Smarter shipping: Deeper data dive

What if shipping was more than moving a load from point A to point B, more than a quoted rate or pickup time, more than how quickly can you get it there? What if the wealth of data many fleets and trucking companies are generating and working with could be factored in for more accurate rates and better, more beneficial planning? What if that planning included things like consideration of drivers' time and their quality of life?

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Q. How does the lubricity and anti-wear properties of the CK oils compare to the old CI formulations?

A. API CK-4 oils can be used in engines with flat tappets. The API CK-4 specification, like the specification that preceded it, does include a testing requirement that ensures protection of flat tappet engines like the Cummins ISB. In fact, the test specifically utilizes a Cummins 5.9L ISB engine with limits on cam and tappet wear to ensure robust protection. This test is in addition to two other valve train wear tests that evaluate the protection of engines with roller followers as well.

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Over-Height Detection System Installed in NYC

Photo: NY.gov

The installation of a $4.8 million over-height vehicle detection system has been completed on two New York City parkways, N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced.

Using infrared to identify and alert over-height vehicles illegally using the Hutchinson River Parkway in the Bronx and the Grand Central Parkway in Queens, the system can prevent vehicles from striking low-clearance bridges.

The system was installed at four locations on the Hutchinson River Parkway and one on the Grand Central Parkway.

"This groundbreaking technology will improve traffic safety, enhance mobility, prevent delays and protect our highway infrastructure," said Gov. Cuomo. "These roadways are key parts of New York City's transportation system and these improvements will make them for more convenient, reliable and safer for all."

The city bans large commercial vehicles from driving on parkways in New York City. The parkways were built in the 1930s and 1940s and were designed for automobiles of the era with bridge clearances as low as seven feet.

The detection systems were developed by the N.Y. Department of Transportation and are part of the state's effort to keep commercial vehicles off parkways and improve roadway safety. Using infrared beams, the system identifies over-height vehicles and captures its movements on video. The system then posts an alert message for the driver on an electronic message sign, enabling the driver to leave the highway before coming to a bridge.

The data and video are also sent to the Department of Transportation's Joint Traffic Management Center so that police can assist in getting a truck safely off the roadway, or mobilize quickly if an accident occurs.

“The damage from over-height vehicles striking our bridges is not only accidents and traffic delays, but repair costs for the State of New York,” said Jeff Klein, a N.Y. state senator. “These detectors will keep our bridges and roads safer and keep ...Read the rest of this story

Outside the Beltway: Tour the Statehouse Battlegrounds

Colorado State Capitol Building, Denver. Photo: Colorado Tourism Office

That's a shame because an awful lot of laws that impact both our daily lives and the workings of business are made and implemented at the state level. Certainly, for those managing fleet operations, it matters greatly not just who has a grasp on the levers of power in Washington, but who runs things in every state their trucks traverse.

So, once the hullabaloo over the new President-elect winds down and the country learns whether or not the GOP has retained control of the U.S. Senate, look up the statehouse results.

This time around, according to Huffington Post political reporter Paul Blumenthal, the Democratic Party stands to flip no fewer than these 12 legislative chambers: Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Washington, and West Virginia.

“Many of these states are on favorable terrain for Democrats with presidential election turnout expected to boost voting for the party's base of minorities, the young and women,” writes Blumenthal. “This is especially true of states with high Latino and Asian populations including Arizona, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico.”

What's more, there's no competitive Senate race in four of these states. “That means that the Republican Party has not invested heavily to get out the vote for their Senate candidate, which hurts those down ballot,” he contends. Likewise, Democratic down-ballot candidates in states like Colorado, Iowa, Maine and Michigan will no dobt be lifted by Hillary ...Read the rest of this story

Knight Transportation Announces Quarterly Cash Dividend

Trucker J.B. Hunt Will Add to Fleet in 2017

Pit Tests Fuel Economy With U.S. Xpress [Photos]

The Pit Group is working with U.S. Xpress to test and verify emerging powertrain, fuel efficiency, and safety technology, as well as trucking-specific best practices both in the shop and in the cab. Photos: Jack Roberts

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