5 Benefits of Having a Truck Optimized GPS on Your Phone

If you are a trucker working hard day and night, it is essential to choose a truck optimized GPS as your navigation tool while getting behind on wheels. The fastest routes navigated by the standard GPS may cause you ending with more time and money unpredictably.

Here is the list of benefits to get a GPS navigation tool that are specially designed for truckers.

• · To Avoid Low Clearance Or Truck-Restriction Routes
• By using the GPS tool that is intended and designed only for truckers, it certainly helps you to avoid the non-friendly truck routes, low clearance or low bridges that could crash your truck trailer.
• · Save Money On Fuel
• NO more feeling headaches of searching for the best deal on fuel. There are bundle of GPS navigation tool provides you the up-to-date and accurate diesel price of nearby fuel stations.
• · Delivery Freights on Time.

The truck specified GPS tool helps you to prevent the traffic congestions. You can plan the route to an unfamiliar destination in advance according to the live weather and traffic conditions provided.

· Save Time
No doubt, you can save your precious time in searching for the nearby Truck POI locations with the truck optimize GPS. Knowing in advance where to pull over your truck, it is definitely beneficial for you.

· Convenience
Within the GPS system, you can easily find the nearby Walmart stores with truck parking, scales, truck washes, hotels and restaurants nearby. It is the most convenience way to find places to fill your stomach and take a nap or relax your mind.

The Truckbubba app is the best companion app for truck drivers in North America. This app is integrated with several different mobile app assistants such as Truck Weigh Station App, Diesel Fuel Locator App, Truck Route Planner, Speedometer, Weather Forecast, etc.

Speedometer feature is a speed limit alert that allows you to adjust the speed limit for highways and cities respectively with no speeding violation.It will automatically warn you with vivid yellow or red value if your truck is over speeding.

Truckbubba app — Truck optimized GPS with speed limit alert is the best matching solution to ensure the safety of the truckers on the road.

Learn more at: www.truckbubba.com

Tire Maintenance: It’s Not Just Checking Tire Pressure

You have built a $3 to $30 million business over one or more generations, and you are making an appropriate profit most years. Do you think about liability? I bet you do, but do you relate that to tire failures and more specifically to catastrophic tire failures? What happens to your business if a worn, damaged tire fails at speed — it doesn’t even have to be high speed — and your driver loses control of your fleet vehicle and it plows into another vehicle?

If one or more of the occupants is a young to middle-aged passenger, especially a working mother or father, your liability skyrockets. I like to call this the $5 million accident. You don’t want to lose your business in the event of one of these failures just because you were lax in making sure that your tires were in good condition. Let’s see what you can do to avoid this type of situation where your tires are concerned.

Learn more at: http://www.worktruckonline.com/channel/safety-accident-management/article/story/2017/11/tire-maintenance-it-s-not-just-checking-tire-pressure.aspx

NBTC - Ready to Tackle Any Repair Job

We have a team of Certified Technicians ready to tackle any repair job. Our Techs enjoy what they do and it shows in their workmanship and pride displayed for the work performed. Give Us a Call and we will be happy to schedule a service appointment for you. Some, but certainly not all, of the repairs we handle include: Engine, Transmission, Cooling System, Heating, Air Conditioning, Brakes, Suspension, Driveability and  Front End Alignments.

NORTH BAY

Truck Center
Home of

A&T Road Service

1245 Illinois Street
Fairfield, CA 94533

707-427-1386

Hours:

Monday-Friday

7:30am to 5:30pm

Saturday

8:00am to 5:00pm

WORK LIGHTINGTrilliant® Cube LED Work Lights

Designed with a high lumen per watt rating, the Trilliant Cube provides high quality light that fits where other lights just won’t work.

Grote’s sleek, rugged design with superior LED electronic circuitry outperforms lights twice its size and weight. Quality electronic components and advanced Grote circuit design provides electronically quiet operation, consistent light output, and protection from voltage spikes and electromagnetic interference. Premium LEDs produce white light that reduces eye fatigue and operator stress. Rugged design withstands heavy vibration, corrosion, moisture, and dust.

Learn more at: http://www.grote.com/family/trilliant-cube-led-work-lamp/?prodcat=work-lighting

Find Your Trailer Parts at NBTC!

Tour of the Trailer Parts inventory at North Bay Truck Center

NORTH BAY

Truck Center
Home of

A&T Road Service
1245 Illinois Street
Fairfield, CA 94533707-427-1386

http://www.northbaytruckcenter.com

5 Steps To Buying A Big Rig

When you decide to buy a truck there are some simple steps you can take to be sure you get the best bang for your buck. If you go into a truck purchase blindly, you are likely to pay too much and get much less than you hoped for.

1. Shop Around.

Truck dealers can only advertise in their own region. A truck dealership in Ohio is not allowed to advertise in California. But dealerships are allowed to sell trucks to customers in other regions if the customer contacts them. As you travel, grab some truck papers from different regions of the country and consider contacting dealers that are far from you. If you already know what make of truck you want, call around to dealers around the country.

2. Compare Apples to Apples.

If you are going to be ordering a new truck, ask for a price quote along with the specifications- this will be about 10 pages long. Compare the spec sheets from different dealers line for line. You may find that a salesman who gives you a lower price quote also skimped out on some of the options without mentioning that to you. If you find that a salesman's quote has inferior specs, tell them which ones you want changed and have them resend the specs and quote. ALWAYS read through the specs line by line- don't trust anything verbal. You may have to pay a chunk of change to receive the faxes from all these dealers, but at least you'll know you're comparing prices, not options.

3. Prioritize

If you are shopping for a used truck, it's unlikely that you will be able to find two trucks that are exactly alike. You won't be able to compare apples to apples like you would if you were buying a new truck. Make a list of the specifications that are most important to you. What make and model are you looking for? How old and roughly how many miles? What engine do you want? What transmission? What rears? Once you nail down those requirements, you may have to compromise on some of the options. Power windows, gauge packages, color. Most options can be changed if they are not to your liking. The things that matter most are the things that are permanent, but you will want to consider the less important options once you have narrowed it down to a few trucks.

4. Get a loan from your own bank.

If you have the dealership set up financing, they are likely to add "points" to your interest rate. There is nothing unethical about this- you are, after all, using their resources to secure financing and they should be compensated for the work their employees do. But you need to decide if you are willing to pay the difference over the life of the loan. The bank may give you a 10% interest rate, but the dealer sets it up for 12% and will pocket the difference with each payment you make. Generally, the dealer will not disclose this information. However, you need to be aware that you may be able to secure a lower interest rate on your own. Consider- a difference of 3% will save you hundreds of dollars each month. It's worth it to do the extra legwork on your own.

5. Make sure you can afford the truck.

There are a lot of owner-operator contracts out there. There are many more mediocre owner-operator contracts than there are lucrative ones. Before you take on the risks involved with owning a truck, make sure you have a contract that can pay for it. Will you be pouring every dime you make back into the truck? Calculate the costs of fuel and maintenance and taxes. If you are a company driver, spend a few months putting your records on paper. Look at the bottom line- what will you have left after all your expenses? If you are not yet a driver, you will want to spend a couple of years driving a truck as a company driver before you decide to buy a truck on your own. Don't buy the lie that owner-operators with rates twice as high as company drivers are making twice as much. They may not even be making the same amount once you figure in all the expenses.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Suzanne_Roquemore

6 REASONS OEMS CHOOSE VMAC AIR COMPRESSORS (AIR-ENDS)

VMAC air compressor systems, including the rotary screw air-end component, are known globally for their performance and reliability. VMAC rotary screw compressor systems are custom built to suit a variety of applications and proven to work in the world’s harshest climates. Here are the top 6 reasons distributors for OEMs, like Caterpillar, Cummins, Ford Industrial Engines, John Deere and Lincoln Electric, use VMAC air-ends as their custom rotary screw air compressor solution.

1.       100% DUTY CYCLE
VMAC manufactures custom OEM rotary screw air compressors that can operate at 100% duty cycle, which means the supply of air is continuous. No time is wasted waiting for air, which allows for operators to complete jobs faster and be more productive than if they were using a reciprocating air compressor designed for just 25% duty cycle.

2.       HIGHER OUTPUT THAN RECIPROCATING AIR COMPRESSORS
Rotary screw air compressors offer a steady supply of air flow, resulting in a higher output of air than reciprocating air compressors can produce. VMAC rotary screw air compressors are powerful, and air-end capabilities range from 10-30 CFM, 30-70 CFM, and 70-130 CFM. This makes VMAC the best choice for OEMs with demanding applications.

3.       COMPACT
VMAC air compressors are designed to be compact, with the ability to fit into tight spaces. For many OEMs, space is a major challenge, but VMAC’s compact designs conserve space on any platform, and allow for more room to store other tools and equipment.

4.       LIGHTWEIGHT
In addition to being compact, VMAC compressors (air-ends) are lightweight. The lightweight design makes them ideal for mobile applications, and benefits include improved productivity and fuel economy—your bottom line will thank you.

5.       TECHNICAL SUPPORT
OEMs will be pleased to know that VMAC’s technical support team is available to help by phone, email, and online on the VMAC Knowledgebase. Should any challenges arise, the talented and experienced support team will be available to answer your questions, and get you back to work faster.

6.       CUSTOMIZABLE
VMAC rotary screw compressor systems can be designed to your exact specifications, allowing for a completely customizable solution. VMAC’s OEM team will work closely with your design team to ensure your customized air compressor system is exactly what you need for your industrial engine application.

VMAC OEM CUSTOM SOLUTIONS
VMAC custom air compressor solutions provide OEMs with high performing and reliable rotary screw compressors, designed specifically for your unique application. VMAC air compressors (air-ends) produce from 10-130 CFM at 100% duty cycle, and the air compressors are compact, lightweight, and customizable. Each system is backed by a superior technical support team.

Learn more about VMAC OEM, including applications, capabilities, and mounting kits. In addition, you can also browse VMAC air compressor components, including air compressors (air-ends), air oil separator tanks and oil coolers.

Contact the OEM team by calling 1-888-514-6656, or contact the OEM team online.

Best Practices For Truck Repair And Increased Mileage

Truck repair is avoidable to an extent. If you regularly service and maintain your truck you can avoid truck repair and the associated tension and loss while enjoying the benefits of increased mileage. You are practically spending more than half of the time you are awake in the truck and it is with you passively helping you, making your livelihood. It's working doubly hard as you do, five days a week, all day, in stop-and-go traffic, in the heat, cold, rain, snow, ice, etc., It's high time you stop and pay it back or it's going to leave you stranded.

Truck repair is essentially a demanding expense in your business. As long as you have the owner's manual it is going to come handy telling you categorically when to take it for a service maintenance. In its absence how often should you change fluids, check brakes, etc.? Unfortunately, there is not a single answer. There are several variables to consider - the climatic condition your truck is subjected to, the fuel used, the age of your truck, etc., and of course its type.

Another crucial question is how often you are taking care of its service maintenance. Are you doing it yourself or having it done by a technician? Either way, you will have to be proactive in keeping a time log in terms of the service maintenance frequency.

Preventive Maintenance

The adage "prevention is better than cure" will apply squarely for your truck maintenance.

Best Practice Daily Checks

• Regardless of the age and type of the truck you are running, many of the basics are the same. Make it a habit to do a visual check of your truck. This is just to make sure it's clean and sparkling.

• Next, you should do a basic safety check by checking the lights (including hazards), tire condition and air pressure. It is crucial to check fluid levels daily, engine oil, power steering fluid, brake fluid, and transmission fluid. Get your brake line inspected, spark plugs inspected and filters replaced regularly. These can warn you about bigger repair problems beforehand.

• Look underneath your high-mileage truck for signs of fluid leaks, they shouldn't be ignored. If left unattended to they can turn into expensive truck repair jobs.

• Listen for unusual sounds, such as thumps, bangs or pings. These could be warning signs that your truck needs serious attention. Keeping track of any new noises and info on when they started may help your mechanic to diagnose the problem.

Best Practices for increased mileage

• Tire pressure is critical! It is a proven fact that you can improve your gas mileage by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. This will also ward off unexpected flats and blowouts.

• Performing regular tune-ups on you truck will keep your truck's engine running at top speed.

• Stick to a certain mechanic who knows the history of your truck.

• Another most important system to the "health" of your engine is the lubrication system; clean oil in your truck is like healthy blood in a human body so change it every three months.

Therefore, it is better to learn how to maintain your high-mileage truck to keep repair bills at a minimum and enjoy increased mileage. The concept is quite simple - maintain the truck before it becomes too late and breaks down. Remember, a stitch in time saves nine. Regular truck maintenance multiplies profits and reduces truck repair instances.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gary_Alen

We will Service Your Motorhome at North Bay Truck Center

North Bay Truck Center is becoming the go-to place for motor home chassis work. That is because if you take the shell off of a motor home--take the body off of it--let’s say, for example, a diesel pusher. It’s really a bus chassis. It’s really built by the truck and bus chassis manufacturers. Many that built the motor home chassis also built big trucks, and Freightliner is an example. For us, if we’re under the motor home or we’re looking into the engine compartment, we’re really looking at the same picture as we are if we’re looking on a Class 6, 7 or 8 truck. We are well versed on the platforms of engines that they use. Primarily, they use Cummins or Caterpillar engines on some of the older ones. For the diesel pushers, we’re very well versed on those engines. We have the computer software to plug into them. We’re familiar with the Allison transmissions that are most all of them use. The braking systems on a lot of them are air brakes, similar to that of a Class 6 through 8 truck. They also have suspension components that are shared. They use air ride suspension on the front axle a lot of times, which is found on the newest class 6 through 8 trucks. We’re very familiar with the chassis of the diesel pushers. North Bay is also going to be able to look up maintenance schedules on those as well. Motor homes generally will come with all manuals in a big binder referring to your refrigerator, your heating system, air conditioning. If your vehicle is new, you should have the Cummins manual for the engine and in the case of the Freightliner chassis, a Freightliner chassis manual with maintenance intervals for that chassis as well as the engine. Again, we can help look those things up if you don’t have the manuals available. On the diesel pushers, we have a facility large enough to bring the biggest unit into the shop. Even a 45-foot 3-axle diesel pusher can fit inside our shop and be kept under cover. If it does require to be outside for a time, we have surveillance cameras outside our shop and you can rest assured that our facility is locked down and that the cameras are working 24/7. We're also very familiar with the smaller coaches that are built on a gasoline or light-duty diesel chassis such as Ford or Chevrolet or GMC, or even the Sprinter chassis. Again, these are truck chassis or cutaway van chassis that we work on every day. We service almost anything related to the truck chassis part of the motor home, including, axle bearings, tires, the rear differential, transmission, steering components, including the air conditioning on the chassis. We do not work on the roof mounted air, but we can help direct you to who can help with that, and other internal aspects of the motor home. Everything to do with what makes it go down the road and stop, we can take care of for you.  Tires on motor homes can easily develop flat spots from sitting too long, and the air and UV rays deteriorate tires over time whether they are being used or not. We can help with tires because we sell tires for all trucks and buses and can balance and install them so that your coach rides smooth again and is perfectly safe in your travels. North Bay recently purchased six Mohawk pedestal lifts that will allow us to lift the largest diesel pusher up in the air outside of our facility to facilitate faster and more efficient repairs. Our goal is to get you back on the road on your travels very quickly, and insure that the repairs are done right. You can count on us with your motor home.

The Transportation Sector’s Near Zero Emission Future is Dawning

The U.S. transportation market continues to innovate with the proliferation of near zero emission technologies. These advancements, combined with advancements from the electric vehicle sector, will continue to push the transportation market towards a cleaner future.

Near zero emission technology advancements will play an extremely important role in the achievement of nearly every major public policy having to do with transportation, air quality, and energy. Tackling emissions from the transportation sector are a necessity considering that more than 50% of Americans are exposed to unhealthy air, putting them at greater risk for asthma, lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, and premature death. In areas with the most severe air quality problems, achieving healthy air quality will require a transition of heavy-duty vehicles to ones that emit zero or near-zero emissions.

Tomorrow’s Engine Technology Available Today
In recent months, we have seen headline after headline announcing new ultra-clean vehicle technology.

Advanced clean heavy-duty vehicles are geared up to transform the nation’s fleet.

Most recently, Greenkraft Inc., a California-based manufacturer of alternative fuel systems and trucks,  certified its 8 liter V8 fuel-injected engine at a NOx emissions standard of 0.02 g/bhp-hr, which is 90% cleaner than the current emissions standard set by the California Air Resources Board. The engine works with three different fuel types – compressed natural gas (CNG), propane autogas (LPG), and gasoline. This is the first engine to be certified at near-zero NOx emissions on three different fuels. Greenkraft offers the engine as a standalone product or in one of Greenkraft’s heavy-duty commercial trucks.

Earlier this year, Michigan-based ROUSH CleanTech certified its 6.8 liter V10 propane engine to 0.05 g/bhp-hr, which is 75% cleaner than the current emissions standard. These engines are now being installed in Type C Blue Bird Vision school buses and Class 4 to Class 7 Ford commercial trucks and step vans. According to Blue Bird, their propane school bus is the industry leader for lowest total cost of ownership and hassle-free maintenance, while creating a cleaner and safer environment.

Back in 2015, Cummins Westport started this ultra-clean engine trend with a certification of an 8.9 liter engine to 0.02 g/bhp-hr, referred to as the ISL G Near Zero. In addition to the dramatic 90% reduction in NOx compared to even the cleanest of engines, the near zero emission Cummins Westport engine features Closed Crankcase Ventilation (CCV) capable of reducing engine related methane emissions by 70%. The company expects to certify a 12 liter version of their near zero emission engine in 2018, the ISX12N, and a 6 liter product, the B6.7N, soon thereafter.

Advanced Technologies on the Horizon
While near-zero emission technologies may be further down the path of commercial maturity, the market momentum for medium- and heavy-duty electric-drive technologies has continued to grow as evidenced by the recent onslaught of headlines from OEMs that are developing and commercializing products in response to increasing market demand in California and beyond.

Daimler, Mitsubishi Fuso, Navistar, and Peterbilt unveiled electric products in recent months. Companies like ADOMANI, BYD, and Motiv offer electric powertrains for several medium- and heavy-duty commercial applications. Tesla recently unveiled a battery-electric Class 8 long-haul truck. Start-up Nikola Motor Co. is developing a hydrogen fuel cell electric powertrain for long haul trucks, and Toyota Motor Co. recently unveiled a working prototype fuel cell drayage truck.

Creating Markets to Support a Zero and Near Zero Emission Future     
These engine technologies are becoming a reality, but to incite their widespread deployment, supporting markets and economics must be created. Fortunately, the timing is perfect – Volkswagen’s $2.925 billion in clean transportation funding looms close as states expect to open their first rounds of funding in 2018. As these funds must be used to deliver cost-effective NOx reductions, near-zero and zero emission engine technologies pose a viable solution to a future with cleaner air.

The combination of commercial availability from major OEMs, diverse technology options, environmental benefits, and the response from local regulations, advanced clean heavy-duty vehicles are geared up to transform the nation’s fleet.

Happy New Year!

Wishing you healthy, peaceful and joyful New Year full of fun!