While the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration cannot grant an exemption regarding hair follicle drug testing until further action is taken by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the agency is accepting public comments on a request from the Trucking Alliance to amend federal regulations surrounding drug testing. In an exemption request published in the Federal Register Tuesday, the Trucking Alliance requests that FMCSA "amend the definition of actual knowledge to include the employer's knowledge of a driver's positive hair test, which would require such results be reported to the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse and to inquiring carriers.” Trucking companies who have "actual knowledge" of a driver's positive urine drug test are currently required to report that test result to the Clearinghouse. Currently, federal law requires truck drivers to be tested via a urine sample, and FMCSA said it lacks the authority to grant the exemption until HHS has taken certain action regarding hair follicle drug testing. Hair testing generally offers a longer "look back" window of drug use compared to urine testing – about 90 days versus a range of a few days to a few weeks depending on the drug – and yields more positive tests for hard drugs like cocaine, opioids and meth. Fleets can use the results of hair testing internally to screen drivers, but are prohibited from reporting those results at the Federal level. The FAST Act transportation bill, signed into law by President Obama in December 2015, allows for hair follicle drug testing as a DOT-approved method, but not until HHS establishes guidelines for testing. The FAST Act mandated that those guidelines be developed within a year of the FAST Act becoming law, but HHS did not publish proposed guidelines until September 2020. HHS has not yet issued a final version of those guidelines. Despite not currently being able to take action, FMCSA is still requesting public comment on the Trucking Alliance’s request, which can be made here through Sept. 23. The Trucking Alliance is made up of a group of large carriers, including Cargo Transporters, Dupré Logistics, Frozen Food Express, J.B. Hunt, KLLM, Knight Transportation, Maverick Transportation, Schneider, Swift Transportation, U.S. Xpress, and May Trucking Company. As of July 1, there are more than 135,000 drivers in FMCSA's Clearinghouse and 100,000 of them are still in prohibited status. More than 75,000 drivers haven't started the return to duty process. A study from the Trucking Alliance and the University of Central Arkansas released earlier this year claimed hair drug testing results from Trucking Alliance member carriers suggests that drivers actually use cocaine more than marijuana, and that hair testing would essentially double the number of drivers disqualified for drug use. https://ift.tt/W2mhAGJ
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Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022: Truck tonnage dipped in July after June gainAmerican Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index fell 1.1% in July after rising 0.5% in June. In July, the index equaled 116.2 versus 117.5 in June. “Tonnage declined sequentially in July for only the second time during the last 12 months. Despite the dip from June, tonnage remains at elevated levels and increased significantly from a year earlier,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “While tonnage is much stronger than a year ago, the monthly gains have moderated as the year has gone on. The combination of softer consumption of goods, home construction falling and slower manufacturing activity are the main reasons.” Compared with July 2021, the SA index increased 5.1%, which was the 11th straight year-over-year gain. In June, the index was up 5.6% from a year earlier. Year-to-date, compared with the same period in 2021, tonnage was up 3.4%. The not seasonally adjusted index, which represents the change in tonnage actually hauled by fleets before any seasonal adjustment, equaled 115.5 in July, 5.2% below the June level (121.9). In calculating the index, 100 represents 2015. ATA’s For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index is dominated by contract freight as opposed to spot market freight. Trucking Alliance asks FMCSA to allow carriers’ hair drug testing results to be reported to ClearinghouseWhile the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration cannot grant an exemption regarding hair follicle drug testing until further action is taken by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the agency is accepting public comments on a request from the Trucking Alliance to amend federal regulations surrounding drug testing. In an exemption request published in the Federal Register Tuesday, the Trucking Alliance requests that FMCSA "amend the definition of actual knowledge to include the employer's knowledge of a driver's positive hair test, which would require such results be reported to the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse and to inquiring carriers.” Trucking companies who have "actual knowledge" of a driver's positive urine drug test are currently required to report that test result to the Clearinghouse. Currently, federal law requires truck drivers to be tested via a urine sample, and FMCSA said it lacks the authority to grant the exemption until HHS has taken certain action regarding hair follicle drug testing. The FAST Act transportation bill, signed into law by President Obama in December 2015, allows for hair follicle drug testing as a DOT-approved method, but not until HHS establishes guidelines for testing. The FAST Act mandated that those guidelines be developed within a year of the FAST Act becoming law, but HHS did not publish proposed guidelines until September 2020. HHS has not yet issued a final version of those guidelines. Despite not currently being able to take action, FMCSA is still requesting public comment on the Trucking Alliance’s request, which can be made here through Sept. 23. The Trucking Alliance is made up of a group of large carriers, including Cargo Transporters, Dupré Logistics, Frozen Food Express, J.B. Hunt, KLLM, Knight Transportation, Maverick Transportation, Schneider, Swift Transportation, U.S. Xpress, and May Trucking Company. Universal Logistics Holdings subsidiary partners with TeamstersSouthern Counties Express, a subsidiary of Universal Logistics Holdings (CCJ Top 250, No. 26) has announced a new partnership with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local Unit 848 providing drayage services in-and-out of the Southern Californian ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. In a careful negotiation, the parties reached a "best in class" arrangement that is firmly anchored by a strong labor agreement. The agreement will provide the local membership with great benefits, and Universal's customers with AB 5-compliant and reliable services in the Los Angeles and Long Beach drayage market. The partnership between Southern Counties Express and the Teamsters Local 848 will add hundreds of good paying, union jobs to the southern California economy, ULH said. "We are extremely excited to extend our relationship with the Teamsters to the Los Angeles/Long Beach drayage market,” said Universal's Chief Executive Officer Tim Phillips. “Universal has been in partnership with the Teamsters for over 20 years, and our nearly 2,000 current Teamster members have long provided our many customers with superior service and trustworthy capacity." Orange EV expands electric yard tractor rental programElectric yard tractor manufacturer Orange EV has expanded its yard truck rental program to offer the largest electric spotter rental fleet across the United States, the company announced this week. The all-electric rentals are now available in 48 states, providing increased uptime and reduced costs. Founded in 2012, Orange EV was the first US-based manufacturer to offer 100% electric Class 8 vehicles and the first to offer electric yard truck rentals. The company now has more than 450 electric yard trucks — with more than 40 in its growing yard truck rental fleet — operating in all sectors of trailer and container handling operations while meeting the most rigorous duty cycles and 24×7 shift schedules. Orange EV rental customers are up and running quickly utilizing a proven, hands-on launch process honed over six years and hundreds of successful electric truck deployments. Site personnel receive onsite driver’s training, adapting quickly to familiar yard trucks. Charger installation is straightforward since most sites already have the electrical capacity needed for Orange EV’s “matched pair” solution: portable charging cabinets and unique low-voltage trucks, all designed and manufactured by Orange EV. https://ift.tt/rv17Oht Over the years, truck makers have adjusted vehicle specs to make trucks very fuel efficient. But even with all those improvements, the way a truck is driven still plays a significant role in the fuel economy equation. I was talking to Allan Dahringer, director of maintenance at Mesilla Valley Transportation (CCJ Top 250, No. 71), about this topic. His opinion is that the attitude of the driver is key to fuel efficient driving. Drivers with positive experiences with dispatchers, driver coaches, service writers and other people within a fleet are going to feel more connected to the fleet and therefore will be more invested in seeing that they maximize fuel economy when they are behind the wheel. Dahringer also cited patience as a quality that helps drivers be more fuel efficient. “I would like to see drivers be more patient when taking off from a stop,” he said. “Even though we have custom tailored the ECM to do what we want, when the driver takes off from a stop, he needs to gingerly get on the throttle – not to the point of impeding traffic, but just slowly take off.” He also is a fan of limiting idle and said that today’s trucks don’t need to be warmed up. “Drivers need to start their trucks, build air pressure and start going down the road," he said. "If the motor is running, the truck ought to be doing something not just sitting still. It should be moving down the road.” Dahringer is also a big fan of allowing a vehicle to coast. “This means the driver’s foot is off the throttle," he said, adding that he is not advising coasting down a big hill at an enormous rate of speed, rather coasting within the parameters of the posted speed limit. In addition, he challenges drivers to step back out of the throttle a mile before a predicted stop and let the truck coast to a stop. He also suggests that driver plan stops. “If you are going to stop, don't stop at a rest area that is on an uphill grade because when you leave, you are going to need a lot of horsepower to get the truck moving," he said. Outside of the driver’s control is the maintenance of the vehicle. However, drivers should report any issues with the truck on their DVIRs to ensure their trucks are in top condition. “Make sure the tire pressure is where it needs to be," he said. "Make sure the trailer is pulling straight behind you and make sure the fifth wheel is greased properly.” When it comes to drivers and fuel economy, Dahringer said it is a lot of little things that add up to fuel savings rather than one big thing. “Watch your idle, coast when you can, drive slower, plan stops, etc.” He suggests fleet managers build driver incentive programs that reward drivers for good fuel economy. “That usually gets their attention,” he said. “Once you start paying drivers for saving fuel, they get onboard pretty quickly.” https://ift.tt/rv17Oht With Saudi Arabia talking of slowing oil production and pundits sounding the alarm on an oil tax increase in the Inflation Reduction Act, prices at the pump could very well be on the rise again following a welcomed decline. Fuel prices have been trending downward with the national average price for regular gas dropping 12.6% month over month to $3.89 Tuesday, according to AAA, while diesel fell 9.3% to $4.97. However, tough news in the overseas oil market and in the U.S. has some analysts warning that falling prices may be short-lived. Saudi Arabia announced this week that it and other OPEC+ member nations may squeeze oil production given market volatility, according to Bloomberg. The news drove up the price of Brent crude 1.1% to $97.53 a barrel on Tuesday. Another cost pressure on oil is expected through the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act, which critics say continues the Biden Administration’s work of propping up renewable energy production while squeezing petroleum-based fuels. “The losers are fossil fuels,” The Wall Street Journal editorial board reported recently in an opinion piece following IRA passage. “The bill imposes a new 16.4 cents a barrel tax on crude oil [in 2023] and doubles the current excise tax on coal production. It also includes a new methane fee, though it’s unclear how it will be administered. These taxes along with multitudinous subsidies for renewables will reduce fossil-fuel investment. That’s clearly the goal.” U.S. Oil and Gas Association President Tim Stewart told Fox Business that the barrel tax was only part of the story. “There are some other things in there besides that very visual 16-cent fee per barrel, which will have obvious impact on consumer prices,” Stewart said during Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street. "The more residual long-term impact is what’s happened to the federal lands component and the number of hidden fees and taxes that are going to be put particularly on the smaller producers as they move forward to conduct federal leasing. That’s an equal if not greater concern for American consumers.” Not everyone thinks the IRA will hurt the oil industry. Dan Eberhart, CEO of Canary, one of the largest oilfield service companies in the U.S., said the heavy subsidies that the IRA lays out for renewable energy interests, including major oil companies that have been pivoting to alternative fuels, will make for a smooth transition away from fossil fuels. “The IRA should allow domestic oil and gas companies to transition at a reasonable pace, providing space for continued investment in oil and natural gas supply while encouraging the industry to advance decarbonization plans over time,” Eberhart wrote in an article for Forbes. “It takes a ‘more now, less tomorrow’ approach to oil and gas – a policy that is gaining more traction around the world in the aftermath of the Ukraine crisis.” Saudis start late as alt fuel muscles inWhile the IRA helps oil companies step up investments in renewable energy and reinstates the largest oil and gas lease in U.S. history (the 81-million acre Lease Sale 257 in the Gulf of Mexico), the industry as a whole is up against greater challenges and mixed messages that can ultimately hamper production, said Patrick DeHaan, Gas Buddy chief petroleum analyst.“I don't know that [Lease Sale 257] will make much difference since the president kind of flip-flopped on allowing production then cracking down on leases, then allowing, then cracking down,” DeHaan told CCJ. “There's mixed signals that the president's sending to oil companies that may still prevent them from wanting to raise production as quickly as possible.” [Related: Larger carriers cashing in on fuel surcharges] Failing to step-up production at the right time relative to market demand can lead to higher fuel prices, which DeHaan said was the case for OPEC+ following the COVID lockdowns. “OPEC's inability to have read the markets accurately is absolutely having an impact,” DeHaan said. “I knew that starting in July of 2021, when they started increasing production, it was way too late. OPEC is famous for dragging its feet. “The Saudis and OPEC have let it go too long, and you can't make up for the lost time now,” DeHaan continued. “You cannot make up for all the days that they didn't produce 35 million barrels as a cartel. There's no way to make up on that. And now they're in a tough spot of not having spare capacity as a result. So the market came back too quickly. They underestimated, and that policy is having an impact on what we're paying.” Another factor leading to higher diesel prices, DeHaan noted, is increased production of renewable diesel, which brings in more cash for refineries since the fuel is heavily subsidized. "The government's timing is challenging," DeHaan said. "They're incentivizing renewable diesel so hard that refineries that had been producing traditional, non-bio diesel during the pandemic said, 'Hey, there's a huge incentive for us to do this.' And guess what? Now the price for diesel has skyrocketed partially because some of that refining capacity has been converted to renewable diesel." https://ift.tt/rv17Oht Daimler Truck North America and Waymo, Google parent Alphabet’s autonomous driving division, are set to kick off public testing of the first-ever redundant autonomous class 8 trucking platform across Phoenix and Dallas in the next few weeks, calling it "an important step forward for the widespread deployment of autonomous trucks." The two companies – who in October 2020 announced a global strategic partnership – have autonomy earmarked as a potential solution to several trucking-specific problems: safety (4,000 people died in large truck crashes in the U.S. in 2020), capacity (asset utilization rates are around 50% and about one-third of all driven miles are empty) and driver recruitment. As of today, there is no production ready, scalable, fully redundant Class-8 truck platform, noted Boris Sofman, Waymo’s head of engineering for trucking. However, Waymo and DTNA are seeking to jointly develop the first-ever redundant, Level 4 ready truck platform powered by the Waymo Driver – a platform that includes ensuring compatibility with Waymo technology; aligning system requirements and specifications; testing and validating requirements and specifications; and implementing redundant features, such as steering and braking. The Waymo Driver itself is a hardware and software suite that includes radar, lidar and camera sensors. While the base model for the platform is an off-the-rack Freightliner Cascadia, in order to provide a Waymo Driver ready truck DTNA executed more than 1,500 Waymo Functional Requirements, including modifications and/or additions to the truck's hardware and software. The Waymo Driver, currently on its fifth generation, hauls everyday between north, central and south Texas, but there is a human safety driver in the truck. Many of the aforementioned modifications, according to Engineering Lead for Waymo’s OEM program Jason DiGrande, are to include layers of redundancy for added safety and capability when a human driver is eventually removed from the cab. System redundanciesLevel 4 is widely considered the first "driverless" level of autonomy. Often referred to as "high-driving automation," Level 4 autonomy requires no human interaction to operate a vehicle between two set points. With no human to take over in the event of a system failure, Sofman noted that redundancies become a critical part of vehicle operation. Redundant brake and steering systems are designed to be fail-operational, ensuring lateral and longitudinal controllability to bring the vehicle to a safe state. Two electronic brake controllers guarantee brake performance in the event the primary system fails. Primary and secondary electronic braking system (EBS) controllers offer precise and reliable controls to decelerate the truck and the trailer. Should primary EBS encounter any critical faults, the secondary EBS will take over to execute a Minimal Risk Maneuver (MRM) – or get the vehicle to the safest condition possible. Primary and secondary EBS have dedicated low-voltage Powernet and CAN Communication to protect against any single point of failure. An electronic parking brake gives the Autonomous Driving System (ADS) the ability to apply and release truck and trailer park brakes with CAN signals. Should there be any failures in the electronic parking brake that prevent the ADS to apply park brakes, CAN communication to the EBS will trigger the EBS to pneumatically activate the parking brake. The steering system is equipped with two servo motors for backup support in case of an electronic or hydraulic failure. Both servo motors receive steering torque demand from the ADS and provide the requested steering angle and steering rate in parallel. Should any one of the servo motor experience a fault, the second motor fully takes over to provide required steering commands to execute the MRM. Driven by the need to "reinvent how we can generate the power for this system," Daimler Truck North America Director of Engineering Suman Narayanan said a new 48-volt alternator is used to make more power at a higher voltage, but "the vehicle still remains at a 12-volt architecture.” If the alternator can no longer send power back to the battery – if a belt breaks, Narayanan theorized – battery storage has been increased by 50%, which would continue to supply the system as it executes its MRM. A high speed CAN flexible data rate (CAN FR) provides network communications up to 5Mbps on critical controllers, compared to standard CAN2.0 communication speeds of 500 to 600 kbps. Redundant CAN communication to critical controllers ensures that vehicle can always fulfill core controllability and performance criteria demanded by the ADS. With so much data flowing through, to and from the truck, Secured Onboard Communication (SecOC) is implemented on several critical controllers to verify and authenticate commands from the ADS to prevent a cyberattack, and it ensures that the vehicle can detect and protect itself from any unauthorized threat. Going to marketWaymo has developed several trucking pilot partnerships (Uber Freight and J.B. Hunt, among them) that Sofman said his company uses to develop "operational best practices... and learn how our product matches what customers expect.” The next logical step, though, will be to eventually remove the safety driver from the equation and make the Waymo Driver commercially available for spec – going from a Waymo owned and operated fleet, Sofman said, "to one where a customer would purchase a truck from Daimler that would have a Waymo Driver.” As the platform builds commercial scale, DiGrande said he expects the Waymo Driver upfit to happen on the Freightliner assembly line (with all the Waymo Driver components coming from Waymo) and all ongoing maintenance to be handled at the dealer-level. https://ift.tt/rv17Oht Technology news and briefs for the week of Aug. 14, 2022: McLeod releases expanded market analysis toolTrucking software provider McLeod Software has expanded its MPact market analysis tool. The company has released MPact PRO, which extracts elements from only the data on loads that have actually moved, breaking down nationwide truckload lanes in great depth so customers can create a detailed picture of capacity and volume in markets and evaluate the rate landscape. McLeod aims to help customers save money and obtain the freight they want with insight provided by the new features of MPact PRO. MPact PRO now allows customers to discriminate between spot and contract rates. Whether customers need to know how rates change over time using rate trends, or how rates are distributed through time using rate analysis, they can see how important contract rates are or aren’t to a given market lane. It also measures bounty, defined as profit relinquished by a carrier or broker, based on their specific profit targets or based on the market at large, allowing them to earn more money with the business they already have, dissecting by equipment type, origin market, destination market, length of haul, commodity, market buy rate segment, market sell rate segment and transaction type and profit. This latest release also provides benchmarking, organizing a customer’s view of their current and historical business and prioritizing the market lane pairs based on volume and rates to allow for a complete understanding of the rates they charge as compared to the industry rates. Customers can differentiate between average market rates and median market rates; view the market total volume against their own order count; and get a sense for how many carriers or brokers are currently participating in a given lane in the time frame being examined. New mobile app advances freight procurement automationSleek Technologies has launched a new self-service mobile app for small- to medium-size carriers to advance freight procurement automation by providing carriers direct access to large, reputable shippers with high load volumes. The app, which combines all the features of Sleek’s existing driver and fleet portals into one solution, uses machine learning to match shipper load requirements with carrier attributes. Once a load is matched to a carrier, it becomes available for the carrier to submit an offer, which is only accepted when the carrier bids at or under the shipper’s designated truckload price. If accepted, load statuses are automatically updated into the shipper’s designated TMS via enabled APIs. The entire process happens behind the scenes and is seamlessly integrated into the shipper’s TMS. “Sourcing the right carrier, at the right time, at the right price has been a struggle for many large shippers because most only have direct access to less than 1% of today’s capacity through contracted carriers,” said Sleek Technologies CEO Mike Nervick. “By automating freight procurement, large shippers leverage AI-powered technology to remove intermediary barriers and expand direct access to compliant, out-of-network, asset-based capacity, which saves massive amounts of time and money.” Shippers save by not having to pay hidden margins because carriers set the price, allowing them visibility into true market cost. It also enables carriers to make more money because 100% of the carrier’s bid goes to the carrier by eliminating the middleman. The company said this technology has helped it deliver 96% on-time delivery. The app, available as a native mobile application or web for desktop users, also offers new features like in-app notifications, a more expansive load board and contactless location tracking throughout the load execution process. E2open expands partnership with Shippeo to level up visibilityConnected supply chain SaaS platform E2open Parent Holdings Inc. and real-time multimodal transportation visibility provider Shippeo have expanded their partnership to provide clients with an additional level of native real-time transportation visibility (RTTV) and supply chain execution management via a unified platform to support businesses in improving efficiency, reducing waste and operating more sustainably across the supply chain. The two companies originally formed a partnership in 2020 that alerted shippers to transportation delays. The expanded partnership provides clients a higher level of transportation visibility by enabling users to peer inside the truck or container to understand the specific goods being moved and how transportation performance will impact the customer experience while also allowing them to make corrective actions. “Adding Shippeo’s visibility to e2open’s platform is a game-changer for the industry because it allows clients to remove data and decision silos, to drive efficiency and sustainability across the ecosystem of partners as they make, move and sell products and services,” said Pawan Joshi, executive vice president of products and strategy for e2open. “Importantly, this expanded partnership creates shared value for shippers, carriers and forwarders to foster a healthy, agile and effective supply chain ecosystem.” He said that shared value, in addition to accurate and timely decision-making, creates a greater return on investment for all parties. Shippeo, which guarantees ETA accuracy with a formal service-level agreement, offers carriers real-time multimodal transportation visibility, honoring full compliance with global data management regulations and operating on a strict “need to know” basis, with a commitment against developing freight matching solutions. It provides high-quality data and better predictive results by using artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms. Logistics tech provider to pay port fees under new initiativeCDL 1000, a logistics technology provider of supply chain solutions and drayage services, has launched a new initiative that aims to save shippers up to half of their overall transportation costs by reducing port demurrage and rail yard storage fees, ultimately benefitting other transportation providers and the end consumer as these fees get passed along until products reach store shelves. The company is promising a 24-hour turnaround to pull any container and clear it out of a U.S. port or rail yard on behalf of its new and existing customers and will pay for those fees via an escrow account if it does not meet that promise. The company claims this could reduce shippers’ late fees and storage costs, which can cost millions of dollars each month, by 20% to 50%. This allows shippers to more accurately forecast and budget their overall transportation costs, helping them allocate resources to other parts of their business to maximize efficiency. “The supply chain is under immense pressure to deliver goods, and companies are racking up extra costs by letting containers sit idle in ports and rail yards,” said Koz Hara, executive vice president at CDL 1000. “We’re putting our money where our mouth is. Our promise of moving containers on time or paying demurrage fees is our way of flipping the supply chain on its head and helping customers drastically reduce their overall transportation costs. We’re going to support customers any way we can, and our bank is open.” The top five most expensive global ports for detention and demurrage fees on cargo containers are all in the U.S., where charges have increased during 2022 and fees are two to three times higher compared to other ports around the world. https://ift.tt/rv17Oht Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022: McLane adding three electric Volvos to fleetMcLane Company is taking delivery of three Volvo VNR Electric trucks to provide zero-tailpipe emission deliveries in Southern California. The Volvo VNR Electric trucks are the first Class 8 electric tractors that will be on the road for McLane and will operate on the highways and city streets of the Los Angeles metropolitan area, transporting products to McLane’s customers, including leading convenience and grocery stores. “McLane is a dedicated environmental partner supporting its customers in their sustainability goals and aligning well with Volvo Trucks’ own commitment to quieter cities, cleaner air, and efficient, sustainable transport,” said Peter Voorhoeve, president, Volvo Trucks North America. “The adoption of battery-electric trucks continues to expand in Southern California and our dealer partner TEC Equipment has been invaluable in providing support to customers as they begin their electromobility journey.” Through McLane Grocery and McLane Foodservice, McLane operates more than 80 distribution centers and one of the nation’s largest private fleets. The company buys, sells, and delivers more than 50,000 different consumer products to nearly 110,000 locations across the nation. As part of its Green Advantage initiative, McLane has made significant operational improvements that will not only reduce its environmental impact, but also make it a better and more efficient company. The three VNR Electric trucks McLane is integrating into its fleet feature Volvo Trucks’ adaptive-loading system, which helps improve energy efficiency. The adaptive-loading system switches automatically between 6x2 and 4x2 drive-axle configurations using a forward axle that lifts tires off the ground when a trailer is empty, nearly empty, or carrying a light load. McLane’s Volvo VNR Electric trucks have an operational range of up to 275 miles and were designed as sustainable transportation for fleet operators looking to decarbonize their distribution, supporting local and regional pickup and delivery, and food and beverage distribution. To support its new battery-electric trucks, McLane has installed a 62.5 kW charging infrastructure that includes two ChargePoint Express 250 Stations. “We are excited to add these new battery-electric tractors to our fleet,” said Tony Frankenberger, chief executive officer, McLane Company. “McLane is committed to improving the communities we serve and to exemplify the innovation and leadership needed to help our customers meet sustainability goals with the adoption of zero-tailpipe emission battery-electric vehicles.” ACT Class 8 Tractor Dashboard negative for fourth straight monthAccording to ACT Research’s recently released Transportation Digest, the top line on the Class 8 Tractor Dashboard was unchanged in June, the fourth month of moderately downbeat readings. “Our interpretation is a gradual erosion for Class 8 market demand in the second half, but no ‘spiral down’ and certainly not a ‘cliff event’,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s President and Senior Analyst. “With talk of recession in the air, we think the Dashboard reading, while negative, still suggests a better outcome for Class 8 than was the case in our last two recessions (COVID 2020 and the 2008-2009 Great Recession).” Vieth noted that when looking at the various metrics that make up the index, “we did see some very modest improvement in the freight-related metrics, with two categories exiting negative territory into neutral.” Yet, the number of positive readings in June were cut in half to just two of 15 possible variables being positive, he said. “For readers who are new to this framework or want a refresh, we believe that the dashboard offers a three- to six-month forward-looking window into conditions in the U.S. tractor market,” Vieth said. Sysco drivers in Louisville vote to join TeamstersMore than 100 truck drivers at foodservice distributor Sysco’s terminal in Louisville, Kentucky, have voted, by a nearly 3-1 margin, to join Teamsters Local 89. In unionizing, the drivers were seeking increased pay, better benefits, improved safety, and fair work rules. "Local 89 put a lot of work into helping the drivers win this election, and we're happy as can be to represent these folks," said Avral Thompson, President of Local 89. "Now it's time to get to work and help them win the best contract possible." Once the election is certified, Thompson said Local 89 will kick off proposal meetings and begin the bargaining process. "This was a very long, drawn-out process, but we were determined to win union representation,” said Cory Browning, a driver who has worked at Sysco for more than seven years. “It was eye-opening to see the company spend millions of dollars trying to keep the union out. Their response made it even more apparent that they [management] knew we were worth more.” The International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 10,000 Sysco workers nationwide. https://ift.tt/2z9XE1j Pilot Company is partnering with autonomous trucking company Kodiak Robotics to develop autonomous truck services at Pilot and Flying J travel centers. Pilot Company has also made a strategic investment in Kodiak and will join the company’s Board of Directors. An Atlanta-area autonomous truckport is already under development to evaluate potential service offerings and explore scalable solutions. Services will include spaces to pick-up and drop-off autonomous trucking loads; conduct inspections; maintain and refuel trucks; and the ability to transfer data for processing, such as feature development and mapping. John Tully, Pilot Company vice president of strategy and business development, said combining Pilot Company’s nationwide network of travel centers and services with Kodiak’s technology will play a crucial role in the deployment of autonomous trucks. As part of the partnership, Kodiak will lend its expertise as Pilot Company looks to integrate autonomous truck services into its operations. Pilot Company has the fourth largest tanker fleet in the U.S. with more than 1,600 trucks that supply DEF, bio and renewable fuels and provides hauling and disposal services to the oil field sector. The partnership will also further define service and maintenance requirements, operational necessities, facilities planning, and more to meet the needs of autonomous trucks. Kodiak in July announced a partnership with 10 Roads Express, a provider of time sensitive surface transportation for the U.S. Postal Service, expanding the company’s service to Florida. Earlier this year, Kodiak announced a new route between Dallas and Oklahoma City with CEVA Logistics and a route between Dallas and Atlanta with U.S. Xpress. The company has been delivering freight commercially since 2019 and currently has six routes that run regularly between Dallas and Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Atlanta, Oklahoma City and Jacksonville, Florida. https://ift.tt/2z9XE1j One of North America’s largest weigh station bypass services is now offering an additional safety feature to help drivers prepare for inclement weather events and prevent weather-related accidents. Drivewyze has integrated its technology with the National Weather Service to provide almost real-time severe weather heads-up alerts on impending dangerous driving conditions via its Safety+ driver notification platform. The feature, which employs geofencing technology to pinpoint extreme or severe weather occurrences up to 50 miles away, gives drivers time to slow down, alter routes or pull over. C.R. England and Western Express’s use of Drivewyze’s geofencing function prompted the software provider to develop the new service across the U.S. Western Express created its own weather alerts around major interstates using Drivewyze’s geofencing capabilities to give its drivers a heads up on incoming snow, chain requirements, when states aren't allowing empty trailers to be transported due to weather conditions and heat advisories for flatbed drivers so they would be reminded to hydrate. “We invest heavily in technology, and we know the alerts we put out there worked,” said Western Express Director of Safety Daniel Patterson. “We saw a reduction in our accident rates. That’s why we were involved in the beta test, providing feedback to Drivewyze. Now that testing is complete, we’re excited about Drivewyze going live with the severe weather alerts; it takes what we and others were doing manually and builds it out exponentially. It’s something that’s going to have an impact on reducing accidents, while making life easier for drivers behind the wheel.” According to data from the FMCSA, weather is a factor in 20% of truck crashes that result in death and 12% that result in injuries. “Every year we hear of cars and trucks that hit a wall of fog or an area where an ice storm made the interstate an ice rink, causing a major pileup. Tornados, extreme high winds, and wildfires – causing dense smoke -- are occurring more frequently. And, earlier this summer, a dust storm in Montana caused virtually zero visibility -- killing several people who couldn’t see cars or trucks that were stopped ahead,” said Drivewyze CEO Brian Heath. “We collect critical risk information from our data partners and use it to warn our subscribers before they get caught in a serious situation.” The tool, which is being rolled out to all compatible electronic logging devices, provides in-cab alerts displayed on the ELD. Safety+ is an always-on service and does not require third-party navigation services to be running, meaning the weather alert feature is always on, though alerts discontinue when the weather threat passes. Severe weather alerts is one of several proactive alerts on the Drivewyze Safety+ platform, which also offers alerts for high rollover areas, low bridges, steep grades/runaway ramps, real-time congestion, areas known for high speed citations, high-alert areas for cargo theft and parking availability at rest areas. “While all the alerts we offer are designed around driver safety, we feel the severe weather alerts are extremely important since weather is often a contributing factor in an accident; it’s why it was something fleets and drivers requested from Drivewyze,” Heath said. “These alerts give drivers ‘eyes’ to something they can’t see ahead. They’re a way to protect drivers, the motoring public and the cargo and company they work for. It’s a critical component to making a fleet safer.” https://ift.tt/2z9XE1j Cummins and middle-mile autonomous truck tech startup Gatik announced Tuesday a collaboration to integrate Gatik's autonomous driving system with Cummins’ advanced powertrain solution in Gatik’s fleet of medium-duty trucks. Cummins will work closely with Gatik’s engineering team to provide additional technical expertise. Gatik’s collaboration with Cummins is part of Gatik’s platform-agnostic commercialization strategy, enabling the company to integrate its autonomous driving system with multiple OEMs, and across a range of vehicle platforms powered by Cummins. Under the collaboration, Cummins will utilize its suite of advanced software features to integrate its powertrain solution to enable Drive-by-wire (DbW) for Gatik’s Isuzu FTR fleet with the Cummins B6.7 engine. Gatik CTO and co-founder Arjun Narang, CTO and co-founder said the integration of Gatik’s commercial-grade autonomous technology with Cummins’ powertrain "increases functional safety and enhances reliability of the autonomous system, while improving fuel efficiency and offering superior vehicle performance on Gatik’s short-haul, business-to-business delivery routes." Gatik's medium-duty Isuzu FTR fleet with the Cummins B6.7 engine will be deployed for customers across North America, including Georgia-Pacific and KBX in Texas. Under this partnership, Gatik will deliver goods 24/7 across a network of 34 Sam's Club locations. Gatik last year launched the world’s first fully driverless commercial delivery service with Walmart. This announcement comes on the heels of rapid commercial and technical progress at Gatik, which has one of the largest commercially deployed autonomous fleets in North America operating for Fortune 500 customers across Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Ontario, Canada. In the past 12 months, Gatik announced its industry-first partnership with Isuzu to implement OEM-grade redundancies for medium-duty trucks, collaboration with Goodyear to equip its fleet with tire intelligence technology to improve stopping distances and monitor tire pressure in real time for enhanced safety, and a strategic partnership with Ryder to leverage Ryder’s national leasing, servicing and fleet maintenance expertise. https://ift.tt/2z9XE1j |
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April 2023
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