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You have a new truck, under warranty, with just 1,400 miles. When you called Volvo Group's Mack brand customer satisfaction hotline (U.S. and Canada) at +1 (866) 298-6586 , what did they say?

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Nikola Chooses Hydrogen Fuel Cell to Power Emissions-Free Truck Heavy Duty Trucking / August 30, 2016 Nikola Motor Company will be powering its emissions-free Class 8 trucks with hydrogen fuel cells in the U.S. and Canada, the company has announced. The vehicles will make use of a custom-built, hydrogen-electric 800-volt fuel cell that Nikola said will be able to achieve nearly 20 mpg with zero emissions under fuel load and a range of over 1,200 miles between fill-ups. The company also said the trucks will surpass all government mandates, including the recently announced Phase 2 GHG standards. Nikola plans to produce hydrogen with zero-emissions solar farms that it is building and to have a nationwide network of over 50 hydrogen stations for customers by 2020. “The desire to be 100% emission free in the U.S. and Canada is a critical piece of our long-term engineering and environmental efforts, not just in vehicle energy consumption, but also in how energy is produced,” said Trevor Milton, CEO of Nikola Motor Company. “These solar farms will produce over 100 megawatts each and will use electrolysis to create hydrogen from water. Nikola announced the Nikola One zero-emissions Class 8 tractor earlier this year, offering reservations for the as-yet-unreleased vehicle for $1,500. The company received more than 7000 reservations for the vehicle as of August and will offer the vehicle through a truck leasing program. More information will be announced about Nikola’s nationwide sales, service and warranty network in the coming weeks, the company said. The vehicle is set to be unveiled on Dec. 1 in Salt Lake City. A CNG -turbine version of the Nikola One is planned for countries where hydrogen is not readily available. For more information, click here.

Heavy Duty Trucking / August 30, 2016 Glider kits — new trucks that are equipped with older engines and drivetrain components — will be almost outlawed by 2021 due to provisions of the federal Phase 2 Greenhouse Gas and Fuel Economy rules released earlier this month. Starting in January of ‘21, they’ll be allowed only for their original purpose, which was reclaiming late-model powertrains from wrecked trucks. This goes back many years, to when glider kits were bought as service parts. Today, three truck builders produce glider kits for assembly by individuals and commercial concerns. “We support GHG Phase 2 and we are presently working through the details,” stated David Giroux, spokesman for Daimler Trucks North America, whose Freightliner arm builds most glider kits used in the United States. Kenworth and Peterbilt also produce glider kits, and Heavy Duty Trucking is seeking comment from them. Though they make up a small percentage of total new truck sales, gliders produce far more exhaust emissions, says the Environmental Protection Agency, which wrote the new rules with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The EPA became concerned after a surge in sales, from a few hundred per year 10 to 20 years ago to more than 20,000 in 2015. Most of those were undisguised efforts to get around modern emissions limits and the expensive engines needed to meet them, the agency feels. And most were high-mile highway trucks whose older engines, often with electronic controls but no other pollution-control equipment, spew many times the exhaust emissions of new engines. Last year’s proposals to do away with glider kits sparked many comments from producers who argued that total impacts on emissions are minuscule; that many gliders (such as concrete mixer trucks) run low annual mileages; and that they are built mainly by small companies that provide valuable jobs. EPA and NHTSA noted all those arguments but said none addressed the basic issue of higher particulate matter and oxides of nitrogen emissions. “Although glider vehicles would make up only 5% of heavy-duty tractors on the road, their emissions would represent about one-third of all NOx and PM emissions from heavy-duty tractors in 2025,” the agencies said. “By restricting the number of glider vehicles with high polluting engines on the road, these excess PM and NOx emissions will decrease dramatically, leading to substantial public health-related benefits.” Instead of abruptly outlawing them, however, the new rules will phase out gliders over the next four years. Beginning this January, volume production and sales of gliders using “pre-emission” diesels will be greatly curtailed – and the agencies said they hope that this won’t spark a “pre-buy” of gliders between now and January. Meanwhile, low-volume builders, including individual truckers, can continue to buy and assemble glider kits using older engines until 2021. “For calendar year 2017, each manufacturer’s combined production of glider kits and glider vehicles will be capped at the manufacturer’s highest annual production of glider kits and glider vehicles for any year from 2010 to 2014,” the rule states. “All vehicles within this allowance will remain subject to the existing Phase 1 provisions, including its exemptions. “Any glider kits or glider vehicles produced beyond this allowance will be subject to the long-term program,” meaning they must use engines that are certified as emissions-legal for the same year the glider kit is built. The phase-down using that calculated cap will last one year, until January 2018. It appears that provision will curtail and eventually kill off the glider business grown by various dealers and service companies in the United States. Among them is Fitzgerald Gliders, which last year assembled more than 3,000 glider kits, most of them highway tractors. The company primarily used rebuilt and remanufactured 1998-2001 Detroit Diesel Series 60 engines, which are known for their fuel economy and performance. Truckinginfo is seeking comment from Fitzgerald and other builders. It also appears that builders of front-discharge mixers, who derive much business from the glider trade, will also have to phase out their glider assembly operations. They include Oshkosh, Indiana Phoenix and Terex Advance, who’ve also been asked to comment. Terex Advance has said it has built trucks with currently certified diesels combined with used (and usually rebuilt or remanufactured) transmissions and axles. But the dollar savings over an all-new truck were only 10%, versus 30% or more when an older engine is also used. It’s likely that by 2021, they and everyone else in the business will have to use engines certified to meet emissions limits set for the same year that the glidered trucks are built. “The provisions being finalized are intended to allow a transition to a long-term program in which use of glider kits is permissible consistent with the original reason manufacturers began to offer glider kits – to allow the reuse of relatively new powertrains from damaged vehicles,” the agencies say in the rule. Usually, that will mean engines that have run fewer than 100,000 miles are still within their original intended service life for pollution control equipment or are under three years old.

Peterbilt Offers Cummins Westport Near-Zero Natural Gas Engine Heavy Duty Trucking / August 30, 2016 Peterbilt Motors is offering the Cummins Westport ISL G “Near Zero” NOx emissions natural gas engine for its Model 567, 520 and 320 trucks. The new engine’s performance and efficiency matches the current ISL G with 320 horsepower and 1,000 lb.-ft. of torque available. The engine option is aimed at customers with linehaul, vocational and refuse applications. The ISL G Near Zero engine’s emissions are 90% lower than the current EPA NOx limit, made possible with a three-way catalyst in the aftertreatment, advanced engine calibration and a closed crankcase ventilation system. Like the current ISL G engine, the new model will operate on 100% natural gas, which can be carried on the vehicle in either compressed or liquefied form. The ISL-G Near Zero can also run on renewable natural gas. The ISL G NZ is the first mid-range engine to meet the 0.02 g/bhp-hr optional Near Zero NOx Emissions standards for medium-duty truck, urban bus, school bus, and refuse applications, according to Cummins Westport. It meets California Air Resources Board certification eight years in advance of the 2023 California Near Zero NOx schedule. The engine will be available for production in Models 520 and 320 by year's end and in the Model 567 early next year.

Transport Topics / August 30, 2016 Peterbilt Motors Co. will soon offer the Cummins Westport ISL G “Near Zero” engine as an option on three of its vocational trucks, the Denton, Texas-based manufacturer said August 30. Peterbilt is offering the ISL G Near Zero in its Model 567, a vocational truck, and Models 520 and 320, both low-cab-forward refuse haulers. Near Zero refers to emissions of nitrogen oxide compounds, or NOx, at a level of 0.02 gram per brake horsepower-hour — 90% lower than the current federal standard of 0.2 gram. The 8.9-liter ISL G uses natural gas, either compressed or liquefied, as truck fuel and is manufactured by a joint venture owned by Cummins Inc. and Westport Innovations. Peterbilt said the engine produces 320 horsepower and 1,000 pound-feet of torque. Near Zero is the latest version of the ISL G, which has been in production since June 2007. Peterbilt will start making Models 520 and 320 with the new engine before Dec. 31. Production for Model 567 with Near Zero will follow early next year. The ultra-low NOx engine is particularly important in California, where the state government has a program to limit NOx emissions as well as those of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. “Peterbilt is producing increasingly efficient products. The addition of the ISL G Near Zero emissions engine strengthens Peterbilt as an environmental leader,” said Scott Newhouse, Peterbilt’s chief engineer. Related reading - http://www.cumminswestport.com/models/isl-g-near-zero

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The Guardian / August 30, 2016 For Levi Brinegar, alone atop his mountain, a storm can feel like the end of the world. Clouds swallow the peak, winds howl and lightning blazes. “The tower shakes. During the last one the windows cracked. The lightning was 50 feet away. It was like strobe lighting going off. It was crazy.” Brinegar, 26, endures this, and more, for $12 an hour. He could not be happier. He reckons he has the best job in the world. “It’s fun. I’ll definitely try to get back next year.” Brinegar is a fire lookout for the US Forest Service. He has spent the summer on a peak in Montana’s Helena-Lewis and Clark national forest armed with binoculars, a compass and a radio, scanning the wilderness for smoke. Dozens more like him do the same across the US every summer, perched in 15ft by 15ft wooden cabins atop remote towers with sweeping panoramas, a low-tech, very human first line of defense against conflagrations. They are known, unofficially, as the “freaks on the peaks”. The nickname is affectionate, not derogatory. It recognizes certain qualities needed to operate in lonely eyries – an embrace of nature, solitude and disconnectedness. And an ability to shift mental gears and respond when tempests and fires interrupt serene observation of cloud and canopy. “We have a certain reputation,” said Leif Haugen, 46, a veteran who trains other lookouts. “It takes a certain type of person to do it. All lookouts have their own individual oddities.” The challenge, Haugen said, was to accept nature’s rhythm. “New lookouts often have all these plans, they’re going to read all these books, or paint, or photograph, or learn an instrument. Then they’re amazed by how much they just sit there on the catwalk, watching weather. Those who can be content with themselves, and not having a list, have the most success.” For some, inhabiting a sanctuary of contemplation far from modernity’s noise is a spiritual experience. In the semi-autobiographical story A River Runs Through It, based on his Montana upbringing, Norman Maclean noted: “It doesn’t take much in the way of mind and body to be a lookout. It’s mostly soul.” When not gazing at clouds for signs of lightning, and forests for plumes of smoke, some lookouts knit, some hike, some study birds, deers, foxes and bears. Quite a few write. The poet Gary Snyder worked as a lookout in Washington state’s North Cascades. Edward Abbey, who worked as a ranger and lookout in Utah and Arizona in the 1960s and 1970s, captured the job’s mystical appeal in novels such as Desert Solitaire and Black Sun. Philip Connors quit his editing job at the Wall Street Journal after 9/11 and moved from New York to New Mexico where he has spent 14 summers, keeping vigil over Gila national forest for $13 an hour, and writing about it. “At the beginning I thought of it as a paid writing retreat with good views,” he said in a phone interview. “It has turned into something larger. I’ve become pretty deeply invested in this place.” Connors, 43, accepted the peak freak moniker. “It’s way of acknowledging we’re the last of a dying breed. And that what we do is pretty far outside the cultural mainstream. We don’t have cable television or high-speed internet. We get paid to look out the window all day.” Almost all are manned by just one person but some have couples, such as Chuck Manning, 71, head of the Northwest Montana chapter of the Forest Fire Lookout Association, and his wife. “I think it’s a great experience for a couple to be in a small lookout,” he said. “You’re in a very confined area. You really learn to get to know each other.” Staffed lookout towers began a century ago, peaked at about 10,000 in the 1950s, then gradually declined to just a few hundred. Wisconsin has become the latest state to close its last towers, deeming aircraft and cameras cheaper and safer. Volunteers maintain and restore some former lookouts to safeguard the heritage. The Forest Service rents out many decommissioned towers as holiday rentals. In Montana, New Mexico and other parts of the west the numbers of staffed, operational lookouts has stabilized over the past decade, stalling, if not reversing, the trend towards obsolescence. It seems human eyes and intelligence can still do things that drones, satellites and infrared cameras cannot. One reason is the policy of letting more fires burn. Fires can actually benefit ecosystems by clearing brush and regenerating forests. But they can swiftly explode out of control, hence the need for constant vigilance. “The techno-fetishists always dream of replacing us (but) we can do things for firefighters on the ground that a camera attached to a drone just can’t do,” said Connors, noting that many lookouts stay in the job for decades, acquiring deep knowledge of terrain and weather. Another reason is the increasingly unpredictable fire behavior. They burn fiercer, bigger and more frequently – a new normal attributed in part to climate change. “Fire behavior has ramped up. It’s different to what it used to be,” said Haugen, a lookout near Montana’s border with Canada for 23 years. Record-high temperatures and drought-induced tinderbox conditions can turn a spark into a wall of flame within minutes. A recent example is the Blue Cut fire in California, which destroyed hundreds of structures, torched 37,000 acres and forced 80,000 people to flee. Lookouts are tasked with spotting puffs of smoke early, feeding correct coordinates to fire crews and averting such disasters. “Every time I see that smoke I get real excited,” said Brinegar, clutching binoculars as he circled the catwalk on the Stonewall tower, 8,270ft above Montana’s majestic wilderness, the Rockies in the distance. The dirt path up to the tower winds through swathes of charred, spectral trees, the legacy of a 2003 inferno from which this part of the forest has yet to recover – a stark reminder of what is at stake. Since taking over the outpost in July – this is his first season – Brinegar has called four fires, including one on Nevada Mountain, 17 miles away. Each time helicopters and ground crews doused the blazes before they exploded. Upon spotting smoke, a lookout uses a table-sized 360-degree compass known as a fire finder to identify the location, then relays it to base. Twice Brinegar has confused mist known as water dogs with smoke, a common rookie mistake. “I’ve learned to take my time if I’m not sure, wait maybe 10 minutes before calling it.” Most days are uneventful: rise at 7am, breakfast on military rations (there is electricity and a stove but the former infantry soldier prefers rations to cooking), check in with base, scope the landscape, measure humidity, file a weather report, lunch, more scoping, a supper of potatoes and sausages, maybe a DVD, sunset, bed. Brinegar savors the solitude. Having grown up in rural California he finds cities crowded and noisy. “I’m not a people person. I miss the woods, the quiet. Being by yourself you figure out what you want to do with your life.” When not on duty he hikes and checks out deer, goats and other wildlife. The tower’s heavy door is studded with spikes to deter grizzlies, but he has yet to see one. He does, however, wear a bearskin cape, bought online for $300. Storms are exciting and nerve-wracking, said Brinegar, who sports a long, auburn beard. “It feels like a miniature earthquake. The water in your glass sways.” With 90mph winds roaring and hail hammering the panes he hunkers on a wooden stool – “the lightning seat” – which has glass jars on its feet to insulate it against conducting electricity. The tower also has lightning rods and grounding cables to protect against a direct strike. Every five to seven days Brinegar rides an all-terrain vehicle down to Lincoln (population 1,100) for a night or two, then returns. There is phone signal, so he can text and email, but otherwise has little human contact beyond his twice-daily radio reports. Fire season here will end when the snows come, perhaps later this month. Until then Brinegar will continue his vigil and maybe, he said with a sheepish grin, watch The Shining a few more times. “I’ve watched it five times already.” Photo gallery - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/aug/30/us-national-parks-fire-lookout-forest-wildfire

The Wall Street Journal / August 30, 2016 In-Q-Tel provides only limited information about its investments, and some of its trustees have ties to funded companies In-Q-Tel, a nonprofit venture-capital firm that invests taxpayer money in startups developing technology useful to the CIA, provides only limited information about its investments, and some of its trustees have ties to funded companies. Forterra Systems Inc., a California startup focused on virtual reality, was in need of money and its products didn’t have much commercial appeal. Then funds came in from a source based far from Silicon Valley: In-Q-Tel Inc., a venture-capital firm in Virginia funded by the Central Intelligence Agency. One catalyst for the 2007 infusion, according to a former Forterra executive and others familiar with it, was a recommendation by a man who sat on the board of the venture-capital firm—and also on the board of Forterra. In-Q-Tel pumped in cash, Forterra developed some tools useful to the military, and government contracts started coming in. Like the agency that founded it, the CIA-funded venture-capital firm operates largely in the shadows. In-Q-Tel officials regard the firm as independent, yet it has extremely close ties to the CIA and runs almost all investment decisions by the spy agency. The firm discloses little about how it picks companies to invest in, never says how much, and sometimes doesn’t reveal the investments at all. Even less well-known are potential conflicts of interest the arrangement entails, as seen in this Forterra example and others continuing to the present. Nearly half of In-Q-Tel’s trustees have a financial connection of one kind or another with a company In-Q-Tel has funded, a Wall Street Journal examination of its investments found. In-Q-Tel’s hunt for promising technology has led the firm, on at least 17 occasions, to fund businesses that had a financial link of some sort to an In-Q-Tel trustee. In three instances a trustee sat on the board of a company that had an In-Q-Tel investment, as in the Forterra case, according to the Journal’s examination, which was based on a review of investment records and interviews with venture-capital and In-Q-Tel officials, past and present. In-Q-Tel differs from other venture-capital firms in an important way: It is a nonprofit. Instead of trying to make money, it seeks to spur the development of technology useful to the CIA mission of intelligence gathering. Tangled connections are endemic in the venture-capital business, where intimate industry knowledge is essential to success. Other venture-capital firms, however, are playing with their own money, or that of private investors. In-Q-Tel uses public money, to which strict conflict-of-interest rules apply—at least $120 million a year, say people familiar with the firm’s financials. It sometimes deploys this capital in ways that, even if not by intent, have the potential to benefit the firm’s own trustees by virtue of other roles they have in the tech industry. In-Q-Tel investments often attract other funding. Each dollar In-Q-Tel invests in a small business typically is matched by $15 from elsewhere, the firm has found. That makes the small business likelier to succeed and makes its stock options more valuable for whoever has some. In-Q-Tel said it needs to work with people who have industry connections if it hopes to find promising technology. Some of its trustees, it said, are so enmeshed in the tech world it would be hard to avoid any ties that might be interpreted as conflicting. Besides technology, trustees come from a variety of backgrounds including academia, national security and venture capital. “In-Q-Tel put in place rigorous policies to safeguard taxpayer funds, prevent possible conflicts-of-interest and stay focused on developing technology to meet mission requirements,” said a CIA spokesman, Ryan Trapani. “We are pleased that both the In-Q-Tel model and the safeguards put in place have worked so well.” The firm permits its trustees to recommend investing in businesses to which they have ties, so long as they disclose these internally and to the CIA. Trustees are required to recuse themselves from reviews and votes after such recommendations. To succeed, “you want a board who knows what the hell they are doing,” said Jeffrey Smith, who helped design In-Q-Tel when he was CIA general counsel and is now its outside counsel, as well as a senior counsel at law firm Arnold & Porter. “This is to some extent a balance, and we know that,” he said. In the Forterra case, Charles Boyd, a retired Air Force four-star general, joined the boards of both Forterra and In-Q-Tel in 2006. The following year, In-Q-Tel sank money into Forterra, according to an In-Q-Tel news release at the time. The amount couldn’t be determined. Gen. Boyd said he made an initial recommendation for In-Q-Tel to invest but didn’t take part in its decision to do so. He said he received no compensation from Forterra for recommending to In-Q-Tel that it invest in the startup. “It definitely was a win-win from our perspective to have Charles on the board and open those doors for us,” said Chris Badger, who was Forterra’s vice president of marketing. He said there was discussion within Forterra about whether “In-Q-Tel’s funding model was really generating a good benefit for the taxpayer.” The money from In-Q-Tel and subsequent federal contracts proved insufficient. Forterra failed to attract commercial interest and closed in 2010 after selling off pieces of itself. The purchaser was another company where an In-Q-Tel trustee served on the board of directors. Investors in Forterra, including In-Q-Tel, took heavy losses, according to people involved in the unwinding. Gen. Boyd had no personal investment in Forterra, In-Q-Tel said. He did have nonqualified stock options, according to In-Q-Tel, which said holders of such options didn’t receive anything for them when Forterra stopped operating. Gen. Boyd said the only compensation he received from the small business was $5,000 as it was closing down. He left In-Q-Tel’s board of trustees in 2013. For the CIA, a captive venture-capital firm is a way to encourage and shape technology development without getting bogged down in bureaucracy. In-Q-Tel’s beginnings trace to a plan hatched in the late 1990s by George Tenet, then the CIA director, who expressed frustration that access to pioneering technology was held back by byzantine government procurement rules. Congress approved the creation of In-Q-Tel by agreeing to direct money to the organization, and its funding levels increased markedly in later years. The venture-capital firm started investing in 2000, in businesses that made satellites, analyzed data, translated languages and stored data, gaining a chance to shape the technology. In-Q-Tel has at times received funds to invest from other agencies, among them the National Security Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Defense Department, but the CIA remains the main source of its funding. In one case, In-Q-Tel invested in a business that analyzed chemical compounds in carpets, resulting in a method to detect deadly chemicals in Afghanistan and Iraq, said the venture-capital firm’s chief executive, Christopher Darby. Another time, it put money into a satellite antenna maker, leading eventually to the development of portable satellite antennas that can help troops or intelligence agents communicate in remote locations, Mr. Darby added. “I’ve been told by our customers that the technology that we’ve delivered has saved countless lives,” he said. In an example of the financial links some trustees have within the technology world, Mr. Darby also serves on the board of a for-profit tech company. In-Q-Tel doesn’t invest in that company, which is called Endgame Inc. But the company competes with other firms in its field—cybersecurity—that sometimes seek In-Q-Tel cash. If that happens, Mr. Darby doesn’t take part in reviewing the funding requests, he said. On the Endgame board, Mr. Darby serves as nonexecutive chairman. He said stock options he receives are “de minimis” next to the roughly $2 million a year he earns as In-Q-Tel’s CEO. The CIA has reviewed his role at Endgame and signed off on his work there, people familiar with the arrangement said. Of about 325 investments In-Q-Tel says it has made since its founding, more than 100 weren’t announced, although the identities of some of those companies have leaked out. The absence of disclosure can be due to national-security concerns or simply because a startup company doesn’t want its financial ties to intelligence publicized, people familiar with the arrangements said. While moneymaking isn’t In-Q-Tel’s goal, when that happens, such as when a startup it funded goes public, In-Q-Tel can keep the profit and roll it into new projects. It doesn’t obtain rights to technology or inventions. At In-Q-Tel’s headquarters tucked in the back of an office park in Arlington, Va., the lobby is sparse, with three blank digital screens on the wall and an American flag in a stand. Some executives wear jeans, reflecting a Silicon Valley ethos. Its spy-world ties also are evident, in frosted windows and fingerprint scans required to enter certain rooms. In-Q-Tel’s investments include one made last year in CyPhy Works, a Massachusetts company that produces small surveillance drones. CyPhy’s board includes Anita Jones, a computer scientist and former Defense Department official. She is also a trustee of In-Q-Tel, appointed in 2002. Ms. Jones didn’t connect CyPhy with In-Q-Tel, said CyPhy’s chief executive, Helen Greiner. The suggestion to seek In-Q-Tel funding came from another investor. At In-Q-Tel, Ms. Jones stayed out of discussions of whether to invest, the firm said. After In-Q-Tel put money in, it suggested certain modifications to one of CyPhy’s surveillance drones, a model that can stay aloft for hundreds of hours because it is powered through a microfiber tether. The resulting new drone, called the Persistent Aerial Reconnaissance and Communications, or PARC, is used by the U.S. government and is available for commercial purchase. In-Q-Tel “could see the military opportunity,” Ms. Greiner said. “They work with their customer base to say, ‘This is what these guys are doing now, but what would be the most useful?’ ” Asked if In-Q-Tel’s investment boosted the value of any stock options held by Ms. Jones, she and CyPhy said in a written statement that “the transaction may or may not have had an effect on the value of options held” by her. Forterra’s case was the only time In-Q-Tel funded a business that had been recommended by a trustee who was on that business’s board, according to the venture-capital firm. It said that other times when it funded businesses where a trustee was a director, the trustee wasn’t the one proposing the investment. Connections between trustees and funded companies often are indirect, such as parallel investments by In-Q-Tel and by the primary employer of an In-Q-Tel trustee. Three of In-Q-Tel’s 12 trustees work for other, larger venture-capital firms. In-Q-Tel has invested in at least 13 businesses in which those other firms already held stakes. In-Q-Tel trustee Peter Barris is a co-managing general partner at New Enterprise Associates, one of the largest venture-capital firms. Mr. Barris joined In-Q-Tel’s board in 2006. Four years later, In-Q-Tel invested in a data-storage startup at which New Enterprise already held a stake, a company called Cleversafe. Mr. Barris didn’t recommend the investment or vote on it, according to him and other In-Q-Tel officials. A few years later, New Enterprise Associates increased its stake in Cleversafe to 25%, and Mr. Barris joined Cleversafe’s board. Later still, he was involved in a restructuring at Cleversafe that polished up the data-storage business for a $1.3 billion sale. At the time of the sale in 2015, Mr. Barris was on the board of Cleversafe as well as the boards of two of its investors: In-Q-Tel and Northwestern University. Mr. Barris said that this triple connection was unusual, but that all of the investors’ interests were aligned. “I could argue that In-Q-Tel benefited from [New Enterprise] rather than the other way around,” he said. Mr. Barris added that on at least three occasions, he has recommended In-Q-Tel look into investing in companies to which New Enterprise Associates had a connection, but In-Q-Tel didn’t invest. Ronald Gilson, a Columbia Law School professor who has written about governance and venture capital, said In-Q-Tel’s unique semigovernmental model puts it in the situation of needing expert advice while trying to avoid overly cozy financial relationships. “On the one hand, if you wanted really pristine independence, it means you are going to need people who don’t have commercial ties to the industry,” Mr. Gilson said. “On the other hand, if you have people without any commercial ties to the industry, they are not much use.” .

There's actually a Mack "Service Bulletin" on this very subject. But recently on another thread, it came to light that Volvo Group has removed the Mack Service Bulletins from their website. If your local Mack brand dealer has veteran people who have kept the Service Bulletins of the former Mack Trucks in their service "library", then they can assist you.

Cultural decay and declining standards of behavior in the United States ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Colorado man tries to murder 2-year-old son Associated Press / August 30, 2016 A Colorado man has admitted to willfully crashing his car in an effort to kill his 2-year-old son. The toddler, Isaiah Lopez, who was unrestrained in the vehicle, suffered a concussion and broken leg but is expected to recover. Nathan Weitzel, 29, was charged with attempted murder and is being jailed on $500,000 bail in connection with the August 21 wreck in Centennial, Colorado. Weitzel told investigators he took his son to play in a park before the crash and thought of ways he could kill him. He drove around looking for a good location to end his son's life. When he believed he found one, Weitzel put his own seat belt on but refrained from putting his son into the child seat. Then he intentionally drove into several cars at 75 miles per hour. After the accident, witnesses say the child was fading in and out of consciousness. According to court documents, witness Cindy Rosa called 911. She saw Weitzel, “hitting the child … it looked like an elbow. It was horrifying.” People in the area came to Isaiah's aid. Weitzel also admitted to using cocaine that day. "He used to be a really good climber," said mother Nancy Lopez of the child. "He loves to play and run around. He can’t walk now; he’s not going to be walking for another two months." The mother said she takes care of Isaiah full-time, but the toddler spends weekends with his father. Weitzel was arrested and taken to the Arapahoe County Jail. He’s been charged with attempted first-degree murder, child abuse, assault, criminal mischief, possession of a controlled substance and vehicular assault. .

The legendary Lee Iacocca was a proud son of Allentown, Pennsylvania, "The Truck Capital of the World".

Mack Trucks Australia / August 25, 2016 Watch the wrap up of the Win a Mack for a year competition. Congratulations to Dave Martin from D&A Martin Transport. Dave was the well-deserved winner of our 'Win a Mack for a year' competition and yesterday Dave’s dreams became a reality as he was handed the keys to a brand new 600hp Super-Liner. Well done Dave and we look forward to checking in with you throughout the year. .

Scotty Douglas, Owner/Driver / August 30, 2016 While modern machines may boast efficiency gains, Scotty Douglas pines for the old days when a truckie's relationship with a truck grew from the way it made them feel and the life-changing moments that it hosted I’m not sure how much Patrick Swayze was paid to holler "I love me a Caterpillar engine!" before dropping a cog and shunting another rig off the road in the movie Black Dog. It was probably a lot. But I have to admit it’s a sentiment I shared. Maybe it’s just familiarity but I’ve ended up with a thing for Cat engines – both big and small. The big yellow engine has played a starring role through much of my time behind the wheel from a C-12 and even a C-10 to C-15. Topping it off is my favourite, the good ol’ fuel-sucking C16. I cried tears of blood when Cat announced that it wasn’t going to play ball in the engine game anymore and I haven’t had the chance to drive a current model Cat truck. But they’re all ACERT anyway and I’m not keen on an engine that runs on its own recycled farts. As to why I like the old Cats? It’s kinda hard to put my finger on. Back in the 1960s, the BBC recorded a series of interviews with steam locomotive drivers. These old guys were soon to be retrained to drive diesel locos or to be retired. They were fascinating to listen to because these old guys talked about their engines like they were alive. Maybe I should spend more time driving with the window down but I got where they were coming from. Before the advent of emissions legislation truck engines were able to breathe and burn like a living thing. A big bore Cat engine lugging up a grade with a load on the back burped and breathed like it was alive. Most of the time there was no need to split a gear, you could let her lug right down and grab a whole cog and wake up the beast. The big C16 would let out a waste-gate sigh and knuckle back down to work. It was involving and had character. Modern truck manufacturers will tell us how their products are an efficient and cost-effective business tool. That they are safe, environmentally friendly and will make you a million bucks. But they forget that someone actually drives the thing. For a long-haul driver especially, the truck is more than just a mobile office. Anyone who’s spent a long time driving long distances will tell you that a truck cab has often been the setting for the most pivotal moments in their lives. News of deaths, births, marriages, arguments, and reconciliations with home. Even marriage proposals or the end of a relationship. I found out that my Grandfather had died while south bound over the Gundy bridge. I found out that I was going to be a father while reversing into a glass factory loading bay. All this while at the wheel of a truck. You can’t quantify those things in a business plan. They just are. I’d like to know how many people haven’t spoken to their truck at some point in time. I’d hazard a guess it wouldn’t be many. Whether it’s urging it up a climb or rumbling down a long hill. Or maybe when it sounds like there’s something wrong you’ll swear at it in the vain hope that it will keep going like a tired old draught horse. So yeah, I’m probably over thinking it. But I don’t care. I reckon whether we like it or not we build a relationship with our ride. It’s human nature. We can’t help but give inanimate objects personality and character, otherwise we wouldn’t give ships or aircraft names. And we wouldn’t use gendered terms like ‘girl’ to describe our rig. And when it gets the job done, we are grateful. That’s why I struggle in this digital age where every mechanical element needs to be quantified. A distance between man and machine has been imposed that gets in the way of the relationship. So like it or not, for me the sound of an old Cat hollering at the heavens is like a siren song that takes me back to a different time in trucking. A time when a cold winter’s night produced a sharp exhaust crackle, a jake brake bark and a few extra horses under the bonnet.

Just curious, is the "41MR" part number on the tags of the two wiring harnesses the same ?

"Real" car haulers run Detroit-powered Dodges. .

SPEED LIMITERS: Feds propose speed limiters for trucks, but not a speed Jami Jones, Land Line managing editor / August 26, 2016 Federal regulators are proposing to speed limit trucks, but they just don’t know what speed they want them set at. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a preliminary copy of a notice of proposed rulemaking on Friday, Aug. 26, that seeks to mandate speed limiters on heavy-duty trucks. As expected, the proposed regulation seeks to require truck manufacturers activate speed limiters at the time of manufacture and possibly all trucks with engine control modules (ECUs) capable of restricting speed be activated on trucks already on the road. In both instances the agencies are proposing that the speed limiters remain activated throughout the life of the truck. The agencies are not, however, prepared to pick the speed that the speed limiters should be set at. Throughout the rulemaking process the agencies studied speeds of 60, 65 and 68 mph – estimating the number of lives that would be saved by limiting trucks to each of the various speeds. “The agencies estimate that limiting the speed of heavy vehicles to 60 mph would save 162 to 498 lives annually, limiting the speed of heavy vehicles to 65 mph would save 63 to 214 lives annually, and limiting the speed of heavy vehicles to 68 mph would save 27 to 96 lives annually,” agency officials state in the NPRM. “Although we believe that the 60 mph alternative would result in additional safety benefits, we are not able to quantify the 60 mph alternative with the same confidence as the 65 mph and 68 mph alternatives.” If speed limiters were to be mandated, the agencies are proposing that in order to ensure that the speeds have not been adjusted and meet the set speed, that the speed determination be able to be read on the roadside through on-board diagnostic connections. And, not only would the reading report the current speed the truck was set at, but the feds are proposing that the truck report the previous two speed settings, along with the time and date of those speed modifications. In 2006, the American Trucking Associations and Roadsafe America petitioned NHTSA and the FMCSA to pursue a rulemaking to mandate speed limiters on heavy trucks. The NPRM states the groups asked for a 68 mph cap on speeds. NHTSA, on its own, granted the petition in 2011 and began drafting a proposal. FMCSA rejoined NHTSA in May 2013. The proposal has been stalled at the White House Office of Management and Budget for more than a year. The agency does not state when the comment period will officially open for the proposal, but a 60-day comment period is planned. “While we are in the very first stages of reviewing the agencies’ proposal, it’s about what we expected – a feel-good proposal based on shaky science that will likely detract from highway safety,” said Laura O’Neill-Kaumo, OOIDA director of government affairs. “The arguments in support of speed limiters haven’t changed much. Neither has the science, which is in part why we didn’t see DOT pursue a rule long ago. It will be interesting to see what the justification is this time, but rest assured OOIDA is more than ready to fight this on a variety of fronts.”

That my friends, is how a professional sales marketing video is done by a leading truckmaker.

Scania Group Press Release / August 29, 2016 Scania has introduced a new top model to its range of truck cabs, in the form of the S-series. Featuring a completely flat floor and maximised interior space, the S-series is the clear choice for those customers and drivers with the highest demands for space, ergonomics and living comfort. Regardless of which cab Scania customers choose under the new truck range, they’ll receive a more generous allowance of interior space than before. This is partly due to more efficient packing of components and the fact that the interior of the cabs have become a little over 65 mm longer, but also because ceiling heights in general have been increased in the new generation. ”The ceiling of the new normal roof height ceiling is 10 centimetres higher than previously,” says Kristofer Hansén, Head of Scania’s Styling and Industrial Design division. “And the higher roof variants are even more spacious, with a difference in ceiling height of 16 centimetres. This, of course, will be especially appreciated by those who both live and work in their vehicles.” Totally flat floor Sitting at the top of the new truck generation is the new S-cab, which both internally and externally feels like The Biggest. With its totally flat floor and maximised interior space, the truck is the obvious choice for the most demanding customers and drivers. “We’ve observed how perspectives are constantly changing and how our customers’ demands are increasing,” says Göran Hammarberg, Head of Cab Development at Scania. “Our new S-cab, without a doubt, puts everything that we have previously done in the shade in terms of factors such as comfort, storage, spaciousness, ergonomics and field of vision.” Hammarberg continues, “A user-friendly and ergonomically shaped set of four boarding steps leads up to a workplace that we believe will be loved by every driver who gets the chance to try it.” Best conditions for sleeping The storage facilities have been expanded with a particular focus on volume and accessibility. The cabin space has been thought through, down to the smallest detail. A wide variety of flexible options regarding storage boxes, shelves, hooks and nets can be chosen, depending on the type of cab, bed choice and other specific needs. The options for choosing a bed are particularly extensive. Both the under and optional upper mattress can be specified in different configurations and performance steps according to individual needs and comfort requirements. In the S-cab, two 80-centimetre beds can be specified, the lower of which can be extended to 100 centimetres. All beds are equipped with Scania’s most advanced mattresses, and in two driver operation comfortable and wide beds are available for both drivers. The spacious S-cab is also equipped with extra insulation, and right down to the smallest detail offers extremely well thought-out, comfortable solutions that create the best possible conditions for a good night’s sleep. The flat floor in the S-cab, meanwhile, makes it easy to move about in the cab. Messaging system As part of the new truck generation, Scania has expanded its investment in connected vehicles, with services that make life simpler for both drivers and transport companies. A messaging ­system connects the truck directly with fleet management at the fleet operator’s office. Drivers receive assignments, routing information, and pickup and drop-off addresses via a 7-inch touch screen, which also provides infotainment and camera support. The ability to use voice commands to operate the system means that drivers need not take their eyes off the road. “The truck range that we’re now presenting is the result of the work of thousands of people and a very large investment over a number of years,” says Hammarberg. ”We are extremely proud over the results and just dying to tell you in detail about all the new solutions and services for prospective customers.” .

Iveco Trucks Press Release / August 9, 2016 World premiere: a new long haul futuristic concept truck breaking new frontiers for totally sustainable transport New Daily Euro 6 and New Daily Hi-Matic Euro 6 open a new world of connectivity New Eurocargo “International Truck of the Year 2016” in new full air suspended version and CNG versions Iveco will host a press conference on its stand A01 Hall 16, on September 21st, at 9.15 am. Iveco will participate in the 66th edition of the IAA Commercial Vehicles (IAA), the most important international event in the commercial vehicle industry, which will be held in Hanover from September 22 to 29, 2016. The brand will host a press conference on its stand A01 Hall 16, on September 21st, at 9.15 am. Iveco will introduce a host of new products and innovations on the ample stand of over 2,500 square metres, showcasing its full range – from light vechicles to heavy trucks for on- and off-road applications, from buses to heavy-duty trucks for quarries and construction sites. Iveco will also present in a world premiere a new long haul futuristic concept truck breaking new frontiers for totally sustainable transport, protected by over 25 patents. Official premiere of the New Stralis, the TCO2 Champion Centre stage on the Iveco stand will be the New Stralis, which makes its debut to the international public following the official presentation that took place last June in Madrid. The New Stralis introduces a completely new driveline and, with the best reliability and efficiency, delivers leading edge Total Cost of Operation (TCO) and CO2 reduction. The three-vehicle range was developed around Customer missions and meets all the requirements of the on-road heavy transportation sector: The New Stralis has been designed to offer the best solution for regional and short-range missions, including transport of hazardous goods, where it maintains the unique advantage given by the exclusive HI-SCR after-treatment system. The New Stralis XP was developed for the demands of the international long-haul transport business, and is packed with innovative fuel-saving features and new services to maximize uptime and fuel efficiency. The most reliable and fuel-efficient truck on the market, designed to maximise reliability and reduce CO2 and TCO, it delivers fuel savings of up to 11% while the new generation services can add further savings of up to 3%, resulting in an impressive 5.6% reduction in TCO in long-haul missions. The revolutionary New Stralis NP (Natural Power), which runs on CNG and LNG, is the most sustainable international transport truck ever and a real breakthrough in the gas truck industry. It is the only natural gas truck to offer the power rating, driving comfort and fuel autonomy to suit long-distance haulage missions. The new engine that delivers 400 hp and 1,700 Nm torque - equal to its diesel equivalent - is coupled with an automated tramission. The improvements contribute to a 3% reduction in TCO compared to the previous model, which already had fuel pump costs up to 40% lower than its diesel equivalent. It is the first true long-haul gas truck in the market that offers an alternative to diesel vehicles. Also on the stand will be three “Emotional Trucks”: versions of the New Stralis XP dedicated to Ferrari, Dakar Team Petronas De Rooy Iveco and Schwabentruck as a special tribute to Iveco’s great partnerships with big names from the world of sports. The vehicles’ liveries were designed and produced by the CNH Industrial Design team, who devoted particular attention to the personalisation of the vehicles with the colours and graphics of the partnership they are dedicated to. New Daily Euro 6 and New Daily Hi-Matic Euro 6 open a new world of connectivity The New Daily Euro 6 is the first light commercial vehicle to turn on-board connectivity into a true professional work tool with the revolutionary new app, DAILY BUSINESS UP. Leveraging on its strength, versatility, performance and durability heritage, the new Daily Euro 6 introduces new features that use technology to push the boundaries of performance, raise comfort to a new level, deliver unique connectivity and lower its TCO, reflecting its Business Instinct of Iveco’s customers and making it their perfect business partner. The New Daily Euro 6 delivers unrivalled performance day after day with its new and powerful 2.3 and 3.0 litre engines developing as much as 210 hp and 470 Nm at the top of the range. The advanced driveline technologies further deliver fuel savings of up to 8% compared to the previous models. The low maintenance and repair costs due to the extended service intervals and long-lasting components result in additional savings of up to 12%. The cabin is even quieter than in previous models, with the noise level reduced by 4 decibels, improving the vehicle’s acoustics and sound recognition by 8%. The NEW DAILY BUSINESS UP turns any smartphone or tablet into an interface with the DAILY, allowing customers to experience ultimate efficiency in their mobile work station. The NEW DAILY BUSINESS UP is a smart tool for drivers, acting as a Driver Assistant that provides real-time suggestions to reduce fuel consumption through the Driving Style Evaluation (DSE) system, and works out routes optimised for commercial vehicles with the Professional Navigation system. It is also a smart tool for Owners, acting as their Business Assistant that makes fleet management easier by facilitating scheduling, dispatching and tracking jobs with Sygic Fleetwork and providing a direct link to Iveco Assistance Non Stop, the 24/7 roadside assistance service. The NEW DAILY BUSINESS UP is an OPEN Platform in continuous evolution; new features will be developed to continue to help our customers improve their productivity and efficiency further. The New Daily Hi-Matic Euro 6 family has been extended to include a wider range of models to meet all business needs. It offers the ultimate driving experience and all the benefits of safety, performance and productivity with features such as the ergonomic multifunctional lever and self-adaptive shift strategy. It also benefits from the new EcoSwitch PRO, an intelligent system that recognises if the vehicle is loaded or not and adapts the engine torque, with a consequent reduction in fuel consumption and further lowering emissions with no compromise for the customer’s productivity. This vehicle is an example of how Iveco puts the driver at the core of its design process, improving productivity and providing absolute driving pleasure. New Eurocargo, “The Truck the city likes”, in new full air suspended and CNG version Known as “The Truck the city likes”, the Eurocargo range was crowned “International Truck of the Year 2016”. On the stand, Iveco will introduce the new Euro VI C compliant ML160 (16t) in the new full air suspended version and display the eco-sustainable Natural Power version that runs on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). The new Eurocargo ML160 Full Air version complies with Euro VI C regulations, which will come into force on December 31st 2016, with Iveco’s patented HI-SCR only technology with passive Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF). It is the only vehicle in its class (6- 19 tons) to adopt a single anti-emission system rather than relying on exhaust gas recirculation. HI-SCR is simple, reliable and lightweight. Most importantly, it regenerates the DPF without requiring vehicle downtime or any intervention by the driver. The Eurocargo ML160 Full Air on display features pneumatic suspension on the front and rear axle, now available with a payload increased by 1 ton. The constant chassis height and horizontal loading bed ensure a further improvement in safety even when the load is not distributed evenly. The reduction in vibration in transport ensures the driver travels in comfort and the goods are well cared for. The possibility of modifying ground clearance ensures high versatility on approach to loading and unloading docks of varying heights, and the capability of taking on different ramp gradients. The new Eurocargo Natural Power, which runs on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), will also be present on the Iveco stand. It is particularly at home in major cities for its low emissions and quiet operation. The new engine delivers 204 hp maximum power at 2,700 rpm with torque of 750 Nm from 1,400 to 1,800 rpm – 100 Nm more than its prececessor. True to Iveco’s commitment to sustainability, it already meets Euro VI Step C emissions standards which will come into force at the end of the year, and can run on bio-methane derived from biomass or organic waste. It is also an exceptionally quiet vehicle at 3 dB quieter than diesel, as a result of its engine technologies. This also means that the Eurocargo Natural Power is allowed to drive in restricted traffic zones and is ideal for night-time work. The new Eurocargo NP has a range autonomy of up to 400 km, thus meeting the requirements of a variety of missions from multi-drop urban distribution to municipality missions. Astra HD9 for extreme conditions and environments Iveco’s toughest vehicle, the ASTRA HD9, will also be on display at IAA. From the special heavy-duty chassis and state-of-the-art driveline to the simple electric and electronic architectures, everything in this extra-strong vehicle has been designed take on the most demanding situations for climate, terrain and loading capabilities. Easy to maintain and repair, it is the ideal partner on the most challenging missions. The Euro VI 13 litre High Pressure Common Rail engine optimises the combustion process and increases the engine efficiency in terms of power output (up to 560hp) and torque rise while reducing noise and minimizing fuel consumption. The HI-SCR system without EGR delivers the best thermal efficiency while reducing weight and complexity. The electronic controlled variable geometry turbocharger delivers outstanding performance. The high torque at low engine speed results in excellent driving elasticity in all conditions. The robustness, versatility, mobility, mission dedication and loading capabilities of the HD9 range make it the ideal choice for heavy-duty applications in mining, construction, oil & gas and heavy haulage. .

The case for speed limiters: More political than technical? Fleet Owner / August 29, 2016 Is the Dept. of Transportation “cherry picking” research to support the rulemaking to require speed limiters in heavy-duty commercial vehicles? At least one source—and one that is often cited as providing evidence to support the rule—raises a number of concerns the DOT glosses over, or ignores altogether, including speed differentials, driver fatigue, fuel efficiency, and the overall cost-benefit analysis. The first footnote in the “executive summary” of the DOT proposal refers to a 2005 paper, “Cost-Benefit Evaluation of Large Truck-Automobile Speed Limits Differentials on Rural Interstate Highways,” by researchers at the Mack-Blackwell Rural Transportation Center (MBRTC), a College of Engineering program at the University of Arkansas. In that initial cite, and in three other footnotes, the paper “confirmed the common-sense conclusion that the severity of a crash increases with increased travel speed”—as, indeed, basic physics determines. However, while the DOT rulemaking mentions the issue of speed differentials, the 118-page document does not reference the MBRTC report with regard to its primary subject matter. Indeed, after opening the “Safety Benefits” section by citing MBRTC, the proposal refers to two other studies that “observed no consistent safety effects of differential speed limits compared to uniform speed limits.” The MBRTC report, a survey of available research at the time, also cites those “inconclusive studies,” and says the research did not address the impact of voluntary speed limiters, prevalent even 10 years ago, and so those studies were “inherently flawed.” More broadly, “the large number of safety studies that were discussed in the literature review indicates that this issue has received a great amount of attention,” the researchers write. “Unfortunately, many of the studies involve more advocacy than science.” The MBRTC study notes that proponents of lower truck speed limits argue that trucks require longer braking distances for any given speed and lower truck speeds help equalize the stopping distance. Truck drivers surveyed by the researchers, however, contend that their higher seat position allows a longer sight distance (multiple vehicles forward), reducing the effect of the differences in braking distance (to say nothing of the greater stopping power of modern disc-brakes and other safety technologies). The truck drivers are more concerned with the negative effect of greater speed variation and the number of interactions among vehicles. “It is likely that both of these arguments are correct,” the paper says. “This would indicate that differential speed limits have two effects: the positive effect that results from improved vehicle dynamics (braking and maneuvering) for trucks at lower speeds; and the negative effect of increasing speed variation and the number of interactions among vehicles. "These two effects of differential speed limits act in opposite directions and ultimately result in no observable effect on highway safety data.” Driver Viewpoints Based on a questionnaire, the MBRTC report summarizes driver sentiment on the matter of speed differentials. Two scenarios that dominated the drivers’ concerns were associated with on-ramps, according to the research. The first safety issue related to trucks being “trapped” in the right lane and the increased risk of continually encountering merging traffic. The second issue involved trucks not being able to reach traffic speed when merging into traffic flow. They also indicated a concern that lower truck speeds result in congestion and clustering of traffic and bottleneck situations on highways. Additionally, 87% of the truck drivers responded that speed differentials, whether due to regulated speed limits or company policies, increase the risk of accidents. Truck drivers also raised the issue of unsafe maneuvers by passenger vehicle drivers in overtaking and passing much slower trucks. If left up to them, the truck drivers indicated that a uniform speed limit of 70 mph for both automobiles and trucks would be both the safest and the most efficient configuration for rural interstate highways. The researchers note that drivers who generally have the ability to travel faster than 70 mph (owner-operators) also agreed that a 70 mph limit would be most appropriate. Safety managers, however, were somewhat more cautious. While they agreed that differential speed limits increase the probability of accidents, many felt that a uniform limit of 65 mph would be the best alternative. “Some managers indicated that new, less experienced drivers might benefit more from lower truck speeds, with more experienced drivers being able to handle the higher speeds,” the study says. “Other managers indicated that this policy would put less experienced drivers at additional risk due to the increase in the number of vehicle interactions that they would experience.” Driver Fatigue Noting the significance of driver fatigue in crashes, the MBRTC study suggests that while there is no empirical data indicating that increased speed increases fatigue, there are studies that have found that operating time has significant impact on truck driver fatigue. “One of the methods of reducing driving time and fatigue without reducing transport efficiency or driver pay, would be to travel at a higher speed,” the paper says. “From an hours-of-service perspective, an important issue is whether it would be safer to drive for 10 hours at 70 mph than it would be to drive for 11 hours at 64 mph.” In the survey, truck drivers stated that driving faster for a shorter duration of time would result in less fatigue and drowsiness. In addition, the consensus of drivers was that driving at the average traffic speed reduces fatigue, according to the report. However, most of the company safety managers indicated that traveling at higher speeds results in more fatigue. Even when drivers are allowed to use higher speeds, they do not get to their destinations sooner because they stop more frequently and take longer breaks, the managers responded. In response, most of the truck drivers stated that their driving time between stops is independent of speed and that their stops are based on time rather than distance. But the drivers did indicate that, if the pick and delivery are not adjusted for the higher speed, there is no benefit in getting to the destination early. Cost Savings One of the primary reasons for carriers to limit the speed of their trucks is the reduction in fuel consumption, and in ideal situations this is certainly true, the MBRTC report explains. But, in addition to the absolute vehicle speed, speed variance in the traffic flow also has an effect on fuel efficiency when both trucks and automobiles decelerate and accelerate to maneuver around slower traffic. “The negative impact of traffic speed variation on fuel efficiency has not been addressed in the research literature or as a policy issue,” the study says. “When speed policies are considered, it is important to consider that the driver effect is estimated to be double the effect of vehicle speed. It might be possible that by improving retention, the costs associated with higher speeds might, to some extent, be offset by the ability of more experienced drivers to conserve fuel.” The study also notes that owner-operators, “who have direct knowledge of their individual operating costs,” as a group preferred higher speeds due to the increased revenue, more flexible scheduling, and the benefits of increased personal time. Indeed, the researchers point out that their financial cost-benefit analysis illustrates how the results are very sensitive to estimates of the operational costs associated with increased truck speed. “Unfortunately, although there are many opinions, there is very little verifiable data that can be used to make these estimates,” the paper states. The study’s results ranged from an annual decrease in net profit per truck of $2,371 for the higher estimates of speed-related operational costs, to a net profit increase of $442 for the lower estimates. “Even the costs derived using the higher estimates could be offset, to some extent, if the higher speeds and increased pay would improve driver retention,” the study says. “In addition, the number of trucks necessary for the same annual mileage would be reduced, lowering the truck inventory costs for commercial fleets.” Popular Misconceptions One of the common misconceptions that motorists have is that they are often passed by trucks, the MBRTC report notes. However, results of the researches’ simulation study indicated that the frequency of automobiles being passed by trucks is very low. Using the traffic speed data from the uniform 70 mph sites in the study, an automobile traveling at the mean traffic speed (71.5 mph) would be passed by only 30 trucks during a 1,000 mile trip on a rural interstate. Similarly, many sources in the popular press refer to the statistics that indicate that more than one-third of the highway accidents are associated with “speeding.” However, speeding is defined as “traveling faster than the posted limits” or “traveling too fast for conditions.” Because there is no differentiation of these two categories in much of the literature, the effect of the posted speed limits on the number of accidents and fatalities is probably highly exaggerated in the popular literature, the report states. Conclusion “Although there is an abundance of opinion on many of the issues, there is very little empirical, verifiable, and scientifically valid data available from either public or private sources,” the MBRTC study concludes. “It is evident that there is a need for additional research in many of the areas relevant to the maximum speed for heavy trucks. The decisions pertaining to the state regulated absolute and/or differential speed limits for trucks will continue to be a political, as well as a technical issue.” Does the DOT proposal address all of these issues? I'm not convinced. But, to be fair, I've yet to dig as deeply into the all-important crash data on which the lives-saved projections are based—and I was already familiar with the MBRTC study. And gathering evidence, publishing the government's thinking, and opening the process up for review is how the rulemaking process is designed. Still, the rule was held for White House review for more than year, though we don't know why. On the other hand, big trucking and "safety advocates" support speed limiters, and Congress is backing the regulation, too. So something's coming—we just don't know how fast. .

Fleet Owner / August 29, 2016 Penalties Drivers and carriers would be subject to Federal civil penalties if they are determined to have operated CMVs in interstate commerce when the speed limiting device is (1) not functioning, or (2) set at a maximum speed in excess of the maximum specified set speed. They would be subject to Federal civil penalties of up to $2,750 for drivers and up to $11,000 for employers who allow or require drivers to operate CMVs with speed limiting devices set at speeds greater than the maximum specified set speed. .

Fleet Owner / August 29, 2016 Retrofits? In addition to the new vehicle requirements included in the proposal, NHTSA is considering whether to require commercial vehicles currently on the road to be retrofitted with a speed limiting device with the speed set to no more than a specified speed. The agency notes that a retrofit requirement is not included because of concerns about the technical feasibility, cost, enforcement, and small business impacts. However, DOT is seeking public comment to improve its understanding of the real-world impact of implementing a speed limiting device retrofit requirement. As an alternative to a retrofit requirement, the agencies are also requesting comment on whether to extend the set speed requirement only to all 26,000-lb. CMVs that are already equipped with a speed limiting device. The filing does note the previously expressed concerns of the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Assn. (EMA), which pointed out problems retrofitting vehicles manufactured from 1990 to approximately 1994 to 1996, frequently equipped with mechanically controlled engines and mechanical speed limiting devices. EMA indicated that it would be impractical to retrofit these vehicles with modern ECUs and estimated that it would cost $1,000 to $1,500 per vehicle. Given the agencies’ concerns about technical feasibility, cost, enforcement, and impacts on small businesses, DOT seeks public comment to improve its understanding of the real-world impact of implementing a speed limiting device retrofit requirement on existing vehicles and whether it is appropriate to have different requirements for these vehicles. .

Fleet Owner / August 29, 2016 New vehicle To determine compliance of new vehicles with the operational requirements for the speed limiting device (i.e., that the vehicle is in fact limited to the set speed), NHTSA is proposing a vehicle-level test that involves accelerating the vehicle and monitoring the vehicle’s speed, similar to the validation procedures currently used in Europe. However, NHTSA is not proposing requirements to prevent tampering or restrict adjusting the speed setting as part of its portion of the proposal. Instead, to deter tampering with a vehicle’s speed limiting device or modification of the set speed above the specified maximum set speed after the vehicle is sold, the proposal calls for FMCSA to require motor carriers to maintain the speed limiting devices at a set speed within the permitted range. NHTSA also is proposing to require that the vehicle set speed and the speed determination parameters be readable through the On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) connection, and that the two most recent modifications of the set speed of the speed limiting device and the two most recent modifications of the speed determination parameters be readable and include the time and date of the modifications. .