Navistar to End 9/10L Engine Production by 2018

Navistar's N9 Engine Photo: Navistar

Navistar announced on Aug. 3 that it will cease production of its medium-duty 9L and 10L engines at the company's Melrose Park, Illinois, facility by the second quarter of 2018.

The change is part of Navistar's transformation of the Melrose Park facility into a technical center that conducts truck and engine testing and validation as well as used truck sales and reconditioning. The majority of engines produced at the facility are 9- and 10-liter engines used in International Class 6 and 7 vehicles. Alternative engines are currently offered in all applications.

“Ceasing production of engines at Melrose Park is a difficult decision, but represents another important step on our journey to strengthening the company's competitiveness,” said Persio Lisboa, Navistar chief operating officer. “Our N9/10 engine family was updated in 2014 and since then has served as a competitive niche offering for specific medium-duty vehicles. As we approach future regulatory requirements, the low-volume nature of the platform could not justify further product development investments on it.”

Navistar reintroduced the option of a 6.7L Cummins engine in 2013 and a 9L Cummins engine in 2016. The Cummins engines that are used in the medium-duty Class 6/7 segment are manufactured in Indiana and North Carolina, while Navistar's big-bore engine plant, which makes engines for Navistar's Class 8 trucks, is in Alabama.

The cessation of engine manufacturing at Melrose Park is expected to affect about 170 employees and reduce Navistar's operating costs by about $12 million annually. The company will take an approximate charge of $43 million as a result of the action, including around $8 million in cash-related charges.

Related: Navistar Pins Q2 Loss on New Vehicle Sales, Used Trucks

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Navistar to end 9/10 engine production

Navistar announced that it will cease all engine production at its plant in Melrose Park, IL, by the second quarter of fiscal 2018. The company said it will continue the facility's transformation into Navistar's technical center, including truck and engine testing and validation as well as used truck sales and reconditioning, continuing the process that started in 2010.

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Navistar to end engine production at Melrose Park plant

Navistar announced that it will cease all engine production at its plant in Melrose Park, IL, by the second quarter of fiscal 2018. The company said it will continue the facility's transformation into Navistar's technical center, including truck and engine testing and validation as well as used truck sales and reconditioning, continuing the process that started in 2010.

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Craftsmen Utility Trailer Opens Iowa Location

Craftsmen Utility Trailer, a Utility trailer dealership, has completed development its new facility in Davenport, Iowa.

The Davenport facility is located on 14 acres of land, near two truck stops and several truck dealers with space for trailer parking. The lot can accommodate 300 trailers and showcases new and used Utility 3000R reefers, 4000D-X Composite, 4000AE Combo Flatbeds and other specialty trailers.

“We acquired this location in 2015 to better serve our customers,” said Lou Helmsing, president of Craftsmen Utility Trailer. “The facility that we were leasing from the prior owner was very small and did not allow any room for growth, so we decided to build a new facility that would offer a much-improved experience for our customers.”

The 22,500-square foot facility includes a driver's waiting room, a 4,000-square-foot parts warehouse and showroom, and a service center with 12 service bays.

“Our service department is open on two shifts, offering both Express Service and Mobile Service. Our fleet of fully-equipped service trucks is ready to provide emergency road service and on-site repair,” said Helmsing.

For more information, click here.

Related: HDT's 2017 Trailer Update

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FMCSA Clarifies Issuance of Commercial Learner’s Permits

Photo: FMCSA

Guidance just issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Administration clarifies that a state may accept applications for commercial learner's permits and administer the general knowledge test to individuals who are not domiciled there.

Per the agency's notice published in the Federal Register for Aug. 3, the guidance was issued to clarify that FMSCA had not meant to limit the extending of this out-of-state consideration to applicants who had served in the military.

Based on the new guidance, states that choose to administer the general knowledge test must transmit the test results “directly, securely, and electronically” to the applicant's state of domicile and that state must agree to accept the test results and issue the commercial learner's permit.

The agency stated that while “the guidance is in answer to general knowledge testing as addressed in FMCSA regulations, we note that this regulatory guidance is consistent with the agency's October 13, 2016, final rule, which amended the CDL regulations to ease the transition of military personnel into civilian careers driving commercial motor vehicles.”

Related: Two New Rules Would Help Ease Truck Driver Shortage

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Cummins Launches Smartphone-Based ELD Solution

Photo: Zed Connect

Cummins has launched a new fleet software company called Zed Connect and announced its first product, Zed ELD – a smartphone based electronic logging solution.

Zed ELD is designed to be a simple and low-cost electronic logging device solution aimed at small- and mid-sized fleets looking to meet the upcoming ELD mandate. The plug-and-play solution includes such features as ELD, visual inspection reporting, and commercial routing.

The Zed ELD was designed with input from drivers, fleet managers and owners, according to Cummins, and includes a one-time fee for Bluetooth-enabled hardware connecting to the vehicle.

“Zed Connect is developing products and services that will provide outstanding benefits for companies across the industry,” said Tom Linebarger, chairman and CEO of Cummins. “Their first product offering, Zed ELD, is an intuitive smartphone-based ELD solution that fills the void for fleets that need a way to easily and inexpensively log hours electronically.”

Zed Connect's leadership team is led by president and CEO Skip Kinford. Kinford has gained experience in technology solutions, business development, and global sales while serving in leadership roles with MiX Telematics, inthInc Technology Solutions, and Mobileye.

“Cummins' deep relationships within the on-highway market and its leadership in integrated solutions make this an exciting partnership for ZED Connect,” said Kinford. “We view this opportunity as a way to collaborate with an industry leader to solve mutual customers' problems.”

For more information, click here.

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Trucking still projected to benefit from wider Panama Canal

There still seems to be a lot of optimism surrounding the benefits the $5 billion-plus Panama Canal expansion project can deliver to trucking – especially in terms of a shift in freight flows from the U.S. West Coast to the U.S. East Coast, though said shift is taking a while to develop.

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