December 2012 Volume 32, Issue 12 Delivering daily news to Canada’s trucking industry at www.trucknews.com
Sixty feet of
Walmart Canada’s ‘supercube’ trailer improves productivity by 30%. So, why isn’t the industry celebrating its arrival?
controversy By Julia Kuzeljevich, Carolyn Gruske & James Menzies
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – On Nov. 6, Walmart Canada took the wraps off a radical new tractor-trailer design it says increases cubic capacity by roughly 30%. The ‘supercube’ trailer was designed and built in Ontario, in partnership with Innovative Trailer Design. The trailer itself is 60.5 feet long, 7.5-ft. longer than the industry standard. A lowered floor and 126-inch interior increases trailer capacity by 28%, offering 5,100 cu.-ft. of storage, and a drome box mounted to the back of the cab adds another 521 cu.-ft. of carrying capacity. The trailer is pulled by a Freightliner cabover.
The tractor-trailer doesn’t exceed existing length or weight restrictions. Andy Ellis, senior vice-president, supply chain and logistics for Walmart Canada, introduced the design to stakeholders at the 2012 Transportation Sustainability Conference. “The conference provided us with a chance to showcase the supercube trailer not only with supply chain and transportation professionals, but also with other retailers,” Ellis said. “We’ve always said that sustainability is not a competitive advantage. We’ll share the knowledge and technology put into this truck with anyone who’s interested, just
Get used to slow economic growth, CIBC economist tells OTA delegates By James Menzies TORONTO, Ont. – Canadian consumers have been gorging on debt like it’s a Thanksgiving feast, and now it’s time for the after dinner nap. That was how Emanuella Enenajor, economist with CIBC World Markets characterized Canadian consumer activity when addressing the Ontario Trucking Association’s 86th annual convention. She issued some alarms about the rising debt of Canadian households, but those warnings were tempered with some positive indicators as well, mostly out of the US. While Canadian consumers have been feasting, Enenajor said Americans have been on a diet and are just now allowing themselves to “snack,” by opening their wallets. The housing market is slowly recovering, the auto sector is regaining some of its pre-recession shine and consumer confidence is improving, Enenajor said of the US. Still, she said the forecast is for continued slow
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Inside This Issue...
• Changing times: Have drug and alcohol testing practices kept up with the times, including the legal use of marijuana and the increasing prevalence of designer drugs? Page 30
• Summit for success:
The 2012 Surface Transportation Summit brought together more than 200 leading carrier and shipper executives. We have the full report. Pages 32-42
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• Focus on natural gas: Comprehensive coverage of the Natural Gas Fleet Vehicles North American Congress.
Pages 44-49
• Collision Course: Mark gets that helpless feeling when police
See pgs. 44-49
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