A looming rail strike next month would send an aftershock through the trucking industry as the flow of goods via rail would need to be rerouted by truck – the capacity for which doesn't exist in large quantities. Pangs felt first and foremost would be from the national fuel supply, including diesel exhaust fluid, said NATSO, the trade group representing the nation’s travel plazas and truckstops, and SIGMA: America’s Leading Fuel Marketers. "If a work stoppage were to occur, it would immediately disrupt fuel marketers’ ability to ensure a reliable and stable supply of fuel for U.S. consumers and for the nation’s commercial fleets," Tiffany Wlazlowski Neuman, NATSO’s vice president of public affairs said via statement. “A prolonged railroad shutdown will constrain the nation’s fuel supply by disrupting the availability of ethanol, which is often an essential component of gasoline, and diesel exhaust fluid, which most heavy- duty trucks need to run. The U.S. economy in many ways revolves around transportation fuel, and if the necessary components to that fuel cannot get to where they are needed, the market impact will be drastic. The economic consequences will be catastrophic." NATSO and SIGMA collectively called on Congress to intervene and "take aggressive action to resolve the ongoing labor dispute within the rail industry." The nation's largest rail union, SMART Transportation Division, earlier this month declined a contract proposal in part brokered by the White House, putting the potential of a national railroad strike back on the table next month. The U.S. narrowly avoided a strike in September, which experts said would send a shock though the supply chain rivaling a catastrophic weather event. SMART-TD could strike Dec. 9, or the rail carriers could lock out workers, unless Congress steps in. “Amid tight fuel supplies and low inventories, idled rail cars stand to introduce a massive disruption in the availability of these additives exposing the fuel market to a marked decrease in supply from which it would not be able to quickly adjust," Wlazlowski Neuman said. The rail industry last went on strike in 1991, a national work stoppage that lasted a day before Congress intervened. The following year, a walkout at USX by members of the International Association of Machinists spread nationally and lasted about two days before Congress, again, intervened. Operating over a nearly 140,000-mile network in 49 states, the Association of American Railroads projects lost economic output due to a national rail shutdown could be more than $2 billion per day. A handful of states earlier this month and late last month issued emergency hours of service waivers for haulers of fuel, but many of those have expired or will expire at the end of the month. https://ift.tt/u9SNWIQ
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Trucking news and briefs for Monday, Nov. 28, 2022: Truck tonnage sees biggest monthly drop since beginning of pandemicAmerican Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index decreased 2.3% in October after rising 0.8% in September. In October, the index equaled 116.3 (2015=100) versus 119.1 in September. “For-hire truck tonnage saw the largest single monthly decrease in October since the start of the pandemic,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “The decrease fits with the anecdotal reports of a muted fall freight season. It also coincides with a slowing economy. Housing is a weak spot in freight in addition to a slowing in personal consumption of goods. While factory-related freight is holding up better than other areas, it is also decelerating.” Compared with October 2021, the SA index increased 2.8%, which was the fourteenth straight year-over-year gain, but the smallest gain since April. In September, the index was up 5.7% from a year earlier. Year-to-date through October, compared with the same period in 2021, tonnage was up 3.9%. The not seasonally adjusted index, which represents the change in tonnage actually hauled by fleets before any seasonal adjustment, equaled 118.9 in October, 0.4% below the September level (119.3). ATA’s For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index is dominated by contract freight as opposed to spot market freight. HHG foreman sentenced for role in racketeering conspiracyOn Nov. 1, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio sentenced Akhliddin Kalonov to four years of probation and a $100 special assessment for his role in a racketeering conspiracy related to a moving company enterprise. According to the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, in May 2022, Kalonov pleaded guilty in the case. An investigation revealed that, from at least July 2016 until November 2017, Kalonov, along with other members of the enterprise, controlled several moving companies that defrauded, extorted, and stole customers’ household goods. After loading customers’ goods onto trucks, the moving company increased prices and held the goods hostage until customers paid the inflated prices. The enterprise also charged customers for moving more cubic footage of household goods than the actual amount of the goods, and some customers’ loads were not delivered at all. https://ift.tt/a853Nsn COVID-19 and the six-day-long grounding of container ship Ever Given. Chinese port closures and the war in Ukraine. Businesses have experienced supply chain disruption at every turn in recent years. In this highly unpredictable environment, it’s not just freight industry professionals who’ve struggled to predict supply timeframes, it’s been a challenge for crime syndicates too. On its face, this may seem like a silver lining but the reality is it’s introducing risk into workplaces. Gangs are highly motivated. When one door closes to them, they incentivize vulnerable employees to open another. Employees who feel valued by their employers and enjoy a strong connection to their workplace community, however, will be far less likely to collude with the criminal element. Strong teams crucial in the face of low recovery ratesOnce stolen, cargo is challenging to locate and secure. In fact, of cargo thefts reported to the FBI in 2018, only 22.8% were recovered. In 2019, the most recent FBI data available, the recovery rate plummeted to 2.9%. Stretched thin by the pandemic, non-violent cargo thefts simply weren’t a priority for law enforcement and motor carriers would be wise not to count on their investigative resources. When you consider that more than 60% of freight in transit today is under or uninsured, the impact of cargo theft grows more significant. In the event of an unrecovered loss, costs mount up fast: the value of the lost load, business interruption, expedited replacement costs, and damage to brand and customer loyalty to name a few. It’s why reinforcing a company’s first line of defense — its people — is so crucial. Understanding psychological and social influences is key. Effectively mitigating employee collusion begins with an understanding of what makes employees vulnerable to criminal overtures. To start, freight industry businesses must recognize that, whether consciously or unconsciously, employees who engage in criminal behavior often feel powerless. With mental health at an all-time low and the pandemic leveling massive physical, financial and emotional strains, powerlessness is pervasive. For those who also feel taken advantage of by their employers, the ethical barrier to collusion can become fuzzy. Relationships have also become increasingly strained over the last two-and-a-half years and workplace culture has suffered as a result. Not only has the pandemic left people feeling isolated, but the rise in mergers and acquisitions has fractured teams. Today, employees feel more disconnected from their employers – or worse: undervalued and unsupported. Seeking justification for collusion, workers may see theft as an act against the organization, which doesn’t require the same moral gymnastics as taking from a person. The good news: Investing in workplace culture can foster employee resilience, nurturing a workforce that’s not only more productive but also more committed to doing what’s right for the business. Four simple ways to create strong workplace cultureWant to improve the employee experience? Take your cue from the world’s most successful cultures. Healthy longevity hotspots like Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; and Nicoya, Costa Rica, reveal strong social cohesion — communities act out of care for one another and create strong support networks. Likewise, happiness hotspots like Denmark and Singapore report feeling meaningfully engaged in their lives and frequently experiencing joy. These communities all thrive on core values of trust, honor and respect for self and community, and what they do well can be replicated in the workplace. It all begins with a commitment to building supportive respectful relationships throughout the organization – a commitment that must be genuine. People can tell when their employers care and when they're simply paying lip service to workplace culture. Knowing employees crave trust and mutual respect in the workplace, employers can deliver when they ensure their workers feel valued and are recognized and acknowledged for their effort. 1. Implement workplace wellness checksMental health is taking a beating and people may feel powerless in the face of an unrelenting onslaught of personal and professional obstacles. Workplace wellness checks are an effective way of offering the support employees need. To be clear, these one-on-one calls should have absolutely nothing to do with work. The focus is on building personal connections and creating space for employees to be heard with kindness and compassion. By being vulnerable and sharing relatable challenges, those leading the calls can nurture this trust. As trust grows, employees may be more inclined to reveal an illness or financial struggle they’re facing. The company can then step in and provide needed support, perhaps offering paid mental health days to an overwhelmed employee. Prompting employees to share three things they’re grateful for that day, or what they enjoy most in terms of their personal and team contributions in the workplace, can be very revealing while also providing avenues to build trust and community. 2. Host company-wide town hall meetingsAs companies grow, employees can feel disconnected from the company mission and see themselves as an invisible cog in a massive machine. Town halls give companies the opportunity to demonstrate they care through transparency, connection and celebration. Effective town halls bring together teams from across the organization and give them the space to talk about their work, the challenges they face, how they’re overcoming them and ways they’re contributing to the company. They celebrate team success, showcase employees up and down the company hierarchy and help employees feel valued. Through these meetings companies can foster a sense that everyone has a meaningful role to play. 3. Hold regular roundtable discussionsSmall group roundtable discussions can be an energizing way to nurture connection while also opening a window into the ways culture can be improved. Take a day and bring together people who don’t ordinarily interact. Engage them in conversations about community, wellness, workplace culture – even cargo theft. I recommend no more than five people per table. These sessions create opportunities for people to see one another with more empathy, hear unique perspectives and create the conditions for community, not to mention innovation, to take root. 4. Invest in people and what they care aboutEmployees who struggle may feel invisible to their peers and supervisors and taken advantage of by their companies. By investing time and resources in them companies can combat that perception. Throughout the year, engage in community-building activities inside and outside the office. Events like sports outings, charity runs, crafting meetups and picnics can foster joy and connection. Inviting families to join in can also demonstrate the company’s care for workers’s personal lives, deepening connections further. Don’t stop there. Support charities employees care about and celebrate their hard work through bonuses, lunches and thoughtful gifts that acknowledge birthdays and other milestones. These simple gestures help employees feel valued. Improving workplace culture is the surprising cargo theft prevention strategy that pays big dividends. Johnny McCord is Loadsure's CEO & Founder whose end-to-end digital cargo insurance solution, Loadsure, was the only Lloyd’s of London coverholder approved in 2019. It was also a Lloyd’s Lab selection, 2021 InsurTechNY Early-Stage InsurTech Competition winner, and runner-up for Insurance Insider’s 2020 Disruptor of the Year Award. Previously a cargo broker with Lochain Patrick and a founding member of Roanoke International, Johnny brings 18 years of cargo broking experience to the fore. Rhonda Bompensa-Zimmerman, Ph.D is GlobalTranz Director of Wellness and Fitness and health psychology expert passionate about sharing the behavioral strategies that help people live more joyful and meaningful lives. With over 20 years of experience as an educator, community health programming facilitator, corporate and collegiate director, and health advocate for special populations, she now serves as Director of Wellness and Fitness for third-party logistics provider, GlobalTranz, where she implements evidence-based programs that support employee mental, physical, and social health, as well as personal and professional success. https://ift.tt/a853Nsn CCJ parent Randall Reilly earlier this year, in partnership with Shell Lubricant Solutions, produced the 2022 State of Diesel Technicians report, a survey-based analysis of the current state of the diesel technician trade. Survey participants were current technicians across many industrial segments, including trucking and transportation. The survey itself reveals what technicians want most from prospective employers; why they change jobs; the kind of training methods currently used by their employers; and how much money they make; among many other insights. It's one of the deepest dives you will find on this part of the labor force and it is available for download at no cost. Contents of this video00:00 Diesel technician shortage 02:02 Pay and benefits for diesel technicians 02:58 Recruiting diesel technicians 04:11 Women in the diesel technician field 05:41 Company culture 06:33 Employee turnover TranscriptJason Cannon A shortage of truck drivers is nothing new. It was the top industry issue for five consecutive years, according to an annual list compiled by the American Transportation Research Institute. This year, when it was unseated from its top spot by the price of fuel, it didn’t fall far – settling at No. 2 overall, but it’s still the No. 1 issue for carriers that participated in the survey. But truck driver isn’t the only trucking labor force under supply and demand pressure. A lack of qualified diesel technicians is just as severe and it’s just as important. Last year, the diesel tech shortage cracked ATRI’s top industry concern list for the first time, coming in at number 10 overall and no. 7 among carriers. This year, it dropped to no. 15 overall and no. 8 among carriers – a byproduct of things like diesel fuel prices and speed limiters, for example – being more ‘right now’ problems, not that the issue of diesel tech labor has been solved in any way. So what’s the issue? For one, age. This is a problem that we’re seeing with the driver population, too. The average age of a diesel technician, according to Data USA, is just more than 40 years old – about a decade younger than the average age of a truck driver, but still a far cry from the age of a recent high school or tech school graduate. According to the State of Diesel Technicians report, produced by CCJ parent company Randall Reilly and sponsored by Shell Lubricant Solutions, more than a quarter of respondents have been in diesel maintenance for 30 or more years. 48% of technician respondents have worked in the business for more than 20 years, while just 1% claim to have been in the business for 2 years or fewer – an alarming signal of a lack of a youth movement in heavy duty diesel technicians. Kirk Altrichter, Kenan Advantage Group’s executive vice president of fleet services and a CCJ Career Leadership Award recipient, told me that this is a byproduct of entire generations of students being told they have to go to college to get a good job, and that’s simply not the case. Angel Coker The report shows the majority (17%) of employees in this role earn between $50,000 and $60,000 annually, followed by 16% who earn $100,000 or more (all in the construction industry) and 15% who earn $60,000 to $70,000. On the benefits side, the report says 69% have the option for an IRA or 401(k) retirement plan. In terms of insurance, 83% have access to health, and 72% and 64% have access to dental and vision, respectively. Only 58% are offered life/accident/death and dismemberment insurance, and 57% have paid sick leave options, while 78% have paid holiday leave. Tom Quimby Many fleets have opted to go around schools entirely and pluck kids right out of the classroom. Sandra Jordan, director of career services at Lincoln Tech’s Nashville campus, told me that the demand for diesel technicians has her school competing for students alongside shops that will initially put untrained recruits into a development or apprenticeship program. Apprenticeships have played an important role in the development of the trucking labor force for a long time in all aspects of the industry. The 2022 State of Diesel Technicians report found that 44% of diesel technicians came to the industry via apprenticeship. One percent of our respondents were actually a current apprentice. Current training methods in shops vary. According to the 2022 State of Diesel Technicians report, 50% of respondents are sent to training events and/or receive instruction from trainers brought on-site; 40% receive training through OEM/supplier courses online; 37% are taught through company-wide training curriculum; 28% are encouraged to seek out their own training; and 11% said they have not undergone training in their current role. Angel Coker How do fleets backfill that gap while also filling current openings and having resources available for future openings? There has to be a recruitment effort placed on people other than men. Jim Mathis, president of WyoTech in Laramie, Wyoming, said he has seen women – though very few – in the diesel tech space ever since he began his career at the technical college in the 1970s, but the number of women entering the field is ticking up. According to BLS data, 293,200 people were employed as bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (not including diesel techs in other industries) in 2021, but just over 1% of those were women. According to Women in Trucking Foundation, which offers scholarships for women seeking careers as diesel techs, women make up 3.7% of diesel techs. Mathis said WyoTech currently has 30 to 35 women enrolled across its programs (automotive, collision refinishing and diesel), representing about 10% of its student population – the highest percentage of women WyoTech has ever had. Where the school in previous years has experienced a 1% to 2% increase in enrollment among women, it more recently has been experiencing a 5% to 7% increase, he said. Tom Quimby Hal Wagner, New Village Institute’s Director of Career Services, told me that company culture is often a bigger consideration than pay when it comes to technicians’ decision to join one shop over another. That’s a priority a lot different than your veteran technicians. The 2022 State of Diesel Technicians report, produced by Randall Reilly and sponsored by Shell Lubricant Solutions, showed that about 51% of respondents, which have 21 or more years in the business, ranked corporate culture fifth among factors most important when choosing a new job, behind pay, location, opportunities for advancement and scope of work. Jason Cannon The good news is the 2022 State of Diesel Technicians survey indicates a lot of fleets are getting this right. More than 70% of respondents reported having had only one or two different maintenance/repair jobs in the last five years, indicating that diesel techs don’t have a lot of incentive to jump between jobs based on any given single factor. All of this data and more is available as a free resource, courtesy of CCJ’s partnership with Shell Lubricant Solutions. All you have to do is download it. We’ve included a download link below. https://ift.tt/IQkOqZU Improving component availability and pent up demand for new trailers helped lift net trailer orders considerably last month. The 47,860 units booked in October were 83% higher than the month before, up 57% on a seasonally-adjusted basis and 171% above October 2021, according to this month’s issue of ACT Research’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers report. ACT Research Director of Commercial Vehicle Market Research & Publications Jennifer McNealy said discussions in the past month indicate trailer OEM business conditions, including 2023 demand, material/component supply chain, and labor, are on-par with September, "although swinging toward the ‘better’ side of the pendulum." FTR added that backlog levels jumped 13% on the increased orders after a downward trend for most of the year. October build rates were down 9% from September but were up 3% from October 2021. Build rates have stabilized in a narrow range of from 23,000 to 27,000 for eight of the last nine months. "Trailer manufacturers seem to have found themselves in a goldilocks environment for the moment. Demand for new equipment remains robust despite the worries of a weak economy, and suppliers and labor have been able to maintain a solid level of output since early this year," said Jonathan Starks, FTR's chief executive officer and chief intelligence officer. "We expect these conditions to remain in place through mid-2023 before economic uncertainties force weaker freight levels and demand for new equipment eases.” McNealy added that demand remains healthy and cancellations are low, although she expects some cancel-rebooking activity to occur this quarter. "This year’s backlogs are filled and build slot availability in 2023 varies widely by OEM," she added, "but continues to open more fully, which helps explain customers’ ability to place orders at the pace exhibited the past two months.” https://ift.tt/IQkOqZU As you sit recovering from a Thanksgiving feast and some grey Thursday shopping, you turn on the TV to watch — finally — some football. Only, it’s not there. It’s soccer instead. Flicking through other channels reveals the same thing: soccer, soccer, soccer. Dumbfounded, you text a friend to see what’s going on. The response is chilling; unbelievable. A small group of folks at California’s Outlandish Ubiquitous Giant Heap, or COUGH, have decided to ban football. No other state had a voice in the matter and an executive order from the White House extended the ban across the country. Game injuries, emissions from tailgate barbecues and those crazy guys painted in team colors were deemed too reckless and dangerous so the sport was cancelled. "But soccer fans are freaking nuts," you think as your daughter gently shakes your shoulder, waking you up from that crazy nightmare. “Dad, dad. The door buster sale,” she says. “Come on, let’s go.” You shake off that turkey-induced slumber, grab your cell phone, key fob and follow your daughter to the garage. “You remembered to plug in the truck, right Dad?” she asks as she reaches for the door. You grit your teeth as thoughts of 50% off big screens, smartphones and memory cards fade from view and are replaced by bundles of half-off socks and some not so kind thoughts of the California Air Resources Board (CARB). "This is your fault," you think as you follow your daughter into the cold garage toward your new electric pickup. "I should have gotten a hybrid. But no, CARB and work says it’s better for the planet to get an EV. Don’t want to pollute the air or bring another hurricane to Aunt Macy in Florida." “Dad! You forgot to plug in the truck. We won’t make it,” she says. “No worries sweetie. We had 50 miles of range showing. We’ll make it and just plug in at one of the mall chargers,” you say in your best confident dad voice, which is slightly off thanks to that nightmare COUGH and their football-hating agenda. [Related: Winter battery management key to better EV range, charge times] You sit inside the cold truck and push the start button. What happens next recalls that Tweet you saw from the EV owner in Minnesota: “Freezing weather can zap up to 40% of your range per the DOE, so keep your EV inside the garage and plugged in overnight to keep the battery warm. And, charging cold batteries takes longer. Be prepared!" Well, you think, at least the truck was inside the garage where it dropped down to the high 30s, so maybe there’s a chance. “Dad, it says 40 miles of range left. Not 50,” your math-loving daughter says, snapping you back into visions of writing scornful emails to CARB board members – all 16 of them. “Hey, we’ll make it sweetheart,” you say, finally accepting that you’ll have to stand by your powertrain choice for now – even on nights like this. “We’ll just have to keep the heater off but that’s okay, right? I mean, come on. Santa doesn’t exactly have a heater in his sleigh, right?” She goes silent for a moment and then steps up with a reassuring, “Yeah Dad. Let’s go.” As you open the garage door, you see bright headlights coming and hear the unmistakable sound of a 7.3-liter Power Stroke diesel. “It’s Uncle Chuck!” your daughter says as a 1997 Ford F-350 dually pulls into view. She races out to meet him and her cousin in the driveway. You walk out too, wondering why he’s shown up so early. He wasn’t due for another couple of hours for the game. After giving your daughter a big hug he walks over and quietly says out of earshot, “I heard you might need a ride.” You cock your head. “Sharon?” Is it possible that the same wife who reminds you about trash day and the kids’ games noticed this morning that the truck was not plugged in? Shoot, you still needed to show her how to charge the thing. Chuck nods. “Yeah, she saw that ‘ol sparky there wasn’t plugged in. Listen, no worries. I’m happy to help. Plus, I’ve got some shopping to do too.” You look back at your new pickup, it’s black gloss paint gleaming under the fluorescent lights. “Yeah, I’ve got to get used to plugging this in at nights. I still need to download the app. It’s got reminders and will tell you where you can find chargers,” you say. Chuck looks the truck over. “I’ve heard these things got a bunch of torque and will beat most anything on the road,” he says. You smile. “Yeah, that’s true. It’s pretty amazing.” “Well, you’ll have to show me,” he says with a grin. “I was planning on doing that after the game,” you say as you walk over to plug in the truck. “Isn’t that something,” Chuck says as you reach for the cord wrapped around the wall charger. “Is it cheaper to run than your old truck?” You quickly nod. “Oh yeah, and it’ll save about 40% in maintenance costs. That’s another reason why work is starting to get them.” Chuck nods. “Yeah, if you can make it work for what you need, that’s fine. Go for it. But it’s going to be a while before EVs can beat trucks like mine with towing, payload and range.” You nod in agreement. “That’s true but that day will come. It’s all about the battery. You remember when we were kids, all they used to sell were zinc and alkaline batteries for walkie-talkies and stuff. Now look at how many choices we’ve got. It won’t be long before we’ve got even better batteries for EVs.” Chuck shakes his head and flashes a grin. “I guess maybe one day, but today, you’re riding in a diesel.” You take your hand off the plug that’s now inserted into the truck’s outlet and walk his way while wagging your finger. “That’s true, and later you’ll be riding in the fastest pickup you’ve ever seen.” “Okay, we’ll see what you’ve got,” he says before turning back to his F-350 purring steadily under the moonlight. Now it wasn’t so much about CARB anymore. It was more about cutting edge technology and appreciating what it can do while being mindful about its limitations. It was like the early days of dial-up as web pages slowly emerged into view. It was like... “Hey Dad, there’s another electric truck like yours,” your daughter says as Chuck pulls up to a traffic light. “Sure is,” you say, looking at its unmistakable EV badging. “We’ll be seeing more of those.” “Yep, we sure will,” she says. https://ift.tt/v12iK9m Trucking news and briefs for Friday, Nov. 25, 2022: CJ Logistics is rebranding its asset-based fleetCJ Logistics is rebranding of its asset-based fleet of trucks and trucking division, GN Transportation, to CJ Logistics Transportation. Asset-based trucking services provided by CJ Logistics include local regional delivery (within 250 miles), over-the-road (over 250 miles), shuttle and loop for plants and warehouses, track-and-trace, frozen and refrigerated, yard spotting (dedicated options) and drayage. Customers benefit from the exceptional service and peace of mind that comes with 24/7 operations with top-level safety, security monitoring and dedicated in-house company drivers. “Rebranding our asset-based fleet conveys the integrated nature of our end-to-end supply chain solutions,” said Doug Smith, Group General Manager, CJ Logistics Transportation. “CJ Logistics Transportation will continue to enhance the value proposition provided to our customers while providing a diverse, world class culture and eco-friendly working environment.” BEV company Xos signs dealerFoley is a truck sales and services dealership with 15 locations across the Midwest. The company offers a broad line of Caterpillar and Allied Construction equipment and power generation, as well as SITECH construction technology solutions. With Foley, the Xos dealership network now comprises five dealers across North America and more than 50 dealership locations. https://ift.tt/v12iK9m Temperatures across the U.S. are tumbling, and the temperature swing can be a lot for a truck's components to handle, especially the coolant system. For most of at least the last six months, the coolant's ability to keep operating temperatures in line has been its primary function but soon – if not already – its ability to withstand subfreezing temps will be front and center. Chevron Lubricants Commercial Fleets Business Consultant Shelly Eckert, who joins Jason and Matt on this week's 10-44, said while a good maintenance program isn't necessarily tied to the changing of the seasons, there's no time like the present to give your coolant system a thorough checkup. Contents of this episode00:00 Coolant maintenance01:57 Refractometers 02:56 pH test strips 06:34 Pressure checking the radiator cap 07:01 Colors of coolant TranscriptThis week's 10-44 is brought to you by Chevron Delo 600 ADF ultra-low ash diesel engine oil. It's time to kick some ash.Temperatures are dropping faster than spot market rates. Are your trucks ready for the changing of the seasons? Jason Cannon Matt Cole Jason Cannon Shelly Eckert Matt Cole Shelly Eckert Matt Cole Shelly Eckert If it increases, it typically indicates that if you're running at a nitrite-free coolant, it'll indicate that you have nitrites in your cooling system. So it's a nice little trick to monitor your cooling system easily in the field. We've also, and this is where it gets a little complicated, we have these carboxylate test strips, organic acid test strips, right? That's going to be very formula specific. So you have to be careful with that one. You know what coolant you have in the cooling system and honestly, when it comes to over the road fleets, the only time that we have an opportunity to make sure that the truck has the proper amount of coolant and the proper physical properties of the coolant is when that truck is in the bay. Because as soon as it leaves and the driver has it, if they have to top up with coolant over the road, you could be commingling two different coolants. That's allowed up to 25%, but once you get to 25%, you get those dyes mixing, you can't really tell, which is why you have to really test your coolant to make sure everything's good to go. Jason Cannon Protecting your diesel engine and its after treatment system has traditionally been a double edged sword. The same engine oil that is so essential to protecting your engine's internal parts is also responsible for 90% of the ash that is clogging up your DPF and upping your fuel and maintenance costs. Outdated industry thinking still sees a trade off between engine and emission system protection and Chevron was tired of it, so they spent a decade of R & D, developing a no compromise formulation. Chevron Lubricants developed a new ultra-low ash diesel engine oil that is specifically designed to combat DPF ash clogging. Delo 600 ADF with OMNIMAX technology cuts sulfate ash by whopping 60%, which reduces the rate of DPF clogging and extends DPF service life by two and a half times. Just think what you can do with all the MPGs you're going to add from cutting your number of regions. But Delo 600 ADF isn't just about after treatment. It provides complete protection extending drain intervals by preventing oil breakdown. Before, you had to choose between protecting your engine or your after treatment system and now you don't. 600 ADF from Del with OMNIMAX technology, it's time to kick some ash. Shelly Eckert Matt Cole Shelly Eckert If you are a fleet that is on a red coolant, and a lot of times, these trucks, they're going to be labeled with what coolant is in that sump and if it's not labeled, once you put what you know you are using, label it of what is in that cooling system because the shop knows what they're using, but the driver may or may not. I've seen for extended life coolants out there, blue and red and pink and yellow. You have to just be careful because there's circumstances where marketing addresses it as being a universal coolant. Well, that may be for automotive, but not for heavy duty. So you have to know what your coolant is because honestly, 40% of the engine related failures are coolant related. So coolant is a very important piece, which is why we put the Cool Tools together to get the technicians an added kit into their toolbox. Jason Cannon https://ift.tt/v12iK9m Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022: Class 8 tractor dashboard dipped in SeptemberACT Research reported in its recently released Transportation Digest that its Class 8 Tractor Dashboard slipped in September to a -4 reading, the sixth moderately downbeat reading in seven months. Despite the drop, the reading is not as far negative as seen in recent downturns. “We think the Dashboard readings suggest a better outcome for Class 8 than was the case in the last two downturns (COVID 2020 and the popping of the global commodity bubble in late 2014),” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s President and Senior Analyst. “In those events, the negative readings reached double-digit levels. While we suspect more negative readings are inbound, they are not here yet.” Vieth added that the trucking stock index fell into negative territory in the most recent reading, but “Class 8 cancellations moved from negative to neutral territory. Of the 15 variables in the Dashboard, three were at ‘positive’ levels, in line with August, while the number in ‘negative’ territory increased from six to seven.” U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree delivered to D.C.The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree on Nov. 18 completed its journey from the National Forests in North Carolina to the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building. Siloam, North Carolina-based Hardy Brothers Trucking and husband-wife team drivers Harold “Ed” Kingdon Jr. and Deborah Z. Kingdon transported the 78-foot Red Spruce. https://ift.tt/v12iK9m While the list for winter maintenance requirements on electric trucks and vans is fairly short compared to their internal combustion counterparts, experts agree that powertrain battery management should rank at the top. With over three million miles of commercial electric vehicle experience, which includes traversing harsh Colorado winters, Lightning eMotors CEO and co-founder Tim Reeser said the greater lesson to keep in mind is how to battle range reduction amid freezing temperatures. Reeser said they’ve seen up to a 30% drop in range when winter comes calling since chemical reactions within the battery are slowed “We've got enough data on this now to feel very strong that we know the answer and that 30 percent is a good number,” he said. According to the the Department of Energy, range can drop by as much as 41% in 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Roughly two-thirds of energy consumption was attributed to heating the cabin. Simply put, cold weather slows down battery performance according to Ford. "Temperatures below 40°F cause the electrolyte fluid to be sluggish limiting how much power is available to discharge and how fast the vehicle can charge. When temperatures are low, you could see a reduction in range, which is normal," Ford states on a webpage aimed at improving EV range during winter. Range can also be diminished when EVs require additional power to traverse snow-covered roads, Reeser said. Proper battery management can help reduce range depletion in colder temperatures which includes keeping EVs plugged in when not in use so that the vehicle’s thermal management system can keep the battery warmer. "Whenever possible, just keep it plugged in,” Reeser said. “Because when it's plugged in, the battery management system gets to manage the thermals of the battery.” [Related: Mack, Volvo ink charging infrastructure deal with Pilot] Voltage draw can be tailored according to fleet needs such as charging to an optimum level shortly before departure and pre-heating the cabin for driver comfort. Thermal battery management experts at Modine, which has been regulating powertrain temperatures since 1916 (Henry Ford turned to them for the Model T), say there’s a small window for optimum thermal battery management. “A battery pack should be maintained—depending on the manufacturer—but usually 25 to 35 degrees Celsius (77 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit), so there's a narrow, ideal window for the battery pack to really maximize and minimize charging time,” said Gina Bonini, vice president and general manager of advanced thermal systems at Modine. “The battery thermal management system is a key addition to that battery pack to maintain that ideal temperature range,” Bonini continued. Modine’s battery thermal management system (BTMS) works to maintain an ideal battery pack temperature by circulating ethylene glycol around the battery pack. Ethylene glycol, more commonly known as coolant, can be heated or cooled depending on pack temperature. “In cold environments, our BTMS for instance, has a heating loop,” Bonini said. “On the battery pack there'll be a battery plate or some other structure to transfer heat to and from the battery cells out into a coolant. We then heat that coolant with our battery heating loop to raise the temperature of the battery pack.” Navistar’s director of EV field services, Kyle Maki, said battery thermal management is left up to the truck, not the drivers or fleet managers. “Our BTMS makes it easy on the operator and fleet managers,” Maki said. “As long as the key in the ignition is turned to ‘on,’ or the vehicle is plugged into the charging station, the BTMS will operate as designed. Our engineering team did not want to force our operators to engage any switches, but to have the system manage itself.” Once an EV is out on the road, its powertrain battery generates heat “which then needs to be removed to keep the battery pack from getting too hot,” Bonini added. Reeser said the coolant systems in Lightning EVs are comparable to those in internal combustion engine (ICE) models. “We run exactly the same coolant. In fact, we run the same radiator, the same heat exchanger that comes stock in many of these vehicles so it’s handled in exactly the same way,” Reeser said. “This is where fleets really like it because you don't treat it any differently than you do your ICE vehicle. You reduce it the same amount so typically it's 50% water, 50% glycol and that's what you're running.” Training to new technologyMaintaining ideal battery range in cold weather often comes down to overall vehicle management. Ford spokesman Eddie Fernandez cited cold weather advice given to e-Transit owners.“AAA tested the range effects of 20°F (-7°C) weather on several popular electric vehicles and found that temperature alone could reduce range by 10-12%, while the use of in-vehicle climate control could amplify range loss to 41%,” Fernandez said. Climate control habits inside an electric vehicle, particularly during winter, play a big role in battery management, Reeser said. Some fleets may have to train drivers not to leave an electric truck or van turned on with the heater going while they’re delivering packages for example. “You have some applications that have less risk of this idle than others, but some of this is a training opportunity and some of it's also an opportunity to talk about things that weren't historically standard in commercial vehicles,” Reeser said. Switching off the cabin heater and turning on heated seats and a heated steering wheel while out on the road during a cold day can help preserve battery life. “We spend a lot of time looking at heated seats in these vehicle because as you move to a heated seat, now the driver's more comfortable with turning off the heat while they're out of the vehicle,” Reeser said. Fleets may have to adjust for longer charge times in freezing weather. Electrify America points to an Idaho National Laboratory study which found that EV batteries experienced a 36% drop in energy uptake when charging at 32 degrees Fahrenheit. “When temperatures are low, the electric vehicle’s software reduces its charging power, and for a good reason: to help avoid stressing the battery,” Electrify America states in its tips for charging EVs in the cold. Drivers and fleet managers also need to be aware that regenerative braking will not perform as well in colder temperatures. “If the battery's very cold and if it has not been preconditioned, you are limited on how much your regenerative braking will work because you're limited by how much of that energy you can absorb and put in the battery because we're going to protect the battery and limit the battery [when it’s outside of its optimum temperature range],” Reeser said. Some similarities with ICEIn addition to sharing a similar powertrain temperature management system, some electric trucks share the same air brake system which requires the same approach to winter management such as purging moisture and checking to ensure proper air dryer performance.“We recommend the same air brake system winter prep procedures as our diesel products,” Maki said. “Additionally, we recommend emptying the air tanks before extended periods of parked time to allow the moisture to escape the system.” Vehicle contact with corrosive de-icers and sand is handled in a similar way. “Navistar encourages customers to complete the same washing procedure as they are used to, including de-icing,” Maki said. “We train our customers to not spray directly into modules and avoid close spray contact to all high-voltage cables and modules.” The bigger focus with EV winter management, Maki said, remains on battery thermal management. “Even though there is no concern for fuel gel issues, we will train our customers on how to properly maintain their battery packs using our battery thermal management system,” he said. https://ift.tt/CKkjqVo |
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April 2023
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