Trucking has been clamoring for maintenance-free trucks for decades. We may finally have such a unicorn with battery-electric trucks – or at least as close to maintenance-free as we can get. With something like 30%-40% fewer moving parts, there’s just that much less to worry about.
Even if the pandemic were totally eliminated, the ripple effects it is causing will be with us for a long time to come. Additionally, we do not know where the next disturbance will be coming from. Items such as lumber, chicken wings, and computer chips have suddenly been hard to find. Though the situations with lumber and chicken wings seem to have resolved themselves, it looks like the shortage of computer chips will be with us for a while. And as time passes, we might find out that there are other items that are in short supply due to the shutdown.
Fleet repair shops that use VMRS enjoy some distinct advantages over those that do not. According to Kristy LaPage, business manager for the commercial vehicle group at Mitchell 1, those advantages begin with profitability and efficiency.
Fleets looking to incorporate electric trucks into their fleets should plan thoroughly and well in advance, according to experts assembled at the American Trucking Associations’ 2021 Technology & Maintenance Council Fall Meeting & Transportation Technology Exhibition.
American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council and Decisiv Inc., reported during TMC’s Fall Meeting & Transportation Technology Exhibition, that costs for parts and labor for repairs rose over the first six months of the year.
The Vehicle Maintenance Reporting Standards for a long time had two licensing categories. TMC has now added two categories and moved the systems to an annual subscription. The announcement was made during the TMC Fall Meeting & Transportation Technology Exhibition.
At the ACT Expo in Long Beach, California, Peterbilt General Chairman Jason Skoog mapped out four decisive moves he’d like to see happen to accelerate electric truck sales in North America.
If you’ve ever been in New York City and purchased a beer from a bar, restaurant or similar establishment, there is a sizable chance that it got there by way of Manhattan Beer Distributors. The New York fleet services all of metro New York City with its 400 trucks, delivering 45 million cases of beer a year.
As the widescale deployment of battery-electric vans, buses, and trucks nears, fleets are beginning to define the changes and requirements needed in the shops that will support these vehicles.
When considering a move to contract maintenance, the private fleet manager needs to share details of their fleet’s operation with the outside service provider so that the service provider has full knowledge of the carrier’s needs and can tailor a program specifically for that fleet.
Transitioning all or part of your fleet to battery electric trucks can seem intimidating, because the process affects not only the trucks themselves, but also the bigger business picture. Dwell time, PMs, fuel costs, even your fleet’s physical site – it’s all going to change. You might be confident that your choice of electric trucks is sound, but what about your charging infrastructure?
Volvo Trucks named its largest West Coast dealership, TEC Equipment, the company’s first Volvo Electric Vehicle Certified Dealer in North America.
While a comprehensive maintenance program is always essential for the performance of key heavy-duty truck brake and wheel end systems, it can be even more critical when fleets adopt new and different types of components and technologies.
How standard repair times benefit fleets and service providers.
The trucking industry is seeing a parts shortage. Although it started with the truck makers having trouble sourcing computer chips and other parts and components for their assembly lines, it is now rolling into the aftermarket, and fleets are experiencing wait times for replacement parts needed to complete maintenance service or repairs.
