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By Deborah Lockridge, Editor in Chief

LAS VEGAS -- The aftermarket, like the trucking industry at large, has been in a bit of a slump the last six or seven months, and Stu MacKay, president of MacKay & Co., thinks it will continue for at least a little while

Tags: Issues, HDAW, MacKay and Co., Aftermarket, Remanufacturing

The Automotive Parts Remanufacturers Association has joined two other trade associations in filing a friend of the court brief in the United States Supreme Court opposing the right of a patent holder to impose post-sale restrictions on the use of its patented products.

Tags: Issues, APRA, Parts, Aftermarket

By Deborah Lockridge, Editor in Chief

LAS VEGAS - Seeing disturbing indications that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration may plan to address the issue of sleep apnea among truck drivers with a "guidance" rather than a rulemaking, the American Trucking Associations has a new policy positio

Tags: Issues, ATA, Sleep Apnea, Health

By Oliver B. Patton, Washington Editor

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration implemented a number of improvements to its CSA safety enforcement program, including dropping the Cargo-Related BASIC and adding a new Hazardous Materials BASIC that is expected to put more scrutiny on carriers hauling hazmat

Tags: Issues, FMCSA, CSA, Hazmat

By Oliver B. Patton, Washington Editor

The advisory committee that is preparing recommendations on the CSA enforcement program for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has a dense thicket to chop through

Tags: Issues, Congress, CSA, ATRI, FMCSA

By Tom Berg, Senior Editor

If you're wondering about whether parts and service for natural gas engines will be in your future, it might be useful to take a look at what engine and truck makers will be offering

Tags: Issues, Natural Gas, Alternative Fuels, Aftermarket

By Deborah Lockridge, Editor in Chief

One of your customers gets sued when his truck is involved in a fatal crash. Faulty brake parts are blamed. Before you know it, you get dragged into court because you sold it to him. You may say, "I didn't make it! I didn't know it wasn't safe!" The answer from the courts may well be, "You should have.

Tags: Issues

By Deborah Lockridge, Editor in Chief

When the Massachusetts state Legislature passed the nation's first right to repair law earlier this year, it excluded vehicles over 10,000 pounds. Last week, state voters overwhelmingly approved a different version of the law, which includes all motor vehicles sold in the state

Tags: Issues

Investcorp is selling heavy-duty truck and trailer parts retailer FleetPride Inc. to global investment firm TPG. FleetPride, based in The Woodlands, Texas, was established in 1999 as a result of the merger of Quality Distribution Service Partners and HDA Parts System Inc. It was bought by Bahrain-based Investcorp in 2006.

Tags: Issues

By Jim Park, Equipment Editor

There are still legions of drivers who are not practicing even the most basic fuel-saving techniques. Just hang around an intersection with a lot of truck traffic and liste

Tags: Issues

By Deborah Lockridge, Editor in Chief and Jim Park, Contributing Editor

There are three kinds of people in this world: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder what happened. The recent recession culled many owner-operators from the latter category

Tags: Issues

As an owner-operator for more than 30 years, John Borofka advises truck drivers aspiring to start their own businesses to "start out by driving for somebody at a company and see if it works out." That's exactly what he did before becoming an owner-operator

Tags: Issues

By Jim Park, Equipment Editor

You can hide a multitude of sins inside a van trailer, but with an open deck trailer, any indiscretions are out in the open for all to see -- including DOT roadside inspectors

Tags: Issues

By Commentary Deborah Lockridge, Editor in Chief

Each year, I spend some time chatting with some of the nation's top truck dealers, those nominated for the Truck Dealer of the Year award from American Truck Dealers association and sister publication Heavy Duty Trucking

Tags: Issues

By Steph Sabo, Guest Columnist

Everyone is always looking for a competitive advantage, one that will take them over the top. Well, your search can stop, at least for today. Spend your time looking into the Technology & Maintenance Council of the American Trucking Associations

Tags: Issues

By Jim Park, Contributing Editor

Nobody likes surprises. Nevertheless, in the depths of the recent recession, fleets believing they could save a few dollars by holding onto equipment for another year or so got their share of surprises

Tags: Issues

By Oliver B. Patton, Washington Editor

There's an alarm going off for businesses that repair and maintain heavy-duty trucks. Those who hear it are working hard to prepare themselves for the game-changing new federal truck safety regim

Tags: Issues

Fuel. Diesel or gasoline, it's one of your customers' biggest costs. Worldwide energy consumption will grow by 53% between 2008 and 2035, according to a repor

Tags: Issues

By Steve Sturgess, Executive Editor

Trucks are probably the most complex vehicles on the highways today. They fairly bristle with electronic controllers, multiplexed wiring, and sensors

Tags: Issues

By Jim Park, Contributing Editor

Why use new parts when used parts are half the price

Tags: Issues

By Deborah Lockridge, Editor

In undercarriage components, independents have seen their share drop from 46 percent to 35 percent, while dealers have risen from 32 percent to 43 percent

Tags: Issues, Aftermarket, Distributors

By Commentary Deborah Lockridge, Editor

We're wrapping up the winter-and-spring "show season," where conventions have shown the latest products and offered educational programs for all segments of the industry

Tags: Issues

By Deborah Lockridge, Editor

The recession has not been good for the parts and service business. Dealers and independent distributors alike report a downturn like they've never seen

Tags: Issues

By Steve Sturgess, Executive Editor

Changes in the works at the Department of Transportation could spell major opportunities for independent brake shops around the nation

Tags: Issues

By Deborah Lockridge, Editor

It's easy to get excited by all the possibilities technology offers us today. It's also easy to be intimidated and concerned about the challenges increasing technology in trucks poses to the independent distributor and service provider

Tags: Issues

By Diana Britton, Managing Editor

While distributors aren't exactly going on hiring sprees these days, there is a major issue within the industry that is being overshadowed by the current economic situation

Tags: Issues