Designers integrate ProStar+ with MaxxForce 15-liter for strong, quiet ride.

I’m heading south from Dallas on I-15 into Texas hill country. It’s not the Rockies, but it’s the best chance I’ll have to put this 2012 International ProStar+ through its paces and find out if its Big Bore 15-liter will deliver the goods. So far, this new MaxxForce 15 diesel is powering my 77,000-pound gross with relative ease.

Overdrive Executive Editor Jacks Roberts puts the ProStar+ and 15-liter MaxxForce through the paces.

A lot of motorists check out my gleaming orange-and-charcoal ProStar+. Truckers with a more practiced eye know it’s an aerodynamically styled truck, paying homage to the great International conventionals but without the sharp edges and flat surfaces.

“Our drivers like the ride and how quiet the truck is,” says Aaron Tennant, president and CEO of Tennant Truck Lines of Orion, Ill. His company runs ProStar+ tractors as its standard spec vehicle. “They also give it very high marks for the interior styling, comfort and room. I like them for their fuel economy. We’ve tested them against other trucks and found that the ProStar+ delivers about three-tenths of a mile per gallon better fuel economy than other models.”

When aerodynamic, performance and interior changes were made to the ProStar for the 2010 model year, the + designation was added to recognize those upgrades. Now any ProStar ordered in the United States and Canada is a ProStar+.

During the pretrip, a quick unfastening of the fender latches and a gentle tug on the handgrip easily opens the hood to reveal the 15-liter MaxxForce. Forged in the company’s Huntsville, Ala., plant, the engine combines the lower components, such as the block and camshaft, from Caterpillar’s C-Series of diesel engines with International’s high-pressure fuel injection system and sophisticated electronic engine control systems.

This is an exhaust gas recirculation-only engine – meaning there is no diesel exhaust fluid tank or exhaust aftertreatment system. International uses “heavy EGR” to burn off NOx particulate matter by recirculating exhaust into the combustion chamber.

You don’t just climb into this truck. It feels more like putting on a pair of jeans. And everything – from the instrumentation, switch placement, views over the hood and to the sides, to the responsive way the truck handles – reinforces that easy feeling.

This model features International’s deluxe trim package, including plush leather seats. The warm tones of wood panels and trim accent the well-lighted switches on the instrument panel. It’s highlighted by the middle console featuring International’s top-of-the-line stereo and GPS navigation systems, which are quickly mastered.

I was expecting a lot more noise in the cab from the big 15-liter, but an integrated, sound-dampening system isolates vibration from the vehicle frame as well as wind, engine and highway noise. It doesn’t hurt that the MaxxForce 15 is an inherently quiet engine, thanks to its compacted graphite iron design. CGI makes the engine lighter, stronger and quieter than engines with conventional block cast iron.

This MaxxForce 15, mated to an Eaton 13-speed manual gearbox, quickly accelerates the rig. But once at cruise speeds, the MaxxForce settles in around 1,200 rpm and stays there. Even the occasional long climb on mild grades didn’t rile it up. Downshifting becomes optional. The MaxxForce 15 might lose 4 or 5 mph at first, but by the time you’re halfway you’ll be back at target speed.

This design is truly integrated, and the solid feel behind the wheel reflects it. A 15-liter diesel isn’t for everybody, but if your application demands one, this engine fits the bill. It’s got plenty of power, but cruises as quiet as a kitten when brute force isn’t required.

2012 ProStar+ with MaxxForce 15

ENGINE: MaxxForce 15, 450 horsepower, 1,550/1,750 lb.-ft. torque at 1,000 rpm

ENGINE COMPRESSION BRAKE: MaxxForce for MaxxForce 15 engines

TRANSMISSION: Fuller RTLO-18913A 13-speed manual with double overdrive and internal lube oil pump

CLUTCH: Eaton Fuller Solo Advantage self-adjusting, two-plate, cast angle spring; ceramic, 15.5-inch diameter, soft rate damper, 1,860 lb.-ft. torque capacity with hydraulic actuation with air assist

DRIVELINE: Dana Spicer SPL250XL plus SPL170XL inter-axle shaft

Thanks to careful design of the hood and engine, access to all major engine systems — antifreeze, power steering fluid, engine oil — is a snap.

BRAKES: Bendix Antilock Brake System, full vehicle wheel control system (four-channel) with automatic traction control

FRONT AXLE: Meritor MFS-13-143A wide track, I-beam type, 13,200-pound capacity

REAR AXLE: Meritor MT-40-14X-3CFR single reduction, 40,000-pound capacity, Amboid gearing in rear drive axle

The release of the new hours of service final rule by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration raises questions about operational efficiency and adds more complexity in certain situations.

Overnight parking at truck stops could get more crowded after July 1, 2013, when 34-hour restarts must include two 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. periods.

Perhaps the most controversial change, and one that could limit productivity the most, has to do with restrictions on the 34-hour restart. The final rule restricts use of the restart to once per week, and it must include two 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. periods. FMCSA acknowledges this is an attempt to reduce fatigue by pushing schedules more toward conformity with circadian body rhythms. Under the current rule, the restart can be used as often as desired, and the 34 hours can begin at any time.

The new rule requires a 30-minute off-duty break after any eight-hour driving period. The agency kept the 11th hour of driving. That surprised some, as FMCSA had indicated it favored a reduction to 10 hours.

Among changes mostly favorable to owner-operators were minor adjustments to the definition of on-duty time, which provide clarity for team drivers and daycab operators resting in parked trucks. The new regs make it legal to log two hours of off-duty time in the passenger seat before or after eight hours in the sleeper. It is now also legal to rest off-duty in a parked truck and log it as such, whether you’re in a sleeper berth or not.

Ruan Transport driver Shawn Hubbard sees the imposition of the restart’s mandatory early morning rest periods as costing him a potential $200 a week. He has a six-night-a-week graveyard shift schedule, driving usually within a 100-mile radius of his home in Southern California.

To continue the six-day schedule, he notes, he’d have to take two days off to satisfy the night-period restart requirements. Working six days on, two off – an eight-day cycle – would not mesh with his weekly dedicated operation, delivering to Target stores, or his schedule of classes he’s taking toward a bachelor’s degree.

“I can do up to $300 worth on a good night, but $200 a night is average,” Hubbard says. “If I had to give up one day a week, every week, that would eliminate $800 a month from my check.

“The people making the rules have no idea. They’ve never sat in a truck or lived in a truck,” Hubbard says. “They’ve never seen the realities of the road and the reality of shipper and receiver locations.”

That sentiment is echoed by independent Mike Crawford, Overdrive’s 2010 Trucker of the Year, who runs long-haul on a dedicated contract with Prime Inc.’s logistics arm. Drivers “always get the same answer from regulators: ‘You just have to plan better,’ ” he says. “But we can’t always plan around shippers, manufacturers, carriers and these other entities.”

Limiting the restart to one per week will also disrupt other operations. The current restart for cross-country haulers is less a tool for maximizing hours and more one that provides great operational flexibility, says Jay Thompson, president of Transportation Business Associates. “They run across the country and often reset on either end, whether [they’re] close on hours limits or not,” he says.

Restarting around shipper/receiver delays ensures the driver will be able to get back across the nation without a delay on the return trip, he notes. Without that flexibility, restart changes “could have a big impact on the most productive truckers,” those running above 2,300 miles a week, he adds.

The impact of restart changes on weekly drive time for operators at flatbed fleet Long Haul Trucking will be minimal, says Safety Director Mark Theis, “unless it is more of a dedicated run.” Even so, he says he still understands the exasperation of so many. “The government spends all this money on battling and this is what they come up with?” he says. It could cost “an average-size company with a system that scans their logs about $10,000” in software and systems modifications and driver retraining.  

Crawford doesn’t see the changes impacting his productivity, given his ability to adjust operations. “I’ll just have to learn to live with the new restart the way it is,” he says. “I’ll have to do some more planning.”

Industry down on new rule

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration once again has left many groups unhappy with an hours of service revision.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association charged that the new provisions will have no impact on highway safety but plenty on the “lives and livelihoods of small-business truckers,” said Executive Vice President Todd Spencer. “The changes are unnecessary and unwelcome.”

Spencer called for more flexibility for drivers to truly improve highway safety. “Compliance with any regulation is already a challenge because everyone else in the supply chain is free to waste the driver’s time loading or unloading with no accountability,” he said. “The hours of service regulations should instead be more flexible to allow drivers to sleep when tired and to work when rested and not penalize them for doing so. It’s the only way to reach significant gains in highway safety and reduce non-compliance.”

The Truck Safety Coalition calls the 11th hour of driving “one of the most unsafe provisions of the former rule,” accusing FMCSA of bowing to industry interests by retaining it. The coalition also calls for eliminating the 34-hour restart altogether.

The American Trucking Associations called the rule’s new provisions “unsurprising. What is surprising and new to us,” said ATA President and CEO Bill Graves, “is that for the first time in the agency’s history, FMCSA has chosen to eschew a stream of positive safety data and cave in to a vocal anti-truck minority and issue a rule that will have no positive impact on safety.”

ATA has said it is researching potential legal options, though industry watcher Jay Thompson bets challenges come from other quarters first. Safety advocacy groups, he says, are most likely to issue any challenges.

Interpreting the new rule can be challenging

Interpreting all the nuances of the hours of service final rule isn’t always easy, says Rich Wilson of Trans Products/Trans Services, a safety services company. That’s no surprise, considering the document is 212 pages long.

Wilson gives as an example the change in definition of on duty time to exclude time resting in a parked truck. The rigidity of the 14-hour clock remains in place with few exceptions, but Wilson charged that FMCSA hadn’t directly addressed practical questions about how parked rest might relate to it. “If I write on my log, ‘Parked,’ does that stretch my 14-hour clock out? Do I pick up all this time because I’m resting?” he asked.

In FMCSA’s justification of the rule, the agency spells out a scenario that addresses this question, and the answer is no: “With the 14-hour limit, it is unlikely that either the carrier or driver will want the driver to spend extended periods off duty in a parked truck during the duty day because all of the time counts against the 14-hour period.”

But on other questions, Wilson said in early January, “I’m just waiting to get some definitive confirmation on what is right or wrong because I can’t even go out and teach this rule right now.”

The challenge in understanding the rule’s implications is just as great for owner-operators. Overdrive 2007 Trucker of the Year Henry Albert read the explanation of the occasional inability at roadside to verify driver compliance with the limitation of one restart every 168 hours (seven days), included in the rule. He asked himself: If drivers are required to keep in the truck seven past days of logs, plus the current day, what exactly is the problem with enforcement?

Albert and others then questioned the intent of the restart, and whether it was truly limited to “once every 168 hours.” If a driver begins a 34-hour restart period at 11 p.m. on Friday, would he be able to begin another one as early as 11 p.m. on the following Friday — 168 hours after beginning the restart? Or would he have to wait until 9 a.m. Sunday morning — 168 hours after concluding the restart?

FMCSA points out that an answer’s spelled out in the rule to allow for another restart when “168 or more consecutive hours have passed since the beginning of the last such off duty period.” That answer, of course, is buried in the language of the regulatory code in the Federal Register, not exactly easy to find.

Then there are areas where the rule can be clear, while failing to address certain situations. For example, Linda Caffee, who hauls team with her husband, Bob, notes that the requirement for a 30-minute break after eight hours of driving holds the potential to disrupt operations on certain high security loads.

“Many loads require dual driver protection, and this requires one driver to be on duty at all times watching the freight,” she says. “In order to take the half-hour break, the other driver would have to come on duty, which would start their clock,” if the driver could even legally do so.

Regarding that break, the new rule allows only haulers of certain classes of explosives to “count on-duty time spent attending the CMV, but doing no other on-duty work, toward the break.” However, explosives do not constitute the only freight where the carrier or shipper requires on-duty driver attendance of the load, Caffee notes.

“The only way on these loads is to go into a safe haven and hand over the control of the load to an observer,” she says. Safe havens, typically a carrier yard or other secure facility, will typically have “a fence and a full-time guard.”  

Will the 30-minute breaks thus create a market for safe havens on the highways? Caffee asks. “Who is going to pay for the extra miles, the extra time” to get to the safe havens? “If there comes to be a market for this, there will also be a fee associated.”

HOURS CHANGES AT A GLANCE

Current rule

Daily driving limit –11 hours

Breaks within drive time –None mandated

34-hour restart driving –No restrictions

34-hour restart frequency –Can be taken as often as needed

On-duty time –Includes any time in truck except sleeper berth

Penalties –Definition of “egregious” violations not specified

Final rule

Daily driving limit –11 hours

Breaks within drive time –Minimum 30-minute mandatory off-duty time after every eight hours on duty

34-hour restart timing –Must include two 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. periods

43-hour restart requency –Limitation to one per week

On-duty time –Does not include any time resting in a parked truck. For team drivers, two hours in passenger seat of a moving truck immediately before or after eight consecutive hours in the sleeper berth is allowed off duty.

Penalties — “Egregious” violation defined as driving three or more hours beyond limits; maximum civil penalties can be levied on drivers and carriers (if proved complicit) for such a violation.

The alternator connects the engine and the electrical system. It converts rotating power from the crankshaft to 14-volt current to charge the batteries and operate all lighting, gauges, the engine ECM and the electronic portion of the injection system. The starter plays the reverse role, converting the battery’s stored electricity into cranking power.

Wiring like the large, red, positive connection to the starter on the back of this alternator is just as important as the alternator, starter and batteries. Connections must be clean and tight. Cables must have low resistance.

While the alternator is fairly trouble-free, its function and long life depend on battery maintenance and the maintenance of all the wiring and ground systems that ensure low-resistance electrical circuits. A certain electrical system symptom can signal a problem in one or more areas, so maintenance and troubleshooting should not be restricted to one or two components.

Battery maintenance

Alternator maintenance is more about maintaining the batteries than the alternator itself. A good alternator lasts almost forever, but only if it doesn’t overheat. One good way to prevent such overheating is to keep the batteries working efficiently.

Battery grime should be cleaned periodically. Corroded connectors need to be cleaned with an abrasive material or special battery post cleaning tool. Resistance in these connections will reduce cranking power as well as prevent the batteries from being quickly charged after a cold start.

The alternator’s main job is to handle the vehicle’s electrical load, calling on 75 percent or more of its output. New batteries and good wiring reduce battery charging needs, making life a breeze for the alternator. As batteries and cables develop resistance, the alternator works harder and longer to replace what’s used for starting or supplying overnight shutdown loads.

Testing batteries once a year, preferably just before the weather gets cold, is critical.

Testing reliable start power

1.  Disconnect the cables to isolate the batteries.

2.  Use a carbon pile load tester – a big electrical resistance – to put half the rated load on each.

3.  Check the output voltage for 20 seconds of continuous loading with a voltmeter. If the voltage stays at or above 9.5 volts for more than 20 seconds, the battery will get you started.

Use a special, circular wire brush to clean battery posts. Some can be chucked into a drill to speed the process and do a more thorough job.

Voltage on a battery that is close to failing will fall off by the end of 20 seconds. If any battery fails this test, replace the entire set to ensure long life. You can inexpensively have this test done at a dealer or repair shop if you can’t do it yourself.

While this test will help ensure reliable starts, it’s harder to determine whether batteries are gradually starting to tax the alternator by losing their reserve capacity, notes Bruce Purkey, president of Purkey’s Fleet Electric. He suggests two ways you can check on this:

Testing reserve capacity

1.  Establish a baseline for good batteries by testing them when new.

• Turn off the engine. Measure battery voltage.

A hydrometer can be used to measure charge by indicating the density of the electrolyte in the cells of conventional batteries. When fully charged, the colored balls float, as shown here.

• Turn on headlights and let them drain the batteries for 30 minutes. Retest the output voltage and record the reading.

• After a year or two, you can repeat the test. After 30 minutes, if voltage drops more than when new, it shows a reduction in reserve capacity.

2 Carefully monitor battery performance while shut down overnight if you have an inverter with a low-voltage cutoff. If your typical overnight load is fairly constant, note how long it takes to get a low-voltage warning or cutoff. When that interval becomes significantly shorter, it’s time to replace the batteries.

Conventional batteries require regular addition of distilled water. Keep the cells filled for maximum performance and life, doing so once a month. When doing your monthly check of electrolyte level, carefully wipe off the top of every battery. Do this for maintenance-free batteries, too. Keeping batteries clean reduces the loss of charge during shutdowns.

Conventional batteries have the advantage that the density of the electrolyte liquid in the cells can easily be tested with a hydrometer. Remove the cap from each cell, draw a sample of electrolyte into the hydrometer, and watch what the indicator balls do. If they rise to the top of the fluid, the cell is charged. If they sink, the cell is bad, and the battery should be replaced. Always return the electrolyte to the cell once tested. Testing every six months is an excellent way to anticipate battery trouble.

Maintenance-free batteries have an indicator that changes color when they deteriorate. Check your owner’s manual for a description of how the indicator should look. When its color changes, have the battery checked and, if necessary, replaced.

More battery PM tips

• Clean and tighten connections. Twice a year, disconnect all the battery connectors and use a powered brush to clean both the inside diameter of each connector and the post. Reconnect all connections securely and then protect them with di-electric grease or a spray protectant. Note that typical, soft lead connectors continually stretch. Tighten the fastening bolts once a month to ensure maximum conductivity, or get plated brass connectors that are much harder.

• Beware cold temps. Cold weather affects a battery’s ability to give up stored power and to allow recharging. “A battery will lose 35 percent of its cold cranking amps at 0 degrees Fahrenheit,” Purkey says, “so you need a full battery charge to ensure reliable starting. Also keep in mind that a jumpstart may not be enough to get the truck ready for a shutdown even a few hours later. At cold temperatures, it can take as long as two days for batteries to become fully charged.”

This means connecting the truck to a battery charger is the best way to get the truck back to reliable operation, says Tim Ruth of Warehouse Battery Outlet. “To bring a discharged battery to its full 12.6-volt charge, charge it at a low rate for 18-24 hours, not just 2 or 3 hours,” he says.

Wiring maintenance

Purkey says many a battery cable has been the real culprit when truck owners believe they have a charging or battery problem. So when checking your batteries before cold weather, inspect the cables, as well. The Technology and Maintenance Council’s Recommended Practice 129 calls for a voltage drop of 0.5 volts or less at 500 amps of current flow. If the voltage drop is greater than this, the cable needs to be replaced.

However, you can’t tell much by just putting a voltmeter on connections because resistance doesn’t show up until there is high current. So Purkey recommends having a professional test each cable with a special instrument that uses electronics to measure resistance. In four seconds a technician can tell whether a cable needs replacement.

Alternators and heat

As the wiring inside the alternator heats up, resistance increases, reducing the unit’s output. The windings inside have insulation and soldered connections that are sensitive to heat. As loads increase beyond what the unit was designed for, it can fail. An unusual load can have the same effect as inefficient batteries, producing a snowballing effect that means long hours at maximum loads, overtaxing the alternator.

You could also do this yourself. Measure voltage at the starter positive connector while the engine is being cranked by someone else. Then take a similar measurement at the battery positive terminal and subtract the first reading from the second. “It makes a lot more sense to replace a $4 battery cable than an $80 battery when the cable is actually the problem,” Purkey says.

He also recommends checking wiring quarterly, or whenever you see corrosion starting to develop. “If you can see green, there is more of it from corrosion that is still invisible,” he says.

More wiring PM tips

• Starter and alternator positive and ground connections and any ground wires on the chassis need to be checked to ensure connections are clean and tight. Inspect and, as necessary, clean any wiring connections, whether voltage or ground. You can clean the contacting surfaces with an abrasive like sand paper. Then reinstall fasteners tightly, replacing them if corroded.

• Inspect all wiring for cracked or frayed insulation or rubbing against other parts. Repair bad wiring and protect it by using ties to keep it away from surrounding surfaces.

Alternator cooling system and belt maintenance

This Volvo D16 has a typical serpentine belt setup. To remove the belt, turn the tensioner, which is behind the alternator, counter-clockwise. Small cracks in belt grooves indicate a need for replacement.

Your alternator has a cooling system – a fan that forces air through passages in the windings. This airflow keeps resistance low enough for good output, and protects perishable insulation and internal connections unless threatened by dirty fan blades or clogged passages, Purkey says. The problem with the alternator’s location is that small oil leaks are common in the engine compartment. The dust sticks to the layer of oil, eventually coating the fan blades and possibly clogging the cooling passages.

If you see oil on the alternator, trace it back to the source and fix the leak. Then carefully clean the fan blades and air inlets in the body of the alternator with a clean rag to restore airflow.

Since the diesel is the truck’s ultimate source of power, it’s important to keep the belt system that spins the alternator in tip-top condition. Since belts depend on tension for the friction that makes them effective, check the tensioning mechanism and the alternator’s mounting system.

Testing belts and mounting system

1.  Put a wrench on each alternator mounting bolt and on any adjustable bolts that allow belt tension to be adjusted to make sure every bolt is snug. Also, look at the alignment of the pulleys to make sure the alternator and any tensioner or crankshaft pulley grooves are straight across from one another. If the back of the belt bends sideways in either direction as it comes out of the pulley groove, either the accessory itself or some other part of the system is loose or has a bent bracket or one of incorrect design. Distorted or incorrect brackets need to be replaced, as do missing bolts.

2.  Inspect each belt, looking for cracks on either the outside band or inside where the belt rides in the groove. Look carefully at the friction surface on either side of the V-shaped area. If there is any sign of cracks, or if these two surfaces are smooth from slippage, known as “glazing,” the belt should be replaced. Where serpentine belts that run around several accessories are used, check for the same kinds of cracks and glazing, plus for fraying that starts at the outside edges and works its way toward the center. Also, check to see the belt is clean and dry. If it is oil-soaked, replace it and fix the oil leak. Replace pulleys that are so old they have grooves in them where the belts ride.

3.  Test the tension of all belts that are manually adjustable with a tension gauge. You can look up required tension in your owner’s manual. Experienced do-it-yourself technicians can test tension with a thumb. You should be able to depress the belt a half-inch to three-quarters of an inch for each 10-inch span between pulleys. The belt should be snug, but slightly springy – not rock solid. Adjust the tension if necessary by loosening mounting and adjusting bolts, rotating the accessory with a socket drive to get the right tension, then retightening the bolts.

4.  If the accessories are driven by a serpentine belt, the system will have an automatic tensioner. Check to make sure the tensioner’s indicator line sits between the two lines nearby on the block. If the indicator is outside the other two lines, then either the tensioner is weak or the wrong-size belt has been installed. Either condition makes it impossible for the tensioner to do its job. If there is some tension on the belt but the indicator is not where it should be, replace the belt with one of the correct length.

5.  To check the tensioner itself, turn it away from the belt with a socket drive to remove tension, then disconnect the belt. Now use the drive to slowly rotate the tensioner from its neutral position all the way inward. If you feel any roughness or excessive friction, the tensioner’s damper is worn and the unit should be replaced. Replace the belt and start the engine. If the tensioner is working properly, the belt will operate smoothly. If the belt vibrates and the tensioner does not remain in a relatively stable position, this is another sign the tensioner’s damper is worn and should be replaced.

Pending regulatory initiatives could make it much more difficult for truckers, especially those with obstructive sleep apnea, to obtain or renew a medical certificate.

Since FMCSA’s Medical Review Board formed in 2005, regulators have advocated more scrutiny of conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea, which can be treated in-cab with use of continuous positive airway devices like the one shown here.

One apnea proposal would tie a Body Mass Index threshold to mandatory testing. Another would disqualify drivers on certain apnea-related scenarios, such as refusing treatment.

The creation of a National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners also promises to be a major regulatory move. A final rule on it was expected to be announced by the end of January.

Such certification would considerably reduce doctor shopping by truckers in poor health because only certified examiners, who would be trained and tested, could issue a CDL medical certificate.

The registry will also bear on sleep apnea because drivers can expect more unified testing of the disorder once the registry goes into effect, along with precise guidelines for obstructive sleep apnea screening.

Examiner trainers urge truckers to be aware of their basic health conditions, especially knowing your blood pressure, such as Jackson, Miss.-based trucker Fred McGee, prepares to find out at Workforce Testing in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Regulators “are trying to get standard guidelines out there so that the examiners in the National Registry will share a common guideline,” says industry analyst Tom Bray at J.J. Keller & Associates. Some doctors screen aggressively for the disorder, currently grouped with respiratory function under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. Others “aren’t screening for it at all,” Bray says. “Some examiners aren’t even aware of it.”

Two recommendations drafted as guidance to an eventual final rule regulating obstructive sleep apnea were formed in December by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Medical Review Board and Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee. The panels said that a driver with a BMI of 35 or higher must be screened for the disorder. The second guidance disqualifies drivers who refuse treatment, report excessive daytime sleepiness, have had an accident after falling asleep, have apnea-hypopnea index scores of 20 or higher, or await evaluation after corrective apnea surgery.

A subcommittee of the panels was expected to submit to FMCSA a rule proposal relative to the condition as early as February. Though it could take years for a proposed rule to culminate in a final rule on screening, testing, treating and monitoring for the sleep disorder, truckers should expect a version of the guidance recommendations to become standard guidelines much sooner, observers say.

Adoption of the proposed guidances has been compared to the pilot program exemption for drivers with insulin-treated diabetes. Though no formal rule exists, that program has been in effect since 2005.

“The issuance is going to have some teeth,” says John McElligott, physician and longtime medical examiner at Occupational Health Services in Knoxville, Tenn., of standard guidelines. His clinic has stocked extra equipment for treating the sleep disorder in anticipation of tougher standards, he says.

Sound sleep is difficult for those with sleep apnea, which deprives the body of oxygen and causes fatigue. An estimated 30 percent of truckers have the disorder, which has figured in some fatigue-related accidents. In December, a settlement in a case against Celadon Group said that sleep apnea was related to a highway death. A jury awarded a Texas family more than $3 million. The driver who crashed had been diagnosed with the condition yet remained untreated for it.

Owner-operators have many of sleep apnea’s risk factors, which include being male, overweight and older than 50. Nearly 30 percent of truckers are obese, and many of them also are at risk for or have cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes. all of which are exacerbated by sleep apnea makes worse and can impede driver certification.

Drivers often are reluctant to be tested for sleep apnea. They fear a carrier won’t hire them, that they will be taken out of service or that treatment will be too time-consuming and costly. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association questions what may be “unneeded expenses,” making it “harder for drivers with the condition to have the freedom of choice of employers,” says OOIDA spokeswoman Norita Taylor. She notes anyone with symptoms of the disorder should seek medical advice.

Drivers with moderate to severe sleep apnea that interferes with safe driving can be disqualified if a state-licensed medical examiner decides they should not drive. While medicines cannot treat the disorder, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines keep users’ airways open during sleep with use of a face mask.

Some trucking advocates say no hard evidence shows sleep apnea causes crashes, but others point to crashes caused by fatigue, a major symptom of sleep apnea. In 2010, 3,675 fatalities involved trucks, including Class 8 rigs and smaller, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. An estimated 500 of those deaths involved a fatigued trucker, FMCSA head Anne Ferro says.

Charles Czeisler, chief of Harvard Medical School’s sleep medicine division, says 20 percent of all highway crashes are related to fatigue. He served on the Medical Review Board panel that developed proposed sleep apnea guidelines in 2008. He says drivers with a BMI of 30 or higher – not 35 or higher – should be screened for the disorder.

Czeisler is weary of FMCSA’s decades of indecision on a rule that would regulate the disorder and the screening for it, though he notes that the National Registry will be “a key in making the roads safer.”

Experts familiar with driver health regulation say one of the surest ways for truckers to stay on the road is to take responsibility for their health. Regarding sleep apnea, “The no-cost solution is weight loss,” says Ben Hoffman, Medical Review Board chair. “Changing lifestyle is the solution.”

Anne-Marie Puricelli, a veteran CDL medical examiner and trainer with Concentra Medical Center, in Maryland Heights, Mo., agrees. Truckers “need to focus on improving their health in terms of losing weight, exercising and getting conditions tested,” she says. “Right now there is a big focus on improving the health of the drivers who have sleep apnea, and they might as well do it themselves before they’re told they have to do it.”

Truckers who’ve sought sleep apnea treatment have found that CPAP machines produce quick results. “Most of them come back to us and thank us for treating them,” she says.

One of the smartest changes for smokers is to stop smoking. Its associated health care costs are high and it exacerbates sleep apnea, as well as other conditions, says Bob Rose of J.J. Keller & Associates. “Owner-operators concentrate on their business, but they also have to concentrate on their health. Their return on the investment will prove itself.”

Registry will raise the standard on medical exams

Even apart from expected tighter standards regarding sleep apnea, the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners could curtail the driving force. This would happen both by requiring tougher nationwide minimum standards for medical exams and by screening out medical professionals who now take a lax approach in approving medical certificates.

Announcement of a final rule creating the registry is expected soon. Carriers with 50 drivers or more will be required to use certified medical examiners two years after the final rule becomes effective. All other drivers and carriers will have three years.

“It will set the bar a little higher in terms of medical examiners,” says Anne-Marie Puricelli, a veteran CDL medical examiner.

Chiropractor Clinton Smith, president of NRCME Training Systems in Breese, Ill., concurs. “It’s going to corral all the examiners and truckers,” Smith says. “There are too many loopholes,” he says of current procedures for selecting examiners. He points out that dangerous drug and alcohol levels too often go unreported. “There will be more accountability.”

Chiropractic physicians, medical and osteopathic doctors, advanced nurse practitioners and physician assistants may still become certified medical examiners, according to the docket for the final rule. An examiner will have to take eight hours of training and be tested on it to become certified. Retraining would be required every three to five years.

Every month examiners will report DOT medical exam results to FMCSA. Carriers will be required to verify drivers’ health certificates that are signed by an examiner in the registry. For more information on the system, visit nrcme.fmcsa.dot.gov/about.aspx.

Drivers who live in rural regions initially might have difficulty finding certified examiners close by. “But by implementing the registry slowly, the hope is that enough examiners will sign up,” Smith says. Currently about 200,000 examiners conduct tests, he says. That number is expected to drop due to the time and cost of becoming certified, but longtime observers say that 40,000 examiners will suffice for the program to function.

Truckers, especially in rural areas, also can expect to pay $100 to $120 for the exam, which often costs $60 to $75 now. “Just based on supply and demand, the assumption is that for truckers in areas where there is no competition and until the examiners pool builds up, there may be some initial higher costs,” Smith says.

The National Registry also will input drivers’ exam results into the national driver database, as part of the system that merges driver medical records with CDL records, which began in January. “This whole thing is dovetailing, implemented in stages, to have one large driver database,” Smith explains.

For a listing by state of medical examiners who paid to be included in an online directory, go to teamcme.com.

Advances for sleep apnea treatment

The most common successful treatments for obstructive sleep apnea are breathing devices. The sleeper wears a mask hooked to a machine that pushes air into the lungs — either a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) or APAP (auto-titrated airway pressure) machine.

For patients with mild to moderate apnea, dental devices can help by moving the lower jaw forward.

A new treatment involving a tiny surgical implant under the skin is being tested at Tampa General Hospital’s Sleep Disorder Center, says Dr. William McDowell, who heads the center. He notes that, generally, costs for diagnosing sleep apnea in-lab and monitoring devices for treating the condition are decreasing. Weight loss, the least expensive treatment, has also been shown to help, he says.

McDowell and Duke Naipohn, CEO of sleep apnea treatment provider SleepPointe, based in Wichita, Kan., urge drivers to be tested and treated if diagnosed with the potentially dangerous disorder. “We’re going to have drivers who will have to deal with this. It’s hit the radar, and it’s not going away,” Naipohn says.

SleepPointe is one of several sleep providers that have helped carriers develop fatigue management programs in the last several years. Prime Inc. and Schneider National started programs years ago. J.B. Hunt, Swift Transportation Corp., Crete Carrier Corp., H.O. Wolding and Ryder System Inc. are among fleets that have recently partnered with sleep labs to treat drivers.

Trucker Bob Stanton, who heads the A.W.A.K.E. network of the American Sleep Apnea Association, at awake.truckersforacause.com, tells drivers to take the time to see a doctor: “If you think you’ve got sleep apnea, get tested. If you’ve been diagnosed with it, you need to be treated before you drive again.”

Visit understandingsleep.org for details on screening and treatment.

Sleep apnea signs

These symptoms and related conditions often indicate sleep apnea:

• Excessive, loud snoring or snorting

• Interrupted sleep

• Obesity (a body mass index of more than 30)

• Large neck (17 inches for men, 15.5 inches for women)

• Short sleep periods

• Daytime drowsiness

• Frequent nighttime urination

• Soft throat tissue

• Hypertension

• Reduced libido

• Cigarette smoking

Larry Cunningham, an owner-operator leased to Tennessee Steel Haulers, pulled into a TA truck stop east of Seattle one recent night and found all parking spaces occupied. He circled five times before he saw the lights of a rig that was ready to leave. “I got lucky,” he says.

It’s not uncommon, especially in high-traffic lanes, to see trucks parked in odd places, such as these parked in a spot close to a motel and Highway 99 in Northern California.

Such luck is too often missing. Since the 1990s, the federal government and some states have mounted studies and funded projects to address truck parking availability. While most federally funded programs are not developing additional parking spaces, they are focused on using Internet and other media to provide parking availability information to truckers. A few states have begun restoring rest area parking that had been closed, but little new capacity has been added. Truck stop chains, however, are opening new facilities.

Fueling the initiatives is a concern that a parking shortage is forcing truckers to drive longer to find open spaces. That contributes to fatigue, possible hours of service violations and diminished safety.

The safety aspect was tragically demonstrated in the case of Jason Rivenburg almost three years ago. Prevented from parking at a warehouse where he was scheduled to make a delivery, Rivenburg waited at an abandoned gas station, where he was murdered in a robbery. The incident led to a Congressional bill known as Jason’s Law that seeks $20 million annually for parking-related initiatives.

Jason’s Law and increased truck parking were reportedly recently discussed in a Senate committee meeting on a new transportation funding bill. The bill lists potential funding sources for adding truck parking, such as developing rest areas or converting inspection and weigh stations and park-and-ride areas. The committee approved the funding bill last month.

Truckers often have to seek parking, like Rivenburg did, at sites other than truck stops or rest areas – large retail stores, distribution centers or industrial areas. Cunningham once or twice a week will search for a warehouse district or other area where trucks are parked. He says he’s never been told to leave such a place and tries to leave early the next morning before workers arrive.

“If you pull in a lot some place, you’re a target,” he says. “California doesn’t want you parking in industrial areas.”

Parking in an industrial area is a last resort, says Bryan Peirsol, leased to Landstar Ranger. Since he frequently pulls oversize loads, he’s required to get off the road before dark. That often forces him to start looking for parking by mid-afternoon.

Matching supply with demand

A 2005 FMCSA study measured the daily parking demand of 287,000 spaces compared with the daily supply at 309,000 spaces. This suggests less a parking shortage than problems with geographic allocation or getting current information to drivers.

That’s long been the concern of NATSO, the trade group representing truck stops. “It’s also important to focus on maximizing the spaces that we already have,” says Tiffany Wlazlowski, NATSO spokeswoman. “We could have all the parking spaces in the world, but if truck drivers don’t know where they are or when they are open, or if everyone is trying to get into the same spot at the same time, then it doesn’t really matter all that much.”

California is developing a system that would provide real-time information on parking availability and a space-reservation system.

The initial phase of the five-year pilot program covers engineering and deployment at two test sites on I-5, one a drop-and-hook terminal in Lathrop, east of the Bay Area, and the other a Flying J truck stop with 187 spaces at Lodi. The Lathrop location is a secure facility that will be used to test sensor performance, while the state Department of Transportation will test several sensing systems at Lodi. A second phase will add two public and four private sites to the program.

In a trucker survey, 72 percent said it would be useful if they could use the Internet to monitor parking availability.

Government tackles parking

For the last few years, the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded grants to states to help reduce truck parking shortages. In 2006 the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration launched its SmartTruck program, designed to examine how technology can provide real-time data, including parking availability, to drivers.

Earlier this year, DOT awarded $4.4 million to Michigan and more than $2 million to Minnesota to cover truck parking information systems that deliver real-time information on parking availability.

Michigan’s project is focusing on I-94 from the Indiana state line to the I-69 interchange. Initially five state facilities – four rest areas and a welcome center – will be wired. Later, 15 truck stops will be outfitted with instruments.

The exact format of the information and the type of information is still being discussed, says Collin Castle, ITS engineer with the Michigan Department of Transportation. “Ultimately we’re trying to determine the number of available parking spaces at facilities,” he says.

Under consideration for the project to be delivered in 2013 is a web-based system where a user could check individual parking facilities to see real-time availability. Another option is a smart phone application that could deliver parking information to a subscriber, as well as to a statewide management system, Castle says.

Minnesota is targeting 100 miles of I-94 west of the Twin Cities for its project aimed at mitigating driver fatigue. The state is preparing to install equipment at three rest areas and a Pilot truck stop, says project manager John Tompkins of the state Department of Transportation. The state DOT and University of Minnesota will set up electronic message signs on highways and a website for the anticipated rollout next summer. Equipment will scan the facilities for open parking spaces and real-time information will be presented to system users.

In 2010, DOT provided grants to Mississippi, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Utah to add parking capacity or intelligent transportation infrastructure along key interstate lanes. All but Mississippi have begun to take advantage of the grant money.

Tennessee’s Department of Transportation is evaluating where to locate Intelligent Transportation System instrumentation to monitor parking availability. The state’s $800,000 federal grant originally had targeted facilities on I-40.

Pennsylvania’s $2.1 million grant covers a system to alert truckers to parking availability at rest areas along I-81. The state DOT is planning testing for a system that would start in 2013 or later.

Kentucky’s Truck Rest Haven program has provided truck parking at weigh and inspection stations over the last few years. Information is available through the state’s 511 Traffic and Travel service online or by dialing 511 or (866) 737-3767.

These states have added or plan to add parking facilities:

Florida: Recently the Federal Highway Administration awarded $1 million to the state to add 90 parking spaces at the Florida 595 Truck Stop in Davie. The goal is to supplement the facility’s 35 paved spots by early 2013.

Iowa: Over the past decade, Iowa has opened truck parking at abandoned weigh and inspection stations and reconfigured rest areas to add more spaces.

Owner-operator Bryan Peirsol sometimes will head for a Walmart when he’s desperate to park, but it’s not always a sure option. “Some cater to truckers and others won’t let you park at all,” he says.

Missouri: From 2002 to 2010, Missouri added more than 400 spaces at rest areas and former weigh stations.

Utah: Utah is considering options for increasing parking along I-15, a key commercial route from Southern California ports. Among the possibilities under a $545,000 grant is working with big-box retailers to create truck parking.

Oregon: With a $480,000 federal grant, the state is working with a native American tribe to build and operate parking spaces on I-5 in southern Oregon. The tribe already runs a truck stop and rest area and is likely to expand truck parking at those locations.

Scoping the I-95 corridor

Some of the worst parking shortages occur along the East Coast. For nearly 20 years, federal and state transportation officials have been working to find solutions to traffic congestion and parking availability on the I-95 corridor from Florida to Maine. Early projects focused on creating 511 information systems and other technology deployment.

A current $5.5 million program aims to work with public and private facilities to monitor how many parking spaces are open by using thermo-optical imaging technology and cameras. Information would be updated every two minutes and made available to truckers through a website and/or smartphones, says Marygrace Parker, I-95 Corridor Coalition coordinator. The information might focus on specific truck stops or rest areas or those clustered in a geographic area chosen by the trucker.

The coalition considered a space-reservation system, but drivers voiced reluctance to pay for reservations, Parker says.

In Maryland, testing is under way on cameras that cost $150,000 to deploy, Parker says. In January equipment will be installed at four or five truck stops in Maryland and New York State. Carriers will be recruited to test the equipment to make sure it’s working properly. By the end of 2012, the goal is to expand the project to 14 or so sites along the corridor.

“Regardless how much information you put out, there’s still a capacity issue,” Parker says. “We hope to eliminate vehicles having to park on road shoulders and ramps, even though spaces might be available.”

TRUCK STOP SPACES

Among major truck stop chains, Pilot Flying J’s network numbers more than 550 facilities with more than 50,000 parking spaces. The company plans further expansion through new locations or acquired facilities, a spokesperson says.

If truck stops are full, owner-operator Larry Cunningham hunts for warehouse or industrial districts for overnight parking.

TA Petro counts 43,960 spaces at 230 sites, after adding about 2,000 spaces through acquisition and new sites this year. The company offers a TruckSmart smart phone app that updates parking availability about every two hours.

To its network of more than 17,400 spaces, Love’s Travel Stops is adding 1,820 spaces at 23 locations this year. Most of the additions are new construction, a spokeswoman says.

With the TruckerTools smartphone app, a user can find the number of parking places at any given truck stop. The same information is available online at Truckstopguide.com.

NATSO, an organization representing about 1,400 truck stops that provide about 90 percent of overnight truck parking, noted in a 2010 study that truck parking is more plentiful on interstates where commercial rest areas are prohibited. Under federal law, 14 states are permitted commercial services at rest areas.

PAYING TO PARK

An alternative to parking at truck stops and rest areas is private lots that offer security for a price. Many carriers maintain their own yards and make parking available, while private owners run lots in major markets.

TXS Secure Trailer Parking provides more than 170 truck and trailer parking facilities around the country. J.P. Harwood says he’s adding another 80 locations and aims to have up to 300 facilities by the end of 2012.

The facilities are private lots and fleet yards. Rates per space vary from $85 to $350 a month, depending on local real estate values.

Harwood says carriers and operators can park an entire rig or just a trailer in the facilities, but he requires the tractor and trailer be separated inside the fences. The driver can stay inside the facility in the designated truck parking area. “The idea is to protect the cargo of the other trailers,” Harwood says.

His current project is developing a wireless reservation system. A client would be approved after screening and a credit check. The user can pull into a facility when needed and receive an invoice when he leaves that will be billed to his card.

“The wireless reservation system is going to be a real asset for owner-operators,” Harwood says. Many parking yards don’t want to do business with owner-operators, he notes, because it’s hard to get paid. Yet it’s not cost-effective for most owner-operators to keep a monthly designated slot since they’re usually on the road. “Once they have an account with my company and have a need, they have a home away from home,” he adds. “They can leave their equipment and it will be there when they get back.”

In Phoenix, Security Truck Park offers more than 250 spaces for tractors and trailers in a lot with cameras that is patrolled by a guard. Customers vary from large carriers to long-haul owner-operators to local contractors who leave their car at the facility during the day. Vice President Pam Howerton estimates 25 percent of customers are owner-operators.

Drivers can stay with their trucks and use a driver’s lounge, vending machines, restrooms, TVs and free Wi-Fi. The facility plans to add showers within a year, Howerton says.

Delta Truck Parking in Otay Mesa, Calif., a base location for many warehouses and trucking outfits near San Diego, offers 110 spaces for truck and trailer parking for $10 per space per day just a mile from the Mexican border. Manager Miguel Vilchis estimates 80 percent of its customers are long-haul and local owner-operators.

Carriers hauling specialized equipment for trade shows or machinery for a construction project might stay for two weeks or more. Others are contractors who haul to Los Angeles and destinations north. Still others are Mexican operators who pick up or deliver at Tijuana or who leave their vehicles to take a vacation.

“It’s a safe place to leave a loaded trailer,” Vilchis says. “Truckers from Mexico come and leave their equipment because they don’t trust truck stops.”

The facility commonly attracts more local operators not only because of its proximity to the border but also its location between two truck stops that have free parking. Vilchis says his facility has portable toilets but no other amenities.

The facility, often 70 percent full in the morning, gets increasingly congested as the day goes on and might fill up by night. “Many owner-operators don’t like to pay for parking,” he says. “They park outside our lot, maybe because they feel they will be more protected parking next to us.”

Vilchis says the area is extremely safe because state patrol, border police and immigration control officers are constantly driving around.

Tim Philmon’s 2011 income boost arrived after what he calls the “survival mode” he and so many flatbed operators went through in 2009. His success strategy includes longer rounds and flocking to areas with jobs no one wants to do, such as the North in winter.

In today’s high-dollar-freight landscape, some old adages hold true: Enclosed car haulers by and large still make top dollar, though auto manufacturers have seen better times. Hazmat niches like liquid bulk tank operations and other specialized haulers continue to command high rates.

New contenders are emerging, too. For example, carriers are sweetening the pot to attract owner-operators to keep up with demand in intermodal. It’s an area where flat pay rates for miles loaded and empty is boosting attractiveness to owner-operators as average length of haul declines and fuel prices rise, says Transcore Industry Pricing Analyst Mark Montague.

Basic flatbed has recovered after the construction industry’s sharp decline during the recession, too, he adds. “No matter if you’re a big fleet or an owner-operator, you’re seeing 10 to 11 percent more money” in flatbed. “There’s an ongoing shortage of equipment, and shippers are willing to pay.”

These and other niches offer big earning potential if you pay attention to the details beyond merely gross pay rates.

Energy

The evolving energy landscape has opened new opportunities with high-income potential for owner-operators. One relates to hydraulic fracturing for natural gas. Another supports construction of electricity-generating wind turbine farms.

Steve and Doris Bixler, leased to Reed Trucking, haul sand for hydraulic fracturing to natural gas wells with this 1989 Freightliner cabover and copmany owned pneumatic tank.

Owner-operator Steve Bixler, after a long career in over-the-road work, last year fit his 1989 Freightliner cabover into hauling sand in a pneumatic tank to hydraulic fracturing sites in Eastern Pennsylvania, where he lives. “We load it at rail yards,” Bixler says, in addition to “one spot in Buffalo where it comes off of a barge.” Running often off-road to get to the sites, Bixler and his wife, Doris, average only 900-1,200 miles a week, but their average revenue on those miles exceeds $5,000, or around $5 a mile. “For the first time in 12 years as an owner-operator, I’m really making money,” he adds.

Leased to Schuylkill Haven, Pa.-based Reed Trucking, which in turn is contracted with Updegraff Trucking of Williamsport, Bixler’s D&S Bixler Trucking is an S Corp business. He pays himself a driver’s salary as a company employee. That pay, calculated as just 25 percent of what the truck grosses, averages $1.25 a mile, or $65,000 a year at 1,000 miles a week. In addition, further net income accrues to the business.

The operation required investments, Bixler says, including auxiliary equipment such as an air compressor for offloading the tank. “About $7,600 and change for that,” Bixler says, which included the Tuthill blower and the power takeoff on the transmission that drives it.

Another top-dollar opportunity exists in hauling wind energy components to new wind turbine sites. Palmerton, Pa.-based owner-operator Bill Ehret, leased to Daily Express, pulls a Schnabel-type trailer to haul windmill towers.

Ehret operates a 2006 Freightliner Coronado spec’d for heavy haul with a 625-hp Caterpillar, double frame rails and a lift axle to pull the trailer. His wife, Kathy, operates the pilot car. “We’re close to 160 feet long,” he says.

Ohio owner-operator James Butler (left) has hit the jackpot with intermodal container moves. He’s leased to J.B. Hunt.

Recently, the couple was working a windmill project in Illinois. Negotiating the 550-mile dedicated round-trip between the site and a manufacturer facility will help Ehret pull in $200,000 in gross revenue to the truck on just 60,000 miles, or nearly $3.30 a mile. A Daily Express fuel surcharge that takes into account the high weights associated with his operation lessens the high costs.

Among other wind-energy haulers at Daily, says Recruiting Manager Erik Thompson, are blade runners and those like owner-operator Jack Berghorst who haul the generator module of the turbine on open-deck heavy-haul trailers.

Intermodal

Year 2010 was big for international and domestic container movement in the United States, and the trend continues. Third-quarter statistics from the Intermodal Association of North America showed domestic container movement up 9 percent from the second quarter, and at levels not seen since 2006.

Intermodal could take up an even larger share of the truck-freight market, representing a shift in opportunities for owner-operators. “As fuel has risen in price … it makes rail intermodal that much more attractive,” says Transcore’s Mark Montague. “Shippers ship more of the long-haul traffic to train, and the long-haul trucker gets hit in the pocket,” he says.

However, intermodal offers advantages compared with general freight, says Sarthak Verma, director of J.B. Hunt’s growing pool of intermodal owner-operators. “The intermodal drayage world is very conducive to someone who wants to earn,” he says.

A couple reasons for that:

Much less waiting. Verma says pay rates are similar to those in general van freight. James Butler, leased to J.B. Hunt, grosses an average $1.40 a mile, counting fuel surcharges. He gets the miles he wants because of less time spent waiting at docks.

“One of the legs of the move has to go into the rail yard,” says Verma, and it’s usually drop and hook.

Butler’s among Hunt’s regional operators, moving five container loads a week between Chicago and his native Ohio. Typically, he leaves his home in Sidney on Monday morning and is home Friday afternoon.

Deadhead miles are well-paid. Butler gets paid the same rate to his 2004 Volvo tractor, with fuel surcharge, on loaded and empty miles. He signed on with J.B. Hunt intermodal last February. In November, with an average 2,200 to 2,500 miles a week, his take-home income was averaging $1,500 to $1,800, or between $78,000 and $96,000 yearly business income, much better than he’d ever done with OTR and local delivery.

Bradley Coddington, with a 2000 Kenworth T800, found favorable mileage-pay rates for any load longer than 20 miles in the operation of Milwaukee, Wis.-based J.R. Long Transport.

Other intermodal carriers Coddington had hauled for paid by the load, with no accounting for detention time. With Long, his detention pay clocks in at $8 every 15 fifteen minutes after the first two hours spent waiting.

Long pays miles both empty and loaded at the same rate and covers his iPass tolls, which can get high in and around Chicago, where he runs.

Deck specialized

The various niches within specialized open deck hauling, such as removable goosenecks, step decks or load-height-limiting flatbeds, can offer high-revenue opportunities.

R.C. Barnes, pulling a step deck with his 1998 Kenworth T2000 for G&W Hauling and Rigging of Cleveland, says there’s plenty of large equipment needing moves. He recently hauled crane beams for two crane manufacturers in Ohio on stretch flatbeds. The hauls paid $2,500 for 516 miles between Cleveland and a Siemens installation in Charlotte, N.C.

“Most of those crane beams are less than 10,000 pounds,” Barnes says, though every crane usually takes three loads. Though he often also hauls with a step deck, using a stretch flatbed for long over-dimensional loads means getting back-loaded with decent-paying freight from load boards used by G&W, reducing deadhead miles.

Owner-operator Steven Abell, leased to Greentree Transportation, sticks to high-rate freight, grossing $198,000 on just 88,000 miles loaded and empty in 2010, or $2.25 a mile. This year he expects to exceed that revenue rate.

He pulls a 2004 XL Specialized three-axle double-drop step deck with a 1997 Freightliner Classic.

“I don’t haul regular step deck freight,” he says. “If it isn’t oversize, I don’t do it – no pipe, no pallets. I try to stay with one piece, up to 74,000 pounds, and take it where it needs to go. The rates just aren’t good enough for regular step deck freight. I don’t know how owner-operators can run their tires off with $4 fuel and stay above water.”

Florida-based owner-operator Tim Philmon, leased to Landstar, takes a similar tack but does it with a Transcraft 48-ft. flatbed. Philmon’s numbers reflect the larger flatbed income trend over the last two years, including a particularly sharp spike in demand for the first three quarters in 2011. He expected 2011 to be “a banner year” with upward of $60,000 net profit, a sizable boost from previous years.

Philmon’s not putting his 2005 Peterbilt 379 in line at steel mills and lumber yards to do it, though. “I try to keep in the specialized area,” he says. “You’re not having to sit in line on both ends.”

Given a lack of truck capacity in flatbed, Philmon says, increased demand means an owner-operator raise as long as you’re paid by percent of revenue. He tracks demand by searching the Landstar load board for the number of loads paying more than $2.50 a mile. “From about March to mid-August, mid-July, [in 2011] on any given day there were well over 400-500 [flatbed] loads over $3 a mile. Today, there might be 50. I think the demand is slowing up – this climate changes so fast because of the lack of trucks out here.”

Reacting quickly to take advantage of those good times, in any niche, is the secret to high income, Philmon says. “That’s why I stay out so long sometimes.”

Freight and rates strong for tanks

Bill Cyphers, owner and part operator of Kansas-based Dale Barnes Trucking fleet, says a steady uptick in freight and rates for his tank-hauling business has made big investments possible, such as two brand-new tank trailers (about $80,000 per) last year. As his son Zachary gets into the business with the 2003 Peterbilt 379 pictured (the Kenworth is Bill’s), the firm seeks more opportunites.

There is a 6-cents-a-mile pay premium for leased tank owner-operators over flatbed, reefer and van contractors, says Gordon Klemp of the National Transportation Institute. That’s due in part to higher deadhead miles in the segment, where most leased owner-operators are paid on percentage.

On the independent side, though owner-operators are rare, the niche remains lucrative. For certain commodities, too, it’s a stable business. Independent tank owner-operator Bill Cyphers, with six-truck fleet Dale Barnes Trucking, notes per-truck revenues of $200,000 yearly hauling liquid fertilizer, anhydrous ammonia and occasionally propane with tank trailers the company owns. Cyphers says freight availability and rates have risen over the last five years.

Visit overdriveonline.com and search for “pulling tanks” for the tanks story, with more on leased owner-operator rates.

Cyphers, who continues to haul for his and his business partner’s company in a 2004 Kenworth W900 as his sons join him in the business, was hoping to further expand that versatility at the end of 2011 by adding two new tankers to the eight they already own. The new tankers would increase their capacity to haul hazardous acids and other commodities. 

Rate analysis tools for independents

Transcore publishes data for independents seeking ways to maximize revenue with a mix of spot and contract freight. Rate data is based on the Transcore DAT load board and reports from carrier partners and is published weekly at Transcore’s Trendlines site (at transcorefreightsolutions.com, click “Trendlines” under the resouces menu).

Transcore’s “Best Lanes in America” quarterly report, comparing spot and contract rates, spotlights areas of the country where demand for trucks by equipment type (van, flat and reefer) is highest. And the “DAT Trihaul Report” often highlights the “Worst Lane in America” with ideas for breaking it up into shorter segments to make it more profitable.

“We look for some of the worst backhaul lanes,” says Mark Montague, giving readers indications of destinations to either avoid, seek out or consider alternate “trihaul” strategies for maximizing revenue.

Check out the current “Best Lanes” comparison report via the site’s main page, and find the DAT Trihaul Report under the resources menu. There you can also download a primer on the “ABCs of Trihaul Routing.”

Flatbed is back

After dipping below refrigerated for several quarters through the first three months of 2009, income for flatbed owner-operator clients of business services firm ATBS have returned to traditionally higher levels.

Flatbed hauler Tim Philmon experienced the same spike that happened nationwide in 2011. “I’m having a banner year all across the board,” he said late last year. Here are his 2010 and estimated 2011 revenues:

2010: $165,000, $1.50 / mile

2011: $200,000, $1.75 / mile

How $12,580 became $1,800

Owner-operator Steven Abell, leased to Greentree Transportation, hauled a “rock bucket” on his double-drop three-axle step deck primarily for the learning experience, he says in retrospect. The $12,580 it promised to pay to the truck was a good incentive, but he knew it wouldn’t be easy.

The load, destined for a mining operation in Edson, Alberta, started out in Casper, Wyo., and was 20.5 feet wide and 16 feet tall, Abell says. It moved 1,300 miles through two states and the Canadian province on off-interstate routes. “I had to pay all my fuel, wear and tear, all your pilot cars and escorts — anything that I do comes out of my pocket,” Abell says. “All of the permits, I pay for it.”

He’d ordered his Montana permits in advance at 95,000 pounds GVW, but when he “finally got the thing loaded,” he says, “I was 1,600 lbs. light on my Montana permits.” After waiting for a week in Casper to get loaded, he then had to sit another five days waiting to get the Montana permit corrected before leaving Wyoming. He spent nine days under the load, averaging 150 miles per day and 4.68 miles per gallon.

For video of Steven Abell’s haul of a mammoth mining bucket to Alberta, visit youtube.com/mrstevenabell.

“Pilot cars really ate me up” in terms of costs, he says. “I had to have three in Montana and Wyoming and two in Canada.” At least one of them made $3,100 on the haul, well more than the $1,800 he eventually took home himself.

$12,580 gross to the truck

- $9,500 pilot cars

- $900 fuel

- $380 permits, other expenses

= $1,800 net to the truck

Expanding e-commerce options make ordering parts online efficient and convenient.

Bradley Coddington was happy with Pittsburgh Power’s delivery speed when he received a free-flowing muffler for his 2000 Kenworth T800 only four days after he ordered it. When he realized the clamps were missing, the company rushed them to him in two days, says the Bristol, Wis.-based owner-operator.

Leased to J.R. Long, Coddington relies on online sources for truck parts he can install himself. “A lot of times, you can get better stuff online for the same price or cheaper,” he says.

He and other owner-operators increasingly go online while they’re on the road to compare prices, find local dealers or parts services, and place parts orders.

The variety of parts services available to owner-operators is growing rapidly as dealers, parts distributors and original equipment makers open or expand online catalogs for truckers.

“Five to 10 years ago, the accessibility to parts was such that only carriers could do it,” says analyst Thomas Bray of industry publisher J.J. Keller & Associates. “Now an owner-operator has access to information about parts and the ability to get the parts by ordering at 2 a.m.”

Most people are comfortable with e-commerce, says Steve Rowe, co-owner of autohaulersupply.com. Even so, he encourages truckers to order from an encrypted site: “The ‘s’ on ‘https’ is for secure.”

Technical advances in search engines and databases have made buying parts easier for owner-operators, vendors say. A search engine that PartsRiver started in October has dramatically increased the number of parts cataloged online, says Sherif Danish, CEO of the Fremont, Calif.-based heavy-duty truck parts data management firm. “Our main objective is to find a part for your truck right in the neighborhood that the trucker is in.”

The Part Search tool at partsriver.com lists more than 8 million parts. The site includes listings of alternate parts and lists of sellers near the trucker’s location. Subscribers can search the site for free. A $99 fee allows users to access the alternate parts and offers information to aid in filing warranty claims.

“There’s no question as people become savvy about using the Internet, there’ll be more online parts ordering,” says Allen Parrott, owner of Tidewater Fleet Supply based in Chesapeake, Va. Last year, the company’s 7,700 online orders represented sales of $900,000.

Dealers and parts distributors are the primary parts sources used by more than 80 percent of owner-operators. However, online vendors have established a foothold as a secondary source for parts they install themselves.

Drivetrain America drivetrainamerica.com was launched in March by Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based Sadler Power Train Truck Parts & Service. The online business augments the dealership’s light- and medium-duty truck parts with more heavy-duty ones, Sales Director Adam Sadler says.

Sadler Power Train started selling parts online two years ago. Users can check prices, view in-stock inventory and customized shipping choices. While most of its 400 online accounts are small repair shops, owner-operators also can use the service. The site’s sales grew from $50,000 in 2009 to more than $300,000 in 2011.

River City Truck Parts, based in Louisville, Ky., has seen similar success since 2010 selling diesel engines and parts through its website, rctpinc.com, says Daniel McWhorter, advertising director for the supplier of used parts and cores. Small orders are shipped the same day.

“We still push everyone to call us, but they can see the part numbers online,” he says. Customers view the inventory through heavytruckparts.net, a site owned by I-Soft Data Systems that lists River City’s inventory and that of other diesel truck part vendors that purchased I-Soft’s software. “Having our inventory online allows truckers to answer some of their own questions and see pictures of our inventory,” McWhorter says.

Not all buyer questions about parts get answered at any given vendor. Because OEMs still do not share proprietary information on all parts installed on a truck or certain repair information, it often takes an owner longer to determine a replacement part when not dealing with a dealer. Most distributors are able to help customers determine the right part. The so-called “right to repair” issue continues to be debated among OEMs and others in the heavy-duty truck industry.

Some online parts vendors have a narrow range of offerings. Steve Rowe, co-owner of autohaulersupply.com, started the online strap and chains supply business out of his house seven years ago with little more than a web page, a cell phone and a database of names.

His Portland, Ore.-based service now delivers auto hauler parts and other supplies from 17 domestic and overseas vendors, funneled through five fulfillment centers.

Kevin Andrews, of Dave Meeker Auto in Oklahoma City, started getting fax notices from Rowe six years ago, before the website launched. He’s bought wheel straps from him ever since. “Keeping me updated with emails and sale information is a big help,” Andrews says.

Industry experts urge owner-operators to find out where parts are made and check on a part’s quality before ordering online. “They can get less-than-satisfactory parts from overseas markets, where the use of banned materials in their construction is common,” says Karl Mowat, Paccar Parts general marketing manager. For example, brake linings with asbestos in them have been sold.

Bray says truckers should seek reputable manufacturers and suppliers with immediately recognizable names for making purchases online. He also urges online users to use secure sites so that credit card numbers are protected.

Jay Lott, owner of NAPA Auto & Truck Parts, based in Panama City, Fla., points out that owner-operators on the road can buy parts online and have them arrive before they bring their trucks in for service.

NAPA, which has no online parts ordering, has an efficient system for phone orders. “We have the ability to get parts overnight, or two days at the most,” Lott says. “Time is money, and we know that.”

Favorites on the parts menu

Regular maintenance parts, as well as those that can ship without high costs, are the most popularly ordered online by owner-operators. Oil filters, lights, air dryer cartridges and belts, for example, can be ordered and waiting for a trucker when he gets home from a run.

Bradley Coddington says he shops online for high-performance and accessory parts, noting that for engine parts he sticks with his Kenworth dealer.

Owner-operator Bradley Coddington usually buys engine parts and wheel bearings at the dealer because of the advantage of having expert advice. “You want to make sure you’ve got the right part for those,” he says. He often uses online sources for high-performance and accessory parts.

An online order for 6-inch stacks shipped to him free of charge is one of the best deals he’s come across, he says. His total cost for them was less than what he paid for 5-inch pipes earlier.

In some cases, the benefits of an online purchase of a bulky or heavy item can be outweighed by high shipping costs. “If a part is too big and heavy, the shipping costs can quadruple the overall price,” says J.J. Keller’s Thomas Bray.

Manufacturers expand online offerings

E-commerce trends are prompting truck and engine makers to accommodate more Class 8 customers with online service.

In early 2010, Navistar International Corp. launched partsmartparts.com, which allows users to find parts based on vehicle and engine models. In July 2011, the catalog was sold to Amazon.com, where it’s now Amazon.com/partsmart.

The site’s parts are geared toward used truck owners seeking maintenance items such as brake parts, filters and water pumps, says Navistar Marketing Manager Kim Speciale. Online prices are the same as at all Navistar dealers.

Volvo launched mvselect.com for Volvo and Mack Class 8 customers in 2009. The site lets users order Volvo parts, with inventory and pricing verified with a specific dealer. A coupon website, truckpartssavings.com, started in March, offers discounts for parts on mvselect.com. Smartphone apps for the coupon site and mvselect.com are being developed, says James Chenier, Volvo’s vice president for parts sales and marketing.

Paccar Parts has a customer call center with “leading-edge telecommunications and computer technologies to make it easier for owner-operators to get priority service 24 hours a day, seven days a week, when they really need it,” says Karl Mowat, Paccar Parts general marketing manager. Although Paccar has no online parts ordering sites, Kenworth owners can call PremierCare Roadside Assistance Center at (800) 592-7747, and Peterbilt customers can call TruckCare Roadside Assistance Center at (800) 837-2458. The system helps owners in need of parts find the closest dealer.

Daimler Trucks North America also offers no online parts ordering, but has a partnership with OEConnections.com, a supplier of online technology solutions, says Daniel Haggerty, of DTNA. That collaboration allows dealers to locate and buy parts for customers of DTNA’s brands: Freightliner Trucks, Western Star Trucks, Sterling Trucks, Detroit Diesel and Alliance Parts. Also, truckers can peruse Daimler products on the online catalogs and order through dealers at alliancebrandparts.com, freightlinertrucks.com, westernstartrucks.com and Detroit Diesel engine parts at detroitdiesel.com.

‘Professional tourist’ from the land down under sets her sights over and above.

By James Jaillet

When Australia native Jeanette Simpson immigrated to the United States in 1999, she had a background in banking she wanted to employ in a business of her own.

Jeanette Simpson, leased to Landstar Ranger, has driven her 1999 Freightliner Century since 2007 for dedicated, high-risk hauls that go from Texas to Canada.

The same year, she earned a CDL and started work as a company driver for Keystone Freight Corp. That was partly to become a “professional tourist,” she says, but also to advance her career.

“I wanted to see the country, and what better way to see it,” she says. “But I could also see the potential in trucking from a business aspect.”

In 2001, she bought a truck and leased to Keystone, but moved to Landstar in 2002. In 2007, she bought a 1999 Freightliner Century, which she still drives.

Through a divorce and severance of a team operation, “I continued to push the business,” she says. “I wanted it to be successful, so I did everything I could to do that.”

She’s propelled her business to the high-risk, high-value – and high-paying – freight operation it is today. Her business netted roughly $75,000 in 2011.

She’s leased to Landstar Ranger and, due to the nature of the freight, can’t talk publicly about it.

“Jenny’s taken her owner-operator business from a once struggling start-up to a successful operation by creating and implementing a business plan,” Landstar CEO Henry Gerkens says. She “represents our industry’s best when it comes to safe driving skills and professionalism.”

Here’s what Simpson says makes a successful owner-operator:

ACT LIKE A PROFESSIONAL. “The No. 1 thing is to be personable and communicate well,” Simpson says, “meaning your company, customers, brokers, basically everybody.

“You have to keep your head on your shoulders and keep your cool. You can’t just get upset over anything. Also, dress professionally. Don’t go up to customers looking like 100 miles of bad road.”

If customers “remember you for good reasons, they’ll want you back,” says the Grand Prairie, Texas, resident. “If you say you’re going to do something, do it. I don’t take a load unless I can give it 100 percent.”

Simpson “steps up professional standards in everything she does,” Landstar Logistics agent Mike Jackson. “She keeps herself active and does a tremendous job. She’s one of the few in the industry that goes the extra mile to ensure everyone’s satisfied with her work.”

WORK TOWARD GOALS. Simpson works to continually improve profits by controlling spending, she says. “The theory is it’s not how much you make, but how much you keep. If I need something, I get it. If I want something, I just think about it.”

She also sets safety goals. “It’s a goal of mine to reach a million safe miles,” says Simpson, who already has nearly 750,000.

STAY ON TOP OF PM. “Everybody’s out here to make money,” Simpson says. “You don’t want to waste it by being complacent about repairs. It’s much cheaper to take your truck to the shop when you have downtime than to get it towed because you were too complacent or too lazy or you just had too much on your mind.”

GAIN BUSINESS KNOWLEDGE. When she lived in Australia, Simpson worked in banking and for an attorney. She worked in the lending branch of the bank and dealt with small businesses and business plans.

“The details differ in every business, but there is a core there that’s with every business,” she says. “When I worked in banking, I could see trends and see where businesses were failing. I wasn’t realizing how much knowledge I was gaining, but now I can look at my business and know what caused downturns and what made things better.”

Though other owner-operators may lack the business background she does, Simpson says, anyone can learn about business basics. She says she continues to use self-help learning options online and through carriers.

Gaining Dual Citizenship

Simpson poses with a kangaroo at the Wilsons Promontory National Park in Victoria, Australia, roughly 20 years ago.

After moving to the United States from Australia in 1999, Jeanette Simpson married and attained working rights. After she divorced, she could have stayed in the United States with green card, permanent-resident status, but she wanted to consider dual-citizenship options. “I didn’t want to risk not being able to visit my mother or my family,” she says.

In 2009, she found out she qualified for dual status and applied for it in January 2010. She became a U.S. citizen on Aug. 31, 2010. “It’s been fantastic,” she says.

Though it didn’t change her day-to-day life much, she says it changed her business in that she’s been able to gain access to ports and other areas she didn’t before.

Professional Pipes

Jeanette Simpson calls singing at a local recording studio “her outlet,” and she sets aside time on off days to record songs.

She started recording at home in 1998. When a friend died in 2000, she recorded a song to be played at the memorial. “It’s kind of like a drug,” she says. “I can disappear from all the other problems and just sing and relax.”

She’s achieved one goal by recording an entire album, and hopes to write and record an album of her own music. “I just want to continue to improve and hope one day I get to the point where I can do that.”

Jeanette Simpson

1963: Born in Mooroopna, Victoria, Australia

1999: Immigrated to the U.S.; obtained work rights and CDL; became driver for Keystone Freight

2001: Purchased first truck, a 1997 Kenworth T600

2002: Leased to Landstar

2007: Started new business and purchased current truck, 1999 Freightliner Century

2010: Became U.S. citizen

The Cab’s Furry Fixture

Kittie, a white-nosed gray Tabby, came into Simpson’s life roughly seven years ago when the feline was dumped behind her trailer at just a few weeks old. Kittie’s called the truck home ever since, Simpson says. “She’s great company. I don’t know what the truck would be like without her.”

Jeanette Simpson is a finalist for the 2012 Owner-Operator of the Year, which is sponsored by Overdrive and the Truckload Carriers Association. The winner will be announced at TCA’s annual convention, March 3-6, 2013, at the Wynn Las Vegas Hotel in Nevada.

Be proactive on these key maintenance items so that off-road rigors don’t contribute to power-unit downtime.

Tire failure

Regularly monitoring air inflation pressure is the single best step you can take to maximize tire longevity in the shocks and scrub of many off-road applications.

Improper inflation pressure may be your tires’ biggest enemy. Pressure that is frequently too high or too low for the loads you’re hauling will end up reducing tire longevity and hurting the casing for retreading. Using a calibrated pressure gauge is the only way to get accurate readings, says Tim Miller, marketing communication manager at Goodyear Commercial Tires.

A truck out of alignment will produce uneven tire tread wear. A visual inspection might give you an idea that tread depth is uneven. You might also run your hands across the tread to feel for unevenness.

How to prevent

• Daily pressure readings are ideal. Measure when your load weight changes.

• Check grooves for rocks and other objects that could work their way into the casing, a big consideration for off-road-exclusive operations.

• Inspect sidewalls and shoulders for the abrasions and punctures common in severe service.

Clogged radiator fins

Regularly spraying water forward through the radiator will minimize corrosion, enhance air flow and reduce the likelihood of a time-consuming disassembly of the fins for cleaning.

Particularly in dusty off-road work, your truck’s radiator has a tendency to collect dirt and debris on the fins, says Jim Hess, president of Midway Truck Service. As this builds up, cooling efficiency diminishes. This is especially true in summer, when insects, pollen and other airborne materials increase.

How to prevent

When you wash your truck, spray water from a hose forward from the engine side out through the radiator, air-to-air cooler and the condenser to dislodge the debris. If this is done often enough, it will minimize the need to disassemble the units from the front of the radiator to clean them individually. Disassembly doesn’t necessarily require disconnecting the condenser from the A/C system, but it is a two-hour job that can be eliminated.

Dead batteries

To avoid battery problems, inspect terminals and other connections for corrosion and tight connections. Lots of off-road work can knock them loose over time.

Running lights with the engine off outside the truck on jobsites can weaken batteries. Do it often enough and eventually you’ll be stuck with dead batteries.

Check your dashboard volt meter to see if you’re adequately charging the batteries, says John Dolce of the Wendel Duchscherer consulting firm. The charge should range between 12 and 14.5 volts.

In addition, you’ll want to check the ammeter to measure the flow of current from the batteries. The reading is usually 150 to 200 amps.

How to prevent

• Verify that electricity is flowing out of your batteries.

• Check battery terminals and other connections for corrosion. Carry electrical contact cleaner and dielectric grease for connection cleaning.

• Make sure batteries are securely mounted in their trays. Off-road and other vibrations can loosen batteries.

Water in fuel tanks

When water is in the fuel tank, it can be drawn into the fuel system, which can reduce performance and damage the fuel system. Another problem with failing to drain water from fuel tanks is the risk of cultivating biological growth, says Bill McClusky, maintenance consultant with ATBS.

The problem, which has grown with the switch to ultra-low sulfur fuel, often leads to a “pretty big expense, and it can cause headaches, because it can be hard to clean out,” he says.

You can detect the presence of a biological growth when you change fuel filters and see a black deposit. You can also shine a flashlight in the fuel tank and see the growth, McClusky says.

If you detect a growth, a biocide product will kill it, leaving the dead material floating in the tank. Some biocides help the removal process by breaking up the material.

How to prevent

When your truck’s in for service, have water drained from the fuel tanks. You can do it yourself by unscrewing the drain plug at the bottom of the tank. Water, which is heavier than fuel, drains first. Replace the plug it when the drainage turns from clear to amber-colored.

Brake failure

Heavy brake use around jobsites can wear out your brakes. To prevent any failures, during preventive maintenance, crawl under the truck and inspect the linings. “Any uneven wear on the brake shoe lining indicates you have a brake drum issue that should be checked,” says Dolce.

Under normal brake operation, trailer brakes apply a fraction of a second before the tractor drive brakes, which are then followed by the steer brakes. If that brake sequence is out of adjustment, drive brakes or steer brakes will wear faster than normal, Dolce says.

How to prevent

• During inspections, check your brake system for leaks. Fix leaks before hitting the road.

• Make sure low-air alarms and the compressor work properly.

• Use brake backing plates on the axles to minimize the amount of abrasive material that can get to the lining and drums and accelerate wear. The plates make it more difficult to inspect the lining, drums and seals, but the long-term benefits are significant, Hess says.

Fuel filter replacement

Replacing a fuel filter before it gets clogged can head off a power loss that could force a shutdown.

If your truck starts to run poorly, loses power and eventually shuts down, the fuel filter may be too restricted. Injector problems also might be traced to a clogged fuel filter, says Jeff Sass, Paccar Parts general marketing manager.

Dolce points out that fuel filters don’t have a bypass built into the fuel system like oil filters in the oil lubrication system.

“Plugged fuel filters will restrict the fuel flow, plus allow water or particles into the fuel system, causing premature deterioration and failure,” Dolce says.

A road call to replace a fuel filter could cost $200, and up to $2,000 if a tow and injector replacement are required, Sass says.

How to prevent

• Include checking fuel filter as part of your regular trip inspections.

• Carry a spare with you to make a change. If you replace the filter, prime the system to restart the truck.

Equipment and News

Rugged refuse tire

Michelin introduced a new tire and a retread for refuse applications. The company says the XZUS2 tire delivers up to a 20 percent increase in miles-to-removal over its predecessor, the XZUS, in a 315/80R22.5 size. For application-specific protection, the tire features an enhanced shoulder design and protector ribs, as well as a bead design to improve retreadability. The tire’s design combines a scrub-resistant compound for longer tread life and a cool base tread compound to reduce temperatures in the crown and preserve the casing. The XZUS 280 retread size completes the XZUS Pre-Mold retread line for the most commonly used sizes in refuse applications.

Michelin, michelintruck.com

Heavy-haul trailer

Haul mammoth equipment with XL Specialized Trailer’s 13-axle lightweight XL MG 170 West Coast trailer. Weighing 57,440 lbs., the unit can handle up to 170,000 lbs. distributed. The main trailer has a 118-inch flip neck that extends a 14-foot 3-inch main neck, and the 30-foot main deck has a 15-foot T-deck design that can switch out with other configurations. The main deck has a 26-inch loaded deck height with 6 inches of ground clearance. The 21-foot rear deck has a 44-inch loaded deck height.

XL Specialized Trailer, xlspecializedtrailer.com

Heavy-duty hoist

SwapLoader’s SL-185 hoist features an 18,000-lb. capacity and can be used for both dump and lift operations on a 120-inch cab-to-axle chassis. The hoist accommodates 12- to 16-foot body lengths and has an optional dual-height adjustable cab that lifts 36- or 54-inch hook-lift ready containers. When outfitted with the Container Variable System option, the SL-185 hoists 10-foot container lengths.

SwapLoader, swaploader.com

Tough tires

Continental released two new construction tires, the HSC1 (pictured) and the HDC1. The HSC1, a heavy construction steer tire, is designed with a wider tread and shoulder rib and a tread pattern that prevents stone retention. The HDC1 is a drive tire for construction featuring a 32/32-inch tread depth and self-cleaning pattern. Both tires are available in sizes 11R22.5 and 11R24.5 for load range H.

Continental Tire, continental-truck.com

Western Star suspension options expand

The Neway All-Wheel Drive 260 Tandem and TufTrac suspensions are available for Western Star models. The Neway 60,000-lb. capacity tandem air suspension system works with Dana D60-190 axles and is designed for better handling and positive axle alignment to eliminate tire hop and improve traction. Neway’s 40,000-lb. TufTrac suspension is compatible with the 4800 model, designed for on- and off-road high-articulation operations.

Western Star, westernstartrucks.com

Extreme pressure grease

Designed to reduce friction and wear in both on- and off-road applications, Chevron Lubricants’ Delo Grease ESI can extend service intervals to beyond 30,000 miles. Appropriate for Classes 6 through 8, the extreme pressure grease protects components including wheel bearings, chassis, steering drag links, kingpins and pivots operating under high and low temperature conditions.

Delo Lubricants, deloperformance.com

Freightliner’s “Severe Duty Report” offers monthly news and views for all vocational operations. To subscribe to the free newsletter via freightlinertrucks.com, click “Media Center” under the “Inside Freightliner” pull-down menu, then “Vocational Trucks Newsletter.”

Visit freightlinertrucks.com

Aftermarket parts provider Alliance Truck Parts has added an EZ-Assist clutch designed for work truck applications that require severe torque transfer for heavy loads. Rated at 2050 lb.-ft. of torque, the new model in the EZ-Assist line targets the most demanding applications, including gravel and heavy construction hauling, logging and mining.

Visit alliancetruckparts.com

The warranty of four premium Dunlop commercial truck tire casings has been extended from four years to six. The casings include the SP193 FM, SP384 FM, SP456 FM and SP464 in sizes 11R22.5, 11R24.5, 285/75R24.5 and 295/75R22.5. 

Visit dunloptrucktires.com

Glacier Computer launched a tablet computer line. Available in 7-, 8-, and 10-inch displays, the new Glacier tablets offer standard configurations that are fully loaded with wireless 802.11 b/g/n, barcode imaging, camera, RFID and sunlight-readable and resistive touch screens. Windows XP or 7 Pro is standard.

Visit glaciercomputer.com.

The Holland Integrated Low-Weight Slider System provides an average weight savings of 30 pounds over traditional fifth wheel slider assemblies, and is available with any tandem suspension up to a 40,000-lb. rating on selected Kenworth Class 8 models.

Visit kenworth.com and safholland.us

Checking tire pressures with a good gauge will head off citations for low inflation pressure as well as prevent many types of tire damage that net citations.

If you think getting put out of service for an equipment violation is likely to involve DOT inspectors finding something complicated or unexpected, think again. Ten percent of out-of-service violations involve simple tire problems, says Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance Deputy Executive Director Collin Mooney.

Furthermore, the Compliance, Safety, Accountability enforcement program penalizes carriers’ safety rankings for all violations. Of the 25 most common recorded by inspectors, two involve tires directly and are high-severity-weight violations, carrying 8 out of a possible 10 points. In fact, most tire violations are high-weight infractions. While simple underinflation merits only 3 CSA points, these common violations incur 8 points: running a drive or trailer tire with tread below 2/32 of an inch, running a tire with fabric exposed, and audible leak.

Time weighting means each violation’s weight will be multiplied by three in safety scoring for six months after it occurs. Thus frequent high-weight tire citations, as well as a failure to repair problems, will have immediate negative consequences for you or your carrier’s ranking in Vehicle Maintenance, one of CSA’s seven Behavioral Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories. Potential results are more inspection scrutiny at weigh stations, hassle from your leasing carrier and, ultimately, reduced business.

Bottom line: Do your pretrip inspections consistently. If you have hired drivers, get them to do the same.

PRIORITY 1:

Inflation maintenance

Using an inexpensive tread depth device is one way to make sure your tire meets the standard for minimum depth.

Inflation pressure is the most critical part of a pretrip inspection, says Goodyear Marketing Communications Manager Tim Miller. “Proper inflation pressure will help prevent wear and damage, and helps eliminate casing durability concerns. Underinflation may be the cause of much of the visible damage they are looking for in an inspection.”

Running a tire low on air is just as bad as running a diesel engine with low coolant or a clogged radiator. Tires generate tremendous heat when they run because continual flexing is necessary for them to give a smooth ride. Pressurized air creates much of their structural strength and limits that flexing. When the pressure’s too low, flexing – and heat – grow by leaps and bounds. The result is softer, overheated metal cords. When a broken cord pokes through the sidewall, it’s grounds for a citation.

Always use a calibrated inflation gauge to get the necessary accuracy. The old method of thumping a tire doesn’t work, says Curtis Decker, commercial tire product development engineer for Continental Tires.

Guy Walenga, Bridgestone America’s director engineering commercial products and technologies, suggests replacing the valve stem core each time a tire is serviced, and using quality poly-carbonate or steel stem caps with good rubber seals to help retain pressure.

Other aids to pressure maintenance include tire monitoring and automatic inflation systems. They are particularly helpful with maintaining pressure on inside duals. When duals are mismatched because of a pressure difference, it can quickly lead to damage that will yield a citation.

PRIORITY 2:

Inspection checklist

Here’s a checklist based on the basic Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance inspection criteria.

• Eyeball the tires, searching for obvious significant damage to the sidewalls. Especially be alert to tread separation – where there is an obvious crack between the original or recapped tread and the casing. Likewise note any area where cords or fabric are protruding from either the sidewall or the tread itself.

Tread damage (left) and casing damage that exposes fabric (right) do not have to be this severe to merit an out-of-service order.

• Look for significant bulges, Mooney says, often indicative of an approaching failure where cords are broken and forcing the sidewall out. Don’t confuse this with a bulge of fresh rubber vulcanized to the sidewall to seal off a puncture. When these don’t bulge more than 3⁄8 of an inch, they are OK. Some inspectors carry a gauge that can measure them, says Miller.

Poor repairs are a significant source of citations, says Doug Jones, Michelin Americas’ customer engineering support manager. He also notes the big fleets with their own shops tend to jettison a tire that can’t be fixed easily. But small operators sometimes find a shop that will repair a tire that’s too severely damaged or fail to perform a difficult repair properly.

• Give the tread a careful check with a tread depth gauge. Jones says that irregular wear of a tire that has good tread in most areas may still cause it to flunk the tread depth test. A spot that’s worn below 4⁄32-inch on a steer tire in two adjacent tread section, or below 2⁄32-inch on a drive or trailer tire, can get you a citation.

• Make sure the tire is not rubbing on the vehicle or in contact with a dual tire next to it because of improper mounting.

• If the truck is loaded near its weight limit, make sure the tires are of the proper weight ratings for the gross combination weight. Tires carrying more than rated weight can overheat and fail, so this will get you a citation. Mooney says this problem is less likely to attract attention in a standard roadside inspection than at a weigh station.

• Remove any objects trapped between tread sections, Miller says. Such objects often lead to serious damage to the tread. Jones says to look down into the grooves for significant cracks or the appearance of cords, symptoms indicating the tire needs to be replaced. Use a flashlight for better visibility.

• Check for chunking or tearing of the tread, Decker says. Run your hand across the tread carefully. Do you feel sharp edges? It’s a sign of irregular wear. Check further to ensure tread depth is adequate across the tire.

PRIORITY 3:

Good vehicle maintenance

For maintenance beyond the pretrip, certain procedures can help head off problems, especially related to irregular wear and uneven tread depth, that could result in a citation.

“Regular alignment will cover the majority of tire issues,” Decker says. “When it comes to items such as bearing maintenance and damper maintenance, that’s where you see the best fleets really separating themselves from the pack. It’s so tempting to save costs in the short term by skimping on regularly scheduled preventive maintenance.”

Don’t wait for tire trouble to signal the need for work on the chassis. Do it regularly so your tires will last longer.

Regular alignment means not only setting the toe-in and checking caster and camber on the front axle, it means total vehicle alignment. The latter refers to lining up the drive axles with the centerline of the tractor, and lining up the trailer axles with the kingpin. Misalignment leads quickly to irregular wear, along with wasting fuel.

Wheel bearing maintenance is critical because loose bearings lead to irregular wear of the tread and worn spots that can also leave you shy on tread depth, even on newer tires. Proper, even mounting on the rim, as well as wheel balance, and shock absorber (damper) maintenance, Decker says, will also help eliminate irregular wear and low tread depth areas by preventing the tire from hopping down the road.

“Specifying the correct tire for a given application will also help to avoid problems,” he notes.

“Getting drivers to perform a good pre-trip is only the first step,” Walenga says. “If he finds a problem, you need to repair the tire before the truck moves. Having spare tires already mounted for quick change can help get the truck on the road fast and avoid the temptation to send it out with a damaged tire.”

Serious tire violations

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance is an organization of state departments of transportation and police that create uniform inspection criteria for the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The most serious CVSA tire violations are:

• Tire flat or with audible air leak;

• Tread and/or sidewall separation;

• Fabric exposed;

• A cut in the sidewall that exposes the ply or belt material;

• Tread depth less than 2⁄32-inch for trailer and drive tires, and 4⁄32-inch for steer tires.

Somewhat less serious violations include:

• Inadequate weight rating;

• Tire underinflated;

• Tire underinflated for the weight being carried;

As these violations indicate, it’s preferable to adjust tire pressure for the load. For example, if running empty for a long distance, it would be better to lower tire pressure slightly to avoid irregular wear in the center of the tread. A chart showing pressure adjustments is available from tire manufacturers.

Pressure adjusted below the maximum but down to a level appropriate for load conditions would not be a violation. On the other hand, if your rig is loaded to 80,000 pounds, the same lower pressure could get you a citation. Even a tire in good condition can lead to a citation if its maximum load rating is less than the weight it is carrying.

Use of an obviously re-grooved tire on the steer axle is another violation. This should rarely be a concern these days, as most owner-operators and small fleets rarely re-groove tires.