Trucks World News

* Spain: Hauliers see aggravating factor on economic recession

2013-05-16T11:43:00.000-03:00

* 44 tons: hostile Spanish carriers to generalize to the whole country

(Photo: The 44 tonnes is likely to increase the supply of transport already in surplus, say carriers)
-WK Transport et Logistique/The Official Carriers, by Daniel Solano -6 May 2013: -- Catalonia has authorized 44 t as experimental until September 2013 and chargers require widespread across the country. But the Spanish hauliers see it as an aggravating factor of economic recession... At the end of 2012, the regional government of Catalonia, the Generalitat, authorized the movement of vehicles to 44 tons on an experimental basis until September 30, 2013... Professional associations of TRM and the Spanish government denounced a "break the unity of the Spanish market" ... The legal services of the State are studying the opportunity of filing a complaint in court, the Spanish Confederation of freight (EETC) has already taken this step... Catalan pilot project was well received by shippers who are strong supporters of the increase in tonnage. According to the Spanish Association of FMCG companies (AECOC), which brings together 25,000 manufacturers and distributors, this measure would carry more goods by reducing the number of truck traffic on the roads, where a positive effect on environment... In addition, the organization sees the possibility of improving the process and facilitate the loading and unloading...

* Europe - Cabotage liberalization planned for late 2014

2013-05-16T11:27:00.002-03:00

* EU - Cabotage liberalization will not occur in 2014

(Photo: UK High road at night)
Brusells,Belgium -WK Transport et Logistique / The Official Carriers, by Anne Kerriou and Louis Guarino -16 May 2013: -- Siim Kallas, European Commissioner for Transport, said that the liberalization of cabotage will ultimately not by the end of his term, planned for late 2014. A coaster that satisfies employers and unions... The discret European Transport Commissioner, Siim Kallas, has formalized its backpedaling on the liberalization of cabotage in road haulage... FNTR (National Federation of Road Transport) immediately welcomed the reprieve: "In the midst of economic crisis, and in the absence of European social harmonization, liberalization of cabotage in 2014 was pure madness. It would cost France, like other European countries, thousands of jobs" recalls the employers' organization... On the employee side, the CGT has also expressed his satisfaction, speaking of a "victory for the European workforce" ...

Fiat moving to New York ? * Italy

2013-05-16T11:03:00.001-03:00

* Italy - Fiat said to be considering headquarters move to U.S.

Turin,Italy -The Detroit News/Bloomberg News, by Tommaso Ebhardt and Mark Clothier -May 16, 2013: -- Fiat SpA, is considering moving its corporate headquarters to the U.S. following a planned merger with Chrysler Group LLC, three people familiar with the matter said... Chief Executive Officer, Sergio Marchionne, is evaluating the switch from Turin, where Fiat was founded in 1899, to the U.S. as the carmaker's revenue and profit center shifts to North America, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing the internal deliberations. Fiat generated 75 percent of 2012 operating profit in North America... No final decision on the headquarters has been made and other options are being examined, the people said... Marchionne said last month that he favored a primary listing in New York for the company... Moving Fiat's headquarters away from Turin's iconic Lingotto, a former car plant with an oval track on its roof, could create a political backlash in debt-ridden Italy, where the industrial sector is in decline...

* Germany - Volkswagen starts construction of 300,000-vehicle plant in China

(Photo: Volkswagen's Audi, Chinese-made vehicles)
Wolfsburg,Germany -Bloomberg News, by Chua Kong Ho/Young-Sam Cho -May 16, 2013: -- Volkswagen AG began construction of a new factory in Changsha, China, as part of plans to increase manufacturing capacity in the world’s biggest auto market... The plant, with an annual capacity of about 300,000 vehicles, is scheduled for completion by the end of 2015, Volkswagen, Europe’s largest automaker, said in an e-mailed statement today... The Changsha plant is one of seven factories being built by Volkswagen as part of a 9.8 billion-euro ($13 billion) investment in China, whose auto association projects new-vehicle sales will top 20 million units this year...

Hyundai recalls 121,835 SUVs * China

2013-05-16T10:50:00.007-03:00

* Hyundai recalls 121,835 SUVs in China to fix brake light switch

(Photo)
Beijing,China -Reuters, by Fang Yan / Kazunori Takada / Robert Birsel -May 13, 2013: -- Hyundai Motor Corp is recalling 121,835 sport utility vehicles in China to fix a faulty brake light switch, China's top quality watchdog said on Monday... The recall, effective Monday, covers ix35 cars made at its China venture with BAIC Motor, China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said on its website... It did not say how may ix35 cars the joint venture produced during the period... Also, it did not say how many complaints Hyundai received about the problem, but added that the company had promised to change the brake light switch for free for eligible consumers...

* USA - Tougher blood-alcohol limits

2013-05-16T10:24:00.001-03:00

* DC - To combat drunk driving, NTSB wants tougher blood-alcohol limits

(Photo: A driver drunk)
Washington,DC,USA -The Car Connection, by Suzanne Kane -May 15, 2013: -- Seeking to toughen the allowable alcohol limit for drivers, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is calling on states to lower the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) to 0.05 or lower from the current 0.08... The intent behind the proposed new standard is to cut down on the nearly 10,000 annual deaths related to alcohol-impaired driving... The NTSB board said that one-third of all traffic fatalities today are related to alcohol. It contends that the risk of a crash is lowered by half if the recommended lower level of 0.05 BAC is enforced... Following the 1982 recommendation by the NTSB to lower the BAC to 0.08 from 0.10, in 1983, Utah became the first state to do so. It took until 2004 before all states fell in line... Other NTSB recommendations include increasing penalties for first and repeat offenders, mandating that convicted drunk drivers use an ignition interlock device that requires them to blow into a device to show they are sober before they can start the car, using special DWI courts to handle offenders, and more technology, such as “sniffing flashlights” that can be used by police officers to detect the odor of alcohol...

TRUCKS MAINTENANCE * USA

2013-05-16T06:41:00.001-03:00

* Tennessee - Flat rate vs hourly pay. Which model provides better productivity in the shop?

Nashville,TENN,USA -Truck News, by James Menzies -1 May 2013: -- Is a truck repair facility better off paying its technicians hourly, or a flat rate per job? And what is the preference of technicians and customers? ... There has been plenty of debate around the merits of flat rate versus hourly pay structures for technicians, whether they work for OEM dealerships, independent shops or a fleet’s own in-house maintenance operations... A panel at this year’s Technology and Maintenance Council meetings examined the issue from both sides. Scott Witt, vice-president and general operations manager with Virginia Truck Center, said his company pays its technicians an hourly wage, with bonuses. In the end, it’s more of a hybrid system, since technicians are rewarded for completing jobs in less time than is expected...

* USA - Postal Service Reports $1.9 Billion 2Q Loss

2013-05-16T06:25:00.005-03:00

* DC - "Continued decline in mail volume"

(Photo: The Shallowford Road Postal Service facility)
Washington,DC,USA -Transport Topics -10 April 2013: -- The U.S. Postal Service reported a $1.9 billion loss for its fiscal second quarter, compared with a $1.3 billion loss in the previous quarter... The service attributed the loss for the quarter ended March 31 to a continued decline in mail volume and a 2006 Congressional mandate to pay $5.5 billion into a health fund for future retirees... Last year, the agency defaulted on two payments to the health fund and has said it will not be able to make payments this year due to worsening finances... The Postal Service’s plan to eliminate Saturday delivery and potentially save $2 billion a year was scrapped last month after its board said the agency does not have the authority to make the cut...

* Nova Scotia / Canada - Feds providing thousands for study on literacy, essential skills in trucking

Truro,N.S.,CAN -Truck News -May 15, 2013: -- Trucking Human Resource Sector Council Atlantic is receiving over $640,000 from the Adult Learning, Literacy and Essential Skills Program to undertake a study of literacy and essential skills levels among employees in the trucking industry. The study is designed to allow the industry to better assess the impact of literacy and essential skills on safety, productivity and employment patterns. From this study, a toolkit will be developed to help employers address essential skills challenges in the workplace, according to officials...

* Ontario - Human resources practices play a key role in safety programs

(Photo: The president of the Indian Trucking Association)
Ottawa,ONT,Canada -Truck News, by Matt Graveline -1 May 2013: -- Attracting and retaining qualified employees can be a challenge at the best of times, and there is little hope the situation will improve anytime soon. A recent study by the Conference Board of Canada concludes our industry might be short more than 33,000 truck drivers as early as 2020, while other reports suggest individual fleets already struggle to fill job openings. As the average age of a truck driver continues to rise, leaving employers to fill the vacancies created by an increasing number of retirements, fleets also face ever more competition for the next generation of workers as other business sectors scramble to address personnel shortages of their own... This is hardly welcome news for the industry’s managers. It costs between $6,000 and $10,000 to recruit and retain a new truck driver, and this is on top of the business opportunities lost because of a lack of workers. To compound matters, those who fill any gaps with high-risk drivers face an increased threat of collisions and lost customers alike...

475,000 Chryslers & 100,000 Corvettes, RECALLED * USA

2013-05-15T12:16:00.001-03:00

* DC - Chrysler recalling 475,000 vehicles for electrical issues

(Photo by Jerry S. Mendoza / Associated Press: Chrysler is recalling 469,000 Jeep SUVs worldwide because they can shift into neutral without warning, the company announced Saturday, May 11, 2013. The recall affects 2005 to 2010 Grand Cherokees and 2006 to 2010 Commanders)
Washington, DC,USA -The Detroit News, by David Shepardson -May 11, 2013: -- Chrysler Group LLC will is recalling about 475,000 vehicles in three separate recall campaigns -- most covering older-model SUVs worldwide to perform a software update -- after at least two dozen vehicles rolled away after drivers started their SUVs... The Auburn Hills automaker said it is recalling 469,072 2006-2010 Jeep Commanders and 2005-2010 Jeep Grand Cherokees -- including 295,000 vehicles in the United States, 28,500 in Canada, 4,200 are in Mexico and 141,000 outside North America... Chrysler discovered some circuit boards with cracks transmitted compromised signals that enable inadvertent gearshifts to neutral. The software reflash will prevent the problem...

* DC - NHTSA investigating more than 100K Corvettes over low-beam headlights

(Photo from General Motors Co. - The NHTSA opened a preliminary investigation into more than 100,000 2005-07 Corvettes)
Washington,DC,USA -The Detroit News, by David Shepardson -May 11, 2013: -- U.S. safety regulators on Friday opened a preliminary investigation into more than 100,000 Chevrolet Corvette sports cars after complaints that headlights suddenly died... The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it is investigating 103,374 2005-07 Corvettes after receiving 30 complaints from owners reporting a loss of both low-beam headlights while driving at night without warning... In one of the 30 reports, a driver ran over a discarded tire while attempting to pull off the road, NHTSA said. Some complaints said the problem is intermittent and some reported that low-beam function returned after a period of time, typically after the vehicle has been parked. The high-beam headlights and fog lights remain operational, NHTSA said... Some complaints and enthusiast forums suggest the problem is related to a fuse block under the hood...

* DC - NHTSA investigating 380,000 Ford trucks for steering flaws

(Photo: 2011 Ford Super Duty Truck)
Washington,DC,USA -The Detroit News, by David Shepardson -May 11, 2013: -- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Saturday the agency is opening a preliminary investigation into 340,000 Ford trucks over complaints of steering gear box failures resulting in a loss of control... The investigation covers the 2008 Ford F250 and F350 Super Duty trucks after several reported crashes... NHTSA said it has received five complaints alleging an internal failure of the steering gear box resulting in a complete loss of steering control. One report said the loss of steering resulted in the vehicle crashing into a parked vehicle at 20 miles an hour. The driver said he believed the 2008 F-350 steering and suspension was too light for a heavy load. The complaint said the steering box failed and crashed into a parked car at 20 miles per hour... A second report said failure of the steering gear box resulted in a roadway departure at 35 miles per hour. Another complaint said a 2008 F250 with 55,000 miles crashed into a guardrail after a steering failure...

* DC - 'Landmark' Toyota settlement may cover 22 million owners

Washington,DC,USA -The Detroit News, by David Shepardson -14 May 2013: -- A federal judge will decide next month whether to grant final approval to a class-action settlement covering as many as 22 million current and former Toyota owners over sudden acceleration claims valued at as much as $1.63 billion... The settlement is "a landmark, if not a record, settlement in automobile defects class action litigation in the United States," said Steve Berman, a lawyer for the owners, in a recent court filing... Preliminary notices have been sent to 22.6 million current and former Toyota owners that were identified through R.L. Polk and Co. data... Some safety advocates are objecting to a plan to spend $30 million on an automobile safety research and education fund... The settlement includes $14.2 million for a driver education media campaign, $15million for research into active safety features and $800,000 for a consumer study on defense driving and proper use of vehicle safety systems...

RENTING RECALLED CARS * USA

2013-05-15T11:14:00.002-03:00

* DC - Beware: Rental Companies Can Still Rent Recalled Cars -- For Now

Washington,DC,USA -The Car Connection, by Richard Read -May 10, 2013: -- Nearly ten years ago, Raechel and Jacqueline Houck were killed in a horrific accident when the Chrysler PT Cruiser they'd rented from Enterprise Rent-A-Car caught fire, causing the sisters to lose control of the vehicle and collide with an 18-wheeler... The Houcks' mother, Cally, lobbied for legislation to help prevent such tragedies from happening again. Dubbed the "Raechel and Jacqueline Houck Safe Rental Car Act of 2011", it had a number of legislative sponsors and was included in the massive surface transportation bill that Congress approved last summer... When that bill passed, though, we couldn't find any mention of the Safe Rental Car act, and now we know why: because it had been removed... A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators has now teamed up to present the Safe Rental Car Act again... The new bill requires that rental car companies ground any recalled vehicles within 24 hours of receiving a recall notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The time limit is extended to 48 hours if a rental company has more than 5,000 of the affected vehicles in its fleet... Sometimes, recalls provide a list of temporary measures that can be taken until a complete fix is available. Should that occur, the bill allows rental companies to roll out those measures and continue renting the vehicles until replacement parts for the problem are distributed... Also, the bill gives NHTSA the authority to investigate rental car companies' compliance with the law...

* Cars made in Brazil are deadly

(AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano: Firefighters rescue a man from a car crash in Sao Paulo, Brazil in November 2012. Three men were injured when they lost control of their Ford Ka car on one of Sao Paulo main avenues during a rainy morning)
Sao Paulo,SP,Brazil -The Detroit News/Associated Press, by Bradley Brooks -May 12, 2013: -- The cars roll endlessly off the local assembly lines of the industry's biggest automakers, more than 10,000 a day, into the eager hands of Brazil's new middle class. The shiny new Fords, Fiats, and Chevrolets tell the tale of an economy in full bloom that now boasts the fourth largest auto market in the world. What happens once those vehicles hit the streets, however, is shaping up as a national tragedy, experts say, with thousands of Brazilians dying every year in auto accidents that in many cases shouldn't have proven fatal. The culprits are the cars themselves, produced with weaker welds, scant safety features and inferior materials compared to similar models manufactured for U.S. and European consumers, say experts and engineers inside the industry. Four of Brazil's five bestselling cars failed their independent crash tests. Unsafe cars, coupled with the South American nation's often dangerous driving conditions, have resulted in a Brazilian death rate from passenger car accidents that is nearly four times that of the United States, according to an Associated Press analysis of Brazilian Health Ministry data on deaths compared to the size of each country's car fleet... In fact, the two countries are moving in opposite directions on survival rates — the U.S. recorded 40 percent fewer fatalities from car wrecks in 2010 compared with a decade before. In Brazil, the number killed rose 72 percent, according to the latest available data. Dr. Dirceu Alves, of Abramet, a Brazilian association of doctors that specializes in treating traffic accident victims, said poorly built cars take an unnecessary toll...

TRUCKING INDUSTRY NEWS * UK

2013-05-15T11:01:00.000-03:00

* UK - 24 LGV drivers fined in North Wales Police undercover operation

(Photo: Truck in VOSA mirrors)
Wrexham,Wales,UK -Commercial Motor, by Ashleigh Wight -13 May 2013: -- 24 LGV drivers were stopped by an undercover truck on Tuesday 7 May in a crackdown on road safety in North Wales... Officers from North Wales Police’s commercial vehicle unit worked in partnership with staff from Vosa to target drivers who were breaking the law on roads in and around the Deeside area... Offenders included a driver who was found reading a map and another who was caught taking photographs on his mobile phone while driving. All 24 LGV drivers caught were given fixed penalty notices... Police used the undercover truck as it allowed them to see inside drivers’ cabs, an area which they cannot usually see whilst on motorbikes or in cars...

* Europe - New "Sprinter" van

2013-05-15T09:34:00.005-03:00

* Germany - Mercedes-Benz rolls out new Sprinter van

(Video from YouTube, by mbusa: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Vans, Arctic Drive)
Dusseldorf,Germany -Fleet Owner (USA), by Sean Kilcarr -May 13, 2013: -- A new 4-cylinder diesel engine and 7-speed automatic transmission along with a host of safety-system options are the highlights of the newly redesigned 2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van, which is due to go on sale in the U.S. starting September 1... Volker Mornhinweg, head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, pointed out that while the large- and medium-van market contracted 16% in Western Europe during the first quarter this year compared to 2012, the company’s global van sales actually jumped 3% due to strong demand from North America as well as Latin America and Eastern Europe...

* UK - Mercedes-Benz Thompsons-equipped Arocs to star at show

New Addington,Croydon,Surrey,UK -Commercial Motor, by Chris Druce -14 May 2013: -- The Mercedes-Benz Arocs will be starring at this month’s Tip-ex show, with the first UK exhibition model featuring a Thompsons body. Thompsons have fitted an all-steel Loadmaster Lite body to the Arocs, Mercedes’s new construction truck range... Visitors can see the new Arocs on the Mercedes-Benz stand in Hall A of the Harrogate Exhibition Centre between 30 May and 1 June... Thompsons has already revealed it will be officially launching its new maximum payload steel tipper body, Stonemaster, at Tip-ex...

* Sweden - Volvo launch new range

(Photo: A Volvo FM)
Stockholm,Sweden -Irish Trucker News -15 May 2013: -- The new Volvo FE and Volvo FL trucks are now even easier to drive in city conditions where the demand is for fast, smooth and clean transport. The new trucks feature an enhanced driver environment, and the Volvo FL range is extended with a very competitive four-cylinder, 5-litre engine...

The driver's working conditions have improved thanks to new, even clearer instrumentation and new ergonomic seats featuring an integrated headrest and safety belt. A reinforced seat and seat anchoring in the floor help improve safety in case of an accident...

* France - "Adventure": A useful and rude cargo truck

Paris,France -Renault Trucks (PR) -May 2013: -- Renault Trucks were able to demonstrate the ruggedness of their vehicles during significant expeditions such as crossing the Sahara from 1926, the “croisière des sables” in 1977 and more recently, the Silk Road in 2005, Cape to Cape in 2009, and of course their participation in the Dakar Rally for over thirty years... Five engine types, reaching 520 hp with the DXi13 engine, “Optidriver +” automated manual transmission with “OFF Road” MODE. Maximum torque developed from 950 rpm. Exceptional crossing ability: 385 mm of ground clearance... Reinforced steel chassis for a large torsional capacity. Leaf spring suspension up to 26 T and semi-elliptical springs for the 32 T version. Final drive and tandem axle with double reduction gear from 32 T to 36 T capacity. Payload capacity of up to 30 T...

* India - Ashok Leyland lines up 4 launches in 2013-14

Chennai,India -Business Standard, by T E Narasimhan -May 10, 2013: -- Commercial vehicle major Ashok Leyland lines up four launches, which include a product in A Truck 8-15 tonnes and N Truck which will be in 16-49 tonne GVW... The A Truck which will be named as "Boss" (8-15 tonne) and N Truck which will be in 16-49 tonne GVW... The A Truck is expected to be launched in July and N Truck is expected to be launched in October... These products will be manufactured at company's Pantnagar facility and these trucks will have company's Czech Republic subsidiary Avia's Cabin... The company is also planning to launch new Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) product including Stile, which will be passenger vehicle in July, and Partner in the last quarter of the current fiscal, a Light Commercial Vehicle...

* Belgium - DAF Vlaanderen ready for Euro 6

(Photo: DAF Vlaanderen manufactures 2,000,000th axle)
Westerlo,Antwerpen,Vlaanderen,Belgium -Trucks and Business, by Claude Yvens -8 May 2013: -- The plant DAF Vlaanderen in Westerlo, which produces cabs and axles, is ready for the entry into force of Euro 6. For now, and for an as yet undetermined period, the plant produces cabs old Euro 5 range and new CF and XF Euro 6 ranges. It has been reorganized to manage this dual stream, with some extensions and adaptation of hundreds of jobs... The plant currently produces Westerlo 178 cabins and 430 axles per day, with limited teams night in the lobby of paint used. It is far from its total production capacity (250 cabins normally, and even 275 at the height of the peak of production in early 2008), but its director Marc Beets believes that the plant is out of the crisis... The plant DAF Vlaanderen, it is true, directly benefits from the steady increase in market share of DAF in Europe, which partially neutralizes the effects of the general market decline...

* India - Tata Daewoo to build commercial vehicles in China with a local partner

(Photo: The Tata Prima global truck is product from Tata Daewoo portfolio)
Jupiter Mills Compound,Elphinstone Road (West),Mumbai,India -Indian Auto Blog, by Nithyanandh K -May 15 2013: -- Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicle Company (TDCV) is a South Korean based truck maker who specializes in medium and heavy duty cargo haulers... According to Chinese media reports, Tata Daewoo signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China Hi-Tech Group Corporation (CHTC) to locally manufacture commercial vehicles. The CHTC is one of the many organizations which come under the direct supervision of SASAC, a governing body of state owned assets... The trucks are to be built at Hi-tech Trucks’ facility in Suizhou, Hubei province. The plant has an annual production capacity of 15,000 trucks... The Tata Daewoo trucks have a European design and are powered by Cummins engines...

CARMAKERS NEWS * USA

2013-05-15T09:09:00.000-03:00

* Michigan - GM to offer smaller Chevy cargo van based on Nissan NV200 to be marketed as the Chevrolet City Express

Detroit,MICH,USA -Fleet Owner -May 14, 2013: -- A new cargo van is set to join the U.S. and Canada Chevrolet lineup—the Chevy City Express—that will be based on the Nissan NV200 already sold here, General Motors Co. and Nissan announced today... Described by GM as “a small cargo vehicle,” the Chevrolet City Express is slated to go on sale in the fall of 2014. The OEM said pricing of the City Express will be released at a later date... Nissan currently sells a version of the vehicle as the NV200 in numerous markets globally, including the U.S. and Canada...

* Michigan - Chrysler begins work on new engine line at Trenton factory

(Photo: New assembly to build popular Tigershark engine)
Auburn Hills,MICH,USA -The Detroit News, by Bryce G. Hoffman -May 9, 2013: -- Chrysler Group LLC has begun work on a new engine assembly line at its motor factory in Trenton — a move that could add more than 200 new jobs at the plant, according to sources familiar with the situation... They said the new line will build Chrysler's popular four-cylinder Tigershark engine, which is currently produced at the company's Dundee Engine Plant. Dundee would continue to produce the Tigershark. The new line would give Chrysler the added volume it needs to meet demand for the motor, which is used in the recently launched Dodge Dart and will be used in other vehicles...

* Michigan - GM opens $150M plant in Indonesia

(Photo: A Chevrolet Spin from GM's Indonesia plant)
Detroit,MICH,USA -The Detroit News, by Melissa Burden -May 9, 2013: -- General Motors Co. this week opened a $150 million manufacturing plant in Bekasi, Indonesia... The plant will build the Chevrolet Spin, a subcompact multi-purpose vehicle, and is capable of producing 40,000 vehicles a year, the Detroit automaker said. The plant employs 700 people... GM said 80 percent of the seven-seat Spin vehicles made in Indonesia will remain in that market, with the rest exported to Thailand and the Philippines...

* Michigan - Ford consolidating Fiesta production in Thailand, moving work from Mexico, India in '16 to free up N. American production capacity

(Picture: Ford plans to shift more production of the Fiesta to Rayong, Thailand, where it has two assembly plants producing the Fiesta and Focus)
Detroit,MICH,USA -The Detroit News, by Karl Henkel -May 16, 2013: -- Ford Motor Co. plans to free up much-needed production capacity in North America by shifting manufacturing of its Fiesta subcompact car to Thailand in 2016, according to sources familiar with the company's plans... The automaker plans to move Fiesta manufacturing from its Cuautitlán Assembly Plant in Mexico — as well as its Chennai Assembly Plant in India — to a centralized facility in Thailand, according to the sources. A Ford plant in Rayong, Thailand, is currently a manufacturing site for the Fiesta...

BORDER TROUBLES * Bulgaria / Turkey

2013-05-13T13:08:00.002-03:00

* EASTERN EUROPE - Road Haulage Trucks close border to freight traffic

Bulgary/Turkish border -Handy Shipping Guide -10 May 2013: -- Road haulage operators throughout Western Europe have grown used to the ease with which borders can be transited with the development of free trade over the past few decades. It seems that the situation further east however sometimes harks backs to days when driving an international freight vehicle could prove a lot more complex and time consuming experience as one customs point was closed to freight traffic allowing only buses and private cars to cross... The rumbling row between Turkish and Bulgarian authorities over the imbalance between the countries two sets of road carriers was stepped up this week as hundreds of vehicles queued back along the border road to Svilengrad after blocking the Kapitan Andreevo crossing. The Bulgarians claim that Turkish authorities have been making the transit of their vehicles increasingly bureaucratic and drivers have been subjected to unnecessary delays when crossing into Turkey...

Perhaps the most serious charge is the allegation that the Customs chief has written to all border posts instructing them to check for the practice of ‘double passing’ saying the letter states ‘especially Bulgarian vehicles’... The row escalated further when Petko Angelov, deputy chairman of the Bulgarian Association of Road Transport Unions (BASAT) which represents around 60% of the countries hauliers, alleged to local journalists that it was the Turkish Ministry of Transport which instructed the head of Customs in Ankara to distribute the contentious letter and that those who breach the regulations should simply be banned whereas currently there were €100 ‘fines’ in place... Latest reports state that the blockade has been lifted and trucks are once again transiting the border but it is highly unlikely that this is the end of the problem with meetings between the authorities of both countries likely to discuss the situation after the action by hauliers over the past day or so...

* USA / Mexico: Border delays costing economy billions

2013-05-13T12:10:00.001-03:00

* DC - Annually the value almost $15 billion

Washington,DC,USA -Bloomberg News/Transport Topics -15 May 2013: -- Delays at U.S.-Mexico border crossings cost the U.S. economy $7.8 billion in 2011 as improvements lagged behind traffic growth... And the cost could rise to almost $15 billion annually if the value of U.S.-Mexico truck trade reaches $463 billion by 2020 as predicted... The Senate’s debate of an overhaul of the nation’s immigration system is focused on securing remote stretches of the border instead of long-needed improvements in technology, infrastructure and staffing at border crossings... The Senate bill includes funding for 3,500 additional Customs officers and earmarks $6.5 billion for border security, Bloomberg said... With few exceptions, monthly surface trade among NAFTA trading partners Mexico, the United States and Canada have risen steadily every month in a year-over-year basis, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data... Modernizing land ports of entry, which average more than 40 years old, would cost $6 billion according to a 2011 Customs and Border Protection report, with about half that cost earmarked for the southern border...

* DC - FMCSA to eliminate 'defect-free' equipment reports for motor carriers

Washington,DC,USA -Land Line, by David Tanner -9 May 2013: -- Motor carriers that operate more than one truck are currently required to retain records of post-trip driver-vehicle inspection reports known as DVIRs, regardless of whether the report shows any defects to the equipment. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration plans to file a rule to eliminate the reporting requirement if a post-trip inspection finds no equipment defects... Drivers would still be required to conduct post-trip inspections, but would only be required to fill out a DVIR if the inspection found any defects to report to the motor carrier. One-truck owner-operators are exempt from the reporting requirement and are not required to process and retain DVIRs... Polly Trottenberg, U.S. Department of Transportation undersecretary of policy, told that eliminating the reporting requirement for interstate motor carriers would save the trucking industry $1.5 billion per year... The agency has already eliminated the reporting requirement for intermodal equipment haulers. The FMCSA estimates savings from the June 2012 final rule at $54 million for the intermodal industry...

Fatal vehicle crashes, much higher than think * USA

2013-05-13T11:58:00.002-03:00

* DC - Crashes due to cell-phone use: worse than thought?

Washington,DC,USA -Fleet Owner, by Sean Kilcarr -May 8, 2013: -- A new study released by the National Safety Council (NSC) this week claims that the number of fatal vehicle crashes caused by driver distraction due to cell-phone usage could be much higher than many think – largely due to “coding errors” on the part of regulators... For example: Even when drivers admitted cell-phone use during a fatal crash, NSC’s analysis found that in almost half of such cases, the crash wasn’t coded in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatal Analysis Reporting System(FARS) to reflect the distractive usage of such devices. Furthermore, in NSC’s report – entitled Crashes Involving Cell Phones: Challenges of Collecting and Reporting Reliable Crash Data and funded in part by the Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company – after reviewing 180 fatal crashes between 2009 to 2011, where evidence indicated driver cell phone usage, only 52% in 2011 were coded in the FARS database to reflect that... Indeed, as indicated by its own research and NHTSA data, NSC estimates 25% of all crashes – not just fatal ones – involve cell phone usage by drivers while operating vehicles...

* Canada - Long-combination vehicles (LCV) allowed in

2013-05-13T11:23:00.001-03:00

* Ontario - Turnpike doubles may be allowed in London

London,ONT,CAN -Today's Trucking -May 9, 2013: -- Long-combination vehicles (LCV) may soon be allowed in London, Ontario, thanks to new roadway upgrades... Currently, LCVs are restricted to certain highways and overpasses (namely 400 series highways), but there are talks of a $30 million roadwork upgrade that would open up the interchange at the Veterans Memorial Parkway and Highway 401... The London Economic Development Corporation thinks that building an infrastructure to allow LCVs would benefit London and could be a good way to attract jobs... According to CTV London, the expansion would make the Parkway the only non-400 series highway west of Kitchener usable by turnpike doubles... In time, the provincial plan will allow for three LCV-enhanced London interchanges with the 401...

SAVING 1000 LITRES FUEL PER YEAR * UK

2013-05-12T07:21:00.004-03:00

* Ireland - FTA launch SAFED

(Photo: Driving on a forest)
Cookstown,County Tyrone,N. Ireland -Irish Truck News -10 May 2013: -- Reducing fuel consumption by 1,000 litres per year will save an operator €1,100 (assuming a price of €1.10 per litre, excluding VAT), and save 2.6 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year... SAFED training involves in-cab driver tuition, aiming to help businesses reduce fuel and maintenance costs, reduce CO2 emissions and improve safety through enhanced driving techniques, increased driver awareness, vehicle control and fuel economy...

A recruitment drive has started * UK

2013-05-12T06:55:00.001-03:00

* UK - New driver safety and fleet solutions company

(Pictured -l/r- are Simon Murray, Sales and Marketing Director, and Mervyn O’Callaghan, Managing Director, at the launch of new Irish fleet solutions company, E-drive Group)
London,EN,UK -HGV UK -May 7, 2013: -- A leading driver safety and fleet solutions provider in Ireland and the UK, E-drive Solutions, today announced a merger with Universal Graphics, a specialist branding company, in a move that will create up to 40 new jobs over the next two years... The newly merged companies will now be known as E-drive Group and already the company employs 62 people in its offices in Waterford, Monaghan and London. A recruitment drive has started in order to fill the additional 40 new jobs which include full-time engineering positions for E-drive Group’s Ireland and UK operations, as well as full-time customer service, creative marketing, graphic design, and back-office support roles...

Toyota, BMW and GM's AUTOS RECALLS * USA & WORLDWIDE

2013-05-12T06:25:00.007-03:00

* DC - 2007-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser recalled for headlights

(Photo: 2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser)
Washington,DC,USA -The Car Connection, by Suzanne Kane -May 8, 2013: -- Toyota is recalling certain 2007 through 2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser SUVs for auxiliary headlights that may be too bright... A notice on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website puts the number of vehicles potentially affected in the U.S. at 11,489. Affected vehicles were built from January 25, 2006 through February 23, 2013 and were equipped with Toyota Auxiliary Driving Lamp Kits mounted to the front bumper... The lamp assemblies on the affected vehicles include 55 watt bulbs. According to the NHTSA bulletin, due to the wattage on these bulbs and the mounting angle on the front bumper, the combination of the auxiliary lights and the vehicle’s upper beam headlamps are too bright and exceed maximum light output allowed for an upper beam headlamp...

* Germany - BMW 3-Series recall adds 42,000 vehicles to airbag action

(Photo: 2003 BMW 3-Series 325i)
Munich,BAV,Germany -The Car Connection, by Suzanne Kane -May 6, 2013: -- After conducting its internal investigation, BMW now says that it will recall 42,000 2002 through 2003 BMW 3-Series vehicles as part of the massive Takata airbag recall we covered in April... At the time the airbag recall story broke, BMW said it would participate but did not immediately know how many vehicles were involved... At issue is the front passenger-side airbag that may not inflate properly during a collision. The defective stems from faulty manufacturing by Takata Corp., the Japanese company that makes the airbag part...

* USA - Buick LaCrosse, Regal, Malibu Ecco, recalled for fire risk on eAssist

(Photo: 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco)
Detroit,MICH,USA -The Car Connection, by Suzanne Kane -May 6, 2013: -- General Motors is conducting a safety recall of certain 2012 and 2013 model year Buick LaCrosse, Regal and 2013 Chevrolet Malibu hybrids for a potential defect that may result in a fire... A notice on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website puts the number of vehicles potentially affected by the recall at 42,904. Vehicles affected are those equipped with the mild hybrid system known as eAssist... The NHTSA bulletin and GM documentation indicate that the subject vehicles may have a condition where the Generator Control Module (GCM) fails to function properly... As a result of this condition, there could be a gradual loss of battery charge and the illumination of the malfunction indicator light...

* USA - CONFERENCE FROM Jimmy Haslam, ABOUT Pilot Flying J INVESTIGATION

2013-05-11T05:31:00.003-03:00

* Ohio - Jimmy Haslam will address hundreds of trucking executives about Pilot Flying J investigation

(Photo from Wikipedia: A Pilot Travel Center branded location in Lost Hills, California)
Cleveland,OH,USA -North Ohio/The Plain Dealer, by Alison Grant -May 9, 2013: -- Jimmy Haslam, CEO of Pilot Flying J, has agreed to address trucking company executives at a conference next week about the federal probe into whether his company, Pilot Flying J, defrauded customers... Browns owner Jimmy Haslam has agreed to address a transportation seminar in Indianapolis next week where he will answer questions put to him in advance by trucking company executives... Haslam's decision to appear comes as his company, Pilot Flying J, is in the throes of a federal investigation into claims that some of its top sales managers cheated trucking companies out of rebates they were owed on diesel fuel purchases... Jimmy Haslam has said he was unaware of the practice and has been calling hundreds of trucking companies over the past few weeks to "get it right" ...

* Ohio - Truck stop competitor isn't seeing 'knee jerk' reaction to Pilot probe

(Photo from Wikipedia: A TA TravelCenter in Lodi, Ohio)
Cleveland,OH,USA -KnoxVille News, by Jack Lail -May 8, 2013: -- A key truck stop competitor to Knoxville-based Pilot Flying J isn't seeing a "knee-jerk" reaction from trucking companies in the wake of the FBI raid on the Pilot headquarters in mid-April, the CEO told stock analysts Tuesday... In court documents, the FBI alleges that for years Pilot Flying J has been shortchanging some trucking companies on fuel contract rebate payments. Responding to questions from stock analysts on an earings call on Tuesday, TravelCenters of America LLC CEO Thomas O'Brien said, "While we're in tune to the potential for fallout and dust-up associated with those matters, we're not running around grave-dancing, either, because I don't think that's in our interest in the short term or the long term." ... The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that the company fielded as many questions about Pilot, a privately held company that does not report financial results, as it did about its performance... O'Brien said he had no insight to what might happen regarding Pilot or what it might mean to his company. He said TravelCenters of America had not seen increased call volume from trucking companies as a result of Pilot federal investigation...

THE WORLD's BIGGEST TRUCKMAKERS * Sweden & China

2013-05-11T04:22:00.004-03:00

* Belgium - EU clears Volvo, Dongfeng trucks tie-up

Brussels,Belgium -AFP/The Economic Times (India) -May 8, 2013: -- The European Commission approved Wednesday a tie-up between Sweden's Volvo Trucks and China's Dongfeng Motor which will create the world's biggest lorry maker ahead of Germany's Daimler... Under the deal, worth $900 million (690 million euros), Volvo Trucks will acquire a 45 percent stake in the Chinese's company's Dongfeng Commercial Vehicles (DFCV) unit, giving it effective joint control with Dongfeng Motor...

* UK - Two first Volvo FH’s delivered to the same business 20-years apart

(Photo: Alex Anderson has taken delivery of the first New Volvo FH to be ordered in the UK and Ireland)
Borrowstounness,Scotland,UK -Transport and Logistics -7 May 2013: -- History, apparently never repeats itself, but historical situations do re-occur. That phrase definitely fits the arrival of the UK’s first new Volvo FH, which was delivered to Boness-based sawdust and woodchip contractors, Alex Anderson in April... Almost 20 years ago this West Lothian based business also took delivery of the UK’s first ‘classic’ FH model at the 1993 Scottish IRTE truck show... Alex Anderson’s latest premier prime mover is the first of a batch of 16 similar tractor units ordered for delivery this year. Sourced through a mixture of outright purchase and leasing, the 6x2 tractor units feature Volvo’s D13C Euro-5 engines, producing 500hp and these are coupled to I-Shift automated gearboxes. Globetrotter XL cabs, leather seats, Xenon headlamps and Dura-Bright alloy wheels are all part of the new FH’s comprehensive specification...

TRAILER MAKERS * Europe

2013-05-10T10:21:00.003-03:00

* Germany - Schmitz Cargobull to showcase two trailers for UK bulk sector

North Rhine-Westphalia,Germany -Commercial Motor, by Kevin Swallow -9 May 2013: -- German trailer manufacturer Schmitz Cargobull is making its debut at Tip-Ex 2013 with two new trailers available to the UK market... On the stand at Harrogate (30 May-1 June), the manufacturer will exhibit a sliding floor trailer for the bulk transport sector and a steel half-pipe tipper trailer. Both products are established throughout mainland Europe... Speaking exclusively to Commercial Motor, Paul Avery, MD of Schmitz Cargobull UK, based in Warrington, outlined further plans to bring the additional product ranges to the UK, including an aluminium half-pipe tipper trailer and container trailer chassis... Last year, Schmitz Cargobull signed an agreement with Bevan Group to manufacture rigid reefers for the UK market...

* UK - Shetland Transport chooses Carrier Transicold

Lerwick,Shetland,Scotland,UK -HGV UK -May 7, 2013: -- Shetland Transport has taken delivery of its first Carrier Transicold Vector™ 1550 trailer refrigeration units. They will be used for temperature-controlled deliveries to and from the Shetland Isles, located 110 miles north of mainland Scotland... Each of the nine Vector 1550 units have been mounted to tri-axle reefers manufactured by Gray and Adams and join a fleet of 30 trucks and 96 trailers... By specifying the Vector 1550 systems, Shetland Transport will benefit from Carrier’s patented E-Drive™all-electric technology, which removes a large number of serviceable parts from the refrigeration cycle, substantially reducing maintenance and downtime compared with conventional belt-driven systems. It also allows for extremely precise temperature control of +/- 0.3 degrees Celsius...

* UK - Industry calls for trailer registration scheme

(Photo: Trailer on Motorway)
London,EN,UK -Commercial Motor, by Chris Tindall -15 May 2013: -- Industry concerns over the condition of trailers pulled by traction hauliers has prompted calls for a registration scheme to protect companies’ OCRS. The Road Haulage Association (RHA) raised the matter with the Department for Transport earlier this year and believes there was a commitment to review how unaccompanied trailers are viewed by Vosa examiners... Currently, if a company is stopped in a roadside check, Vosa officers treat all trailers as belonging to the haulier, even if it only provides traction. This means that fundamental faults that can’t be spotted in a walk-around check can count against a haulier, jeopardising its repute...

* USA - FUTURE AIR CONGESTIONS ?

2013-05-09T11:14:00.003-03:00

* Massachusetts - Terrafugia announces its plans for a VTOL "flying car"

(Image: Terrafugia - Terrafugia has announced its plans to develop a vertical-take-off-and-landing flying car, known as the TF-X)
Woburn,MASS,USA -Gizmag, by Ben Coxworth -May 6, 2013: ... Terrafugia is one of the groups currently trying to change that situation – a fully-functioning prototype of its Transition fixed-wing “roadable airplane” is currently undergoing flight tests, and was recently cleared for civilian use by the US Federal Aviation Authority. It still requires a runway for take-off and landing, though, which kind of clashes with many peoples’ flying car fantasies... Today Terrafugia announced its plans for a hybrid-drive vertical-take-off-and-landing (VTOL) vehicle, known as the TF-X, featuring wings that fold into its sides, allowing it to fit on roads and in garages when in fully-electric ground mode... Once the TF-X has gained enough forward momentum, the two wing-mounted propellers (but not the wings!) can once again be retracted, with a 300-hp internal combustion engine powering a single large rear-mounted ducted prop while cruising. The wing props will be re-engaged as the landing site approaches...

500 FREIGHTLINER TRUCKS SALES * USA

2013-05-09T10:59:00.003-03:00

* Pennsylvania - Penske Buys 500 Freightliner Tractors

(Photo: A Freightliner Cascadia Evolution)
Reading,PENN,USA -Transport Topics -8 May 2013: -- Penske Truck Rental said it is adding 500 new Freightliner Cascadia semi-tractors to its commercial truck rental fleet... The new sleeper and day cab semi-tractors feature Eaton Corp.’s UltraShift automated transmissions that use an electronic clutch actuator for faster shifting... Penske Truck Rental operates a fleet of more than 50,000 units...

* USA - Longer, heavier trucks, discussions

2013-05-09T07:38:00.002-03:00

* DC - Diverse groups stand up against longer, heavier trucks

Washington,DC,USA -Land Line, by David Tanner -7 May 2013: -- Certain lawmakers, safety groups and truckers don’t come together very often, but when the cause is big enough – and in this case heavy enough – a united front means a louder voice... Strange bedfellows at times, safety groups such as CRASH, Parents Against Tired Truckers and the Truck Safety Coalition are on the same side as the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, AAA and the Teamsters when it comes to opposing longer, heavier trucks on America’s highways... These groups support bill known as SHIPA, the Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act of 2013... If it passes or gets attached to the next highway bill, SHIPA would extend the current limit of 80,000 pounds on five axles in 53-foot trailers to the entire 220,000-mile National Highway System and not just the current 44,000 miles of interstates. The bill would close a loophole used by states to allow longer, heavier trucks on certain federally funded roadways... The safety groups, who oppose the SETA legislation, did not let Tuesday go by without promoting other items on their national agenda concerning trucks and truckers... Those issues include divisive issues such as mandatory speed limiters, apnea testing, electronic stability control systems, and lane-departure warning systems... One item that remains absent on their wish list is comprehensive driver training standards for entry-level commercial drivers...