#MATS: Eaton’s chief economist sees good times for trucking

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Eaton shared its chief economist with trucking journalists this week, and while James Meil warned "headwinds and tailwinds are at work," his message was one of opportunity.

#MATS: Volvo fighting high diesel pricing with 8% fuel efficiency improvement

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Fuel efficiency is top of mind for truck buyers these days and Volvo Trucks in North America had some very good news on that front at the Mid-America Trucking Show. The truck maker introduced powertrain enhancements and...

#MATS: Volvo offers new cab interior

LOUISVILLE, Ky -- Volvo used the Mid-America Trucking Show as the launching pad for three redesigned interior options and 10 new seat coverings, aimed at increasing comfort and productivity - and attracting and retaining drivers.

#MATS: Daimler launches mobile parts and service app

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Daimler Trucks North America has a new mobile application for smartphones which allows drivers to access service locations, parts information and to connect to on-call breakdown assistance services.

#MATS: Freightliner offers new aerodynamic enhancements for Cascadia

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Freightliner introduced aerodynamic enhancements to its Cascadia at the Mid America Trucking Show that deliver up to 1.8% improvement in fuel economy over the current 72-inch raised roof aerodynamic model.

#MATS: Western Star introduces enhanced interior for all truck models

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Western Star has updated the interior for all of its truck models, including the recently introduced 4700 model.

#MATS: New Western Star sleeper combines feel of daycab with more headroom, storage

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Western Star has introduced a new 34-inch Stratosphere to its product line.

Mixed messages

MONTREAL, Que. - Are enforcement officers in Quebec shunning electronic hours-of-service logs?

E-log enforcement inconsistencies punish early adopters

The widespread adoption of electronic on-board recorders (EOBRs) as a means of tracking driver hours-of-service has hit a bump in the road, as carriers operating in Quebec have received mixed messages about the acceptance of the devices....

Money well spent

With diesel pricing continuing to rise and shippers becoming more reluctant to accept fuel surcharges unless carriers can prove they are doing everything they can to conserve fuel, dealing with this issue is becoming paramount. Whether you are...

Proposed US Hos changes come under fire from all angles

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Proposed changes to US hours-of-service regulations have been given a rough ride in recent weeks, as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has sought public and industry reaction.

The state of freight

TORONTO, Ont. - While the number of trucks and trailers on the road may be what shippers focus on when discussing available capacity for land transportation, it's the shortage of available drivers that will prove to be the real issue in the...

Canada-US leaders call for greater cooperation, coordination at border

No one knows the Canada-US border and the difficulties even the most trusted individuals and companies have had crossing it in the "security trumps trade" post-9/11 world than the trucking industry.

Hours-of-Service rules: Let’s not fix what isn’t broken

Every so often a load comes along that simply has to be looked after. The HoS (hours-of-service) rules must allow the flexibility for us to do that. Tinkering with the present HoS rules that exist south of the border seems to me like 'fixing...

Signs, signs, everywhere signs

As a truck driver there's one sign I dread more than any other. No, it's not the one for a scale, it's the one with a picture of a truck and a big red slash through it.