Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, July 25, 2024:
Allison Transmission working with Cummins to test nat-gas engine
Sandman, a bulk cement hauling fleet based in San Jose, California, has successfully completed over 50,000 miles of vehicle testing in the field and reports significant improvements in fuel efficiency and performance with the Allison 4000 Series fully-automatic transmission and the Cummins X15N natural gas engine.
Allison Transmission has partnered with Cummins to test and validate the new Cummins X15N 15-liter natural gas engine paired with the Allison 4000 Series fully-automatic transmission.
Sandman, a bulk cement hauling fleet based in San Jose, California, has successfully completed over 50,000 miles of vehicle testing in the field and reported significant improvements in fuel efficiency and performance. The test vehicle, a Peterbilt tractor pulling double trailers of bulk cement, demonstrated the impressive performance and productivity of the X15N engine and Allison transmission combination.
"More than 20 years ago, we integrated Allison fully-automatic transmissions, which changed the world for our drivers who haul 80,000-pound loads in stop-and-go traffic between San Jose and San Francisco multiple times a day," said Victor Landaverde, Fleet Manager, Sandman. "We are thrilled with the performance of the Cummins X15N engine paired with the Allison 4000 Series transmission and the potential impact it could bring to our fleet of over 100 Allison-equipped natural gas trucks. The field testing has been flawless over the course of 50,000 miles, and in addition to achieving excellent fuel efficiency, the enhanced engine braking and consistently stronger power during shifting have significantly improved our operations."
[Related: Alternative fuel efficient: Peterbilt's 579 with Cummins' X15N nat gas engine]
The 4000 Series transmission is designed to deliver both performance and fuel efficiency, Allison said. Allison's torque converter multiplies engine torque to significantly improve startability, drivability and overall productivity.
Pairing the 4000 Series with the X15N, which is 500 pounds lighter than the diesel version of the 15-liter engine, will deliver additional fuel savings and emissions reductions for fleets, reducing total cost of vehicle ownership while supporting corporate social responsibility objectives.
The 4000 Series transmission used in Sandman's trial is also calibrated with FuelSense 2.0, a unique set of software and electronic controls that provide quantifiable fuel savings of up to 6%.
"Allison fully-automatic transmissions are fuel agnostic, meaning they can pair with multiple energy sources, including diesel, natural gas, electric hybrid, fuel cell and battery electric,” said Rohan Barua, Vice President, North America Sales, Global Channel and Aftermarket, Allison Transmission. “As the industry continues to evaluate electric vehicle technology and works to overcome the hurdles facing this technology adoption, more customers are expected to adopt alternative fuel engines as a solution to meet increasing emissions stringencies. We look forward to partnering with Cummins and leading OEMs to help fleets reduce their carbon footprint without sacrificing fleet productivity and efficiency. We're confident the Cummins X15N and Allison transmission pairing is an optimal solution."
Peterbilt and Kenworth trucks equipped with the X15N and Allison fully automatic transmissions are now available to order.
[Related: Peterbilt powered by Cummins' X15N natural gas engine: How does it compare to diesel?]
ATA Executives Council gets new leadership
The American Trucking Associations announced Wednesday that John Esparza, president & CEO of the Texas Trucking Association, and Tony Bradley, president & CEO of the Arizona Trucking Association, have been elected by their state trucking association peers to serve as the chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of the Trucking Association Executives Council (TAEC).
John Esparza
“To say it is a tremendous honor would be an understatement,” Esparza said. “I will take Shannon’s lead in this long gray line of so many state executives who have been elected by their peers, all with the same goal in mind: to serve the industry and one another selflessly and with the spirit of the many great men and women who work daily to keep this country trucking safely.”
Likewise, Bradley said he is “committed to working collaboratively with my fellow executives to drive positive change, advance our industry's priorities and improve our association. Together, we will continue to advocate for the interests of our members and ensure a strong future for trucking and trucking associations."
TAEC is comprised of staff executives of state trucking associations and conferences affiliated with ATA. The purpose of TAEC is to promote the trucking industry, contribute to the improvement of the associations and organizations established to serve the trucking industry, and advance the professional stature and capabilities of the managers and executives of such associations.
Shippers’ saw more favorable market conditions in May
Market conditions for shippers improved in May, just like they did for carriers, largely as a result of falling diesel prices, according to FTR.
FTR’s Shippers Conditions Index for May improved to 4.5 from April’s 3.0 reading. Falling diesel prices bolstered a favorable rate environment for shippers while other factors were only marginally favorable and mostly stable month over month, the firm said.
“May was almost a repeat of April aside from fuel costs,” said Avery Vise, FTR’s vice president of trucking. “Freight rates were the most favorable for shippers they had been in a year, but we expect them to return to the softer climate seen during the first quarter.”
FTR forecasts that the index will move closer to neutral territory and then turn slightly negative by late this year as key freight dynamics – volume, utilization, and rates – start to become at least occasionally unfavorable for shippers. “Our outlook for freight volume has strengthened a bit, putting at least some upward pressure on both capacity utilization and rates,” Vise said. “However, shippers likely will see conditions that are more accurately characterized as neutral rather than negative. Ample capacity in trucking continues to discipline the freight market.”
[Related: Trucking conditions turned positive in May]
