Heavy Duty Trucks News
July trailer orders come in below expectations

FTR reports that final July trailer orders were below expectations at 9,500 units, which is 20% below June and -55% year-over-year. Dry van orders were particularly weak, with other trailer segments experiencing noticeable order declines as well. Orders have totaled 260,000 units over the past twelve months. Backlogs fell another 9% and are now 21%

Trailers
Driving retention: How the right equipment can keep the right drivers in the seats

Fuel efficiency and total cost of ownership typically top the charts of topics here at Fleet Equipment. On the other hand, you can spec the most efficient, cost-effective trucks possible, but it’s no use if you don’t have anyone to drive them. Just take a look at the American Trucking Associations’ latest driver turnover numbers.

Goodyear announces mixed-service Workhorse tire line

The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. added a new line of mixed-service tires, known as the Workhorse line. The tires are available in MSA and MSD varieties. Like the Goodyear Armor Max Pro Grade MSD, which was announced last month, the Goodyear Workhorse line has been designed for a wide variety of mixed-service applications. “As the Workhorse

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

TreadWright Tires offers 24-month road hazard warranty

TreadWright Tires has announced the launch of its new 24-month optional road hazard warranty certificate. Available on all new TreadWright Tires purchases, including LT Metric sizes, this new warranty program provides protection against unforeseen road conditions like potholes, nails, debris, or impact with foreign objects that can lead to premature tire failure. This is offered

Top trailer spec’ing tips: Reducing weight, increasing efficiency

The trailer is a key component to trucking’s total operational efficiency. It deserves as much consideration as the tractor when it comes to spec’ing and buying. While the trailer’s outward appearance hasn’t changed drastically in recent years, save for the addition of aerodynamic devices, the materials and option have evolved to meet narrow fleet margins

Great Dane cover story
Securing loads using winches

Continuing on the road to load security, Scott Frasier, national accounts manager for Kinedyne LLC, sounded off on the topic of securing loads using winches. “When a customer is spec’ing a trailer with winches, he or she is looking at a variety of attributes to make the decision,” he said. “Winches provide a method for

heavy duty truck Trailer Wenches
Three trailer leasing questions with AmeriQuest

Fleets looking to put trailers to work may consider leasing new trailers as opposed to taking the additional maintenance costs and potential out of service violations associated with an older fleet. Fleet Equipment (FE) caught up with Pat Gaskins, senior vice president of financial services for AmeriQuest, to ask three quick questions about trailer leasing

Heavy duty truck trailer Wabash
The inside scoop on spec’ing axles and brake ratings

For optimum performance and safety, brakes and suspensions need to be a match and work well together. So what do fleets need to know? Fleet Equipment asked major suppliers to provide the inside information.

XL Specialized Trailers opens new service center

XL Specialized Trailers has opened a trailer service center located across the street from their headquarters and main manufacturing facility in Manchester, Iowa. The service center is designed specifically to service trailers: lowboys, flatbeds, and other trailer models. XL plans to tackle many types of service work; everything from preventative maintenance to full restoration. “We are very excited

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

Tires Wheels Column
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