Watch Western Star’s Multi-Body Transformer truck in action
It’s not every day that Fleet Equipment gets to take trucks off road in an adult-sized sandbox. So we jumped at the chance to put the new Western Star XD off road package through its paces at Michelin’s Laurens Proving Grounds. Even more impressive was the unveiling of the Western Star 6900XD off road MBT-40.
Three reasons to lease your trucks
Ever-evolving truck technology. Increasing efficiency requirements and goals. Meeting uptime demands. Maintaining proper maintenance procedures. There are a myriad of gears turning in a fleet manager’s world. Any cog in the fleet management machine left unchecked, unintegrated and unoptimized can mean the difference between fleet success and failure. When faced with such a daunting task
Watch: Reward truck ROI with Western Star President Kelley Platt
With the launch of the 5700XE last year, Western Star aimed to redefine the words “reward truck.” After all, what’s more rewarding than getting to jump behind the wheel of a burly truck? Many of the 5700XE features—the polished stainless steel grill surround and bumper, as well as a sun visor that provides adequate sun
There’s a truck metric for that
Data metrics are, in a way, the new “app.” Need to know your average downtime due to an unplanned service stop? There’s a metric for that. Want to know where your truck is? There’s a metric for that. Do you have an idea for how long your trucks typically idle? There’s a metric for that
Applying the brakes: Ensuring the future of truck safety
Advanced safety systems that employ radar- and camera-based technologies that enable adaptive cruise control and even autonomous truck operation rely heavily on one specific component—the brakes. The safety of these futuristic collision mitigation systems rests squarely on proper brake application, operation and maintenance. “It’s important to keep in mind that advances in collision mitigation technology
Engine of application: Detroit readies the DD5 for launch
Medium-duty truck sales are on the rise. According to the latest final monthly numbers from ACT Research, February’s Classes 5-7 net orders were the highest since December 2014 at 22,316 units. To support the growing medium-duty segment, Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) has made several impactful announcements, chief among them being the development, production and
Is your fleet the exception to the ELD rule?
That question is one of many being asked by fleets as they parse through the requirements of the ELD rules. Most commercial drivers will need to be using ELDs by December 2017, but those that are already using devices compatible with older automatic on-board recording device (AOBRD) standards have until December 2019 to have ELD-compliant
Watch: MATS 2016—sights, sounds and news from the show
The Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) is always a whirlwind of industry news and booth meetings. With more than 1,100 exhibitors to catch up with and a projected 70,000 attendees to wade through, there’s little time to catch your breath. Come along with me, Jason Morgan, we take in the sights, sounds and news of MATS
Watch: Autonomous truck platooning in motion—Hands on with Daimler’s Highway Pilot Connect
Less than a year after Daimler Trucks North America showcased the Freightliner Inspiration Truck as the first autonomous truck operating on an open public highway in Las Vegas, Daimler Trucks took the next step in truck autonomy by demoing the Highway Pilot Connect system on the German Autobahn. Highway Pilot Connect takes the autonomous truck
Engine start module options
Truck OEMs such as Peterbilt and Kenworth have recently made ultracapacitor engine start modules (ESM) available as a factory-installed option. The ultracapacitor replaces one traditional battery dedicated to starting the vehicle. RELATED: Dealing with growing electrical demand issues? Check out our in-depth story charting all of your truck options. The ESM gives fleets assurance their
You say you want a truck efficiency ‘evolution’?
When we talk about the latest truck technologies, we often throw around words such as “evolution” and “innovation,” and it is a natural analogy given how rapidly technology, and more specifically software, replicates, updates and furthers itself at an exponential pace. In terms of trucking, very rarely do we anticipate a “new truck,” but we
Low voltage lowdown: Dealing with growing electrical load demands
With the massive amount of electrical demand placed on today’s trucks, the dangers of low voltage demands are a real consequence faced by today’s fleets. The entire start and charge process of the truck’s electrical system is impacted by low voltage situations. You’ll see the effect in lift gates, electric APUs, hotel devices or any
