Opinion: Page 2

Camera liability?

While it's fine if you're the one pointing the camera, what happens when someone else is doing the pointing from 100 feet up buzzing around like a paparazzi mosquito?

June 2, 2021

Drones have plenty of uses, including this UPS drone being used to deliver small packages. Other uses, like spying, create concern.

Electric golf cart provides interesting insight into EV maintenance

I've worked on my own vehicles for years. After recently acquiring a nearly 30-year-old EZGo Marathon golf cart, reality set in fast regarding how easy it can be to work on an electric vehicle versus internal combustion.

May 26, 2021

While not much to look at, my recently acquired 1994 EZGo Marathon golf cart has thus far proven to be a reliable, low maintenance workhorse.

Biden needs help on transportation fast

Something's wrong with this picture...President Biden's squealing the tires in his emissions-spewing Corvette while preaching on the virtues of electric vehicles and pledging billions in tax payer money to that fledgling industry.

April 28, 2021

Hmmm...will that mask prevent President Biden from inhaling those unsavory emissions he's preached against while promoting all-electric vehicles?

Sharing EV data to save the planet

If time is quickly running out for the planet because of climate change, should OEMs and fleets be more forthcoming about EV performance data and plans so that other fleets and manufacturers can prepare accordingly and do their part to save the world?

March 24, 2021

A hundred years after the fact, you can read about what the United States Postal Service thought about electric delivery carriages. It may be more than what some companies are willing to offer today. A Columbia Mark XI electric delivery wagon used by USPS in 1901 is shown above.

5 tips to improve uptime

While 100% utilization is not possible, there are some simple things fleets can do to get close.

March 13, 2021

Semi-trucks receiving maintenance work in a garage

Is the BEV charging infrastructure better than we think?

Sergio Rodriguez capped a 3,000 mile trip from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean without a single drop of fuel in the tank.

March 9, 2021

Start your free 30-min charge with the Volta Charging app sign

Carbon cut: Entire vehicle lifecycle must be addressed

Sustainability goals should include well-to-wheels solutions that are not only good for the environment but also help fleets sustain their bottom line.

March 3, 2021

Chanje Fed Ex Residential Side Angle 600x400

Grid vulnerabilities for commercial EVs are troubling

Electric trucks and vans have a much lower TCO than conventional but grid vulnerabilities demonstrated this week in Texas and other states could bring on serious setbacks for fleets that are eager to embrace all-electric powertrains.

February 18, 2021

Icicles Austin, Texas

Dash cams capture more good than bad

Dash camera footage cannot always help a motor carrier with respect to liability, but it can fleets from having to pay excessive damages.

February 17, 2021

dash camera in use during heavy traffic

Despite a rocky state of the union, solid-state batteries and internal combustion are looking good

Politics anyone? Politics has always been a sordid business and especially now following a summer of protests and deadly riots, a contested U.S. presidential election, a deadly breach at the U.S. Capitol and now another impeachment process rolling out for President Donald Trump. So what does it all mean for trucking? At this point, it’s […]

January 13, 2021

COVID or not?

Illness impacts productivity and this has been especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of my colleagues this week said that a source of his had been up against roughly a 30 percent increase in worker absenteeism following Thanksgiving thanks to an uptick in COVID cases. That’s crazy and in this case it just might […]

January 6, 2021

Essential enough? The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still asks that non-healthcare workers refrain from wearing N95 masks. I had mine before COVID. Should I stop wearing it? Yeah, I don’t think so.

Half-ton hangup: Know before you tow

It felt good saving some money to buy a half-ton pickup that can actually tow more than the old ¾-ton that you traded in at the dealership. It just didn’t make much sense to spend more to buy a new ¾-ton when you didn’t plan on ever towing much more than 10,000 lbs. But then […]

December 16, 2020

2021 Ford F-150

Ford still working on fuel cell while banking largely on all-electric

He drew a line in the sand, or the silica more like it, and I suppose it’s hard to blame him. During the recent reveal for the all-electric 2022 Ford Transit, Ford CEO and President Jim Farley made it clear that his company was on board with all-electric vehicles, California-style. “This is the path we’re […]

December 2, 2020

2022_Ford E-Transit_19

Biden and California EV bias throws shade on fuel cell

There’s an old saying that most of us know only too well: As California goes, so goes the rest of the nation. But will the same hold true for zero emissions? With California requiring a percentage of new commercial trucks and vans sold in four years to be zero emissions, it’s certainly reasonable to wonder […]

November 11, 2020

Hino-fuel-cell-truck

VW’s big journey from Beetle to all-electric and fuel cell trucks

Our family had a Volkswagen Super Beetle in the ’70s and ’80s in Southern California. It was a fun car: lime green, fuel injected, four speed manual, cool frunk, strangely inviting vinyl interior scent, hand crank front windows and pop-out windows in the rear. No A/C, but then again we really didn’t need it in […]

October 28, 2020

Volkswagen – L.A. Autoshow 2018

CARB not testing NOx when and where it counts

In 1811, history was made as the recently christened New Orleans steamboat flew along at 12mph down the entire stretch of the Ohio River and onto the Mississippi River where following a 2,000-mile run it arrived in New Orleans in a baffling time of 14 days. Until then, it was current, sails, poles, paddles and […]

September 2, 2020

California-highway-trucks

Mandatory electric truck and van law invites plenty of challenges

A tried and true axiom comes to mind when considering California’s now-codified plan to phase out tried and true powertrains: don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. In this case, the Golden State is banking on zero emission vehicles to seriously reduce air pollution. In what the California Air Resources Board is calling […]

July 29, 2020

Mark Reuss, GM president, announces Detroit-Hamtramck will be GM

The automakers that Twitter built?

Never a dull moment. One click and the world can seemingly make you or break you. What else can account for Nikola’s double valuation to $27 billion in a few days following its IPO last Thursday? The automaker that’s never sold an auto is now worth more than Ford and FCA. Other than selling T-shirts, […]

June 10, 2020

Tesla-electric-semi

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2023 Ford F-150 Heritage Edition

Diamond anniversary 2023 F-150 celebrates iconic F-Series

To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the nation's most popular truck brand, Ford is rolling out the 2023 F-150 Heritage Edition.

Ford Raptor R performance

New V8 Ford Raptor R makes surprise appearance and puts competition on notice

Xcel Energy Terex Navistar electric utility truck

Nation's first all-electric bucket truck rolling out later this month

2022 Ford Maverick max towing

Mighty Ford Maverick impresses with capability and comfort

Will more fleets will sign up for alt fuel vehicles? If record attendance at this year's ACT Expo is any indication, they might do just that. Of course, tougher regulations coupled with a federal funding increase of roughly 560% may explain the 60% surge in attendance this year over last. As of Tuesday afternoon, registration had climbed to a record 8,300.

Alt fuel ACT Expo rolls out the red carpet for fleets