Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020:
Hurricane Delta is forecast to make landfall Friday as a major hurricane along the Louisiana coast. (National Hurricane Center image)Emergency declaration issued ahead of Gulf Coast hurricane
Another hurricane is forecast to hit the Gulf Coast near the Texas-Louisiana state line Friday. In preparation for potential damage to the region, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued an emergency declaration, suspending hours of service regulations for emergency relief haulers responding to the storm.
States included in the declaration are Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. The waiver covers drivers providing direct relief transporting supplies, goods, equipment and fuel into the affected areas.
According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Delta is expected to make landfall as a major hurricane during the day Friday. Strong winds, storm surge and rain totals of up to 15 inches in some areas are expected.
Daimler recalls 128k Freightliner Cascadias
Daimler Trucks North America is recalling more than 128,000 Freightliner Cascadia trucks over a potential brake lights issue, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents.
Daimler is recalling approximately 128,269 model year 2017-2021 Cascadia tractors due to the brake lights possibly remaining illuminated after the brake pedal has been released.
DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the 3-pin brake pressure switch with a 2-pin switch along with a jumper harness for free.
Owners can contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712 with recall number FL-863. NHTSA’s recall number is 20V-567.
Kenworth, PacLease offering special lease offer on new medium-duty battery-electric trucks
Kenworth and PacLease are offering a special introductory lease program for the new Kenworth K270E and K370E battery-electric trucks.
The six-year lease from PacLease features a lower monthly payment in the first year, followed by regular payment for the remaining years. The offer can be combined with regional and state grants available for battery-electric trucks, the company says.
Orders must be received by Oct. 31 to be eligible for the offer.
Kenworth battery-electric trucks offer two direct-drive motors rated at 355 hp and 469 hp, depending on application. The electric powertrain is available with high-density battery packs of 141kWh and 282kWh that deliver up to 100 and 200-mile range, respectively. The K270E and K370E utilize a DC fast-charging system capable of fast re-charge in as quick as one-hour. End-of-shift and overnight AC charging also is offered.
