Lightweight, High Cube Van Offers Multiple Reduced Maintenance Options

SAVANNAH, GA – In recent economic times, getting the most return on an investment has been a chief concern, and for its customers, Great Dane offers an extensive product line to address these needs. Of those products, the one on display in Booth #1456 at the Technology and Maintenance Council 2011 Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition February 8 – 11 in Tampa, Fla., is a high-cube P-101 dry freight van that promises solid value and peace of mind.

The trailer, courtesy of Great Dane customer USA Truck, is lightweight in addition to its nominal inside width of 101” to offer more capacity than traditional sheet and post trailers. In addition, multiple cargo securement options are available with Continue Reading

President Obama delivered a tall order in his State of the Union address a few weeks ago, by stating his intention to “redouble” infrastructure rebuilding efforts in the country. And as the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee prepares to draft a new highway authorization bill, some groups are lobbying for the government to think big picture instead of short-term. A new report from the National Transportation Policy Project suggests that ideally funding and long-term job growth are tied together in the solution to the country’s aging infrastructure that, if not addressed, will crumble Continue Reading

Transportation and innovation were two of the more significant industry topics from President Obama’s State of the Union address Tuesday evening. Specifically, the president continued to push the development of technologies to reduce emissions, break dependence on foreign oil and ramp up the use of electric vehicles, and, in his words, be the first country with 1 million such vehicles on the road by 2015. The pursuit of such technology not only will be eco-friendly, but create “countless” new jobs, he said. Additionally, rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure could Continue Reading

Ground transportation shipping rates for Canadian shippers fell slightly in October, according to the Canadian General Freight Index (CGFI). But the Base Rate Index excludes fuel surcharges, which officials say is on the rise and expect it to continue through the winter months. Compared to September, fuel surcharges increased by 6 percent to 13.77 percent of base rates, marking the first time in five months there has been an increase. CGFI officials say Continue Reading

Don’t be surprised if larger trucks able to carry more freight become a reality sooner rather than later, according to speakers at the “Moving the World: The Future of Freight Transportation” conference held last week in Washington, D.C., especially with political attitudes and environmental concerns shifting in favor of such changes. Not only would the move reduce emissions as trucks make fewer trips, but also another positive is that by hauling more freight at a time, congestion on the roads would be alleviated. And that benefit would address the long-term prediction that freight is expected to double in the next Continue Reading

Now that the dust is settling from the Nov. 2 elections, several legislative committees will emerge with new leadership with the advent of the 112th session of Congress next year. All told, the Democrats lost centuries of experience, thanks to a somewhat expected Republican sweep of congressional elections. Specifically for the trucking industry, Rep. James L. Oberstar (D-Minn.), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, was ousted after 18 terms. In his place, Florida Republican Continue Reading

Just as happened in the first round of infrastructure funding requests, the demand of requests far exceeded the supply. Almost 1,000 applications for $19 billion of projects from all 50 states, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia exceeded the $600 million available, proof according to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood that there is a serious need for highway improvements. The Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants will be awarded based on potential economic impact, energy efficiency and safety improvements offered. DOT says it Continue Reading

Spot market freight volume in Canada showed a healthy increase from last year, according to TransCore’s Canadian Freight Index, and a 2 percent increase from July to August. With increasing freight and lower equipment availability–a trend for the last eight months–freight for the month of August 2010 registered a five-year high at 55 percent more year-over-year. TransCore’s Loadlink is a freight matching database and the largest Canadian network of carriers, owner operators, freight brokers and intermediaries. Over 12 million full loads, LTL (less than truck load) shipments and trucks are Continue Reading

An international group of transportation engineers recently presented the possibility of a new “sixth mode” of transportation to the Canadian Transportation Research Forum. Primarily directed at logging companies trying to reach valuable natural resources to costly for pipelines, trucks, airplanes and boats, airships–unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) like balloons and zeppelins–could do the work for less. Engineers on the project said Continue Reading

Qualcomm’s new Mobile Computing Platform 110 (MCP110) offers upgrades from the MCP100 model that add value and ease to transportation company operations. The new capabilities include a PDF viewer that allows drivers to view and, with an optional in-cab printer, print PDF documents right from their cab, making it easy for fleet managers to send special instructions to drivers who are arriving at customer sites. On-board driver tutorials help navigate drivers through using various MCP110 applications. And the MCP110’s Driver Interface Unit (DIU110) boasts a higher resolution display with more vibrant colors, improving driver satisfaction with an enhanced user experience. MCP110 offers an option to upgrade to Wi-Fi-enabled communication, with Continue Reading