Autoblog

The List #0010: Drive a Big Rig Truck

John Neff — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:57:00 EST

A person's portfolio of automotive experiences should contain more than just family vehicles and the occasional sports car. That's why our list of 1,001 Automotive Things To Do Before You Die includes driving all sorts of different vehicles. So far we've driven drift vehicles, off-roaders and even tanks, and there are many more interesting conveyances we still want to sample.

One that's been on our list since the show's beginning is driving a big rig truck. We all pass these beasts of burden on the highway and probably don't give them a second thought, except maybe to question why one is blocking our way on the one day we're late for work.

Still, these many-wheeled machines account for the bulk of shipping that occurs in the US, and there's an army of highly trained drivers who pilot the nation's fleet. You can't just step out of your Ford Explorer and into the driver's seat of a big rig; you need schoolin' first.

We sent Jessi and Patrick to Southern California's Dootson School of Trucking, and because we had high hopes our two pupils could be taught to drive a big rig on public roads, before school started they were required to pass a Commercial Drivers License written permit test, as well as receive a physical and drug test as ordered by the Department of Transportation. With that out of the way, their lesson could begin. Scroll down to watch some of what it takes to become a real big rig driver.

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The List #0010: Drive a Big Rig Truck originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHTSA proposes mandatory stability control on big rigs, busses

Jeff Sabatini — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:59:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Government/Legal, Safety

Stability control was made mandatory on passenger vehicles for this current model year, but it's still not a requirement for semis and busses. But that could soon be changing, as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has proposed requiring the technology on all new large commercial trucks, motorcoaches, and other large buses.

While big rigs and their brethren are often available with stability control, the rule would make the feature standard, with manufacturers given between two and four years to comply. NHTSA says the change in policy could save about 50 lives a year, and prevent over 2,300 crashes. Further, research into the effectiveness of stability control systems in preventing rollover crashes shows that over half of all such accidents could be prevented by adopting it.

Scroll down to read the full press release.

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NHTSA proposes mandatory stability control on big rigs, busses originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 May 2012 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Infographic: Breaking down the costs of trucking

Zach Bowman — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 12:03:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Etc., Work, Earnings/Financials

If you've ever had visions of telling your boss exactly where he can put his TPS reports and heading off to reenact your favorite scenes from classic trucking movies like Smokey and the Bandit, Convoy or Over the Top, we have bad news for you: Trucking is prohibitively expensive.

The crew at TheTruckersReport.com worked up an infographic filled with examples of just how pricey it can be to operate an eighteen wheeler. According to the information, only eight percent of all trucks on the road are privately operated. The rest are run by larger trucking companies.

No surprise there. A new cab can cost upwards of $100,000, while a trailer will set you back $50,000. Companies typically pay around $30,000 a year on their truck loans, which actually makes it the third largest expense in operating a big rig. Number one? Diesel fuel. A single truck can suck down 20,500 gallons of fuel in a year, which can add up to over $70,000 depending on location. Driver pay falls second, with operators earning around $0.36 per mile. Maintenance, meanwhile, can cost around $15,000 annually.

Hit the jump to check out the full graphic for yourself. Now if you'll excuse us, we have some reports to file...

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Infographic: Breaking down the costs of trucking originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 Apr 2012 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes-Benz Actros semi fitted for taxi duty, picks up humorous fares

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Work, Mercedes-Benz, Humor

The new-generation 2012 Actros big rig has already won Truck of the Year - for the fourth time - and Mercedes-Benz figured it would have some fun letting other truck people know about its semi. It kitted an Actros out in the eggshell hue and black-and-yellow sign that's standard-issue German taxi livery, then sent it out to pick up passengers.

The hook? Some of these passengers were waiting outside competing truck companies like MAN and Volvo, and were a little surprised at the arrival of their seven-ton chariot. Follow the jump to see it in action.

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Mercedes-Benz Actros semi fitted for taxi duty, picks up humorous fares originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Why a boat-tail semi isn't as silly as it might sound

Jonny Lieberman — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:31:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Etc., Technology, Work

Sure, a six-foot protrusion sticking off the rear end of any vehicle is kinda funny looking. Unless we're talking about a Porsche 917/30 or a Plymouth Superbird. Those cars have some very fine rear extensions. Okay, fine - a six-foot protrusion looks a little bit weird when growing out of a semi-truck's rear. Happy?

But a boat-tailed tractor trailer might be just what we need. Why? Because when fitted with such a piece of aerodynamic kit, total fuel-consumption reportedly drops by 7.5%. The tests in question were conducted by the Dutch PART (Platform for Aerodynamic Road Transport) public-private partnership platform on public roads. One truck without any aero-aid was driven around for a year, as was another truck with the boat-tail.

Not only did the boat-tailed machine get a 7.5% fuel economy bump, but at the same time, emissions were slashed by about the same margin. Even though these numbers are indeed promising, PART wants to figure out a way to reduce semi truck fuel consumption and emissions by 20%.

[Source: Science Daily]

Why a boat-tail semi isn't as silly as it might sound originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Build your own big rig: International launches configurator for LoneStar

Dan Roth — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 09:57:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Chicago Auto Show, Etc., Work

Truckers are like motorcycle riders in the way that they invariably customize their rides. It's probably just as challenging to find a bone stock tractor as it is an unembellished Fat Boy. When you're plying the roads as much as the big rigs do, why not have some fun and stand apart from the rest of the crowd and their mudflaps decorated with conformist chrome silhouettes of questionable taste? International's new LoneStar truck will be factory trickable with a new line of Navistar accessories called DoubleSix Customs. While the Autoblog Garage isn't quite big enough to hold an 18-wheeler, we did dedicate the better part of an hour to International's website designing the perfect vehicle for hauling our tricked out fleet of Zastavas.

With International's online configurator, you can start with a basic truck and add a splash of color, a dollop of flames, lots of chrome, and nearly as many lights as Vegas. The DoubleSix name takes its inspiration from the mother road, Route 66, which International is hoping still resonates with those who keep our economy rolling. Our only problem? Lack of the proper license. Try it yourself, you can even upload logos and graphics to design your perfect LoneStar. Press release after the jump.

[Source: International]

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Build your own big rig: International launches configurator for LoneStar originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Apr 2008 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How to make a big entrance at prom

Alex Nunez — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 11:02:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Work, Volvo

Kids today are apparently all about showing up to prom in the most outrageous and/or ridiculous wheeled machinery available. For them, a 47-foot-long HUMMER H2 with spinners, multiple LCD television screens, and room for several couples is probably deemed to be merely acceptable. In the UK, Bethany Farrow's classmates would be arriving in a wacky variety of vehicles -- limos, a police cruiser, and even a riot van (all the better to cart the destined-to-be-unruly teens to the clink after an evening of rowdy festivities, we suppose).

Bethany wanted in on the action, but wasn't down with the pedestrian approach. A limo wouldn't do, you see. She wanted to roll up in her dad's gargantuan Volvo NH12-480 big rig, instead. So she did, much to the delight of her assembled friends, according to Volvo, who actually issued a press release on this. (How else do you think we found out?) Anyway, we do like the whole "going to prom in a big rig" idea. American teens, it's time to show the kids across the pond how it's done. The first one of you to arrive at Prom 2008 in a Kenworth K100 blasting the theme from B.J. and the Bear over the stereo wins. "Legend" status automatically achieved if you also have a chimpanzee with you. No, not as your date...

(If you don't know from B.J. and the Bear, the Internet is your friend. Start clicking.)

[Source: Volvo]

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How to make a big entrance at prom originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Jul 2007 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wild Ride: Semi pushes wheelchair-bound man 50mph down highway

Alex Nunez — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 12:58:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Work

It could have been a horrible tragedy, but at the end of it all, no one was injured, and there were no hard feelings, either. Michigan State Police were skeptical when they started receiving calls saying that a big rig was pushing a wheelchair down the Red Arrow Highway in Paw Paw, Mich., but when the calls didn't abate, they headed out to investigate.

The rig was found in front of a local trucking company and to everyone's shock, there was a wheelchair attached to the front. With a man in it, no less. The occupant was unharmed, and the astonished truck driver had no idea he was even there. Apparently, the wheelchair was in the process of crossing the road in front of the truck. Too low for the driver to see, it was driven into. Miraculously, the chair was positioned in such a way that the handles lodged in the rig's grille and it wound up facing forward. Think about it -- it could have just as easily been knocked over and then run over -- a nightmare scenario for all parties involved.

Instead, the worst thing that happened was that the man in the wheelchair apparently spilled the ~~soda~~ pop he was drinking during his high-speed trip. Of the experience, he told authorities, "It was quite a ride."

Friends, that's today's candidate for understatement of the year.

[Source: South Bend Tribune]

Wild Ride: Semi pushes wheelchair-bound man 50mph down highway originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Jun 2007 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How to drive a big-rig

Erin Mays — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 20:56:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Work

It's rush hour, and you're late for work. Needless to say, you've got absolutely no patience for the trucker trying to merge onto the freeway, so you speed up to ensure you won't end up behind him. Later on, you cut another truck off to get into a faster lane... then slam on your brakes when the "fast" lane screeches to a halt.

This story seems to be played out every day we drive to work, but in addition to being jerks, we fools are being extraordinarily dangerous. Check out the link for Joe Hollingsworth's experience in driving a big rig for the first time. It doesn't sound like it's easy. You try changing gears nine times before you hit 45 mph. For the folks who cut off trucks, also remember that it takes them many times longer to stop than you do. For the guy who won't let the trucker merge, the truck is bigger than you and just might take the lane anyway. And if you hear a "whup, whup, whup," get out of the way -- that's the truck's tire about to blow off into your windshield. Check out the link for more tips on driving safely with trucks, and even driving a truck safely.

Also check out the AOL Autos forum where truckers have been invited to speak about their experience driving with us on America's roads. There are currently 41 pages of comments from truckers, so I guess they have some things they'd like us to know.

[Source: AOL Autos]

How to drive a big-rig originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Sep 2006 20:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When a Dodge Ram just isn't sufficiently "truck-like"

Eric Bryant — Wed, 13 Sep 2006 22:48:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Truck, Etc., Work, Dodge

Most of us - even dyed-in-the-wool truck guys - would think that Dodge's latest take on semi-truck styling imbues the Ram with sufficient big-rig credibility (especially when equipped with the Cummins diesel). Greg Severt apparently does not, and that's probably because his day job involves playing with the real thing. So he did what seemed right, removing the cab and bed from a 2005 Ram 3500 and replacing it with sheetmetal from a 1994 Peterbilt. Rounding out the conversion is a bed from a '53 Chevrolet pickup, with a set of Peterbuilt front fenders replacing the original stepside quarter panels.

The stock Cummins engine remains intact, and resides under the forward-tilting hood. That particular feature required shortening the front frame rails by two inches - a move that had to be rather nerve-racking on a brand new pickup. The look is rounded out by a set of 40" tall Mickey Ts on some 20" Weld Racing wheels, with a mild lift providing the required clearance.

Interestingly enough, the conversion actually resulted in a weight reduction, as the cab and hood are aluminum (weight being very important in the heavy truck industry, where every pound of truck is one less pound of cargo).

[Source: Diesel Power]

When a Dodge Ram just isn't sufficiently "truck-like" originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Sep 2006 22:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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