Blog

EnRoute - March 19, 2014


Top Stories

President Obama has proposed a 4-year, $302 billion transportation infrastructure investment plan that would shore–up the highway trust fund and increase federal spending. FULL STORY
 
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has indicated plans to produce a rule requiring the use of speed limiters in heavy trucks this year. The rule is slated to be sent to Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx for approval May 21 and then forwarded to the White Houses' Office of Management and Budget by June 26. FULL STORY
 
Companies use of information technology (IT) is shifting and has begun to transform the industry. Its role is becoming more critical to motor carrier operations just like trucks, drivers and diesel fuel. FULL STORY
 
Carriers are beginning to investigate a series of new tactics to bolster their recruiting and retention efforts to address the growing shortage of truck drivers. FULL STORY 


 

Technology Trends

 
Isuzu Commercial Truck of America unveiled its lineup of 2014 and 2015 model year N-Series diesel models and the company has extended their 24 Months/60,000 Miles Covered Maintenance Program to apply to all 2014 and 2015 N-Series diesel- and gasoline-powered trucks. FULL STORY
 
Vigillo LLC has announced the DataQs Success Report which is a new offering that allows motor carriers to easily identify where their DataQs challenges are likely to have the best chances of success. FULL STORY
 
Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America has unveiled a new Canter FE130 model that boosts gross vehicle weight rating and body capacity by 700 pounds over the previous FE125 model and a recalibrated Duonic transmission that provides more performance. FULL STORY 

Cummins and Eaton are expanding their joint “Smart Advantage” powertrain by adding Cummins' ISX12 diesel engine to the mix and boosting the existing ISX15 Smart Advantage combination to include 110,000-pound gross vehicle weight (GVW) applications. FULL STORY


Briefly

 
Mack Trucks has given its 114-year old brand a touch-up, debuting a new logo and slogan, “Mack Trucks…Born Ready”. . .Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company has recently commemorated its 100th anniversary in La Quinta, California. The event included business meetings that examined the past, present and future of Utility. . .Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has unveiled a new, state-of-the-art version of its world-famous icon, the Goodyear Blimp, at the Wingfoot Lake Hanger in Suffield, Ohio. The blimp currently does not have a name, however the company is launching a nationwide contest to name it. . .Supreme Industries  has kicked off its 40th anniversary celebration by showcasing several work truck bodies with special 40th anniversary decals and logos. . .Michelin has introduced a new program, Michelin Truck Care, that provides schedule maintenance and repair services to truck fleets across an integrated service network. . .Clean Energy Fuels  has opened two new America's Natural Gas Highway stations for Raven Transport and Epes Transport System to provide fleets with liquefied natural gas. The company has also opened a new station in San Antonio, which makes it the first company to offer both LNG and CNG in the Texas Triangle. . .MHC Kenworth-Kansas City received the 2013 PACCAR Engine Dealer of the Year award for the United States and Canada at the annual Kenworth Dealer Meeting. . .Ryder System, Inc. is teaming up with Women in Trucking in a response to the increasing number of women joining the trucking and transportation industry. The collaboration is intended to improve the working and safety conditions for female truck drivers through ergonomic truck cab designs that will help the challenges women face when operating heavy-duty vehicles.
 
 
 

People

 
Bridgestone Commercial Solutions has promoted Matt Loos to director of truck and bus marketing; Michelle Lane to director of off-the-road (OTR) marketing; and Cassandra Kilareski has joined the company as senior manager of marketing communications and digital. . .Andy Craig has been hired to fill the newly created position of director, Canada Operations for Isuzu Commercial Truck of Canada Inc. . .Karmak Inc. has promoted Lloyd Healy to the role of vice president of corporate resources and has hired Jim Allen as its director of accounts. . .Hino Trucks has appointed George Daniels to senior vice president sales and marketing and customer support. . .PHH Arval removed the interim label from Jim Halliday's title, naming him president of the company's PHH Arval fleet management solution. . .FleetNet Americahas promoted Bryan Johnson as vice president of roadside and IT operations; Stephen Crane to vice president of TMcare; Evan Costner to senior director of roadside operations; and Sly Bericic has been promoted to director of software development. . . After 22 years, Lane Kidd is leaving the Arkansas Trucking Association to focus on The Kidd Group.
 
 

 
 
 

Taking $tock

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

Company Symbol 3/19 Close Performance
Allison Transmission Holdings ALSN $29.30 $0.23 -0.78%
Avis Budget Group Inc. CAR $48.31 $0.03 -0.06%
Cummins Inc. CMI $142.76 $0.08 +0.06%
Dana Holding Corp. DAN $22.24 $0.04 +0.18%
Eaton Corp. ETN $72.06 $1.27 -1.73%
General Electric GE $25.28 $0.37 -1.44%
Goodyear Tire & Rubber GT $27.31 $0.39  -1.41%
Navistar International Corp. NAV $33.70 $0.63 -1.84%
PACCAR Inc. PCAR $66.69 $0.56 -0.83%
Ryder R $78.31 $0.06 -0.08%

SOURCE: Yahoo! Finance

 
 

Money Matters

A Wall Street analyst has estimated that PHH Arval could sell for as much as $650 million if the fleet management division were separated from PHH Corp. FULL STORY