The Making of an American Truck | Exceptional Engineering

Exceptional Engineering: The Making of an American Truck
The Swedish automotive group Volvo has been producing trucks for the North American market since the late 1970s. Every ten minutes, a new truck rolls off the assembly line, with a tailor-made production line equipped to cater to individual customer requirements. More than 500 color tones are available for the cab paint job alone. After just one day in assembly, the new trucks are ready to roll on public highways throughout the United States provided they have successfully completed a test drive on the factory track.

New GROTE Vehicle Lighting Systems Reference Guide

Our newest Vehicle Lighting Systems Reference Guide is designed to function as a fully illustrated technical reference tool for your vehicle lighting systems. Showcasing over 3,300 products - it has never been easier to select the right product for your vehicle needs or application.

Safe Fleet’s Predictive Stop Arm™ (PSA) Detects an Average of 4-6 Daily Illegal Passbys Per Bus

Safe Fleet’s Predictive Stop Arm™ (PSA) Detects an Average of 4-6 Daily Illegal Passbys Per Bus

Illegal passbys are a common cause of school bus-related accidents

• Safe Fleet customers pleased with successful deployment of patents-pending PSA pilot, will continue to deploy on school buses
• First-to-market Smart Safety Solutions™ aims to proactively keep students out of harm’s way through the use of radar technology and predictive analytics
• Live demonstration of the Smart Safety Solutions at the Annual National Association for Pupil Transportation Conference and Trade Show (NAPT) in Columbus, Ohio on Nov. 4, 2019

BELTON, Missouri November 4^th, 2019 (7:00 AM ET) – Safe Fleet, a leading global provider of safety solutions for fleet vehicles, is pleased to announce the successful completion of the Predictive Stop Arm™ (PSA) pilots deployed in 30 school buses across North America. After this successful pilot phase, Safe Fleet customers have committed to continue to use the school bus safety technology on their school buses.

Safe Fleet has developed Advanced Technology for the Danger Zone to address school bus safety. The Danger Zone is the area extending 15 feet to the front, rear and sides of the bus that poses the highest risk to children of being hit by passing vehicles or their own bus.

The PSA is a first-to-market, patents-pending solution using radar technology and predictive analytics, to monitor oncoming vehicle traffic for probable stop arm violations. The technology helps to further increase safety in the Danger Zone by aiming to notify the bus driver and the students that it may not be safe to cross the street – before an accident occurs.

Safe Fleet’s Right-Hand Danger Zone (RHDZ) technology solution focuses on the right-hand side of the bus, where students are at risk of being caught in the bus doors, wheel wells, or struck by the departing bus. Making use of advanced video analytics, the solution detects students and their movements within a definable right-hand danger zone area and provides notification of potential danger to drivers before a potential accident occurs. One of the solution’s key defining characteristics is that it is not just detecting motion, but rather intelligently identifying objects and the threat they or the bus poses during and shortly after departure.

Safe Fleet will host live demonstrations of the new and innovative Smart Safety Solutions at the Annual National Association for Pupil Transportation Conference and Trade Show (NAPT) in Columbus, Ohio. The demonstrations will be held outside the west side connector of the Greater Columbus Convention Center on November 4, 2019 from 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM  ET.

John Knox, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Safe Fleet, states, “The launch of our Smart Safety Solutions marks a significant milestone achievement for us this year. Children are unfortunately still being injured in accidents that could be prevented, and our solutions aims to save lives. Close calls shouldn’t happen and can be avoided with technology like the PSA and the RHDZ. Our goal is to pave the way towards a future where there will be a continuous decline in number of child fatalities in school transportation-related crashes through advancements in technology.”

George Sontag, Transportation Supervisor at Worthington Public Schools, a local school district in Columbus, Ohio, states: “We are proud to partner with Safe Fleet to pilot the PSA solution that takes a proactive approach to increase school bus safety. With the technology they provided, our children are safer and protected against tragic school transportation incidents.”

Safe Fleet expects to launch the PSA across many more districts in the coming year.

About Safe Fleet

Safe Fleet has a vision to reduce preventable deaths and injuries in and around fleet vehicles with a goal of ZERO accidents.  To that end, Safe Fleet’s best-of-breed smart solutions form an integrated safety platform for fleets of every type – School Bus, Transit Bus, Fire, EMS, Law Enforcement, Work Truck, Truck and Trailer, Construction, Agriculture, Waste & Recycling, Industrial and Military.

With our broad portfolio of market-leading safety solutions, 1,600 employees, and 14 manufacturing locations across North America, also serving Europe, Asia and the rest of the globe, Safe Fleet continues to innovate and deliver the smart solutions that fleets will need to survive and thrive in a changing world – and ensure that drivers, passengers, first responders, in-the-field workers, and pedestrians arrive home safely.

At Safe Fleet, we’re Driving Safety Forward.™

For more information about Safe Fleet and its portfolio of brands, please visit www.safefleet.net.

For further information, please contact:

Irene Lo
Magnolia Communications
irene@magnoliamc.com
604.306.1015

First flight of DC-3 RC 1/8 scale

To see more visit: http://rcsturla.com.  Video of interior here: https://youtu.be/3n79Ip0LEQ4?t=20
This is a beautiful RC model of DC-3 / C-47 in.  Flugfélag Íslands (Air Iceland) operated DC-3´s from 1946-1972 in this color scheme.
The builder of this model is Sturla Snorrason.  See his work on the DC-3 here: http://rcsturla.com.  Email: sturlasnorrason@gmail.com.
Here is Sturla´s description:
"This model is more than a simple piece of shiny real aluminum work. It's in perfect 1/8 scale, nose, engine house, tail, length and wings are all in 1/8 scale. It has the right airflow for all the steering's so it has realistic flight. It was made by my own design, as all other designs I found out there were out of scale on some parts, and as a big enthusiast of this plane that wasn't simply good enough for me. It was an incredible experience to see it take it's first flight back in 2014, it took total of fifteen flights.  Since then the aluminum has been polished and it's interior decorated. I've spent over 1500 hours on making the model and around half that time went on the aluminum alone. Now it's fully finished and ready to fly again".
He has also made a 1/8 scale PBY Catalina.  He is selling blueprints and custom made landing gear.   The song is "The Engagement" by Silent Partner.  I got it from the YouTube library non copyrighted.
Avião de controle remoto gigante Source: Extreme Aviation Iceland

Baldwin Filters | Construction – It’s In Our Blood

A little dirt never hurt anyone. But a little dirt can destroy your engine. When the days are long and the season is short, you don’t have time for a breakdown. We have the filters where and when you need them. CONSTRUCTION – IT’S IN OUR BLOOD

U.S. Suspends Truck-Driving Limits to Speed Coronavirus Shipments

U.S. highway-safety regulators are suspending rules that limit daily driving hours for truck drivers moving emergency supplies such as medical equipment, hand sanitizer and food in response to the nationwide coronavirus outbreak, The Wall Street Journal's Jennifer Smith writes. The Transportation Department's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced the nationwide exemption late Friday, following President Trump's declaration of a national emergency over the pandemic. Reference Link SPX SPY Read more at: https://thefly.com/landingPageNews.php?id=3051749

Quality Semi Trailer Repair Is Paramount To Your Safety And Performance

As a truck driver, you know the importance of doing your pre-trip inspection thoroughly on both your truck and your semi trailer. However, there are times that you just cannot see what is wrong with your trailer until it is too late. From wall damage, frame bending, doglegging and worse, you need a reliable and efficient repairman to fix your trailer problems. As you know, there are many different problems that can arise from a trailer breakdown, from a simple glad hand to a reverse crown that finally snaps. Regardless, you need to get that trailer fixed as soon as possible to get you back on the road. When you are not moving, you are not making money.

With a certified heavy truck mechanic, you can get your Trailer Repaired quickly, to get you back on the road. Even if it is simply a blown tire, you can get it fixed at a shop or on the side of the road, depending on your situation. You need to get it repaired or replaced quickly, but you also want a high quality tire to keep you rolling. Whether you choose a new tire or recap, rest assured that you are getting the best there is. With names like Dunlop, Continental, Goodyear, and others, along with recaps from Goodyear and Bandag, you can get what you want and need in a hurry. If for any reason you have a catastrophic blow out, or one of your super singles goes and you need a new rim, you can get those, too. No matter what your needs for your trailer, you can get it done at a reasonable price.

Maybe you have a winch snap on that old East and need it welded back on. No matter how big or small the welding job, you can get that done too. And not to worry about Smokey, the welding services you can get are just as good as original and are certain to pass even the most rigorous inspection. For fleet owners or just owner operators, you can also get a complete line of preventive maintenance done on your trailer or tractor, whatever you need. From CVA's, tires, welding, Jake adjustment, injectors, turbos and much more, there's no need to spend a fortune to keep your equipment in tip top shape. With onsite preventive maintenance, you can keep your equipment running at its peak and reduce the dire consequences and costs associated from a catastrophic breakdown.

This is just a short list of the many things that you need to protect yourself and your investment from.

However, breakdowns do happen, no matter how careful you are. So, regardless of your needs, whether a simple service to an overhead, a tire to a pigtail, you can get it done and at a reasonable cost. Keep those wheels rolling and keep the money coming in with the best semi truck and trailer services you can find. You work hard to keep your load safe and get it where it needs to be on time. So, hammer down and truck it up with the best repairs and maintenance you can get. Your equipment and your wallet will thank you.

Quality Semi Trailer Repair no matter where you are out on the road at a reasonable price. Truck drivers need certified heavy truck mechanics for Trailer Repair.

 By Staci Mueller 

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

NBTC has the Largest Supply of Trailer Parts in the Area

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

Service for 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.

Ten Keys to Safe City Driving

Ten Keys to Safe City Driving is brought to you by http://bigcitydriver.com. Written and narrated by Ken Skaggs. 

Scenes from TMC 2020: Innovation & efficiency collide

The TMC 2020 has concluded. But the equipment, technology and strategies shared and debated over on the show floor and at meetings have only just begun making their presence felt.

The American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council Annual Meeting for 2020 has concluded. But the equipment, technology and strategies shared and debated over on the show floor, at manufacturers' press conferences and during fleet open discussions have only just begun making their presence felt.

The Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta was bursting with game-changing technology, such as Stoneridge's MirrorEye camera monitor system, which won the 2020 Jim Winsor Memorial Technical Achievement Award for illuminating truck blind spots and making their job safer, eliminating the need for conventional mirrors.

The data streaming out of nearly session was just as impactful, such as the stat "that nearly 80% of fleets do not use any trailer telematics that could help reduce downtime related to their pain points,” revealed by Pat Kealy, trailer sales leader, WABCO North America.

FleetNet America also shared that unplanned roadside maintenance costs increased by 26% in Q4 of 2019 and that roadside repairs now exceed $400 per event.

Put it all together and the picture of what the next decade will look like starts to take shape. Success will be defined by who can leverage data, minimize maintenance and deploy burgeoning tech at the right time—not too early that it isn't cost-effective and not too late that it's old news.

It will take more than a few days to understand how to best do that, but click this  slideshow to at least get a rough outline of the road ahead.