Maintenance
Retread, and realize returns
MONTREAL, Que. -- Tires are a fleet’s third-highest operating expense, just after wages and fuel. But while many fleet managers can tell you precisely how many drops of diesel they burn, tire life is often described in vague terms, says Lorenzo Borella, general manager of Montreal’s Système de rechapage RTS. A closer look at the life of rolling rubber will identify just how quickly the rolling rubber is heading to the scrap heap, and stress the need to maximize the underlying investments. Having a healthy casing retreaded, for example, can save as much as 50% compared to buying a new tire of the same brand and model. According to the Tire Retread Information Bureau, those savings add up to billions each year in the North American trucking industry, says Robert Palmer, director of market sales for Bridgestone Americas tire operations.
Lab Report: What story will your oil tell?
Human beings aren't much different from the trucks they drive. Like humans, trucks can have stuff going on inside that could prove detrimental to longevity. Since we can't open a door and peer inside for a look, we rely on blood tests, blood pressure checks, cholesterol, and blood sugar tests, to name a few. Oil sampling and analysis provides a similar level of insight into the internal condition of engines.
Executive Enforcer: In conversation with CVSA’s Collin Mooney
GREENBELT, Md. -- The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has an international focus, finding common ground for roadside inspection practices across North America. But these days the alliance also has a decidedly Canadian face in Collin Mooney. Today’s Trucking caught up with Mooney to discuss ...
Parts is Parts? Hardly. Observations from Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week.
LAS VEGAS, NV -- Children of the 1980s might recall a Wendy’s commercial that mocked the quality of chicken sandwiches from competing fast food chains. “Parts is parts,” the cashier for a generic restaurant says with a shrug, suggesting different pieces can be fused together into some sort of processed Frankenchicken. There are clearly differences in parts, though.
Denso expanding on PowerEdge
LAS VEGAS, NV – Denso Products and Services Americas is building on its PowerEdge Diesel Aftertreatment Program, expanding the coverage for its Diesel Particulate Filters. By this spring it will also offer full coverage of Diesel Oxidation Catalysts. “We recognized the need for an all-new program as costs associated with core management rise and core fallout increases,” says Joe Mejaly, senior vice president. “In addition, we are employing cutting edge technology to improve both the quality and performance of our product offering.”
Wabco launches ProVia budget brand
LAS VEGAS, NV – Wabco has unveiled the ProVia brand of budget parts, taking a step that it says will help bridge the gap between “parts of questionable origin” and premium aftermarket offerings. The products are available exclusively through Wabco’s North American aftermarket organization or distributor network.
Haldex partners with Fras-le on disc brakes
LAS VEGAS, NV – Haldex is bringing its Air Disc Brakes to North America with a “big bang,” says Walter Frankiewicz, president and senior vice president, Haldex North America. The company announced during Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week that it is offering a full line of all-makes Air Disc Brake pad repair kits through a partnership with Fras-le.
Cyberjacked! — Trucks vulnerable to cyber threats
It's Tuesday afternoon, a little after 2 pm. You're the operations manager of a major truckload carrier. The morning rush is over, all the drivers and customers are happy, and now you're gearing up for the onslaught of late-afternoon messages from customers wondering where their trucks are and drivers alerting you that they can't load 'til tomorrow. Typical day. Then a driver calls on his mobile phone. "My engine has just shut down and I'm sitting deader than a doornail in the center lane of Highway 401 between Dufferin and Keele Street," he says.
Rent a Wrench: deciding what to outsource
Maintenance is a fact of life whether it involves a preventive oil change or roadside repair. But the question of whether the work should be completed in a fleet shop or by a subcontractor will be a matter of careful number crunching and personal preference.
