The General Motors Fort Wayne facility, also known as Fort Wayne Assembly, is located in Roanoke, Indiana, USA. The factory produces full-size pickup trucks. General Motors is making a new round of upgrades to its Fort Wayne Assembly plant to further increase production of the all-new Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 pickups – especially crew cab models. “We are building Chevrolet and GMC crew cab pickups at record volume and mix levels to meet customer demand and the $24 million investment will allow us to build even more,” said Mary Barra, GM chairman and CEO. “The team here at Fort Wayne has done an outstanding job helping us satisfy customers throughout this launch. Our product ramp-up was very smooth and the quality has been exceptional. Crew cab sales have been very strong, and we are expanding customer choice with new models, more cab choices and innovative new powertrains.”
Sunday, July 14, 2019
GM Fort Wayne Paint Lab
The General Motors Fort Wayne facility, also known as Fort Wayne Assembly, is located in Roanoke, Indiana, USA. The factory produces full-size pickup trucks. General Motors is making a new round of upgrades to its Fort Wayne Assembly plant to further increase production of the all-new Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 pickups – especially crew cab models. “We are building Chevrolet and GMC crew cab pickups at record volume and mix levels to meet customer demand and the $24 million investment will allow us to build even more,” said Mary Barra, GM chairman and CEO. “The team here at Fort Wayne has done an outstanding job helping us satisfy customers throughout this launch. Our product ramp-up was very smooth and the quality has been exceptional. Crew cab sales have been very strong, and we are expanding customer choice with new models, more cab choices and innovative new powertrains.”
Friday, July 12, 2019
FordPass™: Built To Keep You Moving | FordPass | Ford
With FordPass,™ rewards are just a tap away. It’s the only app that puts maintenance, rewards, roadside assistance and connectivity in the palm of your hand.*
*Based on U.S. auto manufacturer owner’s mobile apps only. FordPass Connect is an optional feature on select vehicles and is required for certain remote features. Service includes 1-year trial for remote features, excluding Wi-Fi hotspot, that starts with vehicle sales date (after which, fees apply). Connected service and related feature functionality is subject to compatible AT&T-network availability. Evolving technology/cellular networks may affect functionality and availability, or continued provision of some features, prohibiting them from functioning. Certain restrictions, 3rd-party terms or message/data rates may apply.
Wednesday, July 10, 2019
Rightsizing Your Vehicle Fleet to Conserve Fuel
Fleet rightsizing is a management practice that can help vehicle fleet managers build and maintain sustainable, fuel-efficient fleets. Fleet inventories often grow over time to include vehicles that are highly specialized, rarely used, or unsuitable for current applications. By evaluating fleet size and composition, managers can optimize vehicle use, conserve fuel, reduce emissions, and save money on fuel and maintenance.
Evaluate Vehicle Needs and Use
Fleet managers should understand their fleet's daily vehicle use and needs. Most fleet managers already have a handle on their number and type of vehicles, average mileage, payloads, and fuel economy. Fleet rightsizing combines this information with a critical look at fleet operations to identify opportunities to reduce energy use. When rightsizing, fleet managers should evaluate how important each vehicle is to the fleet’s performance by asking themselves:
What tasks are accomplished by each vehicle? Or, what is the drive cycle?
What is the daily, weekly, or monthly mileage of each vehicle? Or, what is the duty cycle?
Are fleet vehicles the optimal vehicle type, class, and size for the job?
Are there any vehicles that are no longer cost effective to operate or are no longer fulfilling their purpose?
Are there any vehicles that are no longer being used or have experienced a lot of downtime?
What is the fuel consumption of each vehicle? Can any vehicles be replaced by lighter, more fuel-efficient vehicles?
What is the age of the vehicles? Can any vehicles be replaced by newer, more efficient and reliable vehicles?
Are there any alternatives to owning or leasing a vehicle, such as shuttle bus services, motor pool vehicles, sharing vehicles with other offices/agencies, vehicle stipends, public transportation, or short-term rentals when needed?
Considering the answers to the previous questions, what is the optimal composition of the fleet required to properly support the fleet’s needs?
In addition to reviewing telematics or fleet analysis data, fleet managers should consider soliciting input from drivers when conducting a rightsizing review, as they can be very knowledgeable about how vehicles are being used to support operations. Gathering this input also gives drivers a stake in the development of rightsizing recommendations. Fleet managers can solicit input through driver surveys or face-to-face meetings to establish consensus.
A fleet rightsizing strategy should evaluate the business case of each vehicle to determine whether reassigning, replacing, or eliminating the vehicle would reduce fuel and maintenance costs without compromising fleet activities. Fleet managers often need to define evaluation criteria and rank vehicles to complete this analysis. A fleet dominated by sport utility vehicles, for example, may find that mid-size sedans can suffice with a significant reduction in fuel costs.
Fleet managers may develop their own analysis or use existing evaluation tools. The Vehicle Allocation Methodology developed by the U.S. General Services Administration is an evaluation framework that federal agency fleets use to ensure fleets are cost-effective and contain the appropriate number and type of vehicles. Learn more about this methodology in the Comprehensive Federal Fleet Management Handbook (PDF).
Make Smart Vehicle Purchases
Fleet managers may decide to replace older vehicles with more fuel-efficient or alternative fuel vehicles. These purchasing strategies may help fleet managers make decisions that meet operational needs and conserve fuel:
Transition to Smaller, More Efficient Engines: Using smaller engines can help fleets meet operational needs without downgrading vehicle class. Some fleets choose to switch from 6-cylinder to 4-cylinder engines to help reduce fuel use and emissions. In many cases, the new, smaller engine can have nearly the same horsepower as a larger engine. Fleet managers can also improve fuel efficiency by selecting smaller engines with optional gearing for their application.
Choose Lighter Vehicles: When purchasing new vehicles, look for opportunities to reduce vehicle weight. Lightweight materials, such as aluminum frames, and smaller components can reduce rolling resistance and drag, thereby improving a vehicle’s fuel economy. For example, a 10% reduction in vehicle weight can improve fuel economy by 6% to 8%. Also, try to avoid unnecessarily large body configurations and heavy accessories. For more information, refer to the North American Council for Freight Efficiency's Confidence Report.
Use Alternative Fuels and Vehicles: Alternative fuel and fuel-efficient advanced vehicles can reduce a fleet's fuel use, making them economical options for many fleets. Cost savings from vehicle maintenance, operation, and fuel use and price often offset higher purchase prices.
Source: https://afdc.energy.gov/conserve/rightsizing.html
Evaluate Vehicle Needs and Use
Fleet managers should understand their fleet's daily vehicle use and needs. Most fleet managers already have a handle on their number and type of vehicles, average mileage, payloads, and fuel economy. Fleet rightsizing combines this information with a critical look at fleet operations to identify opportunities to reduce energy use. When rightsizing, fleet managers should evaluate how important each vehicle is to the fleet’s performance by asking themselves:
What tasks are accomplished by each vehicle? Or, what is the drive cycle?
What is the daily, weekly, or monthly mileage of each vehicle? Or, what is the duty cycle?
Are fleet vehicles the optimal vehicle type, class, and size for the job?
Are there any vehicles that are no longer cost effective to operate or are no longer fulfilling their purpose?
Are there any vehicles that are no longer being used or have experienced a lot of downtime?
What is the fuel consumption of each vehicle? Can any vehicles be replaced by lighter, more fuel-efficient vehicles?
What is the age of the vehicles? Can any vehicles be replaced by newer, more efficient and reliable vehicles?
Are there any alternatives to owning or leasing a vehicle, such as shuttle bus services, motor pool vehicles, sharing vehicles with other offices/agencies, vehicle stipends, public transportation, or short-term rentals when needed?
Considering the answers to the previous questions, what is the optimal composition of the fleet required to properly support the fleet’s needs?
In addition to reviewing telematics or fleet analysis data, fleet managers should consider soliciting input from drivers when conducting a rightsizing review, as they can be very knowledgeable about how vehicles are being used to support operations. Gathering this input also gives drivers a stake in the development of rightsizing recommendations. Fleet managers can solicit input through driver surveys or face-to-face meetings to establish consensus.
A fleet rightsizing strategy should evaluate the business case of each vehicle to determine whether reassigning, replacing, or eliminating the vehicle would reduce fuel and maintenance costs without compromising fleet activities. Fleet managers often need to define evaluation criteria and rank vehicles to complete this analysis. A fleet dominated by sport utility vehicles, for example, may find that mid-size sedans can suffice with a significant reduction in fuel costs.
Fleet managers may develop their own analysis or use existing evaluation tools. The Vehicle Allocation Methodology developed by the U.S. General Services Administration is an evaluation framework that federal agency fleets use to ensure fleets are cost-effective and contain the appropriate number and type of vehicles. Learn more about this methodology in the Comprehensive Federal Fleet Management Handbook (PDF).
Make Smart Vehicle Purchases
Fleet managers may decide to replace older vehicles with more fuel-efficient or alternative fuel vehicles. These purchasing strategies may help fleet managers make decisions that meet operational needs and conserve fuel:
Transition to Smaller, More Efficient Engines: Using smaller engines can help fleets meet operational needs without downgrading vehicle class. Some fleets choose to switch from 6-cylinder to 4-cylinder engines to help reduce fuel use and emissions. In many cases, the new, smaller engine can have nearly the same horsepower as a larger engine. Fleet managers can also improve fuel efficiency by selecting smaller engines with optional gearing for their application.
Choose Lighter Vehicles: When purchasing new vehicles, look for opportunities to reduce vehicle weight. Lightweight materials, such as aluminum frames, and smaller components can reduce rolling resistance and drag, thereby improving a vehicle’s fuel economy. For example, a 10% reduction in vehicle weight can improve fuel economy by 6% to 8%. Also, try to avoid unnecessarily large body configurations and heavy accessories. For more information, refer to the North American Council for Freight Efficiency's Confidence Report.
Use Alternative Fuels and Vehicles: Alternative fuel and fuel-efficient advanced vehicles can reduce a fleet's fuel use, making them economical options for many fleets. Cost savings from vehicle maintenance, operation, and fuel use and price often offset higher purchase prices.
Source: https://afdc.energy.gov/conserve/rightsizing.html
Monday, July 8, 2019
Advanced Clean Transportation Expo -2020
CONFERENCE MAY 11-14, 2020 EXPO MAY 12-13, 2020
LONG BEACH CONVENTION CENTER LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA
BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE MEGA TRENDS DRIVING THE FUTURE OF THE INDUSTRY—CONNECTED TECHNOLOGIES, EFFICIENCY, ELECTRIFICATION, ALTERNATIVE FUELS, SUSTAINABILITY, AND MORE.
Learn more at: https://www.actexpo.com/
Saturday, July 6, 2019
Enoven Flatbeds and Stakebeds - Lots of Options
The flatbed is a very popular product. Its main job is to take things from one point to another. A Stakebed is a flatbed with some removable or permanent gates of various heights (40″ most common) to carry taller cargo and have it remain on the bed. All Flatbeds and Stakebeds typically come with a standard square headboard to protect the cab from damage.
There are many options available for the Flatbed and Stakebed such as a liftgate to help get heavy items on and off the bed, under bed tool boxes, HD trailer hitch and wiring, tapered headboard, steel overlay on floor for added strength and longevity (smooth or diamond plate), cranes, tool boxes on top of the bed, HD material rack and many more.
Some samples of what we can do at Enoven:
- 100% fabricated and installed in house
- 10ga and 3/16” smooth or diamond plate steel; 7/8” and 1-1/8” Apitong hardwood decks
- All bodies are built for heavy duty use
- Custom builds are our specialty
- Rugby and Omaha Standard Subframe style and truck frame mounted conversion hoists
- Fully hydraulic or electric over hydraulic hoists
- Hoists for bodies 8’ long up to 24’ long
Thursday, July 4, 2019
U.S. Senators press for speed limiters on trucks
TORONTO, Ont. – Ontario and Quebec introduced a speed-limiter
program for trucks 10 years ago, setting the maximum speed for
heavy-duty vehicles at 105 km/h, or 65 mph.
Now the United States wants to follow suit amid a sharp rise in fatal accidents involving large trucks. Two U.S. senators have introduced a bill that would require trucks to be equipped with speed limiters, also set at a maximum speed of 105 km/h.
Road-safety advocates such as Road Safe America and the Truck Safety Coalition have been lobbying Congress for months to pass such a legislation.
“The majority of trucks on our roads already have speed-limiting technology built in, and the rest of the technologically advanced world has already put them to use to ensure drivers follow safe speeds,” said Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson, who sponsored the bill with Democratic Sen. Chris Coons.
“This legislation would officially enforce a long-awaited speed limit of 65 mph on large trucks and reduce the number of preventable fatalities on our busy roadways.”
The senators noted that the Department of Transportation delayed action on speed limiters for more than 20 times since it was first proposed in 2011.
The Trucking Alliance, a safety coalition of transportation and logistics companies, said it was hopeful Congress would pass the legislation.
More than 140,000 people were killed or injured in large truck accidents last year alone, the group said.
Safety advocates also point out that the speed limiters won’t cost extra money because most trucks already have the technology in place.
An Ontario Ministry of Transportation study revealed that speed-related, at-fault collisions involving large commercial vehicles fell by 73% after the legislation took effect, according to the Ontario Trucking Association.
The study compared data from 2006-08 to 2010-12, the association said in a report published in 2017.
Source: http://www.trucknews.com/transportation/u-s-senators-press-for-speed-limiters-on-trucks/1003092258/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newcom&utm_campaign=TruckNewsDaily&utm_content=2019070380754
Now the United States wants to follow suit amid a sharp rise in fatal accidents involving large trucks. Two U.S. senators have introduced a bill that would require trucks to be equipped with speed limiters, also set at a maximum speed of 105 km/h.
Road-safety advocates such as Road Safe America and the Truck Safety Coalition have been lobbying Congress for months to pass such a legislation.
“The majority of trucks on our roads already have speed-limiting technology built in, and the rest of the technologically advanced world has already put them to use to ensure drivers follow safe speeds,” said Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson, who sponsored the bill with Democratic Sen. Chris Coons.
“This legislation would officially enforce a long-awaited speed limit of 65 mph on large trucks and reduce the number of preventable fatalities on our busy roadways.”
The senators noted that the Department of Transportation delayed action on speed limiters for more than 20 times since it was first proposed in 2011.
The Trucking Alliance, a safety coalition of transportation and logistics companies, said it was hopeful Congress would pass the legislation.
More than 140,000 people were killed or injured in large truck accidents last year alone, the group said.
Safety advocates also point out that the speed limiters won’t cost extra money because most trucks already have the technology in place.
An Ontario Ministry of Transportation study revealed that speed-related, at-fault collisions involving large commercial vehicles fell by 73% after the legislation took effect, according to the Ontario Trucking Association.
The study compared data from 2006-08 to 2010-12, the association said in a report published in 2017.
Source: http://www.trucknews.com/transportation/u-s-senators-press-for-speed-limiters-on-trucks/1003092258/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newcom&utm_campaign=TruckNewsDaily&utm_content=2019070380754
Tuesday, July 2, 2019
2020 Chevy Silverado 3500 6.6-liter Duramax diesel
With best-in-class 35,500 pounds towing capability, Chevy’s 1-ton workhorse proved impressive at the company’s ride-n-drive event in Bend, Oregon. Sandor Piszar, Chevy truck marketing director, talks about the truck’s fleet appeal and Chevy lead development engineer Chris DePolo explains how a new Allison 10-speed transmission enabled an improved axle ratio of 3.42 (down from 3.73) and thus better fuel economy.
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