The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s electronic onboard recorder mandate was dismissed last Friday based on various omissions in the rule. A federal appeals court stated that it was because the rule did not specify how the devices could be prevented from being used to harass drivers. The Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association was one of the more vocal industry groups in Continue Reading

Several trends, not the least of which are ever-growing equipment costs to keep pace with emissions mandates and safety systems, may contribute sooner rather than later to the development of “low-cost” trucks. Supporters are quick to note that this does not mean cheap, but rather a means for carriers to reap a return on their investments. Already, some carriers are opting for smaller engines and manual transmissions to Continue Reading

UPS recently announced that it has purchased 100 all-electric delivery vehicles to deploy in short-range delivery routes in California as part of the carrier’s ongoing effort to reduce emissions. The 100 vehicles will replace older diesel trucks in the company’s fleet. UPS has already tested this type of vehicle and is anxious to put them to use in “real world” applications. Already, the company is operating all-electric vehicles in New York and Europe. They are able to travel within a 90-mile range and have displaced more than 126,000 gallons of fuel a year that Continue Reading

In response to ever-changing fuel prices, Thermo King has released a product that it says can boost cooling capacity by as much as 4 percent and lower fuel consumption by 7 percent. The Smooth Air Blower, a new evaporator blower assembly is available for single and multi-temperature refrigeration units and is standard on some models. A more efficient blade design and a smaller assembly offers a 24 percent Continue Reading

Grote Industries’ new line of clearance/marker lamps offer extended life and greater intensity, while also being a more eco-friendly choice. The company’s new Micronova Dot series is available for use in a number of applications and has been engineered to resist wear and tear that can degrade LED lamps caused by the effects of negative transients. Available in red, amber and white, Micronova Dot lamps can be Continue Reading

One trucking technology provider is expanding its lane departure warning capabilities with the addition of new partners. PeopleNet announced the addition of Takata SafeTrak and Mobileye to its network. Touted as one of the most effective safety technologies for drivers on the road, lane departure warning systems alert drivers as they are drifting out of lanes by monitoring driver behavior and road conditions. The technology also allows for fleet managers, for example, to review a driver’s performance and gauge his or her actions behind the wheel, particularly to Continue Reading

Just as federal fuel efficiency standards were announced, Volvo Trucks North America received $19 million to develop technologies to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Though the OEM received the funding through the U.S. Department of Energy’s “SuperTruck” program, such research will no doubt further the new more stringent fuel efficiency standards. Any efficiency improvements would hold a Continue Reading

Crossing the U.S. border into Canada should get easier for less-than-truckload carriers with the introduction of an electronic manifest system, similar to what is already in place in the States. Currently, products from each shipper on an LTL haul must have their own bar code. But the new system will allow for the entire trailer to be assigned one bar code, speeding up the customs process. Once launched, carriers will have Continue Reading

Among alternative power solutions, hybrid technology is the favorite to be the leader in the global marketplace among medium-heavy commercial truck and buses by 2020, but its shortfalls, particularly financial, will remain. A new study by Frost & Sullivan, a global research firm, says that hybrids will quickly eclipse even more expensive technologies like compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG). The leading providers of these hybrids are projected to be North America–where some nearly 50 percent of the projected 300,000-plus electric buses and vehicles on the Continue Reading

Yesterday, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved a third year of funding to promote the purchase of next-generation clean cars, trucks and off-road equipment. The program will offer up to $40 million to be distributed on a first-come first-served basis. Trucking companies in the state can receive vouchers to help support the addition of fuel-efficient hybrid and zero-emission trucks into Continue Reading