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Volvo Trucks Press Release / May 17, 2016

If the U.S. government didn’t allow Mexican drug cartels to operate in our country, the whole event would never have taken place. This all begs two questions: Why does the government refuse to eradicate the Mexican drug cartels operating in the United States? Is the U.S. government unable to eradicate the Mexican drug cartels operating in the United States , i.e., does it no longer have the ability to “govern” within our borders?

Fleet Owner / May 17, 2016 The owner of a small Texas trucking company, whose semi was commandeered without his knowledge by the Drug Enforcement Administration in a botched drug sting, has petitioned the Supreme Court to hear his case for damages to his truck. He is also asking for police protection from retaliation by the Zetas Cartel who were involved in the drug sale. His case was recently dismissed by a federal appeals court in New Orleans leaving the Supreme Court as his last option. During the 2011 incident in Houston, not only was Craig Patty's truck damaged but his driver, Lawrence Chapa – a confidential informant for the DEA – was killed and a sheriff's deputy was shot and wounded by a plainclothes Houston Police officer. Four men were convicted in Chapa's death. Patty is seeking up to $6.4 million in damages but stated on several occasions that he was more interested in letting the public know about how the DEA operates – without regard for citizens' property and rights, he says. Many of the documents surrounding the case were sealed from public view. He is also seeking police protection as the drug cartel may believe he was in on the raid and could seek vengeance. Lower courts have so far sided with the government arguing that federal agents acted within their rights to use discretionary action during their operations and this includes placing a confidential informant in the driver's seat of truck without the owner's permission or knowledge and not having to pay for damages to the truck. Read the full story: Feds not liable for truck damaged during botched drug sting

Ex-Google Engineers Form Startup to Develop Kit for Autonomous Driving Trucks Transport Topics / May 17, 2016 Otto, a startup led by former Google engineers, is working on getting the millions of trucks already on the road to drive themselves. Founded by former Google engineers with employees from Tesla and Amazon, the San Francisco-based company is developing an autonomous driving aftermarket kit for trucks. The firm already has several trucks on the road testing the technology. “We are developing a suite of sensors, software and truck enhancements coming together in a product that can be quickly outfitted on existing trucks," the company wrote on its website. "Testing the technology is currently underway on highways with our research fleet, and we recently completed an autonomous demo of the technology on a public highway.” The company finished the first extensive test of its trucks May 14-15 on public highways in Nevada, where the state’s regulations allow the autonomous technology for big-rigs, the Associated Press reported. “We intend to enhance the capabilities of the Otto truck, collect safety data to demonstrate its benefits and bring this technology to every corner of the U.S. highway system,” the company said. Otto is looking for 1,000 volunteer professional truck drivers to have the kits installed on their cabs, at no cost to them, to help fine-tune the technology. “To speed the adoption of self-driving technology, we began by equipping existing trucks on the road with our unique self-driving kit, designed to empower truck drivers to drive more safely and efficiently,” Otto said.

Autoblog / May 17, 2016 Self-driving cars are very much a part of the future of tech, with Google, Uber, Apple and plenty of other top names working to develop autonomous vehicles. But what about trucks? That's where Otto is aiming to shape the future. Founded by former Google employees Anthony Levandowski, Lior Ron, Don Burnette, and Claire Delaunay, Otto wants to "rethink" the commercial trucking industry. In a Medium post, Levandowski, who lead Google's self-driving car efforts, and Ron, formerly with Google Maps and Motorola, explained that not only do trucks account for an oversized slice of pollution in the U.S. — 28 percent of road pollution despite making up just one percent of all traffic, they claim — but they cause a large number of fatalities, are inefficient and, to top it off, there's an increasing shortage of drivers. That creates the perfect storm for a tech-based solution, Otto's founders believe. Otto started out with tools to help truck drivers perform their job with increased safety, but now it is working on technology that, in time, can automate parts of the drive on highways. Unlike others, which are designing new vehicles that drive autonomously, Otto focuses on technology that can be fitted into trucks that are on the road now. Rather than eradicating drivers by making them obsolete, the immediate goal is assistance. The duo told Backchannel that, among many things, they aim to let drivers safely take a sleep break while leaving their truck driving autonomously. The company said it has already completed one public highway demo of its system, and it is hatching grander plans beyond that. "We intend to enhance the capabilities of the Otto truck, collect safety data to demonstrate its benefits, and bring this technology to every corner of the U.S. highway system," Levandowski and Lior wrote. Otto's team of 40 includes many former Googlers, as you might expect, and other staffers have worked at Tesla, HERE, Apple, Cruise, and various automobile companies.The company has lurked under the radar before its unveiling today — many of its staff haven't updated their LinkedIn profiles with their new roles, for example — and there will be many questions about it, such as which investors are bankrolling it. .

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/hillary-clintons-viral-nightmare-a-video-of-her-lying-for-13-minutes/2016/05/17/ea59e32c-1c66-11e6-b6e0-c53b7ef63b45_story.html?hpid=hp_no-name_opinion-card-b%3Ahomepage%2Fstory

Would you buy a truck.........from these people? Based on the video, their "brand" doesn't possess the qualities required to succeed.

Volvo Trucks Press Release / May 13, 2016

Volvo Group Press Release / May 13, 2016

You're 200 percent right in saying "the big reason we're seeing more and more autos in trucks because there is a bigger demand for drivers and it's easier to find an inexperienced driver to throw behind the wheel so they can try and drive a truck like their Camry". But you can't compare Eaton's first generation AMT, the 3-pedal Autoshift, to what's being sold today........it was introduced way back in 1999. Though let me say, the Autoshift after all these years still has a strong following in Oz and South Africa (it's always interesting how markets vary), When you speak of off road, the Autoshift wasn't designed for that. However, today's AMTs are. In Eaton's case, they have a purpose-designed UltraShift Plus vocational range. http://www.roadranger.com/rr/ProductsServices/ProductsbyCategory/Transmissions/UltraShiftPLUS/Vocational/index.htm For years now, Scania's superb AMT has had a "rock free" mode which allows the driver to free the truck when it becomes stuck by rocking it back and forth with the accelerator (Volvo and others then copied us.......we always say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery).

6900HD with German Liebherr dump body In Johannesburg, South Africa. (Liebherr builds good mixer bodies as well) .

Eaton sells fully synchronized twin-countershaft heavy truck transmissions in the global market, but doesn't try to sell them in the US. Synchronized trannies always had a shorter life, but the Europeans and South Americans were willing to tolerate that, while the US, Australian and Chinese markets preferred the longer life, greater simplicity and lower overall cost of non-synchronized units. In both cases of course, the advancement of gear oils has extended the lives of both transmission types. To each his own.

It seems that what I've said is not what you want to hear, but I will repeat, for a low-boy tractor application, you should give serious thought to a Granite tractor. In that application, it combines form with function. Why don't you talk with the folks at Watts, or the Worldwide Equipment representative (Jim Toussaint) who also recommended a Granite (on page 2).

The more you learn about Martin (a genuine truck man), the more an informed person is forced to think, what in the world was the board thinking when they appointed Persson to the company's helm. Like so many executives today, he spoke a good line..........but was actually clueless in all the critical areas.

Jack Roberts - Fleet Owner / May 13, 2016 A couple years ago, I found myself on a Meritor test track in Wales, U.K. evaluating new commercial vehicle safety systems. Trips to Europe are always enlightening from a technology standpoint, since so many new safety and drivetrain systems originate there. But on this day, I was struck by something a bit more Old School: The manual gearboxes in a couple of the European cabovers we were driving that day.  These were fully-synchronized transmissions, as smooth and easy to operate as shifting a Honda or a Toyota passenger car. The entire experience was actually a little bit surreal: driving a Class 8 tractor with a dinky little, dash-mounted shifter with absolutely no worries about engine RPMs or double-clutching. Naturally, I starting asking around about these odd gearboxes and was surprised to discover that they're pretty common in Europe. They've also made massive inroads in China, which is basically building its trucking/logistics industry and network from scratch and has no preconceived notions as to how a truck drivetrain should be operated.  A buddy who works at another European vehicle component supplier told me his company tried to bring synchronized gearboxes to the States a decade or so ago, only to have them flop in the marketplace. Why was that? I asked him. They were so much easier and safer to drive than unsynchronized transmissions. He just shrugged his shoulders. "They're not macho enough for American drivers, I guess," he replied. If you're the type of Old School Gear Jammer who sneers at synchronized manual truck transmissions, you gaze in horror at modern Automated Manual Transmissions. Yet, here they are, gaining marketshare at a breath-taking rate and utterly transforming how trucks perform today. But what about manual transmissions? Are they destined for the technological dust bin? Are we just a few years away from logging onto YouHologram (or however we'll be watching videos in the future) to chuckle at the memories as some guy demonstrates who to shift between low and high range on a 13-speed gearbox? My thoughts are that AMTs are well on their way to becoming the dominate transmission in both medium- and heavy-duty trucking and will likely reach full-market penetration on new vehicles before this decade is out. But that doesn't mean there won't be a place for manual gearboxes in trucking. But I suspect their roles will evolve toward more specialized niches such as severe-duty, extreme heavy-haul and off-road and severe-terrain conditions. And, of course, there are always going to be drivers -- young and old alike -- who prefer a manual gearbox for a variety of reasons. When asked, manual gearbox adherents usually tell me they simply feel more in control of a truck when they're shifting gears, as opposed to a computer doing it for them. So there are always going to be drivers out there who prefer shifting the old--fashioned way. But my suspicion is that trucking as an industry has made a sea change: In the past, trucking focused on delivering the goods on time, no matter what. Trucks and powertrains were designed with that emphasis foremost in mind. Poor fuel economy was simply a means to an end. Today, it is clear that the focus has shifted. Delivering goods is just as important as it's ever been. Perhaps even more important, if that's possible. But truck and powertrain design is rapidly shifting toward optimal fuel economy as its priority. It's not enough to get the good there on time, anymore. You've got to do it as fuel efficiently as possible, too. Beginning next year, I think we'll see the first concrete evidence of a new philosophy in trucking: The first generation of truck models with fully integrated fuel economy designs. Every aspect of vehicle design will be engineered with fuel economy as a priority. Moreover, every aspect of vehicle design will be engineering to compliment every other aspect of the design. Simply put, the truck's overall shape and aerodynamic profile will be designed to complement and boost the performance of its drivetrain in every possible way, and vice-versa. And I hate to be the one to tell you, but there's not going to be much room for manual transmissions in those highly integrated and sophisticated truck designs of the near future. 

Western Star targets new markets with XD off-road lineup Fleet Owner / May 13, 2016 Leveraging an iconic brand and Daimler corporate clout, Western Star is looking to “transform” the off-road construction and mining markets with a new line of specialty trucks and an innovative system for swapping truck bodies to suit the immediate needs of equipment operators in the field. Company executives on Thursday introduced the trade press to the Extreme Duty (XD) Offroad package and the new the MBT-40 Transformer chassis in a demonstration at Michelin’s Laurens Proving Grounds. Calling Western Star a “brand with attitude,” President Kelley Platt explained she wanted to event to highlight the “vocational focus” as part of the company’s growth plan, which also includes expanding the dealer network “to help them tap into new markets and convert new customers to Western Star.” The XD Offroad line is an important part of that growth strategy, designed to deliver the “serious trucks” label to the articulated and ridged frame markets. Engineered specifically for extremely rugged environments, it’s now available on both the 4900 and 6900 models. Vehicles spec’d with the XD Offroad package deliver maximum driver safety and comfort while providing customers with a low cost per ton product for off-road applications. Western Star plans to open the XD Offroad package up to other models in the future. And the real star is the 6900XD Offroad MBT-40, dubbed the Multi-Body Transformer for its ability to quickly change from one fully functional in-cab controlled body application to another, a new concept for off-road equipment markets, explained John Tomlinson, XD and vocational sales manager, Western Star . Simply, Western Star has taken the concept of a “demountable” roll-off or hook-lift body a step further. “A transformer is an off-road chassis that’s capable of transforming from one fully functional truck to another fully function truck,” Tomlinson said. “We’ve created a system where you plug the trucks in. All of the switches turn into the new body switches. All of the hydraulics size themselves to the new body.” Basically, the concept means that customers don’t need to buy a whole, new vehicle for specialized tasks only to park it at the job site most of the time. Using a Palfinger G68 hooklift with a lifting capacity of 68,000lbs and a new transformer package, the MBT-40 gives customers greater utilization of their chassis. With the new product, extremely complex and heavy capacity bodies can be changed over and back to work quickly and easily. “It’s a fully functional water truck if you need it; if you don’t need it, 10 minutes later it’s a dump truck,” Tomlinson said of the demonstration vehicle. ““The MBT-40 package is a game changer in construction applications for its ability to be multiple pieces of equipment in one chassis. Mining, quarry and off-road construction industries are looking for better solutions right now and we have the answers for them with this new product.” The unit is equipped with a generic in-cab control system and a self-adapting hydraulic system that also allows the operators to quickly and easily swap the controls of multiple body applications as well. The MBT-40 features multiple hydraulic air and electrical connections that allow it to connect and power a variety of body needs from powerful flow controlled hydraulic motors and pumps to heavy high flow tip cylinders. “Working with Western Star on this open platform concept product has been great. CARCO Industries is very experienced in mining and off-road fuel and service products along with carrying the Palfinger crane lines,” said Charlie Schimmels, sales manager, CARCO Industries. “This combination of experience and product along with the rugged design and carrying capacity of the XD40 Offroad chassis offered by Western Star makes this a very unique product. With commodity prices down and budget cuts becoming common place we need to think smarter about how we do business and the MBT-40 does that.” The 6900XD is available in both 6x4 and 6x6 configurations. Photo gallery - http://fleetowner.com/equipment/western-star-targets-new-markets-xd-offroad-lineup

There are indeed "very" few truck salesman left. Today, there are just salesman who sell trucks. What a difference years of experience used to make for the customer.

KrAZ Trucks Press Release / May 10, 2016 On May 9, KrAZ Trucks (aka. Kremenchug Automobile Plant) joined with Kremenchug city residents and visitors on Victory Day in honoring World War II veterans and those who perished. Victory Day in Ukraine is a commemoration of the end of the second world war. Attendees had the opportunity to see restored World War II era KrAZ military trucks from the company’s museum collection. KrAZ Trucks general manager Roman Chernyak placed flowers at the foot of the memorial on behalf of the company and its staff. Photo gallery - . http://www.autokraz.com.ua/index.php/en/novosti-i-media/news/item/2642-kraz-razom-z-usima-vshanovuvav-veteraniv-u-den-peremohy

UPS Press Release / December 1, 2014 4-year-old Carson developed a friendship with his UPS driver, Mr. Ernie, when he began receiving shipments of special milk. Carson has become fascinated by all things UPS. He wishes to be just like his pal, so UPS made Carson a UPS driver for a day.