Trucking Equipment

Cashflow Corner presented by TriumphPay …When it comes time to replace tires, whether they are on the tractor or the trailer, more fleets are turning to retreads as a cost-effective alternative to new tires.

Used truck prices in June were changed little month-over-month, but posted a 15% increase over June 2017, according to ACT Research.

Rush Enterprises posted an increase in second-quarter revenue buoyed by strong used-truck sales and significant growth in its aftermarket business, which accounts for 64.8% of the company’s gross profits.

Growth in its dedicated and ChoiceLease programs drove a strong second quarter for Ryder System (NYSE: R), helping the leasing and rental giant surpass earnings expectations for the second straight quarter.

Family owned TEC Equipment operates 26 Mack and Volvo truck dealerships in five states. In June, the company opened a $30 million location in Fontana, CA. Here is a look at that facility.

Daimler Trucks North America is recalling 18,105 2018-2019 Freightliner Cascadia vehicles for a brake caliper mounting bolt issue, the company informed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Covering 14 acres, TEC Equipment’s new Mack/Volvo dealership in Fontana, CA, is designed to improve customer service and features many driver amenities.

Mack will now offer the Lytx DriveCam safety program as a pre-wire option on Granite models, joining the TerraPro and LR cabover models offering the option.

The maker of FreightLiner and Western Star trucks wants its parts business to grow and have stronger brand identification.

One of the largest wasted revenue opportunities for carriers in freight movement is when trailers move less than full. FR8Star has introduced a new partial load service to help change that.

To help alleviate the growing technician shortage, Mack Trucks and Volvo Trucks are partnering with local colleges to develop training programs.

Hyliion has taken steps to help secure its pipeline of technology with the acquisition of Gentherm’s battery division and strategic partnerships with Toshiba and Dana Corp. as it seeks to further its hybrid-electric technology.

Solar power may not be the cure-all for reducing fuel costs, but it can provide assistance and achieve payback in relatively short time if used in the right applications.

To successfully market a new or existing product, a company needs the right mix of product innovation, marketing, sales and promotional efforts. Some companies are finding that outsourcing some or all of these functions can provide many benefits over in-house teams.

Third-party supply chain provider NFI along with Penske Truck Leasing will take delivery of and test Daimler Trucks North America’s (DTNA) electric vehicles.

Ford Motor Co. and Volkswagen AG announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to potentially develop commercial vehicles as part of a strategic alliance.

Penske Logistics has reached agreement in principle to acquire Epes Transport Systems, of Greensboro, NC. The deal, expected to be finalized in the next few weeks, will add over 1,200 units to Penske Logistics.

There is now a bill in both the House and Senate that would repeal the 12% excise tax on new trucks and trailers.

Ag haulers are not only dealing with ELDs and hour-of-service uncertainty, but tariff talk is clouding the future outlook as well.

Daimler Trucks of North America reveals 2 new services that take a very datacentric approach. One of them will improve the driver experience.

No longer just a tire company, Michelin is quickly becoming a “solutions” company as it positions itself as a business its customers can rely on regardless of their needs.

Most may not associate the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) with freight movement, but the organization is working hard to change that and the industry, launching a new transport decarbonization tool on Wednesday.

According to experts, platooning is a “now” technology ready for commercial operations, but there is still some resistance and operational challenges that must be overcome.

Michelin made a statement on Wednesday at the Movin’ On 2018 conference in Montreal when it announced its goal of recycling 100% of all tires globally by 2048 and using 80% sustainable materials in the production of those tires, also by that timeframe.

As fleets adopt more advanced safety system, the issues of initial and ongoing driver training become the primary vehicle to the success of those system.

Trucking interests, led by LTL carriers, have been pushing legislation that would allow 33-foot double trailers on American roadways. Opponents are ramping up efforts to stop it.

Trailers orders dipped month-over-month in April, but for the 17th consecutive month they posted year-over-year gains.

According to at least one analyst, Tesla may be putting its ambitious Semi project on hold as it tries to solve its many other issues, including Model 3 production.

Seeva Technologies believes its targeted washer system will play an important role in the development of advanced vehicle safety technologies by keeping cameras, radar and windshields free of debris.

A Walmart worker loads a trailer inside a distribution center. Private fleets can provide significant value to their broader organizations, but they still must compete for business, which is why customer service ranks so high as a top concern.

Nikola Motor has sued Tesla for patent infringement on its Nikola One, at left. The Tesla model is at right. Nikola claims Tesla violated patents on door placement, wraparound windshield and the fuselage.

Tax changes have made leasing an even more inviting proposition for fleets, says the COO of Fleet Advantage.

Mack Trucks said it will have a fully electric Mack LR refuse truck model with an integrated Mack electric drivetrain operating in North America in 2019 and Freightliner introduced the EconicSD low-entry, cab-over-engine waste collection truck.

Irrespective of who wins the race to deploy the first fully autonomous vehicles, the unanimous view was that in the future, size is going to matter and carriers/OEMs will need balance sheets to be able to survive.

Volvo Trucks has now formally entered the all-electric push with the announcement that its FL Electric vehicle has been introduced in Europe.

Hinting that it has just received a large contract with “one of the most recognized and valuable brands in the world,” Nikola Motor Company announced last week that it will be refunding all monies paid as part of a reservation to receive a Nikola One hydrogen-electric truck.

The FMCSA has formally moved to exempt the MirrorEye Camera Monitor System (CMS) from Stoneridge from federal regulations as the company seeks to begin on-road testing of the system on vehicles without side mirrors.

Clean Truck Programs that remove older trucks from port operation benefit not only the environment, but also productivity, says the program manager of one such initiative.

To help fleets maximize the value of their equipment, Ryder has launched an Airbnb-type sharing platform that facilities the rental of idle equipment to those in need.

Presented by Reliance Partners …Cargo theft doesn’t just happen on the road, it can also happen at the warehouse. To prevent it, leading experts noted some of the approaches that scare away thieves.

Love’s continues to grow, and its need for technicians is growing as well,  which is why it has created an apprenticeship program.

ZED Connect is moving beyond just providing ELDs to collecting and analyzing vehicle data and providing insight into that data back to fleets and owner-operators.

Twenty years after first entering the market, BFGoodrich is reintroducing itself with two new all-terrain tires designed for the growing energy, construction and logging markets.

With truck order forecasts continuing to rise, Mack Truck officials speaking at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville on Thursday reiterated their confidence in a strong economy through the end of this year.

Interest is surging in making the trailer data as visible as that of the truck.

Loss expects at leading fleets say more thought needs to go into package design to ensure cargo is well protected during transit.

Strong sales of new trucks is expected to keep used truck supplies rising. 

Last fall, it was revealed that Hino – traditionally a medium-duty truck company owned by Toyota – would build a Class 8 truck for North America. That truck was unveiled on Wednesday at the Work Truck Show in Indianapolis.