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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Continue reading The List #0010: Drive a Big Rig Truck

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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SuperTruck semi achieves 54-percent increase in fuel economy

Zach Bowman — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 17:44:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Technology, Work, Diesel

Cummins and Peterbilt have created a new demonstration tractor trailer that boasts a 54-percent increase in fuel economy over current trucks. This particular Class 8 Peterbilt 587 uses a high-efficiency Cummins ISX15 engine and managed to average 9.9 miles per gallon over 11 runs over the 312-mile route between Fort Worth and Vernon, TX with a gross combined weight of 65,000 pounds. For comparison's sake, most modern trucks manage between 5.5 and 6.5 mpg. For most long-haul truck drivers, an increase in fuel economy of 54 percent would equate to a savings of around $25,000 per year at current diesel prices.

The SuperTruck uses lightweight materials, an efficient engine and aerodynamic improvements to net its fuel economy increase. Peterbilt also worked with Eaton to develop a special driveline with fewer parasitic losses and better gearing, and the truck manufacturer says many of the features demonstrated on this particular truck may show up on production models in the near future. Check out the full press release below for more information.

Continue reading SuperTruck semi achieves 54-percent increase in fuel economy

SuperTruck semi achieves 54-percent increase in fuel economy originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Mar 2013 17:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IIHS calls out big rigs for dangerous rear underride guards [w/video]

Jeffrey N. Ross — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Truck, Government/Legal, Safety, Videos, Work, Chevrolet

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is always looking for new ways to make America's highways safer, and this latest test checks out the crashworthiness of one of the most overlooked vehicles on the road: tractor trailers. Pointing out design flaws inherent in semi trailers during rear-end collisions, the IIHS performed three different tests on eight of the most popular semi trailers on the market including a full-width impact, a 50-percent overlap (where only half of the car makes contact with the trailer) and a narrower overlap where only 30 percent of the car hits the trailer.

In the tests, which were run at 35 miles per hour using a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu, all of the trailers safely prevented the vehicle from underriding - going underneath the trailer - during the full-width crash. Compared to the results from this same test just two years ago, it's a big improvement in safety. In the 50-percent test, only one of the trailer's underride guards failed allowing the rear edge of the trailer to impact the passenger compartment, which would have most likely killed the driver. In the 30 percent overlap test, only one trailer managed to prevent the crash car from going under the trailer. The safest trailer, produced by a company called Manac, had the underride guard beams pushed out to the edges of the trailer providing additional strength and support. All of the trailers passed US and Canadian crash standards.

Scroll down for the crash-test video as well as a press release from IIHS.

Continue reading IIHS calls out big rigs for dangerous rear underride guards [w/video]

IIHS calls out big rigs for dangerous rear underride guards [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Mar 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Local Motors wants your help designing the next Peterbilt big rig

Jeff Sabatini — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 18:40:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Specialty, Design/Style

No, that's not Peterbilt's new concept for a futuristic long haul truck you're looking at. It's an entry in the company's RIG2: Road Icon Generation 2 competition, a contest being run by Local Motors to develop new ideas in aerodynamic designs for Peterbilt semis.

Contest entry is open through June 26, with design materials including CAD and Photoshop files available at the Local Motors Forge website. Prizes include $10,000 for the winning entry, and cash for anyone who finishes in the top ten. All will be selected via community voting, except for the top prize, which will be chosen by Peterbilt from the top 10 vote-getters.

The partnership with Peterbilt is just the latest effort in crowd-sourcing from Rally Fighter builder Local Motors, which launched its Forge collaboration site at SEMA last year.

Scroll down to read the full press release.

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Local Motors wants your help designing the next Peterbilt big rig originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Truck crashes on overpass, rains sheep down on motorists

Scott Burgess — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 12:01:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Etc., Safety, Videos, Work, Australia

In one of the more bizarre and macabre accidents we've ever seen, a truck carrying 400 sheep turned on its side on an overpass in Australia yesterday, ripping the trailer open and tossing the hapless livestock onto the traffic below, according to reports.

One car rolled over four times and a number of other vehicles had the animals fall through their windshields as they drove through the downpour of sheep, which can weigh more than 100 pounds each.

"We looked up and we could see the truck flip on its side and then the next minute, we were underneath and yeah, raining sheep doesn't happen everyday," said Kristy Davis, a witness, talking to reporters.

No people were seriously hurt during the incident. But the sheep were not as lucky. A final tally by reporters said that fewer than 10 sheep survived. The chaos caused some nine hours of delays on the roads.

Scroll down to see the video. Warning: The footage may be a bit graphic for some.

Continue reading Truck crashes on overpass, rains sheep down on motorists

Truck crashes on overpass, rains sheep down on motorists originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 12:01:00 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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Chinese big rig tips going too fast around corner

Jeff Glucker — Mon, 02 May 2011 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: China, Etc., Videos

Chinese driver rolls big-rig in traffic - Click above to watch video after the jump

Running a red light in your standard passenger vehicle is never a good idea. Trying to rush a trailer-laden semi-truck through a busy intersection is far, far worse. Such a machine has a lot of weight to throw around, as one Chinese driver recently learned. Physics strikes again!

The truck ends up on its side, but this crash could've been a lot worse. A quartet of two-wheeled traffic-goers hit the brakes at just the right time, and fortunately, a nearby cyclist was also paying rapt attention to the wayward cargo-hauler.

Click past the jump to watch a truck driver try to imitate Sam Hubinette... unsuccessfully.

[Source: YouTube via CarScoop]

Continue reading Chinese big rig tips going too fast around corner

Chinese big rig tips going too fast around corner originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 May 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World's Costliest Semi Crash? Printer ink truck turns turtle

Aaron Richardson — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 09:31:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Videos, Work

A tractor trailer carrying printer ink cartridges went wheels up on an a ramp linking Massachusetts Route 128 and Interstate 95 near Peabody, Mass. yesterday morning. The wreck blocked traffic for hours while state police and an environmental cleanup company worked to clear the debris.

State police said the accident isn't expected to cause any environmental damage, but it sure did make the interstate look like a Jackson Pollock vision (that, or a season's worth of Dexter). No word yet on how much dough all that printer ink is worth, but if OfficeMax prices are anything to go by, we're probably lucky that the spilled contents didn't derail the stock exchange.

Head over to Boston.com for footage of the colorful crash, and click here for an amazing image of the printer ink carnage.

[Source: Boston.com]

World's Costliest Semi Crash? Printer ink truck turns turtle originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IIHS: Underride guards on semi trucks can fail even at low speeds

Dan Roth — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 11:20:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Technology

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety semi trailer crash test - Click for high-res image gallery

A new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has found that underride guards on semi trailers are prone to failure. Despite major advances in passenger car safety since the mid-1970s, it seems the guards on tractor trailers still fail to reliably prevent vehicles from sliding under trailers in the event of a collision - a similar result to studies conducted over 30 years ago.

Of course, some trailers are better than others, but there is no testing standard for evaluating the underride guards and their attachment points and hardware. Despite this, there is a federal safety standard for the guards, and there's also a more stringent Canadian specification that requires the guards to be stronger and absorb more crash energy. In analyzing the Large Truck Crash Causation Study, a federal database of about 1,000 actual crashes from 2001-2003, the Institute determined that of the 115 crashes where a passenger vehicle struck the rear of a truck or semi, nearly 80 percent involved underride, and nearly half of those vehicles suffered severe or catastrophic damage.

The guards aren't required on as many trucks as you'd first think, despite a 1996 standard calling for increased strength, guard size and energy absorbtion. Many trucks are exempt due to their trailer or chassis configuration, with dump trucks being a notable (and notably dangerous) example. When hit straight-on, the guards can perform better than offset tests, but in crash tests, the IIHS found performance was all over the map for trailer underride guards.

The worst performance in these new IIHS tests belongs to a Hyundai trailer whose guard bent and tore from its attachment points in a 35-mph crash test with a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. Instead of keeping its passengers safe with its high-performing safety design (the Malibu is an IIHS Top Safety Pick), the front of the car slid under the trailer and left the roof structure to absorb the impact with the trailer. A Wabash trailer with a Canadian-spec guard kept the Malibu from plowing under the trailer in the 35-mph center crash test. Offset impacts - when only part of the guard is engaged by a vehicle - are still troublesome, and even the high-performing Wabash trailer suffered severe underride in a 30-percent overlap test.

In light of this ever-present danger on roadways, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is callig for more stringent standards, closing the gaps that allow many trucks to go without guards or use guards that don't meet the 1996 standards for strength and energy absorption, and a more comprehensive standard that incorporates a method of better protecting vehicles in offset impacts as well as crash tests by trailer manufacturers to certify that the underride guards and their mounting systems live up to the intent of the law. Full press release after the jump.

Gallery: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety semi trailer underride crash tests

[Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety]

Continue reading IIHS: Underride guards on semi trucks can fail even at low speeds

IIHS: Underride guards on semi trucks can fail even at low speeds originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: China's crazy double-decker side-by-side car transporter

Jeff Glucker — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 20:02:00 EST

Filed under: China, Etc., Videos

Side-by-side double-decker car transporter - Click above to watch video after the jump

Need to carry multiple cars across a long distance in one shot? What if the amount of cars you want to carry exceeds the capacity for your standard automotive transport truck? China apparently has a solution, and it comes in the form of a dual-deck transporter, which is capable of carrying cars side-by-side on its upper load level.

This unconventional piece of heavy machinery was caught on film and it appears almost majestic in the way it rumbles down the road, but we're quite sure we don't want to be driving around it when it takes a corner with an excess of speed. Hop the jump to watch a short clip of this beast in action.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: China's crazy double-decker side-by-side car transporter

Video: China's crazy double-decker side-by-side car transporter originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 01 Jan 2011 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Congress considering higher weight limits for interstate trucks

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 09:59:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal

This fall, Congress will consider modifying 36-year old regulation that would increase the weight limit for trucks on interstate highways by 8.5 tons. According to The Wall Street Journal, the increase from 80,000 pounds to 97,000 pounds is being pushed by a coalition of over 150 companies that move products around the country and across the nation's roads. The official rationale for the change is to cut fuel consumption and emissions, as the current legislation requires trucks carrying heavier, denser products to run only partially full to avoid exceeding the limits. The obvious rationale is with fewer trucks running with heavier loads, overall fuel consumption would be cut.

However, there are a number of downsides to what looks like a "green" change. Heavier trucks do disproportionately more damage to roads and bridges and also pose greater safety risks, including taking longer to stop and being more susceptible to instability.

Given the poor state of many of the bridges in the U.S., is it worthwhile to save some fuel and CO2 at the risk of accidents like the Minneapolis bridge collapse a few years ago? Have your say in 'Comments.'

[Source: The Wall Street Journal via Chicago Breaking Business | Image: Corbis]

Congress considering higher weight limits for interstate trucks originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 09:59:00 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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Cleanup on I-80: Oreo spill snarls traffic in IL

Alex Nunez — Mon, 19 May 2008 12:32:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Work

Snacks should be readily available for crews cleaning up an overturned tractor trailer 50 miles south of Chicago on Interstate 80. The rig in question was hauling fourteen tons of Oreo cookies, and when it tipped, the trailer's roof ripped open, spilling cases of the cookies onto the median. As you can see in the video we've embedded after the jump, a traffic backup thicker than a Double Stuf's filling ensued. Local authorities are still investigating the cause of the accident, but Autoblog has received unconfirmed reports that Keebler elves were spotted fleeing the scene.

[AP via Breitbart]

Continue reading Cleanup on I-80: Oreo spill snarls traffic in IL

Cleanup on I-80: Oreo spill snarls traffic in IL originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 May 2008 12:32:00 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]

Continue reading Build your own big rig: International launches configurator for LoneStar

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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Wheeled Spaceship - Volvo BeeVan concept

Dan Roth — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 12:32:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Etc., Work

They're going to have to change the name of this thing to NCC-1701, because piloting it will definitely make you feel like you're boldly going where no one's gone before. As part of the Michelin Design Challenge competition, Volvo has revised the design of the the traditional big-rig tractor. Serious thought was given to improving driver safety and some semi-radical changes to convention were made. The driver is front and center in the cab, just like F1 cars. The central seating position gives an expansive 180 degree field of vision; Volvo calls it the Full View Driver Position. There are blind spot cameras, as well as sensors to detect other vehicles, lane tracking, and driver alertness. The doors open by sliding, rather than flapping out into traffic, and a set of steps comes out from hiding, allowing ease of ingress. The seat motors back and rotates toward the opened door, making the driver feel like a transportation deity.

More after the jump.

[Source: dexigner.com]

Continue reading Wheeled Spaceship - Volvo BeeVan concept

Wheeled Spaceship - Volvo BeeVan concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 Jan 2007 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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