EnRoute- October 7, 2021

• By: Shannon Davison
• On: 10/07/2021 16:03:41
• In: EnRoute

TOP STORIES

President Joe Biden signed a short-term measure which authorizes an extension of highway programs under the FAST Act, which was set to expire September 30, through October 31. FULL STORY
 
New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) recently signed legislation which requires that all new medium- and heavy-duty trucks for sale in the state will be zero-emission vehicles. FULL STORY
 
The California Trucking Association's case against California's restrictive AB 5 independent contractor law is still pending with the U.S. Supreme Court. FULL STORY
 
Shareholders of Daimler AG, Mercedes-Benz and others overwhelming approved the realignment of the company, which will include spinning off the company's truck business. FULL STORY

TECHNOLOGY TRENDS

No matter how big or small your business is, if you have an online presence, you're susceptible to a cyberattack. FULL STORY
 
For refrigerated haulers, telematics introduces a first-ever capability to monitor and control transport refrigeration equipment from a central location, including changing cargo temperature profiles and setpoints, and making adjustments if needed while cargo is in transit. FULL STORY
 
Volvo Autonomous Solutions recently achieved the next milestone in its partnership with Aurora to jointly develop on-highway autonomous trucks in the U.S with a prototype of Volvo Trucks' flagship, long-haul VNL model, integrated with the Aurora Driver technology. FULL STORY
 
Continental introduced new technology for commercial vehicles that makes roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists by actively monitoring the vehicle's blind spots during right-hand turns. FULL STORY




 

BRIEFLY

GENERAL MOTORS recently completed the first production of its BrightDrop EV600, which is an all-electric light commercial vehicle, making it the company's fastest vehicle program to market in its history and comes amid global supply chain delays and shortages. . . EATON is partnering with Ballard Fuel Cell Systems and the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to develop heavy-duty truck fuel cell technology as a result of a grant Eaton's vehicle group received from the DOE to develop highly efficient hydrogen fuel cells capable of powering heavy-duty machinery. . . GOODYEAR and Gatik have signed a multi-year deal to collaborate on autonomous B2B shorthaul deliveries in order to reduce stopping distances in autonomous commercial vehicles, and monitor tire pressures in real-time. . . DANA INCORPORATED announced that it has signed a long-term cooperation agreement with Robert Bosch GmbH to mass produce metallic bipolar plates for fuel-cell stacks. . . PENSKE TRUCK LEASING has constructed a new state-of-the-art facility in Fort Worth, Texas, which is located at 1300 John Burgess Drive and is the third full-service company location in the Fort Worth area and the company's 16th location in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. . . CONTINENTAL is celebrating its 150 year anniversary this month. . . HINO MOTORS CANADA (HMC) announced that the 2023 model year Hino XL-Series Class 8 trucks will start production at the HMC assembly facility in Woodstock, Ontario, in the spring of 2022. . . MACK recently celebrated 100 years in Canada. . . VANGUARD TRUCK CENTERS entered into an agreement to acquire Charlotte-based Advantage Truck Centers and Advantage Truck Leasing to expand Vanguard's footprint from 20 to 25 locations across the country and grows its presence along the I-85 corridor in the Southeast. . . U-HAUL is expanding its operations in West Rome, Georgia with the purchase of the old Rome Cinemas property off Shorter Avenue. . . DAIMLER TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA will begin using the ALLISON 3414 Regional Haul Series (RHS) on Cascadia models spec'd with a DD13 Gen 5 engine this month and the company is also working with Torc Robotics to commercialize the first scalable, profitable Level 4 autonomous truck that is aimed to help fleets improve their operations. . . . NETRADYNE recently introduced D-430 video device which builds on features previously available in the D-410, incorporating additional processing power, new imaging sensors, and improved GPS locators and visual object detection. . . COOPER TIRE introduced a new Roadmaster steer tire for longhaul applications to balance fuel efficiency with long miles to removal and comes with a 18/32 tread depth and wide footprint for optimal weight distribution and longer tread life. . . KARMAK announced that PBS Systems has acquired its division of ADAM Systems, which provides fully integrated dealer management software to auto and powersports retailers across North America and Puerto Rico. . . GREAT DANE will expand its existing trailer building operations in Ralpho Township, Pennsylvania due to significant increase in demand for the company's products, requiring a second production shift.




 

NUMBERS

Kenworth predicts zero-emission truck sales will enjoy “steady growth” through this decade, with U.S. sales reaching a projected 180,000 units per year by 2040 – but that will depend on success with longhaul applications. FULL STORY
 
ACT Research reports that freight and commercial vehicle markets are likely to remain hot, but “there might be a cloud or two on the horizon.” FULL STORY
 
August net U.S. trailer orders of 12,336 units rose nearly 52% from the previous month, but were almost 57% lower compared to August of 2020, according to this month's issue of ACT Research's State of the Industry: U.S. Trailer Report. FULL STORY

TRALA ANNOUNCEMENTS

CONTRIBUTE TO TRALA'S 2021 LEGAL ACTION FUND TODAY!
 
Please support TRALA's Legal Action Fund by making a corporate contribution today. TRALA is engaged in significant legislative, regulatory, and legal battles that directly impact your company's bottom line. A Legal Action Fund contribution is an investment that will be sure to pay off, as it ensures that TRALA has the financial resources necessary to protect your company's best interests.
 
Click here to make your company's donation! Thank you for your support of TRALA's advocacy efforts.
 
Please contact TRALA's Andrew Stasiowski at astasiowski@trala.org or Elizabeth Hyers at ehyers@trala.org with any questions or if you need more information.
 
 
SAVE THE DATE: TRALA's 2022 Annual Meeting
 
Mark your calendars now! TRALA will host its 2022 Annual Meeting in-person from April 3-6 at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort and Spa in Aventura, Florida. Keep an eye on your inbox as registration opens this month.
 
?Any questions regarding becoming a 2022 Annual Meeting Sponsor, contact TRALA's Shannon Davison at sdavison@trala.org.