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I-40 enforcement push starts Wednesday in 8 states |  | 
You already know you’ll be sharing the highways with a lot more four-wheelers than usual as Thanksgiving arrives, but you can also expect to see more cops if you happen to travel one particular interstate. Troopers in eight states will be out in force along Interstate 40 during the two biggest Thanksgiving travel times. There will be troopers every 20 miles along I-40 in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina for what organizers call the “I-40 Challenge.” Expect to see more troopers from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27, and Sunday. They will be watching for distracted drivers, seatbelt violations, impaired drivers, and speeding. AAA says more than 55 million travelers plan trips of 50 miles or more away from home for Thanksgiving, most of them by car. That means Thanksgiving 2019 will have the second-highest travel volume since AAA began tracking it in 2000, trailing only the record set in 2005. AAA says 1.6 million more people will travel next week compared with last year, a 2.9% increase. The vast majority of those holiday travelers — some 49.3 million travelers — will drive to their destinations. INRIX, a transportation analytics company, expects Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 27, to be the worst travel period nationally, with trips taking as much at four times longer than normal in major metropolitan areas. Volvo announces mass layoffs due to lack of demand for trucks | |
Volvo plans to lay off hundreds of workers at a Virginia plant due to an expected decrease in the demand for trucks. Volvo has confirmed the they plan to lay off around 700 people at the Dublin, Virginia, plant at the end of the year. Currently, about 3,300 people work at the plant. Volvo points to an expected downturn in the North American truck market as a reason for the layoff. The company reportedly expects the North American truck market to be down 30% or 100,000 trucks in 2020, according to WHSV. The layoffs are scheduled to begin on January 20, 2020. Someone just paid $12 million for a custom semi truck | |
The man who built the truck says that he put seven years and $7 million into it.
 One of the most eye-catching custom trucks in the world just sold for millions at an overseas auction. Thor24, a highly customized 1984 Peterbuilt 359, was sold for a whopping $12 million to an unnamed buyer at the Worldwide Auctioneers event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Fox News reports. The auction was part of a five day automotive show featuring historic, rare, and custom vehicles from around the world. The truck was built by entrepreneur Mike Harrah, who says that he put seven years of work and $7 million into the truck. The Thor24 truck features swords, battle axes, skulls, and graphics of Norse gods in battle. Here are the truck specifications listed on the THOR24 website:
You can get a closer look at the Thor24 truck in the video below. Anheuser-Busch makes zero-emissions beer run | |
ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Anheuser-Busch, in partnership with Nikola Motor Company and BYD Motors, completed their first ever ‘Zero-Emission Beer Delivery’ in the company’s hometown of St. Louis — utilizing both companies’ innovative fleet technology to deliver beer from the local Anheuser-Busch brewery to the Enterprise Center using only zero-emission trucks. On November 21 a Nikola hydrogen-electric truck picked up the load of beer, including flagship beer brand Bud Light, and delivered it to Anheuser-Busch local wholesaler partner, Lohr Distributors — marking the first commercial delivery onboard a Nikola hydrogen-electric vehicle. Lohr Distributors then delivered the beer to the Enterprise Center, home of the St. Louis Blues, on a BYD electric truck. “At Anheuser-Busch, we are continuously searching for innovative ways to improve sustainability across our entire value chain, progressing towards reaching our sustainability goals and driving our industry forward,” said Ingrid De Ryck, Vice President of Procurement and Sustainability at Anheuser-Busch. “No single company can build a more sustainable future alone but this zero-emission delivery has shown what is possible when we bring together the various strengths and assets within our supplier network to work towards a shared objective of a better world.” Last year, Anheuser-Busch placed an order for up to 800 hydrogen-electric powered semi-trucks from Nikola, a pioneer in hydrogen-electric renewable technology. The partnership will help the brewer transition their entire long-haul dedicated fleet to zero-emission vehicles. “As the first commercial delivery of freight with our hydrogen-electric truck, this is an exciting time for both Nikola and Anheuser-Busch. This milestone will become an example for all other OEM’s to move away from diesel trucks and towards zero emission vehicles,” said Trevor Milton, Nikola’s chief executive officer. “We look forward to helping the Anheuser-Busch team achieve their sustainability goals by leveraging Nikola’s zero-emissions technology. We are now preparing production vehicles for Anheuser-Busch and plan on delivering the trucks as fast as possible.” To complement the Nikola partnership within their routes, Anheuser-Busch also announced a pilot project with BYD in California last month to improve the sustainability of their fleet at four Anheuser-Busch distribution facilities across southern California. The 21 BYD electric trucks as well as a 958.5 kW solar array to charge the vehicles will be implemented this year as the largest Class 8 electric truck deployment in North America. “Partnering with Anheuser-Busch is a great opportunity to showcase BYD’s performance and reliability with an industry leader,” said Stella Li, President of BYD Motors. “Our dedication to innovation pairs nicely with Anheuser-Busch’s sustainability commitment.” New PA winter plan hopes to ease trucker travel pains | |
Winter trucking in Pennsylvania ought to be less uncertain and restrictive than it was a year ago. The commonwealth has a new draft process in place for when and how it will restrict vehicles — especially trucks — during snowstorms and other bad weather. It also has a new way to inform truckers of those restrictions. The state’s trucking industry, while optimistic, is also waiting to see how things go one serious winter weather arrives. In short, when heavy snows, high winds, and/or freezing rain descend on Pennsylvania this winter, truckers will need to slow down and stick to the right lane. They will also have a fair warning in advance of when they need to do so, and when further, more restrictive measures are put in place. That’s the heart of a policy the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and its partners will follow this winter in efforts to keep travelers safe, and also keep trucks moving. The draft policy comes on the heels of numerous complaints a year ago that limited or banned truck travel numerous times, and saw police issuing violations — 827 during one particularly brutal February storm — that cost as much as $300. Alexis Campbell, PennDOT’s press secretary last week said the agency worked for the past several months with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, the Turnpike Commission and the State Police to formulate the draft framework for handling winter weather travel restrictions. In place is a five-tiered process that restricts travel by vehicles based on the severity of the weather and highway conditions. Tier One limits travel by certain kinds of vehicles, including some trucks, while Tier Five is a complete travel ban for almost all. Trucks exempt from travel restrictions are those of public utilities restoring essential services, fire, and other emergency services, tow trucks and trucks making emergency deliveries of liquid fuels such as fuel oil, gasoline, and propane. Kevin Stewart is the president of the 1,400-member Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association and said his organization had requested the inclusion of the “45 mph and stay in the right lane” provision. Stewart said he shared PennDOT’s travel restriction guidelines with the group’s board of directors who he said expressed both optimism and caution. “This is better than last year,” said Stewart. “But the proof will be in the pudding of how this works out this winter.” Stewart also said PennDOT agreed to have a separate page on 511PA dedicated to commercial vehicles where restrictions on trucks could be posted and on social media outlets before they are put into effect. Last year, said Stewart, restrictions were in effect as soon as they were announced and truckers often had little if any warning. The plan “will remain in draft format until we see how the procedures work for this winter weather season; the draft can be updated as necessary if needed as we look at incident statistics and data after each incident,” according to Campbell. She added, “Whenever restrictions are initiated, we communicate them to the industry as soon as we can so they can plan accordingly. We are also as flexible as possible with implementing restrictions based on the weather, including delaying implementation and adjusting which roadways are impacted as well as removing restrictions as soon as we can safely do so. We tailor the restrictions based on forecasts, so we use a mix of full commercial restrictions and restrictions on only certain types of vehicles.” The decision to enact restrictions is made collaboratively between PennDOT, State Police, PEMA, the PA Turnpike Commission. She said PennDOT, the state police and PEMA review CMV restrictions hourly once they have been initiated to determine if the conditions warrant the ban or if it can be lifted. Campbell said Pennsylvania will also continue to coordinate with neighboring states to minimize traffic impacts at the borders as much as possible. Campbell cited as an example that Pennsylvania may keep some of its restrictions in place longer because New Jersey still has its in place and CMVs and others may be traveling out of Pennsylvania and into New Jersey. Previously, Campbell said,“Ultimately our goal is we need to keep people safe and we need to keep the public safe and we want to keep CMV drivers safe too. When we implement restrictions we don’t have big crashes that close interstates down. When there’s a CMV crash, it’s a bigger deal. Roadways can be blocked, there could be hazmat cleanup, all sorts of things can get more complicated.” PennDOT’s James May last week told WNEP-TV, “We’re hoping it’s a good compromise where they can still keep moving. They can still be out there and make a living and keep the commerce going but also do so that is safe for the public.” PennDOT plows more than 94,000 miles of snow lanes — over 40,000 miles of highways in both directions, plus on/off ramps and other surfaces — this winter. The five tiers of weather-related travel restrictions include: Tier 1 • Tractors without trailers • Tractors towing unloaded or lightly loaded enclosed trailers, open trailers or tank trailers. A lightly loaded CMV is defined as a vehicle that is less than 1/3rd of the GVWR (vehicle weight and cargo weight combined). • Tractors towing unloaded or lightly loaded tandem trailers • Enclosed cargo delivery trucks that meet the definition of a CMV • Passenger vehicles (cars, SUV’s, pick-up trucks, etc.) towing trailers, to include Recreational travel trailers and fifth-wheel trailers; enclosed cargo trailers; open cargo trailers; vehicle transport trailers • Recreational vehicles/motorhomes • School buses, commercial buses, and motor coaches • Motorcycles Tier 2 Tier 1, plus all CMV’s towing loaded tandem trailers Tier 3 Tier 1 and 2, plus all loaded CMV’s except for those carrying full coverage tire chains for at least two drive wheels, or those with approved alternate traction devices (ATDs). Tire chains do not need to be installed, but need to be readily available for use should the vehicle become stuck and not be able to move because of poor traction. Tier 4 Tier 1, 2, and 3, plus all CMV’s regardless of loading or availability of tire chains or approved alternate traction devices. This is referred to as a complete CMV ban. Tier 5 Tier 1, 2, 3, and 4, plus all passenger vehicles Logistics Firm Mode Reaches Agreement in $2.3 Billion Merger With SunteckTTS | |
 Dallas-based Mode Transportation and SunteckTTS Inc. have reached an agreement to merge the two transportation and logistics companies under the Mode branding, generating more than $2 billion in annual revenue, according to a release. The two companies believe the merger will allow it to leverage even larger scale and resources to serve the shipping and logistics market. Mode Transportation’s services will include freight services across trucking, rail, air and sea. The company anticipates it will see more than 1.5 million annual customer shipments. “We are very excited to announce this transaction with SunteckTTS. Our two companies are built on a similar culture of outstanding customer service,” Mode CEO Jim Damman said in a statement, “The addition of SunteckTTS’ robust agent, product and customer base further strengthens Mode’s broad diversity of service offerings, while continuing to position Mode as a premium provider of technology-driven logistics.” Once the merger is complete, Damman will become the chief executive of the new company and its operations will remain based in Dallas. SunteckTTS CEO Ken Forster will become president and chief operating officer of the new company. Mode recently announced it was moving headquarters in Dallas to a new facility that would nearly double its space. The logistics firm recorded $600 million in revenue before it was acquired by an affiliate of York Capital Management in 2018 in a deal valued at $238.5 million. Mode ranks No. 12 and SunteckTTS No. 10 on the Transport Topics list of Top Freight Brokerage Firms. Source of this article and other great articles |
Cummins to lay off 2000 amid downturn in demand for trucks | |
Engine manufacturer Cummins Inc. announced that they’d be laying off thousands of workers due to reduced demand. Cummins announced on Monday that they would lay off 2,000 of the company’s 62,000 total global workforce. The layoffs are expected to start at the beginning of 2020. The company issued a statement outlining the reasons for the layoffs:
Cummins 3rd quarter revenue was down 3% from 2018’s third quarter, according to the Indianapolis Star. The company points to reduced demand in the North American truck market as a reason for the reduction in revenue. ‘Black Coffee & White Lines’ music video released | |
Trucking is a common theme in Jayne Denham’s music. The Australian country singer’s latest music video, “Black Coffee & White Lines” is no exception. The video, which premiered this week, was shot in Alaska and features three truck drivers from the History Channel’s TV series “Ice Road Truckers.” “Filming in Alaska with three of the Ice Road Truckers was totally beyond my wildest dreams,” Denham said in a news release. “It is everything I wanted to share about the reality of truckin’ and the love of it.” The “Black Coffee & White Lines” video opens with Lisa Kelly, Carey Hall, and Maya Sieber-Pyskaty talking about their love for trucking. “I love the feeling I get when I’m on the road,” Sieber-Pyskaty said in the video. “Every day brings a new adventure. I don’t feel alive until I’m behind the wheel.” Born with gypsy blood pumping through my veins I’ve got a lot of friends who think this kind of life is insane But I grew up a child of the wind And every time I hear the freedom of the road call my again It’s black coffee and white lines Life’s all about what’s up ahead, not what you leave behind Denham has never worked as a truck driver, but she said she grew up in Australia around family and friends who operated big rigs. “I just love writing trucking songs to cheer on the truck drivers and an industry that we certainly can’t do without,” Denham told Land Line during a 2017 interview. “I like to do my research. I want to make sure my lyrics are accurate. Truck drivers tell me the songs resonate.” Denham has performed at numerous truck shows in recent years, including the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky., and the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas. Trucker’s $500 donation spawns a popular charity | |
TORONTO, Ont. – The charity devoted to helping truckers is now accepting donations as well as nominations for aid this holiday season. The Truckers Christmas Group is hoping to raise $20,000, which will benefit 40 trucking families in the U.S. and Canada. Based in Wichita, Kan., TCGO has raised $90,000 since it was formed by a group of truckers in 2008. It all started with one driver wanting to donate an extra $500 he had to a family during Christmas. “He didn’t know how to do it. So, a bunch of us stepped in, and said ‘Hey, we might as well help you out’. And then other people started to donate,” said Greg Manchester, director of public relations, and one of the five founders of the group. It wasn’t until a few years later the organization was registered as a charity, he said. Manchester, who has been working for Purolator for 34 years, is the only Canadian on the board of TCGO. Another Canadian, Shelley Uvanile-Hesch of Sharp Transportation, works as a volunteer. The organization has so far helped 154 families ease the financial burden associated with the holiday season. In 2018, it delivered $8,000 to 16 families. Manchester said the group has set the aid at a minimum of $500 per family because “we don’t want to give a thousand people one dollar”. Since TCGO announced its 2019 campaign, people have been calling to donate and nominate, he said. The group also accepts corporate donations in the form of gifts, which are then sold online. This year, trucking’s top musicians are also helping the group raise funds. The participants include Bill Weaver, Paul Marhoeffer, Taylor Barker, Mandi Jo Pinhierio, Jason Henley, Tony Justice, Ken Freeman and Keith Sampson. “We are always hearing stories of drivers and their families who have fallen on hard times,” said country singer Justice. “I am proud to be able to do my small part to help my brothers and sisters of the highway — and their families — to have a better and more blessed Christmas.” The 2019 campaign started Nov. 21 and runs through Dec. 11. Funds will be dispersed to qualifying families a week before Christmas. New Pilot Flying J business for small fleets, owner-ops | |
One9 Fuel Network to offer credit and rewards program with over 170 locations Pilot Flying J announced Nov. 19 the launch of One9 Fuel Network, a nationwide fueling network making it easier for smaller fleets to run their business. The new network will give professional drivers and trucking companies access to personalized credit and benefits with a variety of travel center brands. The One9 Fuel Network is named after Channel 19, the primary CB radio channel used by truckers across North America. Inspired by the connection that this channel offers to drivers across the nation, One9 is committed to connecting all drivers to the resources they need. "One9 Fuel Network offers outstanding benefits to the industry and gives us a way to help smaller fleets and owner-operators receive the services they need to successfully run their businesses,” said Jimmy Haslam, CEO of Pilot Flying J. “We are committed to providing fleets and drivers with convenient access to our exceptional credit and rewards programs at a variety of travel center brands to make life on the road easier.” The growing One9 network includes access to more than 170 locations, including Mr. Fuel, Pride and Stamart travel centers, as well as designated Speedway commercial fueling lanes across the country. The fuel marketing agreement with Speedway is an extension of Pilot Flying J’s longstanding relationship with the company and enables the seamless use of credit and benefit programs at more than 160 of their commercial fueling lanes. One9 Fuel Network provides the flexibility that smaller fleets and owner-operators need to fuel at more locations, with credit accepted and myRewards benefits earned across the One9 and Pilot Flying J networks. Haslam also said that his company added more than 1,000 truck parking spaces in 2019, adding up to 75,000 spaces in 42 states and six Canadian provinces. “I think that’s more than our two leading competitors combined,” he explained. “We’re doing all we can to help alleviate the pain the companies and the drivers face every day and every night in terms of finding a parking place.” Blind spot detection system improves trucker safety | |
ASA Electronics’ Voyager VBSD3 Blind Spot Detection System is designed to increase driver awareness by detecting vehicles and other obstructions in the blind zone of the vehicle as well as rear cross-traffic. When an object is detected in the blind zone, the driver will be alerted by an LED light beacon installed in the cab, and an audible warning will sound if an object is detected in the blind zone while the turn signal is on. The Rear Cross-Traffic Alert System will issue these same warnings when the vehicle is in reverse. The radar sensors are protected by a rugged, durable waterproof housing. Source of this article and other great articles
Over 3600 trucks recalled for steering defects that could cause crash | |
Two truck manufacturers have recently issued separate recalls for steering defects that could lead to a crash. Daimler Trucks North America LLC issued a recall for certain models of 2020 Western Star 4700 vehicles for a steering shaft may have been improperly installed, potentially causing a loss of connection between the steering wheel and front axle wheels. Daimler says that the loss of connection could cause loss of steering control and increase the risk of a crash. The recall affects 1,331 trucks. The recall is expected to begin on December 23, 2019. Daimler says that they will contact truck owners and provide repairs for the steering defect free of charge. Truck owners may contact Daimler customer service at 1-800-547-0712 and reference recall number FL-835. Volvo Trucks North America has also issued a recall for certain 2020 VNL and VNR vehicles equipped with HD94 Sheppard gear variants. Volvo says that the steering gear mounting fasteners may be insufficiently tightened, allowing the steering gear to loosen, resulting in a loss of control of the vehicle and an increased risk of a crash. The recall affects 2,287 trucks. The recall for this defect was expected to begin November 15, 2019. Volvo will inspect affected trucks and if necessary provide a free repair. Truck owners can contact Volvo Trucks customer service at 1-800-528-6586 and reference recall number RVXX1906. Source of this article and other great articles
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