News, Interviews, and Happenings From The Trucking World
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Will Amazon's pay-per-day plan influence the industry? 11/27/2019
Freight volume and rates downturn turns into a 'bloodbath' 11/25/2019
Friday Short Haul - Independent contractors getting booted out of CA, winter weather resources, ransomware attack 11/22/2019
Knowing when to say goodbye to an unprofitable shipper 11/20/2019
Schneider donates trucks; Congress considers women-driver-friendly bill 11/18/2019
Friday Short Haul - CTA files lawsuit against California, Highway Hero nominations sought, video of "Move Over" crash 11/15/2019
Tesla announces new electric Semi model 11/13/2019
Not everyone happy with potential FMCSA clearinghouse delay 11/11/2019
Friday Short Haul - AI taking driving jobs, CRV scam, Truckers protest AB-5, ELDs quit working 11/8/2019
Investigators cracking down on truck accident fraudulent lawsuits 11/6/2019
So you want to start your own trucking company? 11/4/2019
Friday Short Haul - FMCSA emergency exemptions, snow plows, FedEx employee bribery charges 11/1/2019
Human smuggling via big rigs on the increase 10/30/2019
Carriers, drivers look at ways to deal with California's AB-5 10/28/2019
Friday Short Haul - Millennials and trucking, Truckers Christmas Group, Navistar settlement 10/25/2019
Too many drivers still don't know to "Move Over" 10/23/2019
Are trucker strikes a thing of the past? 10/21/2019
Friday Short Haul - Passenger car drivers, spotted lanternfly, women drivers 10/18/2019
OOIDA makes final push for better HOS rules 10/16/2019
Car-truck crash fatalities continue to increase 10/14/2019
Friday Short Haul - Amazon's fleet of day cabs, legislator's disclosure, WTA petition 10/11/2019
ATA chief takes on truck-accident lawyers 10/9/2019
Lonely on the road? Get a furry friend 10/7/2019
Friday Short Haul - Lab-grown meat, fraudulent freight brokering, FMCSA HOS committee, FMCSA Clearinghouse 10/4/2019
UPS takes giant leap in its drone delivery program 10/2/2019
Female drivers are safer bet for trucking companies 9/30/2019
Friday Short Haul - Embark gets financing, FMCSA announces safety grants, Covenant exits Mexico routes, and trucking statistics 9/27/2019
Emissions standards battle heats up between the EPA and California 9/25/2019
Smog checks in the future for California truck drivers 9/23/2019
Friday Short Haul - Volvo Dynamic Steering, Meals for 18 Wheels, speeding crackdown, OOIDA opposes legislation 9/20/2019
Telematics could be insurance-premium-saving boon for fleets 9/18/2019
54 percent of survey respondents still not impressed with telematics technology 9/16/2019
Friday Short Haul - Walmart video, it's churn, not shortage, California's independent contractor bill, hemp drivers plea 9/13/2019
TCA honors three Highway Angels 9/11/2019
Now they're talking about "smart" trailers 9/9/2019
Friday Short Haul - Detention-time comments, truck orders decline, diesel fuel shortage 9/6/2019
Berkeley study says reducing independent truckers can alleviate climate change 9/4/2019
Clearing up concerns about the drug and alcohol clearinghouse 9/2/2019
Friday Short Haul - Hurricane Dorian, Speed limiter bill, Thank a Driver campaign 8/30/2019
Georgia jury awards $280 million for truck-driver-caused multi-fatality 8/28/2019
Friday Short Haul - New eCascadias, Top cities for truck driver jobs, Push against driverless trucks 8/23/2019
Decision on California drivers' employee/contractor status coming down to the wire 8/21/2019
UPS jumps on autonomous bandwagon with TuSimple investment 8/19/2019
FMCSA publishes proposed HOS rule changes 8/16/2019
Fleets, drivers coming to like automated manual transmissions 8/14/2019
CVSA asks for new truck crash study 8/12/2019
Friday Short Haul - HOS revisions delayed, AEB mandate proposed, Koch sued for sex discrimination 8/9/2019
Kodiak Robotics takes lead in autonomous truck industry race 8/7/2019
New York City combats rash of cyclist/truck clashes 8/5/2019
Friday Short Haul - CRST wins lawsuit, OOIDA opposes insurance hike, UPSNav 8/2/2019
Mechanics shortage equals driver shortage in intensity 7/31/2019
DOT announces almost 1$ billion in grants to fix infrastructure 7/29/2019
Friday Short Haul - DOL on sleeper pay, UPS drone delivery, Geowiz ELDs 7/26/2019
FMCSA takes a look at assault, harassment of female and minority drivers 7/24/2019
It's hot out there, what's a trucker to do? Can't idle. 7/22/2019
Friday Short Haul - Utah truck rollovers, aging truckers, lifetime CDL bans 7/19/2019
Truck-mounted LED billboards coming under fire 7/17/2019
Trucker 'drones on' with unique approach to teaching driving skills 7/15/2019
Friday Short Haul - Rhode Island tolls, human smuggling, contractor vs employee status 7/12/2019
ELD mandate deadline looming, many still not compliant 7/10/2019
New "boot" device being deployed to threaten Walmart overnighters 7/8/2019
Friday Short Haul - Prime Inc vs Amazon, mother fights HOS changes, truck drivers appreciation week 7/5/2019
Proper way to fly the American flag on your truck this Fourth of July 7/3/2019
Roundabouts are becoming popular; but are they best for trucks? 7/1/2019
Friday Short Haul - Skills test proposal, driver shortage, hemp sentencing, driverless trucks 6/28/2019
Experts warn of active wildland fire season 6/26/2019
More states signing on to enlist truckers against human trafficking 6/24/2019
Friday Short Haul - Shippers of Choice, insurance rates, wheel spikes, WIT award 6/21/2019
Freight numbers not holding up to 2018's highs 6/19/2019
Truck safety group urges purges of drug abuse drivers 6/17/2019
Friday Short Haul - Self-driving certificate, truck platooning, trade war stacking up cargo 6/14/2019
HOS waiver coming soon for fireworks haulers 6/12/2019
FMCSA takes a further look at detention time 6/10/2019
Friday Short Haul - Autonomous delivery, HOS rules changes, CDL retest 6/7/2019
Roadcheck 2019 in effect this week 6/5/2019
Hemp arrest prompts USDA memo 6/3/2019
Friday Short Haul - Waymo big rigs, Move over sting, Under-21 comments 5/31/2019
Severe weather prompts renewed emergency declaration 5/29/2019
Memorial Day holiday is prime time for cargo thefts 5/25/2019
Friday Short Haul - Hauling hemp, road rage fatality, new rules for autonomous vehicles 5/24/2019
Autonomous trucks on USPS test run 5/22/2019
Future era of cab-less trucks will be the end of HOS rules 5/20/2019
Friday Short Haul - FMCSA under-21 comments, Tesla autonomous car crash, 24,000 drivers sign contract with YRC 5/17/2019
Under-21 interstate drivers getting serious look by FMCSA 5/15/2019
Trucker Buddy program matches drivers with a classroom; everyone wins 5/13/2019
Friday Short Haul - Driver awarded $80 million, ODFL driver wins, loading dock black hole 5/10/2019
Storm breaks out from Rockies, slams into Midwest, South 5/8/2019
Capacity issues have shippers looking at private fleets 5/6/2019
Friday Short Haul - HOS rules, dark skies, Falcon drivers 5/3/2019
'Bug' permits now required for four eastern states 5/1/2019
Simulator use is catching on for schools, carriers 4/29/2019
Friday Short Haul - Thinking electric, Penske opens charging station, border crossing crisis, railroads taking trucking business 4/26/2019
ELDs might not be the panacea that was hoped for 4/24/2019
Truck drivers may soon see "phantoms" driving yard trucks 4/22/2019
Friday Short Haul - Nikola big rigs, WIT welcomes Peterbilt, Oregon crashes, Border crossings 4/19/2019
Carriers claim financial benefit of putting up drivers in hotels 4/17/2019
Uber's IPO application reveals interesting data about its freight brokerage business 4/15/2019
Friday Short Haul - CDL examiner arrested, tolls proposed for trucks, marijuana use on the rise 4/12/2019
Smart Load Board will get carriers the loads they need 4/10/2019
Huge lines and long wait times greet carriers at Mexico border 4/8/2019
Friday Short Haul - Marijuana, ATA campaign, personal conveyance rules 4/5/2019
Over-the-air downloads revolutionize parameter updates 4/3/2019
Don't get scammed by skimmers 4/1/2019
Friday Short Haul -- New Cascadias honored, motorist survey, U.S, Xpress awarded, rest stop parking 3/29/2019
Legislators address underride collisions, propose more underguards for trucks, trailers 3/27/2019
Motorists soon may encounter a different kind of truck convoy 3/25/2019
Friday Short Haul -- Women in Trucking, irate motorist, FMCSA eases HOS, Safe-Cap 3/22/2019
Recent survey shows cost of roadside repairs is rising 3/20/2019
FMCSA announces drug and alcohol clearinghouse website 3/18/2019
Friday Short Haul - Swift settlement, driver shortage myth, TCA Best Fleet award 3/15/2019
The hidden danger of looking but not seeing 3/13/2019
Accident scammers target trucks for financial payout 3/11/2019
3/9/2019
3/9/2019
Friday Short Haul - Snow on the roof, bypassing toll road, Waze under fire 3/8/2019
Retailers blame driver shortage for price increases 3/6/2019
Drivers' smartphones may be clue to road roughness 3/4/2019
Friday Short Haul -- Freight rates, HOS changes, tonnage reports 3/1/2019
New tax changes hit drivers hard 2/27/2019
FMCSA to implement under-21 interstate driver program for former military 2/25/2019
Friday Short Haul -- Connecticut tolls proposed, hydrogen fuel-cell trucks, cell phone use 2/22/2019
Congress committee looks at state of America's highways 2/20/2019
Number of cargo thefts is down; but dollar value about the same 2/18/2019
Friday Short Haul -- Crossing the border, CA sues FMCSA, Lobbying against larger trucks 2/15/2019
Detention - A problem still in search of a solution 2/13/2019
February Highway Angels honorees named 2/11/2019
Friday Short Haul -- C.R. England announces pay raises, eCommerce impact on trucking, TCA announces best fleets 2/8/2019
Is a guaranteed minimum pay the solution to the driver shortage? 2/6/2019
Long CDL testing wait times cost economy billions of dollars; not helping driver shortage 2/4/2019
Friday Short Haul -- Walmart hiring, Uber Freight App, Speed-limiter Law, America's Road Team 2/1/2019
Cranking -- The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly 1/30/2019
California survives challenge to its low-carbon fuel standards 1/28/2019
Friday Short Haul - Highway robbery ... autonomous trucks ... new trailers 1/25/2019
LithiumHub enters jump-starter market with Jumpbooster JP30 1/23/2019
2019 Looks Good For The Transportation Industry 1/21/2019
Raymond Burt named TMC Trainer of the Month for February 2018 3/28/2018
TMC Transportation Announces Recipient of Prestigious Wheel Master Award 3/7/2018
TMC Transportation Named The Home Depot’s Flatbed Carrier of the Year For Fourth Straight Year 2/28/2018
Pay Raises & New Peterbilts for PAM Drivers 2/26/2018
New DOT Drug Testing Rules Effective Jan 1, 2018 1/11/2018
Amtrak Derailment: Trucks Haul 270,000 Pound Locomotive Engine During Cleanup 12/21/2017
Pepsi Places Largest Order Yet For Tesla Electric Trucks 12/12/2017
Kavin Hallett named Trainer of the Month for October 2017 12/8/2017
Over 100,000 Truck Drivers Likely Have Undiagnosed Sleep Apnea And More Testing Is On The Way 8/10/2017
Drivers Share Their Best Tips, Tricks, And Secrets For Life On The Road 7/18/2017
Drivers Are Losing Money By Taking The Wrong Approach 7/13/2017
Truckers and Guns: What Is and Is Not Legal 7/6/2017
Preparing To Go Solo For The First Time? Experienced Drivers Share Their Best Advice 6/29/2017
The Truck Stop Survival Guide: Advice From Experienced Drivers 6/15/2017
The Worst Cities For Traffic In The U.S. For 2017 6/8/2017
We Ask Drivers How They Would Make The Logbook Rules Better 5/30/2017
Self Driving Trucks Are Not Coming Anytime Soon 5/25/2017
11/30/-0001
Tesla announces new electric Semi model
Last Updated: Tue, November 12, 2019
Two years after rolling out a prototype Class 8 electric semi truck, appropriately named "Tesla Semi," Tesla will unveil this week a new version that incorporates autonomous features. While some Tesla Semis have been spotted on America's roads, full production will not begin for another year or so.
Critics worry that a fully electric big rig will not fit into the medium to long-haul market for which it is intended because of the limited mileage per charge compared to the range one gets from diesel-engine-driven Class 8s.
But Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk is undeterred, and says, the Semi will “blow your mind clear out of your skull” when it is introduced in a webcast on Thursday at 11 p.m. ET.
He tweeted last month that the “Semi specs are better than anything I’ve seen reported so far."
The Semi will come in two versions, one with a 300-mile range, and another with a 500-mile range – priced accordingly at $150,000 or $180,000. And Musk said last year that he believes the electric Semi may be pushed to a 600-mile range by the time production begins – putting it ahead of a similar offering by Daimler Trucks.
In an online article at Electrek, a Tesla Semi prototype was spotted at a California inspection station, and the driver reported that it was exceeding specifications. The driver was test-hauling a flatbed load of large concrete blocks with a total truck-trailer weight of 75,000 pounds. California Highway Patrol Photo
Raising the bar for electric semis
According to a Tesla news release the Tesla Semi performance will outshine a standard diesel Class 8 in just about every regard.
A bobtail Tesla Semi can achieve 60 mph within five seconds from a standing start, compared to 15 seconds for a comparable diesel truck. Pulling a fully loaded trailer at 80,000 total pounds total weight, it can hit 60 mph within 20 seconds, about a third the time required by a diesel truck.
It will take a 5-percent grade at a steady 65 mph, compared to the diesel truck maxing out at about 45 mph. This power comes from four independent electric motors, one on each of the two rear axle drive wheels.
There is no shifting or clutching and, like electric cars, braking recovers kinetic energy, regenerating about 98 percent back to the battery. Charging stations are few and far between right now, but where available the Semi can recharge in about 30 minutes for another 400 miles on the road.
Musk is also betting that the economic advantages will appeal to new-truck buyers. Tesla promotes that the Semi will save $200,000 in fuel costs over a million miles, and that drivers can expect to 2-year payback.
Also, it goes without saying that with fewer moving parts – like diesel combustion engines, transmissions, EPA treatment systems and all the accompanying components – maintenance requirements and costs are significantly less than a standard diesel Class 8.
Batteries and electric motors are designed for a life of more than a million miles.
The driver will sit in the center of the minimal cabin, which employs touch screen displays for navigation, "mirrors," and data logging. Access is straight up a set of stairs, and there is full standing room inside.
The Tesla Semi will take advantage of its built-in advanced technology and will come platooning ready. And the battery weight gives the Semi a low center of gravity, which helps prevent rollovers.
PepsiCo was an early customer of the Tesla Semi, sighing up for 100 units when the Semi was announced in 2017. The company will soon take delivery of 15 Semis at its plant in Modesto. Other notable carriers like Walmart and JB Hunt have reportedly bought pre-production Tesla Semis.
Tesla is now taking reservations for the production Semis for $20,000 per truck.
Sources: Stock Daily Dish,
Tesla Semi,
Electrek
Tagged Under:
Autonomous Trucks
Driver Solutions
Electric Semi
Self-Driving Vehicles
Trucking News