General Interest
‘Where are the regulators?’
Stephen Laskowski, the CEO of the Canadian Trucking Alliance, is clearly frustrated by trucking companies that are skirting the rules to gain a business advantage. "Where are the regulators?" he asked during a conversation at the recent Surface Transportation Summit. He also questions why major shippers -- including Fortune 500 companies -- are not aligning their transportation choices with corporate mission statements.
The 2020 economic outlook for trucking
The economic pendulum has swung when it comes to setting trucking rates. Carriers are giving up some of the gains secured last year, particularly in the spot market. But other factors will continue to place pressure on rates in the year to come. A panel at the 2019 Surface Transportation Summit offered a look at what 2020 has in store.
Focus On: A walk-around of the Hino XL8
Hino's new Class 8 offering, the XL8, has been in the pipeline for nearly a decade. It launched in 2018 and went into production in early 2019. It's not fancy, but it's solid and well built and was designed with the driver in mind. Equipment editor Jim Park takes us on a walk-around of the XL8 and it's new engine, the A09 at Hino's new manufacturing plant in Mineral Wells West Virginia.
Focus On: Plowing with a Mack Granite
What kind of a truck does it take to keep Alaska's Thompson Pass clear of snow in winter? Battling average snowfall of 500 inches per year, this Mack Granite snowplow has earned the respect of the DOT crews that patrol the snow capital of North America. Equipment Editor Jim Park accompanied a film crew to Valdez Alaska for the filming of Mack Trucks' RoadLife 2.0: Alaska DOT.
Adaptive Cruise to Zero eases pain of stop-and-go traffic
Daimler Trucks' new Adaptive Cruise to Zero feature relieves the stress of stop-and-go driving by managing acceleration and braking automatically. It will even bring the truck to a full stop and then relaunch, all with no driver input. Equipment Editor Jim Park put it to the test in morning rush-hour traffic in Portland, Ore. He says it works like a charm.
Daimler’s Lane Keep Assist helps keep trucks in the lane
Lane Keep Assist, the first Level 2 automation technology from Daimler Trucks, isn't quite a self-steering technology. It's designed to help drivers battle crosswinds and uneven pavement geometry. It will keep the truck straight in a lane, but drivers still have to keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road. Equipment editor Jim Park filed this report from Oregon's Interstate 5.
Understand how Hyliion’s electric drive system performs
How does Hyliion's hybrid electric drive system perform? Equipment editor, Jim Park, took the 6X4HE for a spin around the city of Austin and reports on how the system generates its own electricity and then delivers it to the drive wheels. In the right application, Hyliion says it can deliver up to 15% fuel savings.
