Equipment & Tech

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — C.H. Robinson, one of the world’s largest logistics platforms, on Aug. 4 announced a series of tech enhancements that delivers first-of-its-kind digital transformation to small business shippers. As small businesses face increased challenges, enhancements to the Freightquote by C.H. Robinson, the company’s self-shipping tool, further automate and simplify the shipping experience for small business owners while providing instant shipping options and real-time visibility to track shipments across all modes. Small business owners have already reported saving half the time and cost when booking their shipping through Freightquote by C.H. Robinson, according to the Aug. 4 announcement. From...

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Fleet Advantage, a provider of truck fleet business analytics, equipment financing and lifecycle cost management, released results of its latest fleet industry benchmarking survey in late July. The survey shows the impact new safety technologies have had on transportation fleets, how many fleets are still driving older-model trucks, and the leading reasons motivating upgrade decisions. The survey also shows that demand for electric and autonomous trucks remains low. Fleets with newer trucks benefit from more advanced safety features. According to the benchmark survey, 71% of transportation fleets have implemented blind-spot mirrors as advanced safety features, while 66%...

TAMPA, Fla. — KBX Logistics, an independent Koch Industries company, is partnering with Transflo, a supplier of point-of-delivery solutions for the transportation industry, to expand its expanding its electronic bill of lading (eBOL) and electronic proof of delivery (ePOD) solutions. This strategic collaboration will deliver digitized end-to-end automated document workflow solutions between KBX Logistics and its partners including drivers, carriers, shippers and receivers, according to a statement released Aug. 4. Designed with the help of Transflo’s customer advisory board and several major Koch companies, the new eBOL and ePOD solutions provide multiple ways for shippers affiliated with KBX Logistics to...

WEST CHESTER, Pa. — A. Duie Pyle (Pyle), a provider of asset and non-asset based transportation and supply chain solutions in the Northeast, has expanded its Westfield Integrated Distribution Center, adding a new accessory transfer and distribution center to the current location at 66 Ampad Road in Westfield, Massachusetts. The expansion includes a 35,500-square-foot service center and an 8,800-square-foot fleet maintenance facility. The distribution center now features 53 less-than-truckload (LTL) cross-dock doors, and the fleet maintenance facility has a three-bay shop and truck wash. The additions were built on Pyle’s existing 67-acre campus, which is already home to three warehouses...

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Michelin North America Inc. announced Aug. 3 that it is launching the fuel-efficient Michelin X One Line Energy T2 tire for the North American line-haul market. The tire is Michelin’s most fuel-efficient trailer tire to date, the company says, based on internal rolling resistance tests using comparable line-haul trailer tires in tire size 275/80R22.5 LRG for the Michelin X Line Energy T and 445/50R22.5 LRL for the Michelin X One Line Energy T2 tire The SmartWay-verified X One Line Energy T2 is targeted for the dry-van truckload, refrigerated truckload and tanker segments. According to the American Transportation Research Institute, fuel ranks...

DALLAS — Drivewyze has bolstered its PreClear weigh-station bypass service with 12 new locations in Montana and Illinois. The new sites expand the company’s weigh-station services in both states to offer drivers even more bypass opportunities. Montana now has 12 active Drivewyze sites, while Illinois has 17 bypass locations. According to Brian Heath, president and CEO of Drivewyze, the expansion in both states, further streamlines freight movement. “Not having to stop for inspections saves both time and money — weigh station bypass is the low-hanging fruit for fleets and owner-operators to keep on the move,” he said. “It’s one of the best...

RESTON, Va., and OKLAHOMA CITY — Trucker Tools has announced a new partnership with TVC Pro-Driver that will provide access to legal representation and other services for independent truckers directly through the Trucker Tools Mobile Driver App. Oklahoma City-based TVC Pro-Driver provides truckers with comprehensive, subscription-based support services including legal counsel and representation, fuel, shopping and equipment discounts, roadside assistance, and other benefits throughout the U.S. and Canada. Focused on helping professional drivers and fleets stay on the road and earning, TVC Pro-Driver has provided CDL legal protection for more than 30 years. Trucker Tools features real-time shipment visibility, trip planning,...

FORT MILLS, S.C. — Monday, Aug. 3, marked the opening of SelecTrucks’ newest location, SelecTrucks of Chattanooga. This location is the third SelecTrucks center to open this year and the 29th store in the company’s network. SelecTrucks is a brand of Daimler Trucks North America LLC and one of the largest retailers of used trucks in North America. SelecTrucks of Chattanooga is positioned to conveniently serve customers who are traveling along the Interstate 75 corridor. The group specializes in selling off-lease used day cabs and sleepers from major national fleets and is a member of the Premier Truck Group family...

NORTHBROOK, Ill. — Old World Industries LLC, the manufacturer of BlueDEF, has launched a new premium product, BlueDEF Platinum, which the company describes as a “breakthrough innovation” in diesel exhaust fluid. Ten years ago, the federal government tasked manufacturers with reducing the emitted nitrogen oxide (NOx) levels of diesel vehicles, which resulted in the development of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems that use diesel exhaust fluid (DEF). Since the inception of SCR, there have been issues with deposit build-up especially with low-quality DEF, which can lead to back pressure, resulting in increased fuel consumption as well as reduced engine power. Because...

PORTLAND, Ore. — Freightliner’s Innovation Fleet of 30 battery electric medium- and heavy-duty trucks has accumulated more than 300,000 miles of real-world use by customers, Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) announced July 31. The fleet’s purpose is to test integration of battery electric technology into large-scale commercial transportation operations. “Co-creation with our customers is a cornerstone of Freightliner’s unique approach to the market,” said Richard Howard, senior vice president of on-highway sales and marketing for DTNA. “The knowledge and expertise our logistics customers have in fleet operations with their thousands of trucks is invaluable as we design and engineer the zero-emissions future...

SAN DIEGO — SmartDrive Systems, which specializes in video-based safety and transportation intelligence, has released SmartSense for Speeding for Conditions and SmartSense for Sitting Duck, offering never-before-available capabilities to support and protect drivers. Tested by nationally recognized fleets, these intelligent driver-assist offerings represent an expansion of SmartDrive’s intellectual property portfolio. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued patents in June 2020 for the technologies, which help fleets alert drivers so they can avoid driving too fast for poor weather or road conditions; the tech also assists drivers who may be parked in unsafe locations. “With insurance premiums, nuclear verdicts and everyday...

PITTSBURGH — Fyda Freightliner Pittsburgh Inc., at 20 Fyda Drive in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, will launch a new Mobile Repair Service (MRS) program Monday, Aug. 3. The service will be available during normal business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and emergency call-out is available 24/7. Fyda Pittsburgh’s MRS program is designed to create a better partnership with customers by offering additional services to support their businesses. “We feel that mobile service will add value and convenience for our customers. We expect MRS to be an extension of our shop capabilities and that our customers will find this to...

LONG BEACH, Calif. – United Pacific Industries has expanded its commercial truck parts line with its new Vibrant Color Series shift knobs, shift covers, shifter shaft extensions and other shifter accessories to customize cab interiors. The new products include: 13/15/18-Speed Gearshift Knobs for Eaton Fuller shift knob assemblies offered in a variety of high-fashion colors, including cadmium orange, indigo blue, electric yellow, emerald green, candy red, liquid silver and pearl white. A Stainless Gearshift Knob Cover, Chrome Range Selector Cover and Chrome Splitter Button for Eaton Fuller 13 speed shifters are also available. Lower Gear Shift Knob Covers designed to...

LOS ANGELES — Clean technology consulting firm and producers of the annual Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo, Gladstein, Neandross & Associates (GNA) is authoring a report on the current and future adoption of clean and advanced vehicles across the nation’s on-road transportation industry. The State of Sustainable Fleets report is the first technology-neutral, comprehensive industry resource that examines five fuel and vehicle technologies across eight medium- and heavy-duty transportation sectors. The report will be released Tuesday, Aug. 11; a two-part virtual launch event is planned to share the report’s findings. The report will provide insights from on-road vehicle fleets into...

INDIANAPOLIS — Palmer Trucks, a third-generation, family-owned commercial truck sales, parts and service provider, has announced plans to expand operations in the Indianapolis area. In addition to upgrading the existing Kenworth of Indianapolis-West facility at 2929 S. Holt Road, the company has planned a new venture, Kenworth of Indianapolis-East, at 9704 E. 30th St. Kenworth of Indianapolis-East will be housed in a 140,000-square-foot facility and will be home to a diesel technician training center, a parts warehouse, a body shop and corporate offices, in addition to a full-service Kenworth dealership. The facility will serve as an extension of Palmer Trucks’...

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Wabash National, harnessing eNow solar power and Carrier Transicold all-electric refrigeration technologies, have teamed up to offer customers what the company describes as the most thermally efficient, eco-friendly refrigerated haul available on the market. First shown as a zero-emission trailer at the American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) Technology and Maintenance Council (TMC) meeting in February, the Wabash MSC refrigerated trailer with solar-electric TRU is now commercially available as a road-ready solution. Although solar-electric solutions aren’t new to the trucking industry, they haven’t been widely adopted because no manufacturer has been able to demonstrate real viability of a roadworthy solution. “We...

COOLIDGE, Ariz. — Nikola Corp., a Phoenix-based alternative-energy vehicle design and manufacturing company, broke ground on a new manufacturing facility in Coolidge, Arizona, yesterday, July 23. The 1 million-square-foot 4.0 designed facility will be constructed an approximately 430-acre parcel off U.S. Highway 89 at East Houser Road and Vail Road. The plant is expected to generate more than 1,800 new full-time positions and result in approximately $600 million in new capital expenditures. The ceremony featured speakers from Nikola’s executive team, including Trevor Milton, Nikola’s founder and executive chairman; Mark Russell, CEO; and Mark Duchesne, global head of manufacturing. Also joining the...

COLUMBUS, Ind. — U.S. and Canadian retail sales of Class 8 natural gas trucks fell 22% from January through May compared to 2019, according to AFQ: Alternative Fuels Quarterly, a report released July 21 by ACT Research. “Sales of natural gas-powered vehicles as reported by the six major truck OEMs, who account for approximately 60% of the heavy-duty natural gas market, were almost uniformly weaker in the March to May time period,” said Steve Tam, vice president at ACT Research. The AFQ report provides insight and analysis, along with trends regarding alternative fuel/power adoption for the U.S. heavy- and medium-duty commercial-vehicle...

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Despite recent progress of the vehicle-automation industry, it will be at least a decade before fully automated vehicles, with no driver on board, are deployed on a large scale, according to a new research brief released by the MIT Task Force on the Work of the Future. The brief is part of a series of subject-specific research projects by MIT faculty. “Automated driving technologies have promised to disrupt urban mobility for a long time. Our research explores the impact of autonomous vehicles on jobs and offers policy recommendations that will ease transitions and integration,” said David Mindell, co-chair...

PORTLAND, Ore. — Freightliner has updated its Smart Source app to provide an improved user experience for professional drivers with a new design, personalized notification options and enhanced product-support features. The Smart Source app helps drivers stay connected with Freightliner for up-to-date product news, training videos and support information. The new features expand on the app’s versatility and help drivers quickly find the information they need to efficiently operate their Freightliner truck. “Drivers are more connected than ever before, and we are dedicated to providing them with useful information about their vehicles delivered in a familiar and easily accessible format via...