Trailer orders hit record high
For the month of October, FTR reported U.S. net trailer orders at 46,267, an all-time record high, beating the previous record by 9%. According to the research firm, trailer orders have now totaled 327,000 the past 12 months. FTR suggested that expected tight production capacity at trailer OEMs in 2015 encouraged early order activity. “While
Kenworth aims to meet fleet needs with T680
Gary Moore, Kenworth general manager and PACCAR vice president, says that there are several economic trends affecting our industry: “U.S. housing starts and automobile production have shown solid growth in 2014. These are important indicators as almost everything needed to build houses and manufacture automobiles is shipped by truck. Those factors, combined with the stronger
World Trade Distribution’s lightweight tractors meet container shippers needs
While international freight handling, storage and transportation services have been the core of Houston-based World Trade Distribution’s business for 50 years, the company is not one to simply continue with the status quo. “We started focusing on port work in the 1980s,” says Jeff Joachim, president of the family owned business. “As more containers began
Fighting cold weather tire PSI loss
“Fuel savings from properly inflated tires are well documented,” says Josh Carter, chief executive officer and co-founder of Aperia Technologies, the provider of a self-powered, bolt on tire inflation technology. “Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration research indicates that maintaining proper tire pressure can produce a 1.4% fuel efficiency increase for a five-axle tractor-trailer combination. “This
Building a safer heavy-duty truck
In a national poll conducted by Public Opinion Strategies in late September on attitudes about the trucking industry, 80% of survey recipients said they believe truck drivers are safer than passenger vehicle drivers. Additionally, 90% of respondents said passenger vehicle drivers are more likely to speed than truck drivers, and 74% think that when an
Fleet color and paint finishes that impress
Most fleets take great pride in the condition of their on-highway trucks, and why not? They are moving billboards that can reveal a lot about the fleet. A good-looking truck is a great on-the-road ambassador. Conversely, trucks with excessive signs of wear, like rust, fading paint finishes or nicks and dings, don’t leave a good
Kenworth releases T680 Advantage video
Kenworth introduced its fuel-efficient T680 Advantage configuration earlier this year. To highlight the key features that make the T680 Advantage the most fuel-efficient truck in the truck maker’s lineup, Kenworth has released a video, which can be seen above. According to the company, the Kenworth T680 Advantage features the optimized and fully integrated powertrain combination
Mack Trucks launches inaugural Mack Masters Competition
Mack Trucks‘ inaugural Mack Masters Competition recently kicked off with 991 dealership participants, making up 263 teams from 171 locations throughout the Mack Trucks dealer network. The winning team will take home the championship trophy following a hands-on competition June 16, 2015, at the Mack Customer Care Center in Allentown, Pa. The Mack Masters Competition
Commercial vehicle demand strong in October
Medium- and heavy-duty Class 5-8 orders were placed at very healthy levels in October, with Class 8 nearly breaking the all-time record for the industry, said ACT Research Co. in its State of the Industry report. The report stated that total net orders for Class 8 were 45,978 units, up 76% year over year and
Kenworth hauling U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree continues tour
Employees at Kenworth Truck Co.‘s assembly plant in Chillicothe, Ohio, built a special Kenworth T880 in October to carry the official 2014 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree. On Nov. 18, the Chillicothe plant welcomed the Kenworth T880 and tree back home. More than 1,000 Kenworth employees gathered for a brief ceremony at the plant. The U.S. Capitol
Double Coin tires receive EPA SmartWay certification
CMA recently announced that its Double Coin RT600 and RR202 tires have met the requirements for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) SmartWay Technology Program. EPA’s SmartWay Technology program verifies the performance of vehicles, technologies and equipment that have the potential to reduce greenhouse gases and other air pollutants from freight transport. EPA has verified
The right solution for engine downspeeding
Engine downspeeding is growing in popularity among fleets looking to squeeze more miles out of every gallon of fuel. By reducing the RPM of the engine, especially at highway cruising speeds, downspeeding allows the engine to cruise in its sweet spot, decreasing friction and increasing fuel efficiency. Current technology allows downsped engines to deliver a