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.
Deep Thinking: Eaton-Cummins tech right for the times
JAMESTOWN, N.Y. -- Cummins and Eaton have been integrating components for years. They announced an engagement of sorts with the launch of the SmartAdvantage powertrain. Last year, by launching the Endurant transmission through the Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies joint venture, they figuratively tied the knot.
Brake Check: We put modern brakes to the test
TORONTO, Ont. -- Jim Park considers brakes the single most important system on a truck, yet few drivers or fleet maintenance personnel ever have the opportunity to see what brakes can really do. He had such an opportunity and came away with huge respect for a system many of us take for granted.
Productive tech has transformed trucking
TORONTO, Ont. -- Imagine today, with the breakneck pace of our lives, having to wait until a driver arrived at a truck stop, parked, and waited to use the payphone before you knew the truck was empty. Imagine, too, the driver's frustration at hearing dispatch say, “Call me back in half an hour.” Life was different in days gone by.
Pushing 10: Mack test drive shows role of tech in fuel economy
ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Equipment editor Jim Park has developed a new appreciation for drivers who post consistently high fuel economy numbers, especially those who push every day to crack 10 mpg (23.5 L/100km). But the trucks also deserve a good chunk of the credit.