Transport Topics
- OPEC Cuts Output to Lowest Since 1991 as Virus Slams Oil Demand
- Safety Groups, Teamsters Petition FMCSA to Reconsider HOS Final Rule
- FedEx Posts Loss in Q4, Shows Improvement From Year Ago
- ASCE Report: COVID-19 Compounds Infrastructure Woes
- House Clears Extension of Small Business Loan Program to August
- Louisiana Passes Legislation Aimed at Significant Tort Reform
- Tesla Beats Delivery Expectations, Sending Shares Surging
- House Infrastructure Bill Will Never Become Law, Rep. Sam Graves Says
- FAA Concludes Three Days of Test Flights of Boeing’s 737 Max
- US Unemployment Falls to 11.1%; Trucking Adds 8,000 Jobs
- House OKs $1.5 Trillion Infrastructure Plan That Impacts HOS, Insurance
- Is Density Related to COVID-19 Infection Rates? These Experts Say No
- Cargo Theft Likely to Increase Over July Fourth Holiday, Report Says
- Daimler CEO Warns of ‘Drastic’ Pay Cuts, Deeper Restructuring
- Manufacturing Bounces Back in June on Reopenings
- CARB Releases Proposal to Cut Future NOx, Particulate Matter Emissions
- House Climate Change Plan Tackles Heavy-Duty Equipment at Ports
- Commodity Freighters Are Shrugging Off COVID-19 — For Now
- CBO Trims GDP Forecast for 2020, Lifts 2021 Projection
New Era in Aftermarket Under Way
Outside of brakes and oil changes, service in the aftermarket has largely operated as "fix as fail," but that era is fading. Instead, more trucks have connected components and telematics, which means preventive maintenance is becoming the new norm. That is pushing the aftermarket to know when a truck is coming in, what part it needs and to get it to the service provider at the right time and right price, industry experts said.
Truck Dealers Talk Challenges in Service, Uptime
While it's no secret trucking fleets have been frustrated in recent years when it comes to getting problems with their rigs diagnosed and repaired in a timely manner, truck dealers say they are working harder than ever to improve service and uptime for their customers. But, they say, fleets need to step up to the plate as well.
Materials and Design Changes Shed Weight From Class 8 Tractors
Equipment and component manufacturers are using new designs and materials such as aluminum to remove weight from Class 8 tractors, which helps fleets increase payload and maximize fuel efficiency.
Detecting a Problem
Fleets that have adopted the latest in active safety technologies, such as adaptive cruise and electronic stability control and, most recently, collision mitigation, report that there is little additional maintenance associated with these complex electronic systems on trucks.
Maxion, Denso, Webb Wheel, Eaton, Meritor Unveil New Products at Heavy Duty Aftermarket Show
Maxion, Denso, Webb Wheel, Eaton and Meritor were among the companies that introduced new products or expanded product lines during the Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week trade show that wrapped up Jan. 26 in Las Vegas.
