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So long as the tractor-trailer has pulled off the road, there is not a thing wrong with parking on exit ramps and on-ramps of interstate highways and rest areas, and at weigh stations after hours. This is what a driver should do when they realize they are too tired to continue on safely. A common practice for decades on Carolina's highways, it's never proven to be a problem. And yet, North Carolina wants to issue drivers a citation for doing the right thing. Just unbelievable.

Tehran has now declined to commit to nuclear transparency measures that were part of a preliminary deal, and UN sanctions currently remain in place. (http://news.yahoo.com/u-says-iran-must-implement-nuclear-transparency-provisions-105105648.html) And yet, Mack brand owner Volvo Group has from last month begun building trucks again in Iran, all capable of pulling missile launchers and tanks for the Revolutionary Guard. It seems to me that if a foreign company wants to do business in America, and owns an American icon, it would act ethically, and with respect to United States foreign policy. To say the least, Volvo Group has a very laissez-faire attitude about where they get their revenue.

Bloomberg / June 11, 2015 The Obama administration is poised to deliver a victory to engine makers at the expense of truck manufacturers in the next stage of the U.S. government’s plan to tackle climate change. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is about to propose fuel economy standards that would mandate efficiency gains in engines and transmissions made by companies like Cummins Inc. and Eaton Corp., according to executives who have been in discussions with the regulator. That will encourage the development of new technology, and the replacement of engines. “It’s a huge deal,” said Mihai Dorobantu, Eaton’s director of technology planning and government affairs. “It’s an opportunity for advanced technology to contribute both to the economics of the sector and the environment in which we all live.” Truckmakers had pushed for eliminating the engine target and just testing the whole vehicle the way automobiles are assessed. That way, fuel consumption targets could be met with less expensive changes, such as improved aerodynamics. “An overly stringent engine standard could force the introduction of technologies and design changes prematurely, resulting in added costs, weight, vehicle complexity and, ultimately, potentially delaying customer adoption,” said Steve Barry, director of regulatory affairs for Volvo AB’s North American truck unit. Daimler AG and Volvo AB are among truckmakers poised to get a European Union antitrust complaint for suspected collusion, according to three people with knowledge of the probe. Industry TalksEnvironmental groups are pushing President Barack Obama to deliver fuel-economy improvements of 40 percent from 2010 levels, something they say is both technologically feasible and long overdue because tractor-trailers average 6 miles per gallon of diesel. That change alone could cut U.S. oil use by 1.4 million barrels a day and eliminate more than twice the greenhouse gases as New Jersey emits each year, according to the Sierra Club. An EPA spokeswoman, Liz Purchia, declined to comment on the agency’s plans ahead of the release of the trucking proposal, which industry representatives said they expect this month. The Obama administration will then accept public comment before issuing a final regulation next year. One of the key decisions for the EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is how to measure gains from the engine and the overall vehicle. Under the proposal nearing release, engines will be tested the same way emissions are measured. Vehicles will be measured by using a computer model instead of the dynamometers used to test cars. That approach is also supported by Cummins, said Brian Mormino, the company’s executive director for worldwide environmental strategy and compliance. The EPA will also be proposing a third set of standards for trailers, whose boxy design has been largely unchanged for decades. Trucking EconomyTrucks account for 4 percent of vehicles on the road and 20 percent of the transport sector’s carbon emissions. Setting tougher rules is necessary if the U.S. will achieve the cuts in carbon emissions Obama pledged in United Nations climate negotiations, the World Resources Institute said in a report last month. “This is a very significant segment of our economy that needs to come under the climate plan the president is putting together,” said Margo Oge, former director of the EPA’s office of transportation and air quality. “It’s a big deal to have a standard that pushes innovation and reins in fuel consumption.” Daimler Trucks North America LLC has warned regulators against engine standards that aren’t aligned with real-world operations, Sean Waters, director of product compliance and regulatory affairs, said in a statement. The company, which makes Freightliner trucks, is still “optimistic the final rule will be consistent with our goals of providing real-world fuel economy benefits that reduce the real cost of ownership for our customers,” Waters said. Waste ManagementThe rules will represent the second time in history that U.S. regulators will propose efficiency standards for the more than 7 million tractor trailers and other kinds of heavy-duty trucks that haul most of the nation’s goods. Waste Management Inc., which has a fleet of 18,500 garbage and collection vehicles, is part of a group of companies helping the EPA develop the standards. Most of the new trucks the company is buying run on natural gas, which cuts greenhouse-gas emissions by 20 percent over diesel, said Kerry Kelly, senior director for federal affairs. “It’s been a good process so far, and so we feel that we’ll get to a reasonable rule we can support,” Kelly said. Related reading - http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/40421-new-us-truck-emissions-rules-could-touch-off-industry-struggle/

It's a superb mid-sized ute (aka. bakkie, pickup). Ford claims they've decided not to sell the Ranger in the US (the world's largest ute market) fearing it would steal sales away from the full-sized F-150. Of course, that notion is ridiculous. A mid-size customer never wanted a full-size ute in the first place. And, the full-size F-150 with the 2.7-liter Ecoboost is severely lacking in "Eco", something the mid-size customer is specifically looking for in addition to convenient size. So in a nutshell, the Ford global Ranger ute is available in every global region, except North America. Go figure.

FYI - The industry standard is to have a 60 days of inventory on dealer lots. According to J.D. Power, the average Colorado stays on the lot for only 13 days, making it the fastest-selling pickup on the market.

FYI - The industry standard is to have a 60 days of inventory on dealer lots. According to J.D. Power, the average Colorado stays on the lot for only 13 days, making it the fastest-selling pickup on the market. Ford couldn't have been more wrong about the pent-up demand for mid-sized pickup trucks.

Associated Press / June 10, 2015 Wal-Mart could be on the hook for more than $100 million in back pay after a federal judge ruled the company failed to pay California minimum wage to truck drivers for activities that included inspecting and washing their trucks, an attorney said Wednesday. The ruling came after the company argued that the drivers are paid for particular activities that include those tasks. U.S. District Judge Susan Illston sided with the drivers in her May 28 ruling, saying activities that are not compensated separately cannot be included in tasks that are paid for by the company. "These guys are owed the money, so the sooner they get paid, the better," said Butch Wagner, whose firm represents 720 past and current Wal-Mart drivers. Wal-Mart spokesman Randy Hargrove said the Arkansas-based company will keep fighting the wage claim. Its drivers are among the best paid in the industry, with some making more than $100,000 a year, he said. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. — the nation's largest private employer — has faced other criticism over its pay and treatment of U.S. employees. The company announced earlier this year that it was giving a raise to about a half-million U.S. workers. The raises are part of a $1 billion investment the company says is also intended to give workers more opportunities to advance and more consistent schedules. In court filings, Wal-Mart attorneys likened the drivers' situation to housekeepers getting paid for each house they clean rather than by the hour. "Nothing in the Labor Code requires a separate 'pay code' for each act that goes into cleaning the house," the attorneys said in court papers. "Does the Labor Code require drivers to be separately paid for putting a key in the ignition or while sitting at a stop light?" The drivers said Wal-Mart did not pay them properly for layovers and did not pay them at all for tasks such as weighing their tractor-trailers and completing mandatory paperwork. Wal-Mart drivers are not paid by the hour. Wages are based on mileage and specified activities. Illston sided with the drivers on the layover issue as well. The case is set to go before a jury in April to determine damages, Wagner said. He estimated Wal-Mart could face penalties, damages and interest of as much as $150 million.

Reuters / June 10, 2015 U.S. environmental regulators are expected within days to propose rules to make trucks more fuel efficient, and trucking industry executives and lobbyists familiar with the process said the rules will probably call for boosting fuel efficiency by 2027 nearly 40 percent from 2010 levels. Trucker operators say the industry is willing to accept tighter federal standards, since motor fuel accounts for about a third of its costs. They also want consistent standards throughout the country instead of a separate state rule in California. But various segments of the trucking industry disagree about how federal rules should be structured and implemented. So the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposal for heavy trucks could prompt an intramural struggle to influence the final regulations. The trucking rules are part of a broader effort by the Obama administration to curb greenhouse gas emissions. The EPA has said it intends to propose "performance-based" standards, allowing truck makers and operators to hit the target either through the engine, aerodynamic add-ons to trucks and trailers or software to make driving more fuel efficient. But manufacturers disagree about whether the overall standard should encompass the engine, the truck itself and the trailer, or whether it should set separate standards for each of the three main components of an 18-wheeler freight hauler. Drivetrain component suppliers like Cummins and Eaton want separate standards, especially for engines as they produce the emissions and have been tested for decades. However, the U.S. trucking units of Daimler AG and Volvo AB want emissions measured for the truck as a whole. "We oppose a separate engine standard, which we believe is redundant because improvements in engine efficiency would be reflected in a complete vehicle assessment," said Steve Berry, director of regulatory affairs for Volvo Group North America. "An overly stringent engine standard also could force manufacturers to introduce technologies and design changes before they are fully ready to do so." An EPA spokeswoman said the agency could not discuss details of the pending proposal, since it was still under review. The industry expects targets close to the 40 percent fleetwide reductions sought by environmental groups and 46 percent for long-haul trucks by 2025. "The industry is expecting relatively stringent standards roughly in line with the targets of the environmental groups," said Mihai Doborantu, director of technology planning and government affairs at Eaton. Industry executives say California regulators have pushed for strong federal truck emissions rules, so trucking companies are prepared to accept demanding federal standards to avoid California pushing its own separate standards. David Clegern, a spokesman for the California Air Resources Board, said the state "would be very supportive of a national standard" but the agency could not discuss the matter until the EPA proposal is issued. "Everyone from the federal government to the (truck) manufacturers to fleet owners and the state of California wants to see a national standard," said a manufacturing executive who spoke on condition of anonymity. "For that to happen, California has to sign on and the EPA has to find that sweet spot." The proposed rules may also spell out fuel options for vehicles such as garbage trucks. These usually run at low speeds and stop often, so they gain little from aerodynamic improvements but are candidates for alternatives to conventional diesel engines. Kerry Kelly, a senior director for federal affairs at Waste Management Inc said the company expects new rules will focus short-term on natural gas vehicles and longer-term on hybrids. Around 90 percent of Waste Management's new vehicles run on natural gas, which produce 20 percent fewer emissions than conventional engines. So far, testing on hybrids has "brought mixed results" and the new rules are expected to allow time for more testing, Kelly said.

The News & Observer / June 8, 2015 Sleepy truck drivers who park for naps alongside interstate on-ramps can expect rude awakenings this summer from state troopers under orders to enforce an overlooked no-parking law. The first wake-up message was delivered in a May 26 “attention all truckers” memo from the Highway Patrol that focused on Interstate 77 in the western Piedmont. It spelled out a stern prohibition against parking on the shoulders, exit ramps and on-ramps of interstate highways and rest areas, and at weigh stations after hours. Trucking companies complained. The Highway Patrol retracted the I-77 memo, announced a statewide focus, in friendlier language, that included cars as well as trucks – and added thanks to the N.C. Trucking Association for helping to spread the word. “We’re not picking on truckers or commercial drivers,” said Sgt. Michael Baker, a patrol spokesman. “We’re asking all motorists to plan their routes and make sure they have proper stopping points.” A state traffic law forbids drivers to “stop, park, or leave standing any vehicle, whether attended or unattended, on any part or portion of the right-of-way” of an interstate highway – except in emergency. The public right of way includes the paved and dirt shoulders along the ramps as well as the main road, Baker said. “This has come out of our commander’s office,” Baker explained “The colonel has traveled the state and noticed a lot of this. We’re basically asking our troopers to step up the enforcement of that statute.” Col. Bill Grey, the Highway Patrol commander, called it a safety issue. “With the increased traffic volume across the state, it is imperative that we keep our highways free of roadside hazards to include improperly parked vehicles,” Grey said in a news release. Citing traffic statistics from the state Department of Transportation, Baker said parked vehicles were a factor in 101 out of the 512 deaths recorded in interstate highway crashes over the past five years. Death can come when a driver veers off the road and clips a vehicle parked on the shoulder. The victims can include a motorist changing a tire or a police officer writing a ticket. But have any of these crashes involved trucks parked up along the ramps – well away from the freeway traffic itself? Baker said he didn’t know of any such cases. Truckers say the Highway Patrol may be missing the real safety issues raised by those naps on the freeway ramp. They stop there because they’ve run up against federal work limits – designed to reduce driver fatigue – or because they really do need some shut-eye. “It’s crucial for truck drivers to be able to safely park and rest,” said Norita Taylor, spokeswoman for the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, based in Missouri. “Truckers are not able to control their schedules and are also required to comply with hours of service regulations. If you see a truck parked on an entrance ramp, it’s likely because he or she had no other choice.” Hours of service rules require truckers to stop after they’ve worked 14 hours in 24, or have driven 11 of those hours. Company-employed drivers rely on their dispatchers to schedule their trips so they’ll be able to rest at a safe and legal spot, such as a truck stop. Independent drivers have more responsibility for their own schedules. “If trucking companies work with their drivers, they know their hours are ending at a certain time,” said Ernie Brame, manager of the Kenly 95 Petro truck stop on Interstate 95 at Kenly, which provides space where as many as 400 truckers can spend the night. “They need to plan their trip so they’re at a place where they can stop. And if they run out of time, they’re going to have to stop where they are and pull off on an exit ramp.” Truckers and other drivers need to find a safe, legal place to nap, Baker said. “We’re not going to make a trucker drive down the highway if he’s tired or he’s run out of hours,” Baker said. “But there have been times we’ve come upon a driver who had run out of hours, and instead of driving 2 more miles down the road to a truck stop, they pulled over.” Interstate parking is a minor offense – an infraction – under state law. It may be one of those charges that officers file only in the event of an accident. State court statistics suggest that troopers won’t have to work very hard to beef up their ticket numbers this year. In 2014, North Carolina officers cited only 177 drivers for interstate-parking violations, down from an average 285 over the preceding five years. How does that compare with other infractions? The citation counts vary – but not in any way that necessarily matches the seriousness, or apparent prevalence, of the violation. In 2014, North Carolina officers cited 110,622 drivers for failure to wear seat belts. But only 2,575 were charged with texting while driving, and just 53 drivers under 18 years old were charged with using cellphones. It would be easy to improve upon these numbers, too. On the other hand, 1,429 drivers were cited last year for one of the silliest offenses in North Carolina traffic law: failure to sign the vehicle registration card. So when that trooper rousts you from your nap and demands your license and registration, ask her if you can borrow her pen first.

So even though the American people's government is massively in debt, our employees in Washington who ironically ignore our input are bent on giving free money, to the tune of US$16 billion, to the truckmakers. If they absolutely must spend it, our decaying underfunded military would be the place. Now down to 10 carriers, when the Big Stick (CVN71) returns from the Med, there will be a 2 month gap before the Truman, with a quickie overhaul owing to the problem, will head out and be on station in the Middle East. Make no mistake, our enemies fear the forward presence of our carriers. Four years ago, the Navy could deploy 3 carriers with 2 ready to go on short notice. Now, the Navy struggles to keep 2 deployed and one ready, largely due to budget cuts that underfund maintenance, causing delays that have backed up the system.

The Detroit News / June 9, 2015 Senators are considering expanding the long-dormant $25 billion auto retooling program to include medium- and heavy-duty trucks — or even ships. Sens. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing and Bill Cassidy, R-La., have introduced separate proposals to expand the program that has more than $16 billion in unused loans to large truck manufacturers and suppliers to them. Cassidy’s bill would also cover new U.S. ships. Stabenow’s “Building Better Trucks” act would allow the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing program to make loans to big truck and engine manufacturers. She said she is working with Cassidy to “focus the advanced vehicle loan program on medium and heavy duty trucks.” At an Energy Committee hearing Tuesday, Stabenow noted that heavy trucks account for 7 percent of traffic but consumer 25 percent of the fuel. She noted that the ATVM program has come under criticism from many — including herself — for not working “as it should.” She praised Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz for reviving the program. Sen. Lisa Murkowksi, R-Alaska, the chair of the Energy Committee, said she hopes to propose an energy bill by August that is expected to address a number of energy efficiency issues. The hearing was considering 42 separate energy bills pending. In an interview, she said the program needs a review and said she hasn’t decided if she will propose eliminating the program entirely or backing some updates to the program. “If it doesn’t work let’s reform it -- let’s get rid of it or let’s do something different,” she said. “I think it neeeds to be reviewed.” In March, the Energy Department announced it planned to loan aluminum producer Alcoa Inc. $259 million to expand production of lightweight materials for vehicles at its Tennessee plant, the first new award from the $25 billion program in four years. The award is a major milestone for the beleaguered auto retooling loan program created by Congress in 2007 that last issued a loan in March 2011. The department announced a "conditional commitment" for the Alcoa loan, but hasn't formally closed yet. If completed, it would mark the first loan to an auto supplier. Energy officials said in March they expect the Alcoa loan won't be the last from the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing program. Officials said then number of other applicants and potential applicants that include well-known established firms are in the pipeline. Most are in the sector of creating lightweight technologies. Loans could go to supplier firms making lightweight interior components and advanced steel. Those loans could help support thousands of jobs in auto-intensive states like Michigan. In a Detroit News interview in March, Moniz said the department has been in "very, very active early stage discussions with potential applicants." He said more loans may be forthcoming, declining to say how many current applicants the program is reviewing, but saying the government is "getting a lot of interest." "I think we're on the right track," Moniz said, adding the auto loan program "is running on all cylinders. ... We are going to be very aggressive in terms of good projects — we're going to try to move them out." He emphasized the program is still accepting applicants and said he wants to be "on the offense" in providing new loans. The auto retooling loan program was created by Congress in 2007 and funded in 2008. It hasn't issued a new loan in more than four years, even though it still has more than $16 billion in available low-cost government subsidized loans. The program had some significant early success. In 2009, it loaned $5.9 billion to Ford, a key source of liquidity for the company at the time, and $1.4 billion to Nissan Motor Co. That helped support more than 35,000 jobs at the two companies. It loaned $465 million to start-up electric vehicle maker a Tesla Motors Inc., which repaid its loans nine years early. But loans to start-up automaker Fisker Automotive Inc. and Allen Park based-VPG went unpaid as both firms shut down. In March, House Republicans again proposed to kill the program and take back the remaining $4.2 billion that Congress has set aside to subsidize the remaining $16 billion in potential loans. The news comes as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Environmental Protection Agency are getting close to unveiling the second round of fuel efficiency standards and greenhouse gas emissions limits for medium and heavy duty trucks. The Obama administration in 2011 finalized the introduced the first-ever national program for medium- and heavy-duty emissions for the 2014-2018 model years. The administration is expected to announce the next round of standards this month that will extend the program “well into the next decade,” EPA said in a fact sheet. The new standards are expected to include the first-ever emissions rules for new trailers pulled by semi-tractors. The first round covered medium- and heavy-duty trucks such as garbage trucks, buses, and ¾-ton pickups. The standards are required under a 2007 energy law and will boost the efficiency of bigger vehicles by up to 20 percent. They are expected to save the industry $50 billion in fuel costs, or 530 billion barrels of oil, over that time period — but will cost manufacturers $8.1 billion to build the more efficient vehicles. Prior to the 2007 law, medium- and heavy-duty trucks faced no regulations — unlike light-duty vehicles subject to the Corporate Average Fuel Economy mandates.

Prime Mover Magazine / June 11, 2015 After having criss-crossed the nation and amassing half a million kilometres in a pilot vehicle, Queensland trucking personality Greg Robertson has praised the Iveco Powerstar 7800 as a viable alternative for road train work. Roberston’s Melbourne-made truck regularly travels large distances carting cattle in treacherous conditions and is doing just as well as the North American vehicles he has on his fleet, according to an Iveco statement. “[Especially] the cabin is great, there’s a lot of space, particularly if you’re a big bloke,” Iveco quoted the 50-year veteran of the livestock industry. Robertson has been running the Powestar with a 15-litre, 600 hp Cummins EGR engine and a classic Eaton Roadranger 18-speed transmission since 2012. “It’s done all right, I’d take a look at another Powerstar when we add to the fleet,” he said. “The Powerstar provides a combination of design input and technology from Australia, the United States and Europe – it’s a mix that has proven to work well,” Iveco added. “When [Greg] says the big Iveco is doing all right, he means it’s very successfully doing the job asked of it.” Related reading: http://iveco.com.au/images/BrochureDownloads/IVECO_Powerstar_7800.pdf http://iveco.com.au/images/products/SpecsSheets/Powerstar%207800%20Roadtrain%20Specs.pdf .

Truck News / June 10, 2015 The new PC-11 heavy-duty engine oil category currently being developed will offer fleets substantial fuel savings, but will it be backwards compatible? That’s the million dollar question that remains, about 18 months before the category is rolled out. And to Mike Hasinic, vice-president of maintenance support at Penske Truck Leasing, it’s potentially the multi-million dollar question. “I’m praying the OEMs come up with backwards compatibility, at least to 2007,” he said during a presentation at Shell Lubricants’ Global Media Event here today. “We do a million PMs on our fleet per year and today we buy oil in bulk so we have 1,000-gallon lube cubes. We’re planning on taking 1,000-gallon lube cubes now and coming up with two 500-gallon lube cubes; it will cost us millions of dollars.” The PC-11 engine oil category, scheduled for implementation in December 2016 or early 2017, features two sub-categories. PC-11A will be a straight replacement for today’s CJ-4 heavy-duty engine oils. However, the PC-11B low-viscosity engine oil category will offer substantial fuel savings that fleets will want to take advantage of, and it’s that category that may not be backwards compatible. If that’s the case, fleets will have to decide whether to stock two oils or to forego the fuel economy benefits of the PC-11B oils. While many oil companies have already declared that PC-11B will not be backwards compatible, Dan Arcy, global OEM technical manager with Shell, has taken a more optimistic view. The company has already conducted 25 million miles of testing with a PC-11B-type engine oil and has seen no issues on current-generation engines. Still, OEMs will need to be convinced. “At this point, all the OEMs have not specifically said whether they’re going to be backwards compatible or to what degree,” Arcy explained. “That’s something the OEMs are going to have to tell us, and at this time we don’t have that information to share.” For its part, Volvo Group foresees being able to allow the PC-11B fuel-saving oils on Volvo and Mack engines dating back to 2007. It has conducted its own testing of the new oils and hasn’t seen any impact on engine durability, while fuel economy has climbed from 6.62 mpg using a 15W-40 to 6.82 mpg using a PC-11B-type oil. “Engine durability cannot be compromised,” said Greg Shank, executive staff engineer with Volvo Group. “We’re starting to get good data that says it won’t be. We’re hoping we can go back as far as EPA07…Our engine hardware hasn’t changed a lot since 2007, so that’s our goal, to get back to there. It’s a big deal to our customers and it’s a big deal for us and it could be a competitive advantage for us to go back as far as we can.” And while the PC-11 category is being developed in the US, Shank said the specifications Volvo is creating around it will be global. “When we introduce our PC-11 specification, it will be a global spec’, not a North American spec’,” he said. Arcy said the potential fuel savings that could result from the PC-11B category oil are enormous. He pointed out that if all on-highway trucks in the US and Canada could achieve a 1% fuel economy improvement, the CO2 reductions would be equal to removing 23,000 trucks from the road. “Reducing that 1%, we can do that today,” he said. “We have products that are available that can provide fuel economy benefits greater than 1%, but where we’re going with PC-11 is even lower. We want higher numbers than that 1%.” In addition to fuel savings, there are other benefits to the new category as well. Oxidation stability will improve significantly in anticipation of hotter-running engines. Aeration improvements and shear stability will also come from the new category. New tests are currently being developed to measure oxidation control, aeration and shear stability. Fleets already running lower-viscosity engine oils, such as a 10W-30, will be able to get it as a PC-11A or PC-11B category oil. Those in the latter category, however, will offer even greater fuel savings. By the time the new category is finalized, the oils will no longer be referred to as PC-11. The PC stands for “proposed category” and they will no longer be proposals. It’s expected the A category oil will be referred to as CK-4 and the fuel economy oil will be called FA-4. Developing the category will have taken about five years when all is said and done. The new category was scheduled to be launched in early 2017 but truck OEMs are pressuring oil companies to move it forward to December 2016 so they can use the fuel savings as a means of complying with anticipated GHG17 fuel economy targets. Arcy predicted this will be possible, but the decision still must be voted on and approved by stakeholders. While the new oils will likely cost more, Penske’s Hasinic said he’s hoping it will also be possible to extend drain intervals to help mitigate any cost increase.

Fleet Owner / June 10, 2015 When you're working hard, you want everything else to be easy, which is why Minimizer said it is releasing its newest maintenance line products – the Tandem Work Bench and the Slick Plate. According to Minimizer, while you're busy fixing your truck, the work bench sits securely on tandems and holds up to 300 pounds of parts and tools. "For years, we've had repair shops ask us to make something like the Tandem Work Bench," CEO Craig Kruckeberg said. "They were always having problems with tools falling off the truck, or bolts rolling off the tops of tires. This saves space when you're working on an engine teardown. Now you have room for everything you need." The bench features two removable tops, along with a deep base, and it comes with the company’s lifetime guarantee. "Our new Maintenance Line is taking Minimizer in an exciting new direction. We already have products inside the truck and outside the truck. The Maintenance Line allows you to work on the truck," Kruckeberg said. Get rid of grease with Minimizer's Slick Plate, which is made of poly plastic. According to the company, the Slick Plate removes the need for grease and prolongs the life of the fifth wheel. And, the company said, less friction makes for easier handling and maneuverability. "I wish they would've had this when my father was a truck driver, because every time he'd come home on the weekends, I had to clean the grease off everything!" Kruckeberg said. "The grease gets everywhere, but with our new Slick Plate, there's no need for it." The Slick Plate comes with all necessary hardware, so there's no welding to secure it to the fifth wheel, Minimizer said, adding that it also comes with a five-year warranty. "It's quicker than welding and really easy to put on," Kruckeberg said. "It just makes life so much easier."

Transport Topics / June 10, 2015 The Obama administration is adding crucial elements to its campaign against climate change this month with proposals to limit carbon emissions from trucks and aircraft, two of the heaviest fuel users. Following earlier rules to boost the mileage of cars and reduce coal use in electricity, the initiatives on tractor-trailers and airplanes are key to reaching President Obama’s pledge to cut emissions by 26% by 2025, researchers say. It also lays the groundwork for United Nations climate negotiations set to conclude in Paris in December. With the final rule scheduled to come out this summer, the changes for trucks and aircraft are meaningful too, and do not come with the organized industry resistance that the Environmental Protection Agency is facing on its power-plant standard. Truck and aircraft makers have been working with the administration on how it can structure its plans. For trucks, environmental groups are pushing Obama to set fuel-economy improvements of 40% from 2010, a goal they say is both technologically feasible and long overdue because tractor-trailers average 6 miles for every gallon of diesel. That change alone could cut U.S. oil use by 1.4 million barrels a day and eliminate more than twice the greenhouse gases emitted by New Jersey each year, according to the Sierra Club. In contrast to his first term, when he sidelined climate concerns in favor of an “all-of-the-above” energy strategy, Obama now says combating climate change is a top priority. The U.S. promised to cut greenhouse-gas emissions 26% to 28% below 2005 levels by 2025. U.S. emissions are already down more than 10% from 2005, although the independent Energy Information Administration predicts emissions will increase, not fall, in the next decade. “They appear to be moving on all fronts,” said Karl Hausker, who wrote a report for the World Resources Institute on how the U.S. could achieve its goals. “We’re confident they can meet it. It’s not easy, but it’s doable.” Setting efficiency rules for automobiles and small trucks to boost average mileage to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025 was a major effort early in Obama’s tenure, and EPA’s plan to curb power plant emissions is the centerpiece of the second-term agenda. EPA said U.S. planes account for 11% of greenhouse gases from U.S. transportation activity and 29% from all aircraft globally, although the agency said a final rule on aircraft isn’t likely until 2018. The EPA also is preparing rules to cut methane leaks from oil and gas drilling, and switch out the use of climate-harming refrigerants. Rules on methane and refrigerants could be issued this summer, said David Doniger, director of the climate program at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “It’s the summer of climate action,” he said.

Car & Driver / June 10, 2015 To venture where no pickup truck in recent times has traveled, GM will soon put a 2.8-liter Duramax diesel engine into the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon engine roster. The goal is to reach 30 mpg—or better—in the EPA highway mileage test, thereby toppling the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel HFE from its perch as the highest-mpg pickup (with its ratings of 21 mpg city, 29 highway). The GM “mid-size” (actually 7/8-scale) pickups’ new engine is a turbocharged and intercooled DOHC four-cylinder with an iron block and an aluminum head. Expect 181 horsepower at 3400 rpm and 369 lb-ft of torque at 2000 rpm (compared with the Ram 3.0-liter V-6 EcoDiesel’s 240 horsepower at 3600 rpm and 420 lb-ft also at 2000 rpm). GM will import these 16-valve oil-burners from its plant in Rayong, Thailand, where similar pickups are manufactured and sold as Isuzus. To quicken response, the Duramax’s water-cooled turbocharger uses variable turbine-inlet geometry (VGT). Only one transmission, a six-speed automatic, will be offered. Expect EPA city ratings in the low 20s and highway numbers in the low 30s, for a combined figure of 26 mpg or better. The “over 30″ Colorado/Canyon pickups arrive at dealerships this fall. http://blog.caranddriver.com/over-30-thats-the-mpg-goal-for-new-chevy-coloradogmc-canyon-diesel/

Iran to turn into regional Volvo production hub Bloomberg / May 13, 2015 An Iranian automotive industry official has said that the country is going to turn into a regional hub for the production of Volvo vehicles. "We will turn Iran into a regional hub for the production of Volvo, and having in mind the abilities of domestic producers, we will enhance the percentage of the production of this brand inside the country," Said Madani, CEO of Saipa Car Manufacturing Group said. "Considering our situations, our plans must for sure address the regional market with a population of 400 million people, instead of the domestic market with a population of 70 million," he said in a ceremony to unveil the Iranian-produced Volvo FH500 truck, IRIB news agency reported May 12. According to statistics by OICA (Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles), Iran's commercial vehicle manufacturing rose by 46 percent in 2014 to reach 164,871. Related reading - http://www.irtransit.ir/category/%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%DB%8C-%D8%B9%DA%A9%D8%B3-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%88%D9%86-%DA%A9%D8%B4%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%87/%D9%88%D9%84%D9%88%D9%88/volvo-fh500-new-series-iran/

Press TV / May 13, 2015 Sweden’s Volvo Trucks Corporation has resumed its production of heavy trucks in Iran, putting an end to four years of absence from the country’s massive market under sanctions. The company marked its return by opening a production line for a new generation of Volvo FH trucks at Saipa Diesel west of Tehran, Press TV reported. It includes production of FH Globetrotter high cab vehicles, with a 500 horsepower engine compliant with Euro 4 emissions standards. The engine is also provisioned with the option to upgrade to Euro 6, CEO of Saipa Za’far Tanhapour said at the inauguration ceremony. Volvo’s absence marked the introduction of Chinese vehicles which have become the subject of criticism for poor quality. Tanhapour said intensified sanctions forced his company to sever ties with Volvo and find a replacement in Chinese products, which involved sales of 5,300 commercial vehicles. “Chinese vehicles possess about 80% of European products in quality but their prices are lower,” he said. As many as 137,000 commercial vehicles are currently plying Iran’s roads, of which 67,000 need to be replaced with new ones, Tanhapour said. The official said Saipa Diesel is in talks with several reputable companies, including Mercedes-Benz and Renault Trucks. “The signing of a joint venture agreement with Benz for production of light, heavy and trailer trucks as well as buses and minibuses is in the works. Moreover, this reputable company has taken some steps for production of electric buses (in Iran),” Tanhapour said. Meanwhile, CEO of Saipa Group Sa’eed Madani said Iran has the capacity to turn into a hub for production of commercial vehicles in the region. “Iran’s cooperation with foreign automakers includes a 400 million-strong market. If we make planning for tapping it, its proceeds could benefit Iran’s population of 70 million people,” he said. The official touched on his company’s negotiations with France’s Renault, saying they were trying to forge a “win-win cooperation” mechanism. French automakers, including Peugeot Citroen, slammed the door on Iran’s face after Europe intensified sanctions on the Islamic Republic in 2012. Many Iranians are advising caution in dealing with the French and call for stronger checks and balances in new trade with them. Madani touched on the deep-rooted malady which Iran’s auto-making industry is suffering from. “We have to admit that certain groups in the country are merely after car imports. We have to put an end to this phenomenon by producing quality cars at suitable prices.” Iran’s auto industry is the Middle East’s largest but it is based on assembling foreign brands. The industry has the full state support behind it and a monopoly on the market which, many critics say, has resulted in a laggard sector with no serious efforts to improve quality despite frequent price hikes. The government also levies hefty customs duties on imports in order to protect the domestic auto industry. Related reading - http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/29989-volvo-finds-exit-ramp-from-iran-market/?hl=iran .

Ural Next........The Legend Continues

Owner/Driver / June 10, 2015 Bob East’s unbreakable 1968 Oshkosh didn’t miss a beat during a decade logging in the Barossa Valley or a quarter century carting machinery to opal mines in the Outback. The truck clocked up 4 million kilometres (2,485,485 miles) before East retired in 2012. East, 73, took the Oshkosh for one last run in May when he drove it to Alice Springs and donated it to the National Road Transport Hall of Fame. The bright yellow truck will no doubt be a hit with visitors during the 2015 National Road Transport Hall of Fame Reunion from August 25 to 31. East hopes people will smile when they see the Oshkosh. "It made me happy all my life," he says. East believes his truck was the second Oshkosh imported to Australia. It was assembled in Adelaide and pulled B-doubles between Adelaide and Darwin before he bought it for $10,000 in 1972. Its simple sturdy design and powerful 230hp 1673 Caterpillar engine were exactly what East needed to cart machinery around South Australia for his earthmoving business. East and his wife Bev shifted their operation to Coober Pedy in 1988. Since then the Oshkosh has spent most of its time on dirt roads. It carted machinery and water to opal mines throughout far north South Australia. Bev has been the backbone of the business since RN & BR East began in 1962. She took charge of the office and bookkeeping, leaving her husband to spend his days on bulldozers and in trucks. There is no sleeper on the Oshkosh so East slept in his swag. He carried a barbecue plate with him and lit fires to cook his meals. He plans to return to Alice Springs for the Reunion and has been nominated for induction to the Wall of Fame. Related photographs - http://www.ownerdriver.com.au/industry-news/1506/oshkosh-truck-donated-to-the-transport-hall-of-fame/

Trailer/Body Builders / June 9, 2015 Volvo Group North America’s eight plants have achieved their goal of reduced energy consumption in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge five years earlier than anticipated. Volvo Group’s goal had been a 25% reduction in energy consumption at its eight U.S. manufacturing plants between 2009 and 2020. By the end of 2014, Volvo Group, one of only 11 companies to meet its goal early, had reduced energy consumption by 26.8% compared with its 2009 baseline, the company said. “One of the Volvo Group’s core values is environmental care, so we are pleased to be among a select few companies to achieve our goal under the Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge early,” said Rick Robinson, director of health, safety and environment. “Reaching this milestone required the diligence and dedication of all our employees, and we will continue to strive for improved energy efficiency.” Volvo Group North America’s record in energy efficiency reflects efforts to reduce consumption at eight manufacturing facilities in the U.S.: • Volvo Trucks, Dublin (New River Valley), VA • Volvo Group Powertrain, Hagerstown, MD • Mack Trucks, Macungie, PA • Volvo Construction Equipment, Shippensburg, PA • Volvo Penta, Lexington, TN • Volvo Bus, Plattsburgh, NY • Volvo Group Remanufacturing, Charlotte, NC • Volvo Group Remanufacturing, Middletown, PA “As the Better Buildings Initiative enters its fourth year, leaders continue to showcase how saving energy saves money, creates jobs, and most importantly, accelerates the nation’s competitiveness in the clean energy economy while preserving our environment for generations to come,” said Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. Volvo Group North America’s leadership in energy efficiency has been recognized in other ways, the company said. The company announced late last year that, at the time, three of its manufacturing sites – Macungie, New River Valley and Hagerstown – held the top three positions in DOE’s Superior Energy Performance program, recording the highest energy performance improvements among Platinum level partners, according to Volvo.

Ford Press Release / June 9, 2015 The 2015 Ford Ranger Wildtrak, the ultimate model in the Ford Ranger line-up, is ready to take on the world with smart technologies and an even bolder look for one of the world’s toughest and most capable trucks. Related photographs: http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/2015-Ford-Ranger-Wildtrak-Ocean.jpg http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/2015-Ford-Ranger-Wildtrak-River.jpg http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/2015-Ford-Ranger-Wildtrak-Jungle.jpg

The "Twin-Y" air suspension is the Mack-branded version of the Volvo "Blade" air suspension. The former Mack Trucks for many years worked with the pros at Hendrickson for air suspensions, but in this case Volvo decided to do their own. FYI, this suspension is not offered by Volvo in the global market.

The White Sewing Machine Company of Cleveland, Ohio was a versatile organization. It first ventured into the transportation business when it produced roller skates and bicycles. And when the horseless carriage fever swept the United States, the new concept captured the imagination of the three sons of Thomas H. White, Windsor, Walter and Rollin. It was Rollin White, an engineering graduate of Cornell University, who perfected a flash boiler for steam automobiles in 1899, an invention which gave early White steam cars an edge over most contemporaries (as shown on the videos below). Windsor White, also an engineer who had been working in the family sewing machine plant since 1892, teamed with his brother to help design their first steam car. With a degree in law, Walter White’s efforts were directed at establishing a sales and after-sales support network. In 1900, the brothers were endurance testing the first prototype White steam car, and also designing a delivery van for the commercial market. In 1902, a five-ton steam truck was produced. Like other car and truck makers of the time, the White brothers took advantage of public test runs and speed races to prove the capabilities of their products. In England, Walter White won a 650-mile road trial. In 1905, a White racer established a new world’s record for a mile, covering the distance in 48 seconds. In 1906, there were more White steam cars on the roads of America than any other make. Owners included Presidents William Howard Taft and Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt Jr. From 1909, the White brothers began producing gasoline-powered trucks, and the rest is history. 1907 30hp White steam car video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf8miprLH60 1907 20hp White steam car video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKA4cdAzsco