Truckinginfo.com
While there weren't many big new product announcements at this year's Mid-America Trucking Show last week in Louisville, Ky., there was one theme that rang loud and clear through nearly every product introduction and enhancement announced: improved fuel economy, and as part of that, lighter weight.
A number of truck and engine OEs said the focus is shifting from the battle over which technology is better to meet EPA's 2010 NOx and particulate emissions limits, to an emphasis on fuel economy.
Truckinginfo.com
The U.S. Energy Information Administration this week reported a record-setting 5.8-percent decline in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2009. Since 1990, U.S. GHG emissions have grown at an average annual rate of 0.4 percent. This is the largest percentage decline in total U.S. GHG emissions since 1990, the starting year for EIA's data on total GHG emissions.
Total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions were 6,576 million metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO2e) in 2009, a decrease of 5.8 percent from the 2008 level, according to EIA report, "Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 2009."
CCJ Digital
Navistar officials said Wednesday, March 30, the recent introduction of its 15-liter engine, its developments in alternative fuel engines and growth in other areas have enabled the company to establish itself at a much broader level of industry leadership than five years ago.
Business Wire
Ryder System, Inc. today announced that it reached a key milestone in a major alternative fuel initiative with the order of 202 heavy-duty natural gas vehicles. The vehicle order is part of Ryder’s agreement with the San Bernardino Associated Governments to launch a groundbreaking heavy-duty natural gas truck rental and leasing project in Southern California. Ryder will begin taking delivery of the vehicles in April, and expects to have the full order integrated into its fleet by September. Ryder will also begin work this month to upgrade the first of three existing maintenance facilities in its network to be properly equipped for the indoor servicing of natural gas vehicles and will soon commence construction of two natural gas fueling stations.
Diesel Progress.com
Manitou North America and Gehl Co. have announced a new combined organization, which will operate as Manitou America. After merging its sales, marketing and support teams last September both entities will legally merge at the end of March.
The newly created Manitou Americas will host the sales, marketing and support for North America and Latin America for the Gehl, Manitou, Mustang machine brands as well as the Edge attachment brand and their respective dealer networks.
Transport Topics
Building on a surge of replacement demand that began last year, trailer manufacturers received orders for 21,990 new units in February — a 105% year-over-year increase.
The February order count was 25% higher than January’s total, and orders for the first two months of 2011 are 87% higher than the same period of 2010, ACT Research Co. reported last week.
CCJ Digital
Peterbilt will make front-axle air disc brakes standard across its entire Class 8 truck and tractor line. The announcement capped a highly upbeat press briefing Wednesday, March 30, in which Paccar vice president and Peterbilt general manager Bill Jackson noted that Peterbilt capital investments of more than $30 million are coming to fruition just as the trucking industry is entering a period of modest – yet sustained – economic recovery.
Light & Medium Truck Magazine
Caterpillar Inc., which exited the U.S. on-highway vehicle market several years ago, has no intention of directly re-entering that niche, its chief executive officer said.
Doug Oberhelman, Caterpillar’s CEO and chairman, offered an emphatic “No!” when asked if the construction equipment and engine maker had any intentions of getting back into the domestic market for on-highway vehicles.
Fleet Maintenance Magazine
Many maintenance shops tend to buy more parts than they need, in effect storing company cash on parts room shelves. Even when buying ahead, they sometimes pay more than necessary.
That’s the word from Dave Reed, maintenance consultant for Arsenault Associates, a fleet maintenance management software company and provider of Dossier maintenance management solutions.