A new guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding selective catalytic reduction (SCR) engines and the miles and hours a truck can run after the DEF tank runs dry. The updated guidance removes any mention of miles or hours driven on an empty DEF tank, and essentially defers to engine manufacturers to set those limits for Continue Reading

The for-hire carrier UPS continues to get greener. In its latest eco-friendly move, the company deployed 245 delivery trucks powered by compressed natural gas to Denver and four cities in California. The use of the vehicles is part of the carrier’s continued effort to reduce its carbon footprint. Each of the trucks are marked with CNG decals, and they are expected to yield Continue Reading

On the first day of enforcing the “Port Truck ban,” a solid 92 percent of trucks were allowed through using sophisticated RFID technology to scan each truck’s number and compares it to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) database, in which all drayage trucks must be registered. Under the program, trucks with pre-1994 engines are denied access, as well as trucks with 1994-2003 engines unless equipped with a CARB-compliant, Level 3 diesel particulate filter. By the second day Continue Reading

The improving quality of trucks may mean that truckload carriers extend their trade cycles, according to executives at the Heavy Duty Dialogue conference for truck and component manufacturers. But, though some fleets may delay their truck-buying for a few additional years, there are others who pursue “MegaTruck” specs that would Continue Reading

Citing public safety for both tourists and truckers alike, Virginia plan to reopen 19 safety rest areas and welcome centers, reversing a 2009 decision to cut the number by nearly half, from 42 to 23. The American Trucking Associations (ATA) applauded the move, which will help prevent driver fatigue and provide safe, secure parking spaces for truck drivers to comply Continue Reading

Though the current hours-of-service (HOS) rules are in part being praised for the declining truck-involved fatality rate, some drivers and lobbying groups contend more flexibility is needed in the sleeper berth provision. Some drivers suggest splitting the 10-hour stoppage rule as a way of flexing their rest schedules. The FMCSA has been Continue Reading

The future of trucking will see a stronger OEM relationship with its customers, in terms of monitoring equipment sold, as well as more of a mass market appeal for hybrids, according to experts at the recent Heavy Duty Dialogue 2010 in Las Vegas. With new truck sales lagging behind, the panel has already seen a growth in Continue Reading

Joining its bordering American neighbors, Quebec recently became the first Canadian province to adopt California’s emissions standards for cars and light-duty trucks. Those classes of vehicles built between 2010 and 2016 will be subject to increasingly strict restrictions on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Of the 14 states that have already chosen to Continue Reading

The boost in Class 8 truck orders to close out 2009 is being attributed to pre-buys before 2010 federal emissions standards take effect, as well as higher volumes from Mexico and other export markets. Net orders for December posted a 37 percent year-over-year increase, though numbers for the year were 33 percent Continue Reading

Truck-involved fatalities and truck-involved crashes both dropped in 2008, according to data released by the American Trucking Associations (ATA). Fatalities dropped to a record-low 12.3 percent, the lowest figure since 1975, when records started being kept. The figures were calculated based on data from both the Federal Highway Administration and Continue Reading