Navistar’s New Cruise Control Doubles MPG

Navistar Catalist Advanced Cruise Control System

Navistar on Wednesday announced its SuperTruck demonstration vehicle, CatalIST, achieved a freight efficiency improvement of 104 percent – more than double the 50 percent goal set by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for its SuperTruck program Against a 2009 base line model truck, CatalIST achieved fuel economy of 13 miles per gallon and demonstrated 50.3 percent Brake Thermal Efficiency (BTE) and a path towards 55 percent BTE, Navistar adds. Mark Stasell,…

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GoodYear & TireCo Commercial Tire Recall

GoodYear TireCo Commercial Tire Recall Alert

Today the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced two Commercial Motor Vehicle Tire recalls from GoodYear and TireCo. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. of Akron, OH, is recalling about 1,650 of its G399A LHS tires, size 295/75R22.5 LRG, curing press ID A6L and A6R. The tires were manufactured Jan. 24 to May 28 in Danville, VA, the NHTSA said. Incomplete adhesion may cause tread separation of the tire while it is being used, possibly causing…

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VolksWagen Deal Saves NaviStar from Bankruptcy

Navistar HX Series LoneStar

Four years ago, many believed Navistar was headed towards an almost certain bankruptcy. The truck maker had squandered billions on a diesel engine that didn’t win the approval of the Environmental Protection Agency, in a move insiders likened to “betting on the diesel version of Betamax when the rest of the world is going to VHS.” One of Navistar’s top shareholders, Carl Icahn, would often refer to then-CEO Daniel Ustian as a “crazy…

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ELD Mandate May Cost Fleets 15-20% More

ELD Government Mandate Rules

Large fleets that have adopted electronic logging devices (ELD’s) in recent years learned that productivity dropped, said Todd Amen, president of owner-operator financial services provider ATBS. “You lose 10 to 20 percent of your ability to run miles,” said Amen, on Friday at the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas. Most small fleets and independent owner-operators will wait until late 2017 to comply with the mandate, which takes effect in December…

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Navistar International ProStar Fuse Recall

International Navistar Prostar Commercial Truck Class 8

Navistar, Inc. (Navistar) is recalling certain model year 2014-2017 International ProStar trucks manufactured June 11, 2013, through May 19, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the connection for the cube fuse terminal may break resulting in a total loss of power to the cab and an unexpected engine stall. CONSEQUENCE: An unexpected engine stall can increase the risk of a crash. REMEDY: Navistar will notify owners, and dealers will replace the…

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Kenworth’s New Light Weight T680 Truck

Kenworth T680 Light Weight Class 8 Commercial Truck

Lightweight is the holy grail of most bulk haulers, who can often convert a pound cut from vehicle weight directly to payload, be it grain, gravel, chemicals and food-grade liquids, or building materials. Kenworth recently showed off a T680 sleeper-cab tractor that scaled at 14,200 pounds (not counting fuel), according to hosts at a ride-and-drive event staged at their headquarters plant in Chillicothe, Ohio. As with any lightweight specification, saving…

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