Industry Trends & Drivers

One of the most promising pieces of good news to come out of 2020 was the announcement of the availability of multiple medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks. OEMs like Daimler, Kenworth, Mack, Peterbilt and Volvo all announced battery electric trucks that are either available now or will be in the foreseeable future, and several of those same OEMs, in addition to Navistar and Cummins, are working on hydrogen fuel cell trucks as well.

You’ve probably never lost any sleep over a steering maintenance issue. The systems are proven and reliable and don’t require a lot of hands-on contact. Sticking to scheduled fluid and filter changes, lubrication, and visual inspections during regular preventive maintenance inspections is probably all the attention they need — at least when they’re new.

Since 2012, American Transportation Research Institute reports that maintenance and repair costs represent between 8% to 10% of a fleet’s average marginal cost. Find out what fleets can do to manage those costs.

With a mix of new technology and old-fashioned communication with suppliers, fleets can ensure they don’t succumb to supply chain and maintenance pressures.

Beyond those mentioned in our feature story about how to keep batteries in good shape for the winter, many of the battery maintenance steps you need to take should occur long before that season. It all goes back to that summer heat issue.

When it comes to truck maintenance, choosing the right replacement part is an all-important step. But in the crowded commercial vehicle aftermarket, making that choice can be confusing, especially when selecting remanufactured and rebuilt components.

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) was named as one of the recipients awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the third SuperTruck initiative. In total, the DOE will be funding 25 projects with $199 million following the goal of putting cleaner cars and trucks on America’s roads, including long-haul trucks powered by batteries and fuel cells, and improving the nation’s electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.

What’s coming in the new year in Class 8s: More aerodynamics, emissions reduction, electric expansion, even more emphasis on ADAS, and wider available drivetrains.

Among the many truck components that fall victim to the harsh winter, one of the most prominent is the battery. No-starts, freezing: it’s hardly an exaggeration to say that a dead battery is a death sentence for that truck’s uptime and productivity. Contrary to what many believe, the time to avoid winter’s effects on the truck’s batteries is actually in the summer.

With the right maintenance strategy emphasizing fuel efficiency, a fleet can have it all: better fuel economy, more uptime, and lower maintenance costs.

In today’s market, missing even one scheduled PM appointment can mean a truck broken down on the side of the road along with an unhappy driver and customer. Find out how to stay on top of PM compliance.

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.