Aftermarket Air Dryer Cartridge Uses Recycled Desiccant

Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems' GC Spin-On Air Dryer Cartridge is a spin-on style air dryer cartridge using recycled desiccant for the aftermarket.

With the GC, which stands for Green Cartridge, Bendix says it can provide original equipment manufacturer performance with a replacement cartridge at a lower cost, due to its use of recycled desiccant. Designed and built by Bendix, the part is available through authorized Bendix aftermarket distribution channel partners.

The Bendix GC can be used on any North American air dryer that calls for a standard 39 mm, right-hand thread, spin-on dryer cartridge and is not suitable for applications requiring an oil-coalescing filter.

Follow @HDTrucking on Twitter

Commentary: Over-Regulation and Idiotic Enforcement

Rolf Lockwood

Gallons of ink have been consumed in bitching about the extreme over-regulation of this industry. Ink and a lot of hot air. But we're right to bitch and moan.

The nuclear-power world is full of rules and regs, too. Possibly — but only possibly — more than we face. At least there's an obvious calamity quotient there. Sure, our trucks can do damage in a bunch of ways, but the controls outweigh the risk we represent by a factor of about five gazillion to one. And they're driving people away from trucking. The headaches are just too many.

Case in point: scalehouse inspectors and other enforcement folks who don't know their stuff. If we're going to have all these rules, can we please have them applied fairly and correctly?

You don't know how many letters and calls and e-mails I get from drivers, owner-operators, and fleet managers who say they've been poorly served at this scale or that. Yes, we rarely hear the other side, and no doubt some of the complaints I receive are misplaced, misguided, or just plain wrong. I understand that the inspection/enforcement job is a very tough one. I'm also sure that most people doing this thankless job take it seriously and make the effort to understand the laws they enforce.

But not all of them.

Take this true case from a few years ago, about an absurd ticket handed out by police in a sizeable city. It has nothing to do with trucking, but it easily could. A 77-year-old guy — with but one ticket in 61 years at the wheel – was nailed for talking on his cell phone while driving. Thing is, he does not and never has owned a cell phone. He figured it was a clear case of a ticket quota at work, ...Read the rest of this story

Swint Named Head of Travis Body and Trailer

Stuart Swint was named general manager and president of Travis Body and Trailer, whose current head is retiring. Travis Body and Trailer is a subsidiary brand of TBEI.

Swint has more than 17 years of experience and joins TBEI from Marco Group International, where he was vice president of operations. He previously held roles of increasing responsibility for companies including Evergreen Tank Solutions, Williams Scotsman, and M&N Construction.

Swint will work with the former general manager and president of Travis, Bud Hughes, to ensure a smooth transition. Hughes will be retiring from the role at the end of August.

“We are pleased to have Stuart join us and expect to benefit from the depth of experience he brings to the role,” said Bob Fines, vice president and general manager of TBEI. “His expertise and leadership will be a valuable addition to our team and we look forward to the continuing tradition of excellence at Travis.”

Follow @HDTrucking on Twitter

Love’s Adds Oil Changes to Tire Care Facilities

Photo: Love's

Love's Truck Tire Care has made diesel engine motor oil changes available at more than 130 locations.

The company has more than 270 Love's Truck Tire Care facilities and says it will continue to add oil change capabilities to existing locations. The majority of locations are expected to be oil-change ready by the beginning of 2018.

“Routine maintenance is vital for our customers,” said Dan Jensen, director of tire sales and services for Love's. “By offering preventative oil change services for professional drivers, we are providing them with helpful maintenance while they're already stopped for a meal or a break.”

Last year, Love's began performing light mechanical work, such as wheel-end repairs, suspension repairs, air conditioning systems, and exhaust systems. Now, nearly all Love's locations with a tire care center offer light mechanical services.

The company started manufacturing its own retread tires last year. Love's now operates four retread facilities in Kingman, Arizona; Atlanta, Georgia; Plainfield, Indiana; and Grand Prairie, Texas. Retreads are completed and inspected at the facilities before being shipped to Love's Truck Tire Care locations nationwide.

To meet increased demand for diesel service technicians, the company outfitted six Love's Mobile Training Labs with training modules covering nearly every system found in diesel trucks. Certified trainers take the mobile training labs to Love's Truck Tire Care locations around the country, teaching employees the latest techniques in various systems, including diagnostics, troubleshooting, break-fix and more. Love's mechanics must pass written and practical skills tests before becoming certified.

Related: Love's Expands Truck Maintenance Program to all Locations

Follow @HDTrucking on Twitter

Before you try to gamify, set your own house straight

read more

3PL: Shippers will need to look beyond lowest cost

Market factors converging over the summer that have affected freight movement and pricing could continue and are putting some pressure on third-party logistics providers, one such company says, and shippers may need to be thinking more than just the lowest-cost carrier going forward.

read more

ATA’s Spear Cites Washington Policy Gains

NASHVILLE, TN – Chris Spear, president and CEO of the American Trucking Associations, says Washington is hearing the voice of the trucking industry.

In a keynote address that offered praise for the Trump Administration, Spear told the 2017 In.Sight user conference about several policy wins that have been secured.

Spear spoke about the removal of the proposed speed-limiter regulation from the revised short-term agenda, calling the law as it was written abysmal, and cited the ATA's continued efforts around the regulation that remains on the government's long-term agenda.

“We are willing to engage on thoughtful, inclusive, transparent, dialogue on this issue, because it's needed and it's warranted,” he said, stressing that such a law has to be rewritten with more clarity.

Spear made similar comments about proposed sleep apnea screening regulations, which were also removed from the agenda because of Trump's executive order requiring federal regulators to eliminate two regulations for every one new one that is passed.

Spear said it was clear the research done on the proposed sleep apnea testing regulation wasn't answering all the questions being asked, so it was pulled off the books.

“We're seeing a lot less regulatory headwind because we're asking these tough questions,” he said. “But that does not mean we do not support good, thoughtful regulations.”

Spear said the electronic logging device mandate that will go into effect in December is one of those good regulations.

“[The ELD rule] is not some wild-eyed regulation proposed by the Obama administration."

“This is not some wild-eyed regulation proposed by the Obama administration,” he said, noting the new law was mandated by a Republican-majority congress. “It's been litigated, it's been debated, it's been regulated, and the force and effect of the law comes December 18, 2017.”

Spear said the ATA has spoken with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration every week ...Read the rest of this story