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Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / May 28, 2015 Citing it as a way to improve aerodynamics and gain more flexibility in creating new technologies, Daimler Trucks North America, parent company of Freightliner and Western Star, has petitioned the U.S. DOT’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration asking it to allow camera-monitor systems as a compliance alternative to rearview mirrors. Federal regulations currently require heavy-duty trucks to be equipped with rearview mirrors from the manufacturer. But, Daimler argues in its petition, modern camera-based systems can do the job just as good as rearview mirrors if not better, and it’ll allow truck makers to avoid the aerodynamic drag that comes with two awkwardly shaped chunks of metal and mirror hanging on each side of the tractor. Camera systems expand truck operators’ fields of view and give them better viewing angles of what’s happening around their vehicle, Daimler says. From its petition: “Camera systems can eliminate blind spots and furnish an unimpeded view in all directions, encompassing multiple lanes.” And the aerodynamic benefits, while improving fuel economy, also lower greenhouse gas emissions associated with fuel consumption. In the building of the Freightliner SuperTruck concept vehicle unveiled this year, Daimler said it hoped to not have to use rearview mirrors in the finished product. But to make the truck road legal — prior to NHTSA’s review of its exemption petition — Freightliner had to equip the rig with a small mirror on each side. However, as you can see in the photos below, they’re not really needed, as Freightliner also equipped the SuperTruck with the camera-monitoring system that could make rearview mirrors obsolete. Here are photos of both the SuperTruck’s rearview mirror setup and the one used in the Freightliner Inspiration, the company’s recently revealed semi-autonomous truck: Supporting photographs: http://www.ccjdigital.com/daimler-trucks-asks-dot-to-allow-it-to-use-camera-systems-in-lieu-of-rearview-mirrors-with-photos/

We had a lot of fun discussing Ford's highly advanced Big Red. http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/32038-fords-futuristic-gas-turbine-big-red/ One gentleman appeared claiming to own it, but................ Last year, one gentleman posted on the net: i know where it is.....and its alive and doin fine in my dads garage....my brother owns it....it is now fully restored with the original gas turbine engine.....tbr24333@yahoo.com And another gentleman posted: We were researching that vehicle in December. AACA Hornets Nest Region member and local editor Jerry Clemmons talked directly with Lee Holman. Lee siad tht after Ford was finished testing, it was being towed back to Detroit. Its tow rig broke down, so Holman Moody towed it back to Charlotte as a favor to Ford. Henry Ford II told HM to keep everthing since the Ford contract was over. HM retained the cab (cab and chassis less engine) for some time, but the trailers were sold to the "Miss Bardahl" racing team to haul boats. More recently a 1957 Thunderbird collector in North Carolina bought the cab. The turbine powerplant was an on-off deal, and parts were unavailable. The new owner installed an industrial turbine, bu it made the truck too heavy, and he couldn't get it tagged. Slick Owens, who worked at Holman Moody for 15 years, said the "cab had bath, sink and all kinds of stuff ... had maps of U.S. that could move like a movie, cab was as high as trailer and inside was smooth like a room." The picture below is visual proof that Bergdahl operated at least one of the Big Red Fruehauf trailers. A true piece of America's trucking history, it's regrettable that if the tractor is still actually in existence, it remains hidden away. It belongs in the Henry Ford museum. Or, Ford would impress if they rebuilt the truck to look as it originally did new, but installed a cutting edge turbine drivetrain based on the latest technologies. That is, like the Wal-Mart WAVE (http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/35200-walmart-debuts-futuristic-truck-at-mats/?hl=wave), create a modern hybrid drivetrain utilizing a micro-turbine. An updated Big Red would, like the 2017 Ford GT, would send the message that Ford continues to be at the cutting edge of vehicle innovation. .

Australasian Transport News / May 27, 2015 Fresh from a new cartage contract with global commodities giant Glencore, Lowes Petroleum Service (http://www.lowespetrol.com.au/) has formed a distribution joint venture with BP. The deal will see Lowes manage BP’s regional wholesale distribution network at particular regional locations in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. To be operational in September, subject to regulatory approval, Lowes expects the deal to provide "guaranteed supply, quality products, greater network coverage, a wider array of services and more depth of product choice incorporating BP card and fuels, and the BP and Castrol range of lubricants". Lowes general manager Bernie Morris tells ATN it will be business as usual for existing customers while his company gains a deeper understanding of what the agreement will mean operationally. At this stage, it was too early to determine how it will affect the Lowes’ fleet of Volvos, Macks, Kenworths and Ivecos across a range of configurations, Morris says. "We are taking time out over the next four weeks to visit each site and see what happens and how it happens," he says. "Our immediate attitude is that everything stays the same. "We will continue to service our customer base and make sure they are continually looked after in the same style as they have been in the past. "Our attitude as we move forward is to provide a more effective and more efficient delivery structure to that market place." Meanwhile, Lowes has tendered successfully for the carting of more than 100 million litres of product annually for Glencore from Newcastle into Glencore-owned coal mines in the Hunter Valley. "This is a three year contract and sees our company continue to grow and expand throughout the fuels and lubricants industry," Lowes says. "The new venture of contract cartage is a significant first for our company and sees the Goondiwindi-based business of Lowes Petroleum prove itself to be capable of meeting the stringent safety, quality and tight timeline requirements of Glencore, the world’s largest trading company. For its part, BP indicates that it and Lowes can be expected to pool their resources on the fleet front. "BP and Lowes Petroleum will be combining their trucks in the locations where the Lowes Petroleum Joint Venture will operate to continue delivering fuel to BP and Lowes’ customers," a BP spokesperson says. "There are over 100 trucks in the combined BP and Lowes Petroleum fleet." BP has also revealed a number of other initiatives aimed at restructuring it regional fuels business. These include agreements toward appointing Great Southern Fuel Supplies to operate BP’s depot and logistics business in Carnamah, Geraldton and Kewdale in Western Australia, and with Toll to outsource logistics operations in Tasmania. .

USA Today / May 26, 2015 Cesar Lopez is one happy trucker. There's congestion at the ports, shipments are tougher to come by, and his days can be quite long. But now there's a new app that's bringing in more business. Way more business. Lopez, who runs his own independent trucking company, started using the Cargomatic app nearly a year ago to fill space on his truck with additional shipments. Business is up 35% since, he says. Asked to clarify, he says, "Over $100,000…no, more — $120,000." The extra bucks are coming in handy. Big trucks cost more than $150,000 to purchase, warehouses charge to use their services and it can cost as much as $1,000 to fill up a tank before heading down the highway. The app, from Jonathan Kessler and Brett Parker, is starting to catch on. Most of the 700 truckers working with Cargomatic are seeing $500 to $2,500 extra per shipments by working with the app, says company CEO Kessler. "We fill space on the trucks," says Kessler. "So Instead of being 50% full, now they're 75% full." Cargomatic, which currently operates just in southern California and New York, has been called the "Uber for truckers." Its app connects shippers with drivers looking for extra shipments to haul. Similar to Uber's founders, Kessler and Parker are trying to use technology to change an established business (in this case, a $70 billion business) with trade associations, unions and a long-established way of doing business. But Cargomatic isn't trying to replace established truckers and their rigs with a new set of drivers, Kessler says. "We're just trying to help them make more money." Still, there's some pushback. Weston LaBar, the executive director of the 6,000- member Harbor Trucking Association, which serves the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports, says his members are "skeptical" of the app , and none have signed up. "Anytime there's something new, there are people who don't understand it," Kessler says. The founders chose trucking as a business opportunity, they say, because of the huge impact it makes on all our lives. "Everything from the clothes on your body, furniture in your house, food in your refrigerator all comes on trucks," Kessler says. "Everything you use in your daily life will be on a truck at some point." Cargomatic is working with companies like Williams-Sonoma, Perry Ellis and Bass Pro Shops, offering lower-priced local shipments. When a new shipment comes in, it's broadcast to Cargomatic's network of truckers, along with the warehouse address and final destination. If the trucker is going that direction, he or she can select it in the app, and nab the job. "You don't have to call in, 'Where's my next dispatch?'" Lopez says. "Everything's at the click of one button. If it fits for you, you take it. Then you're done with it. " Kessler and Parker raised $11 million to get Cargomatic off the ground, and are still raising more money as they look to wider expansion in 2016. One investor is Volvo Group, which sold off its car business and now makes 70% of its profits from its fleet of trucks. Jonas Landstrom, investment director for Volvo Group Venture Capital, says Cargomatic is off to a "promising start, but it's early on their journey." Volvo invested, he says, because Cargomatic has "huge possibilities in terms of efficiency gains. But they have a lot of hard work ahead of them." Meanwhile, Lopez is happy with all things Cargomatic, except for one. He wants more business. "I wish they had more loads," he says. Related video: http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/05/21/uber-of-trucks-making-impact-in-los-angeles/27610727/

Australasian Transport News / May 27, 2015 The Arocs is a new vehicle that hasn’t graced Aussie shores until now. The Arocs is a severe-duty platform for high GCM and off-road work. In its native climes the big Benz is pitched as a construction and off-road vehicle. I recently got behind the wheel of Evaluation Unit 146, a 6x4 Arocs prime mover, before it was sent out to the back of beyond and the start of its test career. The team at Benz Australia reckons that this big banger may just have the right credentials to make it as a road train hauler. In Europe, the Arocs is available in a low tare weight variant called the Loader and the off-road variant called the Grounder. It’s fair to say that these clunky names probably won’t resonate very well in Australia and Benz is even considering dropping model names all together and reverting to the number based nomenclature of the past. Engine The 146 is a 6x4 Arocs prime mover, and under the blacked out cab sits a Euro 6 16-litre 630hp in-line 6 cylinder HDEP engine (model OM473, aka DD16). The big six also develops 3,000Nm (2,213 lb/ft) of torque and is equipped with a 475kW (637hp) of engine braking. The claim from Germany these days is that component life on the new range has been stretched out 20 per cent further than previous models. Another unconfirmed option is a water-based hydraulic retarder that adds another 400kW (536hp) of braking power to the engine. 875kW (1,173 horsepower) of retardation is certainly nothing to sneeze at. Transmission All of that circular motion gets to the back wheels via a 16-speed Powershift automated transmission, which uses a new dual plate organic clutch. Cab and controls The Arocs cab is quite imposing; this is the tallest cab in the range and this one was specced with a Bigspace sleeper cab. Through the matte black body wrap it was still possible to see the toothy grin of the rather distinctive Arocs radiator grille. This truck has a steer axle that sits further back than the Actros so time will tell how steer axle weights are going to play out, especially with the extra 150kg (331lb) of the Euro-6 (near EPA2010) driveline. But it also sits quite a bit higher off the ground. This particular truck can be equipped to work in roles of up to 170 tonnes (374,786lb) GCM, which explains the extra beef of the big Benz Banger. So far, the local engineering team has been able to get 1,150 litres of fuel on board this truck with the target being 1,300 litres (343 U.S. gallons). AdBlue (aka. DEF) capacity currently stands at 130 litres (34 U.S. gallons) with a target to increase this as well. Interestingly the batteries in the Arocs are mounted behind the cab at this stage and Benz has resisted the recent Euro trend of mounting batteries at the rear of the chassis to help with weight distribution. Getting to the cab is a long climb as this cab is significantly taller than any Benz I’ve driven in the past. Once inside in Mercedes-Benz Arocs, the environment is actually quite pleasant. Euro manufacturers often struggle to provide a decent sized bed, yet this truck has a respectable 750mm wide mattress that isn’t cut out around the seat. It also flips up to access the external locker boxes from inside the cab. These Aussie trucks have gained an extra 50mm of cab depth, which makes a world of difference but another interesting feature that’s available on the cab is the completely flat floor. The Arocs gets a black coloured dashboard as it’s expected to play in the dirt while the Actros will get a classier looking cream coloured one. This truck also had a rather nifty key fob that can be used to check lights, oil and coolant levels. The Mercedes-Benz Arocs uses a push-button start to fire the big 6 into life. Most other controls are fairly intuitive; my only gripe is that the transmission selector is tucked away a little too neatly under the steering wheel spokes. Performance Within minutes of rolling out of Mercedes-Benz’s Mulgrave headquarters, one thing was very clear: this was the most un-Benz like Benz I’d ever sat in. The Arocs’ engine sound had a harder edge and had urgency to it that the big lazy lugging old V engines never had. All that torque and horsepower wasn’t really getting much use as we only had one loaded trailer on board but the big Benz scooted though traffic quite well. Handling seemed firm and the whole cab seemed reasonably firm and stable in its ride. The in-line six seems to have better weight distribution than the old V engine, there’s less engine hanging forward of the steer axle. My experience with past Actros drives on public roads has generally seen me steering the cab through peaks and troughs like a yachtsman at sea. The Powershift transmission meandered through the various ratios with ease, happy to skip here and there at such a modest weight. This was also the first time I’d used the Benz EcoRoll freewheeling function, which kicked in nicely when coasting in traffic. There will be a steel suspension option for those who do want to drag road trains with this beast. And at this stage the trucks still use a hub-reduction drive. A hypoid drive option is currently under development. We took the Arocs for a drive on some country dirt; this is after all where it’s meant to be driven. The cab seemed well insulated with no squeaks or rattles at this early stage in its life. Verdict It’s the performance of the driveline that holds my attention the most. Vertical integration in the Daimler family has served this beast well so far and the Arocs is a very different kind of Benz as a result. Evaluation Unit 146 is being sent off to Western Australia where it will pay its dues in a road train role. Now that’s something I’d like to see. Specifications Make/model: Mercedes-Benz Arocs 6x4 (not finalised for release) Engine: 16-litre Mercedes-Benz OM473 Euro 6 Power: 466kW (625hp) @ 1,600 to 1,700rpm Torque: 3,000Nm max. @ 1,100rpm Transmission: 16-speed Powershift AMT Final drive: 4.33:1 GCM: Up to 170 tonnes (specification and approval dependent) Related video: http://www.fullyloaded.com.au/truck-reviews/1505/the-mercedes-benz-arocs/

Automotive News / May 27, 2015 General Motors sees "attractive" growth opportunities for diesel-powered vehicles in the U.S. and China. GM President Dan Ammann said sales of diesel cars will grow because diesels are an "intrinsically more efficient engine" than gasoline units. "We see attractive growth opportunities (for diesels) in the U.S. and, over time, also in Asia and specifically in China,” Ammann told reporters here on Tuesday. GM said it will expand its GM Powertrain Europe global diesel development center* in Turin, Italy. The center provides Opel/Vauxhall, Chevrolet and other GM brands with diesel technology. It grew out of GM’s failed partnership with Fiat at VM Motori** (2011-2013) and now employs about 650 people in a collaboration with Turin’s Polytechnic university. GM will add a new area to the center of about 2,500 square meters, dedicated to new labs and offices. Construction will start next year. The center developed GM's new 2.8-liter diesel engine that will be offered on the GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado pickup trucks starting in the second half. It also engineered Opel's downsized 1.6-liter CDTI diesel which GM says is the quietest diesel in its class. * Founded in 2005 in Turin, Italy, GM Powertrain Europe is the center of innovation and development for diesel engines and related electronic control of GM globally and designs propulsion systems for Opel/Vauxhall, Chevrolet, and other GM brands. It was briefly part of Fiat-GM Powertrain during the entities’ 2011-2013 period. In late 2008, the R&D center relocated to the Polytechnic University of Turin, making GM the first automaker to become a physical part of a university campus. ** Noted Italian diesel engine maker VM Motori was acquired in 1995 by Detroit Diesel, then a 80/20 Penske-GM joint venture. In 2000, Detroit Diesel was acquired by DaimlerChrysler (1998-2007), who fitted many Toledo-built export Jeeps with VM Motori engines. Penske Corporation purchased a 51% stake in VM Motori in 2003 and acquired the remaining 49% from DaimlerChrysler in 2007. Penske then sold 50% of it to GM. Penske sold its 50 percent stake in VM Motori to Fiat Powertrain Technologies (FPT) in early 2011, resulting in an unplanned partnering of sorts between GM and Fiat. In late 2013, Fiat Group Automobiles acquired GM’s 50% stake in VM Motori.

Platooning is a concept that Scania has already been working on for several years. DAF introduced their "EcoTwin" branded platooning concept this year.

Reuters / May 25, 2015 Mario Enriquez says there's no real trick to getting great fuel mileage in a big truck. "Just take it easy," says the 61-year-old native of El Paso, who's driven an 18-wheeler for 11 years. "I don't gun the engine, I just gradually give it the gas." Enriquez averaged 9.74 miles per gallon from February to April in an International ProStar made by Navistar International Corp. For that, his employer, Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT), awarded him a Nissan Versa compact car. Enriquez wasn't even the best of the company's drivers in the latest quarter, but no driver is allowed to win more than once and all those ahead of him were previous winners. The mileage performance Enriquez and truckers like him can achieve with current trucks is significant because it could influence how far the U.S. government pushes heavy truck makers to boost the average fuel economy of future Class 8 trucks - the over-the-road haulers like the ones MVT operates. Environmentalists want the Environmental Protection Agency to set a standard of 10 miles per gallon, up about 40 percent from current levels, as part of a broader effort to curb U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Some truck manufacturers say that could be too aggressive. But owners of truck fleets such as MVT are running ahead of regulators and manufacturers, taking advantage of new technology and new ways of motivating drivers to cut fuel consumption. Their primary goal is cutting fuel bills, one of a trucking company's biggest costs. In the process, some truckers are already achieving mileage close to the target that green groups want the EPA to set. Brad Pinchuk, chief executive of Hirschbach Motor Lines, a midsize trucking firm, says some of his best drivers can get more than 10 miles per gallon out of their newest trucks today. In East Dubuque, Pinchuk is buying new trucks from Navistar International Corp that use automatic transmissions to boost mileage. Looking at the monthly fuel usage of a driver who recently switched to an automatic transmission truck, Pinchuk says the new model shows a mile-per-gallon improvement. Hirschbach also uses aerodynamic "sleds" and "tails" from startup SmartTruck, which attach to truck trailers and cut fuel usage by 10 percent by streamlining the flow of air around the trucks. Wabash National Corp offers a "skirts" and "tails" combination that provides similar savings. Wheel coverings from FlowBelow are another recent innovation, cutting fuel use by 3 percent, also by cutting the drag of air on the truck. Eaton is about to launch production of a dual-clutch transmission that it says will cut fuel consumption versus existing automatics by up to 12 percent. Engine maker Cummins Inc has a model in the pipeline that includes predictive GPS - which works out how to manage hills and valleys to use the least fuel. Klaus Kleinfeld, CEO of metals company Alcoa Inc, sees opportunities in the sector through increased use of aluminum to make trucks lighter. Daimler AG - the largest U.S. truck maker with 40 percent of the market so far this year last month showed off a Freightliner "SuperTruck" at an event in Las Vegas that has hit 12.2 miles per gallon in tests. Its latest production model gets close to 9 miles per gallon. Daimler is pushing fuel saving technology into current trucks. So far this year, 66 percent of its Class 8 trucks are equipped with some form of automated transmission, up from 33 percent in 2013. But company executives caution some SuperTruck innovations may not be marketable in 10 years' time. The EPA should consider different ways trucks are driven and set flexible standards, Wolfgang Bernhard, head of Daimler's global truck business, said in an interview. "There's all different kinds of traffic," Bernhard said. "So you need to say what you mean by 10 miles per gallon." An EPA spokeswoman said the agency intends to propose "performance-based standards that provide for multiple technological pathways to compliance." In other words, the agency wants to set a standard, and let truck makers and their customers decide what technology works best to hit the target. Kenny Vieth, president of ACT Research, which forecasts U.S. truck sales, says truck makers have reason to be wary of increasing costs. In 2005 and 2006, fleet owners splurged on new trucks to avoid buying 2007 models with expensive emission-reducing technology. "The whole industry has its fingers crossed that the EPA will focus on harvesting low-hanging fruit rather than home-run technologies that could prove expensive," Vieth said. At Hirschbach, Pinchuk has hired driver coaches to help improve driver efficiency. PeopleNet software in the trucks flags drivers for excessive repeated braking, which can indicate risky driving and also wastes fuel. Mesilla Valley Transportation CEO Royal Jones says many of his drivers average over 10 miles per gallon - though his fleet average is around 9 miles because short-haul drivers burn more fuel, since a truck can burn a gallon of diesel launching from a stop. MVT drivers have their top speed capped at 62 miles per hour using software, but any driver who gets over 8 miles per gallon is allowed to go up to 65 miles per hour. "If you're getting 10 miles per gallon, you're way ahead of the curve," Jones said. "But it is doable."

Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / May 26, 2015 As OEMs and suppliers continue a rapid pace of new technology adoption into tractors, these truly are exciting times in the trucking industry. Perhaps the excitement was never more palpable than last month, when Daimler Trucks threw a press event for a group of international journalists and industry analysts and introduced the Freightliner Inspiration autonomous truck. Daimler touted the truck’s major advantages, including improved safety, lower driver fatigue and improved fuel economy. Perhaps as big of a news story as the truck itself is the fact that it now can operate legally in the state of Nevada, thanks to the Silver State’s issuance of the first-ever commercial autonomous vehicle license. The future of trucking clearly is coming quicker than most in the industry ever anticipated. But even as this huge hurdle in truck technology has been cleared, plenty of unsolved issues remain. An autonomous truck requires clearly painted lane and road markings in order to operate in autonomous mode. Limitations in forward collision mitigation cameras can’t discern certain objects; while they may detect traffic ahead, nonmetallic objects (a deer carcass, for example) remain invisible. Then there is the subject of the driver. Despite the misconceptions from many in the driver community after Daimler’s announcement that autonomous trucks would eliminate jobs, these new vehicles in fact still require a driver. Will fleets that eventually deploy autonomous trucks let less-experienced drivers operate a tractor that certainly will be priced at a premium above conventional tractors? After all, when a critical situation occurs and the driver suddenly has to reclaim control of the truck, don’t you want your best driver behind that wheel to prevent an accident? A week after Daimler’s announcement, Volvo Trucks North America took time during its Volvo Trucks Business Symposium to explain its vision for new truck technology that takes a decidedly different approach: platooning. Volvo believes so strongly in this technology that its Volvo Group Venture Capital subsidiary invested in Peloton Technology, a company currently developing a vehicle-to-vehicle technology relying on collision mitigation and active cruise control systems. Platooning would allow two or more tractor-trailers to link up on the interstate. The technology potentially would allow for platoon-capable tractors from separate trucking companies to link up on the road. The major benefit to platooning, according to Volvo, is fuel efficiency, as the two tractor-trailers traveling with only a small gap between them will decrease drag off the trailer of the first vehicle while improving draft for the second vehicle. The North American Council for Freight Efficiency recently published the results of an industry standard SAE Type II test, which showed a combined 14 percent reduction in fuel consumption – 4 percent for the front vehicle and 10 percent for the rear one. “Connectivity and new technology will help to avoid accidents in a far greater way going forward,” said Göran Nyberg, Volvo Trucks North America’s president. “Connectivity will be the next game-changer for the industry. Not in five or 10 years, but two to three years.” Susan Alt, senior vice president of public affairs for Volvo Group North America, added that widespread adoption of autonomous commercial vehicles might not be a reality during our lifetime. “Platooning will probably come to market first,” said Alt. “The technology exists today – we just need rules and regulations to allow it.” Major hurdles to platooning include working with states with strict limits on following distances to allow for the convoy to operate on the road without the rear vehicle being pulled over for tailgating. And if two separate trucking companies are linked in a platoon and an accident occurs, which company is liable for damages? These are just some of the many issues that will need to be addressed before autonomous or platooning trucks become an everyday occurrence. But when those questions ultimately are answered and public is more receptive to sharing the road with such trucks, trucking will look vastly different than it does today.

Today's Trucking / May 25, 2015 Calgary, Alberta-based Oilfield transporter Aveda Transportation and Energy Services Inc. (http://www.avedaenergy.com/home/default.aspx) is purchasing Oklahoma City, OK.-based Hodges Trucking Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Seventy Seven Energy Inc. ("SSE"). With the purchase, the Canadian-based Aveda becomes the largest rig-moving company on the continent. “Due to reduced drilling activity levels and energy market conditions, similar to many other oil-field services companies, Hodges generated reduced revenue and a net loss in the first quarter of 2015,” Aveda said, adding that it “is currently exploring all options for integration and consolidation to maximize future synergies between the two operating entities.” Hodges currently owns approximately 900 pieces of rig-moving and heavy-haul equipment, including approximately 200 haul trucks, 400 trailers, 70 bed/pole trucks, 35 cranes, 40 forklifts/loaders and 160 service vehicles. Aveda, incorporated as a private company in 1994 only to go public in 2006, has operations in Calgary, Leduc, AB, Edson, AB, Mineral Wells, TX, Pleasanton, TX, Midland, TX, Williamsport, PA, Buckhannon, WV, Williston, ND, and Cherokee, OK. Aveda is publicly traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol AVE. Hodges has been in operation since 1933 and has a footprint similar to Aveda's U.S. operations with terminals in Oklahoma, Texas, and Ohio. Hodges currently has over 300 employees. Hodges' gross revenue peaked at approximately US$166.0 million in 2012, dropping to US$139.4 million in 2013 and $123.7 million in 2014. EBITDA was US$34.0 million in 2012, US$13.6 million in 2013 and US$14.1 million in 2014. On a combined basis, Hodges' and Aveda's 2014 gross revenue makes the new company the largest rig-moving company in North America (by gross revenue). Due to reduced drilling activity levels and energy market conditions, similar to many other oilfield services companies, Hodges generated reduced revenue and a net loss in the first quarter of 2015. According to a statement from the company, Aveda is currently exploring all options for integration and consolidation to maximize future synergies between the two operating entities. The transaction is expected to close on June 15, 2015. The transaction is subject to a number of standard conditions precedent to closing.

Transport Topics / May 25, 2015 Advancements in connectivity will bring the first truck platoons to U.S. highways in the near future, paving the way for radical changes in the freight transportation network, executives with Volvo Group said. Connectivity is “changing the industry and the way we work and the way we communicate,” said Göran Nyberg, president of Volvo Trucks in North America. Platooning, or a road train, is part of the change. It involves a convoy of trucks electronically linked to a lead truck with an active driver. “How many people question who is running a big aircraft today? It is fully computerized, and a pilot is governing the environment,” Nyberg said. “This is a mental hurdle we need to accept on the road.” He made the comments during a series of events here and in nearby Providence on May 15-16, where the executives were on hand for the North American stopover of the around-the-globe Volvo Ocean Race. Nyberg emphasized that 25-year-olds have never known life without the Internet, and whether they are thinking about driving trucks or becoming tomorrow’s fleet executives, their “connectivity expectations are far different,” he said. “We need to reflect on that going forward.” Everything from buying vehicles to keeping them running will not only be about human-to-human interaction but also “appliances talking to each other to make life easier,” Nyberg said. Executives cited the Uptime Center that opened last year at the company’s North American headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina, as an example of how Volvo and sister company Mack Trucks are making inroads in this area. More than 75,000 trucks are monitored around the clock through the Uptime Center — a central location for the companies’ customer service and parts and service experts — resulting in reductions of 70% in diagnostic time and 22% in repair time. Volvo and Mack are units of Gothenburg, Sweden-based Volvo AB. The presentation here of the truck maker’s near-term vision focused on platooning. “This is going to be the most viable option to come to market sooner,” said Susan Alt, senior vice president of public affairs. Referencing the high-profile debut of Freightliner’s Inspiration self-driving truck earlier this month, she predicted no one in the audience is going to “see autonomous heavy-duty trucks in our lifetimes.” Volvo has been testing platooning in Europe since 2009, generally with two trucks and three cars. Alt called platooning a way to enhance safety and fuel economy with vehicles that currently exist and without additional infrastructure investments. The short distance between vehicles boosts fuel economy through less wind drag and lessens the workload for other drivers. Alt said the company is lobbying for passage of legislation in California to ease tailgating regulations for automated vehicles, setting the stage for actual demonstrations, likely limited to two trucks and on stretches of highways with open terrain. “Once it starts and we get some experience, then I think the market will begin to accept it,” she said. Nyberg said acceptance of platooning will be earned much in the same way as the I-Shift automated manual transmission — by people seeing the benefits. To speed the process of platooning, Volvo is “hoping NHTSA gets onboard and puts out federal regulations,” Alt said. “The challenge NHTSA has is trying to balance forcing a technology versus letting technology come to market and then regulating it.” She said platooning “could be reality in five years,” but in a media briefing later acknowledged many legislative and liability hurdles still need to be sorted out. In the meantime, Volvo is pushing ahead with its recent investment in Peloton Technology, a Mountain View, California-based company that is developing a platooning system through vehicle-to-vehicle communications, radar-based braking and vehicle control algorithms. “Peloton has developed technology aligned with our vision of the future of platooning,” Nyberg said when asked about the investment. Also under development is a predictive cruise system that can conduct a 360-degree scan of surroundings. In a video simulation, a cyclist in a driver’s blind spot was spared because the truck took over emergency control to avoid an accident. Providing an even longer view of the benefits of platooning was Jason Cotner, Volvo’s chief designer. In a presentation filled with futuristic sketches he described a society where platooning matures into a round-the-clock system and intelligent trailers break off and join on their own. Dedicated road-train lanes could include space to move passengers, and he suggested a lead truck pilot might require “a more experienced, trained person,” but smarter truck cabs would ease the stress of the job. Additionally, there would be a person who has “a complete view of the truck from a remote location like military technology that exists today,” Cotner said.

Reuters / May 26, 2015 Ford Otosan in Turkey has suspended operations at the Inonu plant after a week-long labor dispute flared up again just days after the company resumed production at another plant. The Inonu plant is the location of Ford Motor Company’s global market heavy truck production. Ford Otosan said it had stopped production at the Inonu Plant as a precautionary measure after some of the workers who had been on strike did not leave the plant. "Manufacturing operations at our Inonu Plant have been temporarily suspended until further notice," Ford Otosan said in a statement on Monday. Ford builds the Cargo heavy truck at the plant. Production at the joint ventures of Renault and Fiat in Turkey has also been disrupted by the dispute over working conditions and pay that started late last week at factories in the northwest city of Bursa. The dispute has spread to a number of parts suppliers in the area, where Turkey's auto industry in centered. Workers said the dispute was sparked after union Turk Metal last month negotiated a 60 percent wage hike for workers at a plant run by parts maker Bosch Fren, but failed to secure a similar deal elsewhere.

Press Release / May 25, 2015 Leading in the transport of beverages with a 46 percent market share, Volkswagen commercial trucks remain the number one favorite with Coca-Cola bottlers both in Brazil and abroad. CVI Refrigerantes, which operates in the central, western and northern border of Rio Grande do Sul, has just added 14 Volkswagen trucks including twelve Worker Series model 17.190s for urban deliveries, and two Constellation Series model 24.280s for inter-city distribution, all equipped with Facchini* custom beverage bodies. The trucks were delivered by Volkswagen truck distributor Pampero Trucks and Buses, located in Santa Maria. The trucks are already in service supplying over 16,000 Coca-Cola retailers around the Rio Grande do Sul. In deciding to purchase additional Volkswagen brand trucks, CVI Refrigerantes transport director Breno Jacobi took into account Volkswagen’s financing program, advanced design, low fuel consumption and high up-time track record. "The superior customer service and the partnership with Pampero Trucks over the last ten years were also important items in the decision process," says Jacobi. Currently, 61 percent of CVI’s fleet is composed of the Volkswagen brand trucks. Success also abroad In the Dominican Republic, Coca-Cola bottler Bepensa, recently added fifteen more Volkswagen Worker Series model 9.150 to its fleet. Equipped with an eight pallet capacity beverage bodies, the trucks, are now distributing Coca-Cola in the Caribbean country. * http://www.facchini.com.br/en/home.php .

Today's Trucking / May 21, 2015 Truck operators in Western Canada say if there are going to be changes to regulations for tractors, trailers and engines they have got to meet the unique needs of their area. That’s according to the Canadian Trucking Alliance, which recently visited western carriers to get their views on potential changes to greenhouse gas (GHG) regulations that are expected to be released next month by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Canada is expected to duplicate adoption of the rules. CTA said carriers operating in the west echoed the feedback it received at a special session at its annual general meeting in Scottsdale, AZ in March. They were adamant that if Ottawa is to bring in new vehicle, engine and trailer requirements, they must ensure that equipment imported into Canada is ready and proven to operate into the Canadian marketplace. This includes be able to withstand the area’s extreme weather conditions and be designed with failsafe measures to ensure drivers and equipment do not get stranded in remote areas. “It’s clear the carrier community and drivers cannot withstand another round of regulations that introduce more service and downtime issues for their vehicles,” said CTA Vice President of Operations Geoff Wood. According to CTA, due to changes in environmental regulations in recent years, carriers have needed to add between 10% to 20% more power units to build redundancy in their fleets just to ensure they have enough running trucks to service their customers. Fleets claim that drivers are being stranded in the middle of nowhere because of reliability issues, facing not only loss of income but severe cold and heat for countless hours. “Trucking costs related to downtime and service issues are through the roof. Our western carrier members said the only area for growth in trucking is in the towing and service industry,” said Wood. CTA said western carriers attribute these rising costs and reliability challenges to regulations forcing equipment suppliers to provide technology not ready for specific markets throughout Canada. These carriers also told CTA that Ottawa must start introducing equipment importation requirements into Canada that ensure such things like wiring and electronic systems are designed for winter operating conditions. CTA said it is set meet with eastern carriers over the coming weeks to get more input on similar equipment issues. Following these meetings, CTA, with assistance from the research firm FP Innovations, will prepare a position paper that reflects what it believes are the industry’s preferred technological approach to truck engines, tractors and trailers that will be impacted by the next round of GHG regulations.

Owner/Driver / May 22, 2015 It was a trip down memory lane when 260 classic trucks traced the old Hume Highway from Sydney to Yass on April 11, raising $30,000 for charity. Tamara Whitsed admired the Model Ts, W Models and everything in between. Video: http://www.ownerdriver.com.au/events-news/1505/haulin-the-hume/

Classic trucks to turn out at Penrith Owner/Driver / May 21, 2015 The Sydney Classic and Antique Truck Show will bring together vehicles from the early 1900s through to the 1970s. On Sunday, May 31, Penrith’s Museum of Fire will present the fifth Annual Sydney Classic and Antique Truck Show, where classic trucks, buses, fire engines and vehicles of yesteryear from across the country will be on display. The Museum’s grounds are also the venue for the annual Working Truck Show, which was held March 29. The trucks will range from the solid rubber boneshakers of 1914 through to the kings of the highway of the ’1960s and ’70. As well as the nostalgic displays, the show will feature free children’s rides and non-stop live entertainment. The superb vocal talents of the 3Bs will bring to life the melodies of The Bee Gees, while the classic rock of The Beetles will add to the retro atmosphere, reliving the sounds of a never forgotten era. Complementing those acts will be hilarious ventriloquist Darren Carr, Penrith Harmony, the talented Greg Weir and local group Tailgate. Award-winning Matt Falloon and his ‘Trained Balloons’ will take entertainment all day to a new level. In keeping with the museum’s theme, there will be demonstrations throughout the day by vintage-dressed firefighters showing off the skills of yesteryear as they put classic fire engines to work History will be relived with the historic police cars and bikes on display including the infamous Chargers. Patrons will also have the opportunity to take a journey back in time on one of the vintage double decker bus rides. Something for everyone including displays by Fire and Rescue NSW with live fire demonstrations of their Kitchen Fire Simulator together with the fascinating display’s of the Museum of Fire. Entry prices are adults $15 (includes up to three children under 16 free with paying adult) and concession $10. All rides and entertainment are free once inside the museum’s grounds. Gates open from 8am through to 3pm. For more information visit www.museumoffire.com.au or contact the Museum of Fire on 02 4731 3000.

Autoblog / May 25, 2015 The revitalization of Detroit has a long way to go, but it took another big symbolic step last week thanks to the efforts of Fernando Palazuelo. The Peruvian real estate developer bought the derelict Packard Plant roughly 18 months ago and his company, Arte Express, is paying to renovate it for business uses. He's begun with the pedestrian bridge over East Grand Boulevard that connected two plant buildings, draping it with a printed cover that makes the bridge look as it did in 1930. Right now that bridge is actually tired concrete supports holding up a span of graffiti-splattered brick and a bunch of smashed-out windows. Palazuelo says restoration of the entire 40-acre site "could take decades and total $300 million," but he has vowed that the bridge restoration will be completed next year. According to a report in the Detroit Free Press, the first few tenants shouldn't be that far behind. Related video: http://www.autoblog.com/2015/05/25/detroit-packard-plant-restoration-video/

Navistar Trail Magazine / Spring 2015

Australasian Transport News / May 22, 2015 Mack Trucks has used the Brisbane Truck Show to announce a major fleet deal. Big eastern refrigerated produce specialist Lindsay Transport has chosen the flagship Super-Liner as one of their prime movers of choice for their long-distance interstate linehaul fleet. Rob Dummer, Lindsay’s general manager operations, says with 11 Super-Liners in operation and 10 more on order, the truck ticks the boxes for most applications. "We’ve got the Super-Liners on the Bundaberg-Melbourne run, and we’ve been running them hard," Drummer says. "The first batch has been in service for almost a year and they’ve already done over half a million kilometres. "The area we cover is huge, and each truck is booked in for its next load before it has delivered the last. "The trucks never stop, each one will have six or seven different drivers in it over a week, and we’re covering around 10,000km a week." Drummer says the trucks have risen to the challenge of doing more than double the average industry mileage, and their reliability has been excellent. "They’re good value for money and the driver acceptance has also been very high," he says. "With the MP10 and the mDrive automated manual transmission it’s just like driving a big car. "All the gear changes are very smooth, which means the drivers can concentrate on the road." Drummer says fuel efficiency was a major factor in the decision to buy the Super-Liner. "We spend over $40 million a year on diesel, so the smallest improvement in fuel consumption has a big impact. "If we can get just one truck up from 1.7km per litre to 1.8, that equates to a $15,000 saving on that truck per year." Drummer is bringing in Mack’s trainers to show his own trainers how to minimise fuel consumption. The Super-Liners are currently running at 600hp (441kW), but Drummer is beginning a trial comparing how they go at 685hp (504kW). "Mack’s a company that’s been around for a long time and they’re clearly here for the long term," he says. "From the perspective of an Australian owned-and-operated company, having a local manufacturing facility is important. Lindsay is growing, and we’ll be expecting Mack to grow with us." .

The Morning Call* / May 22, 2015 Mack Trucks is hauling a double-digit increase in deliveries through the first four months of the year. So far this year, Mack has delivered 8,895 heavy-duty trucks worldwide, up almost 1,070 — or 14 percent — from the same period in 2014, according to a report released Thursday by the Sweden-based Volvo Group, Mack's parent company. The increase in deliveries this year is being driven by strong growth in the North American and South American markets for Mack. In North America 8,228 trucks were delivered, up from 7,326 during the first four months of 2014. Mack also has delivered 393 trucks in South America this year, an increase from 218 last year. "Mack continues to see strong demand for our heavy-duty trucks across all market segments from customers looking to boost their bottom lines by replacing aging vehicles with newer Mack models that bring better fuel efficiency, improved productivity and greater reliability," Mack spokesman Christopher Heffner said in a statement. "Mack also has been successful in attracting new customers to our brand." All Mack trucks built for the North American market are assembled at the company's facility in Lower Macungie Township. The facility, known as the Macungie Cab & Vehicle Assembly Facility, has approximately 1,950 employees, Heffner said. As demand for Mack trucks has increased, Heffner said, the company has hired about 290 employees at the Lower Macungie plant since January 2014. Regarding future hirings, Heffner said: "We monitor the market and adjust our employment needs based on market demand." Across the heavy-duty truck industry, many international markets are sluggish or declining. But sales in North America are strong and the forecasts are promising. For example, Volvo, in its first-quarter report, said it expects the total North American retail market for heavy-duty trucks to increase to about 310,000 vehicles in 2015. In 2014, the market increased by 14 percent to 270,300 vehicles, according to Volvo. In addition, according to Wards Auto data, sales on medium- and heavy-duty trucks, classes 4 through 8, are up 13.5 percent compared with a year ago. The growth has caught the attention of companies like Denso Corp., a global automotive supplier based in Japan. In mid-April, Denso announced it would expand its North American research and development capabilities to include heavy-duty and commercial vehicles. Jim Mele, the longtime editor in chief of Fleet Owner magazine, said many truck manufacturers are up about 10 percent this year and more companies are adding extra shifts and granting more overtime. "All the truck manufacturers are seeing strong sales," said Mele, who is based in Stamford, Conn. Volvo, the world's second-largest truck-maker, has delivered 66,041 trucks through the first four months of the year, up 3 percent from the same period last year, when 64,199 trucks were distributed. In 2001 Volvo bought Mack Trucks, which moved its headquarters from Allentown to North Carolina in September 2009. Through the first four months of the year, Mack deliveries are up 14 percent. Here is the market breakdown: • North America: 8,228 (up from 7,326) • South America: 393 (up from 218) • Asia: 23 (up from 3) • Other Markets: 251 (down from 280) Total Trucks Delivered: 8,895 (up from 7,827) Source: Volvo Group * The Morning Call, Pennsylvania's third largest newspaper, has served the Leigh Valley including Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton with distinction since 1883.

The Mk 2 was an impressive truck (http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/30332-when-ford-roamed-the-world-the-transcontinental/?hl=transcontinental). I need to put out more info on the Continental. Few Americans know about this impressive Ford heavy truck and the company's global truck efforts.. Seddon/Atkinson, ERF and Foden all built some very impressive trucks.

The Dongvo* (Dongfeng-Volvo) Quester**-producing joint venture, which produces for the China market, is certainly falling on its face. Just 8 trucks delivered in April and 64 year-to-date, in the world's largest truck market that saw 744,000 heavy trucks sold in 2014. * http://www.dongvo.com/en/index.php ** http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/32503-volvos-ud-truck-unit-launches-quester-heavy-truck-brand-for-emerging-markets/?hl=quester

Bloomberg / May 21, 2015 Volvo AB reported on Thursday that deliveries under its truck operations in April 2015 amounted to 17,715 vehicles. This was an increase of 8%, as compared with April 2014. According to the company, during the month, truck deliveries rose by 24% in Europe and by 18% in North America. Deliveries in South America were down by 42%, while deliveries rose by 9% in Asia. .

The Daily Press / May 19, 2015 Liebherr USA has dropped — at least for now — most of a major lawsuit accusing former workers at its Newport News manufacturing plant of conspiring with Chinese companies and others to rip off Liebherr truck designs. Liebherr's attorneys, with the Norfolk law firm Willcox & Savage, have told Newport News Circuit Court Judge Timothy S. Fisher that they will "nonsuit" the case against most defendants. That's a legal mechanism that allows the claims to be dropped now, but resurrected if it's refiled within six months. The motion avoids an immediate trial in the case. High-priced lawyers have spent thousands of hours preparing for a trial that was to begin July 27 and last several weeks. With motions, depositions and exhibits, the original 2011 lawsuit contains several boxes of documents at the courthouse. Brett A. Spain, the lawyer who filed Liebherr's motion for the nonsuit, could not immediately be reached for comment on the reason for the request. But George H. Bowles, an attorney with Williams Mullen who is representing one of the defendant Chinese manufacturing groups, said Liebherr's lawyers have explained in part that they wanted to add another defendant to the case. Fisher had previously told lawyers from both sides that he would reject any motions to delay the trial by way of a "continuance" request. But plaintiffs have the absolute right to nonsuit a case one time during litigation without a judge standing in the way. A hearing will be held June 1 for the final wording of the nonsuit order, as well as to consider a "default judgment" against China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp., a Chinese company that has recently elected not to defend itself in the case. Under the legal rules for a nonsuit, Liebherr will have six months to refile the lawsuit against the remaining defendants, unless the statute of limitations hasn't yet expired. The case will be dismissed if it's not refiled on time. Liebherr USA is a division of a Switzerland-based manufacturing group, Liebherr-International AG, founded in 1949. Liebherr mining trucks — built at a Newport News manufacturing plant off Interstate 664 — stand 29 feet tall and have a carrying capacity of 400 tons. That dwarfs a normal dump truck, which stands about 10 feet tall and has a 40-ton payload, or only a tenth the capacity of the Liebherr trucks. In the 2010 lawsuit, Liebherr Mining & Construction Equipment accused six former workers at the Newport News factory of conspiring to steal thousands of sensitive documents from the plant. Liebherr's suit also accused a Detroit engineering firm, Detroit Heavy Truck Engineering, of serving as a conduit to Chinese companies, and two Chinese manufacturing partnerships, accusing them of imitating a Liebherr diesel truck with a 400-ton payload. The complaint asserts that the documents — from truck designs to vendor information to factory layouts — allowed the Chinese firms to build the trucks "in a fraction of the time, at a fraction of the cost, and with a fraction of the manpower as could be accomplished by lawful means." If the theft isn't reversed, Liebherr contends, "American manufacturing jobs will be lost" to companies that have ripped off technology and processes that took decades and millions of dollars to develop. All six workers — as well as the Detroit firm and the Chinese companies — have denied the allegations against them. The original defendant worker died about a year ago. Related reading: http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/39510-liebherr-accusing-workers-chinese-companies-of-copying-mining-truck/?hl=liebherr

I'm very surprised to hear that. Did you drive a Mk 1 or a Mk 2 ?