Truck driver Bill McElligott may have the world's most famous left side of a face.
Five years ago his photo was featured in the New England Journal of Medicine, accompanying a story about Unilateral Dermatoheliosis – damage to skin on half of his face caused by ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun.
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Looking for the right ELD solution for your fleet? Fleet Owner has teamed with Geotab to provide you with white papers that cover important topics focused on helping fleets make informed decisions on ELD.
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Top Qualities to Look for in an ELD Solution
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...Read the rest of this storyGiven the increasing complex nature of today's vehicles with their components that have tighter tolerances, the role of maintenance to the successful operation of a fleet is more important than ever.
If you have not yet computerized your maintenance operations, here are some reasons why you should do it today.
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...Read the rest of this storyAccidents happen. And while nobody likes them, it's almost impossible to avoid them. But there are things you can do to reduce your risk such as spec'ing vehicles with safety-related options and continuously training drivers in safe driving practices.
There are also things you can do to protect your business in the event of an accident, especially when you are performing your own maintenance and repair.
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...Read the rest of this storyA wide-open road in Mexico. Photo:México Secretaria de Comunicación y Transportes
">A wide-open road in Mexico. Photo:México Secretaria de Comunicación y Transportes
">The trucking market in Mexico, despite its complexities, presents opportunities to third-party logistics providers, contends a new report released by market-research and consultancy firm Armstrong & Associates Inc.
Trucking in Mexico totaled $60 billion in 2016, according to a new report just released by Armstrong & Associates. The report, Trucking in Mexico: Navigating the Opportunity, which states that last year trucking was a $60 billion industry in the country. It quantifies the Mexican trucking market, presents U.S. and Mexico export and import activity, and outlines the current shipment process for shippers and truckload carrier/3PL providers. In addition, Ryder and a dozen other U.S.-Mexico truckload carrier/3PLs are profiled in the report.
“Trucking in Mexico remains complex and heavy with requirements, but there are many 3PL providers that have the process down to a science,” according to Richard Armstrong, chairman of Armstrong & Associates. “This report summarizes the market opportunity and identifies the key players and the process by which to follow.”
Armstrong divides the Mexican trucking market into intra-Mexico and cross-border import/export trucking with the U.S. Domestic trucking's core is the Mexico City area, connecting to such major cities as Monterrey and Guadalajara. Cross-border traffic is dominated by export/import activity involving the U.S., with the busiest cross-border port being Laredo, TX.
“Proximity to the United States, low wages, increases in manufacturing competencies, and retail investments throughout Mexico are keeping trucking in Mexico afloat,” the report states. “While trucking in Mexico is bobbing relative to the United States due to currency fluctuations, the complexities of intra-Mexico and cross-border trucking with the United States requires expertise.”
The report points out that major retailers, such as Walmart, are expanding into Mexico to gain for shorter lead times as “ocean transit cannot react as quickly to ...Read the rest of this story
Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) has announced the addition of two new parts distribution centers over the past two months.
The addition of the new facilities in Grimes, Iowa, and Whitestown, Ind., will allow DTNA to service its customers more effectively and efficiently.
“Our customers drive the best product on the road and are deserving of the best service experience as well,” Jay Johnson, general manager, Supply Chain Network. The opening of the Indianapolis facility and the start of construction on the Iowa facility further demonstrate the commitment of Daimler Trucks North America to providing an industry-leading service experience.
The new facilities will hold more than $15 million of inventory and over 20,000 parts. The addition of the parts distribution centers is another building block in the DTNA supply chain strategy. The DTNA supply chain system has been architected to be anticipatory in nature. The goal is to have the part at the service location when the customer needs it. In the event that a part isn't there, DTNA's Dedicated Delivery and Variable Cut-Off processes will enable a part to be delivered to the service location as soon as the same day.
“Every minute counts during a service event. DTNA is not only investing in brick and mortar, but we are also investing in processes and tools to ensure that parts are in the right place, at the right time,” continued Johnson
The facility in Grimes will be completed January 2018 and the Whitestown location will be fully operational at the same time.
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...Read the rest of this storyThe new Weather Company Ground Transporation app also warns of road conditions such as ice, snow, puddles or wet pavement.
Photo: Weather Company
">The new Weather Company Ground Transporation app also warns of road conditions such as ice, snow, puddles or wet pavement.
Photo: Weather Company
">Trucking is a game of variables. And of the many unknowns drivers face daily, the weather can be one of the most difficult to deal with. A new, trucking-focused phone and tablet app from the Weather Company aims to give drivers more information to help them better deal with weather and the delays and disruptions it can cause.
The app has its roots in aviation. The Weather Company is an IBM firm that has been providing accurate weather forecasts and real-time updates for 2.2-billion locations around the world every day, with vital data being refreshed every 15 minutes.
Now, the company is offering what it calls its “hyper-local” forecasting tools to the trucking industry through its new phone app to help drivers get a clearer idea of how weather can impact them as they move along their routes daily.
“Pilots are required to attend a weather briefing before taking off because they need situational awareness of the conditions that await them on their flight,” said John Bosse, offering manager for the Weather Company. “And this is a really simple app that does the same thing for truckers. It's not an app you use while driving. But it can – within 30 seconds to a minute – give drivers a really strong awareness of the weather they will be dealing with during the first few hours behind the wheel.”
But Bosse says the Weather Company app takes its informational aspect further, providing drivers with critical information about weather-related conditions they will be dealing with as well. “This app can help alert drivers to routes backed up by accidents,” he noted. “It can also relay information such as warnings for ice, snow, puddles or just ...Read the rest of this story
