kscarbel2

Yahoo Finance / August 7, 2019 The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Aug. 6 announced a $1.7 million settlement agreement with Bellevue, Washington-based PACCAR to settle allegations that the truckmaker's European subsidiary illegally engaged in the sale of 63 trucks from Europe to Iran between October 2013 and February 2015. According to OFAC, DAF Trucks in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, sells trucks through a network of more than 300 independent dealers. The agency said the U.S. Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR) violations specifically involved orders that were received by DAF from dealers in Hamburg (51 trucks) and Frankfurt (two trucks), Germany, and Sofia, Bulgaria (10 trucks). The trucks were then resold to customers in Iran. OFAC noted that the truck sales were valued at about $5.4 million. OFAC said PACCAR could have received a base penalty amount of $2.7 million for the alleged violations, but the agency considered a number of mitigating factors in the case, including that PACCAR disclosed the violations and DAF, upon learning of three dealers' activities, launched an investigation, fired the responsible employees and since 2015 mandated in-person and annual compliance training for its headquarters and subsidiary staff. DAF also established a corporate policy that allows only direct sales agreements to final end customers and banned the resale of new trucks acquired through those agreements unless it approves an exception. In addition, PACCAR's Dutch truck manufacturer sent certified letters to its dealers reminding them of their obligation to comply with U.S. and other trade sanctions. OFAC said both PACCAR and DAF cooperated with the investigation, adding that the "apparent violations constitute a non-egregious case." However, the agency warned this case demonstrates that foreign subsidiaries and their U.S. parent corporations must comply with the U.S. Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations or risk exposure to civil penalties.

Ford Trucks International Press Release / August 7, 2019 . 1507940147251-drlcss.mp4

She sure does shine up nice. Thank you Waste Pro for your valued business! Great looking Goliath G400. Always Up - Autocar Trucks .

Beautiful dealership.

Nissan Is Getting Rid of the Titan XD's Cummins Diesel Engine for 2020 Charles Dryer, Car & Driver / August 6, 2019 Nissan will stop production of the Titan XD with the 5.0-liter Cummins diesel V-8 in December 2019. The regular-cab versions of both the Titan and the Titan XD are also casualties of a 2020 refresh that will be revealed later this year, Nissan spokesperson Wendy Orthman confirmed to C/D. Nissan claims this is a move to "focus on the heart of the truck market." The XD diesel model attempted to bridge an apparent gap between half-ton and three-quarter-ton pickup trucks. However, its lackluster performance numbers, tow ratings comparable to half-ton pickups, and hefty price premium over the gas motor (the XD with this 5.6-liter V-8 will continue for 2020) made the diesel XD an answer to a question that we assume few pickup-truck owners were asking. The company sold 52,924 Titans in 2017, 50,459 in 2018, and 20,268 through July 2019, but Nissan does not report sales figures for the diesel motor specifically. We had a poor experience with a Cummins-equipped Titan XD during our long-term evaluation. Our long-term 2016 Titan XD left us stranded twice within 40,000 miles. When it was running, we did not appreciate the diesel clatter, thirst for diesel exhaust fluid, and the powertrain's general lack of refinement. Nissan states, though, that reliability issues were not a factor in the decision to drop the diesel. Nissan still has its work cut out to keep the Titan competitive in the truck wars. GM has new metal this year with the Silverado and Sierra, Ford's F-150 is as strong as ever, and our favorite, the Ram 1500, is the sweetheart to beat. Even Toyota has a new Tundra on the way. We will learn more about what the Titan's 2020 refresh has in store sometime later this year. .

Hockessin Fire Company - Station 19 - Hockessin, Delaware 1967 Autocar / Hahn 1250gpm 500gwt Photo taken by James Wensell this past Sunday at the annual Cradle of Liberty chapter of SPAAMFAA muster in Pennsauken, New Jersey Always Up - Autocar Trucks .

Transport Topics / August 6, 2019 BOULDER, Colo. — Navistar International unveiled a strategic plan Aug. 6 that company leaders said will help it expand its market share, sharpen its focus on customers and reduce the time it takes to repair trucks through a strengthening of its existing dealer network. “We are at a point where we have revamped our entire product portfolio, which I always consider the point to be competitive in the marketplace — and we are competitive,” said Friedrich Baumann, Navistar President for Aftersales and Alliance Management, during a meeting with reporters here. “Now we need to create the right services with this product and it’s all about growth and regrowth of our business. We have to change our mindset to make the long view to get us to where we want to be in three to five years from now.” He pointed to two recent moves the company has made to help it achieve that goal: On August 26, Navistar will open a new 300,000-square-foot parts distribution center near FedEx’s World Hub in Memphis, Tennessee, allowing for parts delivery anywhere in the country, often in less than 12 hours. On August 1, the company launched a new service network with Love’s Travel Centers and Speedco that will provide warranty and other repairs to 500 service bays nationwide, and access to an additional 1,300 technicians. The company provided data that showed industrywide, just 45% of trucks that are in for service are back on the road within 24 hours. Baumann stressed that increasing that turnaround time to less than 24 hours will improve customer loyalty by increasing the amount of time the truck is on the road. The company noted that predictive analytics will help, by determining in advance when a truck needs to visit the shop, reducing the amount of time it takes to get the needed parts and complete repairs. In addition, Baumann told Transport Topics that by strengthening its existing dealer network, Navistar can further improve its relationship with its customers. Baumann also noted that Navistar is on track to increase its new truck market share by the end of its fiscal year in October to more than 18%, and is pushing to increase that share to at least 25% by 2025. .

Please........someone save that truck! G models are something very special, and G model day cabs are extremely rare.

Reuters / August 6, 2019 WASHINGTON - White House trade adviser Peter Navarro on Monday called on the U.S. Federal Reserve to cut interest rates by another three-quarters of a point to full point by end of year to bring U.S. rates into line to with rates elsewhere. “The Federal Reserve before the end of the year has to lower interest rates by at least another 75 basis points or 100 basis points to bring interest rates here in America in line with the rest of the world,” Navarro says. “We have just too big a spread between our rates and that costs us jobs.”

Goldman Sachs sees no trade deal before 2020 election, now expects 3 rate cuts Reuters / August 6, 2019 Goldman Sachs said it no longer expects the United States and China to agree on a deal to end their prolonged trade dispute before the November 2020 presidential election as policymakers from the world’s largest economies are “taking a harder line”. The bank now expects two back-to-back rate cuts from the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) “in light of growing trade policy risks, market expectations for much deeper rate cuts, and an increase in global risk related to the possibility of a no-deal Brexit”.

I years ago wrote on Mack rail because I thought placing this history on BMT would prevent this knowledge from being forgotten/lost. https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/39989-mack-rail-–-the-rail-cars/ https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/33469-mack-rail-–-the-rail-cars/ https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/33544-mack-rail-–-global-sales/?/topic/33544-mack-rail-global-sales/?hl=acx https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/33657-mack-rail-–-the-locomotives/?/topic/33657-mack-rail-the-locomotives/?p=218642 https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/33763-mack-rail-sperry-rail-service-the-oldest-operator-of-mack-rail-buses/?/topic/33763-mack-rail-sperry-rail-service-the-oldest-operator-of-mack-rail-buses/?hl=fcd

US missiles are for defending U.S. soil. So why would the US defense secretary suggest placing missiles on the other side of the world from where most US soil is? This is how wars get started.

China to counter U.S. deployment of intermediate-range missiles in Asia Reuters / August 5, 2019 BEIJING - China will take countermeasures if the U.S. deploys intermediate-range missiles in Asia, a Chinese foreign ministry official said on Tuesday. Fu Cong, director general of the foreign ministry’s arms control department, made the comments in Beijing at a press briefing. U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Saturday in Australia that he was in favor of placing ground-launched, intermediate-range missiles in Asia relatively soon, possibly within months.

We found it: The source of the term "#badass". It's this #wicked #AutocarDC used by Dorrance Excavating in Norton, Massachusetts, to move their heavy equipment. And, if you check out http://dailydieseldose.com/autocar-mondays-dorrace-recycling/ you'll see more pics of this truck, thanks to our friend and master photographer Ryan Pedone. .

https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?fa=Main.Item&itemid=18&acctid=9123

You’ve done such a wonderful job in preserving the memory of Mack history, won’t you join me in sharing America’s trucking history with all our fellow countrymen? After all, our history isn’t owned, rather it is the very fabric that binds our country. BTW, I wrote this article many years ago.....if I recall correctly, all the black and white photographs were provided to me years ago by my late old friend and former Mack museum curator Colin Chisholm*. Needless to say, he had a treasure of photographs at his fingertips. *https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/46581-mack-remembrance-–-w-colin-chisholm/?tab=comments#comment-343610

Ford May Leave China The Epoch Times / August 4, 2019 Chinese auto industry news sites are predicting that Ford may leave the Chinese market soon, as recently released data shows that their sales have slumped from a year ago. The data reflects a broader downturn in China’s auto market since last year, when sales declined for the first time in almost three decades. This year, the market is predicted to be even worse. Automakers in China produced 27.8 million cars and sold 28.1 million cars in 2018, which is 4.2 percent and 2.8 percent less than 2017, respectively. Sales of U.S. brands dropped by about 18 percent. In 1995, Ford founded Ford China in Shanghai. Chinese investment rules currently require that foreign car factories must be owned and operated by joint-ventures with local partners. Ford China has established joint-venture factories in Jiangxi Province, Chongqing City, Nanjing City of Jiangsu Province, and Shanghai. According to Ford’s 2019 second-quarter report released on July 24, Ford incurred $155 million in China losses. Ford China lost $128 million in the first quarter. Ford also released a China market sales report on July 5. In the second quarter, it sold 154,042 vehicles, which is almost 22 percent less than the year-earlier quarter. Last year’s numbers were disappointing. State-run media Beijing Business reported on July 30 that Ford Chang’an, a joint venture of Ford that’s based in Chongqing, has five factories that can manufacture 1.6 million cars per year. But in 2018, Ford Chang’an sold just 377,800 vehicles, which is less than 25 percent of its manufacturing capability. The report quoted a Beijing Ford dealer, who said the company has been paring its inventory due to reduced demand, and foresees no profits from the sales.

Drunk United Pilots August 4, 2019 A flight from Glasgow, Scotland, to Newark, New Jersey, was canceled Saturday after two pilots were arrested on suspicion of being intoxicated, according to officials with United Airlines and Scottish Police. Police Scotland say the two men were arrested at the airport before boarding in relation to a law that bans "carrying out pilot functions or activity while exceeding the prescribed limit of alcohol." The men, aged 61 and 45, "have been arrested and remain in police custody pending a court appearance on Tuesday 6th August 2019," police said. Both pilots were "immediately removed from service," a United Airlines spokesman Jonathan Guerin said. Flight UA162 was subsequently canceled after the arrests and passengers were re-booked on alternate flights.

Drunk Delta Pilots August 1, 2019 MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota — A Delta pilot was removed from a fully-boarded plane and arrested Tuesday following an investigation that led authorities to believe he was under the influence of alcohol. Gabriel Lyle Schroeder, 37, of Rosemount, was arrested at the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport and is awaiting the possibility of formal charges. Schroeder was seen leaving a TSA screening line for crew members after he noticed additional screening was taking place. He later returned, raising the suspicions of airport authorities. When Schroeder was arrested, the plane was fully boarded but had not left the gate. A container of alcohol was found on Schroeder after the arrest. Authorities are awaiting toxicology results before a formal complaint is filed.

Diesel News Australia / August 2019 With a continual drive to lower the fuel consumption of its trucks, Scania has introduced a P 360 8×2 rigid version of the New Truck Generation range, targeted squarely at urban distribution roles. Paul Matthei took a loaded unit for a jaunt over the Blue Mountains west of Sydney and returned with an extraordinary fuel figure. Old habits die hard, and some truckies can be somewhat stubborn in resisting change to the tried and true vehicle configurations to which they are well accustomed. Often the aversion can be traced to a long-held belief originating from a negative experience that might have occurred 10 or 20 years earlier; with the memory having become an indelible imprint on the person’s psyche. For example, it might have been the case that way back when he or she was driving a ‘lazy axle’ truck which became temporarily stranded when trying to negotiate a steep grade in the wet or a deep spoon drain across a driveway entrance. The subsequent frustration and embarrassment was perhaps sufficient to cause the angry proclamation: ‘I’ll never have a lazy axle truck again!’ And back in the ‘good ol’ days’ when a typical lazy axle truck was often little more than a lengthened chassis 4×2 rigid with a tag axle and load-sharing leaf spring arrangement tacked on the rear, that was perhaps something of a fair call. But time and technology never stand still and the relatively recent proliferation of electronically-controlled air suspension has largely put paid to the steel spring suspension ‘hang-ups’ of the past. What’s more, with the ever-present impost of fuel costs coupled with typically slim profit margins, what sensible operator can really afford to ignore the prospect of a few percentage points better fuel economy simply by having one drive axle instead of two? Over the lifetime of the vehicle this adds up to some serious dough. This is the assertion put forward by Scania, a truck manufacturer that has done its utmost in recent years to provide its customers, both present and prospective, with tailor-made solutions designed to give them the lowest possible total cost of ownership for the effective life of the vehicle or fleet. The P 360 8×2 rigid is a great example of this philosophy. Acutely aware of the need to negate the aforementioned vagaries of early ‘lazies’, Scania has designed the rear air suspension with a driver-controlled load transfer system that during low speed manoeuvring simultaneously increases the air pressure in the drive bags while decreasing that of the tag bags. This combined with the standard diff lock is designed to provide sufficient traction in any tricky situation likely to be encountered during regular urban distribution driving. During my time as a professional driver, I recently spent a number of years operating a Scania P 440 6×2 prime mover on primarily urban distribution work. As it has essentially the same rear axle set-up as the P 360 rigid, I have no hesitation in vouching for the effectiveness of the load transfer system. In my experience, the situation where it was needed most was when starting off from the lights on a steep, wet road with a loaded semi-trailer. In this scenario I found it was vital to flick the switch a few seconds before lift-off to allow full pressure to build in the drive bags, thus ensuring maximum traction. Then it was a matter of feathering the throttle to get it cleanly off the mark. Upon reaching about 40km/h the system automatically reverts to the equalised pressure setting and by that stage enough momentum has been built to maintain traction, provided judicious use of the throttle is maintained. Here’s the thing though, drivers who are not prepared to go easy on the accelerator in these conditions will definitely get more wheel-spin in the wet than a 6×4 vehicle. However, the load transfer system clearly mitigates this when used correctly. This is where driver training needs to be undertaken to ensure drivers understand the dynamics of the 6×2 and 8×2 rigid version of the New Truck Generation configurations and how to get the best out of these vehicles in all conditions. Speaking of which, there is another situation in which extra caution must be taken with retarder-equipped 6×2 prime movers, particularly when the trailer is unladen. Again, drawing from my experience driving the aforementioned 6×2 prime mover on the long and steep decline of the Toowoomba Range in the wet and with an empty trailer, I found it necessary to gear down lower rather than rely on the retarder to keep speed under 40km/h, and also to activate the load transfer function. In this situation the Scania’s powerful retarder used exclusively can actually be counterproductive because the retardation effect operating on one axle tends to lock the wheels on a wet road. When this happens, the ABS cuts in and cancels the retarder so speed builds and then the retarder re-engages and so the cycle continues. I found the best solution was to engage the descent control system whereby the speed was set at 40km/h and held there by a blend of gearing, retarder and service brakes, with the computer and wheel speed sensors working to ensure the optimum blend of retardation to maintain traction. .

Power Torque Magazine / August 2019 After 30 years of representing a major international manufacturer of mining and construction equipment, Lawrie Mills, with his wife Michelle, decided to branch out on their own to fill a need for improved customer service. It had become obvious to Lawrie that while the companies with whom he worked had excellent customer service systems in place, there were areas in the supply and delivery of products to the customer that fell short of the required standards. “Customers were concerned over delays in the supply and transportation of equipment and these concerns were compounded by a lack of available information as to where the loads might be and when they might be delivered. While the transport suppliers were able to effectively transport the equipment, the lack of communication to the customer was a major factor leading to client dissatisfaction,” said Lawrie. Having established a high reputation with his customer base through his career with machinery suppliers, Lawrie then set about establishing his own transport operation with a focus on service and communication. “I had a passion for trucking and heavy machinery, which probably stemmed from my father who was a truckie. I had the opportunity to move into transport and consequently bought a truck and a trailer. I knew that to be successful I had to fill the gap in the industry that always resulted in a lack of information as to the whereabouts of the plant and equipment being transported,” he added. With a head office now in Newcastle, plus a depot in Sydney, Lawrie and Michelle Mills’ company AGM Heavy Haul now operates nationwide with five Freightliner Argosy prime movers and a collection of heavy-haulage plant trailers by Multi-Lynx, Top Start and Drake that includes three rows of eight quad-axle floats, three rows of four wideners and also drop-decks with ramps. “We have operated Freightliner Argosy’s since we started the business and now have five in service. We have one 110-inch extended-cab model, three existing 101-inch models plus a further two new 101-inch cab models that have joined the fleet recently as part of our normal five-year vehicle replacement programme,” said Lawrie. The two new arrivals both feature the Cummins X15 SCR engine with AdBlue, joining one other Cummins-powered Argosy with the EGR engine. The remaining two are powered by Detroit Diesel DD15 engines. The ratings are 550 hp for the Cummins and 565 hp for the Detroits and all are running with 18-speed manual Roadranger transmissions and use Neway air suspension with conventional drum-brake systems. “We started originally using the Series 60 Detroit Diesels and didn’t have any issues with them. That reliability has continued with the DD15s we use today. We did initially experience some problems with the earlier EGR Cummins engines, but with the new X15s that is not something we are anticipating. “Fuel economy comparisons are always difficult to evaluate between the two different drivelines as with our GCM ratings ranging from 106-120 tonnes the loads and weights vary tremendously. “Our analysis currently shows both engines returning similar figures of around the 1.6-1.7 km/litre mark, with the Detroits being slightly better. The X15 engines with SCR and AdBlue are still a new development for us and we need more time to evaluate the improvements that might be available,” added Lawrie. Maintenance on the newly-arrived vehicles is completed initially by Daimler Trucks of Huntingwood through sales executive Mario Agius who has supplied all the Freightliners to AGM Heavy Haul through its 13 years of business. The relationship between Mario and Lawrie Mills is typical of AGM’s approach to business and client/customer relationships, with Mario this year celebrating 33 years of continuous employment at the same dealership. “Heavy Haulage requires operators that have particular knowledge and experience. Our drivers complete a very comprehensive daily pre-start check of the vehicles, trailers and equipment, because in heavy-haulage transport we have to ensure that nothing is likely to impact on the movement of the machinery. In this way we minimize any possibility of having an unscheduled stop somewhere far from the availability of roadside assistance. “The Argosys have been particularly suited to our type of work and although they have the benefit of a larger cab for the driver, we can stay within the 19m overall length requirements (or 20m for longer floats),” he added. Communication between AGM and its customers provides regular updates of vehicle and load location and progress. The communication between the drivers and head office has until now been via mobile phone links and GPS positioning but the company is currently evaluating an upgrade with NAVMAN and Verizon that will enable each driver to communicate to head office through a PDA in the cab. If there is one concern in the heavy haulage it relates to the issue of permits, now the responsibility of the HVIA, with expected permit issue times now taking up to three weeks to authorise. This time delay is now restricting the ability of members in the heavy-haulage sector to react to more urgent short-term traffic movements. Other concerns include the continuing lack of commonality of legislation and permits between the different States and Territories. AGM’s tyre-monitoring programme is handled by Tates Tyres of Riverstone, with the current preference for the Argosys being to run with either Continental or Pirelli products. All vehicle and maintenance requirements are handled by STR Mechanical of Londonderry on the western outskirts of Sydney. As a satisfied operator of the Freightliner Argosy product, Lawrie Mills is currently keen to evaluate the potential of the Mercedes-Benz 2658 and 2663 prime movers as a possible replacement. “The warranty support of 1,000,000 km for Detroit engines and 1,200,000 km for Cummins engines governs our vehicle replacement programme to five years. We will be looking at how the 16-litre Daimler engine and Powershift transmission in the Mercedes-Benz performs in our heavy-haulage area, together with evaluating the Freightliner Cascadia when it is released in the latter part of this year,” added Lawrie. .

New Zealand Trucking / August 2019 Work on the pictorial chronology of the first 1000 Mack trucks assembled and registered to work in New Zealand continues apace, with a significant number of the required photo stock secured. “It’s a huge project for sure but progress has been great. We’re almost at the stage where we know which trucks we need, and can start targeting those trucks,” said co-author Ed Mansell. “We have settled on a layout and we’re sure everyone will enjoy it immensely.” The book will be coffee table styled, hard covered, in full colour, approximately 500 pages in length. “We intend to limit the number to one thousand copies, allowing any Mack owners the possibility of purchasing their truck’s equivalent book number,” said Ed. The book is due for release in 2022 to coincide with Mack’s 50th anniversary of assembly starting here in New Zealand. The price indication sits at around $135. “Interest has been high and we currently have fewer than 30 books left unspoken for, so people need to be quick.” To order your copy please email: mansell@orcon.net.nz or grant.gadsby3@xtra.co.nz

Cascadia trial on track Steve Brooks. Owner-Driver / August 3, 2019 A right-hand drive Freightliner Cascadia has been quietly undergoing extensive testing in a Queensland operator’s fleet, prior to its official Australian launch. It was an opportunity too good to miss and the timing simply could not have been better: a stint aboard the first right-hand drive Freightliner Cascadia test truck in the country, just days before heading to the United States for a detailed look at the testing and development work being done in preparation for the model’s Australian launch later this year. A Cascadia 126 model, the right-hooker has been operating in the fuel haulage fleet of Toowoomba-based Maktrans since February this year and with almost 72,000km under its belt, has done everything expected of it, according to company owner Rob Hannaman. Maktrans runs nine trucks with Freightliner Coronado punched by Detroit’s DD15, being Rob’s established combination for the 25 metre B-double applications that dominate the business, hauling fuel across a broad expanse of Queensland and NSW. The only exceptions are a recently purchased Mercedes-Benz 2663 model for a new A-double configuration and, of course, the Cascadia test unit punched by a Detroit DD16 dispensing 600hp (447kW) and a tenacious 2,050ft-lb (2,779Nm) of torque. Joining two left-hand drive test units operating from Victoria, the Maktrans Cascadia is effectively a hand-built pre-production unit brought to Australia to continue the test program that Freightliner is banking on to verify and secure Cascadia’s durability for the Australian market. According to senior Freightliner insiders, several more right-hand drive trial units are soon to join the local test program, which is being run in sync with an extensive engineering and test exercise in the US. The extent of that exercise and its aim to ensure Cascadia does not suffer the durability dilemmas of some predecessors, is the fundamental reason behind Freightliner’s invitation to visit the US operation. Meantime, the Maktrans truck is the same unit showcased on the Freightliner stand at this year’s Brisbane Truck Show, obviously with the ‘camouflage’ now removed. It is also the first Cascadia in Australia to sport a sleeper cab – the shorter 36 inch version which will be offered along with 48 inch and 60 inch bunks. Critically, driver reaction to the Cascadia has been highly positive with Maktrans driver Trevor Conroy quick to concede he’d be more than happy to stay in the trial truck for as long as possible. "It’s a good thing," said the straight-talking 62 year-old during a run from Brisbane to the top of Cunningham’s Gap on his way to deliver a B-double load of diesel to a roadhouse in northern NSW. "As far as I’m concerned, it’s a better truck all-round than Coronado." Why? "It’s more comfortable, quieter, a lot better visibility," Trevor says simply. "There are just a lot of things about it I like, including the automated ’box. It’s just so good everywhere, and easier, especially in traffic." As for handling and road manners, he contends the steering is certainly firmer at low speeds than its Coronado equivalent, "But you couldn’t say the steering’s heavy. Not at all, and it keeps a good line on the road." Just an hour or so after leaving Brisbane, ride quality and road manners were certainly showcased on the rippled, rutted surface of the Cunningham Highway where the Cascadia delivered exceptionally high standards. It was on this stretch, however, where Cascadia displayed a surprising and totally unexpected quality totally at odds with most of its predecessors. Despite the fact the truck had shortcomings in some areas of fit and finish, typical of any pre-production unit, there was not one – I emphasise, not one – rattle, squeak or squawk from the moment I climbed in to the time I climbed out at Fisher’s roadhouse at the top of Cunningham’s Gap. A smiling Trevor Conroy agreed. "Yeah, there are no noises that shouldn’t be there." Cynical as it may sound, this was an amazing feat for a brand often pilloried for poor attention to detail, suggesting that the Cascadia cab has inherited a level of Benz architectural strength which largely eluded its forebears. Except, of course, for the original and much revered FLC112 model which also happened to have a cab derived from Mercedes-Benz. Road Report One of the truck’s two regular drivers, Trevor spends four days behind the wheel before handing over to John Malpress for the remaining three days of the week. While acknowledging that most drivers have their own ideas and individual preferences on what’s good and what’s not, Trevor is a big fan of the standard seat. "I’m not a tall bloke and my back’s not real good at the best of times but this is probably the most comfortable truck seat I’ve ever sat in." What about the bunk? "It’s alright for me and it’d probably be fine if you were the truck’s only driver but for our work, a bigger bunk would be better, for sure. It’d make life easier." Quiet for a moment, he adds abruptly, "The worst thing about it is the mattress. Bloody Yank mattresses are crap." Fortunately, Freightliner in Australia uses a far better mattress. Any other issues? Again, he takes a few moments before stating that apart from some initial delays with wiring for Dangerous Goods compliance, the truck has been largely trouble-free. "We’ve just been told to put mileage on it and that’s exactly what we’ve been doing, except when it got taken off the road for the truck show," he remarks. Asked if he’s noticed a difference in fuel consumption between the 600hp DD16 in the Cascadia and the 560hp (418kW) DD15 in the Coronado he normally drives, both units hauling largely identical B-double tanker sets at loaded weights up to 68 tonnes, an adamant Trevor Conroy insists, "A big difference. This truck (Cascadia) is heaps better on fuel." He quickly scans through the test truck’s on-board monitoring system to reveal an average consumption of 51.4 litres per 100km, or 1.95km/litre, recorded over the previous 3,500km. Much of Cascadia’s instrumentation, switchgear and control functions are from the same family store as the latest Mercedes-Benz models and Trevor concedes it took "a little while" to come to grips with the various functions but now, "it’s not a problem". Time and distance passed quickly and it wasn’t long before Aratula fell behind and the long Cunningham’s climb started to rear up. As he usually does, Trevor simply set cruise control and let the DT12 automated shifter do its thing for most of the climb until, with just a kilometre or so to go, he switched to manual mode in preparation for a shift down to fifth on the approach to the sharp lip at the top. In an incredibly strong pulling performance, the DD16 revealed the deep reserves of grit and grunt you’d expect from a big bore engine with such formidable torque output, hauling easily over the lip in fifth gear at 20km/h and Trevor reporting, "My right foot’s not even flat to the floor." It was, however, the synergy and intuition of the engine and transmission package that truly impressed, with the DT12 in auto mode demonstrating an advanced ability to let engine speed to run to the higher end of the rev range on steep sections rather than regularly jumping to an unnecessary and unwanted upshift. All up, it’s impossible to judge the long-term suitability of any truck from just a hundred kilometres or so in the shotgun seat. But this much is indeed evident: Freightliner Cascadia is demonstrating the attributes to suggest America’s number one brand of heavy-duty truck will later this year cross the Pacific with far more in its favour than any of its forebears. Stay tuned, because our next report on Cascadia will also be from the other side of the Pacific. .