Rolf Lockwood is editor emeritus of Today's Trucking and a regular contributor to Trucknews.com.
Every time I see a policeman or a tow-truck driver working at the side of a busy road, I get the willies. The risk is so obvious, so profound. A driver’s momentary inattention or wilful carelessness can snuff out a life in a millisecond. It happens far too often.
The maintenance people of trucking are a resourceful breed. They get things done. Yet there’s a challenge that’s been haunting almost every shop manager – at fleets, dealerships, and independent garages alike – for as long as I’ve been writing about this industry of ours. The shortage of skilled technicians is a plague that just won’t go away.
What are the industry's biggest issues these days? Most everyone will say the driver shortage leads the way. Everyone except drivers, of course. I'd say top spot belongs to hours of service rules followed closely by the electronic logging device (ELD) mandate, both of which are key reasons for the shortage... of drivers willing to work long hours within that arbitrarily constructed straitjacket. So it's no surprise that the top three issues for drivers are those two plus the lack of parking facilities.
YOUNTVILLE, Ca. -- The aftermarket side of Daimler Trucks North America is aiming to set a new standard in customer service by strengthening its 24-hour-or-less service turnaround promise, adding new digital tools, enlarging its supply chain, and launching a major expansion of its Alliance Truck Parts enterprise.
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