Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
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COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | OCTOBER 2015 11 JOURNAL NEWS • Fontaine Fifth Wheel issued a recall on all 6,800 Ultra LT model fifth wheels manu- factured between 2009 and 2013 follow- ing a January 2014 crash in Ohio involving a tractor with an Ultra LT that resulted in two fatalities. The recall states that, over time, improper coupling techniques could result in damage to the fifth wheel and the locking mechanism, which could result in the locking mechanism not engaging properly.Following the accident, testing by both the Ohio State Highway Patrol and Fontaine found the fifth wheel and its lock- ing mechanism to be fully functional. • Mack Trucks became the fourth trucking OEM to announce it would skip the 2016 Mid-America Trucking Show, scheduled for March 31-April 2 in Louisville, Ky. MATS already has lost commitments from Daimler, Navistar and Mack's sister company, Volvo Trucks. Paccar sister com- panies Kenworth and Peterbilt are the only North American Class 8 manufacturers that have yet to pull out of next year's MATS. • U.S. Rep. Reid Ribble (R-Wis.) last month introduced the latest version of his Safe, Flexible and Efficient Trucking Act, which would give states the flexibility to allow 91,000-pound trucks with six axles on U.S. interstate highways within their borders. The American Trucking Associations supports increasing size and weight limits, while the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association does not. • Kevin Roper, the Walmart truck driver at the center of the fatal June 2014 crash involving actor and comedian Tracy Morgan, asked prosecutors to dismiss the charges against him, arguing the media attention the case has drawn makes it impossible for him to receive a fair trial. Roper was charged last June with vehicular homicide and assault by auto in the crash that killed comedian James McNair and injured Morgan and several others. Walmart has settled civil cases with McNair's family and Morgan. • The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance will hold its annual Operation Safe Driver Week Oct. 18-24. Law enforce- ment agencies across the United States, Canada and Mexicowill engage in height- ened traffic safety enforcement and educa- tion aimed at unsafe driving by both com- mercial motor vehicle and car drivers. • The Truckload Carriers Association announced Brad Bentley resigned as president after 10 months, citing family obligations. TCA officers, led by Chairman Keith Tuttle, assembled a search task force to find a replacement. • Stephen Keppler stepped down as executive director of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance to accept a position with the Intermodal Association of North America. Collin Mooney is serving as acting executive director of the hub enforcement group made up of enforcers from the local level all the way up to the federal level. • Dartco company driver and military veteran Frederick Weatherspoon was named the winner of the fifth annual Mike O'Connell Memorial Trucking's Top Rookie Award in ceremonies at the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas. Weatherspoon, 51, was chosen from a field of 10 finalists and received the top prize of $10,000 and a variety of products and services from contest sponsors. • FedEx Freight's maintenance division swept the top honors at the Technology and Maintenance Council's 2015 SuperTech Technical Challenge. Various other fleets and service providers such as WalMart, Petro and Old Dominion scored wins in individual categories, but FedEx Freight won top team honors, as well as second- and third-place individual spots, while company technician EricVos of Boise, Idaho, was named Grand Champion. INBRIEF 10/15 Speci cations are subject to change without notice. Detroit Diesel Corporation is registered to ISO 9001:2008. Copyright © 2015 Detroit Diesel Corporation. All rights reserved. Detroit ™ is a brand of Detroit Diesel Corporation, a subsidiary of Daimler Trucks North America LLC, a Daimler company. DEMANDDETROIT.COM Engines, axles and a transmission all engineered and designed to work together as one. An entire powertrain built and backed by a single manufacturer for greater ef ciency and pro tability. That is the power and value of Detroit. ONLY DETROIT CAN DELIVER THIS LEVEL OF integration. Daimler Detroit_82574_Western Star Ad 4C_2.25"w x 9.5"h_1/3 Page_Non-Bleed Commercial Carrier Journal DET_82574_WesternStar_CCJ.indd 1 4/10/15 4:45 PM