Trucking news and briefs for Friday, March 15, 2024:
More than 100K Kenworth, Peterbilt trucks recalled for shifter issue
Paccar is recalling more than 100,000 Peterbilt and Kenworth trucks due to an issue that could result in a loss of communication between the gear shifter and transmission, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents.
The recall affects approximately 116,343 units. Affected Peterbilts include model year 2021-'24 Peterbilt 348, 365, 367, 389, 535, 536, 537, 548, 567 and 579 models. Affected Kenworths include model year 2021-'24 Kenworth T180, T280, T380, T480, T880 and W990; and 2021-'25 T680 models.
In the affected units, the right-hand gear shifter stalk connectors may have been improperly crimped, resulting in a loss of communication. A loss of communication between the gear shifter and the transmission may result in the vehicle becoming disabled after coming to a stop, increasing the risk of a crash.
The recall states that a transmission fault will appear on the dash display when communication is lost.
Dealers will inspect and replace the gear shifter assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed May 7. Owners can contact Kenworth customer service at 425-828-5888 with recall number 24KWE or Peterbilt customer service at 940-591-4220 with recall number 24PBE. NHTSA’s recall number is 24V-190.
[Recall: International, Mack trucks recalled for separate issues]
New truck parking facility open in Ohio
Truck parking provider Semi-Stow announced March 14 the opening of a 12.5-acre truck parking property at 3815 Lockbourne Industrial Parkway in Columbus, Ohio.
The truck yard marks Semi-Stow's first location in the Columbus metropolitan area and its second Midwest yard opening in 2024. Reservations can be booked online at semi-stow.com/columbus.
The yard provides trucking companies and private fleets with a strategically positioned base for regional and intermodal freight movement. The location provides convenient access to Rickenbacker International Airport and major freight corridors, including I-70, I-71, US Route 33, and the Ohio State Route 104 bypass.
The yard opens with more than 375 spaces for tractor-trailers and other heavy-duty vehicles. Daily, monthly, and long-term reservations are available to owner-operators and fleets of all sizes, and larger fleets can also reserve space by the acre.
The yard features a combination of crushed concrete and asphalt surface along with dolly pads for trailer stabilization. Secure fencing with barbed wire, AI-powered gates, 4k cameras, and stadium lighting help ensure the safety of drivers and the security of assets and cargo.
[Related: DOT awards $300M in grant funding for truck parking]
Love’s reopens Oregon location
Love’s Travel Stops recently reopened its Troutdale, Oregon, truck stop after rebuilding the store from the ground up.
The location offers all the amenities Love’s is known for, including fresh food and drinks, Love’s-branded snacks, and a Chester’s Fried Chicken restaurant. For truckers, the location adds 44 truck parking spaces to the Love’s network.
The Troutdale store is located off I-84, east of Portland.
Trucker honored after helping unconscious motorcyclist
Michelle Meridy, a truck driver from Indianapolis, has been named a Highway Angel by the Truckload Carriers Association for stopping to help a man who crashed his motorcycle in the middle of the night and lay injured and unconscious in the left lane of a highway. Meridy drives for Angie’s Transportation out of St. Louis.
Michelle Meridy
“I get to him -- he’s alive -- he told me to call his girlfriend and he gave me her number, so I called her,” Meridy said. “I called the police, but the police were going the wrong way, so I had to run down there to flag them down.”
Apparently, the motorcyclist hit the center median of the highway and flew off his motorcycle. For his part, crash victim Michael Stewart, who nominated Meridy for the TCA Highway Angel Award, said he remembers very little about the night except that Meridy called his girlfriend and stayed on the phone with her until emergency personnel arrived. He also remembers her directing traffic around him.
“She’s my guardian angel; she saved my life,” the Navy veteran said, in tears. “She needs to be recognized for this.”
Steward said he wants to meet Meridy in person to say thank you, and that he plans to get a tattoo with ‘Guardian Angel’ on it with Meridy’s name.
[Related: Shootout disrupted, crash victim saved in remote desert: Two 'Highway Hero' winners]
