With Video-Bases Safety Systems Seeing is Believing

Camera-based safety systems offer monitoring, analytical and training benefits, say providers. 

Photo: MiX Telematics

Fleets are still not making much use of video recorder-based systems that aim both to monitor and improve at-the-wheel safety performance of truck drivers. The current penetration of such technology is “superficial at best,” according to Mike Nalepka, CEO of VideoProtects.com, a consultancy that focuses on such technologies, in a speech at October's Bobit Business Media Fleet Technology Expo.

“Our estimates suggest only about 6% of fleets have fully integrated video cameras and recording systems into their safety infrastructure management systems,” he said. “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.”

Providers of camera-based systems point to how the monitoring and analytical capabilities of their systems can be leveraged to address issues of concern raised about specific driver behaviors and to more effectively provide remedial training and “coaching” very soon after a recorded safety event. The aim is to address and correct bad habits to help drivers operate more safely over the long term through real-world lessons starring themselves.

Many providers recently announced improvements, including new technological advances they say further enhance the business case for adopting video recorder-based systems. New providers have entered the marketplace as well.

The latest release of SmartDrive's video-based analytics platform and safety program includes new capabilities for capturing and delivering videos, improving the video-coaching process and driver-performance analytics as well as custom policy configurations.

According to the company, the enhancements “target high-priority areas for fleets and deliver on top requests from existing customers, providing new levels of productivity and protection with an even faster ROI.” The system improvements include a range of features that provide ...Read the rest of this story

Is Your Electrical Maintenance Doing the Job?

It's a thankless and time-consuming job, but basic electrical maintenance requires a high level of discipline and the willingness to follow procedure. Photos: Jim Park

Most electrical maintenance isn't rocket science — but let's not confuse basic electrical maintenance with electronic troubleshooting, which truly is a science.

The idea is to keep the electrons flowing to where they are needed in the appropriate voltages and current. That means doing everything humanly possible to prevent restrictions to current flow, such as not allowing corrosion to eat away at a wire or a connector. Corroded wires do not conduct electricity very well at all, and that limits current flow to the component, such as an electric actuator on a turbocharger or the shifter servos in an automated manual transmission.

“I have seen AMTs pulled and overhauled for erratic shifting when it was actually a low-voltage problem,” says Darry Stuart, fleet maintenance consultant and frequent moderator at the Fleet Talk and Fleet Forum sessions at ATA's Technology & Maintenance Council meetings. “That's an expensive mistake.”

Basic electrical maintenance done right requires disciplined techs following proper procedures. Stuart says it's easy to take shortcuts, and since most techs don't really like doing battery maintenance, you have to require them to do the work properly.

“Whether or not to disconnect the cables, clean the connectors and load test the batteries should not be left to the technician's discretion,” Stuart says. “That work has to be done at each and every PM. No ifs, ands or buts.”

Cleaning the terminal posts and the cable connectors, along with inspecting the cables for corrosion and wicking, has to be done right or you're wasting your time.

However, Stuart says, somewhat controversially, that dielectric grease and anti-corrosion compounds should not be used on battery terminals.

“You can lose two volts right at the terminal posts just due to ...Read the rest of this story

Landstar Opens Large Facility to Support U.S./Mexico Services

Landstar System has opened a new, larger U.S./Mexico logistics service center in Laredo, Texas.

The 31,000-square-foot logistics facility is located on a 50-acre site that accommodates 450 trailers and provides room for future expansion. It features a secured C-TPAT certified site, including a 30-bay cross-dock and transload facility, along with a dedicated platform and heavy/specialized freight area with a custom 120-ton, stand-alone bridge crane.

“Landstar is known for its high level of service and extensive geographic coverage, servicing the Mexico market using more than 1,000 van and platform trailers to accommodate the broad range of commodities that comprise cross-border trade,” said Landstar Transportation Logistics Executive Vice President of Operations Eric Meyer. “The facility will better serve Landstar's customers, capacity providers and agents, and we believe it will position Landstar as the premier freight transport provider of cross-border operations.”

The 30-door cross dock is comprised of more than 20,000 square feet of space designed to bring efficiencies to Landstar's less-than-truckload and transload services. This will complement the company's LTL business by allowing the consolidation of several LTL shipments into one truckload before crossing the border into Mexico.

Landstar's Mexico service offerings include truckload, rail, LTL, transload and customs brokerage.

The new yard is capable of holding more than 450 trailers, which is 2.5 times the capacity of Landstar's previous facility, and has a dedicated heavy-haul section that includes a custom designed, 120-ton stand-alone bridge crane. The crane has a clearance area of 35 feet high and 37 feet wide to allow transloading many of the largest "super loads."

The Landstar center also features conference rooms and meeting space for customers and agents, and a state-of-the-art area for Landstar business capacity owners, the company's term for truck owner-operators leased to Landstar. The BCO area includes a lounge, media center, computer room, laundry and much more, all designed with ...Read the rest of this story

Safe Fleet buys Randall the reefer customizer

Trailer Orders Finish Strong in December

Photo: Tom Berg

The trailer industry closed 2016 on a high note, with increases in dry van and reefer orders yet was down compared to November, according to ACT Research.

Dry van orders were up 26% and reefer orders climbed almost 140% compared to 2015. Despite the positive year-over-year performance, new and net orders were down 5% from November. The impact of higher energy prices boosted the vocational segments, such as flats, dumps and bulk tanks.

But weaker trailer orders earlier in the year offset the gains in November and December. So, 2016's total orders were down significantly compared to 2015.

“For the full year, industry net orders of just under 229,000 units were down 28% versus 2015,” said Frank Maly, ACT's director of commercial vehicle transportation analysis and research. “Dry vans and reefers, both off 30% to 31% year-over-year, were the major factors in that total market performance, although net orders for every trailer category in our group of ten were down from 2015.”

Related: December Heavy Truck Orders Hit 6-Month High

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Everco Heavy Duty Releases Complete A/C Repair Kits

Everco Heavy Duty has released 67 air conditioning repair kits for the heavy duty market that include everything that a technician needs to complete a job.

Each kit contains all of the components needed for a complete A/C repair in one box, including a new A/C compressor, filter drier, expansion device, premium oil, and all gaskets and O-rings. The kits come with a 100,000-mile warranty.

Everco Heavy Duty A/C repair kits are available for:

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Loadlink reports surge in loads, drop in trucks