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Trucking News / May 4, 2015 Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) said it plans to sharply increase production and employment levels at its Mt. Holly, N.C., truck-manufacturing plant over the next three months. The Mt. Holly truck plant will add a third shift to its operations and plans to fill the additional 580 manufacturing and 25 related supervision, engineering and administrative positions by mid-July. The Mt. Holly plant manufactures Freightliner M2 Business Class medium-duty diesel and natural gas-powered trucks, as well as Freightliner’s 108SD and 114SD truck series built for the severe-duty vocational truck markets. The more than 600 new employees will be added to the company’s payroll in Mt. Holly to accommodate rising customer demand for the company’s Freightliner Business Class M2 line of medium- and severe-duty trucks. These positions will be in addition to the more than 2,300 positions filled in the company’s truck and parts facilities during 2014. “Our vehicle manufacturing network is highly scalable and together with our component suppliers, we are fully prepared to handle current and projected new truck order levels,” said Roger Nielsen, chief operating officer. “The untapped capacity at the Mt. Holly plant provides us the capacity and the leverage to meet customer delivery schedules in today’s fast-paced economy. “Our customers represent the broad diversity and strength of today’s economy, with our trucks being deployed in construction, utilities, beverage hauling, food distribution, emergency response, and a host of other applications. We take great pride in our manufacturing workforce and in the proven performance, quality and popularity of our vehicles.” Nielsen said Daimler offers a starting pay of $14.92 per hour, two weeks of paid vacation per year, 14 paid holidays annually, a low-cost medical/dental/vision package, and a college tuition reimbursement program for those who want to continue their education while working. The company will recruit locally in Gaston County and the surrounding areas for new employees.

Today's Trucking / May 5, 2015 Cummins Inc. announced Tuesday it entered into a strategic partnership to increase its presence in the heavy-duty truck and bus natural gas engine business. The agreement between the truck engine manufacturer and Agility Fuel Systems, has Cummins investing an undisclosed amount into the California-based company, which designs and produces natural gas fuel storage and delivery systems. It is intended to improve the natural gas vehicle user experience and the adoption of the alternative fuel for trucks and buses, according to a joint announcement made at the Alternative Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in Dallas. The partnership includes technology development and integration of software and hardware between the natural gas engine and the onboard fuel storage and delivery system, to significantly improve performance and uptime, according to a news release. Both companies will also integrate their sales and aftermarket support and distribution networks. Customers will soon be able to have service performed and obtain replacement parts for their natural gas-powered equipment at authorized Cummins distributor and OEM truck dealer locations in Canada and the U.S. "Our goal has always been to deliver a diesel-like experience to the end user, making natural gas-powered vehicles as easy to operate and service as diesel vehicles,” said Barry Engle, CEO of Agility. “This partnership with Cummins is a key enabler. By co-developing differentiated and improved natural gas solutions, and utilizing the breadth of Cummins service network, we believe we can accelerate the adoption of natural gas as a fuel for more vehicles, including heavy-duty trucks.” Agility and its predecessor companies have been in business since 1996 and deployed more heavy-duty natural gas fuel systems in North America than any other company, according to a news release.

Heavy Duty Trucking / May 5, 2015 Cummins Westport will begin producing the ISB6.7 G, a 6.7-liter dedicated natural gas engine for medium-duty trucks, shuttle buses, and vocational vehicles by the middle of 2016. The ISB6.7 G is based on the Cummins ISB6.7 diesel engine platform and will operate exclusively on natural gas – either compressed natural gas or liquefied natural gas. The engine is currently in field trials and will have a range of ratings of up to 260 hp and 660 lb.-ft. of torque and automatic transmission capability that can be specified to customer and OEM requirements. The engine uses Cummins Westport’s proprietary spark-ignited, stoichiometric combustion with cooled exhaust gas recirculation technology. The SEGR technology was first used on the 8.9-liter ISL G engine. The ISB6.7 G features three-way catalyst aftertreatment that's packaged as a muffler and requires no maintenance, according to Cummins Westport. No diesel particulate filter or selective catalytic reduction aftertreatment will be required. The engine is expected to be certified at launch to meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board emission standards and 2016 U.S greenhouse gas and fuel economy regulations. The ISB6.7 G will be manufactured in Cummins' medium-duty engine plant in Rocky Mount, N.C. .

Press Release / July 9, 1957 Engineer Theodore J. Zeller of Allentown, Pennsylvania, assignor to Mack Trucks, Inc of Plainfield, New Jersey, a corporation of New York, has received a patent (no. 2,798,568) on his invention relating to an improved type of cab construction by means of which access is had more readily to the engine and other operating components of the vehicle. In recent years, due to the increased transportation of freight by means of trucks and tractor-trailer trucks, many regulations have been made for the control of the weight and length of such vehicles. In order to comply with the regulations without sacrificing hauling capacity, efforts have been made to shorten the overall length of the cab and hood of vehicles so that the storage box of the truck or trailer can be of maximum length while complying with the regulations. To that end, the cabs of tractors and trucks have been mounted over the engine to keep the combined lengths of these components at a minimum. Location of the driver's cab over the engine has introduced difficulties in gaining access to the engine and transmission. Various arrangements for mounting the cabs have been devised for overcoming these difficulties. One arrangement consists in hinging the front end of the cab to the forward end of the frame so that the cab can be tilted forwardly to uncover the engine. Others have suggested that the cab might be hinged at one or both sides of the frame so that the cab can be rocked sideways in either direction to uncover the engine. Neither of these expedients is wholly satisfactory because the cab is still in the service mans way at one side or the front of the engine and free access cannot be had to all parts of the engine and its associated structure. The present invention relates to a cab mounting structure in which the cab mounted over the engine is readily moved to such a position that access can be had to the engine from both sides and the front. More particularly, the present invention involves a structure by means of which the cab can be lifted up from the frame and held in a raised position so that free access can be had to the engine and its associated components from the front and both sides of the vehicle. In addition to facilitating servicing of the vehicle, it can be handled in a much shorter .fore-and-aft space because the overall length or width of the vehicle is not increased, as the cab is moved as is the ease with the pivoted or tilting cab type mounts provided heretofore. Even in restricted quarters, ready access may be had to the engine for servicing and the like with the new cab mounting. The invention further includes control mechanism for the vehicle involving disconnecting types of linkages by means of which the clutch and accelerator pedals, can be disconnected from components carried by the frame of the vehicle as the cab is raised and reconnected after servicing of the engine merely by lowering the cab into its operating position. For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of "a typical vehicle having a cab suspension of the type embodying the present invention, the cab being shown in a raised position; Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a part of a vehicle provided with the new vehicle cab structure, also illustrating the cab in its raised position; Figure 3 is a rear elevational view of a portion of the vehicle illustrating the cab in its lowered or operating position; Figure 4 is a view partially in section and partially in rear elevation of the vehicle cab in its raised position; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the interior of the cab looking toward the driver’s side of the cab; Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the steering wheel and the steering mechanism detached from the vehicle to illustrate the arrangement thereof; Figure 7 is a view in section taken on line 77 of Figure 6 with portions of the steering mechanism broken away; Figure 8 is a view in side elevation of the cab front lock mechanism and accelerator linkage for the vehicle, portions of the cab and the vehicle frame associated therewith being shown in section and partially broken away; Figure 9 is a view in section taken on line 9-9 of Figure 8; Figure 10 is a plan view and partly in section and partly broken away of the clutch pedal linkage between the cab and the components mounted on the vehicle frame; Figure 11 is a view in side elevation and partly in section of the clutch pedal linkage shown in Figure 10; Figure 12 is a plan view of a panel in the vehicle through which the gear shift lever, parking brakes and other controls extend; Figure 13 is a View in side elevation of the panel as shown in Figure 12 with the controls mounted therein partly broken away; and Figure 14 is a perspective view of a manually operated hydraulic system for lifting the cab of the vehicle, the frame elements of the lift system being shown fragmentarily. The present invention will be described with relation to its application to a tractor for a tractor-trailer truck and including an internal combustion engine such as a gasoline or compression-ignition type. The tractor T includes a frame 10 suspended on the usual vehicle wheels W by means of any suitable type of spring, air or hydraulic suspension. The forward portion of the frame 10 carries the engine E and also has at its forward end the radiator R for the cooling system of the engine. The forward end of the frame may also carry the usual bumper B, radiator grille G and the headlights H. As shown particularly in Figure 2, the engine E extends forwardly of the front axle or axes of the wheels W with a major portion of the engine in advance of the wheels. The transmission (not shown.) extends rearwardly from the engine and is connected by the conventional propeller shaft or the like to the rear or drive wheels (not shown) of the tractor T. The tractor T is of the so-called cab-over engine type in which the cab C is positioned directly above the engine E and, as shown in Figure l, is provided with a forward opening 15 to receive and fit around the radiator grille G when the cab is in its lowered and normal operating position. The cab C is provided with a windshield 16 and with the doors 17 and 18 by means of which the driver and his helper can enter and leave the cab. In order to clear the engine, the cab is provided with a centrally located tunnel 20 which extends rearwardly from the front Wall of the cab to the back of the cab and, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, is open at its rear end 22a to improve circulation of air around the engine and also to provide space for connections for engine accessories and the like. Mounted on opposite sides of the tunnel 20 are the driver’s seat 23 and his assistants or helpers seat 23a, these seats being of a conventional type. Each side of the cab is provided with a step or tread plate 24 and 25 and with upwardly and rearwardly convexly curved fender sections 26 and 27 which cooperate 3 with rearward halves 28 and 29 of the fenders which are fixed to the frame 10. The cab C in accordance with the present invention is mounted in such a manner that it can be raised to give access to the engine E for servicing or repair.' To that end, the frame of the vehicle is provided with a generally rectangular framework 30 formed of outwardly opening channel members 31 and 32 which are secured to the frame. The channel members 31 and 32 are joined near their upper ends by means of a cross rail 33 and near their lower ends by means of another brace or cross member 34 which is, in turn reinforced by means of diagonal braces 35 and 36 extending up from the frame 10 of the vehicle. The framework 30 is made sufficiently strong so that the cab C can be raised on it without substantially deflecting the framework 39 in a fore-and -aft direction. Mounted on the back of the cab C is a cooperating, inverted generally U-shaped, framework 37 including a cross bar 38 and a pair of rails 39 and 40 which may also be of channel type, these rails being sufficiently smaller than the channel members 31 and 32 to enable them to slide in the channel members 31 and 32 so that the cab is guided by them in its up and down movement. The framework 37 is fixed to the body of cab C at three places adjacent the top, bottom and back of the cab in order to distribute the stresses in the cab and to prevent deflections of the frame 10 from being transmitted to the cab. The dimensions of the frame 37, as well as the framework 30 may be such that the rear-view window 40A is substantially fully uncovered. A hydraulic jack 41 is connected between the frame 30 and the frame 37 so that upon extension 'of the jack at, the cab is raised and upon retraction of the jack, the cab is lowered. Conveniently, the cylinder 41a of the jack may be fixed at its lower end to the cross bar 34- and its upper end extends through the cross bar 33. The piston 4-112 of the jack is connected to the cross bar 38 of the frame 37. A hydraulic pressure supplying means may be provided for projecting the piston 41b and raising the frame 37 and the cab C supported thereby. As illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, a conventional electrically driven hydraulic pressure supply unit P may be mounted on the cylinder 41a. The pressure supplying unit P includes a motor and pump 44 connected with the reservoir 45 for the hydraulic liquid. A control valve 46 is actuated by a manipulating handle 47 for supplying liquid under pressure to the lower end of the cylinder and discharging liquid from the other end of the cylinder. The motor-driven pump 44 is energized and de-energized by means of a suitable control switch (not shown). The power supply for the motor is the storage battery of the vehicle which may be mounted on the frame 10 behind the step 24 or 25 of the cab. In as much as the cab C is of substantial weight, locking means is provided for preventing accidental lowering of the cab when it is raised. As shown in Figure 4, the locking means may include a spring-biased lever 50 pivotally mounted on pivot block 51 carried by the channel member 40 and carrying a pivotally mounted bolt or pin 52 which can be engaged in a hole 53 in the side frame member 32. When the bolt or pin 52 is pushed into the hole 53, by the spring-biased means, the frame member 37 cannot drop even if all pressure in the cylinder below the piston rod 41b is lost. An additional locking mechanism for holding the cab C either in its raised or lowered position is also provided. This locking mechanism includes an elongated bolt 55 having its head 56 in engagement with a bracket member 57 fixed to and projecting from the side frame member 39. The opposite threaded end 58 of the bolt extends through a similar bracket 5711 on the side frame member 40 and is engaged by means of an internally threaded nut or sleeve 59 having a hinged handle 6%) thereover by means of which the nut 59 can be tightened against the bracket 57a. In this way, the two brackets and the channel members 39 and 40 on which they are mounted can be squeezed together against the channel members 30 and 32 by tightening the nut 59, thereby frictionally locking the frames 30 and 37 together. While the above-described system involving a motor driven hydraulic lift system is preferred for heavy cabs, a manually actuated hydraulic system may be used, if desired. As shown in Figure 14, a manually-actuated system may include a jack 65 like the jack 41 for raising and lowering the cab, a hand pump 66 and a reservoir 67 for hydraulic fluid. The pump is connected to the jack 65 and upon actuation withdraws hydraulic fluid from the reservoir and forces it into the jack to cause the piston rod to be projected, thereby raising the cab. A selector valve is interposed between the pump and the jack or made as a part of the pump to trap liquid in the jack and thereby hold it in projected position. The selector valve may be reversed to allow liquid to drain back into the reservoir from the cylinder and. allow the cab to drop by gravity .to operating position. The above-described systems enable the cab to be moved upwardly to give access to all parts of the engine, transmission and the like for easy servicing and thus overcome the disadvantages previously considered to be inherent in vehicles having the cabs thereof positioned over the engine. In making the cab movable it is, of course, desirable to provide connections between various controls for the vehicle disposed within the cab and components which are carried by the frame 10 and actuated from the cab. These connections must be so arranged as to permit relative movements of the parts when the cab is raised. Moreover, means must be provided to anchor the cab to the frame and prevent unwanted tilting or pitching of the cab relative to the frame during operation of the tractor. To that end, a quick releasable latch mechanism is provided for connecting the front of the cab to the front of the frame of the vehicle. As shown in Figures 1, 5, 8 and 9, that portion of the floor 21 of the cab in front of the drivers seat and adjacent to the steering mechanism 70 has a vertically extending plate member 71 thereon which carries adjacent to its lower end a substantially U-shaped bracket 72 serving to support a cross shaft or bolt 73 on which a hook-like latch 74 is pivotally mounted. The hook-like latch 74 has a rearwardly extending arm 75 that is connected by means of an upwardly extending link 76 with a hand-operated lever 77 mounted on a bracket 78 carried by the vertical wall to which the tunnel 20 .is secured, which supports the front of the vehicle cab. A pivot pin 79 supports the hand-operated lever 77 so that it can rock up to full line position shown in Figure 8 in which the hook is in its locking position and downwardly to the dotted line position in which the hook is released. Cooperating with the hook 74 is a cross bolt 80 or detent also carried by means of a U- shaped bracket 81 carried by the front element or cross frame member 82 of the vehicle frame. The bracket 81 is mounted on a plate 83 which is secured by means of a plurality of bolts and nuts 84 to a rearwardly extending plate 85 welded or otherwise secured to the front cross frame member 82. A rubber cushion or block 86 is interposed between the plates 83 and 85 to minimize the transmission of vibration from the frame to the cab. As indicated in Figure 8, the U-shaped bracket 72 has a transverse slot 87 in its lower end so that it can straddle the cross bolt 80. The above-described construction firmly interlocks the front end of the cab and the vehicle frame, but enables the cab to be released merely by pushing the hand lever 77 down. The latching mechanism just described, in conjunction with the locking mechanism 5560 shown in Figure 4, for the rear end of the cab effectively prevent unwanted relative movement between the cab and frame. The locking mechanisms for the rear of the cab can be modified, if desired. For example, as shown in Figure 14, the locking element for the rear end of the cab includes a cross link 90 connected to an, extension 91 on the sliding side frame element 39a. The opposite sliding side frame element 40a is provided with a pivotally mounted lever 92 which has a pin and cam slot connection 93 with the right-hand end of the link 90. The shape of the slot in the device maybe such that when the lever 92 is rocked to the right, the tension on the link 90 is released enabling the frame elements 39a and 40a to slide freely. When the handle 92 is in the position shown, the link 90 is tensioned to lock the two frames together. To enable the cab to be lifted, means must be provided for allowing relative movement between the portion of the steering wheel mechanism 70 carried by the vehicle cab C and the steering mechanism 100 which is mounted on the frame 10 of the vehicle and includes the steering arm 101 and the drag link 102, as shown in Figures 2 and 6'. The steering mechanism 70 shown in Figure includes a steering column 104 which is mounted at an acute angle to the floor 22 in front of the driver's seat 23 and is held in position by means of a supporting arm 105 extending rearwardly from the forward bulkhead or wall 71 of the cab. The arm 105 has a split sleeve at its outer end for receiving a rubber bushing which extends around the steering column 104 between the flanges 108 and 109 thereon. The lower end of the steering column 104 is mounted in a plate 104a which covers a hole in the floor 22 of the cab and permits limited relative movement there between. The steering gear box, which may be of any desired type such as, for example, of the gear and sector, rack and pinion, or cam and lever type, is mounted on the inside of the frame side member and does not move with the cab as does the steering column and the steering wheel thereon. In order to enable them to move relatively while maintaining a connection between them, an extensible connection is provided, as shown in Figures 6 and 7. A hub 111 on the steering wheel 110 is mounted on a hub portion 112 on the upper end of a shaft 113 having splines 114 at its lower end. Longitudinal serrations 115 and a lock nut 116 secure the hub portion 112 to the shaft 113. A bore 117 is formed in the upper end of the shaft 113 to receive the wire 118 extending to the horn button and switch 119 centrally mounted in the steering wheel. The lower splined end 1 14 of the shaft 113 is received in a concentric tube or quill 120 which has an insert 121 therein provided with an inwardly extending key 122 which is received slidably in a keyway 123 extending throughout the major portion of the length of the shaft 113. Thus, the tube or quill shaft 120 can slide lengthwise of the shaft 113 but cannot rotate relative to it. A thickened sleeve portion 124 is welded or otherwise secured to the tube 120 and is provided with internal splines 125 for receiving the splines 114 on the shaft 113 when the tube 120 and the shaft 113 are fully telescoped, as shown in Figure 7. When the cab is raised, the shaft 113 can slide upwardly in the tube 120 so that the splines 114 and 125 disengage, but nevertheless a power transmitting connection is maintained between the shafts by means of the key 122 and keyway 123. As shown in Figure 6, the lower end of the sleeve portion 124 is connected by means of a universal joint 127 to the drive shaft 128 of the steering gear mechanism 100 so that they can rock relative to each other. The steering mechanism, therefore, is of such design that it can extend and contract in accordance with the movement of the cab in a vertical direction and steering control is maintained so that, if necessary, the wheels of the vehicle can be steered even with the vehicle cab in a raised position. Means are also provided for disconnecting and connecting the accelerator pedal and the like as the cab is raised and lowered. The disconnect for the accelerator pedal is best shown in Figures 5, 8 and 9. As will be seen in Figures 5 and 8, the accelerator pedal 130 is supported pivotally on a pivot block 131 fixed to the floor 22 of the cab. A link 132 connects the pedal 130 to a rocker arm l33pivotally mounted on the cross bolt 73 which supports the latch 74. The lever 133 is supported on the U shaped member 72 and cooperates with a bell crank lever 134 which is pivotally mounted on the upper left-hand side of the U-shaped bracket 81, as shown in Figure 9. As shown in Figure 8, rearwardly extending arm 134a of the bell crank lever 134 is disposed below a laterally extending lug 133a on the lever 133 when the cab is in the lowered position so that when the accelerator pedal 130 is depressed, it will move through the link 132 and the lever 133 to rock the bell crank lever 134 in a clockwise direction. Clockwise movement of the bell crank 134 is transmitted by means of a link 135 pivotally connected to the lower arm, 13412 of the bell crank 134 either directly to the carburetor or other fuel control mechanism of the engine or through a dual arm lever 13 6 and associated link137 if required to pass by other components of the vehicle. Manual control of the carburetor or other fuel supply device is, also obtained by providing the lever 133 with a forwardly extending arm 13317 and connecting this arm by means of a Bowden wire 138 to a manual fuel control knob 139 on the instrument panel 140 of the vehicle, which is fixed to and carried by the vehicle cab. Inasmuch as the instruments thereon are largely controlled by flexible shafts or by flexible electrical wiring, no special means need be provided to enable the instruments to be mounted fixedly on the instrument panel and to connect them to other components of the vehicle mounted on the frame 10. The accelerator pedal is, of course, biased by means of a spring 141 to an idling position; In vehicles having a manually-operated multispeed transmission, a clutch pedal is also mounted on the floor of the cab and means must be provided for enabling the clutch pedal to be disconnected from and connected to the clutch linkage when the cab is raised and lowered. A suitable mechanism for this purpose .is disclosed in Figures 10 and 11 of the drawings. As shown in Figure 10, the clutch pedal 145 is mounted for rocking movement on a bracket 146 secured to a reinforcing channel member 147 extending downwardly from the floor 22 of the cab. The pedal 145 is fixed to a rotary shaft 148 mounted rotatably in the bracket 146 and carrying at the opposite end from the pedal an arm. 149 having a roller 150 rotatably mounted on its outer end. The clutch pedal is normally urged to a raised position by means of a spring 151 extending between an ear 152 on the arm 149 and a bracket 153 extending downwardly from the floor portion '21. The upper limit of movement of the pedal may be regulated by means of an adjusting screw 154 mounted in the upper side of the clutch pedal arm. The above-described structure moves with the cab during its raising and lowering movements and in its lowered position, the roller 150 engages a cam plate 155 which is pivotally mounted on a bolt 156 carried by a bracket 157 secured to the vehicle frame by means of the bolts 159. The cam plate is connected by means of a link 160 and a clevis 161 to the clutch release arm (not shown) so that as the cam plate 155 is rocked clockwise, the clutch is released. When the clutch pedal is depressed, counterclockwise movement of the arm 149 will cause the roller 150 to move the cam plate 155 clockwise around its pivot 156 to release the clutch. Inasmuch as a positive connection is not provided between the roller 150 and the cam plate 155, it will be apparent that the clutch pedal is disconnected from the clutch and connected with it automatically as the cab is raised and lowered. The brake pedal 165 shown in Figure 5 can be connected to a master cylinder of a hydraulic brake system, mounted on and movable with the cab and connected to the "brakes by means of a flexible conduit system. If the braking system is of the air-brake type, the air control valve can be mounted below the floor of the cab and is connected by flexible air hoses to the air supply tank and to the brake actuating motor. When the vehicle is provided with a manually shifted transmission, the gear shift lever must also be arranged to be freed from the vehicle cab or the frame as must the parking brake and such other elements as the manual choke, oil level gauge and the like of the vehicle. To that end, the tractor is provided with a panel P, shown in Figures 12 and 13, which may include a metal plate 167 supported by means of brackets 168 and 169 on top of the engine itself or on a suitable framework adjacent to the engine so that the panel P does not move with the cab. The panel has a gasket 171 around its edges which bear against the underside of a generally fiat and horizontal section 176 of the tunnel adjacent to the drivers seat having a hole 170 therein of generally similar shape but smaller size than the plate 167. The gear shift lever 172 extends forwardly from the transmission and has an upwardly bent end 173 carrying a knob 174 on the upper end and passing through a rubber bellows 175 which has its lower end secured to the panel 167. The rubber bellows permits movement of the gear shift lever through conventional shift patterns and provides a closure for the opening through which the lever 172 extends. A parking brake lever 18%) also extends through the panel. The parking brake lever may control a separate brake on the propeller shaft or the wheel brakes of the tractor as desired. Also mounted in the panel P may be the dip stick and its tube 182 and a choke button 183 or other element. In as much as these elements are carried by the frame, it is only necessary to provide clearance for them through the hole 170 in the tunnel to enable the cab to be released from them. Nevertheless the rubber seal or gasket 171 provides a tight seal against entry of the exhaust fumes and the like into the vehicle cab through the hole in the tunnel. The connections between the controls in the cab and the corresponding elements carried by the frame effectively frees the cab for movement relative to the frame to facilitate servicing of the engine, transmission and the like. It is only necessary to release the locks in the front and the rear of the cab and to actuate the hydraulic pressure system either by mechanical means or manually to raise the cab for servicing or repair. It will be understood, of course, that the mechanism for raising and lowering the cab may be modified substantially depending upon the service conditions and the size and weight of the components of the cab. For example, instead of using one cylinder for elevating the cab, it is possible to use two or more cylinders, and the cylinders themselves may serve as the guiding means for the cab and thus may take the place of the frames 30 and 37 described above. Moreover, in some circumstances, particularly for light-weight cabs, other mechanism such as screw jacks manually or electrically driven or other hoisting devices may be used to raise and lower the cab. Accordingly, the form of the invention described herein should be considered as illustrative and not/ as limiting the scope of the following claims. In his patent claim, Mack Trucks Engineer Theodore Zeller states: 1. In a vehicle having a frame, an engine mounted in said frame adjacent to the front end thereof and wheels supporting said frame and driven by said engine; the combination of a cab for an operator of said vehicle, said cab being mounted on said frame adjacent to said front end of said frame and disposed principally above said engine and normally covering it, a pair of guide elements fixed to said frame and extending upwardly there from behind said cab, a framework fixed to the back of said cab and having parallel slide portions slidably engaging said guide elements to guide said cab for raising and lowering movement relative to said cab and support the cab on said frame, and power actuated means interposed between said frame and said framework for raising said cab relative to said frame to uncover said engine. 2. In a vehicle having a frame, wheels supporting said frame and an engine mounted near the front end of said frame; the combination of a cab for the operator of said vehicle, means guiding said cab for movement up and down relative to said frame and maintaining it against tilting relative to said frame, means carried by said frame and connected to said cab for raising said cab relative to said frame, a steering column in said cab’s steering wheel rotatable relative to said column, steering mechanism mounted in said frame, and an extensible and contractible connection between said steering wheel and said steering mechanism in all raised and lowered positions of said cab. 3. The vehicle set forth in claim 2 in which said extensible and contractible connection comprises a pair of telescopically related shafts connected to said steering wheel and said steering mechanism and means for slidably and non-rotatably connecting said shafts. 4. In a cab-over-engine vehicle having a frame with an engine adjacent the front end thereof and a cab movable relative to the frame from an operating position covering the engine to a servicing position uncovering said engine, the combination of a control pedal in said cab, an engine accessory mounted on said frame, a lever pivotally mounted on the bottom of said cab adjacent to said frame, means connecting said pedal to said lever, a member pivotally mounted on said frame and engageable by said lever when said cab is in said operating position and movable by said lever in response to movement of said pedal, and means connecting said member to said accessory to render it responsive to movement of said pedal. 5. In a vehicle having a frame, wheels supporting said frame, an engine mounted near the front end of said frame; the combination of a cab for the operator of said vehicle, means guiding said cab for movement up and down relative to said frame and maintaining it against tilting relative to said frame, means carried by said frame and connected to said cab for raising said cab relative to said frame, a tunnel in said cab to overlie said engine, said tunnel having a substantially horizontal surface having a hole therein, a panel mounted on said frame to support engine accessories, said panel being disposed below and closing said hole when said cab is lowered. 6. In a vehicle having a frame, wheels supporting said frame, an engine mounted near the front end of said frame; the combination of a cab for the operator of said vehicle, means guiding said cab for movement up and down relative to said frame and maintaining it against tilting relative to said frame, means carried by said frame and connected to said cab for raising said cab relative to said frame, a tunnel extending lengthwise of said cab to house the upper portion of said engine, a drivers seat in said cab to one side of said tunnel, said tunnel having a hole therein adjacent to said drivers seat, a panel fixedly mounted on said frame, controls for said vehicle extending through said panel, said panel being disposed below and in contact with said tunnel and closing said opening when said cab is lowered. 7. The vehicle set forth in claim 6 in which said controls comprise a parking brake lever and a gear shift lever. References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,143,983 Howell Jan. 17, 1939 2,148,308 Spear Feb. 21, 1939 2,306,348 Spear Dec. 22, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 585,235 Great Britain Feb. 3, 1947.

Volkswagen Press Release Wolfsburg, 05 May 2015 Volkswagen creates integrated commercial vehicles group • Truck & Bus GmbH to become holding for commercial vehicle brands • Prof. Martin Winterkorn: "MAN and Scania will together become global champion" • Board Member for Commercial Vehicles Andreas Renschler: "MAN and Scania brands retain their independence" • Works Council Chairman Bernd Osterloh: "The holding strengthens employees' participation rights" Volkswagen is creating the integrated commercial vehicles group and thus putting in place a structured framework for business with mid-sized and heavy trucks and buses. Truck & Bus GmbH is to become the new Volkswagen Group holding for the MAN und Scania commercial vehicle brands. This was decided yesterday (Monday) by the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG. To this end, the shares in Scania AB held by Volkswagen AG will be transferred to Truck & Bus GmbH. The wholly-owned Volkswagen subsidiary already holds 75.28 percent of the voting rights in MAN SE. Truck & Bus GmbH will establish processes specific to the commercial vehicles business, thus leveraging the full synergy potential between the brands. The company will be led by Andreas Renschler, member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft. The Supervisory Board, composed on a parity basis, will be chaired by Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, CEO of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft: "MAN and Scania are strong, successful brands with a global reputation. Our clear objective is to become a global champion in trucks and buses, too, and together with the workforce to take this business to the top of the industry." The realization of the commercial vehicles holding is an important milestone on the way to becoming a global champion in the commercial vehicles industry. "Our goal is to take the commercial vehicles holding to the top of our industry in terms of profitability, technologies and, above all, customer satisfaction. Bringing together our commercial vehicle brands under one roof means we can focus more strongly on the needs of the truck and bus business and can therefore accelerate the decision-making process", Andreas Renschler said. "In so doing, the MAN and Scania brands retain their independence, in line with Volkswagen's basic principle." Truck & Bus GmbH will steer and coordinate cooperation among the three commercial vehicle companies MAN Truck & Bus AG, MAN Latin America and Scania AB. The CEOs of MAN Truck & Bus AG, MAN Latin America Ltda. and Scania AB will be represented in the management of Truck & Bus GmbH. The aim is to coordinate strategy, development, human resources, purchasing and other issues across the brands. This will lead to closer networking among the brands, shorter decision-making paths and swifter implementation. The Chairman of the Group Works Council at Volkswagen, Bernd Osterloh, underscored that "together with our colleagues from MAN and Scania we supported the creation of such a holding. We need clear structures in the Group in order to act swiftly and flexibly in the various business areas. At the same time, the holding strengthens employees' participation rights. For the first time in a supervisory board, employee representatives from MAN, Scania and Volkswagen will discuss the right strategies for our integrated commercial vehicles group together with the shareholders. We support the goal of taking our place among the world's leading players. In so doing we will, as always, make sure there is a balance between economic efficiency and secure jobs." Osterloh himself will become a member of the supervisory board of Truck & Bus GmbH. He will be joined on the controlling body of the integrated commercial vehicles group by one further employee representative from Volkswagen and two employee representatives each from MAN and Scania. As a manufacturer of light commercial vehicles, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will also form part of the integrated commercial vehicles group and will report to Andreas Renschler; furthermore, the brand will continue to maintain close ties with the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand where the synergies mainly lie.

Bloomberg / May 5, 2015 Volkswagen AG has created a holding company for its MAN and Scania heavy-truck units in the latest effort to kick-start cost savings and cooperation efforts after buying the former rivals. VW’s controlling stakes in Munich-based MAN SE and Sweden’s Scania AB will be pooled into the German automaker’s Truck & Bus GmbH subsidiary, the Wolfsburg-based company said Tuesday in a statement. “Bringing together our commercial vehicle brands under one roof means we can focus more strongly on the needs of the truck and bus business and can therefore accelerate the decision-making process,” Andreas Renschler, who will head the commercial vehicles unit, said in the statement. Volkswagen has been struggling to create a global heavy trucks business that can compete with industry leaders Daimler AG and Volvo AB. Europe’s largest automaker has reaped limited financial rewards for the billions of euros invested in the last decade to purchase Soedertaelje-based Scania and MAN. VW’s commercial vehicles unit, which makes delivery vans, will report to Renschler and be part of the company’s commercial vehicles group. But it will still maintain close ties with the namesake passenger car brand, where there are more synergies, VW said.

Volvo Dismisses Its CEO Wall Street Journal / April 22, 2015 Volvo AB dismissed its chief executive, Olof Persson, on Wednesday and said it would hire the boss of Scania to oversee efforts to boost profitability and restructure the world’s second-largest truck maker. During his four-year term, Mr. Persson was criticized for failing to halt an erosion in profit margins despite a 10 billion Swedish kronor ($1.15 billion) cost-cutting program from 2012-15 that has so far included nearly 4,000 job cuts. He will be replaced from October by Martin Lundstedt,who since 2012 has served as chief executive of Scania, the Swedish truck maker acquired by German group Volkswagen last year. In the meantime, Volvo Chief Financial Officer Jan Gurander,who worked closely with Mr. Lundstedt during his own tenure as CFO at Scania in the early 2000s, will take temporary charge, Volvo said. “The board has come to the conclusion that we’re better served by someone with longer experience in the truck industry,” Volvo Chairman Carl-Henric Svanbergtold reporters. Mr. Svanberg downplayed the board’s focus on cost cuts and margins in an interview with The Wall Street Journal and said Volvo will have to concentrate on getting all parts of its global organization to pull in the same direction. “You can’t reach world leadership through cost cuts alone,” Mr. Svanberg said. “It takes leadership skills to optimize the energy within an organization. You have to have a clear vision and people within the organization need to feel ‘this is what we try to accomplish’,” he added. In a statement announcing the shift in leadership, Mr. Svanberg highlighted Mr. Lundstedt’s 25-year-experience in the commercial vehicle industry as well as that “he is well known for his winning leadership style.” He rejected analyst and media speculation of a rift between the board and the outgoing chief executive and said that he still expects the company to deliver on its cost-cutting plan by the end of 2015 despite being 6.5 billion kronor away from that target. Swedish business newspaper Dagens Industri claimed last month that Mr. Svanberg was looking to replace Mr. Persson after growing frustrated with the company’s performance following three years of an overhaul to improve margins. After Volvo acquired a number of truck brands globally in the early 2000s, Mr. Persson had his work cut out in trying to streamline the company, which makes trucks under its Volvo, Mack, Renault, and UD brand, as well as in a joint venture with Dongfeng in China. Volvo also produces busses, marine engines and construction equipment. “The board has come to the conclusion that we’re better served by someone with longer experience in the truck industry,” Volvo Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg told reporters. Mr. Svanberg downplayed the board’s focus on cost cuts and margins in an interview with The Wall Street Journal and said Volvo will have to concentrate on getting all parts of its global organization to pull in the same direction. In 2012, Mr. Persson told investors that he planned to improve Volvo’s operating margin by three percentage points from 8.7% in 2011. But, faced with weak demand for its overall construction equipment business and for trucks in Latin America, the margin instead fell consistently to 3% in 2014. Volvo said Wednesday that the margin had risen to 9.1% in the first quarter of 2015. Shareholders, including Swedish activist fund Cevian, have openly criticized the pace of restructuring under Mr. Persson’s leadership. Shares have gained 17% in the past two years, but sharply underperformed both the broader Nordic market and truck-making rivals. On Wednesday, shares rose 13%. “Martin Lundstedt will be key in taking Volvo to the next step, where focus will be on the whole business, costs as well as income,” Christer Gardell, founder of Cevian Capital which owns 12.9% of votes in Volvo, said. Speaking about Mr. Persson’s dismissal, a representative of one of Volvo’s institutional owners said the move came as a surprise seeing as the company has made progress with its effort to improve margins. “Sometimes your timing as CEO is just bad,” the representative, who declined to be named, said. ”He has faced challenges in the market that are not within his control, but I guess at some point you have to try something new.” Mr. Lundstedt is partly credited with maintaining Scania’s robust margins, which stood at 9.2% in 2014. Speaking about Mr. Persson’s dismissal, Handelsbanken analyst Hampus Engellau said: “It’s a bit surprising since he’s far into Volvo’s organizational change finishing this year.” Mr. Persson wasn’t immediately available to comment. Scania has previous experience in cutting costs and reshuffling its operations and is widely known for its robust margins, which stood at 9.2% in 2014.

You always bring some good thoughts to the table. But in this case, I must respectfully disagree with you. Martin (Lundstedt) has been with Scania for 25 years. He is not one of today's "musical chairs" executives. Rather, he's the kind of professional career truck man that Mack people were..........pre-Volvo. No doubt Volvo's board offered him generous compensation, but Martin is not a man about money. He's a passionate truck person. Obviously, he's looking at a choice, to be his own boss at Volvo at the high point of his career, or work under Andreas Renschler at Scania (Volkswagen's truck unit head previously with Daimler's Mercedes-Benz truck unit). I'm not aware of any ill feeling between Lundstedt and Renschler, but I can understand the human side of Lundstedt's decision. All that have followed Mack's management shuffles under Volvo know the business unit is full of unqualified incompetents from top to bottom. There's every reason to believe that the situation can improve under Lundstedt. Lundstedt is not a construction guy. Perhaps he'll have Denny Slagle run Volvo's construction unit (Denny's background is construction machinery..........not trucks). Problem solved.........if Denny is good at construction.

USPS Narrows List of Next-Gen Vehicle Builders Heavy Duty Trucking / April 22, 2015 The U.S. Postal Service has chosen 15 possible manufacturers to build its next-generation delivery vehicle, including Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Ford, Nissan, and Freightliner (Daimler). The USPS released the list of prequalified vendors on April 14 as it takes another step toward selecting a vendor to build a vehicle to replace the Long Life Vehicle (LLV) that entered service in 1987. The USPS met with possible suppliers in early February, after releasing vehicle specs in a request for information. The list of suppliers under consideration also includes AM General, AMP Holding, Emerald Automotive, Karsan, Mahindra, Morgan Olson, OEM Systems, Oshkosh, Utilimaster, VT Hackney, and ZAP Jonway. The LLVs were assembled by Grumman. General Motors supplied the chassis, engine, and transmission. AM General supplied the frame. Several suppliers on the list specialize in vehicle modifications, including green-vehicle powertrains. Chinese-owned ZAP (zero air pollution)) Jonway specializes in battery-electric vehicle conversions. "ZAP Jonway is working with a couple of large truck manufacturers and is in the process of finalizing its partnerships to support the repurposing of the truck's body to meet the specifications for this USPS opportunity," according to a company release. "ZAP Jonway hopes to utilize this repurposed clean energy truck, which will have models in both electric as well as compressed natural gas (CNG)."

Heavy Duty Trucking / April 22, 2015 The Freightliner Cascadia is now available with the AeroSmart and SmartAdvantage Powertrain packages designed to enhance efficiency and performance. The AeroSmart package combines all of the aerodynamic components available for the Cascadia with the SmartAdvantage powertrain. The SmartAdvantage powertrain was developed by Cummins and Eaton and is designed to improve fuel economy by 1.5%. SmartAdvantage combines a Cummins ISX15 engine with SmarTorque2 with an Eaton Fuller Advantage 10-speed automated manual transmission. Freightliner said the engine and transmission share critical data with each other to determine the torque required to deliver the correct power, resulting in more efficient performance. The Cummins ISX15 with SmarTorque2 works well for on-highway applications. The engine delivers higher torque earlier in the RPM range enabling trucks to cruise at 1150-1240 RPM while still maintaining sufficient torque and power, said the OEM. The Eaton transmission has new features such as precision lubrication and lightweight components. The lubrication design reduces churning losses and eliminates the need for a cooler in most applications which improves fuel economy. Small gear steps enable downspeeding in overdrive and improved efficiency in direct drive and shifting is optimized based on grade, weight, engine torque and throttle position. The AeroSmart and SmartAdvantage powertrain packages are now available to order.

Press Release / April 20, 2015 Strong demand in Europe for Scania’s trucks in the first quarter resulted in a 46 percent increase in order bookings, compared to the first quarter of 2014 to 12,446 (8,500) trucks. Meanwhile, demand in Brazil and Russia weakened significantly. Scania increased its market share in Europe during the first quarter of 2015 to 17.2 percent, compared to 15.3 percent during the same period of 2014, continuing the positive trend which began last year with the transition to the Euro 6 emission standard. “Our customer offering was very competitive in early 2014, as we had proved the performance of the new engines and had introduced Scania Streamline. We also had the market’s broadest Euro 6 engine range. We have now built further on this and have introduced additional improvements,” explains Scania’s President and CEO Martin Lundstedt. Second and third generation Euro 6 engines have performed very well for our customers and in trade press tests and Scania’s position in the European market is very strong. Among other things, Scania has two engines with 410 and 450 horsepower, respectively, which only use SCR aftertreatment technology to meet the Euro 6 standard (EPA2010 equivalent). “We had high expectations for these engines and they are a great success. Meanwhile, the quality level of the trucks is high in general and we have entered new segments, which is driving sales growth of new truck applications that are based on Scania’s modular system,” says Henrik Henriksson, Head of Sales and Marketing. Order bookings in Europe improved during the first quarter, both compared to early last year and to the fourth quarter of 2014. “Demand is good in the major markets and the feedback we are getting from customers indicates that our performance is strong,” says Henriksson. However, demand in Latin America and Eurasia has weakened sharply, mainly related to Brazil and Russia. Economic activity is at a low level and the second half of 2014 was characterised by a temporary boost in demand in both markets. Order bookings in Latin America decreased by 56 percent to 1,768 (4,000) units and order bookings Eurasia decreased by 91 percent to 271 (2,879) units. Scania’s total order bookings amounted to 18,311 (19,032) trucks during the first quarter of 2015.

Press Release / April 17, 2015 Scania and Oshkosh Corporation, a leading manufacturer of specialty vehicles and vehicle bodies, have agreed to enter into a partnership under which Scania will deliver low-emission engines for airport product vehicles produced by Oshkosh. The partnership will cover a range of products to be launched worldwide. Scania will begin by delivering industrial engines that meet Stage IV and Tier 4 final standards without the use of particulate filters, as well as engines that meet less strict emission levels. The 550-770 horsepower V-8 engines will be incorporated into airport product vehicles. Meanwhile, Oshkosh is scheduled to launch a new fire apparatus – a firefighting vehicle based on a Scania chassis – at the Intershutz fire and emergency services fair in Hanover, Germany, in June this year. As the partnership progresses, Oshkosh will launch further vehicles based on Scania products. “As time goes by, we expect to find a range of areas where both parties can grow their businesses,” says Robert Sobocki, Senior Vice President and Head of Scania Engines. “This partnership has also strengthened Scania’s position on the growing North American market.” “We are excited to have access to Scania’s renowned low-emission engines for Oshkosh’s expanding lineup of emergency response vehicles,” said Jim Johnson, Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president and president, Fire & Emergency. “Providing our customers with more choices to better meet their needs is an important part of our growth strategy, and offering Scania power is another major step forward.”

Volvo lands a man who, as Zenon C.R. Hansen would say, "knows something about trucks." Volvo's never had a warm-hearted leader with integrity before (the characteristics of a Scania man). This should be interesting

Volvo names Martin Lundstedt from rival Scania as chief executive The Financial Times / April 22, 2015 Volvo Group has ousted its chief executive and replaced him with the boss of rival Scania as the truckmaker looked for somebody with “deeper experience” of the (truck) industry to help complete its turnround after a fall in profitability. Carl-Henric Svanberg, chairman of Volvo, said he had chosen Martin Lundstedt from Scania to replace Olof Persson as the Swedish maker of commercial vehicles and construction equipment needed to move on from cost-cutting to focus more on improving its truck business. “It is time to think: where do we go in the next phase of our development?” Mr Svanberg told the Financial Times. He pointed to Mr Lundstedt’s 25 years at Scania in roles including engine production and development, marketing and sales, and chief executive since 2012. “It’s a strength for Martin. Of course, if you have spent your life in trucks you know an awful lot,” Mr Svanberg added. Mr Persson, whose experience was in Volvo’s construction equipment and aerospace engine businesses, paid the price for the Swedish group’s consistent decline in profitability during his four years in charge. A restructuring programme designed to reduce costs by SKr10bn and cut more than 5,000 jobs has only just started to bear fruit. In the first quarter of this year, Volvo’s operating margin jumped to 6.1 per cent from 3.9 per cent. The better than expected results, combined with the appointment of the highly-respected Mr Lundstedt, led to Volvo shares gaining 14 per cent. However, Volvo’s operating margin was 9.7 per cent when Mr Persson took over as chief executive and 7.9 per cent later that year when he announced plans in front of investors to increase profitability by 3 percentage points. A combination of increased costs to launch its biggest product offensive in decades, difficult truck markets in Europe and Latin America, and problems in its construction business in China took their toll on the operating margin, which sank to 3 per cent last year. By contrast, Scania has long been the leading truckmaker in the industry for profitability, making an operating margin of 9.5 per cent last year. Mr Svanberg said Volvo and Scania, which has been fully taken over by Volkswagen in recent months, faced different issues. “Scania has been a truck company for a very long time and had the chance to optimise their business. They came to the end of the road because they were in a few markets only. We are in a different situation: we have acquired a lot but not optimised parts of our business,” he said. Mr Lundstedt, who will take over in October, will focus on how to get the best out of Volvo’s stable of truck brands including Renault, Mack in the US, UD in Japan, Eicher in India, and Dongfeng in China as well as improving its production and development work, Mr Svanberg said. Further changes at Volvo are possible: the Gothenburg-based group is looking to sell parts of its IT business while some investors are keen for it to exit from the construction equipment business that makes excavators, pavers, and backhoe loaders. Mr Svanberg said the core of both trucks and construction equipment was diesel engines and gearboxes. “It is very logical to have a construction equipment unit. It doesn’t mean we will abide by it,” he added.

Bloomberg / April 22, 2015 Volvo AB, under shareholder pressure to boost profit margins, ousted Olof Persson as chief executive officer, as the world’s second-largest truckmaker seeks to revamp strategy amid tougher competition. Martin Lundstedt, the top executive at rival truckmaker Scania AB, will succeed Persson in October, the Gothenburg, Sweden-based company said in a statement Wednesday. In the interim, Chief Financial Officer Jan Gurander will take over Persson’s responsibilities as of today. Volvo shares surged the most in more than six years. Volvo is seeking to finalize its business review by the end of this year, Gurander said during a conference call with analysts. “That’s our challenge, from which we’ll start fresh into 2016.” The sudden change in leadership follows efforts by Cevian Capital AB, the second-largest owner of Volvo’s voting rights, to lobby the truckmaker to streamline operations and boost margins. Volvo is intensifying a push for growth and increased profitability, as the world’s second-largest maker of commercial vehicles faces increased competition from Volkswagen AG, which bought Scania and Germany’s MAN SE in recent years. Persson led the truckmaker for almost four years. Scania’s head of production and logistics, Per Hallberg, will take over as acting CEO, the VW unit said in a statement today. Volvo’s CEO appointment “may now spark discussions about his new agenda and what it will mean for the group’s strategy,” Michael Raab, a Frankfurt-based analyst with Kepler Cheuvreux said in an report. “Considering that the fate of Volvo hinges on trucks, his strong background in this industry is clearly helpful.” Shares Surge Volvo’s shares soared as much as 16 percent, the biggest intraday jump since February 2009, and were up 14 percent at 115.30 kronor at 2:38 p.m. in Stockholm. That pushed the stock’s gain for the year to 36 percent, valuing the manufacturer at 245 billion kronor ($28 billion). Cevian, which holds 14 percent of Volvo’s votes, welcomed the management change. Co-founder Christer Gardell said Lundstedt is “very well suited” to take the truckmaker’s profitability to the next level. “There’s probably no one better,” he said in an e-mailed response to questions. In 2010, Gardell supported Persson as a successor to long-time CEO Leif Johansson. Persson had set a target of making Volvo the most profitable heavy-truck maker by realigning production of the European Volvo and Renault brands, cutting overhead costs and expanding overseas. The company didn’t make the executive available for comment. Fatter Margins The new CEO faces the challenge of restructuring a European production network that’s “too dispersed” in part because of past acquisitions and local political interests, said Kepler’s Raab. Still, Volvo’s operations have improved. In the first quarter, Volvo’s margin rose to 6.1 percent from 3.9 percent as operating profit, excluding restructuring charges and a gain from the sale of shares in Eicher Motors Ltd., climbed to 4.6 billion kronor. Including those items, operating profit was 7.07 billion kronor. Lundstedt has spent his career at Soedertaelje, Sweden-based Scania and has been president and CEO of Scania since 2012. Starting this year, he reported to Volkswagen’s new trucks chief Andreas Renschler, who previously led Daimler AG’s commercial-vehicles division, the biggest in the world. Renschler joined Volkswagen this year to push integration between Scania, MAN and VW’s delivery-van business. “After three years of focus on product renewal, internal efficiency and restructuring, the Volvo group is gradually entering a new phase with an intensified focus on growth and increased profitability,” Volvo Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg said in the statement. Lundstedt is known for his “winning leadership style.” .

I completely agree. But in speaking on this subject, I suggest we need to separate big business from small and middle sized business. It's no secret that the government is in bed with most big business. That's how NAFTA came to be, a scheme set up at the request of big US business wanting to produce cheaply in Mexico without import tariffs. It wasn't, in fact, about creating more US jobs (it's amazing the government could tell the American people that with a straight face). Big business obviously doesn't have the best interest of the American people at heart, but it does have fairly solid control of the government. Until this situation is corrected............... Big US business has always had its own agenda, however in decades past, it generally resulted in a strong America. Now it doesn't, and a properly performing government would oversee American business in the best interests of the country, rather than the best interests of big business. And then you have the plight of the small and medium sized businesses, where our local, state and federal governments at times appear to be working unreasonably against them. Yes, we need regulation, however we also need a pro-U.S. business environment.

We need jobs in America, and we must manufacture here if we wish to remain a superpower. We must stop shipping manufacturing jobs overseas and once again make the words “Made in the USA” the world’s standard of excellence. However the American people, realistically, have little voice in the matter. Steered by big business and other, the government has its own agenda, apart from the will of a declining portion of the people that still recall the words "Government of the people, by the people, for the people."

I don't remember the exact number and year, but I seem to recall Mack's best year was 56,000 or 64,000 units, which was very good at that point in time. We were exporting 4,000 to 4,500 trucks to Iran alone in the 1975-1979 period. (Under Volvo ownership, I believe their best year was 2006 with 36,838 units sold........correct me if I'm wrong). In a perfect world, Mack and Scania would have deepened their relationship to create joint economy of scale, cutting edge partners that yet could still walk their own paths. And with that, I imagine Mack selling 60,000 to 70,000 units annually, as Scania does.

My friend, there's no need to extend gratitude to the Italians. I can assure you that a gem like Jeep would have been swept up by Ford, GM or other.............at the appropriate moment. Jeep, and Dodge, would not have faded away into history.........there's too much money to be made there. The US government allowed Fiat to buy Chrysler despite coming with empty pockets. The Fed literally placed Chrysler into the hands of a foreign aggressor, rather than ensure one of our industrial pillars remain American. Contrary to how government should be, politicians support the highest bidder.

9QT59302 (always fun to see those Mack Western part numbers) At this point in time, a dealer will probably have better availability than an auto glass shop. http://www.wattstruckcenter.com/portal/cab/windshields/ http://chicagomackinfo.tripod.com/windshields.htm http://truckparts365.com/windshields.html

Today, I’m troubled to see Prestolite Electric (holder of the Leece-Neville brand) has joined the long list of US companies acquired by foreign aggressors. It’s interesting to note the different schools of thought on the takeover of America’s industrial base. You have the supporters of foreign takeover who will tell you “it doesn’t matter that foreign truckmakers have taken over America’s heavy truck industry, everything’s going to be great!” Next you have today’s younger generation that has zero interest in their country’s state of affairs. Politicians are thrilled with this bunch that has no desire to oversee the employees of the American people in Washington and ensure they are acting in the best interest of the country. And finally you have the middle-aged and older group that realizes we’re in serious trouble, but is sadly aware that the American people have little or no control over the government’s direction (the Constitution’s core elements having been thrown to the curb, and elections and votes going to the highest bidders). The global economy is a real (I'm immersed in it every day). However, many confuse that development with the still present need to be protective of our national interests. Our government has been failing in this regard for about three decades. As one of the world's largest developed countries in both size and business opportunity, the United States can only have a solid economic foundation if American companies dominate our industrial base. The majority of Americans today do not realize we no longer do. Once-American companies owned by overseas aggressors - Germany's ZF has acquired TRW - Italy's Fiat owns Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep - China's Wanxiang has acquired over 20 U.S. businesses including battery maker A123, Dana’s coupled-products business, Neapco and D&R Technology. - Germany's Daimler acquired Freightliner, Western Star, Detroit Diesel and Thomas Built Buses - Sweden's Volvo acquired White, Autocar, GMC heavy truck and Mack Trucks - Germany’s Knorr-Bremse owns Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems - Prestolite Electric, which includes the Leece-Neville brand, was acquired by Zhongshan, China-based Broad Ocean Motor Company and Beijing-based Ophoenix Capital. - Nexteer Automotive aka GM Global Steering Holdings LLC (formerly Delphi Steering and GM’s Saginaw Steering Division) was acquired by Chinese government-owned Pacific Century Motors - Korea's Doosan owns Bobcat - Aircraft and industrial engine maker Teledyne Continental Motors was acquired by Chinese government aircraft maker AVIC - Canada's Bombardier acquired Learjet Corporation - Mexico's KUO Group acquired Borg-Warner and Spicer transmissions - Italy's Fiat thru subsidiary CNH Global owns Case-IH and New Holland - Sweden's Volvo acquired the road construction equipment division of Ingersoll Rand - Japan's Bridgestone owns Firestone - France's Michelin owns Uniroyal and BF Goodrich - China’s Beijing West Industries acquired Delphi’s brake and suspension divisions - Netherlands-based Mittal Steel acquired (asset holder of Bethlehem Steel, LTV, Weirton Steel, Georgetown Steel and US Steel) - Mexico's Metalsa S.A. acquired 10 Dana plants that produce structural components for chassis and body structures in light and commercial vehicles - Germany's Siemens acquired Houston-based Dresser-Rand - China's Shuanghui owns Smithfield Foods - Belgium's InBev owns Anheuser-Busch - South African Breweries (SAB) acquired Miller Brewing - Germany's Merck KGaA acquired St. Louis-based Sigma-Aldrich - Switzerland's Nestle owns Gerber baby foods and Purina - Sweden's Electrolux owns Frigidaire - South Korea's LG owns Zenith - Netherlands-based Philips acquired Magnavox, Philco and Sylvania - China's Lenovo acquired IBM's personal computing and x86 server businesses - Japan's Seven & I Holdings owns 7-Eleven - The UK's InterContinental Hotels Groups owns the Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza hotel chains, and Candlewood Suites - China's Wanda Group owns the AMC cinema chain - The Venezuelan government owns Citgo - Mexico's Bimbo Group acquired Sara Lee's bakery business and the following brands: Arnold, Ball Park, Boboli, Brownberry, Cinnabon Bread, EarthGrains, Entenmann’s, Francisco, Freihofer’s, Marinela, Milton’s Bread, Mrs Bairds, Oroweat, Roman Meal, Sara Lee, Stroehmann, Sun-Maid Bread, Thomas’ and Tia Rosa. - The British-Dutch conglomerate Unilever owns Ben & Jerrys, Vaseline, Hellmann's, Best Foods, Ponds, Good Humor and Breyers - Germany's Henkel owns Dial soap, Loctite, Orbseal and Bergquist - Germany's Bayer acquired Miles Laboratories and Cutter Laboratories (including Cutter insect repellent, Alka-Seltzer, One-A-Day, Flintstones vitamins and Bactine), and the consumer care business of Merck & Co. which included the brands Claritin (allergy), Coppertone (sun care), MiraLAX (gastrointestinals), Afrin (cold) and Dr. Scholl’s. - Bayer CropScience acquired biological company AgraQuest - Thailand’s Thai Union Frozen Products owns Chicken of the Sea and Orion Seafood International - South Korea’s Dongwon owns StarKist - The UK’s Lion Capital owns Bumble Bee Foods - Colombia's Cementos Argos has acquired the cement and ready mix producing assets of Vulcan Materials and LaFarge - UK-based Tarmac PLC acquired the cement and ready mix producing assets of Stamford, Conn.-based Lone Star Industries (for many years the largest U.S. cement maker) - Two-wheeled electric people mover Segway has been acquired by China’s Ninebot And the list grows longer, with increasing speed.

Commercial CarrierJournal (CCJ) / April 16, 2015 Two major federal regulatory changes looming for the trucking industry have been delayed again, according to the latest rulemakings report from the Department of Transportation. A final rule to mandate electronic logging devices, however, is still forecasted to be published in September, the report says. Here are the latest dates projected by the DOT and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for significant rulemakings expected this year: Electronic logging device mandate: The forecasted date for a Final Rule mandating the use of electronic logging devices is still Sept. 30, a date FMCSA has gone back and forth on in recent months. The proposed rule for the mandate was published last March, and the Final Rule will take effect two years after its publication in the Federal Register. Speed limiter mandate: The DOT’s April report now projects a proposed speed limiter mandate rule to be published July 27, instead of the June 22 projection in its March report. The rule was sent to the Office of the Secretary of Transportation in August and has been awaiting approval there before sending to the White House’s Office of Management and Budget for its approval. The DOT does project it will send the rule to the OMB within the next week, however. Safety Fitness Determination: Yet again, a proposed rule to implement an absolute scoring system for motor carriers has been delayed, per the report. The agency’s Safety Fitness Determination rule is now projected to be published Aug. 17 — a one-month delay from the July 15 projection in the DOT’s March report. It is projected to be sent to the OMB May 5. CDL Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse: FMCSA’s rule to establish a database of drivers who have failed or refused a drug or alcohol test is still slated to be published as a Final Rule on Dec. 14. The agency published its proposed rule last year. Prohibition of driver coercion: The publication date for a rule to impose stiffer penalties on carriers, shippers brokers and others who coerce truck operators to drive in violation of federal safety also did not change in the April report. The DOT still projects a Sept. 10 publication date, with a June 1 date of submission to the OMB. The report also includes projections for trucking-relevant rules being produced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Electronic stability control system mandate: NHTSA has had in the works for several years a rule to require all new trucks to be equipped with stability control systems, which help prevent rollovers and loss of control accidents. The rule hit the OMB Feb. 4, and it’s slated to clear the OMB May 4 and be published May 7 as a Final Rule. It would take effect for 2017 year model trucks. Fuel economy standards, Phase 2: NHTSA’s proposed rule to implement Phase 2 of its fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas was sent to the OMB late last month. The projected dates in the DOT’s April report appear to have not been updated relative to delays in the rule’s progression. Click here to read CCJ’s coverage of its submission to OMB. The new standards would be for 2018 and later year model trucks.

Stepping Inside the Freightliner SuperTruck At MATS 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ofio9yp1lJA#t=16

Prime Mover Magazine / April 16, 2015 Penske Power Systems has extended the oil drain conditions for the Detroit engine platform. The new program, which extends oil drain out to 60,000 km (37,282 miles) without sampling, is available to DD15 customers who use approved oils, the company said. “The sample-free oil drain program … has been developed for operators of single trailer and B-double line haul operations – with a fuel burn of 33,000 litres or less or 750 hours of operation – who use approved oils only. “Operators of other applications – including short haul, wharf haul, tipper and dog, and more who use non-approved oils – will need to run individual oil sampling programs to evaluate the possibilities of extending oil drain periods.” Kevin Dennis, Director On-Highway Business, Penske Power Systems, commented, “These improvements all equate to a lower cost of ownership and increasing road time. What’s more, the change allows for seamless alignment with truck servicing periods.” Approved oils are Detroit Platinum Plus 1300 (API CJ-4 15W-40), Castrol Vecton (API CJ4 15W-40) and Mobil Delvac MX ESP (API CJ4 15W-40).