Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/795447
30 commercial carrier journal | march 2017 • Bendix's Electronic Stability Program is now standard on Kenworth's new T680 and T880 tractors. Customers will receive the Bendix 4S/4M configuration, which has four sensors and four modulators and includes Bendix Smart ATC Automatic Traction Control and Bendix ESP. • Paccar's tandem rear axle is now stand- ard on Kenworth's T680 and T880 tractors. The axle, rated at 40,000 pounds, is engi- neered for improved operating efficiency and supports a gross combination weight of 80,000 pounds. • Kenworth updated its Predictive Cruise Control functionality for its T680 and T880 tractors equipped with 2017 Paccar MX-11, Paccar MX-13 and Cummins X15 engines. The update is designed to provide up to a 1 percent improvement in fuel economy and enhanced drivability by fine-tuning how the engine modulates speed and torque. • Kenworth's Class 8 trucks are now standard with Meritor's MFS+ front steer axle series for linehaul applications. The axle is available in standard and wide track configurations with a gross axle weight rating of 12,000 and 13,200 pounds, respectively. • Mobileye's 6 Series Collision Avoidance System is now an option on Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America's 2017 model-year FE and FG Series trucks. For a limited time, MFTA will offer and install the system for free. • Eaton now offers its synthetic lubricants and multi-purpose grease via direct shipping to all commercial trucking in- dustry professionals, including fleets and independent operators, with same-day and next-day deliveries available within the 48 contiguous U.S. states. • Penske Truck Rental added collision avoidance systems and air disc brakes to its standard specs on commercial tractors within its rental fleet. The company has ordered more than 2,000 trucks from Freightliner, Volvo and Navistar with the new specs. • Hendrickson Trailer Commercial Vehicle Systems enhanced its Tiremaax Pro return-on-investment calculator to provide a more user-friendly interface for customers to determine the potential savings by using the tire pressure control system. INBRIEF Truck OEM Alkane inks agreement with Brazilian manufacturer A lkane Truck Co. signed an agreement with Brazilian truck manufacturer Agrale that gives the South Carolina-based truck OEM sole representation for sales and service in North America. Together, Alkane and Agrale will offer a new Class 7 truck line and various commercial chassis options for recreational and public transportation vehicles. "is agreement is a unique and exciting opportunity for both companies," said Bob Smith, Alkane chief executive officer. "We are ready to move forward, and we anticipate the North American market will be very receptive to these rugged and durable vehicles. e unique vehicles we will be offering through Agrale will fill existing market voids." Alkane, which is launching a crowdfunding campaign on StartEngine, brings to the market a streamlined production and distribution model to reduce costs and allow the company to offer more competitively priced vehicles in their respective markets. Alkane imports the main body and chassis as an assemblage of parts and incorpo- rates U.S.-manufactured components such as engines, transmissions, fuel systems, wheels, tires, brakes, safety elements and other key components required for U.S. Department of Transportation compliance. – Jason Cannon Alkane's Class 7 cabover is expected to go into production this year. Hino seeks exemption from windshield mounting regulations H ino Motors is seeking an exemption from federal regulations regarding the location on a truck's windshield in which safety technology systems can be mounted. e Federal Motor Carrier Safety Admin- istration last year amended its regulations to allow cameras and other vehicle safety technol- ogies to be mounted on windshields no more than 4 inches below the upper edge or 7 inches above the area swept by the wipers, and outside the driver's lines of sight. Hino, a Toyota Group company that manufactures Class 4-7 trucks, is requesting the exemption for an automated emergency braking and lane departure warning system, which would be mounted near the windshield's center. e company says the camera housing is about 4.67 inches wide and 4.3 inches tall, and that the bottom edge of the camera is about 7 inches below the upper edge of the windshield, rather than the required 4 inches. Hino says the system is mounted outside the driver's and the passen- ger's normal sight lines to mirrors, highway signs, signals and the road. e company says that locating the system in that specific spot will allow for its highest functionality. Aer a prototype was installed on Hino's lowest cab-height truck, drivers and passengers said there were no obstructions to their lines of sight, the company says. – Matt Cole Hino requested an exemption to mount safety systems on the wind- shields of its trucks lower than cur- rently allowed by federal regulations.