Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, March 12, 2020:
Kenworth adds over-the-air updates for late-model Paccar MX engines
Kenworth has launched its TruckTech+ Over-the-Air system to Kenworth Class 8 trucks equipped with 2017 and newer Paccar MX-13 and MX-11 engines.
The TruckTech+ system allows for engine and aftertreatment software updates by the truck owner using either the Paccar Solutions online portal of the Paccar Over-the-Air mobile app. Once the user approves an update, the system notifies the user when it’s ready for installation.
When the truck is parked, a simple five-second press of the cruise control switch connects the truck to the secure Paccar cloud server, and the update is initiated through the Paccar mobile app.
The Garmin 790’s already built in camera can be used for video dashcam views with the Field Warrior app added.Garmin’s Fleet 790 GPS now offers dashcam capabilities
Garmin’s Fleet 790 truck-specific on-board GPS navigator can now be utilized as a dashcam with live-stream video capabilities by adding software purpose-built by Forward Thinking Systems — its Field Warrior app — to the Android-powered Garmin tablet.
Users will be able to stream live video and download historic video, view and download automatically recorded driving event clips on a web portal, track those driving events along the vehicle’s route, review clips, and set priorities with notes using the integrated driver coaching system. The addition, which Forward Thinking Systems calls “FleetCam,” is the latest improvement to its Field Warrior app, which also can be used as an FMCSA-registered ELD (with additional equipment), a tracking system for the back office or third parties, a driver scoring engine, a driving-event analyzer and more.
Duane DornathWestern Express driver earns CVSA award
Duane Dornath, a driver for Western Express (No. 46 on the CCJ Top 250), is the recipient of the International Driver Excellence Award (IDEA) from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.
Dornath has been with Western Express for more than 40 years and has driven more than 4 million miles without an accident.
CVSA recognizes exceptional careers of truck drivers and their commitment to public safety with the award. The requirements for the award include 25 cumulative years of crash-free driving in a commercial vehicle with a clean driving record for the past three years, no felony convictions, no safety-related driving suspensions in the past three years and no driver violations in the past three years.
“I think patience is a key element in safe driving,” Dornath said. “I always told my kids when they were learning to drive that they shouldn’t always expect people to do what they are supposed to do. People sometimes don’t and that’s how accidents can happen. Be ready with a plan B when you see plan A isn’t going to work.”
