Continental Tire has come out with a new, more fuel-efficient version of its best-selling medium-duty steer tire. The HSR2 Eco Plus, available immediately, boasts 15% less rolling resistance than the current HSR2 regional steer tire, the company claims, resulting in 3% better fuel economy. The company says its newest tire is one of the few regional tires to be verified by the US EPA SmartWay program. For more info, visit www.continental-truck.com or visit a dealer.

A new wide-base Bridgestone Greatec R125 trailer tire is now available, promising low rolling resistance and increased payload. The Greatec R125 is SmartWay-certified, the company says. It’s suited for fleets that want to maximize payload and save fuel. For info, speak to a Bridgestone dealer or visit www.BridgestoneTruckTires.com.

Yokohama has come out with two new off-road tires for dump trucks. The RL42 is for hard-packed surfaces and job sites where longer hauls are required while the RB42 is for soft ground and/or loose surfaces such as mud, sand, gravel and rocks, the company says. The RL42 comes in sizes 1800R33 and 2400R35 and the RB42 comes in sizes 1800R33 and 2400R35. For info, speak to a Yokohama tire dealer.

Fabrication Damsen has designed an aluminum dry box trailer specifically for transporting wood and composite mouldings. Pre- was difficult because their length made dry vans impractical and flatbeds wouldn’t entirely protect the product from the elements, the company claims. So using its aluminum low bed trailer as a starting point, the Quebec company designed a new aluminum closed dry box with side doors that can be up to 18 feet long. The trailer was built with help from moulding manufacturer Alexandria Moulding and allows side loading and unloading as well as excellent protection against water, the company says. The first of the trailers was delivered last March and has six doors on each side in addition to traditional rear doors. It offers the protection of a dry van and the accessibility of a flatbed, the company says. The trailer weighs about 21,500 lbs. For more information on the trailer, contact Alain Pinard or Donat Messier at 800-361- 2648 or visiw www.damsen.ca.

Fontaine Modification Company is now offering a new installation service that allows fleets to upfit vehicles with alternative fuel engines, alternative fuel delivery systems and APUs in a cost-effective manner. Fontaine says it has exclusive ship-through agreements with major truck OEMs so it can install alternative fuel systems and APUs while delivering considerable savings in chassis delivery costs. Many OEMs still do not install alternative fuel systems on their assembly lines, the company points out, requiring chassis to be shipped multiple times for modification. Fontaine’s service can reduce the shipping bill substantially, it claims. For more info, call 800-FONTAINE or visit www.fontainemod.com.

Kenworth is now offering factory-installed front drive axles for its T270 Class 6 and T370 Class 7 models. The new front drive axle is Kenworth’s first factory-installed front drive axle on its medium-duty product line, the company announced. It’s aimed at utility service, construction and municipal applications. More info is available from dealers.

Thermo King has developed a prototype truck refrigeration system with customer Dean Foods, which keeps a load chilled without any diesel requirement. The electric-powered refrigeration units replace conventional reefers that also require oil, filters and anti-freeze. The new unit uses electricity while parked and while on the road, eliminating the need for a separate engine. It’s also quieter, Thermo King claims, making it ideal for urban areas. Dean Foods’ Dallas-area fleet is home to the new unit, which isn’t yet commercially available.

Eaton has published two new colour brochures for its UltraShift Plus heavy-duty automated transmissions. They’re available free of charge online at www.roadranger.com or in printed form. The 22-page publications include fuel economy, safety and life-cycle cost information. To arrange to receive a printed copy, call 800-826-4357.

Global Leasing Group is a specialty finance company that has introduced a product for owner/operators who need to finance equipment repairs. The Ez Repair Loan provides an owner with access to credit in short order, the company claims, when they’re faced with a costly repair bill. The loan is based not solely on an owner/operators’ credit-worthiness, but also the value of the truck, the company says. This leaves credit cards untouched and allows the operator to keep cash available for travel needs. The financing is available through about 300 truck repair dealers in the Greater Toronto Area. More info is available by calling 905-212-9912.

TRP Aftermarket Parts has new high-density foam and innerspring mattresses for sleeper bunks. The mattresses have a three-layer quilted design that’s tear-resistant, according to the company. The innerspring mattress is seven inches thick and features a design that limits horizontal motion, which minimizes friction in the springs making it well-suited for teams, the company says. The foam offering is five inches thick and uses high-density foam for full body support. For more info, visit www.trpparts.com.

Location Florabec and Transport Florabec have combined to create a new Web site for both entities. Location Florabec is a Freightliner, Sterling and Western Star subdealer and Transport Florabec is a flatbed transportation provider. The new Web site is aimed at reflecting the broad scope of services offered, the companies say. The Web site can be viewed in both French and English at www.Florabec.com.

TransCore’s Loadlink freight-matching service has been integrated with Google Maps, the company has announced. The value-added integration allows customers to map the origin and destination of all freight and equipment postings with the user-friendly and widely-used Google Maps. Satellite and street views are offered. The new feature allows dispatchers to make quick decisions based on the mapped coordinates without having to use additional applications, the company announced. Users will have access to the new feature on Loadlink. net version 2.8.