PUBLISHER’S CORNER


Trucking Trends Leading the Way


WRITTEN BY TONY CORPIN | TONY@STNONLINE.COM L


ast month, I found myself in attendance at the ATA Management Conference & Exhibition (MCE). Te folks at the American Trucking Associations were so kind as to allow me to


participate in their event hosted in Las Vegas at Manda- lay Bay. As I met with attendees, I was reminded that I was definitely the new guy on the block. At the conference I connected with company execu-


tives at Amazon, Cummins Engine, Alta Dena and Ruan Trucking, all new faces for me. Everyone asked what a school bus guy was doing at a trucking conference. Tis event, after all, doesn’t have anything to do with school buses, they said. I explained that I was there to learn about the issues


facing the trucking industry and the trends operators will see down the road. I was hoping to glean lots of informa- tion from the robust agenda throughout the event, which included a discussion with ATA’s chief economist Bob Costello and consulting economist Diane Swonk, ATA industry leadership and autonomous vehicle experts. I feel we can learn a lot as an industry from others with a similar alignment in our quest to foresee future trends. I observed numerous similarities between the trucking and school bus industries with regard to: logistics; safety; driver shortages, behavior and retention; equipment and technology; regulation changes, like the federal Phase 2 greenhouse-gas rule; maintenance needs, community and supplier base; and more. Some of the most intriguing and eye-opening obser-


vations came during press conference day. Numerous companies provided technology presentations focused on driver behavior identification, coaching and real-time intervention. Tis technology really caught my eye since there was a clear and immediate application to school buses. Tese companies were serious about addressing the safety issues of distracted driving and fatigue that face all commercial drivers. Is there an opportunity for this kind of technology to be


utilized in school transportation? From what I could gather the answer is a definitive yes. I was told by one company representative that a large national school bus contractor is already pilot testing these innovations. Te new trucking standard is becoming school transportation’s latest trend.


58School Transportation News • NOVEMBER 2016 CELEBRATING25YEARS Additionally, Zonar Systems held a press conference


introducing Zonar Connect, the telematics provider’s next-generation smart fleet tablet. Te device features LTE, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, as well as RFID and near-field communications capabilities, according to Larry Jordan, senior vice president of product management.Tis could have a nice application in the school transportation space as tablet-based adoption grows and offers an upgraded version from its successor the 2020 tablet. I attended quite a few events at ATA MCE during my trip but one in particular really stood out. As I entered the Las Vegas Events Center downtown, I was ushered over to view the unveiling of the new International LT Truck Series. Te music began, the spotlight lights shined and the announcer’s voice echoed throughout the room. A video showed drivers talking about their needs on the road. International/Navistar was convey- ing a Driver First focus with improved Uptime. Te new trucks rolled into the pavilion with energy and excitement filling the room. With many executives from Navistar in attendance, I heard firsthand what the future of school buses could look like with lane departure and driver assist technology, collision avoidance, improved in-cab driver ergonomics and improved fuel economy to name a few. Troy Clarke, Navistar CEO, spoke of the future prom- ise of autonomous vehicles and the vision of a vehicle intelligence with a co-pilot system that will improve driver safety similar to that of the airline industry. Clarke provided thought-provoking insights into where we could be going as an industry in the next 5 to 10 years and beyond. As you consider improving your operations next year


be sure to look at other industries like trucking that are driving trends. You might be surprised how much we all have in common with each other. It is well worth mak- ing friends in other verticals to learn how to better your own fleet and team. ●


Tony Corpin, Publisher


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