News

Preparing for the 21st Century

It’s about time the trucking industry began preparing for the 21st century. It’s no good living in the past, we have to look forward. A couple of initiatives announced this week suggest there is some movement in this direction and we are looking forward, as opposed to looking back. One of the demographic challenges which faces Australian society, generational imbalance, is even more of an issue in the trucking industry. A large proportion of the people working as drivers in trucking are baby boomers, and they are getting older every year. Large numbers of them will retire every year. Not only will all of that experience and knowledge be walking out of the door, but the number of young people starting their careers in the industry is much lower. Hence an imbalance.
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Electric Actros on the Road

Mercedes-Benz unveiled its electric truck back in 2016, but now we will see the electric Actros on the road. The ten eActros models, in two variants, with a GVM of 18 to 25 tonnes, will be handed over in the next few weeks to customers, who will be testing their everyday feasibility and economic efficiency under real-life conditions.
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Dana, Australian Made

Dana, Australian Made

Many trucks built in Australia include components from Dana, Australian made products used in Australian made trucks. Dana’s story is one of survival of using smart thinking to deal with a crisis and come out the side with a viable business.
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The Trucking World in the Twitterverse

The Trucking World in the Twitterverse

In this week’s look at the trucking world in the Twitterverse, we have free cups of coffee and tea fighting fatigue in rural New South Wales, enormous truck cabin interiors in the US and vehicle telematics which fit inside the truck and trailer’s tyres.
Fighting Fatigue one cuppa at a time: Read More

Kenworth Goes Electric

Over in the US, you know when something is going to happen, it’s when Kenworth get involved, and now Kenworth goes electric, showing off its new Zero Emission Cargo Transport (ZECT). It’s a T680 powered by a hydrogen fuel cell hybrid power system using a 100 kWh lithium ion battery. This power train means the truck has 560 hp available to it.
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8x2 Rigid Out For a Spin

8×2 Rigid Out For a Spin

When Diesel News took the new Scania 8×2 rigid out for a spin, we found there’s something reassuring about driving an eight wheeler truck. With twin steer axles taking a good proportion of the weight at the front, the truck seems to sit down well on the road. The rear axles can be set a little closer to the rear, so there is no tendency towards the see-saw motion a driver will sometimes feel in a 6×4 on a rough road.
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Tesla Semi Breaks Cover

In a cloud of hype, the long-promised Tesla semi breaks cover and Diesel News US Correspondent, Steve Sturgess, got to see and feel the truck first hand.     Tesla
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Moscow Motors

This week Diesel News is looking at an exhibition of Moscow motors. While the Americans have MATS in Louisville, the Brits have the CV Show in Birmingham, and the West Europeans have IAA in Hanover,  for the Eastern Europeans, there’s only one show – Comtrans in Moscow. Diesel’s European Correspondent, Brian Weatherley, has the story. Read More

Banging Your Head Against a Brick Wall

For many advocates for the trucking industry it can often feel like you are banging your head against a brick wall. There are some important points we need to get into the public domain and be brought to the attention of those in power. There are also plenty of barriers in the way of anyone trying to speak up for all of the people involved in trucking. The industry faces a number of challenges, all of which have conspired to make it very difficult for the correct information, in the right context, to be laid out in front of people outside the industry.
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