Facebook’s high-profile head of security Alex Stamos is leaving after clashing with other execs over Russia (FB)

Alex Stamos, Facebook's chief information security officer, is leaving the company as it grapples with a storm of controversies relating to its role in spreading misinformation, according to a report in the New York Times on Monday. Stamos favored being more transparent with the public about how the 2-billion member social network was misused to spread propaganda during the 2016 presidential election, according to the report which cites anonymous sources familiar with the matter. A well-known figure in the world of cybersecurity, Stamos' day-to-day responsibilities were assigned to others in December — prompting him to make plans to leave, the Times said.

Self-driving Uber car kills Arizona woman crossing street

TEMPE, Ariz./SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - An Uber self-driving car hit and killed a woman crossing the street in Arizona, police said on Monday, marking the first fatality caused by an autonomous vehicle and a potential blow to the technology expected to transform transportation. The ride services company said it was suspending North American tests of its self-driving vehicles, which are currently going on in Arizona, Pittsburgh and Toronto. U.S. lawmakers have been debating legislation that would speed introduction of self-driving cars.

Keeping Trucks Repaired is Good for the Bottom Line

Keeping fleets looking sharp is always a challenge. But new products and materials are making doing so easier than ever. Photo: Sherwin Williams

Trucks live hard lives. Dents and dings simply go along with the job. But while the temptation to overlook damaged vehicles can be overwhelming during peak business times or when money is tight, experts say doing so can actually cost you more money in additional repairs later on — as well as hurt your company image and degrade fleet fuel efficiency.

“Not many fleet managers get excited about pulling a truck out of service to address cosmetic issues,” says James Svaasand, vice present of collision center development and operations for Penske Truck Leasing. “But at some point, most of them recognize that there is great benefit to taking care of these issues before they get out of hand.”

Svaasand is responsible for a chain of collision repair centers across the United States and Canada. He works with both OEMs and body material and paint suppliers to continuously refine the products and procedures used to keep truck exteriors in good shape.

Complicating matters is the fact that modern truck exterior design relies on advanced components and materials that were unheard of just a few years ago. Svaasand says it is not uncommon to see OEMs use proprietary composites or metals in their designs.

“Daimler, for example, uses aluminum cabs, while Navistar uses high-strength steel,” he notes. “And you also see a great deal of lightweight fiberglass body panels today. So it can be challenging for our technicians to stay on top of the latest repair procedures, because things are so specialized today.”

Rush Truck Centers also maintains a nationwide network of body repair shops. Daniel Brown, the body shop manager at Rush's Dallas dealership location, agrees with Svaasand's appraisal of body materials in use ...Read the rest of this story

The Battle for Diesel Technicians

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the trucking industry will need an estimated 67,000 new technicians and 75,000 diesel engine specialists by 2022. Photo: Ryder

On any given day, in any given year, Penske Truck Leasing has a truck maintenance workforce of 8,100. In 2017, the company added 2,200 diesel techs to accommodate growth, and the Pennsylvania-headquartered firm is expecting to add 2,500 more for the same reason in 2018. As of today, the company has 800 openings for diesel techs in the United States, Canada and parts of Mexico — a combination of new hires and open positions due to retirements and turnover.

This is the face of the diesel technician shortage in 2018, and it's only going to get worse, predicts Gregg Mangione, senior vice president of maintenance for Penske.

His prediction echoes that of the American Transportation Research Institute's Top Industry Issues report, released in October 2017. Though the industry has trained much of its focus on the shortage of qualified truck drivers, another shortfall exists — the industry needs more diesel technicians. Though this issue ranked last among the 13 challenges identified in the ATRI report, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Trucking will require an estimated 67,000 new technicians as well as 75,000 new diesel engine specialists by 2022.

Mangione says the issue has been building for the better part of a decade, even before trucking emerged from the impacts of the Great Recession. He attributes the growing need for technicians — at least in part — to the increasing complexity of heavy-duty trucks to meet ever-more stringent diesel emission requirements. Jay Duca, diesel technology instructor at Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, Wisconsin, agrees. Beyond the technology needed to meet emissions mandates, he says, today's trucks also often have high-tech systems for collision avoidance, lane deviation, smart ...Read the rest of this story

Knight Transportation Buys Abilene Motor Express

Abilene Motor Express is a Richmond, Va.-based carrier with nearly 400 trucks that operates throughout the U.S. and Canada. Photo via Abilene Motor Express

Knight Transportation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Knight-Swift Holdings, has acquired all of the assets of Abilene Motor Express and related entities, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

Abilene Motor Express is a Richmond, Virginia-based carrier with nearly 400 trucks that operates throughout the U.S. and Canada. The SEC filing states that it brings in approximately $100 million in annual revenues.

The company serves the long-haul, over-the-road truckload market and offers regional operations, dedicated contract carriage, and sole/single source transporting services in dry and temperature controlled applications. Knight-Swift said in a securities filing that the business has an operating ratio in the low 90s."

This is the first acquisition for the company since Knight and Swift merged in 2017, bringing together two of trucking's largest players. The combined company operates around 23,000 tractors and 77,000 trailers.

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Serial bomber uses a tripwire in fourth attack in Austin

Fear mounted across Texas' capital on Monday after the fourth bombing this month — a blast triggered this time by a nearly invisible tripwire, demonstrating what police called a "higher level of sophistication" ...

Trump calls for death penalty to ‘get tough’ on drug pushers

Unveiling a long-awaited plan to combat the national scourge of opioid drug addiction, President Donald Trump called Monday for stiffer penalties for drug traffickers, including embracing a tactic employed ...