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 May focused on the latest truck trends, all in one place.
5. FE On the Road showcases Volvo’s new truck, Freightliner Custom Chassis groundbreaking
Fleet Equipment‘s On the Road series this month took trips out to see some of the biggest news of the month. One video takes a look at the newly announced Volvo VNR, while the other visits Freightliner Custom Chassis Co. at the groundbreaking of its new plant in Gaffney, S.C. Watch both for a deeper look at some of the latest trucking news.
4. Predictive cruise control is saving fleets fuel
“Let’s dig into the details of what makes predictive cruise work. Predictive cruise control systems use GPS data, onboard maps and cruise control to optimize cruising speed based on the topography of a truck’s route. As the truck enters certain types of terrain, such as rolling hills, predictive cruise control looks at engine torque, gear, grade, hill profile and cruise settings to select the correct gear to approach the approaching terrain.”
Predictive cruise control is becoming a more prevalent aspect of today’s powertrains, with every major OEM offering the technology in some form. Associate Editor Alex Crissey goes over the offerings, how it works and possibilities for the future of predictive cruise technology.
3. Tackling hot topics in tire and wheel innovations
“There are two hot topics right now related to fuel efficiency and wheel ends. The first: Tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) have been given fuel economy coefficients in NHTSA’s and EPA’s Phase 2 of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) regulations for commercial trucks and trailers. The second issue is aerodynamic wheel covers.”
Editor at Large Carol Birkland discusses both of these hot topics here.
2. Integrated powertrain adoption continues to climb
“From a fleet’s perspective, it’s not just the increased operational efficiency. Proprietary powertrains are also improving after-the-sale service and support.”
As adoption of proprietary integrated powertrains continues to climb, making up the majority of today’s Class 8 orders, fleets are seeing the benefits. Editor Jason Morgan looks at the trend from both the fleet and the OEM perspective.
1. Technological choices continue to grow
“Life in the technological age can be confusing. With all the benefits that access to technology provides for us—and they are innumerable—the choices we have can be overwhelming. These infinite choices can make choosing a place to eat a daunting task, let alone choosing the right technology solution for your fleet.”
With this being the case, what’s being done in the fleet world to make the pressure of these choices easier on fleet managers? Associate Editor Alex Crissey takes a look.
