Tesla Semi Trucks Fall Short of Delivery Expectations Amid Rising EV Truck Competition

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Apr 23, 2024

In a surprising turn of events, PepsiCo, a major Tesla customer since 2017, has been left with only 36 out of the 100 Tesla Semi trucks they were promised, highlighting a significant shortfall in Tesla’s electric truck deliveries. This development casts a shadow on Tesla’s ambition to be a major player in the truck manufacturing sector, especially as other companies like Sysco and UPS continue to wait for their orders. Amidst this, competitors are not waiting around; companies such as Walmart Canada have started using Daimler Truck’s Freightliner eCascadia, which boasts a considerable operational range and is adding value to their logistics operations.

Tesla’s struggle to meet delivery timelines aligns poorly with the slowdown in its consumer vehicle sector, where it has recently had to reduce prices to maintain sales. The Semi’s inability to reach volume production has been attributed to battery supply issues, a critical component that Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, hopes to resolve by 2024. This bottleneck has not only frustrated longstanding customers but has also led to a reevaluation of Tesla’s capability to fulfill its large-scale commitments in the commercial vehicle space.

Meanwhile, PepsiCo has leveraged federal subsidies and grants exceeding $20 million to adopt these electric trucks, aiming to reduce greenhouse emissions significantly. Despite the hurdles, PepsiCo is focused on utilizing the 36 Semis effectively, hoping that improved infrastructure and technological advancements will eventually support a broader rollout of their electric fleet. This scenario underscores the challenges in transitioning to electric heavy-duty vehicles, where infrastructure and vehicle availability are critical barriers.

As Tesla scrambles to ramp up production and regain the confidence of its commercial clients, competitors are swiftly capitalizing on the growing demand for electric trucks. Companies like Martin Brower and Schneider National are actively integrating other electric models, such as the eCascadia, into their operations, showcasing the increasing options available in the market. This shift indicates a broader industry trend where flexibility and timely delivery of electric trucks are becoming paramount, putting additional pressure on Tesla to meet its promises and maintain its foothold in the evolving electric truck market.

Here are the latest recalls for Daimler and PACCAR trucks

By

sophie

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Apr 23, 2024

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In recent weeks, manufacturers Daimler and PACCAR have issued several recalls for Freightliner, Western Star, Kenworth, and Peterbilt trucks. Here are the details:

Issued by DAIMLER TRUCK NORTH AMERICA
Transport Canada Recall # 2024-210
Manufacturer Recall Number FL999

Issue:
On certain trucks, the inner flange of the steer axle wheels may crack. As a result, the flange could separate from the wheel and cause the tire to fail.

Safety Risk:
A tire failure could cause a loss of control and increase the risk of a crash.

Corrective Actions:
Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) will notify owners by mail. The corrective actions for this recall are under development.

Make Model Model Year(s) Affected
FREIGHTLINER 114SD 2023 2024
FREIGHTLINER BUSINESS CLASS M2 2023 2024
FREIGHTLINER CASCADIA 2023 2024
WESTERN STAR 57X 2023 2024

Issued by DAIMLER TRUCK NORTH AMERICA
Transport Canada Recall # 2023-028
Manufacturer Recall Number FL-963

Issue:
On certain trucks, the daytime running lamps (DRLs) may not be bright enough to meet Canadian regulations. Note: This recall only affects trucks equipped with LED headlamps.

Safety Risk:
Daytime running lamps that aren’t bright enough could make the truck less visible to others and increase the risk of a crash.

Corrective Actions:
Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your truck to a DTNA authorized service facility to update the vehicle software.

Make Model Model Year(s) Affected
WESTERN STAR 47X 2022 2023 2024
WESTERN STAR 49X 2022 2023 2024
WESTERN STAR 57X 2022 2023 2024

Issued by PACCAR
Transport Canada Recall # 2024-197
Manufacturer Recall Number 24KWF / 24PBF

Issue:
On certain trucks, the steering gear may not have been manufactured properly. As a result, the steering gear could break and there could be a sudden increase in steering effort.

Safety Risk:
A sudden increase in steering effort could increase the risk of a crash.

Corrective Actions:
PACCAR will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your truck to a dealership to inspect the serial number on the steering gear and, if necessary, replace it.

Make Model Model Year(s) Affected
KENWORTH T480 2025
KENWORTH T680 2025
KENWORTH T880 2025
PETERBILT 548 2025
PETERBILT 567 2025
PETERBILT 579 2025

Paccar recalls more than 116,000 trucks for gear shifter issue

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sophie

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Mar 19, 2024

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Paccar recalls more than 116,000 trucks for gear shifter issue. All the details here :

Transport Canada Recall # 2024-161
Last Recall Updated 2024-03-14
Manufacturer Recall Number 24PBE/24KWE

Issue:
On certain trucks, the wiring in the right-hand shift stalk may not be properly connected. As a result, you may not be able to shift the transmission back into gear after coming to a stop.

Safety Risk:
A loss of power to the wheels could increase the risk of a crash.

Corrective Actions:
PACCAR will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your truck to a dealership to inspect and, if necessary, replace the right-hand shift stalk assembly.

Make Model Model Year(s) Affected
KENWORTH T180 2024
KENWORTH T380 2022 2023 2024
KENWORTH T480 2023
KENWORTH T680 2021 2022 2023 2024
KENWORTH T880 2021 2022 2023 2024
KENWORTH W990 2021 2022 2023 2024
PETERBILT 365 2023
PETERBILT 367 2022 2023 2024
PETERBILT 389 2021 2022 2023 2024
PETERBILT 537 2023
PETERBILT 548 2022 2023
PETERBILT 567 2021 2022 2023 2024
PETERBILT 579 2021 2022 2023 2024

Truck Driver Arrested in Grisly Murder of Detroit Woman Found Dismembered

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sophie

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Mar 19, 2024

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Anthony Harris, a 60-year-old truck driver from Detroit, has been taken into custody for the brutal murder of Melody Fae Gooch, 57, also from Detroit. Her remains were discovered on Monday, scattered at the Interstate 90 Travel Center in Mitchell, South Dakota. Harris faces charges of second-degree murder and improper disposal of a body, as announced by Marty Jackley, the South Dakota Attorney General, and the Mitchell Police Department.

Investigations revealed that Gooch was repeatedly run over by an 18-wheeler. Subsequently, her body was dismembered and hidden beneath pallets at the travel center. According to court records, Gooch’s family reported that she and Harris were acquainted prior to her murder.

The police obtained Harris’s logbook reports from his employer, Transfinity Logistics, which indicated that he was near Mitchell, 22 miles east/northeast, at around 6:50 p.m. on Sunday, March 10, and stopped his vehicle at 7:05 p.m. The logbook entries correspond to the location and time frame of the alleged crime at the Travel Center parking lot.

The circumstances surrounding Gooch’s death are gruesome. The Mitchell police were called to the scene following reports of human entrails found in the parking lot, accompanied by significant blood spatter indicative of a person being hit and dragged by a large vehicle. Later, her head was discovered in a bag at the location.

Surveillance footage from the travel center showed a semi-truck moving suspiciously in the parking lot for about 30 minutes. The truck was observed leaving the area around 6:06 p.m., heading westbound on I-90. Harris was identified as the driver of the same vehicle captured on camera at the truck stop.

Jackley commended the collaborative efforts of law enforcement, stating, “We were able, through additional good police work, looking at videos, further efforts, including working with officials from other states, make a determination and arrive at a point where we were able to, (Thursday), get search warrants, arrest warrants and ultimately put suspect Anthony Harris in custody.”

The Mitchell Police Department is urging anyone who may have seen or known the deceased in the Mitchell area between Saturday, March 9, and Monday, March 11, to contact them at (605) 995-8400.

Two Schneider leaders named Top Women to Watch by WIT

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sophie

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Mar 17, 2024

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Schneider National, a top provider of transportation and logistics services, is proud to announce that the Women in Trucking Association (WIT) has honored two of its executives, Angela Fish and Andrea Sequin, as Top Women to Watch in Transportation for 2024. Angela, the Executive Vice President of Human Resources, and Andrea, the Director of Regulatory Services and Driver Training, have made significant contributions to the industry and embody WIT’s mission to promote and support women in transportation.

Schneider is a leader in fostering gender diversity, with 13% of its drivers being women and nearly 40% of its leadership roles held by women, both exceeding industry averages. WIT annually recognizes individuals who have made notable career achievements and actively support and empower other women in the industry.

Mark Rourke, President and CEO of Schneider, commended Angela and Andrea for their inspiring leadership and dedication to mentoring and fostering growth among associates. Angela has led initiatives to increase women’s representation within the company and is the executive sponsor of Schneider’s Young Professionals Business Resource Group. Andrea has supported women throughout her 19-year career at Schneider and has played a key role in the company’s Driver Training program, ensuring that drivers are well-prepared for their careers.

Navistar and Plus Partner to Launch Autonomous Trucking Pilot Program

By

sophie

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Mar 15, 2024

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Navistar has partnered with Plus, a company specializing in autonomous driving technology, to launch an autonomous trucking pilot program within its fleet. The trucks have already been equipped with the ‘SuperDrive by Plus’ system and are undergoing validation with a safety driver on Texas roads. The two companies plan to collaborate on creating hub-to-hub autonomous trucking routes.

In this system, a human driver would transport the cargo through urban areas before dropping it off at a transfer hub near a highway. An autonomous truck would then take over the transportation of the cargo along the highway to another transfer hub, where it would be handed over to a human driver for the final delivery.

Navistar and Plus, a software company dedicated to autonomous trucking, are joining forces to deploy autonomous trucks on roads in Europe and the United States. Plus will integrate its Level 4 autonomous SuperDrive technology into the autonomous-ready base vehicles of Scania, MAN, and Navistar, according to a company press release.

Shawn Kerrigan, COO and co-founder of Plus, stated that they will accelerate the global commercialization of Level 4 autonomous trucks and offer safer and more sustainable transportation solutions.

The trucks are currently being tested on public roads in Europe, as well as in San Antonio and Dallas, with a safety driver on board, the companies have specified. The trials will be extended to other routes in the Texas Triangle and along the Interstate 10 corridor, Plus has indicated.

Tobias Glitterstam, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer at Navistar, emphasized that autonomous technology can increase operational efficiency in long-haul transportation. The company had previously collaborated with TuSimple Holdings to introduce autonomous trucks for long-haul freight on the roads, but this initiative failed in 2022.

Convicted of Arson Against Swift, Man Faces Life in Prison

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sophie

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Mar 15, 2024

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An Allen Park resident faces a hefty prison sentence after a California jury found him guilty of leading a fiery spree across the country, setting fire to trailers belonging to a major trucking company, Swift Transportation. Viorel Pricop, 66, not only torched trailers in California, where six fires led to his convictions on Tuesday, but he also allegedly set fire to 18 other trailers in Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Alabama, causing headaches for Swift Transportation from 2020 to 2022.

Pricop’s destructive spree against Swift Transportation could result in him spending the rest of his life in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. During a comprehensive 16-day trial, jurors were presented with irrefutable evidence such as Pricop’s cellphone data, which placed him near the scenes of the fiery crimes, a navigation device in his truck connecting to nearby towers at the time the fires were set, and a trove of incriminating items discovered during a search, ranging from a gas torch to logbooks aligned with the fire locations.

Prosecutors laid out Pricop’s past with Swift Transportation, revealing a tangled web of grievances that led to his criminal outburst. Their history includes a prior arrest after Pricop was caught with stolen goods from one of Swift’s “bait trailers” in Michigan, and he served time for tax offenses and transporting stolen goods shortly before he began his arson spree in 2020, a detail unearthed in the joint investigation between the ATF and the New Mexico State Fire Marshal’s Office.

With sentencing scheduled for June 7, Pricop could face a minimum of five years behind bars for each of his six arson charges, although each charge could carry up to 20 years.

Biden Administration’s Plan for Clean Trucking

By

sophie

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Mar 14, 2024

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The Biden administration has unveiled a plan aimed at decarbonizing supply chains and accelerating the adoption of clean trucking. This ambitious plan focuses on the deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure and hydrogen refueling stations along national freight corridors.

Presented on Tuesday, the plan intends to concentrate significant public investments along major roadways and catalyze private investment in the new infrastructure. This approach is crucial for reducing diesel pollution from medium- and heavy-duty trucks.

According to the strategy developed by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Departments of Energy and Transportation, the goal is to have an affordable and ubiquitous charging and hydrogen refueling network for zero-emission trucks by 2040. This would help companies reduce their greenhouse gas emissions associated with the transportation of goods, a sector responsible for about 29% of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.

The administration would prioritize investments in four phases, initially focusing on the most heavily used freight corridors and ports. In total, approximately 12,000 miles of roadways would be prioritized between 2024 and 2027, including major highways and roads around key ports such as Los Angeles, San Diego, Long Beach in California, as well as Houston, New York, and Miami.

For the trucking industry, which is facing increasing pressure from government policies and corporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) requirements, this plan is warmly welcomed. It is seen as a thoughtful and progressive approach that can leverage the existing national network of refueling locations and encourage investment in charging infrastructure.

The Biden administration’s road map is part of a broader effort to reduce pollution in ports and on highways across the country, with the aim of making the trucking sector more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Truckstop Innovates in Freight Transport with Generative AI Patents

By

sophie

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Mar 6, 2024

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Truckstop, a leader in the freight transport sector, announced today the filing of several patents, including one focused on the use of generative artificial intelligence to enhance freight transport solutions. This initiative demonstrates the company’s commitment to innovation and pushing technological boundaries in the freight industry, aiming to provide increasingly effective solutions tailored to the needs of all sector stakeholders. These new patent applications represent a significant breakthrough that promises to revolutionize freight transport modes.

Julia Laurin, Chief Product Officer at Truckstop, emphasizes the company’s ongoing commitment to developing innovative solutions to meet the constantly evolving needs of the freight industry. True to its pioneering spirit, which made Truckstop the first online load board on the Internet, the company continues to anticipate and tackle upcoming challenges.

In this context, Truckstop is intensifying its efforts in data science research. The goal is to develop anomaly detection methods capable of quickly identifying fraud committed by carriers and brokers. These tools help to detect and eliminate malicious actors, thereby ensuring the reliability and security of the network and its clients’ transactions.

Furthermore, Truckstop has developed and implemented a cutting-edge identity verification system designed to enhance the security of transactions between brokers and carriers within its RMIS system. Thanks to artificial intelligence and real-time checks, this innovative system provides a thorough verification of government-issued IDs provided by carriers. This system establishes an increased level of trust and reliability, allowing brokers and carriers to collaborate with greater confidence.

Freightliner Cascadia dominated the used truck market in the United States in 2023

By

sophie

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Mar 6, 2024

0

Cascadia Freightliner — Cascadia 2020 (photo : truckenterprises.com)

In 2023, the Freightliner Cascadia established itself as the most sold used truck in the United States, confirming its position as a market leader in the new truck sector for many years. Its dominance among first owners has facilitated its proliferation in the used truck market.

Beyond the Cascadia, the market is significantly more diverse. According to resale and auction data compiled by Price Digests, over a dozen truck models from various manufacturers were the second or third most sold vehicles in at least one state in 2023. Each manufacturer had at least one truck model ranked second and third in sales volume in at least one state.

Although the Cascadia’s market volume dominance is undeniable, its commercial success was not absolute in all states. One region of the country saw another truck surpass the Cascadia in terms of sales volume.

The Cascadia was the best-selling truck in 43 states, with over 1,000 units sold in 21 states. However, the Kenworth T680 outperformed the Cascadia, particularly in Kansas, North Dakota, and South Dakota, where the T680 nearly doubled or even quintupled Cascadia’s sales.

The competition for second place in the used truck market was fierce, primarily involving three truck models. The Kenworth T680 finished second in total sales in the United States, closely followed by the Volvo VNL and the International LT625.

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