Equipment & Tech

SAN FRANCISCO — Embark, a developer of autonomous technology for the trucking industry, on March 31 launched a set of standard self-driving components with flexible interfaces that allow major truck OEMs — including Freightliner, International, Peterbilt and Volvo — to more easily integrate self-driving tech into their vehicle platforms. The Embark Universal Interface (EUI) program focuses on the intersection of the four OEMs’ platform specifications rather than on a single vehicle platform, making Embark the first autonomous tech developer to attempt a universal system. Since its founding in 2016, Embark has focused exclusively on automated driving system (ADS) technology for the trucking industry. By developing a strong technology platform that can be rapidly integrated on all major OEM trucks, Embark plans to provide OEMs with autonomous technology that is responsive to their carrier customers’ needs. “We absolutely believe that integrating with OEMs is the path to market for self-driving trucks,” said Alex Rodrigues, co-founder and chief executive officer of Embark. “We also believe that being cross-compatible and easy to integrate into all OEM’s vehicles as their Level 4 platforms continue to develop gives us a competitive advantage.” The EUI achieves its universality through a two-part design. Part 1 consists of a standardized components package — sensors and compute system — which have been determined through thousands of hours of design, testing and analysis. Between these standardized components and the truck, Part 2 of the EUI design is a set of physical, electrical and software interfaces that enable the standardized components package to connect to and communicate with any OEM platform’s steering, braking, throttle, telematics, power, chassis and HVAC. At the center of the interface package is the Embark Gateway, an automotive-grade engine control unit (ECU) developed by Embark to enable application programming interface (API) communication between Embark’s technology and any OEM platform. Embark’s long-term vision is to have its technology integrated into OEM’s truck platforms; then the OEMs can sell ADS-equipped trucks with the maintenance and warranty support needed by truck buyers. “The launch of EUI opens the door to a much larger market opportunity for Embark by making their self-driving technology platform-agnostic,” said Pat Grady, partner at Sequoia Capital. “We’ve seen time and time again how the emergence of an open platform can serve as a galvanizing force in fast-developing markets, and this breakthrough technology from Embark has a chance to do the same for what’s historically been a complex and fragmented industry. This is a huge step forward both for Embark and for the entire trucking industry.” Currently, the EUI program helps demonstrate the Embark Driver’s compatibility with the four major OEM platforms, an industry first — and an important milestone to carriers who purchase from multiple OEMs. The EUI program also enables Embark to grow its test fleet across the four major OEM brands, increasing Embark’s truck count and fleet diversity. Because many major carriers maintain multi-OEM fleets, Embark hopes the development of a universal interface will help companies that are working toward full or partial automation of their fleets. “We currently purchase trucks from multiple OEMs and plan to continue this strategy to optimize the experience for our drivers and meet our total cost of ownership objectives,” said Trevor Fridfinnson, chief operating officer for Bison Transport. “Embark’s investment to integrate its autonomous driving system with the major OEMs will allow us to test and deploy autonomous trucking capabilities without introducing a new OEM into our fleet for that sole purpose.”

KIRKLAND, Wash. — The Kenworth C500 now offers the Bendix ESP Electronic Stability Program as an available option, the truck manufacturer announced in late March. The C500 is Kenworth’s largest workhorse truck with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) up to 500,000 pounds. It can be used for a variety of tough off-road and heavy-haul applications. The Bendix stability system for the Kenworth C500 comes with the Bendix 6S/6M configuration, which has six sensors and six modulators, and includes Bendix Smart ATC Automatic Traction Control and Bendix ESP. The Bendix technology is designed to help stabilize the vehicle during loss of control situations on a variety of surfaces, including dry, wet, or snow- or ice-covered roadways. In addition to using sensors that monitor lateral acceleration, as found on some roll-only systems, the Bendix ESP full-stability system also uses sensors to monitor steering angle and vehicle direction. This allows for detection of a vehicle’s impending loss of stability and automatic intervention through de-throttling of the engine and selective application of tractor steer and drive axle brakes, along with trailer brakes, helping the driver to maintain control of the vehicle in a variety of situations. Bendix advises drivers to keep in mind that these safety technologies are intended to complement safe driving practices, and are not intended to enable or encourage aggressive driving. No commercial vehicle safety technology replaces a skilled, alert driver exercising safe driving techniques and proactive, comprehensive driver training. Responsibility for the safe operation of the vehicle remains with the driver at all times.

FORT MILL, S.C. — SelecTrucks, a North American used truck retailer network, announced March 31 the opening of its newest location in Texas. SelecTrucks of Texarkana, Texas, is positioned on the border of Texas and Arkansas. SelecTrucks is a member of the Lonestar Truck Group and TAG Truck Center (TNTX) family of dealerships. Like all SelecTrucks locations, the Texarkana dealership offers on-site finance-leasing and in-class truck warranty options and coverages. Used inventory goes through an extensive inspection and is serviced to ensure each unit is brought to the best condition. “We have a great and long-standing relationship with Daimler Trucks Remarketing, and we are committed to take it to the next level with the opening of SelecTrucks of Texarkana approximately a year after the successful opening of our SelecTrucks of Memphis location,” said Jay Simmons, dealer partner. The new location is one of 35 locations in the growing nationwide network of SelecTrucks centers. “The new Texarkana location, and our partnership with TNTX will only further enhance our dedication and support for our valued customers,” said Mary Aufdemberg, president and general manager of Daimler Trucks Remarketing. SelecTrucks of Texarkana is a member of Used Truck Association (UTA) and offers all makes of used trucks. The new location for SelecTrucks of Texarkana is 1902 St. Michael Drive, Texarkana, Texas. SelecTrucks of Texarkana is located at 1902 St. Michael Drive. For more information visit Texarkana.SelecTrucks.com.

ELYRIA, Ohio — Bendix Wingman Fusion with enhanced feature set is now standard safety equipment on International Trucks’ LT Series and RH Series, and as an option on the MV Series, HV Series and HX Series. International, part of Navistar International Corp., is the first North American truck manufacturer to offer Bendix’s Fusion Active Cruise with Braking (ACB) Stop & Driver Go and new Active Steering with Lane Keep Assist capabilities, both available as options for the LT and RH Series. “Navistar’s commitment to providing dependable, efficient, and safe trucks for North America’s professional drivers runs deep — and everyone at Bendix shares that same drive,” said Scott Burkhart, vice president of sales and marketing for Bendix. “As an early adopter and longtime supporter of Bendix advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), Navistar continues to be an incredible and valuable partner in commercial vehicle safety, and we’re proud to see our most advanced technologies earning a place on International Trucks.” Wingman Fusion, launched by Bendix in 2015, is the company’s flagship driver assistance system, which integrates radar, camera and a vehicle’s brake system. Since the system’s creation, Bendix has expanded Fusion’s capabilities through advancements such as providing full braking power on the tractor and earlier object detection. “Safety systems play an important role in our DriverFirst philosophy, and we strive to ensure our vehicles are equipped with the best features to see drivers home safely when the job is done,” said Charles Chilton, vice president of product strategy and planning for Navistar. “Offering these expanded and improved Bendix systems supports that commitment and contributes to a safer transportation environment across North America.” Multiple input sources and greater capabilities Using sensors that work together, not just in parallel, Bendix Wingman Fusion with enhanced feature set gathers input through radar, video and the vehicle’s braking system. By combining and cross-checking information to create a detailed and accurate data picture, Fusion delivers enhanced autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and stationary vehicle braking, in addition to multilane automatic emergency braking, highway departure braking and ACB Stop & Driver Go. The feature will automatically reengage cruise control after an ACB braking event, if the vehicle is still above the vehicle’s cruise control set speed. Once at stop, if the driver applies enough throttle, Fusion can re-accelerate the vehicle to the set cruise control speed as long as there is no object detected ahead. In addition, Wingman Fusion can provide full tractor braking when needed for an autonomous emergency braking event to help the driver mitigate a potential crash with the forward vehicle. With Fusion’s multilane automatic emergency braking feature, the system will continue applying the brakes during an ACB event if the driver changes highway lanes and the new lane is also blocked. The highway departure braking capability builds on the system’s existing lane-departure warning technology to alert the driver and, if necessary, apply the brakes to slow the vehicle and further alert the driver if the system determines the vehicle has unintentionally left the roadway. Other Fusion capabilities include stationary object alerts, overspeed alerts and intervention, and lane-departure warning, as well as utilizing alerts to help reduce driver distraction. Because it is built on the Bendix electronic stability program (ESP) system, Bendix Wingman Fusion also helps drivers mitigate additional crash situations, including rollovers and loss-of-control incidents. Event-based data — including video — is wirelessly transmitted through SafetyDirect by Bendix CVS for driver coaching and analysis by fleet safety personnel. Steering assistance and an eye on blind spots Lane Keep Assist, with information from Wingman Fusion, will provide steering torque to help guide the vehicle if the system detects departures from a driving lane with no turn signal. At low speeds, the active steering system also dynamically adjusts the amount of torque applied so the driver will use less effort to steer the vehicle to aid in parking lot maneuvering, for example. Two distinct steering profiles are available, providing a more customized experience for the driver. Bendix’s active steering assistance is built on existing steering gears from its R.H. Sheppard subsidiary. The new active steering system includes compensation to counter crosswinds or road crowning, steering wheel return-to-center assist, and active damping to reduce road vibrations felt through the steering wheel. The latest iteration of the Bendix BlindSpotter Side Object Detection System is also an option on the International LT and RH Series. When connected to the vehicle’s J1939 controller area network (CAN), BlindSpotter provides a 150-degree range of coverage and is capable of detecting objects up to 20 feet in front of and 20 feet behind the BlindSpotter radar. The coverage zone extends up to 10 feet to the right of the vehicle. BlindSpotter minimizes false alerts by operating in two modes — highway speeds and lower speeds. When connected to the CAN and at highway speeds, the sensor filters out stationary objects like guardrails. The slow-speed warning mode — active at speeds less than 20 mph, such as during city driving or in parking lots — narrows the range for alerts and does not filter out stationary targets or infrastructure. Assisting, not replacing, the driver Fleets equipped Bendix Wingman Fusion have reported significant reductions in rear-end collisions — as much as 90% — and decreased severity of those that did occur. “It’s very important to remember that these safety systems do not in any way replace the need for skilled, alert drivers and ongoing, comprehensive training,” said TJ Thomas, director of marketing and customer solutions, controls, for Bendix. “They’re meant to complement safe driving practices — not encourage or enable aggressive driving. Safe operation of the vehicle ultimately remains in the hands of the driver at all times.”

BEL AIR, Md. – Kenworth Mid Atlantic now offers expanded support to fleets and truck operators with the addition of a new parts and service dealership in Bel Air, Maryland. This location joins the company’s two existing dealerships in Baltimore and Westminster, and marks the further expansion of Kenworth Mid Atlantic into the medium- and heavy-duty commercial truck, service, and parts markets in the region. The 24,800-square-foot facility features 10 service bays to help maximize customer uptime, along with an 800-square-foot parts display area and a 5,500-square-foot parts warehouse to ensure parts availability. Kenworth Mid Atlantic in Bel Air is located at 1704 Conowingo Road in Bel Air. The 4-acre site is positioned off State Route 1 near Interstate 95, a trucking route that connects Baltimore and Philadelphia. Hours of operation are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.

ELYRIA, Ohio — As spring arrives across North America, it’s important to take preventive maintenance steps and address the tolls that a season of wild temperature swings and corrosive road chemicals can take on vehicles. The experts at Bendix offer a few tips to help commercial truck owners put winter’s troubles in the rear-view mirror. Tough times for trucks “Winter weather is hard on all the physical components of your air brake system,” said Richard Nagel, director of marketing and customer solutions for Bendix. “You’ve got the contrast of freezing temperatures and heat coming off the engine; you get trapped moisture due to freeze-thaw cycles, thermal cycling and humidity; you get metals expanding and contracting and plastics softening and hardening. It’s the same reason pavement cracks and potholes grow in the winter.” That means drivers and technicians need to pay extra attention this time of year with both visual checks and keen awareness of component performance. Because of their exposure on the road, air dryers mounted on the frame rail are susceptible to corrosion, particularly the seats around the purge and pressure protection valves, as well as the governor connection. Steel air tanks can also corrode and develop small punctures. Dirt, sand and road chemicals can mix with water and form residue that can clog and prevent proper operation of air dryer parts such as the pressure protection and purge valves. Inspections should also include an eye for cracking or breakage of plastic air-line tubing that connects the dryer to the truck’s air system. Push-to-connect air fittings can also be affected by chemicals and temperature cycling. In the cab and on the road Behind the wheel, there are other indicators of winter damage to an air brake system. “Just because you don’t immediately see or hear any leaks doesn’t mean they’re not present,” Nagel said. “If you notice that it’s taking significantly longer to charge the tanks — say, three or four minutes compared to one or two — then that’s a sign that your air brake system is losing air. The same thing applies if you notice the system charging more often. And an increase in charging cycles also means more air going through the dryer, which affects the life of the dryer cartridge.” Additionally, if the air dryer cartridge wasn’t replaced in the fall, now is a good time to switch it out. Drivers might notice a general “stickiness” in the feel of the brakes, as if they’re responding more slowly to the push of the brake pedal. This can indicate valve seals in the system that have had their lubricant degraded through corrosion, or possibly by the use of de-icing solutions if the air system froze during the winter. “That’s why we never recommend adding anything to the air system — although we recognize that some situations may call for the drastic measure of using a brake antifreeze compound,” Nagel said. “If you’ve had to do this, then spring is a great time to check for leaks around brake valves where O-rings might have been exposed to these chemicals or replace valves that may be sticking internally due to loss of lubrication. Some fleets even routinely just change out air valves as part of post-winter preventive maintenance.” It’s all connected Higher-level air-connected technologies like antilock braking systems (ABS) can also suffer from difficult winter conditions. “Wire harnesses get chipped by gravel or experience corrosion, and once the wires get wet, they can short out,” Nagel said. “Any wiring on the chassis is at risk, and our technical support team says post-winter electrical shorts and the resulting air brake valve malfunctions are the No. 1 source of calls to Bendix this time of year.” As more trucking systems depend on a reliable supply of compressed air — including Automated Manual Transmissions (AMTs), emissions controls and full stability — proper maintenance of the air system is key to keeping vehicles on the road and in good operating condition. This spring, spending some extra time addressing the ravages of winter can help enhance fleet safety and ease the road ahead for the men and women at the wheel.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Volvo VNR Electric battery-electric Class 8 truck is now eligible for more than a dozen funding and incentive programs in North America, including up to $120,000 per vehicle from California’s Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP). These funding programs, which include point-of-sale vouchers, incentives and rebates, are designed to help fleets make cost-effective transition to zero-emission vehicles. “Funding and incentives are an important part of the total cost of ownership calculation for fleets deploying battery-electric trucks,” said Peter Voorhoeve, president of Volvo Trucks North America. “With so many local and state-level funding opportunities available from coast to coast, combined with a robust sales and service support network from Volvo Trucks, there are more resources available than ever to guide and help make electrification seamless for customers.” Volvo Trucks North America began taking customer orders for its VNR Electric model in early December 2020, and production began early this year at the company’s New River Valley manufacturing plant in Dublin, Virginia. The Volvo VNR Electric is eligible for funding programs throughout the U.S. and Canada including: Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP) from California, which offers up to $120,000 per electric truck; South Coast Air Quality Management District Proposition 1B 2020 Goods Movement Emission Reduction Program from California, which offers up to $200,000 per electric truck; Southeastern Alternative Fuel Deployment Partnership Project (SEAFDP) from Georgia, which offers up to 100% of the incremental cost of the electric truck; Drayage Truck Replacement Program from Maryland, which offers up to $30,000 per electric truck; MOR-EV Trucks Program from Massachusetts, which offers up to $90,000 per electric truck; Michigan Fuel Transformation Program Part 1, which offers up to 70% of the total electric truck cost; New York Truck Voucher Incentive Program (NY-TVIP), which offers up to $185,000 per electric truck; New York City Clean Trucks Program (NYCCTP), which offers up to $185,000 per electric truck; Écocamionnage Program from Québec, Canada, which offers up to $175,000 per electric truck; Utah Clean Diesel Program, which offers up to 45% of the total cost of the electric truck; New Hampshire State Clean Diesel Program Diesel Emissions Reduction Act Program (DERA), which offers up to 45% of the total cost of the electric truck; and CleanBC Go Electric Commercial Vehicle Pilots Program from British Columbia, Canada, which offers up to 30% of the total project costs, including electric trucks and charging infrastructure. According to the manufacturer, the Volvo VNR Electric truck produces zero tailpipe emissions and significantly reduces heat, noise and vibrations, creating a clean, comfortable experience for drivers. The vehicle’s 264-kWh lithium-ion batteries, which charge up to 80% within 70 minutes, have an operating range of up to 150 miles based on the truck’s configuration and application. Regenerative braking can increase range by returning power up to 15% back into the battery, depending on the duty cycle. Battery monitoring technology relays the state of health for the energy source in real time, streamlining service needs and maximizing uptime.

KIRKLAND, Wash. — Kenworth’s new 15-inch digital display system will be offered as standard equipment on Kenworth’s T880 and W990 models, Kenworth announced March 9. The fully digital, high-definition Digital Display is already standard on the recently launched Kenworth T680 Next Generation model. The intuitive, adjustable display can be customized, allowing drivers to match their preferences, while automatically displaying critical content, and was created using driver observation, user testing, iterative prototyping and meticulous design work for an advanced user experience. “We met with drivers from vocational and over-the-road applications as a key part of our design process,” said Laura Bloch, Kenworth’s assistant general manager for sales and marketing. “As a result, we put in place the vocational-specific enhancements to benefit our vocational customers. The digital display will serve as a valuable tool for T880 and W990 operators alike.” Kenworth’s digital display allows seamless viewing selection between two minimized views, basic view, maximized view and a customizable favorites view. Drivers can easily scroll up and down using the standard Kenworth Next Gen SmartWheel, which also puts cruise control and radio functions at the driver’s fingertips. The minimized views show truck speed, tachometer and standard content in the header and footer area for drivers who prefer fewer gauges. The basic view on-screen content adds gauges such as fuel, air, coolant and oil pressure. A simple scroll of the Kenworth Next Gen SmartWheel to the maximized view will show additional gauges specified on the truck — such as axle temperatures, torque, air filter, and brake application — for drivers who prefer to view all featured truck information. There is also a specific screen and tachometer mode available for power takeoff (PTO) engagement and operations for vocational customers who use vehicle-mounted equipment such as pumps, dump trucks or cement mixers. New set points can be controlled either by dash switches or using the steering wheel. Regardless of the display mode selected, the driver will automatically receive screen alerts regarding any warnings or faults that might occur. The digital display also enhances truck functionality when the truck is parked. Pressing the Exterior Light Self-Test switch runs a full system check for a quick analysis and status summary of multiple systems. The display screen also offers a Trip Summary view when the driver shuts off the truck for the day. If equipped, the system can provide a Driver Performance Assessment report and coaching advice. A Drive Summary, which reports statistics on information such as average fuel economy, idle time, cruise control usage, as well as any potential mechanical issues, also appears at day’s end. The display system’s offers nearly 50 different layout possibilities with a wide range of possible gauge sensors. There are more than 4,500 possible gauge view combinations, including several that a driver could construct into a “favorites” view.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — FTR reports that preliminary U.S. net trailer orders continued to moderate in February, falling 23% month over month to a total of 23,100 units. Although orders fell, the figure is still 64% above February last year. February order activity is very consistent with seasonal trends, following a record-setting fourth quarter in 2020, according to FTR analysts. “Fleets have placed large orders for trailers in response to the robust freight demand,” said Don Ake, FTR’s vice president of commercial vehicles. “OEMs are under pressure to fill these orders due to bottlenecks in the supply chain. Suppliers are facing worker shortages; some raw materials are scarce and there are still delays getting some imported parts through the West Coast ports. Once the situation improves, production will be steady, at high volumes for an extended time.” Trailer orders for the past 12 months total 322,000. Freight markets continue to be secure, with more trailers needed to meet the growing demand. Most fleets have already placed all orders for 2021 delivery, especially for dry and refrigerated vans. Flatbed orders and other vocational segments are expected to continue to recover until entering the summer months. “2021 will be another fantastic year for the trailer industry once the supply chain stabilizes,” Ake said. “Freight growth should continue to be vibrant throughout the year. Consumer freight has been elevated for months and now manufacturing freight is poised to bounce. Demand for trailers will continue at elevated rates, right into 2022. Fleets desperately need more trailers right now, and this trend will continue until supply catches up with demand.”

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. — Penske Automotive Group Inc., an international transportation services company, announced March 4 it has entered into an agreement to acquire Kansas City Freightliner (KCFL), a retailer of medium- and heavy-duty commercial trucks. KCFL will add five full-service dealerships, four parts and service centers, and two collision centers located in Kansas and Missouri to its existing operations. Premier Truck Group (PTG) currently operates 25 commercial truck dealerships located Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Georgia, Utah, Idaho and Ontario, Canada, which generate more than $2 billion in annual revenue. The KCFL acquisition is expected to generate $450 million in annualized revenue, expanding the company’s PTG subsidiary. “We are thrilled to welcome Kansas City Freightliner to Premier Truck Group,” said Richard Shearing, president of PTG. “With its contiguous operating area to existing Premier Truck Group markets, KCFL is a natural extension of our existing business as we can offer an expanded service area to both our customer base and KCFL’s existing customers,” he continued. “Upon completion of this transaction, our PTG business is expected to generate nearly 20,000 new and used unit sales annually and is expected to generate annual revenue of approximately $2.5 billion.” Closing of the transaction is expected during the second quarter of 2021 and is subject to customary closing conditions.

CUPERTINO, Calif. — Plus (formerly Plus.ai), a developer of self-driving truck technology, on March 9 announced plans to equip its next-generation autonomous system with the Nvidia Drive Orin system-on-a-chip (SoC). Plus plans to launch the next-gen system across the U.S., China and Europe in 2022. Mass production of the Plus autonomous driving system for heavy trucks will begin this year; over time, the company plans to expand the system’s feature set and operating design domain through over-the-air software updates. Plus will work closely with the Nvidia engineering team to evolve the system, allowing trucks powered by the self-driving tech to “achieve fail-operational performance for greatest on-road safety,” according to a statement from Plus. “Enormous computing power is needed to process the trillions of operations that our autonomous driving system runs every fraction of a second. NVIDIA Orin is a natural choice for us and the close collaboration with the NVIDIA team on a custom design for our system helps us achieve our commercialization goals,” said Hao Zheng, co-founder and chief technology officer of Plus. “We have received more than 10,000 pre-orders of our system, and will continue to develop our next-generation product based on the NVIDIA DRIVE platform as we deliver the systems to our customers.” The Plus autonomous driving system is designed to make long-haul trucks safer and more efficient, the company says. Because of the size and weight of heavy trucks, they need more time to come to a stop and to maneuver. Plus’ system uses lidar — a remote sensor technology that uses light pulses to measure distances — along with radar and cameras to provide a 360-degree view of the truck’s surroundings. Data gathered through the sensors help the system identify objects nearby, plan its course, predict the movement of those objects, and control the vehicle to safely make its next move. The Nvidia Drive Orin tech is capable of delivering 254 trillion operations per second, making it ideal for handling the large number of concurrent operations and supporting sophisticated deep neural networks to process and make decisions using the data on heavy trucks outfitted with the Plus autonomous driving system, the companies said. Orin is also designed for ISO 26262 Functional Safety ASIL-D at the system level. “Plus and its automated trucks are delivering true social benefits today through improved safety and efficiency,” said Rishi Dhall, vice president of autonomous vehicles for Nvidia. “With Nvidia Drive Orin, Plus’ next-generation automated system will raise the performance bar even higher.” To support the global deployment of its self-driving truck technology, Plus has added two new senior hires, Dennis Mooney, who was most recently senior vice president of global product development for Navistar, and Chuck Joseph, who joined from Amazon’s global transportation technology group. In addition, Plus company closed $200 million in new funding in February, and announced collaborations with Amazon AWS, Blackberry QNX and Ouster.

Preliminary figures for Class 8 truck orders in the North American market promise both month-over-month and year-over-year increases, according to data released this week by ACT Research and FTR. ACT figures show that 43,800 units were ordered during the month, up 4% from January — and a leap of 212% from February 2019. The ACT report also includes data for Classes 5-7, with orders of 25,400 units; down 4% from January but up 12% from a year ago. “Beyond warmer inflation numbers, there is much to like in the current stream of economic data that indicate broad-based economic activity,” said Kenny Vieth, president and senior analyst for ACT, adding that current economic growth — as has been the case throughout the pandemic — is driven by the goods-producing sectors. “Consumer spending on goods, a red-hot housing market, a reaccelerating manufacturing sector and pent-up inventories combine to provide very good visibility to near- to mid-term freight trends. Contract freight rates are at record levels, as are spot rates, after seasonal adjustment,” he continued. “Without injecting stimulus or infrastructure into the discussion, there is a lot to like about freight, the carrier profit outlook, and by extension the commercial vehicle demand landscape.” Analysts at FTR showed similar totals for Class 8 net orders in February, reporting 44,000 units — up 3% month over month and up 209% year over year — the second-highest number of orders ever for the month of February. FTR’s report noted there is intense pressure on freight hauling capacity to get more trucks into service. However, the supply of new trucks is limited due to component and part shortages. In response, fleets continue to place orders in elevated volumes to try to acquire as many tractors as possible. “There is tremendous pent-up demand for trucks. There are severe bottlenecks in the supply chain involving computer chips, wiring harnesses, and a whole host of various parts. OEMs are under intense pressure to deliver as many vehicles as they can, as soon as they can,” said Don Ake, vice president of commercial vehicles for FTR. “The tight capacity has caused spot rates to spike from already elevated levels. Contract rates are rising also. Therefore, fleets have plenty of cash to spend. They desperately need trucks, so they are ordering at near-record levels,” he continued. “The supply chain is so dysfunctional right now and there are so many parts affected, it is difficult to predict when the logjam breaks loose. The vaccine should help component manufacturers find more workers. There are also lengthy waits at the ports causing delays in imported parts.” Both ACT and FTR will release final figures for February later this month.

PHOENIX — PrePass has more than a dozen new weigh-station locations in Missouri to its mobile bypass app, bringing the total number of Missouri Department of Transportation-operated sites in the network to 19. The PrePass app gives qualified carriers the option to expand bypass opportunities using iOS, Android and select telematics mobile devices, with or without the PrePass transponder. In addition to alerting drivers to approaching weigh stations, the PrePass app also delivers proactive notifications of upcoming road hazards. PrePass ALERTS is a mobile safety and productivity tool designed to notify drivers about upcoming road safety conditions. ALERTS currently sends drivers proactive alerts for work zones, available truck parking, gusty wind areas, rest areas, steep grades, brake-check areas, chain-up areas, runaway truck ramps and “no commercial vehicle” roads. The new PrePass mobile app sites in Missouri include: Bloomsdale: Interstate 55 southbound; Caruthersville: Interstate 155 westbound; Charleston: Interstate 57 southbound; Eagleville: Interstate 35 southbound; Foristell: Interstate 70 eastbound AND westbound; Harrisonville: U.S. 71 southbound; Joplin: Interstate 44 eastbound AND westbound; Kearney: Interstate 35 northbound; Mayview: Interstate 70 eastbound AND westbound; Platte City: NB Interstate 29 northbound; Clair: Interstate 44 eastbound AND westbound; Steele: Interstate 55 northbound; and Watson: Interstate 29 southbound. “Motor carriers work hard to earn the right to bypass weigh stations. PrePass carriers set the standard for commercial motor vehicle safety and efficiency in America,” said Mark Doughty, president and CEO of the PrePass Safety Alliance. “At the same time, Missouri Department of Transportation and Missouri State Highway Patrol have a primary responsibility to ensure safe highways for all motorists,” he continued. “PrePass Safety Alliance is proud to partner with the state of Missouri on new technologies like the PrePass bypass app that help safe drivers efficiently move freight at highway speeds, while allowing officials to focus on other commercial vehicles that need the most attention.”