U.S. market not yet ready for air-disc brakes
LOUISVILLE, KY. -- While air disc brakes are practically standard on commercial trucks in Europe, they remain a premium option here in North America. According to Kishor Pendse, president of Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC, this is not likely to change anytime soon. ...
Engine makers take on California emissions rule
The Engine Manufacturers Association (EMA) is seeking to invalidate tougher California Air Recourses Board (CARB) emission requirements that were recently adopted. ...
Tonnage shrinks in February
Truck tonnage decreased a seasonally adjusted 2.2% in February, according to the American Trucking Assns. (ATA). However, the decline followed a revised 5% leap in January, the largest month-to-month increase in several years. Compared with February 2004, tonnage was up 3.9%. ...
Third-party logistics market posts record profits in '04
Growing demand for international and domestic transportation management (ITM and DTM, respectively) plus growing demand for dedicated contract carriage (DDC) services in the U.S. have boosted total revenues for the third-party logistics service (3PL) market to a record $89.4 billion in 2004....
Eighth straight week for diesel price increase
The average price for a gallon of diesel nationally increased 0.5 cents last week to set a record high of $2.249, according to the Energy Information Administration. It was the eighth straight week of increases that total 26.6 cents....
Rail car demand continues to increase
According to the latest N.A. Railroad Equipment and Deliveries Outlook published by FTR Associates, capacity on the railroads remains extremely tight -- facilitating the need for additional rail cars, as there is strong freight demand coupled with further declines in railroad productivity....
NTEA claims 'huge victory' with NHTSA’s new certification regulations
The National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) is claiming a "huge victory" for the commercial truck and transportation equipment industry in the wake of the recently issued and long-awaited final rules on multi-stage vehicle certification by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)....
IRS issues suitable-for-use guidelines
The IRS has issued guidance intended to help truck dealers determine if a truck body is subject to federal excise tax, according to the National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA)....
Pyle to expand network
West Chester, PA-based LTL carrier A. Duie Pyle is planning to swell its service network in the Northeast this year by opening a new terminal in Syracuse, NY, building another terminal in MA and implementing new technology to help increase the efficiency of pick-up and delivery routing, linehaul, and dock operations. ...
Phillips Industries’ displays anti-corrosive technology at MATS
Phillips Industries has developed a number of products to solve the corrosion problems fleets are seeing in electrical and air brake interface components....
Diesel skyrockets to record high
The average price for a gallon of diesel nationally increased 5 cents to $2.244 per gallon last week, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA) -- the highest average since EIA began its survey in 1994....
Cat ready for 2007 emissions standards
In his address at the Credit Suisse First Boston Trucking Conference 2005, Jim McReynolds, general manager, Caterpillar On-Highway Engines and Power Systems North America, said Caterpillar already is poised to meet 2007 emissions standards, with the company's breakthrough ACERT Technology as the foundation....
FFE sees revenue, net income rise
Dallas, TX-based refrigerated carrier Frozen Food Express Industries (FFE) said its profits and revenues rose for the fourth quarter of 2004 and for the year, even as it set aside more funds to cover accident and workman's compensation claims....
Schneider Logistics expands into Czech Republic
Schneider Logistics announced the opening of a new office in Olomouc, Czech Republic, as it further develops its European business. The office is the new Shared Service Center for European logistics services....
Anti-counterfeiting legislation advances in U.S. House
Anti-counterfeiting legislation (H.R. 32), backed by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA), was passed by voice vote by the House Judiciary's Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security. The subcommittee voted without objection to send the Stop Counterfeiting in Manufactured Goods Act measure to the full House Judiciary Committee. ...
Axle Brake Technology Corp. launches new global resource from North American base
A new global engineering and manufacturing firm serving the heavy-duty trucking industry has opened its executive offices in central Alabama and will expand North American manufacturing operations later this year. Axle Brake Technology, Corp. (ABT), in Hayneville, AL, will provide heavy-duty axles and a complete line of axle and brake components to original equipment truck and trailer manufacturers and the aftermarket. ...
Crysteel, Rostra receive Work Truck Show Editors’ Choice Award for New Product Innovation
The inaugural Work Truck Show Editors’ Choice Award for New Product Innovation — launched during The Work Truck Show 2005 (March 2–4) in Indianapolis, IN — resulted in a tie between Crysteel Manufacturing Inc. (Lake Crystal, MN) and Rostra Precision Controls (Laurinburg, NC)....
Carrier Transicold Pennsylvania-East named 2004 Dealer of the Year
Carrier Transicold Pennsylvania-East was named 2004 Dealer of the Year and two dealerships received the first-ever Lifetime Achievement awards at Carrier Transicold’s annual Truck, Trailer and Rail dealer meeting held in Cancun, Mexico....
NTEA workshop on profitability and value
The National Truck Equipment Assn. (NTEA) will be hosting a workshop, dubbed “Selling Economic Value in a Price Focused World,” on April 20 at the Hilton St. Louis Airport. The event is offered to NTEA members at no cost. ...
Truck building capacity may be tapped out
The continuing demand for trucks is placing a lot of strain on the capacity of truck OEMs and their suppliers alike, which may lead to even longer lead times for new vehicles as 2005 progresses....
Deliveries up 31% in February for Volvo Trucks
Deliveries from Volvo Trucks were up by 31% during the second month of the year, with a total of 16,135 trucks being delivered compared with 12,314 vehicles for the same period in 2004....
Supreme Corporation to build bodies for Budget Truck Rental
Supreme Corporation has been chosen to construct a fleet of trucks for Budget Truck Rental, with the contract calling for Supreme to produce over 4,700 units to be delivered between January and May. ...
Dexter Axle completes acquisition of L. E. Technologies
Dexter Axle, a leading manufacturer of light- to medium-duty trailer axles, has completed the acquisition of L. E. Technologies, which, through subsidiaries Leland Engineering, AMFAB, and Venture Technologies, manufactures recreational vehicle frames, fabricated metal components and provides specialty coating services....
Freightliner to increase production of FLD SD
Freightliner Trucks announced the increase in production of its FLD SD Class 8 truck model, with numbers increasing substantially beginning in April at the Truck Manufacturing Plant in Santiago, Mexico....
OEMs bullish on construction boom
Truck and equipment suppliers believe the strong growth witnessed in the construction market over the past year is going to continue well into 2005 and even into 2006....
