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Historic curiosities turn up at Ram Trucks event Fleet Owner / October 22, 2015 You never know what stories you'll find behind some of the many classic and vintage trucks out there. Fleet Owner stumbled across a truck that may have fueled planes at Chicago's O'Hare Airport back when the Allies were fighting World War II and a 1940s Dodge that perhaps delivered milk, logs and other goods decades ago in Wisconsin. Much as the focus was on the latest capabilities of the 2016 Ram Trucks lineup at the Heavy Hauler demo event Tuesday, some much older timers that made an appearance got lots of attention as well. A group of five vintage Dodge trucks, most dating back to the WWII era or earlier, was at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' Chelsea Proving Grounds for the event. That included a 1938 Dodge Airflow tanker, which restoration specialist Dean Reifsnider tells Fleet Owner may be the last actually running example of its kind in the country. It was purchased in very rough shape years ago from an owner in South Carolina, he says. A press release from 2001 when the Walter P. Chrysler Museum unveiled the restored truck stated it was one of only 12 remaining in the world. "You'll see a lot of models of this truck if you're in a truck stop or a fuel station," however, Reifsnider points out, a testament to the truck's classic lines and design. He also notes the possible history of the truck being used at O'Hare, "but we're not 100% certain of that." Check through our gallery photos for a look in and around the tanker's features and equipment as well as the other classic and antique trucks at the event. Though the Airflow was gazes-only, reporters got in and drove the other vintage Dodge hardware: A 1940 half-ton pickup, a 1941 Command Car WC-6 half-ton 4x4 military truck and a sleek 1964 D100 pickup. A 1947 2 1/2-ton heavy truck may have once hauled goods for an old-time trucking entrepreneur — the name painted on its side is John Maldonis, and it shows an address of Dorchester, WI. Some online digging turned up this obituary of John Charles Maldonis, born in 1918 and died in 2004 at age 85. According to the obit, John — who "enjoyed woodworking and was a hardworking man who loved his family" — "also owned and operated his own trucking business, hauling milk, gravel, logs and pulpwood." Photo Gallery – http://fleetowner.com/equipment/chelsea-vintage-dodges-drew-eyes-too#slide-0-field_images-174691 Additional Photos - http://fleetowner.com/fleet-management/historic-curiosities-turn-ram-trucks-event

Transport Topics / October 22, 2015 Daimler AG reported third-quarter earnings before interest and taxes at its global truck division were the highest ever, climbing 34% to about $897 million compared with about $667 million in the year-earlier quarter. The company said the gain primarily was driven by higher unit sales in North America and Europe, positive exchange-rate effects and the realization of further efficiency improvements. Truck sales in North America grew by 19% to a record 52,200 trucks compared with the year-earlier period, said the company, which is the parent of Daimler Trucks North America. DTNA's heavy-duty brands include market-leading Freightliner Trucks and niche product Western Star Trucks. “In the third quarter, we proved once again that we are pursuing the right strategies and are progressing with the right products and technologies,” said Daimler Chief Financial Officer Bodo Uebber. Uebber said Daimler’s overall revenue compared with the year-ago period increased 13% to about $42 billion.

Jacobs Vehicle Systems Press Release / October 22, 2015 Jacobs Vehicle Systems, the world’s leading manufacturer of diesel and natural gas engine retarding systems and valve actuation mechanisms, announces that it has launched an engine brake for the DAF MX-11 Euro 6 in North America. The new Jacobs engine brake was the result of more than three years of collaboration between Jacobs and Paccar engineers to provide an integrated engine brake solution which minimizes weight and space while providing market leading braking power. The MX-11 engine brake delivers up to 319 kW (427 hp) of braking power at 2100 rpm and 208 kW (278 hp) at 1500 rpm, which is the most fuel efficient engine speed for maximum performance of the vehicle. “This is a very exciting time for Jacobs Vehicle Systems. The successful launch of the new MX-11 engine brake is a terrific demonstration of the benefits resulting from joint engineering between Paccar and Jacobs. This fully integrated design optimizes the brake into the smallest and lightest package while still delivering benchmark performance,” stated Joao Cullen, VP of Engineering. The MX-11 Jacobs engine brake is currently available in the European market on the new DAF Euro 6 CF and XF Series trucks, and will be launched in North America on Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks in January 2016.

Wall Street Journal / October 22, 2015 Trucking companies, struggling to attract enough drivers, may soon be able to put more teenagers behind the wheel. Under federal law, states can grant anyone over 18 a commercial drivers’ license, the main qualification to drive a truck. However, few drivers start that young because they need to be 21 to haul freight across state lines. Trucking executives say the age limit is making it hard to find enough drivers, with the most severe shortage in long-haul trucking, which typically requires drivers to cross state lines. “Drivers today can drive from San Francisco to San Diego, but can’t cross the street in Texarkana,” a city on the Texas-Arkansas border, said Rob Abbott, vice president for safety policy at the American Trucking Associations, an industry group. “That’s an imaginary boundary. It’s illogical.” The highway funding bill working its way through Congress contains language that would weaken those barriers. Both the House and Senate versions of the legislation would create a pilot program allowing groups of states to create “compacts” permitting truckers under 21. The Senate version lowers the minimum age to 18, while the House bill allows drivers older than 19-and-a-half. The prospects for the provision are uncertain. The Senate passed a long-term transportation bill in July with the pilot program included. But the House has yet to vote on its own legislation, and the two bills must then be merged and passed again in both chambers. Congressional aides said this week that because there is so little time before the current highway funding authorization expires Oct. 29, lawmakers are likely to pass another short-term extension, which would leave the trucker age limits intact. Speaking this week at the ATA’s management convention in Philadelphia, Mr. Abbott said getting young people into trucking was near the top of the group’s list of priorities. Trucking companies need an additional 48,000 drivers to keep up with demand for freight transportation, the ATA said in a recent report, and many fleets have raised pay and other benefits aggressively over the last year to recruit drivers. Safety groups, including Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, oppose the proposal to lower age limits, which they say would make roads more dangerous because younger drivers are more likely to get into accidents. Many of these groups advocate for minimum ages to be raised for in-state trucking as well. “Eighteen, 19 and 20 year old drivers, whether behind the wheel of a car or a truck, are high-risk drivers,” said Jackie Gillan, the group’s president. “This just makes the motoring public into guinea pigs in a very dangerous experiment.” Trucking executives say they need to bring in more young people to counter a wave of retirements – the average trucker is nearly 50 - and to meet rising demand. The problem, they add, is that the job of a driver has a reputation for low pay and long, monotonous hours on the road away from home. Aaron Tennant, president of Colona, Ill.-based Tennant Truck Lines Inc., said his company has 15 of its 250 trucks sitting idle, at a cost of about $75,000 per month, because he can’t find drivers for them. He has raised pay twice in the last year to attract more drivers. Forcing potential drivers to wait three years after high school before becoming long-haul truckers drives young people into other jobs in construction, manufacturing, warehousing and retail, says John Lex, a third-generation trucker who has been driving for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. for 13 years. Mr. Lex said he has two sons who showed no interest in trucking. One is currently in college, while the other works in a retail position at a Wal-Mart store. “A young kid who is 18, coming out of high school, he gets a job somewhere else, stays three years, decides he likes it. You can get a job in our warehouse making $18 or $20 an hour and go home every night after work,” he said. “I think we lose a lot of good drivers because of this.”

Wall Street Journal / October 22, 2015 Two of the country’s biggest trucking companies reported stronger-than-expected earnings but said tepid shipping demand would weigh on growth for the rest of the year. Werner Enterprises Inc. and Knight Transportation Inc. both reported better-than 20% year-over-year increases in earnings per diluted share for the third quarter, beating consensus expectations. Shares in both companies tumbled in trading on Thursday after analysts with UBS Securities LLC downgraded both companies and cut its rating for Swift Transportation Co. , which has not reported third-quarter earnings, on the tepid outlook the companies described. Werner’s stock was down nearly 4% in mid-day trading at $26.55 a share and Knight, which has been trading this month near its one-year low, fell nearly 7% to $24.05. Swift Transportation, the largest carrier in the U.S. specializing in full truckload services for shippers, fell about 5% to $14.85, its lowest point since April 2013. Werner reported a $32.1 million net profit in the quarter ending Sept. 30 that was 24% ahead of last year on an 8% gain in trucking revenue, without including surcharges, to $360 million. Knight reported $270 million in revenue for its truckload operations, excluding fuel surcharges, beating the same quarter last year by 18.5%, and earned $30.7 million, that was 21% ahead of the year-ago quarter. The strong earnings came during the run-up to the busy holiday shopping season, just after many trucking companies raised contract rates earlier this year. But both companies said demand was faltering compared to strong growth they saw in last year’s fourth quarter. Trucking capacity also has been relatively easily available, which could push down prices—and earnings—for the carriers, analysts said. Knight Chief Executive Dave Jackson called the freight environment “lukewarm.” Share prices for many trucking companies have fallen sharply in the last three months. Economists have said that some growth in the truckload sector this spring and summer was due to inventory stockpiling in the second quarter as West Coast ports cleared backlogs of imports that had accumulated during a labor dispute. Retailers and manufacturers now appear to be paring down some of that buildup, which will result in softer demand. Both Werner and Knight added to their truck fleets in the past year. Knight acquired Barr-Nunn Transportation in October 2014, and while its revenue jumped after that acquisition, it has remained relatively flat in the quarters since. As of the third quarter of this year, Werner had expanded its fleet by 5.5% year-over-year. Analysts at UBS said in a series of research notes early Thursday that there has been a “meaningful” deceleration in pricing at both Werner and Knight in the third quarter. UBS analysts said a softer freight market and weak spot pricing will make significant growth in earning per share a challenge for truckload companies in 2016.

Wall Street Journal / October 22, 2015 Fuel prices are low enough that truckers are again becoming more competitive with rail, executives at Union Pacific Corp. said Thursday. For years, railroads like Union Pacific have been developing their intermodal businesses of moving containers and trailers, allowing them to compete directly with truckers on their home turf. As fuel prices skyrocketed and trucking companies faced driver and capacity crunches, railroads became a logical, cheaper choice. But diesel prices have fallen by about 30% over the past year to $2.531 per gallon, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, something that has made trucking prices more competitive again. “I think you look at what’s going on currently in the trucking environment, the lower fuel cost is allowing trucks to be more competitive vis-à-vis rail, just by virtue of that fact,” says Eric Butler, Union Pacific’s executive vice president of marketing and sales. While Union Pacific still expects to be able to grow its domestic intermodal business to record volumes for the seventh consecutive year, it added that its international intermodal business had declined in part due to softness in China. Railroads grew intermodal shipments to a record 13.5 million containers and trailers last year, up 5% from 2013 and comprising about 22% of revenue for major U.S. railroads, according to the Association of American Railroads. Year-to-date, U.S. intermodal traffic is up only 2.4%. Given a similarly priced choice, many shippers will choose trucking over rail, because the shipment can go point-to-point and will likely arrive faster. In addition, after an intermodal container is railed close to its destination, it still typically needs to be trucked the so-called final mile to its destination. Deutsche Bank analysts estimate that truckload rate increases, net of fuel, were only up 3.7% year-over-year in the third quarter, a much slower pace. “Softness coupled with weaker contractual rate increases and a 3% decline in spot pricing all weighed on both used truck volumes as well as pricing,” the analysts added in a recent note. Still, Union Pacific said trucking companies still face the same issues going forward, including a driver shortage and issues with productivity due to sleep regulations and road congestion. The company expects to continue to see shippers switching over, something it demonstrated with a 1% increase in domestic intermodal traffic in its third quarter. “Certainly trucks are great competitors, and there is some competitive impact that we always are cognizant of, but we’re still positive about the position that we are in as a rail and driving conversions from truck to rail,” Mr. Butler added.

Hillary's opening statement is a display of the classic Clinton "distract and deflect/redirect" strategy, refined down to an art over the years. Of Benghazi, a massive black eye for America, Clinton is merely recounting everything we already know, rather coming clean on how she failed in her responsibilities. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lH4KthFY0w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QSEusYduvQ

http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/42204-mack-australia-delivers-its-most-luxurious-truck-for-malaysian-royal/

A now we learn the 50 tons of ammunition (112 pallets) we air-dropped to Syrian rebels last last week was actually received by the Kurds. It wasn't an accident, rather an intended deception. What a tangled web we weave (dangerous, given we're no longer good at it in the Middle East). http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-10-15/u-s-airdrop-in-syria-ends-up-arming-the-kurds

I don't know one single American in my universe that would vote for Hillary Clinton. And you probably don't either. Clinton has only been successful at becoming loathed by one and all. And yet, the news is spinning a tale that polls indicate she is considered the most likely candidate to become president. Can a person that nobody would vote for get elected to the office of president?.............only in America.

New Mexico man murders 4-Year-Old Associated Press / October 22, 2015 A New Mexico man has confessed to the road rage murder of a 4-year-old girl. Tony Torrez, 32, was arrested Wednesday, a day after shooting Lilly Garcia on Interstate 40 in Albuquerque. The child was hit at least once in the head. Alan Garcia had Lilly and son Isaac, 7, in the back seat of his red Dodge Ram pickup after picking them up from school. He was attempting to exit the highway to go to a grocery store, but Torrez's car crossed two lanes of traffic and blocked him. Torrez pulled up alongside the Garcia’s pickup and fired multiple shots. The family did not know the suspect. "There were two children in this truck that this animal decided to open fire on just because he happened to get cut off on the freeway," said Tanner Tixier, a police spokesman. The father pulled over after the shooting and together with a few nurses who stopped to help, gave Lilly first aid as they waited for medics. When they arrived, they rushed her to hospital, where she was pronounced dead. "To have your child in your hands in such circumstances is going to live with the father for the rest of his life," police Chief Gorden Eden said. "This is a complete disrespect of human life. This is something that should not be happening in Albuquerque, New Mexico," said Eden. Torrez is charged with an open count of murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, assault with the intent to commit a violent felony, shooting at or from a motor vehicle, child abuse, child abuse resulting in death and tampering with evidence. He is being held on a $650,000 cash-only bond. .

Publications by Alfred J. Brosseau Highways and the tax payer (1922) Is highway transport an aid to the railroads? (1922) Coordination of motor vehicle and electric railway service by electric railways (1924) Highways as a dividend paying public investment address given before the North Carolina Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers, at Asheville, N.C., August 11th and 12th (1925) The field of the motor bus (1927) Highway finance: a discussion of methods used to expedite road improvement in the United States together with a study of the development of highway revenues under different conditions in four states (1929) The Forgotten Man in Transportation (1933)

The Traffic World - January 21, 1922 THE MOTOR TRUCK has already become a necessary supplement to the railroad and will undoubtedly become more and more important to them as times go on, said Mr. [Alfred Joseph] Brosseau, president of the International Motor Co. [forerunner of Mack Trucks, Inc.] and secretary of the National Automobile Chamber of Commerce, in answer to the question, “Is Highway Transportation an Aid to the Railroads?” before a meeting of the Shippers’ Conference of Greater New York, held in the rooms of the Merchants’ Association, last week. Mr. Brosseau outlined the value of the motor truck as a method of helping the railroads get rid of some of their expensive and unremunerative short haul traffic, and went so far as to predict that in the coming business revival the motor truck would be the means of saving the railroads from government ownership. Touching upon the question of taxes, the speaker said that the motor truck had paid its share and that, in the opinion of men who were supposed to be familiar with the problem, the truck ought not to be taxed any more than the freight car. He said in part: “If you ask the question, ‘Did motor truck transportation over the highways help the railroads during the busy war years?’ I am sure the answer will be ‘Yes.’ Without the motor truck, transportation would have broken down utterly. Many industries would have been seriously embarrassed, and the country would have faced the possibility of hunger. No one who is at all well informed regarding traffic conditions during 1917-1920 will deny this. On the contrary, they will agree that the motor truck was a great help to the railroads during this period. It goes without saying it served the public also. As you all know, business has been poor for the last year and the railroads can now handle all the traffic that is offered. We are asked if the railroads are now helped by the motor truck. My answer is ‘yes,’ for business is going to be good in the near future, and when it is the railroads will again be unable to handle the traffic. We shall then have delayed shipments, embargoes, blockades and the truck will again save the situation for the railroads and for the public. It may also save the railroads from the fate they so narrowly escaped during the last traffic jam — permanent government ownership. If the motor truck is eliminated now and is not available when the next boom is upon us, the railroads will fall down so hard that government ownership advocates will have an excellent argument to prove that the government should take over the railroads. If it saves us from government ownership of the railroads, the motor truck will again have justified itself. I do not know the exact proportion of the existing terminal facilities needed to handle l.c.l [less-than-carload shipments by rail car, edit.] package freight moving less than 50 miles, but we are all sure that it is a very considerable part of the whole. It may be one-half, or one-quarter, but whatever it is, it should not be devoted to the handling of the non-profitable l.c.l package freight that can best be moved by motor trucks. And again, if the railroads were relieved of this n0n-profitable l.c.l. package freight, the terminals would then be ample to handle the long-distance freight. The railroads would not need $1,000,000,000 a year for additional terminal facilities and would have enough equipment to move all long distance freight, even during boom times. That is the answer to the question, “Is highway transport an aid to the railroads?’ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- “The forgotten man in transportation is the man who pays the freight.” Alfred Joseph Brosseau Reference: The Forgotten Man in Transportation by Alfred Joseph Brosseau Publisher – National Automobile Chamber of Commerce (1933)

Mack Trucks annual reports during Alfred J. Brosseau’s tenure 1926 - http://www.library.upenn.edu/collections/lippincott/corprpts/mack/mack1926.pdf 1927 - http://www.library.upenn.edu/collections/lippincott/corprpts/mack/mack1927.pdf 1928 - http://www.library.upenn.edu/collections/lippincott/corprpts/mack/mack1928.pdf 1929 - http://www.library.upenn.edu/collections/lippincott/corprpts/mack/mack1929.pdf 1930 - Unavailable 1931 - http://www.library.upenn.edu/collections/lippincott/corprpts/mack/mack1931.pdf 1932 - http://www.library.upenn.edu/collections/lippincott/corprpts/mack/mack1932.pdf 1933 - http://www.library.upenn.edu/collections/lippincott/corprpts/mack/mack1933.pdf 1934 - http://www.library.upenn.edu/collections/lippincott/corprpts/mack/mack1934.pdf 1935 - http://www.library.upenn.edu/collections/lippincott/corprpts/mack/mack1935.pdf

Insight on one of Mack Trucks’ great leaders During the 1930s, Mack Trucks suffered two serious losses, the tragic death of chief engineer and vice president Alfred Fellows Masury aboard the ill-fated airship USS Akron in April 1933*, and the death of company president Alfred J. Brosseau in September 1936. In November 1916, supported by strong financials, the directors of the International Motor Company elected to reorganize the firm’s corporate structure. In support of this, Alfred Brosseau was chosen in May 1917 to head the company. It was the visionary Brosseau whose steady hand guided the progress of Mack Trucks through two boom and bust economic cycles. The steady expansion of the 1920’s and the insistence upon engineering excellence of all Mack products were, to a great degree, the result of Mr. Brosseau’s understanding and faith in the future of the highway transportation industry, and Mack Truck’s place in it. While overseeing the steady expansion of Mack Trucks, Mr. Brosseau also devoted time to problems affecting the overall automotive industry. He was at various times vice president of the Automobile Manufacturers Association, and represented the A.M.A., and its predecessor the N.A.C.C., on the board of directors of the United States Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Brosseau wrote numerous papers and articles on highway and transportation issues, and frequently testified before official and non-official bodies on behalf of the automotive industry. * http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/39563-mack-remembrance-alfred-fellows-masury/?hl=masury --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Time Magazine / January 6, 1936 From 1916, Mack Trucks was headed by Alfred J. Brosseau, whose lunch sometimes consisted of a large red apple and six glasses of water. He built up Mack's commanding position in the heavy truck market, and was official spokesman for America’s truckmakers as head of the Automobile Manufacturers Association's truck division. In 1925 under the leadership of Alfred Brosseau, Mack Trucks earnings reached $9.4 million (though sales reached $57 million in 1929), a figure not to be equaled until after World War II. The Brosseau Foundation, headed by Alfred J. Brosseau, President of Mack Trucks, and his wife Mrs. Grace H. Brosseau, was amongst the largest contributors of student aid to the University of Michigan in his former home state. At the time of Alfred’s death in 1936, the Brosseau Foundation had been made 2,531 loans to students amounting to $254, 387.

(Deepest regrets for not posting this last month) Alfred J. Brosseau, 67, Dies – Former Mack Trucks President 1868 - September 24, 1936 Alfred Joseph Brosseau of Greenwich, Connecticut, and a Michigan native, died last night at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, New York City after a long illness. As President of the Mack Trucks, Inc., Mack Brothers Motor Car Company, International Motor Company, The International Brunswick Motor Company, the Automobile Manufacturers Association and as officer or director in other corporations, he had achieved a prominent position in America’s auto industry. Mr. Brosseau led Mack Trucks from May 15, 1917 to September 23, 1936. In addition to serving as president of the International Motor Truck Corporation, Mr. Brosseau went on to serve as chairman of both the company’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee. He began his career holding several important posts with farm implement manufacturers. Prior to accepting the top post at the International Motor Truck Corporation, he had been vice president of the Detroit, Michigan-based Federal Motor Truck Company. Mr. Brosseau also was a trustee of the American Surety Company of New York and of the Equitable Trust Company of New York. .

The Atron, FLC and the original Freightliner Business Class conventional (1991-2001) all utilized variants of LN2 "New Generation" COE cab (redesignated as the LK "Light Class" cab in 1988). From 1988, the other Mercedes-Benz' "New Generation" cabs were designated MK (normal class) and SK (heavy class).

Don't get me wrong, the majority of commercial trucks there are diesel. But ethanol is a viable alternative there. Brasil is a very interesting and diverse truck market, one of my favorites.

Trucker’s Blog / October 21, 2015 During Mercedes-Benz’ presentation of new models for 2016, the truckmaker announced that it will discontinue production of the long-serving Atron medium and heavy truck series. Launched in 1989 with the L-1214, LK-1214 and L-1218 leading the way, the series was equipped with OM-366 model engines in both aspirated and turbocharged versions. Adopting the model designation HPN, the conventional cab Atron was designed by Mercedes-Benz in Brazil. In addition to the modern and straightforward design, generous interior space, impressive cab ergonomics and good visibility, the model conquered the national and international market. Another strength of the HPN range was the interchangeability of components between different models of the line trucks, which facilitated the maintenance and replacement parts. A direct successor of the legendary L-1113, the best selling Mercedes-Benz Atron model was the G-1620 launched in 1996. It was the best seller in Brazil for six years. In 2012, the G-1620 was replaced by Atron 2324. Production of the Atron range will ramp down gradually, owing to the anticipated arrival of the Euro-6 emissions standard in Brazil over the 2019-2020 period. After an impressive 26 year production run, the Atron will be replaced by the more advanced Atego and Axor ranges. Related reading: http://www.mercedes-benz.com.br/caminhoes/atron http://www.mercedes-benz.com.br/caminhoes/atron/galeria-de-imagens .

Scania Group Press Release / October 21, 2015 Demand for heavy trucks in Europe remains strong and the high level of activity in the transport industry provides confidence for the future. Scania is maintaining a high market share in Europe in the truck market as well as on the bus and coach side. After several sluggish years, the European heavy truck market seems to have gained momentum and as yet there are no indications that activity will decline during the next few quarters. “Our customers have a high capacity utilisation rate, which increases the incentive to renew and expand fleets. Other important underlying factors include a replacement need for the large volume from 2007-2008 and the fact that customers now feel confident about the new Euro 6 technology,” says Scania’s President and CEO Per Hallberg. Scania’s market share in Europe was a strong 16.6 percent during the first nine months of 2015, which is 1.6 percentage points better than last year. The increase is, among other things, connected to a leading Euro 6 range and sales activities in new segments. “In order to maintain and capture new market shares, we are continuing our efforts to penetrate new segments. We are continuing to focus on activities that are generating increased sales of construction and distribution vehicles as well as various types of special-purpose trucks,” says Hallberg. Order bookings in Europe remained strong despite seasonal effects. Meanwhile, demand is still very weak in Brazil even though Latin America as a whole is not without its bright spots, such as Argentina, Chile and Peru. The low level of demand continued in Russia and in the Middle East. Scania’s total order bookings amounted to 14,921 (16,989) trucks during the third quarter of 2015. On the bus and coach side, Scania's market share in Europe was also strong at 6.8 percent during the first nine months of 2015, compared to 5.1 percent during the year-earlier period.

Again, I'm speaking of sugarcane.......not corn. Look into it the next time you're in Brasil, you'll be impressed.

Baby, You Can Drive My Truck: Paul McCartney Rocks Freightliner Dinner at MCE Transport Topics / October 20, 2015 Music icon Sir Paul McCartney surprised and delighted the nearly 1,000 people attending a customer appreciation dinner hosted by Freightliner Trucks here on Oct. 19. McCartney and his band performed the greatest hits of his five-decade career after the dinner. There were numerous trucking references throughout the evening by the former Beatle, such as when he changed the words to the Beatles' hit “Drive My Car” to “Drive My Truck.” The Freightliner dinner dovetailed with American Trucking Associations’ Management Conference & Exhibition here Oct. 17-20. McCartney’s wife, Nancy Shevell, is an executive at less-than-truckload carrier New England Motor Freight. She and several other family members attended. New England Motor Freight, which is based in Elizabeth, New Jersey, is owned by Shevell’s father, Myron. Daimler Trucks North America President Martin Daum jokingly played a recording toward the end of dinner, suggesting that was his company’s attempt at saving money on the event's entertainment. He said last year’s spectacular dinner concert by the Eagles was a huge success that many didn’t think could be topped. Then, Daum stepped aside as a curtain opened to an area designed as a club. Once the attendees had filed into the “club,” the lights went down and out walked McCartney, who jammed for the next two hours. Photo gallery - http://www.ttnews.com/articles/showtemplatemce2015.aspx?storyid=39794

Transport Engineer / October 22, 2015 Ryder has added 200 new Euro 6 refrigerated trucks and vans, together with 90 new refrigerated box trailers as part of its renewal programme for the cold chain rental fleet. The rental giant has gone for DAF LF220 18-tonne dual compartment day cabs, Iveco Eurocargo ML75E16S 7.5-tone day cabs, and Mercedes 3.5-tonne Sprinter high roof vans with chiller and frozen specifications. This latest investment supports the company’s plan to grow its business in the temperature-controlled sector, and to maintain one of the most up to date rental fleets in the UK. “Ryder has an established position in the refrigerated rental sector with a wide selection of temperature-controlled vehicles from 3.5- to 26 tonne trucks to tractors and trailers,” comments David Hunt, vice president and managing director Ryder Europe. “We offer a wide range of rental solutions, from short-term rental to long-term contract hire,” he continues. “This latest investment reinforces Ryder’s ongoing commitment to growing our business in the temperature-controlled market by providing customers with greater choice and value.” .

The Trucker / October 19, 2015 Three senators — two Democrats and one Republican — say they will hold a news conference in front of the Capitol Wednesday to discuss their bipartisan opposition to a federal mandate that would allow large trucks to pull double 33-foot trailers on the nation’s highways. 64-year-old congressional youngster Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., 82-year-old Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and 69-year-old Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., say they will be joined by representatives from the trucking industry, Teamsters, law enforcement and a safety advocacy group. David Williams of Knight Transportation will represent the trucking industry. Kevin Knight, chairman of Knight Transportation, has been a vocal opponent of twin 33-foot trailers and was one of several trucking executives who have signed letters to the Senate opposing the longer tandems. The two major trucking associations are divided on the issue. The American Trucking Associations favors 33-foot trailers; the Truckload Carriers Association opposes them. A tractor-trailer with two 33-foot trailers measures approximately 91 feet in total length, and this equipment will be available for viewing, the senators said. Critics of the proposed longer trailers point to the length as a safety issue. Earlier this year, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved an amendment to the transportation funding bill requiring states to allow trucks with two 33-foot trailers on their highways. Current federal law permits double 28-foot trailers. The measure has not been taken up by the full Senate. The committee voted 16-14 in favor of the amendment proposed by Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., after defeating on a tie 15-15 vote a second degree amendment by Feinstein that would have allowed longer trailers only after the DOT completed a weight and size study and determined the twin 33-foot trailers would not impact safety. All committee Republicans voted for Shelby’s amendment with the exception of chairman Thad Cochran from Mississippi; all Democrats voted against the amendment with the exception of Jon Tester of Montana. In presenting her second-degree amendment, Feinstein pointed to safety concerns of a tandem tractor-trailer that would be longer than “an eight-story building” is tall and noted that 39 states already had regulations preventing the longer trailers. She also noted that she’d heard from a number of state law enforcement organizations and citizens impacted by large truck crashes, all of whom were against longer trailers. Shelby said that the twin 33-foot trailers would make highways safer because they would eliminate 6.6 million trips made and 6.3 billion miles driven by large trucks. The three senator noted that when the committee considered the measure, the Department of Transportation had issued a report saying that there was currently not enough data to draw firm conclusions on the safety implications of double 33-foot trailers. The DOT recommended that no changes to truck size be considered at this time, the senators said. Joining the senators and Williams will be James Hoffa, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters; Walter Armstrong, Chief of Police, Vicksburg, Mississippi; and Jackie Gillan of the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.

Paul McCartney wowed around a thousand people during the annual Freightliner dinner and concert on Monday night held during the American Trucking Associations (ATA) Management Conference and Exhibition that wrapped up Tuesday in Philadelphia, PA. Ever since people started arriving for the conference on Friday, they were buzzing with speculation about who would follow up last year’s concert by the Eagles in San Diego, CA or Rod Stewart in 2013 in Orlando, FL. A few wrongly guessed it would be Bruce Springsteen, among others. But the selection of McCartney as this year’s performer was a natural when you think about it. That’s because his wife is Nancy Shevell, who was at the concert, is an executive at New Jersey-based New England Motor Freight, owned by her father Myron "Mike" Shevell. In addition to playing old favorites for the crowd from his days with the Beatles, Wings and even from his solo career, that included some new works, McCartney even shook things up a bit, changing up the lyrics from the Beatles classic song “Drive my Car” to where he belted out “baby you can drive my truck.” Soon as McCartney took the stage the cell phone cameras came out, with posts going like mad on to Twitter and Facebook, while some danced and others leisurely sat and watched the show in its intimate club-like setting. Now that all of the excitement is over, the one question many are asking, is how will Freightliner top this show in 2016?