A lot of truck drivers would love to customize their vehicles. Many add their own personal touches. Few get the chance to go beyond that. But Wayne Mason, an owner-operator for Fikes Truck Line, did.

Mason was the grand prize winner in Fikes Truck Line Upgrade Recruiting Contest. His award: a $20,000 custom truck upgrade from Bryan Martin, the “Don” at Chrome Shop Mafia, the Joplin, MO-based custom truck experts. You can check out some of Chrome Shop Mafia’s other work here.

“My truck turned out even better than I expected,” Mason says. “It looks great and I’m really proud of it.”

Mason was given the chance to customize his truck by virtue of winning the contest, which ran from Feb. 1, 2009 through July 31, 2009. Owner-operators, who make up 100% of the drivers for Fikes, which specializes in open-deck freight, had the chance to refer a new contractor to the company. For each referral, one entry was entered in the referring driver’s name. Mason’s name was ultimately pulled, even if he didn’t believe it when Max Campbell, director of recruiting & contractor services, told him.

“I was sure Max was pulling my leg,” said Mason. “He had to get Gary Salisbury [executive president & COO] on the phone to tell me it was true before I could believe it.”

Among the upgrades Mason’s rig received: two-tone paint job on the cab, hood and sleeper; stainless ½ fenders; custom bumper; new dual 6 in. stacks; CSM mud flaps, weights and more; nut covers, hub covers and license bracket plate; two custom seats; full chrome package: in-dash toggles, knobs, switch trim and more; and a custom steering wheel installed by Martin.

In a most unusual arrangement, and hopefully one that will not catch on, the city of Stockton, California has sold naming rights to a fire truck.

The story, according to News 10 KXTV in Sacramento, is that the city received dependent on $200,000 in matching funds from the city. Like most of America, Stockton is struggling, so Mayor Ann Johnston came up with a plan.

“We’re trying to find people for naming rights to the arena and the ballpark,” Johnston said, according to the TV station’s web site. “So why not fire trucks?”

And that’s what Stockton did. The city sold the naming rights to the new engine to Food 4 Less. Food 4 Less donated the $200,000 needed in exchange for having its logo displayed on the sides and back of the truck.

Hopefully this doesn’t catch on. Can you imagine the possibilities? Envision a local news article that begins with this sentence: “Three people escaped serious injury when a kitchen fire was quickly extinguished by the Food 4 Less Engine 1.”

Or, how about this: “The Food 4 Less Engine 1 responded to the scene, extinguished the fire, and offered discounted coupons for organic vegetables to the displaced residents.”

Really, does anyone at Food 4 Less really feel comfortable having their name show up whenever tragedy strikes? Is that such a good idea?

But the way this society is going, eventually everything will be sponsored. That crash I passed on the way to work, it was sponsored by Doug’s Bait and Tackle. I can’t wait.

But, hey, if someone wants to sponsor my ramblings here, I’m all for it. As long as it’s not disaster related.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) is sponsoring a FMCSA poster contest for kids between the ages of 5 and 12. The contest, entitled “Be Ready. Be Buckled. Ready for the Road Ahead,” is designed to heighten awareness of the need for truck and bus drivers to fasten their seat belt.

FMCSA is asking eligible children to design a poster expressing their feelings on the following questions:

• Why is it important to buckle up while driving a truck, bus or other large vehicle?

• What does it mean to you for truck and bus drivers to buckle up while on the job?

• What would happen if a truck or bus driver did not buckle up while on the job?

Entries can be a painting, drawing, collage or other two-dimensional work and must be postmarked by Feb. 14, 2010. The winning kid will be recognized by OOIDA at the American Society of Safety Engineers North American Occupational Safety and Health Week in May 2010.

Winners, 12 in all including the first-place winners, will be chosen in two categories, K thru second grade and third through sixth grades.

If you have a child at home, this is a great opportunity to not only allow them to express their creative side, but also a teaching opportunity on the importance of wearing safety belts. A 2008 study found that only 72% of commercial motor vehicle operators wear safety belts. Frankly, in today’s society, that number is unacceptable.

Many people say that they are only putting themselves at risk by not wearing a seat belt. That’s baloney. They may be OK with putting their own life at risk, but the other people involved in a fatal crash, be they the driver or passengers, have to live with the fact that someone died in a crash in which they were involved. That is a life-changing moment that can tear a family apart.

But by teaching our kids to buckle up, we can prevent future families from going through the emotion and tragedy that a death brings. This contest is an excellent way to do that.

To enter, click here.

A pair of entrepreneurs have signed an agreement to market an innovative truck trailer with movable side panels in North America.

Bob Hakken and Duke De Leeuw of Holland, MI, signed a deal with Wingliner International to distribute Wingliner System kits in the Canada, Mexico and the U.S., according to web site Rapid Growth. The venture, dubbed Wingliner North America, will produce and sell the Wingliner kits in the hopes of revolutionizing the market.

“We just really believe in this product and see a bright future,” says Hakken. “This could really snowball into something really big because it’s cost effective. We’re very excited.”

The side walls of a Wingliner, which is popular in Austria, can be moved into nearly any position, including flat in less than 10 seconds by using hydraulics. The sidewall lifts up, folding in half as it goes up to eventually sit flat on the roof of the trailer, exposing the entire trailer.

The kits retrofit onto a chassis of any type of commercial vehicle, the guys said – truck, trailer, semi-truck, swap trailer, container or dump. The advantages of the trailers, they claim, is that goods can be accessed easily resulting in a reduction of time and operating costs associated with the loading and unloading process.

“In the trucking industry, pent-up demand is growing,” Hakken says. “So many fleet owners have been sitting on the sidelines due the economy. But as that turns, they’ll be faced with replacing equipment on the road. They’ll be looking for ways to become more efficient.”

Currently, Wagner Wood Products, owned by Hakken and De Leeux, uses one of the trailers; although there are a handful of others in operation the U.S. According to the Rapid Growth story, the pair learned of the Wingliner when they were looking for a more efficient trailer for hauling plywood.

If the product catches on here in the U.S., Hakken and De Leeux could become very rich men.

For all of us who believe that companies want to do right by the environment first and foremost, a lesson was delivered on Friday that being green is still about making money.

Smith Electric Vehicles and its parent company Tanfield Group pulled out of its agreement to supply Ford Motor Co. with battery electric technology to convert the Ford Transit Connect into an all-electric model in the second half of 2010.

The reason: Tanfield doesn’t want the competition. It admitted as much in a press release announcing the move.

In the release, Tanfield stated “it was concerned that the market for electric car-derived vans would become increasingly competitive.” See Tanfield, through Smith Electric Vehicles, recently debuted the electric Smith Newton and according to the release, the company “believes that investing in the existing Smith platforms represents a better use of its financial resources, allowing it to take full advantage of a potentially very sizeable market and to gain market traction more quickly.”

In other words, Smith didn’t want to be supplying a competitor with the technology it was basing its own vehicle on. I don’t necessarily blame them, but sometimes the greater good should prevail.

For Ford’s part, it quickly partnered with Azure Dynamics and delivery of the electric Transit Connect should not be delayed. It was, and still is, slated for a debut in the second half of 2010. That’s the good news.

Let’s not cast a cloud over all companies because there are plenty of businesses willing to share their technological developments with any and all competitors because they believe it is the right thing to do. And it’s certainly not wrong for any company to want to keep its proprietary technology in-house.

In the end, the U.S. and Canadian truck market should still see an electric Transit Connect sometime next year, and perhaps with Smith going it alone, there will be viable competition in the electric van market. Let’s hope.

I haven’t had a chance to thank the fine people at Fontaine Fifth Wheel for a visit I and other journalists made to their new facility in Trussville, AL, last week. The trip was wonderful and the management of Fontaine could not have been nicer.

The trip served as a bit of an eye opener for me when it comes to fifth wheels. Like so many other people within the industry, I sometimes forget the importance of fifth wheels. It’s almost like fifth wheels are the Rodney Dangerfield of trucking. Everyone knows they are there, so as long as the trailer stays attached to the tractor, no one cares.

But to the employees of Fontaine, that is the furthest from the truth.

“Here’s this 80,000 lb. rig rolling down the road, a 20,000 lb. truck, a 60,000 lb. load potential and it has a 2 inch pin and something’s got to grab that and hold it under all conditions - stopping, slamming, whatever - so we take safety and performance really, really seriously,” one executive said.

To ensure that all their fifth wheel products withstand whatever road conditions are thrown at them, Fontaine created what they said is the largest research and development facility for fifth wheels in the world in the Trussville building.

“Aside from safety, the second most important thing in our entire operation is research and development,” said President Henry Bell, “and I wanted to dedicate a huge space to those guys for whatever they wanted to create. And we’ve had to cut back significantly, just like every business has, but one area that we didn’t decrease a penny was R&D, and we’re real proud of that; that’s our future.”

Fontaine has a number of different testing scenarios, including some that are unique to their operation, just so that drivers of both cars and trucks can be safe on the roads.

So next time you purchase a truck, remember that the fifth wheel is not just a throw-in, but a vital piece of safety equipment. Fontaine certainly believes that.

Fiat is wasting little time in putting its stamp on the “new” Chrysler. The news yesterday was the split of the Dodge brand into two separate entities focusing on their respective products.

The Dodge Ram Brand will be led by Fred Diaz Jr. as president and CEO. Ralph Gilles will serve as president and CEO of the Dodge Car Brand. The two men will be responsible for the profits and losses of their respective portfolios.

The question, as an outsider, is why the split?

“The brand-focused strategy has been refined further with the unbundling of the Dodge Brand which now consists of the Dodge Ram Brand and the Dodge Car Brand organizations. This reorganization will allow us to protect and develop the unique nature of the product offerings within the Dodge Brand,” Sergio Marchionne, Chrysler Group CEO said.

OK, at least there is a plan. Fiat must feel that having two separate entities can improve the products. I wonder if there is something else behind the move. Only Fiat knows for sure.

The company had previously announced it was no longer going to sell the Dodge Sprinter. Mercedes-Benz USA is taking over the Sprinter brand.

In this tight economy, it’s always a pleasure to see positive stories about trucking. I saw just that last week when I received a press release about a new company forming in Indiana.

Rapid Freight Solutions, a full-service transportation services company providing truckload, dedicated, less than truckload, expedited freight, specialized automobile transportation and intermodal container drayage service, was founded by sisters Megan Bissmeyer and Jenny Kehrer.

“Jenny and I are anxious and eager for the challenges that lie ahead of us,” said Megan, the company’s CEO. “Despite the recent downturn in the economy, there are endless opportunities in this industry, and although it won’t be easy, we are confident that we have put the right people and resources in place to be successful.”

The two are quickly proving they have the right stuff, sending their first load out on Sept. 18. The company expects to have 15 power units operational by the end of the year with plans to expand to 30 in 2010 and 50 the following year. Rapid Freight Solutions’ fleet will include dry vans, open car haulers, tankers and flatbeds. But more importantly, showcasing their smart business sense, the sisters, who both worked for Carmel, IN-based Performance Marketing Group for the past 14 years, purchased much of their equipment at reduced rates.

“We were able to establish the infrastructure of our company for a fraction of the cost we might have in years past through the selective purchase of our equipment,” said Jenny Kehrer, COO. “That will serve us well over the long run.”

Veteran industry presence Lenny Sales has been hired as operations and sales manager. And with more than 20 years of experience, Sales knows a winner when he sees one.

“Rapid Freight Solutions has a blueprint for success and a detailed plan in place for growth,” he said. “There is something at RFS that has long been missing in the transportation industry. This is a company with a vision of redefining how transportation should be approached - raising the bar in all aspects of the business and changing the entire perception of what a trucking company should look like and act like. It is no longer a race to see who can do the job the cheapest and hope to make a profit. It is building relationships with customers and employees alike and putting integrity back into the equation.”

The goal, Megan said, is to “create one of the finest transportation services in the nation that will emphasize quality, safety and performance.”

Whether the company succeeds in this difficult climate, we’ll have to wait and see. But it is certainly off on the right foot.

As trucking fleets continue looking for ways to cut costs while becoming greener, Recaptured Energy Technologies (RET) says it has a solution. A hydraulic braking and propulsion system that can be retrofitted onto your current vehicles.

The advantages of such a system, which use wasted brake energy and converts it into power used to propel the vehicle, is a reduction of fuel while also cutting emissions, the company says. According to RET, the hydraulic option is advantageous over hybrid electric alternatives because of its energy efficiency, enhanced acceleration characteristics and its retrofitting capability.

“The unique benefit of our system is that it can be retrofit to existing vehicles, so there is no need to purchase new alternative-energy vehicles that may not provide anticipated fuel economy,” says Sam Jones, president of Recaptured Energy Technologies. “Because the system is specifically designed to be retrofit, existing vehicles will see lower emissions, less engine management and reduced fuel consumption.”

Jones also touts the economic benefits of retrofit technologies.

“Retrofitting existing vehicles makes economic and environmental sense and would create jobs immediately as the evaluation and conversion process could begin right away,” Jones says. “Purchasing new hybrid vehicles is a costly endeavor and does not bring jobs to the area.”

Of course, RET would prefer you choose the retrofit option as that’s what it’s banking its livelihood on. Ask a provider of new vehicles which option is best and they will tout a new hybrid, citing its advantages. Either way, though, the environment wins. And with grants and tax credits available, the final choice may have a lot less to do with short-term economics and a lot more to do with what makes the best long-term business sense.

According to Matt Stone, who writes a blog for Motor Trend, rumor has it that the new Fiat/Chrysler partnership may be the end of the Cummins-powered diesel engine in the Dodge Ram. I sure hope not.

Fiat, which just announced it will be sending the Dodge Sprinter back to Mercedes, might be bringing over a few of its vans to sell here. Gualberto Ranieri, vp of public relations for the Chrysler and Fiat partnership, told Bloomberg News the company is considering selling either the Fiat Ducato or the Daily – or maybe both – here in the U.S. Those vans are made by Iveco, a Fiat subsidiary.

But back to Cummins. The loss of the engine business, of course, would be a hit for Cummins, which recently has begun calling furloughed workers back to the job. There were 245,840 Dodge Rams sold in 2008, many of them with Cummins engines.

But just as importantly, it might mean the end of the heavy duty Rams with Cummins powered engines. That would be a shame as many people swear by Cummins power.

Fiat, in this country, is more associated with cars than anything else. From a public relations standpoint, while I know Fiat will want to use its own technologies, and I have no doubt that Fiat’s diesels are quality engines – after all, the company has plenty of experience in Europe running diesels and operates one of the largest commercial truck businesses in the world in Iveco - I’m just not sure how well a Fiat diesel pickup will sell here. I can imagine the sales pitch now: “The new 2011 Dodge Ram. The truck that runs with the hum of a car. Only from Fiat.”

Doesn’t really say power now does it?