THE ROAD RODEO - Today`s Trucking

Transcription

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4.
Black Boxes
Updated and Connected
Exploring ELD tech. PG. 40
The 2017 Cummins X15 and X12. PG. 51
The Business Magazine of Canada’s Trucking Industry
THE
ROAD
RODEO
TO
Quebec’s wild and
one-of-a-kind spectacle
Locked Tight PG.12
Yard strategies to fight cargo crime.
The Great Equalizer PG. 46
Reviewing Vnomics’ True Fuel system.
September 2016
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Contents
September 2016
7
9
11
31
33
|
VOLUME 30, NO.9
Letters
John G. Smith
12
36
44
14
Rolf Lockwood
Heather Ness
Mike McCarron
NEWS & NOTES
Dispatches
12 Locked Tight
The fight against cargo
crime begins in fleet yards
14
21
23
24
25
27
29
Road to Rodeo
Heard on the Street
Trending
StatPack
Pulse Surveys
Logbook
Truck of the Month
Features
12 Locked Tight
The fight against cargo crime begins in fleet yards,
and technology is playing an increasing role.
36 What’s New in Used Trucks?
In Gear
Automated transmissions finally get their due, while
the search for good pre-emissions trucks continues.
48 Cold Reality
51 Updated and Connected
40 ELDs: Part 3
New from Cummins
52 Flowing Forward
New oils from Shell
53 Lockwood’s products
56 Guess the location,
By Dave Nesseth
By Jim Park
Your choice of Electronic Logging Device (ELD)
could have long-term compliance implications.
By Jim Park
44 Race Day
Transporters bring the Honda Indy to Toronto.
By John G. Smith
win a hat
57 Companies in the news
58 Faces
COVER PHOTO: BY ROLF LOCKWOOD
Rodeo du Camion is a
truck race like no other.
46 The Great Equalizer
Reviewing Vnomics’ True Fuel system, which rewards
driving techniques rather than fuel economy.
By Jim Park
For more visit www.todaystrucking.com
SEPTEMBER 2016
5
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Volvo Trucks. Driving Progress
Letters
Logs should allow for common sense
The Business Magazine of Canada’s Trucking Industry
PUBLISHER
Joe Glionna
[email protected] • 416/614-5805
VICE PRESIDENT, EDITORIAL
Rolf Lockwood, MCILT
EDITOR
John G. Smith
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Dave Nesseth
CONTRIBUTORS:
Steve Bouchard, Mike McCarron, Jim Park,
Nicolas Trépanier, David K. Henry, Heather Ness
DESIGN / LAYOUT
Tim Norton, Frank Scatozza
NATIONAL ACCOUNTS MANAGER
Heather Donnelly
REGIONAL ACCOUNTS MANAGER
Nickisha Rashid
QUÉBEC SALES MANAGER
Denis Arsenault
CIRCULATION MANAGER
Pat Glionna
416/614-2200 • 416/614-8861 (fax)
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Lilianna Kantor
Kenneth R. Wilson
Award Winner
NEWCOM BUSINESS MEDIA INC.
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CHAIRMAN AND FOUNDER
Jim Glionna
PRESIDENT
Joe Glionna
VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS
Melissa Summerfield
CONTROLLER
Anthony Evangelista
DIRECTOR OF CIRCULATION
Pat Glionna
Today’s Trucking is published monthly by NEWCOM BUSINESS MEDIA INC.,
451 Attwell Dr., Toronto, ON M9W 5C4. It is produced expressly for owners
and/or operators of one or more straight trucks or tractor-trailers with gross
weights of at least 19,500 pounds, and for truck/trailer dealers and heavy-duty
parts distributors. Subscriptions are free to those who meet the criteria. For
others: single-copy price: $5 plus applicable taxes; one-year subscription:
$40 plus applicable taxes; one-year subscription in U.S.: $60 US; one-year
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of the publisher. The advertiser agrees to protect the publisher against legal
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in Today’s Trucking. The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising
which in his opinion is misleading, scatological, or in poor taste. Postmaster:
Address changes to Today’s Trucking, 451 Attwell Dr., Toronto, ON M9W 5C4.
Postage paid Canadian Publications Mail Sales Agreement No.40063170.
ISSN No. 0837-1512. Printed in Canada.
We acknowledge the financial support of the Government
of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the
Department of Canadian Heritage.
[Rolf] Lockwood’s previous commentary on “logbook cheating” repeated one of my
two major complaints with the whole Electronic Logging Devices (ELD) issue. I don’t
think he was referring to a return to the ’70s and ’80s, when too many people drove
way beyond sensible human limits and then rewrote a new logbook on the weekend.
Those of us with common sense (increasingly frowned upon by rulemakers) know how
to deal with it sensibly.
Example: one of our customers takes the full 11-hour drive to complete a trip, and
the 14-hour window is almost gone. In the rare occasion of an unexpected delay, I
have two choices: Drive 15 minutes beyond the legal point, or stop, if parking exists.
Considering that I can’t sleep in a truck stop, I think driving a little further to be guaranteed a good sleep is a better alternative to following the book diligently, and spend
the next day exhausted. I thought safety was the goal here?
— Bill Cameron
Parks Transportation, Collingwood, Ontario
Truck driving is clearly a skill
Re: “Unskilled” and unwanted (July 2016)
What going on in this country? North America is crying out
for experienced truck drivers. Dave Taylor had a good job,
worked, paid his taxes, bought a home and all the trappings.
He even spoke the language, and tried [to secure] permanent
residency before they sent him back to the U.K.
I had trucker friend who was also sent back. He also had
to return to U.K. He also had a good job on longhaul, paid
his taxes and bought all the good stuff that comes with life
in Canada.
Truck driving is not unskilled, especially in this day and
age. I started driving in the mid ’70s, so I’ve done my share of
miles, and I’ve never heard of anything so stupid. You have to
have skills to drive a truck in North America. Try moving a
53-foot trailer in Vancouver, Los Angeles, etc.
— Nick Reeves, Alberta
Email:
[email protected]
SEND YOUR
LETTERS TO:
Newcom
Business Media,
451 Attwell Dr.,
Toronto, ON
M9W 5C4
If we publish
your letter, we’ll
even send you a
Today’s Trucking
hat as our thanks.
Family found a place in the Maritimes
Re: “Unskilled” and unwanted (July 2016)
It appears that the Taylor family came to Canada in 2007, the same year my family and
I arrived from Germany.
After a few months in Ontario, my wife realized that we had no future there due
to an unlucky combination of rules and processing times. So we started looking for a
province with a Provincial Nominee Program that works for truck drivers and found
this in New Brunswick. We moved in the summer of 2008 and I started driving for
McConnell Transport.
Today, all five of us are still living in the Maritimes, being happy Canadian citizens.
— Rolf Huntemann, New Brunswick
Correction
The headline on Jim Park’s review of the 2017 Cummins X15 (July 2016)
mistakenly used the engine’s current name. Today’s Trucking regrets the error.
Member
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7
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Editorial
By John G. Smith
Picture This
Grab your cameras on October 12
and show us your day at work
M
any years ago I remember asking owner-operator Dale
Holman what kept him behind the wheel. Trucking is
no easy job, after all. The hours are long. The tasks are
complex and often physically demanding. Even the most comfortable sleeper will never be quite as inviting as a family home,
especially when trips drag on for days or weeks at a time.
“It’s the sunsets,” he told me. “I’ve seen sunsets and sunrises on
every horizon in North America. It’s that stuff, the moments that
the tourists never get to see.”
Holman wasn’t the last person to share the observation. Many
drivers refer to what they have seen when asked to describe their
favorite moments on the job.
Now we’re introducing the chance to share a few of these
sights with our readers.
Today’s Trucking is inviting you to grab your camera or smartphone on Wednesday, October 12 to show us your day at work
– and your industry in motion.
Of course, we’re looking for more than roadside attractions
or landscapes. We’d like you to take pictures of people and
equipment on the job. Images could show mechanics completing
repairs, the lunch counter in a favorite truck stop, your truck
against the backstop of a port, or portraits of your coworkers.
Maybe you would prefer to illustrate a challenge, such as crowded
rest areas.
The choices are as endless as your creativity. (Just don’t take
any pictures from the driver’s seat when a truck is in motion.
Safety first.)
A long list of potential benefits awaits as well.
First, let’s talk about the cold, hard cash. We’ll pay $200 for the
best picture of the day, followed by $100 for second and $50 for
third place.
Even better will be the bragging rights of having your work
appear in Canada’s largest trucking magazine. We’ll publish
winning photos and honorable mentions in the pages of Today’s
Trucking and at www.todaystrucking.com. On Twitter we’ll share
images of the day with the hashtag of #InMotion. You can be part
of that by posting images of your own by using your own Twitter
accounts on October 12.
The potential audience doesn’t end there. We’re partnering
with several of our sister publications at Newcom Business
Media, which are asking their respective readers to take pictures
on the very same day. Transport Routier is reaching out to the
trucking community in Quebec. Canadian Shipper and MM&D
magazines are looking for pictures across the broader transportation, logistics and
warehousing sector. CARS
will peek into service bays,
and L’Automobile will be
looking across the broader
automotive sector.
Trucks play a role in
each and every industry
that these magazines serve,
which means that truly
outstanding photos could
even find themselves reproduced by more than one of
the publications.
Think of it as a creative outlet, and a chance to show your peers
the sights as only those in the trucking industry can see them.
Email the best picture that you take on October 12 to johng@
newcom.ca. Entries are due by October 17. Just type “Picture
This” in the subject line. And remember to set your cameras
for the highest-possible resolution. The bigger the pictures, the
better they will reproduce in a magazine.
Don’t worry too much about editing the photo. Our graphic artist, Frank Scatozza, is a whiz with such things. If he can improve
some of our pictures, he can perform magic on any image.
Let’s help everyone to picture your day. TT
“Pictures could show
mechanics completing
repairs, a favorite truck
stop, your truck against
an interesting backdrop, or portraits of
coworkers. The choices
are endless.”
John G. Smith is editor of Today’s Trucking.
You can reach him at 416-614-5812 or [email protected].
SEPTEMBER 2016
9
© 2016
, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Lockwood
By Rolf Lockwood
Job Security?
Is the truck-driving job really at risk of
disappearing in the face of automation?
Well, yes, but don’t break out in a sweat just yet
D
river, your job is not at risk. Well, let me qualify that.
Unless you’re comprehensively unable to keep ’er between
the poles, you’re safe.
In the immediate future, at least. But in the longer term – call
it 20-25 years to take a wild guess – I wouldn’t bet on it. That
grace period will be shorter for some specific driving jobs, maybe
a lot shorter. For others it will be much longer.
It’s about automation, of course. A recent study, using
Canadian stats, uniquely enough, suggested that the role of truck
driver is the fifth occupation most likely to be affected adversely
by automation between now and 2024. At the top of that list by
a wide margin, perhaps not surprisingly, is retail salesperson.
Burger flippers and cashiers are also ahead of truck driver in the
at-risk category.
Want your kid to have job security in the face of automation?
Tell him or her to be a teacher or a nurse. Surprisingly, least at
risk is the vaguely defined retail and wholesale trade manager.
Guess that person is the McDonald’s boss who comes to your aid
when you fail miserably on the self-order keyboard.
That study, by the way, is entitled The Talented Mr.
Robot, published by the Brookfield Institute for Innovation +
Entrepreneurship, written by Creig Lamb. You can download
it via this link, which I’ve shortened just for you... http://tinyurl.
com/ja786af
So, what’s going on with automation?
Like every other journalist on the planet, I’ve been writing and
reading a lot about autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles in
the last couple of years. It’s not just about trucks that can drive
themselves. It’s about discovering new technologies and radically
new ways to exploit the possible.
Looking at things from an eagle’s perch, the only possible
conclusion to be drawn is that we’re in the midst of an industrial
revolution. I’m certainly not the first to observe that, not even
close, but it’s worth stating here because most ordinary folks are
entirely caught up in making a buck and surviving the day. When
a spare hour or two appears, analyzing how the world works is
always going to take a back seat to popcorn in front of the TV.
But a revolution it is.
A very common response to things I’ve written, first about the
Mercedes-Benz Future Truck 2025 back in 2014, has come from
drivers. “Well, there goes my job,” they say, almost every time.
My usual response is, “Not to worry, even these trucks need
a driver.” In fact in some jurisdictions, Germany being one,
they presently need two drivers. These are ‘semi’ autonomous,
meaning they can’t do it all.
But then there’s the experimentation with wholly autonomous trucks in the Netherlands to ply short routes between
container terminals and warehouses. The group in North Dakota
and other near states – plus
Manitoba – that envisions
driverless, tractorless, powered “trailers” running 100%
autonomously north-south
between automated loading/unloading terminals
about 300 kilometers apart.
Don’t forget hyperlooping.
Drones will soon be
ubiquitous, delivering small packages right to your door, and
eventually displacing a lot of package-van drivers. And they’ll
get bigger.
Look at Local Motors, a lithe little company based in Maryland
but with mini-factories all over the place. They’ve built a
3D-printed, autonomous, 12-seat shuttle bus that will be on the
road soon. But here’s the killer: they just won the Airbus Cargo
Drone Challenge. Their designs are now being turned into a reallife unmanned aerial vehicle that will be used to deliver cargo
larger than a box of books. Not huge coils of steel, not yet, but
freight that might otherwise move by a truck of some sort.
So yeah, the driving job is safe, and will be for quite a long time
overall. But not forever. TT
The only possible
conclusion to be drawn
is that we’re in the
midst of an industrial
revolution.
Rolf Lockwood is vice-president, editorial, at Newcom Business Media.
You can reach him at 416-614-5825 or [email protected].
SEPTEMBER 2016
11
Locked Tight
The fight against cargo crime begins in fleet yards,
and technology is playing an increasing role
By Dave Nesseth
Security cameras have been
working overtime to record
the work of thieves in freight
yards across Canada. Videos
of stolen lobsters from Nova
Scotia have twice made
national news this year, first
after the ringing in of the New
Year, then again on Canada
Day. Days later, at a freight
yard in Brampton, Ontario,
thieves stole two trailers full
of frozen desserts in a crime
that mirrored one which hit
the yard a year earlier. Again,
just days later, Montreal police
made their final arrest in a
major truck theft ring caught
with merchandise worth several hundred thousand dollars.
It’s the same city where,
almost one year ago to the day,
cargo thieves drove off from
the city’s port with a load of
silver worth $10 million.
Fleets are growing frustrated
by the lack of success in recovering stolen cargo, and police
admit more than 90% of cases
12
TODAY’S TRUCKING
go unsolved. But police themselves are growing frustrated
by the lack of yard security and
formal theft reports, suggesting
during recent trucking industry conferences that victims
often keep a lid on the problem
to protect corporate reputations and insurance premiums.
That might be changing.
As cargo crime continues to
grow, more fleets are looking
for ways to escape what the
Canadian Trucking Alliance
has long documented as a
$5-billion per year problem
in Canada.
At the Penner International
yard in Mississauga, Ontario,
it was four stolen loads of tires
that finally led the fleet to
venture into security options,
first opting for a real-life
security guard.
“They don’t really monitor
the yard, per se,” says terminal manager Russ Barber,
who often worried about
the older guard’s prospects
in dealing face-to-face with
thieves. But something clearly
had to be done. The yard is
based inside an area that
has become known as the
“Shopping Triangle”, which
stretches through York and
Peel Regions outside Toronto.
Peel Regional Police say thefts
like Brampton’s six-figure
frozen desserts heist are part
of a $500,000-per-day cargo
theft problem in the Greater
Toronto Area.
Soon, Barber began receiving sales pitches from security
companies about ditching the
security guard for a more technology-laden approach. Last
year, he finally decided to give
Birdseye Solutions a chance.
In security industry lingo
the front gate box is called a
“telepresence”. When a driver
is ready to enter or exit the
yard, he leaves his truck and
stands face-to-machine with
the box’s speakers and cameras. The box photographs
the driver’s face, licence plate,
and provides a slot where the
driver can place his licence,
which is then instantly
cross-referenced with the company’s personnel records. The
box records the truck ID, time
of entry, and even whether the
driver is wearing a safety vest.
If the driver is registered on
the system, a voice welcomes
the driver by name and access
is granted to the yard. If the
visitor is a cargo thief, getting
beyond the front gate isn’t
going to be quite as easy as
slipping past a guard.
“You can’t hit him, hurt
him, or beat him up,” Birdseye
Solutions founder Mike
Grabovica says of its secure
entry system. “He’s a powerful
LIFESTYLE
The road to Rodeo
— PG. 14 —
LEGAL
Euro truck makers
fined for price fixing
— PG. 16 —
Birdseye Solutions systems
cross-reference a driver’s
licence with personnel records.
(Photo by Dave Nesseth)
robot with a loud voice,
perfect hearing, and can
even see better at night –
a superhuman.”
The entry box works in
tandem with dozens of cameras across a facility, all monitored by a team in Serbia.
Such technology isn’t new,
nor is it exclusive to Birdseye,
but Grabovica believes its still
surprisingly underutilized. He
estimates that only a small
percentage of fleets have
opted for technology at the
front gate. Lately, however,
truck yards have been the
fastest growing segment of
his company’s business, and
now account for 50% of it.
For Barber, the new
Birdseye system proved itself
during a 3 a.m. fire. The team
in Serbia was able to have
a fire department respond
within seven minutes.
“If we’d had our old security guard, he could have been
sleeping, or injured himself
putting out the fire. It could
have been so much worse,”
he says.
Barber was initially
skeptical that somebody
watching his truck yard
through monitors across
the Atlantic Ocean could
possibly be more effective
than having somebody physically on the property. He
now realizes that no security
guard could ever compete
with dozens of monitored
video feeds and a front gate
sign-in box, which have
together boosted the operational efficiency of his yard.
The system also costs less per
hour than the security guard
was paid.
There are added benefits.
The team in Serbia also
watches for broken trailer
seals and dark taillights,
deflated tires, and even
whether a driver is performing circle checks.
Like Penner, Ryder System
is another fleet that has
decided to take a more
proactive approach against
cargo theft. It opted to
install remote-activated
locks on portions of its fleet
so it can arm and disarm
vehicle locks while keeping
constant contact with drivers,
explains David Murray,
senior manager of corporate
security – Canada.
The fleet’s use of remotely
activated locks impressed
Peel Regional Police
Constable Chris Bertrand,
who echoed Grabovica’s
concern that while these
technologies aren’t exactly
leading-edge, it shouldn’t be
taken for granted that fleets
have them, either.
“Security is a layered
effect,” added Murray. “And
an alarm is just an alarm. You
need proactive measures that
work in conjunction with
the technology.” TT
Yard protection tips
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
Invest in high-quality cameras that can capture details like faces and licence plates
Run internal and external background checks on those who interact with freight
Park trailer barn doors against each other, restricting access to thieves
Use berms to force traffic to follow specific routes through the yards
Use a gated entrance with ID procedures
Ensure adequate insurance is in place
Keep trailers in well-lit areas
Train drivers regularly on anti-theft measures
Report thefts to police to help guard against future losses
SEPTEMBER 2016
13
Dispatches
The Road to Rodeo
Quebec’s wild and one-of-a-kind spectacle
By Rolf Lockwood
The Rodeo du Camion remains a sweet,
unmatched madness if you like hairy
trucks and ferociously competitive racing.
The 36th edition of the Rodeo took
over the little town of Notre-Dame-duNord, Quebec for the last weekend of
July, swelling the population 20 times
over. With sunny Lake Temiskaming in
the background, both bobtail and loaded
trucks raced up a 7% grade in two days of
elimination runs. They compete in three
horsepower classes plus what’s called the
Free for All competition in which any
spec’ goes. As you might imagine, the
wick is turned way up for those races.
“Loaded” means a B-train grossing
63,500 kilograms – call it 140,000 pounds.
The bobtail course is 550 feet long, the
loaded finish line 750 feet.
The show-and-shine part of the event
attracted some 200 trucks. The unchallenged star of that was a beautifully customized Mercedes-Benz Actros tanker
with tank trailer all the way from Helsinki,
Finland. Owned by Mika Auvinen, it’s a
working truck in his 30-truck fleet, hauling cement, sand, and the like.
14
TODAY’S TRUCKING
Auvinen brought several buddies over
on the trip, which included some touring
in the U.S., and it’s probably fair to say
that nobody had a better time in NotreDame-du-Nord. During one break in the
action, they came down to the track and
raced up the hill on foot.
In the Free for All Loaded class, Sylvain
Noel’s Kenworth beat Peter Wagg’s
Western Star.
Rodeo du Camion Prize truck.
▼
Classy in white, Eric Vallee’s fast Freightliner lifts a wheel. (Photos by Rolf Lockwood)
Sylvain Noel dominated the more
conventional action, with his Kenworth
securing bobtail and loaded wins
in Class A, and then again in the
Free for All class. Reports said his truck
reached 75 miles per hour (120 km-h)
at the bobtail finish line. He finished
third in both Free for All categories
last year, also winning the Class A
loaded competition.
He would have been challenged by
Nicholas Gagnon and his ‘Coga’ Peterbilt,
but the engine blew up on Saturday and
set the truck on fire.
Peter Wagg’s Western Star took second in the Free-for-All loaded category.
Guillaume Bergeron raced another
Western Star, which used to belong to
track legend Donald ‘Baby Mad Dog’
Vachon, and took second in the Free for
All bobtail final.
A crowd favorite is Eric Vallee’s
smooth Freightliner, much loved this
year because he’s really mastered the art
of lifting the left front wheel. While he
won both Class B categories last year, he
could only manage a fifth and second this
time out.
It’s all come a long way since starting
in 1981 as part of the local fishing derby.
A dozen drivers showed their skills that
day, a couple of hundred spectators
watched, and I’ll bet there were no Finns
in sight. TT
See full results at http://elrodeo.com/en/
In the Bobtail Free for All final race,
Sylvain Noel beat Guillaume Bergeron’s
legendary ex-Vachon Western Star.
Because it’s not
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we continue to be the highest quality trailer on the road.
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get a good investment today. Call us at 877-776-5505 or visit
us at www.StoughtonTrailers.com.
In-House Leasing Available
U.S.A. Owned & U.S.A. Made.
Dispatches
LEGAL
Euro truck makers
fined for price fixing
The European Union is fining five
truck makers nearly 3 billion euros ($4.3
billion) for acting as a cartel to fix the
prices of medium and heavy-duty trucks
and time the rollout of technologies
to comply with emissions rules.
MAN (now owned by Volkswagen),
Daimler, DAF (owned by PACCAR),
Iveco and Volvo/Renault – which
together account for around nine out
of every 10 medium and heavy trucks
sold in Europe – had been working
together for 14 years, from 1997 until
the European Commission’s 2011 investigation put a stop to it.
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16
TODAY’S TRUCKING
Five truck makers were accused
of forming a cartel.
MAN alerted the European Union to the
cartel’s activities and received full immunity from fines. Volvo/Renault, Daimler
and Iveco also cooperated with regulators
and had their fines reduced. Daimler faces
the largest single fine, at slightly more
than 1 billion euros ($1.4 billion).
The total paid by all five manufacturers almost doubles any previous fines of
this nature. Daimler’s penalty sets the
record for an individual fine.
Senior managers from the truck
makers first met in Brussels in January
1997, and for seven years met frequently,
sometimes at trade shows or other
events, says Margrethe Vestager, the
European Union’s competition commissioner. Starting in 2004, the cartel was
organized at a lower level by the truck
producers’ subsidiaries in Germany.
According to European Union officials,
the companies were coordinating with
each other on increasing the gross list
price of trucks, as well as how to respond
to the increasingly strict European emissions standards, when to introduce the
new emissions technologies required,
and the pricing for them.
“Delaying the introduction of environmentally friendly technology in agreement with competitors is not my idea of
competition,” Vestager said.
Dispatches
LEGAL
INSPECTIONS
Skyway driver is
banned three years
Brake blitz checks 6,128
The driver who crashed a raised
dump truck into the Skyway Bridge in
Burlington, Ontario in 2014 has been
sentenced to a year in prison and given a
three-year driving ban.
Sukhvinder Singh Rai’s case
garnered major attention after he
registered almost triple the legal limit
of alcohol the day of the crash, which
for four days closed a major corridor
between Toronto and Niagara
regions. But in March 2016, Judge Fred
Campling ruled the test results were
inadmissible because they were collected
too long after the crash. The breath
test was conducted five hours after
the collision, while the Criminal Code
requires such tests to be completed
within three hours.
Following the judge’s finding, Rai pled
not guilty to the five remaining charges,
which included dangerous driving and
mischief endangering life.
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance
placed 12.4% of vehicles Out of Service
for brake violations during an unannounced inspection blitz on May 4.
Inspectors checked 6,128 vehicles in
Canada and the U.S. during the brake-focused event, parking another 13.9% of
them for violations other than brakes.
And 19.8% of 2,847 trailers requiring
Antilock Braking Systems (ABS) recorded some form of ABS-related violation.
Brake-related issues accounted for 43%
of Out of Service violations during the
international Roadcheck inspection blitz
in 2015. Another brake-focused inspection campaign was held during Brake
Safety Week from September 11 to 17. TT
MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS
Trailcon expands
western presence
Trailcon Leasing has expanded
its footprint in western Canada by
acquiring Stewart Trailers – one of the
largest welding, mobile service and
trailer repair facilities in the Greater
Vancouver Area.
The Surrey facility features 18,500
square feet of shop space, a 4,000square-foot building, and 15 bays
sitting on three acres of land. Five
additional acres are available for
future expansion. Stewart Trailers
employs 15, including 12 shop and
mobile mechanics.
Trailcon now has more than 135
employees in five Canadian branches,
and owns a fleet of more than 7,000
units. Almost 100 licensed trailer
technicians support an extensive mobile
repair fleet, and the company reportedly
services more than 10,000 customerowned units across Canada.
www.isaac.ca/fleet
SEPTEMBER 2016
17
+
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TILT STEERING WHEEL.
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the truck built to deliver the toughness, the dependability and the efficiency you want –
the Western Star 5700XE. It’s time to stop settling and time to start driving.
First step: get behind the wheel. Find your nearest dealer at westernstar.com.
Western Star - A Daimler Group Brand
WS/MC-A-553 Specifications are subject to change without notice. Western Star Truck Sales, Inc. is registered to ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004.
Copyright © 2016 Daimler Trucks North America LLC. All rights reserved. Western Star Truck Sales, Inc. is a subsidiary of Daimler Trucks North America LLC, a Daimler company.
Dispatches
Tesla’s Trucks
Elon Musk eyes commercial vehicles,
defends autonomous technology
Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, the
entrepreneur behind everything from
electric cars to commercial space travel,
is turning his sights toward moreearthly commercial vehicles – an electric
truck known as the Tesla Semi.
Scheduled to be unveiled next year, it
is one of several initiatives he referenced
in Master Plan: Part Deux, posted online
in late July.
“In addition to consumer vehicles,
there are two other types of electric
vehicle needed: heavy-duty trucks and
high passenger-density urban transport,”
he wrote in the combination of blog
and mission statement. “Both are in the
early stages of development at Tesla and
should be ready for
unveiling next year.
We believe the Tesla
Semi will deliver a
substantial reduction
in the cost of cargo
transport, while
increasing safety and
making it really fun
to operate.”
Musk is not the
first person with a
Tesla background
to explore options
with electric trucks.
Co-founder Ian
Wright left the company and launched
Wrightspeed, which
is about to begin producing a rangeextended electric powertrain known as
the Route. It’s designed for applications
like waste vehicles. (See Quite Wright:
August 2016.)
Musk’s post also defends autonomous
vehicles in the wake of a May 7 fatal
crash, where one of Tesla’s autonomous
Model S cars failed to recognize a white
trailer against a bright Florida sky.
Missouri lawmakers cited that collision
when recently scrapping a pilot program
to allow the testing of truck platooning
within the state.
“It is important to emphasize that
refinement and validation of the software will take much longer than putting
in place the cameras, radar, sonar and
computing hardware,” he said. “Even
once the software is highly refined and
far better than the average human
driver, there will still be a significant
time gap, varying widely by jurisdiction,
before true self-driving is approved by
regulators. We expect that worldwide
regulatory approval will require something on the order of 6 billion miles [10
billion kilometers]. Current fleet learning is happening at just over 3 million
miles [5 million kilometers] per day.”
And Musk defends
his company’s decision
to deploy partial autonomy today. “When used
correctly, it is already
significantly safer
than a person driving
by themselves and it
would therefore be
morally reprehensible
to delay release simply
for fear of bad press or
some mercantile calculation of legal liability,”
he said.
Elon Musk
The U.S. averages
one driving death
every 143 million kilometers. Musk says
Tesla’s system essentially doubles the
average distance traveled before such
a loss. The company plans to remove
the “beta” label once Autopilot is
considered 10 times safer than the U.S.
vehicle average.
Cargo is clearly on his mind, though.
The plan was released the day after his
company SpaceX successfully delivered
5,000 pounds of supplies to the
International Space Station. TT
SEPTEMBER 2016
19
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Fleets rely on it.
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Dispatches
Heard Street
on
the
Paul Kudla
Kudla oversees
Volvo in Canada
Volvo Trucks North America
has appointed Paul Kudla
Darek Mowinski happily rips up a $10,000 check, because
he collected $50,000 for top honors. (Ryder photo)
Canadian named top in Ryder shops
Ryder System has named Darek Mowinski its 2016 Top Technician, making him first
Canadian to win the North American honor that includes a $50,000 cash prize. The Ryder
Top Technician (Top Tech) Recognition Program has been running 15 years. After advancing
through three rounds of written and hands-on tests, eight finalists competed in the final round,
which consisted of 10 hands-on skill tests, including focuses on vehicle electronics, Preventive
Maintenance, and air conditioning. Other competing Canadians included Ken Bilyea of London,
Ontario, and Chris Johnson of Vancouver, BC, who each received $10,000 as finalists. This year,
3,220 techs participated in the first round of the competition.
Bison names
new COO, CAO
Bison Transport has introduced two new
members to its executive team, naming
Trevor Fridfinnson Chief Operating
Officer, and Mike Ludwick Chief
Administrative Officer. Fridfinnson has been
with Bison for 23 years, most recently in
the role of senior vice president. Ludwick
has been with the fleet for two decades,
and played a key role in developing operating and administrative systems. They
join an executive team that includes Don
Streuber, executive chairman and Chief
Executive Officer; Robert Penner, president;
Damiano Coniglio, Chief Financial Officer
Bison Diversified; and, Jeff Pries, senior vice
president – sales and marketing.
as regional vice president
for Canada to oversee commercial sales and marketing.
Kudla joined Volvo Trucks in
September 1999, first as fleet
account manager and then as
a fleet sales manager. He was
a board member of the Private
Motor Truck Council of Canada
for more than 20 years. “Paul
is very well-known within the
industry, and we believe his
experience will help drive the
success of Volvo Trucks in
Canada,” said Göran Nyberg,
president of Volvo Trucks North
America. Kudla is based in the
Volvo Trucks Canada office in
Mississauga, Ontario.
Albrechtsen named to
Order of Manitoba
Paul Albrechtsen
Paul’s Hauling founder Paul Albrechtsen has received
the Order of Manitoba, considered to be the province’s
highest honor. The fleet president and CEO immigrated
from Denmark at the age of 24 with just $50 in his pocket,
and began working for 90 cents an hour as a field
mechanic in Virden, Manitoba. He lived in tool sheds to
save enough money to buy two trucks in two years, and
founded Paul’s Hauling in 1956. The bulk hauler now has
280 employees. Albrechtsen is also widely recognized
for his philanthropic work. Last year the Paul Albrechtsen
Foundation donated $5 million to support cardiac
research at the St. Boniface Hospital Research Center –
which, combined with $2 million in previous donations,
made him the largest donor in the hospital’s history.
SEPTEMBER 2016
21
Dispatches
Trendingg on
.com
MACK
TRUCKS
Enters The
VIRTUAL
WORLD
MACK knows there’s always a race to be
different and capture a buying audience’s
attention in brand new ways.
Now, using Google Cardboard, a smartphone and a Mack Trucks virtual reality
app, anyone can find out what it’s like to
sit in a Mack cab and ride the road for a
virtual reality test drive.
Mack says it is the first Class 8 Original
Equipment Manufacturer to offer a virtual
reality test drive of a commercial vehicle
to a wide audience. The experience gives
viewers a 360-degree view of the cab interior
just by using a cardboard cut-out viewer
with 45-millimeter focal length lenses,
magnets and capacitive-taped button.
“Through virtual reality, customers
and the general public now have the
opportunity to truly understand what
it’s like to be in the cab of a Mack truck
as it gets the job done,” said John Walsh,
Mack vice president of global brand and
marketing. “Our trucks, when paired
with the mDRIVE HD 13-speed, are
unmatched in terms of power and performance, and now we are offering everyone
a unique experience to better demonstrate this.”
The Mack virtual reality experience
showcases the power of the mDRIVE HD
13-speed as it frees a Mack Granite model
from mud on a job site, easily driving
up and down a steep grade without
having to continuously apply brakes. It
also shows a fully loaded Mack Pinnacle
model heading up and down 15% and
20% grades.
To experience Mack virtual reality,
visit www.macktrucks.com/VR to order
Google Cardboard and link to the
Mack virtual reality app. The virtual
reality videos will also be posted to the
Mack website, but will not be as immersive
as when Google Cardboard and the app
are used.
Here are a few examples of tweets from around the industry this month.
19.2K
Followers!
If you’re not following us on
Twitter, you’re missing out
on some interesting discussions
in the world of trucking. From
regulations to product news,
we have you covered. Make
@todaystrucking
your go-to social media source.
Pat Litman @pat_lit
Just witnessed a truck driver with a
gold e-cig made into a gold necklace.
He’s changing the game one
mile at a time.
CTA @CanTruck
The ABCs of ELDs: @CanTruck Unveils ELD
Animation Video & Infographic on YouTube
DriverCheck liked a Tweet
Great news! @Todaystrucking John G.
Smith will be the MC at the 2017
@TTSAOontario conference Feb 15/16
pic.twitter.com/UDMg9BMQDw
Healthy Truckers @HealthTruckers
Drivers eating small meals every 2 to 3 hours will keep your energy at a steady level.
KEEP IN
TOUCH
facebook.com/
TodaysTrucking
@todaystrucking
TodaysTrucking1
SEPTEMBER 2016
23
Dispatches
StatPack
Eastern
Canada
www.easterncanada.cummins.com
www.westerncanada.cummins.com
• Wholesale parts distribution
• Retail parts sales
• Engine and power generation
equipment sales
• Maintenance & Repair
Drivers have long complained about shippers with slow
loading docks, but a new U.S. survey shows just how
long they hurry up and wait.
The survey by DAT Solutions found that nearly 63%
of commercial truck drivers tend to wait more than
three hours for vehicles to be loaded and unloaded. Of
the 247 carriers surveyed, 54% reported typical detention times of three to four hours, while 9% said it was
common to be detained five hours or more.
Most of the surveyed carriers said they are seldom paid for detention, and when payment is offered it does not cover the full business costs that result from the delay. Only
3% of the questioned carriers were paid on 90% or more of their detention claims, at a
rate between $30 and $50 per hour.
Driver detention is an urgent issue that must be addressed, says Don Thornton, DAT
Solutions senior vice president. “Many shippers and receivers are lax about their dock
operations but it’s the carriers and drivers who are forced to pay for that inefficiency.”
Carriers were often forced to turn down other loads while their trucks were detained
and unavailable.
Two-thirds of surveyed brokers said they paid for detention only when they could
collect the fee from the shipper or consignee. The remaining one-third paid detention
whenever carriers complained. www.dat.com/detention
63%
of drivers wait more
than three hours
at loading docks
13,431 dr vers
British Columbia’s transportation and construction industries will need to fill 110,000
jobs in the next decade – and truck drivers will be among those most in demand,
according to Asia Pacific Gateway Labor Market Outlook 2016-2025. The study projects
13,431 openings for truck drivers, representing 2,237 new positions. Another 2,050
transportation managers will be required, largely to offset retirements. “The trucking
sector is expected to grow by 7.4%, producing just over 12,000 new positions,” the
study finds. “Eighty percent of job openings are created by replacement, as 29% of
today’s workforce retires.”
24
TODAY’S TRUCKING
$24
million
That’s the value of equipment Ritchie
Bros. sold in a record-breaking
Lethbridge, Alberta auction from July
21 to 22. More than 1,600 pieces of
equipment and trucks exchanged
hands during the sale. About 3,250
people from 32 countries registered
to bid, with buyers from as far away
as Quebec, Texas and Australia.
Out-of-province buyers purchased
31% of the equipment.
CargoNet reported a 15% drop in cargo
thefts during the second quarter of 2016,
when comparing figures to the same
period last year. It tallied 297 reports of
cargo theft, identity theft, vehicle theft,
and other criminal intelligence matters
across the U.S.-Canada supply chain.
Food and beverages were the most
stolen cargo, while warehouse or distribution center locations were the most
common targets.
Dispatches
Pu se Reader Survey
Your Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs)
views
on...
The U.S. has announced plans to mandate Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) as of December 2017. In July, the
Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators released a second draft of technical standards for devices that
are installed on this side of the border. We asked a panel of 80 readers how they view and use the technology.
Does your business use Electronic
Logging Devices (ELDs)?
Not applicable
13.8
Do you believe Canada should mandate
Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) in trucks?
In ALL our trucks
20
%
%
NO
32.5
Only for known
Hours of
Service violators
%
13.8 %
We DO NOT
use ELDs
In SOME of
our trucks
YES
51.3
15 %
46.3 %
%
If not, why doesn’t your business use
Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs)?
We can’t find equipment that meets our needs
3%
Engine fault codes
11.9 %
Fuel economy reports
They would limit flexibility with schedules
11.9 %
We’re waiting for laws that mandate Electronic Logging Devices
20.9 %
33.8 %
35.4 %
41.5 %
Hours of Service records
43.1 %
Delivery notification/status updates
43.1 %
Vehicle location/geofencing
Other
7.5 %
Vehicle telematics can track more than Hours of
Service. Which of the following do you track and
transmit between a truck and fleet computers?
Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports
Cost
Unsure
49.2 %
22.4 %
Paper records meet all our needs
35.8 %
Next month:
RECRUITING CHALLENGES
“I’m not interested in being
monitored like an animal.”
Today’s Trucking Pulse surveys are conducted once per month, covering a variety of
industry issues. To share your voice in future surveys, email [email protected].
SEPTEMBER 2016
25
COMBUSTION CHAMBER BURN PATTERNS
Standard Piston
Combustion Efficiency
Mack ® Wave Piston
Combustion Efficiency
Welcome to the next evolution in piston design.
Mack’s innovative wave piston delivers 2% improvement in fuel economy and 90% reduction
in soot. By adding waves to the piston bowl, the engine can utilize more available oxygen in
the combustion chamber for a more complete burn than standard piston designs. It’s a small
change with major results, and it’s just one example of the innovative thinking you’ll find in the
advanced 2017 Mack MP® engine series. Never stop improving.
MackTrucks.com
Dispatches
L gbook2016
SEPTEMBER
8
ONTARIO TRUCKING ASSOCIATION
BIG WHEELS BIKE AND CAR RALLY
Hockley Valley Resort,
Mono, Ontario
www.ontruck.org
8 - 10
NORTH AMERICAN TRAILER
DEALERS ASSOCIATION TRADE
SHOW AND CONVENTION
Music City Center,
Nashville, Tennessee
www.natda.org
11 - 13
NATIONAL CUSTOMS BROKERS
AND FREIGHT FORWARDING
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS CONFERENCE
Hyatt Regency,
Washington, DC
www.ncbfaa.org
14 - 18
NATIONAL TRUCK DRIVING
CHAMPIONSHIPS
Brantford Municipal Airport,
Ontario
18
ATLANTIC PROVINCES TRUCKING
ASSOCIATION / MAINE MOTOR
TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION
TRANSPORTATION SAFETY
CONFERENCE
The Algonquin Resort,
St. Andrew’s, New Brunswick
www.apta.ca
19 - 22
TECHNOLOGY AND MAINTENANCE
COUNCIL FALL MEETING
Raleigh Convention Center,
Raleigh, North Carolina
www.trucking.org/Technology_Council.
aspx
OCTOBER
12 - 14
26TH ANNUAL NATIONAL TRAILER
DEALERS ASSOCIATION MEETING
JW Marriott Desert Ridge,
Phoenix, Arizona
www.ntda.org
13
SURFACE TRANSPORTATION SUMMIT
22 - 29
66TH IAA COMMERCIAL VEHICLES
Hannover, Germany
www.iaa.de/en/
International Center, Toronto, Ontario
www.surfacetransportationsummit.com
24 - 26
18
COMITE TECHNIQUE DE CAMIONNAGE DU
QUEBEC ANNUAL CONVENTION
Renaissance Convention Centre,
Montreal, Quebec
www.ctcq.ca
ATLANTIC PROVINCES TRUCKING
ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Delta Hotel Beausejour,
Moncton, New Brunswick
www.apta.ca
20 - 21
26
ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON TRANSPORTATION
INNOVATION AND COST SAVINGS
Aga Khan Museum, Toronto
www.transportconference.org
30
FLEET SAFETY COUNCIL ANNUAL
CONFERENCE
Center for Health and Safety Innovation,
Mississauga, Ontario
www.fleetsafetycouncil.com
Log
events
your
CARRIER LOGISTICS USER
EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE
Crowne Plaza Hotel,
White Plains, New York
www.carrierlogistics.com
22
SASKATCHEWAN TRUCKING ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
www.sasktrucking.com
Do you have an event you’d like to see
listed in this calendar or on the
interactive online calendar?
Contact Dave Nesseth • 416-614-5813 • [email protected]
SEPTEMBER 2016
27
Take
high-resolutioannce
pictures for the ch
to be published
Share entries on
Twitter with the hash tag
#InMotion
Picture this!
YOUR INDUSTRY IN MOTION
GRAB YOUR CAMERA ON
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12
and take a picture that reflects your day at work. Show the world
what you do, and earn the chance to be published in participating
magazines! Email entries to [email protected] by October 17.
Use the subject line “Picture This.”
First prize: $200
Second prize: $100
Third prize: $50
By submitting a photo, you are giving each of the following magazines the permission to publish the photo in one printed edition, and in an online photo gallery.
CANADIAN AUTO REPAIR & SERVICE MAGAZINE
Dispatches
Truck of the Month
Cemented in History
This month’s choice for Truck of the Month combines a classic truck and trailer – a
1957 White Mustang and 1965 pneumatic Freuhauf.
Hutton Transport bought the truck brand new in 1957, and used it to haul flatbeds of
cement around St. Mary’s, Ontario until 1970. From there it was sold for work as a shunt
truck, hauled scrap trucks, and even moved logs. It was essentially parked and forgotten
on a farm between 1979 until 2004, when restoration work began. Hutton bought it back
in 2014 and finished the restoration this summer.
The trailer was purchased brand new as well, and hauled dry bulk cement until 1994.
That’s when it was converted into a water tank to control dust around a Bowmanville,
Ontario terminal until 2014. It enjoyed a year-long restoration of its own and was even
outfitted with a time capsule filled by company employees. TT
THE SPEC’S
1957 White Mustang
128-inch wheelbase
8-speed Roadranger transmission
Hydraulic clutch and valve lifters
386 cubic-inch 462 engine with
150 horsepower
6.17:1 differential ratio
Top speed – 80 kilometers per hour
Do you have an unusual, antique, or long-service truck to be profiled?
Send your Truck of the Month ideas or photos to [email protected], or mail Today’s Trucking Magazine, 451 Attwell Drive, Toronto, ON, M9W 5C4
SEPTEMBER 2016
29
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Compliance
It’s a (revised) date
Delayed changes coming to circle checks, fuel tax reporting,
and U.S. registrations. By Heather Ness
T
hink of the last time
you attempted a
home improvement
project. Or, perhaps if you
have young children, the last
time you had to pack them
up to make an appointment
on time. Did these endeavors go as planned? If you’re
anything like me, the home
improvement project took
twice as long and cost twice
as much, and you were late for
that appointment. The point
is, things don’t always go as
planned and often take longer
than anticipated.
So it goes with the regulatory world, too. If there’s one
thing that’s certain with regulatory changes, it’s that they
take some time and there are
sometimes delays.
Quebec
More than three years after
the draft regulations were
published, Quebec recently
adopted a new set of vehicle
pre-trip inspection “circle
check” regulations that
will be effective November
20. The new regulations
are modeled after National
Safety Code (NSC) Standard
13 – Trip Inspections. The
changes are expected to help
harmonize the requirements
with those other jurisdictions including Ontario,
Manitoba, Saskatchewan,
Alberta, Prince Edward Island,
Newfoundland-Labrador,
Northwest Territories, and
Yukon Territory.
As a reminder, the circle
check rules apply to vehicles
with a Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR) of 4,500 kilograms or more; combinations
that include a vehicle with a
GVWR of 4,500 kilograms or
more; and buses, minibuses,
tow trucks, and vehicles with
a GVWR of less than 4,500
kilograms, but transporting
dangerous substances and
requiring safety marks.
For more information on
the new requirements, visit
http://tinyurl.com/QCcircle.
Canada/United States
Another big change that has
been in progress for several
years is the International Fuel
Tax Agreement (IFTA) recordkeeping amendment. A few
years ago, the International
Registration Plan (IRP) was
amended to clearly convey the
recordkeeping requirements,
whether tracking vehicle
mileage data on paper, or
tracking vehicle mileage data
using an electronic recording
device such as an Electronic
Logging Device or Global
Positioning System. Since
IFTA and IRP registrants
use the same mileage data to
comply with both programs,
it made sense that the IFTA
would have to follow suit. It
took a few iterations of the
recordkeeping proposal to
get it finalized, but it finally
passed earlier this year.
The changes were effective
July 1, 2016.
Prior to the change, IFTA’s
recordkeeping requirements
were rather antiquated and
no longer made sense in
today’s technological world.
They are now virtually identical to the IRP recordkeeping
requirements.
The IFTA change also
includes minor tweaks to
the bulk fuel recordkeeping
requirements and the monthly
summary requirements.
One other part of this
change involves audit assessments. If records are found
to be inadequate in an audit,
an IFTA auditor now has the
ability to adjust the taxpayer’s
kilometers per liter to 1.7
(or 4.0 miles per gallon), or
reducing the reported numbers by 20%.
United States
Then there’s the U.S.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration’s (FMCSA)
Unified Registration System,
which has been more than 20
years in the making. Perhaps
the third time’s the charm with
this rule? We can only hope.
The system was originally
supposed to be effective in
October 2015. But FMCSA
pushed back the effective
dates to September 30 and
December 31, 2016. At the end
of July, the FMCSA extended
the effective dates yet again, to
January 14 and April 14, 2017.
According to the FMCSA,
the delay is due to unforeseen
delays and complications in
the Infomation Technology
development process. On
the bright side, the administration has already purged
the system of 340,000 obsolete
USDOT numbers.
It affects the way every
motor carrier interacts with
the FMCSA.
Starting January 1, 2017:
■ All carriers start using the
new MCSA-1 online only form
(MCS-150 no longer will exist);
■ USDOT number will be a
carrier’s sole identifier;
■ New entrants are subject to
a $300 “safety registration” fee;
■ Evidence of financial
responsibility filings are
required for new private
hazmat and new exempt forhire carriers;
■ and there’s a Process Agent
Designation (Form BOC-3)
filing for all new motor
carriers, including all new
private and all new exempt
for-hire carriers.
As of April 14, 2017:
■ Evidence of financial
responsibility filings are
required for existing private
hazmat carriers and exempt
for-hire carriers;
■ and, Process Agent
Designation (Form BOC-3) filings are required for existing
motor carriers, including all
private carriers and exempt
for-hire carriers. TT
Heather Ness is the editor
of Transport Operations at
J.J.Keller and Associates. Contact
her at [email protected]
SEPTEMBER 2016
31
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Open Mike
Big ideas for small carriers
By Mike McCarron
A
ny event that combines education and
entertainment while
raising money for needy folks
gets my seal of approval any
day of the week. That’s exactly what my pals at TransCore
Link Logistics have been pulling off for the past 18 years
with their annual conference
and charity golf tournament.
Earlier this summer I had
the pleasure of moderating
a panel discussion at their
shindig on carrier and freight
broker relationships.
The goal was to provide
real-world take-home advice
for small and mid-sized players before we all went out to
whack Mr. Titleist.
The speakers were among
our industry’s brightest
up-and-comers: Jon Saunders
(Polaris Global Logistics),
Michelle Arseneau (GX
Transportation Solutions),
Bob Cascagnette (Highlight
Motor Freight), and Mike
Fontaine (C.H. Robinson).
Here’s what they had to say
to the golfers/transporters in
our audience:
Have a Big Mac
The panelists agreed that, to
grow organically, every company needs a secret sauce.
Doing something better than
everyone else is the only real
way for smaller players to create the scale necessary to get
customer pricing power.
The overall consensus
from the panelists was that
the “l can do anything and
everything” strategy just isn’t
sustainable any longer.
Small? Act big
We fielded a question from
someone who seemed rightly
agitated by the lack of respect
for small companies in this
business. She stood up and
asked what a small carrier or
broker can do to break the
stereotype that often paints
them all with the same brush.
The response: Small players
need to think and act like
big players.
company is on a solid financial foundation.
When I ran MSM, I’d rather haul three skids for $600
with instant payment versus
getting $700 of 90-day money.
Cash can also help build
your margin. Carriers can
generate cash by offering
quick-paying programs to
customers. Brokers can get
access to equipment during
peak times by paying quickly.
When you’re
small, you don’t
have a Chief
Financial Officer
to run the business side of the
freight business.
Cash management
is a skill you need
to work on.
Factoring
You don’t have to have a
ton of revenue to be a true
business partner to your customers. Get out of the office.
See your customers as people,
not accounts. Be a professional and you’ll earn their respect
and their business. You won’t
stay small for long.
Cash advantage
Most small companies can do
a better job managing cash.
Cash on hand is a huge
advantage. You can pay your
bills on time (paying them
early is smarter), and you can
solidify your brand by showing the industry that your
The panelists all
agreed that factoring receivables
can help speed
up cash flow, and it’s a
great strategy for managing
large-volume, higher-risk
customers.
Big, new shippers always
made me nervous. If you
secure a daily milk run that
generates $40,000 a month
in revenue but has 60-day
terms, the shipper will be into
you for $80,000 before you see
a red nickel.
That’s a risk few small
companies can afford to
take. Selling the invoices to
a factoring company for fast
cash is a better way to go,
even if it costs a percentage
of the freight bill.
But the panelists also
agreed that customers and
suppliers may see factoring
as a sign that you’re hard up
for cash.
At MSM our payables team
would salivate when they saw
that a carrier partner was
factoring. We offered better
terms for quick payment than
the factoring company. We
generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in enterprise
value by using our strong
cash position to grow our
bottom line.
It’s a wrap
Only two things disappointed
me about the day.
First, the banter from the
panel was so good that we
ran out of time before we
got to discuss one of our
industry’s latest hot buttons:
contracts between freight
brokers and carriers. Amazing
how much liability is suddenly
getting dumped on unsuspecting carriers.
That’s for my next column.
The other thing that disappointed me was how God
awful I golfed. Man, did I
stink the joint out. Glad my
panelist playing partners
brought their “A” game both
in the classroom and on
the links. TT
Mike McCarron is the president of
Left Lane Associates, a firm specializing
in growth strategies, both organic and
through mergers and acquisitions. A
33-year industry veteran, McCarron
founded MSM Transportation, which
he sold in 2012. He can be reached
at [email protected],
416-931-7212, or @AceMcC on Twitter.
SEPTEMBER 2016
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FROM CONCEPT TO EXECUTION
Automated Transmissions finally get
their due, while the search continues for
good pre-emissions model trucks
By Jim Park
Now is a pretty good time to be in the
market for a used truck. That could be a
blessing or a curse. There’s a good selection of inventory on the ground today, and
it’s likely to grow over the next six to 12
months. But that’s because, in some part
anyway, the economy is a bit slow and
demand for trucking service (and rates) is
off from peaks seen a few years ago.
As fleets rationalize their size, they are
dealing trucks that have come to the end
of their trade cycle and are not necessarily being replaced – either because of the
slower economy or the dearth of drivers.
As those trucks enter the used truck market, dealers want to move them through
quickly. That opens up buying opportunities, but the buyers are in shorter supply,
too, say several dealers around the country.
“We’re somewhat at the mercy of
the U.S. and they are overstocked right
now,” says Martin Smith, center manager
of SelecTrucks of Toronto. “In Canada, I
won’t say inventory is high, but it’s starting
to creep up. Trucks are coming off lease
and starting to flow in now and that will
continue through next year, so we’ll see a
pretty hefty inventory.”
The influx of late-model 2012-2014
trucks gives buyers a good selection, and
these trucks have proven themselves more
reliable than previous generations. There
are lots of older models on lots as well, but
some dealers are reporting a preference for
newer and even new units.
“In the past 12-18 months our customers have shown a greater interest in our
new trucks than the used models,” says
Vic Gupta, president of Pride Truck Sales
in Mississauga, Ontario. “Some of that is
about fuel economy. Some of it is about
better reliability and few breakdowns.”
In Regina, not far from the stumbling oil
patch, Scott Taylor, president and owner of
Tayson Truck and Equipment, says there
has been a lot of equipment coming onto
36
TODAY’S TRUCKING
the market from that area. Until recently, it
was moving out as fast as it was coming in.
He’s putting some of the slowdown in sales
to the summer doldrums, which is seasonal
and predictable.
“There’s still very strong demand for
good used trucks in this area,” he says. “We
put good money into the trucks we get, so
they are still commanding a good price.”
Things are much the same in most of
Atlantic Canada as well. Norm Lewis, used
truck sales manager at Peterbilt Atlantic in
Moncton, says he has been retailing more
trucks than he wholesales.
Truck Sales says his customers are looking
for a specific type of truck and demand for
them hasn’t really changed.
“Spring and fall are our busiest seasons,
so that’s when we see the serious buyers
come out,” he says. “It often slows in the
summer, but this summer it seemed to
slow sooner than usual. We’re waiting for
September when we usually see another
push. That will tell us how the market
really is.”
What’s hot, what’s not
Dealers are reporting lots of inquiries about
good “older trucks,” particularly pre-emissions models (2007 and older), and there’s
even interest in pre-1999 models from
those apparently hoping to avoid the need
for Electronic Logging Devices (ELD) in the
U.S. They are increasingly hard to find, and
good ones are almost non-existent.
“I’m getting calls for those older trucks,
but it’s not realistic to expect to find one
that’s worth buying,” says Taylor. “I can
WHAT’S
NEW
USED
TRUCKS?
IN
“We were busy here until early August
but business dropped off in the first week,”
he says. “I’m seeing a lot of 2012-2014 models. Customers are looking for older trucks,
the pre-emissions model, but there are few
good ones on the market. There are lots of
those for sale privately around here, but
we never see them. Some of those trucks
require quite a bit of money to get them up
to scratch.”
And in the specialty market of long and
tall trucks, demand remains strong. Shaun
Boughen, president of Upper Canada
understand the concern over emissions
systems failures, but with a 10-year-old
truck there’s going to be an awful lot more
to worry about.”
There’s going to be the odd guy that
tries to buck the system, he says, but
these things are here to stay and they are
getting better.
Automated Manual Transmissions are
becoming popular, too. Dealers say the
value deductions no longer apply because
buyers a now asking for them.
“Many customers are now asking for
What’s new in used trucks?
automated transmissions,” says Gupta.
“They are harder to find in the oldermodel trucks.”
Wide-base tires, however, are still
viewed as a negative despite established
fuel economy and weight savings. “Many
just do not want to be the first among their
colleagues with something new,” Gupta
says. “They prefer to stick with what everyone else is doing.”
Interest in engines is still split between
the 13- and 15-liter engines. Taylor says
there is lots of interest in the bigger blocks
among his customers who are hauling
heavier loads on Super-B trains. Gupta
says his customers that run into the U.S.
will happily take whichever engine is in the
brand of truck they are considering.
It wouldn’t quite yet be correct to say
that the market has adjusted and is willing to accept the emissions hardware, but
there’s a growing resignation that it’s here
to stay. Boughen says his buyers may not
be totally onboard with the idea, but he
usually talks them around to the reality of
the situation. “Become an expert on maintaining these systems,” he urges buyers.
“They cost a hell of a lot of money to repair,
so the sooner you learn how to operate and
maintain them, the better off you’ll be.”
The slowdown in the U.S. freight market could hit Canadian carriers, too. And
some fear that if things do not pick up in
September as the usually do, it could be a
long winter. That said, if you can weather a
slowdown, it’s a good time to buy.
downgrade on their trade-in, Treadway
says. Or the very real prospect that a
dealer will simply not consider the truck
on a trade.
“We can’t touch them here in New
Brunswick,” says Norm Lewis, a used truck
The real cost of a delete
sales manager at Peterbilt Atlantic, in
Disabling, defeating or outright removing
Moncton. “If I hear about one, I’ll put the
the aftertreatment systems from trucks
owner in touch with a wholesaler who will
may have seemed like a good idea at the
buy them.”
time, but owners of such trucks are now
The only alternative in most of Canada
facing huge downgrades to their trade-in
is to sell the truck privately for off-road
values. Some truck owners took a calculatuse where the regulations don’t apply or
ed risk, balancing the performance and fuel
to a wholesaler that might be
willing to put it back together.
Some dealerships in jurisdictions where the new annual
Periodic Motor Vehicle
Inspection (PMVI) rules are
not yet in place are still handling them, but those days are
numbered.
Lewis says the old annual
vehicle inspection rules
demand only a visual and
physical inspection of the
truck. If the emissions control
system appears to be intact, it
might pass the inspection and
get a sticker. But it’s dicey.
“My understanding is, if we
are aware that the system has
been tampered with then we
There’s a good selection of late-model used trucks
on the market today. A little factory warranty
are not allowed to work on
isn’t hard to find. It’s a good time to buy.
them,” he says. “However, it’s
a grey area. If we don’t know
it’s been tampered with, and
it looks okay, well... The rules will change
economy shortcomings compared to the
next year, and we’ll be required to check
hit they would take at trade-in time, and
the emissions systems functionality.”
decided disabling the system was worth it.
If you’re driving a truck with a disabled
“When fuel was $4.50 a gallon ($1.20
emissions
system, we hope you kept all
liter) you could have made an economic
the
bits
when
you took it apart. If it can
case for defeating the emissions system,
be
made
whole
and functional, you’re fine,
but that’s certainly not true with current
but
if
you
have
to take the trade-in hit, or
fuel prices,” says Kyle Treadway, dealer
pay
to
have
it
reinstalled,
you’ll be hurting.
principal at Utah-based Kenworth Sales
“We’re
seeing
convergence
of all the
and former chairman of the American
worst
case
scenarios
for
these
guys,”
Truck Dealers Association. “And of course
Treadway
says.
“The
oversupply
in
the
it is illegal to defeat the emissions system.
marketplace,
the
downturn
in
the
econI don’t think those truck owners are suromy and the timing of their trade cycles
prised by all this, but they sure aren’t happy
have all come together at the same time.
about it.”
And if that’s not bad enough, they now
After having spent somewhere between
have to take the hit for the emissions
$3,000 and $8,000 to have the fuel-sucking
system delete. They took a gamble and
emissions systems disabled, owners now
they lost.”
face the reality of a $15,000-to-$20,000
SEPTEMBER 2016
37
Buy, Sell, Prosper
Thousands of trucks, thousands of trailers. Whether you’re buying or
selling, you need to use Truck and Trailer. You don’t have to take our
word for it, ask our customers why they keep coming back.
truckandtrailer.ca
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Canada’s #1 Source for Heavy Trucks and Trailers
What’s new in used trucks?
Beware the missing Diesel Particulate Filter. In most parts of Canada
it’s illegal to sell trucks with defeated or deleted emissions systems.
It’s even illegal to repair them in some provinces.
BETTER
Self Steer
For Trailers
Q6LJQL¿FDQWO\/LJKWHU
Inspect before you buy
In bygone days, having a used truck checked by a mechanic was the thing to do. Buyers
worried about the condition of the brakes and tires and the wiring, and whether the
transmission was filled with sawdust to mute the noise of whining, badly worn gears.
While the mechanical issues remain a concern, today everyone is worried about the
emissions system. Electronic problems associated with sensors and wiring are infinitely
more difficult to predict.
Certain makes and model years of trucks and engines had some well-documented
problems. These are easy enough to learn about through chatrooms and forums for
truck owners, recall notices (though these usually only reflect safety-related problems),
dealer and customer bulletins, and of course the experiences of previous owners. Ask
questions and do your research before you get serious about a particular truck.
There were also a slew of well-documented mechanical problems associated with
certain engines, such as failing injector cups, broken Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR)
coolers and the like. Chances are good that many of those problems have been repaired
by the previous owner under warrant, and may no longer pose a threat, but that is not
always the case.
Even the condition and remaining life of the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) are cause
for concern. Depending on a truck’s previous duty cycles, the DPF may have years of life
left in it or it could one regen away from the great soot pile in the sky.
Here are a few suggestions to help steer you clear of calamity.
■ RESEARCH: Get as much information on potential purchases by pulling Electronic
Control Module (ECM) reports and reviewing maintenance histories. Used truck dealers
do not always have access to this information, but Original Equipment dealers should.
Be wary of a dealer that is totally uncooperative in helping you learn more about the
truck. Look for evidence of particular types of problems with particular makes and
model years. If you’re looking at a truck with a history of problems, you want to make
sure those problems have been rectified.
■ INSPECTIONS: Arrange to have a inspected by a third-party mechanic of your choosing. A dyno check is great if you can get it, but otherwise things like overall condition and
evidence of whether or not it has been diligently maintained should help you determine
if the truck is in normal or expected condition for its mileage. Don’t say you can’t afford
to do these inspections. If you can’t manage the cost of an inspection, how do you expect
to pay for the repairs?
■ WARRANTY: It’s not impossible to find trucks with some original warranty left on
them. Such trucks will usually command a taller price, but that could be worth it. Some
Original Equipment dealers can negotiate extensions on factory warranty, or secure a
new warranty from the factory. There are some reputable third-party warranties out
there as well. With items like turbochargers and emissions systems costing north of
$10,000 to repair, additional warranty is an option worth exploring. Even a 30- to 60-day
“customer satisfaction” program can help, if you understand the terms of those offerings
and don’t expect too much from them. TT
SEPTEMBER 2016
39
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By Jim Park
I
ing again within eight days,” says John Seidl, owner of truck safety
consultancy Integrated Risk Solutions. “Can your vendor meet
that eight-day turnaround requirement? Look for a supplier with
a nationwide presence that can deliver on those requirements.”
The issue of certification is a thorny one. Vendors must selfcertify their devices, which is impossible at this time due to the
lack of test procedures from FMCSA. When you buy a product
that will eventually be listed on FMCSA’s list of certified devices,
the assumption is that it will be certified. However, as Seidl points
out, if the device is found to be non-compliant sometime down the
road, probably in the course of a facility audit, it might be delisted.
“That would leave you, the owner of perhaps hundreds of such
f you’re prone to anxiety when facing a wide variety of
choice, such as when you’re buying a pair of shoes or a
candy bar, consider asking someone else in the fleet to spec’
an Electronic Logging Device (ELD). There are more than
25 suppliers in the space now; by this time next year that
number is expected to swell fourfold.
Regardless of how many suppliers eventually appear, all
will be offering a wide array of functionality and capability.
There is a defined set of technical performance criteria the
device must meet. Beyond that, it’s
all about options, from full suites
of fleet management tools, to Bring
Your Own Device (BYOD) solutions
and stand-alone ELDs that do little
more than track and report Hours of
Service records.
With any potential Canadian regulation still a work on progress, the
already-published U.S. rule still offers
plenty of guidance in the ultimate
choice. The Canadian rule is expected to be quite similar in function and
scope, too.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) providers offer ELD apps
Administration (FMCSA) rules
on a variety of handheld devices or tablets.
require an ELD to be hardwired to
the engine to record engine on and
off time as well as distance, motion
devices, with a big collection of paperweights,” he says. “If your
status and engine hours. Handheld devices such as tablets and
device disappears from FMCSA’s list, you will have to replace
smartphones can meet this requirement with a black box conevery device in your fleet if the supplier can’t remedy the problem.
nection to the truck’s data port, using a Bluetooth link to the
Choose wisely.”
device. Such devices must be mounted and secured while the
Alexis Capelle, ELD program manager at Continental, echoes
vehicle is moving.
Seidl’s
concerns about choosing a vendor. He warns that data
The device must have GPS or satellite connections that can
stored
on
the vendors’ servers has to be retained for a period of
record location data at least once every 60 minutes, when the
six
months.
If the vendors suffers a server problem or goes out of
engine is started and shut down, as well as at every change of duty
business
in
the
interim, what happens to your data?
status, during “yard moves”, and when used for personal convey“Considering
all that the carrier is responsible for, your choice of
ance. In this mode, the accuracy of the location must be altered
vendor
can
have
a serious impact on your operation,” he cautions.
from one mile (1.6 kilometers) during normal operation to 10
miles (16 kilometers) to protect the driver’s privacy.
Options, options, options
The device must also offer at least two of the following
methods of communication with enforcement at roadside: USB,
You can have it all, or almost nothing, and you can have it your
web connectivity, Bluetooth, email or printouts.
way. Suppliers will (and already are) offering tons of fleet manThe rule also requires certain functionality around the informaagement options with their devices. Most vendors will provide a
tion that appears on the display as well as the data file for auditing
menu of options from asset tracking and dispatching integration,
purposes, the ability to edit logs while retaining the original files,
to fuel tax automation and critical event reporting and more.
malfunction indicators, unassigned driver reports, and more. This
ISAAC Instruments, for example, offers an InControl sysinformation is readily available and vendors will be required to
tem that pushes out emails about impending Hours of Service
comply with all the requirements. It’s therefore pretty important
violations as well as pictures of defects reported during pre-trip
that the device you choose meets the requirement, and more
inspections, notifications when drivers arrive at client locations,
importantly, will keep on meeting the requirements.
and scanned bills of lading for ACI documents.
“If the device malfunctions or quits entirely, you will have to
“Think of the ELD as a stepping stone into the larger possibilities
reconstruct the previous seven day’s logs, and get the device workoffered by the system,” says Kate Rahn, director of sales and
40
TODAY’S TRUCKING
ELDs Part 3: The technology
marketing at Shaw Tracking. “Before ELDs, smaller fleets might
have been reluctant to embrace these options because of the cost
and perceived complexity. Since ELDs are self-auditing, you won’t
have to incur log auditing costs, and you now have a platform
capable of delivering a host of additional functionality. We’re getting inquiries now from fleets much smaller than our traditional
customer base because they see that the ELD gets them more
than halfway to the table. And they are seeing benefits they never
expected from fleet management suites.”
One option that’s getting a lot of attention is the BYOD setup.
The Bring Your Own Device providers, such as JJ Keller, offer the
ELD app and the back office infrastructure to support the ELD
INSIDE THE
software has not been verified compliant yet, because FMCSA
hasn’t yet provided the testing protocols.
“We are currently AOBRD-compliant and we’re ELD ready,” he
says. “When the rule takes effect in December 2017, we will push
out a software update and flip on the ELD switch. Customers
won’t have to do anything.”
If you’re looking only for an ELD compliance tool, and don’t
want any additional functionality and you want to avoid the
monthly fees associated with connectivity and data storage,
Continental offer its RoadLog ELD. It’s a standalone system that
requires no over-the-air connectivity and therefore no monthly
fees. Data transfer is done via a wifi-enabled USB key or an integrated printer, which complies with the ELD rule.
“We recently added an over-the-air model
called RoadLog ELD Plus,” says Continental’s
Capelle. “It will be a scalable product with a
full-featured back end. If you are interested in
adding functionality as you grow into it, you can
add features as you go.”
That’s a small sampling of vendors now in the
market with a hint of what they offer. Fleets need
to be careful about choosing a supplier that can
meet the certification standards first and foremost, and be reasonably sure the vendor will be
around in years to come to support the product.
The FMCSA will not accept a failure on the vendor’s part for a fleet compliance problem.
That will be much less of a concern with the
larger and established suppliers, but with the
expected influx of new players, there are bound to
be some that won’t live up to expectations. TT
BLACK
BOXES
Your choice of Electronic Logging Device (ELD)
could have long-term compliance implications
requirements, but customers can choose which handheld device
or tablet they want to use, or they can use their existing hardware.
“It’s a tiered offering where customers can use their own device,
and tether it to our ELD which is connected to the truck’s data
port,” says Tom Reader, director of marketing for ELDs at JJ Keller
and Associates. “From there, they can choose a basic standalone
e-log service, or a mid-level or premium option that offers additional services. It depends on what the fleet wants or needs, and
what they can derive value from.”
Kitchener, Ontario-based BigRoad has already become a popular e-logging option with owner-operators and small fleets
because of the ease of use. It’s a mobile app that runs on most iOS
or Android devices, but not BlackBerry or Windows devices at this
point, and connects to the truck through the DashLink device.
The handheld device tethers to the DashLink and the app takes
care of the compliance issues.
“We designed BigRoad to be very driver friendly, so it’s ideal for
one-truck operations,” says Mike Davies, BigRoad’s vice president
- products. “But we also have fleets with over a thousand trucks
fully integrated into the system. Our target market is the five-to100-truck segment. Our electronic log app is free and any driver
can use it now. They will need an ELD eventually.”
Like many other providers, Davies says the BigRoad hardware
currently meets the requirements of the ELD rule, though the
Is an Automatic On Board
Recording Device in your future?
With the American Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate
compliance date fast approaching, should you be thinking
about investing in an Automatic On Board Recording Device
(AOBRD)? As strange as that might seem, investing in existing
technology may be a safer strategy than diving directly into the
ELD pool with little previous exposure to electronic logs.
With its ELD regulation, the U.S. FMCSA places a huge burden
on the fleet to get everything correct, right from the start, from
managing all the intricacies of logging on and off, to choosing
a compliant system. Because the regulators opted to allow the
product vendors to self-certify their devices, the fleet can rely
only on its own knowledge of the requirements of the mandate
as well as the vendor’s word on the status of the device. If for
some reason the device fails to meet the standard
after you have already invested in a system, the onus is on you
to get compliant anyway, even if it means replacing your entire
ELD infrastructure.
The FMCSA has grandfathered AOBRDs until December 2019,
so fleets can buy themselves another two years by ensuring their
ELD choice is a good one by grabbing an existing AOBRD system
now and preparing for the future.
SEPTEMBER 2016
41
A game of catch-up
Canada scrambles to develop an ELD standard
Despite an early start on developing an
Electronic Logging Device (ELD) standard,
Canadian regulators are now scrambling to
get something in place by the time the U.S.
rule takes effect in December 2017.
The devices have been on Canada’s
regulatory radar since late 2007, and
work began in earnest on a technical
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TODAY’S TRUCKING
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performance-based standard for e-logging
devices in 2010 to prepare for an anticipated Canadian mandate.
The first draft was completed in 2013,
and intended to roughly align with the
first ELD final rule published by the U.S.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
(FMCSA) in 2010. That rule was vacated
by the courts in August 2011 on grounds
that it did not do enough to prevent
driver coercion by carriers. It was back to
the drawing board, and Canada decided
to wait.
“We knew the U.S. was struggling to
punch out its final rule, so we felt is best
to wait and see what the U.S. final rule
looked like before moving forward with
our standard,” says Reg Wightman, chairman of the Canadian Council of Motor
Transport Administrators’ Compliance
and Regulatory Affairs Committee and a
member of the ELD Working Group that
developed Canada’s first draft standard.
“The working group believes that was a
justifiable position.”
Canadian regulators got their first look
at the U.S. final rule at the same time
everyone else did – when it was published
in December 2015.
“We were a little frustrated that the U.S.
did not involve Canada in the consultative
process,” Wightman says. “I don’t know
why it had to be that way. We would have
preferred to have been consulted rather
than have the U.S. rule just land on our
desk. And I think most of [the Compliance
and Regulatory Affairs committee] felt that
frustration. Having said that, FMCSA is now
bending over backwards to help us resolve
some of the different policy issues.”
When the final U.S. rule emerged,
the Council of Deputy Ministers of
Transportation tasked the committee, and
ELD working group of federal and provincial regulators, to determine what differences existed between it and Canada’s
2013 draft, and to make any changes it felt
were necessary to align the two as closely as possible while taking into account
Canada’s regulatory needs and requirements. And there were a significant number of differences.
“We have the final cut of the ELD
standard, complete with the functional
requirements,” says Wightman. “It was presented in July to a list of industry partners
An ambitious timetable.
ELDs for their federal carriers, but they
want to make sure they are doing what’s in
the best interest of carriers operating within their provinces. However, it becomes a
huge issue if some jurisdictions do not
adopt the ELD mandate for intra-provincial
carriers, too.” TT
▼
the devices in their individual legislation.
“Some jurisdictions have come out in
full support of mandatory ELDs for both
intra- and extra-provincial carriers,” notes
Wightman. “Some are still just lukewarm to
the whole idea and have made their positions known. There are still other jurisdictions that have said they want to consult
with their intra-provincial stakeholders
first. They have no problem mandating
Read more about the challenges at
and other stakeholders for comment and
we’re expecting those comments back by
September 2, 2016.”
Following one last round of face-to-face
meetings with stakeholders, manufacturers
and industry, the working group will take
the completed final draft to the Council
of Deputy Ministers of Transportation in
April 2017.
“This is a very ambitious timetable,” notes
Wightman, “but our hope is to have the final
standard approved by September 2017.”
There are some significant regulatory
issues still to be tackled, including how
to certify the devices and whether or not
to allow existing Automatic On-Board
Reporting devices to remain in service
beyond the anticipated start date for the
ELD rule, and how to certify future ELDs.
Canada’s existing Hours of Service rules
allow ELDs in a limited scope provided
they meet the requirements of Section
83 of the rule. Wightman told Today’s
Trucking that he believes the working
group will recommend that Canada adopt
a grandfathering provision similar to the
one in the U.S.
Meanwhile, FMCSA wants vendors to
self-certify their devices, but has yet to provide the tools and test cases the suppliers
need. Canada will also require the devices
be certified, but by what means has yet to
be determined. Wightman says individual
jurisdictions do not want to establish their
own certification processes, and Transport
Canada has little appetite to function as
the certifying body for the devices.
Because of the regulatory structure in
Canada, the federal government does
not have the authority to force the
provinces to accept the mandate for
intra-provincial carriers. And while the
federal transport minister can require
ELDs for extra-provincial carriers, it would
remain up to the provinces to enshrine
SEPTEMBER 2016
43
Transporters bring the
Honda Indy to Toronto
By John G. Smith
On the NASCAR circuit, support trucks
are known as “haulers”. Maybe because the
term just rolls off the tongue with a southern accent. (“We haul, y’all.”) But among
INDYCAR teams, the tractor-trailers that
move cars and equipment from one track
to the next are known as transporters.
And they were in Toronto in mid July for
Toronto’s Honda Indy.
Teams pulled into Exhibition Place
on July 13, lining 75 of the transporters
inside the cavernous Enercare Center as
the road track itself was finalized around
them. It was just the latest stop in a
series that began in St. Petersburg, Florida
in mid-March, and runs until midSeptember when everything concludes in
Sonoma, California.
The time windows are tight in this line
of work. Trucks were marshalled in a staging area so they could polish up and show
up between 10 and 11 am. Once race day
is done, they had to be loaded and back
on the road within three to four hours.
INDYCAR’s own support vehicles bring up
the rear within five hours.
“It’s like herding cats, trying to get them
all there at the same time, making sure
they’re all washed, making sure they’re
all ready to move in,” said Bill Van Zant,
director of operations for INDYCAR.
“Some teams are better at it than others.
The Andretti team is very good at it.”
Permanent tracks are the easiest to
access because they are designed to accept
trucks. Road courses like Toronto present unique challenges. This year especially. The paddocks have traditionally
been assembled outside, but a new hotel
being constructed in the downtown core
required another venue. And that also
meant finding new access points around
closed streets and redirected traffic.
Tasks like that are left to Louis Parsons,
who lays out the paddock area and ensures
the trucks arrive. He also has trucks of his
own to move, coordinating INDYCAR’s
seven support vehicles for business affairs,
44
TODAY’S TRUCKING
RACE
DAY
INDYCAR teams load customized trailers into paddocks within hours,
creating mobile engineering and service bays. (Photos by John G. Smith)
administration, tech teams, safety equipment, the B-train holding 24,000 liters of
fuel to cover the race, and a medical trailer.
He is also the go-to source for teams that
run into truck breakdowns.
“Pretty well everything from the time we
get here to the time we leave,” he says of
the truck-related activities. As for the most
challenging one? “Traffic,” he says without
missing a beat. It’s apparently a universal
problem for truck drivers of every sort.
Penske Racing is one of the largest
teams on the circuit, and had six of its
transporters on site. Four Featherlight
trailers with spread axles and air ride
suspensions haul the equipment and
cars, with Gross Vehicle Weights running
between 74,000 and 80,000 pounds. Then
there’s the truck and trailer known as RP1,
which is Roger Penske’s personal office. A
support truck holds minibikes and golf
carts that deliver team members around
the track. The cars themselves are stored
in the trailers’ upper decks, each holding
a complete race car, a backup with a suspension, and a spare motor.
Simply referring to the equipment as
trailers would fail to reflect the way they’re
used. Four of them interconnect into
a single warren of offices, storage and
workshops. The gearbox trailer holds
workbenches and an office area where
Race Day
the team manager defines strategies and
oversees daily operations. This connects
to a fabrication shop with a lathe, welder
and press, and storage for brakes and consumables. From there a passage connects
to the trailer with the engineering office
and storage for parts produced in house.
Anchoring the far side is the engineering
trailer with space for four engineers and
their drivers, and double-tinted doors to
separate competing teams.
Most teams divide support services for
individual drivers. Gary Yingst, transport
specialist for Penske Racing, thinks the
combined trailers are better suited to creating a team atmosphere.
The Penske equipment is also pulled by
Freightliner Cascadias with DD16 engines,
reflecting Penske’s business connections
with Daimler.
Yingst personally drives Transporter 3,
but he has other roles to fill, just like every
other truck driver on the circuit. In his case
that means focusing on team logistics, and
running the jack for the Number 3 car.
As challenging as the races are, logistics
represents a significant role for every team,
especially as the transporters pass back
and forth across the Canada-U.S. border.
“The manifests are a bit of a hard thing
because constantly you’re hauling different
chassis, different tub numbers, different
engine numbers,” Yingst explains. “In
Iowa, we started the weekend out with a
motor and ended it on not such a good
note, and had to change that. So within
the paperwork you have to detail in your
manifest how you label all that stuff when
you go across the border.”
Van Zant admits that some shipments
have been delayed, but nobody has ever
missed a race because of it. “If a driver’s
licence number is wrong, if a passport
number is wrong, there’s some kind of a
hiccup or inconsistency in the paperwork,
it can be a red flag,” he says. “We take
great detail in specifying and instructing
the teams on what is needed and how to
present the paperwork.” Details like that
are shared through memos and an internal
website, as well as driver meetings such as
one held during a recent stop in Texas.
Hours of Service presents another challenge, depending on how far apart the
races are located. Head offices make a
difference there, too. “We’re always going
back to Charlotte in a day or two turn,”
Yingst says, referring to the Penske headquarters in North Carolina. “For us the
hard part is constantly watching the Hours
of Service and projecting how the weekend
is going to turn out as far as getting resets,
being able to drive the truck legally.”
And while everyone is on hand for
a race, the paddock areas also support
unofficial show-and-shine competitions
among teams. “That starts in house with
Roger [Penske]. He loves his trucks. He
loves his transporters. And as you can see,
he loves things that shine,” Yingst says,
pointing to the gleaming trailer doors as
just one example.
“They take a lot of pride in their stuff,”
Van Zandt agrees. “As far as INDYCAR
goes, even the lower teams have a pretty
nice setup.” TT
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In Gear
48
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EQUIPMENT NEWS, REVIEWS, AND MAINTENANCE TIPS
The Great Equalizer
Vnomics’ True Fuel coaxes driver toward better fuel
efficiency and rewards good driving technique rather
than actual fuel economy. By Jim Park
Since you can’t physically sit beside your
drivers all day, observing and coaching
their driving habits and performance,
some sort of monitoring tool can be
quite useful. However, if drivers see such
devices as annoying or impeding their
ability to drive the truck, they won’t
happily accept the intrusion.
A technology company in Pittsford,
New York has found a happy medium
– a monitoring device that encourages
drivers to do better rather than getting
on their nerves or taking away drivability,
while providing back-office data that
helps fleets coach and instruct drivers on
better driving habits to save fuel.
I know it works because I tried it. I
recently paid a day-long visit to Vnomics,
based near Rochester, New York, and
saw how they had adopted the True Fuel
technology from a military application. I
46
TODAY’S TRUCKING
also spent several hours in their test truck
proving the system’s ability to coax rather
than coerce me into the green zone.
It’s quite a simple system on the surface, with a huge amount of functionality
that fleets can use in a variety of ways.
The in-truck hardware consists of a
reader that plugs into the truck’s data
port with a Y-cable (to keep the connection free for other applications such as
Electronic Logging Devices), and collects
data on vehicle speed, power demand and
engine operation. Each device is matched
to the components on that particular
truck, including things like engine make
and model, ratings, transmission and
rear end ratios, and tire size. It reads
a variety of sensor data that comes off
the Electronic Control Unit and sends
it back to the terminal in bursts via a
cellular connection that’s included in the
VTwo runs are compared. The one with
hard braking, excess idling, and gear changes
at high rpms is on the left. The second nearperfect run is shown on the right.
monthly fee. There’s no display to distract
the driver. The box is about the size of a
paperback novel and can be installed on
or under the dash in less than 15 minutes.
I’ll skip over some of the intricacies of
the back-office software, as it involves
lots of data analysis and algorithms I
barely understand. Managers see only a
very straightforward interface that shows
driver performance and historical trends
as well as current and previous trip data,
all gathered from the truck’s Electronic
Control Module.
The application can do a great deal
more than just evaluate driver performance. For example, it can compare
truck performance and fuel consumption
information and identify underperforming or improperly spec’d trucks.
Much of what makes this work so well
is how Vnomics interprets and displays
the data. Embedded in the system architecture are the engine’s fuel maps as well
as the spec’s and ratings to help interpret
the data. Layered over that are driver
and environmental information that the
In Gear
system uses to determine if the engine
is operated as efficiently as possible. For
example, the system knows if the truck
is 400 or 450 horsepower, whether it’s
empty or loaded, on flat ground or on a
hill. That’s all significant as the driving
technique might be different in each case.
The system doesn’t use fuel consumed
as a driver-rating parameter, but rather
potential fuel economy – given where
you are operating on the fuel map, and
how close you come to using the least
amount of fuel needed to generate the
required power. Among other things,
this immediately deflates any arguments
drivers might have about fleet fuel economy rankings being unfair because they
are subject to external influences. It’s
really about whether or not the driver is
operating the truck correctly.
Ben Stevens, Venomics’ sales engineer
explains it this way. If one driver is getting 7.2 mpg (32.7 L/100 km) out of an
algorithm-determined potential of 7.5
(47), he’s within 4% of the target, which
isn’t bad. However, another driver might
be getting 6.1 mpg (38.6 L/100 km) out of
a potential 6.2 (37.9).
“That driver is a lot closer to potential
and so is probably the better driver,”
he says.
It’s worth noting that True Fuel
works equally well with automatic or
automated transmissions. While some
engines now provide acceleration management programming, many still do not
and older trucks surely won’t have it.
Drivers can still influence the performance of non-manual transmissions by
how aggressively they apply the throttle,
and that’s exactly what True Fuel is
looking at in addition to speed and a few
other parameters.
The results may not be as dramatic as
with a manual transmission, but it’s still
possible to measure driver performance,
apply fuel economy rankings, and establish fuel bonus programs when using
Automated Manual Transmissions or
automatics.
In testing Vnomics True Fuel, I made
two runs over the same course, mostly
stop-and-go driving with a little freeway
time. We were bobtailing in a leased
tractor with a manual transmission (the
system works equally well on automated
and automatic transmissions, too). I don’t
think the fact that we were bobtailing
matters because the system was watching
performance, not fuel consumed.
For the first run I put my bad driver
hat on and deliberately drove as poorly as
I could, that is, hard braking, idling too
much, taking gear changes to wildly high
rpms, running in the wrong gear, etc. It
was so against my nature to drive like this
that I really had to work at it.
Following the run and lunch at the
office, my score was announced as 46 out
of a possible 100. I thought it would be
much worse given how badly I was behaving. Ed Johannes, a customer success
manager who works with Vnomics’ customers after initial installations, told me
he has seen drivers with scores in the low
20s. I can’t even imagine how badly you
have to screw up to earn a score like that.
Run 2 was the “Good Jim” run where
I diligently tried to keep the revs down,
accelerate gently, minimize idling,
skipped gears, etc. Back in my comfort
zone, I did pretty well, causing the alert to
sound only three times for a score of 99.
Incidentally, each of the three times I
messed up and over-revved a gear I was
talking to Ed and Ben about tires – one
of my favorite subjects. This was a real
eye-opener for me. The bottom line is
that the conversation distracted me from
concentrating on my shifting. I blew a
perfect run because I let my mind wander
away from the task at hand. That really
drove home how difficult it is to be a very
good driver. I can certainly drive properly
when I’m thinking about it, but I could
never maintain that level of concentration all day long.
“Some of the drivers in our database
are scoring routinely in low 90s,” says
Johannes, underscoring how good those
drivers really are.
And that may be the real benefit to
True Fuel. A good and diligent driver gets
a gentle alert from a not-unpleasant
sounding beep to remind them that they
are slipping. That’s a lot easier to take
than finding out at the end of the month
that you blew your fuel bonus. TT
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SEPTEMBER 2016
47
In Gear
Yves Provencher
Cold Reality
Greenhouse Gas rules put uniquely
Canadian spec’s at risk: Provencher
By John G. Smith
Plans for a second round of U.S. rules
designed to further reduce Greenhouse
Gas emissions is threatening access to
some uniquely Canadian equipment
spec’s. Such is the warning from an expert
who specializes in third-party testing.
The challenge is that the rules are
promoting changes designed with U.S.
operating conditions in mind, said Yves
Provencher of Quebec-based PIT Group,
in a recent presentation to the Private
Motor Truck Council of Canada. On/
off road equipment, heavy haulers, and
Long Combination Vehicles account for
a larger share of equipment in Canada
than south of the border. And under the
proposed rules, manufacturers will have
a limited number of “credits” to produce
things such as heavier equipment and
aggressive tires.
“We need those big lugs sometimes,”
he said, noting how fuel-saving Low
Rolling Resistance tires may not always be
practical. Some aerodynamic devices can
be damaged in winter conditions as well.
Provencher worries that credits may
lead Original Equipment Manufacturers
to eliminate or discourage “not-so-green
tech”, even though it’s needed for northern operations. But Canadian fleets are
already generating fewer on-highway
48
TODAY’S TRUCKING
Greenhouse Gas emissions because they
are more productive, moving 20% more
tonnes of goods per tonne of produced
gases, he said. Aerodynamic devices can
also perform better in northern climes.
(“Air is more dense in winter.”)
The current focus on Greenhouse
Gases can be traced to several court decisions. In 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court
ruled that vehicle emissions were pollutants. In 2009, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency said that vehicle
Greenhouse Gases endanger public health
and welfare. Besides that, the only way
to produce fewer Greenhouse Gases is to
burn less fuel, and that offers carriers an
operating advantage.
The first round of Greenhouse Gasreducing limits has been met through
aerodynamics, fuel-efficient tires, lighter
weights, reduced idling, and speed governors. The second round of rules – to be
rolled out from 2018 to 2027 – will look
beyond tractors and engines alone, and
also include trailers. Overall, emissions
are to drop 24%, representing a 40%
improvement when compared to 2010
base equipment. Changes to trailers alone
are to address 8%.
The $24 billion cost to the trucking
industry is supposed to save society $230
billion. The curious thing about the promised two-year Return on Investments is
that they’re based on some technology
that doesn’t even exist yet, he observed.
Engine targets are to be met through
optimized combustion, reduced friction,
better air handling and aftertreatment,
as well as waste heat recovery. Trucks
themselves will need to lean on improved
aerodynamics, powertrain efficiencies,
idle-reducing technologies and weight.
Then there are trailer gaps, wheel covers
and tires to consider. For dry vans and
reefers – regulated for the first time –
there will be a need for enhanced aerodynamics, Low Rolling Resistance tires, tire
inflation systems, and lightweighting.
All of those need to be proven in computer models, which are being established
through more than 2,000 simulations and
28 evaluated combinations.
There are also problems there.
Provencher has doubts about “coastdown” tests that measure how long it
takes a truck to roll to a stop. And there
are still questions about how aerodynamic
devices will be tested for the computer
models that manufacturers will use when
certifying equipment. Downspeeding
and downsizing is expected to reduce
emissions 1.5-4%, but it’s hard to
combine both. Governed road speeds
deliver returns, but the lost productivity
is not included in the calculated Return
on Investment.
Lighter weights are not generating the
fuel savings that were expected, he added,
noting that big weight savings are needed
to produce significant benefits. Gains
realized through waste heat recovery have
also fallen short, lowering gas levels about
3% compared to “great promises” that
were initially shown. Turbo compounding
didn’t help as much as expected, either.
Provencher also has challenges with
the “prescriptive” rules that identify
specific components needed to meet the
standards. That could overlook emerging
technology. “What if somebody discovers
in three years from now that we have this
technology that has an advantage?”
“There’s a big fear that you’re going
to end up with vehicles that are not
fully tested,” he says. “We don’t need
less-reliable vehicles. We need morereliable vehicles.” TT
In Gear
ZF tops SAF-Holland
bid for Haldex
ZF Friedrichshafen AG has outbid SAF-Holland in the race to
buy Haldex, which produces
brakes and air suspensions for
heavy trucks, trailers and buses.
The cash deal worth 100
kronor (CDN $15.33) per share
has been approved by the
Haldex Board of Directors, and
values Haldex at $670 million.
It is still subject to regulatory
approval. SAF-Holland had
offered about $14.25 per share.
Just last year, ZF purchased
U.S.-based TRW, and has since
said that it aims to provide
a full lineup of commercial
vehicle systems needed for
ONE SOLUTION:
1.2
16
17
MILLION KM
OR 5 YEAR WARRANTY
SPEED DIRECT DRIVE
AUTOMATED MANUAL
TRANSMISSION
%
STEP
BETWEEN GEARS
ENGINEERED FOR FUEL
EFFICIENCY ON
CANADIAN ROADS.
It knows the roads your trucks drive as well as you do. Built for Canadian applications
(including LCV) with 80k-110k lbs GCW loads, the Eaton® UltraShift™ PLUS LSE has
small ratio steps between all 16 gears to spend more time in the most fuel efficient RPM
band, resulting in 2-4% better fuel economy. Gear changes are short and smooth for
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FUEL
EFFICIENCY
COMFORT
FATIGUE
THE RESULT:
autonomous trucks – all part
of a corporate vision that has
been dubbed “See-Think-Act”.
This month it also acquired a
40% stake in Ibeo Automotive
Systems GmbH, to develop light
detection and ranging technology widely referred to as lidar.
“We believe that our businesses are truly complementary,” says Dr. Stefan Sommer, ZF
Chief Executive Officer, referring
to Haldex. “We are confident
that we will be able to continue
to develop Haldex’s market position under ZF ownership, thanks
to ZF’s technological leadership,
global reach and customer
access, combined with Haldex’s
technological competence, management skills and employees.”
Magnus Johansson, spokesman for the Haldex board,
added that: “ZF’s strong capabilities within electronics and
software development as well
as global reach and customer
access offer an excellent opportunity to further develop Haldex,
thereby allowing Haldex to continue its development of future
braking system and expansion
of its current product portfolio.”
Integrated systems clearly
play a role in developing autonomous vehicles.
This summer, ZF and WABCO
demonstrated a prototype
collision avoidance system
known as Evasive Maneuver
Assist. That combined WABCO’s
OnGuardACTIVE radar-based
collision mitigation system,
Electronic Braking System,
Advanced Emergency Braking
System, Electronic Stability
Control, and vehicle control
systems, which were integrated
with ZF’s electro-hydraulic ReAX
power steering system.
In the prototype, a radar sensor identifies moving or stationary vehicles and alerts the driver
about impending rear-end collisions through visual, audio and
haptic signals (moderate brake
applications). If the driver determines the system can’t avoid a
rear-end collision by driverinitiated or autonomous braking
alone, the EMA engages to help
steer around the obstructing
vehicle and bring the truck and
trailer to a complete stop. TT
© 2016 Eaton. All rights reserved.
SEPTEMBER 2016
49
In Gear
4. Nitrite
Nitrite is present in Nitrite OAT (NOAT
– Nitrite Organic Acid Technology),
Hybrid OAT (HOAT – Hybrid Organic
Acid Technology) or heavy-duty and
fully formulated conventional coolants.
Some of these coolants contain a combination of both nitrite and molybdenum.
Knowing whether an engine’s coolant
exceeds the maximum acceptable level
of nitrite or nitrite and molybdenum (no
more than a combined 3,200 parts per
million) helps prevent inhibitor fallout,
which can lead to cavitation and
degrade glycol.
5. Organic acid
(Photo by Jim Park)
Organic acids are the main inhibitor in
Extended Life Coolants. Diluting these
inhibitors 25% by mixing coolant formulations or topping off with water can
leave the system vulnerable to corrosion.
6. Glycol
Cool Runnings
7 things tracked in a routine coolant analysis
By Cary Forgeron
A routine coolant analysis can identify cooling system problems before they wreak
havoc on other systems and components, significantly reducing the threat of
major repairs. But what does an analysis actually track?
Although water transfers heat, its
effectiveness is limited to a specific temperature range. The addition of glycol in
a coolant offers a wider operating range
than glycol or water alone. Ethylene
glycol is the most commonly used due
to its functionality and low cost. An
adequate glycol range should be between
45% and 60%. Levels of glycol higher
than this can lead to heat transfer issues,
cause additive dropout, and decrease
coolant life.
7. pH
1. Silicon, boron, molybdenum
and phosphorous
These “inhibitors” are used in various
coolant formulas to maximize engine
metal protection and control pH levels.
high levels of either calcium or magnesium, the laboratory will recommend
correcting the source water, flushing the
system, and using a cleaner designed
to remove heavy metal and scale before
refilling with new coolant.
3. Corrosion
pH can provide clues about internal
chemical reactions that could lead to
premature failure. Without proper pH
levels, the coolant struggles to inhibit
corrosion. An adequate pH range for
conventional coolants is 8.0 to 11.
In the case of Extended Life Coolant it’s
7.0 to 9.5. TT
Corrosion indicates that buffers do not
efficiently counter acids that are formed.
Typical sources of corrosion include:
iron from the liner, water pump or
the cylinder block/head; aluminum
from radiator tanks, coolant elbows,
piping, spacer plates or thermostat
housings; and copper or lead from
the radiator, oil cooler, aftercooler or
heater core.
Cary Forgeron of Analysts, Inc. has more
than 15 years of experience in fluid analysis,
helping clients design, implement and
manage oil condition monitoring programs.
An accredited Society of Tribologists and
Lubrication Engineers Certified Lubrication
Specialist (CLS), Forgeron has published
several papers on oil analysis and presented
at industry conferences around the world.
2. Calcium and magnesium
These naturally occurring minerals are
often found when poor tap water is used
to “top off” or replenish coolant levels.
When they react with silicate, sulfate or
the formation of carbonate inhibitors,
scale can form on hot metal surfaces.
The scale insulates these surfaces, causing localized engine overheating, cracked
heads, and head gasket failures; clog
radiators and oil coolers; burn valves;
and oxidize oil. When test results reveal
50
TODAY’S TRUCKING
In Gear
Updated and
Connected
Cummins unveils 2017 X15 and X12
By Rolf Lockwood
Cummins has introduced its 2017 X15
heavy-duty engines and the coming X12.
The new X15 replaces the ISX15, meeting
all 2017 EPA emissions and fuel-efficiency
standards, of course, while adding lower
fuel consumption, extended service intervals, and enhanced performance across
a 400-to-605-horsepower ratings range.
There are two configurations aligned with
duty cycles, the X15 Performance Series
and the X15 Efficiency Series.
Next year’s X15 engines will offer as
much as 3% better fuel economy than
2016 models, and up to 20% more than
2012 versions, Cummins said.
The new platform benefits from
an optimized compression ratio, air
handling system, and cam profile
to increase both fuel efficiency and
performance capability.
Look for full production to start in
January 2017, with as many as 1,400
engines built in the fourth quarter of 2016.
Cummins says its new X12 presents
the highest power-to-weight ratio of any
engine in the 10-to-16-liter class, aimed at
regional-haul, intracity delivery, and vocational trucks. The 11.8-liter engine is rated
up to 475 horsepower and as much as
1,700 lb ft of torque, the peak coming at
a low 1,000 rpm and staying there to over
1,400 rpm, reducing the need for shifting.
The new engine is based on the confusingly named ISG, jointly developed
with Chinese partner Foton, with U.S.
engineers taking the lead role, and used
in China for the last two years.
While it will be built in the Cummins
plant in Jamestown, New York for the
2018 North American launch as the X12,
the G Series has been manufactured
at the Beijing Foton Cummins Engine
Company, a 50-50 joint venture between
Cummins and Foton.
The X12 has been North Americanized,
addressing only the emissions/
aftertreatment system and packaging
factors. It has a dry weight of 2,050
pounds (930 kilograms), which is said
to be 150-600 pounds lighter than all
medium-duty competitors. It sports a
single-cam-in-head design with roller
valve train and high-efficiency intake
ports to minimize complexity.
The X15 Performance Series, rated at
485 to 605 horsepower, aims for heavyhaul, vocational, and emergency-vehicle
applications. An upgraded high-flow
air-handling system gives a faster pedal
(Photo by Rolf Lockwood)
response for enhanced driveability at full
payload and steep-gradient climbing.
Peak torque of up to 2,050 lb ft is delivered across a very wide engine rpm range,
something drivers love. Equally strong
– and quiet – is the engine braking, with
over 450 horsepower available at just
1,500 rpm and up to 600 horsepower at
2,100 rpm.
For linehaul and regional applications,
the X15 Efficiency Series offers ratings
from 400 to 500 horsepower and up to
1,850 lb ft of torque available at 1,000 rpm.
When integrated with the Cummins
and Eaton SmartAdvantage powertrain,
it delivers what the engine maker calls
“class-leading fuel economy”.
Maintenance costs will be reduced by
almost half over the first 800,000 kilometers, compared to the 2010 engine.
Oil-drain intervals for typical linehaul
applications are extended up to 80,000
kilometers, and will stretch to almost
130,000 kilometers for trucks running at
6.5 miles per gallon (36 liters/100 kilometers) or higher with OilGuard – an oil
analysis program to be introduced by
Cummins. Fuel-filter change intervals are
also extended up to as much as 80,000
kilometers, and the crankcase breather
filter is now maintenance-free.
Diesel Particulate Filter cleaning
intervals have been pushed out to almost
1.3 million kilometers.
Every X15 is factory-ready to enable
Over-the-Air engine programming and
customization when connected to an
approved telematics system. Advanced
tools using Cummins Connected
Calibrations and Connected Tuning
Full production of the X15
begins in January, but 1,400
are expected to be built in
the fourth quarter of 2016.
applications mean the X15 can be adjusted and optimized over the air – without
visiting a service bay. Meaning that a
truck that’s been set up for over-the-road
long hauls, for example, can be re-calibrated or re-tuned for stop-and-go local
work literally over the air, on the spot.
The fleet manager sends the update
to the truck from his computer at home
base and the driver is then prompted to
finalize the calibration update when he
next shuts down. A backup of the original
configuration is created just in case.
The X12 will get the same connected
capabilities. TT
SEPTEMBER 2016
51
In Gear
Members of the Shell team field questions during the rollout of
their next generation of Rotella oil. (Photo by John G. Smith)
Flowing Forward
Shell unveils answers to new oil categories
By John G. Smith
Shell Lubricants has officially unveiled a
portfolio of products that meet pending
CK-4 and FA-4 oil categories, which
will play a key role in helping to support
2017 emission standards and improve
fuel economy.
Eager buyers were even able to tap
into the benefits of T5 10W-30 CK-4
oils as early as last month, before the
official December 1 rollout of American
Petroleum Institute labels. “We can’t
licence it as CK-4 yet,” says Matt
Urbanak, Shell’s primary formulator
on the project, “but it will be CK-4 fluid
that’s in the bottle.”
For customers, the new T5 10W-30
synthetic blend can mean fuel economy
gains of 1.6% when compared to a 15W40 benchmark, Shell says. Those results
relied in part on fuel economy tests in
Montreal, which were overseen by PIT
Group, drawing on procedures such as
SAE J1321 tests for highway trucks loaded
at 50%, and J1326 tests for stop-and-go
delivery applications.
“Thinner fluids produces less
resistance, which means less work, which
means better fuel economy,” says Chris
Guerrero, global marketing manager.
“At a low HTHS [High Temperature High
52
TODAY’S TRUCKING
Shear] between 2.9 and 3.2, we know if
you’re there, we know we’re going to see
a difference in fuel economy.”
Shell’s figures even better the conservative estimates of 0.5% that the North
American Council of Freight Efficiency
recently said could be realized by using
low-viscosity oils, which help to offset
the 16% of energy that is wasted through
mechanical factors such as pumping
and friction.
It all represents a new decision for
oil buyers, who will now have to choose
between two distinct oil categories that
will be on shelves at the same time.
The CK-4 products will replace CJ-4
counterparts and will all be backwards
compatible. In contrast, some engine
manufacturers will allow the FA-4 oils
to be used in older equipment, but
others won’t. Pouring a new FA-4 oil in
a pre-2017 engine could lead to lower oil
pressures, particularly at idle, says Dan
Arcy, global OEM technical manager.
“Some of these engines were just not
designed to run on this low viscosity.”
Also coming in December is a new
Rotella T6 5W30 CK-4 that can be used for
diesel and gasoline engines, and Shell says
it meets the needs of both without using
a loophole in the standards that have traditionally leaned on phosphorous levels to
protect catalytic converters in cars.
While much has changed, the company also stresses that its existing CJ-4
oils could also have met CK-4 standards.
“Technically we’ve had a CK-4 product
in the market for the past 10 years,” says
Urbanak, referring to the Rotella T TP
15W40.
Changing labels will play a big role in
helping buyers to identify the difference
between the CK-4 and FA-4 formulas. It
begins with the API donut. One quarter of
its outer ring on an FA4 label will show the
designation in white type on a black background, the reverse of what is in place for
a CK-4. But Shell bottles of FA-4 will also
come with red caps, and labels with red
stripes. The name “Ultra” will help, too.
Needing to choose between two categories of oil is a new challenge, but it has
existed before. The CF and CF-2 oils represented a split category, and an interim
CI-4 Plus oil was introduced before CI-4
officially made way for the CJ-4 category.
The new oil categories represent
a significant change for suppliers. The
CJ-4 oils, first introduced in June 2006,
have been on the market much longer
than categories which went before them.
Much has changed since then, including everything from new metallurgy to
the rising popularity of common-rail
injection systems.
And more equipment changes are
coming. Brown, for example, notes that
engine manufacturers might need to
revise ring clearances, change the nozzle
sizes in sprayers, and alter the bore size
in oil galleries to improve oil pressure in
2017 equipment.
These manufacturers are also the ones
that will set related oil drain intervals,
although there will be no change for legacy engines that begin using CK-4 in place
of CJ-4, Arcy adds.
Next year the focus will be on comparing the formulas to other products, and
field tests will need to be conducted on
the next generation of engines. Looking
further into the future, Shell is even
testing oils with lower viscosities than
FA-4 formulas.
Said Urbanak: “CK-4 and FA-4 was not
the finish line.” TT
PRODUCTWATCH
WHAT’S NEW AND NEWS FROM SUPPLIERS
For more new product items, visit PRODUCT WATCH on the web at todaystrucking.com
Daimler
launches
Detroit DD5
Production of the DD5 engine
in the Freightliner M2106
starts this fall
In October buyers will be able to buy
a four-cylinder Freightliner M2 106
truck, powered by the new Detroit DD5
engine, EPA-certified to 2017 standards.
A six-cylinder DD8 will arrive in 2018.
The Pickup-and-Delivery world is the
company’s first target with the DD5,
which shares some design principles and
elements with its larger DD13, DD15,
and DD16 brethren. That includes
diagnostic and connectivity features.
The DD5 benefits over competitive
engines, DTNA says, include “best in
class” scheduled maintenance intervals.
For short-haul Pickup and Delivery
applications buyers will enjoy extended
oil and fuel-filter change intervals up
to 45,000 miles (72,420 kilometers). For
severe-duty work that will drop to a
respectable 35,000 miles (56,325 kilometers) and for easier highway work it will
rise to 50,000 miles (80,470 kilometers).
The engine has undergone extensive
development work – like 3 million miles
in a 12-truck test fleet – and boasts
impressive durability with an expected
B10 life of 400,000 miles (about 643,750
kilometers). That means 10% of DD5
engines will require an overhaul after
traveling that distance. It comes with
a three-year/250,000-mile engine and
aftertreatment system warranty.
The engine will first be offered in two
ratings – 210 horsepower and 575 lb ft of
torque, and another at 230/660. Testing,
says Detroit, has proven that the DD5
will provide best-in-class fuel efficiency
– 3% better than the closest competitor,
with more to come in the near future.
DD5 customers will get the Detroit
Connect Virtual Technician remote
diagnostics system to make service
decisions that minimize downtime.
The 5.1-liter DD5 engine uses
common design principles found on
the heavy-duty platform and also intro-
duces leading-edge technologies of its
own – such as variable cam phasing,
which optimizes thermal management
under low-engine-load conditions and
improves the performance of the aftertreatment system. This is a key benefit
in the Pickup and Delivery segment
where low-load stop-and-go operating conditions mean it’s hard to keep
operating temperatures high.
Vocational applications will have to
wait until later in 2018 when Power Take
Off options and stronger horsepower
ratings are offered. They’ll come after production shifts from Germany to Detroit.
See www.demanddetroit.com
SEPTEMBER 2016
53
Product Watch
FLEET MANAGEMENT
PLATFORM
events to aid driver training.
The platform brings data about vehicle location and activity, workflow and
forms, real-time maps, maintenance
alerts, and safety into a single screen
to serve as the nerve center for a fleet’s
operation, the company says. There are
also advanced capabilities such as vehicle diagnostics, visual dashboards, and
comprehensive reporting.
Director is a completely web-based
application for fleets in a variety of
industries, from long-haul transportation
to construction.
Teletrac Navman is also developing an
Electronic Logging Device feature, set to
launch in early 2017, which will provide
comprehensive Hours of Service information on an individual and fleet-wide level.
Director is based on a monthly subscription service – between US$30 and
$100 per truck (CDN $39 and $130),
depending on features deployed – with
no upfront costs.
See www.teletracnavman.com
TELETRAC NAVMAN ANNOUNCES
ITS DIRECTOR SOFTWARE PLATFORM
Teletrac Navman’s new software
platform, Director, is now available
worldwide. It tracks assets and collects
valuable data to enhance productivity.
Offering fuel-use tracking, messaging,
and routing along with driver-behavior
analysis tools and concise reporting features, Director aims to help
businesses fine tune strategies and
reduce operating costs. Its signature
safety module, Safety Analytics, scores
driver performance based on company
priorities and replays unsafe driving
Richwil Truck Centre
Andy McLean
(506) 324-3697
richwil.com
TRAILED BY INNOVATION
I
Richwil
RS
ALE
OR
Richwil
FIVE
NEW
DE
AUTH
ZE
Trans East Trailers
Tim Lutes
(506) 854-2225
transeasttrailers.com
E
D M
ARITIM
East Coast
Trans East
Gillis
Moncton
Woodstock
Baddeck
Fredericton
East Coast
Nova Truck
Saint John
New Glasgow
Truro
East Coast
Nova Truck
Halifax
54
TODAY’S TRUCKING
Nova Truck Centres
Bill Tait
(902) 895-6381
novatruckcentres.ca
East Coast International
Mike Lyman
(506) 852-0992
eastcoastint.com
Gillis Truckways Inc
Duncan Gillis
(902) 295-2000
gillistruckways.com
CONFIGURABLE REPORTS
AND ANALYSIS
BLUE TREE SYSTEMS LAUNCHES
FLEETMANAGER.COM
Blue Tree Systems has announced
FleetManager.com, a new analytics and
information management platform where
fleet managers get the insights they need
from data, regardless of source or location.
It offers advanced features such as customizable workspaces for different users,
dynamic search, advanced mapping,
multiple ways to categorize drivers and
vehicles, and administrator configuration
options for multiple users.
It’s the new point of entry for Blue Tree
customers that builds on the data analytics of R:COM – the company’s existing
data reporting platform – and combines
it with new features that are said to
offer fleets faster, more accessible, and
personalized access to their data. With
FleetManager.com, each user creates their
own workspace – to select the data types
they want to see, filter and sort the data,
arrange how they want to see it, and save
their view for their next visit. With asset
categorization, rapid drill-down through
search algorithms, and pre-defined widget
templates, users can connect assets in any
way they want in a highly visual way.
From its cloud architecture,
FleetManager.com is easier to access
than legacy reporting systems, the
company says, allowing immediate access
from any machine at any time, anywhere
in the world.
The Blue Tree platform is said to
reduce fuel costs, improve driver and
vehicle performance, automate Hours
of Service management, and protect
temperature-sensitive cargo addressed
under the Food Safety Modernization
Act. In-cab products provide temperature monitoring, driver communication,
turn-by-turn truck-specific navigation,
and vehicle inspection reporting, on any
Android device.
See www.bluetreesystems.com
MOBILE TRAINING APP
MEDIUM-DUTY RETREAD
CARRIERSEDGE OFFERS DEDICATED
APP FOR TRUCK DRIVER TRAINING
MICHELIN’S NEW RETREAD FOR
MEDIUM-DUTY DELIVERY VEHICLES
CarriersEdge recently launched an
Apple/Android mobile training app
for truck drivers. It can be used to
access the company’s complete library
of orientation and refresher courses
and knowledge tests, as well as custom
content from trucking companies.
Ontario-based, the company offers
courses on defensive driving, winter
driving, Hours of Service and logbooks
(in the U.S. and Canada), cargo securement, hazardous materials, recognizing and preventing fatigue, among
other topics.
Features of the mobile app include
push notifications so fleets can notify
drivers of new training assignments
or when deadlines for completing
courses are approaching. The app also
simplifies access for drivers. Once the
app is installed, drivers stay logged in
and don’t have to remember a password. Resuming training is as simple
as tapping an icon.
See www.carriersedge.com
Michelin North America (Canada)
has introduced the MD XDN2 PreMold retread for regional medium-duty
vehicles with 19.5-inch wheels. It’s a
drive position retread, suited to food
and beverage, parcel package, and
Pickup and Delivery
applications
faced with tough
start/stop and
curbing conditions.
The MD XDN 2 features an 18/32inch tread depth for 190/200 tread
sizes and a 20/32-inch tread depth
for 210/220/230 tread sizes. The tread
design minimizes internal casing temperature to contribute to a longer casing and tread life. Wide, open-shoulder
grooves provide outstanding wear,
says Michelin, and full-depth sipes are
claimed to deliver excellent traction.
See www.michelintruck.com
TOUGH MIXEDSERVICE TIRE
GOODYEAR ARMOR MAX PRO GRADE
MSD FOR RUGGED APPLICATIONS
Goodyear Tire and Rubber has
introduced its all-new Armor Max
Pro Grade MSD tire for construction,
cement, dump, and
coal-field trucks.
It’s said to build on
the Goodyear G177,
while providing
enhanced traction
and miles to removal.
It’s available with
Goodyear’s DuraSeal
Technology, which in
the repairable area of
its tread instantly seals nail punctures
up to 1/4 inch in diameter. The Armor
Max Pro Grade MSD also boasts a
premium-quality casing for enhanced
retreadability, says Goodyear.
Currently the tire is available in
11R22.5, 11R24.5, and 12R22.5 sizes, all
Load Range H.
See www.goodyeartrucktires.com
NEW BANDAG
DRIVE TREADS
BRIDGESTONE INTRODUCES
AFFORDABLE DR 5.3 AND DR 4.3
DRIVE RETREADS
Bridgestone offers two new Bandag
retreads, rounding out a trio of patterns designed to balance performance
and affordability. The DR 5.3 and DR
4.3 retreads for drive axles help deliver
longevity and long-term value without
a premium price tag, the company
says. They’re available now.
The new treads follow the TR 4.1
trailer pattern introduced late last year
The Bandag DR 5.3 closed-shoulder drive pattern for over-the-road
applications is said to feature a robust,
solid shoulder for long tread life and
uniform wear with an aggressive lug
pattern for strong traction.
The Bandag DR 4.3 open-shoulder
drive pattern for on- and mild offroad applications also features a wide
center rib for stability and even wear
with an open shoulder that provides
strong evacuation and traction in
adverse weather conditions, along with
a strong grip for chains.
See www.bandag.com
SEPTEMBER 2016
55
Diesel
Price Watch
Price
cents per litre
Previous Week
(+/-)
Excl.
Taxes
WHITEHORSE
VANCOUVER *
VICTORIA
PRINCE GEORGE
KAMLOOPS
KELOWNA
FORT ST. JOHN
ABBOTSFORD
YELLOWKNIFE
CALGARY *
RED DEER
EDMONTON
LETHBRIDGE
LLOYDMINSTER
GRANDE PRAIRIE
REGINA *
SASKATOON
PRINCE ALBERT
MOOSE JAW
WINNIPEG *
BRANDON
TORONTO *
OTTAWA
KINGSTON
PETERBOROUGH
WINDSOR
LONDON
SUDBURY
SAULT STE MARIE
THUNDER BAY
NORTH BAY
TIMMINS
HAMILTON
ST. CATHARINES
BARRIE
BRANTFORD
GUELPH
KITCHENER
OSHAWA
MONTRÉAL *
QUÉBEC
SHERBROOKE
GASPÉ
CHICOUTIMI
RIMOUSKI
TROIS RIVIÈRES
DRUMMONDVILLE
VAL D’OR
GATINEAU
SAINT JOHN *
FREDERICTON
MONCTON
BATHURST
EDMUNDSTON
MIRAMICHI
CAMPBELLTON
SUSSEX
WOODSTOCK
HALIFAX *
SYDNEY
YARMOUTH
TRURO
KENTVILLE
NEW GLASGOW
CHARLOTTETOWN *
ST JOHNS *
GANDER
LABRADOR CITY
CORNER BROOK
GRAND FALLS
107.9
112.6
106.8
103.3
102.1
103.3
105.7
102.5
107.9
90.4
88.4
90.1
91.9
88.7
90.0
93.6
92.3
94.1
93.7
93.8
95.7
89.7
89.1
88.9
88.5
88.5
91.3
89.7
95.8
99.8
92.5
98.8
91.2
89.0
87.7
88.3
88.9
88.8
86.9
96.0
96.6
94.0
95.4
92.0
96.3
95.8
97.1
92.7
95.6
94.4
96.4
95.7
97.0
97.2
97.1
96.5
95.4
100.3
84.8
88.9
86.5
85.6
85.0
85.6
95.5
104.0
106.6
123.3
104.0
106.6
0.0
-1.6
0.2
-1.2
-0.8
0.3
-0.4
-1.4
0.0
-0.9
-0.3
1.9
0.0
-0.9
-0.3
-0.2
-0.5
0.0
0.2
-1.1
0.6
-1.7
-1.7
-0.5
-1.4
-0.6
-1.4
-2.3
-0.8
-0.6
-0.2
0.0
-0.5
-1.3
-2.1
-1.5
-1.0
-1.0
-2.2
-1.6
-1.1
-2.6
-1.3
-1.3
-1.3
-1.5
-1.6
-4.1
-0.6
-3.0
-2.9
-3.2
-2.8
-1.8
-2.9
-2.8
-2.7
-1.4
-2.8
-2.3
-2.8
-2.7
-2.7
-3.4
0.0
-2.9
0.1
-3.0
-2.9
-2.9
91.6
69.5
71.5
71.7
70.6
71.7
74.0
71.0
89.7
69.1
67.1
68.8
70.5
67.5
68.7
70.2
68.9
70.6
70.2
71.3
73.1
61.1
60.5
60.4
60.0
60.0
62.5
61.1
66.5
70.0
63.6
69.2
62.4
60.5
59.3
59.8
60.4
60.3
58.6
59.3
59.8
57.5
62.6
59.6
61.5
59.2
60.3
60.2
59.0
56.6
58.3
57.7
58.9
59.0
58.9
58.4
57.5
61.7
54.3
57.9
55.8
55.0
54.5
55.0
59.6
64.9
67.2
81.7
64.9
67.2
CANADA AVERAGE (V)
95.0
-1.5
64.3
CITY
HIGH PERFORMANCE
ENGINE OILS
total-canada.ca
Updated prices at www.kentgroupltd.com • Prices as of August 9, 2016 • V-Volume Weighted. (+/-) indicates price variations from previous week. Diesel includes both full-serve and self-serve prices. The Canada average price is based on the relative weights of 10 cities (*)
Product Watch
Product Watch
ALLISON 4700 IN T880
KENWORTH T880 SHORT-HOOD MODEL
NOW AVAILABLE WITH ALLISON 4700 RDS
For demanding vocational applications,
Kenworth now offers the seven-speed
Allison 4700 Rugged Duty Series fully
automatic transmission with the 116.5inch-BBC Kenworth T880 short hood.
The 4700 RDS is available with the
PACCAR MX-13 engine as well as the
MX-11, which provides a 400-pound
weight saving over the 13-liter engine.
The transmission is said to improve
driveability, allowing truck operators
to creep slowly and perform other lowspeed maneuvers. This suits it to readymix applications where drivers require
maximum speed control for maneuverability in steep and difficult terrain, or
with mixer trucks that move slowly while
pouring concrete for street curbs or
other projects in confined spaces.
By coupling the Allison 4700 RDS
with the PACCAR MX-11 and the T880
short hood, Kenworth says truck operators get a truck with a lighter Gross
Combination Weight and an additional
six inches of body space on the chassis
for more payload.
See www.kenworth.com and
www.allisontransmission.com
pany’s standard lifetime warranty.
Included are upper and lower lumbar support; a 135-degree swivel base
that allows the driver to spin the seat
inboard if they want access to the cab;
and numerous adjustments built into
the seat to ensure comfort for every body
type, the company says.
Drivers can also choose a heated or
cooled backrest and seat cushion, along
with a revitalizing massager.
See www.minimizer.com/product/
long-haul-series
MINIMIZER OFFERS
NEW SEATS
A NEW LINE OF TRUCK SEATS
MADE BY ISRINGHAUSEN
Minimizer, better known for fenders and
mudflaps, is adding to its product line with
heavy-duty truck seats. It partnered with
Isringhausen to produce a truck seat built
to a high standard, the company claims.
The Long Haul Series consists of six
different seats, all equipped with 14 standard features. They come with the com-
YOU CAN’T GET THERE
FROM HERE
Many readers correctly identified our August mystery location as Kelowna’s
William R. Bennett Bridge, a 1,060-meter pontoon bridge built in 2008 over
Okanagan Lake. Congratulations to hat winners like Randy Besharatin in
Winnipeg, Darrin Taylor of Ontario, and Gord Procyk in Saskatchewan. Our
September contest item is now ready for your guesses. What and where is
this photo, dear readers? If you think you know, contact Today’s Trucking
associate editor Dave Nesseth at 416-614-5813. You can also reach him
by e-mail at [email protected]. Please remember to include your address
details so we can send your prize.
August
Answer:
Kelowna’s William
R. Bennett Bridge, a
1,060-meter pontoon
bridge built in 2008
over Okanagan Lake.
56
TODAY’S TRUCKING
YOU CAN’T GET THERE FROM HERE
c/o Today’s Trucking Magazine
451 Attwell Drive, Toronto, ON M9W 5C4
Phone: 416-614-5813 • Fax: 416-614-8861
Or email: [email protected]
P.S. If you call your answer in, don’t forget to leave your contact details!
National Advertisers
Cat Scale
16
www.catscale.com
Cummins Canada
24
www.cummins.com
Deloupe
54
www.deloupe.com
Detroit Diesel Engines/
Western Star
19
www.westernstar.com/engines
Eaton
49
www.ultrashiftplus.com
Eberspaecher
43
www.eberspaecher-na.com
ExpoCam
30
www.expocam.ca
Freightliner
Cover – Gatefold
www.freightlinertrucks.com
Great Dane Trailers
59
www.greatdanetrailers.com
Hino
22
www.hinocanada.com
Howes Lubricator
45
www.howeslube.com
Imperial Oil
20
www.mobildelvac.ca
International Truck & Engine
10
www.InternationalTrucks.com
Isaac Instruments
17
www.isaac.ca
Mack Trucks
26
www.macktrucks.com
PeopleNet
Communications
32 (split ad)
www.peoplenetonline.ca
Peterbilt
Back cover
www.peterbilt.com
Prolam
4
www.prolamfloors.com
Ridewell
39
www.ridewellcorp.com
SAF Holland
42
www.safholland.ca
Shell
8
www.shell.ca/rotella
Stoughton Trailers
15
www.StoughtonTrailers.com
Surface Transportation Summit 34-35
www.surfacetransportationsummit.com
Today’s Trucking
32 (split ad)
Total Canada Inc.
55
www.total-canada.ca
Transbroker
47
www.transbroker.ca
Truck & Trailer
38
www.trackandtrailer.ca
Volvo Trucks North America
6
www.volvotruckscanada.com
Western Star
18
www.westernstar.com
COMPANIES IN THE NEWS
A
Allison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Analysts, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Apex Specialized Rigging and Moving . . . . . . . 21
Arnold Bros. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Automotive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
B
Bandstra Transportation Systems . . . . . . . . . . . 21
BigRoad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Birdseye Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Bison Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Blue Tree Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Bridgestone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
C
Canada Cartage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
CargoNet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
CarriersEdge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
CH Robinson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Coastal Pacific Xpress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
ColdStar Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Continental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Cummins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
D
DAF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Daimler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
DAT Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Detroit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
F
Foton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Freightliner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45, 53
G
Goodyear Tire and Rubber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
GX Transportation Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
H
Haldex. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Highlight Motor Freight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Hutton Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
I
INDYCAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Integrated Risk Solutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
ISAAC Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Iveco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
J
JJ Keller. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31, 41
K
Ken Johnson Trucking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Kenworth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Kenworth Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
L
Left Lane Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
M
Mack Trucks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
MAN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Michelin North America (Canada). . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Minimizer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
O
Ocean Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
P
PACCAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Paul’s Hauling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Penner International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12, 58
Penske Racing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Peterbilt Atlantic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
PIT Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Polaris Global Logistics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Pride Truck Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
R
Ritchie Bros. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Ryder System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13, 21
S
SAF-Holland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
SelecTrucks of Toronto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Shaw Tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Shell Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Stewart Trailers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
T
Tayson Truck and Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Teletrac Navman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Tesla Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Trailcon Leasing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
TRW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
U
Upper Canada Truck Sales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
V
Vnomics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Volkswagen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Volvo Trucks North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Volvo/Renault . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
W
WABCO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Wrightspeed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Z
ZF Friedrichshafen AG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
SEPTEMBER 2016
57
Faces
This year's national truck
driving championships are
scheduled September 14-18
at the municipal airport in
Brantford, Ontario.
David K. Henry has competed in
10 driving competitions, and fallen
outside the Top 3 only twice.
Course corrections
There are lessons to learn during driving championships
By David K. Henry
In 1994 I was driving for a small
Winnipeg-based carrier when asked
whether our company should enter
upcoming provincial truck driving
championships. After replying it would
be a great idea, I was told that I would
personally compete in the tandemtandem class.
That wasn’t exactly what I had
planned.
I was more than a little conflicted. I
had grown up competitive by nature,
but when returning to trucking after a
near-fatal farm accident I had vowed
to take time to enjoy life. Could I be
competitive anymore?
While I was clearly a rookie when
showing up for the competition, an
Arnold Bros. driver took the time to chat
about what to expect during the driving
portion. In the tandem-tandem event,
two-thirds of my competitors were former champs. My unofficial mentor, a
former champ himself, pointed out that
anyone could win. It was meant to be a
fun day. And he was right.
When I returned to the competitions
a little over a decade ago, after joining
Penner International, I decided to take
the competitions seriously. It’s also when
58
TODAY’S TRUCKING
I found myself applying the competition’s
lessons to my daily job.
Defects on the course are created by
inspectors who are amazing at hiding
little things that can cost you a first-place
showing. Are you able, under pressure, to
spot a mud flap that is a half inch shorter
than the other? How about a knot in the
seatbelt hidden behind the window curtain? One pin on the sliding bogeys isn’t
fully engaged, a rock is jammed between
the duals, a crank handle is not locked in
place. They all serve as reminders to conduct daily pre-trips with a discerning eye.
The written exams also reflect
the stuff we need to know but rarely
revisit. What is the adjustment limit
on a Type 30 brake chamber? (That’s 2.5
inches.) The details matter. I’ve never
met a roadside inspector who will accept
“I don’t know” as an acceptable answer
to their questions.
The road courses themselves are certainly tough. Inches, not feet, count here.
The clover leaf obstacle for Super Bs,
and the serpentines for all other classes,
are the ones I watch closest. Only two
drivers out of close to 50 performed that
maneuver with no issues during this
year’s Manitoba competition. It involves
weaving in and out of pylons on both
sides of the truck, so knowing your offtrack is critical. The back of the trailer on
your blind side is just a distant memory.
Back on the job after a competition I
find myself paying even more attention
to the little details when maneuvering my
rig. How much is my off-track in this situation? Can I back in off the street with
only one pull-up so traffic can get by me?
Sure, I’ve been an OK driver. I grew
up farming and pulling wide machinery
through narrow spaces. But without a
doubt, competitions have improved my
skill level. I have met some great drivers
and industry ambassadors, and I’ve
enjoyed the chance to have family and
friends see me at work.
I’ve now competed about 10 times,
and fallen outside the Top 3 only twice.
A first-place finish still eludes me, but the
benefits of competing remain.
As for the first competition in 1994?
I remember that I beat the driver who
mentored me by one spot. And I’ve
followed his example with a willingness
to mentor those who might become
champions themselves.
Even if it means they might beat me
by one spot. TT
For more than a century, Great Dane has delivered unparalleled Americanmade products. As the times have changed, our products have changed
too, incorporating smarter technology, greater innovation and better
customization. But running through every refrigerated and dry freight
trailer, every flatbed and every truck body we make is one thing that will
never change: our commitment to helping you get the job done. Let’s go.
GreatDaneTrailers.com
GREAT DANE AND THE OVAL ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF GREAT DANE LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

THE ROAD RODEO - Today`s Trucking

Transcription

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