Six-By-Two: Would You Drive One?

With the increased push to get better and better fuel mileage, trucking companies and truck manufacturers are turning to radical ideas. From simple solutions such as full-length chassis and trailer skirts, roof airfoils, and air dams to more radical solutions such as trailer tails, super-single drive and trailer tires, hybrid engines, and fully automatic transmissions, trucking firms and truck manufacturers are seeking the best methods to cut fuel economy without reducing the truck's capability to haul freight.

On the other hand, to achieve revolutionary fuel mileage of 10 mpg and above, companies have to attempt even more extreme solutions. One of these solutions, which is being marketed by Freightliner in their new Cascadia Evolution truck, is the six-by-two axle configuration.

Freightliner Cascadia Evolution

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Instead of having eight powered wheels, these trucks only have four. Typically outfitted with a rear drive axle and a pusher mounted in front of it, a six-by-two truck requires less engine horsepower to push along its single powered axle. But as with other solutions, the question is: Would you as a professional driver operate one with confidence?

In truth, six-by-two configurations are quite common in Europe, but conditions in this part of the world are quite different. Hills are steeper, snows are deeper, and loads--particularly in Canada--are much heavier. Only time will tell if the six-by-two is worthy of the challenges that North America's roads present.

MAN 6x2 Tractor

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 Scania 6x2 Tractor

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Post your responses in the comment box below, and tell me if you think this is an excellent idea or a terrible one.

Preparing for Winter as a Professional Truck Driver

It's coming faster than you might imagine. Winter is right around the corner. In the coming months, leaves will turn color, snow will fall on the mountains, and your job as a truck driver will gain a new level of difficulty. But you don't have to fret about winter if you prepare yourself now.

In reality, winter provides three main challenges for truckers: reduced visibility, reduced traction, and reduced traveling distances per day. Although little can be done about the last factor, you can solve many of the problems related to the first two challenges.

Reduced Visibility

As days become shorter and fog, rain, and snow set in, visibility can become scarce. Dark roads often cause many accidents because drivers fail to see what is ahead before they collide with it. To overcome this situation, you need to get better lighting on your vehicle.

There are two ways to accomplish this: on and off-road lights. On-road lights such as fog lights, headlights, and high beams can be improved for increased performance in rain, fog, snow, or just darkness.

Off-highway lights or moose lights can also provide better visibility in extreme low light situations. Although moose lights are prohibited on some roads, in the far north, these lights are nearly standard on heavy duty semi trucks. Many of these lights have yellow or blue lenses to reduce the reflection of light off snow or water.

Reduced Traction

The second greatest challenge for truckers in winter is reduced traction. How many times do you see trucks spun out on hills, jackknifed, or driven into the ditch each winter? If you haul in the US or Canada, you see these accidents every year.

One of the greatest methods to improve traction on snow and large quantities of ice is tire chains. If you want a better solution than traditional tire chains, you should invest in a set of tryggs. Originally from northern Europe, these chains have gained great popularity in colder climates because they grip the snow with rows or small metal studs. These studs can provide traction in situations where traditional tire chains would be relatively ineffective.

A Professional Driver's Pet Peeves

As a professional driver, you are constantly surrounded by hundreds of other motorists. From other truck drivers to daily commuters, the decisions of these motorists affect you day-in and day-out. Part of the purpose of the RoadRunner 2K blog is to allow truckers to share what they know with other drivers.

My question for you in this blog post is: What Behaviors Frustrate You Most on the Road?

For me, nine actions I see commonly are on my list of irritations, but I want to hear yours in the comment box below.

1. Easing up to a traffic light or stop sign.
2. Failing to stop at a stop sign.
3. Going through a traffic light a millisecond before the light changes to red.
4. Refusing to travel at the speed limit on a two-lane road with no passing.
5. Running along the road beside another vehicle as both head toward a merge lane.
6. Passing in the slow lane at speeds faster than the fast lane.
7. Matching another vehicle's speed so as to travel neck-and-neck down the highway.
8. Turning too sharply on a double-lane turn, forcing the inside vehicle to stop or slow down to avoid a collision.
9. Merging onto a freeway at a speed far below the speed limit, so as to slow down traffic.

A bonus: Preventing another vehicle from passing by accelerating when the vehicle accelerates and slowing down when the passing vehicle slows.

If you have any other pet-peeves that you would like to pass along, please leave them below. Thank you for reading the RoadRunner 2K Blog.

Mandates: They Connect More Than They Seem

As I was thinking yesterday about some of the new mandates facing the trucking industry, I began to connect the dots. The purpose of the new EOBR mandate probably has little if anything to do with its said purpose: safety. Instead, this mandate's purpose is likely to force drivers of older trucks into newer models that comply with other fuel economy and emissions mandates.

Think of the drivers of these trucks.

 

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In all likelihood, these drivers do not want a new truck, cannot afford one, or like the classic look and customizability of the older models. For whatever reason, these drivers choose to operate older, quality equipment that emits more emissions and gets lower fuel mileage.

Of course, this is their right. However, with the new EOBR mandate, these trucks would not be able to operate. Therefore, drivers of vehicles such as these would have no choice but to drive today's machines or be forced out of business.

Again, the choice is yours. Either you stand with truckers against EOBRs, or you can allow these mandates to force all drivers to operate futuristic, unattractive, shapeless rides. These machines may get 10 miles a gallon and have enough gadgets to be featured in a technology conference, but they also require a monthly payment and a monthly fill-up of DEF, items these older trucks do not need.

And when a new truck breaks, it cannot be fixed with simple wrenches, screwdrivers, and hammers. Instead, it must be towed to a dealer or service facility with the technology to fix the truck's gadgetry.

Although I am in favor of technological improvements wherever they can be made, in this economic situation, the last thing America needs is more mandates to drive truckers out of business. When the trucks stop, America stops too.

Do you want to drive these?

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Thanks to Virgil Tatro for informing me about non-electronic trucks.

Safety is Simple: Part 3

Of all the driving maneuvers, backing can be one of the most difficult and dangerous. The greatest danger of backing is a lack of visibility. Even with properly adjusted mirrors, many times it is impossible to see everything that you are backing towards.

If you are working in a jobsite or a busy loading dock, there is a high likelihood that you could run over a distracted worker or pedestrian. But that does not have to be the case. By installing a backup camera or backup alarm on your vehicle, you can either see the dangers behind you or warn them to step aside.

Backup Camera

The main benefit of a backup camera is that it allows you to see what you could not see before. Whether that is a post of a building, a wall, or a bystander, the backup camera allows you to see trouble and avoid it. However, the main disadvantage of a backup camera is that it does not work for tractor-trailer combinations in most cases.

Since the trailer is a separate unit, connecting the trailer's backup camera to the tractor's in-cab screen would prove challenging. In these situations, a different piece of backup warning system is most effective: the backup alarm.

  

 

    

 Backup Alarm

Unlike the backup camera, the backup alarm works with both truck and trailer by emitting a loud, beeping sound to warn people that the vehicle is moving in reverse. The backup alarm automatically activates as soon as the vehicle is in reverse and does not cease until the vehicle is in a forward gear or neutral.

Backup alarms are common on tow trucks, ambulances, and some service vehicles, but including one on your truck tractor is probably a good idea also. 

Safety is simple, but it is a way of life. If safety is only considered when the safety inspector is present, accidents are bound to happen. Be safe on America's highways.

Building Your Dream Ride: Part 3

For the last three editions of Building Your Dream Ride, we have discussed customizing the exterior of your ride. In the edition after the next edition, we will return to the exterior with a focus on fenders. In the meantime, this edition of Building Your Dream Ride pertains to the most important part of the truck, where you conduct your work.

Interior customization is not the part of a custom truck that draws the most attention. Most of us look at the wheels, bumper, sunvisor, headlights, and exhaust pipes of a truck and proclaim the truck a complete success. However, without a well-done interior, the driver of a custom truck will be an unhappy man in a nice ride.

The three main parts of a truck that require improvement are the driver controls, the seating, and the sleeping compartment.

The driver controls--steering wheel, pedals, switches, gauges, knobs, and shifter--are amongst the simplest to replace and the most connected to the driver. What would it feel like in your cab with an all-wood steering wheel, toggle switches, and wooden knobs looking back at you? Awesome.

 

  

Seating is essential for enjoying what you do. Let's keep it simple: a hard seat equals a stiff body

A custom interior can mean the difference between a comfortable day doing what you love and a day that you can't wait to end. Improve your interior today. Your body will thank you.

Finding Your Direction: Maps for Truck Drivers

As a truck driver, you perform certain tasks each day. You do a pre-trip inspection, your head onto the road, and you offload your cargo. However, when you are in an unfamiliar city, things can be quite difficult. Not only can a wrong turn leave you miles from your intended destination, but it can also cause damage to your vehicle, your load, and even yourself.

Each year, hundreds of truck drivers run into low-hanging bridges and run into other trouble simply because they were unable to find their way. But that doesn't have to be you. By purchasing good maps or a trucker-specified GPS system, you can rest easy and arrive to your destination safely.

Trucker maps and GPS systems for truckers are designed to funnel the flow of cargo down main truck routes. With these maps or GPS systems in your possession, you will avoid low clearance bridges, narrow streets, and other hazards. Get a trucker atlas for yourself today, and have a safe journey wherever life's road leads you.

Train Horns for Trucks: Be Heard and Be Seen

There's a saying in trucking: "Loud pipes save lives." While this statement holds true in many instances, some drivers do not even hear the drone of a motor because they are distracted by loud music, texting, or other unnecessary activities.

When you are driving down the road and someone slides into your lane, you should have a second option to rely on. This option is none other than train horns. Although locomotives have carried this type of horn for over 5 decades, train horns are a recent phenomenon in trucking.

Simply put, a set of train horns will give you the sound of a freight locomotive on your semi truck. Not only do train horns have a better tone, but they also have other benefits as well: increased horn volume, increased range of the sound, and additional value added to the truck.

Train horns are becoming more popular each day, and you should join the list of truckers who rely on proven sound technology to warn motorists of impending disaster. Get a set of train horns for your truck today. Be heard, and be seen.

America Rolls on 18 Wheels

Last week, I was running an errand when suddenly the whoosh of traffic was overrun by the noise of a trucker on the jake. To some, this sound may have been offensive, maybe disturbing, even unacceptable. But to me, this was and is the sound of America on the move.

When I heard this sound, the first thing that came to mind was "America Is Alive and Well." Well, at least partially. Until regular Americans begin to realize who hauls their food, fuel, furniture, and other necessities, blogs like this and truckers like you will continue to inform them of the realities of our economy.

That Jacobs brake that I heard was not the sound of one trucker or two, although it was made by only one. That sound was the sound of a nation rolling down the open interstates. Straight pipes, jake brakes, and train horns--America rolls on 18 wheels.

(This is not the Jake Brake I heard, but for those of you who want to hear the roar, here it is.)

Turn up the volume and enjoy.

Trucking News: The Week in Review

Here are the top stories in the trucking world this past week.

Increased Driver Benefits

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/10/us-usa-truckers-shortage-idUSBRE87906Z20120810

Company Mergers and Acquisitions

http://www.joc.com/trucking/celadon-trucking-acquires-usa-dry-van-assets

Simpler Forms for Expedited Trucking Companies

http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1112671527/same_day_trucking_offers_quick_quote_form_for_expedited_trucking/

Industry Improvements

http://www.todaystrucking.com/25-reasons-why-trucking-is-better-than-it-used-to-be

Women in Trucking Receive Awards

http://www.todaystrucking.com/women-in-trucking-founder-named-champion-of-change

Trucking School Shutdown

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/Secretary-of-State-shuts-down-Detroit-trucking-school-for-encouraging-document-fraud/-/1719418/16054912/-/5fir6mz/-/index.html

EOBR Mandates in Canada Receive Chilly Reception

http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=23992

Studies on E-logs

http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/news-detail.asp?news_id=77744&news_category_id=12

Natural Gas Growing in Availability

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2012/08/building-a-new-infrastructure-for-natural-gas.html

http://www.cecildaily.com/news/local_news/article_34208280-e292-11e1-8185-001a4bcf887a.html

2012 National Truck Driving Championship Winners

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/11/4716284/2012-national-truck-driving-championship.html

For more up-to-date trucking news and information, follow the RoadRunner 2k on Twitter.

Winch Bars: Tips for the Flatbedder

If you haul flatbed loads as part or all of your trucking career, you know that a winch bar is essential to tightening your straps and reducing the slack in your chains. However, if you are entering the field of flatbed trucking, you may not know that there are actually three varieties of winch bars.

The Strap Variety

The style of winch bar used to secure straps has a straight bar and an angled end. When inserted into the webbing winch's ratchet, the angled winch bar allows you to tighten your straps. The angled winch bar is the most common type of winch bar; however, if you are using ratchet straps or chain binders, you need an additional winch bar(s).

The Chain Variety

For reducing the slack in chain binders, you need a different type of winch bar. This type of winch bar contains a slot where you can insert the rod of a chain binder and tighten. In many cases, the tightening end of a chain binder winch bar is on the opposing end of a webbing strap winch bar.

The Ratchet Strap Variety

For ratchet straps, you need an addition type of winch bar: the ratchet strap type. The ratcheting winch bar allows you to tighten ratchet straps for those unusual loads where webbing straps alone may not be sufficent or the trailer does not have webbing winches.

With the combination and ratchet strap winch bars, you will be well prepared to take on whatever loads flatbed trucking throws at you. Flatbed trucking can be a rewarding career if you enjoy a variety of challenges including over-dimension and multi-part loads that require strapping, tarping, and chaining.

The Kenworth T2000 Customized

As one of the aerodynamic trucks similar to the type mentioned in the previous article, the Kenworth T2000 is the custom trucker's nightmare. Well, not quite. As with any truck, some parts will fit all vehicles and some must be spec'd for the exact make and model. The following product list should help any T2000 owner get on the road to truck show prominence.

 

The 2012 National Truck Driving Championships

Truck driving championships do not garner a slew of media personnel. After all, some would say there is nothing to watch, nothing to get the crowd on edge, nothing to defy the limits of human ability. On the other hand, truck driving championships such as the ATA National Truck Driving Championship in Minneapolis are a celebration, a commemoration of the best America's trucking industry has to offer.

The truth is that the hard work of truckers in America goes completely unnoticed until a truck crosses paths with another motorist. However, the RoadRunner 2k blog is going to defy the stereotypes by congratulating those skilled professionals who are participating in the 2012 National Truck Driving Championships. It is the skill of truckers like these who keep America's wheel turning.

And to all the truckers who did not make it to this event, thank you also for your hard work supporting America's economy. Without your efforts, our economy would not function. Safe travels to all of America's drivers both at the National Truck Driving Championships and on the highways of America at this moment. America appreciates you.

Building Your Dream Ride: Special Edition

With the ever-changing prices of fuel and the governmental push to increase truck fuel mileage, many professional drivers are switching to aerodynamic rides. While these trucks can achieve fuel economy approaching ten miles an hour, their smooth, formless designs are not the most attractive or the most customizable.

Examine the top five trucks on the market today:

The International Prostar+

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 The Freightliner Cascadia Evolution

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The Kenworth T700

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The Peterbilt 587

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The Volvo VNL770

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Although these trucks are produced by five distinct manufacturers, all have sleepers in the 70-inch range; all are made to achieve fuel mileage of 7 or greater; and none are likely to be featured as custom trucks.

The question is, fuel economy aside, which would you rather drive?

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Probably the one on the right.

The truth is that as trucks become more efficient, they lose their appeal to drivers and fans alike. But that does not have to be the case. Chrome shops are busy creating new parts to fit these sleek rides. From sunvisors and chrome trim to LED lights, fenders, and bumpers, many products are available for aerodynamic trucks. Don't ever think that aerodynamic is the opposite of custom because, trust me, it isn't.

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Reliable Eyewitness: Your Source for Quality HD Dash Cameras

In seconds, a traffic accident on the highway can damage your reputation, vehicle, and career. And if the driver who caused the trucking crash files a lawsuit, you could owe thousands of dollars over your repair costs. Thankfully, there is a solution: the dash camera.

In an 18 wheeler accident, a GPS HD camera can provide video evidence of the time before, during, and after the crash, thereby tipping the scales of justice in your favor. Reliable Eyewitness is your source for quality HD dash cameras.

With satellite-measured vehicle speed and GPS coordinates, crisp sound, and clear 1080P HD video morning and night, the GSE550 dashcam provides peace of mind for $298. The GSE550 also features up to 64 gigabytes of memory, 120 degree field of view, and 30 or 60 fps. The V660 V2 offers 720P video, night mode, and up to 32 GB of memory for $162.

ReliableEyewitness also builds custom brackets for irregular windshields to mount your GSE550 or V660 V2 dashcam. Always have a witness.

(This is a sponsored blog post) (All prices in Canadian dollars.)

uShip: An Independent Trucker's Dream

Independence--it is the reason many truckers pursue their career field. The joys of being free from office life and meddlesome bosses make trucking a great career for many. However, a major problem exists for some truck drivers: large companies.

Many of America's largest trucking firms treat their workers as a collective whole rather than distinct individuals. The result is poor employee treatment, minimal pay, and few benefits. This is not the case for all trucking companies, but some have built their reputation on size rather than service.

To combat this problem, many trucking firms offer owner or lease-operator programs that allow truckers to purchase or lease their own vehicles and subsequently, their own businesses. Still, many of these programs do not possess the potential of owning one's own trucking firm.

There is a company that is changing the trucking world one load at a time: uShip. Simply put, uShip is the mother of all load boards. With thousands of loads to choose from, uShip allows you as the driver to compete with other companies to haul various goods. Featured on A&E's Shipping Wars, uShip is actually the largest load board in the world.

The beauty of uShip's service is that you can haul as much or as little as you want. In the owner-operator world, your company decides where, what, and when you haul your cargo, but on uShip, you decide all these factors.

Imagine for a moment that you have won a bid for a load of engine parts that must be shipped from Austin, Texas to Macon, Georgia. In between these destinations are a variety of loads including a forklift that needs to get to Tennessee, a chopper bike heading to Florida, and a trailer converter dolly on the way to Florida. On uShip, you have the ability to win bids on all these allegorical loads and haul them to their individual destinations.

As long as all your loads can fit in your trailer, uShip allows you to haul as many as you can win the bid for. With this in mind, uShip allows you to have even more independence than an owner-operator. You decide what you haul, where you haul it, and what you see along the way. Of course, success is not guaranteed on uShip, but the possibility of great earnings is readily apparent.

And if you happen to be an owner-operator looking for more loads, uShip is an excellent method to earn money between jobs or as a job itself. Have a look, and see what you can do for uShip's clients and what uShip can do for you.

Trucking News--The Week in Review

Here is a list of trucking's top stories for the past week.

Trucking's National Championship Comes to Minneapolis

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/nations-top-truck-drivers-to-compete-in-minneapolis-aug-7-11-2012-07-31

Hair Used in Drug Tests for Major Trucking Firms

http://www.jsonline.com/business/hair-tests-help-trucking-firm-keep-drug-users-off-road-hk6940b-164207156.html

About 3000 Jobs Filled in Trucking, 197,000 to Go

http://www.ccjdigital.com/trucking-adds-3100-jobs-in-june/

http://news.thomasnet.com/IMT/2012/07/30/weekly-industry-crib-sheet-200000-trucking-jobs-vacant-in-u-s/

Roadrunner Transport Purchases Two Competing Firms

http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2012/08/03/roadrunner-acquires-omaha-neb.html

Navistar Works with Cummins Engines

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20120802-723608.html

Fights Over Changes in HOS Laws

http://www.sdcexec.com/news/10753959/nrf-and-nccr-continue-fight-against-new-federal-trucking-regulations

http://www.csnews.com/top-story-retailer_associations_join_trucking_hours_suit-61630.html

More Jobs to Come in Trucking

http://www.timesonline.com/news/local_news/trucking-industry-looks-to-add-more-than-jobs/article_ca239992-149a-55cb-b1da-4e61e00ce58b.html

For more up-to-date trucking news, follow the RoadRunner2k Twitter feed.

Safety is Simple: Part 2

Safety is more than wheel chocks, hard hats, and earplugs. Safety comprises how we work, play, and live. As a truck driver, you probably have to lift something almost everyday. If done improperly, lifting can put a strain on your back and prevent you from carrying out your duties.

There are two solutions to this problem, but each attacks a different facet of the problem. The first solution deals with carrying packages long distances, and the second solution addresses lifting heavy objects for any reason or distance.

Solution One: The Back Support

Back supports help you maintain back straightness while you bend over to pick up an object. Although a back support does not prevent injury completely, with proper posture and a back support, your chances of back injury are limited severely.

Solution Two: The Folding Dolly

Folding dollies are the perfect solution for drivers like you. With a small, lightweight design that can fit in your cab, under your sleeper bunk, or in a toolbox, folding dollies can help you cart around hundreds of pounds without having to lift them yourself. The folding dollies featured above are part of a series featuring models with small, medium, and heavy-duty capacities up to 500 pounds.

So whether you choose to use a folding dolly or carry the weight yourself with a back support, safely lifting heavy or light objects is the smart thing to do. Safety is a lifestyle. Make lifting safely a part of your routine today.