Building the perfect work truck
Building the best truck for the job begins with knowing all the options. We asked the experts to tell us what fleets need to know to get the most of their buying decisions.
Ten tips for avoiding crashes, litigation
Every trucking and transportation organization wants to ensure the safety of all vehicles on the road. The Department of Transportation reports that commercial truck crashes are on the decline, but in 2013 there were more than 92,000 crashes involving large trucks and more than 3,500 fatalities, at a cost of $99 billion. According to Michael
In-house vs. outsourced fleet maintenance
Increasing adoption of onboard technology has been a boon and a bane for fleets. The boon is greater transparency between the fleet maintenance manager and driver/vehicle—that provides information on how vehicles are being driven and access to more and better data for maintenance and repair decisions. The bane is that the increased sophistication can make
Managing cost starts with the trucks you buy
Are you looking for ways to control operating costs? Well, you’re not alone. According to Robert “Bob” Johnson, a former fleet manager, and current director of fleet relations for NTEA, “The impact of a new vehicle acquisition program can be seen in multiple areas: Initial acquisition costs; vehicle productivity; vehicle fuel efficiency; and long-term maintenance
State of the industry: 2014 recap
As we continue to see more sophisticated technology integrated into commercial vehicles, and as fleets continue to add new trucks like they have over the course of this past year, fleets have also had to update technician and driver training to bring those folks up-to-speed on the changes—and what those mean for maintenance and driving
Fleet color and paint finishes that impress
Most fleets take great pride in the condition of their on-highway trucks, and why not? They are moving billboards that can reveal a lot about the fleet. A good-looking truck is a great on-the-road ambassador. Conversely, trucks with excessive signs of wear, like rust, fading paint finishes or nicks and dings, don’t leave a good
Moving from GHG phase 1 to phase 2
Last month, I addressed the emission standards related to Greenhouse Gas 2017 (GH17). As a reminder, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with support from the trucking industry, the State of California and leaders from the environmental community, developed a protocol that was initiated in 2014 to improve energy
Looking forward to 2017 greenhouse gas standards
While many fleets are still adapting to the vehicle equipment changes brought about by the 2014 federal government’s greenhouse gas (GHG 14) standards—which added sophistication and expense to the new trucks equipped to meet the mandate—truck OEMs are tooling up to tweak engines and aerodynamics on trucks for the GHG 17 emissions and fuel efficiency
Clearing the (engine) air: Getting the most of your engine air filters
Proper engine air filtration helps engines perform at their best. When it comes to air filter servicing frequency, Steve Carter, air applications engineering manager for Donaldson notes, “Change your filter when your restriction measurement device tells you to do so. An air filter should be serviced when the restriction indicator shows that the maximum allowable
New cabin air filters can provide HVAC efficiency
The environment inside the cabin of a heavy-duty vehicle is subjected to a long list of contaminants including exhaust, pollen, bacteria, dirt, dust and soot. A cabin air filter is the frontline defense, protecting cabin occupants and providing efficient heating ventilation air conditioning (HVAC) system operation. Harmful contaminants can clog HVAC systems and affect drivers’
Think air-quality for performance
Like an athlete tasked with performing an amazing feat, engine performance is just as dependent on air-quality to deliver top performance and power. Today’s engines utilize high-tech filters to cleanse fuel, oil and intake air from dust, water and other impurities that can severely decrease engine performance over time. One of the easiest ways to
Daimler executives clarify, discuss strategies
At the IAA 2014 truck show in Hannover, Germany, this week, Dr. Wolfgang Bernard discussed Daimler‘s global market strategies for truck sales and company profitability. He noted that the NAFTA markets since 2013 to the present have had an 8% increase in truck sales. He predicted truck sales in this sector would likely top out
