Bosch, at the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas Monday, said it was working on components for a hydrogen engine, which would convert fuel directly into energy without first converting it into electricity. When powered by green hydrogen, this engine is practically carbon neutral, Bosch claimed of the H2 engine set to debut this year. Alongside electrification, Bosch sees hydrogen as key to meeting global energy demand in a resource-efficient way. As a storage medium hydrogen can facilitate the efficient use of energy generated from renewable sources, and Bosch is investing extensively in technologies along the hydrogen value chain. The current focus is a mobile fuel cell that recently went into volume production in Stuttgart, Germany. This lies at the heart of the powertrain system for heavy vehicles and Bosch has already received its first orders from truck manufacturers in Europe, the U.S., and China. "To help us meet our global energy needs in a resource-efficient way, Bosch is focusing on digitalization, electrification and hydrogen," said Tanja Rückert, member of the board of management and CDO of the Bosch Group. "For a low-emissions future, we are optimizing the use of traditional energy sources by driving forward electrification in mobility, commercial buildings and homes. And we are tapping into new, sustainable energy sources – with hydrogen playing a central role." [Related: Hydrogen partnerships springing up across the U.S. could accelerate fuel cell adoption] According to the Department of Energy, there are 59 open retail hydrogen stations in the U.S. as of 2023. There are at least 50 stations in various stages of planning or construction as the U.S. government pushes ahead with the development of H2 infrastructure and is investing $7 billion dollars in the construction of hydrogen hubs. Most of the existing and planned stations in the U.S. are in California, with one in Hawaii and five planned for the northeastern states, according to the DOE. “The H2 hubs are an important building block for establishing a hydrogen infrastructure," said Mike Mansuetti, president of Bosch in North America. "We at Bosch support these measures and are exploring participation in several of these hubs. Our goal is to help drive forward the clean-energy economy in North America. This is an area where we can contribute our expertise in the production and provisioning of hydrogen." While electrification is trucking's current next big thing, hydrogen is simmering beneath the surface. Nikola said the company last year produced 42 and wholesaled 35 Class 8 Nikola hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). https://ift.tt/JqbwZPY
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Predatory towing isn’t just inflation. It’s more than just a few bad apples, and it’s not going away anytime soon. The well-documented rise of predatory practices around nonconsensual tows (police-ordered after a crash or on a private lot) represents a coordinated attack on trucking, some would say on an industrial scale.This comprehensive guide aims to give you tools to fight back.$200,000 for recovery of a single-vehicle crash. $6,000 to move a tractor and trailer 16 miles. A 33-hour standoff with a wrecker holding a driver in their truck hostage. These are the predatory towing horror stories regularly making headlines, and the pace has only increased. For big fleets, the threat mirrors that of nuclear verdicts. Legal and safety departments brace for an impact that could literally happen any time a driver gets behind the wheel. For owner-operators, though, a $100,000 towing and recovery bill can spell out a death sentence for their career in trucking, maybe even ruin life at home, too. A recent report from the American Transportation Research Institute lays bare the shocking statistics. In 2021, 82.7% of carriers reported being overcharged by towing companies. Another 82% said they’d been hit with ridiculous accessorial fees to jack up the price. While these numbers are grim, the carriers in the latter case were lucky to even be presented an itemized bill, given a number of states don't require it. The ATRI report provides a fantastic overview of the predatory towing problem. Both the American Trucking Associations and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association hoped it would kick off an industry- and government-wide wave of resistance and legislation. But don't bank on that materializing quickly. Until the wider world acknowledges the grave realities around predatory practices, truckers need a resource. Here, find a step by step guide to protecting yourself with insurance and identification of fair rates and practices, likewise what to do in the event the worst happens and predatory tow hooks are on your truck and in your business. Insurance, insurance, insurance ...Attorney Adam Brand, founder of Brand & Tapply, LLC, who was quoted at length in the ATRI report and has more than 25 years of experience fighting predatory towing cases in court, said the "biggest mistake" carriers make with regard to towing happens before the tow company even dispatches. It happens when the carrier picks their insurance. "First and foremost, especially in the owner-operator area, these guys are incredibly exposed and incredibly vulnerable to predatory towers," said Brand. "There's a chance that they’re going to get disabled somewhere in the U.S. and get into situation where they are overcharged and their equipment held hostage until the invoice is paid. It's a significant risk -- literally a risk of going out of business every time they get behind the wheel." According to Brand, insurance companies are re-writing policies "recognizing the risk of predatory towing," he said. It's a risk plenty insurers recognize, with the National Insurance Crime Bureau taking up the fight in that arena and hosting webinars and issuing press releases on the scourge. At a brass tacks level for an insurance company, "one mechanism to reduce risk is to put significant limits on how much they pay for towing and recovery or mitigation remediation," Brand said, adding that he sees some policy limits as low as just $5,000 to $10,000. But that's a drop in the bucket, he said. A predatory invoice for a nonconsensual tow can quickly reach $25,000 to $100,000. Therefore, the carrier's "biggest vulnerability is trying to save some [insurance] premium dollars and not recognizing the risk," Brand said. An insurer paying a policy's $10,000 limit on an egregious $100,000 claim can simply "walk away" from the claim, leaving the carrier held hostage with no hope of an insurance adjuster's thorough investigation. "That's the whole game right there," said Brand. "Being properly insured." With the right insurance, the predatory tower "becomes the insurer's problem as far as how much will be paid, what investigations go on, and how to force vehicle out of the hands" of the tow company. Otherwise, buckle up for a grueling battle in court, where frankly the options look bleak. Brand said that on average, carriers win about 50% of the invoice back in court. So if a towing company invoices $100,000, and the carrier thinks $10,000 represents a fair price, after a heap of legal fees and time in court, the carrier can probably expect a jury to order them to pay around $60,000. But that's only if the carrier treads carefully and documents everything starting the moment the tow is initiated. Often enough, that's the scene of a tow, which we'll explore next. The scene of the accident, or incidentFrom the moment something goes bump on a public road or private lot, the fight against predatory towing begins. Based on conversations with Brand, his senior associate, Shahan Kapitanyan, and Pamela Bracher, the Deputy General Counsel at the American Trucking Associations, we've put together a step-by-step guide to what to do to track and control the towing invoice. Post-accident, ask the police if they'll allow you to contact your preferred towing company. If you're not fortunate to personally know a local tower, there are networks of towing companies that guarantee their work and rates to avoid egregious billing. Otherwise, you'll be at the mercy of whoever's on the police's rotation. Document everything that happens during the towing and recovery. To the extent you can, make note of what equipment the company brings to the scene. Make note of the number of staff, the number of companies, and how long each person and piece of equipment stays on-site. Lots of predatory towing invoices lie about how much equipment was used or for how long. Take pictures, video, or any other sturdy types of documentation. After all communications with the tow company, send an email to put in writing the substance of the conversation. Documentation that holds up in court can't just be diary entries, so try to get everything timestamped and in writing. If the towing company says on the phone they can't talk now and will ask the boss later, send an email describing that interaction and stating your inquiry about the status of the recovery and that your message is time-sensitive. Don't sign any type of "consent to tow" or similar documentation. Some companies will try to make the tow seem like a consensual tow, but avoid signing any such paperwork. Assignment of benefits, approval of rates, guarantees of payment -- you're not obligated to sign these, and the lawyers contacted for this article recommend you don't. Push for an itemized invoice. The devil truly lurks in the details with predatory towing. Brand said he's seen towing companies bill for overhead, as in invoicing a carrier for four headsets used by staff on-site, as if they'd discard the headsets fresh with each job. Sometimes, tow companies will attempt to bill for services they did not provide. For example, the fire department cleans up an environmental hazard, yet it appears on your bill from the tow company. Look out for subcontractors on the invoice, which predatory towers often apply a markup to. The ATRI report gives a good idea of what typical per-pound and hourly rates look like to help you audit the invoice. Immediately work to get cargo and equipment released. While the tow company holds your equipment hostage, you're essentially an annuity to the predator, which can charge hundreds of dollars per day for simply keeping your equipment in their possession, according to Brand. This can include filing against a bond or paying under duress. Paying under duress does mean paying up, but making sure you're preserving your rights at a later date to contest those charges. It's critical to make sure the payment clearly states it's under duress. If the tow company demands to be paid in cash, communicate in writing that it's an unreasonable and unfair business practice and instead offer a certified check. Their demand for cash represents "ongoing evidence of their unfair business practices," said Brand. Such evidence should be reported to the state's attorney general, towing board, or other relevant bodies. Brand said that in some states, like Florida, companies are allowed to sell the seized equipment to pay the bill and that he's seen cases where the equipment is sold in a "less than fair auction" for "a pittance." "A $50,000 piece of equipment purchased by the tower for $4,000," for instance, he said, "which means they've effectively gained $46,000 off of this transaction." Once the equipment is released, the carrier will likely have to retain legal counsel, and a months- or years-long legal saga can ensue. But armed with credible documentation and a detailed breakdown of the costs and business practices of the towing company, the carrier stands their best chance of recovering the property. Keep in mind: Trials are hard, take a long time, and expensive, too. Also, the jury will decide. The company that presented an egregious, predatory bill will likely "dust themselves off pretty good" for a court appearance, according to Brand. They will try to "present themselves as a small business person, a person that is a first responder and available 24/7, someone who frequently puts themselves in harm's way" and has to purchase expensive rotator and wrecker equipment in an uncertain business environment. There's ample truth to that, too. Towing companies face a lot of the same challenges truckers face in terms of operations and cost inflation. Prepare accordingly, act professionally, and know your enemy. Documenting any breaches of regulations committed by the company, like improper storage of vehicles or unfair business practices, can go a long way toward disrupting their narrative in court. Both Brand and ATA's Bracher said there seems to be training going on in the towing and recovery industry around ways to inflate invoices to a predatory level. That's it's a coordinated and industrialized attack on carriers, and must be treated as such. Not just in court rooms, but in state houses via legislation. Advocacy, legislation, and how trucking is fighting predatory towingThe ATRI report gives a good rundown of which states have the best laws protecting against bad towing practices. Maryland, Arizona and Colorado have all passed strong laws regulating the towing business. Indiana, the worst state for predatory towing, unsurprisingly, has no laws blocking maximum fees. ATRI's compendium of state regs should help carriers keep a close watch on the invoice items and rates, but according to the ATA, more needs to be done. As such, ATA's Bracher said the organization "works with state associations to reform legislation around maximum rates, hourly and per-pound rates, laws requiring itemized bills, bill dispute processes, as well as laws requiring release of cargo, laws requiring transparency in the police rotational call-out lists and how they put tow companies on them, who gets to stay on them." Additionally, laws must include "meaningful punishment for bad actors," she said. The ATA mostly supports state trucking associations in this endeavor, but remains active counselling carriers and tracking what laws are working and where. States trucking associations like Maryland's have had success with ATA's other associations' support, which Overdrive detailed here. An OOIDA spokesperson said they're on the case, too. "We have a number of states legislators and state trucking associations interested in possible legislation regarding non-consensual and predatory towing," the organization wrote. "We think the only real answer to stop the predatory practices is getting individual states to adopt towing boards, improved practices and other protocols." The association said it has "pushed back on predatory towing, in particular non-consensual towing, for a number of years in several states that include Missouri, Maryland and Tennessee and other states. We hope that the data collected for the report will inspire lawmakers to take action, seeing that there is indeed a problem with towing companies and little or no oversight." In summary, get involved pushing your state toward fair towing legislation, protect yourself with insurance that covers predatory tows, look into towing networks that provide fair service in 50 states, and if the worst happens and you're in an accident or hit by a parking-enforcement tow company, document document document ... and if need be give 'em hell in court. [Related: Trucking fights back against predatory towing: State laws that level the playing field] https://ift.tt/JqbwZPY Continental and Aurora Innovation have finalized the design and architecture of the future fallback system and hardware of the Aurora Driver – an SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) Level 4 autonomous driving system – that Continental plans to start production of in 2027. The announcement was made just ahead of this week's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The finalized hardware design comes less than a year after the companies entered into a partnership aimed at high-volume manufacturing of autonomous trucking systems. Aurora teamed up with Continental to jointly develop reliable, serviceable, cost-efficient autonomous hardware kits for mass production, and the partnership gives Aurora a path to deploy autonomous trucks at scale after its initial driverless launch, planned at the end of 2024. “Technologies for autonomous mobility present the biggest opportunity to transform driving behavior since the creation of the automobile,” said Philipp von Hirschheydt, Executive Board member for the Automotive Group sector at Continental. “Achieving this milestone puts us on a credible path to deploy easy-to-service autonomous trucking systems that customers demand.” The companies' fallback system provides built-in redundancies that provide backups in case of component or sensor failure when a human driver is not inside the tractor to assume control. The fallback system itself is a specialized secondary computer that can take over operation if a failure occurs in the primary system. This innovative dual engineering approach is intended to reduce the exposure of the main and fallback system to single points of failure. “From day one, we knew we’d need to build a strong ecosystem of partners to bring this technology to market safely and at a commercial scale,” said Chris Urmson, Co-Founder and CEO at Aurora. “Finalizing the design of our future hardware is a meaningful step toward making the unit economics of the Aurora Driver compelling and building a business for the long-term.” The path to 2027 production2023: Blueprint and design. Aurora and Continental align on the detailed system architecture, key requirements, and detailed technical specifications of the Aurora Driver hardware and new high-performance fallback system. This phase is complete. 2024-2025: Build and test. With the system architecture in hand, Continental will build initial versions of the hardware for testing at its new facility in New Braunfels, Texas, USA, and across its global manufacturing footprint. 2026-2027: Finalization, start of production and integration. Continental will industrialize and validate the future Aurora Driver hardware and fallback system before the Start of Production at its facilities. The hardware will leverage a wide spectrum of Continental’s extensive automotive product portfolio from sensors, automated driving control units (ADCU), high-performance computers (HPC), telematics units, and more. The hardware and fallback system will be shipped to Aurora’s trucking manufacturing partners for integration into autonomous-ready vehicles. During this phase, the companies will also develop a service playbook and maintenance network for Aurora’s customers. 2027 and beyond: Deployment at scale. Thousands of trucks integrated with the Aurora Driver are ready to autonomously haul freight across the U.S. https://ift.tt/JqbwZPY Trucking news and briefs for Monday, Jan. 8, 2024: Groendyke announces changes to leadership teamGroendyke Transport (CCJ Top 250, No. 106) has made several changes to its senior leadership, including naming Joe Morrissey the company’s new president. Greg Hodgen will remain CEO while transitioning presidency of the company. In addition, David Snapp has been named senior vice president of branding, and Robbie Parrish has been promoted to vice president of operations. “I could not be more pleased with the recent achievements of the Groendyke Transport team and am confident when I say, our best days are ahead of us,” Hodgen said. “We have many ambitious goals for the next one, two, and five years. These changes best position us to achieve these goals and continue our long-term succession planning. I am fully committed to celebrating Groendyke’s 100th anniversary as CEO and will continue to play a meaningful role in overall operations while shifting my responsibilities more fully to acquisitions and strategically positioning Groendyke for future success.” Morrissey brings 40-plus years of experience in the chemical and bulk tank trucking industry, including the past five years at Groendyke. His leadership and business acumen led to the successful integration and transition of McKenzie Tank Lines into Groendyke in 2019 via acquisition. He also transformed Groendyke’s sales and commercial team, as well as its centralized planning centers. Morrissey’s rich, lifelong experiences, achievements, and leadership make him well qualified for the position, the company said. As president, he is responsible for all company operations. In his new role, Snapp is responsible for communicating, reinforcing and fostering the company’s mission, vision, values and culture. Parrish joined Groendyke in 2014 after serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. He has put together an impressive list of achievements during his tenure at Groendyke, excelling at each of his assignments, including terminal manager and planning center director. Xantrex power inverters now offered on International trucksInternational Trucks is now offering the Xantrex Freedom XC 1800W pure sine-wave inverter/charger as a factory option on its trucks. The new option means longer surge power and “clean” electricity that is consistent – no spikes or drops in power – allowing sensitive medical devices like CPAP machines to be used. “More than 75% of sleeper units are now being spec’d with inverters or inverter/chargers and that number continues to grow,” said Mitul Chandrani, VP of Marketing for Mission Critical Electronics, the parent company of Xantrex. “It’s an AC-world in trucks these days – powering microwaves, laptops, medical devices and power tools.” According to Chandrani, the Freedom XC provides 1,800 watts of power, along with 4,000 watts of surge power for a two-second duration. “That’s industry-leading and allows high-draw devices to be used, without fear of shutting down the inverter,” he said. The Freedom XC comes with an 80-amp built-in 3-stage battery charger, allowing for rapid battery charging when plugged into shore power. Xantrex also uses a 30-amp relay, which quickly senses the change in the power source and transfers the load virtually uninterrupted. While the Xantrex Freedom XC works in unison with traditional batteries, it was also designed to work with and recharge Lithium-ion batteries. https://ift.tt/JqbwZPY The year 2023 was marked by labor flexing its muscle, resulting in wage-gaining strikes by the Screen Actors Guild, the Writers Guild of America, and the United Auto Workers, to name a few. Unionization efforts also garnered headlines at iconic outlets like Starbucks and Amazon, which have aggressively fended off previous efforts. Even with these wins, union membership in the United States is still down from its peak in 1950 when, according to the United States Department of Treasury, about 35% of all workers were in unions. The unionized share of the workforce has declined steadily since to 10% in 2022. Some professions, even during the peak period, have historically been out of reach of most unions. Trucking is one of those professions in which unions have had difficulty gaining a foothold. But with some of labor's recent wins and a tight job market that has given workers more leverage, is trucking finally ripe for a wave of unionization? [Related: Drivers at three 10 Roads Express terminals vote to unionize] Most analysts say that trucking, especially over-the-road (OTR), has unique DNA and tricky logistical and cultural characteristics, making it a challenging terrain for unions. And these challenges are not expected to disappear for the foreseeable future. One of the biggest impediments to unionization is the nature of the profession. "Truckers are out on the road by themselves, so the ability to organize is limited," said Avery Vise, vice president of trucking at FTR. He said efforts to unionize OTR truckers simply aren't going to gain traction. "We will see successes here and there, but I would be surprised to see any of the large carriers unionized." The exception is LTL drivers who congregate at terminals, Vise said, making unionization drives easier. The Teamsters represented all of Yellow Trucking's 20,000-plus drivers, but Yellow's collapse may have left an already union-averse profession even more skittish. 'Leave us alone'"The union were the ones that destroyed and sunk Yellow completely. The union is why," said Bob Sorin, who hauls for Werner Enterprises (CCJTop 250, No. 13) in Springfield, Ohio. Sorin says there was a lot of chatter about Yellow among OTR drivers at truck stops and that almost everyone shared his sentiment: that the union contributed to the iconic carrier's closure in 2023. Sorin hauls everything and anything, but lately, his loads have been animal feed and dog food on dedicated routes throughout the Midwest. "Unions end up killing businesses more than they help. To me, they do more harm than good," Morin said, adding that if he ever has a complaint, there are plenty of ways to address them within his company. "They take very good care of me, they get me home when I need to be. I can't complain,." Morin said many OTR truckers wouldn't want the added layer of a union to deal with, even if there were some benefits. "A lot of truckers say 'give us our loads, we know what we are doing, let us do our jobs and leave us alone,'" Morin said. Still, 26 drivers at Werner subsidiary ECM in New Jersey did unionize in August last year and are represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW). Mike Thompson is the vice president and is in charge of organizing for UFCW Local 152, which the ECM workers joined. Thompson said this is the first group of truckers he has organized and that unions for truckers are the same as for any worker, giving them a voice at the negotiating table. But for unions to catch on in trucking, it has to be an organic movement from within. It won't come from the Teamsters or UFCW organizing them. "At the end of the day, workers have to want it," Thompson said. And many don't. Backwards protectionsChris Lauwers drives a flatbed for Building Systems Transportation in London, Ohio. Lauwers has driven OTR for five years and has little use for unions. "It is very competitive. Workers have a lot of options; if you are not treating them well, then they can go elsewhere," Lauwers said, adding that a union seems like a decent idea on paper, but in practice – at least in trucking – unionization causes more problems than it prevents. "A union makes newer people coming in un-fireable, and the real people you end up protecting are the ones you don't want on the road," Lauwers said. If a driver is caught doing something they shouldn't, Lauwers said the unions may save someone's job that shouldn't be saved. Even on the pay issue, Lauwers echoed what others say: there isn't much margin to work with. "With unions and collective bargaining, the companies have to pay more and, as a driver, I appreciate higher pay," Lauwers said. But with a saturated market and everyone undercutting everyone else, higher pay would be good for the drivers, but then there is no money left for trucks and their upkeep and maintenance. So, the only thing to do is to raise rates. "But you can't do that because the minute you use to raise rates, UPS or FedEx or someone else will come in to undercut. It is just a really competitive and cutthroat business," Lauwers said. As an OTR driver, he is sent everywhere, generally regionally, but has been to all lower 48 states. For him, the unions are less about the trucking mindset of wanting to be left alone and more about not having room for them. But he agrees that some truckers have a "want to be left alone" mentality. "We like to stay away from a lot of drama," Lauwers said. "I work for a great company, so a union isn't needed. If have to take off because of a family issue, they say `fine,' and if the delivery is a day late, it's a day late." While FTR's Vise said unions can help negotiate higher wages, he agrees with Lauwers about having little wiggle room. Wages in trucking are already responsive to market forces that boost trucker pay, so the union's impact is muted. "The market responds quickly to pressures, so wage growth in trucking is greater than you have in most other segments," Vise said. "Wages are a function not just of pay rate but utilization. In trucking, you can get more miles in a tight market. When things get tight, rates go up." Vise also points out that OTR drivers are spread throughout the country, even if they work for the same company. An LTL carrier based in a single city will have most workers in the same geographical area, giving them more unionization leverage. Also, Vise said the OTR profession often attracts leave-me-alone libertarians and anti-union types who don't want to be organized or part of a group, which is why they are OTR drivers in the first place: a largely solitary profession, echoing Morin's mantra of "just leave us alone." That sentiment is shared by Travis Roberts, owner of Regen Trucking Driving School, which has five campuses in Michigan, where unions are strong. "Truckers are a unique bunch. Many of them just don't want to be part of a union," Roberts said, adding that if the company treats the driver well, most OTRs won't consider a union. Roberts himself has "very mixed" feelings about unions in trucking. He said that unions can help push back against drivers driving more than they should and improve trucker working conditions if they aren't up to par. Still, unions can sometimes exact an economic price that trucking companies can't afford. "Unions can make salaries go up, which drives up costs, which they can't afford, and they go under," Roberts said. "So unions are a double-edged sword." Blood on union handsKenny Veith, president of ACT Research, said that unions can run counter to one of trucking's main characteristics: flexibility. "Unions provide security for labor, but they reduce system flexibility in freight markets, and being the most successful requires a great deal of flexibility," he said. Vieth also agrees that the Teamster's involvement in Yellow Corp. and its demise may sour additional union attempts. The Teamsters themselves are vowing to continue efforts to unionize truckers, even in the wake of nearly 100-year-old Yellow's collapse and the union's role in it, because of the benefits they say unionization brings to drivers. [Related: Yellow files $137 million lawsuit against Teamsters union] "Support for unions and workers organizing to form unions are all rising. As with all workers, the benefits of truck drivers joining unions include better wages, benefits, retirement, a voice on the job, workplace safety, and other protections," said Kara Deniz, spokesperson for the Teamsters. While some criticized the Teamsters for their role in helping sink Yellow Corp. by threatening to strike, Deniz pointed to labor agreements that the Teamsters have recently ratified with ABF Freight (No. 17) and TForce Freight (No. 4) as trucking success stories. The ABF agreement covers over 8,000 workers. But these trucking labor successes will continue to be the exception, said Andrew Balthrop, research associate at the University of Arkansas's Sam M. Walton School of Business. Balthrop studies freight and supply chain issues and said the dynamics of the industry and its labor market continue to make it a very tricky terrain for unionization. "The trucking industry is a very competitive industry, and you have a lot of different trucking companies out there, some with a lot of capacity, and you also have a million or more drivers out there," Balthrop said, adding that because of the market dynamics, it would be tough for unions to make much headway without legislative action. "I don't see market forces changing those forces that still exist," Balthrop said, adding that even an issue like wages – usually a selling point for unions – is salient for most truckers. "Wages are determined competitively, so there is not much room for a union to force themselves in," Balthrop said, adding that labor is the most significant cost in trucking. "In a market that is kind of soft with downward price pressure, there is not a lot of room for unions to make headway to boost wages," Balthrop said. https://ift.tt/JqbwZPY Trucking news and briefs for Friday, Jan. 5, 2024: Prime announces new presidentPrime Inc. (CCJ Top 250, No. 16) announced Thursday that Darrel Hopkins will assume the role of president of the company. Prime’s Founder and CEO, Robert Low, will remain CEO for Prime, Inc. Hopkins joined Prime in December 1994. His primary function at the company was the management and expansion of Success Leasing, Inc. In so doing, he oversaw the delivery of trucks to Success Leasing and the leasing of each truck to operators. He was also the company’s controller where he managed financial reporting, budgeting, and internal controls. Hopkins received his MBA from the University of Kansas and is a Certified Public Accountant. As president of Prime, Hopkins will oversee the administration of the company and some of the its ancillary businesses. Low will oversee all trucking operations at Prime Inc. PA Turnpike tolls set to increase SundayThe Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission will increase tolls on the Turnpike beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 7. The Commission approved a 5% increase for E-ZPass and Toll by Plate customers last summer. The most common toll for tractor-trailers will increase from $14.40 to $15.20 for E-ZPass and from $29.40 to $30.90 for Toll by Plate. After the increase is applied, E-ZPass and Toll by Plate rates for passenger and commercial vehicles will round up to the nearest dime. E-ZPass drivers will continue to get the lowest rates, saving nearly 60% on tolls. Toll rates for travel on the PA Turnpike can be checked here. “Our annual toll increases directly support the escalating Act 44 debt service we have had to manage due to the mandates of Act 44 of 2007,” said Rick Dreher, PTC Chief Financial Officer. “However, even given that significant financial management challenge, our per-mile toll rates are lower than national toll averages and remain in the mid-range among the 47 toll roads in the U.S.” With the state’s passage of Act 44 of 2007, the Turnpike was obligated to pay PennDOT $450 million per year to fund non-Turnpike transportation needs around Pennsylvania totaling $8 billion since 2008. Though the payments have been greatly reduced, and no new Act 44 debt is being accrued, the Turnpike must continue to raise tolls in order pay the resulting escalating Act 44 debt service due through 2051, PTC noted. Jim Walenczak named Kenworth GM, Paccar VPJim Walenczak is the new general manager of Kenworth and Paccar vice president. "This is a dynamic and exciting time in the transportation industry, and I am honored to step into this new role at Kenworth at a time when we are building on our core values of quality, innovation and technology to create the transportation solutions our customers need and want," Walenczak said. A graduate of Michigan State University and the University of Washington, he has been with Paccar for 13 years, serving the last two as assistant general manager for sales and marketing for Kenworth. At Paccar, he has held positions of increasing responsibility, including fleet, region and general sales manager at Kenworth and assistant general manager for operations at Paccar Parts. "I am excited to continue working with the world's best customers, employees and dealers as Kenworth's general manager," Walenczak added. https://ift.tt/h6SLoan Volvo on Thursday teased the upcoming debut of its updated flagship VNL tractor – a truck that last received an overhaul in 2017. The truck will be unveiled virtually Jan. 23. The now-seven-year-old refresh borrowed some design elements from its regional sibling, the VNR, which debuted that same year as the successor to the VNM, and was inspired by Volvo’s SuperTruck project. Design inspiration for the forthcoming update is likely to come from the same place. Volvo Trucks North America President Peter Voorhoeve told CCJlast year that the shape and learnings from aerodynamics and light-weighting from its SuperTruck 2, the fruits of a public-private partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), are the two things most likely to be seen on mass production models sooner rather than later. Starting with a cab perfectly wedge-shaped from front to back, including a raked and custom-made wraparound windshield, the front end of SuperTruck 2 was designed around a downsized cooling package, a fully aerodynamic trailer with gap fairings, skirts and boat tail, and includes air-actuated adjustable ride height. Voorhoeve appears to be making good on his promise. A teaser video released by Volvo Thursday morning features a tractor wrapped in a graphics package standard of vehicle concepts, but it does little to disguise the aggressive hood slope and stubby nose. The tractor's headlights also appear to be similarly positioned to those found on SuperTruck 2. Also noteworthy is what appears to be an air intake on the hood and the absence of side vents, but these design elements were not part of SuperTruck 2. The current generation VNL, compared to pre-2018 model year, featured a compact hood design that shrunk around the cooling package for both aerodynamic and visibility improvement. The center section of the truck’s aerodynamic bumper was pulled out 1.4 inches to give the front of a truck a wedge-like design, and the sides were brought in 4 inches to give the truck a sweeping effect. Repositioned turbulence-reducing air intakes, tapered fenders that keep air attached to the sides of the truck as it moves rearward, and chassis fairings that were moved closer to the ground, cutting the affects of crosswinds, gave the current VNL an overall aerodynamic improvement that led to a 1% fuel economy gain. The inside too was flush with updates, many of which centered around the steering wheel. The wheel is tilt and telescopic, the ignition switch was relocated to the lower left side of the steering wheel, and the wheel itself features 21 tactile buttons that bring many of the functions previously integrated into a stalk onto the wheel itself. In its minute-and-a-half teaser video, Volvo didn't show the inside of the tractor. https://ift.tt/h6SLoan Once briefly the darling of Wall Street – with its valuation surging higher than Ford, a company more than 100 years older – Nikola Motors was largely written off for dead following a 2020 scandal that last month saw its founder, Trevor Milton, convicted of fraud. Nikola's fall from grace was nearly as spectacular as its rise, seemingly out of nowhere. Nikola became a publicly traded company via reverse merger and in a matter of less than a week, its stock price doubled. That surge, the court alleged, was driven by "false and misleading statements" made by Milton about Nikola’s products and capabilities that induce retail investors to purchase Nikola stock and sent the stock to the moon and made him a billionaire. Last year the company said it produced 42 and wholesaled 35 Class 8 Nikola hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) – "What we believe is the only U.S. designed and assembled Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell electric truck on the road today,” noted Nikola CEO Steve Girsky. Assembled in Coolidge, Arizona, the FCEV commenced serial production July 31, 2023, with the commercial launch Sept. 28. The company has also produced and shipped more that 200 all battery electric models, but wound up having to recall all of them over battery problems and the associated risk of fire. Nikola and its dealers as of November had received 277 non-binding orders from 35 customers for the hydrogen fuel cell electric truck from the likes of J.B. Hunt, AJR Trucking, Biagi Bros. and TTSI. Of the seven trucks produced but not wholesaled, three are being used in an extended field test with a fleet partner, two are in continued validation and engineering and two are being used for service training/customer demos. Nikola’s FCEV features a range of up to 500 miles and the company claims an estimated fueling time as low as 20 minutes. The company believes its truck is among the longest ranges of all commercially available zero tailpipe emission Class 8 trucks, with versatile applications ranging from drayage and intermodal to metro-regional truckload and less-than-truckload to certain specialized hauling use cases. “Our goal is to introduce a better, cleaner way to deliver goods to the North American market in a reliable package,” said Girsky. “Our FCEV customer pilot programs have shown strong results, with truck uptime at 98% – crucial for efficient fleet usage.” https://ift.tt/h6SLoan Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024: Georgia streamlines CDL skills testing processThe Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) has launched an enhancement to the commercial motor vehicle skills testing process, which updates and modernizes the testing procedure, the department said. Redesigned by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) and approved by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the result is a simpler and more effective skills testing process that best assesses an applicant’s readiness to operate a CMV safely. DDS Commissioner Spencer R. Moore said the redesigned test makes obtaining a CDL “more efficient without lowering requirements and most importantly not compromising safety. Applicants are tested on real-world scenarios that all focus on safety critical items.” The Modernized CDL Skills Test remains in three parts: The Vehicle Inspection (VI), the Basic Control Skills (BCS) Test and Road Test. The VI and BCS were updated during the modernization process. The new VI requires fewer items, and the applicants are allowed to use a checklist (provided in the “CDL Study Guide”) for the order of inspection. The inspection focuses on knowledge and safety and contains items a driver would typically experience on the job. The BCS portion of the driving exam is conducted on a smaller footprint and tests applicants on: Forward Stop; Straight-Line Backing; Forward Offset Tracking and Reverse Offset Backing. The Between, Georgia, DDS Customer Service Center (CSC) is the first location offering the modernized process, and DDS said expansion to other locations statewide is ongoing. Appointments are required for all road skills tests. Appointments for both test types, traditional and modernized, are available until the modernization transition is complete statewide. Drivers who have already passed one or more parts of the three-part CDL skills test cannot shift to the modernized test and receive credit for sections of the traditional test that were completed successfully. Other requirements for a CDL, including mandatory Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT), have not changed. Third-party testers also have the option to offer the modernized test to their students, DDS noted. ATRI seeks input on challenges faced by women truckersThe American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) pn Wednesday launched a new survey to identify what both women and men truck drivers believe to be the barriers to entry for women truck drivers. The research will also capture other challenges that truck drivers encounter while training, on the road, and at parking facilities, ATRI said. The research will utilize responses from both women and men drivers to identify and contrast the unique challenges faced by women drivers. This research was identified as a top priority by ATRI’s Research Advisory Committee to address workforce shortages, safety concerns for women drivers, and identify steps the industry can take to increase the percentage of women drivers. The survey asks for driver perspectives and experiences:
Truck drivers can complete the confidential survey online here until Feb. 2. Southeastern Freight opens expanded N.C. terminalSoutheastern Freight Lines (CCJTop 250, No. 32) on Wednesday announced the opening of an expanded service center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The contemporary Charlotte service center, located at 4524 Reagan Drive, consists of 230 dock doors. Upgrades include a complete yard rehabilitation and a new remote trailer parking lot. The facility is part of a multi-phase redevelopment project that aims to incorporate Southeastern’s latest design standards, such as signature structural elements and interior finishes in addition to network and security features. The facility will embrace new technological advances, streamline operational costs, and, most notably, provide its associates with a modernized work environment to thrive in their various roles, the company said. “The redevelopments at Reagan Drive will not only serve the local Charlotte market but will also increase the efficiency and bandwidth of freight we can push through this breakbulk, which impacts the entire surrounding region,” said Ryan Smigiel, Vice President of Real Estate. “As the Charlotte area is demonstrating exponential growth, we are looking forward to matching this momentum and expanding our operations to continue improving service to our customers.” The new service center will house both Charlotte’s pickup and delivery operation and breakbulk operation on an interim basis while Southeastern works to redevelop its second Queen City facility on Amble Drive – a project that will construct a new service center consisting of 185 dock doors, an appointment warehouse with six additional dock doors, a regional office, and a driver rest facility. The Reagan Drive facility opened for business in June 1972 with eight dock doors and six associates. https://ift.tt/h6SLoan The harsh weather of winter months naturally brings fleet safety more into focus.
At face value, fleet safety is keeping drivers out of harm’s way. Beneath the surface, safety is a key factor in boosting efficiency and decreasing total cost of ownership. Simply put, a culture of safety instilled into all facets of a fleet can be good for the bottom line. Preventing accidents not only protects drivers and others on the road, but also prevents additional expenses. For example, the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) reported on-the-job crashes that result in an injury can cost upwards of $75,000. Ultimately, a safer fleet relies on systems allowing a more seamless and intentional on-the-road process. In the fleet management industry, there are several services that not only provide worthwhile safety features but also increase efficiency. A commitment to reducing potentially dangerous incidents doesn’t mean a sacrifice in profits. The following is a list of fleet management tools that not only increase safety, but fleet efficiency as well. Working together in tandem or individually, they can help save fleets money and help reduce costly incidents. TelematicsThe offerings in transportation mobility technology continue to evolve. Telematics solutions emphasize efficiency via safety perhaps more than any other fleet management tool, but also help boost fuel economy and reduce fuel costs. The amount of data available through telematics, increasingly complex safety systems and advanced analytics continue to grow in importance and add to more standard telematics offerings. According to analysts at Frost & Sullivan, telematics helps fleets save about 20% to 25% on fuel expenses through the promotion of better driving practices, including the reduction of speeding, harsh acceleration and hard braking. Optimizing routes is one of the most used features of telematics. In doing so, drivers are more likely to remain on-task and reduce mileage that could lead to further wear and tear on vehicles. Telematics also help manage work hours and improve schedules that can help reduce fatigue – a major reason for accidents. Using data effectively can help fleet managers increase productivity by 10 to 15% and reduce overtime by 10 to 15%, decreasing daily driving time by 20 to 30 minutes based on the previously mentioned Frost & Sullivan analysis. Telematics and in-vehicle cameras can reconstruct accidents, allowing fleet managers to build safety training programs for drivers. Additionally, monitoring driving behavior is a safety-added value that helps prevent on-the-job incidents. Fleet vehicles can be put through great stress and strain over time. Breakdowns and unplanned maintenance can impact efficiency, and place drivers in dangerous situations. Telematics can alert fleet managers to needed vehicle maintenance, helping keep fleet vehicles safe and ready for the road. In turn, this helps avoid even more expensive repairs or accidents that can occur from inconsistent upkeep. Fleet cardsImplementing a fleet card program is an easy and popular way to save money on everyday fuel purchases. However, most overlook that safety is built into most fleet cards. For drivers, it eliminates the need to carry cash or personal credit cards to fill up fleet vehicles and helps drivers avoid the need to collect cumbersome paper receipts. Fleet cards and their software platforms can help avoid fleet fraud, with the ability to track exact fuel spend and set limits on fuel purchases. The ability to quickly activate cards or cancel them at a moment’s notice if lost or stolen is another convenient safety feature. Driver ID technology helps to monitor expenditures for each vehicle driver. Mobile fuelingMobile fueling services deliver a variety of fuel options to fleets with trained technicians filling vehicles on site during downtime. This service, in addition to helping save on costs via bulk fuel purchasing, removes the need for drivers to carry cash or personal credit cards to fill up. Requiring drivers to fill-up vehicles frequently can reduce productivity. According to Geotab, drivers are diverted about two miles out of the way to get gas, spending about 8 minutes at the gas station each time they stop for fuel on average. A fueling trip adds more than 20 minutes to a driver’s shift. Mobile fueling drastically reduces driver fill-ups at gas stations, helping save over 3,000 hours of fueling and over 20,000 miles of fueling trips for a fleet of 100. For those fleets utilizing the service, safety starts before the first truck delivers a drop of fuel on-site. A mobile fueling provider, such as Shell TapUp walks fleets through the required permitting and guidelines approvals, establishing safety procedures from the onset. Fueling technicians follow strict adherence to safety procedures and protocols on- and off-site, even leading local officials and fleet staff through on-site fueling demonstrations designed to help prevent safety incidents. Electric vehicles and EV chargingSafety is also an important element among EV fleets. More fleets are turning to electric vehicles (EVs) with each passing year, largely due to their long-term cost savings, federal and local policy, incentives and the push to decarbonize. Safety comes into play when a fleet is assessing EV implementation which also helps fleet operators run a more efficient fleet. Technical and commercial proposals are shared between teams before installation, and technicians follow high safety and security standards on charging station installation days. Following that, online platforms are used to monitor efficiency, and dedicated teams provide ongoing support to answer day-to-day inquiries and keep equipment running. https://ift.tt/FZ0ea7M |
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April 2023
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