Sustainable trucking will require multiple solutions: ACT Expo panel

Truck manufacturers, energy providers, and fleets alike are sharing a common journey toward sustainable transportation. Just don’t expect any single energy source to answer every need. “There isn’t really one…

10 findings about the state of sustainable fleets

Interest in alternative fuels, battery-electric vehicles, and fuel cells continues to grow as corporations look to begin their shift away from gasoline- and diesel-based transportation. Now it’s up to suppliers…

DTNA updates training center for electrification

Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) has expanded its Detroit Service Training Center to train technicians on electric powertrain service, battery maintenance, and full truck repair. “For the trucking industry to…

Prepare for tomorrow’s technologies today: DTNA’s O’Leary

Connectivity, autonomy, and electrification are all monumental challenges in their own right, but today’s truck manufacturers are pursuing all three simultaneously. That was the message John O’Leary, president and CEO…

When upfitting electric work trucks, don’t just drill baby drill

If there’s one common warning for upfitters working on battery-electric vehicles it’s this: Don’t just drill baby drill. The unfamiliar wiring tucked underneath could be dangerous. “We have no-drill zones,”…

Electric trucks have shorter spec’ sheets, but there’s still plenty to consider

North American truckers have enjoyed a decades-long love affair with their spec’ sheets. At one time, everything from wheel seals to brake linings, U-joints, and pinion gears were on the…

SuperTruck led to real-world truck gains, and more are coming

Back in 2009, even the best trucks on the highway were averaging only six or seven miles per US gallon. Diligent drivers were pushing 8 mpg. Few came anywhere close…

Daimler, Waymo to develop redundancy systems for autonomous trucks

Daimler Truck says it’s developing a scalable autonomous truck platform with redundancy systems, including braking, steering, the low-voltage power net, and network communications. If any of the primary systems encounter…

Daimler, Platform Science unveil Virtual Vehicle platform

Daimler Trucks North America has joined with Platform Science to launch the Virtual Vehicle platform that offers fleets access to telematics, software, vehicle data, and third-party apps directly from…

SuperTruck 3 projects to focus on zero-emission trucks

Five OEMs will receive a collective US$127 million to push the limits of emissions-slashing trucks under the third installment of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) SuperTruck program. “DOE [the…

T.J. Reed rejoins Daimler to lead remarketing division

T.J. Reed has been named president of Daimler Trucks Remarketing. He will be charged with overseeing all activities for the Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) remarketing division, including sales, marketing…

AMTs perform, protect, and deserve some care

Automated manual transmissions (AMTs) have found a sweet spot. Rather than leaving drivers to find their own gears, the underlying shift logic makes the choices, drawing on inputs such as…

Daimler gains access to ACM test tracks for dealer, customer experiences

Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) has inked a three-year, $3-million partnership with American Center for Mobility (ACM), which will allow it to use its Detroit-area facility for customer demonstrations. Detroit,…

Western Star grows X-Series line

Western Star’s new X-series of vocational trucks has expanded. The 47X, introduced today, provides all the benefits of the recently introduced 49X but in a more compact, lighter-weight design. Visitors…

Electric trucks ‘the work of our lifetime’

There is a definite feeling in the air at the Advanced Clean Transportation Exhibition (ACT Expo). It’s not electricity, exactly. More like the feeling that electricity — or battery power,…