Self-driving truck startup Aurora Friday announced the development of its next generation of hardware. The company is targeting a commercial debut of the hardware in pilots this year and with the launch of the company’s trucking and ride-hailing businesses to follow in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Before the launch of Aurora’s autonomous trucking and ride-hailing businesses, the feature-complete hardware will debut on Aurora’s Class 8 trucks in commercial pilots and on the company’s test fleet of Toyota Siennas that will hit public roads at the end of this year. The next-generation integrated hardware suite, the company said, features more powerful sensors condensed into a sleek, modular, automotive-grade rack and a new powerhouse computer. “Aurora has years of collective industry experience in developing world-class hardware teams and products,” said Sandor Barna, SVP of Hardware at Aurora. “Aurora’s hardware fuses the best of many generations of hardware development from Aurora and Uber ATG into a single, optimized, deeply integrated system, setting us up for the successful deployment of the Aurora Driver.” Aurora’s hardware comes with new 360-degree cameras, which combine advanced automotive-grade sensor technology with custom-designed lenses. The cameras allow the Aurora Driver – software that plans a safe path through it, and the computer that powers and integrates them both with the vehicle – to detect objects even in challenging lighting situations like facing headlight glare and sun glare, and entering and exiting tunnels. FirstLight Lidar measures the position and velocity of every point it observes to build a dynamic 3D representation of the world for the Aurora Driver. By leveraging FirstLight’s data, the Aurora Driver can track the velocity and compute the acceleration of vehicles over 400 meters away, creating more time for braking and response. Imaging radar is more precise than traditional radar, providing the Aurora Driver with high resolution and broad coverage that complements the data it receives from cameras and lidar. The improved imaging radar sensors on Aurora’s hardware produce precise 3D images despite challenging weather conditions like rain, dense fog, and snow. Aurora’s hardware comes with a powerful machine with a 5x increase in processing power, built-in redundancy for additional safety, and the networking power capacity to operate safely without a safety driver. https://ift.tt/2ytPsnD
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With some trade events cancelling during a COVID resurgence, experts caution that it’s too early to tell if the latest variant of the disease will have any serious economic impact. ACT Research’s 65th Seminar, FTR’s 2021 Transportation Conference, the North American Commercial Vehicle Show and NTEA’s 2021 Truck Product Conference are among industry events that were cancelled by organizers as disease experts continue to warn about the highly contagious Delta variant which has led to breakthrough cases among the vaccinated. “It's much more contagious. That's why it's become so dominant,” said Dr. William Schaffner, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. “You can think of it as outrunning all the other strains.” [Related: Majority of drivers say they would resist vaccine and COVID testing requirements] Though roughly 90% of current COVID cases are of the Delta strain, Schaffner said “the current vaccines do pretty well against Delta,” and though breakthrough cases among the vaccinated are a concern they’re typically “not severe enough to get you into the hospital.” News like that helps to build confidence for analysts at ACT Research and FTR who ultimately say it’s still too early to nail down any significant effects on the market from the latest COVID wave. Amazon“I think the jury is still out on what effect this fourth wave will have on the economy,” said FTR Vice President of Trucking Avery Vise. “As of today, we still do not have any hard data that shows a major impact aside from cancellation of some events. Of course, we're still only a little more than a month into this wave, so it's early yet. Even initial claims for unemployment benefits are still falling as of the week ended August 14. “Wall Street last week seemed to think lower retail sales in July was a harbinger of bad things to come, but I think that's off base,” Vise continued. “Retail sales eased from what was an extraordinary and unsustainable level absent the level of stimulus we got last spring. Moreover, the biggest factor was a drop in automobile and light truck sales, which were destined to fall due to depleted retail inventories.” ACT Research President and Senior Analyst Kenny Vieth said if the Delta variant keeps people homebound their spending will likely shift from experience-oriented events like dining out and traveling to online shopping as was the case during the first wave of the disease last year. “As far as freight goes, we have to remember that people staying at home and ordering stuff was the driver, along with stimulus, of this unprecedented freight cycle,” Vieth said. “If the Delta variant keeps people home, it will actually slow the expected transition from consumer spending on goods to experiences. “So on one hand, the change will be positive,” Vieth continued. “On the other, those sectors of the economy that have been battered like dining, travel, entertainment, etc. are likely to see a slower recovery in a period with less government appetite for stimulus. Fingers-crossed that people get vaccinated so that we can move beyond this renewed period of suffering.” Trade show gamble Regardless of vaccination status, attending large events invites greater risks for illness, Schaffer said. “Let me put it in perspective this way,” Schaffer said. “The infectious disease doctors in this country have an organization called the Infectious Diseases Society of America. It's an academic research professional organization. They have an annual meeting in October. This year, once again, it's virtual.” [Related: Mask-wearing apparently back in vogue as COVID Delta cases surge] For those attending truck-related events, Schaffer expressed additional concern. “I don't like to deal in stereotypes, but this may be a crowd that at least has a substantial proportion of people who still have not embraced vaccine,” he said. “But I wouldn't even think of attending an event without being vaccinated.” Schaffer recommended wearing an N95 or KN95 mask for better protection against COVID. “The N95 and KN95 masks clearly provide a superior barrier,” he said. “That's what we use in healthcare when we go into isolation rooms.” Be sure to cover your nose completely and shave off facial hair wherever the mask makes contact on your face. “There's no point in getting these more efficient masks if you don't wear them correctly,” Schaffer said. If possible, the best option is to refrain from attending large gatherings. “You can see that's what the infectious disease experts are doing,” Schaffer said. “They're staying home and they're being very cautious. They're being very careful about any kind of group events, whether it's to worship, to entertain or anything like that. They're once again kind of withdrawing more and more because of the contagiousness of this Delta variant.” That might also be the approach some trade show attendants are taking too. Rick Ashley, president of Octane Vehicle Transportation Media, noted how attendance at the recent FDIC International in Indiana was sharply reduced from their prior event in 2019. Attendance this year was roughly 23,600, a 32% drop from 2019. “It was very noticeable in the halls and even on the street where you would usually see large packs of firemen traveling together to dinner and so on,” Ashley said of the event which is held annually for fire rescue professionals across the globe. Ashley is heading to TMC’s Annual Meeting & Transportation Technology Exhibition next month in Cleveland. “I’m hosting two press conferences at TMC, so I also see trade shows as a critical way to connect my clients with the media and to connect with them myself,” he said. “I think the precautions put forth by TMC are noble,” Ashley continued. “They’re encouraging mask-wearing and are providing masks as well as asking folks to observe all the hygienic practices we’ve all become familiar with over the last year-and-a-half.” In addition, TMC, according to its website, is asking attendants to get vaccinated, practice social distancing and refrain from attending if feeling ill. https://ift.tt/2ytPsnD Trucking news and briefs for Friday, Aug. 27, 2021: Shipper conditions remain toughFTR’s Shippers Conditions Index (SCI) for June, as reported in the August Shippers Update, fell back to a reading of -12.0 reflecting a continuing tough environment for shippers. Shipper market conditions remain highly negative. Freight rates improved slightly during June, but it was not enough to offset tighter capacity utilization and little change in other components – volume and fuel costs – to hold off the drop in the SCI for the month. FTR’s latest freight volume outlook is slightly weaker at 6.3% growth year-over-year in 2021 down from the previous +6.9% projection. “The capacity situation is expected to remain tight into 2022 and while rate increases are expected to moderate their rates of growth through the next several months, they will for the most part remain in positive territory meaning shippers’ rate relief might feel good, but it is a matter of degrees as rates will still be going up year over year," said Todd Tranausky, vice president of rail and intermodal at FTR. FMCSA looks to quantify number of trucks using COVID-related HOS waiverThe Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is requesting emergency approval from the White House Office of Management and Budget to collect information from motor carriers using the COVID-19 hours of service waiver. The waiver has been in place in some form since mid-March 2020, allowing carriers and truck drivers providing direct relief to the ongoing emergency to operate outside of normal hours of service regulations. The emergency declaration has been extended several times over the last year-and-a-half and is currently set to expire Aug. 31. It’s unclear whether the agency will extend the waiver again. FMCSA said that neither the emergency declaration nor the regulations covering emergency declarations require that motor carriers and drivers operating under the declaration report their operation to FMCSA. “As a result, FMCSA does not know how many motor carriers or drivers are relying on the Emergency Declaration,” the agency said in its request to OMB. FMCSA added that with the “unprecedented period” that the waiver has been in effect, the agency feels it is necessary to seek information “on the number of motor carriers and drivers relying” on the waiver “to evaluate the need for future extensions or modifications.” The agency requested that OMB approve the information collection request within seven days. Locomation, ZF announce partnershipLocomation, a provider of autonomous truck technology solutions, Thursday signed a collaboration agreement with ZF, one of the largest automotive and commercial vehicle suppliers in the world, for joint development of steering units to enhance autonomous truck safety. Under the terms of the agreement, ZF and Locomation will co-develop and test ZF's Level 4 capable ReAX steering systems in real-world conditions. Level 4 ReAX offers full redundancy to achieve rigorous safety standards, which ensure that a system functions correctly and demonstrates the ability to maintain safe operations at all times by detecting and managing faults. Julien Plenchette, ZF Group vice president, Americas, Commercial Vehicle Division, said Locomation's approach to autonomy "offers an opportunity to get to market earlier, which provides ZF with real-world data in order to enhance our technology.” Locomation is aiming to deploy its first product line, Autonomous Relay Convoy, in late 2022, starting with Wilson Logistics (CCJ Top 250, No. 98) and following with PGT Trucking (No. 103) to fulfill the contracts for a total of 2120 trucks between the two customers. https://ift.tt/2ytPsnD With so many zerk fittings and lubrication points on a truck and trailer it can be tempting to seek out a one-size-fits-all grease. In many cases, grease consolidation is not only acceptable, it's a good idea and a money-saver. However, when it comes to chemical composition of greases, applying the wrong one in the wrong spot can be detrimental. Greg Morris, Shell Lubricants' Americas product application specialist and team lead for greases, noted it's important to distinguish "moly" as molybdenum disulfide from organo-moly compounds. "When people talk about moly, they are generally referring to solid additives," he said, "not organo-moly, which is included in formulations as a friction modifier and not as a solid performance additive." Grease color (red, tan, blue, etc.) has very little to do with performance with one exception: Black. Tom Gauerke, national fleet account manager for Chevron Lubricants, said the color black often indicates the presence of moly. "Color is not really indicative of the performances of the grease," he said. "Grease can be red and have different performance characteristics – it could be a different thickness, it could have a different base oil. Typically black would indicate it has a solid lubricant in it such as moly, and we'll have moly greases that have 3% or 5%, and that moly is the solid lubricant that gives you a little bit additional lubrication." Any component on an on-highway heavy-duty vehicle can use a moly grease, but ExxonMobil Commercial Vehicle Lubricants Applications Engineer Paul Cigala noted that U-joint and automatic slack adjuster manufacturers specify that molybdenum disulfide content must be 5% or less so that internal gearing in slack adjusters and needle bearings in U-joints don’t bind up. Need a tutorial on the fundamentals of grease?Check out this week's 10-44 webisode in the video above. "Fleets typically use a molybdenum disulfide containing grease in severe-duty cycle applications where the molybdenum disulfide bonds to the metal surfaces to add an additional wear protection layer as the grease approaches the end of its useful life," he said. "This can also help with extended re-greasing intervals." Gauerke added that misapplication of moly greases on a slack adjustor, for example, can have a negative impact on the components due to the inclusion of a solid lubricant. "[A moly grease] may be excellent for a fifth wheel application, but you do not want to use moly in a slack adjustor," he said. "The slack adjustor, with the worm gears in there, a solid lubricant can cause those worm gears to stick and cause your slack adjustor to fail, which could impact braking or even [ a penalty] on a DOT inspection. When you have worm gears and different types of places that the solid lubricant could actually cause sticking are some applications where you would not want moly greases." Moly – or molybdenum disulfide – is one of a group of performance additives classified as solids or solid performance additives. Solids, Morris said, are any of a group of performance additives that are suspended in a lubricating grease as opposed to those performance additives that are soluble in the oil fraction of the grease. "By far, molybdenum disulfide and graphite are the most common solid additives found in greases, and they are used in applications where you have significant sliding contact such as journal bearings (pins and bushings) or fifth wheels in fleets," he said. "Molybdenum disulfide particles are made up of laminar sheets that are held together by weak attractive forces that allow adjacent plates to slide very easily over each other when shear stress is applied, reducing friction and facilitating sliding motion in plain bearings. This laminar action is best visualized as pushing the top card in a deck and having it slide easily relative to the rest of the deck. The ‘moly’ therefore reduces friction and because it sits between the two mating surfaces and protects them even when there is little or no lubricating oil present in the contact area." Greases containing molybdenum disulfide shouldn’t be used in applications that see excessive amounts of water ingress as the molybdenum disulfide can have a corrosive effect of the metal surfaces, and is not suited for bearings and other components that move at a rapid pace. Moly particles are solid additives that are normally larger than the fluid film developed by the base oil in a high-speed bearing, Morris noted. The higher the relative linear speed, the lower the viscosity required to provide an adequate lubrication film. "Solid additives in those applications bridge the fluid gap and can cause point loading on the surfaces, increase stress and can lead to fatigue and abrasive wear," he said. "In general, solids are not recommended in rolling element bearings at moderate to high relative speeds, such as passenger car and light truck wheel hubs, electric motor bearings or industrial pillow block bearings. It is considered when speeds are low and where sliding contact is predominant." Want to learn more about grease? Check out the video above. Moly or other solids can be added to most greases Lithium complex greases, the most prevalent grease used by fleets and on-highway maintenance providers, can be made with or without molybdenum disulfide, and Cigala said there are other thickener technologies – like Polyureas and Calcium Sulfonates – which can be made with or without molybdenum disulfide as well. "Each thickener technology can provide the needed attributes like better water washout properties, extreme pressure, longer life, and better stay in place capabilities," he said. "OEMs recommend and fleets select greases based on the application requirements." Technicians, when re-greasing, should be mindful of reapplying the same type of grease, moly or otherwise. Most lithium complex greases will become soft when mixed with another grease technology, so fleets who service in-house and on-highway need to make sure the same grease technology is used in both instances. "The NLGI grade is also an important part in grease selection. NLGI 2 greases are widely used across the fleet’s chassis and trailer greased components," Cigala said. "The inclusion of molybdenum disulfide in a grease formulation is a small part to the overall final grease that can provide that extra protection over a grease technology not utilizing molybdenum disulfide by bonding to the metal surfaces to add an additional wear protection layer." https://ift.tt/2ytPsnD Cleveland-Cliffs Steel, formerly known as ArcelorMittal Indiana Harbor, is petitioning the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for a waiver to allow certain drivers to work up to 16 hours a day and return to work without a full 10 hours off-duty. In its request for the waiver, Cliffs said the drivers who would operate under the exemption transport scrap metal on two trucks between the company’s production and shipping locations. The waiver would be similar to one granted to the company in 2016 that allows its drivers transporting steel coils to work the same hours. Unlike the steel coil exemption, the company said, the scrap metal trucks would comply with the heavy hauler trailer definition, height of rear side marker lights restrictions, tire loading restrictions, and the coil securement requirements in the FMCSRs. The drivers covered under the newly requested waiver would travel the same distances and routes as the steel coil drivers in the previously-granted waiver, the company added. FMCSA is requesting public comment on Cliffs’ waiver request, which can be made here through Sept. 27. [Related: Steel company’s on-site drivers receive exemption from 14-hour rule] https://ift.tt/2ytPsnD Ram Commercial introduced Wednesday its 2022 ProMaster commercial van and aimed it squarely at one of the largest commercial customer categories: vocational. The front-wheel-drive, Class 2 full-size van also got upgrades in safety, connectivity, interior comfort and efficiency for the coming model year. A next-generation 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine is now paired to a segment-exclusive TorqueFlite nine-speed automatic transmission – a combination that generates 280 horsepower and 260 lb-ft. of torque while improving fuel economy up to 9% when compared to the previous powertrain. Unique transmission calibration allows for improved vehicle launch characteristics with smooth transfer between gears and enhanced fuel efficiency. Shift logic is adjusted according to grade steepness. ProMaster also includes best-in-class features like standard V-6 power, turning radius, standard interior cargo height, load-floor height, cargo width between wheel wells and maximum cargo width. Ram ProMaster features up to 6,910 pounds of towing capability and a best-in-class 4,680 pounds of payload. The nine-speed TorqueFlite's 4.08 final-drive ratio enables comfortable grade transit under full payload and small ratio steps for mid-range gears help with quicker, smoother transitions between gears. A new electric rack-and-pinion power steering system has been calibrated to deliver a natural steering feel and allows for variable amounts of steering assistance to be applied. The electric power steering system features a turning diameter of 36.3 feet. In Cargo Van configuration with cargo lengths of 8-ft, 10-ft, 12-ft and 13.5-ft, ProMaster features up to 12 tie-down rings with 1,000-lb. rating fold away to maintain a flat floor and five sidewall tie-down rings with 550-lb. rating, easing loading and unloading operations. Available partitions also offer passengers protection against the possibility of load shift in the cabin. The most vertically oriented sidewalls in the cargo van category (nearly 90 degrees in relation to the cargo compartment floor) combined with a best-in-class cargo width of 75.6 inches add up to 463 cubic-feet of cargo space. The 2022 Ram ProMaster will be available on dealer lots in the fourth quarter this year. Ram Commercial will introduce a battery-electric ProMaster in 2023 in response to customer demand. More information will be available at a later date. SafetyThe ProMaster includes the most safety features ever offered on Ram’s full-size commercial van. Standard safety features include Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning, Crosswind Assist, rear backup camera with dynamic gridlines, post collision braking, Drowsiness Detection, Traffic Sign Recognition, push-button starter, keyless entry (all doors) and an electric parking brake. Optional safety features include Intelligent Speed Assist, Lane Keep Assist, Traffic Sign Information, Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Active Drive Assist system, front parking sensors, auto high-beams and cornering function fog lamps and rain-sensing windshield wipers. A 360-degree Surround View camera is also available, offering a 360-degree, bird’s-eye view of the vehicle and its surroundings, which is enhanced by dynamic gridlines displayed on a 7-inch or 10-inch digital touchscreen. Available on all ProMaster models is a digital rearview mirror displays video in real time in all driving modes from a rear-facing camera and can be turned off to revert back to a traditional reflective mirror. The digital rearview mirror is and provides an unobstructed rear view that enhances safety and reduces downtime. Active Driving Assist provides Level 2 automated driving capability and the 2022 Ram ProMaster is available with class-exclusive Active Driving Assist for hands-on-wheel and eyes-on-road automated driving using lane centering with adaptive cruise control. The system uses multiple sensors, including radars and cameras to dictate appropriate roads for the technology. TechnologyThe Uconnect 5 multimedia system is five times faster than the system it replaces, featuring Wi-Fi capability and up to five individual user profiles. A 7- and 10-inch reconfigurable touchscreen displays are available featuring split-screen capability for dual application operation. The 2022 Ram ProMaster features two USB outlets (one fully functional, one charge-only) plus standard dual USB Type C ports that allow devices to charge up to four times faster. An optional 115-volt/150-watt outlet sits right below the USBs. Additional fleet-friendly technology includes Ram Telematics that enables vehicle tracking and driver behavior data to help reduce fuel costs, improve route efficiency and promote safe driving. Ram Telematics also offers real-time vehicle diagnostics and performance data. The new, standard Telematics Module enables nearly 50 service functions on ProMaster, including Firmware Over the Air (FOTA) updates, 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, Alexa & Google Home-to-Vehicle Assistant and Apps Over the Air (AOTA). The new ProMaster features a standard 3.5-inch driver information display in the instrument cluster where fuel gauge and digital coolant temperature display are strategically placed for easy reference while driving. The display is customizable to showcase preset information of the driver’s choice. Available menus include speedometer, vehicle information, fuel economy, trip, information, audio, stored messages, screen setup and settings, and turn-by-turn navigation, if the vehicle is equipped with navigation. A 7-inch, full-color reconfigurable information display is available. InteriorProMaster’s interior boasts a push-button starter, keyless entry for all doors and an available a new leather-wrapped steering wheel with enhanced hand grips. Ram Commercial’s interior designers also updated the steering wheel with electronic system control capability for the shifter, air vents and incorporated redundant HVAC controls and an electronic parking brake. https://ift.tt/2ytPsnD After thousands of miles of real-world testing in commercial trucking, Toyota announced today that it's preparing to take its hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric technology from prototypes to production in its efforts toward carbon neutrality. Starting in 2023, a dedicated line at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK) will begin assembling integrated dual fuel cell modules destined for use in hydrogen-powered, heavy-duty commercial trucks. Fuel cell modules bring Toyota’s electrification strategy further into focus as it will allow truck manufacturers to incorporate emissions-free fuel cell electric technology into existing platforms with the technical support of Toyota under the hood. “We’re bringing our proven electric technology to a whole new class of production vehicles,” said Tetsuo Ogawa, president and chief executive officer, Toyota Motor North America. “Heavy-duty truck manufacturers will be able to buy a fully integrated and validated fuel cell electric drive system, allowing them to offer their customers an emissions-free option in the Class 8 heavy-duty segment.” The dual fuel cell modules, which are a key component of an overall fuel cell kit, weigh approximately 1,400 pounds and can deliver up to 160kW of continuous power. The fuel cell kit also includes a high voltage battery, electric motors, transmission and hydrogen storage assembly from top-tier suppliers. Toyota will also offer its powertrain integration expertise that will help truck manufacturers adapt these emissions-free drivetrain systems to a wide variety of applications in the heavy-duty trucking sector. “This second-generation fuel cell system is necessary for a carbon neutral future,” says David Rosier, Toyota Kentucky powertrain head. “It delivers over 300 miles of range at a full load weight of 80,000 lbs., all while demonstrating exceptional drivability, quiet operation and zero harmful emissions.” Toyota will display this technology at the 2021 Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in Long Beach, California on Aug. 31-Sept. 1. A prototype truck powered by Toyota’s fuel cell kit will also be on display at the show. https://ift.tt/2ytPsnD Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021: Traton-owned Navistar appoints new CEOMathias Carlbaum has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and President of Navistar International Corporation effective Sept. 1, succeeding Persio Lisboa, who has held the position since July 2020. The move marks the first significant management shake up since Navistar's merger with Traton SE, Volkswagen's heavy truck division, was approved last month. Carlbaum most recently had been leading the post-merger management of Navistar on behalf of the Traton Group. Prior to that, he'd served in sales and management roles at Traton-owned Scania, including serving as Scania CV AB Executive Vice President Commercial Operations. Lisboa will retire following a 35 year tenure with Navistar, including stints as COO and CEO. "Mathias Carlbaum is an internationally experienced manager with the right skills and mindset to lead Navistar into this new era as part of Traton Group," said Traton SE CEO and member of Navistar’s Board of Directors Matthias Gründler. "I am welcoming Mathias in his new responsibility. A great thanks goes to Persio Lisboa for his great support before, during and after the merger.” Navistar’s Board of Directors also appointed an Executive Board, effective September 1, 2021, which, alongside CEO Carlbaum, will be made up of five other members. Walter Borst will continue as Chief Financial Officer until he transitions his role to Do Young Kim Jan. 1, 2022. Borst will continue to serve as a member of Navistar’s Board of Directors thereafter. Do Young Kim had been the project lead for Traton’s IPO and merger with Navistar. Michael Grahe, formerly CTO of the Traton Group, will head Operations, which covers the areas of product development and procurement. Current President of Operations, Phil Christman, will remain at Navistar until March 2022 to oversee Mexico and Brazil, as well as transition related tasks and continue reporting to the CEO. Donna Dorsey will retain responsibility for People and Culture. Friedrich Baumann remains responsible for Sales, Marketing and Aftersales. Mark Hernandez will be appointed to the Executive Board, remaining responsible for Manufacturing. OOIDA again rejects driver shortage claims, blames turnover and retentionFollowing a recent recommendation from the International Trade Administration calling on the U.S. Department of Commerce to address the truck driver shortage, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association responded by rejecting the notion of a driver shortage and pointing to retention and driver turnover as the problem. ITA’s Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness recently recommended that the Department of Commerce “take a leadership role to coordinate federal agencies to immediately address the driver shortage that threatens the effectiveness of the nation’s critical supply chains.” OOIDA, in a letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, pointed to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration estimates that more than 400,000 new CDLs are issued annually and emphasized that larger trucking companies routinely report turnover rates above 90%. The group representing more than 150,000 owner-operators and truck drivers outlined several areas that regulators and lawmakers could address that would positively impact driver retention. These include increasing truck parking capacity, providing fair levels and methods of compensation, repealing the exemption that denies truckers guaranteed overtime pay, better driver training programs, and eliminating excessive detention time. OOIDA also noted that FMCSA’s Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee and its new Driver Advisory Subcommittee are working on formal recommendations related to the recruitment and retention of drivers. In the latest driver subcommittee meeting at the end of July, drivers in the group also talked about repealing to overtime exemption for truck drivers and more. Pilot Freight Services partnering with expedited LTL carrierPilot Freight Services has formed a strategic partnership with American Linehaul Corporation to expand its middle-mile expedited LTL services, the companies announced recently. The strategic partnership provides enhanced service levels and offerings for time-definite shipments and the growing volumes of e-commerce products no longer handled by traditional expedited LTL networks. “Bringing the capabilities of these two companies together represents an excellent opportunity to expand capacity and provide a stabilizing influence to counter the volatility in the linehaul and expedited LTL markets today,” said Zach Pollock, chief executive officer, Pilot Freight Services. Operating as a separate entity under the American Linehaul name, ALC founders Enzo & Beth Vartuli will lead the partnership with their key management personnel. American Linehaul will continue to operate as a neutral linehaul provider for the freight forwarding community. Pilot’s full-mile operations continue to benefit from the healthy e-commerce growth within the heavy, bulky product categories. Through this transaction, these segments can meet growing demand free of third-party LTL carrier capacity and other constraints. https://ift.tt/2ytPsnD Manny Tejano took a hard look at the drivers working for his family’s ready-mix concrete business, Carolina Sunrock, in Raleigh, North Carolina. “Our attendance wasn’t great at the time,” Tejano says. “Many drivers either showed up late or were no-shows.” It was time to try something different. So Tejano bought a $300 50-inch TV. He told his drivers that for every week of perfect attendance they would get a raffle ticket. At the end of the quarter, the TV was raffled off. “You would be surprised how much the drivers changed their behavior just to get a chance at getting the TV,” he relates. Incentivize through gamificationThat experience was the genesis of Rocket Start, a customizable app-based gamification system designed to immediately reward employees for desired behavior. Using Carolina Sunrock’s ready-mix drivers as a proving ground, Tejano and his partners are now expanding Rocket Start beyond the ready-mix world, making the app applicable to drivers in other markets as well as to non-driver employees. Using the app, employees earn points and badges, which in turn can be converted to prizes. Reward badges can be tailored to the behavior that companies seek, such as keeping trucks clean, on-time attendance, accurate pre-trips, safe driving and completing trips. Badges are designed to be small, measurable and repeatable. Competition also comes into play. Users can view earned badges, look at a live leaderboard and compete for the highest store. “You can see where you’re ranked by week, month or year,” Tejano says. What do you want to reward?Tejano says Rocket Start’s onboarding process involves a high degree of individual company customization incorporating its goals and priorities. If a company wants to emphasize a certain goal during a certain period – say safe driving – it can adjust the points upward for just that badge in that time period. “It’s been very customizable,” says Jon Harrison, plant manager with Kansas City-based Geiger Ready Mix, which has been using the full-scale app since March. “We can change points values or put an emphasis on certain badges.” Geiger started using the app with its ready-mix drivers and is running a test with its dump and tanker drivers. “Eventually we plan on implementing it companywide,” Harrison says. Each company can determine how many points are rewarded for each behavior. Raffles for larger prizes can be created. The app can also be used to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and career milestones. Rocket Start charges $15 per driver per month. There’s also a manual award system, so a supervisor can hand out an individual attaboy. “I believe in badges also that supervisor hands out,” Tejano says. “It means that a supervisor is paying attention to them.” One definite upside: there’s no waiting for annual performance reviews. “Employees are having fun and they’re engaged,” Tejano says. “They have meaningful, merit-based rewards for their work. It gets them thinking, ‘It’s going to cost me if I don’t show up to work, because I want to have the chance to win some of these things.’” Using Awardco, Rocket Start has 125 gift card partners, including Amazon and Priceline.com. “We even have a driver who's trying to save up for Jamaica vacation,” Tejano says. ResultsRocket StartTejano points to Carolina Sunrock’s success with the app, which it has been using for over a year. “We’ve had some great results from the initial pilot,” he says, “including a 37% decrease in unexcused absences and a 27% decrease in tardiness.” Rocket StartKeith Batts, Carolina Sunrock concrete manager, points out another result: The company’s yards per man hour increased from around 3 to 3.9 to 4.2. Pre-4 a.m. morning pours – which the company awards with extra points – now have plenty of volunteers, he says. And Carolina Sunrock has just created a dash cam badge, which tracks driver behavior such as stopping at stop signs and speeding. “It’s making drivers hold each other accountable,” Batts says, “and it’s helped with driver retention because we’re the only company in our area that’s doing it right now.” “We felt like we needed to reward our delivery professional in a way that brings attention to the individual ways they each contribute,” says Harrison, with Geiger. The company also specifically wanted to target attendance, safe driving and loads hauled. Geiger has seen increased on-time performance. To earn points, drivers cannot be more than 1 minute late for a week. “We’ve been seeing guys come in 5 and even 10 minutes early to make sure they clock in on time,” he says. Why don’t people just do what they’re supposed to do?Tejano hears it all the time: why does it require something like this to get employees to do what they are supposed to do when they accept a job? “We complain as a society that the workers aren't the same, and that's true,” Tejano says. If the construction industry is having recruiting issues – and the average age of a worker is in the mid-40s – guess who needs to change? Younger employees are used to instant gratification and gamification through their phones, Tejano argues. “The construction industry likes to use the stick instead of honey,” he adds. “I think the next generation of people are used to logging into their phones, going onto a game and getting points. This helps bridge the gap.”
https://ift.tt/2ytPsnD Once courtrooms began to re-open following the COVID outbreak last year, one of the first verdicts was against a trucking company. Despite being hailed as heroes in the depths of the pandemic, the verdict topped $52 million. Since 2011, trucking verdicts over $10 million occur about every other month, said Rob Moseley, Founding Partner, Moseley Marcinak Law Group, speaking at the CCJ Symposium in Birmingham, Alabama. Technology creates data, and Moseley said carriers will be held accountable for knowing what the data says and reacting to it – even if you don't. "Every time there's another bell or whistle on the truck, there's more data created," he said, adding that data collection systems include the truck's electronic control module (ECM), collision avoidance, roll stability, event recorders, and electronic log, among others. Moseley noted that on a recent accident investigation, he watched as an expert investigator plugged into seven different locations on the truck to retrieve data. Moseley said it's key that fleets understand what data is being collected by the truck and designate someone to look at it and interpret it. "You're held legally responsible for what that data shows and for what you should have known about what that data was showing you," he said. "After an accident, one of the first things we do is we download the ECM on your vehicle. For the most part, what I see is very passive management of what's on that ECM. What normally happens is the trip (odometer) that's on the ECM is 300,000 miles or the life of the truck, so you get all of this data about this truck that's been running in your fleet for all of this time and what you see is top speed is 92 miles an hour on February 3. You see all this data that until the accident happens you don't know it's there." Moseley said trucking companies often enter a courtroom at a disadvantage with regard to public perception, making cameras and video footage a key defense component considering that passenger cars are at-fault in upwards of 80% of all accidents involving a truck. "Why would we not want to capture that information because we're not winning 75% to 80% of these cases," he said. "There's a lot of reasons for that. Sometimes our drivers just aren't real good at telling the story, but cameras are great at telling the story." When incorporating video as a defense, Moseley said camera angles are important. "I want to see the driver. I want to see that driver is alert and awake," he said. "Forward-facing is good. Rear-facing – I'm a big fan of rear-facing." Moseley noted that he's "not a huge fan of recording a driver 24/7, because I really don't want to see what that driver did more than 30 seconds before the accident." Having the video data is important, but Moseley said what the fleet does with it is even more-so. "We have to review them. Somebody has to watch these," he said. "And then we've to coach." The most important part comes last. "We've got to delete," he said, adding that a hoard of old video files can be used against a driver and fleet, even if the footage is unrelated to an accident. "Let's don't make our good drivers look like bad drivers. Let's get rid of this stuff. After we coach the driver, maybe for a reasonable period of time to show that the driver has learned the skill that we just coached on, we can get rid of it. Once it's no longer useful for the active management of your driver you should get rid of it." Moseley added that it's also important to work with the camera supplier to ensure that once the fleet's file is deleted, it's not backed up anywhere else. Also, never email videos. In many cases, Moseley said fleets don't have an IT policy that automatically deletes emailed files over a given period, in which case "anything you email is in your email forever," he said. Moseley recommends carriers implement data management policies that provide "systematic and orderly ways of getting rid of data that's no longer legally required or necessary for the active management of the driver," he said, adding that a fleet's transportation management system needs to be consistent with this policy. "I would bet 90% of [fleets] are on a TMS that has a page called a driver screen or a driver master or something like that – there's a page for the driver's information – and it is populated by whoever wants to put comments in there about that driver. And that stuff stays in there forever. It never disappears. If a dispatcher's had a bad day with a driver, they might put something in the driver's 'permanent record' and it's there when that driver's been in an accident, and that's not going to help." https://ift.tt/2ytPsnD |
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April 2023
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