Life on the Road – Trucking News Blog

For those that are interested in the fuel economy on a 2010 KW T660, I took this photo of how fast I generally run, at what RPM and what the truck computer is calculating the MPG’s at – with about a 45K load on the trailer. As you can see, it’s showing 8.3 MPG. That’s an average, of course. If it’s important, I drive exclusively with the cruise on. My last truck, a Freightliner with a small Detroit, I remember was getting, at best, about 6.4 MPG’s. I don’t know how that compares with what you’re driving and/or how you’re driving. A reminder that I have a Cummins 1997 ISX engine with a  Eaton ten speed. I have no clue what the “rears” are or the other “specs” truckers like to argue about, because quite frankly, none of that data would help me do my job any better. I received the truck with about 625 miles on it – it’s been less than a month and the odometer is now at about 12,000 miles. The odometer reading in the photo was from a few days ago.

This is another one of those posts that I’m going to jump all over the place, so as I usually say, please bear with me. The one item that keeps popping up in trucking concerns tolls and States allowing heavier weight trucks on their roads. I’ll discuss that in a second. But first, let me ask you this question – why isn’t there a decent truck stop in the Cleveland OH area? After I delivered in Bedford Heights, I received a preplan for a 5:30pm pick-up in Tallmadge, about 26 miles South. I didn’t want to get back on I-80. And the shipper has arrogant idiots working there and don’t allow ANY truck parking.

The QUALCOM said the stupid shipper “recommends” to go to the Knack Morgan Truck Plaza off I-76, exit 26 Eastbound, exit 25B, Westbound. The truck stop directory shows a Marathon in Akron, again off I-76, exit 26 WESTBOUND, 25B, EASTBOUND. The opposite of what was on the computer. Well, I didn’t see anything at either of those exits. If there was in fact a Morgan anything, it would sure be helpful if they managed to put up a damn sign or two. For all I know the QUALCOM message and the lousy directions were written years ago and NEVER updated.

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Good Sunday all. Are you home and off the road today? Did you attend a Church or Temple ( or Mosque) of your choice? You’ll feel better, trust me. What’s that? You’re hung over, stuck in a futon with someone named Wanda? And you have a tattoo? Well, to each his own. As far as I’m concerned, despite being in sweltering Texarkana TX, in the back of a Texaco station, I have the day off. It’s 34 hour shut-down time. I haven’t had to do that in a long while. It means flatbed freight is truly way up and I might be able to buy that Motorola Droid X soon. And a new GPS. And that new $189 Kindle. And send my mom some money. Holy smokes, I think I’ll go back to bed. But I’m starving and the Subway here is calling out to me. “Oh, Marshall, sweetie, this is your egg white ham and cheese flatbed sandwich calling you, dear heart, come to me – now.” Damn, I can’t resist that. I’ll be back in a few minutes.

That was good. Yummy and healthy. Remember, no chips – go with the yogurt. And NO cookies! The interesting thing is that inside this dump is a “classy” cigar store. It’s closed today, but it looks like it has a good size walk-in humidor. I have no clue what it’s doing here inside a gas station. There are no signs for it outside that I can see, and looking at the “patrons” who fuel here, who go inside for a wiz or to order a sub, well, they don’t like the type to indulge in a fine cee-gar. I used to love a Cuban or two, but I’m sure if I lite up anything near me, I would explode, that being with all the meds I’m using. LOL. So, no cigars for me. There is an awesome black high tech really cool looking travel humidor that would hold 4 Cubans for $19.95. Maybe some other time.

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Navistar International has honored engine parts maker, Elgin Industries, as a Navistar Diamond Supplier, one of 37 companies to earn the commercial vehicle manufacturer’s award for product quality, delivery performance and cost efficiency. As reported at – Truckinginfo.com, the coveted award was presented on July 21, during a ceremony in Naperville, Illinois.

The president of Elgin Industries, Bill Skok, said:”We are thrilled to have earned this important distinction from one of the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers. Diamond Supplier status is a highly respected quality and service benchmark. This honor belongs to every member of our global sourcing, engineering, manufacturing and customer service teams.” Elgin has been a key supplier to Navistar for more than a decade. The company’s OE product portfolio for the commercial vehicle industry includes push rods, king pins and a variety of other fully machined components and systems.

In other exciting trucking news – Steve Sturgess, the Executive Editor along with Tom Berg, Senior Editor of Heavy Duty Trucking (it took two of them? sorry) “reports” that Navistar International’s third-party testing has proved that its ProStar+ tractor with a 2010-legal MaxxForce 13 diesel is more efficient than two major competitors when both fuel and diesel exhaust are counted. You can read all about it here: http://www.truckinginfo.com/epa-2010/news-detail.asp?news_id=71126&news_category_id=61

Well, Life On The Road readers, that’s all for now. Drive safe and watch out for the other guy. And remember, if you’re not rid’n Navistar or read’n Truckinfo.com, you’re not truck’n!

Since it’s been awhile since we have talked about it, I thought I would refresh every one’s memory about the new emissions regulations that will take place in 2010. In other words, the whole SCR Vs. EGR dilemma.  SCR is one of the choices that you have to comply with the new regulations, the other choice is to have an EGR engine that is also emission compliant (like the MaxxForce Advanced EGR).

What the heck are SCR and EGR anyway? SCR stands for Selective Catalytic Reduction and if you own a tractor trailer it may very well be affecting you in 2010. EGR stands for Exhaust Gas Recirculation.  According to a brochure (entitled: The Truth About SCR) that I picked at MATS this year it states: “The SCR process uses a catalytic reaction to convert diesel NOx emissions into benign nitrogen gas and water which are present in the air we breathe. In-Cylinder EGR lowers NOx production by recycling higher levels of exhaust back through the engine to reduce the combustion temperature.” But which one is the right choice?

If you look at the quick facts that are out there about SCR you will find several rather discouraging things about using it. Some are: having to have an “add-on” unit in order to make you truck compliant, the use of urea (DEF which is Diesel Exhaust Fluid which is estimated to cost $2.75/gallon IF you pump it at a truck stop), maintenance involved with the add-on unit, the availability and cost of urea, how the urea will perform in cold weather (it is said that DEF will freeze below 12 degrees at which time the tank will have to be thawed in order for a truck to be operational), and one of the most important things – the added weight of the add-on unit required in order to be compliant.

Now let’s look at the EGR side of things, in particular the MaxxForce Advanced EGR. What are the pros of it? No added weight (no add-on needed), no temperature issues, no extra maintenance required (because you have no add-on), no worry of extra weight added to your truck, no certification is necessary, and no worry about how to store urea (if you have your own business).

The choice is pretty cut and dry, if you have the ability to choose which route to go, I would highly suggest going the EGR route. It just makes sense. You do not want any more weight on your truck than what is absolutely necessary, you definitely do not want the added expense of the urea, the fear of being broke down on the side of the highway because you have ran out of urea or it has frozen (in winter like conditions), and who wants to worry about having to find a Pilot, TA, Love’s, Petro, or Flying J in order to buy the urea.

Instead wouldn’t it be nice to just get in your truck, turn the key, and go? MaxxForce Advanced EGR the way to go for 2010 emissions.

I didn’t know where the holiday originated, so I looked it up on Wikipedia. It says that the first Labor Day here in the US was celebrated back on September 5th 1882 in NYC. After workers were killed by US Army soldiers and US Marshals during the 1894 Pullman Strike – the President at the time – Grover Cleveland – put reconciliation with labor as a top political priority. Fearing further conflict, legislation declaring Labor Day a national holiday was spearheaded through Congress – it passed unanimously – and was signed into law six days after the end of the strike. FYI – the Pullman strike involved violent disputes between the unions and the railroads.

So now you know where Labor Day began. Fast forward to 2009. I just drove the 600 miles from wherever I was to just West of Jacksonville. I’m tired. Including myself, there was a lot of trucks on the road. Obviously “we” didn’t have the day off like the stock market, Federal government employees and of course, the sales, safety and operations people who work for the carriers. They’re home, “we’re” not.

For the record, as of today, there are 15 million people unemployed in the US. The percentage is almost at 10%, the highest level in years. Last month, the economy bled 250,000 jobs. Foreclosures – not from the ranks of adjustable mortgages or where people got homes for no money down – but from conventional mortgage holders. Somehow, we – I should say – greedy businessmen are going to have to start hiring 125,000 folks a month in order to stop that percentage from rising higher. Listening to the Labor Secretary on the radio today, telling people to go back to school – take advantage of the “many” government programs available and get “other” jobs only caused my stomach to turn. After she added that Pell Grants are easily obtainable as I try – and I’m employed – to come up with $900 to pay my son’s college tuition because we can’t get a loan – well, I thought here’s another rich Obama “official” living in liberal fantasy land.

Also, one year ago today – Labor Day – the government took over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Combined they hold over 5 1/2 trillion dollars in mortgages. They were given a $100 billion dollar bailout. One year later, credit is extremely tight whether you run a trucking company, an airline or small manufacturing concern. While the Obama Administration continues to oversee these two entities, they have offered no strategy as to how to successfully manage them. We’ll have to wait until February, when they say they will have some sort of plan. Meanwhile companies continue to go bankrupt and eliminate jobs because they cannot obtain credit.

Today, by the way, is the biggest home improvement day of the year. Yes, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Ace Hardware, Wal-Mart, Target and the rest were open. Their employees celebrate the holiday by working. Today more people “dig-out” their Christmas lights than at any other time of the year. No I’m not kidding. And please permit me a senior moment – when I was a kid – nothing was open. Back then there was also talk of a 4 day work week someday. Computers were going to make our lives so much easier. The way things are going, I don’t think our kids will be celebrating this holiday – not so much a holiday – in future years. There is no talk of working less – just more – and for less money than you probably earned five years ago. If you lucky enough to have the day off, enjoy it.

Photo credit: http://www.oldcitypics.com/images/empire-state-workers-1930.jpg

A new International LoneStar is the flagship truck pulling a specialized classroom trailer for Continental Truck Tire’s The Untamed Innovation Tour.

I spoke to the driver of the Lonestar and got this impression of the truck and what he’s doing on the tour. On the tour website the last update is in June and only mentions three stops. James assures me he’s kept extremely busy. Click on the pictures to get the larger versions.

James: As for the tour we have been very busy since mid March, you stated the last update was June, since then we have been covering the West and Northwest,  (Stockton to Portland and then Denver) Now here we are in August and we have been east to Pittsburg, North Carolina and South Carolina, just left Dallas truck show Aug 23 heading north to Wisconsin then Toronto and Upstate New york, and that gets us into September.

California Air Resources Board has announced the International and MaxxForce 2010 engines have met the strict CARB requirements for 2010 using the MaxxForce Advanced EGR System. Navistar is the only engine manufacturer who chose to meet the 2010 emissions with the in-cylinder solution instead of the SCR solution.

When the SCR method of meeting the EPA guidelines first came out most every truck owner and driver’s thoughts was something along the lines of, “SCR is insanely stupid”. Who is going to want a truck that has so much extra weight, maintenance and driver involvement as the SCR liquid Urea system has? Not to mention the extra cost and infrastructure that’s not built yet.

I was relieved to hear that there was an alternative and it will even work in the strict California guidelines where some APU’s aren’t allowed to run because they don’t meet the emission standards of California.

The SCR engineers say they have better fuel mileage, but with more weight for the system, plus the weight of a full Urea tank, more parts to go wrong and more hassle, it may be a little bit more, but at what price? I think the EGR folks will be ahead in the end.

This is really good news for truck buyers in 2010, there will be a clear choice in truck motors, those that make the driver deal with an insanely stupid idea of filling the Urea tank almost as often as the diesel tanks or the engines that allow the drivers to drive and don’t require additional driver or mechanic training, to me the choice is clear.

Thank you EPA and especially the California EPA for making the motor makers jump through unrealistic hoops the last several years. Thanks to Navistar and their MaxxForce motors for not making the truck owners and drivers jump through any more hoops.

For excellant video information about SCR and EGR technologies and how they work visit http://Maxxforce.com/2010 and let us know which technology you want in your truck?

I wanted to share this link with you so you can check out some pretty cool stuff about the LoneStar Harley Edition.

This page has everything from pictures of the truck, to specs on the truck, even a code to get the background on your cell phone. There is also a screen saver and wallpapers available for you computer; as well as, videos, and a brochure on the truck.

An example of the specs:

Wheelbase: 6 x 4 = 234″ to 270″ Fuel Tank:Dual under cab 150 gal tanks, 26″ – polished* & non-polished aluminum 2009

Dual BOX 150 gal tanks – 26″ – polished and non-polished

Thanks for all of those who participated in the survey that I had posted. I really appreciate everyone’s efforts and input on the answers that were given. I am only going to post the answers to the truck questions as at this point and time I feel that the other answers were more of a need to know basis. I am also only going to give the answers that were actually used (percentages).

What type of reader are you?

Driver: 80%

Transportation Worker: 10%

Transportation Industry Family Member: 10%

What brought you here today?

Curious about the site: 20%

Avid reader: 60%

Surfed the Internet and Found the Site: 20%

If you are a driver, what kind of truck do you drive?

Kenworth: 40%

International: 20%

Peterbilt: 5%

Bus: 5%

F650: 5%

Freightliner: 5%

Not a driver: 20%

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I mentioned it before and here it is! This is just a GENERAL survey to see how this is going to go.  Let me repeat that, a GENERAL survey. This means that the survey is about general things.

This particular survey is a little about trucks and a little about the this site. It’s not very hard to fill out. There are a few multiple choice questions and then there are some fill in the blank questions.

You can voice your opinion about a few things and let us know what you like in a truck. What could it hurt?

The survey will be up for a week. But is open to the first 100 participants. I thought I would start small. So please, if you would be so kind, take the time to fill it out and give us a little feedback and let us know what you like!

There will be another post once all the results are in letting you know what everyone likes the best (or doesn’t like) about trucks.

Feel free to pass it on to your friends! Just click the link below:
Click Here to take survey