News

Surprise! Cummins goes electric

COLUMBUS, IN - In a dramatic demonstration of technological agility, Cummins finished off a press conference here yesterday by unveiling its all-electric, zero-emissions class-7 tractor. Obviously, it's a first for the 98-year-old diesel manufacturer that wants to become known as a powertrain provider, not an engine builder. It was a surprise to many, even to those of us who knew electric power was in the cards at Cummins, as well as being a small slap in the face to Tesla, which has been threatening to introduce an electric tractor next month. Called the 'AEOS' electric commercial vehicle demonstrator, and built by Roush on what seems to be an International ProStar base, it's a working 4x2 regional hauler, not just a concept shell. Cummins sees its role in vocational applications like urban delivery, port drayage, and terminal container handling. It's claimed to achieve over 30 miles per gallon in diesel-equivalent terms while accelerating 25-35% faster than the same tractor powered by an 11- or 12-liter diesel (depending on rear-axle ratios, of course).

Out of service not enforceable until April on ELD’s

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) is pushing back enforcement on the out-of-service criteria for the new Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate in the United States. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) new congressionally mandated ELD regulations will still take effect on Dec. 18, 2017 as planned, and will still be enforceable from that date, however the CVSA announced this morning that inspectors will not be putting vehicles out of service until April 1, 2018. Until the April 1 deadline inspectors will be noting violations and roadside inspection reports, and issuing citations to drivers at the inspector's discretion. The announcement will not affect the enforcement of out-of-service criteria for Hours of Service.