Transport Topics Magazine
Don Schneider, former president, chairman and CEO of Schneider National Inc. and one of the nation’s most influential trucking executives, died Friday in De Pere, Wis., after a long illness. He was 76.
Schneider — who was born Oct. 19, 1935 — eventually transformed the company into one of the largest truckload freight carriers in the United States, one known for its ubiquitous orange tractors and trailers and its willingness to invest huge sums in information technology.
FleetOwner Magazine
During a webinar hosted by GE Capital Fleet Services (GECFS) yesterday, several experts debunked a set of six hoary yet still-persistent myths about truck fleet decision-making. At the outset, moderator Greg Wilson, truck product leader for GECFS, said these myths, by and large, result in lost productivity and lost revenue as well as negatively impacting driver/employee retention. What’s more, he added they can cause vehicle acquisition and operating costs to rise unnecessarily and can severely ding vehicle resale values.
Myth No. 1 was described as under-engineering a truck can save money on fuel. The translation, observed Wilson, is buying the cheapest possible truck. But that is not at all the way to go, said Mark Stumne, truck engineer for GECFS.
CCJ Magazine
As the next step in bringing a fully integrated powertrain to market since announcing the rebranding of its Detroit brand – formerly Detroit Diesel – Daimler Trucks North America on Wednesday, Jan. 11, introduced a full line of Detroit axles for on-highway and vocational applications. The axle lineup – including steer, single rear and tandem rear axles – now are available to order for Freightliner Trucks, Western Star, Thomas Built Bus and Freightliner Custom Chassis vehicles.
Steer axles are available with ratings from 6,000 to 20,000 pounds and use needle bearings rather than bushings that the company says allows for better maneuverability and less maintenance. “With 12 ratings, we’re able to better match the customer’s needs,” says Brad Williamson, manager, engine and component marketing for DTNA. “A new 12,500-pound rating allows customers that might be between the 12,000- and 13,000-pound rating to narrow the trailer gap by putting a little more weight on the front axle.”
Heavy Duty Trucking Magazine – Truckinginfo.com
Clean Energy Fuels Corp. unveiled the route plan for the first phase of 150 new LNG fueling stations along what it's calling "America's Natural Gas Highway."
The company already has identified 98 locations and anticipates having 70 stations open by the end of 2012.