For now, Otto is focused on logging as many test miles as possible with its five (soon to be six) retrofitted Volvo cabs that it runs almost 24/7 on highways in the Bay Area and elsewhere.
August 29, 2016BusinessSafetyAutonomous
ATA Enhances MC&E Schedule
American Trucking Associations announced Aug. 24Â several additions to its annual Management Conference & Exhibition taking place Oct. 1-4 in Las Vegas.
August 24, 2016BusinessEquipmentAutonomous
July Class 8 Sales Tumble 39.8%
U.S. retail sales of Class 8 trucks fell 39.8% in July from a year earlier, WardsAuto.com reported, as the trucking industry struggles with an uneven economy and the effects of earlier overproduction.
August 22, 2016BusinessSafetyGovernmentAutonomous
Canada Plans to Require Use of Electronic Logs
Truck drivers in Canada will likely soon be required to be outfitted with electronic logging devices, with full implementation of a rule expected before the end of the decade, according to a Transport Canada official.
August 22, 2016BusinessGovernmentAutonomous
N.Y. Teamsters Fund to Seek US Approval to Slash Retiree Pension Benefits By 31%
The New York State Teamsters Conference Pension and Retirement Fund later this month plans to seek federal approval to cut retiree pension benefits by 31%, becoming the second trucking union planning to announce that step as a way of preserving future benefits.
August 22, 2016BusinessAutonomous
Uber Acquires Self-Driving Truck Startup Otto
Ridesharing company Uber said it has acquired Otto, a startup firm that is developing a self-driving aftermarket kit for heavy-duty trucks.
August 18, 2016BusinessAutonomous
DOE Launches SuperTruck II to Go Beyond New GHG Rule
The Department of Energy announced its SuperTruck II initiative to more than double the freight efficiency of Class 8 trucks and go beyond provisions in the new federal Phase 2 greenhouse-gas emissions rule affecting heavy- and medium-duty trucks, as well as trailers.
August 17, 2016PerspectiveBusinessGovernmentSafetyAutonomous
Opinion: First TMC Meeting Proved Unforgettable
As officers of American Trucking Associations, we are tasked with guiding the professional management of ATA and representing ATA at our federation partners’ meetings and industry events. In recent years, we also have assigned an officer as steward of ATA’s most prominent and important programs. For example, First Vice Chairman Kevin Burch has overseen our industry image movement, Trucking Moves America Forward, while Second Vice Chairman Dave Manning is our officer contact for LEAD ATA, our emerging leaders program. As part of this effort, I have the honor to be the officer serving as liaison to the ATA Technology & Maintenance Council, or TMC.
August 15, 2016EditorialBusinessGovernmentSafetyLogisticsAutonomous
Editorial: One Champion, But Many Winners
By the time you read this, a new grand champion will have been crowned at the National Truck Driving Championships in Indianapolis.
August 15, 2016EquipmentBusinessGovernmentFuelAutonomous
No Gender Gap in Today’s Class 8 Trucks, Tractors
When it comes to differences in average height, weight and strength of male and female Class 8 truck drivers, those differences challenge truck designers to build a vehicle that can be easily used by both genders. Those physical differences can make it difficult for drivers — male or female — to reach the pedals while seeing over the hood, or to open a hood and be able to add engine oil or clean a windshield without having to climb atop a tire.
August 11, 2016