Autonomous

About Autonomous News...

Autonomous technologies now drive significant change in trucking and freight transportation. Transport Topics autonomous coverage provides a comprehensive look at that change. It provides the latest details on deployment concepts such as advanced driver-assist systems, transfer hubs, teleoperations, platooning and off-road automation and latest analysis of the companies who are manufacturing, adopting and investing in these technologies. Readers can follow the impact such deployment has on everything from policy and infrastructure initiatives to highway congestion, fuel consumption, fleet management, driver management and business investment.

Business, Safety, Autonomous

March Tonnage Increases 2.2% Amid Slow Economic Growth

Truck tonnage rose 2.2% in March on a year-over-year basis, reflecting slow economic growth and mixed freight trends, American Trucking Associations reported.

Rip Watson | Special to Transport Topics
April 25, 2016
Business, Government, Safety, Autonomous

Traffic Costs Industry $49.6 Billion During 2014, ATRI Study Shows

Traffic congestion on the nation’s highways added more than $49.6 billion in operational costs for the trucking industry in 2014, according to a study released April 19 by the American Transportation Research Institute.

David Elfin | Staff Reporter
April 25, 2016
Business, Government, Safety, Autonomous

Mack Unveils 2017 Powertrain

AUSTIN, Texas — Mack Trucks celebrated Earth Day here by rolling out its 2017 powertrain designed to meet the second part of Phase 1 federal greenhouse-gas limits that start in January, including new technologies for its MP7 and MP8 engines.

Jonathan S. Reiskin | Associate News Editor
April 22, 2016
Government, Business, Safety, Autonomous

Senate Panel Approves DOT Issuing Speed Limiters Proposal in Fiscal 2017 Transportation Bill

WASHINGTON — Legislation that would require the U.S. Department of Transportation to advance a proposal on speed limiters for trucks was approved by a Senate panel April 21.

Eugene Mulero | Senior Reporter
April 21, 2016
Business, Autonomous

Paccar Changes Kenworth, DAF Leadership

Truck maker Paccar Inc. shuffled the deck on the leadership of its subsidiaries, sending Preston Feight to the Netherlands to serve as president of DAF Trucks and bringing Mike Dozier home from Australia to succeed Feight as general manager of Kenworth Truck Co.

Jonathan S. Reiskin | Associate News Editor
April 19, 2016
Government, Business, Safety, Autonomous

Capitol Agenda for the Week of April 19: Addition by Appropriations?

Trucking leaders have been pressing Congress to adopt a meal-and-rest-break proposal, as well as corrective language to an hours-of-service provision in a fiscal 2016 funding law. This week, Senate funding leaders might be listening. Here's the week ahead for trucking on Capitol Hill.

Eugene Mulero | Senior Reporter
April 19, 2016
Business, Technology, Equipment, Safety, Government, Autonomous

Cass Freight Index Dips 1.5% in March from 2015 Level

Cass Information Systems’ freight index, based primarily on trucking, dipped 1.5% in March on a year-over-year basis, but gained 1.4% from February of this year.

April 18, 2016
Business, Government, Safety, Autonomous

Industry: Training Proposal to Worsen Driver Shortage

Many in the trucking industry say the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s proposed entry-level driver training rule has the potential to exacerbate the nation’s driver shortage. The rule requires that students log at least 30 hours of behind-the-wheel training time.

Eric Miller | Senior Reporter
April 18, 2016
Equipment, Business, Government, Autonomous

Low Material, Commodity Prices Not Translating Into Discounts for Truck, Component Buyers

If fleets were expecting to see lower prices for trucks, trailers and components as the cost of raw materials continued their downward trajectory, they may be waiting for some time if comments from industry executives are accurate.

Jim Galligan | Special to Transport Topics
April 17, 2016
Equipment, Business, Autonomous

Introducing New Vehicle Specs Hinges on Successful Pilot Review

Truck equipment and technology continue to become more complex with every model change. That’s why smart fleet managers involved in buying trucks find it critical to build one truck to a particular specification and perform a pilot review of the new equipment to verify it is built as ordered and to confirm its quality.

Todd Cotier | Chairman of Study Groups, Technology & Maintenance Council
April 15, 2016