October 1, 2007
Editorial
Tapping technology to hear from you
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM, by Bruce Sauer
At the risk of sounding like technological troglodytes, we want to talk about what for us was a new attempt to stay in closer touch with you, our readers....
Cover Story
Unlocking gridlock
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Let's face it. In many markets in America, the traffic is so bad that you almost shrug your shoulders and say you can't get there from here. If enough...
Industry Newsdesk
Letter to the Editor
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Dear Editor: I was disheartened when I saw the cover of the August issue. Where is the respiratory protection? I am sure an industrial hygiene study would...
HDAW 2008 theme embraces the future
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
The sponsors of Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week (HDAW) 2008, a distributor-focused business conference presented by all of the heavy-duty industry's leading...
NAVC signs fuel cell bus project contracts
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
The Northeast Advanced Vehicle Consortium (NAVC) announced the start of six new projects with the signing of contracts with the Federal Transit Administration...
Scotchman Industries Inc celebrates four decades of Hydraulic Ironworkers
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
In 2007, Scotchman Industries Inc, based in Philip SD, is celebrating 40 years of machine tool manufacturing of its Hydraulic Ironworker line. Arthur...
Wastequip to install green lighting system
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Wastequip Indiana, the primary manufacturing location of Galbreath brand products, plans to install a new energy-efficient, environmentally friendly lighting...
Wabash, KPCL sign RoadRailer agreement
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Wabash National Corp has signed a license agreement with Kirloskar Pneumatic Co Ltd (KPCL) for Wabash's RoadRailer intermodal system. Under terms of the...
ArvinMeritor consolidates its operations
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
ArvinMeritor Inc announced it's consolidating its three North American ride control facilities into one, including the closure of its Toronto, Ontario,...
Medium- and heavy-truck sales down 28%
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Medium- and heavy-truck sales picked up in August 2007 but still remained markedly behind 2006's totals, according to figures compiled by Wards Communications....
Workers make solid gains in real wages
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
During the past 12 months, some 95 million working Americans representing 82 percent of the workforce received real wage gains, according to the National...
Hale Trailer announces Atlantic Trailer deal
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Hale Trailer Brake & Wheel Inc has acquired certain assets of Atlantic Trailer & Equipment Sales Inc, based in Sewell NJ. In connection with the acquisition,...
Navistar wins $71.5 million parts contract
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Navistar International Corp's military affiliate, International Military and Government LLC, has won a contract from the United States Marine Corps for...
NTEA welcomes latest MVP members
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
The National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) has listed the latest members qualified for its Member Verificatioin Program (MVP) as of Oct 1, 2007....
Construction equipment exports up 22%
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Exports of United States-made construction machinery totaled $8.2 billion for the first half of 2007, a 22 percent increase compared with January-June...
Volvo's Belgium plant first in world with carbon dioxide-free production
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
The Volvo Group has the first vehicle plant in the world that is completely free from carbon dioxide (CO2): Volvo Trucks' plant in Ghent, Belgium. Volvo's...
Chattanooga hails MotorWheel excellence
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
MotorWheel Commercial Vehicle Systems Inc has been recognized by the City of Chattanooga (TN) Department of Public Works. The MotorWheel foundry facility...
Buffers USA opens third distribution center
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Intermodal hardware manufacturer Buffers USA has announced the opening of a third distribution center at 12201 Universal Drive in Taylor MI. Kenneth Petsch,...
ATA files motion for delay in HOS changes
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
The American Trucking Associations submitted a motion September 6 asking the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit for an...
Driver turnover rate declines in 2Q 2007, according to ATA
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
The linehaul driver turnover rate among large for-hire truckload carriers (fleets with at least $30 million in annual revenue) experienced its first quarterly...
Tax credits proposed for employee wellness
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
New proposed legislation would give tax incentives for businesses to implement workplace comprehensive health management (wellness) programs. In addition,...
Leader marks 25 years at Bendix
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
What can a leader achieve during 25 years of service to an organization and an industry? If he's Joe McAleese, president and chief executive officer of...
Travis appoints Kansas City-area dealer
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Travis Body & Trailer Inc. of Houston TX has appointed Premier Truck Trailers of Kansas City Inc as its newest independent dealer. Based in Independence...
Mack helps truck buyers Spring Into Action
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Mack Financial Services is offering special financing arrangements for a limited time on qualifying Mack Granite vocational trucks and tractors through...
PacLease announces four new locations
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Paccar Leasing Co (PacLease) continues to expand its franchise network in North America with the addition of four East Coast locations. The new Pennsylvania...
Industry figures discuss outlook for transportation at conference
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
FTR Associates held its annual Freight Transportation Conference in Indianapolis IN recently. This year's conference, America's Freight Transportation...
Features
The bullet stops here
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Rick Weber
You Know you're in an unusual Supreme Corporation plant when the tour begins at a rack holding slabs of ballistic steel riddled with bullet indentations....
What's the pulse in parts?
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
By most yardsticks, the commercial truck and trailer market is working through a challenging period right now. Reports of double-digit declines in sales...
Not what they seem
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By David A Kolman
Counterfeit parts continue to be a problem within the trucking industry, but effective steps are being taken to combat the proliferation of those parts....
Foreign tire sales recall has major ramifications
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Rick Weber
The Recall of 255,000 Chinese-made tires in the Foreign Tires Sales Inc (FTS) case is expected to produce significant fallout in terms of other commodities...
Online parts ordering
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
The Internet has become an integral part of business life. Truck Bodies & Equipment International Inc (TBEI), Eden Prairie, Minnesota, recently introduced...
Reman rebirth
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Rick Weber
ArvinMeritor Inc's 300,000-square-foot facility in Plainfield, Indiana, has always been a hotbed of activity, with the company manufacturing transmissions,...
Selling nationally, buying globally
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
When it comes to selling truck and trailer parts, Parts Distributing Company finds itself going farther so that its customers don't have to. The company,...
SAE attacks corrosion
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Rick Weber
Over the Past few years, fleets have expressed their unhappiness and concern over the corrosion that has ravaged their trucks and trailers. Vern Caron,...
Old school
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Rick Weber
As Far as Richard Lyons is concerned, cookie cutters are for Christmas baking not for building flatbeds, stake beds, and gooseneck, contractor, dump,...
Aerodynamic breakthrough
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Rick Weber
The Auto Research Center (Arc) believes it has made major gains in aerodynamic research with what it says is the first rolling-road testing of trucks...
The Great American Trucking Show
GATS grows even bigger
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Rick Weber
The Great American Trucking Show (GATS) set a record for overall attendance 47,980, a 4.5% increase over the previous record of 45,914 set in 2006. GATS,...
Tuned tractor-trailer suspensions boost stability
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Hendrickson Truck Systems Group officials announced the company's new 1+1=3 integrated tractor and trailer suspension arrangement during a press conference...
SmartWay designation means environmental standards met
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Mack Trucks Inc, Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, is offering its long-haul highway customers Mack Pinnacle tractors certified by the Environmental Protection...
Peterbilt shows 12.9-liter PACCAR engine
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Peterbilt displayed both heavy-duty and medium-duty trucks with the new PACCAR engines during the 2007 Great American Trucking Show that was held August...
Product Focus
Product Focus: Brake Components
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
MICO adds ABS, traction control MICO Inc introduces the Full-Power Brake System with ABS and Traction Control to provide added control for multi-wheeled...
Product Profiles
Product Profiles
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Top end loose pares lockrod inventory Powerbrace Corp has coined the phrase top end loose to explain a lockrod purchase option that eliminates the need...
New on Wheels
Kenworth ventures into Class 5 territory
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Kenworth Truck Co is expanding into the Class 5 market with the introduction of the Kenworth T170 model. The Kenworth T170 is a straight truck in a 42...
It's official: Tests show Freightliner Cascadia is more aerodynamic than similar Class 8s
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
The Freightliner Cascadia is officially more aerodynamic than other Class 8 commercial vehicles, according to Auto Research Center Inc (ARC), an independent...
Sportsmobile Sprinter set for off-roading
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Sportsmobile West's new four-wheel drive system for the Dodge Sprinter Chassis, the go anywhere Sportsmobile Sprinter, features a fully customized interior...
Benson enhances aluminum dropdeck
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Benson introduces its new all-aluminum dropdeck trailer. This model has a newly designed front deck frame, transition, and main frame inner crossmembers...
Information Vehicles
Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association releases publications
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
The Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association (TTMA) Engineering Committee has released these publications: Revised Recommended Practices: RP 6-07 Trailer...
Report offered by NTDA covers dealer financial performances
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
According to the National Trailer Dealers Association (NTDA) 2007 Dealer Financial Performance Report, dealers are encouraged to look beyond sales totals...
Powerbrace Corporation overhauls its web site
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Powerbrace Corp has completely redesigned its web site at www.powerbrace.com to meet current and future industry needs. The new site gives visitors several...
NTEA survey covers truck equipment shipments
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Truck equipment shipments in 2006 increased almost 16% over those in 2005, according to data collected by the National Truck Equipment Association's (NTEA)...
International goes RV-ing with a website
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
After partnering with Conquest Motorhomes, a division of Gulf Stream Coach, to make International Truck and Engine its cab and chassis provider for its...
People and Positions
Trailer, truck, & body OEMs
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Heil Environmental has promoted Bob McHugh to director of North American sales. With Heil since 1990, he was named in May 2005 to the dual role of director...
Component manufacturers
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Dave Regnery, previously president of Ingersoll Rand Shared Services and the company's former president of Security and Safety for Europe, the Middle...
Dealers/distributors
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Parts Place Inc, a division of Wastequip Inc, announces the appointment of Steve Campbell as national sales manager responsible for national accounts...
Obituaries
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Randall C Hansen, president of Hansen International Inc, died Aug 18, 2007. His career in manufacturing began in 1967 at A L Hansen Manufacturing. He...
