Category: Trucking News

TODCO Offers WeatherTite Pro Weather-Resistant Roll-Up Door

Transportation Division of Overhead Door Corporation has introduced the WeatherTite Pro, a lightweight, weather-resistant roll-up door for trailer and truck body applications.

The WeatherTite Pro improves upon the previous model by using 100% recyclable co-polymer panels that reduce weight and improve heat tolerance. Compared to wood roll-up doors, the WeatherTite Pro eliminates swelling, warping, finish delamination and rotting.

The WeatherTite Pro panel weighs 25% less than the standard WeatherTite panel and is 37% lighter than ¾-inch wood and ¼'inch plate-style panels. The lighter door weight increases payload potential and allows the option of installing a long-life counterbalance spring that can reduce downtime and maintenance.

Results of ASTM D648 Heat Deflection Testing at 66 psi conducted by TODCO shows WeatherTite Pro has a 23% higher heat tolerance than standard WeatherTite panels, reducing the opportunity for warping in hotter climates.

Additional features of WeatherTite Pro include:

Improved impact resistanceSmooth panel surface – Allows for an automotive quality paint finish and excellent decal adhesionAutomotive grade UV stability and finish colorAnti-Pinch Panel Joint – Eliminates pinch point at panel joint to improve safety and reduce injuries and workmen's compensation costsAnti-Drip Design – Prevents water from the exterior of the door from dripping between panels onto cargo when in operation and moving through the radiusInterchangeable with current WeatherTite panelsAvailable with 1” or 2” track and rollers10-Year limited warranty

The list of available options includes 1- and 2-inch SupeRollers that have been tested to last up five times longer than standard steel rollers and EZ Seals, dual durometer side seals that reduce seal installation time by 50% compared to rubber seals.

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HDT Emerging Leaders Nominations Extended Through Friday

Heavy Duty Trucking magazine is seeking nominations for the HDT Emerging Leaders honor, a group of young trucking industry leaders already making a difference in his or her fields. The award is being sponsored by Omnitracs, the fleet management and telematics software provider.

The deadline has been extended through Friday, Oct. 28 so nominate someone soon.

We're looking for young professionals who are influential, innovative and successful, who can point to outstanding accomplishments and leadership qualities, and who have a passion for the trucking industry.

Emerging leaders will be under 40 years of age and work for a for-hire, private, government or vocational fleet. The award nomination is open to those employed in any aspect of a fleet's business at any level including management, maintenance sales, marketing, safety, IT, training or elsewhere.

Whether a person is in the top management position of a company, a shop foreman or the IT person who led a key data transition, as long as they are making a difference in the trucking industry they are eligible for nomination.

Leaders honored as an HDT Emerging Leader will be featured in an article in our December print magazine issue. Additionally, three of the Emerging Leaders will be included in a webinar discussion. Details on the webinar are forthcoming.

The nominee must be under 40 years old as of Jan. 3, 2016, self-nominations are also being accepted.

To nominate an Emerging Leader, fill out our online nomination form found here.

Related: Heavy Duty Fleets Honored for Sustainability and Efficiency at FTX

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Land Line Now online: Auto liability insurance, it’s not just for your personal vehicle

When you hear the phrase auto liability coverage, you might be tempted to assume it's something just for your car. But the fact is, it's legally required for all vehicles on the road. Terry Scruton talks about that – plus the difference between that and general liability coverage – with Stacey Sanders and Trina McIntyre of OOIDA's Truck Insurance Department. ...Read the rest of this story

Where the Rubber Meets the Road

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Proper spec'ing will keep tires in service longer. Highway tires are no match for the mean city streets. Photos: Jim Park

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Proper spec'ing will keep tires in service longer. Highway tires are no match for the mean city streets. Photos: Jim Park

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Maximizing tread life is all about the contact patch — literally where the rubber meets the road. Pavement is abrasive by design. That's how you get friction between the tire and the road surface — in other words, traction. But excessive friction or uneven contact between the pavement and the tire will cause tread to wear away faster than you should. It's important that you do all you can to keep your tires running straight and true.

Before we get to alignment and pressure management, let's look at the tires themselves. Rib-type treads will generally wear longer than lug-type treads because there's less movement of the tread blocks between the body of the tire and the road. Lug treads can squirm and wiggle under load, and that movement translates into scrubbing, which as the word implies, scrubs away tread rubber.

Deeper treads squirm more than shallow treads, and thus wear away faster. It may seem like tires with deeper tread last longer, but that's only because there's more rubber there to begin with. But if you measure tread loss by miles per 32nd of an inch of rubber, you'll notice that deeper treads wear faster when the tread is new (deep) and the wear begins to abate as the tread becomes shallower.

Tread rubber compounds can affect wear rates, too. Compounds are often tuned for specific applications and wheel positions.

“Tread rubber compounding affects tread life in a variety of ways, and significantly influences tire performance attributes such as tread wear, rolling resistance, resistance to cutting and chipping, and traction — all of which play a role in tire tread life,” says Gary Schroeder, director of commercial vehicle and global OEM sales for Cooper ...Read the rest of this story