Archive for January, 2008

The EPA 2007 engines are barely on the road, and attention is quickly turning to the next round of emissions regulations: 2010. Early 2007 test engines seemed to operate quite well. However, the extra heat rejected through the radiator and into the under-hood spaces was tough on accessories and components. Fleets involved in development reported at the Fall Technology and Maintenance Council (TMC) meeting that while the engines operated well, there were problems with other parts such as …

Amid the flash of a pyrotechnic display and rhythmic thump of some bass-heavy, amped-up rock ‘n’ roll, Freightliner introduced its Cascadia on-highway truck last May to an audience inside a darkened, cavernous sports arena in Charlotte, N.C. The event’s theme: “Everything…Has Changed.” The claim of that grammatically dubious tag line was almost accurate. The vehicle, intended to replace the Century Class and Columbia models by late 2009, is 87.33 percent…

I consider myself a professional trucker, and I take great pride in it. As such, I strive to perform my duties and responsibilities conscientiously. That’s why I always wear a seat belt. Seat belt laws and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations are not my motivation. I buckle up because there is no question that seat belts save lives and prevent serious injuries. I have been on accident scenes where drivers have died due to injuries from being tossed about inside their vehicles…

Independent trucker Dave didn’t think there was much he could learn about sharing the road with bikes when he signed up for the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s (MSF) basic rider course. A 30-year OTR driver, Dave had about every state Department of Transportation endorsement possible. In class, he was the wisecracker, joking about how easy the practice exercises were. But motorcycle instructor and former trucker Jim Van Den Elzen of the Northeast Wisconsin Technical College rider t…