In recent news, GM hopes to reverse its string of car flops with the introduction of the Chevrolet Cruze. According to an article published by USA Today,

Cruze’s prospects are supposed to be brighter because GM thinks it has worked out the kinks. No more clanky tranmissions or noisy tires. And it gets 40 miles per gallon now. And now that it has drastically lowered its costs, achieving profitability on a small car may be easier to come by. It can pour a little more value in the car instead of trying to get away on the cheap.[source]

It seems as if people are still waiting for that perfect car to be unveiled by GM. Having had to live through a Chevrolet division that has produced unsafe-at-any-speed cars such as the Corvair to the less than desirable Chevrolet Cobalt, people are anxiously anticipating a ‘winner’ from GM with the lastest addition of the Cruze. To see more pictures of the Chevrolet Cruze, click here.

According to MarketWatch, Camping World, which is America’s largest recreational vehicle retailer for RVs, just announced that Exide Technologies will become its official battery supplier.

Exide is one of the global leaders in stored electrical energy solutions as well as one of the world’s largest distributors  and recyclers of lead-acid batteries. The agreement with Camping World will consist of a multi-year/multi layered arrangement whereby Exide will provide a comprehensive batter assortment, integrated marketing efforts as well as category management. The article goes on to state:

Camping World is proud to partner with Exide Technologies and expand our product offering which is both dynamic and progressive,” said Marcus Lemonis, Camping World Chairman & CEO. “This agreement provides recreational and outdoor enthusiasts a comprehensive battery offering for motorized products such as RVs, boats, autos and golf carts. Together with Exide, Camping World will be a battery destination. [source]

This is big news for those who own RVs or who are thinking of purchasing RVs as Camping World already provides expanded products and services to enhance and protect the RV lifestyle. Visit Camping World for more details.

In recent news, Florida motorcyclists  started their engines in preparation for a 7,000 mile journey to Alaska. This trek is being made in order to race at the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge.

The motorcycle race, which goes from Key West to Homer, Alaska, began on June 20th, with motorcyclists expected to arrive in Alaska on July 4th. So, what do you get for braving the elements on two wheels for that long of a journey? The prize for the winner is $500,000 worth of Alaska gold. However, the race also serves to benefit Disabled and Paralyzed American Veterans, among other charities. Make sure you check out the video below for more information about the race.

Whenever we think of “green” or eco-friendly vehicles, we typically think of vehicles with close to zero emissions and which ride on four wheels. However, according to ecofriend, there are at least 20 vehicles out there that are not only eco-friendly but ride on three wheels instead of four. Not only are you preserving the environment, but apparently, you’re saving one extra tire as well. Check it out below:

20 Eco-Friendly Vehicles That Ride on 3 Wheels:

1. Peugeot
2. eVARO
3. VentureOne
4. XR3
5. Datinol
6. The Moby
7. Xe Điện
8. 125mpg homebuilt Trike
9. Solar-Powered ATV
10. TransforMiss
11. E. Rex
12. Bio Top
13. Brontes
14. 3GEO
15. Peugeot RD
16. Sampdesign Neo
17. GM Car Hero
18. Peugeot Q
19. SNAP
20. SV1

To view all of these eco-friendly finds in detail, visit ecofriend here.

Talk about being an auto enthusiast! An impassioned motorist from Armenia named Matevossian, loved Maseratis so much that he decided to build his own right at home.

The project which began in 1985 and was completed in 2007, was not without a tremendous amount of effort and patience. Think about how frustrated some of us get just trying to put together a television stand!

According to the article in AutoMotto,

Matevossian used engine, gearbox and rear suspension from a real 1984 Maserati BiTurbo V6 2l, 200hp to power his car. The DIYer also features a 5 speed manual transmission, Weber carburetor, control unit for the turbines, altered WHA front suspension and steering wheel of a Toyota with a booster. [source]

To see more pictures of this incredible car, click here.

According to an article by ecofriend, exercise bikes may now be used to generate electricity.

The Crowne Plaza in Copenhagen is trying out a free meal idea as a way to encourage guests to stay fit as well as reduce their carbon footprint by making them exercise on bikes that generate electricity. The bicycles are attached to generators that require guests to pedal for approximately fifteen minutes, generating approximately 10Wh of electricity.

Talk about a way to encourage healthier ways of exercising!

According to the article,

Once the target watt hours are generated, the hotel gifts a $36 meal voucher, which is presumably on a repeatable reward system. The bikes features iPhones attached to the handlebars that display the amount of power being generated. Apart from generating renewableenergy from exercise bikes, the hotel has also installed 2400 solar panels and uses low-energy lighting and groundwater-based cooling and heating systems. [source]

According to an article published in the Cincinnati News, Ohio is really cracking down on people who speed- so much so that now if you even look like you are speeding, you may find yourself being convicted of it.

The Ohio Supreme Court ruled the following:

…an officer’s visual estimation of speed is enough to support a conviction if the officer is trained, certified by a training academy, and experienced in watching for speeders. [source]

Therefore, the next time you find yourself cruising down some highway in Ohio on your motorcycle or in your car, watch out for the police officers. You might just find yourself with a speeding ticket.

]]> http://www.nationaltransportllc.com/blog/speeding-in-ohio-watch-out/feed/ 1 http://www.nationaltransportllc.com/blog/in-the-news-10-steps-to-affordable-brakes/ http://www.nationaltransportllc.com/blog/in-the-news-10-steps-to-affordable-brakes/#comments Sat, 03 Jul 2010 08:00:12 +0000 Janelle http://www.nationaltransportllc.com/blog/?p=2048 Read the Rest... ]]> Everyone who owns or drives a vehicle knows how incredibly important your brakes are to your vehicle’s overall functionality. Recently, MSNBC published an article regarding how you can achieve a more affordable brake job in just 10 steps.

10 Steps to Affordable Brakes:

1. Educate yourself- Know what the terms disc brake assembly and drum brake assembly mean.
2. Know when to wonder-The more you know about your vehicle, the less of a chance you’ll have at being ripped off when you bring it in for service.
3. Don’t be duped- A common sales approach involves calling attention to your brake pad wear. Know that there is no replacement typically  needed to correct this. Get a second opinion if necessary.
4. Ask about fit- Sometimes cheaper isn’t necessarily better. Know that not all brake pads fit every vehicle well, which may cause excessive noise or other problems down the line. Instead, opt for factory brake pads that are designed specifically for your vehicle.
5. Stay on high alert- Some mechanic shops promote discounts on brake jobs. However, be cautious and don’t agree to have work done on your vehicle that you may not necessarily need.
6. Make your signoff a requirement- Always opt to have the shop call you prior to making any mechanical changes or alterations to your vehicle.
7. Shop around- It doesn’t hurt to make 3-4 quick calls to local mechanics in the area prior to having repairs made to your vehicle.
8. Check the store’s reputation and complaint history- Visit the Better Business Bureau to double check a repair shop’s history of good (or bad) service.
9. Know when to give the green light- If you trust the shop that your car is in, you can always let them know ahead of time that any changes they need to make are ok by you. However, it would behoove of you to ask about a written warranty as well as keeping any old parts.
10. Wrap things up-Before you drive away from the repair shop, make sure that the itemized items on the bill match up with the estimate you were originally given, etc.

[source]

While there is talk about a $5.8 billion rail link using the bullet train between major rush hour cities such as Washington and Baltimore, nothing has been set in stone yet. To give you a more illustrated idea of the magnitude of what a train like this could do in the United States, Portfolio.com makes the following observations [source]:

• New York City to Albany, NY- Current transportation time: 2 hours, 40 minutes or 4 hours driving | Bullet Train: 30 minutes
• New York to San Francisco, CA- 6 hour plane ride OR 2 day car trip OR 3 days by train | Bullet Train: 10 hours
• Chicago to Las Vegas, NV- 28 hours by car | Bullet Train: 4 hours

The contract is the first time the Arkansas-based trucking company has bought International brand trucks since 1997. Most of the trucks also will be powered with Navistar’s new 13-liter engines, which the company has been promoting as an alternative to the 15-liter engines from Cummins Inc. (CMI). Navistar’s MaxxForce engines for J.B. Hunt also will feature the company’s controversial pollution-reduction system that has been widely panned by Navistar competitors. [source]

As it turns out, the fact that J.B. Hunt placed this order is a good thing as it indicates a possible rebound for the company as it begins to replace its aging truck fleets. As some may recall, J.B. Hunt’s commercial truck sales were at their lowest levels just a year ago in 2009.

It is the hope of J.B.Hunt that the newer trucks will equate to more fuel-efficient and driver-friendly tractor trailers (which would definitely be a good thing). Besides this, new federal standards for reducing nitrogen oxide in diesel engine exhaust has forced engine manufacturers to step it up and create tractor trailers that are slightly more eco-friendly, something I don’t doubt any of the other commuters would fail to appreciate.