Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/100783
JANUARY 2013 | VOL 170 | NO. 1 JOURNAL LEADING NEWS, TRUCKING MARKET CONDITIONS AND INDUSTRY ANALYSIS Economic Outlook Nursing a fragile recovery? Assuming the outcome of the ���fiscal cliff��� negotiations on Bush-era tax cuts and federal spending lands somewhere between ���kicking the can down the road��� and a modest deal that doesn���t dramatically change the fundamentals of the economy, which way are the fundamentals headed? For 2013, most analysts see them as modestly positive, but carriers aren���t necessarily on board with this view. 28 Cover design by David Watson 7 FEATURES News CSA scoring, viola- 34 tion severity weights All hands on deck change ��� Beware: Maintenance software can be one of the most effective safeguards from vehicle defects that harm Compliance Safety Accountability scores. While fleets traditionally have used maintenance management systems to reduce costs and maximize equipment uptime, the technology now has added the critical role of helping to improve safety and compliance. New California exhaust regs now in effect ��� Bill pushes hair sample drug testing ��� Natural gas ��� is now the time to invest? ��� Knight���s Williams: Do your homework when buying equipment 40 Liter fever 8 Size, displacement, power and application: Regardless of which engines a fleet hates or swears by, those are the factors that matter most when it comes to making a truck work effectively for a business. Today���s heavy-duty diesel engine evolution has settled on two basic displacement configurations: 13-liter and 15-liter. InBrief 12 TruckGauge Financial data, trends, analysis and forecasts 25 Innovators: Crete Carrier Corporation The Lincoln, Neb.-based carrier���s Patriot Fleet instills pride and creates awareness for its efforts to recruit and support returning military. COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | JANUARY 2013 1