Watch: Tips for switching to extended life coolants in heavy-duty trucks
Extended life coolant, or ELC, can simplify a fleet manager’s life by providing a longer service interval compared to conventional coolants. Click here to catch up on all the episodes of FE’s On the Road. When transitioning from conventional coolant to an ELC, you need to be aware of the conversion practices and ensure that
Watch: Take a ride in the Peterbilt all-electric Model 579 truck
During a visit to the PACCAR Innovation Center in Sunnyvale, Calif., Peterbilt rolled out its all-electric Model 579 daycab for test drives and ride alongs. Watch the video below to take a test drive in Peterbilt’s electric Model 579 outfitted for drayage applications. It has a range, on-highway, fully loaded of 150 to 250 miles
Watch: Trailer safety systems update
Many trailer manufacturers have been proactive in building safer trailers. The most recent example is the development of new rear underride guards. The newer designs are built to stop an automobile from sliding under the trailer in the event of a rear-impact crash. The number of fatalities due to underride crashes was 2,205 within a
Watch: Peterbilt takes us inside the PACCAR Innovation Center in Silicon Valley
In an event at the new PACCAR Innovation Center, Peterbilt displayed current developmental projects, including a Level 4 autonomous truck and two Class 8 electric trucks. Watch the video below for a tour of the facility led by Jake Montero, general manager of the PACCAR Innovation Center. The PACCAR Innovation Center is coordinating next-generation research
Watch: Heavy-duty truck air disc brake maintenance tips
Over the past several years, adoption of air disc brakes (ADBs) has climbed to 18% to 25% of brakes ordered on trucks, according to brake manufacturers, who anticipate that number reaching 50% within the next decade. One of the major advantages of air disc brakes is the extended service interval for brake friction. However, that
SmartDrive highlights transportation industry trends, best practices
SmartDrive Systems concluded the second of its customer conferences that focused on shared learning and collaboration amongst transportation industry leaders. Many of the conference sessions focused on best practices in transportation safety, with an emphasis on the use of video-based safety and analytics to minimize risk and enhance operational efficiencies by improving driver behavior. Customers
International Truck makes Bendix air disc brakes standard on severe service trucks
International Truck announced the standard availability of air disc brakes for the International HV Series and HX Series models. The HV507, HV607, HV513 and HV613 models and the HX515, HX520, HX615 and HX620 models now feature Bendix ADB22X air disc brakes as a standard offering and are available for order today. Related: Air disc brakes
Class 8 orders continue above-capacity trend
At the top line, NA Class 8 net orders totaled 35,608 units in May. While below the 492k SAAR of Q1’s orders, May’s 478k SAAR continues the trend of order activity well above industry capacity, according to ACT Research. Click here for our full archive of Market Data stories. “Continuing to be led by Canada
TireStamp launches TireVigil Cloud TPMS monitoring feature
One of the biggest problems fleets have reported with using tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) is not knowing when their systems stop working, according to TireStamp, which announced the launch of its TireVigil Cloud’s TPMS 2.0 service. The types of TPMS equipment problems that can occur include: sensors that are missing, damaged or have dead or low
Volvo’s ‘Shape of Trucks to Come’ has arrived. Now what?
Magnus Koeck stands in a sprawling ExpoCam 2017 trade show booth flanked by a pair of Volvo VNR regional-haul tractors. The sleek new trucks stand in stark comparison to the sand-blasted Brutalist construction of ExpoCam’s Place Bonaventure exhibit hall. Yet, the VNR’s aggressive aerodynamic design is given some bite with angular headlights and air intakes
Shining a light on used trailer electrical systems
Lighting is often cited as one of the biggest CSA violations—and it’s easy to see why. Or not see, in the case of lighting that is inoperable. You’ll want to closely inspect the electrical system integrity of a used trailer. It starts with the cables, wiring and lighting components that are exposed to the elements.
Buying used trailers: What to look for and ask about
The current freight environment is booming and remains favorable for carriers. New dry van trailer builds, however, are booked nearly through the end of the year, which presents a challenge for growing fleets that want to add hauling equipment to their arsenal. Outside of tightening up your operational efficiency, buying a used dry van trailer
