Fleet truck replacement and leasing strategies
As the economy has improved through 2013 into 2014, the industry has seen a steady increase in tonnage. With the average age of fleet trucks now at eight years, it is time to either replace or lease trucks. Coming off an economic slump, some fleets—who may be wary of investing in new trucks—are now leasing
Thermo King MATS 2014 booth tour with Doug Lenz
Thermo King manufactures transport temperature control systems for a variety of mobile applications, including trailers, truck bodies, buses, shipboard containers and railway cars. At the Mid-America Trucking Show 2014, in Louisville, Ky., Doug Lenz, vice president of management, marketing and business development at Thermo King, took a minute to show the Fleet Equipment crew around
Dimethyl ether: Fuel of the future?
Dimethyl ether (DME) may be the most promising fuel of the future, this statement is based on research carried out by Daniel Kauffman, president of Terracel Energy, who is an energy technology entrepreneur, investor and consultant and Bob Riedford, president of Riedford Management Inc. The ATA projects as many as 5% of the Class 7
CSA report card
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Compliance, Safety and Accountability (CSA) initiative is still a thorn in the paw for the trucking industry. One of the reasons is that shippers have become more selective of the carriers they hire and are requesting both the publicly and non-publicly available Behavior Analysis & Safety Improvement Categories
Extreme flexibility: Western Star 4900 FE offers versatility, durability, fuel efficiency
The Western Star 4900 series truck is a model for multiple applications, from trucks and tractors in a variety of vocational configurations to the more aerodynamic on highway tractor model. According to, Guy Lemieux, marketing segment manager Western Star Trucks Inc., “The 4900 base model is like a ‘Swiss Army knife,’ it provides total versatile
The better brake rules
Two laws will go into effect over the next two years that will limit certain constituents or elements present in brake linings for on highway vehicles—and the focus is on protecting the environment. So what’s the concern and how will it affect fleets? Here’s the background: Both the States of California and Washington have enacted
Preparing for 2014 by looking back at 2013
Anyone who has been in the trucking industry for a number of years knows that it is a cyclical business affected by the national economy, federal mandates and changes in technology. Sometimes, when we know that federal laws will add layers (translated: changes that add cost) to fleet businesses, we are better able to guess
Breathing easier thanks to clean diesel
The truck OEMs and engine builders have been “cleaning up their act” for quite some time now, in accordance with the EPA mandates, and they’ve made good progress. Here’s the proof. Recently, as part of a Senate panel testimony highlighting the emissions benefits from the increased use and availability of clean diesel technology in transportation
DEF & fuel economy: Fleets surveyed
With the introduction of 2010 EPA-compliant diesel engines, which included selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology, diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) has become a mandatory commodity for all fleet managers running these engines. Many of those fleets still have questions about how it impacts day-to-day operations. In an August 2013 online survey of the trucking industry, PEAK Commercial & Industrial, the makers of BlueDEF, found that the top concern of those surveyed was how DEF with SCR technology impact overall fuel economy.
Remote diagnosis: remedy for downtime
The newest remote diagnostics technology on some engines improves productivity, reduces operating costs and increases efficiencies for trucking fleets.
Good friction: Replacing air disc brake pads
Choosing the right friction material for air disc brakes is only one factor to consider when replacing pads.
BYODs: Not the whole solution
Today’s communication devices range from proprietary units purchased and installed by fleets to computing devices owned by drivers – often referred to as “bring your own device.”