Technology

WASHINGTON — Volvo Trucks will bring electric-powered commercial trucks to North America in 2019 by introducing a battery-electric version of its VNR regional haul model.

Carriers aiming to answer this question — how much did that truck truly cost? — must weigh a range of factors to arrive at a “total cost of ownership.” The factors considered might differ from one operator to the next, but the basic considerations tend to be the same, fleet managers and truck manufacturers said.

Ahead of the Dec. 11 announcement of the next BUILD grant recipients, a few members of Congress have alerted the public about extra funds headed to their districts to help alleviate the cost of infrastructure projects.

Trillium announced it has completed its first solar installation at the Love’s Travel Stop in Santa Nella, Calif., that is expected to offset 53% of the travel stop’s energy consumption and support an electric vehicle charging station there.

Elon Musk is sizing up General Motors' recently idled plants. The tech billionaire said in an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes” that it’s “possible that [Tesla] would be open” to taking over automakers’ old plants, including factories GM recently has slated for closure.

Wireless service is changing, and so the trucking technologies that rely on it must change, too, vendors of communications and tracking systems said.

Distracted and drowsy driving creates risk for drivers as well as fleets, but various forms of technology can alert drivers to these hazards and enable fleets to tailor training to prevent future events.