Author Archive: Derick

Author Archives for Derick

Few if anyone with a solid head on their shoulders would argue the value of education.

 

By getting the right education, you not only learn a new skill set, more importantly you set yourself up for a career, which is a key element of having a successful and fulfilling life. Unfortunately however, sometimes the education individuals acquire, with the hopes of getting a job and career fall well short of delivering. So the question that should always be asked before embarking on a given education path, is how much opportunity is there in the field I am preparing myself for?

Apparently anyone asking that question [...]

Volvo’s VADA system.

VADA stands for,

  • Volvo
  • Active
  • Driver
  • Assist

It is a comprehensive collision mitigation system that has been reported to help reduce the risk of collisions by eighty two percent.

VADA is the latest iteration of several security and stability related enhancements that Volvo has made over the last over decades that started with the use of anti lock brakes way back in the [...]

What is different about the Volvo D13 TC engine?

Before we can explain what the difference is, we first have to identify what those two letters, T and C, on the end stand for.  The T stands for turbo charged, and the C stands for compound.  Now you may be thinking to yourself that turbo compound engines are not new, and you’d be correct (the concept has existed for about eighty years give or take, since 1954) , but what makes the D13TC engine different is how Volvo utilize this technology.

They used the turbo to enhance fuel economy.

Game [...]

Imagine you’re driving down the highway in your heavy truck, fully loaded and all of the sudden you get a warning notification on your rig. Great. Now your delivery will be delayed… your workday just became longer and your headache just became bigger. Unfortunately, most truckers don’t have to imagine this scenario since they have undoubtedly lived it at least once, if not many times in their career.

If you think back to that moment, wouldn’t it have been nice to have a heavy truck expert in the cab next to you that could help you know exactly what the problem is, the next steps you should take and so on? Well if [...]

Basically a truckers rig is their home away from home. And who doesn’t want creature comforts in their home? Not many people. So if you’re a truck driver who enjoys things like air conditioning in the summer, heat in the winter, wifi at any time, a fridge, stove and most other power related things in your truck cab then you should get yourself an APU.

 

What is an A P U?

The term A P U stands for auxiliary power unit. An APU is basically a power generator for your heavy rig that can operate certain vehicle systems without having the vehicle’s engine running.

a picture of a heavy Volvo truck driving towards you on a road with trees on either side

Is there a trucker on the planet that wouldn’t want a super truck?

That would be such an easy bet to make! What heavy rig driver, or truck fleet manager would turn down the opportunity to buy a rig that is named something so awesome?

a picture of a heavy Volvo truck driving towards you on a road with trees on either side

Well a few years back the United States Department of Energy challenged Volvo to build exactly that, a Super Truck! What was the criteria the USDE set for a vehicle to qualify as a Super Truck? They wanted a truck that reduced freight [...]

a side view picture of a heavy truck without a trailer

Driving a heavy truck or rig?

If the answer is yes, we’ll share something that probably won’t come as much of a surprise.

a side view picture of a heavy truck without a trailer

If you take a quick look underneath your rig and do some counting, you’ll find there are eighteen wheels holding your heavy truck up, and on each of those wheels is a tire.

Eighteen “expensive to replace” on their own tires…and downright painfully “expensive to replace” tires if you have to replace all of them! Fact: no one (and we do mean NO ONE) [...]

a close up picture of a heavy trucks fuel tank

Welcome to 2021 and the world of ever increasing fuel costs!

Let’s start with the negative side of things. It’s safe to say that it comes as no surprise that fuel costs a fortune, seems to be perpetually increasing and is one of those things makes a massive dent into a truckers income. Now for the (semi) good side of things. You have the ability to reduce the amount of fuel you burn (and how much of your money you burn).
a close up picture of a heavy trucks fuel tank

How so? How can you reduce fuel costs?

Simple, [...]

picture of a clear windshield of a heavy truck

Here comes winter, along with the ice, snow and yes, windshield that needs to be defrosted and cleared. It’s not fun clearing the windshield in a car and it’s much less fun doing this in a heavy rig. Probably fair to say that there aren’t many people, truck drivers or otherwise, who enjoy defrosting their windshield, particularly in winter.

Likely everyone has, at one point or another in their driving career (particularly in Canada), driven down the road with a fogged, icy or snowy windshield. Not only does this make that first kilometre or so more difficult, it is extremely dangerous. So today we have a suggestion that can make clearing the windshield of your rig easier.

picture of a clear windshield of a heavy truck

Back to top