Kalmar Ottawa, part of Cargotec, opened its new test track at the Terminal Tractor Competence Center in Ottawa, KS. The track is the first testing facility specifically for terminal tractors.
At 0.75 miles, the track was constructed with reinforced concrete to handle loads up to 80,000 lbs. The track's dog bone shape features two loops connected by a quarter mile straight.
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...Read the rest of this storyATLANTA. As part of a longer-term strategic growth initiative, Stoughton Trailers is rolling out a new refrigerated trailer model dubbed “PureBlue” to broaden its product line so it can make inroads with larger customers.
“Large customers have mixed fleets of dry van and refrigerated trailers; you can't bid for that business unless you have both. The two are tied together,” Ted Leroy, product manager for Stoughton, explained to Fleet Owner.
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...Read the rest of this storyTimothy B. Tarbet, a global IT executive with more than 25 years of experience in enterprise software development, was named vice president of development by TMW Systems. Tarbet will work with software leaders and developers across the TMW enterprise. He will be guiding the development of the company's advanced TMW.Suite transportation management system (TMS).
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...Read the rest of this storyATLANTA. The inaugural Fleet Owner 500 awards were handed out during a reception held here in conjunction with the first-ever North American Commercial Vehicle (NACV) show – awards designed to highlight the role of private fleets in the trucking industry and the U.S. economy.
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...Read the rest of this storyATLANTA. As a fleet owner, you've installed electronic logging devices (ELDs) and other safety technologies throughout your entire fleet. Now your insurance premiums will automatically decrease, right?
Not necessarily, explained Harry Storck, global fleet technical specialist at AIG.
Storck, speaking to attendees at TU-Automotive's Connected Fleets conference here in Atlanta, discussed the insurance carrier's perspective on how connectivity is changing the landscape of commercial fleets.
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...Read the rest of this storyMeritor's optimized EX+ air disc brake
">Meritor's optimized EX+ air disc brake
">ATLANTA – Meritor announced its EX+ air disc brake for tractors and trailers has been optimized to reduce product weight and total cost of ownership. The optimized EX+ will be available to OEMs in 2018.
"We're focused on product development to make air disc brake sytems more lightweight and cost effective," explained T.J. Reed, vice president, front drivetrain, North America, at the North American Commercial Vehicle Show. He pointed out that Meritor has been designing and manufacturing brakes for more than 100 years. "You may think of Meritor as a drivetrain or axle company, but ... we had first axle brake integration program right before WWI."
Meritor engineers reduced the weight of the caliper by 10 pounds without offsetting any brake performance, Reed said. "We are so confident that we improved the warranty to 5 years/500,000 miles for linehaul applications."
The gear-synchronized, twin-piston design of the new EX+ delivers even force across the brake pads simultaneously, resulting in better performance and uniform pad wear. The EX+ optimized ADB offers shorter and smoother stopping distances and reduced brake fade. A patented double-sealing technology minimizes water exposure to seal the EX+ for life. It simplifies pad service steps – including 30-minute pad changes – and lowers maintenance costs with faster inspection and repair times.
"Fleets are beginning to see the benefits of air disc brakes, especially in safety and performance," said Chris Villavarayan, president, Americas for Meritor. "We have validated the EX+ in the most severe conditions to deliver superior performance and lower lifecycle costs."
Reed also noted that Meritor air disc brakes are compatible with most collision mitigation systems currently on the market. Fleets can also specify drum brakes on rear axles and ADBs on the front.
Meritor's improved standard warranty now offers coverage of five years and 500,000 miles for ...Read the rest of this story
Rob Speed, president – aftermarket and trailer, talks about Meritor's new lower-cost aftermarket brand.
">Rob Speed, president – aftermarket and trailer, talks about Meritor's new lower-cost aftermarket brand.
">ATLANTA – Meritor has introduced a value-priced product line for the aftermarket that will be branded as Mach.
Initial offerings will include brakes, drivelines, drive axles, suspensions, transmissions and springs, but there are plans to expand as well.
“Mach is a global aftermarket value brand that we're launching today for North America, but we're going to introduce it here and all over the world,” said Rob Speed, president – aftermarket and trailer and chief procurement officer, during an unveiling at the North American Commercial Vehicle Show.
“The time is right, we believe, to launch a value lineup brand for aftermarket parts. In North America and around the world we're seeing a rise in low-cost competitors and brands that don't necessarily have the same quality focus as Meritor.”
Buyers are rolling the dice when they buy products from companies they don't know, he said. In contrast, Meritor is a proven company. “We're not offering parts that won't fit or won't work well. Mach is different.”
The products will be engineered to meet “industry standards” and be backed up by one-year warranties like those available through the company's other aftermarket brands, he added.
It is the latest in a series of investments in Meritor's aftermarket arm to improve speeds and ease of business transactions. One of the most recent examples came with the launch of the www.meritorpartsexpress.com website.
There are more changes to come, too.
“We're going to make a significant change that we believe will dramatically improve our ability to deliver products to our customers on the west coast of the U.S.,” he added.
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