Equipment & Tech

COLUMBUS, Ind. — Preliminary reports from trailer original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) indicate that 14,400 new trailer orders were booked in April, which was 52% lower than March, but a staggering 3600% above the COVID-impacted volume for the same month last year, according to analysts at ACT Research. “Given the dramatic market impact of COVID shutdowns that occurred at this point last year, year-over-year comparisons provide minimal insight. Year-to-date net order volume of just over 102,000 trailers, up 164% versus last year, gives us a better metric that indicates fleet equipment demand remains strong,” said Frank Maly, director of commercial vehicle transportation analysis and research for ACT Research. “Strong fleet commitments, pushing the average backlog for dry vans and reefers at recent production rates, are generating headwinds to further order placement.” ACT Research also released this quarter’s issue of ACT Research’s Trailer Components Report, which showed trailer orders were preliminarily lower for April. “Lower orders will be the result of dry van and reefer order boards that commit most OEMs through the remainder of this year and well into the next,” Maly said. “Additionally, cancellations increased in both March and April, with a mix of pricing reviews by OEMs of units on the order board, due to increased component and materials costs, appearing to be a driving force in those adjustments.” ACT Research has increased trailer forecasts for nearly all trailer categories, with dry vans and reefers now projected to set new annual production records next year. “The industry is rebounding from the COVID-generated market pressures of 2020, and extremely strong freight volumes and the resulting surge in fleet financials are providing the need for additional equipment and the ability for the CAPEX investment,” Maly noted. “That said, staffing is expected to be a major headwind during this market upturn, and component pricing increases are also pushing trailer prices upward. Ultimately, softer order volumes are expected through early summer, until trailer OEMs re-open their order books, after getting component supplies and pricing into place and increasing their staffing levels to support stronger production rates.” Meanwhile, Maly said there was an upturn in cancellations during April, due to pricing, component and material cost pressures. Cancellations are also contributed to the reassessment by fleets to analyze equipment needs and projected delivery dates. “OEMs continue to struggle to increase production rates, with components, materials, and staffing still challenging their efforts,” he said.

AUSTIN, Texas — Hyliion Holdings Corp., a maker of electrified powertrains for Class 8 trucks, has partnered with Detmar Logistics LLC, a provider of frack sand solutions, Hyliion announced May 20. Through this first company collaboration serving the oil and gas industry, Hyliion will work with Detmar as the company initiates the electrification of its fleet over the next five years. “We’re thrilled to be building a lasting relationship with a business that shares our vision of a net-carbon-negative commercial transportation industry,” said Thomas Healy, Hyliion founder and CEO. “Detmar is paving the way with their commitment to adopting alternative fuels, and we look forward to continuing to offer the practical solutions they need to help realize their goal of becoming a fully electrified fleet.” An early adopter of electrification in the oil and gas industry, Detmar owns and operates 127 trucks and hauls more 200 loads of fracking sand per day. The logistics company has placed its initial order of 10 Hyliion Hybrid Electric units, marking a step on its path to powering 100% of its fleet with low-emission solutions. “Oil and gas will continue to be an important part of the world’s energy future, and it’s imperative that we align with climate efforts to make our operations sustainable for generations to come,” said Matthew Detmar, logistics president and CEO for Detmar. “Hyliion’s approach to electrification by making improvements to our existing semitrucks makes the most sense for us. We also see natural gas playing a significant role as an energy source for powering electric vehicles in the years ahead.” Flaring at oil and gas extraction sites can be one of the largest greenhouse gas-emitting practices in the industry. However, with an increasing focus on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG), the infrastructure to convert flare gas into usable compressed natural gas (CNG) continues to grow. This allows what was once a waste product to be turned into usable fuel to power electrified trucks. “We want to work with our customers to keep American energy moving forward and oil and gas production sustainable. We believe in doing our part in pushing toward reliable, low-carbon alternatives and we look forward to achieving that through Hyliion’s Hybrid solution and the Hypertruck ERX in the future,” Detmar said. The initial hybrid units are being installed on Detmar’s Volvo trucks at Hyliion’s headquarters in Austin, Texas. Hyliion’s diesel and CNG hybrid solutions can be installed on most major Class 8 commercial trucks and are designed to improve performance, reduce emissions, lower fuel costs and enhance the driver experience.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Self-driving tech developer TuSimple is working to revolutionize the transport of fresh produce, according to company statement released May 19. In partnership with the Giumarra Companies, a network of produce growers, and Associated Wholesale Grocers Inc. (AWG), a food wholesaler, TuSimple recently completed an industry-first test pilot in an effort to provide faster delivery, fresher food and less waste. On May 3, TuSimple picked up a load of fresh watermelons from Giumarra’s facility in Nogales, Arizona, and transported the produce across four states to AWG’s distribution center in Oklahoma City, where the fruit was inspected and distributed to Doc’s Country Mart and Homeland grocery stores across the state. The initial pickup and final delivery of the produce, commonly referred to as “first mile” and “last mile,” was done manually with a human driver, while the “middle mile,” the longest portion of the journey —from Tucson, Arizona, to Dallas — was done autonomously using TuSimple’s self-driving technology. The autonomous portion of the journey covered more than 900 miles. A human driver can complete the entire trip in 24 hours, six minutes, but TuSimple’s autonomous system made trip 42% faster, in just 14 hours, six minutes. “Autonomous trucking technology is a real game-changer for us, as its time and cost efficiencies provide us with an enhanced opportunity to supply fresher fruits and vegetables across the United States, particularly to food deserts and rural communities,” said Tim Riley, president of the Giumarra Companies. While package delivery, large freight carriers and commercial railroads can leverage TuSimple’s autonomous trucking, implementing the solution within the food industry can also produce beneficial results, according to TuSimple. “We believe the food industry is one of many that will greatly benefit from the use of TuSimple’s autonomous trucking technology,” said Jim Mullen, chief administrative officer of TuSimple. “Given the fact that autonomous trucks can operate nearly continuously without taking a break means fresh produce can be moved from origin to destination faster, resulting in fresher food and less waste.”

CUPERTINO, Calif. and COLUMBUS, Ind. — Plus and Cummins Inc. are collaborating to create the first supervised autonomous trucks powered by a natural gas engine. While Plus is a company focused on self-driving truck technology, Cummins is a manufacturer of diesel and alternative fuels engines. The two companies have been working together for five years, but this venture will be the first time a natural gas engine has been paired with autonomous technology, according to a statement from Plus. “Sustainable transportation is good for business and for humankind,” said Shawn Kerrigan, chief operating officer and co-founder of Plus. “This is an extraordinary collaboration that brings together two excellent engineering teams to create an innovative, production-ready solution that will have tremendous business and environmental impact. Working with Cummins on this truly meaningful product is a natural extension of our long-standing partnership.” With artificial intelligence (AI), the trucks powered by the Plus system combined with a Cummins natural gas engine can be more fuel efficient, according to the two companies. Cummins’ natural gas engines have reduced smog-forming emissions by 90% compared to current Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards for nitrogen oxide air pollutants, according to Plus. “Integrating Cummins’ state-of-the-art natural gas-powered engines into Plus’s industry-leading supervised autonomous trucks enables a new kind of transportation solution and offers customers even greater choices to meet their emissions goals,” said J. Michael Taylor, general manager of Cummins. “Cummins engines can power nearly every type of vehicle and application globally, so the integration of our natural gas powertrains for autonomous driving applications is a logical next step to provide customers with solutions that align with their specific business requirements.” Although the two companies have been partners for a while, this new venture is the product of continued collaboration, according to Lauren Kwan, vice president of marketing. “We’ve been working with Cummins on integrating their engines to our systems,” Kwan said. “And since this is a long-standing collaboration, this time around it’s really the initiative focused on taking their natural gas engines and putting them to work with our systems.” The Plus and Cummins teams are currently working on the new initiative. An autonomous truck system, called PlusDrive, will be piloted by several truck fleets and original equipment manufacturers (OEM)s, including China-based FAW Group Corp. The version with FAW will not be a Cummins engine and uses diesel.  While those trucks are currently being rolled out, Plus and Cummins are working to retrofit trucks for shippers in the United States. A batch of 1,000 trucks will be released at the end of 2022 in the U.S., according to Kwan. “Our goal is to support all truck models and all truck makers and different brands,” she said. “Over time, we’ll build that out. I think, for now, in terms of the retrofits that we are working on here in the U.S., we are building with a specific customer and working on their trucks.” The rest will be integrated by early 2022. Eventually, the integration of autonomous technology will be ready for mass production, making the trucks available for different solutions. By working with different technology providers to create the PlusDrive, the collaboration will steadily release different versions to support truck models and brands, including diesel, compressed natural gas (CNG), and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Even as models are released, testing will continue to improve the autonomous truck experience to gain data on driving in real-world settings. Kwan said both the production and the data matters in creating the PlusDrive system. “Part of the reason it’s taking so long to roll out a perfect system is that most of it (will) work fine, but it’s those corner cases that you want to have experience in,” she said. “’Corner cases’ means that they’re rare, but if you are going to put a system out there that is completely driverless, then every single corner case matters, so you want your system to be able to handle those.” Kwan said the improvements could bring about be a revolution in combining autonomous trucking and compressed gas engines “both on the operational side of the trucking business and also on the environmental side.” In addition to the attempt to create a “perfect system,” the autonomous trucks with natural gas engines have a focus on safety with sensors to give a 360-degree view around the truck, thus avoiding blind spots. “What our system does is take the best drivers that a fleet might have, and actually make them better than that,” she said. “It’s being able to learn from the most efficient drivers and adding the machine aspects of the AI algorithm that we have to make it even more efficient, and that’s how we generate 10% to 20% more fuel efficient savings.” The PlusDrive system is also intended to improve driver comfort and reduce fatigue while driving. Kwan said the long-term goals of the project are to have driverless trucks and to keep current drivers more comfortable in operating vehicles equipped with AI.

DENTON, Texas — Peterbilt Motors Co. recently announced the opening of two new dealerships — Rush Peterbilt Truck Center-Phoenix East in Mesa, Arizona, and Peterbilt of Augusta in Georgia. Peterbilt’s dealer network includes more than 400 locations across North America. Rush Peterbilt Truck Center-Phoenix East, which opened in late March, is a parts and service location featuring eight service bays, 1,000 square feet of parts retail space, and 3,000 square feet for parts inventory. The Phoenix East store is strategically located with easy access to U.S. 60 and U.S. 101. Peterbilt of Atlanta opened the new Augusta store in April. This full-service location features nine service bays, 1,000 square feet of parts retail space, and 3,000 square feet for parts. Peterbilt of Atlanta operates four Peterbilt dealerships within the state of Georgia. The new Augusta location is offers easy access to Interstate 20 and State Highway 104. “We’d like to congratulate Rusty Rush and Rush Peterbilt Truck Centers, as well as Scott Pearson and Peterbilt of Atlanta on their latest store openings,” said Peyton Harrell, Peterbilt’s director of dealer network development. “These two additions to the Peterbilt Dealer Network play an important role in ensuring Peterbilt customers receive the highest level of service in the industry.”

HOUSTON — Doggett Freightliner on May 12 opened a new facility in Brownsville, Texas. Doggett Freightliner of South Texas is at 3799 International Blvd. The Brownsville facility complements Doggett’s existing Freightliner and Western Star dealerships that sell and service flatbeds, dry freight, refrigerated vans, trailers and other over-the-road truck offerings. This new location will help local customers maximize uptime with expedited parts and dependable mobile support, according to a statement from Doggett Freightliner. “Doggett has a long and successful history of living up to the rigid demands of our customers,” said Paul Burk, senior vice president of the Doggett Truck Group. “Our success has been built by performing up to our customer’s exceedingly high expectations 24/7, thanks to an excellent team of dedicated support staff and factory-trained technicians that are pros at keeping their promises.” With the opening of the new Brownsville facility, Doggett Freightliner has nine locations throughout Texas and Arkansas, including San Antonio, El Paso, Laredo, and Pharr in Texas, along with North Little Rock, Springdale, Searcy and Van Buren in Arkansas. “At Doggett Freightliner, we are proud to be a superior dealership with our Elite Support Certification providing the industry’s best truck maintenance and repairs with an unmatched-level of customer service,” Burk said. “We are excited to continue to deliver unmatched service and support to our customers for years to come in the Brownsville area.”

SAN FRANCISCO — Embark Trucks Inc. announced May 13 that technology giant HP Inc. is joining Embark’s Partner Development Program (PDP) to test and deploy autonomous freight. HP will play a critical role in testing self-driving truck technology in a real-world commercial setting, in addition to providing data and feedback to Embark as it expands the PDP. HP will log its first autonomous freight deliveries with Embark, moving printers from Los Angeles to Phoenix, Arizona. The structure of HP’s network, with relatively long hauls departing from a select set of distribution and manufacturing facilities, makes HP particularly well-suited to capture the value of autonomous freight, according to a statement from Embark. These long hauls have the ability to provide increased speed, sustainability, and operational efficiency unlocked by 24/7 on-highway operations. “As our Partner Development Program grows, we’re thrilled to bring storied high-tech companies like HP on board,” said Alex Rodrigues, CEO of Embark. “Embark is excited to work with HP to prepare their carrier network to operate Embark self-driving trucks. The upfront time invested in PDP will provide HP a meaningful head start when it comes time to scale self-driving technology throughout their logistics operations. Self-driving freight will inevitably help large shippers like HP bring additional speed and efficiency into their supply chains.” According to Embark, the PDP is designed to bring carriers and shippers together to deploy autonomous freight, improve speed and reliability for customers, and maintain high safety standards. To date, the PDP includes shippers such as AB Inbev, as well as national carriers including Werner, Bison Transport and Mesilla Valley Transportation. “HP is driving toward net-zero carbon emissions across our entire value chain by 2040,” said Jessica Kipp, global head of worldwide logistics for HP. “Transportation and logistics have an important role to play, and we’re excited to pilot new technologies with Embark that, when combined with electric and alternative fuel vehicles, have the potential to create a far more sustainable fleet and logistics networks than ever before.”

COBURG, Ore. — In early May, Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), the Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, visited Volvo Trucks North America’s TEC Equipment dealership location in Coburg, Oregon, to test-drive an electric Volvo Class 8 truck and highlight his clean energy priorities. “For years, climate change deniers have argued that big businesses would never choose to invest in clean technologies because it wouldn’t make business sense — but now, big corporations are showing that there is a business case for climate solutions,” DeFazio said. “As I work with President Biden to move the American Jobs Plan through Congress, I look forward to making investments that move our country toward cleaner, greener technologies and a zero-pollution transportation sector. It’s a plan that addresses the existential threat of climate change and creates thousands of good-paying jobs and strengthens an economy reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic.” During May visit, DeFazio was joined by Dave Thompson, founder and CEO of TEC Equipment; Alan Zelenka, assistant director for planning and innovation for the Oregon Department of Energy; Jeff Allen, executive director of Forth Mobility, a nonprofit organization advancing electric, shared and smart transportation; and Jonathan Miller, senior vice president of public affairs for Volvo Group North America. “At Volvo Group North America, we are committed to electrification and many other efforts to support the decarbonization of transportation and sustainability of our environment, including the launch of the Volvo VNR Electric Class 8 truck model, as demonstrated in Coburg, Oregon today,” Miller said. “Last year, the Volvo Group announced plans in line with the Paris Agreement to be fossil-fuel free by 2040. While these are ambitious goals, we are currently taking orders and delivering on our plans to commercially launch battery-electric trucks, buses and construction equipment in the United States and Canada.” The Volvo VNR Electric truck is designed for driving cycles with both local and regional distribution ranges, including food and beverage and pick-up and delivery routes. According to the manufacturer, the truck’s batteries can charge up to 80% within 70 minutes and have an operating range of up to 150 miles, based on the truck’s configuration. As chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, DeFazio is expected to be a principal author and negotiator of President Biden’s American Jobs Plan, a wide-sweeping plan aimed at fixing and modernizing the nation’s outdated infrastructure system, according to a prepared statement from DeFazio’s office. DeFazio said he plans to introduce legislative text in the coming weeks that lays out transformative investments in roads, bridges, transit and rail, including funding to help build charging capacity to accommodate the shift to electric vehicles, including passenger vehicles, freight trucks and buses. The statement cites the Business Roundtable, noting that inadequate infrastructure costs U.S. businesses $27 billion per year in extra transportation costs. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, between 2016 and 2025, the economy will lose almost $4 trillion in economic activity if there are not upgrades to the nation’s infrastructure, which could cost 2.5 million jobs.

PHOENIX — Nikola Corp. is collaborating with Total Transportation Services Inc. (TTSI), a port trucking company, to expedite zero-emission transportation at the port of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the companies announced in early May. The collaboration includes vehicle trials and a letter of intent (LOI) from TTSI to order 100 Nikola Class 8 battery-electric vehicle (BEV) and fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV) semi-trucks. The Nikola Tre BEV is designed for local deliveries up to 350 miles. The Nikola Tre FCEV truck is targeted for distances up to 500 miles and is expected to address most of the North American regional market, especially when additional freight hauling capacity and quick fueling are required by fleet operators. “The Nikola Tre trucks are exactly the type of zero-emission solution we need to be using at the port,” said Vic LaRosa, president of TTSI. “Our trucks operate for 18 to 20 hours a day, making the benefits of the Nikola portfolio a perfect match for our needs. The expected availability of the BEV aligns with our desire to reach our sustainability goals quickly and the FCEV is ideal for longer-range applications. Nikola’s value proposition of the truck and hydrogen fuel bundled together made this partnership even more appealing to our leadership team.” The LOI calls for the purchase of 100 zero-emission trucks, beginning with a four-truck pilot — consisting of two BEVs and two FCEVs — beginning during the first half of 2022. Based on completion of the vehicle trials and subject to TTSI obtaining certain government funding, the purchase of 30 BEVs is projected to follow later in 2022, and delivery of 70 FCEVs is anticipated to start in 2023. “TTSI’s decision to utilize both Nikola BEV and FCEV vehicles speaks to their forward-looking and strategic mindset in covering a variety of hauling distances and loads, while still contributing to California’s clean-air initiatives,” said Michael Erickson, Nikola’s global head of BEV business unit. “We applaud TTSI’s commitment to a zero-emission future and are eager to help fulfill that vision with Nikola zero-emission vehicles.” According to TTSI, in any given month, 13,000 to 14,000 trucks call at the port of Los Angeles and Long Beach, emitting roughly 2,600 tons per year of smog-causing nitrogen-oxide emissions. This location and transportation use case represent one of the largest opportunities in California to make a significant impact for the transition to sustainable transportation. “The drayage and port operations present an excellent use case for BEV and FCEV trucks where operational efficiency cannot be compromised,” said Jason Roycht, Nikola’s global head of FCEV business unit. “We hope to jointly demonstrate with TTSI the advantages of both technologies during vehicle trials at the port of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The planned conversion of the TTSI fleet over the next several years will provide a roadmap to implement zero-emission trucking that we hope many in Southern California will follow.” The collaboration is subject to negotiation and execution of definitive documentation acceptable to the parties.

FORT MILL, S.C. — SelecTrucks, a North American retailer of used trucks, is celebrating its expanding network with the opening of SelecTrucks of Los Angeles in Carson, California. In addition, the company is renaming its current Los Angeles location SelecTrucks of Fontana. The new Carson location will host an open house celebration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 17. With two locations serving the greater Los Angeles area, customers have more opportunities to find the truck to fit business needs. All SelecTrucks Centers offer a selection of used trucks, warranty packages, financing terms and business support. SelecTrucks of Fontana and SelecTrucks of Los Angeles are members of the Velocity Truck Center family of dealerships. “For over 50 years our team at Velocity has proudly operated in the used truck industry. We focus on bringing value to our used truck customers and supporting their businesses after the sale. Our team at SelecTrucks believes in delivering unparalleled service, value and support to our customers and I’m very excited to open the newest store in Los Angeles,” said Warren Auwae, vice president of used trucks at the Velocity Group. SelecTrucks of Los Angeles is located at 21107 Chico St. in Carson, California. SelecTrucks of Fontana will remain at 13750 Valley Blvd. in Fontana, California. Both locations are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. “We have an established, exceptional partnership with Velocity,” said Mary Aufdemberg, president and general manager of Daimler Trucks Remarketing. “They share in the purpose and live the values that drive all we do at SelecTrucks. They are committed to serving our customers and we are delighted to expand our footprint with the newest SelecTrucks location in Carson. We share a passion for helping our customers reach their goals.”

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — PACCAR Parts recently celebrated the groundbreaking for its new state-of-the-art parts distribution center (PDC) in Louisville, Kentucky. The new 260,000-square-foot facility will increase parts availability for dealers and customers in the central, mid-Atlantic and southeastern regions of the U.S. and provide parts capacity to support new truck and engine models. “The Louisville PDC will use the latest technologies to reduce the time between order placement and delivery, allowing us to maximize uptime for customers,” said Jim Walenczak, assistant general manager of operations for PACCAR Parts. PACCAR Parts executives attended the groundbreaking event on Thursday, May 6, along with the mayor of Louisville and representatives from Louisville-based Abel Construction, Luckett & Farley, Kenworth of Louisville, TLG Peterbilt-Louisville, and Dynacraft, a division of PACCAR. “Congratulations to PACCAR Parts as the first company to make Riverport Phase V its home,” said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer. “PACCAR’s choice to locate in Louisville demonstrates our strength in the advanced manufacturing industry and the value of concierge customer service. We look forward to partnering with PACCAR Parts in workforce development, manufacturing prowess and supporting our community.” The distribution center will be PACCAR Parts’ 19th PDC, increasing its global network to more than 3.4 million square feet of warehouse space. Each PDC is strategically located to provide industry leading delivery times for 1.9 million parts shipments annually to more than 2,200 Kenworth, Peterbilt and DAF dealers and TRP retail locations worldwide. “We are dedicated to providing customers with the highest level of product availability, quality service and unmatched value in the industry,” said David Danforth, PACCAR Parts general manager and vice president. The new facility is expected to open in 2022.

GREENWICH, Conn. — XPO Logistics Inc. has partnered with Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) to test Daimler’s battery-electric commercial trucks under real-life operating conditions in California. “We’re pleased to contribute to the environmental sustainability of supply chains by providing real-life operating data to our long-time partner, Daimler Trucks North America,” said Troy Cooper, president of XPO Logistics. “The CX pilot is also an opportunity for us to evaluate how battery-electric trucks perform for our customers and drivers. Our partnerships with manufacturers are an important way we help advance industry innovation.” XPO drivers will use tractors from DTNA’s Freightliner Electric Innovation and Customer Experience (CX) Fleet for a nine-month pilot program in the Oakland, California, area. The data generated by the XPO pilot program will help DTNA fine-tune the final design of its battery-electric truck before beginning full series production. XPO and DTNA have collaborated on transportation innovation for more than a decade. “XPO is providing us valuable information about the performance, maintenance and cost of operating our all-electric Freightliner eCascadia, while helping to shape the future of CO₂-neutral transportation for supply chains nationwide,” said Richard Howard, senior vice president of on-highway sales and marketing for DTNA.” We appreciate their partnership and participation in the process of co-creation.” In addition to leading the Freightliner CX pilot in Oakland, XPO provides input to DTNA as a member of the Freightliner Electric Vehicle Council. The pilot is supported by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (Bay Area AQMD), which partially funded the deployment.

While April orders of Class 8 trucks showed a decline from March, the preliminary figures are still well ahead of April 2020, according to analysts at ACT Research and FTR. According to ACT’s State of the Industry: Classes 5-8 Vehicles monthly report, preliminary North American Class 8 net orders for April totaled 33,500 units. That figure is down 16% from March, but a whopping 689% higher than April of last year’s COVID-stricken intake. “For the past several months, we have been counting down the remaining open Class 8 build slots in 2021. For that exercise, we use three numbers — year-to-date Class 8 build, the Class 8 backlog analysis from ACT’s State of the Industry report, and a materials-shortage-constrained 2021 forecast,” said Kenny Vieth, president and senior analyst at ACT. “We start with that preamble to highlight that it is not a surprise that Class 8 orders fell to their lowest level since September and that the decline was strictly driven by the supply of open build slots in 2021, rather than a change in new equipment demand.” Analysts at FTR reported 34,600 preliminary North American Class 8 net orders for April, noting the figures reflected the best April order activity since 2018. Even so, FTR reported a 15% month-over-month decrease from March to April 2021. FTR figures showed a 15% percent drop from March to April but noted the number of trucks ordered were still 30,500 units above April 2020. According to FTR, freight growth remains sturdy, and fleets anticipate needing additional trucks to expand capacity throughout 2021. The supply of new trucks remains restrained due to supply chain delays, therefore carriers continue to order at healthy rates to secure new equipment by year’s end. “Fleets see the need for more trucks extending out the entire year. Orders remain elevated, as carriers evaluate their needs in Q4. This indicates they expect freight conditions to continue along at healthy levels right into 2022,” said Don Ake, vice president of commercial vehicles for FTR. “The supply chain is stressed right now, limiting the number of new trucks that can be produced. With orders continuing at this pace, it is possible that the supply chain will not be able to catch up with the fantastic truck demand for months.” Ake pointed to the negative challenges faced by the industry in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We came through that surprisingly well under the circumstances. This year we have a whole new set of challenges,” he noted. “It’s almost as if conditions are too good. But the people in the commercial vehicle industry are working extremely hard to catch up with the tremendous demand.” Final data for April Class 8 orders will be released by separately by ACT and FTR later this month.

AUSTIN, Texas — Overhaul, an intelligence-driven, real-time supply chain visibility and risk-management technology provider, May 4 announced the launch of TruckShield, an industry-first, risk-management technology solution for North American motor carriers. According to a company statement, TruckShield is a quickly implemented, low-cost solution that uses existing motor-carrier fleet hardware to identify dangerous or illegal driving practices in real time, and implement corrective actions to avoid costly situations that can develop due to motor accidents. In addition to identifying and correcting costly behavior, TruckShield can also help protect carriers from predatory legal practices in the event of an accident, digitizes and centralizes insurance, maintenance, and safety management, and builds a data profile to showcase safety culture to insurers. “As an owner of a trucking company, I can uniquely relate to the frustration of rising premiums, year over year, and the constant threat of a catastrophic verdict that can wipe out a business,” said Barry Conlon, CEO and founder of Overhaul. “TruckShield is going to be a game-changer for North American motor carriers because it can provide unparalleled vulnerability protection, as well as quick insurance claims and cost savings. Within minutes, trucking-company management can monitor who is and who isn’t driving safely.” After downloading the TruckShield app, carriers can gain full visibility about what’s happening across their fleet — without having to install any additional hardware. This allows managers to identify and correct safety risks such as hazardous driving or theft. In addition, TruckShield allows carriers to store critical documents related to insurance, maintenance and safety in one centralized digital location, allowing administrative tasks such as filing a claim to be accomplished with a simple click. By using data gathered from the TruckShield app, managers can work to improve their company’s safety culture and maintain complete records of driver coaching, maintenance performed and claims made. This can bolster a carrier’s standing with insurers and help limit premium increases.

MADISON, Ind. — The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) International Roadcheck, scheduled for May 4-6, is fast approaching. This year’s focus is on vehicle lighting — which accounted for a significant number of violations during last year’s roadcheck — as well as hours of service compliance. The experts at Grote Industries have compiled a checklist to help drivers and fleet managers prepare for the lighting portion of this year’s roadcheck. “Implementing a schedule of thorough pre-trip inspections will go a long way toward cutting down on violations of all kinds, including lighting,” said Alicia Jones, Grote Industries’ global market manager for trailer/body builder. “But often, it is the unseen dangers of corrosion and wiring damage that contribute most to lighting failure on the road. Once moisture enters a wire, a capillary effect draws it through the wire and eventually throughout the electrical system. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to reduce the likelihood of lighting violations.” To help reduce potential lighting violations, the following steps should be taken: Be sure to inspect all wiring, and make sure all frayed wiring is spliced out and properly sealed. Discoloration and foreign material on damaged wiring is a telltale warning sign of corrosion. Copper corrodes into a powdery green or white substance, while iron-based components form brown or red rust as they deteriorate. Corroded or incorrectly spliced wires are poor conductors of electricity; as a result, lamps — especially ABS indicator lamps or stop/tail/lamps — will flicker or stop working altogether. All splices should be heat-sealed with shrink splices; avoid taped splices in your wiring. When inspecting your wiring, be aware that built-up winter grime often hides splices that need attention. Any wires that hang down from their correct runs on the exterior of a trailer are prime candidates for wear or damage. Wiring needs to be bundled and securely fastened into its run using plastic tie wraps so that vibration or environmental factors cannot dislodge it. Although the use of drip loops to direct water away from connections is a good practice, check to see that drip loops are not in a place where unseen ice can build up in cold weather. Bear in mind that in winter, drip loops no longer always deflect water as they do when the temperature is above freezing. Sealing out corrosion with dielectric grease is a good way to safeguard your system, and it can add years of life to your trailer when used correctly. Whenever a harness connection is opened, either harness to harness or harness to lamp, the old grease should be cleaned out and new grease should be applied. This ensures the connection is always protected and prevents an excessive amount of dielectric grease from building up, which can prevent harnesses from closing properly. At the front of the trailer, battery and nose box connections should be checked to make sure the required current is present. Terminals should be cleaned, tightened and greased to protect the battery and the overall electrical system. To learn more about the International Roadcheck, click here.

WALCOTT, Iowa — The Iowa 80 Truckstop, known as the World’s Largest Truckstop, has installed two ChargePoint electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. The installation, positioned just north of the gas islands, is now up and running, the Iowa 80 announced April 28. The universal chargers can charge any brand of electric vehicle to 80% in 20 to 30 minutes. To find out more about the ChargePoint stations, visit www.chargepoint.com. The EV charging stations are self-service. Guests will be able to pull in and plug in; then eat and shop and free to leisure while their vehicles charge. “We have been working on this project for quite some time and are excited to now be able to offer this convenience to our customers,” said Delia Moon Meier, Iowa 80’s senior vice president. “For those traveling across Interstate 80, our charging stations are located in the perfect spot between Chicago and Des Moines.” Iowa 80 began the electric-charging project more than a year ago by installing a substation that can provide 760 kilowatts of charging power to EV chargers which provides the option to add more charging stations in the future. “At Iowa 80 Truckstop, we are committed to serving customers to help them on their journey, whether it’s a hot meal, snacks, gifts, gas or an EV charge,” Meier said. “They can count on us to keep up with the times and adapt to their needs.”

McDONOUGH, Ga. — Murphy-Hoffman Co. (MHC) has relocated its full-service Kenworth dealership in McDonough to a new facility off Interstate 75. According to a company statement, the new location is the largest MHC site in Georgia. In addition to truck sales, MHC Kenworth’s South Atlanta full-service dealership offers 32 service and 14 body shop bays, a down-draft paint booth and an expanded parts department. The dealership also features amenities such as a driver’s lounge, a shower, washing machine and a dryer to increase comfort for resting drivers. “MHC’s goal is to enhance our services to better support our customers,” said Eddie Davis, regional vice president and general manager. “We moved to accommodate growth, provide easier access and offer additional services to customers.” State-of-the-art technology is featured throughout the facility, including CNG-compliant service capabilities, geothermal heating and air conditioning to save energy, and a body shop for repair services. A significant expansion was made for warehouse parts storage, ensuring that the McDonough location can stock even more high-demand truck parts while continuing to offer local delivery. Earlier this year, MHC Kenworth-South Atlanta was one of the dealerships within the region that earned Kenworth’s Medium Duty Dealer of the Year. MHC operates a network of more than 120 locations in 19 states.

PHOENIX — Nikola Corp.’s energy division and TravelCenters of America (TA) have agreed to collaborate on the installation of hydrogen fueling stations for heavy-duty trucks at two existing TA-Petro sites, the companies announced April 22. This collaboration is a first step to explore the mutual development of a nationwide network of hydrogen fueling stations. The first two stations will be constructed at existing TA-Petro locations in California and are targeted to be commercially operational by the first quarter of 2023. These stations are expected to accelerate adoption of hydrogen fuel-cell-powered commercial electric trucks. Paired with the expected 500-mile range of the previously announced Nikola Tre fuel-cell electric vehicle, the launch stations will enable operations of zero-emission heavy-duty commercial vehicles in and around the greater Los Angeles region and north through California’s Central Valley. “Today we announce an important advancement in enabling the growth of heavy-duty fuel-cell electric vehicles by partnering with a leader in commercial fueling sites and high quality customer services,” said Pablo Koziner, president of Nikola’s energy and commercial division. “Our collaboration in southern California will form a basis for building an expanded network of hydrogen fueling stations for Nikola vehicle customers and for industry use overall. This collaboration forms an essential part in delivering the hydrogen-based ecosystem required to advance zero emission solutions for commercial trucks.” The two hydrogen fueling stations under consideration for development by Nikola and TA-Petro will provide for an open fueling network available to any truck customer and will follow a common industry standard for heavy-duty fueling protocols, ensuring compatibility across all hydrogen fuel-cell truck manufacturers. “This exploration into hydrogen supply expands on our commitment to provide customers the widest range of fuel and nonfuel offerings, and on our mission to ‘return every traveler to the road better than they came,’” said Jon Pertchik, CEO of TA-Petro. “Through our new business unit, eTA, we are positioning ourselves to facilitate the transportation industry’s shift toward alternative fuel offerings including hydrogen, a leading form of energy for Class 7 and 8 vehicles. We are excited about this first foray into the future of heavy duty, long-haul trucks and look forward to supporting our loyal fleet customers as they increasingly adopt decarbonization strategies.”