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Transport Engineer / June 4, 2019 Food supplier Apetito has taken delivery of its first Volvo vehicles, acquiring six new FH tractors as part of a three-year fleet replacement programme for trunking operations. The operator supplies food to the health and social care sectors, delivering to hospitals, care homes and community service providers across the UK, and the new vehicles are based at its main distribution centre in Portbury, Bristol. Jon Jackson, the operator’s training, safety and logistics manager, says: “All our vehicles operate out of Bristol, but they will go as far as Motherwell and many points in between. As such we undertook extensive research, including a three-week loan of an FH-500 for fuel benchmarking, before settling on Volvo.” Supplied by dealer Truck and Bus Wales and West, the 6x2 fixed pusher axle, medium height tractors units are equipped with front steel, rear air suspension systems. Powered by a D13K Euro VI engine producing a maximum of 494bhp, the 3,900mm wheelbase units also feature 12-speed I-Shift automated transmission systems and Globetrotter XL Cabs. The high-spec cabs feature leather trims, electrically-controlled air conditioning systems and height-adjustable, foldable top bunks. The vehicles are expected to clock up 200,000km a year and are supplied on three-year Volvo Gold R&M contracts. .

Transport Engineer / May 31, 2019 Liverpool-based scaffolding business George Roberts (North West) has taken delivery of three Mercedes-Benz Arocs 8x2 rigids, replacing three 6x2 models after four years’ reliable service. Supplied by dealer Roanza Truck & Van, the new additions are fitted with dropside bodies by PPS Commercials, of Bury, and Fassi 485 cranes with a maximum outreach of more than 28m. All are 3246 models with 10.7-litre straight-six engines, producing 450bhp and driving through PowerShift automated transmissions. Two of the trucks have ClassicSpace M day cabs; the other has a StreamSpace sleeper. They line up alongside another three six-wheelers and are George Roberts’ first four-axled delivery trucks. The operator is upgrading its fleet from 26- to 32-tonners meet increased customer demand, and a growth in the number of larger contracts requiring deliveries of heavier loads. “In terms of performance and reliability, our Mercedes-Benz trucks have always been superb. They’re also well-appointed and popular with our drivers,” says transport manager Andy Roscoe. “If a scaffolding delivery is late an entire construction site can grind to a halt, so it’s crucial that our vehicles are up to the task. Experience has taught us that Mercedes-Benz trucks can be relied on to deliver on time, every time.” The new trucks are supplied on contract hire through Mercedes-Benz Finance. .

The Autocar website "still" does not mention the new DC-64R. What in the world??? https://www.autocartruck.com/trucks/

Autocar Trucks Press Release / June 7, 2019 Have you seen the new Autocar DC-64R conventional work truck? It's all Autocar DNA and purpose-built for refuse. Click here to have an Autocar refuse expert in your area contact you about putting this state of the art truck to work for you: www.autocartruck.com/my-new-truck #AutocarDC #AlwaysUp .

Ford Trucks International / June 7, 2019 Like every product that rolls off our assembly line, each Ecotorq 13 engine is produced with the utmost workmanship and quality! .

https://www.stengelbros.net/Mack-Logger-Truck-Bumpers_c_781.html

Ford ready to sell Russian plants Reuters / June 7, 2019 ST PETERSBURG -- Ford said it is ready to sell its idle Russian plants and has had interest from potential buyers. "We are open to discuss potential sales to other companies," Ford of Europe Chairman Steven Armstrong on the sidelines of the International Economic Forum. "We have had interest from a number of different companies." Ford said in March that its Russian joint venture Ford Sollers would close two assembly plants and an engine factory in Russia, exiting the country's passenger vehicle market. Ford's passenger-vehicle production in Russia will cease by the end of June following the closure of its car plants in Naberezhnye Chelny and Vsevolozhsk near St. Petersburg and an engine plant in Elabug. The Vsevolozhsk factory builds the Focus and Mondeo models and Naberezhnye Chelny makes the Fiesta small car and Ecosport crossover. Ford's vehicle plant in Elabug, which produces Transit light commercial vehicles, will remain open.

It's important to remember that the success of the D-Day landing depended so much on what was going on at the Eastern Front. Had not so many veteran German divisions been allocated there, the outcome might very well have been different. It was a massively long front that required the allocation of huge numbers of German soldiers. The Allies knew that, hence the reason that massive amounts of equipment ranging from jeeps, tanks to airplanes were given to the Soviet Union under Lend-Lease. .

The quality of a Bayswater-built Kenworth blows away the cheap stuff they sell in the US market. Australian-spec Western Star trucks are well built also. In the past, I preferred the Peterbilt COEs including the 320, 352, 362, 372 and 520. But I do like the appearance of the new 567 Heritage.

These are two older videos (but the latest offered by Oshkosh and McNeilus.....both clueless about sales marketing). . .

Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT) / June 6. 2019 McNeilus Truck and Manufacturing, Inc. has taken the Oshkosh S-Series front discharge concrete mixer and improved it with an array of new features and technologies that pay off with better visibility, increased hauling capability, and a tighter turning radius, according to the company. “Our S-Series has always been known for strength, stability and reliability;” said Christopher Yakes, vice president of Corporate Engineering and General Manager, S-Series Business. “We’re excited to continue to enhance the total cost of ownership for our customers with this latest introduction.” The reimagined Oshkosh S-Series backed by McNeilus was introduced by Yakes at the company’s Innovation Day. The new S-Series features enhanced cab visibility and accessibility. Oshkosh engineering teams conducted multiple visibility studies that resulted in a design that maximizes the view and enhances operator assurance. A larger cab allows for easy in and out, with improved ergonomics and more accessible electrical systems. Proprietary FLEX Controls work to increase the life of the concrete mixer. The controls help improve concrete mix and efficiency with consistent loading, mixing, and pouring. Additionally, programmable settings help reduce operating inconsistencies. A focus on adjusting the trucks for easier steering benefits drivers by reducing fatigue and increasign comfort while the front axle features field-proven Oshkosh Defense military components to provide maximum durability. The lighter truck also provides more payload capability, to allow for more concrete per load and decreases the number of trips. .

Ford says Fusion output will continue at least through 2021 Michael Martinez, Automotive News / June 5, 2019 DETROIT -- Ford Motor Co. will discontinue the Fusion Sport trim for the 2020 model year as it focuses on offering more popular versions in the sedan’s final years. But other versions of the sedan will remain in production until at least 2021, Ford said Thursday. "Our goal in the final production year is to further simplify the offering and focus on maximizing the more popular SE, SEL, and Titanium models," a Ford spokesman said. Ford will build the Fusion at least into the 2021 calendar year, a spokesman said. The spokesman previously said that production would end in the 2020 calendar year, but on Thursday said that information was incorrect. The news of the Sport trim’s death marks the end of what could be considered a failed last-ditch effort to save the vehicle. Amid declining sales, Ford made the Fusion Sport the centerpiece of its 2016 Detroit auto show display. It used media personality Ryan Seacrest to reveal the new trim -- part of the Fusion's midcycle freshening -- in a callback to its 2012 elaborate celebration in New York's Times Square for the second-generation Fusion. Ford management hoped the Fusion Sport's flashy performance figures — 325 hp and 380 pound-feet of torque from a 2.7-liter V-6 engine — would help pump up sales and differentiate it in what some considered a bland segment. It failed to generate much buzz. Spokesman Jiyan Cadiz on Wednesday said the Sport trim accounted for less than 10 percent of total Fusion sales. Overall Fusion sales in the U.S. topped 300,000 in both 2014 and 2015, although the sedan could not topple Toyota, Honda and Nissan in the competitive midsize sedan segment. U.S. sales of the Fusion dropped 17 percent to 173,600 last year but rose 8.8 percent to 77,578 in the first five months of 2019.

Nice FWD.

Yes, they do have it right.

Paccar has one of the most arrogant corporate company cultures on the planet. So much so that German companies including Volkswagen nod approvingly. It is that arrogance, that "know it all" (besserwisser) attitude that holds them back in the states from reaching their full potential.

French President Emmanuel Macron told American D-Day veterans that “France doesn’t forget” their sacrifice for his country’s liberty. “We know what we owe to you veterans: our freedom,” Macron said. “On behalf of my nation, I just want to say, thank you.” .

BUCKETS & BLADES | Company Profile – Cleary Bros Power Torque Magazine / June 2019 A familiar sight on the roads of the Illawarra region, about an hour south of Sydney, is the distinctive “highway yellow” trucks of Cleary Bros. Highway yellow was the colour adopted by Caterpillar in the 1950s to replace the original grey for any equipment working near roads in a bid to improve visibility (and here was I, thinking Hi-Vis was a recent development!). Initially established in 1916 by John (Jack) Cleary and his two brothers as a timber-getting business, Cleary Bros (Bombo) Pty Ltd in its current south coast form eventuated when the original three brothers split the business up in 1947, with Jack focusing on business in the Illawarra at the original company site in Bombo. Jack Cleary had four children − John, Jill, Brian and Denis. After Jack’s passing in 1958, the running of the company fell to his children; in particular, John, who was eight years older than his younger twin brothers. The Bombo site is still operated by the company as a concrete plant and maintenance workshops, with further workshops and administration located at Port Kembla, along with quarry operations at the company’s Albion Park site. The latter extracts around 900,000 tonnes of material per year, much of which is transported to Sydney by road. Cleary Bros now employs in the vicinity of 400 staff and operates a large mixed fleet of trucks, trailers and equipment associated with the quarry, concrete and earthmoving industry. Mack trucks have been, and still are, a dominant brand within the fleet. Cleary Bros is very much a family-run company, with Denis Cleary still overseeing operations as chairman, and several third-generation family members working within operations. On my visit to the company’s Port Kembla site, the home of the Cleary Bros Museum, I was met by Denis, Brett Cleary (Brian’s son) and Louise Sullivan, Director and Company Secretary/Executive General Manager. Collectively, they provided me with an insight into the company and the inspiration behind the museum, one of the most comprehensive displays of plant and earthmoving equipment in Australia. Caterpillar equipment played a crucial role in the early days of the Cleary Bros story, and these beasts of burden hold fond memories, particularly for Denis as he sits at a table within the museum. Casting his mind back to the early days as a young lad of 14, he vividly remembers the day the D7 Caterpillar bulldozer resting behind him was delivered. “It was brought down on a rail car and it ran out of fuel while we were unloading it. They were too miserable to put much fuel in it. Enough to get it on, but not enough to get it off,” he recalls. (Truck and equipment dealers take heed: such small details remain in customers’ minds for a lifetime.) “That was 1954. I remember we traded one of our old ‘dozers in on it and we were supposed to send the trade-in back to Sydney on the Friday afternoon. My older brother John went down to the stationmaster and paid him two pounds to keep the rail car from leaving until Monday morning, and we worked on that old ‘dozer all weekend before sending it back.” The museum display is home to around 25 pieces of varied trucks and equipment, representative of the kind that carved out Cleary Bros’ success. Caterpillar equipment encompassing traxcavators (an early precursor to the modern excavator), and bulldozers of varying size dominate the display, accompanied by pieces from International Harvester and two immaculately restored NR Mack Trucks of 1942-43 vintage. As I’m guided around the display, Brett Cleary explains the operation of some of the vintage equipment and points out the hazards experienced while trying to start some of these old workhorses. This involved a bar lodged into a hole in the flywheel to spin them over, and a prayer that it wouldn’t kick back and knock your head off with the cranking bar. Later models became a little safer with small petrol-powered pilot engines taking on the risky starting task. Brett explains that the exhibits housed in the display are not all original Cleary Bros equipment. A lot of the trucks and machinery were saved from a rusty purgatory in bush graveyards and lovingly restored, almost out of obligation to honour their lengthy devoted service. As Denis says: “We bought and restored models that we used in our business. Models that served us well and we liked operating.” One machine that is a Cleary Bros original is the previously mentioned D7, which was tracked down via its serial number and located in the Atherton Tablelands in QLD. The owner still had the original toolkit that was supplied with the machine. “This D7 was purchased back 30 years ago and became one of the first pieces of equipment restored,” Denis explains. “It all just started from there and didn’t seem to stop; the shed is not really big enough anymore.” Denis points out that most of the visitors to the museum express how gratifying it is to see someone taking such an active role as custodian of these historical pieces of equipment. I believe that for Denis, it’s hearing comments such as this that make it all worthwhile. As pointed out by a placard in the museum: “All the machines on display have been restored to fully operational standard by Cleary Bros workshops.” To this day, Cleary Bros employs highly skilled teams of panel beaters, spray painters, fabricators and mechanics in their workshops. When they are not manufacturing truck bodies and equipment for the company’s trucks or carrying out repairs and maintenance, they are entrusted with the task, when it arises, of completing the restoration projects housed in the museum. The level of workmanship and skill apparent in the museum display is testament to skills and passion invested into these restorations by the Cleary Bros workshops. It also might go some way to explain the colour scheme of the fleet, all of which still wear the same Caterpillar “highway yellow”. After all, why buy two colours when one does the job so well? The exception comes in the form of some Army Jeeps and a few motorbikes that call the museum home, plus a 1939 Oldsmobile which belonged to Jack Cleary. The historical equipment restoration bug has also bitten Brett Cleary, although, like his father (Brian), his interest lies with trucks. Especially for my visit, Brett organised for two of his own trucks, both having been restored by the Cleary Bros workshops, to grace the entry of the museum. Sitting either side of a CH Mack in Cleary Bros livery was a Centennial Mack, of which only 25 were made to herald in the new millennium. All of these Macks, with the exception of two white ones, were given the names of national highways. Brett located the “Cunningham Highway” truck through a Facebook post and contacted the owner in Perth, to find that he had three of the models. The truck was subsequently bought and transported back to NSW for restoration. On the other side sits a Caterpillar-powered Kenworth SAR, also purchased from Perth with a seized engine, but now fully restored to its former glory. Louise Sullivan adds: “As a family and as a business in general we are still really passionate about what we do, and this is reflected in the museum. We have a lot of long-term employees and don’t have a high turnover of staff. I believe this is because while we are a large company, we are still very much a family business.” Cleary Bros is a regular participant in the hugely successful Illawarra charity convoy held each year when a long yellow caterpillar of Cleary Bros trucks line the roads of the Illawarra while contributing to raising funds for a great cause. Background Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dLxO8BLXZk .

Newest PBS B-quad unveiled and on the road Owner-Driver / June 4, 2019 The newest performance-based standards (PBS) super B-quad has hit the road in Australia. Developed by Southern Cross Trailers and operated by Symons Clark Logistics, the PBS level 3A-quad spans 36.5m – including a Kenworth K200 prime mover – and is the second B-quad on-road in Australia. It was given the tick of approval by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) in South Australia, with the launch attended by CEO Sal Petroccitto and chief engineer Les Bruzsa. The first B-quad, also boasting the work of Southern Cross Trailers and operated by Rocky Lamattina & Sons, was launched in August 2018. The regulator notes the number of PBS combinations has doubled in the last five years, led by truck and dog approvals, which overtook prime mover and trailer combinations for the first time in 2018. There are now almost 18,000 separate PBS heavy vehicles registered since the scheme commenced, making up nearly 9,000 PBS combinations. .

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Power Torque Magazine / June 2019 As 285 historic vehicles assembled at Camden, south-west of Sydney, for the biennial “Haulin’ the Hume” run on Saturday March 30, a wet and misty start to the day did little to dampen the spirits of eager participants. The inaugural run took place in 2011, covering the 240km run from Camden to Yass following (as much as possible) the original Hume Highway route. The event commemorates the time and effort taken by drivers the complete the Sydney-to-Melbourne trip. Back in the early days of the highway, the time taken to travel between the two major cities was measured in days, rather than hours as it is now. The torque-sapping hills of the Old Hume Highway and the numerous villages and towns through which the trucks rumbled every night would have been formative in the early driving days of the somewhat older band of drivers involved in the modern-day re-enactment run. Recalling times when calls over the CB radio of “southbound, hole in the wall” or “green light northbound” sounded, the memories were still vivid in the minds of many of the participants as the procession of trucks, trailers, buses and cars meandered through Picton to the delight of many spectators after traversing the famous “Razorback Range”. Some of those villages, such as Picton, Yanderra, Yerrinbool, Berrima, Gunning and many others long since bypassed, now provide a sleepy existence for their residents. Many may never have been woken in the night by the cackle of Jake Brakes or the dulcet tones of a high-revving, two-stroke “Jimmy” piercing the night silence. This was once the norm, especially with those running express freight on what was undoubtedly one of the busiest freight routes in the country. Every two years on Haulin’ The Hume day, Saturday sleep-ins in these hamlets are interrupted by hundreds of historic trucks and buses exceeding acceptable modern-day decibel levels and emitting enough exhaust soot to discourage the hanging of washing on lines. Put on by the Western Sydney Historic Vehicle Club, the event was conceived by Bruce Gunter whilst on a run to Alice Springs with his father, Geoff, in a Commer Knocker they had restored. During that trip, Geoff suggested a Hume run might be a good thing to do. Bruce says the fact that his Dad fell ill on that Alice Springs run formed a need to get the idea off the ground. The rest, as they say, is history, with the event gaining in popularity on each subsequent occasion, building from the original 143 entries in 2011. After seeing the wide enthusiasm for the event and an ever-growing number of entrants, Bruce saw the opportunity to cast the transport industry in a good light and also raise money for a charity close to his heart, Aspect. Aspect is Australia’s largest service provider for people on the Autism spectrum, as is the case for Bruce’s son. Monies are raised from vehicle entry fees, cash donations and from sponsors, such as Kenworth, Mack, Pace Farms and Park Lea Sand and Soil. After the rain had cleared, the historic convoy assembled at the Goulburn Recreation Centre grounds for a very chilly intermission and lunch, organised by Bryan Webb. This provided spectators and drivers alike the opportunity to take a closer look at the diverse range of trucks taking part in the event. The lunch stop also afforded an opportunity to speak with Bruce Gunter, the event founder. These days actively involved as a consultant for companies conforming to compliance legislation for the transport industry, Bruce says the Haulin’ The Hume event not only casts the industry in a positive light but also that the preparation of the trucks − together with the restoration work involved in getting them ready for this and similar events and rallies − goes a long way towards combating mental health issues such as depression. The camaraderie and common goal of this event fosters a unique bond of shared interest whilst paying homage to the men, women and trucks that make up Australia’s transport heritage. After lunch, the procession of Internationals, Kenworths, Macks, Bedfords, Peterbilts, Dodges, Mercedes, Fodens, Commers and a whole bunch of makes I’m sure I have forgotten, made their way back to the Hume Highway. The route then following the Cullerin Ranges through Gunning and Breadalbane to terminate at Yass for a dinner and fundraising auction. There’s no doubt it’s nice to sit in a modern truck with its air-conditioning, cruise control, air-suspended seating, heater and the knowledge the service brakes will actually provide reassuring speed retardation, preventing a bead of sweat forming on your brow at the sight of a “steep descent” sign. But it is equally gratifying to see Australia’s transport heritage cared for in the capable and loving hands of proud owners, still “Makin’ a Mile “even if they are not getting paid for it. Not in their wildest dreams could these drivers of yesteryear have imagined the kind of creature comforts afforded to the current-day truckie, and they must be applauded for operating what could, at best, be described as rudimentary equipment. However, keeping things in perspective, the trucks of 2060 and beyond will most likely bear little resemblance to the 2018 model I drive today. . .

New Zealand Trucking / June 2019 Hino Motors, Ltd. has opened an authorised sales and service centre in Ulan Bator, working through its partner in Mongolia, Khishig Arvin. Hino will be making a full-blown entry into the Mongolian market. As part of the company's efforts to strengthen its business foundations for offering value to its customers and society under the Challenge2025 programme, it aims to increase its global unit sales and strengthen its ‘Total Support’ operations to support its customers. Against a backdrop of steady economic growth, the demand for commercial vehicles in Mongolia is growing. To cater to the needs of Hino’s customers in the country, it has set up an authorised sales and service centre with cooperation from the Sumitomo Corporation. Hino will start off by selling heavy-duty trucks and offer best-fit products that match customers’ needs. It will also build the foundations of spare parts supply and service systems to help maximise vehicle up-time. Hino is also looking to offer support services aimed at maintaining vehicles, including on-site servicing at mining sites. .

How Paccar can come across so well in Oz, but so poorly in the states, is truly puzzling. Must be two different Paccar companies.