Gauging the Tech that Will Drive the Future of Trucking

Volvo's Lars Stenqvist says the technologies set to most potently change trucking are connectivity, electromobility and automation.  Photo: David Cullen

Lars Stenqvist sees the potential for a chicken-or-egg dynamic to slow down how quickly smart trucks and smart highways can be integrated to fully leverage their potential to boost trucking efficiency.

Stenqvist, appointed executive Vice President of Volvo Group Trucks Technology and chief technology officer of Volvo Group last year, held a roundtable discussion on technology and trucking with industry editors on Sept. 18 at the Swedish embassy in Washington, DC.

An industrial engineer by training, Stenqvist's prior experience includes a stint as head of Research & Development and CTO of Volkswagen Truck and Bus. Before that, he held a range of R&D, production, and engineering executive positions with truck maker Scania, which is owned by VW.

Stenqvist said the three technologies that have the greatest potential to change trucking are data connectivity, electric power and autonomous driving. He pointed out that even though each of these are being developed independently to a large degree, their real power will be realized when the three converge to benefit trucking and overall society by increasing highway safety, reducing congestion, and enhancing the quality of life.

“I don't know what the future will look like,” Stenqvist said, “but I have a clear view of where it's headed.” He explained that what will really drive trucking forward will be the work that enables both smart trucks and a “smart infrastructure” to work hand-in-glove.

He did allow, however, that there is a danger that research and development work as well as the practical engineering of “smart” solutions could be hampered if transport operators, industry suppliers and government agencies get too hung up on the “chicken vs. the egg— that is do they build the smart truck ...Read the rest of this story

Working wearables are becoming a factor in the workplace

When it comes to working wearables, the technology has outpaced the law, according to Tawny Alvarez of Verrill Dana, LLP, attorneys at law speaking at a recent NationaLease meeting.

So exactly what are working wearables? The list includes:

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Driver Sustains Over 11 MPG for 5,600 Miles

Driver David Gooch was able to sustain 11.21 miles per gallon over 5,599 miles during the #Raceto10mpg challenge put on by Cumberland International and Sharp Transport.

To achieve the high mileage figure, Gooch made extensive use of cruise control in order to stay in top gear as often as possible. He managed to keep cruise control on 83% of the time, allowing the truck to stay in top gear 89% of the time. During the time the vehicle was in top gear, it averaged 12.34 mpg.

Gooch stayed in communication with personnel at Sharp Transport throughout his run for day-to-day telematics reports. These reports helped him tweak his driving habits and routines to maximize his overall fuel economy during the nearly 6,000-mile run which took him through 10 states.

Gooch was one of two Sharp Transport drivers given Cumberland International's C10 LT demo truck. The C10 is a truck spec'ed by the Tennessee dealership with the best fuel-saving options it has to offer. Cumberland allows fleets to try out C10 trucks for free to see how the spec works in their operations.

Related: The Race to 10 MPG

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Are you creating a culture of safety?

You definitely want your drivers to operate in a safe manner. You make safety a key element of your new driver orientation, and you talk about it in driver meetings. Your supervisors constantly mention it. Your dispatchers may even bring it up to drivers from time to time.

You “think” you operate a safe fleet, but do you know for sure? Simply put, if you want to improve your fleet's safety you obviously need a good understanding of your current safety status.

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Four Former Pilot Executives Plead Guilty to Rebate Fraud

Four former Pilot employees pleaded guilty to mail fraud and wire fraud. Photo: Evan Lockridge

John Freeman, former sales VP of Pilot Flying J, pleaded guilty alongside three other former Pilot employees of mail fraud and wire fraud, making millions of dollars through fraudulent diesel rebates, reports the Knoxville News Sentinel.

The other individuals who plead guilty include former Pilot Regional Sales Manager John Spiewak, former Pilot Director of Inside Sales Vicki Borden, and former Regional Sales Representative Katy Bibee, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Freeman came up with the plan to give trucking customers one diesel rebate, while surruptitiously charging them a different price, according to published reports. Spiewak oversaw the rebate contracts, while Borden monitored profits from the fraudulent rebates. Bibee negotiated the rebates with customers, the Knoxville News Sentinel reports. An investigation by the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service found that the plan to commit fraud began as early as 2008, and possibly earlier.

In October, former President Mark Hazelwood, former VP of National Sales Scott Wombold, and former regional sales representatives Heather Jones and Karen Mann will stand trial in Chatanooga, Tennessee. The guilty pleas open the possibility of Freeman, Spiewak, Borden, and Bibee testifying at October's trial, alongside 10 other former employees who also pleaded guilty, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel.

The FBI found that Pilot defrauded 5,500 customers of over $56 million. Pilot reached a settlement with authorities and customers in 2014 for $92 million and $87 million, respectively.

Related: Former Pilot Flying J Execs Take Plea Bargain in Fuel Skimming Scandal

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AAA Report Underscores Benefits of High-Tech Truck Safety Advances

Photo: AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety 

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is recommending that all large trucks— both new and existing ones— be equipped with what it considers to be “cost-effective technologies that improve safety for everyone on the road.”

Each of the safety technologies endorsed by the foundation is familiar to many in trucking and has already been embraced by numerous, especially brand-name, fleet operations.

“There's no question that truck safety technology saves lives,” said Dr. David Yang, executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety on Sept. 21. He said the foundation's new research shows that “the benefits of adding many of these technologies to trucks clearly outweigh the cost.”

The report, Leveraging Large Truck Technology and Engineering to Realize Safety Gains, examined the safety benefits and costs of installing these four advanced safety technologies in both existing and new large trucks:

According to the foundation, the research also revealed that:

In addition, a AAA survey ...Read the rest of this story

Kari Rihm: President & CEO of Rihm Family Companies

Everything was all set for John and Kari Rihm's retirement seven years ago. He was planning to sell Rihm Kenworth, a successful St. Paul, MN-based truck dealership, parts supplier and service shop that was founded by his grandfather in 1932.

They were still young, vital people; he 62, she 52. “We had a lake home we loved where we wanted to spend more time,” recalled Kari. “John loved to exercise, and I was ready to get more active physically. We planned to do a lot of volunteer work and to travel.”

Tragically, fate intervened.

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