Features

…AND ONE FROM THE STATES

I’ll get back to the Summit in a moment, but to try to keep some semblance of order, topically at least, I’ll jump ahead to the American Trucking Associations Management Conference & Exhibition, held about a week after our own...

A TENDER SUBJECT

Jumping back to the Surface Transportation Summit, once again this year, a topic of much interest was freight tenders. You may recall at last year’s Summit, Challenger’s Dan Einwechter dubbed RPFs “Really Friggin’...

AUTO-DEPLOY TRAILER TAILS

How hypocritical is our government? I’ll tell you in just a moment. But before I get into that, ATDynamics introduced at ATA an auto-deploy trailer tail that extends automatically from the rear of the trailer at 35 mph. It does the...

INTRODUCING DAIMLER TRUCKS’ NEW GLOBAL BOSS

One of the most exciting things about this job, is getting to sit down in the presence of the leaders who oversee the major, multi-billion dollar companies that literally drive the industry. At ATA, a small group of trucking journalists,...

NAVISTAR JOINS REMOTE DIAGNOSTICS MOVEMENT

In the November issues of Truck News and Truck West, I dedicated my column to remote diagnostics, and my belief that we probably aren’t talking enough about this emerging technology. In short, it’s the ability of an engine OEM to...

DRIVING THE KENWORTH T880

When Kenworth first announced the introduction of the T880, my immediate thought was, why? In the T800, Kenworth has a truck that has served itself and the industry well for more than 25 years. Since its introduction, incredibly, more than a...

GEOFF GETS HIS TIRES

You may recall, a couple months ago I awarded a set of Goodyear trailer tires to the reader who offered the best advice for avoiding scrub-related tire damage in spread-axle trailer configurations. The winner was Geoff Danish of Danco Transport...

NEED MORE REST? PUT THIS MATTRESS TO THE TEST.

With all the musings of late about fatigue, and how to manage it, I’ve been contacted by the wife of an owner/operator who thinks she’s designed a product that can provide drivers with better rest while on the road. Her husband...

18 WHEELS OF CHRISTMAS ROLLS ON

I can’t believe it’s been 11 years since the gals at Rosenau Transport created the 18 Wheels of Christmas campaign. I was working in Calgary at that time and remember meeting up with Colleen Nickel and Dale Hart as they tried to...

PLANNING AN EXIT STRATEGY

Also discussed at the Surface Transportation Summit was the timely subject of mergers and acquisitions. Those who closely watch M&A transactions can barely conceal their disappointment in the lack of activity so far this year. Mike McCarron...

WHEN WINNING EQUATES TO LOSING

For the quote of the month, I’m going to throw it back over to Jacquie Meyers, who made a passionate plea to shippers and carriers to reconsider the price-driven RFP process. Speaking at the Surface Transportation Summit, she stated the...

MACK UNLEASHES GUARDDOG CONNECT

Last time out in Hooked Up, I wrote about how telematics and remote diagnostics are resulting in a reduction in unplanned downtime. Now, you can add Mack Trucks to the list of OEMs that are taking advantage of this opportunity. I visited...

CUMMINS TAKES BOLD STEP WITH 5.0L

After covering the Mack news in Allentown, I was whisked away to Columbus, Ind. where Cummins had some major news: the upcoming release of a 5.0L diesel engine. The ISV5.0 will enter production in the fourth quarter of next year, but...

‘MACK WILL BE BACK’

Getting back to Mack for a second, you won’t find a more passionate and proud bunch in this industry than the Mack folks. That includes John Walsh, the company’s v.p. of marketing. When asked about Mack’s US Class 8 market...

PRETTY IN PINK

Oct. 5 marked the Trucking for a Cure convoy to raise funds for, and awareness of, breast cancer. I attended this event in Woodstock, Ont. and was blown away by the number of trucks, and the extent to which their drivers went in decorating them...