Driver complaints in December 2011 helped Bendix uncover a faulty valve on vehicles equipped with its traction control and stability systems. The issue, a Bendix spokesperson told Fleet Owner, has been resolved, but as many as 50,000-60,000 vehicles may be affected. Continue Reading

Dealerships will be getting more maintenance business from North America’s truck fleets, at least in the short to medium term, thanks largely to their continued development of skilled technicians, according to Kumar Saha, an industry analyst with Frost and Sullivan’s Automotive & Transportation practice. Continue Reading

Drivers are key to the success of any trucking operation, so it only makes sense to invest in how they are hired, retained and managed to be successful on the job. Implement a good driver-performance management program based on solid data and you could start to see results “almost immediately,” speakers Don Osterberg, senior vice president of safety, security & driver training for Schneider National, Inc. and Al LaCombe, director of safety, training & security for Dupre’ Logistics, LLC told representatives of 240 companies who recently attended a live webcast sponsored by GreenRoad and presented jointly by Fleet Owner and the Truckload Carriers’ Assn. (TCA). Continue Reading

Penske Truck Leasing and Penske Logistics announced plans to hire about 3,500 associates within its North American operations throughout 2012. Penske says its promising hiring outlook stems from the increasing demand for its services as the transportation sector continues to recover.
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Kenworth Truck Co. customers can now choose between two separate products that aid in complying with the new hand-held cell phone ban in commercial vehicles. Continue Reading

All the practical implications of the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011 (now Public Law 111-353) are not yet spelled out when it comes to the trucking industry. What is clear, however, is that the new law, if it withstands post-enactment efforts by opponents still seeking revisions and/or financing cuts, will further tighten federal control over the transportation of food – from equipment and procedures to traceability and accountability. Continue Reading

Transportation is one area that is ripe for delivering savings to businesses looking for ways to contain costs in the new year, according to Thermo King Corp. Continue Reading

FreightWatch International, a global logistics security services provider, on Thursday, Jan. 19, announced that U.S. cargo theft hit another record high in 2011. FreightWatch says its annual U.S. Cargo Theft Report shows the year-over-year growth of this crime; 974 cargo theft incidents were recorded last year ,with an average value of $319,000 per theft incident. Continue Reading

Faced with an ever-growing shortage of truck drivers, fleets are engaging in a variety of efforts to find and keep willing hands to hold a big rig’s steering wheel for a career. Not only are fleets starting up their own driver training schools, but recruiting efforts in have intensified, even within their own companies. Continue Reading

During a webinar hosted by GE Capital Fleet Services (GECFS) yesterday, several experts debunked a set of six hoary yet still-persistent myths about truck fleet decision-making. At the outset, moderator Greg Wilson, truck product leader for GECFS, said these myths, by and large, result in lost productivity and lost revenue as well as negatively impacting driver/employee retention. What’s more, he added they can cause vehicle acquisition and operating costs to rise unnecessarily and can severely ding vehicle resale values. Continue Reading