UPS Trucks: A Different Type of Alternate Energy

photo from UPS

The push for new energy sources and vehicles continues to gain momentum. Sometimes the new technologies sound more like science than science fiction...but they are not

According to Truckinginfo.com UPS is purchasing vehicles that use stored hydraulic energy to power the vehicle. What makes this really interesting is that the trucks are powered by a device that does not involve the motor...and it works!

This kind of technology can reduce fuel economy by around 30% and reduce emissions by about 30% and there is much less dependence on volatile price fluctuations in oil.
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Trucker Health

 Whats at Stake with Driver Health

Incredible article about the health risks truckers face just by being truckers. The hazards that

are threatening the national pool of truck drivers are riskier than you might think. According to 

a USA today article:

• Approximately 1 in 3 of all drivers are Obese
• Over 80% are overweight
• The insurance costs of healthier truckers are almost 50% less expensive than obese truckers
• Obesity is linked to sleep apnea

I can tell you that it will not be long before most trucking companies mysteriously screen out heavier drivers for insurance costs alone

 
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/story/2012-08-09/truckers-health/57194472/1

Hey Truckers: Where Are The Jobs?

Used Peterbilt Truck for Sale: Click  for information

I cannot speak for every trucker or every fleet manager in the trucking industry. I can guess that what I am about to say is probably an opinion of a lot of truckers and fleet managers. I keep reading about statistic after statistic of economic improvement BUT I still ask this question:

Where are the jobs?

An unemployment rate that is dropping because people are being forced to work minimum wage jobs is NOT FOOLING ANYONE. Raw tonnage, wall street, executive opinions are pointless statistics if millions of Americans cannot find a job that pays enough to cover the most basic bills like food and mortgage.

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Your Government At Work: Soliciting Truckers Of Other Nations To Take Your Jobs

From TruckersNews.com
2012

 "Concerned the cross-border trucking program hasn’t attracted enough Mexican trucking firms, U.S. Department of Transportation officials are urging more carriers to apply."

 Stories like this leave me scratching my head. Why are taxpayer resources going to get a foreign nations truckers to take our truck driving jobs?

• Is the recession over?   
• Are their jobs to spare?

 
The idea that Americans are going hungry and a government official is asking more carriers to take more jobs is beyond belief. Are you at all shocked why we are in this recession?
 
article link: https://www.truckersnews.com/more-cross-border-carriers-sought/

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In Trucking Their Are Avoidable Disasters..And Preventable Ones

When you think about increasing weight limits for Trucks...check the facts

Some bridge collapses are just unavoidable. Things like weather, ship collisions, and truck crashes can push the limits of a bridge beyond what it can handle. It is unfortunate... But that is not all ways the case.

          Bridges Do Collapse Because of Failures In Their Structure..

But how many. Is this even a problem. Well I will let the trucker population decide for themselves. Here is a list of bridge collapses in the United States since 1980 that were caused by some structural defect or problem

1. Cline Avenue Bridge in Indiana in 1982:             tower support showed developed cracks in concrete
2. Mianus River Bridge in Connecticut in 1983:      metal was fatigued and corroded/ maintenance postponed
3. Schoharie Creek Bridge in New York in 1987   contractor error with footings on riverbed
4. I-5 Bridge Disaster in California in 1995             structural failure
5. Hoan Bridge in Wisconsin in 2000                      Weather and traffic overload
6. I35 W Bridge In Minnesota in 2007                    Overload/ undersized gussets/structural failure
7. Harp River Bridge in Washington in 2007            Collapsed due to truck weight

Image via Wikipediathere are others due to forces of nature or unforseen events but here is the list. One way to look at it would be to say that there is only 7 out of the over 500,000 bridges in the United States. thats less than a quarter of one percent. Even as I right this though I dont want to risk it. Somebody WAS part of that tiny number of bridge collapse victims. Any insurance agent would gladly insure you based on those numbers at a good rate.

Regardless there is a mental impact. No one wants to be one of the people who are on those bridges when they collapse, regardless of how far fetched the chances are
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Need Peterbilts or Western Stars Click Here

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http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100826104935AAU4lEQ
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Bridge_Inventory

Obama Rejects Keystone XL Pipeline Proposal - Truckinginfo.com

From Truckinginfo.com
Janaury 2012

President Obama announced that his administration is rejecting the controversial proposal for the Keystone XL oil sands pipeline, which would have transported 700,000 barrels of oil daily from Canada, Montana and the Dakotas to U.S. refineries in Houston. The proposal has been under review for more than three years.

Because the pipeline would have crossed an international border, its proposal required a Presidential Permit from the Department of State.

Obama acted before a Feb. 21 deadline Congress set after he postponed a decision in November while a revised Nebraska route was being reviewed. According to The Hill, Obama's rejection "will escalate an explosive election-year fight with Republicans and major business groups."


The American Trucking Associations previously expressed its support of the pipeline. The organization said the pipeline would enhance U.S. energy security, create jobs and reduce air emissions associated with transporting this oil to market.

To read the full article CLICK HERE

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• President Obama Rejects Keystone XL! (sierraclub.typepad.com)
• Obama Rejects Keystone Pipeline, Says "No" to Jobs (princesspolitics.wordpress.com)
• Obama's Rejection of Keystone A Sensible Decision (texasvox.org)
• Obama caves into Chick from "Blade Runner" - Rejects Keystone XL Pipeline (ferrellgummit.wordpress.com)
• Environmental Groups, Unions Support President Obama's Decision on Keystone XL Pipeline (talkingunion.wordpress.com)
• Keystone XL Pipeline Would Increase Oil Prices in Midwest (desmogblog.com)
• Obama Administration Rejects Keystone XL (legalplanet.wordpress.com)

Commentary:  For every trucker who is sweating the price of oil, I have to believe that the 700,000 barrels a day may have kept the price of gas in check as well as brought back oil dollars which are flowing into themiddle east.






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Acessories for Peterbilt 379

Make Your Peterbilt 379 Shine! Rockwood 2011a

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Truck Ads November 2011

Will Tommorrows Truck Be Powered By Gator Fuel?

I am not totally sure that tomorrow's truck will be powered by Alligator biofuel. Even if it does happen, it just doesn't seem that likely in lieu of natural gas, hydrogen cells, or solar power. It also doesn't sound futuristic enough. Regardless, the Gator Fuel article in this newsletter is entertaining...



Gator Fuel Corrected October 14 2010 for Scribde

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This Trucking Company Owners Goose is Cooked!

I recently read of a Minnesota truck company owner who underpaid his drivers and then was forced to pay them what he owed them. No harm done..honest mistake I’m sure. Then the owner contacted the drivers and said they weren’t supposed to get the payment and asked for it back. Buddy, your prospects look dim. The fact that you actively defrauded the US government after they caught you in a potential defraud situation, its going to be very hard to get these charges to go away.

Image via WikipediaThe real victoms are the truck drivers. How many truck drivers get shorted and don’t get what they are owed? My guess is there are firms that haven’t gotten caught, but will. It’s a shame that the road isn’t the only risk for todays trucker

http://www.landlinemag.com/todays_news/Daily/2011/Aug11/080111/080111-04.shtml

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Trucking earnings up despite soft economy

From Fleet Owner Magazine

Jul 2011 12:02 PM, By Sean Kilcarr, senior editor 

Overall, carriers are reporting strong gains in revenues and earnings for the second quarter this year, with expectations that this trend should continue despite a softening of the U.S. economy.

“I would characterize the overall second quarter freight environment as a little choppy, but moving in an upward direction [while] pricing continued to be strong,” noted Henry Gerkens, chairman, president & CEO of Landstar System Inc., in the company’s quarterly earnings report.

Despite that “choppiness,” though, Landstar posted net income of $29.6 million on revenues of $675.6 million in the second quarter, compared to net income of $24.4 million on $541.7 million in revenues during the same period last year – contributing to a 27% jump in earnings per share, which Gerkens’ described as “the best second quarter earnings per share [62 cents] in Landstar history.”

He added that “recent trends in June, and thus far in July, indicate continued strength in revenue per load with a relatively stable increase in the number of loads hauled month over prior year month. I expect these trends to continue throughout the third quarter.”

To read the full article click Here
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Public truck Safety Forum

From Occupational Health and Safety Online

FMCSA Seeks Comments on Plan to Improve Truck, Bus Safety

“It’s vital that our stakeholders—starting with the American motoring public—participate in this dialog to shape the future course of truck and bus safety," said FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro.

Jul 2011Image via Wikipedia

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has asked the American public to comment on its draft strategic plan that will serve as a five-year guide to achieving its mission to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving large commercial trucks and interstate buses.

“At the Department of Transportation, safety is our number-one priority,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “This strategic plan represents a fresh and bold new view on issues critical to bus and truck safety, and I encourage Americans across the country to provide feedback and help shape the final plan.”

Titled “Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration 2011 – 2016 Strategic Plan: Raising the Safety Bar,” the plan is geared to:

• raise the bar to enter the motor carrier industry;
• maintain high safety standards to remain in the industry; and
• remove high-risk carriers, drivers, and service providers from operation.

Comments on the draft strategic plan can be submitted to the Federal Docket Management System at www.regulations.gov, Docket ID No. FMCSA-2011-0098.

In addition, FMCSA has set up an IdeaScale Community on its main website, www.fmcsa.dot.gov, to comment on the plan. IdeaScale is a Department of Transportation initiative providing an interactive, online, transparent space for people to engage in conversation about draft proposals and vote whether they agree or disagree, which also allows FMCSA to ask clarifying questions to make sure the best comments and ideas are submitted.

to read the full article click HERE 

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• ATA Supports Mandate for Electronics Logging Devices, but Has Concerns with FMCSA's Supporting Documents Proposal (prnewswire.com)
• New rule will limit amount of time truck drivers spend on road (charlotte.news14.com)
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Mega Truck Haul

I don't think there are industry awards for the largest specialized haul or the largest flatbed BUT if there were I think this would be the winner. I saw this online and realized it was not photoshopped but carry an actual jet that crashed in the Hudson river.
to read the original article click here

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Are bigger trucks the answer?

Business pushes Congress to clear bigger trucks

By John Crawley

WASHINGTON | Tue May 3, 2011 2:24pm EDT
Image via Wikipedia 

(Reuters) - Manufacturers, retailers, and other businesses are quietly working with truckers in renewing a push for government permission to operate bigger and heavier rigs, to the dismay of unions and safety advocates.
Lobbying coalitions for hundreds of companies hope an improving economy will underscore the case that inefficiency associated with trucking capacity shortages and higher fuel expenses adds costs for shippers and consumers.

They are behind proposals taking shape in Congress to lift size restrictions. They also want to restore the flexibility of states to decide which trucks can operate on their roads.

Union and safety groups vocally oppose any change, saying bigger trucks would erode hard-won regulations and pose new hazards for truck drivers and other motorists just as U.S. traffic deaths are falling noticeably.
Also, smaller independent truckers say new size allowances would hurt their businesses by adding costs for equipment necessary to win business and compete with bigger rivals.

Randy Mullett, government relations vice president for trucking company Con-Way Inc, said business interests are working together on a range of changes in law that would affect regions and businesses differently.

"We don't want to run triples (trailers) through Washington, D.C., but we might want to in the cornfields of the Midwest," said Mullett, whose company is based in Michigan.

Mullett added the larger goal is to "find a way to make this part of the supply chain more efficient," especially with diesel fuel prices above $4 per gallon and other costs going up.

Shipping costs rose by almost 35 percent from 2004 through 2006, which translated into a 2 percent price increase for retail goods. A decrease during the subsequent economic downturn has been followed by an 8 percent shipping cost rise since 2009 due to capacity shortages, higher fuel prices and other factors, according to FTR Associates.

to read the full article click HERE
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• Small Business Stimulus: Deduct More for New Autos (turbotax.intuit.com)

2004 PETERBILT 379 Conventional Truck w/ Sleeper For Sale At TruckPaper.com

Image via Wikipedia

2004 PETERBILT 379 Conventional Truck w/ Sleeper For Sale At TruckPaper.com

Quantity 1
Stock Number 6301
Year 2004
Manufacturer PETERBILT
Model 379
Price Call
Location Portsmouth, Virginia
Condition Used
Sleeper Size 63"
Engine Specs Caterpillar
Engine Type C-15
Horsepower 475
Transmission 13 Spd
Ratio 3.55
Tires 24.5
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email msaks@ectts.com for more information