Truck Fuel Calculator Compares Diesel to the Alternatives

Screenshot via ACT Research

ACT Research's Truck Fuel Calculator now covers operating cost comparisons between diesel, natural gas, hydrogen fuel cell and electric drive train options to help fleets compare and determine the best fit for the application.

The Truck Fuel Calculator can help fleets measure power selection and vehicle cost, fuel and performance, and maintenance over a set time period or trade cycle.

“Electric vehicle technology continues to make strides as it further penetrates the various vehicle classifications with Class 8 on the docket,” said Ken Vieth, senior partner and general manager at ACT Research. “All viable commercial vehicle power alternatives must now be considered to accurately measure potential cost savings for fleets as we look to the future.”

Go to ALT Fuel Calc on ACT Research's website to use the tool for free.

Related: Is There Still a Case for Greener Trucks?

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Downsped SmartAdvantage Powertrain Offers Improved Fuel Economy

Photo: Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies

The Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies joint venture has added a new downsped overdrive model to its range of Eaton and Cummins SmartAdvantage Powertrains.

The powertrain's 1,550/1,850 lb.-ft. torque rating is compatible with rear axle ratings down to 2:47:1, enabling engine cruise speeds as low as 1,075 RPMs – lower than some direct drive transmissions, according to Eaton Cummins. The model is designed to optimize performance and fuel economy in linehaul applications.

Available through North American original equipment manufacturers in October 2017, the FAOM-18910S-EC3 offers more options for gradeability, improved downspeeding, and the potential for higher resale value, according to the company.

“This new SmartAdvantage model is capable of the lowest cruise RPMs in the trucking industry for best in class downspeeding,” said Alex Stucky, product strategy manager, heavy-duty linehaul transmissions, Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies. “It's our most downsped SmartAdvantage Powertrain, and it has been validated in field tests across a wide range of duty cycles. When paired with the 1,850 lb.-ft. rating, fleets can maximize fuel economy without sacrificing performance.”

The SmartAdvantage Powertrain combines the X15 engine and Fuller Advantage Series automated 10-speed transmissions. It offers customers the choice of small-step overdrive or direct-drive gearing and improved fuel economy. Fleets running 2010 model year trucks can expect to see 20% better fuel economy with the current X15 SmartAdvantage Powertrain versus the 2010 ISX15 powertrain, according to the Eaton Cummins joint venture.

Related: Automated Transmissions Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

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PeopleNet and TMW Heads Talk On-Demand Economy at User Conference

Brian McLaughlin, president of PeopleNet addressing the opening session of the in.sight User Conference + Expo. Photo: Jim Beach

The on-demand economy was the focus on day one of PeopleNet and TMW Systems' in.sight Conference, examining how transportation businesses must become increasingly interconnected to keep up with the market. PeopleNet and TMW are both part of Trimble's transportation and logistics division.

The message was delivered to an audience of fleet professionals, third-party logistics providers, freight brokers and other transportation industry personnel during the opening general session of the 2017 PeopleNet and TMW Systems in.sight User Conference + Expo in Nashville, Tenn.

TMW president David Wangler and PeopleNet president Brian McLaughlin, emphasized advancements in mobile technology in their opening addresses, connecting the rise of mobile technology with the rise of B2B and B2C eCommerce and the omni channel business model. They explained that as online sales grow and consumer expectations increase, the transportation industry is becoming more reliant on data to deliver products quickly and efficiently.

“Regardless of product category, the on-demand economy is revolutionizing the movement of goods from supplier to end user,” said Wangler. “The digital mobility first offered in early devices has today become the catalyst for the millions of business-critical actions occurring every second.”

The changes from the shift toward an on-demand economy have spurred increased diversification among for-hire carriers, brokers, 3PLs and private fleets, according to Wangler. This has caused transportation businesses to seek technologies that allow near-real time decision making through the use of predictive analytics, and visibility into each step of the order and fulfillment process.

McLaughlin spoke about achieving a connected supply chain to address the competitive challenges associated with an on-demand economy, and how Trimble's transportation businesses could assist companies looking to capitalize on growth opportunities in the market.

“Trimble is leading the industry in developing innovative solutions that help ...Read the rest of this story

Trump Appointee Sworn In as NTSB Chairman

Robert L. Sumwalt III (left) sworn in as the National Transportation Safety Board's 14th Chairman during a brief ceremony held at NTSB headquarters on August 10, 2017. NTSB Board Member Bella T. Dinh-Zarr (center) NTSB Acting Managing Director Dennis Jones (right). Photo: NTSB

Robert L. Sumwalt III was sworn in as the National Transportation Safety Board's 14th chairman for a two-year term - a position nominated by President Trump.

Sumwalt has been serving as the acting chairman since March 31, 2017. He has been with the NTSB since 2006 when he was appointed as the 37th member of the board. President George W. Bush designated him as vice chairman for a two-year term, and President Obama reappointed him to an additional five-year term as a board member in 2011.

The NTSB is an independent federal agency charged with determining the probable cause of transportation accidents, promoting transportation safety and assisting victims of transportation accidents and their families.

“The NTSB is commemorating 50 years of making transportation safer yesterday, today and tomorrow and I am humbled and honored to have the privilege of guiding the dedicated men and women of the NTSB as we take on the challenges of transportation safety in the 21st century,” said Sumwalt. “Transportation technologies continue to advance and the NTSB must continue to increase the breadth and depth of our knowledge and understanding of transportation innovations such as autonomous vehicles, intelligent infrastructure, commercial space transportation, hyper-speed rail, solar-powered planes, and new recording technologies. That knowledge enables us to craft safety recommendations that leverage technology to prevent accidents and save lives.”

The NTSB has five board members, each nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate to serve five-year terms. By statute, the President designates a chariman with Senate confirmation. The President also designates a board member as vice chairman without ...Read the rest of this story

The Clock is Ticking on ELD Compliance

Despite how easy it is to install electronic logging devices and having the ability to use an app to log time, “it still takes fleet management and drivers generally a couple of months to get comfortable with the technology,” advises Tom Reader of ELD supplier J.J. Keller. Photos: J.J. Keller

To loosely paraphrase what John Wayne barked at the dawn of a long day in “The Cowboys,” if you haven't started gearing up to comply with the new ELD rule, you could end up burning more than daylight.

When it comes to complying with the electronic logging mandate, fleets and drivers alike are now well into the eleventh hour before the new rule kicks in. That will be just about four months from now, on Dec. 18.

Come that day, all carriers subject to the ELD rule will have to convert from using paper logs or logging software to a registered ELD if they do not have an automatic on-board recording device in use. And those using AOBRDs prior to the mandate will only be able to keep using them until Dec. 16, 2019.

The other key part of the rule applies to ELD suppliers, which must ensure their devices conform to technical specs set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, self-certify those devices, and register them with FMCSA.

FMCSA last year advised carriers and drivers that before buying an ELD, they “should confirm that the device is certified and registered with FMCSA...Devices not vendor-certified by manufacturers and registered with FMCSA may not be compliant with the FMCSRs.”

Something critical to grasp is that the rule will not be stopped or even delayed at this point. The last, best hope to stave off the mandate came on June 12 when the Supreme Court denied the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association's petition that it rule on whether ...Read the rest of this story

Commentary: Is Your Lease-Purchase Program a Problem?

Deborah Lockridge

“Forced into debt. Worked past exhaustion. Left with nothing.”

That's the subhead of a USA Today report, “Rigged,” which earlier this summer highlighted abuses of leased owner-operator drivers at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

The newspaper found that some drivers were working long hours and taking home very little – in some cases none – of their paychecks after their lease payments and other expenses were deducted.

The report claimed that in some cases drivers were being forced to work as much as 20 hours in a day, far past the maximum allowed by law, with drivers alleging that their supervisors threatened to take their jobs or assign lower-paying routes as punishment if they did not.

The Harbor Trucking Association told HDT that the cases in the USA Today report were cherry-picked for their extremeness or were not completely explained.

“It focuses on a very small subset of the industry, and what we forget to point out is the 90-plus percent of drivers who prefer to be independent contractors and have made that business model work,” said HTA Executive Director Weston LaBar in an e-mail.

And that's long been my complaint about “misclassification” crusades by the Teamsters (especially at the ports), by state agencies, and by the U.S. Department of Labor. In an effort to address abuses like those described in the USA Today report (and to collect employment taxes government agencies think they're missing out on), these efforts throw the baby out with the bathwater, making it much harder for carriers and drivers to maintain legitimate contractor relationships.

Nevertheless, there are plenty of horror stories out there about owner-operator lease-purchase programs, and not just at the ports. Over the years, I've heard complaints about these programs at carriers both large and small. If you offer a ...Read the rest of this story

Navistar Hit With $30.8 Million Judgment in Prostar/Maxxforce Lawsuit

A jury has awarded $30.8 million to Milan Supply Chain Solutions in its suit against Navistar Inc. Photo courtesy Milan Supply Chain Solutions

Navistar Inc. disputes allegations that it didn't thoroughly test its MaxxForce EGR engines – allegations that surfaced in a lawsuit where a jury last week awarded $30.8 million in damages – including testimony about the engine program by former executive Jim Hebe that the company "did not test s**t".

The Tennessee jury found that Navistar committed fraud and violated the Tennessee Consumer Practice Act in connection with the sale of 243 Navistar International ProStars with MaxxForce engines to Milan Supply Chain Solutions. It awarded $10.8 million in actual damages and $20 million in punitive damages.

Tennessee-based Milan alleged that Navistar misled them, saying the truck maker failed to disclose that the MaxxForce 13L engine, which used exhaust gas recirculation to meet 2010 emissions standards rather than the selective catalytic reduction being used by other truck and engine makers, was launched with “serious known defects.”

Milan also alleged that Navistar, while touting the quality of its testing program, knew that the testing had serious flaws, was incomplete at launch, and put the trucks into customers' hands knowing that the customers would end up becoming the de facto test fleet for Navistar's new 2010 year model engine.

In a statement, Navistar said it is disappointed in the jury's verdict and is evaluating its options to challenge it, noting it has successfully defended similar claims in several jurisdictions, including dismissal of claims of fraud in courts in Texas, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Alabama, and Illinois.

“Navistar tested the MaxxForce 13 engine consistent with industry standards,” the company said in a statement. “They were tested for 12 million miles prior to launch under rigorous conditions, in test cells and on the road. At the time of the product ...Read the rest of this story