Volkswagen Trucks Division Targets Strong Profitability Gain in 2017
Volkswagen's truck division aims to significantly increase its profitability this year as deepening cooperation between the MAN and Scania brands and improving overseas markets spur business, the company said March 20.
March 20, 2017Idaho Transportation Department to Hold Hearings On Heavier Trucks
The Idaho Transportation Department will hold public hearings next week to take comments on allowing trucks up to 129,000 pounds on U.S. Highway 95 and sections of state Highways 3 and 8 in Latah County.
March 20, 2017New, Safer US Rail Cars Gather Dust Even as Ethanol Trains Grow Longer
While crossing a small wooden bridge in northwestern Iowa on March 16, 20 rail tank cars in a mile-long train transporting ethanol flew off the tracks, sending fireballs into the sky as thousands of gallons of the biofuel leaked into the creek below.
March 20, 2017Oil Drops as US Drilling Growth Threatens to Counter OPEC Cuts
Oil fell as U.S. drilling continued to rise, undermining the potential for even an extended OPEC output-reduction deal to rebalance the market.
March 20, 2017Big Cuts in 2018 Budget Plan
An expansive grants program for freight projects and guidance for reforming regulations designed to boost commerce were included in President Trump’s fiscal 2018 budget proposal — though the trucking sector went without specific mention.
March 20, 2017Letters: Entry-Level Driver Training, Cost Containment
Readers discuss the regulatory side of entry-level driver training and the best way to maximize profit is containing costs.
March 20, 2017Editorial: A Useful Discussion on Safety
Last week, we cheered the apparent demise of a federal regulatory provision regarding hours of service. Now we’d like to salute a positive development: a recent discussion on truck safety before a Senate subcommittee.
March 20, 2017Opinion: Effectively Utilizing Telematics Solutions
The electronic logging device mandate for tracking hours of service has brought a lot of attention to truck telematics, and many experts are providing advice on how to prepare for that transition. But one aspect of telematics that few are addressing is how underutilized most existing systems are. In my estimate, only three in 10 fleets are utilizing their telematics system to the max.
March 20, 2017US Sales of Class 8 Trucks Fall 29.5% in February
U.S. retail sales of Class 8 trucks in February fell 29.5% to just more than 11,000 units, as each truck maker experienced a double-digit decline. But analysts said the market, nonetheless, was showing signs of improvement.
March 20, 2017160 US Carrier Bankruptcies Idle 4,510 Trucks in 4th Quarter
The freight-hauling capacity of at least 4,510 heavy-duty U.S. trucks evaporated during the last three months of 2016 as 160 fleets shuttered their doors and quit the industry, according to a study by investment firm Avondale Partners.
March 20, 2017