Monday, March 26, 2012

Introducing the New Severe-Duty International LoadStar


This year’s Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky was an exciting one for Navistar, with the company unveiling the brand new International LoadStar, a cabover, severe-duty truck designed for waste collection, mixer configuration, and other vocational applications.

The LoadStar will be available with MaxxForce 10, 11, or 13 diesel engines, all of which offer emissions solutions that meet CA regulations. The truck’s variable-depth frame rails maximize customization options, and its stainless steel cab is designed to withstand the toughest worksites.

Navistar announced that natural gas-powered version of the LoadStar will be available in 2013.

Download an International LoadStar Brochure at International’s website.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Peterson Trucks to Host Idealease Safety Seminar in April, 2012

 On April 19, 2012, Peterson Trucks will be hosting an Idealease Safety Seminar for fleet owners and managers at Casa Real in Pleasanton, CA. Focusing on several aspects of CSA, Idealease’s safety seminars both help motor carriers understand the latest FMCSA regulations and satisfy the two hours of safety training mandated by FMCSA CFR 382.603 (attendees will receive a certificate of completion at the seminar’s end). For more information and to learn how to register online, visit:

Driving Safely in Spring Weather

The first day of spring may mean longer days and warmer weather, but experienced motor carriers know that this doesn’t necessarily equate to fewer accidents. While most drivers employ extra caution in poor weather conditions—looking further up the road, checking mirrors more often, etc.—sunny weather can make some drivers let their guards down. That’s why it’s important for motor carriers to continue to emphasize safety with their drivers as the weather improves.

Better weather also means that road repair and maintenance crews are back on the asphalt full-force. Road work zones can present a variety of hazards for commercial drivers, so it is important for drivers to keep safety in mind when sharing the road with work crews.

For 10 useful tips on driving safely in work zones, check out International’s safety bulletin at:

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Peterson Trucks Hosting CARB for Tractor-Trailer GHG Reporting Training

Limited space is still available for the California Air Resource Board’s (CARB) Tractor-Trailer Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reporting Training, to be hosted by Peterson Trucks on March 22, 2012.

The Tractor-Trailer GHG Reduction Regulation, which applies to box trailers 53-feet or longer and the heavy-duty tractors that pull them, is part of CARB’s broader Diesel Truck and Bus Regulation. In order to qualify for the regulation’s flexible phase-in schedule, fleets must report by March 30, 2012 (or July 1, 2012 for those fleets that qualify for the small fleet phase-in schedule).

CARB’s training will cover GHG Reduction Regulation requirements, an overview of the automated Truck and Bus Fleet Calculator, and instructions on reporting.

To enroll in CARB’s GHG Reporting Training at Peterson Trucks (course #514) visit:

Or to learn more about the Truck and Bus Regulation, visit:

Monday, March 12, 2012

Proper Implementation of Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports

In 2010, new FMCSA regulations were implemented that were designed to increase both motor carrier and driver accountability. The daily Driver Vehicle Inspection Report (DVIR) is a requirement under CSA, and it mandates that drivers ascertain that their vehicles are in safe operating condition prior driving them. Not only does this increase driver involvement in vehicle safety, holding them accountable for reporting potential safety hazards; also, it allows the FMCSA to cite motor carriers that ignore driver reports of safety issues.

Because the DVIR regulation is split into requirements dictating pre-trip and post-trip driver responsibilities, there is some confusion regarding its proper implementation. This post will attempt to clarify the process.

During pre-trip inspections, drivers are simply required to verify that their vehicle is safe to drive, review the last driver inspection report, and sign that report if there is certification that any required repairs have been made and defects or deficiencies have been noted. Motor carriers are not required to document pre-trip inspections, but the practice is recommended (in the “Grid” section of the driver’s record).

Post-trip inspections are more intensive. The FMCSA mandates that drivers submit a written report on each vehicle he has operated at the end of each workday. Drivers must assess service brakes (including trailer brake connections), parking brake, steering mechanism, lighting devices and reflectors, tires, horns, windshield wipers, rear vision mirrors, coupling devices, wheels and rims, and emergency equipment.

Post-trip inspection reports must detail any defects or deficiency that might cause a vehicle to become a safety hazard (or, if there are none, the driver must indicate this). Any safety hazards that fall under Appendix G of the FMCSR must be immediately addressed by the motor carrier. Other defects can be addressed next PM or later according to regulations. Motor carriers are required to maintain DVIR’s for 90 days.

To read more, visit:

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Navistar Partnership with Customer Results in Ultra-Lightweight Heavy-Duty Tractor

It is often the case that customers drive manufacturers to produce the technology that allows an industry to continuously progress. This is certainly true with a recent collaboration between Perdue Farms, and Navistar and Barr International, for which Perdue was recently awarded Navistar’s Strategic Partnership Award.

Perdue needed a tractor capable of hauling 49,000 lbs of dressed poultry that would consume less fuel than previous trucks the company had used. They approached Barr International Trucks of Salisbury, Md. with their need, and the result was an ultra-light-weight version of the International ProStar+ engineered by Navistar and Barr. The 56-inch sleeper tractor weighs only 15,920 lbs when filled with 150 gallons of fuel, significantly reducing Perdue’s fuel consumption while maximizing payload.

The truck also features an electrical system with integrated tractor-trailer controls. All trailer and PTO functions can be accessed through a control panel built into the truck’s dash.

To read more on Navistar and Barr International’s partnership with Purdue Farms, visit:

Closure of Refinery May Cause Ultra-Low-Sulfur-Diesel Fuel Shortage in the Northeast

With the planned closure of Sonoco Inc’s Philadelphia refinery this July, motor carriers that operate in the Northeastern US might soon find adequate supplies of ultra-low-sulfur-diesel (ULSD) fuel difficult to come by. Sonoco’s Philadelphia operation currently produces 330 thousand barrels of ULSD daily, and with the closure of two other refineries in Pennsylvania since September, the Sonoco refinery’s end would mean a total loss of 50% of the region’s production capacity.

While 40% of the ULSD fuel in the northwestern US already comes from Gulf Coast refineries or other imports, the loss of Philadelphia’s Sunoco refinery would mean the region would likely need an additional 180,000 barrels per day of ULSD fuel to meet demand by 2013. Due to a shortage of excess pipeline to move any additional product from the Gulf Coast, it is likely that any additional fuel would need to be shipped by rail. This would likely lead to a rise in cost for northwestern consumers.

To read more, visit:

Pre-Employment Screening Program Helps Motor Carriers Collect Driver Histories

Motor carriers are aware that FMCSA regulations require them to complete past- employment inquiries on new drivers applying to operate a commercial vehicle: inquiries that must include the verification of Driver Motor Vehicle records, past employment investigations, drug and alcohol inquiries to past employers, and driver applicant drug and alcohol inquiries.

But did you know that the FMCSA offers a program to motor carriers to aid in the collection of driver records? Introduced at approximately the same time as CSA 2010, the FMCSA’s Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP) is a voluntary program designed to provide employers with driver crash and serious violation histories during the hiring process. For an annual subscription fee of $100 ($25 for carriers with fewer than 100 power units) and an additional $10 per driver history requested, potential employers will receive a driver’s crash data covering the past five years, and his violation data covering the past three years.

Carriers must have written consent from an applicant to request his records, and a driver may request his own records at any time. PSP records do not include conviction data.

To enroll in PSP, visit:

Or to read more about the program, read the Idealease Safety Bulletin at: