There was little good news

This year’s American Trucking Associations (ATA) Conference was a curious one. Held in mid-October at the Gaylord Texan at Dallas-Fort Worth airport, the event drew the usual managers and owners from the nation’s top trucking fleets. The main focus of the sessions was the economy with the “All Eyes on the Economy” panel discussion moderated by economist and Fox News Channel financial anchor Stuart Varney closing the General Session luncheon.

It was one of those affairs where you could feel everyone straining to hear whatever good news could be gleaned from ATA economist Bob Costello, and from John Felmy, chief economist for the American Petroleum Institute and Martin Regalia, chief economist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Unfortunately, there was little good news.

It’s Official: Detroit Engines are Detroits

Setting the seal on common usage, Daimler Trucks has rebranded Detroit Diesel to just plain Detroit. This opens up the division and the brand to encompass the multi-faceted line of Daimler Powertrain products that will be offered under the new name.

Detroit Diesel was originally a GM brand, grown out of the GM Diesel division that launched the two-cycle Series 53 and Series 71 in the late ‘50s. The Detroit Diesel Engine Division became its own brand in 1965 and was acquired by Daimler in 2000 to become the wholly owned and captive engine manufacturer for Freightliner and Western Star – and, at the time, Sterling.