NVIDIA invests in trucking tech start-up in China

NVIDIA Invests in Chinese Autonomous Truck Start-UpObtains 3 Stake

Nvidia, a technology company, is the latest investor in the trucking tech start-up business. The graphics chipmaker has invested in TuSimple, a Chinese start-up that develops technology for autonomous long-distance freight delivery. The technology is a combination of various computer vision algorithms, radars, and mapping technology. The millimeter radar allows vehicles to sense distances of up to 200 meters from it.

TMW Systems introduces trip planning tool

Ray West (Seth Clevenger/Transport Topics)

TMW Systems, a company that develops enterprise management software, has developed a trip planning tool that can calculate the estimated time of arrival (ETA) by taking into account factors such as the vehicle position, the driver's hours of service status and the traffic patterns. The tool also sends color coded signals to warn drivers of potential service failures.

Over the air software systems to be the next big thing in trucking

The trucking industry has been witnessing some major changes in terms of automation and digitization. Now the industry is trying to develop a software technology that can wirelessly tune a network of computers to control the vehicle's operations. Soon trucks will be able to download over-the-air (OTA) enhancements without a mechanic. By 2023, nearly 20 million vehicles will be able to download updates into their core electronic unit that runs every component of the truck. Trucks can be tuned without even having to take it out of the driveway. This could save a huge amount of money.

Start-up aims to resolve problems associated with freight industry

In August 2016, a group of three entrepreneurs launched a start-up FreightBro to address issues related to logistics. Most companies do not receive information on the availability of transport resources nor is there any real-time analysis of the logistics supply chain.

Replacing human drivers with technology may actually be more difficult than it seems

Tesla is all set to unveil the much-talked about electric 18-wheeler next month. While such a truck is an achievement in itself, the CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk, wants to add the self-driving feature to it as well. The company plans to discuss the possibility of testing an automated truck across the borders of Nevada and California with the authorities.

Fleetmatics Helps Customers Meet Driver Compliance Requirements Ahead of the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) Mandate

BOSTON and DUBLIN -- Customers such as R&M Trucking and United Global Logistics (UGL) rely on software from Fleetmatics, a Verizon Company to keep their drivers compliant with the impending Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate.

PeopleNet Reveals Fleet Tech Developments at User Conference

PeopleNet announced several fleet-focused technology developments at this year’s in.sight User Conference + Expo put on by TMW and PeopleNet, involving electronic logging devices, data analysis, hardware, and video intelligence.
PeopleNet announced a collaboration to develop an ELD compliance solution with fellow Trimble company ISE, an engineering and systems firm. PeopleNet plans to integrate ISE Fleet Services’ eFleetSuite compliance applications into its existing solution, PeopleNet’s eDriver Logs, which automates hours of service.

Canadian research group takes part in testing for truck platooning systems

PIT Group, a branch of FPInnovations has partnered with companies like Volvo to explore the potential of platooning in the North American trucking industry. FPInnovations is a Canadian company that aims to improve fleet maintenance and operations in the North American Transportation industry.

Tesla to begin testing on self-driving semi-truck

Image Source: Teslarati

Tesla will soon begin the testing phase of its new self-driving semi-truck. The electric semi-truck will be launched in September and production will be in full swing within two years.

ATA launches online tool to help carriers comply with federal rules for food transportation

The American Trucking Associations' Agricultural and Food Transporters Conference and the American Frozen Food Institute have developed an online tool to help truckers to comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act.

3 things to know about the ELD mandate

The electronic logging device (ELD) mandate has been a subject of much debate, and the recent proposal by a member of the congress to delay the mandate by two years has been causing some confusion among carriers.

Daimler introduces redesigned model of the Cascadia

2018 Freightliner Cascadia. (Photo: Jerry HIrsch/Trucks.com)

Daimler has unveiled the 2018 Freightliner Cascadia, a redesign of the semi truck introduced in 2007. The latest model has unique features such as a sleek aerodynamic design and a one piece windshield.

Trucking company incorporates solar power system in fleet

The trucking industry is paying serious attention to the environment. This is precisely why Mesilla Valley Transportation, a locally owned transportation fleet, has purchased nearly 1,000 solar power systems for its fleet.

Meritor Looks to Electrified Future

Meritor, in the midst of a three-year push to unveil 20 significant new products as part of its growth strategy, is also looking to a not-so-distant future where electrification will be a major factor in commercial trucks.

HCSS launches eLog solutions to assist construction companies to comply with ELD mandate

The electronic logging device (ELD) mandate will come into effect three months from now on December 18, 2017. Software companies are investing in ELDs since it is the most promising means of generating a sizeable income this year.

J.J. Keller and Donlen partner to offer more accurate, transparent and flexible ELD solution

Photo: J.J Keller

Donlen, a fleet management company has partnered with J.J. Keller, a consulting firm has partnered to launch an electronic logging device (ELD) solution that is fully compliant with the ELD mandate. The partnership will allow Donlen's customers to access a relatively simple and flexible ELD solution.

Cummins Launches Smartphone-Based ELD Solution

Cummins has launched a new fleet software company called Zed Connect and announced its first product, Zed ELD – a smartphone based electronic logging solution.
Zed ELD is designed to be a simple and low-cost electronic logging device solution aimed at small- and mid-sized fleets looking to meet the upcoming ELD mandate. The plug-and-play solution includes such features as ELD, visual inspection reporting, and commercial routing.

Uber is making its trucking app work more like Apple Music

Uber is expanding Uber Freight, the app that matches independent truckers with shipping companies. The app, which Uber launched back in May, will now start featuring short, medium, and long-haul routes in major markets like California, the Carolinas, Arizona, and the Chicago-Midwest region, according to Uber.

Business management solution gives lumber company competitve edge

In Florida, the Kimal Lumber Company has incorporated a business management solution in their trucks to improve efficiency. The software, BisTrack, launched by Epicor, a software company, is designed to increase efficiency and is oriented towards lumber and building material dealers.

VisTracks Announces Support for Pacific Track ELD Device

LISLE, Ill.--VisTracks, Inc., provider of the industry-leading family of FMCSA-certified Hours of Service (HOS), DVIR, and IFTA applications, has announced support for ELD hardware provider Pacific Track’s ELD device. This support is in addition to several other devices currently support by VisTracks. The addition of Pacific Track allows VisTracks’ resellers to obtain a high quality ELD product for their customers at an attractive price. VisTracks has passed all the requisite certification tests with this device and has certified to the FMCSA with posting on their website.

Trucking industry becomes hub for investors as tech start-ups vow to transform industry

The rush to digitize trucking is leading up to massive investments in trucking tech start-ups, not to mention the buzz over self-driving technology. Add to it the number of electronic logging devices (ELD) being launched in the market and you have a tremendous amount being invested in the automation of the trucking industry.

FourKites partners with 3GTMS on freight tracking

Logistics software provider FourKites Inc. has partnered with transportation management solution (TMS) vendor 3GTMS Inc. in a move the firms say could provide real-time visibility for third-party logistics providers (3PLs) and shippers.
Chicago-based FourKites says its technology gathers shipment status information and location from global positioning system (GPS) beacons, electronic logging device (ELD) units, and driver cell phones. Aligning that data with 3GTMS' software platform will provide users with precision tracking capabilities that could allow them to manage or prevent freight shipping exceptions, according to 3GTMS.

Week in Geek podcast: From truck stops to elite dating, what’s next in technology

The League dating app held its Seattle launch party at the Olympic Rooftop Pavilion. (GeekWire Photo / Taylor Soper)

GeekWire reporters explored the frontiers of technology in some unusual locations this week — visiting a truck stop in North Bend, Wash., to learn about the future of logistics and transportation; riding along with a police officer enforcing the state’s new distracted driving law; and attending an elite party thrown by a technology-powered dating service that uses a highly-selective admissions-based model to screen potential users.

Roundtable conference held on July 24 discusses future of ADAS in trucking

HDT Equipment Editor Jim Park addresses the panel at the NSC and NTSB's roundtable discussion on ADAS. Photo: Stephane Babcock

On July 24, 2017, stakeholders of the trucking industry, leaders in driver assistance technology, original equipment manufacturers, media, and insurers attended a roundtable conference hosted by the National Safety Council and the National Transportation Safety Board.

Truck tech start-ups raise $478 million from January to July this year

The trucking industry is on the verge of a technological revolution with investors lining up to grab their share of the $700 billion a year industry. Trucking tech start ups are raking in funds from trucking oriented marketplace platforms, fleet management solutions, onboard monitoring and tracking, and trucking-focused ERP.

On-demand trucking app Convoy doesn’t want to be the ‘Uber for trucking’ anymore

When it launched in 2015, the Seattle-based truck technology company Convoy aptly described itself as the “Uber for trucking.” Like the ride-hail service, Convoy built an app to match trucking companies with shippers that need to move freight. And after all, Uber had showed no interest in the $700 billion trucking industry at that time, so Convoy obviously felt safe in making that claim.

Gorilla Safety offers ELD in Spanish

Fleet management systems provider Gorilla Safety announced that its Electronic Logging Device (ELD) product is now available in Spanish.

Embark raises $15 million with launch of self-driving truck

Earlier this year, Embark, a software company had launched a technology that enables trucks to drive without human touch from one exit to the other on the freeway. The company raised $15 million as a result.

Trucking Industry Debates How Advanced Tech Can Reduce Crashes

Truck manufacturers, regulators and technology firms are increasingly looking to advanced technology like driver assistance systems to improve truck safety.
But the viewpoint isn’t universal.
Proponents believe that widespread use of the technology will help slow the increase in traffic deaths, but skeptics raise concerns about regulation, training and data privacy.

Uber's going big into trucking business, and nowhere bigger than Texas

One of the biggest technology disruptors when it comes to shuttling people is now trying to transform the way goods are moved around the country.
This spring, Uber launched Uber Freight, an app that matches truck drivers with loads of goods to pick up and deliver. Texas played a key role in the San Francisco-based tech giant's inroads. Routes between Dallas, Houston and San Antonio served as its test ground before the app's launch.

Comdata launches new app to help truckers manage funds

Comdata has some exciting news for truckers. The integrated financial services company recently launched The Comchek Mobile app to assist truckers in receiving pay advances and settlements, pay lumpers and more.

3 ways technology is being used to monitor and reduce driver fatigue.

Image Source: www.fatiguescience.com

Choosing to be a professional driver is no easy deal. A commercial truck weighs up to 80,000 pounds. Not to mention that truck drivers are out on the road for almost 300 days a year and driving for most part of the day. Handling a heavy vehicle like a truck can be extremely tiring and drivers need to be on full alert while on duty.

Maven Machines releases new ELD solution

Maven Machines announced a new line of products, the Smartsense IoT platform, to “transform” the company into a full Fleet Management System (FMS) vendor and new entrant to ELD compliance.

Tech Talk: Intel Sees Self-Driving Future As Disruptive

Back in early June, Intel and Strategy Analytics released a comprehensive study of the self-driving industry, predicting that this segment will be worth $7 trillion by 2050, and with the tech giant’s recent moves in the field, its long-term business strategy is slowly forming itself, revealing massive ambitions that are to be expected of a Fortune 500 company.

This self-driving truck has no room for a human driver — literally

Most experts believe the first industry to be upended by autonomous driving will be the trucking sector. What better use case for driverless technology than long-haul trucking where most of the driving is confined to the highway? The Swedish startup Einride certainly buys into this vision. It recently unveiled a prototype of a self-driving truck that completely lacks a steering wheel, pedals, a windshield, and, well, the whole cab really.
The all-electric T-pod is much shorter than your average traditional tractor trailer, clocking in at just 23 feet long, which is likely due to the absence of the cabin. Einride says the T-pod will weigh 20 tons at full load, which is comparable to a Class 8 truck.

The right technology plus the right driver: A winning combination

In order for a fleet to achieve its fuel economy goals it needs the right combination of technologies and driver engagement.
And while some technology — like automated transmissions — lessens the impact of the driver on the fuel economy equation, the actions of the drivers still matter.

Keynote: Future may be automated trucks combining tech, drivers

HIGH POINT — While driverless cars and trucks get lots of press, the future — at least in the near term — is more likely to be automated trucks that combine drivers and varying levels of technology aimed at supplementing or augmenting the driver’s role.

Trucking becoming more digitized every day

The cornerstone of the trucking industry – the truck – is undergoing an all-encompassing “recalibration” of how it performs the key role of hauling freight in the U.S. and around the world.

Transport’s coming upheaval

If you were given a penny for every minute people spent commuting in an average year, you’d have a stack that was 1,433,400 miles high. That’s enough to stretch to the moon and back three times.

Doft partners with VHI Transport

Silicon Valley startup Doft announced its formal partnership with U.S. trucking company, VHI. Doft, an IT company, noted it is developing what it calls a “disruptive on-demand technology for the U.S. trucking industry which instantly matches freight shippers and truck drivers with the help of a mobile app.

Is FourKites Tracking Technology a Game Changer for Small Trucking Companies?

The bigger trucking companies like UPS and FedEx employ expensive and sophisticated tracking technology to pinpoint where a package is at any point in its journey. Retailers like Amazon have added two-day shipping and real-time tracking to heighten consumer expectations.

Trucking: A ‘poster child’ or ‘problem child’ for automation?

MONTREAL, QUE. Is the heavy trucking industry the poster child for automation or the problem child? It’s a question that moderator Peter Sweatman, a co-founding principal at CAVita, posed to a panel of transportation experts discussing platooning and autonomous trucking here at Michelin’s Movin’On Conference on sustainable mobility.

Next Trucking Announces New App, Online Fright Shipping Platform

Next Trucking has announced its new mobile app and online on-demand freight shipping platform, designed to streamline international shipping logistics demands.

CN investing $500 million in technology with eye on driverless truck threat

MONTREAL -- Canadian National Railway says it will spend $500 million over the next five years on technology to improve its safety, efficiency and competitive edge, partly in response to the potential threat posed by driverless trucks.

Blue Ink Technology Launches ELD Solution

Blue Ink Technology has announced that it is offering an electronic logging device solution with a smart device app, online portal, and device that plugs into a truck’s diagnostic port.

BlackBerry hopes to ride truck tech to further growth

A visit to trucking firm Titanium Transportation helps explain why BlackBerry’s stock is once again a darling in Canadian markets, having soared 70 per cent in two months.
Nestled in an industrial area some 50 kilometers north of Toronto, the trucker is an early adopter of a new BlackBerry fleet-tracking service known as Radar, which uses $400 boxes to collect and transmit information on movement, temperature and physical contents of Titanium’s 1,300 truck trailers.

EFS Fleet Control Platform Goes Mobile With New App

EFS is boosting the mobile support of fleet control cards with the launch of a new app. The company, a unit of WEX, said Tuesday (June 6) that it is launching EFS CardControl, a mobile app that enables fleet drivers to access the EFS platform remotely on their mobile devices. The solution offers access to fleet control card funds and provides real-time visibility into spend and balances and access to manage payroll and settlement via EFS SmartFunds.

Omnitracs explores sale, reports note

Vista Equity Partners, owner of Omnitracs, is in the process of exploring a sale of the trucking technology provider, according to multiple media reports.
Omnitracs was initially part of Qualcomm Inc., the company credited with introducing wireless onboard communications to trucking industry in the late 1980s. Qualcomm sold the Omnitracs division to Vista in 2013 for $800 million, believed to be the largest deal in the commercial vehicle telematics sector.

Features for CX driver app

CX North America’s Driver Mobile App – designed to include load information and send real-time location, future positions and job status at the tap of a screen – has been enhanced to include two new features.
The accept/decline booking feature allows users to ask drivers to confirm they have read and understood details about a load before allocating the job. And with the border crossing feature, drivers can tap the “Arrived at Border” icon to notify dispatchers when at a border crossing. A tap of the departed border button confirms they have passed through.

How One Trucking Firm is Preparing Drivers for an Autonomous Future

Russian trucking company Traft has unveiled a transformative strategy it hopes will reinvent logistics for an age of autonomous vehicles and on-demand services.
The company has taken steps to replace 20 percent of its fleet with vehicles that have autonomous capabilities this year. In 2018, the goal will double.

Waymo Using Its Self-Driving Car Technology To Develop Autonomous Trucks

Alphabet-owned Waymo is testing out self-driving car technology for years now. However, according to a new report, the company is not only looking to deploy the autonomous technology in smaller cars, but also on semi-trucks.
Waymo is currently testing the self-driving car technology in a Class-8 semi. It is being tested away from the public roads, on a private track somewhere in California. However, Waymo plans to shift to road testing once the truck passes its initial tests.

Ryder Launches App to Track Freight in Real Time

Ryder System Inc. has launched a new cloud-based app available on iTunes and Google Play called Ryder NaviShare that allows trucking professionals and others in the supply chain to track freight in real time.

Uber-type tech: Why truckers need it

Truckers shouldn’t be afraid of Uber, or Uber-style technology, because the entire aim is make it easier for shippers and carriers to connect, at the expense of today’s middle man. But what trucking companies should be afraid of is to not have such technology, explains Frank McGuigan, president and COO of Transplace, a leading 3PL.

Gorilla Safety Adds OBD-II Integration to ELD Solution

Gorilla Safety announced On-Board Diagnostic integration with its Electronic Logging Device, providing customers with OBD-II connections.
With the OBD-II functionality, Gorilla Safety’s app is now compatible with light and medium-duty trucks. The OBD-II connection, combined with oil well waiting time exemption allows Gorilla safety to offer, among others, oilfield services companies a solution to prepare for and manage the impending ELD mandate. The solution is also aimed at utility companies, contractors, and other smaller operations.

GoLoad service coming in July

The Konexial company is behind the My20 electronic logging device (ELD) app. Global logistics transportation management system (TMS) innovator Cloud Logistics has partnered with Konexial on a load service debuting in July called GoLoad. Cloud plans to bring on freight from its shipper users’ networks to offer to operators utilizing My20 and GoLoad directly. GoLoad purports to be the first and only service of its kind in the market, connecting the power of a networked transportation solution to drivers’ smartphones and helping bring any shipper’s TMS into the network.

YRC: Think technology first, trucking second

PHILADELPHIA. Justin Hall believes that it’s time to rethink how trucking companies visualize themselves and the services they provide in order to survive and thrive in the increasingly digitized world of supply chain operations.
“We need to embrace and lead with technology,” Hall, chief customer officer for LTL conglomerate YRC Worldwide, explained during a presentation here at the ALK Technology Summit.

Optimizing trucking through more real-time information

(Photo: Sean Kilcarr/Fleet Owner)

PHILADELPHIA. Helping the trucking industry better manage the “real life experiences” affecting its operations in the here and now is going to be a near-term driving force for technological development, according to Dan Popkin, senior vice president of enterprise solutions for ALK Technologies, which is a subsidiary of Trimble.
And while bigger and more disruptive technologies are facing the industry down the road, Popkin feels this near-term focus will be critical to help the industry become safer and more efficient – especially in the face of the eroding quality of U.S. highway infrastructure.

Even with disruptive technologies, energy efficiency matters

There has been a lot of talk about electrification and autonomous trucks in the news lately. This coverage made me think about whether the focus on energy efficiency increases or decreases when those so-called disruptive technologies come into widespread use.
Take the electrification of trucks. On the one hand with electric trucks the reliance on fossil fuel goes down. That’s a good thing. But, on the other hand, batteries add weight — lots of weight — to trucks, are expensive and take quite a bit of time to recharge. And, range anxiety looms very large, as it is easy to carry two to three days of diesel fuel on a truck, but having that much stored electricity, hydrogen, or whatever is difficult.

Uber’s new “Freight” app is perfect for trucking business

Uber has a new app that is aimed at helping trucking business make more money doing what they know and love to do best. Called “Freight,” the new app was launched a couple of days ago, and will be the company’s way of branching into something a bit different from what it is well known for.
Uber Freight is not that different from Uber, especially when you consider the promotional video below. It’s all about picking an available load [if you are a driver] through the app, and within a few seconds, booking is confirmed.

The Role of Technology in Shaping the Trucking Industry

Image Source: www.shipxpress.com

FR8Star and KeepTruckin, two quickly-growing technology companies in the trucking industry, are co-hosting a panel discussion on the role of technology in shaping the future of the trucking industry.
The trucking industry has seen an unprecedented surge in technological innovation over the past few years. Many of the companies driving this innovation are based in the Bay Area.

FreightFriend is not the Uber for trucking — and that's by design

While technology has a definite role to play in streamlining communication in the shipping industry, logistics is fundamentally a relationship business.
At least, that is the thesis behind FreightFriend, a relationship-based exchange for the logistics industry founded by Echo Global Logistics veteran Noam Frankel.

The present, and future, of transportation includes automation that makes trucks safer

For the trucking industry, automation has helped to make the jobs of truckers as they’re on the road safer as it protects them from traffic issues.
And automation continues to evolve for the trucking industry, according to Dale Decker, executive vice president of Decker Truck Line Inc. in Fort Dodge.

Emerging Safety and Autonomous Technologies Put Trucks to the Test

While trucking technology including new safety features, platooning tools and autonomous driving are moving forward rapidly, weather, traffic and other hurdles still present significant adoption challenges.
That’s the assessment of Fred Andersky, director of government and industry affairs at Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, who outlined his views of trucking technology during an industry conference call hosted by Stifel Financial Corp. Thursday.

Uber Ramps Up Push Into Trucking

Uber hired the team behind a Chicago transportation brokerage last fall as part of an effort to break into the long-haul trucking industry.
All five employees from 4Front Logistics joined Uber in November, said an Uber spokeswoman, who added that Uber did not pay anything for the company. Brokerages such as 4Front Logistics connect manufacturers and retailers that are shipping goods with truck owners and fleets.

Enlistics releases new low-cost Application Software for Trucking Companies

CHICAGO - Enlistics, a University of Chicago startup that builds software tools for the trucking industry, announces the launch of Enlistics:Apply, a mobile-ready FMCSA-compliant application management system for the trucking industry.
The product seeks to help the trucking companies solve one of their most serious problems: Efficient driver hiring.
With traditional processes, driver applicants must undergo several background and previous employer verification checks before being hired, and in the meantime, find other opportunities. And employers have to invest in expensive recruiters to keep applicants interested in the position while the process completes. Enlistics:Apply is designed to shave days off this process.

Here’s our first look at Uber Freight, Uber’s long-haul trucking venture

Travis Kalanick sure had a busy weekend. After hanging out with Tom Brady at the Kentucky Derby, the embattled Uber CEO made a pit stop in Pittsburgh, where he snapped this photo of a very large truck with the words “Uber Freight” stenciled on the side.
As you’ll recall, Uber has been planning to launch a long-haul trucking venture since acquiring Otto, the self-driving truck startup, for $650 million in the middle of 2016. The nature of that acquisition is now the centerpiece in a bitter legal dispute with Waymo, the self-driving car division of Google parent Alphabet. Waymo alleges that Otto was a shell company meant to deliver stolen technology by Anthony Levandowski, a former Google engineer who founded the startup.

Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Trucks: Holy Grail or Hot Potato

Kenworth, Toyota, UPS and other major trucking and transport names have launched high-profile hydrogen fuel cell projects in recent weeks. Buzzy start-ups are pledging ambitious rollouts.
But despite the pedigrees of the companies and the millions of dollars going into development and testing, many industry experts are skeptical about the business case for fuel cell technology — especially for large, long-haul vehicles.

TransWay Inc. to unleash the ‘super semi-truck’

TransWay, a trucking company based in Holland, will add the “next generation, super semi-truck” to its fleet May 8.
It’s a journey that began in 2014 when Transway president Thomas Van Wyk, his business partner, and company fleet manager Randy McGregor visited the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky.

Cummins’ releases diagnostics app

Cummins made its Guidanz mobile app available for download Thursday, which enables customers to read prioritized engine fault codes and other key engine information within minutes, the company says.
Available as a free download on the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store, the Guidanz mobile app provides critical information about Cummins 2007 and later on-highway engines and Tier 3 and later off-highway engines that can be emailed to operations managers, service providers or a Cummins Care representative directly from the app to initiate the service process.

Think Technology Can’t Disrupt Trucking Any More Than It Has? Just Wait.

If you think technology is causing major, and rapid changes among U.S. industries — including trucking — you haven’t seen anything yet.
That’s one of the key messages from a parallel review of two new major studies: the “Future of Growth and Industry Report” from Grant Thornton, a well-regarded Chicago-based global audit, tax and strategic advisory firm, and a recently updated survey from technology consulting firm Princeton Consultants called “Digital Disruption in Freight Transportation.”

Trucking Industry Poised for Electric Heavy-Duty Truck Growth

Sexy Tesla sports cars aren’t the only vehicles that deserve the battery treatment – drayage vehicles, school buses, garbage trucks and cargo haulers are also going electric. And the ranks of those medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles are swelling, according to a panel discussion at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo in Long Beach, Calif., on Thursday.

Introducing My20, The ELD App That will Revolutionize the Trucking Industry

Konexial, the mobile cloud ecosystem, has launched the My20 app for iOS and Android platforms. My20 revolutionizes the ELD industry by providing compliance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) mandate, as well as providing an all-in-one tool that streamlines every facet of a truck driver’s job.

Musk's photo of Tesla Semi gives peek at three-tiered disruption of trucking

Tesla has been working on an electric semi truck for quite some time, with a planned September launch, but founder Elon Musk just unveiled a picture of what the truck will look like. In a recent TED talk, Musk showed off the above image, but didn't mention any more details about the project.
Initially, the trucks will not be autonomous or driverless, Musk said in the talk. Rather, they will be trucks that existing truck drivers will want to drive. One reason is the flat torque RPM curve made available by the electric motor, which likely offers better acceleration than the hill-shaped RPM curve of diesel motors.

HELP Inc.'s PrePass Renewed as Endorsed ATA Featured Product

ARLINGTON, Va., April 28, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, American Trucking Associations announced it is renewing HELP Inc.'s PrePass services as an Endorsed ATA Featured Product, further strengthening the partnership between the two groups. In addition, HELP Inc. has again been named an ATA Corporate Partner.
"HELP Inc. and its innovative PrePass services are an outstanding example of the value created by effective public-private partnerships," said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. "This sort of strategic collaboration strengthens our industry by improving safety, reducing emissions and preserving infrastructure."

Verizon Telematics offers bundles for meeting ELD mandate

Verizon Telematics is offering Electronic Logging Device (ELD)-ready bundles to address the needs of fleets that are going to need to comply with a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) deadline of Dec. 18, 2017.

Tesla's Semi Truck: Too Much Weight And A Decade Too Late

• On April 13th, Elon Musk tweeted, "Tesla Semi truck unveil set for September. Team has done an amazing job. Seriously next level."
• The tweet shored up a sagging stock price and resulted in bullish research notes from two analysts who wildly overestimated the impact on Tesla, Paccar, Cummins and the trucking industry.

Secret ‘Project Portal’ Toyota Venture Launches Hydrogen Fuel Cell Heavy-Duty Truck

The “Project Portal” venture assigned to Toyota Motor Corp.’s North American research team was so hush-hush that even suppliers on the project were kept in the dark. Since September, a tiny cadre of specialists has toiled at a secret technical center in southeast Michigan and then at Toyota’s test track in the desert outside Phoenix to build and refine technology that could transform more than 100 years of trucking technology used to move goods globally.

Telematics Lays the Foundation for Autonomous Trucking

Current trucking technology such as telematics and fleet management solutions are key factors in the autonomous trucking revolution that could reshape the logistics industry. Industry analysts IHS Automotive estimate that sales of autonomous vehicles could reach 60,000 per year by 2035, or about 15 percent of Class 8-weight segment sales, according to a report from the American Transportation Research Institute. However, that does not take into account aftermarket technology that could be installed on existing vehicles to provide some level of autonomous operation.

Automated Trucking Startup Peloton Drafts $60 Million in Funding

Peloton Technology, an automated vehicle technology company focused on trucking, is on the verge of closing a $60 million Series B funding round led by Omnitracs, a fleet services company that spun out of Qualcomm.

ELD kit new to TomTom Bridge

The TomTom navigation and mapping products provider and M2M DataSmart, a wireless data service provider, announced a solution to provide electronic logging device functionality with the TomTom Bridge, an in-truck toolbox with mount and power cable, a vehicle-specific connector, and a subscription to the Hours of Service app from M2M DataSmart.

In-cab ELD hardware

EROAD is the first company to offer permanent in-cab hardware as part of a comprehensive electronic logging device (ELD) system.

Electronic logging device solution

GPS Insight, Scottsdale, Ariz., launched their new Electronic Logging Device (ELD) solution, which bundles an Android tablet hardwired to a GPS tracking device. The ruggedized ELD tablet features an intuitive user interface to ensure ease of use for all drivers. The management portal is web-based, secure and accessible via PC, tablet and smartphone.

Self-driving trucks: 3 new startups could shape the future of trucking

Image: Embark

Google's self-driving car project (now Waymo) has arguably been at the forefront of the autonomous car movement, testing on public roads since 2009. So when its founder, Anthony Levandowski, left to found a driverless truck startup called Otto, the venture was sure to bring important insight into autonomous tech into the trucking world.

3D-printed spare parts

Photo courtesy of: Local Motors

Considering the sensation that 3d printing, a.k.a. additive manufacturing, has created in the public’s mind for the last several years, you wouldn’t think it dates back to the Reagan administration. But it does, and the technology seems to have hit a stride at last in the trucking and automotive worlds for things like proto­typing concept vehicles or tooling up parts molds faster and cheaper than traditional manufacturing allows. Maybe that’s 3D printing’s ...

Michelin introduces RFID technology, service upgrades

Michelin Americas Truck Tires has announced that Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is being added to Michelin commercial truck tires and retreads, enabling fleets to better manage their tire assets throughout the full life cycle. In addition, the Michelin Tire Care tire maintenance program is being upgraded to include new features providing fleets greater visibility, assurance and ease around the maintenance of their tires.

Traditional trucking meets the ‘sharing economy’ with Miami tech startup Cargo42

Startup Spotlight: Through a simple-to-use app, Cargo42 provides companies an option to ship locally for a lower rate with trucks that have empty space in them. At the same time, trucking companies enjoy an additional revenue stream and maximize the trucks’ productivity.

Rising Orders for Class 8 Trucks Point to Trucking Industry Rebound

Sales of heavy duty trucks rose in February, pointing to a turnaround in the trucking industry. North American orders for trucks in the heaviest Class 8 weight segment rose 28 percent to 22,900 vehicles compared with the same month a year earlier, according to FTR Transportation Intelligence. February’s order level was 5 percent above January.

Fleet management: ‘Parts Room’ app streamlines inventory management

Fleet management: TMW Systems has introduced a mobile app that enables trucking fleet maintenance and service center personnel to perform a variety of parts inventory management processes quickly and easily using their Android or iOS devices. The new TMW Parts Room app, introduced in conjunction with this week’s TMC Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition, is available for users of the company’s TMT Fleet Maintenance and TMT Service Center solutions.

Wireless Firms Turn to Trucking at Mobile World Congress

A display at Mobile World Congress highlights the importance of connected trucking for the future. (Photo: Chris O/Brien/Trucks.com)

Amid the tables full of smartphones and tablets this week at the mobile industry’s largest trade show, the life-size replica of a Volvo FH Connected 500 truck stood out.

Researchers: Big Data Could Move Trucking Better

Photo: U.S. DOT

The university is working with the Iowa Department of Transportation to identify ways that fleets can increase productivity and improve safety. In doing so, they have determined that leveraging big data could play a pivotal role.

Michelin adds RFID to enable better asset management

(Courtesy: MICHELIN AMERICAS TRUCK TIRE)

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Michelin Americas Truck Tires is offering a technological enhancement that allows fleets to more efficiently manage their maintenance and assets, the company said March 2.

Tech Startup Joins Push for Driverless Trucks

AP PHOTO/ERIC RISBERG

While you still need a person to touch every load, you can have a person do two or three loads a day instead of one load every two or three days,” Rodrigues said. That business model could improve drivers’ quality of life by shifting their work from longhaul to local delivery, where they receive more home time.

Parts room app

Are you managing a parts room? TMW Systems has an app for that. The new TMW Parts Room app is now available through Android or iOS devices for those that use TMT Fleet Maintenance and TMT Service Center. “The idea is just to speed up the whole process and make it easier,” says Renaldo Adler, principal asset maintenance, fleets and service centers. “All they need is a computer that can access the internet.”

EROAD announces availability of ELD

EROAD announced the commercial availability of its Electronic Logging Device (ELD) during the Technology & Maintenance Council’s (TMC) annual meeting Sunday in Nashville, Tenn. The service is the first to register in-vehicle device with the FMCSA, the company says.

Quality Companies, Gauge Technologies introduce ELD

Quality Companies and Gauge Technologies announced a partnership with their release of a new Electronic Logging Device (ELD).The announcement was made Sunday during the Technology & Maintenance Council’s (TMC) annual meeting in Nashville, Tenn.

This is the new self-driving truck company taking on Uber’s Otto

Add another self-driving startup to your growing list of self-driving startups. Embark, a self-driving trucking startup backed by Maven Ventures, launched out of stealth on Friday with the goal of easing the pains of long-haul trucking. When it’s up and running, the system will take over for truck drivers on the highway and return control when the driver needs to exit.

Truck platoons could hit Highway 20 this year

DES MOINES — Drivers could begin seeing “connected platoons” of trucks operating on Highway 20 across Iowa as early as this year if legislation allowing the use of adaptive cruise control is approved by the Legislature.

Fleet Management Company: How Peloton Technology Will Drive Success in Trucking Industry

Keeping tabs on your fleet of vehicles used to be more of an art than science, but that’s been changed during past decade as the GPS fleet management systems have grown up with modern technologies. Now, with peloton technology, it’s possible to generate much more real-time information that maximize the efficiency of your fleet.

GPS Insight launches ELD solution

Img source: GPS Insight

GPS Insight announced the launch of its new Electronic Logging Device (ELD) solution. "The GPS Insight Hours of Service Solution comes to the market with a unique feature set that will streamline fleet management and ensure FMCSA compliance," the company noted.

Efreightsolutions, Trucker Tools integrate Load Track

Allowing freight brokers another option for in-transit shipment visibility, the Trucker Tools app’s “Load Track” feature has been integrated with Efreightsolutions’ cloud-based transportation management system (TMS). The partnership thus allows for real-time freight tracking, driver messaging and electronic proof of delivery through the TMS.

EROAD releases ELD compliance solution Max Speed Alert

(Courtesy: EROAD)

PORTLAND, Ore. — EROAD, a global technology provider of fleet management, electronic tax reporting and ELD compliance solutions for the transportation industry, has released Max Speed Alert, a new feature of its fleet management solution that supports safe driving.

FedEx reveals 'game-changing' automated delivery technology

Transport and logistics provider, FedEx, is reportedly investing in self-driving technology with robotic artificial intelligence to enhance its delivery services.

Driver app tracks from acceptance to delivery

TECUMSEH, ON – CX North America Information Services has launched a new mobile app for drivers, with the promise of improving efficiencies in the process. App features include real-time job alerts for drivers on the road, the ability for drivers to send status reports, and the capturing of electronic Point of Deliveries, shipment details and live tracking.

DriverTech Offers ELD With Video Capture

DriverTech

Onboard technology supplier DriverTech has launched a new mobile communications device that includes electronic logging capabilities and a forward-facing dash camera. The company’s latest product, the DT4000 Rev 7, installs in under 20 minutes and is priced at $799, the company said.

Transportation Technology Wises Up

Anheuser-Busch

No matter what products they make, how many they make, or how often they make them, all U.S. manufacturers share a common goal: They need to get their products to their customers, on time, and the familiar litany of trucks-trains-boats-and-planes (and sometimes, pipelines) remains the way that goods get moved. At least that’s the case in early 2017. Within a year or two, maybe not so much.

FreightRover Launches App-Based Freight

FreightRover

FreightRover, an Indianapolis-based technology startup, has introduced a mobile application and web portal designed to streamline freight dispatching. The FreightRover platform, which launched nationally Jan. 31, enables drivers to “self-dispatch” freight that fits their needs while improving communication with shippers and carriers, the company said.

Truck Platooning Back on the Agenda for Missouri Lawmakers

Wikimedia Commons

Missouri lawmakers are considering a proposal to allow semi-trucks to platoon at closer distances between each other. Under a test program conducted by the state Transportation Department, a trailing semi would travel roughly 50 feet behind a lead truck.

A Look Into the Future

MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION BECOMES THE NEW NORM: The combination of transportation modes has resulted in many benefits, including lowering inventory and freight costs and optimizing lead times.

Last year was record-setting for the logistics and supply chain industry with $5 billion in total projected investments. We saw the space cement itself as a mainstay in global news with the growth of the $800 billion trucking industry and rumors of Amazon “secretly” building an “Uber for Trucking” application.

The win-win PORTal, A new trucker app is improving fluidity and reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the Port of Montreal

A new app shows wait times for truckers using the Port of Montreal.

With neither pain nor cost to carriers, trucks moving containers in and out of the Port of Montreal will pollute less, thanks to an application the Montreal Port Authority (MPA) launched in October. Called Trucking PORTal, it lets drivers and dispatchers – anyone with a smart phone or computer, actually – see wait times, in real time, on port property.

Trucking Fleets Get Closer to Automation, Add Advanced Safety Features

Ryder's automatic transmission truck is in its North American commercial rental fleet. (Photo: Ryder System, Inc.)

Trucking companies and truck retail companies are expanding their offerings with more sophisticated advanced safety features as the cost of the technology begins to drop.

BridgeHaul app offers services, including logs, toward a shipper-exclusive freight marketplace

The individuals behind the BridgeHaul app, available for both iOS and Android devices, came to their own spin on that as yet “elusive holy grail” (as we referred to tech-enabled shipper-direct freight marketplaces/brokerages in the December issue) after company Founder and CEO Brandon Shapiro’s direct experience in the contract and spot freight environment.

Notre Dame Truck Technology Flows Toward Commercialization

Models show the technology reduces drag by nearly 23 percent, yielding 11 percent fuel savings.

Just as the aerodynamics of a race car play a role in reaching the finish line, the way a tractor trailer cuts through the air at 65 miles per hour impacts the bottom line. A University of Notre Dame researcher says the aerodynamic drag of a tractor trailer is one of the largest sources of its fuel consumption. He’s putting the brakes on that gas-guzzling factor by improving the aerodynamics of trucks with special attachments called plasma actuators.

Who's at Fault? New Technology Captures Traffic Accidents

TWITTER/SMARTDRIVEINC

A piece of new technology has changed that. Cameras pointing forward and at the driver record what occurs in such incidents and can clear the trucker if he or she was not to blame.

BluRig Trucking Is A New App Connecting The Trucker And The Shipper

Image Source: iTunes/BluRig

Startup BluRig Trucking is proud to release the newest app connecting independent carriers and shippers. Need something moved? It can be as small as a desk or as big as a tanker full of fuel. This app will allow an independent owner to handle needs of any size (from a small household item to large tankers).

Cutting Truck Accidents and Insurance Costs with Connected Tech

What will the rate of truck accidents be like in a future with streaming vehicle-to-vehicle communication on the road? Turns out, we’re not that far off from that reality.

Road Hunter app updates weather map views

Mikhail Dzarasov, the developer behind the Road Hunter trip-planning smartphone app (Android and iOS), announced that the app’s weather alerts — available in quick map view within the app with expandable information available in one touch...

Scania Tests Autonomous Platooning in Singapore

Photo: Scania

Scania will design a full-scale autonomous truck platooning operation, based on its own advanced technology, which will use public roads while transporting containers between port terminals in Singapore.

Trucking Industry Gets a Glimpse of its Automated Future at CES 2017

(Photo: Peloton)

The heavy- and light-duty trucking industries will benefit from the automated driving technologies rolling out of the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show this week in Las Vegas.

Driverless Trucks, Robots and Chatbots Could Reshape the Supply Chain

Self-driving trucks are on the forefront of a slew of innovations set to reshape the supply chain industry.

Connected trucking and connected living: Rewards and risks

I'm sure many fleets and truck drivers are quite tired of hearing about all the potential improvements that can be gained through "connected trucking" and "connected living" for that matter, to use two phrases now currently in vogue.

Uber Freight and Amazon Prepare to Fight Over the Future of Trucking

Trucks allow the economy to function. There would be no sprawling grocery stores, online shopping, or other businesses without this vast network of drivers criss-crossing the country. Yet many people don’t think about this industry — until now, thanks to competing initiatives from Uber and Amazon, which are both working on services to change the future of trucking.

Uber Freight Just Launched and Trucking Will Never Be the Same

Uber has launched a website for a service called Uber Freight. Little has been revealed about the company’s expansion from ride-hailing, but if the announcements it’s made over the last year are any indicator, chances are good that Uber Freight is meant to prepare the world for autonomous delivery trucks.

Amazon's Real Future Isn't Drones. It's Self-Driving Trucks

ROBERT GALBRAITH/REUTERS

HERE IN THE US, trucks carry 10 billion tons of freight each year. That’s 70 percent of all goods shipped across the country, according to the American Trucking Association. The trouble is: we don’t have enough drivers, and their numbers are dwindling.

Nikola Motors Wants to Use Tech to Fix Trucking's Millennial Problem

Torbjörn Holmström, senior advisor to Volvo's Research & Technology Group. (Photo: Volvo)

For several decades now, Torbjörn Holmström has been helping Volvo vault the technical and logistical barriers to fulfill the dream of fully autonomous long-haul trucks.

Trucking insurance: Technology may help stem rising premiums

The big spike in trucking insurance premiums that occurred in 2016 may ease up in the new year, but the major driver of those spikes – high-dollar jury verdicts in accident cases involving commercial vehicles – may dog the industry for some time to come, according to Todd Reiser, vice president of the transportation practice for the Lockton Companies.

Truckstop.com Introduced as ATA Featured Product

ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, American Trucking Associations announced Truckstop.com, an industry leader in freight-matching, as a new ATA Featured Product provider.

Bridgestone Developing New Tire Tech as Part of SuperTruck II

Bridgestone Americas Inc. is developing new tire technologies aimed at significantly reducing the environmental impact of the more than 3.5 million heavy-duty Class 8 long-haul tractor trailer trucks on the nation's roads.

Michigan Law Opens a Door for Platooning

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) has signed S.B. 995 into law on Dec. 9, authorizing electronically coordinated truck platooning on Michigan roads by creating an exception to the state’s minimum following distance for commercial vehicles.

New accident reporting app available for trucking

Image Courtsey: drivemyway.com

Slowing demand for hauling and shipping services pushed driver turnover at the big freight companies to a five year low in the third quarter, the American Trucking Associations said Friday.

Eyes on the prize: The market for pre-2000 trucks in light of ELD exemption

Cherryville, N.C.-based independent Tim Hepler is proud of his 1998 Volvo 770, powered by a newly rebuilt Caterpillar 3406E.

Looking for a place to nap? There's an app for that.

Image Courtsey: urban mattress

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Truck Parking Europe, the largest free parking app for truckers in Europe, is expanding to the United States with a new crowd-sourced app for truckers looking for a safe place to park.

Truckers think automation won't take their jobs for 40 years. Silicon Valley strongly disagrees.

As far as most truckers can tell, the danger of losing their jobs to robots is still a long, long way off.

Hydrogen Could Help Heavy Trucks Clean Up Their Act

Several car makers are betting that hydrogen technology can clean up the nation's heavy-duty truck fleet — but will climate-change-skeptic President-elect Donald Trump kill their plans?

How Ohio's gamble on self-driving trucks could backfire

At neighborhood meetings this fall, Whaley made a habit of bringing up autonomous vehicles and the huge changes they would bring to Ohio. No one ever asked Whaley followup questions; they just stared in silence.

6 ELD FAQs

UPLAND CA—Nobody knows exactly when electronic logging devices will be mandatory, but most trucking industry insiders agree that that the day is coming.

Editorial: Trucking: A Hotbed for Innovation

GETTY IMAGES/BLEND IMAGES

UPLAND CA—Nobody knows exactly when electronic logging devices will be mandatory, but most trucking industry insiders agree that that the day is coming.

Can Nikola truly transform the trucking industry?

So Nikola Motors Co. unveiled its Nikola One prototype Class 8 highway sleeper tractor last week at its "world headquarters" in Salt Lake City, Utah – a truck that runs on electricity generated by a hydrogen-powered fuel cell.

Koch Logistics of Minneapolis purchases JBS Logistics

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Koch Logistics, an operating division of Stan Koch and Sons Trucking, purchased JBS Logistics and its affiliated companies, Koch reported December 1.

AmeriPride's F-59 Truck Fleet Gets Hybrid Electric Powertrains

XL Hybrids Inc., a leader in connected fleet electrification solutions for commercial and municipal fleets, said AmeriPride Services will take delivery of 21 Ford F-59 trucks featuring XL Hybrids’ XL3 Hybrid Electric Drive System by the end of this year.

On-Demand Logistics Are Changing The Trucking Industry

Keeping up with the changing trends of working in the trucking industry, including flatbed transportation, the technological aspect of the services continues to change accordingly.

Self-driving truck will travel U.S. 33 this week

COLUMBUS (WCMH) — On Wednesday, Ohio Governor John Kasich announced a $15-million investment to a 35-mile stretch of U.S 33 between Dublin and East Liberty.

Ohio to create 'smart' road for driverless trucks

Driverless trucks will soon hit Ohio roads with the help of a $15 million investment from the state for a “smart road” located in the central part of the Buckeye state.

Professional drivers anxious as driverless tech gains speed

Ronald De Feo has watched robots take factory jobs for years. Now he sees them threatening a new class of worker: People who drive for a living. "I am in Pittsburgh; it's a test market for Uber's autonomous vehicle," said De Feo, CEO of the industrial materials firm Kennametal.

Is the Trucking Industry Ready For 21st Century New Technology?

New technology is making many jobs easier. Is the trucking industry ready for new technology to revolutionize it, as well? Some drivers can not wait for the trucking industry to catch up with other industries by way of technology; but not everyone feels the same way.

TMC Donates Diesel Tech Manuals

The American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council announced it has donated copies of its newly updated “PMI Guidelines Manual for Class 7 & 8 Diesel-Powered Tractors,” courtesy of Truck Centers of Arkansas, to more than 50 technical institutes in 28 states for use in diesel technician training curriculum.

Autonomous Truck Startup Otto Delivers 50000 Cans of Budweiser.

There are many symbolic products that could have been selected for the world’s first autonomous tractor-trailer delivery. Humanity chose beer. A self-driving tractor-trailer in Colorado just delivered 50,000 cans of Budweiser.

Uber's first self-driven truck delivery was a beer run

Otto, the self-driving truck startup that was acquired by Uber for $700 million, has just completed the world’s first completely autonomous commercial freight delivery.