GALESBURG, Mich. – Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies says its Endurant 12-speed automated transmission is now available from all North American truck manufacturers. “We work closely with our engine partners to deliver tailored solutions that meet their customers’ needs,” said Charles Masters, general manager, Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies. “In every case, the powertrain—the engine and transmission—is highly efficient and provides a low cost-of-ownership experience for the fleet.” (Photo: Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies) Trucks available with the Endurant HD transmission and Cummins X15 engine include: the Kenworth T680, Peterbilt 579, International LoneStar, LT Series, and RH Series, the Freightliner Cascadia, and the Volvo VNL. The Endurant HD and Cummins…

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Trucks moved freight valued at US$60.9 billion between the U.S., Canada and Mexico in August, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). That was up 0.2% from the previous month, but down 7.9% from August 2019, BTS said this week. (Source: BTS) Truck freight between U.S. and Canada alone was worth $27.8 billion in August, up 6% from July, but down 3.9% from August 2019. The second most-used mode of transportation was railways, which moved $13.8 billion of freight in August, up 7.2% from July. That was still down 14.3% from August 2019. In all, transborder freight worth $93.4 billion was moved in August by…

GOTHENBURG, Sweden — The Volvo Group and Isuzu Motors have signed binding agreements to form a strategic alliance within commercial vehicles in order to capture the opportunities in the ongoing industry transformation. The alliance will create conditions for a stronger heavy-duty truck business for UD Trucks and Isuzu Motors in Japan and across international markets. (Photo: Volvo Group) The agreements, signed Friday, include Isuzu Motor’s acquisition of UD Trucks from the Volvo Group for an enterprise value of JPY 243 billion (about $2.3 billion), the two companies said. Creating the best long-term conditions for a stronger heavy-duty truck business for UD Trucks and Isuzu Motors in Japan and across international…

COLUMBUS, Ind. – Natural gas truck retail sales in the U.S. and Canada have fallen 15% this year through August, compared to the same period in 2019. ACT Research revealed the findings in its Alternative Fuels Quarterly report. “Sales of natural gas-powered vehicles as reported by the six major truck OEMs, who account for approximately 60% of the heavy-duty natural gas market, were mixed in the June to August time period, with all three months enjoying sequential gains,” said Steve Tam, vice-president at ACT Research. “As a result, sales continue to whittle away at the year-to-date deficit. Looking at the most recent month (August), sales rose 26% month-over-month, handily besting…

EDMONTON, Alta. – Employers need to be aware their people could be suffering mental health issues as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, and take steps to ensure they know what resources are available to them. That was a message from Andrea Morley, nutritionist and health coach with NAL Insurance’s Healthy Trucker program. She was speaking at the virtual Western Women With Drive event Oct. 29, hosted by the Alberta Motor Transport Association and Trucking HR Canada. Many people are struggling with mental health issues, as the Covid-19 pandemic drags on. What was initially expected to be a relatively short interruption to our lives has stretched into its eighth month,…

EDMONTON, Alta. – If the trucking industry hopes to attract more youth, it needs to better communicate the employment opportunities that exist and help new entrants manage the financial burden of training. That was the message from three young ladies participating on a Youth Entering the Workforce panel discussion at the Western Women With Drive virtual event hosted Oct. 29 by Trucking HR Canada and the Alberta Motor Transport Association. Panelists included Chantelle Meloche, a dispatcher with Edmonton, Alta.-based Lipizzan Transport; Nanda Dhaliwal, a student at Athabasca University who also works at CP Rail’s operations center; and 16-year-old high school student Shaelynn Millin. The youngest of the three, Millin, said…

KINGSTON, Ont. – The family of a truck driver who died along Hwy. 401 near Kingston, Ont., Oct. 24, wants people to know his final actions potentially saved other motorists’ lives. Gary Demars, a 50-year trucking veteran, suffered a heart attack behind the wheel while hauling a load of cars. Before dying, he apparently steered his truck off the road into the ditch, avoiding other traffic. Gary Demars does a walkaround of his final load before suffering a heart attack shortly after. (Photo: Supplied) “Uncle Gary, by all witness accounts and statements from the O.P.P., performed a huge task of maneuvering his rig full of cars out of the middle…

PALO ALTO, Calif. – Daimler Trucks has acquired a minority stake in the U.S. software firm Luminar Technologies as part of a strategic partnership to bring Level 4 autonomous trucks to the market, the company said Friday. Daimler’s U.S. subsidiary, Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA), and Torc Robotics, part of the company’s Autonomous Technology Group (ATG), will collaborate with Luminar in developing new self-driving solutions. Luminar says the business case for autonomous trucking is incredibly strong, (Photo: Daimler Trucks) The teams will work closely together in order to enhance lidar sensing, perception and system-level performance for Daimler trucks moving at highway speeds, Daimler Trucks said. “Luminar has pioneered a critical…

GREENBELT, Md. – The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has canceled the 2020 North American Cargo Securement Harmonization Public Forum, traditionally held in Canada. The next forum is scheduled to take place April 18 in Louisville, Ky., coinciding with the 2021 CVSA workshop. It’s not the only scheduling change on the horizon. The 2021 Cooperative Hazardous Materials Development Conference, scheduled to be held in Savannah, Ga., will now be offered in a virtual format from Jan. 25-28. Registration fees have been waived, and will not be limited to hazmat specialists, hazmat instructor or CVSA member to attend. The CVSA/FMCSA Data Quality and Systems Training, meanwhile, will be held online from…