Truck
Cummins Gets U.S. Regulatory OK for Engine Lineup
COLUMBUS, IN -- Cummins Inc. on Monday announced that it received certification for its complete lineup of on-highway diesel and natural gas engines from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), meeting both the current EPA regulations and the second step in greenhouse gas (GHG) and fuel-efficiency standards which take effect in January 2017. Fuel efficiency is improved across the commercial vehicle engine lineup from 5.0 liters to 15 liters. "Cummins is committed to providing customer-focused innovation as soon as it is ready," said Amy Boerger, vce president of sales and support. "For example, efficiency improvements implemented in the 2016 ISX15 400 hp to 475 hp ratings will provide customers with fuel economy gains over the 2013 ISX15, ranging from 2.5 percent on the base engine up to 7.5 percent with a SmartAdvantage Powertrain with ADEPT SmartCoast features."
Top 15 Trucking Stories of ’15
TORONTO, ON -- The trials and tribulations that both drivers and fleet face, how to prepare for truck safety crackdowns and videos about trucking are just a few of the most popular stories with readers of the Today's Trucking website for 2015. Yes, it's that time of year when we've warmed up the computers, put on an extra pot of coffee and burned the midnight oil to sift through all numbers to find out what stories pressed your hot buttons for another memorable year in trucking. While you might be inclined to think that any top 15 list of the most read stories of the year would naturally be tilted toward stories that broke early in 2015, that's not the case. In fact, this listing contains stories that first hit the news throughout the year, representing a wide range of topics.
6 Takeaways from 2015 in Truck Parts and Service
The truck parts and service aftermarket got a lot of attention in 2015, as the focus of many fleets shifted to total cost of operation rather than cost per mile. This shined a bright spotlight on maintenance and repair practices as ways to keep asset utilization high. Here's a look back at some of the major aftermarket issues from the past year. This year saw the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Commercial Vehicle Solutions Network and the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association along with the Equipment and Tool Institute, the Auto Care Association and Heavy Duty Aftermarket Canada. As a result of the MOU, fleets and independent repair garages will have access to service information - previously only available to dealers - for model year 2010 and later trucks and buses over 10,000 pounds sold in the United States and Canada.
U.S. Truck Safety Regulators Abandon Earlier Proposals
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has withdrawn a notice of proposed rulemaking that would have required a commercial motor vehicle to display a label attesting that it was compliant with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) when it was manufactured while the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has withdrawn a plan that would have amended haz-mat regulations on the transportation of flammable liquid material in unprotected external product piping, known commonly as wetlines, on tanker trucks.
2015 Ending with Lowest Diesel Costs in Years
LONDON, ON and WASHINGTON, D.C. - As 2015 draws to a close average prices for both diesel and gasoline in Canada and the U.S. are at their lowest levels in years. The Canadian national average price of diesel has fallen for the seventh straight week, down $0.009 from last week, to $0.986 per liter, according to the petroleum information services provider The Kent Group. Not only is this the lowest price since August 2010 it is $0.194 less than this time last year. For all of 2015, the fuel averaged $1.092 per liter compared to $1.339 last year.
Element Closes on Funding for Fleet Management Business
TORONTO, ON - Element Financial Corp. has closed on US$4.8 billion in rated asset-backed security (ABS) funding that will fuel the company's aggressive move into the U.S. fleet management business. In June, Element Financial Corp. reached an agreement to acquire GE Capital's remaining North American fleet management operations in the U.S. and Mexico, along with as GE Capital's fleet management operations in Australia and New Zealand.
The Productive Shop
Downtime costs money. Nobody wants to keep a truck in the shop any longer than necessary. So here's a question to consider: is your shop as productive and efficient as it could be? Some things you just can't change; for example, you can't suck oil out of an engine any faster than it wants to flow, but could you be doing something else to the truck while it's in the oil change bay, like topping up its tire inflation pressure or checking its alignment? So much of what used to require manual hands-on labour can now be automated, and many tasks that once had designated areas in a shop or even needed dedicated personnel can now be done simultaneously, thus reducing the time the truck is unavailable. Here's a look at a few technologies that can help refine the service process and save some real time on basic maintenance procedures.
ATA: U.S. Truck Tonnage Mixed, Previews 2016
ARLINGTON, VA - A measure of trucking freight activity fell last month in the U.S., but remains not far from a record high level hit early this year, accordign to one fleet group, who also offered a preview into conditions for the New Year. The American Trucking Associations' (ATA) advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index declined 0.9 percent in November to 134.3 from the month before, following an increase of 1.8 percent during October, which was revised downward from a first reported 1.9 percent gain. This latest index reading is just 1.1 percent below the all-time high of 135.8 reached in January 2015.
