Maintenance facilities are abandoning the first-come, first-served approach in an effort to speed up repairs and improve customer service. At first blush, it sounds a little ironic, but by adopting a triage approach, repair shops can quickly turn around trucks that need only 30 minutes of work, as opposed to them waiting in line behind those needing Continue Reading

Local and regional fleets hauling refrigerated goods will get a boost from Thermo King’s new TracKing cellular web-enabled temperature management system. The existing TracKing satellite system, which offers real-time monitoring and tracking of tailers, is ideal for long-haul fleets, the company said. Among other capabilities, the system’s alarm and notification Continue Reading

Citing benefits to both the economy and the environment, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced that major components of a $600-million ExpressRail project had been finished. This completion will make way for 1.3 million cargo containers to be shipped by rail, clearing state and local roads of about 3 million trucks. The projects were Continue Reading

The seasonally adjusted for-hire truck tonnage index posted a more than 2 percent gain for August, following a similar increase in July, according to the American Trucking Association (ATA). Though the industry lobby group views this as a positive sign for the economy and for trucking, analysts there are regarding the news with guarded optimism. This modest gain in freight is also buoyed Continue Reading

Despite the modest growth in Class 8 truck orders in North America, sales are down 30 percent year-over-year, according to the latest report from ACT Research on the State of the Industry. August orders posted a 15 percent increase over July. Medium-duty numbers were 75 percent higher than last year, largely driven by the demand for buses. Though there was a Continue Reading

Labor analysts are predicting an impending severe shortage of diesel mechanics is on the horizon as the economy rebounds. With many baby boomer mechanics looking toward retirement, at least the current recession has kept them hanging on. But don’t look to vocational programs to fill the void. The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence says fewer Continue Reading

The U.S. House of Representatives is going green, and Peterbilt helped it take that first step last week with the delivery of its first hybrid truck. As the House replaces its aging fleet, it is looking to do so with low-emissions trucks, such as hybrids. The truck will carry furniture and office equipment. The Model 330 provides a 30 percent Continue Reading

When the trucking industry bounces back from the recession, it will likely have to find new ways to stay profitable. Key to an operation’s survival may be its ability to become more cost-effective and more competitive, vying for the freight that is available, and able to function with a leaner staff. As in recent years, fuel prices will be Continue Reading

The Alberta goverment is pushing to phase out trailers manufacturered pre-1993, but with the number of older trailers in service coupled with a sluggish economy, one lobby group is hoping to defer the enforcement date. The mandate now would require a reduction in a pre-1993 trailer’s GVW by 1,000 kg each year for three years. The province hoped Continue Reading

A new trailer dome lamp from Phillips Industries promises more light and a wider angle spread of illumination, according to the company. The Permalite XB trailer dome lamp offers a 175-degree angle range of light, which allows pallet documents in both the nose and rear of the trailer to be equally easily read. The product is available Continue Reading