Watch: What tires will work best for regional-haul trucks?
All trucks are not created equal – and neither are truck tires. The wrong tire used for the wrong application can easily set you way back, damaging both your productivity and your ROI. Trucks in regional-haul applications, for example, need to be spec’d with the right tires to handle the job. In these tires, durability
Trailer telematics and the ‘smart’ trailer evolution
Trailers are in a unique position. No, I don’t mean behind the tractor (hey-O!). I’m talking about the current phase of the trailer telematics evolution. While trailer telematics has mostly revolved around GPS location tracking (and that’s still important), the amount of data that trailer components are generating—from wheel ends and tires to lighting and
Watch: How to maximize a truck’s fuel economy using wheel position
Every fleet wants to maximize efficiency, so here’s a fuel economy tire hack: Maximize the impact of the truck’s wheel position. You see, the trailer wheel position, which carries the most weight, contributes the most to the overall fuel efficiency of a commercial truck at about 43%. This is followed by the drive position at
How ambient temperature impacts diesel engine oil (and other seasonal service tips)
Do you feel that? The chill in the wind relenting to the warm sunlight. The fresh scent of blooming flowers. The slivers of light that still peek above the horizon well after dinner time. Yes fleet friends, Spring is here. (Or at least it’s close enough after a long winter.) Time to get your trucks
Watch: Three ways to show trailer suspension maintenance more love
When it comes to good maintenance practices, tractors tend to get more attention than the trailers behind them. And it makes sense – tractors are more often part of a fleet’s preventative maintenance program. While a trailer might be parked in a lot somewhere out there, the indispensable tractor is just naturally inspected more frequently.
The biggest cybersecurity threats your fleet faces (and what to do about them)
Fleets are connected. Trucks, fleet managers and drivers are all linked by technology streaming massive amounts of data over the air to your telematics dashboards and diagnostics repair software. With great connectivity comes increased vulnerability. Let’s make no bones about it: Cybersecurity needs to be taken seriously because the biggest weakness is people. Weak passwords,
Watch: The best defense against cold weather battery issues
Your fleet, like most fleets out there, likely spends a lot of money on truck batteries, so you want the batteries you already have to last for as long as possible. All year long, everything looks good until the cold weather comes in and wrecks your bottom line. We’ve reached out to an old friend
The truck service impact of over-the-air engine updates
Operational data, diagnostic information—the cliche marketing line that the truck is a rolling cell phone is true, especially now that the data goes both ways. Over-the-air updates allow for a two-way digital dialogue between your trucks and the software service platform that supports them. Over-the-air (OTA for short) reprogramming lets you send an update to
When should trucking fleets prepare for the 3G sunset?
That knot in your stomach is already telling you the answer to that question, but I’ll confirm it: as soon as possible. But breathe easy fleet managers, there’s still time enough for you to put your plan for upgrading your telematics device hardware. The reason for the urgency is two-fold. First and most importantly, you
Watch: New technology to decrease a truck’s emissions & better fuel economy
In November 2018, the EPA announced the need to update nitrogen oxide emissions standards in heavy-duty trucks with its Cleaner Trucks Initiative. According to the initiative’s overview found at epa.gov, heavy-duty vehicles are the largest contributor to mobile source emissions of nitrogen oxide, and they are expected to be one of the largest mobile source
Hands on: Kenworth T680 next-gen truck
The story of the next-generation Kenworth T680’s launch is a tale of two redesigns: one outside and one inside. The new aerodynamic designs add up to increased fuel efficiency compared to the previous T680, while the new 15-in. digital display offers a bevy of customization options. Then there’s the new Kenworth ADAS offering that pairs
Recruit, retain technicians using truck service technology
The heavy-duty service shop is where preventative maintenance keeps your trucks performing at peak capacity and is the battleground against unplanned maintenance. Of course, the technician shortage complicates matters. When it comes to technician recruitment, your best bet for getting the best technicians into your shop is through relationship building with your local diesel and
