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GHG Phase II: 10 key points in the proposed truck standards Fleet Owner / June 19, 2015 According to the government, heavy-duty trucks are the second largest and fastest growing segment of the U.S. transportation sector in terms of emissions and energy use. Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles currently account for about 20% of GHG emissions and oil use in the U.S. transportation sector, but are only about 5% of the vehicles on the road. The next phase of the federal government’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by setting fuel efficiency standards for commercial vehicles was released Friday. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposed the standards for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles meant to reduce the impacts of climate change. The proposed standards, for model years 2021-2027, are expected to lower CO2 emissions by approximately 1 billion metric tons, cut fuel costs by about $170 billion, and reduce oil consumption by up to 1.8 billion barrels over the lifetime of the vehicles sold under the program. 1. Why? As National Highway Safety Administration Mark Rosekind opened the press conference to announce the standard, the Obama Administration is committed to act on climate change “before the planet is beyond fixing,” as the president promised two years ago when he revealed his Climate Action Plan. The CAP was billed as a “blueprint” for reducing carbon emissions, and the administration has taken steps to use the power of the executive branch to enact a number of reforms. A fuel efficiency standard for commercial vehicles is one of those initiatives. 2. Why trucking?According to the government, heavy-duty trucks are the second largest and fastest growing segment of the U.S. transportation sector in terms of emissions and energy use. Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles currently account for about 20 percent of GHG emissions and oil use in the U.S. transportation sector, but are only about 5 percent of the vehicles on the road. And, as the industry routinely cites, trucking hauls about 70 percent of all freight in the U.S. 3. What does fuel consumption have to do with GHG?Simply, burning diesel and gasoline puts CO2 into the atmosphere. The less fuel a vehicle burns, the less CO2 is emitted. The program would save approximately 1.8 billion barrels of oil, or 75 billion gallons of fuel, over the lifetime of the vehicles subject to these standards. Those oil savings would exceed a year’s worth of U.S. imports from OPEC. 4. What are the trucking goals?Peppered with questions from the press about what the Phase II standards mean in terms of improved MPGs, EPA Acting Asst. Administrator Janet McCabe insisted that such a measurement is meaningless for the many trucks and applications covered under the proposal. For highway tractors, the key is “freight efficiency,” or the amount of freight that can be hauled per mile, per gallon of fuel. In 2027, EPA estimates the average line-haul truck would achieve a 50% improvement, with that potentially rising to 90% with the development and adoption an new, more efficient technologies. (Experts at the Environmental Defense Fund put the 2027 goal at about 9.5 mpg for highway tractor-trailers, compared to about 6 mpg in 2010.) More precisely, the metric for compliance under the standard will be a grams/mile emissions rate. In 2027 when the standard is fully phased in, heavy-duty vehicles across all classes would achieve up to the following CO2 emissions and fuel use reductions: 24% for combination tractors designed to pull trailers and move freight when compared to Phase I standards 8% for trailers when compared to an average model year 2017 trailer 16% for vocational vehicles when compared to Phase I standards, and 16% for pick-up trucks and light vans when compared to Phase I standards. 5. Just where are these impressive improvements going to come from? According to the proposal, the goals can be met with “cost-effective” technology that’s already available, or that is currently in development. Additionally, the standards do not mandate the use of specific technologies. Rather they establish standards achievable through a range of technology options, and allow manufacturers to choose those technologies that work best for their products and for their customers, the government says. Broadly, for example, these technologies include improved transmissions, engine combustion optimization, aerodynamic improvements and low rolling resistance tires. 6. How much is all of this going to cost a truck buyer?The cost, arguably, is the good news for truck operators. Unlike EPA emissions regulations aimed at NOx and diesel particulates—for which costly new technologies had to be developed, and these negatively impacted reliability and fuel efficiency—the required improvement is expected to immediately begin to pay for itself in reduced fuel expense. There are, of course, many details to come and some unforeseen market dynamics likely at work over the next decade—and that initial purchase price is still going to have to be financed. Given rough estimates of $10,000 to $12,000 added cost to tractor-trailers, and less for smaller vehicles, EPA puts the payback in model year 2027 at Two years for a tractor/trailer combo; Three years for pick-ups and vans; and Six years for a vocational vehicles. 7. Why trailers? Simply, trailers pulled by combination tractors are part of that vehicle, and trailers contribute significantly to carbon pollution emissions, and to the vehicle’s fuel consumption, EPA says. Cost-effective technologies, including aerodynamic devices, low rolling-resistance tires, and automatic tire inflation systems can offer significant CO2 emissions and fuel use reductions for the vehicle. Because EPA and DOT each have statutory responsibilities related to the matter, the agencies say they worked very closely to ensure that EPA’s CO2 proposed regulations and NHTSA’s proposed fuel efficiency regulations are fully harmonized. The agencies also propose that manufacturers would submit a single report to show compliance with both programs. The proposed standards would apply to certain trailer types beginning in MY 2018 for EPA’s standards, and would be voluntary for NHTSA from 2018 to 2020, with mandatory standard beginning in 2021. The proposed standards would extend to more trailer types in MY 2021. The fully-phased standards would apply to five categories of trailers: Long (longer than 50 feet) highway box trailers - dry vans; Long highway box trailers - refrigerated vans; Short (50 feet and shorter) highway box trailers - dry vans; Short highway box trailers - refrigerated vans; and Non-box highway trailers. 8. Why engine standards? As with the Phase I program, the agencies are proposing separate standards and test cycles for tractor engines, vocational diesel engines, and vocational gasoline engines—standards that some truck makers have suggested will complicate matters when it comes time to assess the complete vehicle. For diesel engines, the proposed standards would begin in model year 2021 and phase in to MY 2027, with interim standards in MY 2024. They are also proposing a revised test cycle weighting for tractor engines to better reflect actual in-use operation. The proposed diesel engine standards would reduce CO2 emissions and fuel consumption by up to 4% compared to Phase I. Technologies that could be used to meet the standards include: combustion optimization; improved air handling; reduced friction within the engine; improved emissions after-treatment technologies; and waste heat recovery. 9. Who wins?The big picture benefits depend on how one feels about anthropogenic climate change, and how much one values the survival of civilization generations hence. But since global warming is an Obama administration priority, and since the White House gets to set the rules and do the math, here are the numbers used to justify the GHG proposal: The program would cut carbon pollution by about 1 billion metric tons, roughly equivalent to the GHG emissions associated with the electricity and power use from all U.S. residences for one year. The program would save vehicle owners $170 billion in fuel costs over the lifetime of the vehicles sold. When fuel savings bring down the costs of transporting goods, the average household could save nearly $150 a year by 2030 and $275 by 2040 assuming all savings and costs are passed through to consumers. In total, the program would result in about $230 billion in net benefits to society over the lifetime of vehicles sold under the program. The benefits to society outweigh costs over the lifetime of vehicles sold under the program by about 10 to 1. 10. Where are the details? The notice has yet to be posted in the Federal Register, but the 1,300-page prepublication version is here. Or, for those who prefer neatly organized summaries, EPA provides these: Overview Fact Sheet: Cutting Carbon Pollution, Improving Fuel Efficiency, Saving Money, and Supporting Innovation for Trucks (PDF) (3 pages)Detailed Fact Sheet: EPA and NHTSA Propose Standards to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Improve Fuel Efficiency of Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles for Model Year 2018 and Beyond (PDF) (6 pages)Fact Sheet on Trailers: Proposed EPA and NHTSA Regulation of Commercial Trailers Used with Combination Tractors: Frequently Asked Questions(PDF) (4 pages)Key Numbers Fact Sheet: EPA and NHTSA Propose Greenhouse Gas and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Trucks: By the Numbers (PDF)(3 pages)Proposed Rule (PDF) (1,329 pages)Redline/Strikeout of EPA Proposed Regulatory Text Relative to Current CFR (PDF) (378 pages)Draft Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) (PDF) (971 pages)See the GEM web page to read about the Greenhouse gas Emissions Model (GEM) for determining truck compliance.

Fleet Owner / June 19, 2015 Trailers added to fuel efficiency standards for trucks The long-awaited next phase of the federal government’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by setting fuel efficiency standards for commercial vehicles was released Friday. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are jointly proposing the standards for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles meant to reduce the impacts of climate change, while bolstering energy security and spurring manufacturing innovation. The proposed standards are expected to lower CO2 emissions by approximately 1 billion metric tons, cut fuel costs by about $170 billion, and reduce oil consumption by up to 1.8 billion barrels over the lifetime of the vehicles sold under the program. Putting those numbers into perspective, the government says these reductions are nearly equal to the GHG emissions associated with energy use by all U.S. residences in one year. The total oil savings under the program would be greater than a year’s worth of U.S. imports from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles currently account for about 20% of GHG emissions and oil use in the U.S. transportation sector, but only comprise about 5% of vehicles on the road. “Once upon a time, to be pro-environment you had to be anti-big-vehicles. This rule will change that,” said U.S Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “In fact, these efficiency standards are good for the environment—and the economy. When trucks use less fuel, shipping costs go down. It’s good news all around, especially for anyone with an online shopping habit.” The product of three years of testing and research, the proposed vehicle and engine performance standards would cover model years 2021-2027, and apply to semi-trucks, large pickup trucks and vans, and all types and sizes of buses and work trucks. They would achieve up to 24% lower CO2 emissions and fuel consumption than an equivalent tractor in 2018, based on the fully phased-in standards for the tractor alone in a tractor-trailer vehicle. In this next phase, the EPA and NHTSA are also proposing efficiency and GHG standards for trailers for the first time. The EPA trailer standards, which exclude certain categories such as mobile homes, would begin to take effect in model year 2018 for certain trailers, while NHTSA’s standards would be in effect as of 2021, with credits available for voluntary participation before then. Additionally, EPA notes that the proposed standards are: Grounded in rigorous technical data and analysis.Reflect extensive outreach with industry and other stakeholders.Rely on cost-effective technologies to enhance fuel efficiency and reduce GHG emissions that are currently available or in development.They do not mandate the use of specific technologies. Rather they establish standards achievable through a range of technology options, and allow manufacturers to choose those technologies that work best for their products and for their customers. (These technologies include improved transmissions, engine combustion optimization, aerodynamic improvements and low rolling resistance tires). Phased in over the long-term, beginning in model year 2021 and culminating in standards for model year 2027 – giving manufacturers the time and flexibility to plan.Flexible, by allowing banking and trading emissions credits for most manufacturers, and providing businesses the opportunity to choose the most cost-effective path to meet the standards.The American Trucking Assns. announced that it supports the proposal, but remains concerned that the rule may result in the use of certain technologies on vehicles before they can be fully tested. “Fuel is an enormous expense for our industry – and carbon emissions carry an enormous cost for our planet,” said ATA President and CEO Bill Graves. “That’s why our industry supported the Obama Administration’s historic first round of greenhouse gas and fuel efficiency standards for medium and large trucks and why we support the aims of this second round of standards.” Since the first round of efficiency standards were announced in 2011, ATA has been working to evaluate their impact on the trucking industry, and the agency said it has been in constant dialogue with the EPA and the NHTSA to make sure the second round of standards can be effectively implemented by the industry. “ATA has adopted a set of 15 ‘guiding principles’ for Phase II,” said ATA Vice President and Energy and Environmental Counsel Glen Kedzie, “and based on conversations with regulators and a preliminary review this proposal appears to meet 14 of those. “We believe this rule could result in the deployment of certain technologies that do not fully recognize the diversity of our industry and could prove to be unreliable. This unreliability could slow not only adoption of these technologies, but the environmental benefits they aim to create,” Kedzie said. “To prevent this, truck and engine manufacturers will need adequate time to develop solutions to meet these new standards.” Kedzie said fuel is typically a fleet’s first or second largest operating expense and most fleets seek a return on their investment in new equipment within 18 to 24 months. A public comment period will be open for 60 days after the proposal is published in the Federal Register. In addition, NHTSA and EPA will host two public hearings and continue to meet with stakeholders over the course of the comment period, the agencies said.

Renault Press Release / June 17, 2015 The independent certifying body, TÜV Rheinland, has just certified a 10.9% reduction of fuel consumption for a Renault Trucks T series "Optifuel" compared with a standard T series, after drivers had benefited from Optifuel Training instruction. After several months demonstrating and selling the Optifuel spec T series, Renault Trucks, confident of its offering in terms of fuel consumption savings, asked the independent organisation TÜV Rheinland to measure and certify the fuel savings it delivers. The TÜV Rheinland therefore carried out a series of tests designed to measure the Renault Trucks T Optifuel’s performance with regard to reducing fuel consumption. This resulted in a measured and certified reduction in fuel consumption of 10.9% for the Optifuel version of the Renault T series. “This figure, measured and certified by an independent body, demonstrates the benefits our customers enjoy when they choose a, Optifuel-equipped Renault T series truck,“ explains Bruno Blin, the President of Renault Trucks. He adds, “The T series' intrinsic qualities, combined with aerodynamic equipment and intelligent technology, significantly reduces costs associated with fuel which therefore contribute to their financial profitability.” The T series Optifuel is a comprehensive offering consisting of a vehicle optimised to reduce fuel consumption, combined with Optifuel Training instruction in economic driving provided by Renault Trucks instructors. The vehicle used for the comparison was a standard T model, without any options and before the drivers had been given any economic driving instruction. The TÜV Rheinland selected the two experienced drivers, making sure they represented typical long-distance truck drivers. Renault Trucks supplied the vehicles and the semitrailers, also providing the instruction in economic driving. The two vehicles were Renault Trucks T 4x2 tractors equipped with Euro-6 DTI 11-liter 430 horsepower engines having the same drive axle ratio (2.64). One was a “standard” vehicle, while the other featured the Optifuel configurations. The day before the test, the TÜV Rheinland carried out an in-depth check of the two rigs, in particular tyre wear and pressure as well as their weight and technical characteristics. The Optifuel version of the Renault T series offers, as standard, all aerodynamic equipment (adjustable roof and side deflectors, door extensions and side fairings) to maximise the vehicle’s penetration through the air. It is also equipped with a set of intelligent technologies incorporated into the Fuel eco-pack (inhibited power mode, eco-cruise control with the Optiroll controlled freewheeling mode, a disengageable air compressor, a variable flow steering pump and automatic engine cutout). The vehicle is configured with a default maximum speed of 85 kph. The TÜV Rheinland carried out its measurements on a 200 km route, typical of a long distance inter-regional haulage run. Both vehicles carried a 32 tonne load. On the first day, the two drivers drove over the route twice, once in each vehicle and with their semitrailer so as not to influence results. On the next day, they were both given Optifuel Training instruction in economic driving provided by a Renault Trucks expert. On the third day, the two drivers once again drove the vehicles over the same route, this time applying what they had learned during their training. This very strict test procedure, implemented by the TÜV Rheinland, made it possible to isolate the two vehicles’ intrinsic performance and exclude any impact on consumption from outside factors such as ambient temperature, differences in the two semitrailers’ rolling resistance or the prevailing road traffic. Following the test, the TÜV Rheinland experts observed and certified that, after the instruction, the Renault T series Optifuel consumed 10.9% less fuel than the standard spec Renault T series. This result reasserts the performance delivered by the Optifuel version of the Renault T series in terms of reducing fuel consumption and the importance of the instruction in economic driving. It demonstrates Renault's commitment to providing its customers with tools that are constantly being made more efficient to improve their business. This T series was designed to offer hauliers the perfect balance between fuel savings and life on board. Thanks to the new cab’s aerodynamic form, this range combines the efficiency and lower consumption on which Renault Trucks has founded its reputation. The Renault Trucks Long Distance range contributes to reducing its owner’s fuel costs. Thanks to its design, with a windscreen angle of 12° which improves the Cx by as much as 12% and its new driveline which improves yield, this range is one of the most fuel-efficient on the market. By investing in a T Optifuel, a Renault Trucks customer will have a return on investment from the 17th month of ownership, which is about one third of the average time a haulier keeps possession of a long distance vehicle (60 months on average). .

Heavy Duty Trucking / June 17, 2015 Autocar Industries is recalling 5,286 trucks to address their potential for excessive engine crankcase pressures that might ultimately pose a fire risk, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Autocar is issuing two separate recalls, the largest of which affects 5,245 Xpeditor trucks in the 2008 to 2016 model years. The Xpeditor trucks, which have Cummins natural gas-operated engines, were manufactured from July 30, 2007, through April 29 of this year. Excessive engine crankcase pressures may cause the 90-degree elbow of the vent tube assembly to detach from the crankcase ventilation breather. This condition might allow engine oil to come into contact with hot surfaces and pose a fire risk, NHTSA said. Cummins will notify truck owners on behalf of Autocar, and Cummins service centers will administer the repairs. These repairs will include securing the ends of the 90-degree elbow and reprogramming the electronic control module (ECM) with software that can adjust the engine output under misfire conditions to limit crankcase pressures. Cummins will perform the necessary repairs, free of charge. Autocar’s number for this recall is ACX-1503. The second recall involves 41 Xpert and XSpotter trucks in the 2014 through 2016 model years. They have Cummins Westport ISL G natural gas engines. The problem and recall remedy are similar to the first recall. Autocar’s number for the second recall is MDTT-01. Both safety recalls are expected to begin this month. Truck owners can reach Autocar customer service at (765) 489-5499 or Cummins at (800) 343-7357.

Great link......thank you. You're right, those lads were real drivers.

Motor Malaysia / June 18, 2015 American company Zero Motorcycles (http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/fleet/) now has more than 50 US police departments using its electric motorcycles. “This is a milestone for us, as more agencies embrace the benefits of Zero Motorcycles,” said Kevin Hartman, North American fleet sales director for Zero in a statement. “When compared to traditional police motorcycles, our patrol bikes have a lower total cost of ownership, are easier to maintain and – with minimal noise and no exhaust – are a vehicle for good community relations.” They also make it easier to nab the bad guys in the act. “This motorcycle is so quiet that we continuously sneak up on…..suspects while out on patrol,” Officer Steve Carbajal of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Off-Road Unit said. Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0QoGKk5YPE#t=57

Agreed, MAN produces a first-rate heavy truck. But it's expensive, like Mercedes-Benz, because of the high costs of German labor (double that of U.S.) thanks to the works councils (union), and the higher-than-the-global-norm number of employees at its German plants. This is alike why the VW brand is barely breaking even while Toyota and Hyundai see 8 to 9 percent margins.

Frankly speaking, I think most of us have tossed "good faith" in our country's management team to the curb and come to the realization that government more often than not acts in the interests of big business. Look at NAFTA. The sales pitch to the gullible masses was a complete fabrication, a brilliantly played out distraction from the truth. NAFTA was the idea of big business, a way for them to produce in low-labor-cost Mexico, and then import to the US without tariffs (which would otherwise evaporate the labor savings). I can appreciate US companies searching for a solution to rising US labor costs. But the government should have crafted a solution that kept production in America. Look at the costs of benefits to companies, eg. health insurance. The health care and pharmaceutical industries are two of the biggest scams of our lifetime. An MRI in overseas countries on a new General Electric machine costs US$75, but you pay $2000 to $3000 in America, and thus have stratospheric insurance premiums. Why doesn't the government serve the people and address this deplorable situation? Again, because it has the interests of big business (the highest bidder) at heart. It's all an extremely sad situation. As Nardelli said in the video, it makes no sense for Ford to dilute itself by merging with Chrysler. As for GM, I personally can imagine a merger with specifically the Chrysler unit of FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobile..........the near bankrupt Fiat is not part of my equation. In the commercial truck segment, Dodge's RAM 3500/4500/5500 are selling well to a majority of Americans, people who would never consider a Dodge in the old days. In the car side, Chrysler overall is weak. So if you combine: GM Colorado/Canyon + Silverado 1500/2500 Dodge commercially oriented 3500/4500/5500 (FAR more suitable for the US than Isuzu low cab forward N-series trucks) The full size range of GM automobiles Chrysler performance halo cars I can imagine an optimized blend of product.

It's all about politics and investor profits.........rather than what's best for America.

Once Volkswagen Group puts you in their sights, they can always swing the funding.

Bloomberg / June 10, 2015 http://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2015-06-10/chrysler-sale-is-the-greatest-american-giveaway-nardelli

Volvo Group Global / Press Release / June 18, 2015 Deliveries from the Volvo Group’s truck operations in May 2015 amounted to 17,475 vehicles. In May 2015, truck deliveries rose by 22% in North America and by 4% in Europe. Deliveries in South America were down by 58% while deliveries rose by 4% in Asia. In total the Volvo Group’s wholly-owned operations delivered 17,475 trucks, which was on the same level as in May 2014. .

BMT gas turbine-related threads: http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/31891-the-gas-turbine-general-motors-bison-iii/ http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/31898-the-gas-turbine-chevrolet-turbo-titan-iii/ http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/31951-the-gmc-astro-95-and-astro-ss-gas-turbine-tractors/ http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/32038-fords-futuristic-gas-turbine-big-red/ http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/32060-the-ford-w-1000-gas-turbine/ http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/31978-freightliners-turboliners/ http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/32139-the-turbostar-from-international/ http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/32014-the-gt-601-gas-turbine-powered-macks/ http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/36024-the-autocar-gas-turbine-coe/?hl=turbine http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/32110-where-was-cummins-during-the-gas-turbine-truck-race/ http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/31883-paul-berliet-and-his-t100s/

Transport Engineer / June 17, 2015 Brighton University and engineering innovation firm Libertine are claiming a ‘first’, with the demonstration of a commercially viable exhaust heat recovery system for trucks, running in test at 20kWe (27 horsepower). The project, which is part-funded by the UK government through Innovate UK, uses a pair of Libertine's linear free-piston expanders. They run in an ethanol rankine cycle and extract energy from a hot gas source which represents the flow of vehicle exhaust under steady-state conditions. Libertine chief exec Sam Cockerill (pictured) says the free piston expander system has several advantages over turbo-generator systems. Its operational flexibility and two-phase flow tolerance permits useful output to be generated during part load and transient conditions, he explains – pointing out that these represent the majority of drive cycle conditions. In addition, the system provides a larger single-stage expansion ratio, which suits ethanol/water rankine cycles. Libertine's piston geometry, electrical machine design and cylinder construction are particularly suited to rankine cycle applications, says Cockerill. By integrating the electrical machine into the cylinder wall, rather than attempting to isolate it with seals, the friction losses often encountered by free piston engine developers are dramatically reduced, he explains. Libertine's expander also uses a novel transfer valve arrangement to meter the high pressure working fluid into the expansion chamber without the need for active inlet valve control. This, says Cockerill, offers a simpler and more efficient solution than alternative inlet valve arrangements. Initial results from the trials will be published during Q3 this year, with completion of the tests scheduled for the year end. They are expected to confirm the system's potential to convert the high grade heat in vehicle exhausts into electrical power, which can contribute to either powertrain or auxiliary loads. By providing physical test results to validate simulation tools, the data will allow Libertine to model real vehicle applications with high confidence.

Renault Press Release / June 16, 2015 In order to provide its customers in France with the best maintenance management service for their vehicles, Renault Trucks is the only market player to guarantee all spare parts fitted in its network for two years and also cover all breakdown assistance and towing costs. Taking customer service to another level, Renault Trucks now guarantees its spare parts in France for two years when they have been fitted in the manufacturer’s network. “This 2 year guarantee is the most extensive on the French market since it includes breakdown assistance, towing and repairs for all vehicle ranges,” explains Bruno Morin, Director of Aftersales for Renault Trucks France. “With this new warranty and our network coverage, we provide our customers with a unique service in France when it comes to maintaining their vehicles’ mobility”. Renault Trucks is indeed the only brand on the French market to offer its customers a guarantee that also includes breakdown assistance. This “2 year” warranty, which also applies to the standard replacement (eXchange) offering, demonstrates the confidence Renault Trucks has in its products and its determination to offer services that match its customers’ needs as closely as possible. With over 325 sales and service outlets in France, the Renault Trucks network is the largest of its kind in the country. This dense coverage enables it to satisfy its customers’ demands in record time, wherever they may be in France. The Renault Trucks offering includes all the services designed to ensure vehicles’ maximum mobility. It covers services to reduce fuel consumption (Optifuel Solutions), fleet management (Optifleet), vehicle maintenance and repair (Start&Drive maintenance contracts, “all-inclusive” fixed price maintenance packages) and assistance (Renault Trucks 24/7). “By choosing the Renault Trucks network for their parts and maintenance operations, hauliers can be sure of benefiting from the best after-sales guarantee,” adds Bruno Morin. .

The Daily Mail / June 17, 2015 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3127904/One-policeman-against-100-migrants-French-officers-release-video-showing-impossible-odds-face-trying-stop-stowaways-getting-lorries-Calais.html

Centered in the middle of the 1964 World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows, New York, stands the “Unisphere,” a landmark designed to celebrate the beginning of the space age and a representation of worldwide progress. Around it, various global corporations set out to display their new products, innovations, as well as inventions fit for the future. One of those companies, General Motors, showed fair-goers their view of what the future held with the Futurama II, a second iteration of the 1939 World’s Fair’s Futurama I. The 8-1/2-acre site on the fairgrounds depicted a future that addressed problems with transportation and natural resources. Solutions like obtaining oil from the bottom of the ocean, drilling for ore in Antarctica, foresting with the use of lasers, and exploring the moon were just a few of the futuristic innovations displayed. Also available to fair-goers was GM’s “Avenue of Progress,” a more near-future look into the company’s innovations and inventions. Three new concept vehicles were on display: the Firebird IV, made to get people cross-country as fast as possible; the GM-X Stiletto, a high-speed, high-performance coupe for the ultimate gear-head; and finally the Runabout, an urban vehicle for the common shopper, complete with a shopping cart in the rear. Designed under the direction of Vice President William L. Mitchell, the vehicles were over 25 years in the making. The innovations displayed by GM at the World’s Fair weren’t limited to automobiles, however. Products like knock-free gas, a refrigerant gas, and new power sources ranging from diesels to gas turbines showed the future of power. In the healthcare industry, a centrifuge for the proper handling of Polio vaccines as well as a mechanical heart and lung machine showed the company’s drive to think – and create – outside the box. Fifty years after Futurama II wowed over 29 million people during its two years at the World’s Fair, General Motors continues to be at the forefront of pure and applied research. While the depiction of Futurama II isn’t entirely the world in which we live today, it is a strong statement of GM’s mission to constantly innovate. Related photographs - https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/featured/WorldsFair.html Note the GT300 gas turbine-powered turbocruiser municipal transit bus. I regret GM doesn't present any photos of the gas turbine Bison III heavy truck concept, presented at the show (http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/index.php?/topic/31891-the-gas-turbine-general-motors-bison-iii/). .

Reuters / June 17, 2015 Germany's MAN SE could cut as many as 2,000 jobs at its main trucks division as the Volkswagen-owned company slims operations under a wider reorganisation of production, company and union sources said. Management and union officials at MAN have been in talks for months on how to reshuffle truck production to achieve planned savings of more than 600 million euros ($676 million) by 2017 to make it more efficient as parent VW pushes to become a global force in trucks. VW, Europe's largest vehicle manufacturer, has spent billions of euros over the past decade on expanding stakes in MAN and Scania to fulfil a long-standing ambition to compete with truck market leaders Daimler and Volvo. But it has yet to reap significant cost savings from the combination and last month aligned MAN and Swedish peer Scania in a new truck holding company. The new strategy foresees abandoning truck production at MAN's plant in Salzgitter in northern Germany, where about 2,500 people are employed, and converting the site into a component factory, the sources said. Assembly of heavy trucks would be concentrated at the main factory in Munich, and light and medium-sized trucks would be built (at the former Steyr truck plant) in Steyr, Austria, they said. (http://www.corporate.man.eu/en/company/production/man-truck-and-bus/man-trucks_-vw-trucks/MAN-Trucks_-VW-Trucks.html) The reshuffle will entail heavy investment in MAN's truck-making facilities, company sources said, without being specific. MAN employs 15,000 workers in Germany, almost half its 34,000-strong global labour force. "The key question is: How can we better use our production capacities?" Markus Vogl, works council chief at MAN Truck & Bus's Austrian operations, told Reuters. "We have more capacity than we currently need. The question is how to position ourselves sensibly." The talks between MAN's management and union representatives are ongoing and will probably conclude next week, one of the labour sources said. MAN and parent VW declined comment. Management and union representatives aren't seeking outright job losses, both company and union sources said. Instead, the headcount could be lowered through voluntary redundancy, early retirement as well as reassigning staff to other roles within VW, they said. MAN, which VW fully integrated into its multi-brand group in 2013, has long suffered from languishing profitability and high fixed costs. "VW must become faster, more flexible and nimble," Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn told a staff gathering at Wolfsburg headquarters on Wednesday. "We are trying to get better in all areas where we are still underperforming." Andreas Renschler, head of VW's new truck holding company, wants to boost the operating margin at MAN's truck operations to at least 6 percent, from 1.8 percent in 2014, Germany's Manager Magazin reported on Wednesday, citing sources. ($1 = 0.8876 euros)

Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / June 17, 2015 Rulemaking to consider requirements for rear impact guards and other safety strategies on single unit trucks has reached the next stage. A separate rulemaking to require the guards on trailers and semi-trailers, however, is running slightly behind its single-unit counterpart. On June 12, the White House Office of Management and Budget received the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s proposal to require devices to mitigate rear-end underride crashes of single unit trucks. Last July, NHTSA said it would issue an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for rear impact guards for single unit trucks and a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for the guards on trailers and semi-trailers. The agency began the efforts last year after the Truck Safety Coalition petitioned to have all trucks and trailers equipped with energy-absorbing rear impact or underride guards guards. These would be mounted lower to the ground — 16 inches — with vertical supports spaced farther apart — 8 inches from the side edges. The coalition says these guards would effectively protect car occupants from death and injury in rear impact crashes. .

i4u News / June 17, 2015 Samsung has introduced a safety solution for greater roadway safety. The Samsung Safety Truck concept equips big rigs with a giant screen in the back displaying what happens in front of the truck transmitted by wireless cameras mounted in the front. The big rig becomes "invisible" and cars behind it see when it is save to overtake. Advertising company Leo Burnett in Buenos Aires created the initiative "The Safety Truck" for Samsung's Argentinian corporate office to promote road safety. The idea roots in the extreme high road casualties in Argentina. According to Samsung almost one person dies every hour in a traffic accident. 80% of these accidents happen on roads mainly from drivers trying to overtake. Every car driver knows how difficult it is to overtake a big truck on the road. It is frustrating. The Samsung Safety Truck making overtaking easier and safer. Another concept is to transmit the signal of the truck's front-mounted video cameras via Wi-Fi to the entertainment system in cars. Drivers could then see on the screen if oncoming traffic existed ahead of the truck.

Heavy Duty Trucking / June 16, 2015 he top executives of 15 major for-hire carriers are pushing back against a drive on Capitol Hill to legalize the operation of twin 33-ft trailers on highways nationwide. In a succinct letter addressed to Chairman Thad Cochran (R-MS) and Vice Chairman Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, the heads of 13 truckload and 2 LTL carriers urge committee members to oppose an amendment to the next transportation funding bill that “would force states to accept double 33’ [vs. the current 28’] trailers on all U.S. highways” because it is fraught with “unintended consequences.” The signatories argue that permitting the longer sets of doubles “would have a negative impact on highway safety, accelerate wear and tear on the nation’s highway system, and make it very difficult for small trucking companies, which are the heart of our industry, to compete.” Noting that trucking itself is “deeply divided on this issue,” they contend that the amendment has not yet been sufficiently discussed on Capitol Hill. Nonetheless, an identical measure has made it through the House unscathed. But President Obama has already threatened to veto the funding package if it makes it to his desk in the same form that it took in the House. To help make their case against twin 33s, the writers also point out that the comprehensive size/weight study recently put out by the Dept. of Transportation “concluded that no changes in the relevant truck size and weight laws should be considered at this time.” The authors close by advsing the Senators that they “would be happy to personally visit with you and your colleagues further, on the reasons why this amendment should not be adopted.” The signatories of the letter are: Paul Will, CEO, Celadon Trucking, Indianapolis, INDon Orr, president, Central Transport, Waco, TXDavid Parker, president & CEO, Covenant Transport, Chattanooga, TNTonn Ostergard, president & CEO, Crete Carrier Corp., Lincoln, NBReggie Dupre, CEO, Dupre Logistics, Lafayette, LASteve Gordon, president, Gordon Trucking, Pacific, WAMike Gerdin, chairman & CEO, Heartland Express, North Liberty, IAJohn N. Roberts, president & CEO, JB Hunt Transport, Lowell, ARJim Richards, president & CEO, KLLM Transport, Jackson, MSKevin Knight, chairman, Knight Transportation, Phoenix, AZCharles Hammel, president, Pitt Ohio, Pittsburgh, PADan Cushman, president & CEO, PAM Transport, Tontitown, ARDavid Daniels, president & CEO, May Trucking Co., Salem, ORJerry Moyes, founder & CEO, Swift Transportation, Phoenix, AZRobert A. Peiser, chairman, USA Truck, Van Buren, AR.

Automotive News / June 17, 2015 The European Commission has fined Germany's Eberspaecher Group 68 million euros (US$76.6 million) after finding Eberspaecher and fellow supplier Webasto had fixed prices of heating systems in cars and commercial trucks. The Commission said the two suppliers had coordinated prices of fuel-operated parking heaters for parked vehicles and auxiliary heaters for 10 years from 2001. Webasto avoided a potential fine of 222 million euros (US$252 million) because it revealed the existence of the cartel. Eberspaecher benefited from reductions due to its cooperation with the investigation and its agreement to settle with the Commission. "For over 10 years, the only two suppliers of parking heaters in Europe colluded to avoid competing with each other. This cozy arrangement adversely affected a major part of the European automotive industry and ultimately those who buy cars and trucks," European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said in a statement. The Commission said that when the companies received requests for price quotations from car or truck manufacturers, they discussed various price elements, agreed which of the two would submit the winning lower bid, and exchanged other commercially sensitive information. "The two companies also colluded when selling to dealers in Germany and Austria, for example by harmonizing their annual price lists and the discounts they would give to these dealers," the Commission said.

Car & Driver / June 17, 2015 http://blog.caranddriver.com/this-king-of-classic-ford-muscle-cars-looks-to-fetch-nearly-half-a-million-dollars/#more-222266

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2015/06/lingenfelter-works-their-lta-magic-on-a-2015-camaro-z28-video/ http://gmauthority.com/blog/2014/09/1968-pontiac-firebird-battles-camaro-based-lingenfelter-ta-video/

BUILT FOR THE LOAD - POWERED FOR THE PULL https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/docs/gm-heritage-archive/historical-brochures/Chevrolet_History/Chevrolet_Trucks.pdf