Private business will be loath to invest in electric vehicle charging at travel plazas if states install chargers at public rest areas, says the trade group for truck stop operators.

Swedish truck maker Volvo Group says financially ugly short- and medium-term market conditions require stepped-up cost cutting.

Sweden’s Volvo Group is cutting 4,100 white-collar jobs globally in the second half in response to ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. About 15% of the cuts will be contractors. […]

Fleet management solutions provider Samsara looked at 130 million trips since the beginning of 2020 and found truck traffic running at 95% of prepandemic volumes, with more speeding and less hard braking.

Though it no longer can call itself Thor Trucks, electric truck startup Xos is progressing toward regular production with a modular platform aimed at winning partnerships with bodybuilders.

Perhaps motivated by the buzz that newly public rival Nikola is getting, Tesla’s Elon Musk says it is time for the oft-delayed Tesla semi-truck to move to full production. Tesla’s share price crosses $1,000 for first time.

Trevor Milton takes a $1 annual salary as CEO of newly public Nikola Corp., but his net worth on paper is approaching deca-billionaire status based on his 35% share of the battery electric and fuel cell truck startup’s shares.

Surging shares in electric Class 8 truck maker Nikola Corp. could help show the way for other high-tech transportation companies this year.

Daimler Trucks AG is creating a fuel cell subsidiary as a forerunner to a 50-50 joint venture with Volvo Group to make fuel cell-powered backup systems for data centers and eventually hydrogen-fueled heavy-duty trucks.

The gradual restart of the economy includes dine-in restaurants at the travel plazas dotting American highways. Truckers will find socially distanced seating and fewer menu offerings — if they leave their trucks to investigate. Some say they won’t bother.

Daimler Trucks looked at the mileage data of 130,000 trucks it monitors and predicts mileage driven could reach pre-COVID-19 levels by the end of June.

Navistar included only one full month of impact from the COVID-19 pandemic in its loss-making second quarter. How bad will it be for manufacturers who report on a traditional April-June quarter?

Heavy-duty truck maker Navistar reported a $38 million loss in its fiscal second quarter, the first look at the financial damage from COVID-19-related manufacturing shutdowns.

Ongoing COVID-19 impact leads global drivetrain supplier Meritor to trim 230 salaried jobs while partially restoring pay cuts implemented in March.

Near-shutdown of Class 8 truck production in May resulted in stagnant orders as COVID-19 lockdowns took hold.

Battery electric and fuel cell startup Nikola Corp., which surprised the trucking industry by having a “blank check company” back its bid to go public, expects its shares to begin trading under its own name on the NASDAQ later this week.

MoLo Solutions learned about St. Christopher’s trucker charity when competitor C.H. Robinson donated $50,000. MoLo’s pledge per load in May and personal contributions added up to more than $62,000 to help sick and injured long-haul drivers.

With final approvals in hand, German commercial vehicle mega-supplier ZF Friedrichshafen creates a new division for technology supplier Wabco Holdings, adding 12,000 employees.

Donations to the St. Christopher’s Driver Development and Relief Fund continues to pour in as recognition of the driver’s role in delivering critical supplies during COVID-19 pandemic attracts new donors.

Growing competition leads Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corp. to decide against selling medium-duty trucks in the U.S. and Canada after current inventory is sold. Parts and service pledged through 2028.

The numbers game is intensifying as falling used truck prices and swelling inventories persuade fleets to hang on to younger equipment until they can break even.

Fleet Advantage is offering to cash out a fleet’s excess trucks at book value in exchange for a lease that could lead to a new truck sale later.

Fleet Advantage offers book value cash and leasebacks to help trucking companies weather the economic crisis while banking on selling them new trucks down the road.

TravelCenters of America is focusing on franchise growth to close the gap in travel center locations with its larger competitors Pilot Co. and Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores.

One manufacturer’s decision to erase 10,000 Class 8 trucks from its build plan threw the industry into negative territory in April; experts expect scant improvement in May.

In trucking, where uptime can be the difference between making or losing money, major truck manufacturers are rolling out digital tools to speed parts ordering and improve the repair process.

Major truck manufacturers are using digital tools for ordering parts, repairing equipment faster and transporting trucks for service because of staff shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic.

New trailer orders fell to near zero in April as the coronavirus pandemic raised questions of a shakeout of weakened players and consolidation in the equipment sector.

Wabash National felt the COVID-19 pandemic in the first quarter, but the trailer maker said its earlier preparations for a softening market helped offset deeper trouble.

April’s coronavirus impact intensified pricing pressure in an already depressed used truck market where most cash-conserving buyers held back on purchases.

In a rare behind-the-scenes look at a recall, Navistar explains how it found 4,900 trucks suspected of engine-disabling connecting rod failures and why it decided to warn drivers instead of replacing engines in all the trucks.

With a June 2 merger vote that would make fuel cell electric truck maker Nikola a public entity, the company’s book value has quadrupled to $12 billion in the last week.

A year after studying nuclear verdicts in truck crashes, the American Transportation Research Institute is focusing on smaller verdicts as its top research priority while also looking behind the scenes of rising truck insurance premiums.

Toyota subsidiary Hino Trucks is recalling 13,700 conventional body trucks because the negative battery cable is too short, preventing one in five trucks from restarting after being turned off.

Navistar extended CEO Troy Clarke’s contract until July as a buyout offer by Volkswagen subsidiary TRATON Group is on hold amid the cash-devouring coronavirus pandemic.

Interest is rising in Workhorse’s electric truck-based drone delivery system as the company seeks $40 million credit line to scale production.

A dozen companies met all the criteria for efficiency, availability and facilities to earn an overall 2020 FreightWaves Shipper of Choice Award sponsored by Transflo.

Class 8 orders in April plummeted to their lowest level since September 1995 as the COVID-19 pandemic froze new bookings and led to postponing near-term deliveries.

The same health crisis that made TravelCenters of America an essential business during the coronavirus pandemic burned into non-fuel revenue in late March, leading to a first-quarter loss.

In a transformational partnership for a growth-stage company, Platform Science will embed connectivity software at the factory in Daimler Trucks beginning in 2021.

Volkswagen truck holding company Traton Group urges a Euro-style “cash for clunkers” program to boost new truck purchases following lower first-quarter sales, profits and orders.

Plummeting prices make ExxonMobil’s fuel system-friendly diesel formulation that eliminates additives and reduces NOx emissions a better deal.

Less than six months after he was hired, turnaround veteran Jon Pertchik refashions the travel plaza and truck stop business with an emphasis on getting costs in line with spending.

From slashing salaries to borrowing money to get to the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic, suppliers Meritor and Dana are keeping electrification programs on track while slowly restarting production.

Uncertainty beyond loss-making second quarter concerns Daimler leaders, though robust supply chain and cash position suggest fast production ramp-up when economy recovers

Cummins saw a tough environment for most of its segments in 2020 before the word pandemic became common. Now it is depending on its collective experience in managing bad times to pull it through again.

Revenue and profits look bleak for second quarter, but leading engine maker Cummins surprised analysts with better-than-expected first-quarter revenue and profits.

Charging-as-a-service startup AMPLY Power raised $13.2 million from institutional investors Soros Fund Management and Siemens USA as it expands electric infrastructure management to commercial trucking from transit buses

An electric fuel heater in some Cummins’ diesel engines that can overheat and catch fire led Navistar to recall about 50,000 trucks and buses.

Daimler AG revealed difficult first-quarter results, removing mystery from next week’s earnings report, which shows all segments struggling, including its truck manufacturing business.

Rush Enterprises barely felt the impact of the coronavirus pandemic in its new and used truck business in the first quarter, but it is bracing for a much harder hit to come.

Rush Enterprises, the largest seller of new and used trucks in the country, posted solid first quarter results but is concerned about coronavirus-related carnage to come.

Heavy-duty truck maker AB Volvo saw business seize up in mid-March but exited the quarter with lower but still positive sales and profits.

Daimler Trucks and Volvo Group will work together on hydrogen fuel cell technology for heavy-duty trucks, a pursuit both companies have previously shunned in favor of battery electric propulsion.

The largest manufacturer of heavy-duty trucks puts worker protections in place as it tries to make up for production lost to the coronavirus pandemic.

Cummins says Dynamic Skip Fire for diesel engines is promising in reducing smog-forming emissions in line with CARB and EPA goals to lower nitrous oxide pollution from heavy-duty trucks.

Daimler Trucks and Volvo Group, two truck makers lukewarm on hydrogen fuel cells, hedge their bets to leverage Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz fuel cell efforts for heavy-duty trucks.

Market share gains, growing order backlog and record sales of parts buoy truck maker PACCAR despite lower first-quarter revenue and profits

PACCAR Inc. posted decent first quarter earnings despite shuttering its plants in late March because of the coronavirus pandemic. While truck orders cooled, parts sales set a record as the truck maker tries to build on 81 consecutive profitable years.

Daimler Trucks North America is recalling 63,175 trucks dating to 2005 because reflective tape near the mudflaps may be obscured, preventing a following motorist from seeing the truck ahead.

Order cancellations and only essential replacement bookings dropped new trailer orders to just 6,500 units in March. Separately, Wabash National announced a two-week suspension of production and cash-conservation moves.

TravelCenters of America is laying off more than 3,000 employees because its full-service restaurants are idle and stay-home orders keep most motorists off the highways.

The 12-year-old St. Christopher’s Development and Relief Fund has seen a rise on donations. It helps injured and sick semi-truck drivers cover household expenses.

Workhorse Group is seeking additional patent protection for its truck-based HorseFly drone because it thinks touchless delivery will carry over to the post-coronavirus world.

Electric and fuel cell truck maker Nikola gets its pick of candidates as job insecurity led so many to apply that Linked In briefly shut down CEO Trevor Milton’s account.

With benchmark prices down 26% year over year, analysts pin hopes for a used truck sales recovery to the restart of the economy. March was a tale of contrasts with decent sales early in the month that plummeted later as too many trucks sought too few loads.

Navistar makes $300 million in across-the-board cuts to conserve cash but will repay employees with interest for their 10% to 30% pay reductions next March.

Pressures from COVID-19 illnesses at meat-processing plants collide with rules to keep workers safe, making it harder to feed a society that demands convenient access.

In the first known recall investigation delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, PACCAR is recalling nearly a half million trucks because a blown fuse can prevent illumination of antilock brakes or electronic stability control warning lights .

The closing of a Smithfield Foods hog-processing plant in South Dakota cut off 100 daily semi-truck loads of animals to the facility. With few other plants available, farmers may end up destroying tens of thousands of animals that cannot be marketed for food.

Growing awareness of a 12-year-old relief fund for semi-truck drivers is attracting more and bigger donations as the coronavirus pandemic highlights health risks to truckers hauling critical freight.

Nikola Corp. filled VectoIQ’s $230 million public shell company after former Wall Street analyst and General Motors executive Steve Girsky shopped more than 100 smart transportation companies and signed 75 nondisclosure agreements and six letters of intent.

Truckers are being hailed as heroes right now for delivering consumer goods and medical supplies during the coronavirus pandemic, and some believe the industry’s image may get a permanent boost.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety began recognizing major trailer makers three years ago for improving rear-end underride crash protection. Now a smaller trailer maker is joining them.

Cummins could provide feedstock to make several million N95 masks a month by leveraging the same nano-material it uses to stop the fouling of diesel truck engines to protect healthcare workers tending to coronavirus patients.

Improperly lubricated steering axles resulting in two equipment recalls by Meritor Inc. leads to callback of 1,532 Freightliner trucks following Navistar reporting similar issue in 2019.

From President Trump’s Twitter handle to free roadside lunches and children’s Crayola posters, the nation adores truckers hauling groceries and medical supplies during the coronavirus pandemic. Will the good feelings last?

Engine maker Cummins held out longer than most suppliers against the growing coronavirus pandemic, but next week it will idle three plants in southern Indiana.

The coronavirus pandemic resulted in half as many year-over-year orders in a month when comparisons were expected to be easy. With truck makers suspending production, even the paltry bookings will go into backlog.

Major truck manufacturers extend production suspensions as the coronavirus pandemic worsens. J.P. Morgan upgrades PACCAR and holds a neutral rating on Navistar.

Trucking companies have different takes on seeking Small Business Administration loans. Some would prefer financial help go to those that most need it.

Trucking and travel plaza trade groups urge states to cut slack to truckers delayed by overzealous social distancing so critical freight can keep moving during coronavirus pandemic.

One in five of 13,570 recalled trucks is expected to have a brake light malfunction caused by stress on solder joints that can create poor or intermittent electrical contact.

Trucking software developer Idelic is integrating federal safety data with other metrics, enhancing its single platform that can predict which drivers are most likely to be in a crash.

Daimler Trucks North America is adding 700 service bays to its network this year even though near-record sales of new trucks during 2018 and 2019 suggest a lower need for service.

Long-haul truckers practice social distancing by staying in their sleeper berths, uncertain where their next load will come from as manufacturers and retailers shut down.

Rush hour slowdowns and traffic bottlenecks on major freeways are practically non-existent as millions of people stay off the roads during the coronavirus pandemic, allowing truckers to move freight faster.

Research institute and drivers’ group want to hear from motor carriers and drivers about dealing with the coronavirus pandemic and what they would do differently next time

Traffic bottlenecks and highway congestion have practically evaporated during the coronavirus pandemic, allowing freight to get to its destination much faster, according to the American Transportation Research Institute and traffic data provider INRIX.

All four major heavy-duty truck manufacturers now have suspended production for at least two weeks, with market leaders Daimler Trucks North America and PACCAR Inc. the latest to stop building trucks because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Toyota and Hino, its heavy truck subsidiary, are offering few details on an Asian heavy-duty truck fuel cell program that complements Toyota’s Oceans 10 project with Kenworth Truck Co. in the U.S.

Only 1% of trucks covering six model years are expected to have an elongated battery cable that can chafe and lead to an underhood fire.

Supply chain disruption from coronavirus adds Navistar plant in Ohio to truck operations suspending production and pulling earnings guidance.

Engine maker Cummins Inc. joined Volvo and Mack Trucks in suspending production because of the coronavirus pandemic . Cummins and trailer maker Wabash National also pulled their earnings guidance for the year.

In a peak demand year for Class 8 tractors, high-powered engines dominated under the hood, but even a new heavy-haul transmission from Eaton and Cummins doesn’t affect an accelerating trend toward smaller displacement as tougher emissions standards loom.

ACT Research cannot model downturn scenarios fast enough for Class 8 trucks, but high inventory levels make the coronavirus crisis a good time to take a production break as demand is practically nonexistent.

Travel plazas are balancing social distancing to prevent the possible spread of coronavirus with providing food and services to truckers, whose dining options in some cases are limited to drive thru and carryout.

Before the coronavirus became a pandemic, used truck sales posted their best performance in two years as low prices and seasonality combined to boost an otherwise slow market for older equipment.

Travel plazas are balancing social distancing to prevent the possible spread of coronavirus with providing food and services to truckers, whose dining options in some cases are limited to drive thru and carryout.

Crafting a mission statement and values for TravelCenters of America is among myriad tasks veteran turnaround expert Jon Pertchik is taking on in his latest project.