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Transport Topics / October 30, 2015 In response to an earlier recall by the manufacturer of the now discontinued Fontaine Ultra LT fifth wheel, all U.S. truck manufacturers recently said they have recalled their trucks with the product over issues with the device’s connector. Initially, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a September report there were 6,800 trucks, potentially, with the part the Fontaine Fifth Wheel Co., manufactured from July 29, 2009, to May 27, 2013. But in a series of recalls, truck makers announced in October the count rose to 10,984. Daimler Trucks North America, whose brands include Freightliner Trucks and the niche brand Western Star Trucks, recalled 5,801 units — the largest number of potentially affected trucks. Its recall is expected to begin Nov. 28. Navistar International Corp. was the next-highest with 3,776 trucks. Its recall was expected to begin in October. The other truck makers recalled far fewer vehicles. NHTSA in a report described the issue as: “Over time, improper coupling techniques may result in cumulative damage to the fifth wheel and its locking mechanism, which in turn may result in the locking mechanism failing to operate or to properly engage. If the fifth wheel and locking mechanism are sufficiently damaged, the locking mechanism may fail to operate as intended and the trailer may unexpectedly detach from the tractor, increasing the risk of a crash.” Fontaine Fifth Wheel will replace at no charge all Ultra LT fifth wheels in the field with Ultra NT model fifth wheels. DTNA is recalling 5,801 model year 2011-2014 Cascadia, Business Class M2, Coronado, and Columbia Glider vehicles manufactured April 5, 2010, to June 15, 2013. Navistar Inc. is recalling 3,776 model year 2011-2014 International ProStar trucks manufactured May 18, 2010, to April 5, 2013; 2012-2014 International LoneStar trucks manufactured Sept. 7, 2011, to March 25, 2013; and 2011-2013 International TranStar trucks manufactured Oct. 18, 2010, to Feb. 20, 2013. Volvo Trucks North America is recalling 669 model year 2011-2013 VNL and VNM trucks manufactured June 21, 2010, to Dec. 14, 2012. The recall is expected to begin Nov. 2. Mack Trucks Inc. is recalling 448 model year 2011-2014 Pinnacle (CHU and CXU) trucks manufactured Sept. 10, 2010, to June 17, 2013. The recall is expected to begin Nov. 2. Paccar Inc.is recalling 290 model year 2012-2013 Peterbilt 579 and 587 trucks manufactured Feb. 14, 2011, to Dec. 5, 2012, and 2011 Kenworth T700 trucks manufactured Sept. 21, 2010, to Oct. 1, 2010. Paccar has not yet provided a notification schedule, NHTSA said. Related reading - http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/41732-fontaine-fifth-wheels-in-fatal-accident-recalled/?hl=fontaine

Hundreds of police officers lose licenses over sex misconduct Associated Press / November 1, 2015 Flashing lights pierced the black of night, and the big white letters made clear it was the police. The woman pulled over was a daycare worker in her 50s headed home after playing dominoes with friends. She felt she had nothing to hide, so when the Oklahoma City officer accused her of erratic driving, she did as directed. She would later tell a judge she was splayed outside the patrol car for a pat-down, made to lift her shirt to prove she wasn't hiding anything, then to pull down her pants when the officer still wasn't convinced. He shined his flashlight between her legs, she said, then ordered her to sit in the squad car and face him as he towered above. His gun in sight, she said she pleaded "No, sir" as he unzipped his fly and exposed himself with a hurried directive. "Come on," the woman, identified in police reports as J.L., said she was told before she began giving him oral sex. "I don't have all night." The accusations are undoubtedly jolting, and yet they reflect a betrayal of the badge that has been repeated time and again across the country. In a yearlong investigation of sexual misconduct by U.S. law enforcement, The Associated Press uncovered some 1,000 police officers who lost their badges in a six-year period for rape, sodomy and other sexual assault; sex crimes that included possession of child pornography; or sexual misconduct such as propositioning citizens or having consensual but prohibited on-duty intercourse. The number is unquestionably an undercount because it represents only those officers whose licenses to work in law enforcement were revoked, and not all states take such action. California and New York - with several of the nation's largest law enforcement agencies - offered no records because they have no statewide system to decertify officers for misconduct. And even among states that provided records, some reported no officers removed for sexual misdeeds even though cases were identified via news stories or court records. "It's happening probably in every law enforcement agency across the country," said Chief Bernadette DiPino of the Sarasota Police Department in Florida, who helped study the problem for the International Association of Chiefs of Police. "It's so underreported and people are scared that if they call and complain about a police officer, they think every other police officer is going to be then out to get them." Even as cases around the country have sparked a national conversation about excessive force by police, sexual misconduct by officers has largely escaped widespread notice due to a patchwork of laws, piecemeal reporting and victims frequently reluctant to come forward because of their vulnerabilities - they often are young, poor, struggling with addiction or plagued by their own checkered pasts. Lawyers and even police chiefs told the AP that some departments also stay quiet about improprieties to limit liability, allowing bad officers to quietly resign, keep their certification and sometimes jump to other jobs. "My God," J.L. said she thought as she eyed the officer's holstered gun, "he's going to kill me." The AP does not name alleged victims of sexual assault without their consent, and J.L. declined to be interviewed. She was let go after the traffic stop without any charges. She reported her accusations immediately, but it was months before the investigation was done and the breadth of the allegations known. She is one of 13 women who say they were victimized by a police officer named Daniel Holtzclaw. The fired cop, 28, has pleaded not guilty to a host of charges. Each of his accusers is expected to testify in the trial that begins Monday, including one who was 17 when she said the officer pulled down her pink cotton shorts and raped her on her mother's front porch. But on a June night last year, it was J.L.'s story that unleashed a larger search for clues. A nurse swabbed her mouth. A captain made a report. And a detective got to work. On a checkerboard of sessions on everything from electronic surveillance to speed enforcement, police chiefs who gathered for an annual meeting in 2007 saw a discussion on sex offenses by officers added to the agenda. More than 70 chiefs packed into a room, and when asked if they had dealt with an officer accused of sexual misdeeds, nearly every attendee raised a hand. A task force was formed and federal dollars were pumped into training. Eight years later, a simple question - how many law enforcement officers are accused of sexual misconduct - has no definitive answer. The federal Bureau of Justice Statistics, which collects police data from around the country, doesn't track officer arrests, and states aren't required to collect or share that information. To measure the problem, the AP obtained records from 41 states on police decertification, an administrative process in which an officer's law enforcement license is revoked. Cases from 2009 through 2014 were then reviewed to determine whether they stemmed from misconduct meeting the Department of Justice standard for sexual assault - sexual contact that happens without consent, including intercourse, sodomy, child molestation, incest, fondling and attempted rape. Nine states and the District of Columbia said they either did not decertify officers for misconduct or declined to provide information. Of those that did release records, the AP determined that some 550 officers were decertified for sexual assault, including rape and sodomy, sexual shakedowns in which citizens were extorted into performing favors to avoid arrest, or gratuitous pat-downs. Some 440 officers lost their badges for other sex offenses, such as possessing child pornography, or for sexual misconduct that included being a peeping Tom, sexting juveniles or having on-duty intercourse. The law enforcement officials in these records included state and local police, sheriff's deputies, prison guards and school resource officers; no federal officers were included because the records reviewed came from state police standards commissions. About one-third of the officers decertified were accused of incidents involving juveniles. Because of gaps in the information provided by the states, it was impossible to discern any other distinct patterns, other than a propensity for officers to use the power of their badge to prey on the vulnerable. Some but not all of the decertified officers faced criminal charges; some offenders were able to avoid prosecution by agreeing to surrender their certifications. Victims included unsuspecting motorists, schoolchildren ordered to raise their shirts in a supposed search for drugs, police interns taken advantage of, women with legal troubles who succumbed to performing sex acts for promised help, and prison inmates forced to have sex with guards. The AP's findings, coupled with other research and interviews with experts, suggest that sexual misconduct is among the most prevalent type of complaint against law officers. Phil Stinson, a researcher at Bowling Green State University, analyzed news articles between 2005 and 2011 and found 6,724 arrests involving more than 5,500 officers. Sex-related cases were the third-most common, behind violence and profit-motivated crimes. Cato Institute reports released in 2009 and 2010 found sex misconduct the No. 2 complaint against officers, behind excessive force. In Connecticut, William Ruscoe of the Trumbull Police began a 30-month prison term in January after pleading guilty to the sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl he met through a program for teens interested in law enforcement. Case records detailed advances that began with explicit texts and attempts to kiss and grope the girl. Then one night Ruscoe brought her back to his home, put his gun on the kitchen counter and asked her to go upstairs to his bedroom. The victim told investigators that despite telling him no "what felt like 1,000 times," he removed her clothes, fondled her and forced her to touch him - at one point cuffing her hands. In Florida, Jonathan Bleiweiss of the Broward Sheriff's Office was sentenced to a five-year prison term in February for bullying about 20 immigrant men into sex acts. Because the victims wouldn't testify, Bleiwess' plea deal revolved around false imprisonment charges, allowing him to escape sex offender status. Prosecutors said he used implied threats of deportation to intimidate the men. And in New Mexico, Michael Garcia of the Las Cruces Police was sentenced last November to nine years in federal prison for sexually assaulting a high school police intern. At the time, he was in a unit investigating child abuse and sex crimes. The victim, Diana Guerrero, said in court that the assault left her feeling "like a piece of trash," dashed her dreams of becoming an officer, and triggered depression, nightmares and flashbacks. "It had never occurred to me that a person who had earned a badge would do this to me or anybody else," said Guerrero, who is now 21 and agreed to her name being published. "I lost my faith in everything, everyone, even in myself." A 2011 International Association of Chiefs of Police report on sex misconduct questioned whether some conditions of the job may create opportunities for such incidents. Officers' power, independence, off-hours and engagement with those perceived as less credible combine to give cover to predators, it said, and otherwise admirable bonds of loyalty can lead colleagues to shield offenders. "You see officers throughout your career that deal with that power really well, and you see officers over your career that don't," said Oklahoma City Police Chief Bill Citty, who fired Holtzclaw just months after the allegations surfaced and called the case a troubling reminder that police chiefs need to be careful about how they hire and train officers. The best chance at preventing such incidents is to robustly screen applicants, said Sheriff Russell Martin in Delaware County, Ohio, who served on an IACP committee on sex misconduct. Those seeking to join Martin's agency are questioned about everything from pornography use to public sex acts. Investigators run background checks, administer polygraph exams and interview former employers and neighbors. Social media activity is reviewed for clues about what a candidate deems appropriate, or red flags such as objectification of women. In the predawn hours of June 18, 2014, J.L.'s report made its way to Oklahoma City sex crimes detective Kim Davis. By that afternoon, Miranda rights were being read to Holtzclaw, an officer who had arrived out of the academy nearly three years earlier, a seemingly natural move for the son of a career policeman but one borne of deep disappointment. The Oklahoma City Police Department refused to release Holtzclaw’s full personnel record. J.L.'s accusations made Davis and a fellow detective curious about an unsolved report filed five weeks earlier in which an unidentified officer was accused of stopping a woman and coercing her into oral sex. According to pretrial testimony, the detectives reviewed the names of women Holtzclaw had come into contact with on his 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. shift and interviewed each one, saying they had a tip she may have been assaulted by an officer. Most said they had not been victimized but, among those who said they were, other links to Holtzclaw were found, Davis said in court. The GPS device on his patrol car put him at the scene of the alleged incidents, and department records showed he called in to check all but one of the women for warrants, the detective testified. By the time the investigation concluded, the detectives had assembled a six-month narrative of alleged sex crimes they said started Dec. 20, 2013, with a woman taken into custody and hospitalized while high on angel dust. Dressed in a hospital gown, her right wrist handcuffed to the bedrail, the woman said Holtzclaw coerced her into performing oral sex, suggesting her cooperation would lead to dropped charges. "I didn't think that anyone would believe me," she testified at a pretrial hearing. "I feel like all police will work together." All told, Holtzclaw faces 36 counts including rape, sexual battery and forcible oral sodomy. Many of their allegations are similar, with the women saying they were accused of hiding drugs, then told to lift their shirts or pull down their pants. Some claim to have been groped; others said they were forced into intercourse or oral sex. The youngest accuser said Holtzclaw first approached her when she was with two friends who were arguing and he learned she had an outstanding warrant for trespassing. He let her go but found her again later that day, walking to her mother's house. She said he offered her a ride and then followed her to the front porch, reminding her of her warrant, accusing her of hiding drugs and warning her not to make things more difficult than they needed to be. She claims he touched her breasts and slid his hand into her panties before pulling off her shorts and raping her. When it was over, the teen said he told her he might be back to see her again. "I didn't know what to do," she testified at the pretrial hearing. "Like, what am I going to do? Call the cops? He was a cop." Victims of sexual violence at the hands of officers know the power their attackers have, and so the trauma can carry an especially crippling fear. Jackie Simmons said she found it too daunting to bring her accusation to another police officer after being raped by a cop in 1998 while visiting Kansas for a wedding. So, like most victims of rape, she never filed a report. Her notions of good and evil challenged, she became enraged whenever she saw patrol cars marked "Protect and Serve." "You feel really powerless," said Simmons, an elementary school principal in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Diane Wetendorf, a retired counselor who started a support group in Chicago for victims of officers, said most of the women she counseled never reported their crimes - and many who did regretted it. She saw women whose homes came under surveillance and whose children were intimidated by police. Fellow officers, she said, refused to turn on one another when questioned. "It starts with the officer denying the allegations - 'she's crazy,' 'she's lying,'" Wetendorf said. "And the other officers say they didn't see anything, they didn't hear anything." In its 2011 report, the IACP recommended that agencies institute policies specifically addressing sexual misconduct, saying "tolerance at any level will invite more of the same conduct." The report also urged stringent screening of hires. But the agency does not know how widely such recommendations have been implemented. Experts said it isn't just threats of retaliation that deter victims from reporting the crimes, but also skepticism about the ability of officers and prosecutors to investigate their colleagues. Milwaukee Police Officer Ladmarald Cates was sentenced to 24 years in prison in 2012 for raping a woman he was dispatched to help. Despite screaming "He raped me!" repeatedly to other officers present, she was accused of assaulting an officer and jailed for four days, her lawyer said. The district attorney, citing a lack of evidence, declined to prosecute Cates. Only after a federal investigation was he tried and convicted. It's a story that doesn't surprise Penny Harrington, a former police chief in Portland, Oregon, who co-founded the National Center for Women in Policing and has served as an expert witness in officer misconduct cases. She said officers sometimes avoid charges or can beat a conviction because they are so steeped in the system. "They knew the DAs. They knew the judges. They knew the safe houses. They knew how to testify in court. They knew how to make her look like a nut," she said. "How are you going to get anything to happen when he's part of the system and when he threatens you and when you know he has a gun and ... you know he can find you wherever you go?" Though initially out on bond, Holtzclaw has been jailed since July after letting the battery in his ankle monitor go dead. Holtzclaw coerced one woman into giving him oral sex. She cried as she spoke, sitting on a dirty couch in a rundown apartment where a blanket attached to the wall with thumbtacks blocked the sunlight. She talked of how afraid she was to go to police, of how images of her alleged attack haunt her. Enveloped in fear, she said she slipped further into drugs. "I was getting high, but I wasn't feeling," she said. "I was too upset to feel anything." In the Oklahoma City neighborhood that prosecutors say served as Holtzclaw's hunting ground, a narrow ribbon of road twists through a canyon of untended growth littered with black bags of stinking trash. Locals call the spot Dead Man's Curve. On May 21, 2014, Holtzclaw told Syrita Bowen she could submit to oral sex and intercourse, or go to jail. She was convinced it was the cruel joke of some hidden-camera show until he insisted he was serious. She had been jailed many times before, and knew the math: a 15-minute ride downtown, two hours to be booked, up to a day of waiting to move to a cell, hearings drawn out over weeks or months. She figured she could give him what he wanted in six minutes. "God forgive me," she said, "that was the easiest thing for me to do." Bowen agreed to have her name published, and initially she offered a steely front, contending no fear or sadness lingered from her alleged encounter with Holtzclaw. But, before long, tears flowed. She has known poverty and addiction and imprisonment, and said she was repeatedly raped by a relative as a little girl. The violation she alleges now doesn't even rank as the worst thing to ever happen to her. But she said she thinks about it daily. There are no nightmares, she said, but reminders come in other ways. Patrol cars seem to pass more often than they did before. Sirens are more jarring. And when a man in uniform goes by, she wonders what might happen.

Car & Driver / October 2015 Ram brand representatives swear that its new Rebel isn’t meant to compete with the Ford F-150 Raptor. But the comparison is impossible not to make. It’s a special off-road-themed version of a full-size American pickup. Its boldly branded grille, if not a blatant rip-off of the Raptor’s, is at least a suspiciously timed coincidence. And while you can get this hyperbutch off-road styling pack on both a rear-drive V-8 truck and a four-by-four V-6, if you’re looking to back up the appearance with real guts, the V-8 4x4 starts at $47,565—only $1525 less than the Raptor crew cab. Well, $1525 less than the last Raptor to be sold here, anyway. The only good reason not to consider the Raptor and Rebel as direct competitors is because the Raptor isn’t currently on sale (the new version won’t reach dealers until next year). It’s a good thing the Raptor isn’t currently on sale, because the Ford would wallop the Rebel. Behind and underneath the Raptor’s flat-black “FORD” grille are a unique frame and powertrain, as well as a specially designed long-travel suspension that counts racing in the Baja 1000 among its accomplishments. The Rebel, on the other hand, has an extra inch of ground clearance because the airbags in its suspension carry an inch’s worth more air. They’re the same parts that you’ll find in other Rams, where apparently they’re slouching. There are no other mechanical changes. It’s Got the Look The Rebel is a styling package, albeit a rather comprehensive one. Red trim that resembles anodized aluminum and gray that mimics cast iron adorn the door panels, the dashboard, the center stack, and the HVAC bezels. The seats are covered in a nice red and gray vinyl, while the center console, the steering wheel, and the dash have red and gray stitching. It’s all rather well done, particularly the seats, which have the very same tread design molded into them as you’ll find on the Rebel’s 33-inch Toyo tires, as though somewhere along the assembly line there’s a station where the truck drives over the seats before they’re installed in its cab. If that were actually the case, though, the tread design would be smeared, because the Toyos rarely meet a throttle application they don’t turn into positive slip. They’re not terribly noisy on the highway or in turns, but from a stop, the driver needs to be very judicious to keep the rears from squealing. In the rain, we put the Rebel into four-wheel drive just so we’d be able to accelerate at a reasonable pace. This truck would be spectacular, nearly undrivable fun in the wet were it not for stability control that can’t be fully defeated. And the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8’s gruff exhaust note only encourages such behavior. With ZF’s smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic behind it, the Hemi whips the Rebel to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 15.2 at 92 mph. In spite of the tires’ off-road tread, we recorded exactly the same stopping distance (199 feet) and skidpad grip (0.71 g) as we did in the last Ram Laramie we tested. The Laramie is just one of the Rebel’s numerous in-house competitors, and Ram would prefer buyers not look beyond them. “Pay no attention to that other thing,” they must say. Because, sure, the Rebel is a nice styling package, but the Raptor is something more. Raptor drivers get to laugh at the Rebel, and Rebel drivers will just have to take it. If you’re the kind of person who would prefer to spend your money on appearance rather than on capability, then you’d better be okay with that. Photo gallery - http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2015-ram-1500-rebel-v-8-4x4-test-review

"Take it for what it is, it's the best we're going to get" It sounds like you are suggesting that Americans should all simply roll over and buy these Mack-badged North American Volvos, your argument being because "most trucks on U.S. highways are not American anymore". I personally can't buy into that thought process (and that will be a hard sell with the thousands of operators who have suffered from the long-time injector cup nightmare). "Mack wouldn't even exist today" Correction, Mack Trucks no longer exists today.

Great disinformation campaign. If I run for office, I'm going to need someone with your spin skills. On another note, the M123 you drove was more than likely built by Consolidated Diesel Electric.

It's isn't our (America's) namesake marque anymore (and hasn't been since 2000). The Mack "marque", now merely a nameplate on a North American market Volvo chassis, is owned by foreign truckmaker Volvo Group of Gothenburg, Sweden. Förstår du? Why should Americans take the Mack-branded Volvo "for what it is", a Volvo, and support a foreign truckmaker's business in the United States?

Absolutely disgusting. "The sound is America"..........with the American flag waving in the wind. It is appalling of Sweden's Volvo, a foreign company which has NOTHING to do with America, to drum up warm memories of the former American Mack Trucks, Inc., and try to grab one's heart with images of American-designed Mack R-models, Cruise-Liner's and Super-Liners. Legendary American engineers, the likes of Walter May and Win Pellizzoni, led the way for these signature American trucks. Throwing in a Mack-branded Volvo at the end, as if there was some connection between this Swedish concoction and the aforementioned, respected American trucks, is nothing less than delusional on Volvo Group's part. Rather then investing in a video that mocks America and the late Mack Trucks, Volvo Group would have spent their money more effectively by launching common rail-equipped engines in North America more quickly.

Isuzu Motors Press Release / October 28, 2015 For 2016, Isuzu has completely redesigned its popular GIGA heavy truck range. Exterior A new more aerodynamic cab design reduces air resistance for enhanced fuel economy. Cab steps and grab handles have been redesigned for a more user-friendly experience. The cab’s front fascia has a functional and modern appearance, and is better designed to channel air to the large intercooler for higher performance. Interior For easier and efficient driving, a semi-round instrument panel has been adopted. All the switches, grouped by frequency of use, are located near the meters for easier operations and higher distinguishability. In addition, the steering wheel-located switches and a 4-inch multi-information LCD monitor allow for safer and easier driving. The seats have been improved in adjustability, air permeability and capability to support the occupant's postures. Engine The 6UZ1 engine has been upgraded, resulting in stronger low to mid-range torque and improve fuel efficiency. The turbocharger has been upgraded, the intercooler and radiator have been enlarged, and a high efficiency EGR cooler has been added. , adopted. A new ultra-high pressure common rail system improves engine response while reducing emissions. Rigid and vocational models feature an "ecostop" system which automatically stops and restarts the engine to minimize the unnecessary fuel consumption during idling. Transmission The automated manual transmission (AMT), “Smoother-Gx”, has been improved to enable the vehicle to offer smoother launches by decreasing "shift shocks". Models equipped with the 6UZ1-TC engine and 12-speed Smoother Gx AMT come standard with the "Smart Glide" system, which automatically disengages the clutch when the vehicle is running on a downgrade, allowing the vehicle to effectively utilize its inertial force and “freewheel” for greater fuel savings. Safety Collision avoidance support has been added to cope with moving obstacles, in addition to the conventional collision mitigation system. A combination radar/camera detection system greatly improves forward obstacle detection. The newly adopted LDWS (Lane Departure Warning System), monitors the lane markers using the camera, and alerts the driver when the truck wanders out of the lane with a combination of audio and video warnings. High Load Capacity The all-new GIGA continues to combine durability and strength with lightweight construction. Low curb weights allow for high load capacities and profitability. Remote Assistance by Telematics The MIMAMORI system, which analyzes data “real-time” from the truck on-line, is now standard equipment. In addition to providing eco-driving coaching and regulatory compliance information, the real-time status of the vehicle can be easily monitored via the internet by the customer. Isuzu’s state-of-the-art maintenance program, "PREISM" is provided, utilizing vehicle data collected via the MIMAMORI system. Through this maintenance program, Isuzu dealers are able to boost customer uptime. .

UD Trucks Press Release / October 25, 2015

Diesel News Australia / October 29, 2015 Not content with over charging the trucking industry through rego charges, the Queensland government is to make trucks bear the full cost of a road upgrade. The National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) President, Allan Thornley, has called on governments not to view Australia’s road transport industry as a ‘milch cow’ providing them with an easy source of revenue. “The Australian road transport sector continues to be overcharged by the Commonwealth and State governments by a minimum of $200 million annually, via the heavy vehicle charges regime,” said Thornley, in a statement in reaction to the Queensland announcement. “Despite acknowledging that the overcharging exists, governments continue to avoid implementing the simple changes necessary to correct the overcharges. “The recent announcement by the Queensland Government compounds these concerns with its announced plans to fund the $450 million upgrade to Brisbane’s Logan Motorway solely by an increase in truck tolls, this is unacceptable. What is especially concerning here is the complete lack of consultation with industry and the assumption that industry can be milked as an easy source of revenue.” “The road transport industry does not exist in a vacuum. The claimed 52 per cent increase in freight traffic volumes does not occur for no reason, it’s due to an increase in the demand for goods and services as part of a growing economy. The road transport sector is the essential backbone to economic growth and development. Therefore, any costs should also be borne by the broader community.” “The alternative is for a more considered and consultative approach by the Queensland Government with ALL motorway users, with the trucking sector, of course, paying its appropriate share along with everybody else. Margins in the transport sector are tight. Increased costs will need to be passed on, which will mean increased prices in consumer goods and services to the general community. Industry supports the continuing development of vital infrastructure upgrades and developments. But the way to do that is by a consultative and cooperative engagement with all road users, to determine the best mix of funding and appropriate increases in user charges”.

Diesel News Australia / October 29, 2015 Just to keep the trucking industry aware of its reputation, the southeastern Australian state of New South Wales's Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) has done it again. In a direct contradiction of its previous advice, the RMS has now informed heavy haulage operators traveling from interstate they will be required to hold an MC (multi-combination) license if using a dolly between prime mover and trailer. “Drivers who operate a low loader trailer, connected to a low loader dolly attached to a prime mover must ensure they hold the appropriate licence class or risk serious fines if caught,” said an MC Class License Bulletin, released by RMS this week. “It is vital that truck drivers hold the correct licence for the vehicle they are operating to ensure they have the right skills to manage the vehicle combination for the safety of all road users. “Drivers and operators who are on the road without an appropriate licence may also risk voiding insurance should there be an incident.” This is followed by the real kicker: “This requirement also applies to interstate licenced drivers who are driving these multi combinations on NSW roads. They must have an MC class licence to avoid enforcement action.” Back on October 2, Diesel News reported the RMS policy outlined by the authorities at the time and while NSW licensed drivers were to be forced to use an MC licence when using a dolly, this rule would not apply to those with interstate licences. Unsurprisingly, the notice referred to, at the time, an RMS fact sheet posted at http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/documents/business-industry/heavy-vehicles/multi-combination-licence-2015-09.pdf, is no longer to found on the RMS website. “Roads and Maritime consulted with the heavy vehicle industry earlier this year,” said the notice issued this week by RMS. “Concerns about the licence status of heavy haulage drivers were raised. Industry agreed a six-month transition period was required during which formal warnings were issued by Roads and Maritime inspectors instead of penalty notices. This notice period ended on 30 September 2015. “Roads and Maritime and NSW Police enforce this regulatory requirement. Drivers are considered unlicensed if they do not hold an MC class licence and the vehicle will be grounded. Roads and Maritime will assist the driver in contacting the operator and making arrangements for the vehicle and load to continue on the journey. “A penalty notice fine of $637 applies for a first offence and $1,275 applies for a second or subsequent offence for anyone caught with an inappropriate class of licence. The fine system is designed to influence behaviour by making sure individuals take responsibility for actions which break the law.” .

Prime Mover Magazine / October 29, 2015 Iveco releases new book on Australian history Iveco has launched a new book titled ‘Inter to Iveco’, which chronicles its Australian truck history. The book documents "the rise and fall of the International Trucks brand in Australia" and its subsequent acquisition by Iveco in the early 1990s. According to Iveco, the book is the fourth truck industry title by Colin A. McKenzie, a former Chief Engineer of the Truck Division of International Harvester Co. of Australia, and one he describes as a “labour of love”. “I thought this story was one worth sharing and needed to be documented for the future,” said McKenzie. “International Harvester was established here in 1912 as a distributor of agricultural and truck products with local manufacturing of agricultural equipment starting in 1939 at Geelong, and truck production in Dandenong in 1952, this facility was bought by Iveco in 1992. “Having spent some time at Iveco during the writing process, it was pleasing to see that there was still a good deal of Australian engineering taking place at the facility – the operation was still working with the same intent as when it was started: manufacturing to suit the local market.” .

Navistar Auspac Press Release / October 30, 2015 Industry icon John Holliday announces retirement In the wake of more than 40 years devoted to the Cat brand and unwavering support to a legion of Cat truck and engine customers, Caterpillar truck engine specialist John Holliday will at the end of this year bring down the shutters on a career regarded by many as a pinnacle of professionalism and integrity. Currently Caterpillar’s On-highway Truck Engine representative for Australia, New Zealand and Pacific markets, John has elected December 31, 2015, as his last day of service with Caterpillar. “Sooner or later most careers come to this point but I can say with total conviction that I have had nothing less than a fascinating and hugely satisfying career with Caterpillar,” John said from his South Australia base soon after announcing the decision to retire. “I’ve had the privilege of working with a great bunch of people and representing a great product. It doesn’t get any better than that.” John’s early years were at the wheel of trucks before spending 18 years with South Australia Cat dealer Cavpower in a diverse range of roles which initially included machinery movements throughout South Australia and interstate. Forging a reputation for good customer relations and a strong appreciation for Cat product, he accepted an offer to join Caterpillar in February 1993 as Truck Area Manager for South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. “I’ve always liked operating trucks and machinery,” he reflects, “and in many ways I believe that has been a major asset when it comes to understanding the needs and challenges of truck operators.” Gifted with a quick smile, a bright sense of humour and a patient, conciliatory nature, John admits the truck industry was his ideal career platform. “The truck engine business and road transport in general have always been at the core of my career and it has been a privilege to be Cat’s representative in this industry. But when it’s all boiled down, it’s the customers who have made it so special. “Sure, it hasn’t always been easy but the levels of customer loyalty to Cat truck engines in particular are phenomenal. I never found it hard to share those same levels of passion and loyalty to the product and those customers. “There have certainly been some amazing characters and yes, some good times and some not so good but at the end of the day I like to think I’ve given Cat and its customers my best shot.” Among many career highlights, John cites his 2005 induction into the Australian National Road Transport Hall of Fame in Alice Springs as a distinct honour. “That came at a time when there were almost no supplier representatives in the Hall of Fame so it was a proud and very humbling experience to be nominated and accepted,” he recalls. Another highlight, John explains, is being involved in the evolution of many trucking businesses. “Working with the one-truck owner-drivers, the small family operations, has been especially satisfying,” he comments. “To be closely involved with some of these people, watching them work so hard and helping them build some very big operations is incredibly rewarding. “It’s a great credit to them and our engines, and I’ve no doubt these are some of the reasons there’s so much loyalty to Cat.” The arrival of Cat-branded trucks in 2010 has created an entirely new era for Cat in Australia, John emphasises. “The trucks are working well in a lot of different roles but there’s still immense potential for this product in our market,” he insists. “The way I see it, if there’s a Cat under the hood it must be good.” As for the future, more time with his wife Helen, a beach house on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula and the forging of a close friendship with a fishing rod are all on the agenda. “I don’t intend to be bored,” he says with a typically broad grin. “One thing’s for sure though. I’ll always bleed yellow.” .

CNN / October 29, 2015 The European Parliament voted Thursday in support of a resolution that calls on member states to protect Edward Snowden from extradition. The vote, which has no legal force, was 285-281. The resolution urges nations to drop criminal charges and "consequently prevent extradition or rendition by third parties, in recognition of his status as whistle-blower and international human rights defender." Snowden, a former contractor at the U.S. National Security Agency, leaked documents about top secret mass surveillance programs. He fled the United States in 2013 and spent more than a month living in Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport before being granted asylum. On Twitter, Snowden called Thursday's vote a "game-changer." "This is not a blow against the US Government, but an open hand extended by friends. It is a chance to move forward," he wrote. The Justice Department has said Snowden would face criminal prosecution if he returns to the United States. He's been charged with three felony counts, including violations of the U.S. Espionage Act.

I guessed yesterday they were going to put a pickup bed on it. The step mounting arrangement, given that it's going to be a pickup, looks ridiculous. Gotta love those signature Volvo "D-shaped" fuel tanks on a truck with the Mack nameplate.

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Contact the good folks at Watts Mack and ask for a 25RU354. Done deal.

http://www.remorquagebertrand.com/ENG/carrosserie-modification-camion-lourd-quebec.html

Is the rubber seal (moulding) that mounts (surrounds) your roof vent the source of the leak ?

DAF Press Release / October 28, 2015 Following the successful launch of the CF and XF Silent models, DAF is now also unveiling an extra-quiet distribution truck based on the LF. The new model has been specially designed for urban and regional distribution in areas where noise restrictions apply during the evening and at night. The expansion of the Euro 6 range to include the LF Silent is a great example of DAF Transport Efficiency: a philosophy that aims to further increase truck efficiency by reducing operating costs and ensuring maximum vehicle availability. In the special 'Silent Mode', which can be activated by a simple push at a button on the dashboard, the extra-quiet LF has a noise level of no more than 72 dB(A), meeting the conditions for certification as a 'Quiet Truck'. This enables goods to be loaded and unloaded in areas where evening, night-time or early morning noise restrictions apply. This contributes to maximum operational flexibility and thus highest efficiency. The new 7.5-tonne DAF LF Silent is equipped with the efficient 4.5-litre PACCAR PX-5 engine (Cummins ISB4.5), with ratings of 112 kW/152 hp and 135 kW/184 hp. The engine is already known for its low noise level and is linked to an automated (ZF) AS Tronic six-speed gearbox. DAF can deliver the new LF Silent as a 4x2 rigid with a choice between a day cab, extended day cab and sleeper cab, and with a wide range of wheelbase options. The extra-quiet LF is available to order now from DAF dealers. .

Scania Press Release / October 27, 2015 Summary of the first nine months of 2015 · Operating income rose by 11 percent to SEK 7,046 million ($823.3 million) · Net sales rose by 6 percent to SEK 69,686 million. ($8.1 billion) · Cash flow amounted to SEK 1,220 million. ($142.6 million) in Vehicles and Services Comments by Per Hallberg, President and CEO: “Scania’s sales during the first nine months of 2015 rose to SEK 69.7 billion and earnings amounted to SEK 7,046 m., resulting in an operating margin of 10.1 percent (9.7). Higher vehicle volume in Europe, increased service revenue and positive currency rate effects were offset by lower vehicle volume in Latin America and Eurasia. Compared to the third quarter last year, order bookings for trucks in Europe rose. Scania’s position in the European market remains strong with a market share of 16.6 percent compared to 15.0 percent in 2014, among other things thanks to a leading Euro 6 range. Order bookings in Latin America were at a low level compared to the year-earlier period and were also lower than the previous quarter of 2015. Demand in Eurasia continues to be adversely affected by the turbulence in the region. In Asia, order bookings decreased particularly in the Middle East, compared to the third quarter of last year and also compared to the previous quarter. Scania has increased its market share in buses and coaches in Europe to 6.8 percent, compared to 5.1 percent in 2014. Order bookings in Buses and Coaches were lower than the same period of the previous year. In Engines, order bookings fell, both compared to the previous year and the previous quarter due to lower demand for gensets in Latin America. Scania is continuing its long-term efforts to boost its service business and Service revenue increased by 7 percent during the third quarter. Financial Services showed a strong performance and customer payment capacity is still good. The level of activity related to development projects remains high and Scania is investing in expanded production and service capacity Interim Report - http://www.scania.com/Images/Scania_Interim_Report_Jan-Sep_2015_tcm40-503684.pdf Presentation - http://www.scania.com/Images/Presentation_Q3_2015_tcm40-503683.pdf

Scania Press Release / October 28, 2015 What are the best techniques for reducing fuel consumption? Cem Kizilkaya is one of Scania’s most experienced driver coaches and has created this list of sure-fire ways to drive more economically. Cem Kizilkaya has been a driver all of his adult life. From taxis and buses to coaches and trucks, he has driven just about every kind of commercial vehicle you can think of. His wide-ranging experience has earned him the job of Head of Operations and driver coach at Scania’s own internal haulage company, Scania Transport Laboratory. The Transport Laboratory is part of Scania’s Research & Development division. It serves as a proving ground for continuously testing new technology and driver techniques aimed at improving the efficiency of the transport industry. With the help of fuel masters like Kizilkaya, the lab has achieved impressive results across its six years of operation, lowering its fuel costs and cutting its own carbon dioxide emissions by 50 percent. So, what’s the secret to more economical driving? Here are a dozen of Cem Kizilkaya’s best tips: Check your alignment Many people don’t realise just how important it is to check the wheel alignment on the truck and the trailer. Badly aligned axles and wheels result in extra fuel consumption and premature tyre wear. They also increase the strain on the axel, increasing wear. So, my advice is: have a wheel alignment carried out on your trucks and trailers regularly. This will extend the life of the components – and lower your fuel consumption. Don’t “pimp” your ride There are some situations when additional lights like these come in handy, but most of the time they’re basically unnecessary ornaments. Try to remember that every additional item that you add to your truck – including lights, rotating beacons and extra bumpers – increases its air resistance. For example, additional lights can increase fuel consumption by two percent. All Scania trucks are designed for minimal drag. My advice is: don’t mess with that. Avoid the knick knacks and save on fuel instead! Check your tyre Do you have the right tyres on your truck? And are your tyre pressures correct? Good, that’s two ways of avoiding worn tyres. All too often, we meet drivers whose tyres are not adjusted to the right pressure or not suited to the task at hand. So, make sure you check the tyre pressures at least once a week. And regularly check the electronic Tyre Pressure Monitoring instrument – or TPM – in the cab. That way, you will save fuel and reduce the wear and tear on both your tyres and your vehicle. Coast more often When approaching a hill, how can I make sure that I’m driving as fuel-efficiently as possible? At the top of the hill, I make sure that I release the cruise control. I also release the accelerator pedal. I can then enjoy a free ride downhill, without wasting a single drop of fuel. A good target for long-haulage drivers is to try to coast for at least 20 percent of each journey. In fact, that’s Scania’s own target for our daily operations. So, come on: take the challenge and try to beat us! Plan ahead Planning ahead is the key to successful eco-driving. Being closely aware of the situation ahead of you will allow you to make good fuel savings. When I’m approaching a roundabout, I try to anticipate how the cars in front of me will behave. I decrease the truck’s speed, use its momentum, and roll through the roundabout. I use the same technique when I’m approaching a red light. I keep the truck rolling at low speed. I then try to time things just right – so that I can pass through when the light turns green – without touching the brake or the accelerator pedal. Carry out appropriate maintenance Do you want to keep your truck on the road? Do you want to achieve 99.8 percent uptime, like the Scania Transport Laboratory? The workshop is the place that makes this possible. Checking your truck in for regular maintenance by Scania’s service technicians will keep it in prime working condition. You’ll ensure your vehicle is performing at its best and avoid having to pay for extra repairs. All this also adds up to lower fuel consumption, lower emissions and decreased wear and tear on all components. Get up close and reduce wind resistance Trucks used in Scania’s transport operations often drive in convoys or platoons like these. We keep the distance between the truck combinations at about 70 meters. Using this technique has helped us cut fuel costs by at least 5 percent. Even if you’re not in a convoy you can also save fuel by creeping closer to the truck in front of you. Even at a distance of 100 meters you will start to get the advantages of the lower air resistance. Just make sure you keep a safe – and legal – distance. Use the engine heater When it’s cold outside, your truck’s built-in electrical engine heater is the best way of getting your vehicle ready to go. So, if you’re starting up in your own backyard or at a truck stop that has electric facilities, just plug the extension cord into an electrical socket. You’ll be pre-heating the engine in a way that’s good for the environment. Your truck will appreciate it, too. And starting at the right working temperature also means lower emissions from the beginning of every job. Check the brakes regularly If you frequently use the engine retarder on your truck, it’s likely that the brakes on your trailer are not being exercised enough. This can cause them to drag or bind. Dragging brakes will, of course, lead to a drastic increase in fuel consumption. This is why you should check the brakes on both your tractor unit and trailer regularly. My advice is to check the trailer brakes at least once a year, as part of a planned maintenance stop. Avoid idling There are many myths surrounding idling. Some drivers think it’s the best way to warm up the engine. Others think it’s good for the turbo. But most of the time idling is completely unnecessary. The only thing you’re doing is wasting fuel and increasing emissions. My recommendation is to turn off the engine whenever you get the chance. If you’re stopping for more than 20 seconds, then you should definitely switch off. You’ll not only save fuel, you’ll save money. Drop from 90 to 80 km/h Before you overtake the truck in front of you, think again. Instead of speeding up to 90, it might make more sense to maintain a nice steady pace of 80 kilometres an hour. This will make your boss happy. You will cut the company’s fuel costs by 10 percent, you will reduce the risk of deadly accidents by 40 percent, and you will greatly reduce wear and tear on your vehicle. And remember: doing 80 rather than 90 increases your journey time by just one percent. So the choice is clear: slow down to 80. Choose the right gear Every little bit counts when it comes to eco-driving. Fitting your truck with side skirts will lower its air resistance – and its fuel consumption. And if you mount air deflectors like these on the sides of the cab, well, that’s even better. You will lower the fuel consumption by an extra five percent. You should also make sure the curtains of your curtain-sider are properly stretched. And, don’t forget to tighten the retaining straps and to tuck in the loose ends. Compete with other drivers Scania Fuel Masters Europe is an interactive competition where you can compare your most fuel-efficient journeys with other drivers via your mobile phone. Go to: fuelmasters.scania.com

Downspeeding can contribute 2-3% in fuel savings: NACFE report Truck News / October 28, 2015 A new confidence report released today by the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) and Carbon War Room claims that downspeeding can slash truck fuel consumption by 2-3% when optimally applied. Downspeeding is the practice of speeding up the rear axle on trucks to lower the speed of the engine, allowing the truck to run at the most fuel-efficient RPM under cruise conditions, thus saving fuel and money. Downspeeding can also help in other areas like noise reduction and improved driveability, NACFE said. According to the report, downspeeding is now a primary focus for OEMs to help improve fuel economy for regional and long-haul applications that operate at highways speed, mainly because of the technologies that complement it to make downspeeding more attractive. “We see (downspeeding) in two configurations,” said Mike Roeth operation lead, trucking efficiency with NACFE. “The first is downspeeding with a direct drive transmission. And that’s being done by fleets (that) are most aggressive on fuel economy. The other is downspeeding with an overdrive transmission with a slower rear axle ratio. That offers different advantages but loses that direct drive opportunity.” NACFE said one of its main conclusions from the report is that, after the finding it can improve fuel economy by 2-3%, downspeeding should be adopted by long-haul operations. “We strongly consider that in long-haul fleets, they be considering downspeeding,” Roeth said. One of the only concerns with downspeeding NACFE found in its research is that it poses a risk of potential driveline failures. However, NACFE said by talking to the right people, you can avoid this is you think downspeeding is the right move for your business. “One of the concerns we uncovered is the consequences of potential driveline failure due to higher torque,” Roeth said. “The good news is the component manufactures and truck manufactures, have solutions for that. And that particularly happens in day cab, pick-up and delivery type of operation where there’s the opportunity to deal with that higher torque. But, there are solutions there, and we recommend that anyone considering downspeeding speak about this with your transmission supplier, rear axle supplier, engine suppler…to make sure that the spec’ will work for you and your duty cycle and your business practices as a fleet.” For more information visit www.TruckingEfficiency.org.