Trucking Biz Buzz: Land Line Magazine

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Trucking Biz Buzz

Pilot Flying J breaks ground on new location in Odessa, TX
On Monday, May 13, Pilot Flying J announced it is breaking ground on a new Pilot Travel Center in Odessa, TX. The travel center will feature full amenities for area residents, professional drivers and the traveling public.

The Pilot Travel Center will be located off Interstate 20 at Exit 121 (Loop 338). Construction is expected to be completed by fall of 2013.

The new facility will feature many amenities including a McDonald’s; a Pilot Flying J deli; premium coffee and cappuccino selections; and much more. More details about the facility’s offerings will be announced closer to its opening.

Visit pilotflyingj.com for updates.

Bridgestone: New project could be breakthrough for rubber industry
v id="byline">By Land Line staff

This could be big. With the demand for tires expected to increase, Bridgestone Corp. has announced the Bridgestone Group’s plans for an extensive research project in the United States dedicated to developing guayule as a commercially viable, renewable source of high-quality natural rubber and as an alternative to the hevea tree, which is currently the primary source for tire rubber.

Guayule (pronounced why-u-lee) is a perennial shrub native to the southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico. This plant produces natural rubber in its bark and roots. Natural rubber from guayule has almost identical qualities compared to natural rubber harvested from hevea trees.

Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations is currently seeking land to establish the pilot farm and construct the rubber process research center in the southwestern U.S. The facility is expected to be fully operational in 2014. Trial rubber production should start in 2015.

Yokohama Tire to open truck tire plant in Mississippi
v id="byline">By Land Line staff

Yokohama Tire Corp. will build a commercial truck tire plant in West Point, MS, bringing 500 new jobs and producing 1 million tires starting in 2015, the company announced via press release on Monday.

The facility will have an initial capital investment of $300 million, and potential plant expansions could reach up to four times the original employment and investment levels. The factory will be the first that Yokohama has built in the United States.

The plant will be built on over 500 acres of land with construction expected to begin in September and completion two years later. Yokohama expects to hire approximately 500 employees to work at the facility.

BK Trucking challenges Caterpillar over ACERT engines
v id="byline">By Clarissa Kell-Holland, Land Line staff writer

A New Jersey-based trucking company has filed a proposed class action lawsuit against Caterpillar, claiming its C13 and C15 engines sold from 2007 to 2011 were defective.

Between 2007 and 2010, BK Trucking Co. of Newfield, NJ, purchased 10 tractors with C13 or C15 Caterpillar Advanced Combustion Emission Reduction Technology (ACERT) diesel engines.

According to court documents filed in the U.S. District Court for New Jersey, BK Trucking alleges that problems with each of the tractors they purchased with this technology “began shortly after the vehicle was purchased, usually within 25,000 miles.” The company cites “numerous breakdowns of the engines, specifically the emissions and regeneration systems” usually every seven to eight weeks, which forced drivers to pull over and shut down.

BK Trucking complains that after a breakdown, the truck had to be towed to a Caterpillar-authorized repair facility, because the computer codes and software were proprietary and BK’s own mechanics or other truck repair facilities were not able to repair or service the ACERT system or the DPF.

BK Trucking also claims in the lawsuit that it has sustained economic losses stemming from the alleged problems with the C13 and C15 engines. The company states it sustained economic losses because of “multiple catastrophic engine failures and attempted repairs to the engine, and substantially lower resale values associated with the vehicles containing the engines because the problems with the engines are widely known and feared in the industry.”

The class that the plaintiff seeks to represent is defined as “all individuals in New Jersey who purchased, not for resale, trucks and other heavy duty vehicles containing defective emissions and regeneration systems in their model year 2007 through 2011 Caterpillar C13 and C15 ACERT diesel engines.”

A New Jersey-based trucking company has filed a lawsuit against Caterpillar, claiming its C13 and C15 engines were defective.

A similar challenge was filed in Texas in 2010 after a company there purchased buses with 90 C15 ACERT engines.

TA Petro customers and employees donate to St. Christopher's Fund
Customers and employees of TravelCenters of America, operator of the TA and Petro Stopping Centers travel center brands, recently donated $2,811.26 to the St. Christopher Truckers Development and Relief Fund, a nonprofit organization that provides direct assistance to professional truck drivers whose medical problems have led to financial hardship.

Professional drivers contributed nearly $2,375 at the Mid-America Trucking Show in March. The 2013 donations at MATS surpassed those in 2012 by nearly $400. Employees of TravelCenters also donated more than $435 to SCF during a corporate fundraising event that kicked off the professional baseball season.

“It’s been said that professional drivers are some of the most generous people on earth, and we see evidence year after year of the truth in that,” said Tom O’Brien, TravelCenters President and CEO. “When drivers learn that SCF helps other drivers in need, there is no hesitation in making a donation. We see this at both our industry shows and during our annual Band Together for SCF campaigns.”

TravelCenters has provided support to the SCF since 2010 through its annual ‘Band Together for SCF’ fundraising campaigns, and smaller collection efforts at tradeshows and employee events throughout the year. To date, TravelCenters has helped raise nearly $775,000 for the charity that provides financial support to professional drivers without other means to fund prescription medications, living expenses, and medical procedures.

“Once again, we thank the customers and employees of TA and Petro for all they do in helping us help drivers,” said Dr. Donna Kennedy, Executive Director of SCF. “All of these donations add up to allow us to provide a great deal of assistance.”

Kennedy said since the SCF began in 2007, the fund has helped more than 700 drivers with financial support.

Biz Buzz: Shell, TA announce plans to develop LNG fueling centers
v id="byline">By Land Line staff

Shell and TravelCenters of America LLC have finalized an agreement to develop a U.S. nationwide network of liquefied natural gas fueling centers for heavy-duty road transport customers.

The plan is to construct at least two LNG fueling lanes and a storage facility at up to 100 existing TA and Petro Stopping Center-branded full-service travel centers along the U.S. interstate highway system. Construction and opening of the LNG stations will be done in a phased approach. Within a year, the companies hope to develop the main trucking corridors to provide the potential for the first-ever coast-to-coast LNG-fueled commercial transport network.

“Shell is investing now in the infrastructure that will bring this innovative, cost-competitive and environmentally beneficial fuel to our customers,” said Elen Phillips, vice president of Shell Fuels Sales & Marketing Americas. “We are leveraging our strength as an integrated company to produce, liquefy, distribute and commercialize natural gas in transport. And TravelCenters of America is the ideal partner to help us bring this vision to life.”

Demand for innovative fuels, like LNG, from commercial customers is growing due to the wide range of benefits for trucking fleet operators. These benefits can include lower fuel costs, as well as the potential to reduce emissions and reduce noise levels in certain engines.

The collaboration between Shell and TA was announced last year. Shell is also developing LNG stations at Flying J truck stops in Alberta, Canada – the first of which opened this year.

In March, Shell announced it will invest in two small-scale LNG production units that form the basis of two new LNG transport corridors in the Great Lakes and Gulf Coast regions, which will provide LNG to marine and heavy duty road customers. This brings the total to three planned Shell LNG production units dedicated to transport in North America.

Pilot Flying J announces partnership with Urgent Care Travel
v id="byline">By Land Line staff

A partnership between Pilot Flying J and Urgent Care Travel could result in up to 100 urgent care sites at Pilot Flying J travel centers within the next three years, the companies announced on Wednesday, May 8.

Urgent Care Travel (UCT) opened its first urgent care location on May 1 at the Pilot Travel Center on Strawberry Plains Pike in Knoxville, Tenn. The opening of the Knoxville location marks the launch of the company’s plans with Pilot Flying J to open as many as 100 urgent care sites at select travel center and travel plaza locations nationwide.

The next site will open in Oklahoma City on June 5, 2013. UCT expects to open at least five more locations in 2013 with steady openings to follow, leading to the complete rollout of the first 100 sites by the end of 2016.

Bob Perry, founder of Rolling Strong, will function as the Chief Development Officer for UCT. The release stated that the goal is to bring quality health and medical care to professional drivers on the road.

Great Dane recall of dry van trailers
Great Dane Trailers has put out a recall on nearly 700 of its dry van trailers from model year 2011.

The company says they may have faulty welds on the I-beam bogie frame that could result in hangers or axles coming off – potentially causing a crash.

For more information, call Great Dane customer service at 877-369-3493.

Pilot Flying J to offer DEF pumps at every store by fall '13
Pilot Flying J is planning to expand its Diesel Exhaust Fluid pump network to every diesel lane by fall 2013, according to a company release.

The truck stop chain currently offers 3,000 DEF fuel lanes at nearly 400 locations across the U.S. and four Canadian provinces, after investing $165 million to expand its network of DEF at the pump.

For more information on which locations offer DEF at the pump, click here.

Cummins and Peterbilt demonstrate 9.9 mpg Class 8 truck
By Land Line staff

Cummins and Peterbilt say real-world testing of their combined “SuperTruck” has netted 9.9 mpg, just a fraction shy of 10 mpg.

The companies released test results on Thursday, March 14, for the Peterbilt 587 powered by a Cummins ISX15 engine.

SAE International approved testing along a 312-mile route along U.S. 287 from Fort Worth and Vernon, TX. The test truck had a combined gross weight of 65,000 pounds.

Company leaders said the truck uses aerodynamics and technology to reduce drag and convert exhaust heat into power delivered to the crankshaft. The test truck also used route optimization, low-rolling-resistance tires and lighter weights throughout to achieve the result. An Eaton transmission uses “downspeeding” to further save on fuel, the companies said.

“Many of the technologies we are testing on the engine and truck will be integral parts of the trucks of tomorrow,” said David Koeberlein, principal investigator for the SuperTruck program at Cummins. “We are focused on developing innovations that meet and exceed the needs of our customers, while helping to create a cleaner, healthier and safer environment.”

Starting in 2010, the four-year SuperTruck program is made possible with $38.8 million in company investment. The companies are confident that the 2013 edition of the test will exceed what they’ve achieved to this point.

“Aerodynamics has been a significant contributor to the efficiency gains,” said Scott Newhouse, senior assistant chief engineer of product development at Peterbilt. “We are very pleased with what our team has been able to accomplish using a comprehensive tractor-trailer approach.”

Baseline trucks achieve 5 to 6 mpg, the companies said. Achieving 9.9 mpg amounts to savings of 54 percent in fuel and 35 percent in greenhouse gas emissions, officials said.

Reducing fuel consumption continues to drive many manufacturers and truckers in a game of “can you top this?”

Saving fuel, and money, doesn’t stop at aerodynamics and technology. It also includes the way a driver drives and how a truck is spec’d for a particular operation.

Mack and Volvo pair up with Shell to boost natural gas for CMVs
By Land Line staff

In separate agreements with Shell, truck makers Mack and Volvo aim to boost the North American market for liquefied natural gas, or LNG, in commercial vehicles.

The agreements are non-exclusive but will help efforts to create infrastructure and share knowledge about fuel specs and emissions performance, the companies said Wednesday, March 27.

“Customer interest in natural gas as a heavy-duty truck fuel will only continue to grow,” said Göran Nyberg, president of Volvo Trucks North American Sales & Marketing. “We plan to introduce our own Volvo LNG-fueled engine in 2014, and this agreement is part of our effort to collaborate with various stakeholders to ensure that the market is supported with the necessary infrastructure.”

Kevin Flaherty, president of North American sales and marketing for Mack Trucks, said the company has been at the forefront of the LNG market.

“Mack has had natural gas-powered vehicles in customer service since 2009, and we look forward to working with Shell and other fuel providers to further support the burgeoning natural gas truck market here in North America,” Flaherty said.

Mack recently delivered its first LNG version of the on-highway Pinnacle powered by the Cummins Westport ISX 12G.

Volvo will bring a proprietary 13-liter LNG engine to North America in May, the company said.

Iconic 'Glass House' over I-44 gets $14.6 million facelift
By Greg Grisolano, Land Line staff writer

The arches that span Interstate 44 at the travel plaza in Vinita, OK, will still be there. But the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority announced this week it will spend $14.6 million to take the rest of the building that spans the width of the Will Rogers Turnpike down to its structural steel.

“We’ll take it down to the bridge structure and leave the arches as well, but everything else will be brand-new,” OTA spokesman Jack Damrill said. “It really hasn’t received a total renovation since it was built in 1957. Small ones have occurred. The last significant one was in 1987, and it just added some coats of paint. It’s never really been rebuilt since it was built in ’57. Unfortunately, age has caught up with it.”

The site was originally opened as a pancake house operated by the Howard Johnson hotel chain. Its current occupant, a McDonalds franchise, has been there since at least the mid-1980s.

The destination is the first place many westbound travelers stop upon entering Oklahoma, and Damrill said the state’s goal is to make the location more attractive to visitors.

“Early on, there were a few schools that held dances out there, and proms,” he said. “It was a destination point. We have it set up to hold gatherings and events in the new facility. It was really used as a big-time destination point for people to gather and eat and have civic functions out there.”

The OTA also hopes to upgrade the facility by adding an additional dining option. New fueling stations for both eastbound and westbound traffic will offer diesel for the first time. The building will also be equipped with new insulated windows and a new HVAC system.

Damrill said the renovations will also address the most common complaint from visitors. Lack of restrooms.

“Lack of restroom facilities is probably the number-one complaint we get,” he said. “There’s not very many upstairs and with the amount of traffic, that’s always our biggest complaint. We’ll be adding a significant amount of restrooms in the new facility.”

Plans also call for ground-floor restrooms.

Timberlake Construction of Oklahoma City was awarded the bid. Damrill estimates the facility will be closed for one year while the renovations take place. During that time, portions of I-44 will also be shut down.

“We will have to close down two lanes at a time as they tear down and build back the structure,” he said. “Because this is over the road, it’s not an easy demolition. They’ll tear half down. Then shift to the other side. We will have head-to-head traffic just in this portion of the area. We just don’t know how difficult the teardown will be once we get in there.”

Meritor FueLite axle wins top tech award
The Truck Writers of North America have recognized the Meritor FueLite 6x2 axle with Meritor WABCO Electronically Controlled Air Suspension (ECAS) as the top technical achievement for 2012.

To be eligible for the Technical Achievement Award, a product or service has to clearly exhibit technical innovation, have a wide applicability in the trucking industry, offer significant benefits, and be widely available. While complete vehicles are not eligible, components and systems are.

The six finalists for 2012 were as follows: The Aerofficient Slider trailer fairing; the Alutrec Capacity flatbed with monocoque design; Dana’s Spicer Diamond Series Driveshaft; Jacobs Vehicle Systems’ HPD (High Power Density) engine brake; Meritor’s FueLite axle with Meritor WABCO ECAS; and Thermo King’s Precedent trailer refrigeration platform.

Ranking at the top among the finalists, the Meritor FueLite 6x2 tandem axle with Meritor WABCO ECAS earned the top honor of the 2012 TWNA Technical Achievement Award. The Meritor FueLite axle delivers nearly 400 pounds in weight savings, potentially providing a 2 percent increase in fuel efficiency compared with traditional 6x4 axle configurations. Meritor WABCO ECAS features the electronics that seamlessly and automatically shift weight to the powered axle in low-traction situations, addressing concerns about lack of traction in slippery conditions.

Founded in 1988, TWNA is a professional organization whose membership is composed of writers, editors, public relations specialists, marketing personnel and others involved in the business of creating or producing information related to the world of trucking.

The Technical Achievement Award winner was selected by committee members Paul Abelson (Road King and Land Line magazines), John Baxter (freelance journalist), Tom Berg (Heavy Duty Trucking and Construction Equipment magazines), Peter Carter (Today’s Trucking), Paul Hartley (AddMedia), James Menzies (Truck News and Truck West), and Jim Park (Heavy Duty Trucking).

Shell to bring two LNG plants online by 2016
By Greg Grisolano, Land Line staff writer

Shell will build two plants dedicated to supplying liquefied natural gas for heavy truck and transport shipping use.

Shell, one of the largest gas producers in the U.S., will build the facilities in Geismar, LA, along the Mississippi River south of Baton Rouge, and in Sarnia, Ontario, on the southern shore of Lake Huron just east of Michigan.

The company says each plant will be able to produce 250,000 tons per year of LNG, roughly 400,000 gallons per day, according to spokeswoman Destin Singleton.

From our perspective, it’s important that there is production specific for transport, and that it’s dedicated production,” she told Land Line. “Pending regulatory approvals, they will be producing in about three years. In the meantime LNG could be supplied to our customers from third-party agreements.”

Because the plants are being developed at existing manufacturing sites, Singleton said environmental impact studies were not required.

Natural gas is used as a transportation fuel in some parts of the world, mostly for fleets of vehicles like buses and garbage trucks which use centralized refueling stations. Compressed natural gas is more widely used than LNG, but LNG has proved to be effective for very large trucks that drive great distances.

The process of making LNG involves chilling natural gas to negative 260 degrees so it can be compressed into a liquid and stored in high-pressure insulated tanks. The liquefied form of the fuel can then be loaded onto tankers for transport, where it is shipped to a local processing plant, thawed out to return to its naturally gaseous state, and injected into the local supply.

The facilities are expected to take about three years to complete. Singleton said the company does not disclose the cost of its capital expenditures.

Utility introduces new side skirt
Utility Trailer Manufacturing – maker of refrigerated trailers, dry freight vans, flatbeds and Tautliner curtain-sided trailers – is introducing a new side skirt and will be showing it off at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville March 21-23.

The new design is EPA SmartWay-verified to achieve greater than 5 percent fuel savings. It can be used in combination with low-rolling-resistance tires on Utility trailers to achieve California Air Resources Board compliance for California operations.

The USS-120A-4’s galvanized high-tensile steel bracing system, which allows the side skirt to flex both inward and outward, can also be bent back to its original shape if damaged. The side skirt is manufactured with a UV-protected bidirectional FRP construction.

The side skirt has a five-year warranty and is available as a factory or dealer installation option for new Utility trailers. Retrofitting for existing trailers is available through Utility’s aftermarket department. For more info, visit utilitytrailer.com.

Lisa Kelly will show off Worldtrucker smartphone app at MATS
Celebrity truck driver Lisa Kelly of the TV series “Ice Road Truckers” and “IRT: Deadliest Roads” is the new global ambassador for a global online community called Worldtrucker. Kelly and Worldtrucker will reveal the online community’s new smartphone app and website in the Volvo Trucks booth at the 2013 Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, KY.

The public reveal of the new Worldtrucker smartphone app and website is scheduled for 11 a.m. Eastern on Saturday, March 23, and will take place at booth No. 32125. Show attendees can meet Kelly, who will be in the Worldtrucker lounge at the Volvo Trucks booth and available for photos and autographs.

“The new Worldtrucker app and website allows truckers to connect with other truckers all over the world and share their stories and passion for life on the road,” Kelly said in a recent press statement. Kelly, who is an active member of the Worldtrucker community, said the Worldtrucker app is designed for truckers, by truckers.

Members of the global online community can keep in touch with their friends and family and can also share photos from the road by uploading directly through their mobile phone.

“I like keeping in touch with the trucking community. There are a lot of things that keep truck drivers united, and that’s what’s cool about the Worldtrucker concept,” said Kelly.

Worldtrucker is powered by Volvo Trucks. While Volvo claims it wants to make Worldtrucker the largest and most active truck driver community in the world, the truck manufactuer keeps a low profile encouraging truckers to “drive the content.”

Initially launched in 2011, the online community now has more than 21,600 members representing more than 100 countries. Worldtrucker is available in 18 languages and its members have uploaded more than 120,000 photos of trucks and life on the road.

Worldtrucker welcomes all truckers regardless of what truck brand they drive or prefer.

Kenworth T680 named Class 8 truck of the year by ATD
By David Tanner, Land Line associate editor

The judges have spoken, and the American Truck Dealers have named the Kenworth T680 the Class 8 truck of the year.

Kenworth rolled out the T680 with 76-inch sleeper during the 2012 Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, KY, calling it the most aerodynamic and fuel-efficient truck in its fleet to date.

Photo by Suzanne Stempinski

Kenworth T680 at MATS 2012

A five-member panel of judges recognized the effort during the National Automobile Dealers Association and American Truck Dealers conventions Feb. 8-11 in Orange County, FL.

The panel gave the T680 the nod over the Freightliner Cascadia Evolution with Detroit DT12 transmission, Peterbilt model 579 and Western Star 4700SF.

Judges’ notes highlighted comfort and drivability, the pulling power of the Paccar MX Engine, easy shifting from a 10-speed manual transmission, and well set-up gauges and controls.

“I think the reason we produced this award-winning truck is due to the efforts of the last four years during which we found customers were looking for significant fuel savings, high visibility, high-tech equipment and enjoyment,” said Gary Moore, general manager of Kenworth and Paccar vice president. “Our customers are looking for a complete home, office and work package.”

The American Truck Dealers awarded the medium-duty Class 3-7 title to the Hino 195th.

Shorepower Technologies announces free power through March 31
Shorepower Technologies, which offers truck stop electrification, extended its offer to truckers to continue using the company’s power pedestals free of charge through March 31.

Since October 2012, Shorepower Technologies has seen an 85 percent increase in the number of truck stops adding electric plug-in power pedestals and an increase of 314 percent in the number of electrified spaces in 2012 overall, the company stated in a press release.

As of December, 50 locations have installed Shorepower Technologies’ power pedestals, totaling 1,450 electrified parking spaces. Some of those locations have cable TV available through the pedestal and 20 provide 480-volt power for hybrid refrigerated trailers, the release says.

Funding for 40 of the locations was funded by the Department of Energy’s Shorepower Truck Electrification Project (STEP) which is administered through Cascade Sierra Solutions, a non-profit organization based in Eugene, OR. The rest were installed with private funds.

Since 2010, STEP has resulted in over a 200 percent increase in the number of truck stops adding power pedestals. To find truck stops with power pedestals, check out the U.S. Department of Energy’s truckstop electrification locator.

Snap Fitness Rolling Strong opens gym in Tennessee Pilot Travel Center
The newest Snap Fitness Rolling Strong gym recently opened at the Pilot Travel Center in Lebanon, TN.

The gym features professional fitness staff, including instructors and trainers. Fitness equipment includes treadmills, elliptical, leg machines, chest machines, dumbbells, a bench press and more, a press release from Snap Fitness says.

The Lebanon location is at 921 Murfreesboro Road, just off Interstate 40.

Membership for the trucking community runs $19.95 per month and includes access to Snap Fitness Rolling Strong gyms and any of the other 1,300 Snap Fitness club locations. Family memberships are also available, the release states.

Snap Fitness is a franchise of compact, state-of-the-art fitness centers that provide members a fast, convenient workout alternative to health clubs.

Rolling Strong is a driver wellness program delivered to drivers on the road. Its mission is to educate drivers and share products and services to help them on the road.

Michelin expanding operations
On Jan.24, Michelin announced a $200 million expansion to its Starr, SC, manufacturing plant. The expansion will allow the company to increase output of rubber compound material used to build tires.

More than 100 new jobs are expected to be created. Operations are expected to begin in 2014 and will supply material for tire production in North America.

QualaWash expands with recent acquisitions
On Jan. 16 , QualaWash Holdings LLC announced the acquisition of Shreveport Tank Wash in Shreveport, LA, and Tank Wash Specialists in Neenah, WI. Both purchases were finalized in the fourth quarter of 2012.

QualaWash plans to enhance and expand services while increasing its focus on safety, environment and service.

QualaWash Holdings LLC is an independently owned provider of commercial cleaning and maintenance services to the portable bulk container industry.

Meritor manufacturer Fras-le expands U.S. operations
Fras-le, manufacturer and supplier of friction materials for Meritor Inc., announced Jan. 22 that it began production of heavy-duty brake linings at its facility in Prattville, AL, earlier in the month.

This is the first time Fras-le has produced heavy-duty brake linings in the United States. Previously, the company manufactured only disc brake pads at the Prattville location.

Fras-le invested $11 million to expand its operations for the North American commercial vehicle market. In addition to new equipment, the expansion added nearly 100 new employees.

Meritor’s aftermarket group is the exclusive North American distributor for Fras-le’s heavy-duty brake linings for new and remanufactured brake shoes. Fras-le and Meritor have partnered for 16 years in developing and supplying friction materials for North American commercial vehicles.

Betts and Life-Time Fenders will operate as BettsHD
Betts Co. announced on Jan. 22 that BettsHD is the company’s new operating division for spray suppression and fender products.

BettsHD combines the resources of Betts spray suspension and Life-Time Fenders into one source for safety-related products for heavy-duty tractor trailers. The products will be branded as BettsHD.

Operations will continue from facilities in California and Ohio. Betts has two other divisions, Betts Spring Manufacturing and Betts Truck Parts and Service.

Kenworth, Paccar Financial offer extended warranty program
Kenworth Truck Co. and Paccar Financial announced an extended warranty program on Jan. 23. The program is for U.S. customers who purchase new Kenworth Class 8 trucks financed through Paccar Financial.

Customers can receive a three-year/300,000-mile basic vehicle extended warranty. The warranty is an additional two years and 200,000 miles of coverage valued at $3,200, Kenworth stated in a press release.

The offer applies to trucks ordered between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2013, and must be financed through Paccar Financial no later than March 31, 2014. Customers can take advantage of this offer for up to 20 trucks.

Comdata amps up services for Canadian users
Comdata Corp. has been serving truckers in Canada for more than 15 years but this week, the company announced new features for Comdata users in Canada that are similar to those widely used throughout the United States today.

All the different types of expenses now can be charged to one single card instead of multiple cards. Bills and settlements are also in Canadian dollars now and Comdata can also manage the date for Canada tax reporting.

Bosselman Boss Shops aquires locations in Maryland, Virigina
Bosselman Boss Truck Shops Inc. has announced the acquisition of two Patriot Truck Care/HSV locations.

They are located in Elkton, MD, at I-95 Exit 109A; and Ruther Glen, VA, at I-95 Exit 104. Both are adjacent to a Flying J Travel Plaza, and will be part of the Uni-Maxx Truck Care network.

Adding these two locations to the Boss Shop lineup creates a total of 41 Boss Shops in 23 states.

Boss Shops offer tires, quick lube oil changes, preventive maintenance, brake, electrical, drive train, air conditioning and other repairs, as well as roadside service. Boss Shops carry high-quality tire lines, including Michelin, BF Goodrich, Bridgestone, Goodyear and DynaTrac. They offer a wide variety of accessories for the industry, such as cargo control and chrome items.

Drivers can also enroll in the MaxxCareRewards program, a card-based program that rewards points based on purchases in any Uni-Maxx Truck Care network shop. Boss Shops service large nationwide fleets as well as regional and local fleets.

For a complete list of all Boss Shops locations, visit bosstruckshops.com.

More information about MaxxCare Rewards is available at any Boss Shop or Wingfoot Truck Care Center. Visit unimaxxtruckcare.com to learn more.

TransCore DAT partners with Truckers Against Trafficking
Know a driver who deserves some recognition? Nominate him or her for the DAT.com Driver of the Month and for every nomination submitted, Truckers Against Trafficking will receive a $10 donation from DAT.

To nominate a driver, leave a comment on DAT.com’s Facebook post telling them who you would like to nominate and why. A winner will be selected on Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013. In addition to being named DAT’s December Driver of the Month, the winner will also receive a $100 gift card.

Truckers Against Trafficking is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to ending human trafficking with the help of professional truck drivers. For more information, visit truckersagainsttrafficking.org.

Celadon has big plans for driver trainees
Indianapolis-based truckload carrier Celadon Group Inc. plans to build a new, $5.25 million driver training center and add 182 new employees to its work force. The 60,000-square-foot training center will include a dormitory for driver trainees.

Celadon is asking the city for about $200,000 in tax breaks on the project.

IdleAir adds new entertainment package
IdleAir, a truck stop electrification service provider, has added a new entertainment package that includes more than 60 channels of satellite TV, including the ESPN package. It also offers 120V electricity inside and outside the cab, and basic Internet access on the IdleAir touchscreen.

The new ConvoyTV+Power package will be offered for free at select locations nationwide through Jan. 15, 2013. Then beginning Jan. 16, 2013, it will be offered at a flat $1.49 per hour (plus tax), and available through IdleAir member cards at select locations through April 30, 2013.

New improved Petro to open in Gary, Indiana
The Petro Stopping Centers at I-80/I-94, exit 9, in Gary, IN, has been razed, and a new facility is scheduled to open in the first half of 2013. A groundbreaking ceremony took place Nov. 20.

The current fuel islands remain open.

The new 28.6-acre Petro will offer 340 truck parking spaces, a six-bay Petro:Lube service facility, and 15 diesel lanes with DEF at the pump.

The facility will include an Iron Skillet restaurant; a combination Taco Bell/Pizza Hut fast food restaurant; and a travel store complete with beverages and to-go meal options, including better-for-you snack choices.

Other amenities include 15 showers, a StayFit fitness room, laundry facilities, a Verizon UltraMobile store, and movie and TV rooms.

Evans Cooling test shows better mpg, lower emissions
Evans Cooling Systems Inc., manufacturer of a waterless engine coolant, recently released testing results that showed improved fuel economy and reduced exhaust emissions.

The tests were the result of a study with the Department of Sanitation in New York City and emissions testing firm Emisstar LLC. Fuel economy, emissions, and temperature performance of the Evans waterless heavy-duty coolant were performed on a Mack MP7 diesel refuse collection truck owned by the DSNY.

According to Evans, two test cycles in March 2012 found an improvement of 4.4 and 6.1 percent in fuel economy and a CO₂ emissions reduction of 4.3 and 5.6 percent. The company’s press release reported there was no sign of negative impact to oil and transmission fluid temperatures.

Evans Heavy Duty Coolant has a boiling point of 375 degrees Fahrenheit, which is higher than water-based coolants. Evans says this allows the engine to operate at slightly higher temperatures, thus raising the fan-on temperature to 230 degrees. The result is reduced fan-on time and fuel consumption.

Continental Tires offers roadside assistance program to OOIDA members
Breakdowns and roadside emergencies are costly expenses that no trucker enjoys. But while larger trucking fleets usually have national service plans, owner-operators and independent drivers often find themselves alone on the road, negotiating their own prices for repairs.

Continental Truck Tires USA commercial tire division has rolled out a new roadside assistance program for members of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.

As of Aug. 1, OOIDA members are automatically enrolled in a new emergency road service program exclusively for the organization, called TrukFix for OOIDA. The program allows members free access to a 24-hour, seven-day-per-week call center at 877-TRUCKFIX (877-878-5349). The program has no membership costs for OOIDA members.

Operators will help identify the issue, locate a service provider, provide regulated pricing for tires and related services, and stay in contact with the driver until he or she is back on the road.

iPhone or iPad users can access the TrukFix for OOIDA service through Continental’s Truck Tires Dealer Locator app, available at the iTunes App Store or by using the QR code on www.trukfix.com.

TrukFix for OOIDA also offers credit card billing, as well as follow-up calls made the next day to make sure members are satisfied with the service.

For more information about any of these plans, visit trukfix.com.

Internet Truckstop adds paid shipper rates to service
Internet Truckstop, the largest web-based freight matching service in the transportation industry, has added paid shipper rates as part of the existing RateMate service.

This new feature includes 30, 60 and 90 days of paid shipper rate data provided by thousands of shippers over the past few years. The database of companies submitting rates includes all aspects of the shipping industry from small companies to Fortune 500 companies and includes rates paid to carriers and brokers.

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