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Truck Tech

Alan Adler, FreightWavestruck-tech.simplecast.com
Thomas Wasson discusses all things commercial trucking and technology.
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Episodes

Behind the scenes at Workhorse plant in Indiana

Guests: Brad Hartzel, Workhorse vice president, Manufacturing Services and Rick Dauch, Workhorse Group CEO Topic: Workhorse is on the bubble financially, but its refurbished horse ranch-themed plant in Union City, Indiana, is ready to scale production if orders for its new W56 electric step van materialize against a slowdown in EV adoption. Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 20, 202415 min

Up close with Cummins CEO Jennifer Rumsey

Guest: Jennifer Rumsey, chair and CEO, Cummins Inc. Topic: In her nearly two years as CEO, Jennifer Rumsey has guided engine maker and power provider Cummins Inc. through challenges domestic and global, from navigating an ever-changing business climate in China to agreeing to pay nearly $2 billion in penalties for Clean Air Act violations even as the company focuses on its Destination Zero plan for carbon neutrality by 2050. Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about...

Mar 13, 202426 min

Powertrain particulars of Volvo's new VNL

Guest: Duane Tegels, VTNA powertrain product marketing manager Topic: Aerodynamics account for about 80% of the fuel efficiency gains in the new Volvo VNL, but engine improvements also contributed while helping usher in better performance and durability for the company's flagship over-the-road truck. Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 07, 202427 min

Preparing for a renewable natural gas surge

Guest: Eric Bippus, Hexagon Agility EVP, Sales and Systems Development Topic: Natural gas as a transportation fuel typically accounts for 1% to 2% of the Class 8 market. That may be about to rise to fivefold, and tank maker ad fuel system developer Hexagon Agility is getting ready. Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 29, 202425 min

Bringing military autonomy technology to distribution yards

Guest: John Araujo, CEO, Forterra Topic: With decades of experience in military applications, Forterra -- formerly Robotic Research -- is expanding into distribution yard autonomy where robotic yard tractors can precisely park twice as many trailers as human drivers. Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 28, 202426 min

Exploring the Volvo VNL’s 90% makeover

Guest: Chris Stadler, VTNA program marketing manager, Long Haul Topic: Work on the new Volvo VNL long-haul truck began a year before the current version debuted in 2017. It is about 90% new and will be the platform for future autonomous, electrified and hydrogen fuel cell models. Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 15, 202430 min

REE Automotive chairman infuses start-up technology with deep experience

Guest: Carlton Rose, chairman, REE Automotive Subject: REE Automotive won an unofficial sweepstakes in luring 43-year UPS veteran Carlton Rose to become the startup's chairman. Rose's deep experience with wannabe technologies is helping REE focus on what matters, and keeping spending in check as it readies commercial offerings of its by-wire electric electric chassis. Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 07, 202427 min

An Outsider's Inside Job at Nikola

Mary Chan spent much of her career in telecommunications, computer products and later at GM's OnStar unit where she brought innovations like Apple CarPlay first to the company's cars and trucks. Her connection to battery-electric and fuel cell trucks is more direct than one might think. Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 31, 202426 min

Paccar’s Deliberate Approach To Advanced Technology

Whether its electric trucks, chargers or hydrogen-powered fuel cells, county Paccar in. But when it comes to infrastructure development, that’s not the truck maker’s game. Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 18, 202426 min

Autonomous agriculture and plowing in a Unimog

Guest: Richard Bishop, autonomous trucking consultant Subject: The same autonomy being tested on American highways is already being used in farm fields. Consultant Richard Bishop explains. And we take a ride in the iconic Mercedes-Benz Unimog, the ultimate in severe service vehicles. Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 21, 202328 min

An aerodynamic advancement takes wing

Guests: Mike Hurley, vice president of global business development, ConMet Daniel Burrows, general manager and vice president, Truck Wings, ConMet Topic: The recent acquisition of Truck Wings, the fuel-saving, automatic gap-closing technology for tractor-trailers, could make the technology a household name as part of the ConMet portfolio of products. Truck Wings and Truck Labs have been around for a few years and have demonstrated their success in aerodynamic gains. Follow the Truck Tech Podcast...

Dec 13, 202328 min

Fighting to slow California’s emissions-cutting roll

Guest: Jim Mullen, executive director, Clean Freight Coalition Topic: Major trucking organizations think California and states following its emissions-cutting Advanced Clean Truck and Advanced Clean Fleet rules are moving too fast and potentially threatening fleet businesses. Jim Mullen, executive director of the Clean Freight Coalition, makes the case. Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 06, 202328 min

AI’s growing role in autonomous trucking

Guest: Raquel Urtasun, founder and CEO, Waabi Innovation Topic: The newer players in autonomous trucking are leaning into generative AI as a differentiator for their robotic driving systems. Waabi trains its data to create simulations that might not occur anytime soon in the real world. Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 30, 202327 min

A future fuel cell scenario

Guests: Matthias Jurytko, CEO, cellcentric Andreas Gorbach, Daimler Truck head of technology Topic: Following the successful 650-mile run for its Mercedes-Benz GenH2 fuel cell truck in Germany, the head of the cellcentric joint venture between Daimler Truck and Volvo Group, and Daimler's head of technology shared their thinking on the future of hydrogen fuel cells. Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 22, 202330 min

High desert autononomy

Guests: Joanna Buttler, Daimler Truck head of Global Autonomous Strategy Peter Vaughn Schmidt, CEO, Torc Robotics Topic: The Daimler Truck approach to autonomous trucking is simple: Sell Freightliner trucks to customers and have them order autonomous driving systems from its independent subsidiary Torc Robotics. With specially built preproduction Cascadias now arriving, the road to 2027 commercialization begins in earnest. Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about y...

Nov 15, 202327 min

Unpacking Mack's electric truck subscription

Guests: George Fotopoulos, Mack Trucks E-Mobility vice president & Scott Barraclough, Mack senior product manager, E-Mobility Topic: Does a subscription model make sense to win over fence sitters worried about the cost of electric trucks? Mack is going to find out with its offering for the Class 6 and 7 MD Electric. Follow the #WithSONAR Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 01, 202323 min

Helping small fleets buy electric trucks

Guest: Niki Okuk, Deputy Director, Calstart Topic: California has an effective incentive program for electric truck buyers -- using pollution fines to help buy down the cost of battery-electric models. The target is now shifting to often underserved small fleets. Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 25, 202328 min

Dispatches from Austin

Guests: Rebecca Brewster, president, American Transportation Research Institute Jai Ranganathan, chief product officer, Motive Keith Brandis, Volvo Trucks North America vice president of partnerships Topic: The American Trucking Associations Management Conference and Exhibition is not known as a technology show. But there was plenty of it Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 19, 202328 min

Simplifying connected trucks

Guest: Jake Fields, co-founder and chief technology officer, Platform Science Topic: The Virtual Vehicle from Platform Science continues to attract major OEMs and large fleets with the simple idea of running everything a truck driver and the back office needs on a single platform. Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 11, 202328 min

Startups get a hand up at Volvo’s CampX

Guest: Helene Niklasson, head of Volvo CampX Topic: Finding and incubating the best young startups and validating their ideas is helping Volvo Group solve challenges in electromobility, manufacturing and sustainability. Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 04, 202326 min

Taking electric trucking for granted

Guest: Salim Youssefzadeh, CEO, WattEV Topic: WattEV is all about using other people’s money -- specifically generous grants for electric trucks and infrastructure -- to build its business. So far, it’s a winning formula. Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 13, 202328 min

Clearing the hurdles to electric charging

Guests: Mark Esguerra, director of distribution planning and strategy, Southern California Edison, and Tom Ashley, Voltera vice president of government and utility relations Topic: Utilities often get fingers pointed at them for the lagging development of electric infrastructure for commercial vehicles. But are they really to blame? Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 07, 202328 min

Plussing up autonomous trucking

Guest: David Liu, co-founder and CEO, Plus Topic: Plus takes a different approach to autonomous trucking, making the driving task easier while evolving toward removing the driver. Is it a winning strategy? Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 30, 202329 min

AI-enhanced road safety

Guest: Sterfan Heck, founder and CEO, Nauto Topic: As the number of truck crashes continues to rise, an 8-year-old startup offering artificial intelligence-backed prompts to drivers that could help reverse the deadly trend. Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 23, 202328 min

Steve Girsky’s vision for Nikola

Steve Girsky helped bring Nikola public three years ago. Now he is running the day-to-day operations as the third CEO in less than a year. What does the future hold for the electric truck manufacturer and hydrogen distributor? Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 16, 202328 min

Getting real on electric truck charging

Guests: Mike Roeth, executive director, North American Council for Freight Efficiency Ken Marko, Fleet Sustainability Senior Manager, U.S. Foods Topic: The North American Council for Freight Efficiency’s Run on Less program is a form of truth test for how well trucks can perform at their best. Two years of focus on electric trucks is revealing the good and bad in the transition from diesel power. Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megap...

Aug 09, 202330 min

Fighting for autonomous trucking in California

Guest: Jeff Farrah, executive director, Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association Topic: The Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association is fighting California legislators and the Teamsters over a possible ban of heavy-duty autonomous trucking without safety drivers. Where will this shake out? Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 02, 202330 min

Major order propels autonomous truck commercialization

Guests: Don Burnette, Kodiak Robotics and Brett Suma, Loadsmith Loadsmith’s order of up to 800 Kodiak Robotics autonomous driving systems is the clearest sign yet that driverless trucks are edging closer to reality. Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 26, 202329 min

Catching up with Roger Nielsen

Roger Nielsen, chairman, Proterra Inc., knew he would stay involved in future mobility when he retired as CEO of Daimler Truck North America in 2021. Boy, has he ever. Follow the Truck Tech Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 19, 202330 min
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