Cruising down the highway at 900 rpm takes a bit of getting used to. Some drivers don’t like the way the truck feels, while others can’t get used to the way it sounds. And there are some drivers who don’t quite understand the relationship between engine torque and engine speed. There are proven fuel economy benefits to downsped engines, but drivers who drive those trucks the old-fashioned way are missing out. Jamie Hagen of Hell Bent Xpress in Aberdeen, South Dakota – an expert on the gear-fast, run-slow concept – explains how downspeeding works and shares his experience learning to love trucking at 900 rpm. For our fleet listeners, this is an episode you may want to pass along to your drivers.
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On this episode of HDT Talks Trucking, Vesna Brajkovic discusses her role as managing editor of HDT and Truckinginfo.com. She talks about her love of soccer and her work mentoring young women.
Trucking and truckstops are strange bedfellows. There are plenty of parallels between the two industries, yet the relationship isn’t always mutually beneficial. Truckstop business consultant Don Baglien, aka That Truckstop Guy, shares what it’s like on his side of the doors that never close. We discuss menus, hospitality, paid parking, rest area commercialization and alternate fuels.
With medium- and heavy-duty truck electrification, we’re seeing a unique alignment of traditional truck manufacturers, tier-1 suppliers and start-up companies. As a group, they are simultaneously competing and collaborating on the advancement of truck electrification. Can all these diverse interests play together in the same sandbox?
Are fleets doing enough to keep their technicians ahead of the rapidly steepening technology learning curve? Larry Rambeaux of Purkeys Fleet Electric in Rogers, Arkansas worries truck fleets could soon face a skills deficit as truck electrical systems grow ever more complex.
Phase 2 of the EPA and NHTSA Greenhouse Gas Emissions regulations will change the way fleets spec heavy trucks. The rule calls for a reduction in carbon emissions, or a boost to fuel economy, of 25% by 2027. Dr. Mihai Dorobantu, the Eaton Vehicle Group’s director of Technology Planning and Government Affairs, joins us to explain some of the advanced technologies we’ll need to meet the requirements, and how they work.
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