Mack Names Winners of Mack Masters Competition

Members of team "Slackers" from CIT Trucks of Rockford, Ill., during the Mack Masters Competition. Photos: Mack Trucks

A team from truck dealer CIT Trucks in Rockford, Illinois, have proven themselves tops when it comes to their knowledge of Mack's service systems and procedures, winning the biennial Mack Masters Competition.

Members from the winning CIT Trucks team “Slackers” include Jim Garner, Chris Zahara, Tim Stahl, and T.J. Stahl. They were named grand champions of the second Mack Masters Competition after several rounds and a comprehensive final challenge.

“There's nothing like competition to make the best even better, especially in today's world of sophisticated trucks and components,” said Jonathan Randall, senior vice president, sales for Mack Trucks North America. “All of the teams demonstrated their commitment to superior service for Mack customers, but the team from CIT Trucks took it to a higher level.”

The 2017 Mack Masters Competition kicked off in January with early rounds of online challenges that tested competitors' knowledge of Mack's service systems and procedures. Nearly 2,000 individual participants on 457 teams from 16 countries took part. After competing in three rounds of online challenges, nine teams of finalists were selected, with one team representing each of Mack's regions: Central, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, and West for the U.S., plus Canada, Central America, Mexico and South America.

The final round of the competition featured nine hands-on stations designed to challenge each team with a specific service situation that had to be completed in just 30 minutes. Following the completion of a challenge, teams rotated to the next one until all nine were completed. Team results from all stations were tallied to determine the champion.

“These participants are the men and women who work tirelessly every day to keep our customers' trucks on the road,” said Randall. “Mack Masters not only shines the spotlight ...Read the rest of this story

ATRI Updates Online Guide to Sustainable Freight Practices

Source: ATRI

The American Transportation Research Institute has updated the compendium of sustainable freight practices on its website.

The compendium identifies a number of sustainable practices being used by the trucking industry, ranging from driver training, idle reduction, and speed management, to vehicle aerodynamics, tires, and engine systems. The compendium also provides research findings on the costs and benefits associated with the practices.

The update adds the some of the latest research on practices being used by trucking companies to save fuel and reduce emissions.

'"Sustainability is often viewed as managing the triple bottom line – profits, people, and planet," said Mike Tunnell, ATRI director of environmental research. "The practices identified in the compendium can not only save companies money but also improve operational efficiency and reduce emissions."

ATRI says the compendium was designed to be a one-stop shop for information on motor carrier sustainable practices. It also identifies ways that public sector practices such as congestion mitigation, research and testing, and the use of standards can advance sustainable freight practices.

Related: Michelin Taking Long View of Sustainable Transportation

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