Jim Park

Former HDT Equipment Editor

Jim Park served as Heavy Duty Trucking's equipment editor from 2006-2024. Specializing in technical and equipment content, Park is an award-winning journalist who has been covering the trucking industry since 1998.

Before joining HDT, Park was a truck driver and owner-operator for 20 years and served as an editor for HighwayStar magazine, which ceased production in 2011. He maintained his commercial driver’s license to bring a real-world perspective to Test Drives, as well as to features, videos and podcasts about equipment spec’ing and trends, emissions regulations and developments, maintenance and drivers.

He is the recipient of 16 Jesse H. Neal honors (both finalist and Neal awards), including “Best Range of Work by a Single Author” in 2020.

Articles•by Jim Park•January 17, 2020

Air Springs Need Attention, Too

Air springs are such simple and reliable components; short of a rupture, hardly anything ever goes wrong with them, therefore they are easy to overlook.

Photo Galleries•by Jim Park•January 14, 2020

A Tour of Mack's Allentown, Pennsylvania Museum

To correspond with the launch of the first fully electric LR refuse truck, curators at the Mack Museum in Allentown, Pennsylvania set up a display of vintage waste hauling trucks. Here are a few samples.

News•by Jim Park•January 9, 2020

Mack Trucks Demonstrates Mack LR Electric for New York City

Mack Trucks pulled back the curtain on the first working Mack LR Electric, a fully electric version of the LR refuse model, which will be delivered to the New York City Department of Sanitation before the end of January.

Articles•by Jim Park•December 31, 2019

How Speed, Weight and Grades Affect Brakes

Understanding the operational factors that boost -- or degrade -- braking performance is critical for reliable, safe stops on the road.

Articles•by Jim Park•December 31, 2019

How to Rebuild Tank Trailers

What's a fleet to do with a worn-out tank trailer with a perfectly good barrel? Rebuild the thing, of course. Refurbishing gives owners the benefit of the latest lighting, brake, and suspension innovations on a virtually new chassis for about half the cost of a whole new tank trailer – and you don't have to pay the federal excise tax.

Articles•by Jim Park•December 27, 2019

Which Lift Best Suits Your Needs?

Heavy-duty vehicle lifts come in a variety of designs; some may be more suitable than others to your operation. Here's a brief description of several lift types, just to get you thinking.

Articles•by Jim Park•December 26, 2019

Choose the Right Lift for your Fleet

Vehicle lifts come in a dizzying variety of configurations, usually targeted to certain intended applications. Deciding what you want to do with a lift is the first step in choosing the right machine for your shop.

Articles•by Jim Park•December 23, 2019

Shop Lifts can Increase Productivity, Employee Satisfaction

Ask technicians whether they prefer working in a puddle under a truck on a creeper or out in broad daylight under a truck hoisted 70 inches in the air. Using vehicle lifts in the shop can increase productivity, but lifts can also be a great way to boost employee morale and retention.

Articles•by Jim Park•December 19, 2019

In Defense of Older Used Trucks

Older trucks can be affordable alternatives to high payments and sketchy reliability – two things that will quickly kill an owner-operator's or small fleet's chances for success.

Articles•by Jim Park•December 17, 2019

Maintaining Trailer Electrical Systems

There's technology on the horizon that will improve trailer electrical system performance, but in the meantime, basic electrical maintenance, done right, will see you through.

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