Photo gallery: TMC 2020
The TMC Annual Meeting and Exhibition is one of the industry’s biggest gatherings and sources of news and new rules and regulations. You can read all the news in our roundup here, and take a look below at a gallery of photos from the event.

How the right data can help lower your truck service costs
Skyrocketing labor rates, an endless proliferation of fees and increasingly complex truck equipment and technology have sent truck service costs through the roof—and that’s without even counting the loss of revenue during downtime. Whether you’re held captive by contract maintenance, rubbing your head because of roadside service or looking for ways to leverage your home

Brake pad development heading into the copper-reduced era
Five years ago, an agreement between the EPA, states and automotive industry players was signed to reduce the use of copper in brake pads. Next year, brake pads will need to reduce copper to less than 5% by weight, and then less than 0.5% by 2025. There’s no magic button that will make this happen;

TMC 2020: All the news from the show (Updated)
Fleet Equipment is live covering the 2020 TMC Annual Meeting and Exhibition, the industry’s annual gathering where rules and regulations are set, issues are discussed, and news is made. You can find all that news below, and this post will be updated throughout the week as more news breaks. You can also find the rest

Podcast: Talking truck tires with Cooper’s Gary Schroeder and Phil Mosier
Beyond our recent cover story, here are a few more topics covered by Cooper’s Gary Schroeder and Phil Mosier.

Matching truck axles to the right vocational jobsite
Application: The Alpha and Omega of equipment spec’ing. Start with the right spec to work as productively as possible with that spec. “Vocational applications place a wide variety of demands on the drivetrain,” said Tony Sablar, vocational marketing manager for Peterbilt. “Consider the differences between a flatbed hauling materials to a construction site and the

Leveraging lift axles in various vocations
Tough truck tasks require tough spec’ing choices. Picking the right lift axle to put to work is often one of the most complicated decisions. Driven by application, lift axles need to meet your expectations and adhere to stringent bridge laws. A quick refresher: The federal bridge formula aims to keep bridges from becoming overloaded, stating

What’s the right axle ratio for vocational trucks?
Carrying your vocational load means balancing the right axle ratio with the right axle weight rating. Just as advanced engine technology and deeper integration have enabled faster axle ratios on-highway, so too have those engine efficiencies translated to the vocational world. “Today’s engines are more advanced and efficient than ever,” said Kelly Gedert, director of

What vocational truck weight class is your axle working in?
Are you a heavy-haul roller or do you cube out before you weigh out? The load that’s riding on your axles shoulders will greatly determine the equipment you spec for your vocational truck application. “Selecting the proper weight rating for steer and drive axles allows the truck to haul the right amount of payload for

Combating cold weather electrical issues
Proper preventive maintenance can go a long way toward eliminating battery and other electrical issues.

Executive Interview: Cooper Tire is sticking to the plan for its truck tires
When you set out to accomplish a goal, the most daunting part is the beginning. It’s looking at the blank piece of paper, the immaculately clear whiteboard, or the empty, recently rented office space, and realizing that it’s time to start building something—as soon as you figure out where to start. Once something’s in motion,

Inside the Volvo Trucks electric VNR
Volvo Trucks North America offered a first look at its Class 8 battery-electric project trucks during an event at TEC Equipment dealership in Fontana, Calif. The Volvo VNR Electric project trucks will be put into real-world commercial operations with two of California’s leading freight companies, Dependable Supply Chain Services and NFI. Volvo Trucks engineers and
