Monday June 28 2010

Resources

Commercial Vehicle Outlook Conference Announces Additions to the Speaker Lineup

The Commercial Vehicle Outlook Conference will bring an impressive lineup of speakers to Dallas Aug. 25-26, 2010, to share real-world insights on the state of the recovery and what the industry must do to survive and thrive in the fourth quarter and beyond. Presenters confirmed to date include:

  • Dan Sobic, executive vice president, Paccar
  • Max Fuller, co-chairman, U.S. Xpress
  • Rusty Rush, president and CEO, Rush Enterprises
  • Jim O Neal, president, O & S Trucking
  • Leo Suggs, chairman and CEO Greatwide Logistics Services
  • Eric Starks, president, FTR Associates
  • Scott Kress, vice president sales, Volvo Trucks North America
  • Joe Plomin, vice president, Trucks, ArvinMeritor CVS
  • Donald Broughton, managing director and senior research analyst, Avondale Partners
  • Stu MacKay, president, MacKay & Company
  • Ann Wilson, senior vice president, government affairs, MEMA

Advanced Electronics Improve Fuel Economy, Allow for Better Control, More Driver Features

Medium-duty engines over the past decade have gotten a lot smarter, thanks to the advanced electronics developed first in heavy-duty engines.

Since the early 1990s, commercial truck owners have been driven to balance the need for fuel economy with increasingly stringent fuel-eating emissions controls.

Electronically controlled engines were first introduced to improve fuel economy, said Kevin Otto, director of service for Cummins Emissions Solutions, Columbus, Ind.

Affinia Files Registration Statement for Initial Public Offering

ANN ARBOR, Mich. "” Affinia Group Holdings Inc. announced Friday that it has filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission relating to a proposed initial public offering of its common stock. Affinia Group Holdings Inc. intends to apply to have its shares listed on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "AFN."

Commercial Vehicle Group Set to Join Russell 3000 Index

NEW ALBANY, Ohio - Commercial Vehicle Group, Inc., a leading supplier of fully integrated system solutions for the global commercial vehicle market, today announced that the Company is set to join the broad-market Russell 3000 Index when Russell Investments reconstitutes its comprehensive set of U.S. and global equity indexes on June 25, according to a preliminary list of additions posted June 11 on www.russell.com.

Mitsubishi Fuso Names Bloom President and CEO

Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corp. Monday announced that it appointed Todd Bloom as President and CEO of Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America Inc., effective July 1.

Bloom succeeds Takeo Ishimaru, MFTA Chief Financial Officer, who had been serving as acting President. Ishimaru will remain as CFO.

EPA May Ease CNG Conversion Rules for Older Vehicles

The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a proposed rulemaking to change the certification requirements for natural gas vehicle aftermarket conversions.

Under the proposed rulemaking, the agency would approve systems for use on vehicles older than two years, but would not require the Certificate of Conformity for these vehicles. In addition, the agency has also proposed three potential options for engines that have exceeded their regulatory useful life.

MD Truck Sales Continue Upward Trend

Retail sales of light- and medium-duty (Classes 3-7) trucks through the first five months of the year increased 16 percent compared with the same period in 2009, according to recent data from WardsAuto.com.

Manufacturers reported selling 100,074 units through May compared with the 86,555 they reported selling over the same period last year.

May 2010 Class 8 Truck Sales Up 13.5 Percent - Fifth Straight Monthly Increase

U.S. retail sales of Class 8 trucks topped weak year-over-year comparisons for the fifth straight month in May, this time by 13.5 percent, WardsAuto.com reported.

For-hire truckers and private fleets bought 7,895 heavy trucks last month, up from 6,955 during the previous May. The year-to-date figure rose to 40,361 units from 35,451 through the first five months of 2009, an increase of 13.9 percent.

Sales of Class 6 trucks surged 135.5 percent.

California Committee Passes S.B. 346, Chairman Urges Advocates to Work with MEMA

The California Senate Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee voted 6-3 to pass S.B. 346, sponsored by Sen. Christine Kehoe (D), which would strictly limit the amount of copper brake manufacturers could use in friction materials sold in the state in order to curb elevated brake dust runoff partially responsible for elevated copper levels in urban watersheds.

DOT Secretary LaHood Boosts Funds for Freight Rail; Says Aid will Also Help Passenger Service, Lauds Role of Trucking Industry

ARLINGTON, Va. "” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said the Obama administration is spending money on freight rail projects to bolster its push for high-speed intercity passenger rail.

"We need a strong freight rail system to help jump-start our opportunity for high-speed rail,"LaHood told reporters June 10 at a National Industrial Transportation League forum. "That's why freight rail is important."In many parts of the country, Amtrak passenger trains run on tracks owned and operated by freight railroads.

Bendix Spicer Earns Paccar Quality Award

Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC has been named to Paccar's elite group of suppliers that meet the OEM's demanding quality expectation of 50 PPM. BSFB earned the distinction by lowering the PPM, or product defects expressed in parts per million, to 41 at its wheel-end manufacturing facility in Bowling Green, Ky., where the company's lineup of air foundation brakes products are produced.

After the Crisis: New Demands on Logistics

Thanks to the trend of volatility that has emerged over the last few years in transportation and logistics, it's nearly impossible to make accurate forecasts based on historical data. One major global logistics supplier told logistics professionals Tuesday that their industry faces four new realities that will have a long-term impact on supply chain management.

NHTSA to Undertake Environmental Impact Statement for Heavy Trucks

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration plans to propose fuel efficiency standards starting with model year 2016 commercial medium- and heavy-duty on-highway vehicles, and said it will prepare and environmental impact statements as part of the procedure.

In a Federal Register notice dated June 14, NHTSA said it will undertake an EIS to analyze the potential environmental impacts of the proposed medium- and heavy-duty fuel efficiency standards and reasonable alternative standards pursuant to federal law.

Stevens Orders 500 SmartWay Certified, Aero Kenworth T700s

Stevens Transport has ordered 500 aerodynamic Kenworth T700s equipped with 400-hp Cummins ISX engines, the Kirkland, Wash.-based truck maker announced.

Intermodal Traffic Jumps 21.2 Percent

Intermodal rail traffic jumped 21.2 percent last week, reaching the highest level since late 2008, the Association of American Railroads said Thursday.

Traffic totaled 227,985 trailers and containers for the week ended Saturday, though that level was 0.2 percent lower than the same week two years ago.

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