Truck
U.S. Trucking Regulators Defend Controversial Safety System
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Federal trucking regulators in the U.S. are defending a key safety system used to identify trucking companies that have a high risk of being in crashes. A new report from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has to do with the agency's Safety Measurement System (SMS), rolled out four years ago as part of the Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA) program, designed to improve trucking industry safety. According to the agency, the report found that SMS effectively identifies trucking companies involved in 90 percent of the more than 100,000 crashes that occur each year in the U.S., and those that are identified as high-risk carriers continue to have crash rates that are twice the national average. SMS, as well as, CSA, have come under fire by some groups in trucking as well as by certain U.S. lawmakers, claiming the measures often make safe trucking operaitons look bad.
Does VW’s Diesel Fiasco Have Trucking Parallels?
There can't be anyone on the planet who hasn't read or heard at least a few hundred words on the Volkswagen diesel emissions fiasco. But get ready for a few more because this is a story that goes way beyond a very tall company stooping very low to cheat. And it's certainly not just about cars. Those of us in trucking know that only too well.
NationaLease Summit Set for November in Montreal
DOWNERS GROVE, IL -- NationaLease announced its 2015 Canadian Leadership Summit will be held Nov. 3-5, at the Hyatt Regency, Montreal. This summit, now in its eighth year, is the opportunity for networking and discussion among the most important topics affecting the Canadian truck leasing industry, according to the group.
New Report Questions Truck Engine Fuel Use Data
MONTREAL, QC -- Relying on the electronic data from a truck's engine computer may not be the most accurate gauge of fuel economy, according to a not-for profit engineering and research group for the North America trucking industry. The report from Performance Innovation Transport Group (PIT Group) details electronic control module (ECM) data precision and accuracy between engine manufacturers and among engine models from a single manufacturer. The study compares engine ECM data with actual test track fuel consumption and was conducted in the fall of 2014 on 14 different vehicles with engines from four manufacturers. The test track evaluations, which followed the Joint TMC/SAE Fuel Consumption Test Procedure Type II, compared fuel consumption data provided by the engine ECMs, a procedure that is generally regarded as an industry standard for testing.
Continental Tires Becoming Standard on International Trucks
LISLE, IL - Navistar Inc. and Continental Tire the Americas LLC have signed a letter of intent for a five-year supply agreement where Continental tires will be the standard tire offering on all International brand medium-duty, severe service and heavy-duty trucks.
Diesel Prices Bounce Back Slightly in Canada, U.S.
LONDON, ON AND WASHINGTON, D.C. - Prices for diesel fuel bounced back in both Canada and the U.S. while gasoline moved lower. The average Canadian price for diesel inched up $0.008 over the past week to $1.029 per liter, following two straight weekly drops totaling $0.015, according to the petroleum information services provider The Kent Group Ltd.
Carrier Transicold Moves Toward ‘Natural’ Cooling Technology
ATHENS, GA - The trailer refrigeration system manufacturer Carrier Transicold is looking ahead toward natural refrigerant technology. The move it said surpasses current alternatives in terms of reducing environmental impact while voluntarily aligning with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) latest and more stringent refrigerant change listing for other commercial, non-transport refrigeration systems.
BC Gets New Container Trucking Commissioner
VANCOUVER, BC -- Two top appointments have been made to the British Columbia Container Trucking Commissioner Office following the recent and sudden departure of its leader. Corinn Bell has been named acting commissioner and Vince Ready was appointed acting deputy commissioner. Bell takes on the role after the sudden departure of Andy Smith on Sept. 16. Bell and Ready co-authored a report on Port Metro Vancouver's trucking sector following a one-month strike by truck drivers in March 2014. The Container Trucking Commissioner is one of government's commitments under this plan. The Province enacted the Container Trucking Act in December 2014 to provide fair wages and working conditions for truckers and to ensure efficient operation and global competitiveness of Port Metro Vancouver.
