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Overtime rule derailed in court; ATA glad to see rule halted Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / November 28, 2016 A federal judge in Texas last week issued a temporary order blocking new rules governing overtime pay from taking effect just a week before the rule officially became law Dec. 1. The law would have doubled the pay threshold for which salaried employees are exempt from overtime from $23,660 to $47,476. For trucking companies, that meant dispatchers, back-office workers and any other employees in a salaried position making less than $47,500 a year would have been entitled to overtime pay if they worked more than 40 hours in any given week. However, Judge Amos J. Mazzant for the Eastern District in Texas halted the rule from taking effect pending lawsuits in 21 states challenging the rule’s legality. Barring a higher court reversing Mazzant’s order, the rules likely are dead in the water, as President-elect Donald Trump presumably will choose to either strike the new overtime provisions unilaterally or simply choose to not defend the lawsuits brought against it. The Department of Labor in 2014 finalized the rule, giving employers two years to prepare. The American Trucking Associations issued a statement last week saying Mazzant’s decision is a win for trucking companies. “By doubling the threshold from its current level of $23,660 to $47,476 as of December 1, the rule would have forced millions of salaried professionals to be treated like hourly employees,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “In the trucking industry, the rule change would have affected countless salaried dispatchers and other managers who need the flexibility to work as the need arises, in response to unpredictable operational demands. At the same time, it would have forced the carriers they work for to begin micromanaging their time.”

Transport Topics / November 28, 2016 Lakeville Motor Express in Roseville, Minnesota, abruptly padlocked its doors, locking out 95 truck drivers and dockworkers. Workers said they did not receive their paychecks Nov. 23. The surprised workers, who are part of Teamsters Local 120, found themselves picketing outside the company’s new sister location, Finish Line Express, in Maple Grove. More than 30 workers on Nov. 23 picketed Finish Line Express, a business that union officials say is really the Lakeville Motor company operating under a different name and location. In a letter to Teamsters spokesman Bill Wedebrand, Lakeville Motor owner and President Kevin Deming wrote: “Due to heavy financial losses, I have decided that effective [Nov. 19] Lakeville Motor Express Inc. shall cease all operations, close its business office and terminate all employees. Lakeville is out of cash and has no reserves to pay any amounts owed to employees or vendors at this time.” Terminated workers said they have seen Lakeville Motor’s former supervisors and terminal managers working in the truck yard at the Maple Grove location. They also said they saw Lakeville’s trucks and freight at the new site. Both companies specialize in less-than-truckload freight and had contracts with customers such as John Deere, U-Line, appliance makers and grocers, picketing workers said. Lakeville Motor “didn’t close. The freight is still there. The trucks are still there. And the customers are still there. All they did was change the logo on the trucks” and terminate its unionized drivers and dockworkers without notice, said Virgil Christoffersen, the Teamsters business agent who represents the 95 employees who worked for Lakeville Motor Express. “Now they are saying they won’t even pay their employees for work they had already done or benefits that have been accrued and are owed,” he said. FLE Vice President Mike Sanford maintained there is no shared ownership between Finish Line Express and Lakeville Motor Express. He said FLE went into business shortly after it incorporated in May 2016. The company has 17 trucks, he said. “We had nothing to do with the company closing,” Sanford said. “They asked us to pick up and deliver some freight. We don’t do all of it. … We’re a small company trying to do a job.” Wedebrand said Sanford is one of several former executives with Lakeville Motor Express who are running the new trucking company. “It’s the same management, same everything,” Wedebrand said. “It’s an alter-ego company.” The union will file grievances against the companies with the National Labor Relations Board, said Tom Erickson, president of Teamsters Local 120. “If what they did isn’t illegal, it should be. Period. This is not right. The union will pursue all legal avenues available to stop this kind of business strategy from working.” The owners of Lakeville Motor Express did not return messages. Lakeville Motor truck driver Ryan Lang was supposed to receive his $3,010 paycheck via direct deposit the day before Thanksgiving. There was no deposit. His boss called him at home telling him not to come in to work that night because Lakeville Motor Express had locked the gates and he was out of a job. A few days later, his boss was seen working at the Finish Line Express site in Maple Grove, Lang said. Lang joined Lakeville Motor out of high school and expected to one day retire from the company. Now, he’s unsure how to make it to the end of the month. “I’ve got my mortgage and two car payments, and I owe money for my kids’ hockey. I don’t know how I am going to pay for it all if I don’t get my paycheck,” Lang said. “I was hoping to buy my kids Christmas presents on Black Friday, but I will not be able to do that because I don’t have funds.” Lang and other picketing workers said they may not have been so upset if they had been given notice or offered the choice of working at the Maple Grove location. “Instead, we got nothing,” he said. “And I’ve worked there for 17 years.” Monte Hanson, spokesman for the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, said any employer laying off 100 workers must notify the state and give its workers 60 days’ notice. Employers with fewer than 100 workers “are encouraged to comply with the spirit of the law,” Hanson said. Lakeville Motor Express did not file a WARN notice with the state, Hanson said. “We have people from DEED’s Dislocated Worker Program who are reaching out to both the company and the workers to get more details about what happened and to offer DEED’s services.” .

Trailer/Body Builders / November 28, 2016 Demand for new commercial vehicles in the EU in October decreased by 2.4% to 185,055 units, breaking a 21-month trend of consecutive growth, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA). The decline affected all segments and all major markets, except for Italy. The Italian market posted a double digit increase (+47.9%), while Germany (-15.0%), the UK (-6.4%), Spain (-5.7%) and France (-5.6%) saw registrations decline compared to October 2015. Over the first ten months of 2016, new registrations in the EU nevertheless remained positive (+11.6%) thanks to gains in earlier months, totaling about 1.9 million vehicles. During that period, Italy (+41.1%), Spain (+10.8%), France (+8.3%), Germany (+8.1%), and the United Kingdom (+2.1%) all posted growth. New heavy commercial vehicles (HCV) over 16 metric tons (35,274lb) In October, registrations of new heavy commercial vehicle decreased (-7.7%) compared to October last year, totaling 26,324 units. Among the big five markets, Italy (+35.3%) showed the highest percentage growth, while demand for new HCVs in Germany (-17.4%), the United Kingdom (-16.3%), Spain (-8.7%) and France (-4.3%) dropped significantly. Ten months into the year, demand for new heavy trucks continued to increase (+12.4%), with 244,303 new vehicles being registered in the EU. All major markets made a positive contribution to the overall upturn, especially the Italian (+37.0%) and French (+13.5%) ones with their double-digit increases. New medium and heavy commercial vehicles (MHCV) over 3.5 metric tons (7,716lb) In October 2016, new truck registrations were down (-9.0%) compared to October last year. Overall, 31,853 new trucks were registered in the EU. Among the major markets, results for trucks were similar to those of the heavy truck segment, with Italy (+43.9%) showing the highest increase and all other major markets posting declines. From January to October 2016, 300,228 new trucks were registered in the EU, 11.0% more than in the same period last year. Italy (+37.8%), France (+13.2%) and Spain (+9.4%) made a particularly significant contribution to this. New medium and heavy buses & coaches (MHBC) over 3.5 metric tons (7,716lb) In October 2016, new registrations in the bus and coach segment declined for the fifth consecutive month (-6.7%), totaling 3,013 units. Italy (+89.4%), Spain (+19.5%) and Germany (+3.6%) all posted growth, while France (-16.6%) performed less well than in October 2015. Over the first ten months of 2016, the EU market for buses and coaches remained fairly stable (+0.5%), counting 32,311 newly registered vehicles. During this period, demand was primarily driven by Spain (+17.0%) and Germany (+13.2%), while France (-5.5%) saw demand decline. New light commercial vehicles (LCV) up to 3.5 metric tons (7,716lb) In October 2016, EU demand for light commercial vehicles flattened (-0.8%), totaling 150,189 units. This ended the streak of 37 consecutive months of growth in the segment. Demand was mainly driven by Italy (+47.7%), while Germany (-13.2%), France (-5.8%), Spain (-5.5%) and the UK (-4.5%) all saw demand for vans decline in October. From January to October 2016, 1,572,863 new light commercial vehicles were registered in the EU, or 11.9% more than in the same period one year ago. Italy (+42.2%), Spain (+10.8%), Germany (+9.7%), France (+8.0%) and the UK (+2.0%) all contributed to this positive upturn over the first ten months of 2016.

One of our customers ran an MH off a mountainside. The cab detached, but the built-in integral safety cage* ensured that the driver lived. The Mack MH Ultra-Liner was the best COE ever designed in America. * A structural cage of galvanized steel, aluminum and high-strength fiberglass engineered for unsurpassed cab integrity.

The Trident is clearly my favorite, Paul. She's a looker. . . .

Associated Press / November 28, 2016 A Somali-born radical Islamist Ohio State University student plowed his car into a group of pedestrians on campus and then got out and began stabbing people with a butcher knife Monday before he was shot to death by an officer. Eleven people were hurt, one critically. The attacker was identified as Abdul Razak Ali Artan. He was born in Somalia and was a legal permanent U.S. resident. The details emerged after a morning of confusion and conflicting reports, created in part by a series of tweets from the university warning that there was an "active shooter" on campus and that students should "run, hide, fight." The warning was prompted by what turned out to be police gunfire. Ohio State Police Chief Craig Stone said that the assailant deliberately drove his gray Honda over a curb outside an engineering classroom building and then began knifing people. A campus officer, 28-year-old Alan Horujko, who happened to be nearby because of a gas leak arrived on the scene and shot the driver in less than a minute, Stone said. Most of the injured were hurt by the car, and at least two were stabbed, officials said. One had a fractured skull. .

The soul of Overnite changed when the legendary Harwood Cochrane sold it to Union Pacific in 1986. The company was never the same afterward. Union Pacific failed to find a new "leader" to walk in Harwood Cochrane's footsteps. Overnite was Harwood Cochrane, and Harwood Cochrane was Overnite. . Related reading - http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/46226-legendary-overnite-transportation-founder-j-harwood-cochrane-dies-at-103/#comment-340549

Big Rigs / November 28, 2016 Stephen Lambert, or Chops to those who know him, bought his first Mack when he was in his mid 20's. Now at 60-years-old, the trusty rig still gets the job done! The factory white 1985 Mack R686RST equipped with a 350 horsepower 4-valve-head "Econodyne" engine was setup for heavy mining work, and Chops says while it's not a light truck, it's still got enough grunt to get up and go. "The 350 horsepower is more than enough to get me into trouble as it is,” he joked. When asked if the truck is still put to work, Chops laughed and replied, "I was driving it until I knocked off half an hour ago!” He originally purchased the truck after working for Mack Trucks many years ago, where he was involved with the delivery of it after it was kitted out. "We spec'd it out for a bloke and after doing a bit of work for him I just got a loan and bought it. "I used to run the mines and used to work out of places like Mount Isa (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Isa). "Since then, I've used it to pull a fridge, it's done flat top work, grain, but mostly mining stuff.” In a day and age when many upgrade to a newer, more powerful truck every few years, Chops says he never saw the point. "I suppose I just always stuck with the truck, I've always worked with good companies and never thought I needed another one. "It's done about five and a half million kilometers (3,417,542 miles), but I've never put drivers in it, I've always been the only one." Nowadays, the trucky old Mack does mostly local work, carting imported steel around Melbourne. "I've slowed down to local and country work over the last ten years." Keep on truckin', Chops! .

Power Torque Magazine / November 2016 Maxwell FreightLines (http://mfl.net.au/) has taken delivery of the first two of a total of four Vawdrey Titeliner (http://vawdrey.com.au/our-products/titeliner/) A-double combinations to operate Interstate from Victoria. Matched to a Volvo FH700 and Kenworth K200 (http://www.kenworth.com.au/trucks/k200/), the PBS approval authorised by the NHVR has produced an exceptional focus on safety, with Wabco EBS, ABS, roll stability and Air-Weigh onboard weighing systems (http://www.air-weigh.com/). The combination comprises 2 x 20 pallet trailers within a 30m overall length with Hendrickson INTRAAX axles (http://aus.hendrickson-intl.com/Trailer-Group/Trailer-Suspensions/INTRAAX). A particular focus on light tare weight combined with the versatility of straight and drop-deck trailers is expected to significantly improve unit productivity. .

Owner/Driver / November 28, 2016 The first stage of the project has been officially opened, see the events of the day and those who made it happen Truck lovers from as far as Queensland and the Northern Territory attended the official opening of the Tarcutta Transport and Farming Museum on Saturday morning, October 29. The ceremony took place beside the attraction’s first building, a five-bay shed, which was funded by Bunny and Diana Brown of nearby Adelong, New South Wales. Photo gallery - https://www.ownerdriver.com.au/industry-news/1611/gallery-the-opening-of-tarcuttas-truck-museum

Volvo Trucks Australia / November 23, 2016 .

The Associated Press's Matthew Lee is a great reporter. He doesn't play games, rather, he simply points to the obvious. .

Commercial Motor TV - sponsored by DAF Trucks / November 25, 2016 .

Associated Press / November 26, 2016 A self-driving truck will begin traveling on two Ohio roads next week after state officials announce details of new investments to support innovative transportation technology. A vehicle from self-driving truck maker Otto will travel a 35-mile stretch of U.S. Route 33 on Monday in central Ohio between Dublin and East Liberty, home to the Transportation Research Center, an independent testing facility. It will travel in regular traffic, and a driver in the truck will be positioned to intervene should anything go awry, Department of Transportation spokesman Matt Bruning said Friday, adding that “safety is obviously No. 1.” Officials say that section of Route 33 — a four-lane, divided road — is an important piece of autonomous vehicle research in the state and will become a corridor where new technologies can be safely tested in real-life traffic, aided by a fiber-optic cable network and sensor systems slated for installation next year. Gov. John Kasich is scheduled to discuss details of that investment and other efforts to support autonomous vehicle research on Monday before the truck hits the road. “Certainly we think it’s going to be one of the foremost automotive research corridors in the world,” Bruning said. The self-driving truck is also expected to travel next week on part of the Ohio Turnpike, though Bruning said he couldn’t yet detail when or where. The turnpike’s executive director said in August that officials were moving toward allowing testing of self-driving vehicles on the 241-mile toll road, a heavily traveled connector between the East Coast and Chicago. Tests of self-driving vehicles have been made in other areas. Anheuser-Busch said last month that it had completed the world’s first commercial shipment by self-driving truck, sending a beer-filled tractor-trailer on a trip of more than 120 miles through Colorado. The company said a professional truck driver was on board for the entire route. Several automobile companies have tested self-driving vehicles on public roads in California and Nevada, and Uber is testing driverless cars in Pittsburgh. Kasich has pushed for Ohio to be a leader in the fast-advancing testing and research of autonomous vehicles. State officials say Ohio is well-positioned for such a role for many reasons, including a significant presence from the automotive industry in the state, partnerships with university researchers, and the seasonal weather changes that enable testing a variety of driving conditions in one place.

https://www.nhvr.gov.au/files/t123-sa-information-guide-for-road-trains.pdf

Bulgaria is ready to enforce its borders. . .

If denied EU membership, Turkey threatens to let 3 million refugees into Europe The Guardian / November 25, 2016 Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to tear up a landmark deal to stem the flow of refugees into Europe a day after the European parliament urged governments to freeze EU accession talks with Ankara [Turkey]. The threat underlines how far relations between Turkey and the European bloc have deteriorated in recent months, particularly after a coup attempt in July. “You clamoured when 50,000 refugees came to Kapikule, and started wondering what would happen if the border gates were opened,” Erdogan said Friday, referring to a Bulgarian border checkpoint where refugees massed last year. “If you go any further, these border gates will be opened. Neither I nor my people will be affected by these empty threats,” he said. “Do not forget, the west needs Turkey.” Erdoğan’s statements, the most direct warning yet that Turkey could abandon the agreement, came in response to a symbolic, non-binding vote in the European parliament on Thursday that demanded an end to the decade-long accession negotiations. Turkish officials said the vote was meaningless but that it raised questions about the entire partnership between their country and the European bloc. Germany, France and most other EU states back continued engagement. The EU and Turkeynegotiated a deal in March of this year that halted the influx of refugees, particularly from Syria, into Europe in exchange for economic aid [a bribe] and a promise to grant visa-free travel to Turkish citizens within the Schengen zone. The latter clause has [wisely] not been fulfilled. But relations collapsed after a failed coup attempt in July. Turkish officials say Europe has failed to show sufficient support in the aftermath of the putsch, and bristle instead at the repeated criticism of a purge of tens of thousands of civil servants, army officers and policemen accused of links to Fethullah Gülen, a US-based preacher whose movement is widely believed in Turkey to have orchestrated the coup plot. He denies the allegations. Brussels has also repeatedly criticised a crackdown in recent weeks on media outlets and Kurdish politicians, saying the campaign raised questions about Turkey’s commitment to EU values. The European parliament’s outgoing president, Martin Schulz, suggested EU leaders could opt for imposing economic sanctions on Turkey.

US markets: Donald Trump’s bull run The Financial Times / November 25, 2016 A rally in shares since the election signals the start of a pro-growth narrative As Wall Street traders departed for Thanksgiving this week, they could celebrate a rare achievement. On Monday and Tuesday, the four most widely cited indices of US stocks — the S&P 500, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the Nasdaq Composite and the Russell 2000 — hit all-time highs simultaneously. The last time a “grand slam” happened was on New Year’s Eve 1999, at the height of the tech bubble. The breakthrough for stocks, which had moved sideways for two years since the Federal Reserve stopped its quantitative easing program, seemed to confirm a regime change. Prompted by Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential election, the narrative has changed to preparing for an era of tax cuts, deregulation and fiscal stimulus, after eight years of markets being guided by the Fed’s historically low interest rates. “My sense is that investors are exuberant to have a new theme, any theme, other than watching the Federal Reserve,” says John Hussman, a fund manager. This fresh exuberance has prompted a shift from bonds to stocks. About $500bn had gushed from equity funds and into bonds this year but last week the flows reversed, with investors yanking more than $18bn from fixed-income vehicles and pouring $27.5bn into stocks. And the financial media are already discussing when the Dow Industrials will reach 20,000 — almost 18 years after the index first passed 10,000. Why the excitement? As Jean Ergas, head strategist at Tigress Partners in New York, puts it: “The US market has opted for Keynes* over 1930s pre-New Deal economics as a breakout from subpar growth, better a temporary surge than permanent stagnation.” * Keynesian economics are the various theories about how in the short run, and especially during recessions, economic output is strongly influenced by aggregate demand (total spending in the economy). Wall Streeters tend to be sceptical of Keynesianism, but are excited that Mr Trump could “out-Keynes Keynes” with Democrats in Congress supporting his infrastructure plans over the objections of small-government conservatives. Hopes are high for deregulation, in sectors from banking through healthcare to mining and energy. The administration itself has stoked such talk. “The conservatives are going to go crazy,” Stephen Bannon, Mr Trump’s adviser, told the Hollywood Reporter. “With negative interest rates throughout the world, it’s the greatest opportunity to rebuild everything. Shipyards, ironworks, get them all jacked up.” Bond investors have taken note. Ten-year US Treasury yields hit a postwar low in July, then started to nudge higher ahead of the election, and have shot up to 2.4 per cent this week. Many analysts think that the three-decade bond bull run is now over. “I would say the secular [long-term] trend is going to be upwards now,” says Henry Kaufman, an economist who predicted the last bond bear market in the 1970s. “Secular swings are hard to forecast, but the secular sweep downwards in interest rates is over, and we are about to have a gentle swing upwards.” Futures markets signal certainty that the Fed will raise rates next month, normally bad news for stocks. But the tectonic shifts had started in the US equity markets in the summer, in readiness for a new regime. In the QE period, the stock market was dominated by “bond surrogate” stocks that pay a reliably high dividend yield and by shares that were economically defensive. Cyclical stocks were out of favour, as were financials. But in midsummer, these trends began to turn, and after the election these out-of-favour stocks received a huge boost. David Donabedian, chief investment officer at Atlantic Trust, noted that as soon as the election results were clear, the Trump team put out a pro-growth economic message. “Coming right out of the block in the first 12 hours they hit all the right notes: the need to boost economic growth, the need for corporate tax reform, the importance of boosting infrastructure spending,” he says. That turned a fear of a visceral sell-off into an environment where “animal spirits” were restored — and upward momentum took hold. The shift left clear winners and losers in its wake. Banks are the biggest victors, with investors hoping that Mr Trump will repeal parts of the post-crisis Dodd-Frank legislation. The KBW index of big US banks is up 15.4 per cent since election night. Even if Wall Street regulations are not relaxed as much as the banks hope, rising bond yields should still boost their profit margins. Among other prominent winners are healthcare stocks, which have shown relief that the threat of price controls under a Clinton administration has been lifted. Oil and mining companies have also enjoyed a rally thanks to the Trump administration’s likely change of emphasis on the environment. Smaller companies have outperformed dramatically, as they often do in the final stage of an economic expansion. There are clear reasons why. “They tend to pay taxes [unlike many multinationals] so they will benefit more proportionately from any tax cuts,” says Peter Sidoti, of the Sidoti & Company research group. “They benefit more from looser regulations, which are a bigger cost for them. And they’re focused domestically. A stronger dollar does them no harm.” Melting up? Plenty of dangers lie ahead. One obvious risk to the “Trumpflation” rally is that a strengthening dollar — it is now its highest since 2003, having rallied 43 per cent since the global financial crisis — will choke off the profits of large companies and damage exporters. Wage growth will also crimp profits. “Our longstanding view was stocks would grind higher, capped by dollar strength and rising wages,” says John Higgins, chief markets economist of Capital Economics. “I still think those forces are in play after the election — it’s just become a little exaggerated.” Higher bond yields could spell trouble for equities by drawing investors back to fixed income. They could also raise companies’ borrowing costs and make debt-financed share buybacks less attractive. “At some point this isn’t going to help equities,” says Michael Roberge, chief investment officer at MFS, an asset manager. There is also the possibility, as happened during the last period when the four main indices set records together in the late 1990s, that the market reaches a heady stage and “melts up” — a process that could last a year or two but would set it up for a 2000-style crash. Stocks already look more expensive than they did at their peak before the 2007 crisis. “This could be the final flurry higher in equity markets,” says Harry Colvin, a senior economist at Longview Economics. “It’s late in the cycle and there’s a lot to be worried about in the US, but this could prolong the cycle higher, and maybe give us a last melt-up.” With so much money in bonds that will need a new home if inflation rises, investors would likely continue the shift into stocks. “I’d be nervous about trying to be clever,” he says. “It’s probably the beginning of a period of strength in equities.” Another risk is that Mr Trump fails to stimulate the economy as hoped. After all, he must deal with a Republican majority in Congress that in 2011 threatened to default on Treasury debt rather than allow any increase in federal borrowing. And there is overwhelming dislike on Wall Street for Mr Trump’s protectionist policies, such as ending the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and imposing tariffs on China. Any such policies, which might have opposition from pro-business Republicans but support from rust-belt Democrats, are viewed as unambiguously negative for the rest of the world. Stocks outside the US are down since the election, most severely in emerging markets, showing that markets regard a new protectionism as a real possibility. There are fears that tariffs would slow down the US economy and stoke inflation in the longer term. Another risk is that the sheer divisiveness of the political landscape could drive sharp market swings. Tom Porcelli, chief economist of RBC, polled clients and found that “people were having a hard time separating their economic/market view from their political view”. Emotions will probably run high, bringing volatility in their wake, as Mr Trump rolls out an agenda. “Those folks that were negative on Trump continuously brought up two triggers for why he will be net negative for the backdrop: trade wars and his social policies,” Mr Porcelli says. “The people that thought he would be net positive highlighted taxes and reducing bank regulation. There was no middle ground.” So there is every reason to fear volatility ahead. But with all major indices at record highs, the momentum is plainly upward. Even if stocks on a fundamental basis look expensive, Vinny Catalano, president of Blue Marble Research, warned that money managers would feel obliged to keep buying. “On a technical basis, the music is playing, there are no negative signals and people are dancing,” he said. “It’s career suicide if you’re not in the market.” .

There's no reason for any illegal immigrants to ever set foot in U.S. courts. They are not U.S. citizens or legal residents. They simply need to be summarily deported, within 48 hours of apprehension. And, as a consequence of their criminal action, that being their intentionally entering the United States illegally, they should be permanently barred from U.S. soil. Only by sending a clear and strong message can we stem the tide of “illegal” immigration.

The management at Hyundai Trucks is particularly careful and prudent in nature. They are now focusing on China, the world's largest new truck market, conveniently next door to them. Due to their success in North America's car market, Hyundai has thoughts on a conventional cab (bonneted) variant of the Xcient for the US. However, it's a tough argument to enter the North American and/or European markets where there are too many players already, resulting in slim margins.

KrAZ Trucks Press Release / November 18, 2016 KrAZ Trucks has developed an all-new 9-ton 4x4 off-road chassis to meet the needs of rural fire departments. The КrАZ model 5401НЕ represents a ground-up purpose-built design to meet the needs of fire fighting organizations. The chassis has a unique design for a KrAZ vehicle, with a two-row four-door cab-over-engine cab mounted atop a two-axle off-road chassis. Wide tires and tire pressure adjustment system allow for optimized operation both on and off road. Two fuel tanks with capacity of 165 liters allows for an operational range of up to 600 km for carrying rescue personnel and equipment. The vehicle can travel at speeds of over 90 km/h, and is highly maneuverable owing to the cab-over-engine design. The КrАZ-5401НЕ’s cab offers a superb ergonomic working environment, with comfortable air-suspended seating, tilt and height adjustable steering column and functional dashboard. Moreover, the cab is mounted low, making it possible to use a wide range of bodies. At customer request, over 30 different specialized fire fighting body configurations with weights of up to 10 metric tons can be fitted onto this chassis. .

Forgive me sir, to whom are you speaking? If you are addressing me, then you lost me. I have not argued what Trump "might" do. I'm not "OK" with Clinton doing.......anything. I'm not against Trump, nor am I for Clinton (heaven knows). When you mention "the possibility that foreign governments might alter THEIR policies to be more friendly to the Trump brand", then are you not......speculating? I have posted news articles that, I personally felt, were of substance (e.g. direct quotes). I avoid purely speculative articles. In any case, you are welcome to ignore my posts.

Owner/Driver / November 25, 2016 Flooded regional roads couldn’t stop more than 100 trucks and thousands of people turning out for the third annual Riverina Truck Show The Riverina Truck Show has been run and won, and you didn’t have to be a truck buff to enjoy it. The show was held in late September at Wagga Wagga on the crossroads between Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide. Thousands from the trucking-friendly city lined sections of the route between the livestock saleyards at Bomen, the bottom end of the main street and the shores of Lake Albert. Wagga highway patrol police lent a hand in blocking off roads. Despite an overcast sky organisers estimate 8,000 people turned out at the lake for the truck display and family fun day with attractions including not only shiny trucks, but classic cars and bikes; market stalls; trade stalls; amusement rides for the kids; live music; and even power boat and tinnie racing. The grand finale was a fireworks display from pontoons on the lake. "Everyone’s catered for," says treasurer of the Riverina Truck Show and Kids Convoy, Lloyd Wishart. To top it off the day raised more than $40,000 for charity. Wagga City Council, one of the major sponsors of the day, has now classed the show as a "major event" for the regional city. Next year’s show is set down for September 23 and will again co-incide with "Thunder on the Lake" organised by Wagga Wagga Boat Club. The day raised $42,000 for Give Me 5 For Kids, N.E.T.S NSW, Amie St Clair Melanoma Trust and Trans-Help Foundation. Photo gallery - https://www.ownerdriver.com.au/events-news/1611/riverina-truck-show-2016 Winners 1st Lead Truck: Andrew Bell, Lindsay Bros, $3,800 2nd Lead Truck: Barup Bullbars, $3700 3rd Lead Truck: Wagga Truck Towing, $3600 Best Fleet: Farey’s Transport, Wagga Best Owner Driver: Scott Menz Transport, Kenworth T650 Best Cab-over: Ashley Hall, Farey’s Transport, Kenworth K200 Best Under 3 Years: Daniel Kerrison, Scott Boxell Transport, K200 Best 3-10 Years: Ben Davies, Menzplant, Kenworth T408 SAR Best 10-20 Years: Adam Manwaring, Manwaring Transport Best 20-plus Years: Des Gibbs, Ford F600 Best Working: Jacob Cochrane, Kenworth T909 Best Rigid: Wayne Wishart, Langfields Transport, Fuso Best Bonneted: Ian Clarke, T908 Best Dressed: Cameron Farey, Farey’s Transport, T909 Winner of the Mitsubishi Mirage raffle: Robert Parker

Owner/Driver / November 24, 2016 Driving for Adelaide-based container hauler Rapid Haulage, Brian Thompson’s 2009 Kenworth T908 comes with distinctive flames Rapid Haulage’s trucks have always been set apart by the flames on their bonnets. Loved by owner Keith Finch, the look has made the Adelaide-based company’s trucks very recognisable. One of those, often seen in a road train configuration around Adelaide, is Brian Thompson’s Kenworth T908. Owner//Driver had a chat with him as he was making his time slot to unload two containers of grain at Outer Harbour, in Adelaide’s north. As with many places in Australia, local transport routes are being opened up to road trains and Rapid Haulage has a number of models to utilise them. "I’ve been with Rapid for five years and it is a great company to be with," he says. "I’ve had this truck for a little while now and I can’t complain. It has been set up with a TV and a fridge." "When they purchased the truck, the workshop went through it from end to end, rubbed it back and added the flames. "It’s not a new truck, rather a 2009 model, but at the time of purchase had only 650,000kms [and] had been looked after very well." Brian doesn’t have any problems driving a road train through Adelaide – he has to make allowances and keep enough distance in front – but he is looking forward to doing some country work. While he says it’s a bit mundane running back and forth to the harbour, there is a bit of variety in his work life as he sometimes will hop out of the 908 to operate a side loader. Whenever there is a train derailment, Brian will find himself going to Perth, Alice Springs or Melbourne. "There is a fair amount of panic when there is a bad derailment as it all falls back on road transport," he says. "Not long ago, before I had the 908, we were running up to Broken Hill daily. That was a good job. It would have been ideal with the 908." With so much grain and export hay in South Australia, Rapid Haulage is heavily involved with loading and packing both products. "There is no rail infrastructure in South Australia, so moving grain keeps us busy," he says. "I have hydraulics on this truck but I try and keep that quiet as I don’t want to do any tipper work." Rapid Haulage has grown to become one of South Australia’s largest logistics and container companies with more than 100 trucks involved in its various activities. Generally these trucks are adorned with blue flames. In his younger days, Brian operated a crash repair shop on the Yorke Peninsula. Unfortunately, that business went under and he was approached to do some harvest work. "The Peninsula is a top grain-growing area and in summer everyone wants drivers, so I went and got my license and did the harvest," he recalls. "I didn’t mind the driving so after harvest, I got a job carting gravel for concrete. I did more harvests and then later moved to Adelaide. "I couldn’t go back to being in a shed now, it would drive me crazy," he says with a chuckle. Brian is very happy with his job. He says Keith Finch buys a lot of second-hand trucks but they are in very good condition. "Keith goes right through them," Brian says. "If I encounter any issues or problems, I can go to the workshop and get it looked at. There isn’t ever an issue in getting it fixed." The T908 has an EGR Cummins under the bonnet and its going well. It’s a very good truck to run containers around with, Brian thinks. His Kenworth is even the first truck in the fleet to have some grey paint splashed on it. "Keith likes good looking gear as I do too," he says. .