. Still, the crisis triggered a management revamp at the parent company and accelerated a push begun a year ago to give the automaker’s 12 brands more leeway to make their own choices.

Dave is onto a real winner Big Rigs / May 26, 2016 Dave Martin’s wife thought he’d won a backyard blitz when he was told that he’d won a Mack for a year. The life-changing phone call came while Dave was at home, he was so excited by the call his wife, only hearing his end of the conversation, thought they must have won a backyard makeover. However she was just as excited to find out they would be driving a brand new Mack Superliner around for a year. “I was shocked. I didn’t expect a call from (Mack’s vice-president) Dean Bestwick,” Dave said. Dave, 52 and his son Cameron, 25 were invited to Brisbane to tour the Mack factory recently and see his truck being built. “It’s hard to put it into words, I’m very excited and appreciative of being chosen and extremely grateful.” Dave runs D&A Martin transport in Pakenham in Victoria with 10 trucks carrying bulk stock feed. The competition to win a Mack was run as part of the Mack Heartland tour which gave operators around the country the chance to go for a test drive in one. Dave who has always had Macks, except that one time when he swapped brands, checked out the Heartland Tour at his local dealership. Instead of getting behind the wheel himself he went for a drive with Mack driver trainer Paul Munro to see what the prime mover could do fully laden with a B-double on the back. “I thought it was better to sit in the passenger seat and see what the truck can do. It did a marvellous job.” Dave, who has been driving trucks sine he was 18 and in business for himself since 1982, had a Superliner in 2002 and did a million kilometres in her before getting a new Trident. What he likes about the Mack product is you can drive a Mack safely for one million kilometres without any dramas. “I find it is a good product. I’ve never gone out to try and find the cheapest truck, instead I’m looking for a quality investment.” The new truck means a lot financially, he does around 140,000km a year in his truck and Mack have thrown in 12 months of contract maintenance and telematics so Dave can find more ways to save. It’s fair to say Dave’s the most popular truckie in Packenham at the moment, he’s already had plenty of offers by mates to have a drive of the new Super-Liner. Dave said he filled out a questionnaire for the Win a Mack competition, which included questions about what he expected of a truck. Mr Bestwick said there were about 500 entries all up which were reduced to around 180 finalists before Dave was ultimately picked as the winner. The Heartland tour was very successful in showing people everything that Mack trucks did. “There’s three types of communication, telephone, television and teletruckie, this is a win for us and a win for you,” Mr Bestwick said. “Win a Mack was the next level and Dave was pretty excited when I rang.” Mack Super-Liner 600hp MP10 mDRIVE transmission Custom PTO. Custom wheel base and fuel tanks. Photo gallery - http://www.bigrigs.com.au/news/dave-is-onto-a-real-winner/3033385/

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.”