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Renault Trucks Press Release / December 9, 2016

Truck News / February 3, 2016 Caterpillar has announced its model CT681 vocational truck is now in full production. The CT681 is a Class 8 set-forward axle truck intended for snow plow, concrete mixer, dump and super dump applications. The company says it conducted extensive testing on the new model before putting it in full production. “This process provides a crucial feedback loop between our customers and our vocational truck product team, identifying any required changes to design and production,” said Dave Schmitz, global on-highway truck product manager. “Customers who have tested the truck tell us it drives well, it’s powerful, it’s quiet and their drivers enjoy getting behind the wheel. Based on this feedback, we’re confident the CT681 is ready to handle whatever tough jobs our customers throw at it.” Cat says its field follow program is the equivalent to more than three years of heavy truck use. The company boasts an industrial, attachment-ready design and a comfortable, productive cab for drivers. It’s powered by a Cat CT Series vocational truck engine with up to 430 hp and peak torque ratings from 1,250-1,550 lb.-ft. An optional Cat CX31 automatic transmission is available, as well as the Eaton UltraShift Plus vocational transmission and a variety of manual offerings. “We designed the CT681 based on hundreds of hours of customer input,” said George Taylor, director of Caterpillar’s global on-highway truck group. The result is a truck that’s built to maximize payloads, work hard and last for years, even in the toughest applications, and the success of our field follow program bears that out.” Related information - http://www.drivecat.com/ .

Today’s Trucking / February 3, 2016 This video showcases the driving experience by highlighting various driver amenities and cab features that reduce cab noise and make the driving experience pleasant. Cat's new axle-forward CT680L is a work truck, make no mistake, bit Cat's approach is obviously that drivers shouldn't suffer for their craft. The CT680L is quiet and comfortable and includes some great driver amenities. Loads of storage space in the cab for all the small stuff, a dashboard that won't eat pens and cell phones and things you place up there and tremendous visibility. Check out the Driving Impressions of the Cat CT680L to see all that I found to like on the truck. There are two more videos about the truck; one on the performance and functionality of the truck and a walk-around highlighting its significant features. We'll have those posted shortly. Related information - http://www.drivecat.com/

Vlad, that "NO" has your name all over it. Many were retrofitted with enclosed cabs. I'm wondering if this is one of the many units refurbished by Memphis Equipment......they fitted enclosed cabs. I have one of their NO sales brochures somewhere. On another matter Vlad, tell them about the ZIL-131/137 10x10 tractor trailer (the driveshaft to the trailer tandem runs up through the 5th wheel). http://www.russianmilitarytrucks.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2106

The Wall Street Journal / February 3, 2016 Orders reach second-lowest level since 2012 as trucking companies remain wary of weak industrial shipping demand Orders for new big rigs plunged in January, as trucking companies eyeing weak shipping demand held back from investing in fleets. Just 18,200 new trucks were ordered last month, down 48% from a year earlier and marking the second-lowest monthly total since 2012. The data dashed equipment makers’ hopes that relatively strong December orders would carry over into the new year. Instead, trucking companies are canceling expansion plans and postponing trade-ins for their older vehicles. They fear that new trucks will sit idle if lower-than-expected retail sales over the holidays and signs of contraction in the manufacturing sector translate into a sluggish freight market this year. On Tuesday, USA Truck Inc., a truckload carrier based in Van Buren, Ark., said it operated nearly 400 fewer trucks in the fourth quarter compared with the previous year. Knight Transportation Inc. said last week it would stop expanding its fleet, and Swift Transportation Co. , the largest truckload carrier, said in October it wouldn't add to the number of vehicles it operates. U.S.-based truckmakers are expected to produce 250,000 new trucks this year, down over 20% from 2015. Production is likely to be only slightly higher than the number needed to replace older trucks leaving service, meaning few companies will expand their fleets. Truck manufacturers have laid off workers and cut back production to match the decline in orders. Last week, Paccar reported a 12% decline in fourth-quarter profits, which fell below analyst estimates. Paccar expects sales to bounce back from recent lows as dealers have made progress in working through abnormally high inventories of unsold trucks.

They are good looking trucks. With the switch over to the CAT-themed instrumentation, I will miss the classically themed old-school instrumentation of the PayStar. It had an air of quality. I'd like to see the PayStar interior remain as an HX factory option.

This is all classified cutting-edge technology, and certainly not my area of expertise. Phasers were at conception termed Photon Masers, as the laser was a relatively unknown. The term Maser was already established, a device with weapon potential that produced long-range coherent beams of electromagnetic radiation. Photon energy is directly proportional to the frequency of the electromagnetic radiation. The modern photon concept was developed gradually by Albert Einstein in the first years of the 20th century (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photon) The term phaser has more recently been redefined though as an abbreviation for phased energy rectifier. Phasers release a beam of subatomic particles called "rapid nadions", which are then refracted ("rectified") through superconducting crystals.

http://web.tja.ca/mini-kenworth.php?no=2 http://web.tja.ca/admin/webroot/uploads/photo/2.jpg http://web.tja.ca/mini-kenworth.php?no=1#bas

CNN / February 3, 2016 Hillary Clinton claimed victory in the Iowa caucuses Tuesday after topping Democratic rival Bernie Sanders by the skin-of-her-teeth margin of 49.9% to 49.6%. There's been some confusion about how much of a role coin flips played in determining who won delegates. Coin flips -- specifically "games of chance" -- are used in circumstances at precinct caucuses to adjudicate ties or resolve issues created by rounding errors. At stake at these precinct-level coin flips is the one remaining slot in that precinct for a campaign to send a delegate to attend that precinct's county convention. Coin flips are not used to decide which candidate wins a state convention delegate or national convention delegate. How many coin flips were there on Monday night? The Iowa Democratic Party does not have comprehensive records on how many coin flips/games of chance were held Monday evening [how convenient to say]. However, they do have partial records. More than half of the 1,681 Democratic caucuses held Monday night used a new Microsoft reporting app. Of those, there were exactly seven county delegates determined by coin flip. The remaining precincts did not use the Microsoft app, and instead used traditional phone-line reporting to transmit results. In these precincts, there no are records of how many coin flips occurred [hmmm]. There's only anecdotal information on these precincts. Who won these coin flips? Of the seven coin flips/games of chance that were held in precincts using the Microsoft app, six of those were flips to determine whether a county delegate slot went to Clinton or Sanders. Of those six Clinton-vs.-Sanders coin flips, Sanders won five and Clinton one. The seventh coin flip was used to determine whether a county delegate slot went to Sanders or Martin O'Malley. Sanders won that coin flip as well. So in the seven coin flips that the Iowa Democratic Party has a record of, Sanders won six of them. So it's incorrect to say that Clinton won every coin flip. As for the less-than-half of the precincts that didn't use the Microsoft app, it's unclear how many coin flips took place [why?]. Only anecdotal information is available on these flips, such as web videos that circulated Monday night. Did Clinton win the Iowa caucuses thanks to coin flips? Clinton won the Iowa caucuses by the equivalent of about four state delegates. If the anecdotal evidence of Clinton winning six coin flips is correct, she would have won six county delegates through coin flips (setting aside the fact that party records show Sanders also won six county delegates as a result of coin flips). There is not a one-to-one correlation between county delegates and state delegates, or to national convention delegates. Based on the party's delegate selection rules, a single county delegate represents a tiny fraction of a state convention delegate (the exact ratio is difficult to calculate because it varies from county to county). Norm Sterzenbach, the former executive director of the Iowa Democratic Party who oversaw the party's 2008 and 2012 Iowa caucuses, told CNN: "I can say with “almost absolute certainty” this election would not have been changed because of the coin flips [“almost” and “absolute certainty”......in the same sentence]. It would take a very large number of these to make that kind of impact, and one candidate would have to win them all. Our empirical evidence and anecdotal information shows that one candidate didn't win them all, and that coin flips are not that frequent." Sterzenbach has worked with the Iowa caucuses since 2000. He is not aligned with any 2016 campaign, has not endorsed a candidate, and did not caucus for any 2016 candidate [take CNN’s word for it – trust him]. He says that four state delegate equivalents may seem like a small amount, but that it would take "a lot" of county delegates to amount to four state delegates. Sterzenbach said based on his recollection [remember, they purposely don’t keep comprehensive records], there seemed to have been more instances of coin flips being held in 2008 than in 2016.

In April 2007, Jacques Auger, with the help his friend, Donald Gingras, wanted to do something for his home town; a town where he still resides. He and Mr. Gingras decided to make a mini-truck for the Laurier-Station Santa Claus Parade. When they started the project, the idea was to take a golf cart and give it the appearance of a tractor pulling a tanker. But they no sooner got into it when they realized that their best approach was to make an exact scale replica of a Transport Jacques Auger truck pulling a tanker. Donald Gingras proved to be the real architect behind the project, assisting several subcontractors. In fact, a total of 2,600 hours ended up being needed and put in by the team to achieve the Mini Kenworth tanker and its 1:2.2 scale. The engine is a 1.7-liter 37 horsepower Cummins three-cylinder diesel, with an added turbo. The scale truck has a 5-speed Ford Ranger transmission and Suzuki Jeep differentials. And everything—absolutely everything—is functional. Today, the Mini Kenworth tours various Quebec festivals. It moves on its gleaming 40-foot trailer, towed by a Kenworth W900L big brother… and can be used for distributing various beverages. It may even be available for your event. Both youngsters and adults get a real kick out of it. Company website - http://www.tja.ca/en/mini-kenworth-en/ Technical Specs - https://vimeo.com/15390433

The Star Press / February 2. 2016 A 2016 Western Star city snow plow/salt spreader truck parked inside the Muncie, Indiana street department garage mysteriously went up in flames on Tuesday morning. Street Supt. Duke Campbell said the $140,000 Western Star truck hadn't been driven for several days. A mechanic and another worker heard a loud pop before seeing flames coming from under the hood. They tried to extinguish the blaze with a fire extinguisher but were driven back by heavy smoke that filled the building and poured out of doors. City firefighters brought the fire under control before it spread from the truck. The truck was almost brand new and there are four others like it, Campbell said, expressing concern that one of the other trucks could also catch fire. In case one of the other trucks catches fire, they were moved outdoors. The service garage, which is attached to the street department's offices, was flooded and also sustained smoke damage. Fortunately, no containers of chemicals caught fire. Police kept media and others away from the scene because of the potential for chemical explosions. While street department offices were able to be re-occupied after the fire, the service garage remained without power, heat or water, and some of the building's wiring was melted. The fire activated sprinklers in the garage but not in the offices. The garage can't be used until water is restored and pressure brought back up into the sprinkler system. "The fire definitely started with the vehicle," Muncie Fire Chief Eddie Bell said. "One employee was close enough to hear a pop … and saw it burning under the hood inside the building. He tried to get a fire extinguisher to put it out but basically it got to the point where there was too much smoke so he called 911. At this time there is no definite cause on what happened with the vehicle. That is not something that's very common. That's really something kind of strange." The street department is headquartered on Kilgore Avenue west of Elm Ridge Funeral Home and Memorial Park. Photo gallery & video - http://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2016/02/02/fire-muncie-street-dept-building/79688410/

Transport Engineer / February 3, 2016 Digger hire specialist HE Services is reporting success with its move to DAF CF 8x2 rear-steer trucks fitted with Sterling fold-forward cheese wedge plant bodies equipped with ‘working at height’ handrail systems. “The decision to give Sterling the opportunity to supply [us] was based on the excellent lead times offered as well as their ultra-low ramp loading angle,” states HE Services managing director Peter Durey. He explains that his company needs a particularly shallow approach for loading large excavators, not least because it means more grip, so safer and faster plant loading. “Likewise, the galvanised ramp systems ensure they will last for a long and safe working life,” he adds – observing that the streamlined design of the ramps also delivers reduced drag, compared with traditional upright ramp systems. The new trucks – two joined HE Services’ almost exclusively DAF 8x2 rear-steer fleet last year – were processed for type approval through Sterling’s National Small Series certification, without recourse to IVA testing – another contributory factor in the company’s short eight-week lead time offer. Sterling Bodies - http://www.sterlinggp.com/products .

I believe the window regulator for Mack C-Series fire apparatus was unique to that one series. Remember, Mack purchased C.D. Beck (of Sydney, Ohio) in September 1956, as a means of getting back into the inter-city bus business. But Beck had also produced Ahrens-Fox fire apparatus from 1953, first under contract and later as sole owner and producer from 1956. A few months ahead of the Mack purchase, Beck had introduced the revolutionary new cab-forward design Ahrens-Fox ECB (open cab) and FCB (enclosed cab). Mack’s legendary C-85, C-95 and C-125 fire apparatus were directly based on these models, re-engineered with a Mack drivetrain. So, I believe the regulator to be a Beck design. I suspect you will have to work with a fabrication shop.

TMC Transport Buying 1,500 Peterbilt Model 579s Heavy Duty Trucking / February 2, 2016 TMC Transportation has ordered 1,500 Peterbilt Model 579s as part of a multi-year agreement, Peterbilt announced. TMC is a large flatbed carrier based in Des Moines, Iowa. TMC’s fleet is made up of late-model trucks with premium specs, and the ordered Model 579s will be equipped with Peterbilt’s 80-inch sleepers. When the Model 579 came out in 2012, TMC ordered 1,500 units. The trucks were purchased for their fuel efficiency, which factored into TMC’s decision to purchase 1,500 more, according to Peterbilt. TMC also took into consideration the look of the trucks which it uses to recruit and retain drivers. “TMC has long been a Peterbilt partner,” said Rod Simon, TMC’s vice president of maintenance. “Peterbilt trucks help us recruit and keep the industry’s best drivers, and the distinctive styling and Peterbilt image help make TMC’s fleet the best-looking trucks on the road.”

Eaton Expands AMT Line for Vocational Use Heavy Duty Trucking / February 2, 2016 Eaton has expanded coverage of its Fuller Advantage series of 10-speed automated overdrive transmissions to include use in vocational applications. Initially launched in other applications in 2013, the Fuller Advantage now has been configured with features designed to improve vehicle control for vocational use. Fuller Advantage transmissions can be configured with optional Urge to Move, Creep Mode and Blended Pedal functionality for better low speed maneuverability in situations such as backing into a loading dock or moving around a construction site. Eaton says Fuller Advantage transmissions offer many benefits compared to its UltraShift Plus automated manual, including reduced weight, increased efficiency and lower maintenance costs. “The Fuller Advantage automated transmission has proven to be extremely reliable,” said Evan Vijithakumara, product strategy manager, Eaton. “Now it’s ready for vocational duty with 110,000-pound GCW capability, 6- and 8-bolt PTO openings, and driver confidence features such as Hill Start Aid and intelligent gear selection logic.” Another key feature of the transmission is the Precision Lubrication system, which reduces oil churn energy losses found in traditional transmissions by 33%. With less heat being generated, Fuller Advantage transmissions do not require a transmission fluid cooler or the corresponding lines and fittings. As a result, less preventive maintenance is required, according to Eaton. Engine fans also cycle less, reducing horsepower demand.

Analysis: Digging Deeper into Navistar's New International HX Heavy Duty Trucking / February 2, 2016 A mock police chase lent humor to Navistar’s unveiling Monday of its new International HX series of vocational trucks, as sirens, flashing red-and-blue lights, clouds of dust, and fire and smoke livened up a construction site in Las Vegas, in conjunction with the World of Concrete trade show. The object of the Hollywood-style pursuit was an HX620 dump truck supposedly stolen from outside a downtown casino. “Robbers” dressed as Elvis impersonators used the truck as a getaway car, racing down I-15 – the chase photographed from above, like an O.J. event on a Los Angeles freeway – then onto a large gravelly lot on Sin City’s near west side. Play-acting police cornered the truck in front of bleachers filled with laughing dealers, customers and trade-press reporters. The cops collared the crooks and stashed them in patrol cars, and the drama wrapped up. It was funny, but the HX represents serious business for Navistar. “2016 will be International’s year,” declared Bill Kozek, president of Navistar Truck and Parts, as he delivered a normal presentation. The HX trucks and tractors come in four models, and will be part of the company’s climb back from its product and sales woes. He reiterated Navistar’s current theme of “uptime,” facilitated by production of high-quality trucks and reinvigorated maintenance services. The HX is a premium vocational model, something International Truck and its dealers haven’t had for several years because they lacked a big-bore diesel that the segment requires, executives have said. The big engine disappeared when previous management dropped Cummins power and went exclusively with the ill-fated MaxxForce engine series, which also caused Navistar to lose much of the vocational business that it once dominated. The latest PayStar, on which the HX is based, came only with a 12.4-liter MaxxForce engine (now updated to the N13 that the company says is more reliable). But 15-liter power is needed to fully compete in the premium vocational market, company executives and dealers have said. In addition, the PayStar was available only with a setback steer axle. That’s all changed with the HX series. It’s available with the Cummins ISX15 as well as the Navistar N13, both using Cummins-supplied exhaust-aftertreatment equipment. And an available set-forward steer axle makes the HX usable in certain applications in bridge-formula states that reward longer wheelbases with higher legal gross vehicle weights. HX trucks have Navistar’s Diamond Logic multiplex wiring system, which PayStars never had, said a dealer sales representative in the audience. This will speed hooking up and controlling specialty bodies such as mixer drums. And Kozek said the HX cab’s rear is suspended on twin air bags designed to filter out shocks commonly encountered while running over rough terrain and broken pavement. Lines of guests waited to drive a few HX models at the event; that limited this reporter to a very brief spin around the dirt lot with an HX615 mixer truck. That loop suggested that the new model is comfortable and smooth riding, but a much longer experience will be needed to fully gauge the truck’s driver-oriented attributes. While the N13 diesel, aluminum cab and some frame components carry over from the PayStar, the HX is a bona fide new model by virtue of a boldly styled three-piece plastic-composite Metton hood and grille, and a redesigned cab interior. Some features inside the cab are taken from the Cat Truck, which Navistar is building for Caterpillar through the end of this year. Most noticeable is a single large combination speedometer and tachometer that was exclusive to the Cat starting in 2011. That’s part of the “shared intellectual property” that Navistar gained from the Cat Truck project, executives said, so the interior design is fair game for their new HX. As previously announced, Caterpillar this year will take over assembly of Cat Trucks and Navistar will phase them out. In the meantime, the two products will be very similar, but HXs will cost less than comparably equipped Cats, which for now will lack 15-liter power. The HX series has gone into production at Navistar’s plant in Saltillo, Mexico, where Cat Trucks have been assembled. Cat will build its trucks at a plant in southern Texas. Navistar also continues to make and sell the lower-cost WorkStar series for the vocational market, which uses steel cabs with shorter hoods. The WorkStar, which will get a new alpha-numeric designation later this year, primarily serves the municipal market, while the HX will go after retail vocational customers who want lighter weight and, in some cases, premium trim, executives said. International HX trucks will use popular vendor-supplied powertrain and chassis components from Cummins, Eaton and Allison, among others, in what Kozek called “open integration.” This is counter to an industry trend of is sometimes called "vertical integration," in which competitors have introduced and encouraged the sale of their own components. Turning to suppliers such as Cummins helped Navistar in its recovery from financial and product problems following a failed EPA-2010 emissions strategy, and Kozek called Cummins a "great partner." The truck builder is working hard to regain its reputation by building quality products and focusing on reliability and service advancements, some using telematics and electronics. Since new management took over, executives have appeared enthusiastic about their products and improved corporate performance. .

Fleet Owner / February 2, 2016 New York Supreme Court nixes trucking tax plan. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) has won a class-action lawsuit launched two and a half years ago against the state of New York nixing a decal fee imposed on all commercial trucks operating in the Empire state. OOIDA challenged the taxes as unconstitutional and discriminatory, taking the case to the New York Supreme Court, which declared the fees invalid and unenforceable. The association said it argued that the fees constituted an “undue burden” on interstate commerce in violation of the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution. OOIDA noted that the taxes were imposed not only on New York-based trucks – which are driven proportionately higher miles in New York, the group said – but also on trucks based outside of New York, which are driven mostly in states other than New York. Yet trucks owned and/or operated outside of New York travel fewer miles on New York highways than trucks owned and/or operated in New York meaning the imposition of New York’s decal fees resulted in a higher per mile tax rate being imposed on out-of-state trucks. OOIDA President and CEO Jim Johnston noted that the group’s next step is to submit a memorandum to New York’s Supreme Court regarding damages, class administration and attorney’s fees – monies he believes could total up to $20 million. “A number of similar tax cases were fought against states back in the 1980s and 1990s and the states lost every one of them,” Johnston said in a statement. “Given that history, we were shocked that New York even thought they could get away with this unconstitutional tax,” he stressed. “The amount for the New York HUT [highway use tax] decal is $19, which is not huge, but if other states were to implement this tax, it would be huge collectively and in administrative costs.”

Note, no mention of the Mack brand in the article. The former Mack Trucks was the undisputed leader in construction truck segment. Mack is at the show, but ??? (http://www.volvogroup.com/group/global/en-gb/volvo%20group/worldwide/volvo-group-north-america/_layouts/CWP.Internet.VolvoCom/NewsItem.aspx?News.ItemId=151443&News.Language=en-gb)

Fleet Owner / February 2, 2016 While Navistar has made a lot of news with the introduction of its new HX Series of Class 8 vocational trucks this week at the World of Concrete show here, several other truck makers have also garnered their share of attention with prominent displays of their vocational models as well. Peterbilt has three Model 567 mixers on display. First introduced last year, the 567 models on display feature set-forward front axles (the line also includes a set-back axle configuration). A 115-in. BBB has a bumper to front axle distance of 29 in. and a 121 in. BBB model has a distance of 31 in. “The Model 567 SFFA is carefully engineered to let customers maximize payloads while helping meet state and federal bridge law requirements,” said Robert Woodall, Peterbilt assistant general manager of sales and marketing. “The Model 567 is a low-weight leader and this new configuration will let customers take full advantage of that through optimized weight distribution.” All three models on display are powered by Paccar MX engines, which is standard on the 567. The 567 is standard with the MX-13 engine with up to 500 hp. An d1,850 lbs.-ft. of torque. However, two of the models feature the MX-11, a more fuel-efficient option with up to 430 hp. And 1,550 lbs.-ft. of torque. The Model 567 is available as a day cab or with Peterbilt’s complete lineup of detachable sleepers, including the new 58-in. sleeper. It is available with single, tandem or tridem axles and multiple lift axle options. Kenworth’s showcase vehicle at this year’s show is a 7-axle, T880 short hood mixer. Featuring a Paccar MX-11 engine, the mixer “represents a new T880 configuration developed to provide contractors with a highly maneuverable 80,000-lb. federal bridge formula truck that can haul up to 12 yards of concrete,” the company said. The display model includes the Diamond VIT interior for driver comfort and an Allison 4700RDS 7-speed automatic transmission. It is the first time the Allison automatic has been included in the 116.5-in. short hood T880. Four other Kenworth trucks are also on display, including a Kenworth T880 short hood with a 10.5-yard standard mixer and 425-hp. MX-11 engine with 1,450 lbs.-ft. of torque; a twin steer Kenworth T880 with a 12-yard mixer, 455-hp. MX-13 engine with 1,650 lbs.-ft. of torque, and Simard twin steer conversion to make the truck compatible with Ontario’s vehicle weight and dimension regulations; a 5-axle Kenworth W900S with an 11-yard mixer, 425-hp. MX-11 engine with 1,450 lbs.-ft. of torque, and Allison 4700RDS 7-speed automatic transmission; an a 4-axle Kenworth W900S with a 10.5-yard mixer and 345-hp. PX-9 engine with 1,150 lbs.-ft. of torque. Volvo Trucks also had several models on display showing off its VHD lineup of trucks. The company’s booth included a Volvo VHD 200 8x4 axle forward bridge formula mixer. Equipped with a Con-Tech concrete mixer, the vehicle is powered by a Volvo D11 engine producing 385 hp. and 1,450 lbs.-ft. of torque mated to an Allison 4500 RDS transmission. A multileaf with left-hand stiffener front suspension and 46,000-lb. Haulmaax rear suspension round out the key specs. Also on display is a VHD 200 6x4 axle back model with McNeilus concrete mixer. It also includes a Volvo D11 engine rated at 365 hp. and 1,350 lbs.-ft. of torque and Allison 4500 RDS transmission. The 46,000-lb. Haulmaax rear suspension is complemented by a Parabolic leaf front suspension. Freightliner had several trucks on hand, including three 114SD models. “Severe duty customers require trucks that do more than just show up to the job site – they need trucks they can depend on all day, every day, no matter what,” said Mary Aufdemberg, director of product marketing for Freightliner Trucks. “Freightliner’s severe duty products combine quality, durability and ease-of-upfit, resulting in a dependable solution that contribute to the bottom line.” Freightliner had a 114SD SFA tri-drive with an Alliance Concrete pump; a 114SD SBA truck with Beck Industrial mixer; a 114SD SBA with McNeilus mixer and Cummins ISL engine; a 114SD SFA with a Schwing America booster mixer and Detroit DD13 engine; and a 108SD SBA truck with Holcombe Volumetric mixer equipped with a Cummins ISL engine featuring rear engine power take-off (REPTO) capability. Western Star conducted its “Western Star Trucks Get Tough Challenge” at the event. The sixth annual ride-and-drive event takes contestants along a short course in their choice of a Western Star truck and scores them on a 50-point scale. “Once they get in a Western Star truck, drivers appreciate the comfort, maneuverability and power that defines the Western Star brand,” said Ann Demitruk, vice president of marketing for Western Star. “Last year we had more than 250 drivers compete in the challenge, and this year we’re expecting even more. Come to the Get Tough Challenge and experience what Western Star is all about.” Among the Western Star trucks available are a 4700SB wallboard truck equipped with a Detroit DD13 engine and Allison 4500 Rugged Duty Series (RDS) transmission; a 4700SB crane truck equipped with a Detroit DD13 engine and Eaton Fuller transmission; a 4700SF mixer with a Detroit DD13 engine and Allison 4700 RDS transmission; a 5700XE with a Detroit DD15 engine and Eaton Fuller transmission; and a 6900XD with a Detroit DD16 engine and Allison 4700 RDS transmission.

Fleet Owner / February 2, 2016 No fluid cooler needed, which reduces weight and maintenance needs. Eaton is widening the vocational availability of its Fuller Advantage 10-speed automated manual transmission (AMT) overdrive models, offering optional “Urge to Move,” “Creep Mode” and “Blended Pedal” functions to improve low-speed maneuverability in situations such as backing into a loading dock or maneuvering in a construction job site. Evan Vijithakumara, Eaton’s product strategy manager, said in a statement that the Fuller Advantage 10-speed AMT can now be used in 110,000 lbs.-plus gross combined weight (GCW) vocational truck applications, with 6- and 8-bolt power take off (PTO) opening options, “Hill Start Aid” and intelligent gear selection logic functions. He pointed to the AMT’s precision lubrication system as a key feature, as that system reduces the oil churn energy losses found in traditional transmissions by nearly 33%. “With less heat being generated, Fuller Advantage transmissions do not require a transmission fluid cooler and corresponding lines and fittings,” Vijithakumara said. “The result is less preventative maintenance is required while engine fans cycle less, further reducing horsepower demand.” He added that the precision lube system uses only 16 pints of oil, which is nearly half the amount used in traditional transmissions. “Vocational fleets currently operating our FR series manual transmission, and who are considering an automated transmission in their next truck, will really appreciate the performance and peace of mind that the cooler-less Fuller Advantage transmission offers,” said Eaton’s heavy-duty transmission sales manager Molly Doyle.

Transport Topics / February 2, 2016 Peterbilt Motors Co. has received a multiyear order from TMC Transportation, the largest privately held flatbed carrier in the United States, for 1,500 of its Model 579 Class 8 trucks equipped with premium 80-inch sleepers. Rod Simon, TMC’s vice president of maintenance, cited in a statement the model’s distinctive styling as a means of recruiting and keeping drivers. “TMC has long been a Peterbilt partner. We take great pride in the professionalism and skill of our drivers and the appearance and performance of our fleet,” Simon said. Peterbilt said the Des Moines, Iowa-based fleet first ordered 1,500 of the 579s when the model was introduced in 2012.

Why be concerned about appointees having appropriate experience now? Congress has been approving EPA heads for years who lacked any and all qualifications for that position.

Transport Topics / February 2, 2016 Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune (R-S.D.) said senators on the panel have raised concerns about Scott Darling, President Obama’s choice to lead the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). “Some of our members have concerns about, I think, just the depth of experience he has on some of those issues,” Thune told Transport Topics on Feb. 2. Thune added that a vote on Darling's nomination is possible after the committee handles other affairs during the next couple of weeks. The Commerce Committee has jurisdiction over trucking regulations. The committee heard testimony from Darling on Jan. 20 to consider his nomination to become FMCSA administrator. At the hearing, he told Thune and the rest of the panel the FMCSA safety performance scoring program, known as Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA), would be reviewed by the National Academy of Sciences starting this month. FMCSA removed the scores from public view in December soon after the enactment of the FAST Act, the 2015 highway law. Darling, FMCSA's acting administrator, had served as the agency's chief counsel since September 2012. He came to FMCSA from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, where he served as deputy chief of staff and assistant general counsel. .

Navistar hopes more choice leads to better trucks, loyal customers Fleet Owner / February 1, 2016 As more and more vertical design has come to the truck market – think integrated powertrains – Navistar has been embracing the concept of “open integration” in its vehicle designs. That means the option of Cummins engines. But it also means customers can choose Allison or Eaton transmissions, Dana or Meritor axles, Continental tires (standard) or some other brand. Many OEMs also embrace this philosophy - give the customer what they want – but Navistar executives gathered here in Las Vegas believe it is a winning formula that will once again have the International nameplate back atop the vocational market share ladder. “We want to give the customer what the customer wants,” Bill Kozek, president-truck and parts, told Fleet Owner at the launch of the company’s newest models – the HX Series of vocational trucks. According to Jeff Sass, senior vice president of North America truck sales and marketing, Navistar’s Class 8 severe duty market share is around 17%. “We want to get over 20%,” he told Fleet Owner. “It’s really close right now [between OEMs], it ebbs and flows, and we don’t want it to be that close.” To increase its market share, not only is Navistar focused on building quality trucks, it’s focused on providing customers options through its open integration philosophy. “While many of our competitors go to vertical integration, we have done something different,” Sass said. “We have gone to open integration where we work seamlessly with our [partners] to integrated the leading products into our trucks.” ass explained that vertical integration has some advantages, but to be a vertically integrated truck maker requires the OEM to “an expert in everything.” “We’re taking the expertise of our [supplier] experts,” he added. “Most of the suppliers we’re partnering with have a long history in the marketplace. They have sales support teams behind them.” Just as importantly, as Kozek noted, an owner of an International truck who has trouble with, for instance, an Cummins engine, has many options to seek service on that vehicle. They can go to their local International dealer, who can service all the components, they could seek out a Cummins dealer or they can have that engine serviced at any truck OEM dealership that services Cummins engines. Related reading - http://fleetowner.com/equipment/vegas-provides-backdrop-international-s-hx-series-debut