There are valid arguments on both sides of the right to repair issue.

There, I said it.

Customers, that is end users, need a choice in their service decisions. This is a fundamental supply-demand principle. The independent channel’s role in supplying parts and service work is historically significant and is often the first choice for truckers.

The vibrancy and profitability of that channel is testament to the fact that it is an outlet customers need and rely on to meet their own bottom-line obligations. Perhaps it is a less-expensive option than OE dealer service, or perhaps the quality of the work and the business relationship makes it worth continuing.

Regardless, from a market-dynamics standpoint, you are a fundamental spoke on the larger wheel, but your voice is a whisper or an echo, unless you speak up now. Now

The Cummins ComfortGuard is the first diesel-fueled auxiliary power unit to be verified as compliant with the California Air Resources Board’s anti-idling regulations, Cummins announced Tuesday night on the eve of the Mid-America Trucking Show.

CARB rules require that any diesel APU used on a truck with a 2007 or newer diesel engine be approved by the agency.

Cummins has sought CARB approval of its ComfortGuard system in two different configurations: a stand-alone particulate filter on the ComfortGuard APU and a Cummins engine installation kit to route the ComfortGuard diesel exhaust gas into the Cummins Particulate Filter. So far, CARB has verified only the integrated kit for the ISX engine, but Cummins hopes to have approval for the stand-alone option soon. The company plans to begin production of both options by the end of June.

Cummins ComfortGuard APUs feature a two-cylinder low-emissions diesel engine and either a regenerative DPF or an exhaust adapter kit for use with 2007 Cummins ISX engines. Equipped with a Cummins alternator, the APU produces 4,000 watts at 120 volts, 60 Hz AC. It also produces up to 40 amps at 12 volts DC for charging the truck’s batteries and powering lights and fans. Cummins estimates an 18-month payback period for the ComfortGuard APU.

“Cummins is the only manufacturer with experience in the design and production of all the components in an APU – diesel engines, diesel exhaust aftertreatment systems, alternators and controls,” said Shawn Wasson, APU business leader for Cummins.

In other news, Cummins announced it had produced a driver training DVD and an audio CD to familiarize customers with its on-highway engines. The CD and DVD address such issues as fuel economy, Load-Based Speed Control and Gear-Down Protection and the Cummins aftertreatment system.

Clevite

MAHLE Clevite has been involved the Heavy Duty aftermarket now for over 50 years and offers a wide range of replacement parts for Heavy Duty engines found in Agriculture, Construction, Trucking, Marine and Oil Field operations.

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Fontaine PartSource

Fontaine Trailer Company builds the best flatbed and lowbed trailers in the world. And now Fontaine PartSource brings that kind of quality and dedication in an aftermarket trailer parts supplier. No “knock- offs” or counterfeit parts; only original equipment design and quality, which will keep your trailers on the road and protect your investment.

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DX(R)10 with DuraStrong technology, a new steel-backed bearing material from GGB, is designed to extend the life and reduce maintenance costs of Class 7 and Class 8 heavy-duty truck kingpins.

The new bearings are designed to function well in greased or oiled conditions with high loads, temperatures and contamination, which makes them suitable for replacing rolling-element, bimetal or bronze bearings to improve wear performance, says the company. In addition to kingpins, potential applications include piston pimps, agricultural and construction equipment, lifts and cranes, automotive oil pumps and small reciprocating bearings.

Brenntag North America, a urea distributor based in Reading, Pa., announced plans to deliver the additive to truckers running Selective Catalytic Reduction engines in 2010.

Brenntag already has more than 120 locations across the United States and Canada able to make local deliveries, but more locations will have be built once the 2010 engines come into service, the company said.

Initial supplies of urea – also known as diesel emissions fluid or DEF — are expected to come to most trucks in 2.5-gallon jugs, enough to get an SCR-powered trucker 600 to 700 miles. Eventually, large above- or below-ground tanks of urea could become a common sight at truck stops, said Alan Smith, Brenntag North America business development manager.

Discussions with truck stop chains are under way, Smith said.

“This is a moneymaker for truck stops in Europe, where urea sells for about $2.80 U.S. per gallon,” Smith said. “They do better with it than with diesel fuel.” The parent company of Brenntag North America is based in Mulheim, Germany.

“The rule of thumb is that DEF in America should cost maybe three-quarters of the price of diesel fuel, but that is very speculative at this time,” Smith said.

Brenntag North America also plans to offer “scalable solutions” to fleets of various sizes, Smith said.

“We are applying our experience and knowledge to successfully launch a customer friendly package to manufacturers and fleet operators of SCR trucks,” said Chet Murphy, vice president of market development at Brenntag. “While North American operations have different challenges than in Europe, we don’t see any of these challenges as show stoppers.”

“We helped build the infrastructure to deliver DEF to trucks in Europe, and we want to do the same thing here,” Smith said.

Full production of Peterbilt’s medium-duty hybrids will begin this summer at its manufacturing facility in Ste. Therese, Quebec, the company announced.

Peterbilt’s Model 330 and Model 335 both feature Eaton Hybrid Power. In urban driving, the Model 330 provides up to a 30 percent improvement in fuel economy over traditional diesel trucks, said Landon Sproull, Peterbilt’s chief engineer. The Model 335 achieves 60 percent better fuel economy when configured for utility applications.

Both models are eligible for federal tax credits. The maximum $12,000 credit for Class 7 hybrids is available for the Model 335 in both utility-boom and pickup-and-delivery applications. A $6,000 credit, the maximum for Class 6 hybrids, is available for the Model 330.

Peterbilt also announced its plan for full production of the hybrid Model 320 Hydraulic Launch Assist vehicle in the fourth quarter of 2008. The low-cab-forward vehicle, for vocational stop-and-go applications such as refuse collection, uses technology developed by Eaton exclusively for Paccar. The system captures the truck’s kinetic energy during braking to assist in launching and acceleration. Besides a significant improvement in fuel economy, the technology has the potential to cut necessary brake realignments in half, Peterbilt said.

Other Peterbilt announcements included:

· A new proprietary front air leaf suspension, which offers a 20 percent improvement in ride, while maintaining the roll stiffness and handling performance of a taperleaf suspension. It will be available on Peterbilt Models 384, 386, 388 and 389 in July with full production in fall 2008.

· Peterbilt’s partnership with Cummins Westport to develop a natural gas version of its Model 386 for Wal-Mart. The units will feature the Cummins ISX engine rated at 400 to 450 horsepower and will meet 2008 EPA and CARB emission levels for soot and nitrous oxides.

· The Peterbilt ComfortClass system will be available in 63-inch sleeper configurations beginning in June. A combination of batteries and a thermal storage cooler, ComfortClass provides heating, cooling and 110-volt electrical power without running the engine for up to 10 hours.

· A new dash featuring an enhanced ergonomic instrumentation layout, enhanced visibility and Peterbilt navigation functionality will be available for all medium-duty models in July.

Kenworth revealed new front and rear suspensions for its heavy- and medium-duty truck models at the 2008 Mid-America Trucking Show.

The AG130 is a front axle air spring suspension. The AG400L is a tandem rear suspension using a trailing arm design. The AG210L single-axle rear suspension is for Kenworth’s Class 6 and Class 7 conventionals.

The AG130 features a four-bag air spring configuration, compared to the typical two. “Four air bags help reduce road inputs and vibration to provide the best riding suspension we’ve ever offered. Drivers will definitely feel the difference,” said Mike Dozier, Kenworth chief engineer. “Roll stiffness is also improved to provide better handling and road feel.”

Lighter by 20 pounds than traditional 12,000-lb. taperleaf front-end suspensions, the disc-brake compatible AG130 will be available in 12,000- and 13,200-lb. ratings for the Kenworth T660, T800 and T2000 Class 8 models.

“We designed and tested the AG130 to handle the high torque braking demands of disc brakes,” Dozier said. “The new suspension system is a perfect spec to improve ride and performance for long-haul applications.”

The disc brake-compatible AG400L is a 40,000-lb. highway rear suspension system for Kenworth T660, T800, T2000 and W900 Class 8 models. The four-bag suspension supports fifth wheel heights as low as 42 inches, has fewer parts and eliminates axle seat welding. The AG210L, a two-bag version of the AG400L, is a 21,000-lb. rear suspension for the Kenworth T370 and T270.

Kenworth also announced a new driver information center on its Class 8 models that provides instant trip access information for miles per gallon, engine and idle hours, idle percentage and optimum rpm range. A “sweet spot indicator” offers visual cues when the optimum rpm is reached, while a bar graph displays current mpg against trip average mpg.

Additionally, Kenworth revealed a new dash for the T2000 model tractor that’s more ergonomic and visually appealing and is easier to service as well. A new speedometer and tachometer cluster features large, 2-inch diameter gauges with chrome bezels, an engine hour meter, odometer, trip odometer and outside temperature gauge. “The new dash design makes it much easier to check gauges and warning lights with LED back-lighting in the face plate and pointers while dash rocker switches contain LED indicator lights,” Dozier said.

The system is supported by the Kenworth Electronic Service Analyst, a computerized diagnostics tool that enables technicians to quickly troubleshoot dashboard electronics.

In other news, Kenworth announced:

· Its Clean Power no-idle system will become a factory-installed option for new W900s and T800s equipped with the 72-inch AeroCab sleeper. Among the system’s benefits are Kenworth warranty coverage and full compliance with California Air Resources Board idling regulations that went into effect Jan. 1 for sleeper trucks with 2007 and later model engines. Kenworth Clean Power uses dedicated, advanced deep-cycle batteries that power a thermal storage cooler with 21,000 BTUs of cooling capacity. The system has the capability to provide engine-off cooling and heating, plus 120-volt power for hotel loads.

· It has introduced new finish trim accents for cabs and sleepers on its Class 8 and medium-duty conventional models. The new seat insert material, Marathon, includes a stain-resistant treatment and will be available as the standard for Kenworth’s Air-Cushion Plus, Air-Cushion Premium Plus and Steel Tool Box Plus proprietary seats, and for sofa beds in Kenworth’s 86-inch AeroCab and 72-inch AeroCab Aerodyne sleepers. Kenworth will incorporate new wood finish trim accents, Trust Walnut, on the instrument panel, header, doors and sleeper cabinets on Diamond and Diamond VIT interiors.

· It will begin full production of medium-duty, diesel-electric hybrid trucks this summer. Kenworth offers the fuel-efficient hybrid option on its new T270 Class 6 and T370 Class 7 conventional models. Kenworth’s goal is to enhance fuel economy by up to 30 percent in pickup-and-delivery applications and up to 50 percent in utility operations.

· An expansion of its production plant in Chillicothe, Ohio, has added 105,000 square feet to the facility, increasing build capacity by 50 percent. The plant, Kenworth’s largest, has produced more than 300,000 trucks since it was opened in 1974.

The American Trucking Associations on March 24, urged President Bush to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in an attempt to break the current run-up in crude oil prices before they further constrain the U.S. economy.

In a letter to Bush, ATA President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Graves cautioned that skyrocketing diesel prices will magnify the current economic slowdown and delay an economic recovery. Graves advocated for the Bush administration to implement policies that will ensure a steady, affordable supply of oil for the nation’s 3.5 million truck drivers and all American consumers.

“We are very concerned that out-of-control energy prices will greatly magnify our current economic slowdown and delay our economic recovery,” Graves says. “If households have to spend their forthcoming tax rebate checks on energy, the stimulus will be significantly limited. The more consumers spend on fuel, the less they have to spend on other goods or services.”

The trucking industry is on a pace to spend an unprecedented $135 billion on diesel fuel this year, $22 billion more than a year earlier.

Clevite

MAHLE Clevite has been involved the Heavy Duty aftermarket now for over 50 years and offers a wide range of replacement parts for Heavy Duty engines found in Agriculture, Construction, Trucking, Marine and Oil Field operations.

Click Here for more information about Clevite!

Fontaine PartSource

Fontaine Trailer Company builds the best flatbed and lowbed trailers in the world. And now Fontaine PartSource brings that kind of quality and dedication in an aftermarket trailer parts supplier. No “knock- offs” or counterfeit parts; only original equipment design and quality, which will keep your trailers on the road and protect your investment.

Click Here for more information about Fontaine!

TMD Friction has begun production at its new location in Caransebes, Romania, increasing its production capacity by 20 million to approximately 270 million units per year.

Opening a Romanian facility is part of TMD Friction’s expansion strategy into the Eastern European markets. Initially, the Caransebes plant will produce brake friction parts for the international replacement part market. Production of brake friction parts for original equipment is scheduled to commence in 2009, says the company.

“The production plant in Caransebes will contribute towards strengthening our position in a very promising market region,” said Derek Whitworth, CEO of TMD Friction.

Romania is considered a growing player in the automotive industry. New vehicle sales in Romania show an increase of about 26 percent compared to the previous year.

“In 2007, almost 5.8 million light vehicles have been produced in Central and Eastern Europe and the forecast for 2010 sees a growth of approximately 30 percent in this sector. The production increase for commercial vehicles will be even higher. With the new plant in Romania, TMD Friction will take part in this economical success story,” said Whitworth.