The fine art of warranty claims negotiation

Warranties are pretty straightforward. Something is covered for 5 years/500,000 miles or 2 years/250,000 miles. Simple, right?

Perhaps. But what happens when a part fails just after the warranty period? Or if something doesn't perform as advertised as a result of another component failing? That is a gray area and a time when having good information, good recordkeeping and a good maintenance program is invaluable.

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Comdata, AscendTMS provide free TMS to fleet customers

InMotion Global Inc. announced that AscendTMS will be offered to Comdata fleet customers at no charge.

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Keep your mind from ‘zoning out’ on the road

On September 11, truck driver Normand Lavoie was sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty of causing the death of three high school boys after he admitted that he 'zoned out' while driving through a construction zone in May 2015 and smashing into their stopped car. Lavoie also injured a flagperson who still is not well enough to return to work.

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Medical marijuana and the workplace

More and more states are legalizing medical marijuana so you need to be aware of its impact in the workplace.

Marijuana was made illegal at the federal level in 1937. However, since 1996, 28 states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws legalizing medical marijuana and 15 states have some form of limited medical marijuana use. In addition, some states have also legalized the recreational use of marijuana.

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Meritor Selling Stake in Joint Venture to Wabco

Advanced safety systems were one offering of the Meritor Wabco joint venture. Photo: Meritor Wabco

Wabco Holdings Inc. is expanding its operations in North America by taking full ownership of the Meritor Wabco joint venture.

Wabco announced Monday that it has signed an agreement to Meritor's stake in the joint venture business for $250 million. The transaction is expected to close on October 1.

Meritor Wabco, employing about 200 people, is headquartered in Troy, Michigan, and had sales of $300 million in fiscal year 2016. It currently sells and distributes a range of Wabco's safety and efficiency technologies for commercial vehicles in North America.

The agreement to take full control of the joint-venture business will enable Wabco to offer, all under the Wabco brand, its consolidated portfolio of products and systems, including wheel-end solutions, air disc brakes, autonomous braking, electronic stability and active steering control systems, alongside advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and a full range of aerodynamic, air management and transmission automation control products in North America.

“The acquisition of the remaining stake in Meritor Wabco furthers our commitment to expand our presence in North America,” said Jacques Esculier, Wabco chairman and CEO.

Meritor intends to use the proceeds from the transaction toward its M2019 strategic priorities, which include paying down debt, funding strategic investments and repurchasing additional shares.

"The decision to sell our interest in the JV enables us to focus on strategic priorities that involve growing our on- and off-highway, specialty, components and aftermarket businesses, among other things," said Jay Craig, Meritor CEO and president.

Wabco says this consolidation of its business organization and broader access to market in North America will strengthen its relationships with commercial vehicle manufacturers and fleets through more simplified and direct channels.

Wabco will take over the former joint venture's application engineering and supply chain operations, ...Read the rest of this story

WABCO Holdings buys out Meritor WABCO joint venture

WABCO Holdings announced it will further expand its operations in the commercial vehicle market in North America by taking full ownership of the Meritor WABCO joint venture.

WABCO has signed an agreement to purchase Meritor Inc.'s stake in the joint venture business. WABCO's purchase price is $250 million. The transaction is expected to close on Oct. 1, 2017 and immediately prior to closing, Meritor will receive a final closing partnership distribution.

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McLeod Software 2017 User Conference

McLeod Software trucking customers and technology partners gathered at the George World Congress Center in Atlanta for McLeod's 2017 user conference, which covered a wide range of critical industry topics, from how truck driver demographics are changing and how that impacts motor carrier recruiting and retention efforts to a discussion of the latest cyber security tactics; a session that features one of the FBI's top cyber security experts. (All photos by Sean Kilcarr/Fleet Owner)