People In The News
Following are personnel changes that recently occurred in the trucking industry:
- Rick Kempski joined Webb Wheel as vice president, marketing. The company also announced that Fred Brown was named director of fleet business.
- Horton Inc. appointed Tom Kleich to the position of sales team manager.
- Grote Industries promoted Matt Forner to director of aftermarket sales.
- Mark Iasiello has been promoted to vice president, member development for the Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association (HDMA).
Collision Avoidance System with Active Braking Available
Meritor WABCO Control Systems introduced OnGuard, a new technology designed to further improve commercial vehicle safety.
OnGuard is a forward-looking, radar-based adaptive cruise control system with active braking for commercial vehicles in North America. Active braking improves vehicle safety by automatically using the vehicle’s foundation brakes to alert the driver and decelerate the vehicle when a pre-set vehicle following distance is compromised.
Automatic foundation brake intervention distinguishes OnGuard from existing passive collision warning systems, which can only alert the driver to a potentially dangerous situation through an alarm and engine braking. With OnGuard, if the pre-determined “safe” distance is compromised, the system will provide visual and audible warning to the driver, vehicle deceleration through engine control, retarder control and noticeable foundation braking.
Foundation brake deceleration can be as great as one-third of a full brake application for the vehicle but within safe limits for the driver to take control.
OnGuard fully integrates with Meritor WABCO’s anti-lock braking and stability control systems.
The systems forward-looking mono-pulse radar sensor is capable of detecting multiple moving and fixed objects at distances up to 500 feet away. It coordinates responses from the engine, transmission and anti-lock braking systems through communications across the SAE J1939 data network.
Volvo, Mack Offer Free Shipping for Emergency Parts Orders
New programs from Mack Trucks and Volvo Trucks North America eliminate freight charges in most cases for shipments of emergency replacement parts from parts distribution centers. The new programs took effect in the United States in mid-January and become effective in Canada at the end of March.
According to the announcement, if a part is not available at a Volvo or Mack dealership, but is available within their respective PDC networks, it will be shipped overnight to the dealer at no cost to the customer. In addition, parts can be ordered after hours and received the next day or ordered on Saturdays for Monday delivery, all with no freight charge. Oversized parts weighing more than 150 pounds are shipped via less-than-truckload carrier, again with no freight charges to the customer.
“Volvo’s goal is to have better than 90 percent over-the-counter parts availability at its dealers,” says Joy Johnson, director of parts support for Volvo. “If the part is not at the dealer, but is in our industry-leading PDC network, it will be shipped overnight with no freight charge for the customer.”
“Mack customers have the right to expect our dealers to have in stock the same genuine parts used to assemble their trucks,” says Chris Gossler, director of parts sales for Mack. “This program eliminates customer freight costs associated with getting an emergency part, on the off chance the part is not in stock.”
Cummins Extends ISX Agreement With Volvo
Cummins Inc. and Volvo Trucks North America announced that they have extended the agreement for the availability of the Cummins ISX engine in Volvo VN trucks.
“We’re pleased to build on our partnership with Volvo Trucks North America and offer the 2010 ISX heavy-duty engine in the VN truck lineup,” says Jim Kelly, Cummins president, engine business.
Dates Set for National Automotive Service Professionals Week
The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) has declared June 9-15, 2008, as National Automotive Service Professionals Week.
Building on the success of Automotive Service Professionals Day, ASE launched National Automotive Service Professionals Week in 2005 to honor the commitment and dedication of automotive, truck and collision technicians, along with parts specialists and other support professionals.
“Twenty-five states, the District of Columbia and Broward County, Fla., issued proclamations honoring National Automotive Service Professionals Week in 2006,” said Trish Serratore, ASE senior vice president. “We will once again push to have all 50 states recognize the outstanding work done by automotive professionals across the nation in 2008.”
ASE will provide a form letter and enlist the aid of local shop owners in each state to petition their respective governors to mark this week.
For more information, visit ASE’s Web site at www.ase.com.
AxleTech International Renews Long-term Reman Agreement
AxleTech International signed an exclusive long-term agreement with Oshkosh Truck Corporation. The five-year deal strengthens the company’s position as a supplier of remanufactured (RESET) axles for the fleet of Oshkosh Truck Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET) and Palletized Loading System (PLS) tactical trucks used by the U.S. armed services.
The five-year agreement is expected to generate an average of $7 million in annual revenue. AxleTech’s HET and PLS remanufactured axle business generated almost $9 million in sales in 2007.
Cummins Announces Availability of Clean Idle Certified Engines
Cummins Inc. has made available Clean Idle Certified on-highway engines that meet the new California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) idle reduction regulation. The Cummins full lineup of on-highway engines, including the ISX, ISM, ISL, ISC and ISB, are available to meet this new regulation by generating less than 30-g/hour NOx emissions at idle.
Effective immediately, Cummins customers now can specify a 50-state Clean Idle Certified engine option when ordering a new vehicle. Customers also have the option, through their Cummins distributor, for updating existing 2007 engines to meet the regulations.
Cummins also offers other available electronic engine features, such as a programmable idle shutdown timer. Together, these features help reduce a customer’s idle time and fuel consumption, according to the company.
VIPAR Launches Equipment Network
VIPAR Heavy Duty announced a new division – the VHD Equipment Network – that the company says will “focus on the $9 billion North American commercial vehicle equipment market that represents over 1700 companies that distribute, install, buy, sell and repair truck-mounted equipment.”
According to VIPAR President and CEO Steve Crowley, “The synergies that exist between the commercial vehicle parts market and the commercial vehicle equipment market present many opportunities for VIPAR Heavy Duty, our existing stockholders, supplier partners and new equipment members. These synergies make it practical to deliver our value-added propositions in program management, technology, business services, marketing, communications and more to the leading vehicle equipment distributors.”
Clarification
In the “Tech Updates” section of January’s Truck Parts & Service magazine, an item regarding a change in the pivot bolt on Hendrickson trailer suspensions requires clarification. The change does not apply to lift axle suspensions from Hendrickson Auxiliary Axle Systems and truck suspensions from Hendrickson Truck Systems Group.
Hendrickson Trailer Suspension Systems implemented an upgrade to all trailer suspension models (Intraax, Vantraax and HT) equipped with the Quick-Align pivot connection, including aftermarket kits. The revision replaces a hex-head, shear-type bolt with a round-head, shear-type bolt.
However, lift axle suspensions and truck suspensions continue to be fitted with hex-head bolts.
