Motortruck Fleet Executive May/June 2010

Mo oto torrtruck truck

Fleet Executive C A N A D A ’ S

B U S I N E S S

M A G A Z I N E

MAY/JUNE 2010

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PROFITABILITY Questioning unfair shipper practices GREEN TRUCKING Making the case for vertical integration HUMAN RESOURCES Hiring outside the industry: Does it make sense?

From brakes and DPFs to electrical systems and oil changes, let’s talk shop

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contents May/June 2010

Vol.79, number 3

COVER STORY

Maintenance Matters . . . . .

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Our comprehensive annual report on maintenance has all the best bits from the Canadian Fleet Maintenance Seminar, including the latest on brakes, DPFs, electrical systems, oil changes and more. Are you ready? It’s time to talk shop.

FEATURES

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On the road again Contributing editor James Menzies takes to the rolling hills of North Carolina to test Volvo’s latest enhancements to its EPA2010 truck and engine combo. The author’s verdict?

A successful attempt at vertical integration.

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PROTECT THYSELF Questioning unfair shipper practices when it comes to freight damages is a must if carriers want to protect themselves from thousands of dollars in claims, says Caravan Logistics’ Kevin Snobel.

DEPARTMENTS VIEWPOINT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 It’s time to stop letting fear drive the markets and get back to fundamentals to drive a solid economic recovery, argues editorial director Lou Smyrlis.

COMPETITION WATCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Bison Transport wins SCL’s Green Supply Chain Award; Challenger Motor Freight commits to large equipment purchase; Meyers Transport promotes two new executives; and Schneider National equips entire fleet with aerodynamic wheel covers.

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Having clearly defined expectations for your clients is key to maintaining good relationships. In a perfect world, a handshake would seal a deal, but until then, you’d better get it in writing.

MY HR SPACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 The right executives can help a fleet to chart a new direction – and the best candidates may not even work in trucking.

EQUIPMENT WATCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 ArvinMeritor has pushed away any lingering thoughts of “recession” with the unveiling of an all-new series of durable, trailing-arm airride trailer suspensions.

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HURRY UP AND WAIT The path to smoother freight flows is blocked with an evergrowing regulatory burden. Will the future payoff be worth today’s headache?

INSIDE THE NUMBERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 How much is the global economy predicted to grow in 2010? Plus: a look at the historical penetration of detention surcharges for road and rail, the percentage of shippers reporting an increase in fuel surcharges in the last two years, and each transportation mode’s reported surcharges for 2009.

may/june 2010

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what’s on trucknews.com?

Blogs • Executive editor James Menzies tips his hat to three carriers that he calls “the most pristine fleets that run our highways.”

• ATBS Canada’s Ray Haight offers a set of satirical “rules” for Canada’s owner/operators as part of his ongoing “rules” series of blogs.

• Managing editor Adam Ledlow has a bone to pick with careless and irresponsible driver trainers.

• Trucker Harry Rudolfs ponders whether the recent Gulf oil spill is our modern-day Moby Dick.

Web TV: Transportation Matters • SURVIVAL STRATEGIES: How to manage your company during fragile economic times.

• THE EVOLUTION OF MAINTENANCE: How has the role of the fleet maintenance manager changed over the last several decades?

• GOING LONG: Join us as we take a look at equipment requirements for participation in Ontario’s LCV pilot program.

• MATS SPECIAL: Our six-part series from the Mid-America Trucking Show features interviews with heavy-hitting executives, new products from major manufacturers and an inside scoop on DPF cleaning.

You Said It . . .

“OTA comments concerning LCV units reducing the number of trucks on the highway and reduced emissions because one tractor is pulling two long trailers are nonsense. They used the same argument to justify increasing truck gross weights. The reality is that anything that allows trucks to operate more efficiently will make trucks more competitive in the ongoing struggle with railroads for a greater market share of freight. The most noticeable manifestation of that competitive advantage will be seen with fewer trailers and containers on piggyback and more LCVs on the road. The Ontario Government has again been hoodwinked by OTA B.S. Drivers would be well advised to reject LCV jobs until companies start paying wages that reflect the extra work and responsibility such a job demands.”

– Hugh McPherson responding to James Menzies’ blog: LCV drivers: Show them the money!

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is written and published for owners, managers and maintenance supervisors of those companies that operate, sell and service trucks, truck trailers and transit buses.

MAY/JUNE 2010

Fear may drive markets, but solid fundamentals drive economic recovery

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his month, we held our second annual Profitability Workshop for carriers in partnership with Dan Goodwill and Associates and with the support of PeopleNet Canada.

Profitability, of course, has been an all too elusive concept the last couple of years and many motor carrier executives remain anxious about what appears to be a fragile recovery, particularly in light of fears that the Lou Smyrlis, MCILT recent economic turmoil in Europe Editor could plunge us back into recession. lou@transportationmedia.ca I know I personally held some reservations about the strength of the recovery and the health of our industry, the gist of a rather frightening economic discussion at a recent truck show still haunting me.

We thought it was critical to address the status of the Canadian recovery at our workshop and invited Carlos Gomes, senior economist with Scotiabank, to share his insights. I’m glad we did because Gomes had a very positive outlook on the economy to counter all the fears. The recovery is gaining momentum and the fundamentals are looking very strong, according to Gomes’ economic analysis. In fact, GDP growth could hit 4% year-over-year – in other words, we are lurching towards normal.

Certainly, the transportation statistics bear out his optimism. US truck tonnage rose 0.9% in April, marking the sixth increase in the last seven months, the American Trucking Associations reported recently. The ATA’s Truck Tonnage Index now sits at its highest point since September 2008. Overall, US truck tonnage is up 6.5% over the past seven months.

April’s tonnage was up 9.4% compared to last April, the fifth straight month of year-over-year gains and the largest year-over-year increase since January 2005.

Tonnage is up 6% year-to-date compared to the same period of 2009.

Share prices for Canada’s handful of publiclytraded trucking companies is also showing improvement with Transforce leading the way. That’s an indication the market believes the North American economy is improving, according to Elian Terner,

director of investment banking at Scotia Capital and also a speaker at our Profitability Workshop.

Truck tonnage volumes are being boosted by robust manufacturing output and stronger retail sales.

For the hard-to-convince, Gomes pointed to several more indicators that the recovery has taken hold: Global trade is bouncing back, with growth in the 14-15% range expected this year. The housing market in the US still has unresolved issues, but housing affordability is at one of the best levels on record. The financial system may be tighter than it used to be during previous economic recoveries, but it is now healthy and not so tight that it would impede business growth, according to Gomes. And much of the government stimulus, on both sides of the border, will be spent this year.

With so many positive signals, why all the worry about a double-dip recession?

The massive debt western governments are incurring is one reason. Canada’s estimated $50B debt is larger than the mess Paul Martin had to clean up back in the early ’90s. But Gomes pointed out it’s important to place the size of the debt in perspective. The Canadian economy has grown a fair bit since the early ’90s, enough so that the current debt makes up 3% of Canada’s GDP, which is a smaller percentage than back in years past. In fact, Canada is one of the most financially healthy nations in the western world as we head into recovery.

What explains the volatility we’ve seen in the markets of late? According to Gomes, what we are seeing is simply fear-driven concern. Markets hate uncertainty and that’s why we’ve seen some dramatic drops just as things started to improve. But going forward, it will be the fundamentals that will drive the economy and, as mentioned, they are solid.

I know skepticism about the health of our economy continues, but I must concede it’s hard to argue against a case built on the fundamentals. Perhaps it’s time we all got over the shock of the recession, stopped worrying and got on with the work of rebuilding. For, as Terner pointed out, the carriers that have a clear strategic focus will benefit the most during the economic recovery.

MT @ARTICLECATEGORY:129;

VOL. 79

NO. 3

Editorial Director Lou Smyrlis (416) 510-6881 lou@TransportationMedia.ca Managing Editor Adam Ledlow (416) 510-6890 adam@TransportationMedia.ca Features Editor Julia Kuzeljevich (416) 510-6880 julia@TransportationMedia.ca Creative Director Mary Peligra mpeligra@bizinfogroup.ca Advertising Creative Directors Carolyn Brimer Beverley Richards Contributing Editors Ken Mark James Menzies Ian Putzger John G. Smith Carroll McCormick Harry Rudolfs Publisher Rob Wilkins (416) 510-5123 National Sales Manager Don Besler (416) 699-6966 Account Manager Brenda Grant (416) 494-3333 Production Manager Kim Collins (416) 510-6779 Circulation Manager Mary Garufi Video Production Manager Brad Ling Research Manager Laura Moffatt Vice President Publishing Alex Papanou President Bruce Creighton Head Office 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800 Toronto, Ont. M3C 4J2 Motortruck Fleet Executive is published by BIG Magazines LP, a division of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd., a leading Canadian information company with interests in daily and community newspapers and business-to-business information services.

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Mailbag

Why long and tall still makes sense I was intrigued by Jim Hebe’s comments at a recent TMC meeting held in Florida.

There are a lot of reasons why “long and tall” should be dead, but Jim Hebe in his keynote address to TMC missed the mark on this one and I would like to take issue.

Many years back, the Western Highway Institute argued that longer wheelbase trucks gave additional stability in the mountains and on low coefficient friction roads, preventing instability, jackknife leading to roll-over and possible death.

These long-loved conventionals didn’t gain popularity with O/Os and fleets for nothing. WHI was at the forefront of truck safety in those days. They were right-on to promote the longer wheelbase conventional as a good safety measure. If Jim thinks we are going back to 42” sleepers and 187” WB or similar spec’s, he’s got to be kidding,

MERCANTILE MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS Mercantile Mergers & Acquisitions Corp­ oration are a mid-market M&A brokerage firm. The company specializes in the pur­ chase and sale of mid-market companies, including the Transportation industry. In ad­­dition, the company advises on business valuations, mezzanine, and equity financ­ ing, management buyouts, restructuring of debt, family business re-capitalization and workouts.

Contact (in confidence): Mark Borkowski, President at: (416) 368-8466 ext. 232 or mark@mercantilema.com Mercantile Mergers & Acquisitions Corporation 8

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reacting to the difficult times in which we find ourselves.

Yes, there are stability systems being touted by industry and NHTSA – these are not needed. However, only a “new” approach to the relationship between tractor and semi-trailer will eliminate the instability many truck drivers and O/Os face while out on the open road. And while these challenges exist, the long and the tall will remain.

We, along with others, have looked at the problem of the long and the tall and can’t help thinking the Europeans have us in their sights. But guess what: they too struggle with this instability; it’s just that they are forced to undertake tractor/trailer configurations that conform to the TUF off-tracking formula which forces truckers into cab-over.

No, Jim Hebe is wrong on this one. The long and the tall will be with us for many years to come and that’s for sure!

If industry was to adopt the new super accord semi-trailer configuration, which holds great promise for the future of trucking, then and only then Jim may have a point. In today’s market and present-day operating ratios, cap costs, fuel costs, lack of competent drivers and their recognition as professionals, put this all in a nutshell, the future could turn into a positive if we make the switch.

N. Royce Curry President National Zephyr Research Burlington, Ont.

Wake up to the specific needs of LCV drivers I am most concerned about our industry. It seems the more advanced and green the trucking industry gets, the farther behind the local, provincial and federal governments get. The LCV traffic in Western

Canada has more than tripled in the last six months, making freight movement more efficient and greener. The problem I am having is the more LCV’s that go on the road, the less parking spots they have.

These units need a lot of room to manoeuvre, so they usually use the wider shoulders to park so they can go get coffee, food or take washroom break. The places in which most of these units can stop have put up no parking signs (Brandon Man., Virden, Man., Swift Current, Sask., Strathmore, Alta.) These are just the ones that come to mind as I am writing this. I have been driving for 40 years and have not seen an industry that has come so far with technology, but has gone so far backwards in the political aspect. Instead of these “no parking” signs, the governments of these provinces should be looking for contractors who would build service centres capable of easy off and easy on ramps, plus plenty of LCV parking for the drivers who want to eat, sleep, fuel or just take a break.

These service plazas should be no more than 100 km apart as these units have to stop more often to check out their equipment as per government law. So Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta: get with the program, build these places, put out tenders for companies that would like to be part of this, for example, Tim Hortons, Wendy’s, Subway, etc. As of right now, these units have to stop in little pull-offs on the side of the road or rest areas without all the conveniences, or fuel at some of the truck stops and then get told they can fuel but they cannot park there to eat or sleep because they are too big and take up too much room so they have to leave. Isn’t that a double standard? Wake up North America; we are your lifeline.

Mike Jarvis Penner International Steinbach, Man.

may/june 2010

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CompetitionWatch BISON TRANSPORT has been awarded the 2010 Supply Chain and Logistics (SCL) Green Supply Chain Award. Don Streuber, president and CEO of Bison Transport, was on-hand to receive the award at the organization’s annual supply chain and logistics conference. The company was selected because of its ongoing commitment to reducing its CO2 and NOx emissions and in recognition of its continued efforts to improve the environmental performance of its freight operations, SCL announced. “As one of Canada’s largest transportation companies, we have a responsibility to our customers, and to the communities in which we operate when it comes to delivering eco-friendly transportation solutions,” said Streuber. “We do this by combining state-of-the-art technology with computer-based training to ensure that our fleet and our drivers are the most fuel-efficient on the road.” Among other initiatives, Bison runs fuel-efficient tires, transmissions and engines, equips trailers with side fairings and adds auxiliary power units to tractors. Bison also operates long combination vehicles (LCVs) wherever possible to reduce emissions by as much as 40%, the company claims.

CHALLENGER MOTOR FREIGHT has taken delivery of 300 identically-spec’d Stoughton trailers supplied by Trailers Canada.

Each trailer comes equipped with side fairings, wide-base tires and a pintle hook, which makes the trailers suitable for longcombination vehicle (LCV) configurations. Company president Dan Einwechter said he’ll have 300 more such trailers by year end, providing capacity of up to 1,200 LCVs if he should deploy each one as the lead trailer of an LCV configuration. “From our perspective, we know we need to become a bigger player in the LCV business out west,” the Challenger boss told MotorTruck.

“We needed some new trailers and because the trailer industry is still in a depressed state, it was the right time to buy the equipment at the right price.” The company has taken delivery of 150 Volvo VNs (with a mix of pre- and post-EPA2010 engines) and will be placing orders for as many as 486 tractors to replace those coming due for replacement over the next 18 months.

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opscenter

MEYERS TRANSPORTATION SERVICES has announced the promotion of two senior managers to the positions of executive vice-president. Roman Slugocki and Dave Scott, both long-time members of the Meyers Transportation executive team, have garnered promotions, the company announced. Slugocki will continue focusing on the LTL, truckload and cartage operations in his expanded role with the company. He has been with Meyers for more than 10 years and in the transportation industry for 33 years. Scott, in his new role, will focus on further developing pricing, IT systems, maintenance and logistics services, the company announced. Scott has been in the industry for 25 years. Family-owned Meyers Transportation was recently passed on to Jacquie and Natalie Meyers, who oversee operations today.

SCHNEIDER NATIONAL is equipping its entire tractor fleet with aerodynamic wheel covers. The fleet expects to save more than 1.8 million gallons of diesel by using the Deflecktor Aero Wheel Cover on the drive positions of more than 12,000 tractors. Schneider said it’s still determining whether to outfit trailers with the wheel covers.

Schneider has already equipped 1,500 tractors with the fuel-saving devices and is the first trucking company to use the Deflecktor wheel covers.

MT

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TakingCareofBusiness

get it in writing The best client relationships grow out of clearly defined expectations

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mistake so many transportation companies make is thinking they don’t need contracts with clients, subcontractors, and employees. They don’t want to be seen as untrusting. In a perfect world, that would work. In a perfect world, a handshake would seal a deal. All parties would understand the expectations and never vary, never take advantage.

Guess what? The way you create that perfect world is to have standard contracts in place that everyone signs and commits to.

Contracts prevent the possibility of harm.

It isn’t that you assume everyone is out to hurt you. It’s that the most successful businesses have systems in place to safeguard against any possibility of harm. It prevents the heated conversation down the road.

Every day I watch companies fail to initiate a contract with their clients only to find out there is a significant difference in the understanding of the scope of work. Your relationship with your client is of the utmost importance. You want to be sure there is a clear understanding of what you are going to do for them, what the cost is, and how you expect to receive payment. This clarity eliminates any misunderstandings.

Example: A transportation sales person meets with a prospective client to determine the need. He takes lots of notes, leaves, and creates a proposal. He goes back to the prospect to deliver the proposal. The proposal gives an overview of client needs, as well as an overview of the proposed service. This includes number of extra services requested. At the end of the proposal is the total cost. The prospect reads it and agrees to proceed.

However, the transportation sales representative doesn’t then have the new cli-

ent sign a contract. A contract that would have stated the payment cycle as well as the schedule of transport services. And the proposal was an overview – not a detailed discussion of what the company would provide and do.

When the services are provided, the transport company invoices the client.

However, the client is unhappy and states that he didn’t get what he thought he was going to get. Slow delivery or whatever excuse. Because they didn’t hammer out the details and sign a contract that included those details, the sales representative left himself open to the client’s conclusion – a conclusion that did not track with what the sales representative believed the client wanted.

Consider your own business. Do you have contracts for your clients? Do you spell out the scope of work along with the payment schedule?

If you have employees or subcontractors who work very closely with your clients, you may even want to have a clause preventing clients from taking your employee or subcontractor away from you.

Example: An IT firm specializes in providing on-call IT specialists to small and medium-size companies. They match the specialist with the client so the relationship builds over time. The client likes it because they have the same person dealing with their system. The IT firm has a contract that details the work to be performed, the payments and the payment cycle. Unfortunately, there is nothing that protects them from a client taking their employees.

One day, the IT specialist turns in his resignation and goes to work directly for the client. The IT firm has now lost not only a

Mark Borkowski is president of Mercantile Mergers & Acquisitions Corporation.

Mercantile specializes in the sale of mid-market companies. Mark can be contacted at www.mercantilemergersacquisitions.com.

skilled staff member, but a client as well.

This same scenario applies to using subcontractors. And make no mistake: having excellent people is a double-edged sword. Because they do such a great job for your clients, they are attractive to those same clients.

Your responsibility to you, your company, and your staff is to have a contract clause that prevents the client from taking your people.

When it comes to your clients, clarity is key. The best relationships grow out of clearly defined expectations. And I submit that having contracts is the truly kind thing to do. It shows professionalism, foresight, and attention to detail. It prevents misunderstandings that can be damaging to the client relationship.

Always remember that your actions today will determine your future with that client, and referral possibilities down the road.

MT @ARTICLECATEGORY:3361;

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the human edge

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executive decision The right executives can help a fleet to chart a new direction.

And the best candidates may not even work in trucking

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ike McCarron doesn’t need to look very far to see the advantage of hiring executives from outside the trucking industry. Three of his top managers had no industry experience before they arrived at MSM Transportation, and he believes the team is stronger because of it.

“People from the outside tend to think outside the box,” insists McCarron, the fleet’s managing partner. “They bring a fresh perspective. They bring energy.”

MSM Transportation is not alone in this thinking. Bison Transport is another fleet that focuses most of its attention on determining the right overall fit for the corporate culture, notes fleet president Don Streuber. Even the company’s vice-president of human resources was hired from outside the trucking industry.

As important as experience may be in the search for front line employees such as drivers and mechanics, there can be an advantage to casting a wider net in the search for senior executives. This is particularly true if a board of directors is hoping to update the corporate culture that it oversees.

The nature of the different thinking emerges as soon as job candidates begin to describe the ways they would address a particular challenge, suggests Jeff Abram, president and owner of Search West, an executive search firm that specializes in industries such as transportation. “You’ll see the [hiring] panel look at each other and say, ‘Wow. Why didn’t we think of that?’”

The skills developed in a sophisticated industry could be readily transferred to any business, adds Sylvia MacArthur, president of IRC Global Executive Search Partners. “Any industry that is service oriented, that works in business-to-business environment, could have some very valuable skills to offer.”

Still, even when a fleet is committed to a wider search, it may face challenges when trying to attract senior candidates to a relatively unknown career path.

“One of the challenges for the trucking industry would be just the cache of the industry,” MacArthur says, suggesting that an executive search firm will need to demonstrate a job’s appeal. “It’s getting candidates to understand the scale of the operation … it’s hard for an internal HR department to do that.”

“There’s so many stereotypes attached to our industry, and it

To find a HR Essentials workshop in your region contact:

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really changes as they start to meet people in the industry,” Streuber agrees.

The issue cannot be addressed entirely through larger compensation packages, either. If anything, senior executives tend to be attracted more by the opportunities for personal growth and the chance to put their own fingerprints on the business. Indeed, MacArthur suggests that an industry’s top performing companies may not be the most attractive option to some of the most valued candidates.

The search for a new member of a fleet’s executive team will also require some close attention to the hiring process itself. If the search committee is too large and lacks an ultimate decision maker, valuable candidates may be lost in the delays.

MacArthur recommends using an interview panel that consists of people from across the organization – including some of those who will ultimately report to the hired candidate. That will ensure different feedback on the various answers emerging throughout the interview process.

Once hired, an external candidate will also need to be trained in the specifics of the role. “You have to be prepared to invest in the people and the training, but you’ve got to do that with everyone you hire,” McCarron suggests, referring to differences that will exist with everything from computer systems to processes. A candidate with the right business acumen can learn the industry itself.

Bison has embraced an approach similar to many banks, exposing new hires to a variety of departments to determine individual strengths.

Yet it also tries to be aware that some of the differences from one industry to the next are not limited to columns on a spreadsheet.

Compared to those who oversee the production of “widgets,” executives in the trucking industry need to be more aware of the impact that decisions will have on daily lives, Streuber says.

“The decisions we make affect the lifestyle of the driver. An executive has to have a sensitivity to that.” mt Funded by the Government of Canada’s Sector Council Program, the Canadian Trucking HR Council (CTHRC) is an incorporated not-for-profit organizations that helps attract, train and retain workers for Canada’s trucking industry. For more information, visit www.cthrc.com.

AMTA www.amta.ca

PEI Trucking Sector Council www.peitsc.ca

Ontario Trucking Association www.ontruck.org

Trucking Human Resources Sector Council, Atlantic info@thrsc.com

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inside the numbers

Areas in Which Drivers and O/Os Receive Training Safety regulaions

93%

Company policies

84%

Completing paperwork

80%

Injury prevention

73%

Fuel efficiency

62%

Customer service

55%

Maintenance

53%

Managing family issues

16%

Business skills

Driver Achievements That Are Rewarded

12%

Business suggestions

80%

Learning new skills

68% 56%

On-time delivery 41%

Minimizing cargo damage

39%

Fuel efficient driving Customer service Accident free mileage

31% 24%

Areas in Which Drivers Have Input Safety improvements

96%

Maintenance

74% 68%

Better customer service

64%

Cost cutting

58%

Dispatch procedures Spec’ing Benefit Package

44% 58%

ARE CARRIERS TAPPING THE FULL POTENTIAL OF THEIR DRIVER RESOURCES?

Hardly a trucking convention goes by without someone mentioning that some of the best ideas for company improvements come from the drivers themselves. Are fleets in general taking advantage of the hands-on knowledge and years of experience represented by their driver force? Our research would suggest that they do. Our survey of Canadian fleet managers found that driver input is sought on a variety of fronts, ranging from safety improvements to ways to improve dispatch operations. Our annual research, conducted in partnership with the Canadian Trucking Human Resources Council, also found that eight in 10 Canadian carriers reward their drivers for business suggestions while roughly two-thirds (68%) claim they reward drivers who learn new skills. However, because our research surveys both managers and drivers, we’ve learned to take such findings with a grain of salt. Differences in perception are common among drivers and their managers. For example, when we look at something as basic as training, in virtually all areas, a smaller percentage of drivers say they receive training in comparison to that reported by fleet managers. Only in the areas of maintenance, managing family issues and business skills does training claimed by drivers exceed what fleet managers tell us.

Saskatchewan Trucking Association www.sasktrucking.com

British Columbia Trucking Association www.bctrucking.com

Manitoba Trucking Association www.trucking.mb.ca

Camo-route www.camo-route.com

Or Contact the Canadian Trucking Human Resources Council, info@cthrc.com or 613 244 4800

in a location and needs to get from, say, 123 Main, Connecticut to In late 2006 or early 2007 PSDC will introduce street routing 456 Renè Lèvesque, Montreal, the dispatcher simply keys in the with the release of ProMiles XF V.13.“We have always had truck two addresses.The system returns the narrative driving directions, routing at higher levels and routing to major streets in Canada and miles between the two points, estimated driving time and the digthe US. But when you get down to side streets, turn by turn, this ital map,” Ashburn explains. “The goal is to provide, not only the is something we haven’t done yet,” Bowie says.“Currently you can estimated miles and driving times from A-B,a common use for paylook up a street address, but when you get to the corner of Yonge ing a driver or setting a rate, but also to deliver safe, accurate, easyand Lawrence, say, V.12 does not give you routing directions to to-follow commercial routing instructions.”

Wanless, two blocks away but the street is visible in our map.”

Information of interest to commercial drivers is included; e.g., A truck’s current location will be displayed on the map as an avoiding dangerous intersections, low-traffic roads and low weighticon: theFrankfort, truck moveslaunched, along, the the iconMTA23, will move along too; will have anythe kinks The series was revealedasin ArvinMeritor unveils new limit bridges. EastStreet tends to avoid oddly-named streets, favour map refresh rate is user-selected.

Ky., at the heart of the company’s US trail- with customer integration and manufacturtrailer suspension series left turns and provide routes that are easy to follow. It also has data Like V.12, V.13 will be able to simultaneously project several er products operations, and though the ing readiness ironed out this summer, with By Ledlow forAdam 53-foot trailers, height and weight restrictions and more than routes; e.g., optimised for truck size, number of stops, material its production launch for the the fall. struggles the economic downturn 16,000 toll roads. Its full-color maps clearly show landmarks like being hauled created and the shortest route. V.13 willslated also answer “We are focused on andout committed execuDetermined to push any lingering thoughts schools, hospitals, railroads and bodies of water.were discussed by ArvinMeritor obligatory truck routing questions that keep truckers of trou- to providing only the highest quality suspentives, the overwhelming sentiment of “recession” behind, ArvinMeritor has unIn November 2005 the ProMiles Software Development ble.“We want to conget the truck restrictions, time-of-day restrictions, sions,” Frohock, veyedofwas of rejuvenation, renewal and cities, veiled an all-new seriesreleased of durable, trailingCorporation (PSDC) ProMiles XF V.12 its one heavytruck routes through onesaid wayCraig streets, no rightgeneral turn, nomanager left truck mileage and suspensions: routing software which, among other turn, a sense ofupdated moving forwar d.etc.,” Bowie says. of trailer products for ArvinMeritor. “Over arm air-ride trailer the Meritor features, included updatessuspension to zip and series. postal codes,“We’re the roadstanding data- here Although ProMiles cannot currently be used on awith theV.12 coming months, we’ll work closely because we sur- XF Trailing-Arm Air (MTA) base, road restrictions, HAZMAT restrictions, toll road fees, and palm pilot, users can e-mail trips; e.g., pictures of a map, text, state Coming on the heels of its Meritor 14X vived,” said Joe Mejaly, president of aftermar- our customers, our supply chain, and our the interface ProMiles dispatch as Maddocks, or provincewhile breakout, other computers, palm pilots. andincluding quality teams to ensure ket and trailer for ArvinMeritor, also tomanufacturing tandem drivetoaxle launch at thepartners Mid- such Tailwind, FreightLogix, and Axon.V.12 and the Owner/Operator The company’s first venture into street routing will inAmerica Trucking Show in March, the mentioning the strides forward the manufac- flawless delivery and product performance version TruckMiles routing and mapping program also boasted clude major Canadian and US cities; PSDC will add more in manufacturer invited both trade media and turer has made in other markets such as India, for our customers.”

MT GPS-compatibility. future builds.

The five subsequent models will be unChina and South America, post-recession. customers back to Kentucky to get a close@ARTICLECATEGORY:865; Although ProMiles and TruckMiles reside on the users com@COMPANYINARTICLE:024637996; 024644511; 024664030; in the last quarter of the year and Andthere with those up looki.e., at the thedatabases MTA series, designed for updates, puter; are frozen between is an strides forward, the MTA veiled Carrollsummer McCormick is an award2011. of top-mount North American operators in series exception for fueltruck-trailer pricing, explains ProMiles Canada president and low-mount models through winning writer who has been covering Officials sayindustry the suspension completes the fuel company’s line-up of air susvocational markets including Mark Bowie.

“When–you build aplatform, route we consider all the transportation issues andseries features three technology advancements tank, dump, bulk, specialty, pricesgrain, at stops alongchassis, that route, your MPG, fuel pension capacitysolutions, and start- according to officials. technologies for more than a decade. with ing fuel level in your tanks, and suggest buy fuel. operational benefits.

Thetofirst model of the group to be distinct lowboy, livestock and specialty vans. the best places He is based in Quebec.

Daily price updates via the Internet keep fuel prices current.”

EquipmentWatch

The Shippers’ Magazine www.ctl.ca Distributed to over 18,000 Shippers across Canada.

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motortruck

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006

19

EquipmentWatch The first is a patented pivot bushing which is designed to absorb road input resulting in a softer ride, more cargo protection, and reduced torsional stress on the vehicle’s structure. Patented steel interleaf shims in the bushing are designed to provide improved fore-aft stiffness aiding in dynamic axle alignment, better tire wear, and controlled roll steer.

The second advancement is larger, more robust shock absorbers which have been specifically tuned to Meritor suspensions with three times the damping power over competitors, according to the company.

Larger bore design for greater suspension control, and more consistent tire contact with the ground also assist in reducing tire tread wear, improved braking and enhanced handling, ArvinMeritor claims.

Lastly, the series’ products feature a unique, patent-pending axle wrap design for secure and durable axle connection. It also contributes to superior suspension durability, according to company engineers.

The integrated design includes Meritor trailer axles and brakes, and is available with Q Plus cam or air disc brakes, automatic slack adjusters, the SteelLite X30 drum and lightweight hub, and the MTIS (Meritor Tire Inflation System) by PSI. “This new suspension series provides customers an engineering-proven solution in our suspensions portfolio. Our track record of serving OE and fleet customers with specifications – quality manufacturing – and ‘after the sale’ support is unsurpassed,” said Frohock.

The suspension offers a five-year, 500,000-mile warranty.

“We’ve listened closely to our customers,” said Frohock. “The time is right, the technology is honed and proven, and as our customers consider purchasing and specifying trailers, they must closely consider the Meritor MTA series suspension.

“The Meritor brand stands for strength and dependability that transcends to the company’s commercial vehicle axles, brakes and suspensions, products which carry some of the toughest loads imaginable on roadways

all across North America,” Frohock added.

The company says its district managers located across the Canada and the US will

assist fleets and dealers with specifications, technical support, and training and service of the new trailer suspension series.

MT

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GreentoGold

more than the sum of its parts Volvo make strong case for vertical integration with VN780, D13 EPA2010compliant engine, I-Shift transmission and integrated safety systems B y

J a m e s

I

n the months leading up to the launch of EPA2010-compliant engines using selective catalytic reduction (SCR), much was made of the driver’s role in ensuring compliance by monitoring and maintaining diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) levels.

As if to apologize for imposing that minor inconvenience on drivers, Volvo has added several enhancements to its EPA2010 truck and engine combo that will more than compensate for the time and energy spent periodically replenishing DEF. Several new features will introduce new efficiencies into the driver’s day while also benefitting the owner’s pocketbook.

Chief among them is a handy new Pre-Trip Assistant, which automates cumbersome parts of the pre-trip inspection process, making it a simpler one-person job.

Pre-Trip Assistant When activated, the Pre-Trip Assistant first checks the tractor and trailer’s entire lighting system for any electrical faults. It then notifies the driver if a problem is detected via the in-dash driver message centre.

The system will also notify you if a lamp is out, but not the specific bulb – the driver will have to get out of the truck to determine which bulb needs to be replaced.

The Pre-Trip Assistant will also cycle through the lights so a driver doesn’t have to return to the cab multiple times as he or she completes the walk-around. Activating the system will cause it to cycle through (left signal, right signal then four-ways as well as high and low beams) so the driver can check all the lights in a single lap around the vehicle. It’s important to note, the Pre-Trip Assistant is just that – an assistant. It’s not designed to replace a walk-around and complete inspection, just to help streamline the process.

The new feature also includes an air leak monitor that helps the driver complete an air brake system check. It instructs the driver to

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18

motortruck

M e n z i e s depress the brake and then it provides a one-minute countdown and displays the pressure and the pressure drop between the primary and secondary systems, Volvo Trucks’ Frank Bio explained before we headed out on the highway for a test drive in North Carolina.

“It would show you how much the pressure went down in that one minute and whether it passed or failed the test,” Bio said as he demonstrated the system. “You don’t have to watch the gauge, it will tell you all that information.”

Before we hit the road, I noticed a couple interesting items on the exterior of the VN (a VNL64T780, to be precise).

One item of interest was a new integrated fifth wheel from Fontaine, available as an option exclusively through Volvo – at least for the next year. The fifth wheel saves about 100 lbs by eliminating parts and using the existing truck frame for support. Volvo helped develop the fifth wheel (hence the exclusivity), which turned out to be a nice marriage since Volvo’s frame has a consistent stiffness from front to back, Bio pointed out. The integrated fifth wheel is suitable for on-highway applications and is one way to gain back some of the payload lost to the new SCR-related components.

Another interesting feature on the exterior was an adjustable trim tab roof fairing extender mounted to the back of the cab which can be raised or lowered to optimize air flow over the trailer. Bio explained the system is designed for companies that can’t optimize their trailer gap, which in a perfect world would be less than 40 inches.

“As the air passes over the roof of the vehicle, this pulls the air down and matches the top of the trim to the top of the trailer,” Bio explained. A diagram on the back indicates which groove the trim tab should be set at, depending on the trailer height and the gap between the cab and trailer.

“A lot of people think what you’re trying to do is push the air over the top of the trailer, but in reality what you’re trying to do

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

19

GreentoGold is bring the air down to the trailer so it flows evenly across the top of the trailer,” Bio explained. “If you push it up high, it goes up and then tumbles along the top of the trailer and that creates drag.”

The adjustable trim tab is an inexpensive option, costing about a couple hundred bucks. It would be rendered pretty much ineffective on our drive, however, since we were pulling a lowboy trailer with a Volvo loader that was not exactly aerodynamic, or lightweight, for that matter. We grossed 80,000 lbs on the button as we pulled out of the Volvo parking lot.

Inside the cab, the Volvo we were driving was equipped with an optional battery-powered no-idle cab comfort system that provides heating and cooling. It also came with the Bendix SmarTire tire pressure monitoring system which has been integrated into Volvo’s driver information display.

The VN also had a heated windshield, designed to prevent snow and ice accumulation while driving – another option that’ll be useful in Canada if not on our five-hour drive through the rollings hills of North Carolina.

On the road From a performance perspective, the transition to EPA2010 will be pretty much seamless for the driver. The VN I was driving had a gauge on the dash that displayed DEF fluid levels. If not for that, it would be impossible to determine it had a 2010 engine under the hood. The needle on that gauge, incidentally, barely budged over the course of several hours of driving.

While Volvo engineers were busy developing their EPA2010 solution, they still found time to build some new enhancements into the engine.

Volvo engines now come with a feature called Eco-Torque, which automatically switches between two torque outputs in the top two gears, depending on driving conditions.

The 500-hp D13 I was driving, for instance, was rated at 1,5501,750 lb.-ft. torque. In the lower gears, it always had the full 1,750 lb.-ft. of torque, but in the top two gears where the upper range was no longer required, the engine utilized only 1,550 lb.-ft. of the available torque. When driving situations necessitated a boost, like when pulling a long grade, Eco-Torque kicks in, providing a 200 lb.-ft. boost and making the full 1,750 lb.-ft. available.

Volvo’s powertrain manager, Ed Saxman, describes Eco-

Torque as a “new software personality.” An attentive driver will be able to feel when Eco-Torque has been engaged and may even notice the needle jump slightly on the boost pressure gauge.

Saxman said Eco-Torque saves fuel by allowing the transmission to remain in top gear under conditions that would normally warrant a downshift.

When the extra torque is no longer required, the engine reverts back to its normal operating characteristics; in our case it once again becomes a 500-hp, 1,550 lb.-ft. engine.

On an Eco-Roll During my drive through the beautiful rolling hills of North Carolina, there were plenty of opportunities to experience the Eco-Roll feature built into the I-Shift transmission. Eco-Roll, active only when cruise is set, saves fuel by allowing the engine to free-roll in certain situations, such as when descending a long, gradual grade. It’s ideal in terrain with rolling hills and kicked in frequently during my drive.

You can tell Eco-Roll is functioning when the needle on the tach drops and the engine noise cuts out. Miles run with Eco-Roll active are basically free miles. Volvo likens the feature to riding a bicycle downhill – why spent energy pedaling when simple physics will work in your favour and get you down the hill effortlessly?

With Eco-Roll active, I sometimes had to avoid the temptation to get back on the throttle a little sooner than the engine wanted to kick back in. It seemed to me that we lost a little too much momentum before the engine re-engaged. I mentioned this to Saxman and he assured me otherwise. A great deal of engineering went into determining when the engine should re-engage, he told me.

Why must we always try to outsmart the electronics? Another noticeable improvement is that the Volvo’s cruise is less aggressive than it once was. It used to charge back up to the set cruise speed quite aggressively, now it makes the climb more gradually, saving fuel as a result.

Safety features The truck I was driving was equipped with several safety systems, including Volvo Enhanced Cruise (VEC) – Volvo’s version of the Bendix Wingman Active Cruise with Braking system. VEC provides audible alerts when following a vehicle too closely. The warning point

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GreentoGold can be customized, but the default following distance is 2.8 seconds.

I admit I triggered a few alarms, but it wasn’t my fault – I swear!

It was mostly due to aggressive motorists pulling in front of me. I can see how VEC would improve truck safety, especially when the driver is drowsy, the eyelids are getting heavy and the attention span is waning.

The high-pitched alarm is enough to jolt a driver from a restful state – and probably even a sound sleep. The shrill beeps may not be appreciated by the sleeping member of a team, especially when the alarms are inevitable such as when navigating heavy traffic. It would seem VEC is best-suited for single drivers at this point. In addition to providing audible alerts, VEC can also intervene with active braking when a collision is immiment.

Fortunately, I didn’t have to put that particular functionality to the test.

The VN I drove also came with the Vorad radar side-detection system that sounds an alarm if the right turn signal is activated while there’s a vehicle alongside the truck or trailer. This blind side detector provides peace of mind just by being there, provided of course, that the driver is signaling lane changes.

The pop-up alert on the driver message centre can be programmed to appear in French or English and will be accompanied by an audible alert, making it difficult to miss. It will remain there until the driver acknowledges it by pressing the Escape button on the control stalk.

If the driver chooses to ignore these warnings, the engine will eventually be derated by 25% – enough to get the driver’s attention but not render the vehicle undrivable. The driver will also be warned that a 5 mph maximum speed will be imposed if DEF isn’t soon added. But even when the 5 mph major inducement is armed and loaded, it won’t be activated until triggered by the addition of diesel fuel, Saxman explained, so in theory DEF should be readily available.

“The mere fact you just put diesel fuel in the truck means you are either at a truck stop or perhaps at your home facility. Either way there’s likely DEF on-site,” Saxman explained. “Not only do we not shut the truck down, when we get a major inducement on a Volvo truck, it happens at a truck stop. But by this time, the driver has ignored a whole lot of clues that he needs to add this stuff.

So far, we haven’t had anybody run out of DEF on a highway.”

SCR inducement strategies The fact that I was driving an EPA2010-compliant vehicle was, quite frankly, forgettable, since the SCR system went about its business completely transparently.

Much has been made about how regulators would ensure truckers keep their DEF tanks filled, thereby allowing the SCR system to do its job. Volvo has gone to great lengths to ensure that when an engine is derated due to insufficient DEF levels, it will only do so where there’s DEF available.

But if you ever find yourself in a derate situation, you may be better served parking the truck and throwing the key into the nearest river, because you probably shouldn’t be driving in the first place. You’d have to willfully ignore a whole lot of audible and visual warnings before the truck is actually derated.

The first line of defense comes in the form of that new gauge on the dash that displays DEF levels at all times. The VN780 we drove was fitted with an 18.5-gallon DEF tank that weighs about 160 lbs when full and should last about 4,000 miles before requiring a refill. A blue cap ensures drivers don’t mistakenly fill the DEF tank with diesel fuel and in case they should try, the neck has been designed so it’s too narrow to fit a standard diesel nozzle. Someone, somewhere will inevitably put diesel in the DEF tank, but there’s really no excuse.

When DEF levels dip below the quarter tank mark, drivers will receive an alert via Volvo’s standard in-dash message centre and a lamp on the dash will light up.

Conclusion Somewhere along I-40 near Greensboro, it occurred to me that this was more than just a test drive, it was also a lesson in the benefits of vertical integration. Some of the more advanced features offered in the I-Shift are only possible as a result of the high level of integration between engine and transmission.

And the safety systems such as Volvo Enhanced Cruise, or for that matter the tire pressure monitoring system on the truck I drove, were also fully-integrated into the vehicle with messages appearing on Volvo’s in-dash message centre, thus reducing the potential for driver distraction.

Even the fifth wheel, built by Fontaine by fully integrated into the Volvo chassis, provided benefits such as weight savings, which will be ever-important going forward as manufacturers try to claw back payload lost to the hefty SCR system, which, while packaged cleanly, still adds several hundred pounds.

Now that Volvo can finally move beyond preparing for 2010 and focus on developing new enhancements and exploring how they can mine further benefits from the sophisticated integration of their powertrain products, I’m excited to see what they’ll come up with next. mt

22

motortruck

Want a chance to drive the same truck I drove? You’ll get your chance when the Volvo Driving Success Tour reaches Canada later this year.

For a complete schedule, visit www.volvotour2010.com.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO THIS FAR

Credits: lxb.ca and glennpykestudio.com

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23

Profitability

protect thyself Question unfair shipper practices when it comes to freight damages

By Kevin Snobel

I

n our business, it is incumbent to take as many measures as possible to ensure we insulate ourselves against any and all repercussions. That being said, how do we do so?

Some shippers and consignees want to have their cake and eat it too. Everyone wants to run by contract these days. But is the contract fair and equitable or does it have so many ambiguous clauses that it takes months to decipher what it really says before signing?

This time of year, of course, is busy shipping produce, such as fruit and vegetables. All the big names are players in importing produce. How else do the grocery stores get the goods to their shelves every day? Yet one wonders how a truck driver being paid to drive a truck is requested to pulp a load of fruit or vegetables. This puts the transportation company at risk for any mistake whatsoever. The dispatch tells the driver set the reefer at the temperature the shipper tells you. Talk about setting yourself up for disaster and possible claims. Even a cheap claim can be $20,000 or $40,000 depending on the commodity or it can be more than $100,000. Yet we want a driver to pulp the product being shipped, set the temptale, check the temperature on the reefer, open the vents, stop every four hours and check the reefer to ensure it is running, fill the reefer with fuel to keep it running, clear Customs, deliver the goods, all without any problems? Who are we kidding?

Recently, we heard of a major grocery chain in North America deducting money for claims off of freight charges owing to the transportation company. Has any good transportation lawyer explained to them this practice is illegal? Many years ago, when I first became interested in this business, I remember learning a very important fact about a bill of lading. It represents three things: transfer of

24

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title to the goods being shipped, proof of ownership to the goods being shipped, and lastly, contract for carriage.

Until the freight charges have been paid for, there is no transfer of title of the cargo from shipper to consignee. Therefore, it is illegal to deduct money for a claim from any freight charges that may be owed to the transportation company. What were the buying and selling terms? What was stated on the bill of lading? At what point did transfer of title occur? Yet the consignee, in this particular case, deducted more than $24,000 for a cargo claim for produce that arrived at a warmer temperature than it was supposed to.

Interestingly enough, the goods did get resold, mitigated the loss factor, yet, by strict definition of law, there was no claim. Yes, the goods arrived at a temperature warmer in some spots after pulping than requested and at the correct temperature in other spots after pulping. The cargo was produce and since it was not damaged in transit, was not bad upon inspection, had not rotted in transit, by strict definition of the law, a claim does not exist.

Yet this major grocery chain deducted more than $24,000 from the shipping company, because it pulped warm. This practice is not only illegal as far as settling claims, it is illegal as to what, where, and how the damage, if any, occurred. There has not been any proof the goods were damaged in any way shape or form while in transit. The freight charges were not paid, the grocery chain deducted a cargo claim (not yet proven) from previous freight charges owing, they included the amount of freight to ship this particular shipment, and had not even been invoiced for the freight charges yet.

Legally, they do not own the goods. How do we as carriers protect ourselves?

1. Ensure every contract we sign is read in

full. If there is anything you do not understand, give it to a lawyer. Do not save pennies here; remember once you sign a contract you are bound by the terms and conditions.

2. Carriers should ensure the illegal practice of deducting claims, against previous freight amounts owing is not allowed.

3. Ensure the drivers are aware of what they have to do every step of the way.

Our industry is now rampant with 3PLs and 4PLs. Some are great, some are not so great, some are just so deceitful they should never have been allowed to open their doors in the first place. Both US and Canadian Customs have to realize that even with all of the security requirements in place, we as the transporting carrier must know our responsibility. We have had to prove we are aware of our responsibility, through audits performed. Yet even some of the biggest 3PLs in the world haven’t got a clue how to ship across the Canada-US border. Shipments get stuck and they leave it to the carrier to fix. By definition, we as the carrier are being paid to move the goods, not clear them, not sit and wait for them, not leave at 5 p.m. and wash our hands clean of them.

Everyone in this industry needs to be better trained; not just push responsibility off onto the carriers, run and hide when there is a problem; not just stick a carrier on a blacklist due to your own incompetence Work together, train together, learn together, move forward together. New people in this industry need all the guidance, help, knowledge, support we can give them. It is up to the “senior citizens� in our industry to provide all of this to them. mt Kevin Snobel is the general manager of Caravan Logistics.

Profitability

hurry up...and wait The regulatory burden at the border is growing and regulatory deadlines continue to be stretched By julia kuzeljevich

T

he border between Canada and the US remains a vast and concrete physical entity, but the “border” in the figurative sense also looms ever-larger as Customs administrators on both sides continue to up the regulatory burden imposed on all supply chain stakeholders.

The aim? A world of smoother trade flows, and harmonized regulatory regimes, with attention paid to perimeter security, of course.

The path to getting there? Probably anything but the smoothest.

Ruth Snowden, executive director at the Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFFA), remembers meetings with Canada Customs officials in the 1990s when talk of release decisions prior to arrival at the border was still a vague concept.

Advance to 2010, and the now Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will soon begin accepting electronic manifests containing cargo and conveyance data, (first from highway carriers), with electronic transmission of the carrier data mandatory one year after the CBSA’s planned Web portal becomes available.

“We’re almost ‘cleared to land’ on eManifest, having come down from a 37,000-ft level,’ said Oryst Dydynsky, vice-president of cross border and regulatory affairs with the Descartes Systems Group and a consultant on many CBSA committees.

Dydynsky spoke recently at the Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters 19th Annual Conference and Trade Show on Emerging Issues in Customs and Compliance.

“The movement of data and documents has become more important than the movement of the goods themselves. The

documents are still going to be there, but they will move differently,” he said.

While the Advanced Commercial Information (ACI) Highway eManifest was scheduled to begin this month, CBSA recently indicated that a delay to implementation would be necessary, with testing by industry available this month and the actual project launch delayed to September.

Highway carriers have already expressed concerns about policy, from the inbond movement of goods, to end-state design issues such as changes and amendments, to manifest information post-arrival.

“CTA supports getting it right the first time with realistic deadlines,” said Canadian Trucking Alliance CEO David Bradley.

Jason Proceviat, acting director of the stakeholder consultation and implementation division at the CBSA, said that the agency, the oldest serving government department in Canada, has moved from a revenue focus to the provision of integrated border services, health, safety and security.

“This new mandate has changed the game and direction for us. We don’t act unilaterally – we administer about 90 pieces of different legislation and over 40 programs at the border,” he said.

eManifest aims to deal with volume issues.

“This whole project is about implementing those tools to enable us to do that,” said Proceviat of one of the largest projects CBSA has undertaken, and which is supported by Bill S2 Customs Act legislation, which received Royal Assent in June of 2009.

“This will have impacts if you are not prepared and are not ready. We recognize there will be investments for companies, and these may be significant for the SMEs. If you feel that eManifest is not for you, you will have options,” he said.

CBSA is developing an enhanced automated risk assessment infrastructure (business intelligence technology and a data warehouse), with an eManifest portal reporting option, an integrated passage system, and the incorporation of transponder technology.

A Web portal, similar to those using ACE from the US, will be available to those needing tools. The portal will be “free of charge,” but there will be costs relating to data entry, with regard to having staff to enter the data and someone to monitor any error messages.

“Our desire is to harmonize as much as possible with US Customs and Border Protection. We recognize that the US has transponder technology that we’d also like to implement as a harmonization effort,” said Proceviat.

Stakeholders may transmit advance information to Customs through EDI systems or the eManifest portal. They can also use a VAN (value added network), a public EDI network, a third-party service provider, or the Customs Internet gateway (CIG), which provides trade chain partners with a direct connection to the CBSA. mt may/june 2010

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There’s A Better Way to Prepare for 2010 “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.�

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From brakes and DPFs to electrical systems and oil changes, let’s talk shop

Stopping Power As the industry prepares to build new tractors that can stop more quickly than ever, it can also expect rules to govern trucks after they are put in service

By John G. Smith

T

he National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has left no doubt about the fact that the stopping distances for trucks need to change. Today’s unloaded tractors are designed to stop from speeds of 60 mph within 335 feet. In August 2013, that allowable limit will shrink to 235 feet. Their loaded counterparts that once had to stop within 355 feet will need to do the job somewhere between 250 and 310 feet, depending on the number of axles and Gross Vehicle Weight Ratings.

The interest in altering brake performance is a matter of saving lives. While large trucks are involved in fewer fatal crashes per 100 million vehicle miles in the US, they continue to account for about 13% of all fatal crashes. When NHTSA unveiled its rule, it suggested that the shift to shorter stopping distances will save 227 lives, 300 serious injuries and US$169 million in property damage per year.

The question that remains is how truck makers will meet the new requirements.

“Right now, the OEMs don’t really have a game plan,” Jeff Spitzer of Eaton said during a presentation at the Technology and Maintenance Council. “They don’t have a full understanding of what the parts manufacturers are going to do.”

Stopping distances can be met by using additional friction material, more aggressive linings or air disc brakes, but it is still unknown which will become the most popular options.

“What will the fleet do? That’s the question,” said Mike Colaccino, commercial vehicle safety manager at TMD Friction.

“The options are there and they are many.”

The changes will largely influence brakes at the front of the truck. A brand new tractor will place a static load of about 12,000 lbs on the steer axle, but the loading and extra torque during a stop will increase that load up to 34,000 lbs as the axles to the rear begin to lift, said Jim Clark of Vehicle Brake System Consulting. The 15-inch brakes on a typical steer axle simply do not produce enough torque to stop the vehicle in time.

“It’s only when you come to the panic stop where you get the tremendous surge to the steer axle,” he added, noting how a heavy truck experiences about one panic stop a month. Engineers 28

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need to focus on the changes that will address these situations.

“And any time you change anything, something is going to come up and bite your butt.”

The engineering challenges can certainly have an effect on experiences at the fleet level. “The vehicle will feel more aggressive.

The drivers might be more sensitive to that,” Clark said. The added torque could also present some potential maintenance challenges such as premature tire wear or suspension damage.

“We think we can stop the truck and still not cause an unacceptable amount of degradation to the drum,” Colaccino observed, referring to one potential issue. Fleet tests over the next year will be measuring noise, lining and drum life in real world settings to address potential challenges just like that. But suppliers will also want to ensure their products do better than NHTSA’s absolute minimums. “Brake manufacturers are requiring an additional margin of 10%, making the real distance 225 feet,” he added.

Future regulations

Nobody knows exactly what NHTSA will eventually require in terms of stopping distances for trucks that are already in service, but panelists at the recent meeting of the Technology and Maintenance Council expect some sort of change in this regard as well. Research

by Battelle Memorial Institute shows why these regulations might be justified. Of 23 randomly selected trucks tested in New Mexico, continued on page 36

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©2010 ArvinMeritor, Inc.

Electronic Evolution Added sensors, quicker links and new ideas continue to extend the reach of vehicle electronics

By John G. Smith

E

ngineers are usually dreaming up ways to protect sensors and their connectors from the forces of vibration. But near the end of a Technology and Maintenance Council presentation about vehicle electronics, Paul Menig mused about the way these forces could be captured and put to work.

“Imagine a little sensor with a springboard going up and down,” said the Daimler Trucks North America’s chief engineer – mechatronics, describing the piezo-electric devices that are emerging in laboratory settings. “You can actually create enough electricity to sense something and send it out wirelessly.”

Within one or two decades, vehicle sensors may not require wires at all.

As far-fetched as that may sound, the electronics in a modern truck have evolved at a staggering rate, particularly in the face of tightening emission rules. Kevin Otto, director of service for Cummins Emissions Solutions, points out the number of sensors and actuators when describing the change. One engine built in 1992 included a mere six sensors and seven actuators. This year, you can find a series of 28 sensors and 15 actuators on an engine block, and some of these actuators even incorporate sensors of their own to help manage different activities.

“The amount of information about the engine has become just staggering,” he said.

In relative terms, it has been a rapid evolution. Electronics didn’t make their first real push into heavy-duty trucks until 1987, when electronic unit injectors began to deliver their precise shots of fuel in the name of improving fuel economy. All heavy-duty engines were not electronic until 1994, and all medium-duty models followed suit in 1998.

New applications for every packet of data emerged along the way. Integrated instrument clusters emerged in the mid-1990s, anti-lock brakes became a reality in 1997, and by the end of the decade, transmission suppliers were starting to incorporate electronics of their own. In addition to simply monitoring factors such as oil pressure and coolant temperature, electronics allowed engine

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activities to be changed – limiting idle time, managing shifts, and controlling the actions of accessories as varied as fans and brakes.

The Technology and Maintenance Council itself played a role in helping to ensure that the electronic components could speak to each other.

“This organization came up with the j1708/1587 data link as long ago as the 1980s in anticipation of all those computers,” said Menig. “Now people started taking advantage of the data.” Once the j1939 standard was introduced, engines and transmissions were able to share information, and the technology opened the door to support traction control.

In some cases, economics were the only factors to slow a related change. Mechanics who replaced signal flashers every few months would likely have embraced solid state versions of the devices as early as possible, but they didn’t really emerge until 2003 because of costs. (The first solid state designs cost $35 while traditional designs only cost $2.35, Menig notes.)

The electronic evolution has also played a key role in the introduction of safety systems such as the air bags in truck cabs, noted Vince Lindley of Volvo Trucks North America.

“The physics of a truck collision are much different than what you see in a car,” he explains. A sensor in the control module is mounted in the bulkhead close to the driver’s right knee. “We’re interested in what the driver is feeling,” he says. Rather than watching for a quick spike in G force, the software monitors deceleration over a period of time.

Other safety systems introduced electronics of their own, from ABS equipment to automatic traction control. Six-channel sensor and control valves emerged, giving every wheel a sensor. “Then not only could we turn air off, but we could turn air on,” Lindley added.

And the Power Line Carrier (PLC) standard governing the pigtail between trucks and trailers made it possible to introduce anti-lock brakes on trailers, and set the stage for stability controls that track the position of steering wheels, yaw rate and G-forces.

“If it physically senses the vehicle doing one thing but the driver is doing something else with a steering wheel, I must have continued on page 36

it’s a matter of power Do electrical system maintenance right and you’re sure to get a charge out of the reduction in vehicle repair costs

By Lou Smyrlis

E

lectrical system repairs are the second largest cost segment for overall vehicle maintenance and have the potential to deliver a nasty charge to a fleet’s maintenance budget if not properly managed. Corrosion is a constant threat that requires just as much vigilance to keep it at bay. Doing so requires knowing and sticking to the basics, according to the Electrical System Maintenance panel of experts at this year’s CFMS. “Fleets pay millions annually in automotive electrical system repair, so it’s important to look at how to reduce that,” said Paul Kirkup, national account manager with Krown Rust Control. One of the main causes of electrical system problems is the damaging effects of road salt and de-icing agents. (Other causes of electrical system problems include abrasion, impact, extreme cold or heat, vibration, flexing, grit and sand, and tensile loads.)

There has been a concerted effort by city and provincial road/ highway departments in recent years to decrease the use of sodium chloride (rock salt) due to its very corrosive nature. This has led to an increased use of calcium and magnesium chlorides as de-icing agents. The liquid magnesium chloride is sprayed on dry pavement prior to precipitation or on wet pavement prior to freezing temperatures.

The biggest issue with magnesium chloride, according to Kirkup, is that it stays wet down to approximately 15% humidity.

“These de-icing agents are highly corrosive and stay around longer creating increased corrosion-related problems for fleet managers. Electrical connections and wire abrasions get coated with salt, which draws in moisture, creating a breeding ground for destructive corrosion,” Kirkup emphasized.

Removing the de-icing agents can be challenging because they need to be dissolved quickly in order to get the vehicle back on the road and the dissolved salt must be made inactive. The best solution is routine maintenance, according to Kirkup, and includes the following: • Regular washing with a good cleaning detergent capable of removing the de-icing chemicals from the wiring. Soaking down the vehicle with a detergent then powerwashing thoroughly will reduce the ability for de-icing chemicals to draw in the moisture and accelerate the corrosion process, Kirkup said.

• Applying penetrating lubricant with a high dielectric strength to problem areas on the electrical system such as plugs, wiring harnesses, battery terminals, exposed wiring and the ECU. Spray

any fitting joining the wires and wiring harnesses. Pop light fixtures and spray the fitting at the back or drill the box area behind, spray it and plug it with a 3/8 plug, Kirkup advised. Spray also all exposed metal connections and under the battery tray. Keep in mind that over time all fittings start to loosen somewhat and this could allow moisture to set in. To combat this effectively, a complete cleaning of suspect areas should be followed by a thorough application with a high-dielectric lubricant. Also, all starters, generators, alternators and other wired units should be sprayed on all connectors and housing bolts. Consistency is key. Spraying the fittings, connections and surrounding area should be done on a regular basis as part of a preventative maintenance program.

Kirkup advised developing an “A”, “B” and “C” maintenance schedule with regular spraying included.

Jason Grins from O.C. Transpo focused his remarks on the heart of the electrical system: the batteries. A good electrical system maintenance plan begins with keeping batteries and connections clean, he said, echoing Kirkup’s comments, and added an important insight: “A clean vehicle does not necessarily mean a clean electrical system.” You’ve got to get under the box cover and check into things close up.

“Washing batteries is critical – out of sight, out of mind gets you into trouble. Batteries need to be cleaned at least every PM session,” Grins said.

Grins also had advice to deal with battery startup issues, offering several tips: Tip #1: A job done right requires the right tools. For Grins, that means having the following on-hand and in good working order: battery charger; battery load tester (calibrated yearly); infrared thermometer; wire brush (brass is best); charge and check adapters; water and hose for cleaning batteries; and adequate charging, testing and storage areas for batteries.

Tip #2: The inner jam nut is often a culprit when a battery fails to start. It needs to be checked for tightness at every PM, Grins said. The starter mounting bolts should also be inspected during every PM, as should all cables.

“Loose connections are the worst enemies of charging and cranking systems. Why? Loose connections allow corrosion to travel, increasing circuit resistance,” Grins pointed out. “Clean, secure, properly sealed, corrosion-free connections are the key to eliminating no starts.” continued on page 33 may/june 2010

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keep it clean DPFs are expensive hardware. You need to stay on top of them to avoid replacement costs

By Lou Smyrlis

A

leaking exhaust system may not be best practice, but for the longest time, it has been part of the reality for many trucks on our roads. That reality is going to have to change, however, under the new engine emissions standards or it could prove a costly oversight.

“The days where you could run a unit with an exhaust leak are gone. They need to be fixed immediately or you will ruin the DPF (diesel particulate filter),” warned Dan Hrodzicky of Texis Truck Exhaust during a panel session on the 2010 engines at this year’s Canadian Fleet Maintenance Seminar.

The 2010 emissions standards demand significantly reduced levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM).

Engine manufacturers are able to employ higher exhaust gas recirculation to reduce the NOx, but must use regeneration to deal with the required cuts to PM. The need to use an aftertreatment device to replace the muffler, however, has also reduced the level of exhaust modification flexibility enjoyed in the past, Hrodzicky pointed out.

During passive regeneration, exhaust temperatures are hot enough to burn soot and turn it into carbon dioxide and water, greatly reducing filter backpressure. The distance from the turbo to the aftertreatment device must be controlled within prescribed limits.

During active regeneration, the temperatures of the exhaust gas in the aftertreatment device and the tailpipe will also be high.

Regeneration can last from 10 to 40 minutes, Hrodzicky explained, with the temperature on the skin, body and V-bands of the after treatment device ranging between 250 and 300 C. “The aftertreatment device and tailpipe will need to be stainless steel and have a double-wall and/or insulation to maintain acceptable surface temperatures of approximately 250 C,” Hrodzicky said, adding that tailpipe gas discharge temperatures may need to be controlled using diffusers.

The piping material used in the exhaust system will primarily be 409 stainless steel. Aluminized mild steel can’t be used for the main pipes because it can’t meet the requirement for a 435,000mile useful life or the higher temperatures. The pipe from the turbo to the aftertreatment device should also be double-walled to optimize heat transfer.

Abnormally frequent regeneration and/or loss of power are 32

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signs that engine maintenance is required, Hrodzicky said. Most engine manufacturers recommend maintenance and cleaning of diesel particulate filters between approximately 190,000 and 320,000 kilometres (less for severe service applications).

“A new diesel particulate filter costs between $3,000 and $8,000. Regular cleaning helps extend the life of your filter,” Hrodzicky said.

Shell looks to change the way fleets change their oil

By James Menzies

S

hell has introduced a new oil change service to the Canadian market that allows operators to do a complete oil change in as little as five minutes when the engine’s hot, without any of the mess that normally accompanies such work.

Shell LubeExpress is a new service being rolled out in Canada, which involves the closed-loop ESOC (Environmentally Safe Oil Change) machine that uses purged air to quickly remove old oil, resulting in a more complete oil change, the company announced.

To use the machine, a truck must first be fitted with the necessary couplings to accommodate two hoses, one of which purges the used oil and the other which replenishes the engine with fresh oil.

The couplings cost about $70 and can be installed in as little as 10 minutes using existing ports at the oil inlet and drain pan, the company claims. New trucks can be spec’d with the required connections, Shell’s Chris Guerrero added.

When a truck requires an oil change, the air line purges the entire engine and filter while the oil’s still hot, ensuring the complete removal of contaminants that will be suspended rather than settled. When the oil is purged into the drain pan, the mechanic can begin removing the oil filter (the purged air ensures it cools quickly) or conducting other preventive maintenance. Using purged air ensures the old oil is completely removed from every nook and cranny, explained Michele Collins, business manager with ESOC Commercial Truck, manufacturer of the machine.

“Because you’re using air purging, you’re getting all the con-

taminants and sludge out of all the recesses, so you’re getting a cleaner oil change and extending the life of your engine,” she said.

The operator follows simple prompts provided via the machine’s touch screen display to complete the oil change, including entering the amount of new oil required and whether or not an oil sample is desired. Pulling an oil sample is as simple as placing a bottle in the indicated location on the machine and since the oil is pulled mid-stream, the results are more reliable, Guerrero pointed out.

“You’re getting a good sample, you’re not getting the sediment that’s settled in the bottom,” he said.

If the operator should overfill the engine with fresh oil, the machine has the ability to remove the precise amount of the overfill, eliminating guesswork. But by entering the required quantity (in quarts or litres) into the touch screen display, overfills should be eliminated, Collins pointed out.

Another advantage of the system is that oil pressure is built up instantly when the fresh oil is added, so there’s no dry start which can cause bearing burn, Collins explained.

There are environmental benefits to the machine as well. Because it’s a closed-loop system, there’s no spillage and the used oil is routed directly to the waste oil tank. The system also removes most of the oil from the old oil filter, creating a safer and cleaner environment for mechanics when removing the filter.

Guerrero said Shell LubeExpress will change the way fleets change their oil, an evolution he said is overdue.

“We change oil the way we change oil because that’s the way we’ve always changed oil,” he said. He pointed out the system is already gaining credence in other parts of the world, especially the Asia-Pacific region where roughly 100 machines have been deployed in recent months. The system is currently in the pilot stage in the US. Here in Canada, Guerrero said fleets with trucks that usually return to their home facility for oil changes will benefit the most.

“If you use a lot of external facilities and don’t do oil changes in-house, this may not be for you,” he said. Fleets looking to add the system can negotiate the price into their lubricant supply deals with Shell, and the oil company will provide installation assistance, operator training and ongoing support. MT

continued from page 31

Tip #3: Routing and securing wires properly is also important. Proper securement eliminates vibration chaffing.

Tip #4: The current draw test is an inaccurate way to test starters. Amps can range from 650 up to 2,000. For the current draw test to be valid, the following factors must be known: oil temperature, oil viscosity, battery capacity, battery age, battery state of charge, circuit resistance, and engine condition.

Tip #5: If all batteries and circuits test well and the starter is not operating properly, then the starter should be removed.

Tip #6: Consider the costs involved. How long would it take to recharge a totally discharged battery at 0F? At a battery recharge rate of 14 volts at 0F, it would take more than 100 hours. A battery at 0F will only accept two amps per hour.

“A quick boost is a costly decision,” Grins emphasized.

MT

Know your application

Batteries aren’t a commodity anymore

By Lou Smyrlis AGM battery technology is moving quickly into the trucking industry, bringing with it the benefits of a dry energy system. But even though OEs such as Freightliner have either adopted AGM technology or are considering doing so, there still remains a fair deal of confusion about proper spec’ing and handling practices in the industry.

Brad Bisaillon, North American sales and marketing manager – commercial truck for Trojan Battery, did his best to set the record straight about AGM technology at the recent CFMS. First, some basics about AGM batteries. They get their name from the fact they are designed to carry the electrolyte suspended in Absorbed Glass Mat separators. They are 95% dry and so can be integrated conventionally or on their sides. They can be installed inside of a truck’s side box or under the bunk. They have a service life of four to seven years when the correct application is considered and are not as susceptible to freezing issues found in conventional batteries.

Bisaillon pointed out that today’s batteries are application-specific, and so before choosing a battery, it’s important to determine what you need the battery to do: • Does it need to start a vehicle?

• Does it need to deep cycle (for applications such as battery-powered APUs or air conditioners; power inverters or lift gates)?

• If multiple power sources are required, are the banks separated?

• What is the available recharge time?

• What is the recharge profile of the battery?

• Is the current alternator sufficient?

Batteries produced for starting or dual purposes are designed to deliver a large starting current for a very short period of time. They have a large number of highly porous thin plates made of a high lead content. The quantity of high porosity plates is what delivers high cranking ability. The initial reserve capacity of such batteries is close to 100%, but the capacity does decrease over time. Positive plate degradation is the leading cause of catastrophic failure, Bisaillon said, adding that cycling a pure lead, thin plate starting battery will quicken this process.

“When used for cycling, a starting/dual purpose AGM battery will generally fail after 50 to 200 deep cycles. They are only 85% efficient when cycling,” he pointed out.

Cycling batteries, meanwhile, are designed to be discharged to as much as 100% depth of discharge cycle after cycle. They are constructed with fewer but more robust plates, up to seven times the thickness of a starting battery. The lead content of the plates is blended with stronger alloys.

Cycling batteries contain a higher density, controlled porosity paste chemistry to give the plate better structure and allow the current to be drawn more slowly for longer periods of time. This makes for less surface area, Bisaillon explained, which means they have less “instant” power than starting batteries.

Batteries designed solely for cycling will typically have less than a 600 CCA rating, compared to 800 and up for starting batteries.

AGM batteries should be charged with an AGM compatible charger. AGM “bulging” is a result of improper charging causing heat. AGM and conventional batteries should not be charged together, Bisaillon warned.

Proper connections at the battery are critical to proper charging, but are all too frequently not taken into consideration, Bisaillon added. The battery stud is generally stainless steel, which has high electrical resistance. Connections reliant on the stud will produce excessive heat and thus poor battery recharge and premature alternator failure. The flat surface on the terminal should be used at the connection point. The lead metal there provides for the most reliable connection with the least resistance.

“All too often, an improper connection at the alternator is the root cause of a battery failure or misdiagnosed battery failure,” Bisaillon said.

MT

beyond the hype The lowdown on ‘maintenance-free’ components

By Julia Kuzeljevich

W

hen it comes to fleet maintenance, there are a myriad of components available offering extended maintenance intervals, but the reality is, you’d be hard pressed to find any product that is totally “free” of any maintenance requirements at one point or another in its life.

The 2010 Canadian Fleet Maintenance Seminar featured a session covering maintenance-free components, and the reality of working with them.

The seminar featured panel speakers Jake Francis, body shop sales and administration with Carrier Truck Centres; Jim Pinder, a licensed truck and coach technician with Superior Propane; and Richard Sharpe, vice-president of fleet services with MacKinnon Transport.

The session was moderated by Todd Dennis of Cargill Ltd. “The philosophy behind low maintenance products was done with the idea of extending maintenance intervals. In general, the manufacturer has done a great job of that,” said MacKinnon’s Sharpe.

“I think it’s massively important that technicians put their eyes on something, if not the grease gun. We try to maintain proper service procedures using the manufacturer’s recommendations for installation. If a lamp connection fails, for example, it’s frequently because of the installation, not the harness,” he said.

Above and beyond provisional equipment operations, there are many things you can do to prolong service intervals and provide good service, noted Sharpe.

And manufacturers are also more than willing to give you training, and to offer guidance on their products, said Pinder.

Sharpe added that drivers should also be kept up to date on what to look for in terms of wear on components.

“Our drivers are our last line of defence. If they don’t see these things on a trip inspection, we are opening ourselves up to a lot of issues,” he said. “If you’re looking for grease or lubricant loss, you’re looking for corrosion.”

“Early stage detection means less cost and opportunity for events that will bring in the inspection people,” added Pinder.

But if a spec’ is supposed to be “maintenance-free,” are there

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policies on them that even exist?

“Each component does and should have an inspection process. Wear takes place, even if something is ‘permanently lubed.’ Even in a maintenance-free battery, while you can’t service the battery, you can service the connection,” said Sharpe.

“A battery is sometimes not secure.

If it’s loose and worn through, with fluid leaking out, you might find yourself with a roadside. A lot of the pressure has been from vehicle owners, to reduce maintenance intervals.

It’s an awareness thing. If the driver feels comfortable telling you that there is something wrong, when he brings it to the attention of the fleet manager, it’s going to get addressed,” said Pinder.

With some components, said Sharpe, it’s not that they’re “free” of maintenance requirements but that they are designed to be maintained after a given period of time.

Ironically enough, some of the equipment that “doesn’t go very far” in terms of accumulating actual mileage may require more maintenance than equipment that is running all the time, said Pinder.

“Shocks are another maintenance issue that get lost on our chassis. A lot of ‘maintenance-free’ is about doing it once, about training, about explaining. Don’t take for granted that (your mechanics, for example) absorbed it the way you intended it. Your maintenance staff can be constantly evolving,” he said.

“It may be hard to check if your shocks are overheated, but you can certainly check for leaking,” said Francis from Carrier Truck Centres.

“It’s your responsibility to maximize a product’s use, as obtained from the manufacturer,” said Cargill’s Todd Dennis.

“You need to know what the manufacturer recommends and when. If you’re getting the product, get the literature to go with it,” he said, noting that fleets need to contact manufacturers on a regular basis when issues come up.

“Fleet managers should maintain relationships with their OE reps. Generally they are very forthcoming with information,” said Sharpe.

MT

The Riddle behind a great maintenance manager Canada’s top maintenance manager brings a touch of humanity to the shop

By Adam Ledlow

I

t is a fitting outcome of Jim Riddle’s 30-plus year career in maintenance that he should be named Canada’s top fleet maintenance manager of the year at the Canadian Fleet Maintenance Seminar. Not just because Riddle, the current director of maintenance for Sudbury, Ont.-based William Day Construction, was one of those responsible for creating the award in the first place more than 20 years Photo by ago. Nor simply that he embodies Rachel Ongaro the many characteristics attributed to him by Don Coldwell of Volvo Trucks Canada, the award’s sponsor, including pride, professionalism, dedication and a commitment to safety and education. No, the award seems most fitting for Riddle because of his wholehearted appreciation and support of CFMS, the arena that has been home to the award for the past 22 years and to which Riddle credits much of his career’s success.

“The relationships that I built with suppliers, manufacturers, other fleet men, other people in the repair business, and all different walks of our industry, absolutely made a huge difference in all of the occupations that I have had that have lead up to what I do today,” Riddle said in an interview with Motortruck Fleet Executive.

“I see a great value to the CFMS. It is a gathering and a collection – there are no colours here, and it is meant specifically for the advancement of maintenance. That is my core; I really believe that doing it once, doing it right and being proud of what you do is parcel and part.”

The centrepiece of that system of core beliefs is for Riddle to perform his duties on a human level; to be neither dictatorial or overbearing, but to be approachable and have a sense of humour.

And part of that approachability comes from his position in the shop – his literal position.

“I really have directed the maintenance shops from the shop.

When I was given the job, the first thing I did was move the maintenance office into the shop, not in the general office, not

because I was there to spy, but my employees recognize that I am there if they need me. I interact on the floor all day, every day,” Riddle says.

“I help them solve problems and I let them teach me. I did not learn everything I learned on my own; my men have taught me. Together, we develop our best practices, as you call it, and we take pride that our fleet works hard; it works 24/7.

We take pride in that we have relatively few driver complaints, we have relatively few operational dispatch complaints and we have relatively few customer complaints, all of which relate to the maintenance of the equipment used.”

While Riddle’s “human” approach to managing was enough to secure him a place in the CFMS history books, he offered the audience at the awards ceremony a glimpse of his own humanity, becoming emotional when speaking of his employer in his acceptance speech.

“I have to give credit to my employer. Since I went there, I have been given absolute unbridled authority to run the maintenance department…the ability to just take care of business and not be under the thumb, not be judged, but have the total confidence. I would like [my employer] to be recognized because he told me that the last years of my career would be the best years, and I believe that,” Riddle said during his acceptance speech.

But while his impassioned speech may have compelled more than a few eyes in attendance to become teary, he has also proved he has the ability to produce a few smiles as well. When asked what a maintenance manager does when they’ve reached the pinnacle of their careers, Riddle’s response? “I obviously can’t consider retirement for at least a year because I have to bring the trophy back.”

And if he has his way, Riddle will be back, continuing his relationship with CFMS for many years to come, inspiring future generations of maintenance managers to rise to the top of their game – and perhaps one day, the top of their industry as Riddle has. MT may/june 2010

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continued from page 28

13 did not meet the minimum stopping distance requirement of 40 feet from a speed of 20 mph. Of those 13, three failed under the watch of the Performance Based Brake Tester (PBBTs), and only two were taken out of service after a visual inspection.

“The visual inspections really don’t tell you how that vehicle is going to stop,” Clark noted, referring to the limits of measuring push rod travel.

While there are in-service requirements for stopping distances, they are virtually never enforced by NHTSA, Clark says. But they could be measured with the roller dynomometers or other PBBTs. It is easy to see why there is an interest in regulations governing trucks that are in service. While today’s standards govern trucks rolling out of the factory, there are no standards governing the quality of aftermarket brake linings. Colaccino may be understating the issue when he suggests some offshore supplies have “not fared very well” in terms of performance.

The question is how the stopping distance would change if the equipment is fitted with a lower quality of aftermarket components. “You want to be more sensitized to your OEM brakes and make sure the stopping capabilities are maintained,” Clark said.

Of course, the regulations that affect vehicle stopping characte-

ristics may not end there.

Rear-end crashes accounted for about 20% of all heavy truck crashes in 2004, and the heavy vehicles hit the vehicle ahead of them in 60% of these cases. In 26% of cases, the lead vehicle had stopped, while 14.5% were decelerating and 13.3% were moving at a constant speed.

There are technologies that could make a difference here.

An autonomous cruise control, intelligent cruise control, or active cruise with braking can automatically accelerate or slow a vehicle. Other options including a collision warning system could warn a distracted driver to take action.

A third form of technology comes in a variety of names such as a collision mitigation, dynamic brake assist or automatic brake application. “This is one where there is a lot of confusion,” says Mark Melletat of Meritor Wabco. “This function is on regardless of whether there is cruise control or not.” But it does not activate until the moment there is an imminent collision.

Most of the studies on these systems have been limited to light vehicles, but research is underway to test their use in heavyduty counterparts.

Everyone continues to look for the combinations that will offer the best possible stopping power.

MT

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an event,” Lindley explains. “These systems can de-throttle the engine, they can apply brakes as necessary, they can also release brakes if necessary … This will become a mandatory requirement in the very, very near future.”

Collision avoidance systems that began with a radar-generated warning and evolved into adaptive cruise control even show the promise of proactive braking and engine de-rating to avoid collisions. “Active proactive braking will actually be on the throttle as well as cruise control,” Lindley adds. “People have already figured out how to use it.”

Electronics will likely play a larger role to come, Otto agrees, referring to the potential of the widespread use of variable valve timing or Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition to reduce the amount of NOx from a combustion event. “There are a lot of things that could happen.”

“What drives the future? It’s driven by trying to get more of some things, less of other things,” Menig suggests. Regulators defined by almost every letter in the alphabet – EPA, CARB, NHTSA, NTSB and OSHA – all have rules that could be addressed through electronics. For example, Japan already requires vehicles to have collision warning systems with automatic braking, Europe is about to embrace it, and North American trucks are expected to follow suit.

Requirements for Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems still exist, he adds. “They just haven’t figured out a way to do it.”

“The biggest thing I see out there is carbon footprint regulations,” Menig said during another presentation. “In Europe, there 36

motortruck

is a goal called Vision 2020 which is trying to reduce the carbon footprint of vehicles by 20% by 2020.” One of the unknown issues is whether the target will be based on 2005 or 2007 figures. And he also expects electrically powered systems for coolers and condensers, and waste heat recovery.

Every change will also require added training at a shop level.

“You really must follow the OEM recommendations,” Lindley says. “There are no generics on this. You really need to follow the book.”

This year alone, smart devices that have traditionally talked over the older j1587 databus are migrating to the quicker j1939 standard. “You’re not going to get all the engine information you used to get,” Menig says, noting how diagnostics will be affected. In the newest vehicles, however, a central gateway will be used to collect messages from the j1939 bus and put them on the j1587 datalink.

And he expects more in the way of dedicated links for gauges, or from one engine control to the next, some of which will run at baud rates that are 50 to 100 times faster than the data links being replaced.

“There are lots of ideas about what the future holds,” he adds, asking for a quick show of hands from people in the audience who own noise-cancelling headphones. (Plenty of hands went up throughout the crowd.)

An option such as a vibration cancelling seat is not too farfetched, he suggested.

The electronic evolution shows no sign of stopping.

MT

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4.25%

InsidetheNumbers

4.25%

Historical penetration of detention surcharges – road & rail % of shippers

Economic recovery

40%

has set in and it is

2004

30%

better than expected.

2005 2006

20%

The IMF has revised

2007 2008

10%

2009

its expectation for

0%

global growth upward

LTL

TL

RAIL

% of shippers reporting increase in fuel surcharge by mode – 2008 vs 2009

to 4.25% for 2010,

25%

Intermodal

which may mean excess

Air

capacity in the transport

91%

26% 30%

Marine

sector may be removed

87% 29%

Courier

thought.

90%

22%

Rail

faster than initially

93%

96%

25%

TL Trucking

96%

28%

LTL Trucking 0%

20%

2009 2008

95%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

Penetration of surcharges reported by shippers in 2009 by mode SURCHARGE TYPE

LTL

TL

COURIER

RAIL

MARINE

AIR

INTERMODAL

Fuel surcharge

98%

98%

94%

87%

81%

91%

87%

Currency surcharge

7%

7%

6%

5%

33%

15%

4%

Detention surcharge

15%

23%

4%

27%

34%

7%

28%

Border delay surcharge

8%

12%

1%

4%

5%

4%

2%

Border security surcharge

16%

13%

3%

8%

21%

15%

7%

Other

8%

7%

10%

13%

17%

16%

15%

WHERE DOES THE BUCK REALLY STOP?

For several years during the past decade, carriers from all modes made a concentrated effort to gain back efficiencies lost by wasteful shipping practices such as unnecessary waiting times to load and unload by instituting surcharges. A US study with direct relevance to Canadian trucking found that out of a 35-hour driver work week, 23 hours were spent just waiting to load and unload. It’s no surprise that Canadian motor carriers have been pushing shippers for detention surcharges. And carriers of all modes prior to the recession were keen to pass on other variable costs, such as fuel, to their customers through surcharges. Tight capacity across almost all modes, combined with high energy costs, and high shipment volumes starting in the third quarter of 2004 made for the most significant transportation cost increases since deregulation and surcharges were an important element. The trend lasted into 2006, sometimes with shippers reporting their transportation budgets being millions of dollars above budget while carriers were showing the best profit margins in recent memory. The situation reversed, however, as the North American economy first cooled in 2008 and then moved sharply downwards as the economy headed into recession in 2009, stranding carriers with considerable excess capacity and no bargaining power. With carriers conceding sizeable rate decreases, shippers also began going after surcharges. While the drop in fuel pricing made reduction of fuel surcharge levels inevitable, our research found that many of the gains made on surcharges such as detention were also lost.

38

motortruck

Just when you think you’ve reached your limit,

We say, “Step on it.”

Who says you should put limits on efficiency, safety, compliance or customer service?

Working together with PeopleNet, you can be 33% safer and more compliant* while saving $5,000 per truck** on average. To learn how PeopleNet has helped other fleets perform above and beyond the rest, call 888.346.3486, option 3. Also ask for Blue Paper “Safety: The Trucking Industry’s New Frontier.” *

28.1% fewer vehicle out-of-service events, 32.4% fewer driver out-of-service events and 37.8% fewer moving violations when compared against Canada benchmarks.** Based on PeopleNet Professional Services engagements.

a mobile communications and onboard computing company ©2009 PeopleNet Communications Corporation.