Equipment

Autonomous driving company TuSimple has reached a deal with German vehicle components maker ZF Friedrichshafen to develop and commercialize technology for autonomous trucks.

The big auction houses increasingly are turning to digital sales to move used heavy-duty trucks.

Paccar Inc. and Daimler Trucks North America, which together represent 70% of Class 8 U.S. retail sales, announced concerns over supply disruptions, weaker customer demand and economic uncertainty amid the coronavirus pandemic have led them to limit or suspend production into April.

This year’s International Roadcheck, originally set for May 5-7, has been postponed due to coronavirus concerns.

U.S. factories received fewer orders for business equipment than forecast in February, just before the coronavirus-related demand shock that will likely lead a massive pullback in corporate investment.

Daimler Trucks North America announced March 24 it will begin limiting production at its facilities in the U.S. and Mexico, citing emerging supply disruptions tied to COVID-19 that will soon impact its production operations.

Peterbilt Motor Co. is recalling 35,671 trucks to repair an issue with battery cables on certain models, according to a March 18 notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Truck tonnage in February rose 2.6% when compared with year-ago levels, according to American Trucking Associations.

Paccar Inc. announced it will suspend truck and engine production at its factories worldwide from March 24 until April 6.

From decontamination of their uniforms daily to keeping their distance from truck cabs and drivers, roadside inspectors face increasingly challenging conditions in keeping the nation’s highways safe in the midst of the coronavirus crisis.