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New Stralis XP: The Emotional Birth of a Truck Our TCO2 Champions wear the colors of the greatest champions of all time, thanks to airbrush artist Ivan Ventimiglia. .

Transport Topics / June 21, 2016 Cummins is recalling nearly 5,500 heavy-duty diesel truck engines due to an electrical issue. The recall affects ISX12 and ISX15 engines produced between March 7 and April 12 because of possible water infiltration in the engine control module connector. "During the identified time period, defective masking caps allowed wash water to enter certain ECMs. The wash water and/or the subsequent residue may create an internal short circuit on the printed circuit board that could possibly cause a blown fuse in the ECM’s electrical supply circuit," according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration recall notice. A blown fuse would cause the engine to stall without warning and not restart until the control module and fuse are replaced, according to NHTSA. The recall is expected to begin on July 7.

Global Auto Sources / June 21, 2016 [Volvo Group brand] Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle held a cadre assembly on June 20th. Chairman of Board and Communist Party Committee Secretary Zhu Yanfeng headed the meeting and made an important announcement. Mr. Tong Dongcheng, Party Standing Committee member and assistant general manager of Dongfeng Motors Group, hosted the meeting. Mr. He Wei, Personnel Manager of Dongfeng Motors, outlined the upper management team change at the meeting. Mr. Yang Qing was appointed as the new general manager of Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle. Mr. Zhang Zutong was appointed Communist Party Committee member and secretary of Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle. Mr. Sun Zhenyi was appointed vice general manager. The former executives, Mr. Huang Gang, Mr. Li Jingqiao and Mr. Xu Tianqiao have been reassigned. Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle, founded by Dongfeng Motors and Volvo, was officially established in January, 2015. Zhu Yanfeng said, “The decision of the management team adjustment was made by full research and cautious thinking. During the 12th five-year plan in which commercial vehicles face shrinking growth, our management team responded to the market change proactively, improved business quality and made steady growth. In the process of promoting cooperation with Volvo, we are establishing an international management system step by step and lifting our international impact.” Related reading - http://www.volvogroup.com/group/global/en-gb/_layouts/CWP.Internet.VolvoCom/NewsItem.aspx?News.ItemId=149008 http://www.volvogroup.com/GROUP/GLOBAL/EN-GB/WHATWEDO/OUR_BRAND/DONGFENG_TRUCKS/PAGES/DEFAULT.ASPX

Werner Enterprises’ forecast for sharply lower profits has stoked investor fears that the trucking industry’s downturn is deepening The Wall Street Journal / June 21, 2016 Trucking stocks swooned Tuesday after one of the largest U.S. trucking companies predicted sharply lower profits amid a downturn in the freight market. Werner Enterprises, Inc., one of the largest long-haul carriers, said weak demand from shippers, rising driver pay and other factors would cut the company’s second-quarter earnings to between $0.21 and $0.25 per share. Wall Street analysts had an average estimate for the quarter of $0.40, according to FactSet. Late Tuesday, Covenant Transportation Group Inc. announced after the stock market closed that it was lowering its second-quarter profit outlook as well, from a range of $0.28 to $0.33 per share to a range of $0.17 to $0.23 per share. The company cited a weak freight market, lower fuel surcharges and higher costs, among other factors, for the revision. The trucking business has been plagued by overcapacity and weak demand since early 2015. Although most large trucking companies have stopped expanding their fleets, forecasts like Werner’s raise concerns that it will likely take months or even years for supply and demand to come back into balance. The second quarter is typically the strongest for trucking companies, so Werner’s negative outlook is particularly worrying, analysts said. It also points to weakness in the spot market is spreading to long-term freight contract rates, where large trucking companies generate the bulk of their profits. That could signal a prolonged slump for the industry. “We hadn’t really seen that same weakness in the contracted rates for the big truckers, and now we’re seeing those rates come down too,” said Brandon Oglenski, an analyst with Barclays. “Our fear is that for the back half of the year. projections are too rosy. The reality is pricing is coming down now.” Shares of Werner fell 9.6% to $22.31 in New York trading. Covenant fell 5.3% to $21.97 per share. Other truckload carriers, which handle shipments for single customers in each truck, tumbled as well. Celadon Group Inc. ’s stock dropped 9% to $10.02, Swift Transportation Co. shares were down 6.9% at $15.74 and Knight Transportation Inc. shares fell 4.3% to $26.66. Derek Leathers, Werner’s chief executive, said that contract negotiations with shippers this year have been the most aggressive he can remember. “We’ve seen shipper negotiations that have demanded in excess of 10% in rate reductions,” Mr. Leathers said. “They’re essentially asking folks to operate their business at a loss. Carriers will do that for a period of time, but there are negative long-term outcomes to that.” Spot market rates – or the price to haul freight on a one-time basis – have been falling since early 2015. But until this year, long-term contracts, which are used by truckload carriers, were stronger. Also on Tuesday, Cass Information Systems Inc. reported that long-haul freight rates fell 1.2% in May compared with the year-earlier month, the third consecutive month of price declines. Historically, trucking companies report higher earnings and positive outlooks in the second quarter, as high costs and route disruptions caused by winter weather recede. Analysts at Deutsche Bank called the timing of Werner’s earnings outlook downgrade “particularly disturbing.” Covenant said it has removed trucks from operation because of the soft market, and expects to operate about 2% fewer trucks during the second quarter than it did in the same quarter last year. Marc Althen, president of Penske Logistics, said there appeared to be as many as 80,000 more trucks on U.S. roads than needed to handle shipping demand. “It’ll probably be the fourth quarter or into next year to work its way out,” he said.

Uniformed police arrived within minutes....told not to pursue Orlando shooter.....15 or 20 halt until SWAT arrived The Washington Post / June 21, 2016 After an initial burst of fire between Omar Mateen and a security guard at the Pulse nightclub, a group of five to six police officers arrived on the scene within minutes, broke through a large glass window and entered the club as the killing of 49 people was underway inside. Belle Isle police officer Brandon Cornwell, 25, said the ad-hoc team spent the first seconds inside “trying to locate exactly where the shooter was — we kept hearing people scream and shots fired.” Cornwell said they never saw Mateen; he said the shooter had vanished inside the dimly lit club as Cornwell and the other officers followed the sounds of screams and echoing gunfire to the bathroom area where they presumed the gunman was now holed up. They aimed their assault rifles toward that area as the sounds of gunfire stopped. Then, they followed orders to hold their position for what he described as “15 or 20 minutes” until the SWAT team arrived. Cornwell didn’t say if the officers spent that time inside the club, or were instructed to withdraw to the outside of the club before SWAT arrived, leaving Mateen time to move freely about the club. Cornwell declined to clarify this point. He did not second-guess the decision. “We just basically stayed there, waited for movement, and we just held our position until SWAT got there,” said Cornwell, 25, who never fired his weapon. “Once SWAT got there, they told us to retreat, that they’d take over because we were not really in tactical gear — we were just in our police uniforms.” Cornwell and his fellow officers’ early standoff with the shooter — the second of three encounters between law enforcement and Mateen over more than three hours Sunday morning — is being scrutinized by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Public Integrity Squad along with the other police encounters with the shooter. Cornwell, a second-year police officer who served with the Army National Guard in Iraq, said he was helping with a traffic stop when he heard the call on his radio that shots had been fired at Pulse. He said he arrived “in 38 seconds.” “It was a straight shot there and I hit every green light,” said Cornwell, who spoke with The Washington Post at Belle Isle’s City Hall in the presence of the Belle Isle police chief, who occasionally stopped him from offering too much detail. Cornwell was one of the first seven or so police cars to arrive on the scene, where officers were getting out of their cars with their assault rifles, he said. “Some ran towards the building, some stayed back with people running out,” he said. “There was tons of people running out of the club. I grabbed my assault rifle and ran toward the club. At this point the shooter is still actively shooting inside.” Cornwell converged on the south side of the building near the main entrance with perhaps five other officers, all from the Orlando police department, which he referred to as OPD. “There happens to be an OPD lieutenant commander who was there, and he says we’ve got to go in,” said Cornwell. “No one disagreed. One of the officers busted out one of those side windows” — it was approximately 10 feet tall — “and we just went in and went from there.” He estimated that “no more than two minutes” had elapsed since they arrived, and they were now inside the club. Cornwell said Mateen was nowhere to be seen. The club was dim — lit with a disco ball and colored lights — and quiet except for the sound of the shooter’s gunfire, screams and cries for help, Cornwell said. “He was actively shooting,” he said. “I can’t say if he was targeting us. But he was still shooting in that location where he was at. There were bullet holes in the wall, so he had shot through the wall. But I couldn’t tell you if he was shooting at us.” Cornwell and the other officers immediately began “clearing rooms” one by one — not knowing if there was more than one shooter — and trying to locate the source of the gunfire. The sound of the shots echoing all around the club made it difficult to tell exactly where it was coming from, he said. But fairly quickly — Cornwell said “within minutes” — officers located Mateen in the bathroom area. At that point, he said, “we took up a tactical position by the bar standpoint in the middle of the club.” As he aimed his AR-15 assault rifle toward the bathroom door, he said, the shooting stopped. And it was then that the “15 or 20 minute” holding pattern began, he said. Though Cornwell cannot recall exactly how he received his orders (?????) — whether it came via the radio or verbally in person — his clear understanding was that he and his fellow officers were to hold their position rather than attempt to go into the bathroom after the shooter. Minutes passed as he kept aiming toward the bathroom, he said. He could hear people scream. There were people lying all over the floor of the club. He kept aiming, waiting for SWAT. More screams. He and the other officers held their position, focused on the bathroom, where he could see “some movement inside,” he said. Asked whether he felt an urge to pursue the shooter at that point, Cornwell said, “I couldn’t tell you. I was following lieutenant’s command.” At some point during the 15 to 20 minutes — it is unclear exactly when (?????) — Cornwell and the others in the group of first responders withdrew to the outside of the club, he said. “We got word from higher up, and it was communicated to the OPD lieutenant that we needed to withdraw,” he said. “So we came back outside. And waited for SWAT. SWAT arrived. SWAT handled everything from there.”

Paul, what kind of reputation did the Ford Falcon XB GT have down under ?

In March 1999, Navistar acquired a 50% stake in Brazilian diesel engine maker Loschpe-Maxion S.A..*, creating the Maxion International Motores S.A. joint venture. The Maxion-Navistar joint-venture immediately launched construction of the new Canoas engine plant at a cost of $25 million, which would produce 7.3 liter Powerstroke engines for South American, North American and other global markets. In early 2001, Navistar bought out Maxion’s stake in the joint venture, and renamed the operation International Engines South America (ISEA). In May 2005, International Engines South America purchased MWM, creating MWM International Industria da Motores da America do Sul Ltda. In summary, the Canoas plant was constructed as an engine plant. Note the low roof. If originally for truck assembly, the roof would be two to three times higher. The video shows engine production at Canoas, but as mentioned above, that activity was just relocated to Sao Paulo on the coast. * ArvinMeritor sold its wheel business to Loschpe-Maxion in 2009 for US$180 million. Today, Loschpe-Maxion is the world’s largest wheel maker for trucks, buses and agricultural machinery. It also produces automotive components, and complete vehicle chassis, frame rails, and cross-members for commercial trucks and buses)

Factory views.......... .

Steve Brooks, Trade Trucks AU / June 21, 2016 It’s time to get reacquainted with an undisputed favourite, the Volvo FM There’s no question Volvo’s new FH flagship has been a raging success almost from the day it first appeared on dealer’s lots. Sales figures prove it. Still, it’s the incredibly versatile FM which has continued to provide the platform for the Swedish brand’s strong performance over many years. I won’t beat around the bush. Now more than ever, the Volvo FM stands out as one of my all-time favourite trucks. Not because it belts out blistering performance or provides a lavish ‘office’ with all the bells and whistles, or is entirely fault-free. And certainly not for its ability to make other drivers envious or deliver an ego trip every time you step into the cab. In fact, if it came to choosing a big banger to run the length and breadth of the country, I would shamelessly prefer something with more cubes, more bunk and a snout out the front. So, what is it that makes the ubiquitous FM such a stand-out attraction? Well, in my estimation – and obviously the estimations of many others – it’s just so right for so many jobs and these days particularly, it does those jobs with degrees of finesse, comfort, reliability and efficiency which set an exceptionally high standard. Think about it! Here’s a truck that can be found just about everywhere doing just about everything, from pulling a single trailer around cities and suburbs, working as an eight-wheeler with or without a dog trailer attached, or hauling a B-double on shorthaul or even linehaul runs. And when needs dictate, it definitely wouldn’t be surprising to find a few in the backblocks occasionally attached to a set of roadtrain doubles. Yet these are just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, perhaps the biggest examples of FM versatility and modern-day acceptance are to be found in those PBS (Performance-Based Standards) roles where the stoic Swede works as a rigid tipper pulling a five or even six-axle dog trailer. What’s more, it’s no exaggeration to suggest the FM did more to blaze the trail for these unique combinations than any other make or model. That’s not to say, of course, other brands aren’t entirely capable of providing the same standards of application versatility. It’s just that judging by the sheer number of FMs found in such a broad diversity of applications, few do it with the same levels of market acceptance or operational aptitude. It is truly a quiet achiever, in every sense. Engine and Transmission The top rating these days is the FM 540 model punched by Volvo’s six cylinder D13C engine with an SCR emissions system configured to Euro 5 standard. Available in both the FM and its big brother FH, the D13C dispenses 540hp (397 kW) from 1,450 to 1,900 rpm and a tad over 1,900 lb/ft (2600 Nm) of torque from 1,050 to 1,450rpm. Thus, you don’t have to be a genius to realise that from 1,050 rpm right through to 1,900 rpm, the 540 rating is delivering either maximum torque or maximum power, making it a convincingly gritty performer in most applications. Yet for all its multi-faceted appeal, the FM is like any other truck in that it has definite limits. For instance, with a standard gross combination mass (GCM) rating of 70 tonnes, the FM 540 certainly has ample capacity for B-double duties but at weights of 60 tonnes-plus on time-sensitive linehaul runs, the 13-litre displacement – under either the FM or FH cab – struggles to match the deep-rooted tenacity of bigger bore engines. Therefore, don’t be surprised if Volvo in the near future offers a 540hp version of its 16-litre engine under the taller FH cab. Word has it that extensive fleet testing of several down-rated D16s (currently, the lowest 16-litre rating is 600hp) has not only shown an inherently greater ‘grunt’ factor over its 13-litre sibling but also significantly improved fuel consumption in top-weight linehaul B-double applications. No matter how you look at it, it’s one of those cases where bigger is definitely better. Meantime, the current FM range will remain unchanged with the 540hp 13-litre engine continuing to head the horsepower list. Cab and Controls Volvo Group Australia’s recent ‘Heartland’ tour offered a number of different makes and models for test drives as the convoy traversed various parts of the country. A couple of UDs, a pair of Macks and a trio of Volvos were all available and as several Volvo operatives confirmed, there were plenty of takers for the shiny big bangers from Mack and Volvo. Fair enough, I suppose, but the opportunity to be reacquainted with the consistently successful and hugely versatile FM on a short run near home was simply too good to resist. So, on a wickedly wet Saturday morning when an intense low pressure system decided to deluge much of eastern Australia, I made the short step up into the relatively low-slung FM cab after an absence of four years or more. And it is still such easy truck to like. Sure, this particular unit was fitted with a swag of optional features but the fundamental qualities which have made the FM the truck of choice for a multitude of tasks start to emerge from the moment you pull the door shut. Like, there’s the immediate impression of good build quality, a comfortably practical work space and excellent all-round vision. Equally noticeable, however, was the absence of a shift wand for the slick I-shift transmission. Volvo had configured this transmission installation as a ‘Fleet Spec’, replacing the usual and occasionally over-used Cobra shift lever with a dash-mounted switch pad which sees the deletion of the ‘performance’ function to enhance simplicity and fuel efficiency but still allowing manual gear-hold and start gear default functions. Meanwhile, another small bank of switches immediately underneath controls hill hold, traction control and diff lock functions, with another switch for cancelling the reversing alarm when working in suburban areas late at night. Smart move! Yet whereas the switch pad was fitted to enhance simplicity, Volvo’s ‘smart’ steering wheel was at the other end of the spectrum, with a bevy of buttons on either side of the wheel hub controlling up to 25 individual functions for everything from phone use to cruise control to dash read-outs and … lots more! Of course, time and use bring familiarity but on first impression the complexity is confusing. Still, as one Volvo operative was quick to point out, this particular unit was a demonstrator designed to highlight the FM’s ability to be specified for a diverse range of roles, from large fleets to owner-drivers. In typical Volvo fashion, safety features were also high on the options list with the demo unit fitted with adaptive cruise control, lane change and lane keeping functions, a driver alert system and top of the tree, a forward collision warning function with emergency braking. There’s even an automatic headlamp switching function between high and low beam. Another highly notable option was Volvo’s dynamic steering system, but we’ll get to that in a moment. Performance As for the powertrain and driveline spec, it’s an impressive outfit with the 540hp 13-litre engine feeding into a direct-drive version of Volvo’s stunningly smooth and incredibly intuitive I-shift transmission, putting power to the pavement through a Volvo drive tandem running a tall 3.09:1 rear axle ratio. It’s a smart spec, combining good lift-off performance with the efficiency of cruising at 100 km/h with engine speed at a touch over 1,400rpm. Critically, a standard braking system of electronically controlled disc brakes on all axles accompanied by an electronic stability program and three-stage Volvo Engine Brake made stopping performance typically strong and confident even in horribly wet and greasy conditions. However, there was one feature found by chance that did not impress. Not one bit! For whatever reason, the park brake would release automatically when ‘D’ was selected and slight throttle pressure applied. For Volvo, a company which prides itself on the highest standards of safety, this was a surprising and somewhat questionable function. Back on the positives, the truck was a sleeper cab version and typical of an FM specified for a multitude of regional prime mover roles. Built on a 3,100 mm wheelbase with fuel capacity of over 1,000 litres in single tanks on each side and importantly, carried AdBlue capacity of 150 litres in the clever Aussie-designed tank mounted between the chassis rails. As for the sleeper section, it’s certainly well short of ideal for long haul runs over several days but it’s at least ample for a few lazy hours or even overnight stops. You could do a lot worse. Finally, I’ll end with Volvo’s dynamic steering (VDS) system. My first experience with this uniquely Volvo development was several years back in Sweden in the revamped FM range. I didn’t like it. Not at all. It was simply too sensitive to the slightest twitch of the wheel and several colleagues thought exactly the same. Fortunately, Volvo engineers have done a lot of work in the meantime and the last few test drives in Australian Volvos fitted with VDS have revealed a vastly less sensitive system which now delivers an exceptionally direct and positive steering performance. For particularly rough roads or lots of off-road work, it is worth serious consideration. Like so many other FM factors, VDS is another feather in the cap of a truck which just keeps evolving to the top of the class. Verdict There’s probably not much more to say other than comment on an on-road performance which was undeniably impressive. Like I said, the day was an absolute shocker with unrelenting heavy rain and whilst a modestly sized excavator on a drop-deck tri-axle trailer certainly didn’t make the Swede sweat, the overall conclusion was nonetheless positive and indicative of why the Volvo FM is so popular with so many operators. Specifications Engine: Volvo D13C 13-litre Euro 5. Performance: Power – 540hp (397 kW) @ 1,450 to 1,900 rpm. Torque – 2,600 Nm (1,917 lb/ft) @ 1,050 to 1,450 rpm. Transmission: Volvo I-shift (AT2612D) direct-drive automated 12-speed. Rear Axle: Volvo single reduction, 3.09:1 ratio. Brakes: Volvo electronically-controlled disc brakes. Fuel Capacity: 1,035 litres in 650 litre and 385 litre tanks. AdBlue 150 litres. GCM: 70 tonnes (higher on application). Photo gallery - http://www.tradetrucks.com.au/truck-reviews/1606/volvo-fm-540-truck-review/

NatRoad targets RSRT in election campaign Owner/Driver / June 21, 2016 The ‘Safety is my business’ initiative aims to promote the message to further empower NHVR and not reinstate RSRT NatRoad has launched a pre-election campaign to encourage industry members to raise their concerns regarding the future of the currently-abolished Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal (RSRT) and how it will impact the industry if it was brought back. It comes after the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) released its ‘election 2016 report card’ that rates political parties and senators based on their take on trucking-related issues, and the ALRTA fired a warning to industry members to highlight their concerns to local candidates prior to the elections. With the two major political sides still holding opposing views in the matter of bringing back the tribunal and the federal elections less than two weeks away, NatRoad says it is time for industry members to seek commitment from various political parties and candidates on this issue. NatRoad is opposed to the tribunal and its Contractor Driver Minimum Payments Road Safety Remuneration Order 2016 (RSRO), and has earlier suggested increasing the powers of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) to promote safety and compliance reforms in the transport sector. "We all want a safe, competitive, thriving road freight industry – after all every Australian relies on trucks to transport goods to our communities," NatRoad CEO Warren Clark says. "But when I talk to owner drivers during this election it is pretty clear that many businesses hang on the outcome. "On the one hand if the Coalition is returned to Government, they will not return to the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal and will redirect the previous tribunal funding to safety reform through the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator. "On the other hand, if the Australian Labor Party is elected, it has stated that it would re-introduce the RSRT and consult on the order. "These are vastly different approaches to the industry and a return to the RSRT would have an impact on the bottom line of small business truck drivers everywhere. "Small trucking businesses know that a return to the RSRT is not the answer to improve safety. "For owner drivers – safety is their business – it underpins their ability to be in the driver’s seat making a living in their small business. "We know that safety in the road freight industry is vastly different from the 1980’s and that government, regulators, industry bodies and individual businesses continue to make significant investments to improve safety. "We all want to continue to improve safety in our industry while ensure there is some consistency to regulations after many years of change and that safety compliance is truly practical." Launching the campaign, Clark says ‘Safety is my business’ aims to "highlight how far we have come as an industry while encouraging members to actively seek commitment from candidates for further safety reform through the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator rather than a tribunal". "We will keep the focus on the implications of this election result for our industry through the ‘Safety is my business’ campaign combined with a new NatRoad special interest group for owner-drivers and our continued representation on government advisory groups. The campaign will run up to the election on July 2. For more details on how to get involved in the campaign, visit www.smalltruckingbusiness.com.

KamAZ Trucks Press Release / June 20, 2016 The joint Russian-American joint venture Cummins-Kama, established by Russian truckmaker KamAZ and Cummins Inc. is celebrating its 10th anniversary. KamAZ and Cummins first establisged a business relationship in 1987 when a US-based group of executives headed by Vice-president John Becker came to the truckmaker’s headquarters in the city of Naberezhnye Chelny. The meeting was productive, resulting in a basis for joint cooperation. In 2004, KamAZ launched a new range of 5.5 tonne medium trucks called the 4308 series, all featuring Cummins “B” Series 5.9-liter diesel engines. The success of these trucks exceeded everyone’s expectations, owing to the responsiveness and superb fuel economy of the“B” Series Cummins powerplants. Building on the successful cooperation, KamAZ and Cummins opened a 50/50 joint venture factory in 2006, ZAO Cummins Kama (КАММИНЗ-КАМА). With an annual capacity of 24,000 engines, the plant produces Euro-3, Euro-4 and Euro-5 emissions “B” Series engines ranging from 140 to 300 horsepower. Cummins board chairman Tim Solso said at the time of the decision to establish a joint venture that it was a decisive moment in the history of both companies. Cummins will have access to the largest truck brands sales and service network in Russia and the CIS, while KamAZ wil benefit from new technology and a new niche in the Russian engine market. Factory photo gallery - http://рейс.рф/article/avtobaza/uzly-i-agregaty/dvigateli_kammins_kama .

Dagens Industri / June 17, 2016 This February, Volvo Group received an order for military tactical trucks to deliver to Syria's neighbor Lebanon. The money to pay for the trucks comes from Saudi Arabia. The trucks will be produced by Volvo Group subsidiary Renault Trucks Defense. However, a political crisis is unfolding that could see the trucks end up in Saudi Arabia. On February 19, Saudi Arabia announced that it was stopping payment on $4 billion worth of military aid and other support for the army and security services of Lebanon because the country did not condemn attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran. Background (IHS Janes 360 / 4 Feb 2016) The Lebanese military ordered more than 200 French-made armoured vehicles as part of a pledged US$3 billion grant from Saudi Arabia, to upgrade its capabilities. A contract was signed on 2 February between Volvo-Renault trucks and ODAS, a shell company created by the French government to serve as an intermediary in foreign defence deals. Emmanuel Levacher, president of Volvo Group Governmental Sales and director-general of Renault Trucks Defence, said that Sherpa Light 4x4 armoured tactical vehicles and VAB Mk3 6x6 armoured personnel carriers (APCs) would be delivered to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). "We finally just signed, after months of procrastination, a contract with ODAS within the framework of the aid program to the Lebanese army, which involves the supply of 100 armoured Sherpa and 100 VAB Mk3," he said. The signing came as LAF commander General Jean Kahwagi was in Washington for two days of talks with the US Department of Defense on enhancing US military assistance to Lebanon. In December 2013, Saudi Arabia announced it would pay for US$3 billion of French military equipment to help the LAF better defend Lebanon's borders with Syria and maintain internal stability. The deal was signed between Riyadh and Paris in November 2014 after months of negotiations about the type of weapons and equipment the LAF would receive. The equipment to be purchased under the US$3 billion package includes 24 Nexter Caesar 155 mm self-propelled howitzers, 7 Airbus H215M Cougar helicopters, 3 CMN Combattante FS 56 fast-attack craft, and 6 VBL light armoured vehicles fitted with Mistral short-range surface-to-air missiles. The first delivery occurred in April 2015 with the arrival in Lebanon of 48 Milan anti-tank missile systems. Saudi Arabia pledged an additional US$1 billion for the Lebanese security forces in 2014 following a five-day battle between the LAF and militants affiliated to Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra, Syria's Al-Qaeda affiliate, in northeast Lebanon. Related reading: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/20/world/middleeast/saudis-cut-off-funding-for-military-aid-to-lebanon.html http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/03/world/middleeast/saudi-arabia-cuts-billions-in-aid-to-lebanon-opening-door-for-iran.html?_r=0 http://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-lebanon-idUSKCN0X20DG http://www.renault-trucks-defense.eu/Defense/SHERPA-LIGHT http://www.renault-trucks-defense.eu/Defense/VAB/VAB-Mk-3

FYI http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/26220-1958-mack-v12-cummnins/?hl=lrvsw#entry128743 http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/30695-saw-this-big-mack-truck-moving-a-big-load-today/?hl=duffy#entry176135

The Washington Post / June 20, 2016 The national unemployment rate has fallen by more than half since the nation emerged from the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. It peaked at 10 percent in 2010 and stood at just 4.7 percent last month. That’s mostly good news: Private employers have added more than 14 million jobs. About 2 million people have been out of a job for six months or longer, far too many but only about a quarter of the number of long-term unemployed people seven years ago. By almost every measure, the labor market has made incredible progress. But there’s one statistic that has been vexing economists. The size of the nation’s workforce -- known as the labor force participation rate -- continues to fall. Since the start of the downturn, the percentage of that population that has a job or is looking for one has dropped more than 3 percentage points, to 62.6 percent, a level not seen since the 1970s. The problem is particularly pronounced among men between the ages of 25 and 54, traditionally considered the prime working years. Their participation rate has been declining for decades, but the drop-off accelerated during the recession. The high mark was 98 percent in 1954, and it now stands at 88 percent. A new analysis from the White House’s Council of Economic Advisers, slated for release Monday, found that the United States now has the third-lowest participation rate for “prime-age men” among the world’s developed countries. In other words, Greece, Slovenia and Turkey have a larger share of men in their workforces than the United States does. The United States beats only Italy and Israel. The CEA’s analysis looks at several common theories behind why so many American men have dropped out of the job market. Legions of women have joined the workforce since the 1950s, when about one-third of them had a job or were looking for one. Women’s participation rate topped 50 percent in the late 1970s and peaked at about 60 percent in the early 2000s. Perhaps fewer men are working because their wives are bringing home the bacon instead. But the share of women in the workforce also has decreased significantly since the recession. And the CEA found that less than a quarter of prime-age men who are not in the labor force have a working spouse -- and that number has actually declined over the past 50 years. Economists have posited that Social Security Disability Insurance could be incentivizing men to enroll in government assistance rather than look for work. The number of disability insurance recipients has risen by 2 percent since the late 1960s, not enough to account for the much greater drop in the male workforce. The CEA estimates that the increase in disability insurance explains only about half a percentage point of the decline in the male participation rate. Instead, the CEA concludes that the problem is one of education and the erosion of demand for low-skilled workers. More than 90 percent of college-educated men are in the workforce, compared with 83 percent of those with a high school diploma or less. It’s a theme seen time and again in our increasingly globalized and high-tech economy: Blue-collar jobs that were once the cornerstone of the middle class get outsourced or replaced by automation. There’s a ripple effect, too. When a manufacturing plant shuts down, for example, the laid-off employees may wind up in lower-skilled jobs, displacing those workers and potentially forcing them out of the labor market. The lower the wage, the more likely workers are to pass up the job altogether. The CEA looked at state-level data and found that among the bottom 10 percent of wage earners, a $1,000 increase in annual income boosted the participation rate by 0.16 percent for prime-age men. “When the returns to work for those at the bottom of the wage distribution are particularly low, more prime-age men choose not to participate in the labor force,” the report states. The report also explores one more unorthodox explanation: the high number of men who have been incarcerated. The CEA notes that the U.S. prison population has grown significantly since 1990 and is far above that of any other developed country. People in prison are not counted as part of the population for the purposes of labor market statistics. At first blush, that would actually boost the participation rate: A smaller population means the share in the workforce is larger. But in reality, there are immense and well-documented barriers to the job market for workers once they leave prison. And the gloomy prospects of the formerly incarcerated outweigh the statistical benefit of having a large prison population. Of course, the CEA argues that White House proposals -- from familiar positions such as raising the minimum wage and expanding the earned-income tax credit to wonkier ones such as reforming community colleges and flexibility in claiming unemployment benefits -- can help more men return to the workforce. But the bigger question is whether there is really a way to reverse the tide, or if the best hope is to merely mitigate the pain. For 60 years, economists have debated the answer. And still, the share of men in the workforce continues to shrink. .

A little over ten minutes after his call with 911, Mateen received his first of many crisis negotiation calls. In those he told the negotiator that America had to stop bombing Syria and Iraq while referring to himself as an Islamic solider. Mateen said that the United States attacks on those two countries was why he was 'out here right now.' Mateen also told the negotiator he had a car outside that contained a bomb, and threatened to detonate it during their calls. 'There is some vehicle outside that has some bombs, just to let you know,' said Mateen. 'You people are gonna get it, and I’m gonna ignite it if they try to do anything stupid.' He also claimed to have vests like the ones 'used in France,' a reference to last year's terror attacks in Paris. 'In the next few days, you’re going to see more of this type of action going on,' he said, referencing his own attack. .

Voted "Best Post of the Day"

I'm adding content to my answer, so that other BMT members can follow the development of the Metro-Liner series. .

1997 Metro-Liner .

Steve, I think the cab off a 1990 Metro-Liner would. It has the high-mounted cab with a sloped hood like a Value-Liner. The later 1990s Metro-Liner that looked like a modernized Kiwi Mack RB, that cab wouldn't work.....that's more the Super-Liner cab with the different side cowl panels. The Metro-Liner has been sold in many forms over the years. I had to think about it. .

ATA’s election report card gives Coalition a tick Owner/Driver / June 20, 2016 With RSRT a key defining parameter, ATA rates Labor as the second and Greens as the third choice The Liberal-National Coalition has ticked all the right boxes in Australian Trucking Association (ATA)’s 2016 election report card. The trucking body’s national report, which was released today, assesses political parties and candidates against three main parameters – their take on the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal (RSRT), practical measures to improve road safety, and supporting stronger trucking businesses. While the Coalition received three out of three ticks, Labor received two and Greens bagged just one tick. Reiterating its take on the RSRT and the minimum rates order, the ATA says the tribunal was a "disaster for truck owner-drivers". "Small trucking businesses subject to the RSRT’s price-fixing order found that it increased costs by 20-30 per cent," ATA chair Noelene Watson. "They could not compete, and their survival was at risk. "Two independent reports found no proven link between price fixing and safety. While acknowledging the past work and commitment of both the Coalition and Labor towards road safety, Watson warns that Labor has already indicated that it would bring back the Contractor Driver Minimum Payments Road Safety Remuneration Order 2016 (RSRO) or introduce a similar fixed-price mechanism in the industry. "In this campaign, the trucking industry called on political parties and candidates to confirm they would not re-establish the RSRT or any similar price-fixing mechanism. "The Coalition abolished the RSRT and has pledged not to re-establish it or anything like it. "In contrast, the Labor Party would bring back a forum to fix prices in our industry. "The Coalition would spend extra money on key road programs and an extra $4 million a year for truck safety measures. "The Labor Party has a long record of investment in better roads and has emphasised its support for strong chain of responsibility laws. "These laws are needed to hold our customers to account." Both Coalition and Labor received a tick for their support for stronger trucking businesses. "The Coalition would reduce the fuel tax for trucks from 1 July 2016, as well as the company tax rate for businesses earning less than $10 million per year. "Labor Leader Bill Shorten has confirmed that Labor would continue the fuel tax credits we get through the BAS system, despite the views of some of his caucus members. "The Labor Party would also deliver tax cuts, but for businesses earning less than $2 million a year." The one tick for Greens was attributed to its support for an audit of truck driver training providers, ATA says. "The Greens supported the RSRT and voted against its abolition," Watson says. "They want to take away the industry’s fuel tax credits, even though truck and bus operators are already overtaxed." Independent senators including Glenn Lazarus, Bob Day, Nick Xenophon and Jacqui Lambie received full marks for their take on industry issues. "I ask everyone in the trucking industry to consider the ATA’s report cards as they decide how to vote on 2 July," she says. The ATA has also released state-specific report cards for Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania. For more details, visit the ATA website. .