Volvo Launches Natural Gas Trucks in Europe

The new Volvo FH. Photo: Volvo Trucks

Sweden's Volvo Trucks has introduced two natural gas heavy-duty trucks to the European market that the OEM claims can cut CO2 emissions by 20% to 100%.

The new trucks, the Volvo FH LNG and Volvo FM LNG, can run on either biogas or natural gas and are compliant with Euro 6 engine-emissions regulations.

Volvo claims that the biogas version can cut CO2 emissions by 100% compared to the regular natural gas version that reduces CO2 emissions by 20%. This relates to emissions from the vehicle during usage, known as tank-to-wheel, according to the company.

“We regard LNG, liquefied natural gas, as a long-term first choice alternative to diesel, both for regional and long-haul truck operations where fuel efficiency, payload, and productivity are crucial. With a higher proportion of biogas, climate impact can be reduced far more,” said Lars Mårtensson, director environment and innovation at Volvo Trucks.

“For transport operations in urban environments, where range is not as critical, electrified vehicles will play a greater role in the future," he added. "Our vision is that trucks from Volvo will eventually have zero emissions, although the way of achieving that is not by one single solution, but through several solutions in parallel.”

The trucks will use 15% to 20% less fuel than current gas-powered trucks, according to Volvo. Using LNG will give the vehicles the greatest possible operating range.

Volvo Trucks noted that it is currently working with gas suppliers and customers to develop the expansion of LNG infrastructure in Europe. This effort is being supported politically in many countries and by the European Union. A strategy for expanding LNG infrastructure is also included in the European Commission and member states' action packages for securing Europe's long-term energy supply.

“Our new trucks running on liquefied natural gas or biogas produce a far smaller ...Read the rest of this story

U.S. secretaries and trucking legends among ATA’s conference speakers

The American Trucking Assns. will welcome two members of President Trump's cabinet, a Google autonomous vehicle consultant, and many more industry leaders and legends at this year's ATA Management Conference and Exhibition, which is Oct. 21-25, in Orlando.

The ATA announced its featured speakers, listed below, on Tuesday.

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U.S. secretaries and trucking legends among ATA’s conference speakers

The American Trucking Assns. will welcome two members of President Trump's cabinet, a Google autonomous vehicle consultant, and many more industry leaders and legends at this year's ATA Management Conference and Exhibition, which is Oct. 21-25, in Orlando.

The ATA announced its featured speakers, listed below, on Tuesday.

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Possible Photo of Tesla’s Electric Truck Leaks on Reddit

Photo via Reddit

A post on the Tesla "subreddit" of Reddit.com shows a concept vehicle that appears to be Tesla's unannounced electric road tractor.

In the photo, an unidentified silver tractor or at least a cab is visible sitting on a flatbed trailer in a dirt lot. In an article on The Verge, Tesla neither confirmed nor denied whether it was its electric big rig, only saying that its policy was to “always decline to comment on speculation.”

There is no badging on the truck to indicate that it is from Tesla, but commenters on the post pointed out some similarities in the design when compared to the teaser image that Tesla released in May.

Interestingly, the original post in the Tesla subreddit has since been deleted and the Reddit user who posted the original photo has deleted their profile. The photo was later reposted by a second user who managed to save the photo before it was deleted.

We may not have to wait long to find out if this is indeed Tesla's electric truck. The company plans to unveil the Tesla Semi on Oct. 26, at an event in Hawthorne, Calif.

Related: Could Tesla Solve EV Range Issues With Battery Swapping System?

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Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway Buys Large Stake in Pilot Flying J

Photo: Pilot Flying J

Warren Buffet-run holding company Berkshire Hathaway has made a significant minority investment in truckstop chain Pilot Flying J, with plans to become the majority stakeholder by 2023, the companies announced.

The Haslam family will continue to own a majority of Pilot Flying J. Jimmy Haslam will remain its chief executive officer along with current President Ken Parent and the company's management team. Under the terms of the deal, Berkshire will acquire a 38.6% stake in the company with plans to become the majority stakeholder by 2023. At that point, the Haslam family will retain a 20% ownership share.

“Pilot Flying J is built on a longstanding tradition of excellence and an unrivaled commitment to serving North America's drivers,” said Warren Buffett, chairman, president and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. “Jimmy Haslam and his team have created an industry leader and a key enabler of the nation's economy. The company has a smart growth strategy in place and we look forward to a partnership that supports the trucking industry for years to come.”

Pilot Flying J will remain headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee. The truckstop company employs 27,000 people in 750 locations across the U.S. and Canada. The investment from Berkshire Hathaway is seen as an opportunity for growth.

“Given the impeccable reputation of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, and our shared vision and values, we decided this was an ideal opportunity,” said Jimmy Haslam, CEO of Pilot Flying J. “As a family business that has evolved and prospered over the last six decades, we knew that any potential partner would need to share our commitment and have a proven track record as a long-term investor. We have that in Berkshire Hathaway – they believe in our strategy, support our team and are excited to see Pilot Flying J grow. We are honored and humbled ...Read the rest of this story

Four reasons your drivers trust their devices even when they lie

It's happened yet again.

A trucker in mid-September drove his 18-wheeler on a pedestrian-only New Jersey boardwalk for nearly three miles before being stopped by a police officer. The driver, whose truck damaged 100 ft. of railing and the boardwalk during its removal, told police that he was just following his GPS. This was the second time in two months that a truck took the boardwalk route.

Following a GPS-suggested route is commonplace, but why wouldn't drivers stop immediately when they realized they were no longer on a road?

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Kinedyne’s New Curtain-Side Solutions Address Changing Logistics Demands

A new curtain-side option is designed for delivery in tight urban areas.

ATLANTA – Cargo-control company Kinedyne introduced several new products to help make cargo access faster and easier as the effect of e-commerce continues to spread beyond traditional final-mile transportation.

“E-commerce is creating new cargo challenges, and Kinedyne is delivering new cargo solutions,” said Paul Wolford, vice president of sales and marketing for Kinedyne, during the inaugural North American Commercial Vehicle Show. “In the beginning, e-commerce had the greatest disruptive effect on end-of-the-line, also known as ‘final-mile' or ‘last-mile' delivery activities, but now companies throughout the supply chain are looking for ways to minimize transportation costs for cargo as it moves more swiftly throughout multiple transportation modes.”

Wolford explained that Kinedyne is bringing new technologies to North America that will help supply chains optimize the speed, cost and efficiency of controlling cargo as it transitions from its original state (as a raw commodity) to a high-density state (in shipping and in hubs) to a low-density state (as it makes its way through the last mile).

Among the products introduced were a load-rated curtain-side system for trailers, a unique double-decking system designed specifically for curtain-side applications, and a fast-access curtain-side system designed for urban operations.

The lightweight curtain-side system opens and closes at lightning-fast speeds, but is engineered to restrain lateral cargo movement. The system is suitable for trailers up to 53 feet. With rapid access on both ends, the cargo space can be opened and closed within mere seconds. The lightweight system is versatile and adaptable to a number of logistical challenges, such as palletized cargo, double-decking, rack-mounted goods and the transport of beverages

A load-rated curtain gives a trailer the combined advantages of flatbed access and a van's walled structure. The double-decking system maximizes load density, allowing loading and unloading access of both ...Read the rest of this story