Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/716013
24 commercial carrier journal | august 2016 • Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder vetoed HB 4344, which if passed would have banned the use of aftermarket and remanufactured parts within the state on vehicles less than five years old. The decision was lauded by both the Motor & Equipment Remanufacturers As- sociation and the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association, who said the bill would have limited consumer choices about repair options, increased prices by mandating that only OEM parts be used, and impacted aftermarket retail sales and manufacturing jobs. • Cummins Inc. recalled nearly 5,500 heavy-duty diesel truck engines because of an electrical issue. The recall affects ISX12 and ISX15 engines produced between March 7 and April 12 because of possible water infil- tration in the engine control module connector, which could lead to a blown fuse and cause the engine to stall without warning and not restart until the ECM and fuse are replaced. • International Trucks' ProStar and LoneStar trucks now are available with the company's predictive cruise control that uses preinstalled GPS maps and updated commercial route data to make adjustments to cruis- ing speed without having to pre-drive the route. • Eaton increased the warranty coverage for its RTLO 13- and 18-speed manual transmissions with the com- pany's Solo Advantage clutch and approved lubrica- tion to seven years/750,000 miles on the transmission and five years/500,000 miles on the clutch. • Volvo Trucks North America and Mack Trucks launched a cross-reference feature that is integrated into participating dealers' parts inventories through the truck makers' Select Part Store. The tool uses a pro- prietary real-time database to provide the equivalent Volvo or Mack part numbers to any part search and is designed to automatically update part numbers that have been replaced or superseded by different manufacturers. • Stoughton Trailers announced completion of the development and product-testing of its new rear underride guard that will be available as a standard feature at no added cost in the fourth quarter. The guard is designed to provide greater protection in the event of an accident at the trailer's rear without affecting weight, aerodynamics or the robustness of the undercarriage and rear structure. • U.S. Xpress (CCJ Top 250, No. 13) is spec'ing Bendix ADB22X air disc brakes on the steer axles of more than 2,800 of its tractors. The Chattanooga, Tenn.-based fleet company also is equipping 1,800 of its new Wabash National and Hyundai Translead trailers with SAF-Holland's ULX40 Slider Suspension Axle Systems and P89 Air Disc Brakes.. • Isuzu Commercial Truck of America announced production of its 30,000th gasoline-powered N-Series low-cab-forward truck at the Spartan Motors facility in Charlotte, Mich. INBRIEF More than 7,000 electric Class 8s ordered, Nikola says S till four months from the truck's official debut, Nikola Motor Co. announced that more than 7,000 reservations – each accompanied with a refundable $1,500 deposit – have been received for the company's Nikola One electric Class 8 truck. "Our technology is 10 to 15 years ahead of any other OEM in fuel ef- ficiencies, mpg and emissions," said Trevor Milton, Nikola founder and chief executive officer. "To have over 7,000 reservations totaling more than $2.3 billion is unprecedented." The Nikola One truck leasing program costs upwards of $5,000 per month, depending on which truck configuration and options the customer chooses. The company will provide the first million miles of compressed natural gas at no extra charge for every truck spec'd with that configuration. The fuel is used to power an onboard turbine that is used to charge the truck's batteries. To put Nikola One's order numbers in perspective, a total of just more than 14,000 Class 8 trucks were ordered last month from all other North American OEMs combined. Milton said dealerships already have begun to reach out with inquiries about adding the upstart brand to their lots. "Just imagine the orders that will come in once we begin taking dealer applications," he said. Milton said Nikola already has completed a seed round of funding and is working on funding another $300 million round to be completed by the truck's launch, which is targeted for early December in Salt Lake City. – Jason Cannon Peterbilt unveils Model 567 Heritage vocational truck P eterbilt's latest vocational truck, the special-edition Model 567 Heritage, is available as a day cab or with a 72- or 80-inch sleeper and is configured with a 121-inch BBC set-forward front axle to optimize payloads and weight distribution. The truck's exterior features include bright bumpers, grille bars, exhaust stacks, mirrors and sun visor; chromed air intake bezels and metal hood latches; polished rocker panels, quarter-fender closeout panels, fender braces and brackets, battery boxes and fuel tanks; and special Heritage badging. The interior features Heritage Brown with a black dash top and wood-finish trim; brown leather seats with accent stitching; and door pads with brown wood trim. Trucks equipped with a sleeper include wood trim accents on the cabinets and storage spaces. The Model 567 Heritage is available now for order. – Jason Cannon Compressed natural gas is used to power an onboard turbine that is used to charge the Nikola One's batteries. Peterbilt's special-edition Model 567 Heritage vocational truck is available now for order, with production set for September.