How the Phase 2 standards impact light- and medium-duty trucks
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have finally issued the long-awaited second round of emissions and fuel efficiency standards for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. The Phase 2 standards, which follow the Phase 1 standards that go into effect in 2017, have increasingly stringent requirements that will be
Properly inspecting wheel end caps
I do a lot of wheel end failure and wheel off legal cases that become very scary and dangerous. There is no question that in the past few years, there has been tremendous energy placed on wheel off situations and maintenance to prevent such devastating situations that I have seen, which in many cases end
What to know about tires and 6×2 configurations
Many commercial fleets are evaluating the benefits of specifying new tractors with a 6×2 configuration versus the more popular 6×4 configuration. The standard 6×4 consists of three axles and six wheel-ends; both axles have driven axles. The new 6×2 features three axles and six wheel-ends on which only one of the axles is driven. The
Why it’s important to test new engine oils
Last month, I mentioned that the North American Council for Fleet Efficiency (NACFE) recommended that fleets switch to the API FA-4 low viscosity lube oils immediately to save fuel and decrease (GHG) emissions. As stated by the report, viscosity is defined as a measure of a fluid’s internal resistance to flow. In a truck’s engine,
Are they compatible? Diving into the new engine oil categories
Change is coming to the heavy-duty industry in a big way. In February, the Proposed Category 11 (PC-11) engine oils were approved and two new diesel engine oils were born: API CK-4 and API FA-4. This December, those two oils will replace the traditional CJ-4 oils and bring along a host of benefits. There is
The impact of expanding integrated technology across different truck applications
Integrated vehicle technology continues to evolve. While medium-duty trucks have long been built with integrated systems, new onboard technology is raising the level of sophistication and, for at least one truck maker, borrowing from its proven heavy-duty vehicle technologies. According to Kary Schaefer, general manager of marketing and strategy for Freightliner and Detroit brands at
Fuels and oil: Finding truth in the noise
We live in a confusing age. Considerable information is available thanks to the internet, but there is no easy way of assessing its validity. Anyone can make a statement on the internet—and it is up to us to decide the truth of the statement. Let’s take a look at some recent claims that impact your
Solutions for managing a progressive fleet
When fleets operating light- and medium-duty trucks met in June at the annual Electric Utility Fleet Managers Conference (EUFMC), the event featured a comprehensive educational program and equipment demonstrations and exhibits for 128 fleet executives from more than 70 investor-owned electric utilities, electric cooperatives and electrical contractors from the U.S. and Canada. “Solutions for Managing
Special considerations for steer axle tires
Retreading commercial tires is standard operating procedure for successful fleets. Depending on the specific retread design and tread depth, retreads cost approximately one-third to one-half the price of a new tire. Fleets are always looking for ways to protect that tire casing since it is a valuable asset. Retreads can be used on any wheel
Manual transmissions, does the bell toll for thee?
They’ve been a staple of trucks since the very first one was built, but for manual transmissions, the end may be nigh. Magnus Koeck, Volvo’s vice president of marketing and brand management, says he believes that five years from now, manual transmissions in trucks will have disappeared entirely. One catalyst for this change, he explained, can
Uplifting news: Unsung profiles Wreaths Across America
Here at Fleet Equipment, we’re taking a break from our equipment-focused feature stories to reflect for a moment on all that is right and good in the trucking industry and the people who make it so. To be sure, there’s no drought of devastatingly depressing and divisive news flooding TV, Twitter and beyond, and it’s easy
Tire costs are down, but not my tire CPM?
In a recent meeting I was a part of, a fleet owner began by saying that the cost of rubber is down, oil is down, and his profits are down; so why aren’t tire costs down? He has a point—some fair non-bidding negotiations brought adjusted tire costs down. So why are tire costs-per-mile not coming down?
