Trucking news and briefs for Monday, Oct. 30, 2023:
Underride guard advisory committee to discuss implementation, operational hurdles
The Advisory Committee on Underride Protection, established by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2022, will hold its second meeting next month.
The meeting, which will be held virtually on Nov. 15 from 12:30-4:30 p.m. Eastern, is the committee’s second since being chartered. It will be the first meeting, however, to discuss underride guards and issues surrounding them. The first meeting held in May of this year was primarily used for introducing committee members and selecting a committee chairperson.
The upcoming meeting, according to the agenda published in the Federal Register Friday, will cover the target population for underride guards, existing and emerging underride guard technologies, other existing and emerging crash avoidance technologies, and implementation and operational hurdles of underride guards.
The meeting will be open to the public. Pre-registration is required to attend, and registration will be available here at least one week before the meeting. A link permitting access to the meeting will be sent to registrants within 24 hours of the meeting start time.
Ultimately, the committee is tasked with providing information, advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Transportation on safety regulations to reduce underride crashes and fatalities related to underride crashes.
The committee’s formation came in the midst of NHTSA exploring a potential side underride guard mandate for trailers. The agency published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) earlier this year to gather feedback on a number of factors related to side underride guards, including their effectiveness, unexpected benefits and costs, and more.
[Related: Side underride guards the costliest trucking mandate ever?]
Stoughton Trailers announces new dealer in Southeast
Stoughton Trailers announced Friday a new dealer is joining its network of trailer sales and service providers.
Fleet Trailer & Equipment LLC (FTE) brings more than 40 years of trailer sales, leasing, parts, service and graphics expertise to customers throughout Alabama and Mississippi.
“We are excited and grateful for the opportunity to represent Stoughton Trailers in Alabama and Mississippi,” said Pres Overby, CEO of FTE. “We believe our team, facilities and processes provide customers with the best service in the Southeast. Stoughton’s commitment to building quality products, coupled with our experienced dealer team will provide even more value to trucking customers in our market.”
Penske adds Xos Stepvan to electric fleet offering
The Xos Stepvan can travel up to 150 miles on a single charge, features a GVWR of up to 23,000 pounds, and comes in available body sizes of 16 or 18 feet.Penske Truck Leasing
“We are very pleased to build on our growing portfolio of all-electric vehicles with the addition of the Xos Stepvan,” said Paul Rosa, senior vice president of Procurement and Fleet Planning for Penske Truck Leasing.
The vehicles that Penske has added are the Xos Stepvan, a 100% battery-electric Class 6 vehicle purpose-built for commercial applications. The Stepvan can travel up to 150 miles on a single charge, features a GVWR of up to 23,000 pounds, and comes in available body sizes of 16 or 18 feet.
Depending on charger specifications, the vehicle charge time with DC fast charging ranges from 110 to 120 minutes. Additional specifications include a 178-inch wheelbase, 347 kW maximum horsepower, and max torque of 1,737 ft-lbs.
“We’re proud to partner with Penske on their journey to a fully electric fleet operation,” said Dakota Semler, CEO at Xos. “Penske and Xos share similar core values around our commitment to customers and a dedication to excellence, so our partnership is a natural fit. We look forward to building our relationship for years to come.”
ATA names finalists for next America’s Road Team
The American Trucking Associations on Oct. 27 released the list of 36 truck drivers named as finalists for the 2024-2025 America’s Road Team.
ATA President and CEO Chris Spear said the drivers were selected as finalists “because they have outstanding safe driving records, share a passion for the trucking industry and are role models among their peers.”
America’s Road Team was created in 1986 to represent the trucking industry and is sponsored by Volvo Trucks. Captains, with support from their companies, dedicate a few days each month to attending industry events, speaking at schools, or meeting policymakers on behalf of the trucking industry.
The 36 finalists advance to the final round of the selection process, which will be held this January in Washington. A panel of evaluators, including industry officials and trucking news media representatives, will judge the contenders on their knowledge of the trucking industry, dedication to safety, ability to communicate the industry’s messages and overall safe driving record.
The newly chosen 2024-2025 America’s Road Team will be announced on January 16, following a ceremony at ATA’s Headquarters in Washington. New Captains, after receiving their signature navy blue America’s Road Team blazer, will begin working to share the industry’s message of safety, essentiality and sustainability with the motoring public, media, business and community groups, public officials and their fellow truck drivers around the country.
The finalists are:
- Mike Alpine, ABF Freight System (CCJ Top 250, No. 17), Arizona
- Ben Atkinson, ABF Freight System, Florida
- Willie Baylor, FedEx Freight (No. 1), Indiana
- Terry Bennett, ABF Freight System, Florida
- Joe Busch, ABF Freight System, Iowa
- Perry Carter, Cargo Transporters (No. 177), North Carolina
- Joseph Collins, FedEx Ground – Spartan Logistics, Minnesota
- Robbie Cottrell, XPO (No. 8), Virginia
- Howard Crawford, United Parcel Service (No. 2), North Carolina
- Damon Evans, United Parcel Service, California
- Orlando Fraley, FedEx Freight, Georgia
- Dennis Hall, Tyson Foods, Texas
- Robert Hare, FedEx Freight, Virginia
- Dave Hedicker, ABF Freight System, Ohio
- Lloyd Howell, TCW, Alabama
- John Lemmons, United Parcel Service, Tennessee
- Ronnie Mahan, FedEx Freight, Arkansas
- Sean McClure, Old Dominion Freight Line (No. 9), Utah
- Rodney McNew, Groendyke Transport (No. 106), Texas
- Mike Middleton, Old Dominion Freight Line, Tennessee
- Pete Palczynski, Walmart Transportation, Illinois
- Emily Plummer, Prime Inc. (No. 16), Missouri
- Wayne Ponschke, United Parcel Service, California
- Scott Post, FedEx Ground – Spartan Logistics, Minnesota
- John Antoine Sadler, Walmart Transportation, North Carolina
- Gary Schmidt, Jacobson Transport & Cliff Viessman Inc. (No. 162), Minnesota
- Brian Sheehan, CRST (No. 21), Indiana
- Molly Shultz, TransLand, Missouri
- Anthony Tirone, Walmart Transportation, Florida
- Chevelle Walker, Werner Enterprises (No. 13), Florida
- Bernard Wanyo, United Parcel Service, Pennsylvania
- Thomas Warters, Penske Logistics (No. 11), Florida
- Mike Whitehead, FedEx Freight, South Dakota
- James "Gragg" Wilson, United Parcel Service, Nevada
- Ryan Ybarra, United Parcel Service, California
- David Young, FedEx Freight, North Carolina
