ReStar: more than a facelift
“Want to look and feel younger? So does your truck.” That’s the premise Navistar presented as it rolled out its new ReStar program last month at the Mid-America Trucking Show. The company noted that with budgets tight and fleets growing older, its new reconditioning program offers the perfect solution for customers looking to improve their
Four companies solve one problem
During the recent Technology & Maintenance Council meeting, four fleet truck product suppliers made an announcement regarding their joint efforts to solve a problem that has plagued our industry for some time—namely, wheel-off incidents. Under the banner of “Wheel Torque Solutions,” Alcoa Wheels, B&D Cold Heading, Chicago Pneumatic and ITW CIP have created a new
Old Dominion wins Top Green Shop award
Old Dominion Freight Line Inc. takes top honors in green shop contest sponsored by Fleet Equipment and Citgo Petroleum Corp
Giving heat
Trailer cargo heaters provide temperature
protection for sensitive loads
ULSD and the battle of bugs
Since the introduction of ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD), small fleet owners have had to become extra-vigilant in maintaining their vehicles. In order to keep downtime to a minimum and ensure that all vehicles are running at optimum efficiency, it is imperative to keep bacteria proliferation in check. However, because ULSD has become the standard
Stability control: proven safety technology
In October, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released its final report on stability control systems for commercial trucks. Called “Safety Benefits of Stability Control Systems For Tractor-Semitrailers,” it was conducted by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) under a cooperative agreement between NHTSA and Meritor WABCO Vehicle Control Systems. The purpose
’Tis the season…
It’s that time of year again—the road salt corrosion season! De-icing formulations, namely calcium chloride and magnesium chloride, will soon be playing “fast and loose” with the undercarriage and electrical systems of trucks, tractors and trailers, corroding metal and electrical connections. Not so long ago, the Technology and Maintenance Council published a three-part corrosion analysis
Truck leasing traceability
Telematics options to full-service truck leases broaden fleet management capabilities
Value-added truck leasing
Leasing companies are quick to point out that a full-service lease helps fleets better control operations and costs. Most offer help with spec’ing and financing the right vehicle—and will include complete maintenance services. Some, like Penske Leasing, also offer to monitor changes and regulations from a variety of agencies to make sure your fleet is
Streamlining maintenance
Maintenance software is opening up new opportunities for those fleets that have it. Recently, I attended the TMW TransForum User Conference hosted by TMW Systems, an enterprise resource provider (ERP) and software developer. At the conference, I had an opportunity to talk with a number of fleet managers who were just beginning to deploy maintenance
Every shop needs it
Maintenance software provides numerous advantages to better manage equipment repairs and service—and track trends
Trailer tracking offers financial benefits
… the use of trailer tracking systems is becoming a normal part of doing business