Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
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PRODUCT REVIEWS, OEM & SUPPLIER NEWS AND EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT TRENDS BY JACK ROBERTS Opponents of the first car radios argued the devices distracted drivers and that tuning the radio required driv- ers to take their eyes off the road. lull drivers to sleep behind the wheel. It wasn't long before laws were proposed across the coun- try banning the use of radios while driving. On the other side of the argu- ment – not surprisingly – was the Radio Manufacturers Association, which contended that radios not only kept sleepy drivers awake but also were crucial in warning travelers about bad weather and poor road conditions. Today, full-blown entertainment systems are a key selling point for new cars, and multitudes of truck drivers can't imagine putting eight hours behind the wheel without having Willie, Waylon, Skynyrd and Hank along for the ride. I've said before that fleets won't have much wiggle room when it comes to cell phone bans while driving. Facts aside, when an accident involving a commercial vehicle occurs, most of the driving public assumes the truck driver is at fault. Having a driver on a cell phone when an accident happens is a tough position to defend in a courtroom. On the other hand, real-time communication is vital to today's successful and profitable fleet opera- tions. Cutting drivers completely out of the informa- tion loop doesn't make good business sense. My own feeling is that talking on a hands-free phone while driving down the highway can't possibly be any larger a distraction than talking on a CB radio, fiddling with a stereo system or looking for an address on a GPS device. The overriding concern for the trucking industry always should be safety, and I believe technology eas- ily can deliver a safe, effective hands-free telephone device that will make truckers more productive and safer on the road. But will the public ac- cept that compromise? JACK ROBERTS is Executive Editor of Com- mercial Carrier Journal. E-mail jroberts@ ccjmagazine.com or call (205) 248-1358. C Continental invests in Mexico tread rubber plant ontinental Tire the Americas' commercial vehicle tire unit announced a multimillion-dollar investment in its central Mexico tread rubber plant because of increased demand for its ContiLifeCycle retreading solution throughout the Americas. The investment, which is occurring more than a year earlier than anticipated, includes a capacity increase by adding an additional curing and finishing line and doubles the size of the manufacturing facility to add space for both raw materials and work in progress. Production of Continental's ContiTread flat treads has been tripled, says Paul Williams, executive vice president. "This expansion allows us to accommodate the growing need for retreaded truck tires in our current markets, and to comfortably expand as we reach even further across the Americas," Williams said. "The result is that Continental now has the ability to cap more than 1.2 million truck tires annually with our ContiTreads." The expanded facility will have a footprint of more than 4,000 square meters. An additional expansion already has been planned for 2014, which involves yet another curing and finishing line to be installed, says Williams, who attributes the growth of the ContiLifeCycle business to the need for fleets in the Americas to have an economical lifetime truck tire solution, and also to the high level of interest from dealers in each country. Continental currently is offering 14 ContiTread tread patterns in various widths and depths, and the portfolio continues to expand, said ContiLifeCycle manager John Barnes. Rush Rodeo crowns top techs R ush Truck Centers topped off its sixth annual tech- nician challenge in San Antonio, pitting Rush truck technicians from across the country against one another in a variety of events, including OE engine, refuse, medium-duty and heavy-duty competitions. The Rush event has grown steadily over the past six years, with Rush business partners contributing more than $6 million during that time to help the com- pany recognize its technicians. As the trucking industry has evolved to navigate the economic downturn, so too has the business model for Rush Truck Centers, said Rusty Rush, chief executive officer. "More than ever, we are a service company," Rush emphasized, speaking to technician finalists. "Service is what drives this com- pany, and it's your efforts and com- mitments that make that a reality." Michael Willoughby of Oklahoma City took home $12,000 in total winnings as Medium Duty champ, and Erick Lincoln of Albuquerque, N.M., scored total prize winnings of $10,000 as Heavy Duty champion. Other top winners included Mark Jones of Denver, Refuse; Sherman Brack of Austin, Texas, Cummins; and Glenn Booth of Nashville, Tenn., Eaton. COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | FEBRUARY 2012 25