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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.

Articlesby Jim ParkMarch 20, 2012

Regional Trucks Have Room to Optimize and Specialize

Chances are, within the next five years you'll be in the market for a regional-spec tractor or maybe a whole fleet of them. The North American supply chain is changing

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Articlesby Jim ParkMarch 20, 2012

Which Engine Displacement is Right for Your Regional Truck?

The powertrain is a necessarily large part of the spec'ing exercise, and a great deal goes into the decision: anticipated lifecycle; annual miles; average horsepower per mile; vehicle weight; terrain and more

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Articlesby Jim ParkMarch 20, 2012

Regular Tire Pressure Checks are Worthwhile

Weekly tire pressure checks might seem unrealistically ambitious, but given what's at stake in terms of tread wear and tire life, it's a worthwhile goal. Regular tire inspections should, obviously, include pressure checks

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Articlesby Jim ParkMarch 15, 2012

Protecting Your Investment With Proper Tire Inspections

There's more to a proper tire inspection than kicking it with a cold boot

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Articlesby Jim ParkFebruary 21, 2012

TMD Friction's Air Disc Brake Pad Overcomes Disc/Drum Incompatibility

A new air-disc brake pad friction material from TMD Friction of North America, Textar T3070, is first TMC approved replacement option for newer tractor designs with air disc brakes on steer axles and drum brakes on drive axles

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Articlesby Jim ParkFebruary 14, 2012

On/Off Highway Tires: One Size Won't Fit All

A racehorse would do about as well dragging a plow through a muddy field as a plow horse would do plodding down the back stretch at Churchill Downs.

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Articlesby Jim ParkFebruary 13, 2012

Cargo Securement: What You Don't Know Can Hurt You Under CSA

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 inspector

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Articlesby Jim ParkFebruary 13, 2012

Cargo Securement: What You Don't Know Can Hurt You Under CSA

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

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Articlesby Jim ParkFebruary 13, 2012

Top 5 Cargo Securement Violations

In 2011, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance inspectors conducted about 2 million vehicle inspections. In the cargo securement sphere, the most common violations found during roadside inspections were "failure to prevent shifting cargo" (16,345) and "leaking/spilling/blowing/falling cargo" (10,872)

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Articlesby Jim ParkJanuary 17, 2012

Outsourcing Your Tire Program

The service truck arrives at 8:30 Sunday morning, as usual. The two tire techs unload 16 freshly mounted and balanced, retreaded drive tires, eight new steer tires on reconditioned wheels, and a take-off drive tir

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