How we choose to describe something very often constrains how we think about it. For example, placing the adjective “flat” in front of “Earth” possibly misled more than a few downstream researchers, navigators and map makers in ancient times, some even still. Today’s autonomous vehicle (AV) developers describe the driving experience in terms of a square or other geometric shape with edges and corners. This immediately conveys that our experience is defined as a well understood solution space bounded on its known edges by the more challenging problems. The not-so-subtle message is that AV developers can look at the world and clearly scope the challenge of making it autonomous. Aerospace engineers, who have been at technology development for a somewhat longer period of time, have a more restrained view of the real world. They describe it as a constantly evolving “envelope” of knowns and unknowns, the proven and unproven. They describe development in terms of “expanding the envelope” as the designs mature and get increased testing. They describe an infinite world outside the envelope as beyond the known capability of the vehicle they are developing. “ Pushing the envelope” then describes going beyond the known capabilities into that realm of unproven and unknown regions of performance. An airliner has a “flight envelope” in which it is reasonably expected to operate safely based on extensive analysis, testing and operational history. Every once in a while, the real world will reinforce that engineers’ understanding of the world is not perfect. Crash investigators eventually document the root cause of a failure, and the understanding of the envelope gets updated with more current and accurate information. Implying the real world is a definable square with known edges and corners creates an impression of confidence — we can define the real world and design for it.” This mindset can be pervasive in a company or in a society. Imagine that first ship navigator who questioned authority in ancient times by suggesting that the world was actually not flat. Or Galileo observing that the planets actually rotated around the sun, not the earth. Those ideas were not well received. History is full of moments where our understanding of the world has needed to change because it was, for lack of a better word, flawed. The messengers often suffer for pointing out the flaws. A construct coming from physics is that the act of measuring anything tends to alter the measurement. This foundation is usually reinforced in engineers in their first college lab courses, and some get to revisit it again and again later in life. One example is fuel economy measurement. The traditional method was based on weighing a fuel tank before and after a test to see how much fuel had been used. This invariably required adding a small tank to the vehicle, usually between the tractor and trailer, which sometimes required a longer fifth wheel gap setting, which altered the aerodynamics, which altered the fuel economy. The latest methods employ fuel flow meters spliced directly into the fuel lines. These also impact what is being measured, but with less alteration to the vehicle and the fuel system. Measuring is the first step in understanding a system. Metrics clarify what is known and often highlight what is not known. I recently had the good fortune to attend Chris Atkinson’s SAE Buckendale Award presentation at SAE COMVEC 2021 in Chicago. He is Professor and Director of Smart Mobility at Ohio State. The purpose of the SAE Buckendale Award includes helping educate engineers, particularly younger entrants to the field. NACFE has some perspective on this with three past awardees in 2007, 2016 and 2020. Atkinson presented his insights into the AV truck world. He stated that an autonomous truck is often described as a supercomputer on wheels. Atkinson said that was not accurate, they really are multiple supercomputers. He went through the math on sensor output calculating that each autonomous truck could produces 40 terabytes (TB) of data a day. To put that in perspective, today many current laptop computer models are seeing one to two TB hard drives. Other insights: · Investment in AVs since 2010 is ~$ 220 Billion and growing. · 100+ million lines of code are needed for automated vehicles. · Cost to develop is $100 per line of code (LOC) — industry typical rule of thumb to create code. · Developing 100 million LOC at $100/LOC equals $10B. · Processors will need to handle 30 to 300+ trillion operations per second (TOPS). · Processors will complete 1,000 trillion floating point operations per second (TFLOPS) per vehicle. · Artificial intelligence is a requirement for AVs. · Data will need to be collected at 1.5 Gigabytes/second. · Data communications and networking needs 100 Megabytes/second. · SAE Level 4-5 automation increases vehicle complexity by a factor of 6 to 8. · Power demand is high for all the computer systems and sensor packages — multi kW. · There are an estimated ~300 to 3,000 discrete semiconductors per vehicle. While some of these metrics may only have meaning to the more computer literate, the dollars should be more readily recognizable. Investment in new diesel truck models going into production can range from hundreds of millions of dollars to a few billion dollars. One estimate of the cost of the Air Force B-2 airplane program adjusted for inflation to 2019 is $83 billion. $220 billion in AV investment for road vehicles since 2010 is a significant number. The road to SAE Level 4/5 automation for trucking involves significant investment and complexity. As I listened to many AV industry representatives at a variety of industry events this September, the consistent message was of self-confidence in the industry, that AVs are a just a matter of time and money, and all risks will be duly mitigated through responsible engineering. I applaud their efforts to date. However, I feel that the AV world and the general public have a good deal of maturing to do on communicating about automation. A starting point is recognizing publicly that the real world is pretty complex and that replacing a human driver is difficult and capital intensive. Perhaps we need to take lessons from other industries. Aerospace engineers have learned the hard way over decades that overselling and under delivering is not a sustainable road to successful vehicles where human safety is involved. It can start as simply as describing the world not as a square with seemingly known edges and corners, but rather as an ever-expanding envelope of knowns and unknowns, the proven and the unproven. Rick Mihelic is NACFE’s Director of Emerging Technologies. He has authored for NACFE four Guidance Reports on electric and alternative fuel medium- and heavy-duty trucks and several Confidence Reports on Determining Efficiency, Tractor and Trailer Aerodynamics, Two Truck Platooning, and authored special studies on Regional Haul, Defining Production and Intentional Pairing of tractor trailers. https://ift.tt/2ytPsnD
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More than 3,140 trucking companies went out of business last year. Typically, around 85-90% of startup trucking companies fail. It’s not always easy to run a company, but it’s especially difficult in the competitive transportation industry. So as my company approaches it’s 10-year mark, I am excited to share some of the key factors that have made DVL Express one of America’s fastest growing 5000 Inc. companies. The philosophyWhether you’re a driver or a customer, the first question on everyone’s mind is always, “What is this company about?” The first answer to that question for me is growth. It’s so compelling to be around people who have a zeal for more out of life. A “grind for growth” attitude is contagious and will transfer to others.One of the unique things we instituted to help our drivers grow was a driver’s development program. We train drivers to become better professionally depending on the path that works best for them. If a driver wants to become the best paid OTR or local driver we have steps to make that happen with our Progressive Incentive pay structure. If a driver wants to haul a different type of trailer, we offer an in-house training program. If a driver wants to become a lease-operator or owner-operator, we have a program for that as well. I want it to mean something to put DVL Express on a resume, because it shows that the driver has been well equipped. The second answer to that question is home. With drivers from more than 20 countries, it is especially important for me to make my people feel like they have a home base. I want to show my drivers that they are more than just a number. I want to know their dreams and desires. I want to know what goes on in their daily lives. I find that when you treat people the way they want to be treated, they work harder for you. Consider how you would want to be treated as a driver and give them that. Lastly is purpose. If people are a part of something bigger than themselves they will love the work they are doing. Every single mile that we drive goes toward making the world a better place. Currently we are working on a school/orphanage for children in Ukraine. In the past we have done projects like building churches, cleaning up plastic from the ocean and others. The competenciesThe greatest philosophies in the world won’t matter if you aren’t good at your craft. The fast-food restaurant Chick-fil-A consistently ranks first in restaurant surveys, and the CEO says it’s because they invest more than other companies in training and career advancement.When it comes to pay, most companies in this industry are very open about the gross payments and RPM they are offering. Strive to be a leader in this category, even if at first it doesn’t make sense on paper. If someone believes you have their best interest at heart, they will run through a wall for you. What you are offering money-wise is the first indicator of if you are in it for yourself or for your drivers. Stay with the times is another important mission. Technologies are moving faster than ever. Develop an app for drivers, order electric trucks, use a Samsara system or some other type of dashcam. All these things will help to improve the customer service for drivers and customers alike. The strategySetting up realistic short terms goals is the foundation for growth and competency. How do I instill in my drivers a growth mindset? The first goal for me was to make a comprehensive program where drivers or customers can decide what they want, and we provide the steps to make it happen. This involved the fleet department, safety, accounting, and dispatch operations because I needed specialists who could train in these areas.The second goal was to make some additions that would cause our home base to be more valuable to our drivers and customers. That’s why we started Markham Truck Center, our internal truck repair center. We also started Unibox Warehouse, our on-site warehouse. I’m always looking for ways to add value for my drivers and customers. The strategy will depend on the philosophy. I want my drivers to grow, feel like we are a second home, and drive with a purpose. So, my goals are set up according to that philosophy. The “why”Answering the question “what is your why?” may be last here - but it is the first one a soon-to-be business owner should consider. We decided in the very beginning that our WHY statement is, “we exist to change the way the world views the trucking industry.”I’ve heard that people often say that DVL Express is like Google in trucking. That tells me we are headed in the right direction. For every person and business, there will come a time when a choice must be made between several good options. The only way to know how to choose what’s best for you is to examine the options according to the why. It’s not going to be easy, and there will be times when giving up seems like the best option. Allow the struggle to make you stronger. Trucking isn’t for everyone but the lessons learned in this industry will correlate to every avenue of life and make you an all-around better person for your spouse, your friends, and your children. Overall, if you are striving to be the best you can be, things will work out well for everyone involved. Alexander Dovgal is the founder of DVL Express as well as 11 other businesses. He has dedicated himself to making the transportation industry better with technological solutions, as well as helping people achieve mental and physical health. https://ift.tt/2ytPsnD Electric trucks will never work due to weight. The more the truck weighs, the fewer miles it can travel. I'm sure you've heard those claims as two strikes against the electrification of trucking. The math checks out. Batteries are for sure heavy. Just one standard vehicle battery can weigh up to 50 pounds. By comparison, a gallon of diesel fuel weighs about 7 pounds. And the more you ask a battery to do, the shorter amount of time in which it can do it. Your cell phone is an example of that. Watching Netflix can burn down a full charge in a matter of hours. Jula Logistics' 105-foot rig is powered by Scania truck and it drags two containers on each trip. European trucks are allowed to carry 40 metric tons and bring a 12 meter (about 40 feet) container. Since 2015, Jula Logistics uses a vehicle twice that size. With a total weight of more than 70 tons (including load and trailer) Jula Logistics might not be the bast candidate for electrification, right? Not so fast. Jula Logistics, headquartered in Skara, Sweden, already saves 70% on energy and emissions per transported unit by simply doubling up loads, and the company is now looking to slash those emissions to zero by going electric early next year. Jula Logistics' cargo arrives to the port in Gothenburg by boat where it is then stowed onto a train that goes to Falköping. From there, the cargo is carried by truck to a warehouse in Skara. Jula Logistics CEO Lennart Karlsson said the carrier would make the chain of transport even more sustainable by installing solar panels on the roof of its warehouse. Intermodal work is one of the strongest business cases for electric since it's low-mileage and consistently near a terminal. But over 100 feet long and 140,000 pounds? Can't say I saw that coming. Scania and Jula Logistics worked together to develop the extra-long and heavy vehicle to take the round-trip from where the train stops in Falköping to the warehouse in Skara a couple of times – a distance of a little less than 40 miles. ”The new, extremely long and heavy electrified truck is a great example of how a close dialogue with customers makes it possible for us to build a one-of-a-kind vehicle that meets that particular customer’s demands at a very early stage, also for a model that is not in series production,” said Fredrik Allard, Scania's head of e-mobility. The two companies are now working up a detailed overview of energy consumption and an optimized route schedule while simulating the truck's charging needs to ensure the massive electric rig can do what the carrier needs done. A vital part of Scania's collaboration with Jula Logistics will be the optimization of the charging process and related infrastructure. ”Our partnership with Scania shows that this is technically possible, but we also need to create a long-term possibility to drive these longer vehicles that enable us to have a larger amount of cargo on the last part of our intermodal flow,” said Karlsson. Scania and Jula Group are aiming for a long-term partnership with extensive electrification of the transport flows that Jula Logistics runs. I have a fairly short bucket list of big trucks that I want to drive. I've already checked off a few, including Volvo's SuperTruck and International’s CatalIST Super Truck. I'd still like to get behind the wheel of Walmart's WAVE truck, and I'd love to drag a road train through the middle-of-nowhere, Australia. Now, maybe even at the top of that list, rests Scania's extra-long electric heavy-hauler – a truck I probably never would have put money on ever coming into existence. https://ift.tt/2ytPsnD To get more freight moving out of the Port of Miami, East Florida Hauling began offering drivers bonuses of up to $1,000 a day to wait in long lines for hours on end. For some, the extra money still isn’t enough to make up for the loss of bathroom breaks, decent meals and, most importantly, peace of mind. “They just won’t go because of the line and while they’re waiting in line, they get desperate,” said East Florida Hauling controller Lissette Lesmes. Port of Los Angeles“There’s other drivers in the same situation,” Lesmes continued. “There’s been fights. There’s been threats and there’s been accidents too because waiting gets everyone desperate and so they end up in other troubles so some drivers will not go at all. They just refuse to go. Some others will go if you give them an incentive.” East Florida Hauling’s efforts to move more freight at a time of unprecedented container congestion at America’s ports is yet another example of how private enterprise is attempting to keep products flowing into the hands of U.S. consumers who are gearing up to buy even more imported TVs, cell phones and laptops as the holidays roll into view. [Related: LA ports symptom of larger supply chain problem] Government efforts have also been underway to smooth out supply chain snarls, which threaten to keep holiday presents stuck in a pile of containers. The latest tactic? The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, prominent members of the Biden-Harris Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force, announced a new fee that penalizes ocean carriers for letting shipping containers linger too long at the ports. “In the case of containers scheduled to move by truck, ocean carriers will be charged for every container dwelling nine days or more,” the Port of Los Angeles states on their website. “For containers moving by rail, ocean carriers will be charged if the container has dwelled for six days or more. Beginning Nov. 1, the ports will charge ocean carriers with cargo in those two categories $100 per container, increasing in $100 increments per container per day.” Uncle Sam to the rescue?Pressuring ocean carriers with container fees may do little to motivate them to move cargo any faster, critics say, since the measure does not preclude carriers from simply passing along those new fees to importers who, in turn, would pass those costs on to customers.“All of these costs are being funneled down to the importers and to the products we sell,” a trucking equipment importer told CCJ on condition of anonymity. “Not sure fees will move the backlog along any. Issues are getting empties back on ships back to suppliers. I understand the empties are being stacked four and five high in residential neighborhoods now. “[California Governor Gavin Newsom] is looking to lease space to store these until they can be loaded and shipped back,” the importer continued. “Also allowing owner-operators to pick up containers is also part of the solution that has not been looked at yet.” [Related: Economist says trucking short 80,000 drivers] As record numbers of containers keep piling up, acquiring more space for operations may prove more beneficial in alleviating congestion than tacking on additional fees. “Since the ports are capacity constrained, creating space on the ground to expedite ship-to-shore throughput appears to be the next logical step in working through the backlog of containerships waiting to be offloaded,” said ACT Research President and senior analyst Kenny Vieth. Oakland Port Services operations manager Bill Aboudi said imposing container fees on ocean carriers could prove effective in moving cargo faster and freeing up needed chassis so long as the shippers are not permitted to pass along those fees to others. “As long as they make sure they don’t pass it on to the [cargo owners], it will light them up,” Aboudi said. “They will bend over backwards to get that cargo out of there.” If ocean carriers increase efforts to move cargo, it will in turn free up chassis, Aboudi said, which are sitting idle among thousands of containers. “The containers are on the chassis and there’s a chassis shortage,” Aboudi said, “and the people that can really do something about it are the steamship lines because they’ll bring in feeder vessels and take their empty containers away. They’ll free up the chassis.” Siegfried Adam, director of business development at customs house broker Peter Wittwer North America, doesn’t see the container fees doing much to move out freight from the Southern California ports, which top the nation’s list for freight volume. “It won’t do much for the situation in L.A. immediately, though long-term it may,” Adam said. “The problem is no matter if you charge $100 or $500, all of these costs are handed down to the consumer. And with price levels like they are right now, no one fears another couple $100s. “It just goes to show that no one can really provide an immediate solution,” Adam continued. “It’s just making more money in the process, unless you send everyone back to work. It’s the warehouses and truckers that cannot keep up, but government regulations are preventing progress to mitigate this issue.” No stranger to port challenges, Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.), former governor of Florida, said the Biden administration is doing more harm than good when it comes to taking on historic log jams at the ports. “They do nothing to fix the supply chain,” Scott told CCJ. “You have the Democrats paying people to not work. Guess what? You’re going to get fewer workers. Look at what’s going on. We have all these job openings and we don’t have enough workers now.” While governor of Florida, Scott said he stayed in touch with supply chain leaders, particularly when strong storms threatened and disrupted the flow of goods. His biggest takeaway? “It’s almost always something the government’s doing is causing problems,” he said. “The private sector’s pretty smart. They’ll figure this out. They’ll pay people more money. They’ll do all these things, but then there’s always these limitations by government.” In a statement to CCJ, Scott’s staff said the senator is calling for Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo “to show up and testify in the Senate Commerce Committee on how the Biden administration is working to address these supply chain issues instead of pointing fingers and shifting costs onto consumers.” https://ift.tt/2ytPsnD Trucking news and briefs for Friday, Oct. 29, 2021: DHL plans to deploy autonomous trucksDHL Supply Chain is joining Embark Trucks' Partner Development Program (PDP) and plans to deploy autonomous trucks within its operations upon commercial launch of the Embark Driver software in 2024.Within the PDP, DHL and Embark conducted a detailed network analysis to begin planning for key factors in deployment, such as determining which lanes to prioritize, where delivery times could be accelerated, and calculating truck volume needs, among other considerations. With Embark Driver-equipped trucks, DHL plans to reap the anticipated speed, safety and sustainability benefits of autonomous technology and pass them on to its global customer network. “The logistics industry relies on advanced technology solutions like automation to adapt to growing demand and increased expectations around speed,” said Jim Monkmeyer, president of transportation for DHL Supply Chain. “DHL joined Embark’s PDP to prepare for and mold the deployment of autonomous trucks across its network. We’re thrilled to work together so that our end-customers can unlock the efficiencies of autonomous freight.” Looking ahead, Embark and DHL plan to work through key questions such as which DHL facilities to map directly into Embark’s coverage map to support point-to-point movements, where autonomous trucks may provide an opportunity to grow total miles traveled, and how to prepare the broader DHL workforce for this transformation. Senator intros bill to exempt truckers from COVID vaccineU.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) introduced a bill this week that would, if passed, exempt all “essential workers,” including truck drivers, from President Joe Biden’s proposed vaccine mandate. The “Keeping Our COVID-19 Heroes Employed Act” calls for an exemption for essential workers from any COVID-19 vaccine mandate imposed by the federal government; a public or private federal contractor; a private entity receiving federal funds; or a public entity receiving funding under the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supple8 mental Appropriations Act, 2020; the Families First Coronavirus Response Act; the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act; the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act; or the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Blackburn’s bill describes essential workers as those who were “deemed essential during the response to the COVID-19 pandemic” or those who were “exempt from any restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.” The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, National Association of Small Trucking Companies and other groups have come out in support of the proposed legislation. OOIDA President and CEO Todd Spencer said the vaccine should remain a personal decision for truckers. “Throughout the pandemic, we have provided our members with the most up-to-date information on vaccines but have always maintained that vaccination is a personal choice just like any health decision,” he said. “Trucking is already one of the most-regulated professions in the country, and the ongoing supply chain crisis has exposed the unpaid wait times and other difficult working conditions drivers are often forced to endure. These are just a couple of the reasons the industry has long suffered from an excessively high driver turnover problem. Congress must ensure that the industry can better attract and retain drivers who have always been critical in keeping the supply chain moving. This legislation will help accomplish that.” Kenworth dealer auctioning T680 for Truckers Against TraffickingInland Kenworth – Phoenix is planning to auction a special “Everyday Heroes” Kenworth T680 to raise money for to educate and fund efforts to combat human trafficking. Proceeds from the sale of the truck will go directly to Truckers Against Trafficking, a non-profit devoted to stopping human trafficking by educating, mobilizing and empowering the nation’s truck drivers and rest stop employees. The Everyday Heroes Kenworth T680 is fully-loaded with a 76-inch sleeper and Paccar Powertrain featuring a 510-hp Paccar MX-13 engine, Paccar TX-12 automated transmission and Paccar DX-40 rear axles. Ritchie Bros. will host the auction of the Everyday Heroes Kenworth on Dec. 10 in Perris, California. “I think this year’s auction for the Everyday Heroes truck will be our best yet,” said Don Blake, Inland Kenworth – Phoenix new truck sales manager. “There’s been a lot of interest in the T680 Next Gen, and we expect a good bidder turnout. The sale of the truck will likely result in TAT’s largest single donation of the year and help fund programs that make a difference.” This will be the third Everyday Heroes Kenworth truck built and sold at auction since 2017 under Blake’s leadership. The inaugural Everyday Heroes Kenworth T680 raised $83,000 for TAT in 2017, while the 2019 version contributed $162,000 to the cause. Cargo Transporters raising driver pay againCargo Transporters (CCJ Top 250, No. 170) is raising driver pay for the third time this year, effective Nov. 7, for its local, short-haul and over-the-road drivers. In addition to the pay increase, the company is also giving all employees an additional week of paid time off (PTO) in 2022. Pay will increase for solo drivers by an additional 2 cents per Rand McNally practical mile on all dispatched miles, increasing starting base pay to 54 cents per mile. Team driver pay will increase 1 cent per mile on all dispatched miles. Additionally, local and short-haul pay will increase. The company’s All-In pay will increase to 60 cents per mile. Along with these increases, maximum Wait Time pay, Layover and Breakdown pay have been adjusted upward. Additionally, beginning Jan. 1, 2022, Cargo Transporters employees will gain another week of PTO. New employees starting with the company will accrue three weeks of PTO, gaining an additional week of PTO at 10, 20 and 30 year anniversaries. https://ift.tt/2ytPsnD While the White House and national media focus on the constraints that have paralyzed the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in recent weeks, transportation industry leaders from all segments of the supply chain warn the problem is much broader and more systemic than simply port congestion. No freight transportation segment is immune from the current crisis as unprecedented freight demand across rail, ocean carriage and trucking expose supply chain inefficiencies at a time when labor shortages plague factories, transportation providers and dock workers. “We’ve had some significant disruptions on the West Coast in the past, but it didn’t affect the entire supply chain,” said John Butler, president and CEO of the World Shipping Council. “What we have now is different in kind than what we have seen before because we have saturation across all modes. We have a situation where our collective customers aren’t able to pull the goods forward out of the ports because they have nowhere to put them or no way to send them on to their final destination. That is a different situation than we’ve dealt with before.” Butler was one of several association heads from all modes of freight transportation that participated in a panel discussion this week at the American Trucking Associations’ Management Conference and Exhibition in Nashville to discuss the causes of the supply chain crisis and what can be done to alleviate freight flow issues. “We shouldn’t go back to normal because normal isn’t working right now. Shippers need to get better about how they communicate with their providers, and providers need to be more forthcoming about the issues they are experiencing.” Gail Rutkowski, executive director for the National Shippers Strategic Transportation Council “When any piece of the supply chain isn’t able to operate at full capacity, it has reverberating impacts,” said Ian Jefferies, president and CEO of the Association of American Railroads. The record intermodal volume in the last six months has seized the rail sector, causing major backups at rail yards thousands of miles from any major port. “Specifically Chicagoland where a lot of our major intermodal terminals are, through the late part of July and into August, the ingates to our intermodal yards exceeded our ability to outgate,” said Jefferies. “We had to take some dramatic steps to slow traffic from the West Coast.” At one point Jefferies said one railroad had 20 intermodal trains waiting outside of its Chicago terminal just to be able to go in and unload because the massive volume of outbound containers. Jefferies noted measures were taken to increase storage capacity in and around yards in the central part of the country, including incentivizing off-hour and weekend pickups during off hours and on weekends, and opening dormant rail yards to increase container storage capacity. “Just doing that doesn’t solve the problem, it just treats the symptom some,” he said. Congestion throughout the supply chain is exposing inefficiencies never seen. “A port might be picking up three containers to get to one to put onto a train,” said Butler. “A trucker has to come into a port to pick up a box and wait to go through that same thing. When you put those impediments into the process, you slow down the entire chain.” Chris Spear, ATA president and CEO, expects the current supply chain crunch to last three or four quarters. “It will take exposing the chokeholds and the bottlenecks to really alleviate some of that pressure… It will be turbulent, so strap in,” Spear warned. From a shipper perspective, the biggest issue caused by the supply chain crisis is the lack of consistency needed to plan inventory and schedule workers. “Shippers need the ability to plan inventory and schedule workers. Not being able to have consistent delivery times is really causing issues with inventory,” said Gail Rutkowski, executive director for the National Shippers Strategic Transportation Council (NASSTRAC). “On the flipside of that, even if you can get it there on time, they may or may not have the warehouse employees to unload it. Unless we all to work together to mitigate this on all levels and in all areas it will continue.” No mode touches freight more often throughout the supply chain than the trucking industry. ATA recently upped its estimate of the current driver shortage from 61,500 drivers before the COVID-19 pandemic to 80,000 drivers today. Spear said if nothing changes, that number could double by 2030. “Those projections should be alarming, and it creates more pressure on all the modes when we are not able to play the role we are expected,” said Spear, who added chip shortages and sensor shortages are sidelining equipment and carrier capacity to move freight. Butler said the supply chain problems seen in the U.S. are being seen across the globe from an ocean shipping perspective. “The problems we are having here – particularly with ports and inland congestion, the difficulties in getting labor and difficulties of keeping cargo and equipment moving as opposed to sitting still at a port or at a customer warehouse – these things are happening all over the world,” he said. “In order for all of this to unwind, at least from the ocean shipping side, we need to see improvement in ports all over the world at the same time.” Under pressureIndustry leaders warned that regulatory and legislative measures currently under consideration could have a devastating impact on freight transportation providers, further compounding the supply chain crisis. Last month, ATA issued a statement against the pending emergency temporary standard from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requiring COVID vaccinations for workers at companies above the 100-employee threshold. Spear said many unvaccinated truck drivers that fall under OSHA’s proposal have responded that they would leave an employer if they were ordered to be vaccinated. “It would devastate our ability to move not just milk, eggs, bread and fuel, but also [personal protective equipment] and the vaccine itself,” he said. "The proposal is trying to solve a problem, and in doing so it is actually making it worse.” Ocean carriers are under fire from the Ocean Shippers Reform Act of 2021, a House proposal introduced earlier this year that Butler said was designed not to combat congestion but to address demurrage issues. He said it also would create a role for the federal government to interfere with shipping operations. “It really puts the Federal Maritime Commission into an operational role in telling carriers what to put on the ship and when,” said Butler. “There is no way the federal government has the expertise or the people to do that. With all due respect, our industry knows how to load ships and move cargo, and to stick the FMC in the middle of that isn’t going to make things better. It will make them worse.” Jefferies echoed sentiments from Spear and Butler. “Government intervention and regulatory intervention in the midst of crisis can be extremely damaging and shortsighted,” he said. “I really caution policymakers and the administration to refrain from the knee-jerk need to issue an emergency order here or regulation there, likely causing more harm than helping the system overall.” Moving forwardAll four panelists agreed that collaboration among transportation modes could help make a more efficient supply chain in the future, while providing better working conditions and productivity for workers could help reduce labor shortages. “One of the solutions is digital transformation and transparency,” said Spear. “Being able to see throughout the supply chain – information transparency is important for the modes as we become more reliant on one another – would be a tremendous boost to efficiency.” Jefferies added the need to leverage more technology to help make truck drivers more productive at ports and rail yards, “using technology so when a driver comes in they are not filling out paperwork. Instead, it is a quick scan and they know exactly where their container is and they are in and out as quick as possible,” he said. “It’s better for railroad because it gets [cargo] out of the yards and the driver gets more turns in any given day.” Rutkowski called on shippers to establish better lines of communication and develop trust with their transportation providers, adding the ones that have been successful the last several months have already done so. Whatever changes and improvements arise from the current supply chain crisis, Rutkowski said it has to be better than the status quo. “We shouldn’t go back to normal because normal isn’t working right now,” she said. “We need to come up with a new normal and work together to define what that is. Shippers need to get better about how they communicate with their providers, and providers need to be more forthcoming about the issues they are experiencing.” https://ift.tt/2ytPsnD Marten Transport (CCJ Top 250, No. 40) filed paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Wednesday confirming that it had been the victim of a cyberattack earlier this month. The more than 3,000-truck refrigerated carrier said it detected a cyber breach Oct. 3 that accessed and encrypted files on servers, and that the breach also included the download of certain data files. Based on a preliminary assessment, Marten said it does not believe the incident will have a material impact on its business, operations or financial results. However, the investigation indicates that some employee data may have been at risk during the event. Out of an abundance of caution, Marten said it is offering its employees credit monitoring and identity restoration services at no cost for two years. [Related: 5 signs you've been hacked, and what trucking CIOs can do next] Upon discovering of the incident, Marten told the SEC it launched an investigation and engaged legal counsel alongside "industry-leading incident response professionals," and notified law enforcement. While the investigation of the incident is ongoing, Marten said it has implemented a series of containment and remediation measures to address this situation "and reinforce the security of its information technology systems," the company wrote in its filing. "As a result, the company was able to restore full functionality to its information technology systems quickly with minimal disruptions to its operations." According to encrypted cloud service provider NordLocker, logistics and transportation is the seventh most targeted industry by ransomware, a specific type of cyberattack. “It is surprising how many companies still take cybersecurity for granted, ‘inviting’ hackers to exploit their vulnerabilities,” said Oliver Noble, a cybersecurity expert at NordLocker. “When successfully attacked, companies get all their employee data, customer details, client agreements, patents, and other valuable business information inaccessible and threatened to be stolen, leaked or destroyed for good. To avoid the doomsday – i.e. having business operations put to a standstill, damaged reputation, loss of clients, tiresome legal battles and huge fines – some organizations are left with no choice but to pay ransom to get the decryption key.” Cyberattacks evolve practically daily, but NordLocker recommends a few easy-to-implement security tactics in business-defense:
https://ift.tt/2ytPsnD Carriers hauling from Rio Grande Village, Texas, to Berthoud Pass, Colorado, this week saw temperates range from 103- to 10-degrees. While engine coolant might not have been a priority when the driver pulled out of South Texas, it probably should have been if it froze solid in the Rocky Mountains. Coolant is generally the most neglected fluid on the truck. In fact, Lawrence Wong, product technical specialist for Chevron Lubricants, said about 40% of engine related problems can be tied back to the coolant system, and he advocates that carriers add the coolant system to their preventive maintenance cycle. "There are two quick things you can to check for. One of them is the pH and the other is freeze point. If one or both of those parameters are off, something's wrong with the fluid and you may want to have a sample pulled and tested at a lab just to make sure," he said. "Once those two checks are done, make sure your cooling system is topped off with the appropriate coolant." Brad Jordan, OEM Technical Services Manager with Shell Global Solutions, said maintenance is relatively simple for extended life, or Organic Acid Technology (OAT), coolants. "Fleets should check the condition of their coolant at least twice a year. With colder weather coming, the fall is a good time," he said. First, Jordan recommended fleets perform a visual check of the coolant level and appearance. The coolant should be clear with no cloudiness, floating debris or oil visible. The freeze point, Wong said, should be checked with a refractometer, which is more accurate than a ball/float hydrometer. The "ball float" is popular because it's inexpensive, but Wong said a good refractometer, which offers much better insight into coolant condition, can easily be found for $50 or less, and fleets can even ask their coolant suppliers to provide one. "The coolant ball/float gauge can be very inaccurate as the balls will, over time, absorb glycol, which changes their weights and will affect the results given," added Paul Cigala, commercial vehicle lubricants application engineer for ExxonMobil. "Refractometers, either manual or digital, give the most accurate freeze point results of the new and in-service coolant." An approximately 50/50 mixture of water to coolant should provide free protection of minus-34-degrees Fahrenheit. If the level is low, but otherwise the coolant is in good condition, Jordan said it is best to top off with premixed 50/50 coolant of the same type/brand. "Traditional Inorganic Additive Technology (IAT) or fully formulated coolants take more work," he noted. "The additives in these type of coolants deplete over time and need to be replenished regularly with supplemental coolant additives (SCAs). The specific maintenance depends on the exact type/brand of coolant and the fleet needs to follow the coolant manufacturers guidance." Coolant is designed to handle a wide temperature range. A 50/50 mixture (assuming the coolant is in good condition) should ensure protection in extreme summer heat and the coldest winter days, Jordan said, adding that a 50/50 mix protects down to -34°F / -37°C with boil-over protection up to 264°F / 129°C (with the use of a 15 psi pressure cap) – plenty of range to make that run from Rio Grande Village to Berthoud Pass. For especially cold climates, it may be necessary to go with a 55/45 mixture of coolant to water, or even 60/40 mixture, and it might require a top off with concentrated coolant to get the freeze point right, but Cigala cautioned that balancing the two liquids is key. While higher glycol content of the coolant will decrease the coolant’s freeze point, he said it will also decrease heat dissipation from the engine and eventually cause overheating issues. "(Water) is really efficient at moving heat away from the engine and keeping it cool," Wong added, noting that overheating may not be as much of an issue in the dead of winter, "but when we get through winter and transition back to summer, that could become something to watch for." If the freeze point is too low, Jordan said it is important to use distilled or deionized water to make adjustments as poor quality water can cause issues with scale and corrosion. While most coolants are compatible, there is a risk that using two different coolant chemistries could dilute the concentration of each of those additive technologies to the point that neither is able to provide sufficient corrosion protection. Wong noted, "definitely don't mix conventional [coolant] with extended life," because mixing the two can cause the silicate in the conventional coolant can react with extended life coolants, causing gelling and the build of deposits leading to blockages. A fleet should flush and refill with a quality premixed 50/50 extended life coolant when the coolant has become contaminated. Debris, cloudiness, changes in color (possibly due to rust), or visible oil are all indicators that it is probably time to flush your cooling system, Jordan said. "There are also test strips or even labs that can test coolant samples to see if they are suitable for continued use. These indicators could be evidence of mechanical issues that have allowed oil to get in the coolant, or from topping off with dirty water, or even topping off with another type of coolant," he added. Cigala said elevated metals in the analysis are also an indicator of additive depletion and a decline in the coolant’s protection capabilities and advised fleets to use TMC RP 368 – Proper Coolant Draining and Filling Procedures for Heavy Duty Diesel Engines for guidance when draining and refilling the coolant system once the system is properly flushed of all rust and contaminants. https://ift.tt/2ytPsnD Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021: Navistar settles long-lasting EPA suitNavistar has agreed to pay a $52 million civil fine and to mitigate at least 10,000 tons of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions to resolve violations of the Clean Air Act. The Environmental Protection Agency filed the lawsuit against Navistar in 2015, alleging that the manufacturer illegally installed 7,749 engines that were not covered by EPA-issued certificates of conformity, violating EPA emissions standards. Navistar issued the following statement about the resolution of the case:
EPA alleged that Navistar marketed the engines in International trucks as being EPA-compliant 2009 model-year engines, even though the engines were built in 2010. The court held that the engines were in fact 2010-model engines and required to be covered by a 2010 certificate of conformity demonstrating compliance with the 2010 regulations. Under the terms of the settlement, Navistar will pay a civil penalty of $52 million, forfeit its current account of NOx credits, and purchase and destroy enough older diesel engines to prevent 10,000 tons of future NOx emissions. The settlement also requires Navistar to structure its mitigation of NOx emissions through one or more programs approved by EPA that will take into consideration geographic diversity and benefits to communities that are overburdened by air pollution. Navistar will report back to the EPA on its implementation of the program to ensure compliance with the environmental justice and geographic distribution requirements in the consent decree. [Related: EPA sues Navistar, alleging company violated emissions standards laws] New dealership group forms in Oklahoma, TexasSummit Truck Group, Rush Enterprises, and Navistar, in cooperation with fellow Navistar International Truck and IC Bus dealers Southwest International and Kyrish Truck Centers, have reached an agreement to move toward strengthening the Navistar dealership network to meet customer needs in Oklahoma and Texas. Summit has agreed to sell all of its commercial vehicle dealership assets to subsidiaries of Rush Enterprises. Summit, Rush and Navistar mutually agreed to allow Summit CEO Justin Fink, in partnership with Southwest International and Kyrish Truck Centers, to purchase Summit's dealerships in Oklahoma and its International Truck area of responsibility in the area around Wichita Falls, Texas. The new dealership group will tentatively be branded Peak Truck and Trailer. Fink will become the Dealer Principal and CEO of Peak Truck and Trailer serving the Oklahoma markets. He will establish the support team for the new dealer group. Additionally, within two to three years, Peak Truck and Trailer, Southwest International and Kyrish Truck Centers intend to merge their respective dealerships into one single business and dealer group serving Texas and Oklahoma. This group will include over 20 locations in major markets such as Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Fort Worth, Oklahoma City and Tulsa. "The decision to form the new International Truck and IC Bus dealership group Peak Truck and Trailer will be invaluable to regional customers in Oklahoma and Texas," said Mark Belisle, Group Vice President, Dealer Sales and Operations, Navistar. "The eventual merger of these dealerships will create a powerhouse in the South – attracting the highest quality talent and utilizing resources to provide best-in-class service and support." Summit, Southwest International and Kyrish Truck Centers have owned and operated a business together over the past five years called Peak Trailer Group, primarily a Wabash trailer dealership group with locations in Dallas, San Antonio and El Paso, Texas. The ownership structure of Peak Trailer is also changing, as Summit is planning to divest its ownership to existing owners Southwest International, Kyrish and Justin Fink. Bobby Briggs, current president of Peak Trailer Group, is being appointed to CEO. Carbon Express, Mack exec, more recognized by ATAA FedEx Freight driver, a liquid bulk carrier based in New Jersey, a state trucking association, and a truck manufacturer executive were honored for their work to put trucking in a positive light during the American Trucking Associations Management Conference and Exhibition in Nashville. ATA presented four Mike Russell Trucking Image Awards to:
First awarded in 2007, the Mike Russell Trucking Image award is given to an individual, motor carrier, trucking organization, and industry supplier who each demonstrate excellence in illustrating the industry's essentiality, professionalism, and commitment to safety on and off the highways. "Since 2007, the Mike Russell Trucking Image Awards have shone a light on the great work our carriers, associations, and most of all, drivers do in promoting the image of the trucking industry,” said Incoming ATA Chair Harold Sumerford Jr., CEO of J&M Tank Lines Inc. “This year’s winners have all gone above and beyond to show just how safe, professional and essential trucking is.” https://ift.tt/2ytPsnD A recurring opinion from new technology proponents is that standards are bad. We should let the market innovate. After working with more than 90 subject matter experts and a number of fleets, OEMs and other stakeholders during NACFE’S Run on Less - Electric demonstration, I believe these opinions hide a rather selfish and short-sighted perspective. It’s not so much that they are against standards, but rather that they want to make sure their own proprietary technology becomes the standard. Truly new technology means no single company starts with any market share. Essentially everyone is equal. Yes, it’s a truism that some may be more equal than others based on capitalization or existing infrastructure, but on day one of a new technology, no one has sold any product yet, and the market has not had the opportunity to weigh in on choice. Becoming the de facto market choice has huge economic ramifications. Failing to become it destines a technology for the scrapheap. While I was sitting in the Dallas-Forth Worth airport waiting for my flight, I captured a photo of a plane arriving. It seemed a perfect example of why the opponents of standards don’t get it. Look at all that standardization makes possible in this example. Airport jetways are universally designed with the plane access door at the front left side of the plane, allowing nearly every plane type to interface with the terminal. Ground support equipment, including the airplane tugs and dollies, the fueling infrastructure, the grounding straps, the beverage cart delivery vehicles, the beverage carts themselves, all benefit from agreement on interfaces so they are universally useable. This set of examples is somewhat future proof. Once chosen, the massive inertia of standardized interfaces largely minimizes change but it also maximizes volume of compatible designs. And volume is what everyone needs to get costs down. The Airbus 380 and the Concorde are two examples where these ubiquitous standards had to be challenged. Runways were not wide enough, or long enough, or clean enough. Jetways we’re not able to accommodate the shape or size of the planes. For those instances, new standards were developed and those terminals that needed to change were changed. The market valued the new technology sufficiently to force changes. Markets actually love standards. It’s individual companies that fear them. But true industry consortiums and standards groups can overcome that fear by cooperatively developing and reaching agreement. This requires participation and yes, compromise. In the long run, it’s what the market really wants. The jetway example has another lesson for naysayers. It has not stifled airplane innovation. Today’s jetways have largely been able to accommodate nearly every new plane model since the Boeing 707 was introduced. It has allowed architects to develop a multitude of different airport designs, shapes and sizes. Run on Less - Electric highlighted for me that we don’t even have agreement on where the plug goes on the truck yet, much less all the other interfaces critical to designing charging stations. Electric cars are only slightly better. Looking back at the 1950s, did the market ultimately want the fuel port hidden in the taillight fins? Or behind the license plate? Or on top of the hood? No. In the long run, having it on the right or left allowed easier access to fuel pumps and less damage to car paint. Innovations are hard to predict. Some are useful, but others have very short lives. NACFE encourages regulators, fleets, manufacturers and all stakeholders to energize engagement with standards organizations like SAE, IEEE, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), ISO and industry groups such as the American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council (ATA TMC), CharIn and others to get us past "go" and to a point where we have a strong foundation for growth and a viable world to permit real innovation. Rick Mihelic is NACFE’s Director of Emerging Technologies. He has authored for NACFE four Guidance Reports on electric and alternative fuel medium- and heavy-duty trucks and several Confidence Reports on Determining Efficiency, Tractor and Trailer Aerodynamics, Two Truck Platooning, and authored special studies on Regional Haul, Defining Production and Intentional Pairing of tractor trailers. https://ift.tt/2ytPsnD |
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