Queensland transport operator, All Purpose Transport, is now offering an electric truck solution for Ikea and its other customers, with the introduction of an electric delivery vehicle into the fleet. Read more
The Rational Acronym
Here at Diesel News we are used to bringing you stories about some of the frustrating thing the road authorities come up with in NSW, but this time we bring you a story about the rational acronym, SPECTS, which is bringing improved productivity to operators trying to keep up with the infrastructure building needs of the Sydney metropolitan area. Read more
Cascadia Comes on Down
The Freightliner Cascadia comes on down under to Australia this week with a big bang and a major event in Sydney. The reveal of the new truck saw the loud music and bright lights shining on the new models through the artificial smoke in a repurposed carriage works in Sydney. Read more
Some Facts About Hydrogen
The wonderful world of webnews is full of hype about the future of transport, electric power, zero carbon, fuel cells, everyone is talking about it, but we probably need a few facts, especially some facts about hydrogen, which is flavour of the month, at the moment. This video may help put it all into perspective. Read more
Who Needs an Engine Brake?
The answer to the question, who needs an engine brake? is, of course everyone, in a truck. However, the way technology is developing is likely to make the famous Jake Brake just a little less important in the scheme of the things, in truck development of the future. Read more
Electric Trucks are the Future
We can be in no doubt that electric trucks are the future and it’s simply a matter of how long until electric power predominates. The amount of investment by all of the major manufacturers in electric power technology is running at a rate which tells us they all believe in an electric future. Read more
Politically Incorrect Trucking Too
Here is a follow up to a video Diesel News first aired over two years ago, and the question still remains, is this an example of politically incorrect trucking too? The industry needs to have a debate about what is and isn’t politically correct, especially because many in the trucking industry got their first experiences with trucks in a very similar manner. Read more
Close up view of the new Mack
At the Brisbane Truck Show earlier this year many people got their first chance to get a close up view of the new Mack Anthem. However, the display was just the truck’s cabin and it was split open in order for show goers to walk through between the driver’s seat and the sleeper cab. Read more
Trucks Going Cabless
The pace of new truck concepts being announced is increasing at a high rate, with trucks going electric, hybrid, hydrogen trucks and trucks going cabless. Here is the latest entrant in the innovation race, the AXL concept from Scania. Read more
Pushing Trucks to Their Absolute Limit
We all know truck drivers in India are crazy, but if you weren’t sure just watch these drivers taking way overloaded twin steer rigid trucks around a hairpin bend halfway up a mountain, this really is pushing trucks to their absolute limit. The trucks involved here are a Tata, an Ashok Leyland and an Eicher Pro, all 10×4 trucks with a lifting pusher axle, which is lifted even though the trucks are fully loaded.
The axles could well be lifted because the truck drivers need as much turning ability as possible, but this is throwing even more weight onto the remaining axles. It is a wonder any of these trucks will survive a week of this treatment, but they do it week in week out on the subcontinent.
Treating trucks like this and pushing them to their absolute limit probably brings back memories for many of our retired truckies who would have learnt their trade working the gear as hard as these drivers are doing today in India.
In these cases it’s all about the driver’s skill in protecting the truck’s driveline, chassis and suspension, even though every difficult road or climb has the capacity to destroy a major component.
For those drivers growing up in the sixties, driving trucks designed to handle much lower weights and speeds, their skills in protecting the truck and its driveline was down to their ability to minimise the pressure on inadequate components. These days we are not relying on driver skills to protect the driveline, that job is being done by much improved specifications in our trucks and computers controlling and protecting the driveline from drivers without the skills to protect them.
Those skills are still there today, in drivers in rural areas handling the worst the environment can throw at them and their road trains. All drivers in India are also doing it themselves. there is little sophistication in this truck market, but for how long?
This isn’t an isolated incident, this video shows us just how crazy it can get, and not just for those climbing the mountain, it’s also pretty hairy for those coming down the mountain.
