EMU
Technology Provider Hopes to Strike Balance on Diesel Engine
ClearFlame's first prototype demonstration using a Cummins engine. (ClearFlame)
ClearFlame Engine Technologies is working to develop a diesel engine that runs on cleaner fuel without compromising performance.
October 9, 2020Technology Used to Strengthen Truck and Trailer Inspection Procedures
Updating truck repair status is a big part of performance bonuses for fleets, creating an incentive for drivers to take the initiative on maintenance. (Boyle Transportation)
Given the importance of pre- and post-trip inspections, many fleets have implemented technology to guarantee drivers are conducting them properly and to transmit the findings early.
October 9, 2020Trailer Makers Anticipate Rebound After Fleets Recover From Pandemic
A Hyundai Translead manufacturing plant. Before the pandemic, the trailer manufacturer already was expecting the overall market to be down from last year. (Hyundai)
The trailer industry was forced to make further production cuts and alter manufacturing processes as the coronavirus pandemic took hold.
July 17, 2020More Fleets Are Going Green at Their Facilities
Veritable Vegetable has two warehouses built to LEED Green building standards and installed 560 solar roof panels offsetting 33% of its electricity needs for one warehouse. (Veritable Vegetable)
A growing number of transportation and logistics providers are cutting costs and going green with energy-efficient truck terminals and warehouses.
July 17, 2020Keeping Trucks Rolling Amid Pandemic
American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council is now serving as a conduit of information as to how maintenance operations can sustain, protect and facilitate trucking’s critical role in fighting the novel coronavirus pandemic.
April 24, 2020Taking a Look Under the Hood of Electric Trucks
Electric trucks feature new components such as lithium-ion batteries and electric motors. (Mindy Long for Transport Topics)
The introduction of electric-powered trucks represents a new frontier for the transportation industry, but this new breed of commercial vehicle will not be completely unfamiliar to fleets and maintenance shops.
April 24, 2020Technician Career Development: An Endless Journey
Skills competitions can boost technician recruiting and career development. (Erik Fossum)
Professional development is a journey without an end, a task that is never truly complete. That’s true for most any profession, and commercial vehicle technicians are certainly no exception.
January 24, 2020Suppliers Invest in Industry’s Future Despite Market Slowdown
An employee works the assembly line at an Allison Transmission manufacturing plant. (Allison Transmission)
On the heels of a booming 2018, truck manufacturers and their key Tier 1 suppliers powered through a slower equipment market in 2019, continuing to invest in new products and preparing for a future when tightening emission standards and the electrification of trucks will provide both challenges and opportunities.
January 24, 2020Aftertreatment Upkeep Starts With Relationships
Bryan Stewart, of Jones Logistics, says he spends more time on vendor relations than spec'ing equipment. (Jones Logistics)
Building positive relationships with dealers and independent maintenance shops is one of the keys to successfully maintaining complex engine exhaust aftertreatment systems, according to several fleet representatives.
October 25, 2019APUs: Diesel or Electric?
The climate control panel for the Volvo parking cooler can be seen on the wall to the right in a Volvo truck sleeper. (Volvo Trucks)
Auxiliary power units allow truck drivers to have climate control for their sleepers and electricity for hotel loads without needing to idle the tractor engine, but fleets that elect to add APUs to the cab must decide how those APUs will be powered — by a small diesel engine or by batteries.
January 19, 2018