AT&T, Microsoft to collaborate on Detroit Connect enhancements

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Last Chance to Nominate a Fleet for HDT’s Top 50 Green Fleets

Heavy Duty Trucking is looking for fleets that have made a commitment to sustainability, alternative fuels and lowering greenhouse gas emissions for its 2016 Top 50 Green Fleets. Nominations are closed at the end of the day on Oct. 4, so make your submission today.

HDT's editors are asking fleets to fill out a short survey online with basic information about their fleet, alternative fuel use and SmartWay participation, plus room to offer additional comments on "green" projects.

Top 50 Green Fleets will have made a commitment to sustainability, reducing emissions, increasing fuel economy or adapting new fuels. The designation goes beyond the truck and trailer and extends to facilities that are greener or companies with green policies. Fleets of all sizes and types are encouraged to enter. Special attention will be paid to initiatives from the past year.

The top green fleets will be featured in the November issue of HDT and on Truckinginfo.com. View last year's winners here.

Fill out the survey here.

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Werner Enterprises Announces Upcoming Release of Third Quarter 2016 Earnings

Regulations – especially ELDs – top trucking’s yearly list of worries

LAS VEGAS. The biggest issue on the annual “top ten” list of trucking industry issues compiled by the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) is the impending electronic logging device (ELD) mandate.

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Looming ELD Mandate Tops Trucking Industry Concerns Survey

Rebecca Brewster (left), president and chief operating officer of ATRI along with Derek Leathers, ATRI board member and Werner Enterprises president and CEO, give details of ATRI's latest survey of the biggest issues concerning the trucking industry. Photo: Evan Lockridge

Las Vegas — The American Transportation Research Institute unveiled its top industry issues report showing that the looming implementation of the ELD Mandate is the top concern of carriers and drivers.

The annual survey, which generated more than 3,200 responses from motor carriers and commercial drivers, was released at the American Trucking Associations 2016 Management Conference and Exhibition meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada. In addition to ranking the trucking industry's top concerns, the report also includes prioritized strategies for addressing each issue.

"The results of ATRI's survey reflect what I've heard from carriers and drivers as I've traveled the country this year on behalf of ATA," said Pat Thomas ATA chairman and senior vice president for state government affairs at UPS. "The ever-increasing regulatory burdens placed on the industry, coupled with the sluggish economy, are creating challenges for trucking as we work hard to keep America moving forward."

More than 65% of respondents were concerned about productivity impacts the industry could experience from fully mandated ELD deployment. Dropping from its top ranking the past three years, Hours-of-Service stayed near the top of the list due to ongoing uncertainty of a final HOS rule.

Ranking third in ATRI's report was the cumulative economic impacts of trucking regulations, which ATRI says reflects the industry's collective frustration with increasing and costly regulatory requirements. The lack of available truck parking moved the issue up again this year to fourth overall and the state of the nation's economy rounds out the top five industry concerns.

"Knowing what the industry is concerned about, and what strategies it views as most promising for addressing ...Read the rest of this story

Starter Made for Paccar MX-11 and MX-13 Engines

Prestolite Electric's Leece-Neville Heavy Duty Systems brand is offering a new in-line gear reduction starter motor called the M110608 for Paccar's MX-11 and MX-13 engines.

The starter motor also works with Peterbilt and Kenworth 2010 and newer engines up to 16 liters in size. The starter is designed for improved performance and reliability as a bolt-in replacement for engines served by Paccar, Mitsubishi and Delco Remy 39MT units. The in-line, gear reduction design provides greater power from a lighter unit and is made to fit in tighter spaces.

The new Leece-Neville 12-volt M110608 starter motor features Prestolite's Integral Magnetic Switch /Soft Start Relay technology, which helps to eliminate voltage drop issues by minimizing wiring between the relay and solenoid. Other key enhancements include a next-generation commutator with an oversize copper cross-section, enlarged armature to minimize air gap losses, heavy-duty brush plate for improved conductivity, and an e-coating on the housing for resistance to corrosion.

Leece-Neville starters and alternators are manufactured by Prestolite Electric, an original equipment and aftermarket manufacturer serving customers in the trucking, construction, agriculture, mining and other markets.

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SmartLinq Updates Include Improvements to Repair Managment

Peterbilt Motors Company introduced new technology improvements to its SmartLinq remote diagnostics platform adding reasoning engine technology and SmartLinq Service Management.

SmartLinq's added reasoning engine technology is a collective knowledge approach to truck diagnostics and repair will be integrated into the platform in December. The reasoning engine technology will collect and analyze information generated by the on-board diagnostics of every SmartLinq-enabled truck.

“Reasoning engine technology improves truck service and repair efficiencies to get trucks back on the road faster,” said Scott Newhouse, Peterbilt chief engineer. “Using actual field repair data, it provides technicians and customers with the most efficient diagnostic and service procedures.”

Another new feature added to the platform is SmartLinq Service Management, designed to provide customers with real-time access to the status of truck repairs and service being performed at Peterbilt dealerships.

The information is displayed in a user-centered fashion with real-time dashboards, alerts and reports. All service steps are date- and time-stamped, providing a complete history of each service event. The feature can improve uptime by streamlining communication between customers and dealers to expedite decision-making in the service of the vehicle, such as approving electronic repair estimates.

“SmartLinq provides customers with instant, complete remote diagnostic information,” said Mike Conroy, director of field service. “SmartLinq Service Management takes the next step by giving customers that same convenience during the service process, letting them manage it more efficiently.”

Service Management is currently being rolled out to the Peterbilt dealer network with the fleet portal expected to be made available through Paccar Solutions in the summer of 2017.

Related: Tracking Truck Health

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