XPO Logistics Cracks Top 200 in Fortune 500 List

Image: XPO Logistics

XPO Logistics has moved up to number 191 on the Fortune 500 list, jumping from the 353rd spot last year when it was named the fastest growing company.

XPO's new ranking also places it at the top of all transportation companies with the largest year-over-year increase on the list and the largest percentage of revenue change at 92%. Overall, the company is the third largest performer in both metrics on the Fortune 500 and was ranked 80th among largest employers.

The Fortune 500 list identifies the largest U.S. companies each year on the basis of total annual revenue. XPO generates revenue of around $15 billion, with a workforce of over 89,000 employees globally at 1,431 locations in 34 countries. Walmart was the top company on this year's list with revenues around $485 billion.

“We're honored to advance to a position among the top 200 companies on the Fortune 500 and lead the transportation sector,” said Bradley Jacobs, chairman and chief executive officer of XPO Logistics. “I commend our employees for the phenomenal service they provide to our customers – including the majority of the Fortune 500, who look to us for scale and innovation in supply chain services.”

Related: NYC Renews Contract with XPO for Emergency Response Programs

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FMCSA: Two New Rules Would Help Ease Truck Driver Shortage

Photo: U.S. DOT

Two new rules that seek to streamline CDL licensing and cut its costs were proposed on June 9 by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

“Taken together, these two proposals will help ease the entry for thousands of qualified individuals into career opportunities as professional truck and bus drivers – a critical occupation facing an acute labor shortage in our country,” said FMCSA Deputy Administrator Daphne Jefferson.

“We could eliminate unnecessary burdens to both the applicants and to the states, save time, reduce costs and, most importantly, ensure that states only issue commercial driver's licenses to well-trained, highly qualified individuals," she continued.

The proposals were issued as Notices of Proposed Rulemakings, for which FMCSA is seeking public comment:

The public comment period for both proposals will ...Read the rest of this story

Fuel Additive Cleans and Can Improve Efficiency

Hot Shot's Secret has designed the Diesel Extreme fuel additive to clean out fuel tanks, lines, and injectors, remove moisture, boost cetane, lubricate the fuel pump and injectors, neutralize acid, and return fuel economy and power back to the vehicle's original performance.

Diesel Extreme contains more cetane booster than comparable products, according to the company, as well as a lubricity additive and fuel stabilizer to provide improved performance while cleaning the fuel system.

Diesel Extreme is also a concentrated cleaner that removes all types of internal diesel injector deposits (IDIDs), including waxy and polymeric deposits. The removal of IDIDs restores the injector's fuel spray pattern to help optimize the combustion process, resulting in a complete fuel burn and increased efficiency.

Diesel Extreme is designed to provide six months of protection and benefits. To maintain system cleanliness and performance between Diesel Extreme treatments, Hot Shot's Secrets offers a Diesel Treatment (EDT) additive to use with each fill to the fuel tank. EDT is a highly-concentrated cetane improver designed for power and performance in all diesel equipment, increased fuel economy and lower maintenance costs.

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Smithco’s Side-Dumper Is Strictly for Off-Road Running

Really big rig pauses while Western Star dealers and customers listen to presenters at the Michelin Proving grounds in South Carolina. Photos: Tom Berg 

Now here's a serious dump trailer: Smithco's 85-Metric-Ton Gooseneck Tipper, one of the pieces of equipment recently demonstrated by Western Star Trucks at the Michelin Proving Grounds in South Carolina. It was pulled by a 6900XD from Western Star, which was showing off its line of off-road vehicles that compete with “haul trucks” from Caterpillar, Kumatsu, Terrex, and others.

While pulling the Smithco tipper, the 6900XD acted as a tractor, but it's really a straight truck fitted with a fifth-wheel kit. It's part of the MBT-40 Multi-Body Transformer system from Carco Industries, using a Palfinger extreme duty model G68 hooklift that picks up bodies and puts them back down. This gives a truck multiple roles at a mine or heavy construction site.

Hook-lift systems are not new, and I recall writing about them in the 1980s (Palfinger offers many models of its own). But those are comparatively small, on-highway products, while the MBT-40 is capable of lifting and supporting larger and heavier bodies, and therefore loads. At this demo, Carco had steel dump and water tank bodies present and showed how they can be interchanged as needed by an operator.

The fifth wheel kit includes a subframe on which the coupling device is mounted. That raises the fifth wheel's height by more than a foot, and the Smithco trailer's gooseneck is correspondingly higher than it would otherwise need to be. Partly because of a higher center of gravity, this trailer's capacity of 85 metric tons (93.7 standard or "short" tons) is somewhat less than the 100 metric tons (110 standard tons) it might otherwise be rated for, a Smithco rep said. The trade-off is ...Read the rest of this story

Two-Post Lift Designed for Strength and Flexibility

Forward Lift's DP15 two-post lift is a lift for servicing vehicles weighing up to 15,000 pounds. Low-profile two-stage arms with lightweight adapters provide flexibility for spotting and lifting a wide range of vehicles.

High-strength heavy-gauge steel symmetrical columns on substantial base plate foundations provide stability and support.

The Forward Lift DP15 two-post lift comes standard with eight aluminum truck adapter extensions to reach the recommended pickup points on a wide range of vehicles. The adapters are designed to be strong but light enough to position easily. They can be stored on the included column bracket when not in use.

The DP15 features Forward Lift's unique Direct-Pull Lift Technology, which replaces common push cylinders in the lift columns with direct-pull cylinders. This design protects the cylinder rod inside the carriage when lowered, and inside the cylinder housing when raised. This technology is designed to provide the best mechanical advantage against side loading, one of the most common causes for cylinder leaks.

Additional features on the Forward Lift DP15 two-post lift include a single-point lock release for easy lowering of the vehicle and a closed loop hydraulic system to protect against hydraulic contamination. The lift can be purchased at one of three heights to meet the needs of any shop.

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Volvo Launches Genuine Painted Parts Program

Photo: Volvo Trucks

Volvo Trucks North America has announced it is offering a Genuine Painted Parts Program, delivering genuine, factory-built replacement parts, custom painted for pre-order or quick turnaround.

The Volvo Genuine Painted Parts Program offers customers and dealers the opportunity to order more than three dozen different parts, including hoods and bumpers, for both the Volvo VNL and VNM models. Each genuine replacement part is painted with the same Imron paint that is used at Volvo Trucks' New River Valley facility in Dublin, Va.

Volvo expects to ship all hood and bumper orders within 48 hours of request.

“Our customers have asked for a solution to reduce their time in the shop as a result of body repairs,” said Michael Leipold, Volvo Trucks parts marketing product manager. “With this program, our dealers can stock or express-order custom-painted pieces for their fleet customers. In some cases, repairs can literally begin on those vehicles as soon as the truck rolls into the shop. That can mean the truck is on the road days earlier than was previously possible.”

In addition to painted hoods and bumpers, the program also offers bulk part ordering for all models, as well as fully dressed hoods for the VNL. Fully dressed products come complete with mirrors, headlights, and grille ready to bolt on and roll.

Full cab options round out the Genuine Painted Parts Program. A complete line of VNL and VNM cabs are available painted, sealed and ready for final dressing at the dealership. An enhanced, semi-groomed daycab is also available for both models. All cab options can be available to ship within 20 days of order.

More information is available here.

Related: Driving Impressions - Volvo's Tough Tech Truck

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Next FMCSA boss: The ‘short list’

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