Jim Park
Jim Park was a CDL driver and owner-operator from 1978 until 1998, when he began his second career as a trucking journalist. During that career transition, he hosted an overnight radio show on a Hamilton, Ontario radio station and later went on to anchor the trucking news in SiriusXM's Road Dog Trucking channel. Jim is a regular contributor to Today's Trucking and Trucknews.com, and produces Focus On and On the Spot test drive videos.
Focus On: A walk-around of the Hino XL8
Hino's new Class 8 offering, the XL8, has been in the pipeline for nearly a decade. It launched in 2018 and went into production in early 2019. It's not fancy, but it's solid and well built and was designed with the driver in mind. Equipment editor Jim Park takes us on a walk-around of the XL8 and it's new engine, the A09 at Hino's new manufacturing plant in Mineral Wells West Virginia.
Mine your ELD data for productivity gains
TORONTO, Ont. -- Those who believe that electronic logging devices (ELDs) are productivity killers have yet to exploit the technology’s full potential. When combined with a transportation management system, the devices can provide valuable insights and planning possibilities.
Test Drive: Volvo Dynamic Steering
DUBLIN, Va. -- Volvo Trucks is adding a new driver-assist steering feature to its 2020 Model Year line up. Volvo Dynamic Steering (VDS) is an electric-over-hydraulic steering-assist system designed to improve maneuverability and lessen driver steering effort by up to 85% at low speed, while maintaining a stiffer feel at highway speeds.
Special Paris Convoy makes a million
PARIS, Ont. -- The inaugural Southern Ontario Truck Convoy for Special Olympics in 2005 featured 59 trucks and raised $30,000 for the cause. The 15th running of the event this year saw 133 trucks raise $133,000, bringing this convoy's total lifetime contribution to $1.063 million.
Volvo moving forward with dynamic steering
DUBLIN, Va. -- Volvo Trucks is adding a new driver-assist steering feature to its 2020 Model Year line up. Volvo Dynamic Steering (VDS) is an electric-over-hydraulic steering-assist system designed to improve maneuverability and lessen driver steering effort by up to 85% at low speed, while maintaining a stiffer feel at highway speeds.
Focus On: Plowing with a Mack Granite
What kind of a truck does it take to keep Alaska's Thompson Pass clear of snow in winter? Battling average snowfall of 500 inches per year, this Mack Granite snowplow has earned the respect of the DOT crews that patrol the snow capital of North America. Equipment Editor Jim Park accompanied a film crew to Valdez Alaska for the filming of Mack Trucks' RoadLife 2.0: Alaska DOT.
Test driving Hino’s new baby — the Baby 8 XL8
MINERAL WELLS, W.Va. -- We waited nearly a year and a half for a ride in one of Hino's new XL Series trucks – specifically, for the chance to drive one of the Class 8 straight trucks configured with a 24-foot reefer box. And after all that time, equipment editor Jim Park says it was worth the wait.
Dana to drive Canadian hydrogen fuel cell project
EDMONTON, Alta. -- When the Alberta Zero-Emissions Truck Electrification Collaboration (AZETEC) project begins next year, the two 140,000-pound B-train tractor-trailers to be used in the test will be driven by Dana's Spicer Electrified e-Propulsion systems with TM4 SUMO HP motor-inverters.
