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, Government, Technology, Equipment, Autonomous

Cass Freight Index Rises in August

The Cass Freight Index, a measure of shipping activity in trucking and other transportation modes, rose in August but expenditures dipped, Cass Information Systems said.

September 9, 2014
Business, Safety, Equipment, Autonomous

Class 8 Orders Post Strong August Growth

Class 8 truck orders in August were unusually strong, rising about 30%, as freight volumes and rates improved and fleets rushed to fill available build slots, research firms and analysts said last week.

September 4, 2014
Government, Business, Safety, Autonomous

Americans Racking Up More Highway Miles

Americans are driving more, the Federal Highway Administration reported, saying that cars, trucks and buses logged 1.47 trillion vehicle miles during the first half of this year, the highest level since 2008.

Jonathan S. Reiskin | Associate News Editor
September 2, 2014
Business, Safety, Autonomous

Volvo’s North American Deliveries Rise 21%

Volvo Group’s North American heavy-duty truck deliveries rose 21% in July from the same month last year, the company reported Aug. 21.

August 21, 2014
Business, Safety, Government, Autonomous

Video: Graves, ATA Staff Respond to ALS #IceBucketChallenge

American Trucking Associations President and CEO Bill Graves accepted an #IceBucketChallenge Aug. 20, rallying about 16 ATA staffers to dump buckets of ice water over their heads to show support and awareness for ALS.

August 20, 2014
Business, Autonomous

Melton Truck Line to Increase Driver Pay

Melton Truck Lines is increasing driver pay by 2 cents per mile and will start student driver pay at 37 cents and the most experienced drivers 50 cents.

August 18, 2014
Government, Business, Safety, Logistics, Autonomous

Insufficient Route Planning, Escort Failure to Blame For Skagit River Bridge Failure, Investigation Finds

Insufficient motor carrier route planning, a failure by a pilot/escort to warn of potential hazards and inadequate evaluation of oversize load permit requests by state officials were the probable causes of an oversize truck strike that brought down the Interstate 5 Skagit River Bridge in Washington state, according to a final investigation report of the National Transportation Safety Board.

Eric Miller | Senior Reporter
August 8, 2014
Business, Government, Safety, Equipment, Technology, Autonomous

Federal Judge Dismisses ATA Class-Action Toll Revenue Lawsuit

A federal judge in New York on Aug. 6 dismissed a class-action lawsuit filed last year by American Trucking Associations alleging that the New York State Thruway Authority is improperly spending more than a billion dollars in toll revenue on maintenance and improvements on the state’s mostly recreational canal system.

Eric Miller | Senior Reporter
August 7, 2014
Business, Autonomous

Navistar Sets Used-Truck Plan to Lift Appeal of Late Models

Navistar Inc. announced the launch of a  program aimed at increasing the appeal of its later-model used trucks with exhaust gas recirculation engines.

August 4, 2014
Business, Government, Safety, Autonomous

Coolants Require Check-Ups to Maximize Engine Life

Although some fleets and truck makers are turning to extended-life coolants because they are said to lower engine heat and maintenance costs, they still require regular checkups just as conventional coolants do, suppliers said.

July 28, 2014