Schneider: More than half of tractor fleet now has automated transmissions

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Thin-Walled Fuel Tanks Feed Another Fiery Truck Wreck

Rig drifts out of its lane and heads toward a concrete barrier. Driver might have passed out from a "medical emergency." Images: Tom Berg, from TV newscasts

It was such a spectacular wreck it made all three of the major networks' evening newscasts: That semi plowing into a concrete barrier in Kansas City, Kansas, on Wednesday, tearing apart the tractor whose fuel ignited shortly after impact.

Incredibly, the driver suffered only minor injuries. He and his dog were pulled from the wreckage by motorists. Authorities think he may have suffered a “medical emergency” and perhaps passed out, which is why he veered out of the travel lane.

CBS and NBC carried video from a surveillance camera that shows the rig drifting off the outside lane and hitting the massive concrete structure. Footage shot from the ground shows the tractor, twisted nearly 90 degrees and its hood missing, with a stream of fire engulfing much of the tractor's rear.

ABC News' anchor, David Muir, called it a “tanker explosion” as he read the introduction to the video, but the trailer was an empty lowboy. Why did he, or whoever wrote the script, think it was a tanker? No doubt because of the fire, evidently fed by diesel fuel from one or more of the tractor's saddle tanks. You can see fuel spewing upward in a yellow cloud as the tractor hits the concrete.

Saddle tanks will burst in impacts, and are often torn open if a truck just runs off a road and into a ditch. The result of ditching is an expensive hazmat cleanup, if not a fire.

Why aren't fuel tanks made to survive at least the ditch accidents? Because they'd be more expensive and weigh more, and this is something rarely discussed at industry meetings. When I ask fleet managers ...Read the rest of this story

Truck-Lite Offers Trailer Telematics Through Road Ready

Truck-Lite has released product for the Road Ready trailer monitoring and communication designed for trailer telematics.

The Road Ready system can create a “smart” trailer through the solar-powered Master Control Unit. The MCU features a military grade solar panel and 10-year, quick-charging battery. It monitors and transmits data from the customizable Road Ready sensors through a user interface, all without requiring power from a tractor.

"What sets Road Ready apart from any other system is its ability to monitor all trailer components while being untethered," said Rob Richard, vice president and general manager of Road Ready. "Installation is quick, with no holes to drill or wires to run, and fleets can determine whether a trailer is ready for dispatch without needing to hook it to a power unit - saving valuable time and, ultimately, money."

The Road Ready system offers a variety of wireless, peel-and-stick sensors that communicate with the MCU, relaying data regarding tire pressure; LED light-out detection; antilock brake systems; unauthorized door openings; cargo fill/movement detection; cargo temperature; trailer arrival and departure notifications; and GPS with different MCU reporting capabilities such as geo-fencing, motion sensing, panic or scheduled reporting, and Hypertracking.

In addition to reporting up-to-the-minute alerts from crucial areas of road-readiness, the Road Ready system can improve an organization's efficiency by expediting the pre-trip inspection process. Road Ready communicates key data points to the dashboard, even when a trailer is sitting in a yard. As a result, fleets can confidently dispatch trailers they know to be free of issues, ensuring driver safety and more uptime while avoiding costly CSA violations.

Event-based data is reported in real time to a desktop dashboard from a completely untethered control unit. With several available sensor options, the Road Ready system can be customized for any fleet solution, according to Truck-Lite - even those with alternative trailer ...Read the rest of this story

Fuso, Morgan, Daimler Financial Team on Lease and Purchase Program

Image: Mitsubishi Fuso

Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America Inc. is partnering with body builder Morgan Corp. and Daimler Truck Financial to offer special lease and purchase programs on 2017 Fuso FE160 Class 4 cabover trucks ordered with a 151˝ wheelbase and 16´ Morgan aluminum dry van body.

Under the program, customers can attain a Fuso FE160 truck with 15,995-lb. GVWR and 10,490-lb. estimated body/payload via either a 36- or 48-month lease, or through a direct, no-down-payment purchase with “very attractive “36- or 48-month financing terms.

“This new FusoComplete program gives our customers an opportunity to purchase a truck in the most popular configuration we offer, with minimum hassle and at a very attractive cost,” said Bill Lyons, Fuso's vice president, sales operations. “We're really happy that both Daimler Truck Financial and Morgan Corp. are partnering with us to provide such value to our customers.”

The Morgan body included as part of the program features hardwood floors, a roll-up rear door, an aluminum roof, and a dome light. Body-selection options include 85˝ or 91˝ inside-height, plywood or slat lining, one or two rows of recessed e-track, and a Maxon TE-20 or Waltco CW20 liftgate.

The FusoComplete offer expires December 30, 2017, and some terms and restrictions apply.

For more information, speak with a local Fuso dealer or click here.

Related: 2017 Work Truck Show in Pictures

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Return of football season linked to rise in drowsy driving

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Trucking industry, drivers prepare for solar eclipse

American Trucking Assns., along with millions of travelers and 3.5 million American truck drivers, will watch the solar eclipse on Aug. 21. The trucking industry is responsible for moving the nation's goods during the eclipse and asks for the public's assistance in ensuring safety on the country's roads and bridges.

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Partnership set to improve truck driver safety

Securitas announced it has partnered with GreenRoad to improve driver safety among its 11,000 employees.

According to the company, GreenRoad technology will allow Securitas to track the movements of its fleet, monitoring driver behavior, such as harsh braking, cornering, lane handling, acceleration and speeding.

Each vehicle will be fitted with technology providing real-time data, cascaded to an online reporting and analytics platform. This will enable Securitas to track its entire fleet, while monitoring driver behavior.

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