Ah, July – a symphony of fireworks, cookouts, and leisurely beach getaways. Yet, if you’re immersed in the world of heavy-duty know-how and tuned into FE‘s coverage, I’m certain you’ve got your finger on the pulse of ongoing trends: the sustainability surge, electrification, tire and component maintenance, freight efficiency optimization, and the dynamic role of A.I. in automating operations.
As the summer heat slowly starts its transition into crisp, fall breeze and the leaves start their colorful dance, make sure you’re up to date on all the heavy-duty action and the latest scoops on commercial space coverage from this summer.
5. It’s electric (maintenance)!
Just because EVs are designed to be lower-maintenance than their diesel engine predecessors doesn’t mean it’s no maintenance at all. For any truck, regardless of the technology at play, ongoing preventative maintenance remains a paramount aspect to achieving optimal performance and operations. With all of the new components sitting under the hood and in the chassis, it’s important to know how to handle and service it for the sake of the truck and your safety.
4. From the truck to the table
Odds are you’ve eaten a meal delivered by a Sysco truck. With over 160,000 trucks in its fleet and more than 300 distribution sites, there is a lot to manage when it comes to logistics and supply chain management. This leaves some big shoes to fill for the people in charge of it all. Spoiler alert: Marie Robinson, executive vice president and chief supply chain officer of Sysco, has it all under control. Find out what made her FE’s first ever Vehicle Care Rockstar.
3. Texas brings the testing heat
Seventeen – that’s how many water bottles I championed in a battle against the Texas heat at Continental’s Uvalde Proving Grounds. While out at the ContiXperience, FE got the up-close insights on some tough tire testing. Encompassing nearly 5,000 acres, the proving grounds site encompasses a diverse terrain of over 30 distinct surfaces for rigorous evaluation, encompassing wet tracks, dry-handling courses and off-road trails.
2. Truck technology going above and Beyond
A.I. is all the rage right now, but to the Samsara team, this form of technology has been on their radar since the company’s inception back in 2015. With commercial vehicles logging around 1.9 billion trips annually, translating to 6 trillion data points, Samsara shared how it is harnessing this wealth of customer information to improve fleet operation efficiency.
1. Seeing green: Navigating sustainable transport
We can’t talk about the month’s most notable stories without paying homage to FE‘s newest sustainability series. In this inaugural episode of Trucking Sustainably, David teams up with Volvo Trucks to address the multiple ways fleets are reaching their zero-emissions end goals. With deadlines and emissions regulations approaching, clean transportation has become a must in the world of commercial trucking operations.
