RV Industry Revs Back Up After Recession

michael mcloone/journal sentinel

Article by and thanks to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. A link is provided below to their website:

Joseph Jackson says he is a "winter Texan" rather than a snowbird.
After Christmas, the retired Wisconsin State Journal photographer will hook up his 37-foot travel trailer to his Chevy Silverado pickup truck and head to south Texas for a couple of months, taking about a month to get there and a month to drive back to Madison.
"I just love it to death," he said of the winter getaway, adding that he enjoys the leisurely journey as well as the destination.
His trailer has four slide-out rooms for additional space, and a propane fireplace that takes the chill out of the cool winter mornings.
He and his wife, Linda, have been making treks south since 2008 and - judging from the recent rebound in recreational vehicle sales - they're in good company.
The Recreational Vehicle Industry Association expects overall shipments of RVs, including travel trailers, campers and motor homes, to be up about 68% this year from three years ago when the industry was mired in the recession.
"It's not like the good old days, back in 2005, but it's still an improvement," said Kim DeHaan, owner of DeHaan RV Center in Elkhorn.
Experienced RV enthusiasts, many of them retirees, were among the first to return to the equipment marketplace - if they left at all.
They've been followed by first-time RV users, many of them under age 40, with children at home, who are now a little more comfortable with their spending since the recession ended.
Banks have loosened up their lending standards, too, although the days of someone financing a $100,000 motor home with easy credit are largely over.
Now, travel trailers priced from $18,000 to $25,000 are the best sellers, according to DeHaan.
She didn't order any new motor homes this year because they're expensive to keep in inventory and too much of a financial risk for the dealership if they don't sell.
Likewise, the most expensive travel trailers aren't selling as well as they did before the recession.
"I think younger people, especially, are still gun-shy about taking on that kind of investment," DeHaan said.
Smaller, lighter trailers
Some of the biggest makers of recreational vehicles, such as Thor Industries and Winnebago Industries, have seen a recent increase in sales and earnings as they've healed from the beating they took in the recession.
The product mix has changed, too, with more emphasis on smaller, lighter trailers that can be towed behind sport utility vehicles, minivans and even small cars.
"A decade ago, people were looking for bigger rigs with more amenities. Now they're willing to trade off a few amenities in exchange for a lower price and more square footage of living space," said Kevin Broom, spokesman for the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association in Reston, Va.
The living space has improved, thanks to smaller, more streamlined appliances such as combined microwave ovens and convection ovens.
"The flat-screen TV has been perfect for the RV," Broom said.
This summer's extreme heat wilted some of the enthusiasm for recreational vehicles, since not as many people wanted to be outdoors. Also, landscapers who buy "toy hauler" trailers to carry their equipment had less work because of the drought.
"We have had a good year, but it should have been better," said Ron Peterson, owner of Scenic Traveler RV in Slinger and Baraboo.
Permanently parked
Peterson said his dealership quit selling motor homes this year.
He has seen more people park their big travel trailers permanently at a campground where they stay for a few months at a time in the summer or winter.
Some of those units, called "park models," are nearly as big as a small home and have upstairs lofts.
"A lot of the older retirees will have one at the Dells and another one somewhere in the south," Peterson said. "The first time they hear the geese headed south, that's where they go, too."
RV rentals have been strong this year, according to rental agencies, with some people booking trips for weeks at a time.
They're renting small motor homes, including models that get much better gas mileage.
"I don't think gas prices are scaring people away," said Mike Prosser, owner of Prosser RV and Cruise America Motor Home Rental & Sales in Milwaukee.
Sales of recreational vehicles generate millions of dollars in Wisconsin. People drive up from the Chicago suburbs to shop for motor homes and travel trailers partly because of large nearby dealerships, such as Burlington RV Superstore in Racine County.
Another sign that winter's coming: Hanna Trailer Supply in Oak Creek is busy installing satellite dishes in RVs for customers headed to warmer climates.
"They generally start right after deer hunting season," said dealership owner Paul Downs.
Click here to link to www.jsonline.com

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The truth about fuel additives

firstdiesel.com

This is a pretty in depth piece thanks to Sean but it has some good information on additives in it, if you care to learn. 

Thanks to Sean Kilcarr | Fleet Owner   Aug. 1, 2012 
A link to their site follows:

The central truism regarding any fuel additive is that sometimes you need it—and sometimes you don’t. Aside from the untold legions of snake oil substances touted to improve fuel economy, there are many legitimate and thoroughly tested fuel additives that offer a wide range of important benefits to today’s complex diesel powertrains, but only if they are mixed in with a high level of precision.
In fact, many diesel fuel blends on the market today come pre-mixed with any number of additive packages. The familiar face in this crowd is diesel blended with ultra-low sulfur kerosene to provide improved performance in extremely cold climates—a so-called “winter diesel blend” of fuel ubiquitously brewed and distributed on a seasonal basis in the northern reaches of the U.S. and Canada.
(Editor's note: Gary Pipenger, president and owner of diesel fuel additive supplier Amalgamated Inc., wished to respond to some of the information included in the story, “the Truth About Fuel Additives,” which first appeared in the August 2012 issue of Fleet Owner. Click here to read his repsonse.)
Then there’s an ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel Shell piloted last January, which is blended with a proprietary nitrogen- based cleaning agent. The nitrogen additive package helps prevent and remove deposits that form on fuel injectors— deposits that impair the flow of diesel through the injector, thus resulting in increased fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions, according to Ralph Cherrillo, fuels technology advisor for Shell Global Solutions. He also notes that this nitrogen-enriched diesel contains other lubricity agents (as per required specifications) to help prevent fuel pump and injector wear and damage; “anti-gel agents” are added for colder winter climates when needed.
According to Shell’s research, fleets can save fuel by keeping diesel engine injectors clean— achieving a 4.8% reduction in fuel consumption in severe stop-and-go city service and a 1.3% reduction in fuel consumption in less severe long-haul highway service using the nitrogenenhanced ULSD fuel as compared to regular ULSD.
Cherrillo, however, adds that the fuel efficiency benefits derived from the injector cleaning capability of the nitrogen fuel additive package were only demonstrated after a long period of internal testing by Shell under precise blending and mixing of the additive with the fuel.
Testing is absolutely critical when it comes to fuel additives these days, as the various emissions control devices added to today’s diesel engines—diesel particulate filters (DPFs), exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) systems, and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology—make the entire truck powertrain ultra-sensitive to even slight alterations in the chemical composition of fuel, warns David McKenna, director of powertrain sales forMack Trucks.
“The biggest concern for any OEM when it comes to additives is quality control,” he explains. “At the end of the day, you need to remain fully aware of how delicately balanced the entire truck powertrain system is today—not just in terms of the engine and fuel delivery system, but the lubricants within them as well as the engine coolant.”
McKenna says “side effects” from either poorly formulated additives or too high an additive mixture can cause premature wear on any number of components, especially diesel injectors, the very component most additives are designed to protect in the first place.
Cherrillo agrees. “The side effects of any additive are of the utmost importance,” he says. “A lot of claims are made to encourage truck owners to buy fuel additives, especially when it comes to improving fuel efficiency. That’s why it’s critical that any additive demonstrate testing by a reputable laboratory, and that fuel economy improvements not only are verified but occur without causing any damage.”
PACKING IT IN
The EPA is one of many groups that maintain a list of “registered” diesel fuel additives to ensure that such additive packages do not contain any trace metals that could end up in truck exhaust and into the atmosphere. (Go tohttp://www.epa.gov/otaq/fuels/registrationfuels/ web-dies.htm.)
That’s why many additive packages are added to diesel fuel right at the start to ensure they are properly blended in at the correct amount, says Gary Parsons, global OEM and industry liaison manager for Chevron Oronite Co.
“Fuel additives are generally chemicals that are added to diesel fuel to enhance its natural properties, or improve performance to better meet the needs of the equipment in which they are used,” he explains. “There are various types of additives including cold-flow improvers, corrosion inhibitors, anti-foam, rust inhibitors, oxidation inhibitors, lubricity additives, combustion/cetane improvers, and deposit control additives. In many cases, a combination of additives are needed and many are added at the refinery to meet diesel fuel standards, such as the American Society for Testing and Materials D975 standard.”
Parsons notes that fuel additives can be viewed in a similar manner to medicine. “More is not necessarily better and certain combinations can degrade performance or lead to catastrophic problems,” he explains. “In the case of engine oils, supplemental additives are not recommended because engine oils are carefully formulated to optimize the performance of the overall engine oil. Adding supplemental additives can destroy the optimized balance and actually lead to a degradation of the engine oil even if the additive itself performs well on its own.”
As an example, engine oil contains anti-wear additives that must attach to the metal surfaces to protect them from wear, he points out.
“The oil also contains detergents to help keep metal parts clean and deposit-free, so if, for example, a supplemental additive is used that contains detergents, it might throw off the balance with the anti-wear and prevent the anti-wear additive from attaching to the surface and preventing wear,” Parsons cautions.
Far and away the most important role fuel additives play in trucking is to create diesel blends that resist “gelling” in cold temperatures. There are different grades of diesel fuel that are produced regarding low temperature performance, Parsons says, with diesel No. 2 the most widely used—and standard—grade of diesel brewed and distributed during the cold months of the year.
“However, some colder geographical locations will switch to diesel No. 1 or blend in ultra-low sulfur kerosene to provide low temperature performance in winter,” he explains. “Additives can also be used to enhance low temperature performance, but the effectiveness of the additives is often dependent on the properties of the specific diesel fuel.”
BETTER FLOW
Mark Nyholm, technical product manager-heavy duty for lubricant maker Amsoil Inc., adds that coldflow protection is one of the most important additive packages a fleet needs. Yet he also notes that it provides a perfect example of “sometimes you need it, sometimes you don’t” where these products are concerned.
“Basically, these cold-flow additives prevent the naturally occurring paraffins, or waxes, from turning into a paste in cold temperatures, leading to clogged injectors, filters, and fuel pumps,” he explains. “Obviously, though, you don’t need to treat your fuel with them year round.”
Since many locations in northern climates switch over to winter diesel blends during the colder months, a fleet operating in those areas doesn’t need to treat its fuels with an aftermarket cold-flow inhibitor, Nyholm notes; however, that scenario can shift significantly.
“Let’s say you’re based in Florida and you’re hauling a load into Minnesota during the winter and booking freight to haul in that area until you get a load back to Florida,” he says. “Now this is a situation where you are entering the colder regions with a load of non-winterized fuel, and it’ll take a while before you refuel up there with a winterized blend. This is a case where you should treat your fuel with a cold-flow additive before reaching those climates.”
A similar situation can occur when fleets are hauling freight from low altitudes into high mountain ranges, areas where colder temps can exist even in the warmer spring and fall months. “That’s another scenario where pretreating your fuel with additives can help,” Nyholm points out.
When it comes to improving fuel economy, though, there are actually at least a couple of different additive pathways from which to choose.
“Deposit control additives, for one, can be used to keep fuel injectors clean or to clean up dirty injectors,” Chevron’s Parsons says. “In the diesel engine, the injectors inject fuel directly into the combustion chamber. Dirty or fouled injectors can result in a poor injection spray pattern, which usually degrades fuel economy and increases particulate emissions. Use of a deposit control additive to clean up dirty injectors can thus improve fuel economy.”
Lubricity is another concern, notes Amsoil’s Nyholm. When the sulfur content of diesel was reduced from 500 parts per million (ppm) to 15 ppm back in 2006—a move required for SCR technology to work properly since sulfur “poisons” the catalysts used to reduce emissions—one fallout was quicker wear on fuel system components that needed that sulfur for lubrication.
One of the most cost-effective ways for refiners to produce ULSD fuel blends is through a process called hydrotreating. In hydrotreating, the fuel is treated with hydrogen, which removes sulfur; however, as hydrogen is a highly reactive element, it reduces the amount of other lubricityenhancing chemicals within diesel. Thus the need to put lubricity additives back into the fuel, says Nyholm.
Deposit control additives, often referred to as detergents, are necessary to accommodate the high-pressure common-rail fuel system and smaller injectors used in today’s emissions-compliant engines. Fuel at much higher pressures is being forced into smaller holes if you will, and the blockage of those holes with any sort of deposit can lead to more pronounced fuel consumption penalties, Nyholm notes.
“The key with injectors is the spray pattern,” he explains. “They fire more frequently with a larger spray pattern in order to better control the atomization of the fuel, helping control combustion and fuel consumption. Any blockage that disrupts that spray pattern leads not only to degradation in fuel economy but performance as well.”
CETANE CAUTION
Chevron’s Parsons points to still another set of additives that are designed to boost diesel’s cetane rating. Basically, these additives act as combustion improvers to enhance the combustion properties of diesel, which improves cold starts, fuel economy, and reduces smoke.
However, Mack’s McKenna adds a note of caution where increases in diesel cetane numbers are concerned. “Higher cetane ratings certainly improve combustion, but they also raise combustion temperatures, and that creates more NOx [oxides of nitrogen] emissions,” he says.
NOx emissions are reduced in SCR systems by spraying diesel exhaust fluid, or DEF, into the truck’s exhaust stream. DEF is a clear fluid that’s comprised of 67.5% water and 32.5% automotive grade urea with a very slight yellowish tinge to it and smells faintly of ammonia. By spraying small amounts of DEF into a truck’s exhaust stream, ozone-causing NOx gets converted into harmless nitrogen gas and water vapor.
Of course, if more NOx is created by the engine, more DEF gets consumed—and it’s not cheap. The average pump price for DEF in the U.S. held steady at around $2.74/gal. between March and April of this year, however, a big uptick in bulk and tote pricing occurred during the first half of May. This was by as much as 21¢ per gallon, according to Chris Goodfellow, emissions analyst for Integer Research, which tracks DEF prices on the website, discoverDEF.com.
ALWAYS A PLACE
While a cetane booster might reduce diesel fuel consumption due to higher combustion temperatures, it might raise DEF consumption. Amsoil’s Nyholm adds another wrinkle to the cetane picture. “You don’t gain any additional performance benefit once the cetane rating of the fuel exceeds 52,” he explains. “Obviously, though, if you take fuel with a 40 cetane rating and boost it to 50, you’ll see more efficient combustion and some fuel economy benefits. But if you’re taking 50 cetane fuel and boosting it beyond 52, you won’t see any measurable benefit.”
Still, even with all that being said, Chevron’s Parsons stresses that there will always be a place for the use of additives that help enhance diesel fuel properties and/or performance while minimizing any adverse side effects—and the role for additives is only projected to increase along those lines, he predicts.
“Tighter emissions standards and the desire for improved performance created much higher [fuel] injection pressures for today’s truck engines,” he says. “The demands on the diesel fuel for cleanliness, oxidation stability, and lubricity are increasing.”
At the same time, the varieties of crude oil and refinery processes being used to produce the diesel fuel are also increasing. “Additives can be effectively used to minimize variability from a performance standpoint and, in many cases, will be called upon to keep the engine running in an ‘as new’ condition without a deterioration in performance over time,” Parsons notes. And that’s exactly what fleet owners want to hear.
Link to fleetowner.com/fleet-management/truth-about-fuel-additives

We Need Federal Yellow-Light Timing Standards Now

autoguide.com

Following, courtesy of www.motorists.org Join for free and help support at the link provided below:

Waunakee, WI – November 19, 2012: Every day millions of U.S. drivers risk serious accidents caused by traffic signals with yellow-light timings that are set too short.
That is why the National Motorists Association (NMA) has sent an urgent appeal to Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) head Victor Mendez to change current federal guidelines by mandating acceptable yellow-light durations. In a letter dated Nov. 15, the NMA cited specific safety benefits of setting proper traffic signal cycles.
“Short yellow lights force many responsible motorists to make split-second decisions that can lead to unwarranted traffic tickets, or worse, intersection collisions,” said NMA President Gary Biller. “The current federal guidelines on yellow-light durations consist of inadequate recommendations, not proven engineering requirements.”
The NMA letter highlighted a study that determined a one-second increase in the yellow-light interval reduced intersection collisions by 40 percent. The letter also pointed to an example of a major U.S. city that is deficient in its yellow-light intervals by one second because of inadequate guidelines by the FHWA.
In addition, red-light camera operators use this national standards deficiency to set yellow-light times that frequently don’t give drivers enough time to stop as the traffic light turns from yellow to red. “Cities and for-profit camera companies maximize revenue by setting yellow-light times that are too short,” Biller said. “It is a violation of the public trust, and it jeopardizes motorist, cyclist, and pedestrian safety.”
Biller’s letter also highlighted a formula developed by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (and acknowledged on the FHWA website) as the recommended basis for a new federal requirement for yellow-light timing. This formula, he explained, factors in how fast vehicles travel as they approach the intersection. Faster travel speeds require longer yellow lights due to greater stopping distances.
“Proper timing of yellow lights is one of the most critical factors in lowering intersection violation and accident rates,” Biller noted. “Yet amazingly there is no federal requirement for determining what minimum safe yellow times should be—just some optional guidance that many red-light camera operators use to justify dangerously short yellows in order to maximize the profits of their programs.”
He continued, “The FHWA has an obligation to establish clear safety requirements that eliminate such predatory practices. The National Motorists Association is calling upon the FHWA to do exactly that.” ♦
Click here to join for free! www.motorists.org/

What to do before selling (or giving away) your old computer

theaudiodope.com

Here are some good tips to consider before disposing of your old computer, thanks to Kim Komando.com A link to her site is provided below:

Q. I cashed in on a great Black Friday deal and bought myself a brand new computer. I think I might sell my old one to recoup some of the cash. Can I just post it on eBay or is there anything I need to do with it first?
A. Congratulations on your new computer, Andrea! There's nothing better than that new computer smell.
However, setting up a new computer is no easy task. That's why I wrote guides to setting up your new computer for Windows and Mac! Windows users buying new Windows 8 models have a learning curve. My helpful Windows 8 Quick Start Guide can make you a Windows 8 pro in no time.
Before you set your heart on selling your computer, let me remind you that this is a season of giving. If your machine is older and isn't going to fetch much money, why not recycle or donate it? Even older machines can change the life of someone less fortunate.

Either way, there are a few steps you have to take to clean it up. Your computer has your life on it, and you definitely don't want to give away your sensitive information!

Your first step is to back up your data for easy transfer. For this, I recommend my advertiser Carbonite. It will put all of your files on your new computer with the touch of a button.

Once your files are on your new computer, it's time to remove them from your old one. That way, whoever buys your computer can't dig out your financial or personal information.

Simply moving them to the recycle bin isn't enough. To completely delete them, you need to wipe your drive with a program like Eraser or Boot and Nuke for PCs, or Permanent Eraser for Macs.
I have step-by-step instructions for erasing data here. If you don't want to completely wipe your drive, give this tip a look.

Your files aren't the only thing you have to scrub away. Want to install your current copy of Windows on your new computer? You have to uninstall your Windows product key.

To do this, launch the command prompt (Start>>Run in XP, Start>>Search Command Prompt in Vista and 7) and type "slmgr /dlv" (minus quotes). You'll see a textbox with a bunch of numbers in it.
Take the number labeled "Activation ID" and type into the command prompt followed by "/upk" (minus quotes). When you're finished, it should say "C:\Windows\system32>slmgr /upk [Activation ID number]." You can validate Windows on your new computer the same way.
You may have to do this with other paid programs, too. The process varies from program to program, but the program site's help or F.A.Q. section should tell you how.
Finally, you need to deauthorize Flash if you want to play purchased movies on your new computer. To do this, go to Start>>Control Panel and change the "view by" setting to small icons. You should see an icon for Adobe Flash Player.
Click it and then choose "Advanced." Click "deauthorize this computer" and then close your browser and click OK.
There are still a few things you can do before shipping off your old computer, though. Here are three more ways to make selling your gadget easier.

• A squeaky clean gadget can fetch more money come sale time. I'll show you how to clean and disinfect all of your gadgets.
• Finding a good asking price for your gadget could take hours of research. This free site does all of the leg work for you.
• Maybe you don't want to search around for a buyer. Find out the pros and cons of selling tech to a store in this must-read tip.

Link to komando.com

A shortage of pilots? Really?

online.wsj.com

Good piece by Jim of Truckinginfo.com, a link to their site follows:

On the Road Blog by Jim Park, Equipment Editor  11/15/2012

A shortage of pilots? Really? At least one influential aviation figure begs to differ. Retired airline captain-turned-aviation-analyst, Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger -- yes, that "Sully" -- says the airlines are crying wolf, trying to get regulators to back down from new entry requirements for commercial pilots.

The airlines are suggesting that if the Federal Aviation Administration doesn't back down from new pilot training requirements and/or change the mandatory pilot retirement age of 65, the industry will have to cut service to smaller centers, restrict the number of flights offered to passengers and possibly close some regional feeder airlines (See Editor in Chief Deborah Lockridge's blog on the topic).

On a recent CBS News report, Sullenberger suggests the airline industry is trying to create a crisis for its own benefit.

"This is not a surprise to anyone," CBS quoted Sully. "You know, we've known since December 2007 what the mandatory age for retirement for pilots was going to be. We've known these rules were coming for several years. In fact, in congressional testimony this year, regional airline association officials, in response to a congressional question, indicated that they fully expected by August of 2012, which has passed, that their member airlines would be completely compliant with the airline transport pilot license requirement in the new rule.

"As a matter of fact, they further say that out of their 18,000 regional pilots, only 100 might not be, and that's because they haven't yet reached the age of 23, which is one of the requirements."

Giving the airline the benefit of the doubt, it costs an astronomical amount of money to train a pilot. But a major portion of that is borne by pilots themselves in the early years. Getting from a private pilot license to a commercial pilot rating takes thousands of hours on many types of aircraft. Just earning the credential to fly passenger planes can set a potential pilot back $75,000. And with that, pilots can get jobs with regional airlines that pay $18,000 -- yes, $18,000 -- a year for entry-level positions.

Once in the door, the training costs become the airlines'. Pilots hope to advance to larger and more complex aircraft, and that takes time and money. When a pilot has earned the required number of hours, the major airlines snag them away from the regional carriers, leaving those smaller airlines with little opportunity to recoup their training investment. Not surprisingly, the regional carriers invest no more than they need to in their pilots.

The crash of a Colgan Air regional airliner in Buffalo, N.Y., that killed 50 people in 2009 changed all that. The investigation revealed genuine inadequacies in pilot training, and prompted the call for a minimum of 1,500 hours of flying time before a pilot could become a first officer.

A new FAA rule would require first officers flying in passenger operations to hold an Air Transport Pilot certificate, which requires 1,500 hours of flight time. Currently, first officers are required to have only a commercial pilot certificate, which requires only 250 hours.

The pilot shortage hasn't exactly caught the airlines by surprise. They could have guessed the supply of pilots would dry up pretty quickly when the cost of getting a foot in the door was four or five times as much as a pilot could earn in the first few years in the right-hand seat.

Sullenberger told CBS News the airlines have the means to solve their own problem: "When the airlines create working conditions and have wages that will attract qualified, experienced pilots, they will have enough applicants."

Parallels with Trucking
I can't help but see the parallels to our own labor woes. Trucking has been harping about a driver shortage for almost 15 years. The sky hasn't fallen yet, but driver wages and working conditions in the truckload sector haven't changed much, either.

In the same CBS News story, travel editor Peter Greenberg hit the nail on the head. "You can't create a crisis and say 'it's an economic impact, we're going to have a problem' when you've known about it for a long time. ..."

In aviation, as in trucking, there has been plenty of opportunity to solve the problem.
I attended my first "trucking conference" back in 1995. I was still driving then, and just breaking into the journalism side of the business. My first editor assigned me to cover the conference. It was the Ontario Trucking Association's annual shindig, held in November of that year. One of the speakers at the conference was noted demographer David Foot. He was about to publish a book called "Boom, Bust, & Echo: How to Profit from the Coming Demographic Shift."

In the book, Foot lays out the principles of demographics (the study of statistical characteristics of a population) and shows how aging generations of people will follow predictable patterns of development as they age, and how upcoming generations will be affected, as they age, by trends they experience in youth. Foot forecast trucking's driver shortage, as well as labor shortages in other sectors based on young peoples' emerging preferences and social influences.

(I don't think Foot saw, then, globalization, ipads, smartphones, social media, or many other influences that have exacerbated our labor troubles. In 1995, the Internet was still an emerging technology.)

He saw, too, how sectors with aging populations, like trucking, would have difficulty attracting talent in a world that was shifting very quickly from a labor-based workforce to a technology based workforce. Foot said then, in 1995, that trucking would be scrambling to find help by the last years of that decade, and the problem would continue to worsen unless the industry did something to make the job more attractive to young people.

If it weren't so potentially tragic, I'd call it amusing that as far back as 1995 -- and probably even earlier than that -- trucking knew it had a problem on its hands. The industry has failed to deal with it in a meaningful way in the passing years, and now the chickens have come home to roost.
Link to truckinginfo.com

My Kenworth T600 - The Truck That Pioneered Aerodynamic Technology

My Tractor  #308

Memories of and Tribute to the T600 “Anteater” Kenworth

I was working for Frigo Cheese in Lena, Wi in 1985 when news of the revolutionary new Kenworth came out. The traffic manager we had at the time was blown away by the concept and started to research ideas of how he could get these new tractors into our fleet.
We were only two years into five year leases on our Freightliner tractors from Penske and you just can’t cancel leases with the click of your fingers. He talked to a Kenworth dealer in Green Bay and managed to get a T600 demo tractor to use for a couple of weeks at no charge. We drivers took turns behind the wheel and the consensus was, it was a great tractor with a good ride and plenty of power with the Detroit Series 60 engine. Although very odd looking, almost all the drivers gave it a thumbs up. These tractors were so revolutionary, I remember the stares and horns we would get from 4-wheelers and other trucks going down the highway! I stopped at the house in Crivitz to give my ex-wife a short ride and she made the comment that it looked like I was driving a spaceship!
Our boss then started working numbers with Penske about ordering a new fleet of T600s and turning in our current tractors. The penalty it would cost Frigo was about $50,000 for eight tractors, which was a lot of money in the mid 80’s, even for a company the size of Frigo!
After considering the cost, he came up with a brilliant idea that he took to his superiors. By being the first fleet in northern Wisconsin to obtain these new tractors, the value of the publicity, free advertising and exposure for the company would more than offset the costs of breaking our lease! After some serious consideration, the CEO agreed and gave his approval, the tractors were ordered!

It took a couple months to get them in as we all were excitedly waiting. The day we went down to Green Bay to pick them up, our boss had all the local news media there to cover the story as our convoy of eight new 1986 T600s headed back north to Lena. They had camera crews on the overpasses of the freeway to film us as we went by. I’ll tell you what, we were some pretty proud drivers, and for many months we enjoyed all the looks and attention from everyone. They must have gotten more than their money's worth with all the publicity, as our traffic manager received a promotion not long after!

Below is a review by layover.com from 2005 on the 20th anniversary.
Kenworth's T600 - The Truck That Pioneered Aerodynamic Technology Celebrates 20th Anniversary  2005-08-25 by Layover.com
DALLAS, Texas - This year marks the 20th anniversary of the aerodynamic Kenworth T600 which helped revolutionize the trucking industry. Kenworth is exhibiting a new, fuel efficient, 2006 model T600 with world-class quality, comfort and productivity this week at the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas.

Kenworth's T600 has evolved and changed significantly over the past 20 years, undergoing numerous aerodynamic and creature comfort updates. Today's T600 has a 26% lower drag co-efficient as compared to the very first T600, making it a truck model with a fuel-economy performance that is still very much cutting-edge.

The "cutting edge" story of the Kenworth T600 began nearly 30 years ago. In 1976, PACCAR director of research and development Larry Orr, who passed away in 2001, and a small team created wood and wax models, testing different shapes and configurations, often at the University of Washington's wind tunnel in Seattle. Later, in the early 1980s, Orr's group built a prototype and ran tests at the PACCAR Technical Center. "It confirmed the whole idea of aerodynamics and fuel economy," he recalled in a 1997 interview.

While the Kenworth T600's sloped hood drew most of the attention, the truck was loaded with other innovations. A set-back front axle allowed for easier front axle loading. New 64-inch taper-leaf springs provided a much improved ride, and the turning radius was 23% less than on other conventional trucks. The new design reduced splash and spray by 50%, to the great benefit of other vehicles on the road.

But the truck's biggest selling point was economy. "The fuel economy numbers we got in wind tunnel testing were pretty significant," Orr said, "and we were confident those numbers would prove themselves-but we had to do some real-life testing to confirm our calculations."

The next step was testing a standard straight hood conventional tractor and computing its fuel use at the PACCAR Technical Center test track. Then the hood was removed and the truck was reconfigured like the Kenworth T600, while leaving the power train and other components as is. The T600 turned out to be 22% more fuel efficient than the straight hood conventional.
The new truck was officially introduced at Kenworth's 1985 dealer meeting. Reaction was positive. "The aerodynamic advantages were so obvious that anyone who didn't jump on that bandwagon would be out of the band," recalled one dealer.
"There's no doubt the T600 revolutionized the industry," said another dealer.

The truck's fuel economy numbers were too substantial to ignore: the first users of the Kenworth T600 saw a significant reduction in fuel bills, which accounted for 20 to 25% of operating costs. By year's end, T600 sales represented more than 40% of Kenworth's new business.

Kenworth's first fleet customer was Glenn Brown, now chairman and CEO of Contract Freighters Inc. (CFI) in Joplin, Mo. CFI had nearly 500 leased operators working for the company, but wanted to bring on its own trucks. Brown, a CDL driver himself, looked closely at the T600. "I recognized that it was innovative and different. We were looking for ways to improve our efficiencies and decided to order 100 of the trucks. We were hoping the new design of the T600 was something we could use to get a head start on the rest of the industry. It was definitely a gamble to be the first in the market to put the truck on the road, but it proved out." CFI's fleet average for fuel efficiency increased by about 1.5 miles per gallon.

Today, CFI has more than 1,600 Kenworth T600s in its fleet. What's more, the company is so fond of the T600 that it still has the very first T600 it purchased back in 1985.

Link to layover.com/news/article/kenworths-t600--the-truck-that-pioneered-aerodynamic

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We pulled the plug on DirecTV! Here's how we did it

hottipscentral.com

11/22/2012, Day one of life without DirecTV:

Over the past couple of years, I've gotten fed up with the increasing costs of satellite TV. After getting married in 2008 and renting a house for awhile, we also tried Comcast, for six months. It’s the same with all the cable, satellite providers, you want HD and DVR with more than one TV, all the fees will add up.
I've never paid for “premium” channels and was always satisfied with the “expanded basic” package. Every time our bill would go over $100 per month, I would call, cut some service or complain our rate was too high and we would get a break for a short time. A couple of months ago our bill went over $100 again and I cut our service back to the bare minimum, losing the NFL channel in the process. Even with that, one HD DVR box and two non HD boxes for the bedroom TVs, our bill was still about $90.00! That’s it, I was fed up and started looking for alternatives.
A friend at work was telling me a few weeks ago that he and his wife rarely watch their satellite TV any more because they had “Roku”. I really don’t keep up with all the new tech these days and had never heard of Roku. He explained that it is a simple video streaming box that you hook up to your TV and are then able to watch a ton of free stuff as well as Netflix or Hulu Plus through your TV in HD (as long as you have good internet service). He said there is so much content available on there that they really don’t watch anything else.
Well, I went home and started researching this “Roku”, which you can buy the basic version which works fine for only $50.00 I went down to Best Buy and and picked up the $79 box with 1080i a couple weeks ago and brought it home. It was simple to hook up to our TV and home Wifi and we were watching all kinds of stuff in no time. A Netflix account is only $8 per month as well as Hulu Plus, so I did a free trial with both. Finding the content and layout much better on Netflix, I then canceled Hulu Plus.There is a huge amount of free content (television programs and movies) as well as on demand movies from Amazon and many other providers.
Roku worked out great for us, so last weekend I took the next step by going and picking up a TiVo Premiere HD DVR box and a local “rabbit ears” antenna to pick up local channels. In the Salt Lake City area we have about 16 local TV channels to choose from that are free. With a $15.00 per month mandatory subscription to TiVo you get an on screen guide and ability to record and schedule any over-the-air TV broadcasts. Unfortunately, you can’t record content from the Roku box, but that’s really not an issue as Roku is “on demand” streaming and you can stop and pick up where you left off anytime while on it. I also ordered two more $50 Roku boxes for the bedroom TVs.
So last night I got everything set up, unbelievably the picture from the local channels viewed with the antenna is better than seeing it through the DirecTV box! I got the Rokus working on the other TVs and now all I need is a couple rabbit ear antennas for them. I then made “the call” to cancel DirecTV. After listening to their spiel for a half hour as they tried drastic measures to keep us, the last offer was 60 channels for about $29 per month (but the $10 HD DVR rental and $12 for the two non HD boxes still bring the monthly charge to well over $50). So I finally agreed to “suspend” my account for six months at no charge. I can keep all the equipment and restart my service at any time during that six months.
Here’s the bottom line, before we were at $90 per month for satellite and $50 for internet, totaling $140. After, we have the TiVo service at $15, Netflix at $8 along with the $50 internet which totals $72. So going forward, we save about $70 per month.

Total upfront costs for the extra equipment were the TiVo Premiere HDVR for $150, one $79 Roku 1080i box and two $49 regular HD Rokus and the cost of three rabbit ear antennas for about $60. The other piece you will need, if you want the TiVo connected through your WiFi is a Tivo network adapter. Otherwise you will need a cable to your router or computer (or hook a phone line to it). Note: Best Buy will rip you off on this item, charging over $90 for it. You can order one through Amazon for $60, maybe less if you look around! There are two types, Wireless N and Wireless G. So, our total equipment costs are about $450 and we should save enough to offset that in six or seven months. I’m also considering shopping for a deal from a new internet provider.

So far this has been working well. The only thing I will miss is not having ESPN or the NFL channel and TNN. Part of the NASCAR season is on these channels as well as Monday Night and Thursday Night Football. I also watch a lot of the Fox News Channel (O’Reilly) and will not have it. Although I can watch the previous day’s stories at the Fox News channel on Roku! Since the NASCAR season ended Sunday and the Packers are not scheduled on ESPN or the NFL channel for the rest of the season, this is a perfect time to try this. I’ll keep you posted on how it’s going. Good bye DirecTV!

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Mama Said There’ll Be Days Like This

truckingtruth.com

I'm sure it didn't seem humorous at the time, but we've all had days like this!

Posted on June 4, 2012 by and thanks to Rhonda at Truckingtruth.com A link to their site is provided below:

Time to get up and get this day started. I want to beat the traffic, or at least most of it going to Chicago IL/Gary IN. Anxious to get to the shipper, a regular customer, and then to Cedar Rapids, IA, then perhaps the two hour drive home from there. I’m at Rensselaer, IN on I-65. After taking my full break last night I’m leaving at o’dark thirty so I can get my day done earlier.
After I do my pre-trip, I leave my parking spot, head to the entrance, and turn onto the highway. The entrance ramps to I-65 are just ahead. Now that I am on I-65, I enjoy my coffee and do what drivers do…listen to that diesel engine and the tires on the highway which is music to my ears. I watch the gauges and mirrors while I plan the rest of the day. I’m about one hour from the shipper. I should be there about 30 minutes while getting loaded, take off, and then arrive at this time tomorrow in Cedar Rapids, IA. Yes, this is a doable plan. Oh happy day!!!!!

Suddenly my plans are destroyed. I see a road sign that says “Indianapolis [however many] miles”. NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!This can’t be happening! Someone is playing a joke by moving road signs, right??? As I approach an exit, there is another sign that says “Indianapolis [however many] miles”. I am getting closer to Indy!!! I take that exit so I can turn around while I ponder how I could have done something this stupid. Now I am mad at myself and there is no one to blame but me.

“Mama said there’ll be days like this, there’ll be days like this mama said. Mama said there’ll be days like this when I should’ve just stayed in bed.”
Rarely do I get the directions messed up, and I still don’t know exactly what happened. So I replay last night in my mind. As I exited the interstate to go to the truck stop for the night, I made a right turn onto the highway. I Pulled into the truck stop and all remembered that all I needed to do in the morning was turn right at the entrance ramp to head to Chicago. But all the parking spots were taken, so I had to go to the other truck stops to find a spot. I crossed over I-65 and did find a parking spot on the other side of the highway. I went to bed. When I got up, I kept reminding myself “turn right at the ramp” and so I did, totally forgetting I had crossed over I-65 the day before. IDIOT!!!!
Now I am back at my starting point and I can see clearly now that the truck stop I stayed at was on thewest side of the road. My stupidity has cost me about 1 1/2hrs. And now I’ll be dealing with more traffic than I had planned. All went well at the shipper and the drive to Cedar Rapids, IA. My plan did work almost to the schedule I had come up with, just a wee bit later on the times. By the end of the day I was laughing at my stupidity, but it sure was not funny at the time!!
One day it will happen to you too. It’s unfortunate, but the most important thing is that my day was completed safely – accident free. That is all that really matters in the end…being safe!
Link to truckingtruth.com