Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/641412
24 commercial carrier journal | february 2016 • Daimler Trucks North America in late December issued layoff warnings to nearly 1,000 employ- ees at its truck manufacturing plant in Cleveland, N.C., citing "a sustained reduction in orders and diminished build rate." The company said it expects the cuts to be temporary and made by mid-March. The bulk of the cuts – 666 jobs – are classified as "assem- bler" positions, while the rest are spread among material handlers, painters, inspectors, mechanics, journeymen and other job titles. • Navistar said it hopes to pay a fine as part of a settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that could finalize an investigation by the agency over the departure of former chief executive Dan Ustain and the company's doomed exhaust gas recirculation strategy. The SEC is investigating alleged violations of disclosure and transparency of financial statement regulations. • Mack Trucks signed off on the use of renewable diesel fuel in all Mack engines following ex- tensive truck and engine testing. Similar to biodiesel, renewable diesel fuel is derived from biomass feedstocks, including animal fats and oils, but is pro- duced using a different process and maintains physical proper- ties and performance similar to petroleum diesel, meeting the same ASTM D975 standard while offering reduced greenhouse gas and particulate emissions and decreased maintenance costs. • Volvo was granted an exemption by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to place a rain and ambient light sensor on the windshield of its trucks in an area lower than that allowed by regulations. The sensor is part of a hands-free driver aid equipment package intended to improve driver safety. The two- year exemption will be effective through Dec. 20, 2017. • The Nevada Department of Transportation hosted an automated vehicle public policy workshop Jan. 5 in Las Vegas to develop nationwide standardized INBRIEF EPA OKs Cummins lineup for 2017 emissions regulations C ummins announced it has received U.S. Environmental Protection Agency certifi- cation for its lineup of on-highway diesel and natural gas engines. The certification means Cummins meets both the current EPA regulations and the second step in greenhouse gas and fuel-efficiency standards that take effect in January 2017. "Cummins is committed to providing customer-focused innovation as soon as it is ready," said Amy Boerger, vice president of sales and support. "Efficiency improvements implemented in the 2016 ISX15 400 hp to 475 hp ratings will provide customers with fuel economy gains over the 2013 ISX15, ranging from 2.5 percent on the base engine up to 7.5 percent with a SmartAdvantage Powertrain with Adept SmartCoast features." Cummins said the efficiency enhancements it implemented throughout 2014 and 2015 enable its engines to meet EPA 2016 and GHG 2017 requirements. Onboard diag- nostics requirements are met with enhanced monitors designed to ensure that exhaust tailpipe emissions stay within EPA limits. A particulate matter sensor also has been implemented, and electronic controls have been enhanced to interact with the diesel exhaust fluid quality sensor implemented by OEMs on DEF tanks. – James Jaillet Cummins has imple- mented efficiency enhancements that en- able its engines to meet EPA 2016 and GHG 2017 requirements. Alkane plans Class 8 LPG cabover A lkane Truck Co. announced plans to build a liquid propane autogas-powered Class 8 cabover suited for long-haul trucking. "LPG makes the most sense because the distribution is already in place and growing annually," said Bob Smith, chief executive officer of the Myrtle Beach, S.C-based company. "We've been able to get good torque from the LPG-powered engines, and we think it's a perfect fit for the Class 8." The company's Class 7 unit, which received U.S. Department of Transportation certification late last year, features a Power Solutions International-engineered 8.8-liter V8 engine with 270 hp and 575 ft.-lb. of torque. The company expects to begin production of the Class 7 units later this year, while its Class 8 trucks are expected to be available for dealer order by the end of 2018 pending USDOT approval. Both trucks will be assembled in Alkane's South Carolina assembly plant. "LPG is readily available right here in America and lessens our dependence on foreign oil," said Stephen Rayborn, Alkane's vice president of global sales. "It burns cleaner than diesel and gasoline, providing a healthier environment, and our engi- neers have been able to create the power and torque the truckers need." – Jason Cannon Alkane Truck Co.'s Class 7 unit features a Power Solutions International-engineered 8.8-liter V8 engine with 270 hp and 575 ft.-lb. of torque.