Technology

About Technology News...

Commercial freight transportation businesses rely on data, intelligence, and novel solutions for operational efficiency. Transport Topics technology coverage investigates available technologies, real-world applications of business solutions, and the strategies necessary for advancement. News topics focus on the latest applied science, and issues range from autonomous vehicle and robotics innovations to management software, tracking and transparency, data analytics, blockchain, and the internet of things.

Business, Technology, Equipment, Safety

Lighting the Way

Today’s fleets are increasingly shifting toward LED headlights, not only for truck drivers’ safety but also to improve maintenance and the overall operation of the truck, industry experts said.

Jim Romeo | Special to Transport Topics
March 9, 2018
Business, Technology, Equipment, Safety

Technology Could Attract New Truck Maintenance Technicians

The trucking industry needs to hire about 30,000 maintenance technicians to keep up with demand.

Mindy Long | Special to Transport Topics
March 9, 2018
Business, Technology, Equipment, Autonomous

Alphabet’s Waymo Takes on Freight in Atlanta With Driverless Semis

Waymo will start testing a fleet of autonomous freight trucks in Georgia’s capital that will take deliveries to Google’s data centers.

David Welch | Bloomberg News
March 9, 2018
Business, Technology, Equipment

Career Pathways Are Evolving

In today’s data-driven world, where much of fleet management strives to solve all of its problems strictly by the numbers, consider the following truth: Data does not fix anything.

Darry Stuart | Past General Chairman and Treasurer, Technology & Maintenance Council
March 9, 2018
Business, Technology, Equipment

Putting the ‘Up’ in Uptime

"Uptime,” or keeping trucks running and earning money for their fleets and drivers rather than broken down on the side of the road, is a much-touted term in this industry — for good reason.

Fran Matso Lysiak | Features Editor
March 9, 2018
Business, Technology, Equipment, Safety

Maintenance Shop Management

With the increasing complexity of modern trucks and an even higher premium placed on drivers’ time, Glen McDonald, maintenance director at Ozark Motor Lines, knew he needed to maximize shop labor and move trucks through his fleet’s maintenance shops more ­quickly, all of which required an updated approach.

Mindy Long | Special to Transport Topics
March 9, 2018
Business, Technology, Equipment, Safety

Mobile Lifts Gaining Momentum in Service Shops

Ryder System Inc.is one company whose fleet maintenance technicians are using mobile lifts to get under big rigs.

Steve Brawner | Contributing Writer
March 9, 2018
Business, Technology, Equipment, Logistics, TCA

BNSF Combining Technology, Human Expertise to Improve Operations

At Burlington Northern Santa Fe, it’s the combination of people and technology that’s making the railway safer and more efficient.

Daniel McKay | The Whitefish (Mont.) Pilot
March 9, 2018
Business, Technology, Safety, Autonomous, Editorial

Editorial: Industry Turns Gaze to Automation

Automated driving technology has been a consistently hot topic in the trucking industry over the past few years, but the glare of the spotlight was particularly bright last week at the Technology & Maintenance Council’s annual meeting and beyond.

March 9, 2018
Business, Technology, Equipment

2018 TMC

Video coverage of the 2018 Technology & Maintenance Council annual meeting held in Atlanta.

March 8, 2018