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.

On the Road•by Jim Park•July 15, 2019

Can We Trust Autonomous Vehicles?

The NTSB has determined that the actions of a human truck driver was a probable cause in a collision with an autonomous shuttle bus. The driver behaved as drivers have always done under the circumstance; but the computer-controlled shuttle did not.

Articles•by Jim Park•July 8, 2019

What American Carriers Need to Know About Canada's ELD Rule

Canada is bringing its own ELD regulations into force in June 2021. American carriers operating there will need to use ELDs that comply with the Canadian rules. There are only a few differences, but some are substantial.

Articles•by Jim Park•July 3, 2019

The Art & Science of Mountain Driving

A truck driver can drive down a mountain 100 times too slowly, but only once too fast. An inexperienced driver on a steep grade could spell disaster unless properly trained.

Photo Galleries•by Jim Park•July 2, 2019

Antique and Classic Truck Show, Clifford, Ontario [Photos]

Clifford, Ontario, is barely a dot on the map, but it's antique and classic truck central on the first weekend in July. This year was the show's 10th anniversary, and it keeps growing in popularity. Equipment Editor Jim Park captured the event in photos.

Articles•by Jim Park•June 27, 2019

App Helps Prevent Rollovers, Brake Fade on Grades

How do we keep drivers from driving too fast through curves or descending mountain slopes? By showing them precisely how fast they should be driving. A new app called Road-Aware can do just that.

On the Road•by Jim Park•June 24, 2019

Do Your Brain a Favor, Ditch the GPS

GPS is clearly the navigation method of choice in trucking, and amongst the general population, but chronic GPS users might be doing their brains a disservice, and missing out on a lot of excitement by getting lost once in a while, says Equipment Editor Jim Park in his latest blog.

News•by Jim Park•June 20, 2019

ZF Shows New 8-Speed Transmission, ADAS Steering Tech

Medium-duty truck builders will soon have a groundbreaking transmission to add to their data books, and heavy-truck makers will have more steering assist options thanks to recently demonstrated technologies from German supplier ZF.

Photo Galleries•by Jim Park•June 17, 2019

Test Drive: Peterbilt 579 Epiq with 80-inch UltraLoft Sleeper [Photos]

Equipment Editor, Jim Park, recently took a Peterbilt's 579 Epiq on a 1,000-mile trip between Scottsdale, Arizona, and Denton, Texas. His test drive story appears in the July issue of Heavy Duty Trucking.

News•by Jim Park•June 13, 2019

ZF Develops Dual Lens Camera for ADAS, Autonomous Systems

Beginning next year, ZF will use a two-lens camera system to improve the performance and functionality of various advanced driver safety features. A second lens enables redundancy for Level2+ autonomous functions and offers wide-angle field of view for pedestrian detection.

Articles•by Jim Park•June 12, 2019

Test Drive: With Early Autonomous Tech, Drivers Are Still Required

Daimler’s optional Level 2 technologies, Lane Keep Assist and ACC to Zero, will make drivers’ jobs easier and likely a little safer — if they don’t abuse them. Jim Park reports on his experience with the latest Detroit technology on a Freightliner Cascadia.

Prev Next