Volvo’s Adaptive Gearing

Volvo Trucks has put a new spin on an old powertrain management strategy; by locking out top gear on its I-Shift overdrive transmission, drivers can pull loads efficiently in 11th gear (direct drive) and still get the performance they want. When running empty, sensors in the transmission and the suspension sense the lower weight and unlock 12th gear, which is overdrive. The truck can cruise home in at a very low engine speed at a higher road speed. This video explains how Adaptive Gearing works and features more excerpts from an interview with Gene Brice, co-owner of Idaho Milk Transport. Adaptive Gearing is ideally suited to tank fleets that run about half their miles empty, and when you hear Brice's fuel economy with this system, you'll be asking if it can work for you too. And don't forget to check out our Focus On report on Volvo's Adaptive Loading system to see what it has to offer.

Volvo’s Adaptive Loading

Volvo Trucks offers a very unique 6x2 tractor platform, where the rear axle does the driving while the forward axle in the tandem group goes along for the ride. Sometimes called a "pusher" or "dead axle," this axle is anything but dead.

Vnomics’ True Fuel Part One: Bad Jim

PITTSFORD, NY -- Since you can't physically sit beside your drivers all day, observing and coaching their driving habits and performance, some sort of monitoring tool can be quite useful. However, if drivers see such devices as annoying or impeding their ability to drive the truck, they won't happily accept the intrusion.

Cummins X15 Pt 2: Efficiency Series

Nearly 20 years after Cummins launched ISX, the 2017 version of the engine brings new technology and engineering advancements to market that deliver better performance, better efficiency and lower cost of ownership.

Cummins X15 Pt 1: An Overview

COLUMBUS, IN -- As engine platforms go, Cummins' ISX has to be considered slightly remarkable. It was introduced in 1998, although the program that brought the engine to life began in 1994. It survived the transition to EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) and then to SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) aftertreatment. Several other engines did not. And it's still very much alive and kicking today. We spent a day test driving a couple of production-intent versions of the 2017 X15 (as it's now known), and a current ISX15 for comparison.

Driving Impressions of Cat’s CT680L

In this Focus On episode, Jim Park will Focus On his impressions of Caterpillar's CT680L's driving experience. Specifically, he highlights the various driver amenities and cab features that reduce cab noise and make the driving experience pleasant.

A Glimpse into a “Super Truck” Future

How efficient can trucks really get? The answer may lie in the U.S. Department of Energy's SuperTruck program.

Check Out an NG-Powered Cascadia

I think drivers and fleets will be pleased with the performance of the NG-powered Cascadia 113. It lacks for nothing compared to the diesel version, and it's even quieter.

TransPower’s Totally Electric Class 8 Truck

True zero-emissions freight transportation is closer to reality than you might think. TransPower USA has five Class 8 tractors currently in service at the Port of Long Beach, CA. The company also has several yard shunt tractors and school buses in real-world service. These trucks are not cobbled together McGiver jobs, either. They are highly engineered and look just like factory installations. These trucks could be the long sought-after solution to diesel emissions in areas with real air quality issues. We recently had a opportunity to test drive one of these electric Class 8 trucks and found it to be a very functional alternative to a diesel tractor. We had the truck without a trailer, so we can't report on its pulling power, but the company says the truck is powered by two 200-hp electric motors. That's 400 horsepower, plus you get the benefit of the very high torque output of the electric motors.

Vnomics’ True Fuel Part One: Bad Jim

PITTSFORD, NY -- Since you can't physically sit beside your drivers all day, observing and coaching their driving habits and performance, some sort of monitoring tool can be quite useful. However, if drivers see such devices as annoying or impeding their ability to drive the truck, they won't happily accept the intrusion.

SPECIAL! Kenworth T880 Test Drive in 360° Panorama Video

MARSHALL, MI -- What could be better than a test drive video of a spanking new T880 on some really rough terrain? A total 360-degree panorama video, of course. You choose the view; just click, hold and drag the mouse to change the camera angle. Check out this Kenworth T800 dump with an Ohio spec, loaded to 90,000 lb gross vehicle weight working its way up and down 20 percent grades at the Eaton Corp. Truck Proving Grounds in Marshall, MI. Equipment Editor Jim Park pilots the truck through a test course showing off the pulling power of the Paccar MX-11 engine, the shifting prowess of the Eaton UltraShift Plus 8-LL transmission and the gravel-gripping traction of the Hendrickson HMX 460 rear suspension.

TRW’s Smart Power Steering

  TORONTO – TRW Automotive revealed a new commercial steering technology at the 2015 Mid-America Trucking Show. Called ReAX, it merges the company’s proven and popular hydraulic power steering…

Livin’ Large with an ICON 900

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the W900 model, Kenworth has done up a special edition called the Icon 900.

Western Star 5700XE: An Ultimate Test Drive

Western Star's 5700XE might just be everything to everyone. It's a big Classic-styled truck, but with second-to-one aerodynamics.

Paccar Launches MX-11 Engine

BELLEVUE, Wash. -- There's a new engine in Paccar's MX lineup, but with several years of experience in Europe, the MX-11 is the engine Kenworth and Peterbilt customers have been waiting for.