As summer winds down, here’s a quick rewind of the biggest trucking stories from the summer of 2024:
- Major Truck Recall A massive recall hit Kenworth, Freightliner, International, Peterbilt, and Western Star trucks due to experimental steering components that could fail, causing drivers to lose control. Fleets have been issued a “Do Not Drive” warning until the defect is fixed.
- Pushback Against Electric Trucks At the ACT Expo, J.B. Hunt and Ryder System voiced concerns about the high costs and decreased efficiencies in battery-electric trucks, highlighting that the technology isn’t yet at par with diesel, despite its potential.
- Diesel Fights On Cleaner and greener diesel engines continue to be developed for post-2027 regulations, with new models released from Peterbilt, Kenworth, Cummins, and Volvo, showing diesel’s staying power in trucking.
- Hydrogen ICEs in the Spotlight Liquid hydrogen engines are gaining attention as a potential replacement for diesel in long-haul applications, with Bosch, Volvo, and Cummins all working on hydrogen-powered internal combustion engines.
- Marijuana and Drivers With marijuana now legal in more states, the trucking industry is divided on whether drivers should be allowed to use it off-duty. While some advocate for change, concerns about safety remain a major barrier.
Stay tuned, as these stories continue to unfold in the coming months!
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