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The MetroWest Daily News / April 9, 2016 The auto manufacturing landscape throughout the 1920s was a wild scene of small upstarts all over the country with investors and entrepreneurs hoping they could be the next Henry Ford. For the years and decades that followed, mergers, economic recessions, the Great Depression and the changing tastes of the American driver sorted out the industry with cruel efficiency. One of those victims? Natick. From 1918 to 1925, on a sprawling 30-acre manufacturing campus on Speen Street (the Massachusetts National Guard owns the property now), the Northway truck company tried to make its mark. Despite the innovation and reputation of their heavy trucks, the company, like many others folded. But the company's existence is not just legend or sheets of yellowing paper. Thanks to a group of passionate historians and a local car aficionado, a long lost relic of Natick's auto manufacturing lore is home. The Owner: Joey Gagliardi, 50, Natick Occupation: Owner Natick Coach and Carriage, Middlesex Avenue The Truck: 1919 Northway When and where did you find this truck? Last November, Cary Holmes of the Morse Institute Library made contact with my friend Peter Golden. Peter spoke to me about this Northway truck being sold at an auction in Hudson. The bidding on the Northway was the main attraction and highest dollar amount (about double what the other antique trucks in the collection were selling for). After fees, I won the auction with a bid of about $28,000. What do you know about this truck's previous ownership? This was a truck that was resold used by the factory in Natick to Al Yurgan in 1924 in Ashland for $1,350. Then, in 1964 Paul Johnson saved this truck in a field with a tree growing through it in Hudson. Paul enlisted a group of his former Northway co-workers to restore this truck to its present day 1964 condition. Paul passed it on to his son Dave who eventually sold this heirloom to Bill Semple in 1991. Bill is a past president of the New England Antique Truck Association So what happened to the Northway company? Ralph Northway and some principles founded the company in 1918 and built the plant in Natick. After the war (World War I), orders all but stopped. The economy in 1921 really hit the auto industry hard. Many car companies did not survive. At the time, Lincoln closed. Ford shut down some plants and Northway did not see it coming. The trucks were among the best of the time, maybe too costly for the needs of the time. So back to this truck, do you know if it was used in Natick? I know it was always in the MetroWest area. The truck was most likely very busy. It had 12,600 miles on it for its short life span. We do have a photo of this truck believed to have been taken in the 1920s hauling a house down the middle of a street in Natick. Some of the options include the first lubrication systems, 4-cylinder overhead valves, a heated cab, headlights (those were actually a novelty in 1919), a starter motor and oil gauge. Joey, what is your personal history with cars and trucks? What are your first memories of cars and trucks? My grandfather and my father were both truck drivers. I grew up behind the wheels of trucks. I was a little boy playing with bulldozers, trucks, cars, etc. What does your current business do that keeps your automotive history going? I am watching the evolution of autos and trucks. From the way they drive to the way they crash to the comfort of a living room style interior to airplane type technology such as hybrid and electronic engines and drive-by-wire technology. It’s all going so fast, it’s nice to stop and look at how we started and have evolved. With the Northway truck, how does this fit into your automotive history? For 25 years, half of my life, I have been fixing cars in Natick Center. It was amazing to find out about a truck and auto manufacturer plant in the area almost 100 years ago, just a mile down the road. Its history is pretty grand – and the story – one that almost got away. I feel as though I have the duty to be the custodian, like the folks before me. What are the future plans for this truck? I want let people enjoy it and show the history. We plan to drive the truck in the Natick Fourth of July Parade and on April 14 at the Morse Institute Library, 14 East Central Street in Natick at 7 p.m., people can learn more about the truck and the Northway company. The program is the sixth installment of a series at the library on Natick's lost history. It's free and refreshments will be served. Photo gallery and video - http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20160409/1919-northway-truck-made-and-saved-in-natick?rssfeed=true

News 7 Miami – Fort Lauderdale / April 8, 2016 Police continue to investigate one day after a City of Miami dump truck slammed into a taxi cab at an intersection, killing one woman and triggering a chain-reaction crash that injured 10 other people. According to police, the dump truck caused the crash when it plowed into vehicles standing at the intersection on Northwest Seventh Street and 17th Avenue in Miami, Friday, at around noon. "The driver of that city dump truck is the one that impacted that yellow taxi," said Miami Police Officer Kenia Fallat. Surveillance video from a local business captured video of the dump truck plowing into the Diamond Cab taxi cab and then into the numerous vehicles ahead of it, including a medical transport minibus and a scooter. Kevin Euceda, who was riding the scooter, said he was waiting for the light to change when the truck seemed to come out of nowhere. "Like an explosion. My scooter was under the tire of the big truck, so I went flying," he said. Investigators said a woman sitting in the back of the taxi cab was killed. She was later identified as 66-year-old Pamela Kay Plummer. Police shut down the intersection of Northwest 17th Avenue and Seventh Street at around 12:30 p.m. It reopened to traffic about eight hours later. Those injured were transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital, including Euceda, a 5-year-old boy and the taxi cab driver. Four of the victims sustained serious injuries. Crime scene investigators remained at the scene for hours. It wasn't until 6 p.m. that many of the vehicles involved were placed on tow trucks. The taxi cab was towed away with the woman's body still inside. Police are trying to determine what caused the deadly crash. "There are a lot of things that we need to consider," said Fallat. "We don't know what the driver was going through at that precise time. We don't know if there was a truck malfunction, if he was suffering a medical condition." The City of Miami released a statement, Friday afternoon, which stated, "The City of Miami deeply regrets the loss of life and injuries that occurred as the result of a multi-vehicle crash, which included a Public Works dump truck." On Saturday, city officials identified the driver of the dump truck as Larry Ellis. In a video statement, Miami City Manager David J. Alfonso said, "Our hearts go out to the family members of those people that have been injured. We wish that those people get well as soon as possible, and to the family of the deceased, we wish that there's comfort for them."

Tribunal protecting owner-operator trucks may be abolished Sunshine Coast Daily / April 10, 2016 The controversial tribunal that granted owner-operator truck drivers a pay rise will be abolished if Malcolm Turnbull's government is elected. The Prime Minister announced yesterday that if the Coalition government was returned it would abolish the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal. Late last year the RSRT announced a pay rise for owner-drivers - despite many of those drivers claiming it would make them uncompetitive with bigger companies. Mr Turnbull said the tribunal had failed to deliver and should be abolished. "There is no evidence that the Road Safety Remuneration System has achieved any safety outcomes in its four years of operation," he said. "The Government has acted on the evidence found in two reviews of the RSR System, which found that the rationale for the system is flawed." But Labor shadow workplace relations minister Brendan O'Connor backed the tribunal's ruling that better pay would reduce deadline pressure for drivers and improve road safety. "This decision is extraordinary and extremely dangerous given the body of evidence that links pay and safety on our roads," Mr O'Connor said. "The Turnbull Liberal Government has gone from seeking to delay the decision by legislation to now recklessly trying to kill off the tribunal, simply because Malcolm Turnbull doesn't like its decision. "Labor doesn't want to see people dying on our roads and the facts are that when truck drivers are overworked, safety for all road users is jeopardised." Mr Turnbull pointed to two independent reviews of the RSRT that called for the body to be disbanded. A PriceWaterhouseCoopers review found abolishing the tribunal would "result in significant net benefit to the economy and community at large". The Federal Court last week overturned a stay on the tribunal's ruling.

Commercial Motor TV - sponsored by DAF Trucks / April 8, 2016

Iveco Trucks Press Release / April 8, 2016

Volvo Group Press Release / April 8, 2016

Volvo Group Press Release / April 6, 2016 Volvo Trucks North America recently delivered the 100,000th truck equipped with its groundbreaking I-Shift automated manual transmission (AMT). The landmark truck, a Volvo VNL 670 model, was presented to Watkins & Shepard Trucking during a brief reception at Transport Equipment, a Volvo Trucks dealer in Missoula, Montana. Originally introduced in Europe in 2001, the Volvo I-Shift has had a significant impact on the global truck market. To date, Volvo has sold more than 575,000 I-Shifts globally. In 2007, Volvo introduced the I-Shift in North America, becoming the first truck OEM to bring an integrated AMT to the market. Volvo made the I-Shift standard on all Volvo-powered models in 2013. In 2015, I-Shift penetration in North America reached a record 83 percent. “When we first introduced the I-Shift, many said that it would not be successful in this market,” said Göran Nyberg, president, Volvo Trucks North America. “Yet thanks to the significant efficiency, performance and productivity benefits the I-Shift delivers to our customers, we’re celebrating the delivery of the 100,000th I-Shift-equipped truck.” Driver Rick Candler was selected by Watkins & Shepard CEO Ray Kuntz and President Walt Ainsworth to receive the VNL 670 model, in part due to his nearly 28 years of service with the company. Several company leaders were on hand as the keys were presented to Candler, including Ainsworth and Dwayne Hill, maintenance manager. The truck was customized with Candler’s name on the driver’s door, a hand-painted decal recognizing its significance and a one-of-a-kind custom silver shifter. “We are honored to accept delivery of the 100,000th I-Shift-equipped truck,” Ainsworth said. “In addition to the efficiency and productivity gains we’ve seen, we’re also finding that the I-Shift makes it easier to hire, train and retain drivers.” Watkins & Shepard has been a pioneer in logistics planning, technology implementation and asset utilization since 1976, specializing in LTL freight management, distribution, consolidation and warehousing. The 12-speed I-Shift is a key component of Volvo’s integrated powertrain. Equipped with sensors to identify factors such as load, road grade and more, the I-Shift helps ensure the truck is in the right gear for the conditions. The I-Shift is also the enabling component of Volvo’s XE – eXceptional Efficiency – powertrain packages, which help improve fuel efficiency by lowering engine cruise rpm. This concept, called “downspeeding,” allows XE-package-equipped trucks to reduce engine rpm at cruising speeds by 200 rpm or more, providing drivers a fuel efficiency improvement of up to 3 percent. With no traditional clutch pedal to operate, the Volvo I-Shift helps improve driver attraction and retention by reducing fatigue during the work day. The I-Shift also contributes to safety, as drivers are able to maintain focus on the road ahead.

Volvo I-See is an imitation of Scania’s "Ecocruise" technology introduced in 2008, "Active Prediction" in 2011, and "Eco-roll in 2013". http://www.scania.com/global/trucks/main-components/transmissions/transmission-technology/scania-ecocruise/ https://www.scania.com/global/trucks/safety-driver-support/driver-support-systems/active-prediction/ http://www.scania.com/group/en/using-gravity-and-eco-roll-to-lower-fuel-use/

Volvo Group Press Release / April 7, 2016 In an effort to further increase productivity and fuel efficiency, Volvo Trucks North America developed Volvo I-See, a new feature that memorizes thousands of routes traveled and uses that knowledge to keep the truck in the best, most fuel-efficient gear possible. When cruise control is activated, Volvo I-See will record the topography of the route, storing up to 4,500 hills in its memory. The next time the vehicle travels that route, I-See will recognize it and work in tandem with the Volvo I-Shift automated manual transmission to choose the optimal gear. “Volvo I-See is another example of Volvo’s leadership in integration,” said Göran Nyberg, president of Volvo Trucks North America. “Because Volvo I-See memorizes the road gradient, Volvo I-Shift is prepared and automatically shifts to the best possible gear for the terrain. This would not be possible without integration, where all components seamlessly communicate with each other.” While in cruise, I-See’s built-in electronics constantly monitors factors such as road grade, speed, weight and engine load to help maintain the most efficient gear possible. Working with I-See, Volvo I-Shift will prepare for upcoming inclines by building speed, keeping the truck in a higher gear for better power and performance, while avoiding unnecessary downshifts, which can waste fuel. I-See is not dependent on constant GPS connections. Once a hill is recognized, it can pull from its memory to prepare for upcoming road variations. Volvo Eco-Roll disengages the driveline just before the start of the downhill gradient to let the truck roll for the optimum period to save energy. I-See then works to maintain the truck speed, managing the kinetic energy of the vehicle by gently engaging the engine brake to control speed. I-See recognizes when the slope is coming to an end so it allows the truck to maintain the vehicle momentum for the following hill. I-See uses the learned road topography with the integrated Volvo powertrain to provide the most efficient transport through rolling terrain. “I-See, Volvo Eco-Roll and the intelligent Volvo Engine Brake (VEB) work seamlessly together to minimize the need for braking, reducing driver fatigue and brake wear,” said Allison Athey, Volvo product marketing manager – transmissions. “The driver is more productive, and the vehicle is more efficient.”

Fleet Owner / April 8, 2016 Winery owner said trucks parked on Interstate were ‘unsightly’ A North Carolina Highway Patrol crackdown last year on truckers parked on ramps – resulting in more than 400 issued tickets – was prompted by a large political donor who complained to the governor about "unsightly" tractor-trailers parked along I-77. The donor and his brother own a winery that is 3.3 miles from exit 93 on I-77. They also own a hotel adjacent to the exit. The ticketing campaign was justified by flawed traffic crash and fatality data, errors which were uncovered by Bruce Siceloff a newspaper reporter for The News & Observer in Raleigh. (Among other news stories, Siceloff writes a blog titled Road Worrier every Tuesday.) He found that the data used by the Highway Patrol was off by a magnitude of more than four times. Although parked truckers were largely targeted by the ticketing blitz, they were involved in only 1 percent of interstate highway crash deaths in North Carolina from 2010 to 2014, according to DOT records. Moreover, alcohol-impaired, automobile drivers were responsible for the overwhelming majority of crashes involving trucks parked beside the interstate. Siceloff's interest in the parking crackdown was piqued last June when the Highway Patrol announced an emphasis on what he had thought was an obscure law against parking beside interstate highway ramps. He was surprised at the announcement, because if it had been a safety issue, he probably would have heard about it. "I thought that if it happens that much - and you occasionally hear about something like this happening - but if it happens that frequently, it seems like you’d hear more. I asked the Highway Patrol to give me some examples. I thought they would have far more examples at the tip of their tongue, but they didn’t have any." The reporter says that the Highway Patrol's response was vague so he asked what prompted the crackdown. "They said: 'Our colonel, the Highway Patrol commander, just noticed this as a problem when he goes around the state, and he thinks we need to do a better job of enforcing it.' It still sounded really vague and puzzling to me." Adds Siceloff: "And it didn’t have a specific mention of ramps, either, so I asked questions about that, and pretty soon, I heard from truckers. I asked them for information and the truck drivers let me know that this [parking] is a problem for them, and so I focused on their concerns." Then Siceloff got a tip that perhaps the crackdown was prompted by complaints from a particular business owner in Surry County. "He just thought it was a terrible kind of eyesore to see all of these truck parked on ramps, up and down Interstate 77." The complainant was Charlie Shelton, who, along with his brother Ed, own a popular winery that is a tourist attraction, says Siceloff. The brothers are large political donors to both parties including current Republican governor Pat McCrory. According to Siceloff, brother Charlie had met with Gov. McCrory in February or early March last year to press for action against truckers parking illegally to take naps on the shoulders of I-77 ramps. He emailed again his annoyance to the governor in March after which Highway Patrol officers began their ticketing campaign focusing at first on exits near the winery, according to public records. Charlie Shelton noted publicly and to the reporter that parked trucks on I-77 ramps in several counties were "unsightly." The Highway Patrol had supported the crackdown by citing statistics compiled by a DOT traffic operations engineer showing that crashes involving parked vehicles along interstates statewide were less than 1 percent but comprised nearly 20 percent of all fatalities on the interstates. When Siceloff pressed the Highway Patrol further about these figures he was told "we would have to look at every single crash report." That's exactly what Siceloff and his database editor did. "When we finally had a chance to do that, the working number was just much, much smaller than the one they had given us. And so I asked them to explain the discrepancy since perhaps both were correct as the result of different ways of creating a database. It was then that their sloppy database person discovered that he had made an error; he had counted each of the deaths about four times instead of just once," says Siceloff. Rather than double checking their figures before announcing the crackdown, the Highway Patrol went with the hastily put-together statistics, even telling the traffic engineer in an email "This is good information!" Says Siceloff: "They never looked at it twice. They said that they're [the Highway Patrol] data driven, that they scrutinize the data, but they didn’t scrutinize the data. They took it and ran with it." In response to the News & Observer stories uncovering the discrepancy, a Highway Patrol spokesperson wrote in an email published in the newspaper: "While we were surprised to discover the discrepancies in the data we were provided, we were reassured to learn that vehicles on the shoulder of the highway are not as deadly as we first thought. However, one death is too many and unacceptable.”

EU driverless truck project moves into fast lane after road trip The Financial Times / April 10, 2016 An experiment in which self-driving trucks crossed Europe has paved the way for adoption of the technology ahead of a crucial meeting of EU transport ministers this week. Six European truck companies — Volvo, Scania, Daimler, Iveco, DAF and MAN — took part in the project, in which they drove in connected convoys along motorways. The technique, known as “platooning”, is key for the future of the industry as it can save fuel and allow for more efficient use of the roads. The road trip, which ended last week in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, was the first time the technology had been tested on public roads. The trucks communicate with wireless technology, allowing them to brake and accelerate together. They can therefore drive much closer together, cutting down wind resistance and therefore fuel use. “The technology is clearly there,” said Erik Jonnaert, secretary-general of the ACEA, the European Motor Manufacturers’ Association. “Every manufacturer has proved that.” He said the focus was now on transport authorities to work together to provide regulations that will allow the convoys to cross borders and operate across the continent. “The regulatory barriers are still enormous . . . if you want to turn this project into something that has become mainstream,” he said. EU transport ministers are meeting this week in Amsterdam for a two-day conference on the future of transport and logistics. They will look at results of the truck platooning challenge as part of the programme. “The results of this first ever major tryout in Europe are promising,” said Melanie Schultz, the Dutch minister for Infrastructure and the Environment who spearheaded this initiative. “It will certainly help my colleagues and I discuss the adjustments needed to make self-driving transport a reality.” Driverless trucks are expected to be allowed on European roads by the end of the decade. The UK will trial these platoons later in the year with the Department for Transport expected to tender as soon as this month. Logistics companies could save €1.6bn annually in fuel costs from platooning, according to calculations from Dr Lori Tavasszy, professor of freight transport and logistics at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. The technique could also have far-reaching consequences for the use of the road networks, as well as areas that handle large amounts of freight, such as port terminals. Companies that transport vast amounts of product, such as retailers and consumer goods groups, will also be likely to benefit. “The European Truck Platooning Challenge has been a huge success,” said Harrie Schippers of DAF Trucks, speaking on behalf of the Commercial Vehicle Board of ACEA. “It has fostered much-needed co-operation, facilitated cross-border driving and encouraged compatibility on legal and technical issues.” He added: “Harmonisation is now needed if we want a widescale introduction of platooning.”

John Q. American is "programmed" from an early age, via school, advertising, ect. They really have it down to a science. Then from age 50 or so, some begin to reflect and question.

We've been down that road before. But Scania's company culture is so much different from Volvo, A merger with Volvo was justly and widely resisted. Scania is organized with profitability as a key priority (Scania is the most profitable truckmaker in the world). But Volvo is a mess, focused on volume over profitability, as their goal (dream) has been to become the number one global truckmaker by volume. Meanwhile, Volvo Construction Equipment doesn't make money. And, like Volkswagen who dreamed of passing Toyota to become global no.1 by 2018, as Volvo's chase of a dream took them further and further away from reality, it all finally caught up with them.......hence Persson's firing and a phone call to Scania's Martin Lundstedt from Volvo board chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg. He's wants Scania-style management at Volvo, which amounts to a cultural revolution. And Martin has assembled some of Scania's finest talent to get the job done. “Martin Lundstedt has 25 years of experience in R&D, production and sales within the commercial truck industry [at Scania]. He is also known for his winning leadership style.” Carl-Henric Svanberg, Chairman of the Board – AB Volvo ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Volvo urges truck merger with Scania Independent / January 16, 1999 Volvo yesterday urged Scania to merge with it and create the biggest truck and bus manufacturer in Europe after picking up a 13.5 per cent stake in its Swedish rival in a stock market raid. A Volvo-Scania merger would produce a combined group with truck and bus sales of 130,000 a year, turnover of pounds 7.6bn and 50,000 employees. In the market for heavy trucks of 16 tonnes and over, the merged business would leapfrog Mercedes Benz into the number one spot commanding 30 per cent of sales in West Europe. Worldwide, it would be the second biggest truck and bus company. The controlling shareholder in Scania, Investor, reacted angrily to Volvo's move. Investor's chief executive, Claes Dahlback, described the pounds 385m share purchase as "unfortunate" and said it would make the merger discussions so far held between the two companies more difficult. The discussions are thought to have stalled because of a dispute between the two companies over the valuation of Scania. Mr Claes said a merger with Volvo could produce significant synergy gains but there were alternative possibilities that were even more interesting which it would continue to pursue. Volvo said it was interested in pursuing a "constructive dialogue" with Scania's shareholders, suggesting that a hostile bid was unlikely. However, it indicated it could launch a tender offer for the remaining shares. If that happened, it would pay the difference between the price at which it picked up shares yesterday and the final takeover price. The move on Scania fuelled speculation that Volvo would sell off its car division in a deal with a volume car maker. It has appointed the investment bank JP Morgan to examine a sale and two possible partners are Ford and Fiat of Italy. However, Leif Johansson, Volvo's chief executive, appeared to contradict this yesterday saying the strategy in cars was to be a niche player based on organic growth. In 1997 Volvo produced 70,000 trucks and 12,000 buses while Scania produced just over 42,000 trucks and 4,500 buses. In the key heavy trucks market they each have a 15 per cent share compared with Mercedes Benz's 21 per cent. Any merger could run into trouble with European Commission competition authorities. Karl-Erling Trogen, president of Volvo Truck Corporation, said there is a need for consolidation within the automotive industry and Volvo wants "to take part in this industry restructuring." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Prospects dim for Volvo-Scania merger approval Today’s Trucking / March 8, 2000 Volvo AB chairman Leif Johansson said his company would offer no further concessions to quell concerns of the European Commission (EC) that its proposed acquisition of rival Scania AB would create near monopoly conditions in Sweden and a dominant position in Nordic Europe. The EC will meet on March 14 and is expected to rule on the deal by March 23. The Reuters news agency said an EU source has said that the planned takeover in its present form is likely to be stopped on antitrust grounds. Hans Westberg, an analyst at den Danske Bank, told Reuters news agency that Volvo wants to pressure the EC to consider the future political ramifications of its decision. "Volvo is saying that if the EC blocks this deal it is probably going to block other truck deals, and that will allow the North Americans into the market with their strong currency,' Westberg said. If the EC blocks the deal, Volvo may be forced to come up with an alternative strategy, which could include entertaining offers from prospective buyers. "If such a bid is proposed the board will look at it and see what is best for its shareholders," Johansson told a news conference. "We never see bids as hostile," added PACCAR, Volkswagen, and Fiat were among those opposed to the deal, according to daily Dagens Industri. These firms have also been mentioned by analysts as possible buyers of Volvo. The Financial Times speculated today that Volvo could make a bid to buy Chicago-based International if the Scania deal failed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ European regulators reject Volvo-Scania merger Today’s Trucking / March 15, 2000 The European Commission (EC) yesterday rejected Volvo AB's planned $6.9 billion US merger with rival Swedish truck and bus maker Scania over concerns that it would be anticompetitive. The unanimous decision was based in part on a report that the combined companies would own 50% to 90% market shares in several European countries. While Volvo is not allowed to combine operations, its 45.5% ownership of Scania is not affected by the decision. Volvo has said it does not plan to sell its stake in the company; shares purchased from stockholders that accepted Volvo's takeover bid will be returned, however. The commission's decision sparked rumors about how Volvo would react. Some market analysts have said Volvo may put itself up for sale, a strategy Volvo CEO Leif Johansson would consider. "We will evaluate the alternatives both in Europe, North America and Asia," Johansson told journalists during a conference call. "We have as an overall strategy to make sure that we are among the world's biggest in all our business areas. ... We certainly feel that we have the opportunity as a company to be in the driving seat to make acquisitions but we have also said that if good proposals come from outside, whatever the structure, we will look at them."

From 2000 and particularly during the Persson era, Volvo had no friends among its supplier base. The universal feeling was, they had little sympathy with the Swedes at Volvo. They were no stranger to copying (stealing) another truckmaker's or a supplier's designs (technology).

Nothing at all to do with dieselgate, but everything to do with being under German control.

Thank you. I was looking under "Odds & Ends".......never thought to look under "Truck Shows & Events". At any rate, good post.

What happened to the Rockefeller/Bilderberg video that was posted yesterday ?

NQ Group to undergo “fleet rationalisation exercise” Prime Mover Magazine / April 8, 2016 Auctioneering company Manheim has reportedly been appointed by NQ Group to manage a major fleet sale on its behalf. According to Manheim, the Archerfield, QLD based heavy haulage specialist is undertaking a “fleet rationalisation exercise” with the goal of “aligning its fleet to better service current market conditions”. As such, Manheim said a number of NQ Group assets are being made available for sale, with an auction scheduled for 11 May at Eagle Farm. Manheim commented, “Highlights include multiple Kenworth prime movers, including T659, T909, C508, K908 and K200 models … as well as multiple Drake low loaders with modular platform combinations.” Brendan Webb, CEO of NQ Group, commented “NQ Group has a range of late model equipment for auction as part of our rationalisation strategy post the acquisition of CQ Group in 2015. “Aligning our fleet with market needs means we have a number of high quality assets available for sale.”

Australasian Transport News (ATN) / April 8, 2016 Company says upcoming auction is part of its 'fleet rationalisation exercise' Heavy haulage and heavy equipment rental firm NQ Group has appointment Manheim to manage an auction of its fleet in Brisbane next month. The auctioneering company says NQ Group is undergoing a fleet rationalisation move in order to align its fleet "to better service current market conditions". "NQ Group has a range of late model equipment for auction as part of our rationalisation strategy post the acquisition of CQ Group in 2015," NQ Group CEO Brendan Webb says. "Aligning our fleet with market needs means we have a number of high quality assets available for sale." While the auction is scheduled for May 11 at Eagle Farm, Manheim says the assets are available for purchase through direct sale prior to the event. The auction items are available for inspection at Manheim’s Brisbane location. To view the catalogue of auction items and details about the sale, visit the Manheim website. (http://www.manheim.com.au/trucks-machinery/landing/heavy-haulage)

Minister calls for anti-RSRO convoy to Canberra Owner/Driver / April 8, 2016 Michaelia Cash insists Senate support so far only goes to RSRO delay rather than RSRT abolition Federal employment minister Michaelia Cash has called on owner-drivers to bring their trucks and grievances to Canberra over the Contractor Driver Minimum Payments Road Safety Remuneration Order 2016 (RSRO). "Quite frankly, get your trucks out and, if you have to, do a convoy to Canberra," Cash tells radio station 2GB’s Ross Greenwood last night. "That’s how serious this issue is and that’s how serious the Turnbull government takes this issue." The move came as independent senator Glenn Lazarus made plain his belief that direct action would ensue. "Convoys are about to take place across the country!," Lazarus states on his facebook page. Along with the effort, which will have echoes of the 2011 ‘Convoy of No Confidence’ if realised, Cash urges calls be made to opposition leader Bill Shorten’s office. With the order in force, she also advises affected parties to clarify their positions with the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal (RSRT) and the Fair Work Ombudsman. She also appears to agree that the RSRO net could open wider than truck owner-drivers to encompass. On parliamentary moves, she says legislating a delay is the first priority as Senate numbers for abolishing the RSRT were unavailable. "I need to work with what my reality is – my reality is that I need six cross-benchers," Cash says. "Labor and the Greens will not support this legislation to vote for the stay. "Some [cross-benchers] have indicated they will vote for the stay but they will not vote for the abolition." What has happened since last week? The ALC, ATA, SARTA and Ai Group called for the abolition of the tribunal owing to its flawed approach to road safety. Read the full story here. A Government-commissioned review of RSRT was released, wanting major changes made to the RSRT. Read the full story here. The review even pointed to the benefits in removing the tribunal. Read the full story here. The RSRT decided not to delay the introduction of mandatory rates for contractor drivers. Read the full breakdown here. The tribunal used its verdict to slam its opponents. Read the full story here. Industry bodies joined forces in condemning the decision of the RSRT. Read the full story here. Later that evening, the Federal Group in Brisbane put a temporary stay on RSRO following an urgent application by NatRoad and ATA. Read the full story here. Earlier this week, employment minister Michaelia Cash announced the government would push for legislation to delay the start of RSRO to January next year. Read the full story here. The Transport Workers Union (TWU) announced it would strongly fight the delay. Read the full story here. Members of the TWU heckled minister Christopher Pyne at a press conference in Adelaide for his views supporting a delay to the RSRO. Read the full story here. The federal government to rely on Senate crossbenchers for legislative changes to delay the Order. Read the full story here. The government invites industry feedback on the Road Safety Remuneration System policy reforms, releases schedule of review forums. Read the full story here. Private contractor group Independent Contractors Australia seeks cash to challenge RSRT in the High Court. Read the full story here.

Reuters / April 7, 2016 A rebound at MAN is drawing near after operating profit dropped by three quarters last year to 92 million euros Germany's MAN SE expects to revive profit and sales in coming years as the Volkswagen-owned truck maker's efforts to slim down and cut costs are finally starting to work, its chief executive said. MAN announced plans last year to cut 1,800 jobs at its main trucks division and reshuffle production in Europe as part of a VW-led revamp to tackle high fixed costs and boost languishing profitability at the Munich-based firm. A rebound at MAN is drawing near after operating profit dropped by three quarters last year to 92 million Euros (US$105 million) because of restructuring costs and plunging demand in Brazil, according to Chief Executive Joachim Drees. "We are targeting an operating margin of 8 percent by 2021" (at the truck & bus division), Drees said in an interview. "There will already be a significant improvement in 2016 results if markets develop reasonably well." A revival of MAN's truck business, which accounts for two-thirds of the group's sales, would be welcome news for parent VW, grappling with the fallout of its emissions scandal. Europe's largest automaker spent billions of euros on expanding stakes in MAN and Swedish peer Scania and a year ago aligned the two brands in a truck holding company to better compete with market leaders Daimler and Volvo . To boost performance, CEO Drees is counting on growing benefits from MAN's integration with Scania, steps to improve product quality and greater efficiency in production. MAN is reorganising production at truck and component factories in Germany, Austria and Poland to avoid costly overlaps. The steps will help increase cost savings at the trucks division by 880 million Euros (US$999.7 million) through the end of 2017, Drees said. "That's the only way for us to generate the means we need to invest in the future," said Drees, who heads MAN's trucks unit and the group which also makes diesel engines and turbines. VW's truck holding, which includes MAN and Scania, said on Monday it will spend about half a billion euros by the end of the decade to improve connectivity and automated features for heavy-goods vehicles. MAN is also expanding into light commercial vehicles with the new TGE van, a sister model to the next-generation VW Crafter to go on sale next year. The TGE will help boost deliveries of MAN trucks and busses by more than half to 125,000 vehicles by 2021, from 79,000 last year, Drees said. The operating margin at MAN Truck & Bus is expected to surge to 8 percent by 2021 from a dismal 0.2 percent last year, putting the company on a par with Daimler which posted a 7.3 percent margin for 2015. MAN is more exposed than Daimler and Volvo to problems in Brazil, where it’s Volkswagen brand has been the market leader for trucks of more than 5 metric tonnes for over a decade, because it lacks a presence in the growing North American market. "I don't believe that the crisis (in Brazil) will come to an end this year," Drees said. "The market is at rock bottom. This will negatively impact the MAN group results" in 2016.

Scania gang takes over Volvo Dagens Industri / April 6, 2016 In their struggle for higher profitability, the Volvo Group flick excellence from arch rival Scania. "It is not unnatural that you look at those who have experience in commercial vehicles. It is even healthy, "says Martin Lundstedt, President and CEO of Volvo. He himself had spent his entire career at Scania until last year when he agreed to join Volvo as president and CEO. At Wednesday's annual shareholder’s meeting at the Gothenburg concert hall, Lundstedt greeted a former Scania colleague - Hakan Samuelsson, current president of the car manufacturer Volvo Cars and former CEO of MAN - who was elected to Volvo Group's Board of Directors. At the meeting, Lundstedt announced that another former Scania colleague, Lars Stenqvist, would join Volvo as the technology and product development director of the Volvo Group Executive Committee. With the recruitment of Lars Stenqvist, Volvo is once again taking a key worker from the heart of Volkswagen Truck & Bus, which includes Scania and German truck giant MAN. Lars Stenqvist was appointed in September last year as head of Research and Development at VW Trucks, an extremely important position in the coordination of MAN and Scania. Between 2007 and 2015 he was director of development and continuous quality improvements at Scania. Scania has over the years been far more successful than Volvo in terms of profitability and efficiency of production. Volvo Board Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg sees the benefits of recruiting from Scania. "That it comes in Scania, Volvo People of course depend on the changes that have been at Scania, where people which is looking for new work, and then we are a natural alternative," said Svanberg. He added, "We also wanted to change the culture a little bit [at Volvo] and focus more on efficiency and the customer. And, it’s also exciting to bring in people from outside Volvo with fresh thinking. To look at how the customer thinks, Scania has been very strong and it can be coming in to contribute. " Volvo has been able to take advantage of Scania takeover by Volkswagen, leaving the stock market in 2014. It has not only attracted Martin Lundstedt and Lars Stenqvist to Volvo, but lower level employees as well. Last year, Volvo recruited Scania’s Frederick Ljungdahl, who now is the head of Treasury and Corporate Finance. Mats Ekberg, of the Swedish Shareholders' Association says Volvo is in favor of recruitment from Scania. "They take ideas from Scania and it is good. Volvo has a lot to learn, especially with respect to modular custom manufacturing. " Mats Ekberg sees several reasons. "It certainly reflects dissatisfaction with the ownership of Scania and Martin Lundstedt helps, of course, too." It is clear that the Volvo Group's strategy in recent years has been to replace large sections of the board and senior management. 2013 had the whole group management has made a long career in Volvo, after it has several external recruitments have been made to management. Last year when Martin Lundstedt agreed to become the new president of Volvo, he received SEK 5 million (US$612,700). He viewed the compensation as a sign-on bonus similar to those encountered in the sports world. "It was a compensation for a number of elements that froze inside when I agreed to become president of Volvo. Then they thought it was fair that I was replaced. I do not want to be seen as greedy, "said Martin Lundstedt. Was it a requirement that you would go to Volvo? "No, it was not." During the meeting, he described Volvo’s tough savings program where costs have been reduced by SEK 10 billion (US$1.2 billion) between 2012 and 2016, and several thousand employees have been let go. He highlighted how Volvo is now focusing on organic growth and increased profitability. Even on Volvo's Board under Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg's leadership, there have been major changes. After the shareholder’s meeting yesterday, only three of the nine board members are left over from 2013. Hakan Samuelsson was clearly pleased with his new assignment. "It's great to be back in the truck world," he says. His appointment to the board has been seen as a plan to have a new chairman when his contract as CEO of Volvo Cars expires at the end of 2017. The question is whether he is prepared to grab the helm of Volvo. His short answer is, "It is not a current issue." Industrivärden's CEO Helena Stjernholm, a new member of the board, is expected to put increased pressure on profitability. She also improves gender equality on the board to four women out of eleven people. New to Volvo’s Executive Committee since 2013 Name Arrived Previous work background Jan Gurander, 2014 Finance Director Volvo Cars, Scania, MAN Financial Officer Martin Lundstedt, 2015 CEO Scania CEO, president Henry Stenson, 2015 Communications SAS, Ericsson Communications Sustainability Director Bruno Blin, Head 2016 Internally recruited from Renault Trucks Lars Stenqvist, Head 2016 Volkswagen, Scania Group Technology * Jan Ohlsson, chief 2016 Internally recruited group Truck Production Claes Nilsson, 2016 Internally recruited head of Volvo Trucks * Effective formally later this year People who have left Volvo’s Executive Board since 2013 Name Departed Worked at Volvo since Olof Persson, President and CEO 2015 2006 Peter Charles Stone, truck head of Europe 2014 2001 Torbjörn Holmström, Chief Technology Group * 2016 1979 Mikael Bratt, chief global truck production 2016 1988 Håkan Karlsson, Head of business 2013 1986 Anders Osberg, CFO 2016 1992 Karin Falk, head of strategy 2014 1998 (employed elsewhere 1999-2008) Marten Wikforss, Director of Communications 2014 2001 Niklas Gustavsson, Director of Sustainability 2014 1987 (employed elsewhere 1999-2008) Magnus Carlander, IT Director 2014 1985 .

U.S. Dept. of Defense Contracts Release No: CR-060-16 March 31, 2016 Navistar Defense LLC, Lisle, Illinois, was awarded an $8,311,516 firm-fixed-price, foreign-military sales Iraq defense contract for 46 medium tactical trucks in two variations. One bid was solicited with one received. Work will be performed in Springfield, Ohio; West Point, Mississippi; and Ootlewah, Tennessee, with an estimated completion date of July 29, 2016. Fiscal 2015 other procurement funds in the amount of $8,311,516 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-16-C-0096). http://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/710219

Fleet Owner / April 7, 2016 LED lighting is providing long-lasting options for better visibility Advances in lighting technology are lowering the bar for fleets that want to take advantage of the benefits of LED headlights, notes Mitchell Wilston, communications/product specialist at Truck-Lite. “Due to newer systems that are being produced at a lower cost, the savings are being passed onto fleets,” he says. “In addition, in the long run, LED headlights pay for themselves in lower maintenance costs and reduced downtime, not to mention the safety benefits that LED lighting provides.” LED headlights, Wilston explains further, are also more durable. “A halogen headlight has an expected life­span between 1,000 and 2,000 hours,” he states. “The light source is a fragile filament ... that breaks easily and rapidly loses light output. Comparatively, an LED will last over 30,000 hours, is extremely efficient and durable, and provides a much cleaner, whiter light.” In 2013, Truck-Lite unveiled its first custom-engineered LED headlight for the Freightliner Cascadia. Today, the LED headlight is available as a standard and aftermarket specification on Freightliner Cascadia and Navistar ProStar models, and as an aftermarket option on Volvo VN platforms. Truck-Lite’s 4x6-in. LED headlight systems utilize an innovative new design that combines the housing and reflector to produce a highly effective class beam pattern, Wilston notes. “We also continue to develop new headlight options for other models. Moving forward, there will be more opportunities to design and offer custom LED headlights for commercial vehicles.” Grote Industries offers LED headlights in 7-in. round and 5x7-in. rec­tangular designs. The DOT-approved systems have a three-pin, H4 connector and a UV-protected, high impact-resistant polycarbonate lens. “Grote White Light will deliver safe and efficient lighting solutions that strategically fill gaps in our product range, including modular LED solutions to meet OEM and aftermarket lighting needs,” Joe Weingarten, BDM of Forward Lighting, says. “We have discussed high- and low-beam modules as replacements for halogen lamps in the most common sizes.” Peterson Manufacturing’s 701C 7-in. round headlight is a drop-in LED replacement for all PAR56 standard headlights, including H6014, H5024 and H6024 halogen sealed beams, found primarily on Class 6 and 7 vocational trucks. The company also offers 4x6-in. 702C and 703C LED rec­tangular headlights in a four-lamp system that fit many older Class 8 truck models, and it is planning to offer a 5x7-in. LED headlight replacement. According to John Hansen, senior project engineer, Peterson’s LED headlights produce light in a wide, even pattern with a color temperature close to natural daylight. The lamps feature the company’s most advanced diode technology and H4 three-blade terminals integrated directly into a cast alloy housing. Optronics introduced its newly designed second-generation LED headlights in early March. The high-style 7-in. round and 4x6-in. rectangular LED headlight models feature daytime running lights and are covered by a lifetime LED warranty. Optronics utilized the same SMD (surface mount device) LED technology used on its other lighting products to ensure reliability and performance. Each LED headlight features a die cast aluminum housing coating that resists corrosion and a tough polycarbonate lens that withstands harsh road conditions. The manufacturers note that today’s LED headlamp systems are benefiting fleets, their drivers and other motorists by providing more light for improved object recognition at night. They also offer better control of light through improved beam patterns that cause less glare to oncoming traffic and reduce eyestrain and driver fatigue.