Operators will realize solid fuel savings that will pay for the devices in under two years, unless the devices are damaged or need other repairs.
Starting Jan. 1 of next year – fewer than nine months from now – all new 53-foot box-type trailers will come with trailer skirts, like ‘em or not. Tom Berg has more in his Trailer Talk blog. READ MORE
Tags: Trailers, Fuel Economy, Aerodynamics, Emissions, EPA
Author: Tom Berg | Posted @ Sunday, March 5, 2017 10:30 PM | » Comments(1)
The Trailer AeroKit uses wheel covers plus fairings in front, between and behind the wheels, similar to a tractor AeroKit.
Wheel covers and fairings smooth the complex air flow around trailer wheels and suspension. They complement other trailer aerodynamic devices. Tom Berg highlights one of the newest entrants in his Trailer Talk blog. READ MORE
Tags: Fuel Economy, Aerodynamics, Trailers, FlowBelow
Author: Tom Berg | Posted @ Monday, February 27, 2017 12:20 AM | » Comments(0)
Whichever wheels are skidding on a tractor-trailer will want to get in front and take the rest of the rig with it.
When encountering a slick road, it’s a real good idea to test the brakes to see how the rig behaves. Then you'll know what to expect in a real application. READ MORE
Tags: Driver Safety, Safety, ABS
Author: Tom Berg | Posted @ Friday, February 24, 2017 9:03 AM | » Comments(4)
Slow way down in blinding conditions? Sure, but not so suddenly that you get rear-ended. Even better, park the truck in a safe place and wait out the storm.
Fog and whiteouts caused by blowing snow can often be anticipated by considering the time of the year and what regularly happens along certain stretches of roadway. READ MORE
Tags: Driver Safety, Weather, Safety
Author: Tom Berg | Posted @ Thursday, February 16, 2017 7:01 AM | » Comments(0)
Revival might be riding on enthusiasm over President Trump’s pro-business beliefs and his promise to improve America’s infrastructure.
A pair of longer pups would haul more than two 28-footers, so LTL carriers and shippers are in favor. But truckload carriers still want no part of them. READ MORE
Tags: Fleet Management, Productivity, Trailers, TCA, Double Trailers
Author: Tom Berg | Posted @ Wednesday, February 8, 2017 11:13 AM | » Comments(3)
"Tanker trucks hauling food, fuel and chemicals are part of the backbone of the economy. To some people, though, they are a growing danger." That's called even-handedness.
We we might never know why the rig hit the guardrail, because as the story said, the truck and any evidence, electronic or otherwise, were destroyed in the fire. READ MORE
Tags: Fatal Accidents, Hazardous Materials, Tankers, Liquid Tank Trailers, Safety
Author: Tom Berg | Posted @ Tuesday, January 31, 2017 5:04 PM | » Comments(1)
Remember, “Stop, look and listen”? It's still a good idea for any driver.
Newscasters focused on the non-working crossing lights and gates. But shouldn't the truck driver have looked for a train? Tom Berg has more in Trailer Talk. READ MORE
Tags: Accidents, Driver Safety, Railroads
Author: Tom Berg | Posted @ Thursday, January 26, 2017 10:23 AM | » Comments(1)
Until technology advances, dump and trash trucks do effective blockade duty in NYC. But, is it time to call up the Guard?
In Washington, military and civilian trucks helped closed a large swath of the city, ensuring the safety of the new president and crowds at the inauguration. READ MORE
Tags: Security, Mack Trucks, Terrorism
Author: Tom Berg | Posted @ Friday, January 20, 2017 1:06 PM | » Comments(1)
Very few of the trailers seen from the passenger train were at loading docks; most sat in long rows, side by side, looking forlorn and forgotten.
Managers strive for “productivity” and “equipment utilization,” but how many trailers are moving freight even half the time in their lives? Tom Berg's Trailer Talk blog muses on the number of trailers just sitting around. READ MORE
Tags: Fleet Management, Trailers, Trailer Tracking, Fleet Productivity
Author: Tom Berg | Posted @ Tuesday, January 10, 2017 10:26 AM | » Comments(3)
“A truck is like a horse. It can pull more than it can carry,” was the slogan of August Fruehauf and his company, and it appeared as part of the firm’s advertising for years.
Vintage ads help Ruth Ann Fruehauf, granddaughter of the founder of Fruehauf Trailer Corp., tell how the company designed and built trailers for many uses. READ MORE
Tags: Trailers, Automotive History, Trucking History, Fruehauf
Author: Tom Berg | Posted @ Monday, December 19, 2016 12:32 PM | » Comments(0)
Plastics -- specifically, molded structural composites -- might constitute the future of trailers. Some are used in Europe, and Wabash National is ready to build them here.
Plastics -- specifically, molded structural composites -- might constitute the future of trailers. Some are used in Europe, and Wabash National is ready to build them here. Werner Enterprises, K&B Transportation, Combined Transport, and Leonard’s Express will acquire some MSC trailers for testing, and three dealers will help bring the trailers to market. READ MORE
Tags: Reefers, Wabash National, Composites, Refrigerated Trailers
Author: Tom Berg | Posted @ Friday, December 9, 2016 11:19 AM | » Comments(0)
American and Canadian rules require stuff in a van or reefer to be tied down, but it’s out of sight and can be overlooked by inspectors.
Like here, tying down the goods is a concern in Europe, because a dominant German trailer builder recently displayed a van with numerous securement options aboard. Tom Berg has more in his Trailer Talk blog. READ MORE
Tags: Vans, Cargo Management, Europe, Safety & Compliance, Van Trailers
Author: Tom Berg | Posted @ Wednesday, November 30, 2016 10:22 AM | » Comments(2)
There’s dropping trailers, as in hook-and-drop operations, and there’s dropping a trailer, as in whoops! In his Trailer Talk blog, Tom Berg looks at two recent product announcements aimed at addressing the potential of trailers coming loose from fifth wheels. READ MORE
Tags: Fifth Wheels, SAF-Holland, Purkey's Fleet Electric, Safety, Trailers
Author: Tom Berg | Posted @ Monday, November 14, 2016 10:47 AM | » Comments(0)
Run off the tractor's wet kit, the hydraulically driven axle adds traction in rough conditions and can eliminate 4x4s used by some European operators.
“SAF Trak” axle is powered from the tractor’s hydraulic wet kit. On the trailer, two hydraulic motors, one at each axle end, turn the wheels to help get the rig moving in slippery conditions. READ MORE
Tags: Trailers, SAF-Holland, Dump Trailers
Author: Tom Berg | Posted @ Friday, November 4, 2016 8:12 AM | » Comments(1)
If you do it from memory, you’re probably missing something.
Pre-trips are supposed to be done before the vehicle is pulled away from a parking place and heads for the highway. In this blog from Senior Editor Tom Berg, we run through each item in a pre-trip inspection. READ MORE
Tags: Driver Safety, Inspections, Flatbed Trailers, Safety
Author: Tom Berg | Posted @ Wednesday, October 26, 2016 1:49 PM | » Comments(1)
Hauling fuel for this company is a lot easier than dealing with heavy freight containers, says driver Jeff McMannus.
He stood at an open pipe at the tanker and held his hand in front of it, checking air as it flowed inside. During product loading, vapor-laden air is drawn out of the tanker to keep it from bursting. READ MORE
Tags: Biodiesel, Environmental Protection Agency, Trailers, Biofuels, Tankers
Author: Tom Berg | Posted @ Friday, October 14, 2016 9:59 AM | » Comments(0)
Towing is a big deal for some pickup-truck owners, and Ford says its 2017-model SuperDuty pickups are more capable than ever.
The heftiest trailer was a Gladiator Load Max gooseneck, loaded with concrete blocks and decorative limestone, and weighing almost 30,000 pounds. READ MORE
Tags: Trailers, Safety, Ford F-450, Ford F-250, Ford F-350
Author: Tom Berg | Posted @ Friday, September 30, 2016 12:00 AM | » Comments(0)
Techs from TravelCenters of America dominated the Trailer Track competition, winning 12 of 15 awards announced.
Trailers get little enough attention in the real world, and this new focus gives them the respect they deserve. Trailers (and truck bodies) are where the payloads go, after all. READ MORE
Tags: Maintenance, Trailers, TMC, TMC SuperTech
Author: Tom Berg | Posted @ Friday, September 23, 2016 12:59 PM | » Comments(1)
A new or existing task force might bring in trailer-builder and repair-shop representatives to speak to it.
How do you repair a lowboy trailer whose deck structure has lost its arc? That might deserve some scrutiny, the organization figures. READ MORE
Tags: Trailers, TMC, TMC SuperTech, Lowboy Trailers
Author: Tom Berg | Posted @ Wednesday, September 21, 2016 6:32 AM | » Comments(1)
The company is exhibiting at the giant IAA truck show in Hannover, Germany, by sharing a booth with its battery supplier, Gentherm.
The Intelligent Electric Axle axle replaces a “passive” axle on a standard trailer tandem or tridem, and promises big fuel savings – 10 to 20% from hybrid-powered operation alone, Hyliion claims. READ MORE
Tags: Trailers, IAA, Fuel Economy, Europe, Hybrid Trucks, Hyliion
Author: Tom Berg | Posted @ Sunday, September 18, 2016 3:53 PM | » Comments(0)
Among seven categories of fuel-savings devices for over-the-road rigs, trailer aero devices had the lowest acceptance rate, about 21%.
It appears that it took a government decree to push operators into it, and it will take another set of rules to force further adoption of drag-reduction methods for trailers. READ MORE
Tags: Trailers, Aerodynamics, NACFE, Trailer Aerodynamics
Author: Tom Berg | Posted @ Monday, September 12, 2016 8:30 AM | » Comments(0)
Box-type and vocational trailers are both affected in 2018-27 rules, and the U.S. is the first country in the world to regulate them.
Trailers have long been regulated for safety. But trailers’ contributions to fuel economy and reduced emissions are new matters for for federal authorities. READ MORE
Tags: Trailers, EPA, Fuel Economy, NHTSA, GHG Phase 2
Author: Tom Berg | Posted @ Wednesday, August 24, 2016 1:53 PM | » Comments(2)
The electric-powered tandem captures braking energy that helps propel the trailer to reduce engine effort and thus save fuel.
Company execs say Initial assembly of fleet-test units will be later this year with full production a few months later. READ MORE
Tags: Alternative Fuels, Gasoline-Electric Hybrids
Author: Tom Berg | Posted @ Friday, August 19, 2016 8:21 AM | » Comments(2)
Incredibly, she was not hurt at all because she was wearing her seat-and-shoulder belt. And we can hope she received a life's lesson.
A motorist doing some high-speed tailgating on an Interstate highway in Arizona loses control, bumps a semi and crashes big time. READ MORE
Tags: Driver Safety, Seat Belts, Tailgating
Author: Tom Berg | Posted @ Monday, August 8, 2016 5:30 AM | » Comments(4)