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October 2014 Volume 25, Issue 10
They are the champs: A western team took top honours at the national driving championships.
Page 36
TFWP changes explained: There have been important changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
Page 32
Dash cam dilemma: Are dash cams allowed at the border? It may depend on which way you’re heading.
Page 26
Page 9
Western Canada’s Trucking Newspaper Since 1989
Platooning: We report on what it’s like to travel in a truck platoon. Is this the future of trucking?
trucknews.com
Edmonton has trucks in its crosshairs By Jim Bray
Western Star has introduced a new aerodynamic highway tractor that retains the brand’s unique styling.
Shooting for the stars
Reach us at our Western Canada news bureau
By James Menzies
PM40069240
Contact Jim Bray at: jim@transportationmedia.ca or call 403-453-5558
pg 01, 11-13, 29-30 tn oct v3.indd 1
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The trucking industry has gotten its first look at the Western Star 5700XE, the truck that inspired Hollywood. The new aerodynamic highway tractor was used as inspiration for the Optimus Prime character in the popular Transformers movie that debuted this summer. Optimus Prime appeared at industry events and trade shows, attracting large crowds and probably leading many to believe that Western Star took its design cues from Hollywood. In fact, it was the other way around; the design of the 5700 was well underway when Hollywood came calling. So enamoured with the new model were the movie’s producers that they retained much of the 5700’s real-life design when bringing Optimus Prime to life. The 5700XE is a gorgeous truck, that retains Western Star’s distinctive look while improving fuel economy by as much as 15% compared to the 4900FE, which was until now the most fuel-efficient vehicle in Western Star’s stable. It looks markedly different than currently available aerodynamic tractors, yet can compete with them head-to-head when it comes to fuel economy. About 7% of the fuel savings come from improved aerodynamics and further gains are possible by spec’ing an integrated Detroit
Careers: 24, 25, 26, 27, 28
powertrain, including the DD15 engine, DT12 automated manual transmission and Detroit axles with a ratio of 2.41 in a 6x4 configuration. Mike Jackson, general manager of Western Star, said the time is right to bring out an aerodynamic highway model, since even the most traditional-minded customers are indicating they plan to purchase more fuel-efficient trucks. The ‘full-aero’ segment makes up some 65% of the Class 8 tractor market and Western Star realized it needed to play in that sandbox if it was to gain share. “Image is still important but at the end of the day, customers are saying ‘I’m here to make money.’ We looked at those trends and we’re here today to step into that market for the first time,” Jackson said. “With us having been a traditional model and having a partial-aero model, we were clearly self-imposing some limitations on our growth opportunities. We recognized that, and that’s when we went to the drawing board.” The 5700 has been in development since 2009, in recent years running under disguise near Portland, where the truck has accumulated some 2.5 million customer equivalent durability miles. While sales of aerodynamically-designed highway tractors have been brisk
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EDMONTON, Alta. – Truckers in Edmonton may have to keep a closer eye over their shoulders if a plan being considered by city hall goes into effect in the near future. That’s because the city is looking at hiring more enforcement officers to help combat such trucking sins as taking shortcuts through neighbourhoods, emitting excess noise and pollution, and damaging roads via heavy or overweight vehicles and lost unsecured loads. This microscope onto the trucking world was proposed first in late 2013 by now-retired Edmonton Councillor Linda Sloan, who requested the city look at finding potential solutions to the perceived problems outlined above. The city subsequently came back with a report offering solutions ranging from a relatively cost-free redeployment of existing enforcement assets to a multi-hundred thousand dollar expansion of enforcement capabilities to increase the number of truck inspections from approximately 200 per year to about 3,000. A third option recommended that the city spend $50,000 on an education campaign aimed at truckers. According to Edmonton Ward 9 Councillor Bryan Anderson, the report spurred by Sloan’s suggestion claimed that $10 million a year could be saved on road wear and tear by ensuring truckers follow the rules of the road and don’t take shortcuts, a figure he said made him sit up and take notice – as well as to wonder why this information is only coming to light now. “My comment was that if this is a fact,” Anderson told Truck West, “then why haven’t you brought this to council’s attention and said you’re going to invest whatever the amount of money is required to step up enforcement?” Of the recommendations cited, the “Rolls Royce” version would see the city hire five more peace officers at an estimated cost of $600,000 annually, costs city bureaucrats estimate will be ameliorated by some $250,000 in new fines assessed to errant truckers, making the total cost to taxpayers $350,000 a year. That might sound like a lot of money to ordinary human beings, but not, apparently, to Edmonton’s Council. “It seemed to make eminent sense that if there is $10 million a year to Continued on page 11
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