MY ETT News » weight

Illinois boosts truck weight to accommodate APUs

Rhonda Flathman — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 17:06:34 +0000

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn gave the final approval for three pieces of legislation affecting trucking in the state. One bill raises the maximum truck weight to 80,400 lbs to accommodate auxiliary power units, and the other will boost the speed limit for trucks to 65 mph on four-lane highways outside the Chicagoland area. Both of these changes will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2012. The last bill, which allows for a form of dual semi-trailer hitching using a single pivot point, takes effect immediately.

Legislation that will increase maximum truck weight in Illinois to 80,400 lbs. for rigs equipped with auxiliary power units was signed into law Wednesday by Gov. Pat Quinn, who said the law “creates common sense rules, eliminates confusing language, and enhances productivity in the trucking industry and benefits the environment.”

The new law takes effect Jan. 1.

Click here to visit Fleet Owner and read the complete story.

B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan harmonize truck regs

Rhonda Flathman — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 16:24:09 +0000

Transportation leaders in Canada’s three westernmost provinces have announced the details of a new partnership that helps harmonize truck weights and dimensions regulations, which will ultimately help boost productivity and efficiency while reducing costs. Some of the changes include a 500-kg increase in steer axle weights (to 6,000 kgs) to accommodate fuel-saving technologies such as APUs, and increased length limits for A-, B- and C-train combinations so fleets now can use full-length tractors in these configurations.

EDMONTON, Alta. — The three westernmost provinces of Canada have inked a landmark deal to harmonize truck weights and dimensions regulations.

Highlights include a 500-kg increase in steer axle weights (to 6,000 kgs) to accommodate fuel-saving technologies such as APUs and the harmonization of length and width limits for tri-drive trucks, tractors and trailer configurations, allowing fleets to standardize vehicles in western Canada. The provinces also agreed to increase length limits for A-, B- and C-train combinations by one metre, so fleets can use full-length tractors in these configurations.

B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan also harmonized pilot car rules and the provinces announced they will coordinate enforcement activities so a truck isn’t subjected to three inspection blitzes as it travels through the western provinces. The provinces will also focus on “coordinated enforcement and training,” they announced.

Click here to visit Truck News and read the complete story.

Great Dane’s MXP-120 All-Aluminum Platform Trailer Debuts at Mid-America

Rhonda Flathman — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:28:35 +0000

Low Maintenance MXP-120 All-Aluminum Platform Looks Great for the Long Haul

LOUISVILLE, KY – After years of development and extensive field and lab testing, Great Dane Trailers launches its new MXP-120 all-aluminum flatbed at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Booth #34075 March 31-April 2 in Louisville, Ky. By offering weight savings to maximize payload versatility and eliminating the potential for corrosion, the MXP-120 combines the latest technologies and proven components from Great Dane’s other platform models.

All-aluminum construction eliminates the potential for corrosion found in steel and combination steel and aluminum models, meaning the MXP-120 can maintain a shiny, like-new image longer. Aluminum components have the added bonus of lowering costs due to the reduced maintenance required.

The MXP-120 features two-piece bolted aluminum main beams, and like the popular GPL—the aluminum/steel combination platform—has extruded aluminum side rails, and an aluminum floor, rear assembly and crossmembers.

Weight savings are inherent in this platform trailer. Particularly when equipped with aluminum wheels, the MXP-120 weighs about 1,000 lbs less than a comparable combo steel-aluminum unit.

Tested at 60,000-lbs. concentrated in 4 feet and loads in excess of 120,000 lbs. uniformly distributed, the MXP-120 underwent as many as six types of evaluations to prove its strength and durability. Customer testing of prototypes was also conducted with very favorable results.

This platform trailer is offered in 48-ft and 53-ft by 103-inch wide options. Standard specifications include a 10-ft spread axle with air ride suspension, all L.E.D. lights, Grote’s

Long Life Light System, and full length built-in sliding winch tracks. Additional support options include 12-inch center crossmember spacing and a coil package. Steel and aluminum wheels, and wide-base single tire options are offered as well.

In addition to Great Dane’s booth exhibit, members of the manufacturing and engineering staff along with company experts in sales, parts and service will be available to assist attendees.

Great Dane Unveils New The Composite Van Spec for Heavy Payload Hauls

Rhonda Flathman — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:16:19 +0000

Great Dane Makes Maximum Payloads Possible

LOUISVILLE, KY – The result of Great Dane’s commitment to research and development, The Composite dry freight van’s available specs have been expanded to address the needs of specialty hauls, such as those in the beverage industry and others with frequent heavy floor loads. This new Heavy-Duty Bottom Rail (HBR) lightweight model is on display March 31-April 2 in Booth #34075 at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky.

These new options provide added protection and weight savings without sacrificing strength and durability. The new HBR option features a 21-inch high, one-piece aluminum extrusion that replaces the standard 11-inch bottom rail and eliminates the need for a 6-inch integral steel scuffband. This taller bottom rail adds rigidity to the trailer, reducing sidewall bulging and damage to composite walls. An added bonus is the ease of repair this design offers. Should the bottom rail be damaged, it can be repaired more easily than sidewall panels.

The Composite HBR is also available in a lightweight package option designed specifically for heavy floor loaded operations that also require maximum gross payloads. This spec’s weight-saving features include a composite front wall, aluminum crossmembers, and lightweight side wall panels. For added durability, this lightweight package is available with a heavy-duty 24,000 pound rated floor.

The reduced maintenance afforded by The Composite HBR’s durability is further enhanced with the addition of CorroGuard with Technology by GatorHyde®, Great Dane’s exclusive spray-in-place thermoplastic elastomeric coating applied to suspensions and landing gear that provides complete coverage for long-term protection from road abrasion and corrosion. It is the only solution that allows for complete coverage of trailer sub-frames and landing gears, making CorroGuard far superior to galvanizing options.

In addition to Great Dane’s booth exhibit, members of the manufacturing and engineering staff along with company experts in sales, parts and service will be available to assist attendees.

Great Dane Displays Industry’s Lightest Weight Reefer at Mid-America

Rhonda Flathman — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:51:45 +0000

Great Dane's Classic Truckload Reefer the Industry's Lightest

LOUISVILLE, KY – Furthering Great Dane’s reputation as the industry leader in reefer innovation, its newly redesigned Classic Truckload refrigerated trailer is on display March 31-April 2 in Booth #34075 at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky. Combining traditional strength and timeless excellence for long-lasting dependability, the 53 ft. reefer is further enhanced by featuring company-exclusive products ThermoGuard and CorroGuard, which respectively, help extend the useful life of refrigerated trailers and combat equipment deterioration and corrosion.

Designed to meet the unique needs of today’s truckload carrier, the Classic Truckload offers unmatched protection against everyday abuses of demanding operations, and low maintenance features for extended peace of mind. Backed by the renowned reputation of Great Dane’s original Classic product line, the Classic Truckload delivers superior performance and increased payload mile after mile.

Through engineering and testing, weight was trimmed out of the Classic Truckload, while maintaining its exceptional strength. Its bonded roof construction reduces weight while increasing durability and maintaining optimal thermal efficiency through the lamination process. And its lighter, yet stronger lining is designed to withstand everyday operational wear and tear and protect cargo in the process.

A computer-controlled urethane injection process insulates roof and sidewall components completely, but the addition of ThermoGuard further enhances the trailer’s efficiency.

This revolutionary thermoplastic liner, Great Dane’s exclusive ThermoGuard, has proven through extensive testing to maximize the useful life of the trailer by significantly reducing the thermal degradation that occurs with conventional reefer linings.

Recent testing of some of the first production line ThermoGuard-equipped reefers indicated after nearly five years of service, a loss of thermal efficiency comparable to just one year. Earlier evaluations after six, eight and 20 months of service revealed an almost insignificant reduction in thermal effectiveness.

ThermoGuard’s patented construction features a metallized film that virtually eliminates the outgassing through the liner, which allows the insulation to perform effectively year after year, extending productivity and the useful lifecycle. The durability and puncture resistance of this liner far exceeds all competing products, making it the only reefer lining to offer an all-around return on investment.

By helping to maintain insulation performance over the life of the trailer, the cooling unit will not have to work as hard each year to make up for degrading insulation performance. This advantage helps maintain excess capacity, while lowering cooling unit run-time hours and saving cooling unit fuel. Plus, operational costs are reduced as the cooling unit will run less, consume less fuel, and require less maintenance.

Along with ThermoGuard, the Classic Truckload features CorroGuard with Technology by GatorHyde®, Great Dane’s exclusive spray-in-place thermoplastic elastomeric coating applied to suspensions and landing gear that provides complete coverage for long-term protection from road abrasion and corrosion. It is the only solution that allows for complete coverage of trailer sub-frames and landing gears, making CorroGuard far superior to galvanizing options.

In addition to Great Dane’s booth exhibit, members of the manufacturing and engineering staff along with company experts in sales, parts and service will be available to assist attendees.

Truck-Weight Pilot Program Wins Support

Rhonda Flathman — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 21:44:37 +0000

A pilot program that has allowed heavier trucks to operate on interstates in Maine and Vermont is up for extension, pending final approval of the House of Representatives. A Senate vote this week already approved the provision, which gives trucks weighing up to 100,000 pounds to operate on federal roads, that is set to expire on Friday. President Obama supports the measure, as do a number of trucking industry executives. Growth projections in the U.S. population and freight demand warrant increasing the productivity of trucks by making them larger or heavier, say backers of the measure.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins has persuaded her Appropriations Committee colleagues to include a provision in the government’s pending funding plan that would continue to allow trucks weighing over 80,000 pounds continue running on interstate highways in Maine and Vermont.

Collins, a Maine Republican, said Tuesday that senators had agreed to extend for another year the pilot program that she and Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy (D) have co-sponsored, which allows trucks weighing up to 100,000 pounds to run this year on federal highways in their respective states.

Click here to visit Transport Topics and read the complete story.

Factors aligning to favor more “productive” trucks

Rhonda Flathman — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 16:04:10 +0000

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 25 years. But it’s not technology that’s holding these changes in check, says John Woodrooffe, director of the transportation safety analysis division at the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI). Countries from the United Kingdom to Mexico have implemented similar changes safely with little impact to infrastructure. The biggest hurdle in the United States is the political hold on policies that would affect this.

Concerns ranging from protecting the environment to traffic congestion and highway safety is generating support among policymakers for what’s being called more “productive” commercial trucks—those that are both larger and capable of carrying more freight.

“This is the rare occasion where concerns about the environment, fuel consumption and freight efficiency are all coming together at the same time,” said John Woodrooffe, director of the transportation safety analysis division at the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI).

Click here to visit Fleet Owner and read the complete story.

ATA applauds Obama administration for truck productivity efforts

Rhonda Flathman — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 14:05:08 +0000

Two pilot programs in Maine and Vermont allowing heavier weight trucks access to Interstate Highways there got the green light from the Obama administration to become permanent. The move was applauded by the American Trucking Associations (ATA) as further improving safety and boosting productivity in the industry. Using more productive trucks means fewer trips, ultimately reducing the environmental footprint. On the safety side, granting Interstate access to heavier trucks may reduce the number of truck-involved fatal crashes. Statistics show class of roadway is a leading factor in such crashes, where weight is not.

Heavier Weight Trucks Get Go Ahead in Maine, Vermont
The American Trucking Associations on Wednesday, Sept. 22, applauded the Obama administration for their efforts to make permanent two pilot programs that grant more productive trucks access to Interstate Highways in Maine and Vermont. ATA says it urged Congress to agree to Obama’s request to make the pilot programs permanent.

“We greatly appreciate the president’s support for changes that will improve safety and economic productivity,” says Bill Graves, ATA president and chief executive officer.

Click here to visit CCJ and read the complete story.

Stay off Rhode Island’s Pawtucket Bridge

Rhonda Flathman — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 19:15:10 +0000

For nearly three years since the state of Rhode Island has imposed weight restrictions on the Pawtucket Bridge, drivers continue to cross the overpass, which garners an $85 ticket for ignoring the sign and a $3,000 fine for the company that owns the trucks. With the bridge expected to be complete by 2013, these problems won’t go away any time soon, even despite carriers’ best efforts to make their drivers aware of the detours and consequences. Some say the detour signs can be confusing, and though the state DOT has taken steps to make them clearer, drivers in violation of the less than 18,000 pounds and/or having more than two axles restriction continue to cross it.

Since November of 2007, when the State of Rhode Island imposed weight restrictions and later axle limits on the aging Pawtucket Bridge, which carries I-95, state troopers have issued almost $7 million in bridge-related citations and fines to truck drivers and to the companies for whom they work. Drivers are ticketed $85 for failure to comply with posted bridge detour signs. Fines of $3,000 are also levied against the fleets that own those trucks for violating the 2008 law which imposed the current two-axle limit.

Things are not going to get better soon, either. Bridge replacement is not expected to be fully complete until June of 2013, although all traffic is expected to be crossing over new bridge structures by May of 2012.

Click here to visit Fleet Owner and read the complete story.

Senate Bill Would Allow Heavier Trucks

Rhonda Flathman — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 19:13:40 +0000

A new bill introduced in the Senate would allow states to up the maximum weight for trucks traveling on their interstates beyond the current federal limit of 80,000 pounds. The Safe Efficient Transportation Act is identical to a bill introduced in the House of Representatives last year which would require a sixth axle to help support the additional weight. The American Trucking Associations (ATA), one of the groups backing the bill, says its passage would help reduce the size of the industry’s carbon footprint.

A trio of senators introduced a bill that would allow states to increase the maximum weight for trucks operating on their interstates beyond the federal limit of 80,000 pounds.

Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) said in introducing the Safe Efficient Transportation Act that states would be allowed to “opt in” and increase their weight limits to 97,000 pounds.

The legislation is identical to a bill introduced in the House last March by Reps. Michael Michaud (D-Maine) and Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) and would require the new, heavier trucks to have six axles in order to diffuse the added weight.

Click here to visit Transport Topics and read the complete story.