AME International, a provider of wheel service equipment and tools based out of Florida, launched a new product, the Torque Fin, a torque wrench-stabilizing accessory for commercial fleet tire service.
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...Read the rest of this storyV3 Transportation announced the company will be making a donation to the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund in honor of Robert Burton, an owner-operator in the V3 fleet.
Burton was recently named the Expediter of the Year during the Expedite Expo. Burton donated the $500 that accompanied the inaugural award to the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund, which is a charity dedicated to helping truck drivers whose medical problems have led to financial hardship.
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...Read the rest of this storyScreenshot via TeamRunSmart.com
">Screenshot via TeamRunSmart.com
">Freightliner Trucks has launched a new version of its Team Run Smart website, an online community with over 48,000 members that truck drivers can use to find information on a variety of topics.
The enhanced website has been updated with an improved user experience, easier access to information, and additional content to assist owner-operators and fleet customers in the business of trucking.
With the Team Run Smart website, visitors can find advice from fellow truckers and dedicated Team Run Smart Pros who share their experiences and offer expertise.
Team Run Smart offers new weekly content on the following topics:
Truck Smart: Information on increasing revenue and uptime through truck operation and maintenanceBusiness Smart: Learning the business side of trucking inside and outLive Smart: Living healthfully while out on the roadFreightliner solicited feedback from the website's current member base and surveyed outside perspectives to update the site for a more user-friendly experience.
“We are committed to continually improving our platform and what better way to do so than by listening first-hand to the trucking community,” said Mike McHorse, on-highway product marketing manager, Freightliner Trucks.
For more information, go to www.teamrunsmart.com.
Related: 4 Ways Drivers Can Dial Up MPG
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...Read the rest of this storyDaimler Trucks North America officials gathered in Yountvile, California, to update trucking reporters on the latest Detroit connectivity and analytics advances. Photo: Deborah Lockridge
">Daimler Trucks North America officials gathered in Yountvile, California, to update trucking reporters on the latest Detroit connectivity and analytics advances. Photo: Deborah Lockridge
">YOUNTVILLE, CA -- Fleets of all sizes that are running Detroit powertrains are about to get access to several new tools that will make it easier to analyze the vast amount of data available from the truck – including not only engine fault code data, but also fuel efficiency and safety data.
DTNA announced to truck reporters Thursday that all Freightliner Trucks and Western Star customers with an active Detroit Connect subscription now have access to the Detroit Connect portal. In addition, a mobile app will be available later this year.
The portal is a hub for new and future connectivity services, such as Detroit Connect Virtual Technician remote diagnostic service, for Detroit-powered fleets.
The Detroit Connect portal provides information about overall fleet health with a few clicks of the mouse, and also lets users take a deeper dive into specific fault events communicated by Virtual Technician. Real-time fault event notifications delivered through the portal lets fleets quickly determine whether a vehicle requires an immediate service stop or can finish its route or day's work. The portal also delivers full diagnostic information from Virtual Technician, including the cause of the fault and in some cases the steps needed to repair the issue.
For customers wanting to do a deeper dive into an issue, Detroit Diesel Engine Control (DDEC) reports can also be viewed and archived via the portal.
Company executives stressed that ease of use for customers and the ability to easily integrate the data into their fleet's real world operations was a priority.
“We've had active customers we onboarded early, before we even went into development,” explained Lauren Atinasi, product strategy manager, connectivity. “That's how we now the portal would really be ...Read the rest of this story
Photo: ODFL
">Photo: ODFL
">One of the country's leading LTL carriers, Old Dominion Freight Line (NASDAQ: ODFL) scored high in the second quarter, reporting a 21.4% increase in earnings per diluted share to $1.19 on revenue of $839.9 million. Net income climbed 20.9%, reaching $94.4 million.
The results, reported on July 27, are “likely to encourage investors to send Old Dominion roaring past its 52-week share price high of $100.71 in early trading today,” pointed out analysis posted by the Winston-Salem Journal.
The newspaper's writer contended that ODFL's record performance “centers on gaining market share through adding and expanding [distribution] centers” since the less-than-truckload carrier “ships products more quickly and attracts more customers because it does not depend on a full trailer to make a profit.”
“Old Dominion produced strong financial results for the second quarter of 2017, which included a double-digit increase in revenue and an increase of more than 20% in earnings per diluted share," said David Congdon, vice chairman and CEO. "These were the best growth rates in revenue and earnings per share since our first quarter of 2015.”
Congdon said Q2's 11.2% increase in revenue was driven by a 6.1% rise in LTL tonnage per day and a 5.1% increase in LTL revenue per hundredweight. “Excluding fuel surcharges, our LTL revenue per hundredweight increased 3.8%. We believe that the growth in LTL tonnage was attributable to the continued improvement in the domestic economy and the consistent execution of our long-term strategic plan of delivering superior service at a fair price.”
In addition, ODFL's Q2 operating ratio improved 140 basis points to set a new company record of 80.9%. Congdon attributed this improvement generally to leverage created by the carrier's accelerated revenue growth, which he said benefited from increases in both freight density and yield. “As a result, most of our operating ...Read the rest of this story
YOUNTVILLE, CA. Daimler Trucks North America offered a glimpse into upcoming advancements of its Detroit Connect system, including over-the-air reports.
DTNA said July 27 that fleets with the new Freightliner Cascadia with a Detroit engine be able to access Detroit Diesel Engine Control (DDEC) on demand later this summer.
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...Read the rest of this storyPhoto: FMCSA
">Photo: FMCSA
">Following up on a two-year-old proposal, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will launch on Aug. 1 a demonstration program that will enable motor carriers to dispute the determination of certain truck crashes as “preventable.”
The program could lead to improved Compliance, Safety, accountability scores for carriers if the agency reclassifies the cause of crashes previoulsy deemed preventable..
Based on recommendations made by the American Trucking Associations and other public comments submitted on an earlier notice abouit an agenbcy crash-causation study, on July 12, 2016 the agency proposed that it would accept from carriers requests for data review (RDRs) on accident determinations via a demonstration program.
Under this scheme, the agency would accept RDRs “to evaluate the preventability of certain categories of crashes” through its DataQs national data-correction system.
More specifically, FMCSA proposed that a crash challenged through an RDR would be found “not preventable” when documentation submitted with the RDR established that the crash was, indeed, not preventable.
The newly released notice, published in the Federal Register for July 27, gives the Aug.1 start date for the demonstration program and describes the crash types that will qualify for the demo; the process for submitting RDRs to evaluate the preventability of a crash; and how “decisions on preventability” will be displayed in agency systems. It also explains the data to be collected through this program “for use in future decisions about a longer-term crash preventability program.”
As of Aug. 1, carriers may begin submitting RDRs on crashes— which must have occurred on or after June 1, 2017. FMCSA stated that “the burden is on the submitter to show by compelling evidence that the crash was not preventable. However, in these and all crashes, FMCSA reserves the right to request additional information on the crash, which may include any documentation the carrier is required to ...Read the rest of this story
