From managing iron to managing charts

Maintenance managers are always trying to be controlled by the bean counters. And in some cases they need to be, for there is no question about the value of measuring cash in versus cash out; of drilling down into the business plan of income and expenses to find savings.

For the last 35 years, managers of iron have found ways to reduce cost because they had to in order to keep their jobs; they had to be creative and make cuts to stay alive. Many needed to be forced, though, as some old iron men needed to truly understand where their costs where hiding.

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Peterbilt Pairs Column-Mounted Shifter with Paccar Automated Transmission

Photo: Jim Park

Peterbilt has announced that its ergonomically designed column-mounted shifter will be standard equipment on Model 579 and 567 trucks equipped with the new Paccar Automated Transmission.

The column-mounted shifter will also be standard equipment on trucks equipped with the Eaton Advantage and Ultra Shift AMTs. The column-mounted shifter will be available on Model 579 and 567s ordered with automated transmissions beginning in Oct. 2017.

The new shifter, located on the right-hand side of the steering column, features a multi-mode design that allows for control of all transmission and engine brake functions, including gear selection, engine brake mode, and manual shifting.

The column-mounted shifter was designed to place controls in a more convenient location, to minimize distractions and allow for increased focus on the road. With the implementation of a column-mounted lever, a new design pinch valve located on the dash replaced the traditional lever for trailer brake activation, enhancing control during coupling and uncoupling maneuvers.

“The column-mounted shifter was designed based on in-depth studies of driver behavior and ergonomics,” said Scott Newhouse, Peterbilt chief engineer. “This new design also allowed us to improve on the usability of our dash by eliminating engine brake control switches.”

The new 12-speed automated transmission from Paccar is the latest addition to the proprietary Paccar Powertrain, designed for efficiency, drivability, and durability for Peterbilt on-highway models. The transmission was purpose-developed as an automated transmission for heavy-duty linehaul applications.

The Paccar Automated Transmission is available for order immediately on MX-13 equipped Model 579 and 567s scheduled for production after Oct. 16, 2017. Availability of the Paccar Transmission with the smaller Paccar MX-11 engine is scheduled for early 2018.

Related: Paccar Unveils Automated Transmission

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CRST Expedited Boosts New Driver Pay 15%

CRST Expedited has announced a 15% pay increase for new contract student drivers, who have received commercial driver's license training through the company's sponsored training program.

“Our student drivers are a critical part of our team,” said Cameron Holzer, president of CRST Expedited. “Ensuring they are successful in starting out their professional driving career is a top priority to us.”

Many of the new drivers are trained at CRST's North American Driver Training Academy in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In addition to the driver training academy, CRST has invested in driver education over the past several years by building a driver training and truck repair facility in Riverside, Calif., expanding the driver training facility in Cedar Rapids, and implementing The Gold Rules initiative focused on improving the driver experience and reducing driver turnover.

Last year, CRST Expedited played a role in training 3,740 new drivers. The company offers on-campus lodging, classrooms, meals, and entertainment while offering training to its drivers at no-cost.

“As CRST continues growing, we want to continue to invest in our drivers,” said Mike Gannon, CRST group president and COO. “These drivers are critical to the future success of our industry as we face an increasingly challenging market to find qualified drivers.”

For more information on CRST's driver training program, click here.

Related: Driver Pay Analyst - No Silver Bullet to Solve Driver Shortage

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Ford pursues EV joint venture with Chinese automaker

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Element launches integrated maintenance scheduling app

Element Fleet Management announced it has released maintenance scheduling through Element's Xcelerate for Drivers website and mobile app with Firestone Complete Auto Care (FCAC), Tires Plus, and windshield repair scheduling with Safelite AutoGlass locations.

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CVSA releases Roadcheck 2017 results

Violations for brake systems, cargo securement, and tires/wheels were the top causes vehicles were placed out of service during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's (CVSA) 2017 Roadcheck inspection blitz.

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Support for NAFTA steady, survey finds

Despite often heated rhetoric around the subject, many Americans believe the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) helped support strong economic growth in the U.S. over the last two decades, according to a new poll, while withdrawing from the deal would result in negative consequences for them.

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