Kits Offer More Compatibility for VDO RoadLog ELD Users

Continental's line of VDO RoadLog 9 Pin Green Installation Kits are designed to support 2015 and newer trucks that use the 9 pin type II green diagnostic ports as well as pre-2015 9 pin type I black diagnostic ports.

The Installation Kits allow fleets to install and use the VDO RoadLog ELD platform in a mixed fleet by offering more connection options for different vehicles. VDO RoadLog combines GPS data with input from the vehicle to create a digital log that the driver can either download or print out as needed. It is available as a standalone unit without monthly fees and as a connectivity package with affordable monthly plans.

The VDO RoadLog 9 pin Green Connectors are available as a direct connection or as a Y-Cable configuration that leaves an open diagnostic port and cleanly installs into the vehicle cab.

The new installation kits are available as a 9 Pin Direct Cable, 9 Pin Y with Flange Cable and 9 Pin Y with Plastic Nut Cable .

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U.S., Canada heavy truck sales dip in January

According to WardsAuto data, U.S. big-truck sales totaled 25,726 units in January, 17.9% below like-2016's 31,351. Medium- and heavy-duty truck sales in Canada also fell last month – down 3.6% compared to the previous year.

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Trump’s Two-For-One Regulatory Fiat Spurs Court Challenge

Image: WhiteHouse.gov

A lawsuit brought by two high-profile public advocacy groups and a prominent labor seeks to block the executive order signed by President Trump on Jan. 30 that directs federal agencies to repeal two federal regulations for every new rule they issue.

The plaintiffs, Public Citizen, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Communications Workers of America, filed their complaint with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Feb. 8 to secure a ruling that would declare the executive order cannot be lawfully implemented and bar the agencies from implementing the order.

Trump's order calls for new federal regulations to have a net cost of $0 this fiscal year, but without taking into account the value of the benefits of public protections, contend the plaintiffs.

The order on “Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs” was issued by Trump on January 30 and Interim Guidance on complying with it was issued by the White House's Office of Management and Budget on Feb. 2.

Named as defendants in the suit are the president, the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget and the current or acting secretaries and directors of more than a dozen executive departments and agencies, including newly confirmed Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao.

The complaint holds that the agencies cannot lawfully comply with the president's order because doing so would violate the very statutes under which the agencies operate as well as the federal Administrative Procedure Act.

“The Executive Order exceeds President Trump's constitutional authority, violates his duty under the Take Care Clause of the Constitution, and directs federal agencies to engage in unlawful actions that will harm countless Americans, including plaintiffs' members,” states the 49-page complaint.

The plaintiffs also argue these specific points in the complaint:

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Quick Spin: Orange EV’s All-Electric Terminal Tractor

Orange EV's T-Series terminal tractor looks and works just like a diesel, but its fully electric drive system produces no emissions and can save up to 90% over existing fuel and maintenance costs. Photos: Jim Park

There's no arguing with the utility of an electric terminal tractor. Gone are all the usual concerns about EV range. These trucks are almost exactly the same truck you are currently using except for the powertrain, so there's little transition anxiety. They are as capable as any diesel-powered hostler, and for the environmentally conscious, they produce zero on-site emissions.

Last summer, during Bobit Business Media's Fleet Technology Expo, we had a chance to try one of Orange EV's all-electric T-Series on-road terminal tractors. I don't have a ton of experience driving these trucks, so I wasn't able to make a direct comparison to the diesel versions, but it was pretty cool.

As it was explained to me, the basic operating controls for the hydraulic lift are the same as a diesel, as is the forward and reverse selector – at least from the operator's perspective.

An electric motor drives the hydraulic pump for the lifter and there's even a boost option to speed up the lift (formerly accomplished by revving the engine), which draws some hydraulic flow from the power steering. But since you're usually stopped when lifting, you're not giving up anything.

The air compressor for the brake system is electrically driven, and all the usual vehicle systems, such as lighting, wipers, defrosters, mirror controls, and in-cab displays monitors, radios, etc., use a step-down transformer to get the 12 volts they need.

The forward and reverse selector looks the same as the diesel version, but with the T-Series, the controller simply switches the flow of current through the motors so they turn forward or backward. There's no transmission to deal ...Read the rest of this story