Technology

Volvo Trucks, the manufacturing arm of Volvo Group, underscored its commitment to offering autonomous commercial vehicles in the near future with the announcement recently that it has developed a self-driving, battery-electric, tractor-like unit it calls Vera.

WASHINGTON — Congress needs to ensure autonomous vehicle technology operates under a national directive instead of a patchwork of guidelines from the states, a key House authorizer said Sept. 13.

Equipping the country’s freight and commercial trains with technology designed to automatically slow down or stop trains traveling at dangerous speeds would improve safety, the head of the National Transportation Safety Board told Congress Sept. 13.

Pittsburgh Parking Authority garages will see nearly double the number of electric vehicle charging stations through a gift from Duquesne Light Co.

Walmart Inc. has refurbished its Jet.com site to cater even more to the city dwellers who make up the bulk of its shoppers.

The Technology & Maintenance Council of American Trucking Associations is hosting its 2018 fall meeting and national technician skills competitions through Sept. 20 in Orlando, Fla.

Diesel fuel still has a large role to play in achieving greater emissions reductions in heavy-duty trucks, experts said during a recent conference in San Francisco. Separately, they urged more in-use testing of engines to verify the gains, and increased use of renewable diesel, which is chemically similar to petroleum diesel, but cleaner.

In written comments reacting to potential changes to federal driver hours-of-service rules, truckers clearly favor a potential plan by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to give them more flexibility with their driving and workday hours.

More than one of every five trucks that received comprehensive Level I inspections during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s International Roadcheck this summer were taken out of service, CVSA reported on Sept. 12. CVSA said that the out-of-service rate for the 45,400 Level I inspections was 21.6%, a decrease from last year’s 23% rate.

Damon Anderson is using his company, Tallgrass Freight Co., to help other freight brokers and sales agents go out on their own by providing technical support, plus insurance and fringe benefits that are usually available only from larger corporate entities.