Are You “Cooling Challenged?"

Although the Technology and Maintenance Council’s (TMC) taskforce looking into EGR cooler maintenance has not issued a “Recommended Practice,” from the literature and Internet searches, it seems heavy-duty diesels are by and large not susceptible to cooler problems. It’s the medium-duty trucks and Ford diesel pickups that are most troubled. The power units in question are the Ford full-size pickup with the earlier PowerStroke (by Navistar, not the latest Ford diesel) and the VT-365 V8 in International light-to-medium trucks.

Truck Greenhouse Gas Regs are a Go

Today, President Obama met with industry officials to discuss the fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas pollution standards for work trucks, buses, and other heavy duty vehicles ‒ and to thank them for their leadership in finalizing a successful national program for these vehicles. This meeting marks the Administration’s announcement of the standards, which it claims will save American businesses who own and operate commercial vehicles approximately $50 billion in fuel costs over the life of the program.

Representing Mack and Volvo Trucks NA, Denny Slagle, president and CEO of both divisions of Volvo AB said in a Volvo announcement: “The SCR trucks we have in the market today are the cleanest in the world in terms of regulated emissions. Our focus moving forward is to continue improving fuel efficiency and reducing the carbon footprint of both our products and operations, standing side by side with our customers in managing through the implementation of this new rule.”

Vastly Reduced Driver Turnover and Improved safety

One of the more elegant ways of bringing new drivers on board with a fair degree of confidence that they’ll stay is by pre-screening to see if they fit the profile of the job. It isn’t new – I had my first conversation with Mark Tinney of JOBehaviors probably 10 years ago – but lately it’s gained major traction with some big name trucking companies and tens of thousands of drivers going through the system.

Judging from the feedback from those using the service, it really works. I keep hearing of enormously reduced turnover and vastly improved safety experience of the fleets taking on new drivers – always a chancy situation.