Exceptional medium-duty truck resources
Today’s medium-duty OEMs point out that, manufacturers, truck dealers and body builders have exceptional resources available to help fleets customize specs, and have programs for sharing ideas and information to make sure chassis and bodies are right for a particular application. Included are body builder manuals and other reference materials that contain important details about
Spec’ing for medium-duty applications
“Operators of medium-duty trucks have heavy-duty expectations,” says Kurt Swihart, Kenworth’s marketing manager. “Truck manufacturers are working to make it simpler for customers who want heavy-duty characteristics in traditional medium-duty applications. The challenge in spec’ing a medium-duty truck is to find the right balance between over- and under-spec’ing in order to achieve the performance and
Fleet profile: Marten Transport meets challenges, changes the status quo
It’s one of the trucking industry’s best-known names, and for good reason. Since 1946, trucks sporting the Marten Transport logo have been traveling the highways hauling temperature-controlled goods. “Over the last several years, we’ve transformed our business from a primarily long-haul temperature control carrier to a multi-faceted temperature control carrier,” says David Meyer, the company’s
Freightliner Trucks names 2016’s ‘hardest working cities’
Freightliner Trucks has named the winners of its Hardest Working Cities recognition program: New York City, Charlotte, Edmonton, and Seattle/Tacoma. It is the second year that Freightliner has named the hardest working cities. “We created the Freightliner Hardest Working Cities program because it’s clear that vibrant local economies count on severe duty trucks, and the
Truck Trends 2015: Autonomous, not driverless
With the growing adoption of advanced safety systems, which Mary Aufdemberg, director of product marketing for Freightliner Trucks, explained is Level 2 autonomous technology, the role of the driver has been called into question. A quick breakdown of the autonomous vehicle Levels, as defined by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
The truck equipment trend of the year
It’s been the talk of the industry all year. Its importance goes beyond monetary savings by preserving equipment and mitigating collisions. This year, Fleet Equipment crowns advanced safety systems as its 2015 Truck Equipment Trend of the Year. “Fleets are asking about safety systems; the percentage of orders for a collision mitigation radar system for
Five truck trend takeaways from October
A look at the five biggest takeaways from the month of October in the world of heavy-duty trucks.
From SuperTruck to reality: A look at the technology that could drive tomorrow’s trucks forward
The objective of the 2012 Department of Energy (DOE) SuperTruck program was to develop tractor-trailers that were 50% more efficient than the 2009 baseline models by 2015. What truck OEMs have learned—and put into production—during that process is that truck technology development is surpassing original expectations. So here’s an update from one truck OEM. Applied
Watch: Behind the autonomous Freightliner Inspiration Truck wheel
Get ready to strap into the Inspiration Truck driver seat and dive into the future of trucking. Fleet Equipment Editor Jason Morgan talks with Richard Howard, Daimler Trucks senior vice president of sales and marketing, about the rapid advancement and adoption of advanced safety systems that aim to make today’s roads safer and lead the
Freightliner Bose Ride, SmarTire TPMS options roll into Cascadia production
The Bose Ride system II truck seat suspension and the SmarTire Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) from Bendix CVS are now in production for the Freightliner Cascadia and Cascadia Evolution truck models. Introduced in early 2015, the Bose Ride system II truck seat suspension features new technologies designed to reduce fatigue and pain. The system uses
Spec’ing the proper suspension support
A range of factors impact air suspension design, notes Reyco Granning’s vice president of Engineering, John Stuart. “One requirement showing no signs of diminishing is the ever-present demand for weight reduction,” he says. “If you had told me 10 years ago that the market required a 1,300-lb. slider air suspension, I would have said it
In the driver’s seat
There has been a lot of talk about autonomous trucks of late. Note, please, that the talk has been about autonomous trucks and not driverless trucks. Had there been at any point—in no order of particular preference—a toaster oven or the collected works of Robert G. Ingersoll within reaching distance of the steering wheel this,
