Trucking news and briefs for Friday, Aug. 26, 2022:
New York trucking group balks at NYC’s parking crackdown
New York City is cracking down on illegally parked commercial vehicles, and the state's trucking association has responded.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the New York Police Department announced operation “Heavy Duty Enforcement,” an overnight action against illegally parked commercial vehicles in neighborhoods of southern Queens. According to a statement from the mayor's office, the multi-faceted effort is in response to community complaints and consists of three teams utilizing heavy tow operations, booting, and writing tickets.
Beginning on Monday, Aug. 15, operation “Heavy Duty Enforcement” deployed NYPD officers traffic enforcement agents to multiple locations across southern Queens. In the first five days of the operation – from Aug. 15 through Aug. 19 – the NYPD issued 597 summonses, attached 89-wheel clamps, and towed 55 illegally parked vehicles to a temporary storage facility.
“If you park commercial vehicles illegally, you will get ticketed, towed, or given the boot,” said Adams. “For far too long, large commercial vehicles have been parking illegally in this neighborhood, disrupting daily life, and contributing to noise, traffic and pollution. We cannot let our neighborhood streets turn into illegal parking lots. I want every New Yorker to know your city is looking out for you and your quality of life.”
According to section 4-08 (k) (6) of the New York City parking rules, large commercial vehicles are prohibited from parking on residential streets overnight between the hours of 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. seven days a week.
The Trucking Association of New York said the problem can be solved, not by issuing tickets and towing trucks, but by creating more truck parking.
"While we in no way condone parking on residential streets where it is illegal to do so, we feel it is imperative to understand we cannot ticket out of this problem," TANY President Kendra Hems said in a statement posted to the group’s Facebook page. "Heavy enforcement alone has not worked in the past and will not work now absent available commercial vehicle parking. The reality is that drivers, many of them our neighbors, family, and friends, simply have nowhere to park. This is not their personal vehicle, but the vehicle that embodies their livelihood and provides for their family.”
Hems added that the city needs to “address the underlying issue of inadequate truck parking in all five boroughs. The industry is taking steps, but we cannot do this alone, we need our partners in government to dedicate the time and resources to resolve this problem.”
Kenworth adds Lane Keeping Assist as option on Class 8 trucks
New Kenworth T680, T880 and W990 trucks are now available for order with the optional Kenworth Lane Keeping Assist, which was first introduced with the Kenworth T680 Next Generation in 2021.
Lane Keeping Assist uses camera input to identify when the truck is departing the lane and provides a “nudge” to help keep the truck centered in the lane. This feature requires the truck to be factory equipped with the Bendix Fusion advanced driver assistance system. Lane Keeping Assist also includes Torque Assisted Steering, which provides additional torque to the steering column, helping to reduce driver fatigue.
Other Kenworth advanced driver assistance technologies available for select Class 8 models include Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning, Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) and Side Object Detection, provided by Bendix.
International dealer opens first public commercial vehicle charging station in Michigan
International dealer West Michigan International recently opened Michigan’s first public electric commercial vehicle charging station at its Kalamazoo location.
Located off I-94, the new electric vehicle (EV) charging station is optimized for commercial vehicle charging and will provide fleets the ability to charge larger vehicles, including Class 8 electric trucks. The DC fast charger features two 24-hour charging hookups.
“We understand that time is money in the commercial vehicle industry, which led us to install one of the fastest chargers offered,” said Ed Rietman, dealer principal, West Michigan International. “Similar to diesel fueling stations, drivers who utilize these public chargers will have the convenience of paying at the pump and getting in and out quickly.”
Rietman, International Truck’s 2019 North American Dealer of the Year, has grown West Michigan International to include more than 90 service bays with 280 personnel across its five locations, as well as around-the-clock emergency break down, towing and recovery service. With EVs becoming an industry focus, Rietman and his team made the decision to invest and help customers in the transition.
The chargers at the West Michigan International in Kalamazoo were installed with support from Navistar’s charging partner, InCharge. The dealership worked closely with Navistar’s NEXT eMobility team to plan, coordinate and install the vehicle charger. NEXT operates around a model that provides an end-to-end solution for customers looking to transition their business operations to EVs.
