Is Video as a Safety Strategy in Your Future?

SCHAUMBURG, ILLINOIS -- If you're not using some form of forward-facing video system in your trucks, you should be. And the sooner the better. That's the feeling of Mike Nalepka, CEO of VideoProtects.com, a consulting and advocacy company focused on transportation video technologies. Nalepka, speaking at the Bobit Business Media Fleet Technology Expo yesterday, told attendees that video may be an emerging technology but it's here to stay because it offers so many advantages for fleets.

"Current penetration of video technology is superficial at best," he says. "Our estimates suggest only about 6% of fleets have fully integrated video cameras and recording systems into their safety infrastructure management systems. That means 94% of fleets are not there at all or are just starting to investigate the possibilities. They are kicking the tires, doing their due diligence, talking to other carriers and trying to determine where the value lies."

Mike Nalepka, CEO of VideoProtects.com. Photo by Jim Park

"The penetration rates in those countries are in the 70-80% range because the technology is proven and is widely adopted," says Nalepka. "The story we usually get from insurers is the rate reductions will come when the claims go down. One way to reduce claims is to eliminate the frivolous claims at the source. Cameras do not lie."

Department of Transportation and Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administrations statistics tell us that somewhere around 60-70% of all the crashes involving heavy trucks are not the truck's fault. But carriers continue to shell ...Read the rest of this story

Mini Strobe LED Fits Several Applications

The Super Bright LEDs Low Profile Vehicle LED Mini Strobe Light is a multi-purpose SAE Class 1 LED strobe light that can be used in a variety of applications.

The 18-watt lights use 6 LEDs to emit bright amber, blue, red, green, white, alternating amber/white, amber/green, amber/blue, amber/red, blue/red, blue/white, or red/white illumination. They feature 19 flash patterns that can be synchronized between 4 light heads and controlled with a compatible switch.

A weatherproof aluminum housing and polycarbonate lens are built to withstand impact with road debris and exposure to wet conditions. Installation hardware is included along with foam anti-scratch pads for vehicle surface mounting. The LED lights operate within a wide 12-24 VDC range for vehicle compatibility.

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Commentary: VW Does More Than You Think

Rolf Lockwood

Now that the initial brouhaha has died down after the news broke of the Volkswagen Truck & Bus investment in Navistar last month, there is probably one big question that still needs an answer in a lot of North American minds:

Like, who the heck is Volkswagen?

Well of course, folks will say, that's the German outfit that makes Beetles and Rabbits and designs a flowerpot into the dash? Sure is, but it's a lot more than that. In fact its list of shareholdings is 19 pages long.

On the car side, Volkswagen AG also owns Audi and Porsche. Lots of people will know that much, but did you know that it also owns England's Bentley brand? And Italy's Bugatti and Lamborghini. And the Czech Republic's Skoda. And Spain's Seat. All of them are VWs in a way.

Even the famous Italian motorcycle brand Ducati is in the stable.

Many people will be surprised to know that it also makes VW-branded medium- and heavy-duty trucks, sold outside Europe but in some 35 countries, from a base in Brazil (more on that in a bit). That company is Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus Ltda. But VW also owns Sweden's Scania and Germany's MAN, and the latter will be especially important in helping Navistar move forward on these shores.

All told, Volkswagen Truck & Bus (spun off from the mother company last year) produces trucks at 25 sites in 17 countries.

Both MAN and Scania produce their own engines. Scania also makes transmissions, its Opticruise automated manual being well regarded. The Swedish outfit's 16.4-liter V-8, making as much as 730 hp, was available two years before the date called for by the Euro 6 emissions mandate.

MAN also makes engines, and in fact Navistar's own 13-liter diesel is the result of technology sharing with the German firm. ...Read the rest of this story

Cooper Offers Wide-Base Steer Tire for Mixed Service

Cooper Tire & Rubber's Roadmaster RM332 WB is a commercial tire line available in a wide-base steer tire for mixed service applications.

The RM332 is now available in size 385/65R22.5 in load range L, in addition to size 425/65R22.5 in load range L. The tire has a 23/32nds tread depth for extended tread life in severe, high scrub applications and a cut and chip resistant compound designed for the performance requirements of mixed-service applications.

The tire has a rib-type tread pattern to withstand different applications like heavy-haul, on- and off-road, while providing long tread life and even wear. The RM332 WB tire includes a protective curb bar on both sidewalls and stone protector ledges in four circumferential grooves to resist stone penetrations.

These features help preserve the casing for retreading and with four heavy-duty, full-width steel belts, the tire promotes durability in heavy-haul applications.

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Medium-Duty Update: Growing Sales, Diesel Developments, Vertical Integration

As the economy goes, so goes the medium-duty truck business. Sales numbers show continuing healthy growth of Class 3 through 7 commercial trucks, if you know how to read the data.

On their face, sales took a downturn in July and could finish the year 1.8% under 2015's pace. But they should pick up again in 2017's second quarter, according to an IHS forecast cited by Steve Latin-Kasper of the National Truck Equipment Association.

However, Latin-Kasper, NTEA's director of market data and research, notes that the IHS figures are taken from Ward's Automotive data, which includes Class 3 pickup trucks and vans, and pickup sales are expected to decline in this year's second half — which would account for the downturn. Take out Class 3, as NTEA does, and the prognosis is more rosy — up 3.6% in 2016 and another 5.4% next year for Class 4-7 sales in the United States. Canada's projections are similar and Mexico is in a boom, up an estimated 32.1% this year and 21.1% next year.

“The medium duty market has been stable and healthy, and we anticipate a consistent growth rate in all segments,” says Mary Aufdemberg, director of product marketing for Freightliner Trucks. Others we talked with agree.

Medium-duty diesels have been updated to deliver more fuel efficiency that will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which must be reduced by direction of Phase 2 emissions regulations.

Daimler Trucks North America moved further down the path of vertical integration by introducing a new Detroit DD5, a 4-cylinder midrange diesel available for order now for its M2-106 trucks. It will first come from Daimler's plant in Mannheim, Germany, then production will move to Detroit's Milford, Mich., plant in 2018. At that time, engine ratings and options will be introduced for other applications beyond the pickup and delivery specs ...Read the rest of this story

Great Dane Brings New Safety Features to Everest Reefer Trailers

Photo: Great Dane

Great Dane is introducing several new features designed to improve the safety of drivers, pedestrians, and the food transported in its Everest refrigerated trailers.

The Everest reefer features a void-free insulation foaming process, premium liners, and modular panel construction with no wood in the trailer. These features provide improved thermal efficiency and a safer, more sanitary cargo container.

Great Dane's ThermoGuard– made with a proprietary barrier layer to reduce cooling run time and help maintain excess cooling capacity – helps maintain insulation performance for the life of the trailer. ThermoGuard helps reduce fuel consumption and is more efficient at maintaining the right cargo temperature.

The Everest roof system is constructed of lightweight features connected through a bonded process to provide durability and better thermal efficiency. An aluminum roof sheet is supported by extruded aluminum roof bows and is secured to the top rail using a rolled edge design to seal the perimeter against moisture intrusion.

The floor design protects cargo from underneath and helps ensure proper temperatures. The 16,000-pound-rated aluminum duct floor is automatically welded to seal out moisture, and the composite floor sills are engineered for better durability and defense against moisture intrusion.

The Everest is available with multiple side door heights, widths and locations. Great Dane's unique blade lock side door design holds the door securely closed so cold air stays in. The blade lock exerts constant pressure along the full height of the door, ensuring that the efficient dual-compression seals prevent air loss around the perimeter of the door.

Great Dane and ASA Electronics have also introduced a small wireless camera system powered by auto-pairing technology. The rear-mounted camera features an embedded microphone and gives drivers increased awareness of the action behind their rigs on the road, in parking lots, and during docking maneuvers.

Drivers see detailed images for a minimum of ...Read the rest of this story

Will Trump Effect Unseat Key House Transpo Leaders?

Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA) Photo: Evan Lockridge

Just three weeks from now, Election Day will at last mercifully reveal whether Donald Trump's upstart and populist or Hillary Clinton's plodding and cautious campaign has won the White House.

But the more the polls in these final days point to Secretary Clinton prevailing, the more they indicate that the reelections of some GOP stalwarts on Capitol Hill are threatened.

Of greatest interest to the trucking industry is the impact Trump's recent free fall in the polls may have on the reelection of key members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

The committee “faces a shakeup after Nov. 8, with several high-profile members-- all the way up to the chairman--- far from guaranteed to keep their seats,” argues an Oct. 18 post by Politico's Morning Transportation reporters.

The daily online political tipsheet points out that Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA), the committee's chairman, is “embroiled in a race many didn't expect to be so tight.” Tea Party-backed challenger Art Halvorson narrowly lost the GOP primary to Shuster and then won the Democratic nod as a write-in candidate As a result, the state's Democratic Party has thrown its support to another write-in, Adam Sedlock, whom Halvorson bested by just 41 votes in the primary.

Even with all that, the smart money has been on Shuster keeping his seat, despite him facing ethical questions over his reported dating of an airlines lobbyist while he was legislating an overhaul of the nation's air traffic control system.

For example, back in August, Politico reporter Heather Cagyle contended that Halvorson faced “an uphill battle” as both establishment Republicans and Democrats will be working to undermine his candidacy.”

Then Trump happened and now all bets are off in the Keystone State and other presidential battleground states as well as in specific Congressional districts.

Morning Transportation also doesn't ...Read the rest of this story