Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023:
Electrada, Daimler Financial partner to drive EV adoption
Fleet electrification services company Electrada and Daimler Truck Financial Services have entered into an official partnership to drive higher adoption of sustainable transportation leveraging Daimler’s leadership in commercial Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and Electrada’s 360 Charging-as-a-Service solution.
Providing the necessary infrastructure to power medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicle fleets, the all-in-one solution will first be provided to projects with selected customers in the U.S. in the first half of 2024.
“This partnership and its subsequent development will accelerate the proliferation of EV fleets across the country,” said Kevin Kushman, Electrada’s CEO. “Daimler Truck Financial Services and Daimler Trucks North America are industry leaders and seek to remove barriers to electrification through collaborative solutions that provide a more seamless, reliable conversion strategy for their customers.”
Electrada's 360 Charging-as-a-Service (CaaS) is an end-to-end, technology-agnostic approach that allows fleets to electrify intelligently, cost-effectively and customized to their specific use cases with a fully capitalized, integrated and performance-contracted electric fuel solution, the company said.
The agreement further aligns Daimler’s expanding electric vehicle lineup with its overall corporate sustainability strategy and will accelerate fleet electrification nationwide, making a meaningful contribution to reduced carbon emissions.
Daimler already offers several BEV trucks in the United States, including the class 8 eCascadia, class 6 EM2 and the class 5 MT50e. Additionally, the Freightliner eM2 will begin series production in the fourth quarter of this year.
IMC invests in new lightweight trucks
IMC recently took delivery of 20 new International lightweight tractors to facilitate the expansion of its heavy-haul drayage services in the Houston market.IMC
The company recently took delivery of 20 new International lightweight tractors to facilitate the expansion of its heavy-haul drayage services in the Houston market. The lightweight trucks weigh 16,000 lbs. on average, compared to a typical semi-truck that weighs around 19,000 lbs. The new trucks have an increased payload capacity of 3,000 lbs. compared to a normal tractor, which allows customers to increase their efficiency, IMC said.
The trucks have a lighter weight body, smaller engine, are designed to handle any increased weights and can pull all container sizes. The fuel usage of the new trucks is comparable to normal semi-trucks, but they are equipped with the latest emission-mitigating technology, which reduces highway transport carbon emissions.
Combined with a fleet of lightweight chassis, IMC can haul payloads up to 55,000 pounds. IMC can take on heavier containers from shippers before an overweight permit is needed.
"We're able to provide drayage services to clients, who are otherwise transloading heavy import shipments to create legal weight over-the-road shipments," said Will Connell, regional president of IMC, Gulf Region. "Avoiding this process reduces not only their costs, but also the lead time to market for their products."
In addition to the investment in lightweight trucks, IMC has purchased lightweight sleeper model trucks that can handle long-haul shipments up to the 54,000 lbs. range, with permits. The Houston fleet also recently added day cab pusher trucks, which are equipped to handle containers that are loaded “nose-heavy,” the company said.
ATRI launches online application for advisory committee
The American Transportation Research Institute has launched an online application for trucking industry stakeholders interested in being considered for a position on ATRI’s Research Advisory Committee.
ATRI’s RAC is comprised of government officials, academics, professional truck drivers, trucking company executives and suppliers from a diverse cross-section of the industry, all who understand the importance of sound science to an industry as complex as the trucking industry. The RAC is charged with annually recommending a research agenda for the Institute.
“Serving on ATRI’s Research Advisory Committee is one of the most sought-after industry appointments and this new online application form will allow us to more formally solicit interest and thoroughly review candidates prior to being considered by the ATRI Board of Directors,” said ATRI President Rebecca Brewster.
Since ATRI’s first RAC in 2002, more than 220 individuals have been appointed to serve by ATRI’s Board of Directors. ATRI’s diverse portfolio of critical industry research is representative of the collective input of these engaged industry stakeholders who annually identify trucking’s top research needs.
The newly launched online application form allows individuals to indicate their interest in being considered and to more fully describe how their unique experience and perspective would contribute to the research identification process. Additionally, there is a separate form for individuals to nominate a colleague who they believe would be a strong candidate for the RAC.
If appointed to serve on the RAC by the ATRI Board of Directors, RAC members serve two-year terms and are required to attend one annual in-person meeting and participate throughout the year in ad hoc research webinars. Additionally, RAC members are expected to support the Institute through active participation in ATRI’s research initiatives.
Applications received will be reviewed next summer for potential nomination for the 2025-2026 Research Advisory Committee.
