ComEd Customer Testimonial

Odyne Systems customer ComEd comments on its experience with an Odyne system installation in a walk-in van designed for ComEd's underground electrical maintenance work in Chicago. Built on a Freightliner Custom Chassis utilizing a Utilimaster walk-in van body, and onboard Fenix air handling system, the vehicle can be parked above a manhole to provide workers below with all their electrical needs, plus cooled or heated fresh air. The system significantly reduces chassis engine idling and associated fuel and maintenance cost while delivering over 14 kW of power for tools and other applications without the need for a separate diesel generator. Odyne Systems won the Work Truck Show® 2013 Green Award for this advanced hybrid commercial vehicle.

Simplify Commercial Fleet Repairs with SEM's New Fleet Line

4 Products Address the Majority of Repairs

Commercial fleet repair simplified with SEM’s new Fleet Line adhesives, seam sealer and repair materials. The four SKU line covers a wide range of repairs across heavy-duty, vocational, commercial, and marine fleets.

“After consulting several fleet repair facilities, we built a condensed line to address the vast majority of repairs. SEM’s Fleet Line gives fleet repair professionals the materials they need, without excessive SKUs.”
- Larry Trexler, Product Manager, SEM Products, Inc.

Composite Adhesive & Repair is truly a 2-in-1 bonding and repair product for composite and rigid plastics, such as SMC, fiberglass, carbon fiber, and Metton®*.

Flexible Plastic Repair mends flexible plastics without requiring adhesion promoter. Compatible with polyester fillers, it eliminates the need for expensive skim coat cartridges.

3 Minute General Purpose Adhesive bonds most substrates with a high strength hold in a three minute working time.

White Seam Sealer is direct to metal and paintable immediately with most solvent-based coatings. Can reduce repair times by 102 minutes when compared to non-paintable and non-DTM products.
A New Standard for Bare Necessities

Each Fleet Line product is optimized to work on multiple surfaces and repairs, reducing SKUs and improving inventory. Equipment and accessories such as Fiberglass Cloth, Fiberglass Rollers, Release Film and applicators are available.

Be the first to know about product releases, promotions, and training from SEM by signing up at semproducts.com/first.


https://www.semproducts.com/blog/79-simplify-commercial-fleet-repairs-with-sems-new-fleet-line

Versatran Equipment Transporter - A Simple Explanation!

Joe Simons gives a brief explanation of the design factors that make Retriever equipment transporters so exceptional!.  Find out more at: http://www.versatraninc.com/

Knapheide's Most Popular Crane Body Lifts Up To 3,200 lbs.

Troy Newcomb of Knapheide Truck Equipment California in Tracy CA gives us a tour of the Knapheide 3,200 lb. Truck-Mounted Crane Body. This is the most popular size they sell by far. There are many standard features that help make this truck so useful out in the field, and there is a list of options to personalize it even further.

Trailering Camera System Available for Silverado

Innovative system with up to four cameras adds 

to Silverado’s leading suite of towing technologies

DALLAS – Chevrolet announced today that a new trailering camera system will be available for 2014-2016 model year Silverados.

It joins a new factory-installed, fifth-wheel prep package, compatible with either gooseneck or fifth-wheel hitches available from Chevrolet Accessories.

“These are great examples of our commitment to provide truck customers with the most confident towing experience in the industry,” said Jeff Luke, Chevrolet truck executive chief engineer. “The fifth-wheel prep package has been designed by our structural engineers, to make the most of Silverado’s fully-boxed, high-strength steel frame. The trailering camera system was designed in partnership with our Chevrolet MyLink team to seamlessly integrate views from trailering cameras into the existing radio display.”

As with all offerings from Chevrolet Accessories, these packages are warranted and integrated to work with the customer’s vehicle and are available through Chevrolet dealers.

Trailering Camera System by Echomaster

Chevrolet partnered with Echomaster to develop the blind-spot-assist towing package system, which includes three cameras: two side view cameras, and one for mounting on the rear of the customer’s trailer. It is compatible with all 2014-2016 model year Silverado HD trucks, and Silverado 1500 trucks with the available trailer-towing mirrors.

The two side cameras are seamlessly integrated into the housing for the side-view mirrors, for improved vision along the sides of the truck and trailer. When the driver activates the turn signal, the system automatically displays the correlating side view in the center screen.

The rear camera is designed to be mounted to the top, rearmost edge of the trailer, providing a view of what’s behind the trailer when reversing. This camera is hardwired to the trailer lights for electrical power, and wirelessly transmits images to the display using a closed wireless network. It also features infrared lighting, enabling enhanced images in low-light settings. 

The Silverado’s rear backup camera is activated when reverse is selected. Pressing and holding the radio Home button for five seconds brings up the camera menu screen to select the trailer camera image.

The system also supports the use of an optional fourth camera. This can include    an additional camera installed inside the trailer, transmitting video to monitor horses, cattle, other livestock, or content during transport. Later this summer, Chevrolet will introduce a camera integrated into the center brake light, to show the contents of the bed or to assist with connecting a fifth-wheel or gooseneck trailer.

Any of the four camera views can be activated at any time on the radio screen to bring up the camera menu screen.

The trailering camera system will be available for purchase through Chevrolet dealers in April, and is warranted by Echomaster (a division of AAMP Global). Prices start at $999 (not including tax, labor and installation). More information will be available at www.chevrolet.com/accessories.

Factory-installed fifth-wheel prep package
Also new is a factory-installed, fully-integrated fifth-wheel package, available on all 2016 model Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD trucks for $350. It features a frame-mounted hitch platform and tray, concealed under the truck bed.  A factory-installed 7-way trailer wiring connection in the pickup box is also available.

With a fifth-wheel or gooseneck hitch installed, the tray takes full advantage of the fully-boxed, high-strength steel frame. With the hitch removed, the frame is completely concealed, with caps over the bed openings, preserving the flat bed floor for unencumbered cargo carrying. 

The hitch platform is compatible with the Chevrolet Accessories Gooseneck Completion Kit, including a 2-5/16-inch ball hitch and two chain tie-downs, for $315.

Chevrolet also offers a CURT Manufacturing hitch that is compatible with the factory-installed hitch platform. The fifth-wheel packages from CURT Manufacturing are currently available for purchase through Chevrolet dealers at $939 for the 20,000 lbs. hitch and $999 for the 25,000 lbs. hitch (both not including tax, labor and installation.)

More information on available gooseneck and fifth-wheel hitches will be available at www.chevrolet.com/accessories.

Silverado HD towing technologies

With the new trailer towing camera system and factory-installed fifth-wheel prep package, Chevy Truck offers a comprehensive suite of technologies and features to provide the most confident towing experience in the industry.  Other advanced towing technologies on Silverado HD trucks include:
•    Standard StabiliTrak with Trailer Sway Control on all models
•    Integrated cruise control, auto grade braking and diesel exhaust braking, for greater driving control and reduced brake wear on grades
•    Available Digital Steering Assist, which enables easier handling and maneuverability, greater steering response, greater road-holding capability and greater stability control assistance.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 115 countries and selling around 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

NTEA reports on Work Truck Show 2016

Truck premieres, exclusive ride-and-drive opportunities, and unmatched training drew a record-setting 11,905 industry professionals to The Work Truck Show 2016, North America’s largest work truck event.

This breaks the event’s previous attendance record of 11,005, set in 2015. Attendees came from all 50 states, eight Canadian provinces and 19 countries.

The Work Truck Show 2016 was held March 1 to 4 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is produced annually by NTEA, The Association for the Work Truck Industry.

“It was a great week,” says Steve Carey, NTEA executive director. “The Work Truck Show is the one event where everyone involved with vocational vehicles in North America comes together to share ideas, see what’s new and find opportunities for their business operations.”

Isuzu Commercial Truck of America Inc. used the Show to unveil its 2018 FTR Class 6 medium-duty truck to a huge crowd. Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America Inc. debuted its prototype Fuso E-Cell all-electric truck and gave attendees the first opportunity to drive it in North America as part of The Work Truck Show Ride-and-Drive March 2 to 3.

Other truck OEMs making news at the Show included Ford Commercial Vehicles, International Truck, Kenworth Truck Company, Mack Trucks and Ram Commercial.

There were significant powertrain announcements made as well. Cummins Inc. introduced its 2017 B6.7 and L9 medium-duty engines, and Daimler Trucks North America gave the public its first glimpse of the new Detroit DD5 medium-duty engine.

During his keynote address at the Green Truck Summit general sessions on March 1, Reuben Sarkar, deputy assistant secretary for transportation at the U.S. Department of Energy, announced SuperTruck II, an $80 million funding opportunity for research, development and demonstration of long-haul trailer truck technology. He also announced more than $12 million in selections for three new projects focused on plug-in electric powertrain technologies for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. In other “green” news, Work Truck Show exhibitors highlighted significant propane fleet adoptions and even converted a pickup truck to run on propane right on the Show floor.

The Work Truck Show 2016 was the largest event in NTEA history. Over the last five years, NTEA expanded the exhibit floor by more than 40 percent, but still had a sizable waiting list of potential exhibitors. In response to this demand, NTEA has maxed out all available room at the Indiana Convention Center for The Work Truck Show 2017 and exhibit space has already sold out.

The Work Truck Show 2017 runs March 14–17, 2017. Registration opens in October 2016 at worktruckshow.com.

Source: http://www.hardworkingtrucks.com/ntea-reports-on-work-truck-show-2016/

Ford Motor Company Issues Safety Recall for Certain 2016 E-Series Cutaway and Chassis Cab Vehicles in North America

DEARBORN, Mich., Jan. 27, 2016 – Ford Motor Company is issuing a safety recall for 83 2016 Ford E-Series cutaway and chassis cab vehicles in North America for a potential issue with the trailer brake controller. Under certain conditions, a driver may lose trailer braking function at a stop, which could result in extended braking distance, increasing the risk of a crash. Vehicle braking is not affected.

There are 75 vehicles in the United States and federalized territories and eight in Canada.

Ford is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to this issue.

Dealers will update the powertrain control module software at no cost to the customer.
About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company is a global automotive and mobility company based in Dearborn, Mich. With about 199,000 employees and 67 plants worldwide, the company’s core business includes designing, manufacturing, marketing, financing and servicing a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs and electrified vehicles, as well as Lincoln luxury vehicles. At the same time, Ford is aggressively pursuing emerging opportunities through Ford Smart Mobility, the company’s plan to be a leader in connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience and data and analytics. For more information regarding Ford, its products worldwide or Ford Motor Credit Company, visit www.corporate.ford.com.