Blog

EnRoute - June 12, 2013


Top Stories

 
The National Transportation Safety Board released a study saying that straight trucks are exempt from many of the safety standards tractor-trailers must comply with and issued several recommendations to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and other agencies regarding tightening standards for straight trucks. FULL STORY
 
The United States has the largest natural gas reserves in the world, which is why some fleets have decided the advantages of using natural gas outweigh the problems. FULL STORY
 
U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) has been named the chair of the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security after the death of Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ). FULL STORY
 
 

Technology Trends

PacLease has launched its next generation of PacTrac Fleet Management telematics system. The new version features universal coverage, increased messaging, an onboard event recorder and fault code reporting from the vehicle's engine control module for rental customers. FULL STORY
 
Carrier Transicold has introduced its X4 Series for North America. Compared to the X2 series model, the new X4 units weigh 30 pounds less, provides 3 to 10 percent higher cooling capacity, achieves up to 20 percent faster pulldown and requires 24 percent less refrigerant. FULL STORY
 
The Michelin Americas Truck Tires division of Michelin North America Inc. has launched the Michelin X One Line Energy D tire and Pre-Mold retread, the latest new generation wide-base single tire and retread for the line haul drive position. The Michelin X One Line Energy D tire has a 15% improvement in tread life versus the Michelin XDA Energy tire. FULL STORY
 
Volvo Trucks will offer the North American trucking industry's first truck fueled by dimethyl ether (DME) beginning in 2015. The DME trucks will be less costly to build, have Volvo's D13 as the base engine, and the I-Shift transmission will be standard. FULL STORY 
 
 


Briefly

Allison Transmission has released a new app for Apple's iPhone and iPad. The free app will provide commercial vehicle dealers and end-users streamlined access to key Allison product data, including the ability to quickly identify appropriate product ratings based on their vehicle application. . .The semi-trailer truck leader of the Autobots in the “Transformers” films is called Optimus Prime, a Western Star custom-built for the movie. The new Western Star truck will not be unveiled until 2014. . .Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has kicked off its annual “Goodyear Gives Back” campaign with a charity auction for NASCAR items and customized NASCAR tires for the Memorial Day race weekend. The Goodyear Gives Back program benefits the Support Our Troops organization and runs to July 8, 2013. . .Zonar will offer customers of its 2020 telematics tablet the GPS-based Drivewyze PreClear bypass service, starting in July. Zonar customers will have the option of signing on for the monthly subscription-based Drivewyze bypass service without needing to install any additional equipment or transponders. . .IHS, Inc. has signed a definitive agreement to acquire R.L. Polk & Co.
 

People

Navistar International has appointed Bill Osborne as senior vice president of global quality. . .Scott D. Helton has joined Hercules Manufacturing as a parts sales and marketing/customer service representative. . .PHH Arval has named Robert Sandler as vice president-enterprise consulting and analytics. . .Sven Ennerst has been named the new head of Truck Product Engineering at Daimler Trucks after the announcement that Georg Weiberg would be retiring from the company. . .Enterprise Holdings has promoted Pamela M. Nicholson to chief executive officer. She becomes only the third CEO in the company's 56-year history and the first to come from outside the founding Taylor family. . .The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee has approved the nomination of Anthony Foxx to be Secretary of Transportation. His nomination now goes to the full Senate for a vote.

 
 

Taking $tock

A look at truck transportation-industry Fortune 500 public companies:

Company Symbol (Click for Chart) 06/13 Close Performance
Allison Transmission Holdings ALSN $22.89 $0.15 -0.65%
Avis Budget Group Inc. CAR $31.56 $1.48 -4.48%
Cummins Inc. CMI $115.74 $1.69 -1.44%
Dana Holding Corp. DAN $18.51 $0.10 -0.54%
Eaton Corp. ETN $63.52 $1.04 -1.61%
General Electric GE $23.50 $0.08 -0.34%
Goodyear Tire & Rubber GT $14.93 $0.33  +2.26%
Navistar International Corp. NAV $30.74 $0.46 -1.47%
PACCAR Inc. PCAR $52.65 $0.69 -1.29%
Ryder R $61.35 $0.18 -0.29%

SOURCE: Yahoo! Finance

 

Money Matters

The U.S. Congress has introduced bipartisan legislation to equitably tax liquified natural gas (LNG) as a transportation fuel.  This legislation would change the way LNG is taxed from a volume (gallon) to an energy content (diesel gallon equivalent) basis. FULL STORY 



News From TRALA 

FASB/IASB Exposure Draft Webinar Contents Available on TRALA's Website

On May 30, TRALA held an informational webinar regarding the revised FASB and IASB Exposure Draft containing new proposed standards for lease accounting that was released on May 16, 2013. Bill Bosco, Principal of Leasing 101 and Tom James, President and CEO of TRALA, informed the membership of TRALA what the new standards mean for truck lessors and their customers.  Click here for the presentation with audio.  A copy of the revised Exposure Draft can be found here.