Podcast: How regional haul fleets can maximize their fuel efficiency
In a tumultuous 2020 for trucking, regional haul and last-mile delivery fleets were some of the only applications that saw consistent traffic, especially in the spring as shutdowns hit and the economy was upended. But this was not just a 2020 phenomenon—regional haul is poised for growth in 2021 and beyond. Mike Roeth of the
Podcast: Cummins on hydrogen’s potential in the trucking industry
All month on Fleet Future we’ve been talking engines. But this week, we’re going to talk about an engine company that is branching out to other energy sources. Cummins recently held an online event dubbed Hydrogen Day, at which they affirmed their commitment to hydrogen power development to meet low-carbon and zero emissions goals that
Winter-proof: How to keep your trailers in the best possible shape during the harshest season
There’s plenty to like about the winter, but it’s not all skiing and hot chocolate, especially if you’re a fleet manager who has to worry about the damage the harsh season will cause your equipment. Let’s zero in on trailers, which are susceptible to a variety of potential issues when running during the winter. Luckily,
Tips for reefer unit maintenance in the winter
Reefers equipped with transport refrigeration units (TRU) come with their own winter maintenance checklist. In addition to those mentioned above, here are a few reefer- and TRU-specific tips. “It’s essential to get units checked out before the cold sets in to ensure that the system is operating at full capacity,” recommend Scott Koch and Freddy
Podcast: What’s the deal with over-the-air updates?
As part of our ongoing series on engines, FE’s David Sickels joins the Fleet Future podcast to talk about over-the-air updates. Listen to hear why OTA is growing in popularity in 2020, what capabilities might be coming next, and the unlikely connection between OTA and Seinfeld. Listen below, and catch up with more episodes of
Cummins, Navistar to develop hydrogen fuel cell-powered Class 8 truck
Cummins and Navistar announced that they will work together on the development of a Class 8 truck powered by hydrogen fuel cells. The project will be funded in part through an award from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) previously announced in August, as part of DOE’s
Cummins looks to the future, details hydrogen power development plans
In a recent online presentation dubbed “Hydrogen Day,” Cummins detailed its plans for hydrogen power development, confirming that the engine company sees hydrogen as one of the energy sources of the future. The company has a several plants across the world producing hydrogen now, comprising 500 electrolyzer installations and 2,000 fuel cell installations worldwide. “Cummins
A roundup of the latest electric truck news
With each passing month comes more news from the growing world of electric trucks. Here’s a refresher on the latest in medium- and heavy-duty electrification. Hino In early October, Hino Trucks announced “Project Z,” outlining its plans to develop and release several zero-emissions vehicles over the next few years. The project includes both battery electric
Ford expands telematics offerings to add options for electric vehicles
With the announcement of the E-Transit all-electric cargo van, Ford has also expanded telematics offerings specifically aimed at electric vehicles. The company announced that new fleet-wide energy monitoring and vehicle management tools from Ford Commercial Solutions will be available to E-Transit customers when the vehicle becomes available next fall. With the new electric vehicle tools,
Ford introduces all-electric E-Transit van
Ford has announced the 2022 E-Transit, its first all-electric cargo van offering. According to Ford, scheduled maintenance costs for the all-electric Transit are estimated by the company to be 40% less than the average scheduled maintenance costs for a gas-powered 2020 Transit over eight years/100,000 miles. And with lower maintenance requirements and the opportunity to
Market outlook: Where the trucking industry stands in 2020 and beyond
As we are all aware, this has been a very bumpy, uneven year for the truck market, full of unexpected twists and turns. How your fleet has done largely depends on what kind of applications you run, and how much they were, or continue to be, affected by the pandemic and the related shutdowns. So
Podcast: Choosing the right engine and transmission for vocational fleets
Western Star Trucks recently made news with the launch of its 49X vocational truck and DT12 Vocational series transmission, the first products launched since Daimler Trucks North America reorganized its business into on-highway and vocational segments. Both the truck and the transmission were made specifically for vocational applications, a demanding area of the trucking industry
