Are you a big bass fisher? Need a boat? Then Chevron Lubricants, makers of the Delo brand of oils, lubricants, and oils, has a contest for you.

The Delo Big Bass Boat Sweepstakes is ongoing through Dec. 2, 2011. One person will win a fully equipped 2011 ZX190 Skeeter bass boat with an approximate value of $32,000. There are other prizes as well, including an all-expense paid trip to appear on the “Honey Hole All Outdoors TV Show” with host and bass pro Bill Wilcox; $1,000 worth of Delo products, including the company’s marine oil products; and a $500 online shopping spree at the Fun ’N Sun store.

more

While trucking fleets are still in the early stages of learning how to operate under the FMCSA’s Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program, and the extent and depth of the driver shortage is debated, there is at least one group that sees both of these developments as a positive.

Truck driver training programs, in particular programs that are certified by the Professional Truck Driver Institute (PTDI), are expecting CSA and the driver shortage to be a boon to enrollment.

“I see the predicted driver shortage as a positive for truck driver training programs associated with PTDI,” said David Wehman, system program coordinator at Baker College of Flint, one of four programs that have recently been recertified by PTDI. more

A new research and development agreement in California could turn the Los Angeles area into the first commercial market for dimethyl ether (DME) as a transportation fuel.

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) and Oberon Fuels, a low-emissions alternative fuels company, will jointly work on research and development of the first commercial DME facility in the U.S. The facility will be located in Southern California and will produce DME, which when combusted in an optimized engine can produce a clean fuel. more

I once had a baseball coach who said one thing to us over and over again: “It’s not how you play, but whether you look good doing it.” Needless to say, we didn’t win a whole lot of games, but we did look good.

Well, it seems that American drivers want the same thing. According to a survey of U.S. drivers conducted by ORC International for MetLife Auto & Home, nearly 55% of those polled would prefer to drive a car with state-of-the-art technology. But, when given a choice, 63% of those polled want a “convenience feature” such as a GPS versus just 45% who want a safety feature such as electronic stability control. more

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has signed into law a reporting and education process designed to improve the safety of truck routing within the state.

The bill, House Bill 1377, requires the state as well as municipalities to report truck restrictions, preferred truck routes, and other pertinent information to the Illinois Dept. of Transportation. In turn, that information will be posted on IDOT’s website.

The bill is the result of a special task force that was charged with investigating GPS technology and compliance with the Designated Truck Route System. more

According to an article in China Daily, Chinese heavy-duty truck maker Beiqi Foton Motor Co. is planning a vehicle for the U.S. and Western European market. The Auman GTL (which stands for global technology leader) was designed for the strict environmental requirements of the U.S. and Europe, the company said.

“Foton has already established a good presence in the Southeast Asian, South American and African markets, but it barely achieved anything in developed economies,” Wang Jinyu, president & CEO, told China Daily. “Now we are endeavoring to enter the mature markets including the U.S., Europe and Japan.”

According to Wang, the vehicle includes high-quality materials similar to those found in U.S. trucks and cost $266 million to develop. more