ABOUT THE AUTHORSteve RossiHopedale, Mass.Steve Rossi hauls electronics for trade shows over the road in his 2001 Peterbilt. He has driven for United Van Lines for 25 years, not including the brief stint as a car hauler that inspired this story. He lives in Hopedale, Mass., with his wife, who edits his stories, and two children, a 17-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter. Long ago (but not so far away), when I used to transport cars across the country, there was one thing th...

Freightliner has recalled 3,500 Western Star trucks to correct a problem that could cause a fire.The recall applies to Western Star models 4800, 4900, 5800, 5900 and 6900, all manufactured between 1998 and 2000.On certain trucks equipped with Caterpillar 3406E and C-15 engines, there is interference between the positive battery cable and the engine’s electronic control module. Chafing can wear through the battery cable insulation, allowing contact between the battery cable and the stud. This con...

The last thing you need when you’re on the road is a traffic jam. If you’re idle, you’re losing money. However, if you have Internet access you might be able to find current traffic information that will help you avoid a delay on your route.Most traffic sites are updated daily or hourly with road construction alerts and accident reports. The sites provide construction details, detour information and weather reports for most major interstates and state routes. You can even pay some sites to send ...

The Purchasing Managers Index dropped 4 points to 54.2 percent in December, a level that still signifies growth, reported the Institute for Supply Management.December was the 31st consecutive month economic growth in manufacturing and the 50th consecutive month of overall economic growth, ISM said.November’s PMI was 58.1. A reading above 50 indicates that manufacturing is generally expanding. A PMI in excess of 42.7 percent, over a period of time, generally indicates an expansion of the overall ...

The national average price of a gallon of diesel moved up another 2 cents from last week, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The price was at $2.918 for the week ending July 10, an increase of 51 cents compared to the same week last year. Prices increased in every region except New England, where they fell only by one-tenth of a cent, and California, where the price continued to drop slightly by sixth-tenths of a cent. However, the state continues to pay the most of any other at $3.113 ...

As we reported last month, Detroit Diesel and Freightliner are ready for ’07 (CCJ, April ’06, p 12). And at the Mid-America Trucking Show in March, Chris Patterson, president and chief executive officer of Freightliner, announced that Detroit Diesel and Mercedes-Benz duty engines will add between $7,000 and $10,000 to the price of 2007 Freightliner heavy-duty trucks, while Mercedes-Benz engines in Freightliner medium-duty trucks will add $4,500 to $6,000 to the purchase price.Cummins, meanwhile,...

Last month, Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher announced a plan to train truck drivers using funding set aside for building employment in high-growth industries. The goal is to offer economic opportunity and prosperity to individuals and communities in the greater Louisville area, particularly those in a designated empowerment zone.Fletcher’s Entrepreneurial Trucking Initiative isn’t much different from other programs throughout the nation. For example, CCJ last year featured the efforts of several tr...

Colorado has passed a new law that increases the penalty for violating any out-of-service order, whether federal, state or local, or under Canadian or Mexican law. Any driver convicted of violating an out-of-service order will face a mandatory court appearance and will now face license suspension. The law is an attempt to comply with a mandate by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, said Sgt. Mark Savage, the public information officer for the Motor Carrier Safety Division of the Col...

The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation unanimously confirmed John Hill’s nomination for administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration July 19, according to a committee press release. The full Senate still must vote on the nominee.Hill, the FMCSA’s former chief safety officer and assistant administrator, has been nominated to succeed Annette Sandberg, who resigned March 1. Before joining the FMCSA, Hill was a member of the Indiana State Police from 1...

This year will be a “continuation of the hot market we’ve enjoyed for several years,” Jim McReynolds, Caterpillar general manager, on-highway engines, told attendees Jan. 23 at Heavy Duty Dialogue in Las Vegas.Continued economic growth, low interest and inflation rates and strong carrier profits all contribute to the rosy outlook, he said.Ninety-five percent of fleets said business in 2006 will be as good or better than last year’s, and half said freight will increase, said McReynolds, citing re...

Swift Transportation Co. says its third-quarter earnings are likely to fall short of analysts’ expectations.The company says it anticipates earnings to be in the range of $0.13 to $0.16 per share. Officials say a group of nine analysts who have been following the company had previously predicted earnings of $0.19 per share.“We attribute the shortfall to continuing difficult economic conditions, which were further hampered by the recent tragedies in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania,” said Je...

Epes Transport System, a truckload carrier based in Greensboro, N.C., recently introduced team runs, and now has announced a new pay package for its team drivers. Company driver team pay is 50 cents per mile, plus a two-cent safety bonus, a guaranteed minimum paycheck of $1,000 per week and home weekends. Owner-operator team pay is $1.10 per mile, plus a fuel surcharge of 23.8 cents per mile.Epes Transport System is the largest privately owned trucking company in North Carolina, with more than 7...

G. Clifton Parker, president and general manager of G & P Trucking Co., Inc., has been elected 2002-2003 chairman of the Truckload Carriers Association.G & P Trucking is a truckload and intermodal carrier in Columbia, S.C.; Parker has served as its president and general manager since 1986.During his 10 years as a member of TCA, Parker has served on numerous management panels and committees, including the Truckload Academy Board of Directors. He is also active in the American Trucking Association...

Freightliner Trucks has unveiled the company's redesigned website.The truck maker's site now features improved navigation, updated graphics, interior and exterior product photography, search engines for new and used trucks, and dealer parts and service information.The site focuses on industry application segments. Users can search for vehicles by model name or from an application list. To see the new website, go to www.freightliner.com.  ...

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has completed installations of the Automated Commercial Environment in all land border ports in Vermont. ACE is the commercial trade processing system designed to enhance border security and expedite legitimate trade.The use of ACE to file electronic manifests will be required beginning Jan. 25 for truck carriers entering the United States through all points of entry in the states of Washington and Arizona and through several parts of North Dakota. Eventually,...

The shortage of qualified dispatchers is probably greater than that of qualified drivers. How many people want to be in the middle of demanding drivers and customers?Carriers are casting their nets wider in an effort to find people who want to become dispatchers. Some people enjoy the challenge and variety in dispatch and become “lifers,” but many move on to other jobs after a short tenure. So an operations manager’s No. 1 job often is hiring and training new dispatchers. Carriers can’t afford t...

Flatbed carrier Arrow Trucking Co. will increase its pay by up to 4 cents per mile for a maximum base rate of 44 cents per mile for all company linehaul drivers, effective Feb. 28. Independent contractor base-rate pay will increase by 6 percent to 90 cents. Under the new plan, all company linehaul drivers will receive an across-the-board 2-cents-per-mile pay increase. Additionally, Arrow is offering an incentive bonus of upward of 2 cents per mile for drivers that average a minimum of 10,000 saf...

South Carolina Gov. Jim Hodges, who once vowed to lie down in front of trucks hauling nuclear waste to stop it from entering his state, has lost another round in his fight against the U.S. Department of Energy.The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit rejected his appeal of an earlier court ruling that allowed nuclear shipments to commence. Hodges argued that the DOE had failed to comply with U.S. environmental law in transferring plutonium from Colorado to a disposal facility in South Ca...

The Freightliner Group, a unit of DaimlerChrysler, showcased developments in heavy-duty truck safety technology at the DaimlerChrysler Innovations Symposium. Freightliner demonstrated advanced systems featuring electronic stability control, electronically controlled braking systems, lane guidance systems, lane departure warning, radar collision warning with adaptive cruise control and a side-visibility camera. Installed on a Freightliner Class 8 demonstration truck, these active safety technolog...

Stemco on Wednesday introduced two wheel-end systems that use radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to monitor tire pressure and to track vehicle mileage. Marketed under the name Bat RF, the systems allow fleet managers or drivers to gather information using a handheld RFID reader. The Bat RF family includes the following:The AirBat RF tire pressure monitor, which provides instant visual recognition of air pressure and accommodates RF transfer of that data. In the absence of an RFID r...

Many onboard computer systems offer optional handheld units to allow for bar-code scanning, signature capture and similar functions. In most cases, the handheld unit is just a deal sweetener; the real value lies in the capabilities of the onboard unit. Some companies, however, are beginning to use stand-alone handheld units to meet their specific information collection needs.A complete journal Agway Energy Products has more than 300 delivery truck drivers and 700 technicians who install and serv...

COVER STORY Dynamic DuosDriving team is more than just hopping in a truck with another person. Like any business or personal relationship, it requires trust, cooperation and compromise. Read about the payoff - and the price you pay - for operating with a partner.FEATURE ARTICLES Southwestern WonderTakes makes a big impression - good and bad - while Arkansas is still recovering from a bad reputation in this year's Highway Report Card. See how Overdrive readers voted on worst roads, best truck sto...

After dropping by small increments in the past few weeks, diesel prices are increasing again, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. For the week ending Monday, June 5, the average price of a gallon of diesel was $2.890, rising eight-tenths of a cent from the previous week. The Midwest showed the biggest gain, with the average price going from $2.824 to $2.837. Although the Rocky Mountains and the West Coast still had the highest prices at $3.043 and $3.159, respectively, both regions exper...

Tri-State Expedited Services awarded seven grand prize contestants with free XM radios following the recent Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky. Open to all CDL holders attending the show, the contest provided truckers a chance to win a free satellite radio while learning more about Tri-State’s owner-operator opportunities at the show. Winners were Kevin Davis of Gardner, Mass., Ralph Simons Sr. of Jasper, Ind., Mark Zeilmann of Ransselaer, Ind., Kevin Laquay of Graytown, Ohio, Jerry Kar...

National Private Truck Council has added a seventh learning track to its Annual Education Management Conference and Exhibition, scheduled for May 2-4 in Atlanta. The new track, “Executive Education: Leadership Strategies for the Senior Supply Chain Professional,” will explore issues facing upper management. Other educational tracks are Safety and Compliance, Equipment and Maintenance, Finance, Human Resources, Professional Development and Third Party Logistics. For more information, visit www.np...

California's state mandate required fuel retailers to begin selling ultra-low-sulfur diesel on Sept. 1, making it the first state to do so. The rest of the states will comply with the federal mandate to begin selling ULSD on Oct. 15.ULSD, which contains only 15 parts-per-million of sulfur compared to the current 500 ppm, is estimated to reduce harmful nitrogen oxide gas emissions by 2.6 million tons per year. However, the conversion to ULSD has been blamed for fuel shortages in some states. ...

A federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., has indicted 15 people, including a trucking-company owner and the operators of two truck driving schools, in a scheme to illegally provide commercial driver’s licenses to more than 70 Somalians and Bosnians.The 62-count indictment handed down Sept. 20 alleges the defendants were involved in mail fraud conspiracy for nearly three years, according to the Office of the U.S. Attorney of the Western District of Missouri. The conspiracy allegedly involved one...

BioWillie, Willie Nelson’s brand of biodiesel, is now available at its first Tennessee location, according to Earth Biofuels Inc.The fuel is being sold at the Mid-Tenn Auto & Truck Plaza in Cookeville, which is located halfway between Nashville and Knoxville on Highway 70, off I-40. Affiliated with the National American Truck Stop Network, the Cookeville location also offers truckers a convenience store, showers, restaurant, boot and shoe outlet, tire repair and truck wash and repair.BioWillie i...

Kevin Neal, of Troy, Ohio, is the first recipient of the American Trucking Associations’ Technology and Maintenance Council/WyoTech Diesel Truck Technician Scholarship. Guy Warpness, president of WyoTech's Laramie, Wyo., campus, presented Neal with his scholarship at the campus on Oct. 2. The scholarship is part of an ongoing effort by TMC's Professional Technician Development Committee to promote and enhance the professionalism of commercial vehicle technicians. The scholarship is for 1,500-clo...

Decker Truck Line has selected Ron Nielsen as the June 2006 Driver of the Month for its flatbed division. The Driver of the Month for the reefer/van division is Josh Filmer. Nielsen, who lives in Hamlin, Iowa, with his wife Donna, has been with the company since 2001.Filmer is a company driver who resides in Lake City, Iowa. He started with Decker in 2004.Drivers are nominated for this award each month by their dispatcher and are selected based on their performance within all areas of the compan...

Truck driver Joel Shorey was sometimes picked on when he was in grade school because of his then small stature and frame. But he knew how to handle the bullies on the playground. He ignored them. Today Shorey is still good at dealing with bullies, but now he’s tackling them on the nation’s highways. Shorey, a driver for Smithway Motor Xpress, won the Colorado Independent Publisher’s Association’s humor award in June for his book on road rage, Bullies Behind the Wheel: How Your Reactions to Aggre...

Oil Skimmers’ Model 6-V oil skimmer removes all oil, grease, animal and vegetable fats from water in all types of manufacturing and production facilities with tanks, ponds and sumps. A closed-loop tube causes fats and oils to adhere which are then removed from the water. The system runs unattended and is suitable for outdoors or inside, with a life span of 15-20 years, the company says.Oil Skimmers Inc. (www.oilskim.com)  ...

Eagle One introduces a new High Gloss NanoWax utilizing Nano technology. Eagle One says that the particles in traditional wax and polishing products are too large to effectively remove hairline scratches. This leaves an uneven surface, which reflects the light, causing swirl marks to appear on your paint surface. To solve this problem, Eagle One engineers developed a new high-gloss wax formula that is the first to utilize advanced Nano technology. The Nano polishing agents conceal swirl marks an...

@Track Communications, which provides wireless vehicle fleet management and asset tracking services, announced Oct. 18 it would expand its service to customers operating in Mexico and Canada.@Track signed an agreement with Cellemetry LLC, a subsidiary of Numerex Corp. that provides wireless data and network services. The agreement extends @Track’s TrackWare and Cellemetry Data Service coverage, enabling customers the ability to track their trailer fleets even if those trailers are handed off to ...

A series of educational awareness sessions geared to help carriers better understand the Automated Commercial Environment Truck e-Manifest program will be launched at select sites close to the U.S.-Canada border.The ACE e-Manifest information workshops, which are scheduled in advance of phased-in ACE mandatory deployment at all border crossings -- will take place at the the Pembina State Museum, N.D., on Oct. 4; the Manitoba Trucking Association office in Winnepeg, Oct. 5; Markham, Ontario, Oct....

While a Congressional proposal to allow states to implement tolls on Interstate highways has alarmed the trucking community, another toll plan has received some support.The Reason Foundation, the Los Angeles-based think tank, has just released a report identifying the best Interstate corridors to test truck-only toll lanes. Truckers’ tolls would pay for the building and operating costs of the lanes, which would be separated from other traffic by concrete jersey barriers. “But trucks using the to...

The Volvo Group unveiled a DME engine at Synbios, a conference on biofuels held in Stockholm, Sweden. The vehicle, introduced on May 18, is a standard Volvo FM model equipped with a 9-liter diesel engine adapted to operate on DME.Di-methyl ether is an LPG-like fuel produced from biomass and residual products from paper pulp production. DME is produced through gasification of various renewable substances or fossil fuels. The gas that is formed, synthetic gas, then is catalysed to produce DME. ...

Seeking an escape from the sadness of this past month’s events, I recently found myself flipping through years of back issues of CCJ. I’m not sure what I was looking for, but I found some obscure, technical tidbits that did the trick. I thought I’d share them with you, in hopes that they’ll provide some diversion — and maybe bring a much-needed smile.For instance: Where does the diesel engine get its name? The diesel engine was invented by a fellow named Rudolf Engine. Just kidding — Rudy’s las...

MIKE JONESLynchburg, Va.Southern Cal Transport“I lock my truck.”JAMES WILLISBaytown, TexasQuality Carriers“My baseball bat.”MICHAEL JOHNSONDallas, TexasEagle Global Logistics“I don’t get out of my truck, and I lock the doors. I try to park near the building.”GREG SPICERWhite Bluff, Tenn.Highway 70 Towing and Recovery“I drive a car hauler, so I park in the back row so other trucks won’t run into me.”MIKE HARPERBirmingham, Ala.Accelerated Freight Group“I lock my doors. I don’t sleep that hard. Som...

Overnite Transportation's John Cook, a 39-year-old road driver based at the company's Gaffney Service Center, was named Grand Champion of the South Carolina State Truck Driving Championships.Cook, who recorded the highest average score among all drivers, took the first-place trophy in the three-axle truck class.Joining Cook on the victory stand were fellow Overnite road drivers Chris Gray of Columbia and Steve Newsome of Gaffney. Gray took top honors in the four-axle truck class and captured the...