Tesla rolls ahead with Class 8

HAWTHORNE, CA - Elon Musk has officially unveiled the all-electric Class 8 Tesla Semi, following months of speculation and delays. Now the question is whether his company will become the industry disruptor it wants to be. A pair of prototype day cabs unveiled in California on Thursday featured a streamlined bullet-like design, evoking a look traditionally left to concept vehicles. And there were plenty of world media representatives there to share in the experience, each shepherded into a secure hanger for a brief peek. Just a day before, Musk went so far as to tweet this truck "can transform into a robot, fight aliens, and make one hell of a latte". Yes, it was hyperbole - there was no cappuccino machine anywhere -- but the Chief Executive Officer and product architect attracted plenty of attention for his latest announcement. More than 1,000 people were on hand for the launch, cheering every point that Musk made, especially when a new roadster rolled out of the back of the trailer.

Penske rolls out ELD compliant app for rental trucks

READING, PA - With less than a month to go before the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate takes effect in the United States, Penske Truck Leasing has released a new application (app) for its commercial rental customers to help them be compliant when on the road.

Dauch named chairman of the HDBF

DEARBORN, MI - The president and CEO of Accuride is the new chairman of the Heavy Duty Business Forum (HDBF). Rick Dauch is the 38th chairman of the HDBF, and won the position for 2018 at elections held following the group's 80th biannual meeting last week. Dauch succeeds Stephen Mance, president and CEO of Defiance Metal Products.

Pirelli brand truck tires coming to Canada

SAN DIEGO, CA - A Pirelli-owned brand of commercial truck tires will get a wider distribution network in Canada through a partnership between TP Commercial Solutions and Dynamic Tire. The companies announced the partnership to distribute the tires as part of TP Commercial's North American expansion plan since its roll-out of the Pentathlon D, Formula Driver II, G:85 Series, and Pentathlon C tires earlier this year.

FMCSA issues 90-day waiver to agricultural industry for ELD mandate

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced three ways it is helping carriers ease into the electronic logging device (ELD) mandate set for Dec. 18. Even…

Bison wins TCA National Fleet Safety Award

WINNIPEG, Man.  – Bison Transport took first place at the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) National Fleet Safety Awards in the large fleet division. This marks the 12th consecutive year Winnipeg-based…

Canadian truck market “red hot”: ACT Research

COLUMBUS, Ind. – October Class 8 vehicle orders hit a 35-month high of 36,033 units, according to ACT Research, as U.S. fleets stepped up their orders and the Canadian market…

OTA releases five-point action plan for road safety

TORONTO, Ont. — The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) Board of Directors has endorsed a statement on trucking road safety and has issued a five-point action plan outlining proactive strategies dealing…

Atlantic Canada kicks off 18 Wheels of Christmas food drive

DIEPPE, N.B. – The Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association (APTA) and Trucks For Change Network (T4C) are once again organizing an industry-wide food collection drive in order to fight hunger and…

Customization and Flexibility are key factors in the Tank Trailer industry.

The last available Tank Truck Industry Market Analysis done for the National Tank Truck Carriers (NTTC) by the American Trucking Association (ATA), published in March, 2015, offered interesting findings:…

18 wheels is bringing Christmas to those in need

DIEPPE, NB - The Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association (APTA) and the Trucks for Change Network are loading up Christmas on to 18 wheels, and bringing it to those in need this year. The groups are organizing an industry-wide food collection drive from Nov. 27 to Dec. 11 to support food banks in communities across Atlantic Canada. The drive is being called the "18 Wheels of Christmas in Atlantic Canada." The groups say it was inspired by Rosenau Transport who originally developed the project several years ago to support food banks in Alberta.

Ridewell appoints Canadian sales manager

SPRINGFIELD, MO - Ridewell suspensions has named a new Canadian Sales Manager. Steve Lachance will be taking over the spot, overseeing sales for the whole country.

Ontario Food Terminal delays at an end

TORONTO, ON – An 11-day strike at the Ontario Food Terminal is over. Twenty-five striking workers represented by Teamsters Local 419 returned to work Monday, after the union reached a…

Tesla Class 8’s will hit Canadian roads

MONTREAL, QC - More than 30 of Tesla's new fully-electric Class 8's could be on the road in Canada as soon as 2019. Three companies - including Canadian grocery and pharmacy giant Loblaw Companies - have wasted no time in making the move to the newly launched trucks. Tesla showcased the new Class 8 vehicles with an unveiling event in California last Thursday. Loblaw, J.B. Hunt, and Walmart announced Friday they each had secured pre-orders with the company. Although a final price for the trucks hasn't been listed yet, Loblaw put deposits of $5000 per truck on 25 of the vehicles, currently set to be released sometime in 2019. Walmart is also reporting a buy-in of 15 trucks, 10 of which will go to its Canadian operations, while the others will go to operations in the United States.

Mexican trucking industry “is changing,” fleet owner says

GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Noe Montes, owner of Mexican trucking company Transmontes and a U.S.-based carrier called TM Transportation Services, wants the North American trucking industry to know that Mexican carriers…