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SAF-Holland Press Release / January 27, 2016 Luxembourg-based SAF-Holland has introduced a hydraulic-driven trailer axle. The new "SAF TRAK" drive axle supports your tractor unit during inclines and on difficult terrain, using a hydraulically driven motor. SAF Trak provides the construction and refuse industries with an alternative to often-costly multi-drive trucks. “The integrated additional drive axle takes the required performance precisely to where it is needed – right to the trailer. Here, the drive axle carries the full axle load and is able to transmit all of the drive torque,” the company says. The hydraulic drive motor was developed by French company Poclain. The driver can activate the auxiliary drive axle from the cab at the push of a button. The system then automatically recognizes the direction of travel and turns on the axle’s drive motor if speed is reduced due to a lack of traction. The driven axle will switch to stand-by mode if a pre-defined speed is exceeded or the brakes are applied. The SAF-Holland Trak axle is available for retrofit onto existing trailers. .

Tesla to introduce electric heavy trucks in 2017 Bloomberg / July 20, 2016 Elon Musk unveiled his latest “master plan” for Tesla Motors, delivering a long-term vision that includes an integrated solar and battery product, the addition of a pickup, heavy truck and bus to its electric vehicle lineup. “In addition to consumer vehicles, there are two other types of electric vehicle needed: heavy-duty trucks and high passenger-density urban transport,” said Musk on Wednesday. “Both are in the early stages of development at Tesla and should be ready for unveiling next year. We believe the Tesla Semi will deliver a substantial reduction in the cost of cargo transport, while increasing safety and making it really fun to operate.” The semi-truck business is being led by Jerome Guillen, a former Daimler AG executive who recently returned to Tesla after a leave of absence.

Dagens Industri / July 20, 2016 Volvo risk lawsuits in the billions from its participation in the price-fixing truck cartel scandal. The Nordic industry association for the trucking companies, NLA, says there are grounds for a lawsuit for compensation from the truck manufacturers. "The truck operators were cheated", said NLA President Søren Larsen to Dagens Industri.

Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / July 20, 2016 Net trailer orders for the U.S. hit 11,900 units in June, the weakest June since 2009. Down 10 percent month-over-month and 56 percent year-over-year, orders came in below expectations due to elevated dry van cancellations. Market analysts say it appears that Q4 backlog has begun to soften because of moderating freight demand, with fleets reevaluating their second-half requirements. Monthly trailer orders have averaged only 13,700 units, so the market is cooling. Backlogs fell 15,000 units, likely a record drop for one month. Orders have totaled 271,000 units the last 12 months with backlogs falling to their lowest level since September 2014. Orders in all trailer segments were similar to May’s totals with the exception of dry vans, which were down by 2,000 units from the previous month. The good news is that production remains strong in the van segments. Backlogs are still decent and production should fall only moderately in the coming months. However, flatbeds and tankers are not expected to improve any time soon. Dump trailer orders have weakened, so production cuts are probably on the way.

Shell Debuts Oils Formulated for API CK-4 and FA-4 Categories Heavy Duty Trucking / July 19, 2016 Years of work in the lab and millions of miles of road testing has culminated in three new Rotella engine oils formulated to meet the API CK-4 and FA-4 oil-service categories that will start coming on the market later this year, Shell Lubricants announced here at a July 19 media briefing. “We have been working on the new CK-4 and FA-4 specifications for more than five years, keeping in mind that meeting the new specifications was simply a starting point for Shell Rotella,” said Chris Guerrero, Brand Marketing Manager for global heavy-duty diesel engine oil.” Once industry product licensing begins in December, CK-4 oils will replace current CJ-4 oils and will be completely backwards-compatible with all current engines, according to Shell. To meet the CK-4 specs, oils will be formulated with improved oxidation resistance, shear stability and aeration control. To meet FA-4, oils will also be formulated with lower viscosity grades designed for next-generation diesel engines— those of model year 2017 and newer-- to help maximize fuel economy without sacrificing engine protection, the company stated. Also per Shell, because some older engines were not designed to operate with lower-viscosity oils, the backwards-compatibility of FA-4 products will be limited by individual engine makers. Rotella T4 Triple Protection, offered in 15W-40 and 10W-30 grades, will meet the CK-4 spec while Rotella T5 Ultra10W-30 Synthetic Blend will comply with FA-4. However, no product will be marked with the API CK-4 or SA-4 donut until December 1, the date of first licensure for both categories. Rotella T5 Ultra 10W-30 will be introduced in December. It’s formulated for improved fuel economy compared to Rotella CK-4 oils yet offers “equivalent wear protection to CK-4 products,” according to Shell. The company noted that Rotella T5 Synthetic Blend 15W-40 and Rotella T6 Full Synthetic 5W-40 will also be reformulated to meet CK-4 specifications. Also to be rolled out will be Rotella T6 Multi-Vehicle 5W-30, which will meet CK-4 and SN category specs so it can be used in both diesel and gasoline engines. “Shell Lubricants has been a leader in the development and testing of next generation engine oils that will meet the new API specifications without compromising oil life or wear protection,” said Dan Arcy, Global OEM technical manager. “We’ve conducted more than 40 million miles of real-world testing to demonstrate the performance of our next-generation engine oils to meet the CK-4 and FA-4 specifications.” According to Arcy, T4 Triple Protection oil will “effectively sustain emissions control system durability where diesel particulate filters and after-treatment systems are used. It provides enhanced protection against viscosity loss due to shear and improved oil aeration. The exclusive low-ash formulation helps protect the exhaust catalysts and diesel particulate filters found on the latest low-emission vehicles.” He added that a fuel-economy benefit may be realized from running the 10W-30 grade of this oil. As for the 15W-40 T4, Arcy said it will provide “wear protection beyond CK-4 standards. In API industry wear tests, T4 Triple Protection 15W-40 didn’t just meet CK-4 specs, it delivered an average 50% more wear protection than required. It also provided strong wear protection in CK-4 engine tests, including the Cummins ISM and ISB.” He added that the T4 Triple Protection 15W-40 will “defend against deposits and help keep engines cleaner over the entire oil drain interval. It delivers reduced deposits in engine tests including Caterpillar 1N and OM 501.” Rotella T5 Ultra 10W-30 has been enhanced with synthetic base oils, plus advanced additive technology to provide “Triple Protection Plus technology that adapts to driving conditions,” Arcy said. “It provides excellent wear protection and deposit control/cleanliness. It also protects against oil breakdown and sustains emission control system durability in particulate filters and aftertreatment systems. He said that T5 Ultra “delivers excellent wear protection and deposit control/cleanliness. It also provides protection against oil breakdown and sustains emission control system durability in particulate filters and aftertreatment systems. And tests prove that this new oil has better cold cranking properties and low temperature pumpability at -25˚C and -30˚C respectively. Arcy noted that T5 Ultra has been shown to provide a 1.6% fuel economy improvement compared to 15W-40 oil in an independent third-party test. Guerrero called the new oils Shell’s “most technically advanced, hardest working products to date.” He said that selecting the proper engine oil will be easy once the new API categories kick in: “If it was built prior to 2016, whether it is on- or off-highway, choose CK-4 oil, which directly replaces CJ-4 oils. For a 2017 on-highway vehicle,; check with the manufacturer before changing the oil for the first time and if they allow an FA-4 oil, choose Rotella T5 Ultra 10W-30.” The new products will come in new packaging “to protect the recognizable look of our bottles while simplifying the naming and developing a strong label design to help our customers select the proper Rotella product to meet their needs,” Guerrero pointed out. “The logical naming structure of T4 to T5 to T6 and the Triple Protection identifier makes each engine oil easy to identify,” he explained. “Rotella T4 products will maintain their white bottle, T5 Synthetic Blend products their silver color, and T6 Full Synthetic products will continue in blue bottles.” He added that the jugs will retain their “much-preferred two-handled design for easy pouring and the thinner dimension fits easily on retail shelves, in a shop or truck.” The products will be offered in one-gallon and quart jugs. .

Heavy Duty Trucking / July 20, 2016 Fitzgerald Glider Kits has finalized the purchase of two Peterbilt dealerships in the southwest region of Virginia, formerly known by the name Performance Peterbilt of Bristol. The dealerships are located in Glad Spring, Va., and Fancy Gap, Va., and will now be renamed and operated as Fitzgerald Peterbilt. Tommy Fitzgerald Jr., the partner and head of marketing for Fitzgerald, will oversee the operations and growth of the dealerships. "I'm truly honored to be accepted into the Peterbilt dealer community,” said Fitzgerald. “I couldn't begin to thank my father, Tommy Sr., and Peterbilt enough for believing in me and giving me this opportunity.” The popularity of glider kits face an uncertain future, thanks to more stringent emissions regulations expected to be made final soon by the federal government. Performance Peterbilt of Bristol offers sales, parts, service and contract maintenance to the Tri-Cities region.

Today’s Trucking / July 20, 2016 As engine platforms go, Cummins' ISX has to be considered slightly remarkable. It was introduced in 1998, although the program that brought the engine to life began in 1994. It survived the transition to EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) and then to SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) aftertreatment. Several other engines did not. And it's still very much alive and kicking today. We spent a day test driving a couple of production-intent versions of the 2017 X15 (as it's now known), and a current ISX15 for comparison. Coming in 2017 are two distinct versions of the engine -- one tuned for fuel economy, the other for performance. Most of the changes are electronic, but Cummins has made some physical changes to the air handling system and reduced internal parasitic drag on both models. In the case of the performance version, Cummins has optimized the combustion hardware and improved what it calls the combustion recipe. The impact of the enhancements is subtle but noticeable. In plain English, the 2017 models felt peppier, a little quicker, and smoother to respond, and generally had a firmer feel. The engine brake’s performance at very low rpms was quite a surprise, and even more so in the performance version of the engine, which boasts a new and improved version of the venerable Cummins variable geometry turbocharger. With trends in engine speed drifting lower with each passing year, drivers were becoming dissatisfied with the engine brake’s performance, apparently not realizing (or forgetting) that a simple downshift would restore the massive retarding power available from a 15-liter engine. That downshift is no longer required, but be prepared for a treat if you decide to drop it down a gear. Electronically speaking, it's pretty clear that Cummins and Eaton have been spending a lot of time together in the lab and on the track. The 2017 version of the SmartAdvantage powertrain is as smooth and perfectly integrated as any of the vertically integrated powertrains they compete with. Clutch engagement on the Eaton side is dramatically improved over earlier versions, and slipping between the top two small-step gears was barely noticeable on modest highway grades. The close ratio-step between 9th and 10th is meant to keep the engine running close to its fuel-efficient sweet spot as long as possible. Interestingly, the 2016 engine would lug -- if we can still use that term (it hardly applies anymore) -- down to 1,070 rpm before making a downshift on a grade, whereas the 2017 dipped down to 1,040 before giving up a gear, starting from a cruising rpm between 1,100 and 1,125. If for some reason you aren't using cruise control, the 2017 version will deliver peak torque all the way down to 975 rpm. Both of the fuel-efficient versions of the engines I drove had the ADEPT (Advanced Dynamic Efficient Powertrain Technology) technology suite featuring SmartCoast and SmartTorque2 (ST2). The 2017 version also had Cummins own Predictive Cruise Control (PCC) feature, currently available only on Paccar products. Cummins will have its own PCC package for 2017 and it will be available across all truck platforms. SmartTorque has been around for a few years, but the latest evolution known as ST2 provides additional torque when transmission sensors detect the vehicle is on an uphill grade. SmartCoast was new in 2016. It disengages the engine from the transmission on modest downgrades for almost drag-free coasting with the engine at idle. Coupled with SmartCruise, customers can set their own droop settings (between five kilometers per hour below, and 10 kilometers per hour above, set cruise speed) for reengagement and engine brake activation on grades, so they can harvest the maximum amount of momentum from a hill. Previous versions of SmartCoast dropped the engine to a 600-rpm idle, but for 2017, Cummins says it is so confident in the new air handling system’s faster transient response that it is comfortable letting the engine drop to 500 rpm with no worries about rapid re-engagement. The performance version of the engine I drove did not have ADEPT because it had a manual transmission. ADEPT is designed to work with the SmartAdvantage powertrain only, featuring an Eaton Automated Manual Transmission. On the road For each truck, we ran about 65 kilometers south of Cummins' hometown of Columbus, Indiana on I-65. There were a few modest 2-3% grades en route to get a sense of how it all worked. The PCC feature was interesting. It has GPS maps loaded into the computer, and with the aid of terrain mapping and inclinometers built into the engine and transmission, PCC looks about three kilometers ahead to get a picture of what's coming. The PCC manages throttle and gearing based on the terrain, and does a really good job. It would begin roll on a bit of power just ahead of a grade to build up momentum before climbing, and throttle back just as we began to crest the hill to take advantage of gravity on the downside. It's nothing more than a pro driver would do, but even the best of us have lapses in attention. We might miss an opportunity or six to conserve a little more fuel. Not PCC. Before leaving the plant in Columbus, Mario Sanchez-Lara, director of on-highway marketing communications and my tour guide for the day, reset the fuel economy display for a fresh start. Granted, it was a short run, but we saw the average fuel economy trending upward throughout the run. It went from 6.6 miles per gallon (35.6 liters per 100 kilometers) to 7.7 (30.5) with the 2017 engine, and from 6.1 (38.5) to 7.2 (32.6) with the 2016 engine when we returned to the plant. In real-world reporting on a round trip from the Cummins Engine Plant in Columbus to the Jamestown, New York plant, the 2017 engine logged an average of 8.4 miles per gallon (28 liters per 100 kilometers) with an average road speed of 87 kilometers per hour pulling a trailer loaded to a 66,000-pound Gross Vehicle Weight. It also had 213 SmartCoast events on the trip, where the engine was disengaged from the transmission and the truck was coasting for free. My feeling, after a day out with the two generations of engine, is that Cummins has made a good thing better. Even with the automated transmission and a lack of direct involvement in operating the engine and transmission, that peppy and tight feeling was obvious. It's just a nicer-running version of the current ISX15. I have always been inclined to let an engine drift into the lower end of the rpm range to take advantage of the torque down there, but various older Cummins and Eaton products didn't always cooperate. They are now completely over their aversion to low-rpm operation, and the two – better described as “one” under the SmartAdvantage banner -- handle it very well. I'll save my report on the performance engine for a future feature, but I would say that engine had all the performance attributes of the fuel efficient version, but with 605 horsepower and 1,850 lb ft of torque to play with. Sweet! The rating of the 2016 ISX15 engine and the 2017 X15 engine were the same: 450 horsepower with ST2 1,550/1,750 lb ft. The 2017 engine enters limited production in October, with full production slated to begin in January.

Mark Hernandez and Wade Watson should get together for lunch and exchange stories.

Fleet Owner / July 20, 2016 Eaton has increased the warranty coverage for two of the company’s heavy-duty manual transmissions. New truck customers who specify either an Eaton RTLO 13-speed or 18-speed transmission, a Solo Advantage clutch and Eaton-approved lubrication will now receive a 7-year/750,000-mile warranty on the transmission and 5-year/500,000-mile warranty on the clutch. The program was introduced July 1, 2016, and will remain in effect until June 30, 2017, for all makes and models of new trucks purchased in the U.S. and Canada. “Our rugged manual transmissions have been the trucking industry standard for years,” said David Karnes, vice president, Commercial Vehicle Sales, North America, Eaton. “That robust design, coupled with the one of industry’s best clutches and lube offerings, has allowed us to provide our customers with these free warranty extensions.” The design of the Eaton Fuller RTLO transmissions feature a mainshaft without splines, and helical gears in the auxiliary section of the transmissions, which provides quieter operation and increased durability. Eaton’s PS-386 Synthetic Transmission Fluid is designed specifically to optimize performance in Eaton transmissions. PS-386 also improves fuel efficiency and gear wear to help promote longer transmission life.

Fleet Owner / July 20, 2016 Its CK-4 blend rolls out in August, while its FA-4 formulation will arrive in December. Shell Lubricants took the wraps off its new “portfolio” of Shell Rotella CK-4 and FA-4 oils diesel engine oils, designed to meet Proposed Category 11 (PC-11) specifications finalized back in February, at a special event in the nation’s capital this week. Shell’s Rotella T4 Triple Protection 15W-40 and 10W-30, along with T5 Synthetic Blend 10W-30, meet the new CK-4 service category and will become available in August – replacing current lubricant formulas as they are completely backwards compatible with all current engines, though those oils will not be “licensed” as CK-4 on the API donut until Dec. 1. Chris Guerrero, global HDEO brand manager for Shell Rotella and Shell Rimula, added that FA-4 formulations, which include lower viscosity grades designed to maximize fuel economy in 2017 model year engines, will have limited backwards compatibility because some older engines were not designed to operate with lower viscosity grades. Shell won’t introduce those oils until December. He added that Shell’s new engine oil “portfolio” will also include a new “multi-vehicle” synthetic blend, Rotella T6 5W-30, for both diesel and gasoline engines that allow CK-4 blends as well as API SN performance standards. “This oil cut its teeth in the diesel setting; we did that first before seeing if it could work in the gasoline setting,” Guerrero explained. Other details regarding Shell’s new CK-4 and FA-4 oils include: Rotella T Triple Protection is being renamed Rotella T4 Triple Protection, with Rotella T5 Synthetic Blend 10W-30 reengineered as well, to meet the new CK-4 spec. Both of these engine oils will be on retail shelves in August but won’t display the API CK-4 donut until Dec. 1; the official date of first license for CK-4 and FA-4 engine oils. The Rotella Synthetic Blend 15W-40 and T6 Full Synthetic 5W-40 will also be reformulated to meet CK-4 specifications. Rotella T5 Ultra Synthetic Blend 10W-30, which will meet the API FA-4 specification, will be introduced in December. The naming structure of Shell’s engine oils – T4 to T5 to T6 – will correspond to a specific “bottle color” to make them easier for customers to identify, with Rotella T4 products in white bottles, Shell Rotella T5 Synthetic Blend products in silver color, and T6 Full Synthetic products in blue bottles, with bottles available in either one-gallon and quart sizes. If a truck engine was built prior to 2016, whether on- or off-highway, Shell recommends using CK-4 oil as those blends replace its CJ-4 oils. For a 2017 on-highway vehicle, follow the OEM recommendation before changing the oil for the first time to see if they allow FA-4 oil to be used. Dr. Richard Tucker, general manager-technology for B2B lubricants, stressed that there is a “global trend” towards lower viscosity engine oils in order to reduce fuel consumption and that PC-11 represents “just the starting point” for Shell to further pursue further formulations to that end. “It’s really just a matter of time before we see wider adoption of FA-4 oils, for the pressure for greater fuel economy and from GHG rules is not going away,” he pointed out. Dan Arcy, Shell's global OEM technical manager for the Americas, said that based on Shell’s testing of its new oils, there should a 1.5% improvement in fuel economy by switching from current 15W-40 engine oil blends to the new 10W-30 formulations. But Guerrero noted that the development of PC-11 compliant CK-4 and FA-4 is only the beginning of Shell’s effort to create higher performing engine oils. “PC-11 is not the finish line for us,” he said. “The real ‘destination’ is creating the most technically advanced Rotella [oils] ever.” Matt Urbanak, HDEO technology manager, added that Shell is already testing viscosity formulations even lower than the 2.9 level of FA-4 blends. “The challenge has always been the fear of sacrificing [oil] durability when moving to lower viscosity formulations,” he explained. That’s why Dr. Jason Brown, global technology manager for heavy duty diesel engine oil (HDEO), said extensive field testing of the new PC-11 oils – efforts that encompassed 40 million miles of on-road prototype formulation testing for its PC-11 family, along with 50,000 hours of off-road testing for its CK-4 product line alone – is critical to winning acceptance from trucking customers. “Field testing is what drivers the most credible numbers,” he explained. “It helps our customers see directly the benefits [the new oils] bring to their equipment.”

Transport Topics / July 20, 2016 During a tough time for the trucking industry, the Freightliner plant in Mount Holly, North Carolina, has gone through a leadership change this week. General manager Mark Hernandez is no longer with the company, a spokesman confirmed July 19. Hernandez joined the plant in December 2011. His job description states he managed a budget of $350 million. The Mount Holly plant produces medium and heavy trucks. Hernandez’s responsibilities will be shared by plant logistics director Jane Rosaasen and production director Janine Wright, Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) spokesman David Giroux said. Giroux said he could not comment on whether Hernandez was fired or if he left on his own. Hernandez has been with Daimler since at least 1994, six years after he graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy. He managed the company’s plant in Saltillo, Mexico, for 17 years before moving on to the Mount Holly plant. While with Mount Holly, he managed the Cleveland plant in Rowan County for seven months, starting in November 2014. That plant is Freightliner’s largest in the nation. The two women who take on Hernandez’s responsibilities have long careers in the auto industry. Janine Wright has worked for Daimler since at least 1984. She started as a design engineer and spent at least 17 years at the Mount Holly plant. Jane Rosaasen, has worked for the company since at least 2004, starting in human resources and working at plants in Rowan County and Mexico. Before working for Daimler, she spent 20 years with Chrysler in the automaker’s Canada division. In June, Daimler announced layoffs for its Mount Holly and Gastonia plants. Mount Holly lost 600 workers, reducing it to one shift. Gastonia, which fabricates and assembles parts for Daimler products, lost 200. The company previously stated the temporary layoffs were part of an international reduction in workers. Daimler expected a 15% decrease in sales of medium and heavy trucks, the kind of trucks made at the Mount Holly plant. Truck manufacturing follows a cycle that relies on factors outside a company’s control, Gaston County Economic Development Commission executive director Donny Hicks previously told reporters. As one of the largest employers in the county, Freightliner pays a large amount of tax and provides work to local suppliers of smaller parts that go into truck components, Hicks said. Recently, Volvo and Mack also have laid off workers nationwide. In February, about 700 workers were temporarily laid off, reducing the Mount Holly plant to two shifts a day. About 300 laid off workers attended a March job fair hosted by the county, but it’s not known how many of those workers found new jobs. Officials with United Auto Workers Local 677, which represents the Mack workers, did not respond to requests for comment July 19. The union is negotiating with Mack, since the existing contract expires in early October. One positive of the nonproduction time, according to the announcement, is it allows the company to more easily do work related to Mack's $70 million investment in the plant, a project aimed at modernizing the 40-year-old structure and turning it into a "world-class manufacturing facility." The letter said Mack plans to conduct maintenance, do construction work and make improvements to the facility during the shutdowns. When the employees do return to work, they're not likely to find a bustling truck market reminiscent of 2015, when Mack delivered 27,411 trucks, its strongest year since 2006. That's something Volvo realizes. In its report July 19, the group lowered its heavy truck market forecast for 2016 to 240,000 trucks. By comparison, the total North American retail market for heavy-duty trucks was 301,700 last year. "A continued good development in the economy, low fuel prices and low interest rates support the market, but with stagnant freight volumes, increased availability of competitively priced used trucks and less need for fleet renewal, the market is expected to settle on a more normal level during 2016," Volvo said. In a July 6 report, Stifel transportation analysts said North American heavy truck orders of 13,100 units in June was the lowest level since the third quarter of 2010. In terms of North American heavy-duty truck production, Stifel is forecasting 230,000 units in 2016, 205,000 units in 2017, 200,000 units in 2018 and 250,000 units in 2019. "We continue to believe there is more risk to the downside than upside in the next few years, especially for those names that are most exposed to the North American heavy-duty cycle," the Stifel analysts wrote. That means this could be a sign of things to come at Mack, which had 93% of its second-quarter orders and deliveries in North America.

Transport Topics / July 20, 2016 With heavy-duty truck demand sagging, Mack Trucks has scheduled several weeklong production shutdowns at its Lower Macungie Township, Pennsylvania, assembly plant. The weeks of Aug. 8 and Nov. 28 were previously scheduled, but Mack added the weeks of Sept. 12, Oct. 17 and Dec. 12 "based upon current order intake, North America market forecasts and dealer stock," according to an announcement sent to employees July 8. The shutdowns, or temporary layoff weeks, will idle a significant portion of Mack Lehigh Valley Operations' approximately 1,500 employees. Some employees, depending on department, classification and shift, may be required to work during any temporary layoff week, the announcement notes. In a statement e-mailed July 19, John Walsh, Mack's vice president of global marketing and brand management, said four of the down weeks — one each in August, September, October and December — are in addition to the plant's annually scheduled three down weeks, which includes two for a summer shutdown and the week of Nov. 28 for hunting week. "We will continue to monitor market conditions and adjust to meet demand," Walsh said. News of the shutdowns came on the same day that Mack's parent company, Volvo Group of Sweden, reported decreased second-quarter truck orders in North America. The company also again cut its full-year forecast for heavy-duty trucks in North America and promised to further reduce truck production in North America. "Production in the group's North American manufacturing system will be lowered further to meet the lower demand and allow for inventory reduction at dealers," Volvo wrote in the report. Fresh off a 21% decline in deliveries in the first quarter, Mack Trucks' numbers were again headed in the wrong direction during the second three-month stretch of the year. Mack delivered 5,588 trucks worldwide in the second quarter, a 22% decline from the 7,160 it sent out during the same period in 2015. That's the weakest second quarter for Mack since 2011, when it delivered 5,099 trucks during the period, Volvo reports show. And while Mack's net order intake actually increased 15% in the second quarter to 3,007, that figure is still down 32% year-over-year through the first six months. The decline is not unexpected. Volvo and Mack have consistently said that demand would weaken in 2016, especially compared with the peak year the heavy-duty truck market benefited from last year. In its report, Volvo said the total North American retail market for heavy-duty trucks declined 14% through the first six months of the year. To meet the expected reduced demand, Mack announced in December it would lay off about 400 people at Mack Lehigh Valley Operations, which took effect in late January. Mack's 1-million-square-foot plant in Lower Macungie is where all Mack trucks built for the North American market and export are assembled.

Speaking for an outraged America that thinks beheading a child is.......wrong, White House spokesman Mark Toner's strong words and firm demeanor must certainly put the "fear of god" into our enemies overseas (sarcasm on my part). "Ladies and gentlemen, we're going to claim that we're clueless on what happened. We only know what you know from CNN, and nothing more. That's our line and we're going to stick with it, " said Toner to reporters. .

The Cargo tractor is actually quite aerodynamic. The F-600/700/850 doesn't have any aerodynamic front fascia directing frontal air around the sides of the truck, rather than turbulently passing underneath the truck and causing drag. I can't imagine Ford even considering a proper aerodynamics package for an F-850 tractor. And designing a package around that cab and hood, really an oversized pickup by design, would be challenging. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Speaks of fuel efficiency thru aerodynamics at 3:50 (This truck is a global spec unit - Ford-Otosan production) .

Imagine, for a moment, adapting this intake configuration to a 6-cylinder inline diesel truck engine, rather than applying heavy, complex and expensive turbo-compounding to improve engine response (i.e. reduce turbo lag). The Dynamic Pressure Turbo system fitted to the Mazda CX-9’s 2.5-liter engine combines elements of twin-scroll and variable-geometry turbos in one small package. Like a variable-geometry turbo, the CX-9 constrains exhaust flow at low rpm to accelerate the gases, which helps spool up the turbo. It produces the same result as putting your thumb over the end of a hose, but instead of doing so inside the turbine housing, as in a variable-geometry turbo, Mazda puts its “thumb over the hose” upstream. The valve body fits between the cylinder head and the turbocharger. Below 1620 rpm, the three valves are closed, forcing exhaust gas into the smaller passages above the three butterflies. The constricted path accelerates the gas into the turbine and improves the turbo’s low-rpm responsiveness. At 1620 rpm, the exhaust volume is great enough that the valves open and the turbo operates normally. To manage the exhaust pulses as in a twin-scroll turbo, Mazda separates the engine’s waste gases into three distinct branches with a 4-3-1 exhaust manifold built into the head. The two inner cylinders blow their exhaust into a common runner, while the outer cylinders push their exhaust through individual pipes. Separating the gases has two effects: 1. Scavenging uses the fast-moving exhaust gases from a cylinder beginning its exhaust stroke to help draw out the remaining low-pressure waste gas from the cylinder just starting the intake stroke in the adjacent passage. 2. By separating the exhaust into three path­ways, the turbocharger is hit with more evenly metered pulses, like a twin-scroll turbo. Those timed pulses improve responsiveness and help reduce turbo lag. .

But.........they are of a religion of peace. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The legal system of Saudi Arabia is based on Islamic Law (aka. Sharia Law) derived from the Quran. Wahhabism, a strict form of Sunni Islam, is today the dominant for of Islam in Saudi Arabia, and seemingly at the core of world's dilemma. Its barbaric corporal punishments include flogging, amputation and eye gouging. Capital punishments include death-by-stoning, crucifixion and beheading. .

(Scenes from outside the Republican National Convention in Cleveland) Any American who intentionally desecrates (burns) the great flag of The United States of America should have their citizenship immediately revoked and be deported within 24 hours. I personally have zero tolerance for flag burning. Clearly disgusted with their life in the United States, I'm sure they'll be far more happy elsewhere. .

Nobody has word one to say about that child being beheaded ?

Rather than buy a throw-away 6.7L Powerstroke-powered Ford F-850 6x4 tractor to run intermodal up to 100,000 miles a year, it would be more prudent of me to buy a far more advanced, durable, comfortable and economical C-2335 Ford Cargo 6x2 tractor (liftable tag axle) with the 9L 350hp Ecotorq.

Our nation has, in general, very competent and professionally trained state and local police. Protecting the public IS their job. These assault rifle-carrying gentlemen do NOT enhance the safety of our fellow Americans. Rather, they only further complicate the situation. Basically, there's a law that says they can "carry". So, they want to make a point, that they can......."carry". Did their presence at the Dallas protest stir fear in the gunman and cause him to cancel his massacre plans? NOT. With all their assault rifles, did they take out the Dallas gunman? NOT Who did take out the gunman? The dedicated, professional and highly trained Dallas police forced whose job it is to ensure our safety. "the cowards that do the shootings look for the defenseless populated areas" That doesn't fit the Dallas or Baton Rouge scenario. The gunmen didn't back down.....they weren't cowards in any regard.....they were fearless and bent on killing.

I see an F-850 6x4, like the GMC C8500 6x4, as a very low cost option principally for municipalities. In the past, VERY few were built/sold as tractors. 99% were rigids. For intermodal work, one would be smarter to buy a certified used Class 8 tractor with a warranty, than a new F-850 that will wear out in a fraction of the time and have no resale value. If the F-850 had a Cummins ISL and Eaton AMT, decent drive axles and Hendrickson HAS air suspension, then you might sell a few.

BBC / July 20, 2016 A Palestinian boy who was filmed being beheaded by Syrian rebels on Tuesday was not a fighter, a pro-government Palestinian militia has said. The Liwa al-Quds (Jerusalem Brigade) said Abdullah Issa was just a 12-year-old from a poor refugee family who lived in a rebel-held area of Aleppo. Members of the Nour al-Din al-Zinki Movement are accused of killing him. It said those responsible were handed over to a judicial committee, and denounced the killing as a "violation". The US, which has provided military support to the Nour al-Din al-Zinki Movement in the past, said it was seeking more information on what it described as "an appalling report". "If we can prove that this was indeed what happened and this group was involved... it would give us pause about any assistance or, frankly, any further involvement with this group," state department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters. [ Just empty rhetoric from the camp that’s claims to lead the fight against evil and set an example for the world to follow ] Two short videos emerged online on Tuesday morning showing a boy being taunted and then beheaded by a group of Syrian rebels. The first shows the frightened child, who could be as young as 10, sitting in the back of a pick-up truck, surrounded by five men. One of the men grips him by the hair as they accuse him of being a member of Liwa al-Quds, a Palestinian militia that fights in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and was involved in clashes with rebels on Tuesday in Handarat, to the north of Aleppo. The second video shows the boy's murder. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the boy was seized by rebels in Handarat, but that the killing took place in Mashhad. The UK-based monitoring group could not confirm if the boy was a Palestinian or a child soldier. Liwa al-Quds issued a statement on Facebook saying that its investigation had found he was a 12-year-old Palestinian named Abdullah Issa, who lived in Mashhad with his family. It also said he had apparently been receiving medical treatment before being seized, noting that one photograph showed an intravenous drip in his arm. Liwa al-Quds accused the rebels of killing the child simply because he was Palestinian, in order to take "cheap and despicable revenge" for battlefield losses. Earlier this month, Amnesty International published a report detailing a series of violations allegedly committed by Nour al-Din al-Zinki Movement fighters in Aleppo, including abductions and torture.

These fellows have too much spare time on their hands and/or need to get a life. If they want so much to play army, Syria is that way. Knock yourself out. Please get off our streets before someone gets hurt. .

An F-850 tandem with the AVL 6.7 Powerstroke and Ford 6-speed Super-Duty transmission? (and Hendrickson RT suspension?). I know the Navy would buy it on price, but I pity our boys who have to depend on it.