February 2009
Cover Story
Southwest Truck Service uses technology and innovation to master specialized business niche
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM, By David A Kolman
Based in Watsonville, California, Southwest Truck Service is a privately owned business that has become one of California's dominant truckload refrigerated...
Editor's Note
Your trucks heading for a breakdown today?
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM, David A Kolman david.kolman@penton.com
The goal of vehicle maintenance is to create the best possible measures to maintain and service a vehicle to ensure maximum energy efficiency, the most...
Features
Maintenance management Methods for reducing costs
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Maintaining A fleet in today's tough business environment means doing more with less. Accomplishing this by incorporating practices and methods to more...
Zanotti increases North American focus
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Zanotti, which offers a full-line of transportation refrigeration equipment, has restructured operations for a greater emphasis on the North American...
Mobile repair businesses co-op to expand services, coverage
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM, By David A Kolman
Operating a one-man mobile transport refrigeration business specializing in 24-hour service is considerably challenging. Resources are limited, it requires...
Marten Transport selects GE's VeriWise trailer monitoring solution
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Marten Transport is equipping its fleet with GE Asset Intelligence's VeriWise trailer tracking technology with reefer monitoring to better monitor, manage,...
Good maintenance practices stretch tire, fuel dollars
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
One Simple and immediate way for fleet managers to make the most of their fuel and tire money is to pay greater attention to proper tire maintenance....
Industry Watch: News
Transportation revenues thrived in 2007
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Truck transportation, couriers and messengers, and warehousing and storage revenues increased 3.5 percent to $325 billion in 2007, according to the U.S....
Driver Body Fuel kits aid nutritional needs
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Roadside Medical Clinic + Lab (www.roadsidemed.com), a nationwide network of retail health clinics designed for the over-the-road driver, has launched...
Loblaw buys RedPrairie WFM for its stores
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Loblaw Companies Limited has purchased RedPrairie Corporation's Workforce Management (WFM) application for its stores across Canada. The system will manage...
Kenworth extends OOIDA rebate program
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Kenworth Truck Company announced an extension through 2009 of its successful rebate program with the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA)....
DTNA presents quality award to Webb
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) has recognized Webb Wheel Products as one of its best suppliers, presenting it with the Masters of Quality Award....
SAF-Holland facility receives quality award
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
SAF-Holland's Muskegon, MI facility has won the Masters of Quality Award for 2007 from Daimler Trucks North America, Freightliner Custom Chassis Division....
Navistar plans EGR system for 2010 diesels
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Navistar plans to use an in-cylinder exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system to meet the U.S. EPA 2010 diesel emissions regulations rather than employing...
Air-Weigh earns ISO certification
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Air-Weigh announced that it is now certified by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Operating under a Quality Management System...
Cummins Filtration plans to supply DEF
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Cummins Filtration has reaffirmed plans to fully support service requirements of 2010 Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR)-equipped engines with Diesel...
Safety council urges nationwide ban on use of cell phones while driving
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
The National Safety Council is calling on motorists to stop using cell phones and messaging devices while driving. It is urging businesses to enact policies...
Volvo D12s now rebuilt in North America
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Volvo Trucks North America now offers the legendary Volvo D12 series engines as a North American remanufactured product. The Volvo Reman Basic Engine...
Industry Watch: Business
PacLease adds New Brunswick location
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Paccar Leasing Company (PacLease) continues its Canadian franchise network expansion with the addition of a new full-service lease location in Moncton,...
Kenworth of Pennsylvania adds location
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Kenworth of Pennsylvania has opened a full-service location in Clintonville PA to expand customer support in western Pennsylvania. The facility is at...
Azure, Johnson form battery partnership
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Johnson Controls-Saft and Azure Dynamics Inc. (AZD) announced a new supply agreement that will provide some of the world's most advanced lithium-ion (Li-Ion)...
Cummins subsidiary partners with EMCON
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Cummins Emission Solutions (CES), a subsidiary of Cummins Inc., will strategically partner with EMCON Technologies LLC in manufacturing CES-Designed emission...
Azure Dynamics announces restructuring
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Azure Dynamics, a leading developer of hybrid electric and electric powertrains for commercial vehicles, has announced a restructuring and comprehensive...
Ryder agrees to acquire Edart Leasing
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Ryder System Inc. has reached an agreement to acquire substantially all the assets of the full-service truck leasing, commercial truck rental, and contract...
Industry Watch: Government
EPA recommends CentriFuse brake drums
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Motor Wheel Commercial Vehicle Systems Inc., a Precision Partners Inc. company, announced that its CentriFuse Lightweight Brake Drums have been recommended...
Hankook achieves EPA SmartWay certification for truck tires
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Hankook Tire has had three of its commercial fleet tires certified for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SmartWay Program, meeting the program's...
ATA hails passage of pension relief bill
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
The American Trucking Associations applauds the U.S. Senate's recent passage of a pension relief bill that will help ease the financial strain on American...
Changing Roles
Fleets
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Frozen Food Express Industries Inc. announced that Ronald J. Knutson has accepted the position of chief financial officer and will also be appointed the...
Suppliers
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Sysco Corporation announced that Richard J. Schnieders, its chairman and chief executive officer, has announced his plan to retire June 27, 2009, which...
Associations
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
The American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) announced the selection of Kraig R. Naasz as its new president and chief executive officer, effective February...
Supplier Showcase
Supplier Showcase
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Lubricants and Greases Lubricants and greases for commercial vehicles come in a wide variety, but all are designed to help keep equipment operating at...
Product Innovations
RackDeflektor reduces damage to racking
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
The RackDeflektor is an inexpensive, easy-to-install guard designed for impact protection of pallet racking upright columns. The high-visibility, yellow,...
Phillips adds QCP option on electrical cables
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Phillips Industries has expanded its award-winning line of Quick-Connect Plug (QCP) assemblies by offering them as an option on all electrical cables....
Demountable body system for smaller trucks
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
The new Demountable Hybrid System is a system designed specifically for Class 3 to 5 trucks. Developed by Demountable Concepts, it allows companies to...
Windyne FLEX fairing a fuel-saving asset
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Windyne Inc. has announced the introduction of the first horizontally adjustable and vertically retractable trailer belly fairing. Called the Windyne...
DuraStar hybrid targets food distributors
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Navistar is continuing its commitment to innovation and development of environmentally responsible vehicles with the expansion of its line of diesel electric...
High-speed roll-up insulated door
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Hrmann Flexon's Speed-Guardian 2000 is an insulated security door that has fast operating speeds to reduce the loss of conditioned air for energy savings....
Smoke Pro quickly pinpoints vehicle leaks
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Redline Detection LLC has introduced the Smoke Pro, a diagnostic leak detector that enables technicians to easily pinpoint leaks in vacuum, exhaust, fuel...
PRO-Alert detects small refrigerant leaks
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Spectronics Corporation has introduced the ELD-1000 PRO-Alert, a portable refrigerant leak detector that features high-performance heated-diode sensor...
Information Channels
Rate Index gauges truck lane profitability
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Getloaded.com has launched its Rate Index feature, allowing transportation companies and truckers to measure the profitability of truck lanes. Rate Index...
Neutral telematics architecture launched
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Hughes Telematics has implemented the world's first technology-neutral telematics framework that allows virtually any supplier's technology to be integrated...
Guidebook covers trucking cargo security
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
The American Trucking Associations (ATA) has released the ATA Certified Cargo Security Professional Resource Guidebook, which provides a detailed synopsis...
ATRI website offers results of two studies
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) has posted on its website the results of its research into ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) and snow...
New RP covers vehicle lift cost advantages
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
The Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) has adopted a new Recommended Practice (RP) to help fleet managers quantify the productivity improvement and...
Website is a fountain of fifthwheel info
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Fifthwheel manufacturer Fontaine International has upgraded its website, www.fifthwheel.com, to make it easier for customers to get the fifthwheel information...
DriverTech completes TMW integration
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
DriverTech announced the availability of its interface with TMWSuite, the enterprise transportation software (ETS) system from TMW Systems Inc. TMW ETS...
Sierra Wireless salutes OnTrack WorkForce
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Telogis Inc.'s OnTrack WorkForce application, a GPS management application built for field personnel, was selected Best-in-Class by the Sierra Wireless...
Emergency Road Service Directory revised
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Drivers of the estimated 125,000 tractors, trucks, and trailers that comprise the combined fleets of NationaLease's 600 affiliated independent trucking...
DDDL gains advanced diagnostic features
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Detroit Diesel Corporation has launched advanced diagnostics features for its Detroit Diesel Diagnostic Link (DDDL) tool. DDDL is a diagnostic tool available...
Industry Events
Bendix Brake Training School set for 2009
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Both new and experienced technicians can gain time-saving and cost-saving expertise from the 2009 edition of the Brake Training School offered by Bendix...
