**A tanker truck carrying 7,500 gallons of diesel exploded in Ohio, leaving 1 dead**
CNN — A man is dead, several northeast Ohio roads are closed and diesel has poured into a river after a tanker truck lost control and exploded Saturday morning.
The driver of the truck was heading north on State Route 8 in Macedonia, about 18 miles north of Akron, the Summit County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. As he attempted to merge on Interstate 271, he lost control and went over the side of a bridge, causing the truck to explode in a burst of flames when it crashed back on State Route 8, the sheriff’s office said.
The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
The sheriff’s office said officials from multiple departments, including a hazmat team responded to the fiery wreck at 9:15 a.m. local time.
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency spokesperson Bryant Somerville told CNN the truck was carrying 7,500 gallons of diesel when it crashed.
The sheriff’s office said diesel from the tanker got into a nearby river and leaked into Brandywine Falls, a 60-foot waterfall, briefly causing a creek to catch on fire.
“The nearby Brandywine Creek has been impacted with diesel from the crash,” Somerville said in an email Saturday. “The creek briefly caught fire initially after the accident, and Ohio EPA’s on-scene coordinator is reporting the fire is out.”
Somerville said the agency is installing containment measures in the creek to stop the diesel spread and will oversee abatement efforts.
The sheriff’s office said ramps from State Route 8 to Interstate 271 are closed in both directions.
Officials say the roads “will remain closed until the bridge can be inspected for safety,” which is ongoing.
Ohio Department of Transportation spokesperson Matt Bruning said crews at the scene are inspecting both the bridge and road. A part of the road where the tanker landed and exploded “will need to be repaved,” he said in an email to CNN.
“I don’t have a timeline on that,” Bruning said. “I also have not yet heard details about the bridge inspection. We will not reopen anything until we deem it safe to motorists.”
Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash.
**Greenlane to work with Uber Freight to identify EV charging needs**
Commercial truck charging network provider Greenlane is working with Uber Freight to help identify key locations to install charging infrastructure for electric commercial trucks.
Greenlane is a joint venture between Daimler Truck North America, NextEra Energy Resources and BlackRock Alternatives. It will tap into insights gained from Uber Freight’s US$ 18 billion in “freight under management” to determine where chargers are most needed.
Uber Freight’s network data will supplement Greenlane’s own data analysis, the companies say, to identify the freight corridors that are prime candidates for early heavy-duty electric truck adoption.
The two organizations will also explore leveraging Uber Freight’s marketplace technology to incorporate in-application charging appointment scheduling, fuel card partnership discounts, and more benefits for carriers.
“I am delighted that we will be working with Uber Freight to accelerate BEV adoption and help reduce the carbon footprint of freight distribution,” said Patrick Macdonald-King, CEO of Greenlane. “Our national network of EV charging and hydrogen fueling stations together with our Uber Freight collaboration will make the electrification transition easier for shippers. Together, we will pave the way for a greener and more efficient future in logistics.”
“Electric trucks present a tremendous opportunity to help decarbonize supply chains and significantly reduce global emissions,” added Lior Ron, CEO of Uber Freight. “We are thrilled to work with Greenlane on this initiative, as this collaboration exemplifies our commitment to reducing the impact of logistics on the environment and further establishes Uber Freight as the logistics network of choice for customers looking to adopt and deploy electric trucks.”
**Volvo Trucks in 1920s**
The 1920s was a period of rapid progress for trucks and truck transport. In the early years of the decade, trucks were very old-fashioned, often fitted with chain-drive systems and solid rubber tyres. Drivers were all too often exposed to fluctuations in temperature and the elements. When the first Volvo truck rolled off the production lines in 1928 it was, however, shaft-driven, had pneumatic tyres and the driver sat in a fully enclosed cab.
Even at this early stage in truck development, Volvo trucks were built to a very high standard in terms of their reliability and quality, especially compared to non-Swedish trucks, which had not been designed with the poor Swedish climate and poor Swedish roads in mind.
Now follow the pioneering steps and read more about the early Volvo Trucks of the '20s. Series 1 and 2
Volvo began operations in late 1926, preparing for the production of cars which started in April 1927. It was soon clear that there was only modest demand in Sweden for a Swedish car.
As early as December 1926, design of a medium-duty truck (named 'Series 1') had started, and, in February 1928, the very first Volvo truck left the factory in Gothenburg, Sweden (at this early stage the production of cars and trucks took place on the same assembly line).
The first truck - an unexpected success In contrast to the modest demand for Volvo cars, the first Volvo truck was an immediate success. The original plan was to produce 500 four-cylinder 'Series 1' trucks, and later introduce the more powerful six-cylinder truck. The first 500 trucks were, however, sold out in very short time. A second series of 500 trucks - 'Series 2' - was planned and manufactured.
The Volvo 'Series 1' truck was not a powerful truck, having a modest four-cylinder petrol engine delivering only 28 bhp. The official payload was limited to 1,500 kg (half of the GVW) but the basic design of this early truck was very sound, so people frequently used it to carry loads up to double that of the legal figure.
Three-speed gearbox and ergonomics The speed of the Series 1 Truck was always limited to 40 or 50 km/h (less with payload, especially in hilly surroundings). Driving was, however, facilitated by the three-speed gearbox and the reasonable ergonomics, including a fairly low level of sound for the driver.
In this truck, like in other trucks up to the mid 30s, heating was limited to the engine heat, which entered the cab through the metal sheet that separated the engine from the cab.
Complete design by Volvo The Series 1 Truck was a modest attempt which succeeded well above expectations thanks to rugged and simple design. In contrast to many other trucks from this era, it was completely designed by Volvo, including the engine and the gearbox. It was delivered without a cab, but a standard cab produced by the independent body manufacturer, 'Åtvidaberg' (who also produced the car bodies) could be ordered and fitted in the Volvo factory before delivery.
Most trucks of this type, however, were delivered without cab to the customer who then ordered a cab to his own specifications from any of the many local cab manufacturers. Surprisingly many Truck Type 1 have been preserved to this very day, proof as good as any of its high quality.
**First new truck bed**
UK based rental company Smiths Hire has purchased its first new generation DAF XD truck fitted with a new Sterling ‘access specification beavertail’. The first to be mounted on a DAF XD Chassis in the UK.
The truck bed designed specifically for aerial work platform loading and transport, includes the following features:
Decking: Gridlock decking is installed across the entire body and ramp in order to provide the maximum grip, particularly valuable with smooth tyres and wet conditions.
Lashing Rings: The body is equipped with 36 5T rated lashing rings for the maximum range of tie down options.
Ramps: The double flip ramps are full width eliminating the risk of narrow machines falling into the gap between standard ramps. The centre gate feature still allows a boom lift basket to stow behind the ramp. Mark Shale, head of fleet at Smiths said: “Smiths have an established long term relationship with Sterling. The design and build of its bodies are continuously evolving and they are not afraid to ask for customer feedback and even openly encourage requests for modifications to suit their individual business needs.”
Grant Owen of Sterling added: “Smiths’ investment in these new generation DAF XDs with Sterling bodies will undoubtedly enhance their operational capabilities and further solidify their reputation as a trusted partner.”
Based in Blackpool, Smiths offers a wide range of construction equipment, tools and aerial lifts from 16 locations across the northwest of England. It is also runs IPAF and PASMA training courses.
**Scania exploring solar-powered truck transport in Sweden**
Scania is testing a hybrid truck with a solar-panel-covered trailer that uses the sun’s energy to help propel the vehicle during trials on public roads in Sweden
The research project looks to determine how much emissions can be reduced using the lightweight solar panels. Researchers are also looking at how the truck can interact with the power grid, potentially selling surplus solar power.
“Scania’s purpose is to drive the shift towards a sustainable transport system. Never before have solar panels been used to generate energy to a truck’s powertrain like we do in this collaboration. This natural energy source can significantly decrease emissions in the transport sector. It is great to be at the forefront in the development of the next generation’s trucks,” Stas Krupenia, head of the research office at Scania, said in a release.
The 18-meter trailer is almost completely covered in solar panels, which could provide 5,000 km of annual driving range in Sweden, and more in countries with more sunlight. New solar cells in development could double the solar energy generation, the company says.
“Our solar panels are excellent for applications that make commercial vehicles sustainable,” said Erik Olsson, head of corporate development with Midsummer, which produces the panels. “We see great potential to decrease the emissions from heavy vehicles with electrification. Electricity generated by solar panels will save fuel and carbon emissions. We want to be a partner to count on, and that is enabled by this groundbreaking project.”
The Scania truck is a 560-hp plug-in hybrid. The trailer contains more than 100 square meters of solar panels. The truck has 100 kWh of battery capacity, with another 200 kWh on the trailer.
**Volvo Iron Knight**
Wow! 4.5 tons of weight, but from 0 to 100 km/h in only 4.6 seconds. Only Volvo’s Iron Knight is able to manage this thanks to its 12.8 litre capacity, a D13 in-line six-cylinder engine, a torque of 6000 Nm and a proud 2400 hp. The Iron Knight takes the first place in our top ten, making it the King of the Road and a true truck giant.