News
IN PRINT — Power Plays: A look at 2017 engines
Most North American heavy-duty diesel engine manufacturers rolled out substantially revamped engines to meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) 2017 Greenhouse Gas emissions regulations. Those rules were the final step for diesel engines in Phase 1 of the grand carbon dioxide reduction plan. Engine makers now have a few years to figure how to meet the next - and even more restrictive - round of fuel-efficiency improvements, which come into force for Model Year 2021 engines.
IN PRINT — Natural Investments: Will carbon taxes boost natural gas trucking?
Times were different when C.A.T. signed the deal for 100 trucks that run on Compressed Natural Gas. The Canadian and U.S. dollar were essentially valued at par, increasing the fleet's buying power on U.S.-made equipment. Quebec's provincial government also pledged $15,000 per truck, helping to offset any sticker shock around the emission-friendly designs, and natural gas was clearly cheaper than diesel when oil was close to $100 per barrel.
IN PRINT — Creature Comforts: Sleeper options not limited to size alone
The choice of one sleeper over the next inevitably comes down to a tape measure, and for good reason. This is clearly a spec'ing choice where size matters. Regional bulk haulers, looking for every possible way to shed weight, might opt for a 40- or 52-inch area behind the seats if drivers spend only a night or two on the road. But that would be downright claustrophobic for team drivers who live long-hauling lives.
OBITUARY: Stan Williamson, 1925-2017
A man who was the backbone of the Canadian Fleet Maintenance Seminar through its best years, Stan Williamson, has died at the age of 91. Born on September 9, 1925, he died on January 23 in London, ON. Shell Oil employee for 38 years, Stan had been a member of the Automotive Transportation Service Superintendents Association since 1963. In 1985 he took over as general manager of the CFMS, successfully guiding it with his calm hand through to 2001.
QTA balks at Autoroute 30 toll increase
MONTREAL, QC - The Quebec Trucking Association is calling on Transport Minister Laurent Lessard to help block the latest toll increase on Autoroute 30, and has met with elected representatives from throughout the region in a bid to find a long-term solution to skyrocketing prices.
Ontario expands LCV program
TORONTO, ON - Ontario is clearing the way for more Long Combination Vehicles (LCVs), through changes included in the latest phase of the program. The province has eliminated the cap of 16 permits per carrier, as well as a maximum of 100 carriers in the program. New vehicle configurations and an expanded highway network on which the vehicles can travel, have also been introduced, the Ontario Trucking Association reports.
