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Executives with less-than-truckload carrier A. Duie Pyle Inc. said the company is on the verge of operating two battery-electric Fuso eCanter Class 4 trucks in New York City as it steps up its involvement with electrified commercial vehicles.

With interest in alternative powertrains heating up, a mix of suppliers and original equipment manufacturers discussed in their latest earnings reports how they are preparing to help customers who face more options than ever.

Enterprise software firm SAP and load-matching app developer Uber Freight have partnered to connect their shipper and carrier networks in an effort to improve supply-chain efficiency.

Suppliers, service providers and truck makers unveiled alternative fuel-related initiatives in conjunction with the recent Advanced Clean Transportation Expo in Long Beach, Calif.

Improvements to truck tire technology in recent years have created a collection of products that man­ufacturers often tout as their most ­advanced, longest-wearing and most fuel-efficient tires ever. But many motor carriers choose to analyze those factory-­tested claims in their own real-life settings before committing to adding the products to their entire fleet.

The advent of modern truck telematics has changed how fleets determine when filter or other services are needed — and when quick action is necessary to prevent potential engine damage or failure, a fleet maintenance executive said.

The Technology & Maintenance Council is evolving to contend with the necessary maintenance and specification issues that are arising as a result of two advanced technologies that are fast becoming part of today’s trucking scene.

Effective filtration systems always have played an integral role in the daily life of a truck’s lubrication, air intake and fueling processes.

All major truck builders and several startups are preparing to develop, test and market either battery-electric vehicles or fuel-cell/battery models in the very near term. Replacing diesel-powered Class 8 trucks, though, will present numerous challenges to an industry accustomed to proven and reliable diesel-­engine technology.

The world’s largest chemical shipper and one of the largest bulk carriers in North America are investing $1 million in what they say is the first digital freight-matching network for shipping liquid bulk commodities by truck.