Truck and Roll: Origins of the semi-truck and early auto maintenance challenges

This week in trucking: Trailer duties, LTL disruption, World Cup congestion

Here are the headlines from this week in trucking as of June 11 * U.S. imposes duties on Mexican, Chinese trailer imports * Amazon’s LTL arm opens for business * World Cup congestion is underway * Strong spot rates are here to stay * Diesel fell 14 cents

Truck and Roll: Origins of the semi-truck and early auto maintenance challenges

It’s no surprise that America’s economic dominance since the late 19th century coincided with the start of its trucking industry. What may be surprising is that much of the automotive and trucking industries started not in Detroit, but it’s neighbor to the south, Cleveland. This is where Alexander Winton built the first semi-tractor to haul his company’s automobiles to early customers, and also where White Motor Co. got its start. For America 250, Cleveland’s Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum is hosting an exhibit called "Keep on Truckin" (a phrase coined by artist R. Crumb, who lived in Cleveland for a time) that showcases several early truck models. Fleet Maintenance's John Hitch visited the museum to discuss trucking’s past and evolution with the museum’s curator of transportation history, Aaron Warkentin. Timestamps: * 01:45 — Origins of the semi-truck * 04:30 — Early truck technology * 07:10 — Old timey headlights * 08:10 — Horsepower vs horses * 10:00 — Motorless truck maintenance * 11:35 — Truck design evolution * 14:15 — The Crawford Museum's founding * 22:50 — White Motor Company

A look under the hood at Volvo Trucks' next D13 engine

Volvo Trucks North America unveiled its new EPA 2027-compliant D13 engine at this year's Advanced Clean Transportation Expo. The Fleet Lead brought on Duane Tegels, VTNA's product marketing manager, to talk about its updated electrical architecture, aftertreatment, and engine block designs. The new engine hits aggressive NOx reductions while maintaining fuel economy and boosting engine braking performance. Timestamps: * 0:57 – New electrical architecture * 4:36 – Tips for maintaining the new engines * 6:30 – Increased engine braking power * 7:56 – Procurement advice * 9:34 – VTNA's vocational plan * 11:04 – Checking out the new engine

Truck Yeah! America’s 250-Year Trucking History & Tech Future

To celebrate America's 250th anniversary, the crews from FleetOwner and FleetMaintenance team up for an epic look at the trucking industry’s deep historical roots and its tech-driven future. From the first horse-drawn wagons that moved goods through the Thirteen Colonies to the 1897 invention of the semi-truck to today's shift toward alternative powertrains, we're breaking down how freight moves America. Plus, we dive into the Right to Repair Act, the multi-year freight recession, and the surprising history of how Henry Ford accidentally invented Kingsford charcoal. Timestamps: * 0:57 – Colonial trade routes and the physical evolution of freight * 3:08 – The 1897 invention of the semi-truck * 5:57 – 13 diagnostic trouble codes * 11:00 – NASCAR roots, North Carolina culture * 13:46 – Eisenhower's interstate vision * 18:05 – Regulatory shifts, alternative fuels * 25:19 – The Federal Excise Tax (FET) debate * 30:44 – The multi-year freight recession * 35:21 – The Right to Repair Act * 44:06 – Holiday plans and how Henry Ford invented Kingsford charcoal

This week in trucking: FedEx Freight, Ohio non-dom CDLs

Here are the headlines from this week in trucking as of June 4: * FedEx Freight completed its LTL spinoff * Ohio is planning the expiration of 5,000 non-domiciled CDLs * Congress considering more truck parking funding * Attempts to repeal the Federal Excise Tax * Diesel fell 17 cents