Researchers: Big Data Could Move Trucking Better

Photo: U.S. DOT

Researchers at the University of Illinois contend that using real-time data collected by the U.S. Department of Transportation could help fleets save billions of dollars a year by avoiding congestion.

The university is working with the Iowa Department of Transportation to identify ways that fleets can increase productivity and improve safety. In doing so, they have determined that leveraging big data could play a pivotal role.

“The DOT has a lot of real-time data on the operating conditions of state highways and secondary roads, and it wants to make sure the data is of value to carriers,” said Dave Cantor, an associate professor of supply chain management at Iowa State. “With this data and information, we can improve on-time delivery performance, safe delivery of the freight and minimize idle time.”

While real-time data already being collected by DOT could help fleets refine routes and avoid idle time, the biggest problem that researchers found was that there is no easy way for all fleets to access the information. The data could relay up-to-date information on road conditions, traffic speeds, congestion, accidents and construction projects-- all of which can impede the flow of commerce.

Small fleets with fewer than 100 trucks were found to not have access to the technology or the manpower needed to receive and process DOT data. That puts these companies at a disadvantage compared to large fleets. Researchers surveyed around two dozen logistics and technology providers, large and small carriers and various types of haulers to collect data for the report.

“There's no sense in sending a truck into Des Moines at 4 o'clock in the afternoon if we know the driver is just going to sit in traffic,” said Neal Foster, a former trucking company owner who is part of the research team. “Every truck line that I know wants ...Read the rest of this story

Clean Fuels Ohio to Help Deploy 500 Workhorse Electric Pickup Trucks

Photo courtesy of Workhorse

Workhorse Group Inc., an original equipment manufacturer of battery-electric vehicles headquartered and manufactured in Cincinnati, Ohio, announced it has received a letter of intent from Clean Fuels Ohio to partner with Workhorse to help deploy 500 W-15 plug-in electric pickup trucks throughout the state of Ohio.

Having already received Letters of Intent from Duke Energy, Portland General Electric, the City of Orlando, and Southern California Public Power Authority, Clean Fuels Ohio is the latest Letter of Intent Workhorse has received from fleets and organizations. While not a fleet itself, Clean Fuels Ohio engages numerous fleets across Ohio on transitions to cleaner vehicle and fuel options.

With the goal of being the safest pickup truck in America, the W-15's safety features are expected to include an extra-large crumple zone and a lower center of gravity while still providing ground clearance. The W-15 is also expected to offer crash mitigation technologies that include automatic braking and lane centering. Powered using Panasonic 18650 Li-ion batteries, the truck's battery pack is expected to deliver all-electric 80 mile range, covering the majority of miles driven in a day by fleets. If needed, the on-board gasoline generator will then operate after battery power has been depleted, extending the range.

“As a U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities coalition, Clean Fuels Ohio advocates a wide range of cleaner fuels and technology options such as natural gas, propane, electric drive, efficiency, biofuels, and hydrogen. The W-15 will be a key part of our efforts to engage fleets across Ohio in adopting electric vehicles,” said Sam Spofforth, executive director, Clean Fuels Ohio. “We feel the Workhorse W-15 will offer safety, efficiency, advanced technology and the sustainability measuring sticks that many Ohio business and government fleets are looking for when making fleet decisions.”

The Workhorse W-15 light-duty platform design is an ...Read the rest of this story

PeopleNet and Noregon Partner on Predictive Remote Diagnostics

PeopleNet and Noregon are extending a partnership to deliver a new, real-time solution for vehicle-performance and safety monitoring for all heavy-duty truck makes and models.

The two companies announced the deal this week at the American Trucking Associations Technology & Maintenance Council's annual meeting in Nashville, Tenn.

The initial focus of the collaboration will build on Noregon's experience in vehicle data and telematics technologies and PeopleNet's abilities in mobility and predictive analytics, as part of the ConnectedFleet platform.

“Predictive analytics applied to remote diagnostics has the potential to transform how fleets manage vehicle uptime and maintenance,” said Tom Fansler, president of transportation analytics for PeopleNet. “Our goal is to provide solutions that enable this transformation and change the way our customers think about monitoring their vehicles in real-time.”

The two companies have been collaborating since 2009 and the new venture is aimed at creating a robust set of fault guidance solutions for fleets running more than one model of vehicle.

“We routinely heard from fleets that the marketplace lacked a comprehensive solution to turn their vehicle data into valuable information,” said Bill Hathaway, founder and CEO at Noregon. “Noregon is extremely excited to work with PeopleNet to offer customers an unprecedented look into the real-time health and safety status of their vehicles.”

Related: Old Dominion Dominates Data

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Doft Launches On-demand Truck Sharing Service

Doft, a new solution aimed at helping America's 400,000 or so freelance and owner-operator truckers find work, announced its official nationwide launch. Targeting a market worth $80 billion, Doft - which stands for “do freight transportation” - has set its sights on being the first Uber-like service for trucks.

Similar to ridesharing apps such as Uber and Lyft, Doft connects trucks and shippers within two minutes. Although available across the U.S., many of Doft's current drivers are based in California. The platform removes freight brokers and dispatchers and instead takes a transparent transport service fee of 4.99% from each side. This solves the dual problems of inefficiency and opaqueness which plague the industry and makes work better and more fulfilling for truck drivers who want to get out on the road.

“We are going to become a huge, twenty-first-century transportation company that will disrupt the whole logistics industry to make it more efficient,” says founder and CEO Dmitri Fedorchenko. “And, we won't be staying on the ground, either. We want to save people and companies money and time, as well as helping the environment.”

Check out this video on the new solution:

Image courtesy of DOFT

In the United States, there were 3.6 million ‘big rig' trucks in operation, transporting more than 10 billion tons of freight (2015), representing 70.1 percent of total domestic tonnage shipped. Doft is looking out for freelance and owner-operator truck drivers, who account for some 400,000 of America's truckers. These dedicated drivers generate some $80 billion each year. All too often they are ignored in favor of larger haulage companies.

The major problem that Doft solves is that, between 15-25% of the time, trucks are driving with no cargo. Not only is this bad for the environment - this causes needless emissions - but it ...Read the rest of this story

Meritor EX+L Air Disc Brakes Offered on International LT

Photo: International

Meritor's EX+L air disc brakes became available on International LT series trucks starting in February, the company has announced.

The EX+L is designed to deliver better braking power that meets federal FMVSS 121 reduced stopping distance regulations. The brakes are also made for better in-line braking stability for safer, smoother stops and feature reduced brake fade resistance.

"Demand for air disc brakes is growing among North America fleets that are increasingly concerned about safety and reliability, and our market-leading brake products address these issues," said T.J. Reed, general manager, front drivetrain for Meritor. "EX+ will offer Navistar's customers superior performance and easier serviceability."

EX+ air disc brakes are engineered from the ELSA line of European air disc brakes. EX+L brakes feature a gear-synchronized twin piston design that transfers torque to both brakes simultaneously, resulting in better performance and uniform pad wear, according to Meritor.

The entire assembly is designed for faster pad changes and quicker inspection time. A standard mechanical visual wear indicator gives fleets quick-check capability of remaining pad life without taking the vehicle out of service to remove the wheel.

Related: Meritor Launches "Most Efficient" Drive Axle Ever

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Stemco Qwiktie Fits Majority of Straight Tie Rod Lengths and Styles

Stemco has launched the Qwiktie tie rod assembly, designed to fit more than 80% of the straight tie rod lengths and styles in the market.

The Qwiktie's compatibility reduces the number of parts dealers need to stock and can shorten downtime for fleets if the style or size needed isn't in stock.

The Qwiktie tie rod assembly includes several key features, like finer threads that enable more precise adjustment, and increased clamping and tube strength to hold alignment longer and reduce stress.

“Many of our customers said that due to a lack of stocked tie rod cross-tubes for their vehicles, mechanics would often improvise and struggle to rebuild them rather than take the truck out of service, due to the time it would take for a replacement part to arrive,” explained Alejandro Ayala, segment business leader, suspension. “When we heard this, we knew there would be a strong demand for a nearly universal tie rod assembly that would allow dealers to reduce their overhead stock and eliminate the need for maintenance personnel to improvise repairs. The Qwiktie assembly is a performance solution that meets this need.”

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Prestolite Expands IdlePro Heavy Duty Alternator Offering

Prestolite Electric has announced the expansion of the Leece-Neville IdlePro series of heavy-duty alternators designed to deliver excellent output at low engine speeds.

The new products feature a 24-volt 120- and 180-amp output with dual internal fan design. The new IdlePro 24V 120- and 180-amp high-efficiency/high-output alternators are made for high-heat, high-performance heavy-duty applications including construction, agriculture, coach, bus, and industrial vehicles.

Other key features of the new alternators are heavy-duty bearings for high belt loads and intelligent multifunction regulators with load share capability for multiple alternator use. The new 24-volt alternators were designed for CAT, Cummins, Volvo, and many other original equipment manufacturers' engines.

“This is an exciting addition to our IdlePro product line,” said Jonathan Smith, assistant director, aftermarket sales and marketing, Prestolite Electric. “The new 24-volt IdlePro alternators have the potential to extend service life, increase vehicle uptime and improve performance by enhancing the electrical system.”

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