Update: Mini-Truck Prebuy Continuing In September - Showing Up In All Classes
October 5, 2009
Truck Orders Continue to Rise | www.truckinginfo.com
Premier freight & truck sales forecasting firm FTR Associates is showing us North America Class 8 truck orders were 10,817 trucks - increasing month-to-month since May’s 7,400. As we noted a month ago, our financing work shows it’s more of a mini-prebuy in front of 2010-compliant engine full introduction.
Paccar - Peterbilt Nashville Plant Closure Is More Bad News For UAW
October 2, 2009
Peterbilt to Shutter Nashville Assembly Plant | www.truckinginfo.com
Peterbilt Div. of Paccar, Inc. announced they will permanently close its Madison, TN plant (nearby Nashville). The Peterbilt United Auto Workers (UAW) job loss numbers there are miniscule when compared to that going on in the auto industry, but at least that work is remaining within the US borders.
Mexico Cross-Border Trucking Small Visible Part Example Of Bigger Protectionism
September 25, 2009
Report: DOT official says no resolution to Mexico truck issue likely this year | www.thetrucker.com
There will be no decision on the Mexico cross border program until next year - according to the DOT official referenced in the source article. Of bigger concern to Congress are healthcare and highway debates, along with a needed energy policy, being green, et al - and probably followed by other protectionist issues.
Navistar Without A Big Pre-2010 Cummins Stockpile Could Be A Problem
September 18, 2009
Navistar CEO Peppered With Questions About Truck Engines | www.nasdaq.com
The proposed US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule limiting the number of pre-2010 Cummins engines that Navistar can stockpile has many asking what it means. From our perspective, it means problems for Navistar and Cummins. From a customer perspective with Navistar, there are the advanced-EGR questions, a 13 v. 15-Liter decision and then product performance. Then there is the question of what is next.
Navistar Is Smart To Use “S-Word” (SCR) In Their Customer Discussions Now
September 14, 2009
Navistar calls SCR “viable technology” | fleetowner.com
In a recent Truck Rental and Leasing Assn. (TRALA) hosted Web presentation including selective catalytic reduction (SCR), Navistar rep Tim Shick was quoted as saying “We think SCR is a very viable technology. We can’t find anything negative about it.” He also reaffirmed Navistar’s current approach of being the sole exhaust gas recirculation EGR-only manufacturer going into 2010. This is a good move, since customers have been making their intentions better known - and it hasn’t been positive.
The Mini-Truck Prebuy Is Here - Some Truckers Restocking Their Own Shelves A Bit
September 8, 2009
Truck Orders See Strongest Month Since November | www.truckinginfo.com
Eric Starks of FTR Associates is reporting an uptick in truck orders and attributes it to some buyers getting pre-2010 emission compliant engines. Having recently completed another summary around our work with financiers, it shows some the same, along with some how’s - and allows for an industry checkup from ground level.
Ford’s New Pickup Diesel - Hang On For The Power & Perhaps The Introduction!
September 8, 2009
REPORT: Ford's 6.7L Power Stroke to put out 400 HP and 725 pound-feet | green.autoblog.com
Ford Motor Company recently announced specifics regarding their new diesel engine they developed in-house. It’s got a bunch of power, but a successful product is much more than a new cool design. Many of us are pulling for the only US non-government motors player, but some loyalists are going to hit the “wait-a-while” button to see how it goes - for potentially good reason.
More California Truckers’ Road Ending In A Dead-End - Temperatures Are Rising!
September 2, 2009
California port truckers face deadline | www.etrucker.com
My friend Todd Dills wrote in the referenced CCJ article about how the fast-coming emissions regulations at the Los Angeles and Long Beach Ports will be enforced. There are the steep costs of equipment and noncompliance fines, but the real story involves the effect on small businesses and real people. Tempers and temperatures are rising - and it’s not from global warming. It is getting uglier at ground level.
Teamsters: YRC Worldwide Says There Are No Buyers For Regional New Penn
August 25, 2009
Teamsters: YRC gets little interest in New Penn | kansascity.bizjournals.com
In the referenced article, the Teamsters Union has told members that YRC Worldwide has been exploring the sale of Northeast Regional New Penn - their only profitable YRC division. Whether it’s a tactic to get the New Penn Teamsters to accept pays cuts or to really try to sell it (or both), it’s not a good omen.
Fewer Trucking Company Failures Now - In Spite Of Ourselves!
August 24, 2009
Trucking failures drop in 2nd quarter | www.etrucker.com
In the referenced article, Avondale Partners Senior Research Analyst Donald Broughton was noted seeing a dramatic reduction in trucking business failures in the 2nd quarter ’09 as compared to previous and year-over-year quarters. Also noted was the principal reason carriers are remaining in business - creditors are allowing otherwise insolvent companies to stay in business so that they don't have to take back used equipment. We agree that problems have slowed, but differ on some other points.
Big-Foot YRC Drops the Other Shoe on Shareholders
November 3, 2009
Bombardier Barbs Shows CSeries Can't Cut The Mustard
November 2, 2009
New 777 Depends On 787 Success
October 13, 2009
Airbus Lost $7.5bn+ Trying to Flog the A350XWB
August 28, 2009
Airbus A380 Struggling To Cut The Mustard?
August 24, 2009