Trucks

Daimler, Cummins partnership puts writing on the wall for DD5, DD8 engines

DTNA will wind down production of its DD5, DD8 engines through medium-duty partnership with Cummins.

February 23, 2021

With serial production of its electric eCascadia and eM2 set for next year, DTNA earlier this month unveiled Detroit electric ePowertrain.

Mack makes driver-activated OTA updates standard on select models

The driver download activation feature is factory-equipped on models built beginning Nov. 30, 2020 at Lehigh Valley Operations, in Macungie, Pennsylvania.

January 14, 2021

Mack-OTA-update-2021-01-14-08-13

Alternative power

Kenworth testing Gen2 range-extended electrics

Kenworth recently delivered two prototype Kenworth T680 tractors, each equipped with a series hybrid-electric propulsion system, to Southern California drayage, warehouse and transportation company Total Transportation Systems Inc. (TTSI).

February 17, 2021

The two Kenworth T680 hybrid-electric vehicles use the Cummins Westport L9N Near Zero (NZ) emission engine fueled by compressed natural gas (CNG) driving a generator to extend the truck’s battery range.

Alternative power

Navistar partners with GM, J.B. Hunt on hydrogen-powered RH

Under the partnership agreement, OneH2 will supply its hydrogen fueling solution, which includes hydrogen production, storage, delivery and safety and Navistar is taking a minority stake in OneH2.

January 29, 2021

General Motors Fuel Cell Controls and Process Engineer Joe Truchan operates a coating machine in the fuel cell laboratory at the GM Global Propulsion Systems Pontiac Engineering Center in Pontiac, Michigan.

Cylinder deactivation saves fuel, improves emissions

ROI comes in about a year for cylinder deactivation which saves fuel while meeting tough upcoming 2024 and 2027 emissions regs

February 15, 2021

Semiconductor shortage 'not even the biggest problem' for truck makers

About 217,000 Class 8 trucks were ordered in 2020, and forecasts call for between 250,000 to 280,000 orders this year.

February 12, 2021

Semiconductor chips require assembly lead times as long as several weeks – if not months – and the demand for new vehicles was not expected to be so strong coming out of a pandemic-depressed economy.

Isuzu adds more power to Class 6 FTR, new FVR model

The company believes the Cummins B6.7 will appeal more broadly to fleets that need more power.

February 12, 2021

Availability of the B6.7 – the most popular diesel engine ever built by Cummins – marks the first time Isuzu has ever offered any engine other than its own on any of its models.

Kenworth gives T680 an aero, tech makeover

Visually, the truck is striking and it’s a very un-Kenworth-like update in that there are very few little tweaks.

February 11, 2021

The T680 got its first significant update Thursday since it first rolled down the Chillicothe, Ohio, assembly line.

Economic trends

Fleets locking in trailer build slots on 2021 optimism

The challenge currently facing trailer OEMs in the near-term is a raw material and component shortage.

February 11, 2021

January trailer order activity met expectations, as most of the large fleets had already placed their 2021 requirements orders previously.

Equipment controls

Afraid of autonomous trucking? Here's why you should embrace it

Richard Stocking, principal and founder at DPX Consulting and former CEO of Swift Transportation, envisions a greener, leaner autonomous future for the industry and for society.

February 10, 2021

'These are exciting times for trucking. I’m excited for the benefits autonomous trucking will provide for both our industry and the society we serve,' writes Richard Stocking, CEO and principal at DPX Consulting. Below, he details the changes he envisions looming for the industry and society when autonomous trucks become commercialized.

Production underway on Isuzu gas NQR, NRR

The engine is matched to a six-speed Allison 1000 RDS transmission with power takeoff, marking the first time Isuzu has offered PTO in a gas-powered truck.

February 9, 2021

Isuzu Commercial Truck of America and Isuzu Commercial Truck of Canada President Shaun C. Skinner, president said his company has seen increasing demand for gasoline engines throughout Classes 3, 4 and 5.

Alternative power

DTNA putting millions into BEV powertrain

The company expects to invest upwards of $20 million in its Detroit, Michigan, manufacturing facility, which will serve as the source of Detroit ePowertrain components in North America when initial production begins later this year.

February 9, 2021

The Detroit ePowertrain will be mated to one of three battery offerings for the eCascadia and eM2, including a 210 kilowatt hour (kWh) version, a 315 kWh version, and a 475 kWh version.

Test drive: Western Star’s all-new 49X

Western Star's all-new 49X heavy-duty durability with added driver comfort and ergonomics. Check out all the vocational truck has to offer right here.

November 12, 2020

The 49X was engineered to be a bruiser. Its heavy-duty vocational frame was designed for severe service applications, but weighs in about 350 pounds lighter than the current 4900.

Alternative power

Engine parts makers argue federal fleet should include internal combustion

President Biden's recent executive order on climate change includes 'clean and zero-emission' vehicles. So, will some internal combustion engines qualify as clean? Stakeholders weigh in.

February 4, 2021

The Cummins Westport ISX12N is certified at near-zero emissions.

Pete goes all in on aero, tech with refreshed 579

The new 579, boasting a 7% fuel economy improvement over prior generation models, is the most aerodynamic and fuel-efficient Peterbilt model to-date.

February 3, 2021

The bird from the hood pull handle has been incorporated along the side of the hood on the new model.

Alternative power

Meritor readies electric axle production

February 3, 2021

Meritor has reached supplier agreements with Lion Electric, a Canadian manufacturer of medium and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles, Autocar, an American specialty truck manufacturer, and Volta Trucks, a London-based electric commercial vehicle startup. Each company will use the Blue Horizon 14Xe integrated ePowertrain in its production trucks.

Economic trends

Truck orders exceed 40K units for fourth consecutive month

Freight growth has pushed fleets to add capacity as fast as possible and OEMs and suppliers are wrestling to keep pace with surging demand.

February 2, 2021

Freight growth has pushed fleets to add capacity as fast as possible and OEMs and suppliers are wrestling to keep pace with the surging demand.

Alternative power

Tesla Semi facing shortage of battery cells

Semi would use about five times more cells than a passenger car, yet would not retail for five times what a car would sell for, "so it kind of would not make sense for us to do the Semi right now,” said Tesla boss Elon Musk.

January 28, 2021

While the electric truck market has gotten crowded since Semi made its public debut in late 2017, Musk speculated that his Semi could be the first to achieve full autonomy.

Page 1 of 371

With serial production of its electric eCascadia and eM2 set for next year, DTNA earlier this month unveiled Detroit electric ePowertrain.

Daimler, Cummins partnership puts writing on the wall for DD5, DD8 engines

DTNA will wind down production of its DD5, DD8 engines through medium-duty partnership with Cummins.

With COVID vaccine ‘peak season’ nigh, can trucking keep up with looming load demand?

Locomation is planning to initially roll out autonomous vehicle technology using a convoy.

Floodgates wide open for investment in trucking and logistics

Lack of load availability last spring -- and the cheap rates on the loads that were available -- were the prime contributing factor in the spike in carrier failures last year, said Donald Broughton, principal and managing partner of Broughton Capital.

Carrier failures mounted in '20, but so did new entrant carriers

GOODYEAR BRINGS ADVANCED TIRE MONITORING TECHNOLOGY TO NORFOLK SOUTHERN

GOODYEAR BRINGS ADVANCED TIRE MONITORING TECHNOLOGY TO NORFOLK SOUTHERN

Get all the info on the top 250 trucking companies in America

View, sort and download the trucking industry’s most comprehensive ranking of for-hire carriers in North America, based on a blend of metrics including fleet size, annual revenue and number of drivers.

Download The Definitive Guide To Managing Preventable Risk

Nuclear verdicts, billboard attorneys, truck accident fraudsters. Trucking companies highest priority - Managing preventable risk. This Mitigation Playbook explains why, before it's too late.