Sweet rewards: Sugar Foods Corp. is using technology to operate safely and efficiently
Trucking operations measure success in many ways, and for Sugar Foods Corp., the numbers paint a very favorable picture. The private fleet, for example, has a 94.5% on-time delivery rate, an empty mileage rate of only .01% and driver turnover of less than 10%. The Sugar Foods fleet has also been recognized by the National
Taking the next step: Volvo emphasizes safety, fuel efficiency in its newly announced VNL
It’s a big year for Volvo Trucks. This spring, the company introduced a brand-new regional-haul truck, the VNR, and already, Volvo reports that it has sold more VNRs since its introduction in April than it sold of the truck’s predecessor in all of 2016. A new regional-haul truck would be more than enough to make
Balancing act: Weighing the need for both efficiency and power in engines
A recent trend in the trucking industry reveals surprising results. In 2009, 56% of all US Class 8 trucks spec’d engines were greater than 13 liter, (a.k.a. big-block or big-bore engines), but as of 2016, that number has fallen to about 40%. The reason for this may be that fleets that prioritize efficiency and lighter-weight
Preliminary July Class 8 truck order data shows substantial year-over-year improvement
Preliminary data shows slight month-over-month improvements in orders of Class 8 trucks for July, and substantial improvements over last year. According to preliminary data from FTR, Class 8 net orders for July at 18,300 units, a month-over-month improvement of 5% and 79% better than a year ago. “This is a great sign to see orders
Daimler’s Detroit Connect portal now available, remote updates coming soon
Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) announced that all Freightliner Trucks and Western Star customers with an active Detroit Connect suite of connected vehicle services subscription now have access to the Detroit Connect portal. The portal is a hub for new and future connectivity services such as Detroit Connect Virtual Technician remote diagnostic service, for Detroit-powered
Five truck trend takeaways from July
We know it’s not easy to keep up with everything that happens in the world of trucking. So here are the biggest stories from July focused on the latest truck trends, all in one place.
Trailer orders continue growth in June
According to the numbers from both FTR and ACT Research Co., net trailer orders continued their steady growth in the month of June. According to FTR, final June net trailer orders came in at 18,900 units, rebounding from May with a month-over-month improvement of 12% and a 58% increase over June 2016 orders. The June activity
What causes carbon deposit buildup in diesel engines and how to prevent it
Carbon deposit buildup on diesel engine components such as piston heads, fuel injectors and intake valves is a bigger problem than it is for gasoline engines. There is a federal requirement that certain detergents be added to gasoline at the refinery itself, but there is no such mandate for adding detergents to diesel fuel. For
Keep cool: How fleets carrying refrigerated goods can comply with new temperature laws
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) looms large for fleets that carry refrigerated foods. The new standards were drawn up and passed by the Obama administration in order to proactively reduce the number of foodborne illness incidents in the U.S. FSMA went into effect this past April for larger carriers
Fleets offer reman engine insights
Dan Vander Pol, director of maintenance for Oak Harbor Freight Lines Inc.: “We have purchased reman engines on our city trucks [Class 7], but most of the time on our linehaul trucks [Class 8], we would be able to rebuild the engine and if we can’t rebuild we purchase new engines. We have put reman
The evolution and benefits of reman engines
These days, there are even more advantages to purchasing reconditioned/remanufactured engines than there have been in the past. According to Stanford Siy, heavy-duty and high horsepower ReCon engine product manager for Cummins, “A genuine Cummins engine for used equipment gives owners a way to increase their return on investment on their tools for trade. For
How Melton Truck Lines improves operations, enhances safety
“We don’t make equipment decisions without taking financial considerations into account, but we always look first at the safety and driver benefits a technology may offer,” says Russ Elliott, senior vice president of operations for Melton Truck Lines. “ROI is important but it’s not generally our first concern. “It’s not getting any easier to find
