Ron Bloom, senior adviser to the U.S. Treasury department and Obama’s senior counselor for manufacturing policy, led the meeting with truck and engine OEMs, drivers, lease and rental companies, equipment manufacturers and fleet managers. A representative of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association also attended.

New federal emission mandates have increased new truck costs, and combined with the recession, dropped sales more than 60 percent from 2006, coalition members told Bloom. The coalition proposed a short-term 10 percent tax credit buying Class 8 trucks with 2010 engines and a “green voucher” incentive for Class 6 and 7 trucks with 2010 engines.

“Due to the 2010 nitrogen-oxide requirements adding almost 10 percent to the cost of a new truck on top of the strained economy, further stimulus is needed to boost the new truck market,” said Kyle Treadway, American Truck Dealers chairman. “This would help strengthen our manufacturing base, create jobs and further reduce greenhouse gases.”

Navistar spokesman Roy Wiley said Patrick Charbonneau, the company’s vice president of government affairs, urged the administration to help remove emissions barriers in countries other than the European Union that prevent U.S. manufacturers from exporting trucks to these nations.

“Removal of such barriers could create additional jobs in the U.S. not only for OEMs, but for the vast supply base,” Wiley said.

The meeting followed a July 20 letter outlining the proposals to federal officials, including Bloom and the heads of several congressional committees and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

August order activity came in near the monthly average of 13,000 units recorded over the last six months. The figure includes U.S., Canada, Mexico and exports.
 
Eric Starks, FTR president, said, “August net orders for Class 8 vehicles came in about where we expected, very similar to July numbers. We believe for the balance of the year orders will continue to be received at comparable levels. Going forward, a critical point to watch is order activity in October and November, which typically sees a seasonal spike in activity. These months will set the stage for demand in 2011.”
 

The FMCSA placed Hester Inc. out-of-service on June 5, revoked the company’s DOT registration and required it to immediately cease interstate and intrastate transportation operations.

The order resulted from a compliance review of the Fayette, Ala., company, completed on April 5, which revealed serious violations of the agency’s rules and hazardous materials regulations. At that review, Hester was given a proposed unsatisfactory safety rating and allowed 60 days to improve its rating to conditional or satisfactory.

The agency also issued $13,950 in fines against the company for violating federal motor carrier safety regulations, said Candice Tolliver, FMCSA communications director. 

The accident occurred when the 76,660-pound tractor-trailer crossed the Interstate 65 median and struck a 15-passenger van. The 1999 Freightliner hit the 2000 Dodge van, killing the trucker and fatally wounding all but two of the van passengers. 

In a May 14 accident update, the NTSB said the trucker had left Lansing, Mich., about 4 p.m. the previous day and was headed to Cullman, Ala. Investigators said they would try to determine if the driver had violated hours-of-service rules, as the logbook was destroyed in a post-crash fire.

The trucker’s toxicology test did not indicate drugs or alcohol and no medical issues have been indicated that would have caused him to lose control. Investigators did not know if cell phone use was a factor in the accident, only that he had used his phone before the accident.

After a multiple-vehicle median crossover accident killed five people in 2008 on the same stretch, a cable barrier system was installed in 2009 at the edge of the left shoulder of the northbound lanes.

Westbound I-8 will be restricted to one lane through Sept. 17 and one eastbound lane will be closed Sept. 7-10, from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Speed will be reduced to 45 mph. No roadwork will be done over the Labor Day weekend.

Freight tonnage in July increased year over year.

The American Trucking Associations’ advance seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index increased 1.5 percent in July from June. That followed a change in June’s reduction from the previous month to 1.4 percent from 1.6 percent.

Compared with July 2009, SA tonnage climbed 7.4 percent, which matched June’s increase from a year earlier and was the eighth consecutive year-over-year gain. Year-to-date, tonnage is up 6.7 percent compared with the same period in 2009.

ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said July’s data didn’t change his outlook for subdued tonnage growth in the months ahead. “The economy is slowing and truck freight tonnage has essentially gone sideways since April 2010,” he said.

Nevertheless, Costello believes tonnage will post moderate gains, on average, for the second half of the year. “After accounting for the reduction in supply over the last few years, even small gains in tonnage will have a larger impact on the industry than in past,” he said.

The ATA also reported its not seasonally-adjusted index, which represents the change in tonnage actually hauled by fleets before any seasonal adjustment, fell 5 percent in July from June.

More problems were reported with newer model engines than pre-2004 versions. (Photo Bruce W. Smith)

Problem rates for heavy-duty truck engines manufactured with emissions controls implemented in 2004 and 2007 are nearly twice as high, on average, as rates for engines built prior to these emission changes, J.D. Power and Associates announced Sept. 2.
 
The firm’s 2010 U.S. Heavy-Duty Truck Engine and Transmission Study finds that 51 percent of owners of 1-year-old heavy-duty truck engines in 2010 report experiencing a problem. However, prior to the changes in emissions standards mandated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, only 26 percent of owners of 2-year-old truck engines experienced a problem.
 
“Clearly, the emissions requirements have put a burden on engine manufacturers, and the result is that today’s engines—although environmentally improved—are more problematic,” said Todd Markusic, senior director of the commercial vehicle practice at J.D. Power and Associates. “Given the quality issues that arose from the last emission standards redesign in 2007, the new emissions standards in 2010 will no doubt create another challenge for engine manufacturers, but those that best handle the integration of these new standards will have a competitive advantage.”
 
The study also finds that the number of engine problems increases by 55 percent, on average, after 50,000 miles of usage—up to 80.5 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) from 51.9 PP100. As a result, satisfaction with engines decreases by nearly 40 points (on a 1,000-point scale) after 50,000 miles.
 
Now in its 14th year, the study measures customer satisfaction with engines and transmissions in 1-year-old heavy-duty (Class trucks. Engines from Detroit Diesel and Navistar perform particularly well, J.D. Power said in a release.
 
The most-commonly reported engine problems are issues with electronic control module calibration (cited by 14 percent of owners) and exhaust gas recirculation valve (13 percent).
 
The study is based on the responses of 1,682 primary maintainers of one model-year-old heavy-duty trucks. The study was conducted in February and March.

In its latest report, ACT said average used truck prices moved slightly higher, despite a slight rise in average age and miles of sold units.

“The average mileage of used Class 8 trucks sold in July rose above trend due to a higher than average number of older trucks being wholesaled,” said Steve Tam, vice president-commercial vehicle sector with ACT. “Anecdotal evidence suggests a shortage of late model, low mileage equipment. This trend will likely continue for several more months until new truck purchases increase and bring in equipment that sat idle during the economic slowdown,” he added.

The ACT Used Truck database contains approximately 2,500 transactions per month and more than 100,000 used truck transaction over the past decade. The company is working with used vehicle market participants to push the number of reported transactions significantly higher. ACT estimates that approximately 10 percent of used Class 8 transactions are included in the database.

Jason Rivenburg and son.

Two men charged as accessories in the murder of trucker Jason Rivenburg were sentenced in a South Carolina court to 30 days in jail Aug. 30.

Jimmy Haygood, 21, and Willie Reed, 21, can serve the time on weekends. They also were assigned 100 hours of community service and five years probation.

On March 5, 2009, while waiting to make a delivery, New York-based truck driver Jason Rivenburg was murdered at an abandoned gas station and robbed of $7. Willie Pelzer, 22, was convicted of the murder and is serving a life sentence without parole.

Reed and Haygood testified against Pelzer at his trial.

Mentoring from an experienced adviser can help smooth out the rough patches of developing as an owner-operator

Becoming an owner-operator doesn’t come with an instruction manual. Through trial and error you slowly learn the ropes of how to take advantage of your time on the road and grow a profitable business. A mentor, a trusted adviser who knows the industry, can help you avoid mistakes and guide you to better choices in equipment, operations, maintenance and spending.

Kris Hogg operated under his own authority before leasing on a couple months ago to Greatwide Logistics Services. His contractor adviser, 12-year Greatwide veteran Daryl Rodman, has made a difference in his business and life. “Before I was working sun up to sun down, doing my own paperwork and taxes and keeping up with fuel receipts and the like,” Hogg says. “With Greatwide I can put all my receipts in a packet and keep it separated and still have time for my family.”

Greatwide’s two-year-old mentorship program covers budgeting, financial advice and ways to develop as a businessperson. “Our Greatstart owner-operator is going to have some anxiety about being in a new job, in a new routine at a new company,” says Rob Newell, director of capacity management. “Plus, he’s in a new truck and starting a business.”

Terry Redding

Virgil and Briana Bruning became Greatwide owner-operators in May 2009. Full of questions, they turned to ATBS (www.atbsshow.com). The husband-wife team has called for advice countless times on topics from truck purchase to taxes to creating a budget. “Our adviser, Mike Hosted, advised us what we could use for tax deductions and what receipts to keep,” Briana says, “managing our fuel costs and whether we should buy a used truck and what kind to consider.”

ATBS consultant Chris Harrington says the company provides unlimited calling opportunities for its owner-operator clients. “We’ll spend an hour a day with them if they want.”

The firm also monitors operators’ performance and will call those who may be lagging in profit and discuss ways to take more home. If the operator’s fuel spending as a percentage of revenue is too high, a consultant will find out if it’s because of driver habits or something under the hood.

John Christner Trucking chooses its top leased operators to serve as driver mentors as needed. It’s up to the owner-operator if he or she wants mentoring. JCT’s Terry Redding says experienced contractors may need only one conversation to pick up a tip that will help them in their business, while operators just starting may need a few months to understand how to be successful.

“I’ve seen significant changes in drivers who are willing to listen and work with a mentor,” says Laura Watkins, lease purchase/contractor development supervisor at JCT.

Harrington says mentoring can benefit most owner-operators, especially before they make a major business decision. “The industry’s changing,” he says. “There’s always something to learn.”

Greatwide ‘Contractor Advisors’

Greatwide Logistics’ operations staff nominates “top guns” among its owner-operators to be “contractor advisors” at each of its operations centers. The candidates must have at least a year with Greatwide as an independent contractor, though most have three or more years’ experience. “They’re safe, on time, reliable, have a great attitude and are very professional,” says Rob Newell.

Kris Hogg and Daryl Rodman, the latter the former’s “Contractor Advisor” in Greatwide’s mentoring program for new leased owner-operators.

The CA takes the newbie operator under his wing. They pull a load together, go over the specifics of working with the client on a dedicated run and discuss the life of an owner-operator. They might pick up a backhaul, return to the Greatwide distribution center and finish the process.

“After all that, that CA becomes the operator’s long-term mentor and is always available via cell phone or on-site,” Newell says. “This is a fairly common process for company drivers, but it’s fairly unique for owner-operators. You have this type of camaraderie that develops. It’s a great first-time experience for the new folks.”

Newell says the company also maintains its Touch Point program to monitor the owner-operator’s progress early on. Eleven different contacts will be made from Greatwide to the new independent contractor during the first six months. He says the goal is to lessen the discomfort of breaking into a new career with a new company.

“It’s like going to a party and not knowing anybody there,” Newell says. “We want to put our arms around these guys.”

I can’t name my favorite book on running. On a Cold Clear Day: The Buddy Edelin Story might be it. Hal Higdon tells us about Edelin, a great marathon runner during the early ’60s. Edelin trained in England and wrote letters back and forth to his coach in the U.S. We forget the pre-email era. Kathrine Switzer’s Marathon Woman tells Switzer’s story from having the race director at Boston trying to throw her off the course to getting a women’s marathon into the 1984 Olympics. Amby Burfoot’s Runner’s Guide to the Meaning of Life puts running into perspective. Amby’s chapter on heroes is my favorite chapter in any book.

I had the opportunity to ask Amby a few questions recently. Following is our interview.

ME: How does reading help the recreational athlete?

AMBY: I think inspiration is the biggest benefit. You can learn that you are not alone. There are many others facing, and beating, the challenges you encounter.

ME: What type of book to you prefer?

AMBY: When i was young, I wanted to read about other young, fast runners. Now at 64, I prefer scientific articles about the health and medical benefits of regular exercise programs.

ME: What about the Internet?

Amby: The Internet has changed everything for runners. Now there are hundreds of ways for runners to be in touch with each other, share with each other and encourage each other. That’s incredibly helpful.

Learn more about it by reading. Knowledge is power and motivation. Also, be sure to join the Facebook group Truckin’ Runners. It is hard to exercise on the roadJeff Clark is a trucker, a grandfather and an eight-time marathon (26.2 miles) finisher. He is dedicated to helping truckers improve their health through better habits. Contact him at marathontrucker@yahoo.com or http://www.twitter.com/marathontrucker.. Get all the help you can.