Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/947211
22 | Overdrive | March 2018 Logbook Embark announced last month that its self-driving tractor-trailer became the first autonomous truck to cross the United States. The 2,400-mile Interstate 10 jour- ney began in Los Angeles and finished five days later in Jacksonville, Florida. A professional driver sat at the wheel of the Peterbilt ready to assume control if necessary. Late last year, Embark claimed the world's longest self-driving truck route following a partnership with Ryder and Electrolux in which it agreed to haul appliances from Los Angeles to El Paso, Texas. This latest trip is four times longer. Another Embark goal includes making the cross-country trip across the United States in two days. Current federal regu- lations restrict most trucks to 11 hours of travel per driver per day. "One of the most exciting aspects of this technology to our partners, like Elec- trolux, is being able to shrink their supply chains and take advantage of just-in-time manufacturing strategies," said Alex Rodrigues, Embark chief executive offi- cer. "Similarly, the growing e-commerce industry requires these sorts of two-day routes to get products to consumers in an acceptable timeframe." Making its self-driving system even more efficient, Embark said, is a ma- chine-learning approach to automation that reconstructs a model of the world using only real-time sensors without labor-intensive and costly premapping. Since late last year, Embark has increased its truck inventory from two to five, and by the end of the year, the com- pany plans on owning 40 trucks. – Tom Quimby Embark completes cross-country trip in self-driving semi MARK HAZELWOOD, who served as president of Pilot Flying J when the company defrauded carriers out of millions of dollars in fuel rebates, and his assistant, Heather Jones, were found guilty of fraud and conspira- cy charges. Their sentencing was set for June 27. PS LOGISTICS announced that one of its subsidiaries acquired Shelton Trucking Services, a 225-truck flatbed fleet based in Altha, Florida. Terms were not disclosed. Since 2007, PS Logistics has acquired 11 trucking and brokerage operations. A MERGER was announced by Roadone Intermodalogis- tics, a provider of intermod- al, distribution and logistics services, with Robin Hood Container Express, an inter- modal trucking company. March 22-24: Mid-America Trucking Show, Kentucky Exposi- tion Center, Louisville, Kentucky April 27-29: 75 Chrome Shop Truck Show, Wildwood, Florida May 4-5: Midwest Pride In Your Ride Truck and Tractor Show, Tri- State Raceway, Earlville, Iowa May 4-6: American Truck Histor- ical Society Southern California Chapter Truck Show and Swap Meet, Orange Empire Railway Museum, Perris, California May 10-12: Kenly 95 East Coast Truckers Jamboree, Kenly, North Carolina May 13: Mother's Day Convoy for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Lancaster, Pennsylvania May 31-June 2: American Truck Historical Society National Con- vention and Truck Show, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, Kentucky May 31-June 3: Wheel Jam Truck Show, South Dakota State Fairgrounds, Huron, South Dakota June 8-9: Buckeye Invitational Truck Show, Clarke County Fair- grounds, Springfield, Ohio June 9: American Truck Historical Society Southeast Iowa Chapter Truck Show, Greater Ottumwa Park and Campground, Ottumwa, Iowa June 14-16: 36th annual Shell Rotella SuperRigs Truck Beauty Contest, White's Travel Center, Raphine, Virginia June 22-24: Great Lakes Truck Show, Cabela's, Dundee, Michigan July 8: American Truck Histor- ical Society Central NY Chapter Truck Show, Longbranch Park, Liverpool, New York July 12-14: 39th annual Walcott Truckers Jamboree, Iowa 80 Truckstop, Walcott, Iowa July 12-14: Gulf Coast Big Rig Truck Show, Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum & Convention Center, Biloxi, Mississippi July 21: American Truck Histori- cal Society Central Coast Chapter Cooler Truck Show, Nipomo High School, Nipomo, California Aug. 24-26: Great American Trucking Show, with Overdrive's Pride & Polish, Dallas Sept. 8: American Truck Historical Society Rocky Mountain Chapter Truck Show, Art Robinson Transport Museum, Salina, Utah Sept. 9-13: National Truck Driver Appreciation Week Sept. 13-15: Richard Crane Memorial Truck Show, St. Ignace, Michigan Sept. 14-16: American Truck His- torical Society LaGrange Engine Show and Northeast Ohio Chapter Show, Lorain County Fairgrounds, Wellington, Ohio Sept. 14-16: American Truck Historical Society San Juan Chapter Classic Truck and Vehicle Show, Riverside Park, Aztec, New Mexico Dec. 15: National Wreaths Across America Day CALENDAR Embark's autonomous Peterbilt traveled 2,400 miles coast to coast on I-10.