Tag: Motorized Trailer Dolly

ELD Enforcement – Some Have Until April 2018 to Be Compliant

ELD's will be enforced in the coming year.
ELD’s will be enforced in the coming year.

On December 18, 2017, the new electronic logging device (ELD) mandate went into effect. However, drivers who are not yet compliant can stop worrying about major penalties being enforced immediately. The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance announced it will not issue out-of-service orders until April 2018.

Now’s the time to get on board with the latest technology. ELDs replace paper logs for drivers, saving precious time and preventing human errors. Warehouse managers also have new tools for convenience, including electric yard trucks that can be operated by any employee.

About the ELD Enforcement Delay

With the new ELD mandate on the books, nobody should delay procuring an ELD. The enforcement delay gives the industry time to adjust. Those who were procrastinating, or perhaps hoping for the mandate to be eliminated, now have a few months to get compliant.

Industry experts point out a few key details not to miss:

– The delay only applies to out-of-service orders

– Law enforcement can still issue citations

– Hours of service violations are still in effect

– Drivers using older AOBRD logging methods have until December 2019 to switch to the new ELDs

Saving Money at the Warehouse

You’re juggling a lot, between the ELD mandate, hours of service regulations, and other changes going on in the industry. There’s one small investment that can save a lot of time around the warehouse—new battery-powered yard trucks and terminal tractors that don’t require a CDL or health card.

Our TrailerCaddy yard trucks are your low-cost solution for getting more done on a tight schedule. For a small fraction of the cost of a shunt truck, your workers can better maneuver trailers at any time of need. Contact DJ Products to request more info about TrailerCaddy electric yard trucks!

Tesla Semi Truck Makes the News and Wal-Mart Places Order

Semi's are Essential for Safely Transporting your Business' Goods
Semi’s are Essential for Safely Transporting your Business’ Goods

For a mere $20,000, you can reserve your place in the future of electric, autonomous trucks. Tesla ended years of rumors by formally announcing that the Tesla Semi will go into production in 2019.

Electric semi trucks appear to be the next evolution in distribution and will become a reality sooner rather than later. With an electric semi trailer mover, warehouses can save money and manpower devoted to moving trailers around the yard—or placing new Tesla semis at their charging centers!

The Next Generation of Trucking

Tesla has not confirmed the full specs, but enough key details have emerged to attract plenty of customers:

– 300-mile and 500-mile variants

– 0–60 mph in 20 seconds with 80,000 lbs.

– Less than 2 kWh per mile

– Estimated fuel savings of $200,000 over 1 million miles

Walmart and J.B. Hunt have already placed orders for what Elon Musk has billed “the safest truck ever.” A low center of gravity, automated traction system, and autopilot features should all make for a smooth transit. The futuristic, aeronautical design includes a center driver’s seat with wrap-around windows.

Upgrade to an Electric Semi Trailer Mover

It will be a few years before the Tesla Semi shows up in your shunt yard. DJ Products has a solution that you can use now to improve efficiency: the electric TrailerCaddy Yard Dog.

Our semi trailer mover runs on 48-volt batteries and moves up to 100,000 pounds. Any yard worker can operate the TrailerCaddy Yard Dog, so you don’t need a CDL driver on the ground. Press a button, walk alongside, and position any trailer precisely at the dock.

No need for a massive deposit; you can contact DJ Products for a free demo of our tank, OTR, and semi trailer mover.

Important Semi Wheel Maintenance Tips

Maintaining your Vehicle Is of the Utmost Importance
Maintaining your Vehicle Is of the Utmost Importance

Through all those highway miles, semi trucks place great demands on the wheels. It takes more than brute force to make sure those wheels are bolted on securely. Use motorized trailer dollies to efficiently shunt trailers around the yard, so you can take a moment for proper semi wheel maintenance.

If you could use a good refresher course, Heavy Duty Trucking provides a thorough walkthrough of what to look for when replacing semi truck wheels. Important maintenance tips include:

– Always check for damage to wheels, studs, and threads

– Clean out the threads if there’s any paint or gunk

– Make sure matching sizes and correct materials are used for threads and nuts

– Replace damaged studs as well as the adjacent ones

– Avoid over-torquing the nuts

– Use a few drops of motor oil when re-installing nuts

The guide also recommends re-torquing the nuts after the truck has driven 50 to 100 miles, to adjust for settling.

Painting and refinishing the wheels are another maintenance point of contention. Experts do not recommend painting steel wheels due to corrosion problems. However, if you must refinish a wheel, then use a spray rather than a brush.

Also, remember that “tighter is not better.” Use 500 ft.-lb. of torque, not more, to avoid weakening the studs.

Make Quick Work of Maintenance with Motorized Trailer Dollies

Spending a little more time on wheel maintenance is worth it. You can make up for it by saving time with motorized trailer dollies. Our TrailerCaddy terminal tractor can be operated by any employee. Move and park trailers up to 100,000 pounds whenever and wherever you need them, all with a safe and user-friendly control system.

Check out our TrailerCaddy terminal tractor and other motorized trailer dollies from DJ Products!

American Truck Association Weighs In on Serious Driver Shortages

Semi Drivers Will Be In Demand
Semi Drivers Will Be In Demand

The trucking industry has been dealing with driver shortages for years. At the recent Trucking Associations’ annual Management Conference & Exhibition, it was again a hot topic for key speakers. The freight market is expected to continue growing and many truckers are nearing retirement age. The industry anticipates needing an additional 1 million drivers and technicians over the coming ten years. Products like DJ Product’s electric terminal tractors can help your warehouse terminal operate more efficiently and safely.

Working with federal and state officials

The American Trucking Association (ATA) is establishing a workforce subcommittee to work with state and federal agencies to address the industry’s driver and technician shortage. Labor Secretary Alex Acosta and Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao spoke about the labor shortage and possible ways to address it at the conference.

Secretary Acosta suggested apprenticeships are necessary to meet demands for skilled trucking industry workers. Secretary Chao noted that fewer than 7 percent of commercial truck drivers are female and she believes that more women are probably interested in trucking careers. John Smith is chairman of CRST International and will lead the ATA’s workforce subcommittee.

Changing the federal age requirement

Currently, individuals as young as 18 can obtain a license to operate commercial trucks within a state. However, federal law requires drivers be at least 21 for interstate trucking. Dave Manning, president of TCW Inc., says the industry needs to offer apprenticeships to potential drivers before they have pursued other careers. Manning added that new technology makes it possible for people under 21 to operate the big trucks.

DJ Products specializes in energy-efficient terminal tractors that improve the safety and efficiency of your warehouse terminal by allowing each member of your staff to do more. Contact us today.