Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/782964
24 commercial carrier journal | february 2017 • Volvo Trucks is cutting roughly 500 more workers this month at its truck manufacturing plant in Dublin, Va., as the Class 8 long-haul segment continues "to manage through a period of excess inventory and reduced demand," said company spokesman John Mies. The cuts follow two rounds of layoffs last year at the plant, which currently employs about 2,168 people. • Cummins Inc. resolved its turbocharger patent infringement claims against Roto- master, which agreed to cease producing infringing products in the United States and overseas countries where Cummins has valid patent rights and to cease infringing activities in the United States. Rotomaster also acknowledged that Cummins' patents are valid and enforcea- ble and that it had infringed the patents. • Dexter Axle, engineers of trailer running gear, chassis assemblies and related com- ponents, purchased the heavy-duty axle and suspension manufacturing assets of Ingersoll Axles from IMT Group, including manufacturing locations in Ingersoll, On- tario; Calgary, Alberta; and Indianapolis. • Kenworth's T680 52-inch mid-roof sleep- er Advantage Package, suited for regional haul and less-than-truckload operations, is now available for order. The configu- ration features an optimized powertrain with either the Paccar MX-13 or MX-11 engine, the Eaton Fuller Advantage series 10-speed automated transmission and the Paccar tandem drive axle. Aerody- namic elements including a front air dam, flared-out fairings, lower sleeper fairing extenders and FlowBelow wheel covers. • Bendix's Wingman Advanced system now is an available option on Kenworth's T270 and T370 medium-duty trucks. The radar-based collision mitigation system provides adaptive cruise control with braking, along with autonomous emer- gency braking technology, to help drivers mitigate rear-end collisions. • Navistar relocated its Used Truck Recon- ditioning Center from Indianapolis to Melrose Park, Ill., where the company also plans to relocate its nearby International Used Truck Sales Center. The recondition- ing center examines International's cer- tified used truck reconditioning process to ensure that a consistent product is available to all International dealers and Navistar's 15 Used Truck Sales Centers. INBRIEF Dana, Navistar ink driveline component supply deal D ana Inc. entered into a multiyear agreement with Navistar to sup- ply driveline components for the truck maker's on-highway, city-delivery, bus and vocational vehicles. Under the terms of the agreement, Navistar will have access to Dana's full range of driveline product offerings, and Dana will remain the standard-position drive- sha supplier across all Navistar truck models. Dana said the arrangement also will serve as a platform for collaboration on new technologies under development. Navistar and Dana also concurrently launched several extended warranty packages for the International DuraStar medium-duty truck program. Spicer S140 Series and Spicer 060 Series axles, Spicer E-Series steer axles and Spicer driveshas all are available components covered under the International DuraStar Powertrain Warranty pro- gram. Dana also is offering additional extended warranties on medium-duty truck and bus applications through the Dana Productivity and Dana Assurance packages. Additionally, Dana's technologies for engine downspeeding – including the Spicer AdvanTek 40 tandem axle and SPL 350 drivesha – are available on select linehaul trucks from Navistar. – Jason Cannon Trailer efficiency benefits mandated by Phase 2 can be compounded C ommercial trucks are no strangers to U.S. Environ- mental Protection Agency regulation, but with Phase 2 heavy-duty vehicle fuel-efficiency and greenhouse gas stan- dards going into effect next year, trailers for the first time are being scrutinized for their contributions to freight efficiency. Phase 2 rules target primarily box van trailers and require reductions of 3 to 8 percent in fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions, depending on the trailer type. Many technologies – low-rolling-resistance tires, automatic tire inflation systems, tire pressure monitoring systems and aerodynamic skirts and kits – can be used in the march toward 8 percent, and they can compound their benefits when used together. Benefits from tires and associated monitoring systems can be added together, said Al Cohn, director of new market development and engineering support for Pressure Systems International. Since automatic tire inflation systems monitor and adjust pres- sures automatically when tires drop below a programmed setting, that benefit would be aggregated when using low-rolling-resistance tires, Cohn said. "If you spec ATIS with LRR as a combination, you get an additional 1.2 percent cred- it," he said. "With TPMS, you get a lower credit but still get a 1 percent credit." Cohn said the credit for TPMS is lower because, unlike ATIS, TPMS doesn't make the pressure adjustment as needed; it simply notifies the driver that one should be made. "Human intervention is required (with TPMS) to input air," he said. e new standards apply to all trailers sold in the United States regardless of where they are produced. – Jason Cannon Dana's technologies for engine down- speeding – including the Spicer AdvanTek 40 tandem axle – are available on select linehaul trucks from Navistar. Tire pressure moni- toring systems notify drivers when a pressure adjustment is needed.