Autoblog

Big Cheese: Kraft pushing for 97,000-pound "bridge wrecker" trucks

Jeff Sabatini — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 10:01:00 EST

Kraft Foods wants to bring you more Velveeta, more efficiently. According to Bloomberg, the food giant says it needs to pack its 97,000-pound trucks full of processed deliciousness in order to combat high diesel prices. Problem is, interstate highways have an 80,000-pound weight limit.

But Kraft (along with other big corporations like Home Depot, MillerCoors, and Archer-Daniels-Midland) thinks it can get the law changed. Congress just extended a one-year pilot program to allow 100,000-pound trucks on interstates in Maine and Vermont for an additional 20 years, and a new bill would let every state decide whether they would allow the heavier trucks on their interstate highways.

Advocates of the "Safe and Efficient Transportation Act" say that the proposal is an economic necessity, and point out that states are already allowing heavier trucks to travel their secondary roads. But others have raised concerns about increased wear-and-tear on roads, and the questionable state of repair of the nation's interstate bridges, which were only designed for 80,000-pound trucks, according to the report.

There's also the potential for more highway fatalities. Though highway deaths have been on the decline, commercial truck-related deaths were up last year, according to the report. John Lannen, executive director of The Truck Safety Coalition, told Bloomberg that if the weight limits go up, "The entire country's motoring public will be put in grave danger."

Big Cheese: Kraft pushing for 97,000-pound "bridge wrecker" trucks originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 17 Dec 2011 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is Daimler interested in buying Fiat's Iveco truck ops?

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 11:01:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Europe, Work, Earnings/Financials, Fiat, Rumormill

Although many suspect that Daimler wants to buy Iveco from Fiat Industrial S.p.A., the German automaker denies it is angling to purchase the commercial division. According to The New York Times, there were supposedly talks during the summer about Daimler purchasing the "non-car business" - we're not sure if that means the agricultural and the truck side - but apparently the two sides couldn't agree on a price.

Daimler is the largest of players in the heavy truck industry - its various brands being among the market leaders on at least three continents. Outside opinion is that the German firm wants Iveco in order to help it penetrate Asia, where its current offerings are priced out of the mass-market competition. If nothing else, it's being suggested that Daimler might try to work out some sort of partnership agreement with Iveco. Doing so could help keep integration costs way down and avert the scrutiny of anti-trust authorities. Fiat hasn't commented on the matter, but this kind of tie-up is perhaps exactly what Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne had in mind when he split the company in two.

[Source: The New York Times]

Is Daimler interested in buying Fiat's Iveco truck ops? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Sep 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes introduces new Zetros military truck

Michael Harley — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:26:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Europe, Work, Mercedes-Benz, Military

Click on the above image for a Zetros photo gallery

Mercedes-Benz chose the International Defense Exhibition Eurosatory 2008 in Paris, a show we don't normally attend, to introduce their new Zetros truck. The model pictured above is the Zetros 2733 A 6x6, offering permanent all-wheel-drive to all three axles and the ability to haul nearly 10 tons of equipment and supplies. If you just don't have that much stuff, Mercedes also offers the Zetros 1833 A 4x4, a two-axle derivative with a reduced load capacity. Both versions offer go-anywhere capabilities with exemplary off-road manners and the ability to be upgraded with state-of-the art armor for protection against mine and ballistic attack. While you'd expect the Zetros to handle like a wet noodle, the German automaker insists the Zetros has been designed with the driver in mind, adding "...the ideal seating position behind the front axle delivers intuitive car-like handling." Since we don't have a Zetros planned for an "In the Autoblog Garage" review, we'll just have to take their word on that.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz Zetros Off-Road Truck

[Source: eMercedesBenz]

Continue reading Mercedes introduces new Zetros military truck

Mercedes introduces new Zetros military truck originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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