U.S. Reps. Geoff Davis (R-KY) and Mike Thompson (D-CA) along with four co-sponsors have introduced a bill that would provide incentive for commercial fleets to install advanced safety technologies such as stability control systems. The bill, H.R. 1706, has been referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

(Photo at right: Meritor Wabco SmartTrac stability control system)

“Each year, there are over 384,000 crashes involving trucks, buses, and other heavy vehicles,” Thompson said. “Many of these accidents could have been prevented if advanced safety technologies had been in place. I was proud to work with Congressman Davis to introduce this legislation, which would make safety systems more affordable for the folks who need them.” more

Volvo Trucks is showcasing a new technology today that aims to solve the problem of a truck driver’s blind spot. The company is showing the technology at the Intersafe 2 EU demonstration in Wolfsburg, Germany.

“Above all, it is changes on the passenger side of the truck that the driver does not see. Pedestrians and cyclists, in particular, are really in danger here. This system alerts the driver about their movements on the right of the vehicle,” said Malte Ahrholdt, project manager at Volvo Technology.

By using laser scanners and ultrasonic sensors, the technology helps detect pedestrians and bicyclists who may be in a driver’s blind spot before the vehicle makes a right-hand turn, putting innocent people at risk. more

After failing to get a bill out of committee last year, New York Rep. Paul Tonko is trying again to address the important issue of safe truck parking.

Tonko has introduced a new version of the bill, nicknamed “Jason’s Law” in honor of a long-haul trucker who was shot and killed while sitting in his truck at a South Carolina gas station. The bill, H.R. 1803, would provide $20 million each year for the next six years to improve the parking situation for truckers. That’s only $120 million over six years.

On Thursday, March 5, 2009, trucker Jason Rivenburg parked his truck at a gas station 12 miles from his destination because it was too early to make his delivery. Before he was able to make that delivery, Rivenburg was shot and killed, leaving behind his wife Hope, who was pregnant with twins at the time, and a son who was to turn 2 a month later.

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Ever have an idea for a tool that you thought was just perfect but didn’t know how to build it or sell it? Well, OTC, a SPX Brand, has a solution for all you tool inventors out there.

The company has launched a new website dedicated to tool inventors. The site, located at www.otctools.com/inventionsubmission.php, allows anyone to submit ideas for review by tool experts.

(See a video demonstration of the site and how to submit your idea following the jump.)

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A waste management company in France is set to begin the rollout of all-electric garbage trucks to clean the streets of the Paris suburb of Courbevoie. By the end of the year, SITA France expects to have 11 of the vehicles in operation and plans to replace the entire fleet eventually, according to Reuters.

“The engineers faced a real challenge of how to make it all work together - how they would be able to minimize overall electrical usage and come up with the vehicle that we have here,” SITA industrial director Cyril Fraissinet told the news organization.

The trucks were developed by PVI and Dow Kokam, a subsidiary of Dow Chemical. They use an advanced lithium polymer battery and all elements of the trucks and collecting refuse bins are electric. The 26-ton, zero-emission truck will eliminate 130 tons of CO2 per truck per year, the companies said. more

Need a bigger truck? How about one that you could literally drive for days? Then the Ram Long-Hauler maybe for you. Ram Truck is showcasing the Long-Hauler at select events this summer, starting this week at the Kentucky Derby in Louisville.

This 24-ft. “concept truck” includes a mega cab, 8-ft. bed, and the ability to hold up to 170 gals. of fuel at any given time. Bring your credit card when you fill this monster up.

Based on a Class 5 Ram 5500 chassis cab, the Long-Hauler includes a mid-ship fuel tank, a second frame-mounted tank, and an optional bed-mounted tank to bring the capacity to 170 gals. It has a 197.4 in. wheelbase with a 37,500 gross combined weight rating. It stands 79.1 in. tall and weighs in at 9,300 lbs.

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