CAT shocks market with SLH acquisition

KINGSTON, ON - CAT Holding has made another acquisition. The truckload carrier has purchased Kingston, Ontario-based SLH Transport, it announced today. This is the second acquisition for CAT in 2017, with the company purchasing Group Express Groupex in January. CAT President Daniel Goyette says the group will gain an enormous boost in capacity and coverage for North America with the addition of both companies. SLH -- at one time a private fleet operated specifically for Sears department stores, before becoming a for-hire operation -- was previously named to the 13th position of Today's Trucking's Top 100 carriers list.

Celadon refinancing amid SEC investigation

INDIANAPOLIS, IL - The Celadon Group continues to restructure its assets in an attempt to create more liquidity, while it is being investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The company, which owns Celadon Trucking and Celadon Logistics, as well as other subsidiaries, announced this morning that as part of the continuing implementation of its new strategic plan, it has refinanced its revolving credit and extended equipment leases that were maturing in 2018. Celadon's short-term revolving credit restructuring was done through Bank of America, and has a maturity date at the end of fiscal 2017. In addition it received US $22.6 million in equipment term loans secured by existing tractors and trailers used in their Hyndman subsidiary.

Magna announces new active air dam

ATLANTA, GA - Magna is adding another product to its line-up in the battle for fuel efficiency - an active air dam to be released in 2018.

Automatic grease jockey smooths the way for uptime

ATLANTA, GA - Dan Jensen admits that talking grease isn't sexy. The global product marketing manager for Graco was at the North American Commercial Vehicle Show to promote the latest in the company's line of automatic lubrication pumps, and said that the crowds he often speaks to at trade shows are small, because grease just isn't as fun a topic as shiny new trucks or tires. In the end though, grease is what makes everything go.

NACV kicks off with the big scissors and big fanfare

ATLANTA, GA - The North American Commercial Vehicle (NACV) Show officially opened its doors on Tuesday, following an exclusive VIP day for guests invited by exhibitors themselves. This is the first year for the NACV show, organized by Deutschhe Messe and Hanover Fairs, with Newcom Business Media.

Ryder to partner with Aperia on tires

ATLANTA, GA - Aperia Technologies has logged more than a billion miles on its flagship Halo Inflation System, and will now bring the product to Ryder's fleet of commercial rental vehicles.

Michelin guarantees performance of new drive tire

ATLANTA, GA - Michelin is promising its new XDA Energy + drive tire will save fleets $400 a year in fuel, and is backing that promise up with a guarantee. The company's newest drive tire was designed for fuel economy, and Michelin says it will pay fleets that don't see the promised fuel savings over competitive brands up to $400 per truck. Fleets of any size can take the test. Michelin will work with them to benchmark their fuel economy using their current drive tire, then swap those brands out with the new XDA Energy+.

After 25 years Trucker Buddy appoints new director

ATLANTA, GA - Involved with Trucker Buddy International for 25 years, executive director Randy Schwartzenburg feels it's time to pass the torch. At the North American Commercial Vehicle (NACV) Show Wednesday, Schhwartzenburg announced his retirement from the not-for-profit organization.

Fleet Complete and Blackberry integrate products

Customers of Blackberry and Fleet Complete will now have the ability to remotely monitor their trucks from front to back, inside and out, on one interface. This morning the companies announced they were forming a reselling partnership, which will allow Fleet Complete to sell and bundle Blackberry's Radar with its other products, expanding its current fleet tracking and monitoring solutions.

Fleet Complete and Blackberry integrate products

Customers of Blackberry and Fleet Complete will now have the ability to remotely monitor their trucks from front to back, inside and out, on one interface. This morning the companies announced they were forming a reselling partnership, which will allow Fleet Complete to sell and bundle Blackberry's Radar with its other products, expanding its current fleet tracking and monitoring solutions.

DUI will mean stricter penalties in Ontario

TORONTO, ON - Stricter penalties for young, novice, and commercial divers caught operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs and alcohol are coming to Ontario. Ontario Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca announced the new measures Sept. 18 ahead of the legalization of marijuana nation-wide next July. The government says it will have zero tolerance for those caught driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol for those drivers under the age of 21, those without a full "G" or "M" class license under Ontario's graduated licensing system, and commercial drivers.

Ontario WSIB rates to climb for trucking

TORONTO, ON - Some Ontario fleets will see a bump in their Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) premiums for 2018. The rise in rates were announced at the group's annual general meeting Set. 20, while WSIB also announced a drop in rates for other industries, totaling about $760 million combined for 2017 and 2018. Warehousing is among those seeing a cut, with a 7.5% decrease in premium rates from $2.95 per $100 of insurable earnings in 2017, to $2.73 per $100 of insurable earnings in 2018. The rates for general trucking, couriers, and waste materials recycling, however, will go up.

Truckload turnover up in Q2

ARLINGTON, VA - The second quarter of 2017 saw the highest employment turnover at large truckload carriers since the last quarter of 2010. The American Trucking Associations (ATA) reports turnover was higher throughout the truckload market, amid tight labor conditions, with a 16-point jump over last year at large truckload carriers to 90%.

Top Techs compete in Navistar Rodeo

LISLE, IL - Four Canadian technicians were finalists in the 11th Annual Navistar Technician Rodeo last week. The competition challenges technicians from the company's dealer networks who go head-to-head in a series of stations designed to simulate service areas for air conditioning, brakes, drive train, electrical, and Navistar and Cummins engines.

WABCO buys Meritor’s stake in partnership

TROY, MI - WABCO Holdings is upping the ante in its North American ownership, announcing this morning that it is taking full control of the he Meritor WABCO joint venture. In a press release, WABCO Holdings said it was purchasing Meritor's stake in the joint venture business, with a transaction that is expected to close Oct. 1. Meritor WABCO, a distributer of WABCO products for commercial vehicles in North America, employs about 200 people and had sales of $300 million in fiscal year 2016 With this agreement, WABCO will take over the former joint venture's application engineering and supply chain operations, including the distribution center and customer service hub in Hebron, Kentucky.