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Jim Park
Jim Park was a CDL driver and owner-operator from 1978 until 1998, when he began his second career as a trucking journalist. During that career transition, he hosted an overnight radio show on a Hamilton, Ontario radio station and later went on to anchor the trucking news in SiriusXM's Road Dog Trucking channel. Jim is a regular contributor to Today's Trucking and Trucknews.com, and produces Focus On and On the Spot test drive videos.
Will new U.S. administration scuttle GHG rules?
WASHINGTON, DC -- As the final days of the Obama administration tick away, those opposed to some of the president's environmental initiatives are looking at ways to undermine the intent of the rules, or even to strike them from the books. With Republicans in charge of the House, the Senate and the White House, you could say the stars are uniquely aligned for just this sort of action. President-elect Donald Trump has already made it clear that he opposes and intends to undo some of those rules. Could Phase 2 of the Greenhouse Gas rules be on that list? "This has big potential for those who would like to strike any carbon regulation or fuel efficiency standards from the trucking industry," said American Trucking Associations vice president, energy and environmental counsel Glen Kedzie, in remarks he made during a GHG Phase 2 webinar hosted by ATA's Technology and Maintenance Council on January 5. Kedzie suggested there are three options open to the new administration: a legal challenge, an executive order from the president, or working through the Congressional Review Act to roll back the rule.
Bridgestone building SuperTire for SuperTruck II
NASHVILLE, TN -- Engineers at Bridgestone are working to develop super-low-rolling-resistance tires for the next Cummins/Peterbilt SuperTruck project. The goal is a tire with a 30% reduction in RRC (Rolling Resistance Coefficient), which equates to a 6% improvement in fuel economy and still meets industry expectations for wear and retreadability.
Canada’s approach to Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs)
The days of paper logbooks are numbered for southbound fleets, with the U.S. preparing to mandate Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) by the end of 2017. Canada originally led the way in discussions to set standards for the devices. Now we're playing catch-up. With trucking associations backing their use, it may only be a matter of time before ELDs are mandated for domestic fleets as well.
IN PRINT — Clear the Air: Know how to care for your DPF
It's not quite the "blue screen of death" that appear on troubled Windows computers, but an engine fault indicator still means a bad day is about to get worse - especially if it means a parked regen. Few drivers or fleets can afford more than an hour to solve a problem that should have been addressed earlier. Aftertreatment systems are one of the most expensive maintenance items on today's trucks. Parts are costly, the associated downtime can be crippling, and many people are still confused about how to care for the systems, even though the equipment has been in the field for eight years.
New to You: Minimize challenges with used trucks
The days of walking around a truck and kicking the tires to see if it's a worthy investment are over. Much of what could cause problems with a used truck is no longer visible to the naked eye. Frankly, if a vehicle has obvious -problems, it's probably wise to avoid it. In the hunt for a reliable machine today, a used truck buyer's best asset is research skills.
IN PRINT — Tools that Work: Productive options for the shop
Most shop supervisors or maintenance managers have at least one secret -weapon in their tool crib. It could be a proven time or labor saver, or maybe a tool designed for lifting heavy stuff like tires and wheels. Tools that aid in -precision work, such as installing wheel bearings, can prove their worth many times over by reducing irregular tire wear and minimizing the possibility of a wheel-off.
IN PRINT — Work Horses: Advances for severe service
Drivers of severe-service vocational trucks will likely look back on 2016 as a year that made their jobs much easier. It wasn't a banner year for growth in many industry segments, but truck makers still managed to produce some attention-grabbing upgrades to existing product lines. This year saw the introduction of a new -lightweight 11-liter engine for the -vocational side that offers a very nice power-to-weight ratio with ratings ideal for the market. And we even got a couple of brand new models to cheer about: the MBT 40 off-road severe-service chassis from Western Star and Navistar's HX line.
Continental Tire breaks ground for Mississippi plant
Output from the Clinton, Mississippi plant will eventually supplement existing truck tire production from Continental's Mt. Vernon, Illinois facility, which is now at capacity of 3.2 million tires per year. Construction will formally begin in 2018, with the first tires coming off the line in late 2019.
Wheels for Your Wagon: The choices in trailer axles
It's probably good that buyers are not usually directly involved in spec'ing trailer axles and suspensions. They make recommendations and requests, sure, but the heavy lifting usually goes on between the trailer manufacturer and supplier of axles and suspensions. Calculating ride height, ensuring frame clearance for all the bits that attach to the axle, and in some cases working out steering geometry is not for the technically challenged.