the secret to a long trailer life - great...

12 Microorganisms During Transport 13 Tractors & Trailers Couple Up 14 Leveraging Blockchain

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TheSecret to a LONG Trailer Life

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Value in Every InchDear Customer,

As fleet owners in this era of e-commerce know well, every square inch of a trailer ortruck body is more valuable than ever before. When you invest in a piece of equip-ment, you want to get the most value out of that equipment for the longest period oftime possible, and when you’re finished with it, you want to be able to sell it for asolid price. In this issue of Evolving Trailer Technology, read about how Great Dane isworking with industry partners to provide its customers with innovative solutions thatenhance the overall value and lifecycle of its trailers and truck bodies.

Innovation is the pursuit of excellence, and Great Dane’s new campaign, “InnovationThat Moves You,” explores how the company delivers innovation that moves its customers’ business forward, helping them achieve new levels of safety and efficiency.

While forward-thinking design and a strong aftermarket network provide Great Dane’scustomers with an impressive 10 to 15-year trailer life on average, the companyrecently accepted a challenge to design a trailer that could last for 20 years andbeyond. This trailer was designed for extreme durability and an extended useful life.However, since a 20-year lifecycle is not typical and with a strong demand for high-quality used equipment, Great Dane has begun to enhance its used trailer division, leveraging its extensive network of 107 facilities and helping customers getthe most out of their equipment.

Because innovation and collaboration go hand-in-hand, this issue also features severalarticles highlighting Great Dane’s industry partners, including the second article in thefour-part series by Microban International, which discusses microorganisms that posethe greatest threat during transport. Another partnership highlighted is Great Dane’swork with JOST on new auto-coupling technology designed to ensure greater safetyand efficiency during the tractor-trailer coupling process.

As part of Great Dane’s continuing efforts to remain at the forefront of technology, thecompany recently became the first trailer and truck body OEM to join the Blockchainin Transport Alliance (BiTA) to help ensure that the framework for how blockchain technology will be utilized by the global transportation industry is inclusive of the trailer and truck body space. Read more about BiTA and blockchain technology in thetransportation industry on page 14.

Finally, this issue features case studies of two of Great Dane’s customers who are utilizing Great Dane products in unique ways to exceed customer expectations, addnew services and maintain high levels of safety on the road.

With more than half of all Americans now electing to shop online, the e-commercetrend shows no signs of slowing down. Great Dane will continue to work with customers and industry partners to design innovative solutions that will keep us all moving forward.

Best regards,

Brandie M. FullerVice President, MarketingGreat Dane

6-9 | TCA Truckload Carriers Association Refrigerated Division Meeting Cle Elum, WA

25-28 | Expedite Expo Lexington, KY

27-29 | PMA Produce Marketing AssociationFoodservice Conference Expo FreshSummit & Convention Monterey, CA

15-20 | TMC Technology & MaintenanceCouncil SuperTech Orlando, FL

21-23 | IFDA International FoodserviceDistributors Association Truck DrivingChampionship Orlando, FL

18-21 | PMA Produce Marketing AssociationFoodservice Conference Expo FreshSummit & Convention Monterey, CA

3-5 | NTDA National Trailer DealerAssociation Colorado Springs, CO

28-30 | IFDA International FoodserviceDistributors Association DistributionSolutions Conference San Antonio, TX

5-7 | IAICDV International Association of IceCream Distributors & Vendors Annual Convention, "The Ice Cream Show” Miami, FL

12-14 | Women in Trucking, AccelerateConference & ExpoDallas, TX

facebook.com/greatdanetrailers

@_greatdane

linkedin.com/company/great-dane-trailers

youtube.com/GDTrailers

Connect with us:www.greatdane.com

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Innovation, The Pursuit of Excellence

Company News

Customer Case Studies

V 20 •

2

Vendor ViewsUnlock new marketing potential with EPICWorldwide’s rolling billboard

Secret to long trailer life

Protection against microorganisms during transport

Making the automated truck connection

What blockchain means for your business

Great Dane’s used trailer program canbolster your bottom line

Southeastern Freight Lines expands itsservice into small truck operation

Mido’s Trucking puts the right equipmentinto the hands of the right people

Evolving Trailer Technology is published byGreat Dane. For additional copies or

questions about this publication, contact [email protected].

© copyright Great Dane, 2018.

Great Dane 3

5 Complete the trailer productivity picture

14 Unlocking blockchain’s potential

8 The 20-year trailer

12 Know more about food contamination

13 The next generation of automated technology

Inside Tracks & Product Spotlights

03 Contents.qxp 5/11/18 11:22 AM

Innovation isn’t driven by technology. It comes from a place far more

human. It’s a drive deep within everyGreat Dane employee. An understand-ing that the job we do tomorrow will beeven better than the job we did today.Innovation is simply the pursuit of excellence. And our latest campaign,“Innovation That Moves You,” is meantliterally and figuratively.

From the steel that runs through sky-scrapers to the food that lines theshelves at grocery stores, we help ourcustomers get their products where theyneed to be. But that’s not where thejourney ends. Because at Great Dane,a job well done isn’t just moving freight– it’s moving business. Day in, day out,we are driven to deliver innovation thatmoves our customers’ business forward,helping them achieve new levels ofsafety and efficiency.

It starts with our products, where wecontinue to push advances in efficiency,productivity and durability forward. Ournewest product, FleetPulse, connectsyour fleet in powerful ways. By puttingthe data you need at your fingertips –from utilization and evaluation to track-ing and maintenance – FleetPulse helpsyou optimize operations and keepsyour business running smoothly. We’retaking connectivity to the next level withthe first telematics solution designed fortrailer owners by a trailer maker.

Innovation is also born of collaboration,and we make it a point to work withour customers and industry players tobuild better products. When Walmartset out to create the industry’s first 20-year trailer, we were standing right

beside them, offering a trailer interiordesigned to provide maximum strengthwith features including Great Dane’sSSL interior panels, Great Dane’s exclusive PunctureGuard ceiling liner,and Rockland Pound Saver compositeflooring, featuring a Grip Guard topcoat and a 21-inch deep galvanizedsteel rear grid plate. For additionaldurability and corrosion-resistance, thistrailer also featured several hot-dippedgalvanized components, including therear impact guard, upper coupler androlled lip bottom plate and full-lengthcrossmembers. (Read more on pages 8and 9.)

The partnerships don’t end there.We’ve partnered with Microban, a topprovider of antimicrobial technology, tooffer our exclusive antimicrobial reeferlinings. We are partnering with ConMetto develop and test its innovative regenerative braking technology, thenew PreSet Plus Electric Hub, which iscurrently in development. To improvetrailer efficiency through aerodynamics,we’ve partnered with Plasma Stream totest and further develop a unique systemthat uses plasma actuators to create anactive flow system, allowing a vehicle tobe streamlined independent of its actualshape. We’ve also partnered with JOSTto build trailers that can automaticallycouple with tractors. (Read more aboutthat system on page 13.)

Trailers aren’t the only way our customers move products, and we know

it. That’s why our Great Dane truckbodies continue to evolve. WhenSoutheastern Freight Lines came to uswith a problem, we delivered a 20-foot,6-inch Sahara C-Series truck body solu-tion. (You can read more about that onpages 6 and 7.) When electrificationbegan charging the last mile deliverysegment, we partnered with eNow Inc.to add roof-mounted solar panels to ourJohnson C-Series truck body with ourAE Series all-electric refrigeration unit.

We are committed to safety, and investigating truck side guards withVolpe is part of that commitment. Volpeis advancing this technology’s adoptionby conducting research and partneringwith cities to help deploy side guardsand other technologies that addresspedestrian safety.

We’re also working with Arconic todesign an aluminum truck body rearframe that weighs 24 percent less thana traditional stainless steel design, providing a weight savings of 84pounds, while maintaining all thestrength qualities of stainless steel. We are undergoing extensive testingand investigating how to bring this technology to trailer and truck body designs.

Life moves fast, but Great Dane movesfaster. Just think – these are the innovations we’re ready to talk abouttoday; imagine what we’ll talk abouttomorrow. You can bet we’re alreadyworking on it.

The Pursuit Of Excellence

COMPANY NEWS

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Completing The Trailer Productivity PictureHow Great Dane’s used trailer program can bolster your bottom line

Great Dane 5

Atrailer isn’t a white box commodity on wheels. It’s a tool of productivity and profitability, and managing its

efficiency and total cost of ownership (TCO) lifecycle is a keycomponent to running a successful transportation business.That’s why Great Dane is upping its used trailer game, leveraging its extensive network of 107 facilities (both withinGreat Dane’s dealer network and factory branches) and offer-ing a helping hand when it comes to getting the most out ofyour trailer lineup.

“It’s completing the whole picture of not only building trailers,but providing parts for those trailers, servicing those assets forour valued customers and now offering our customers theopportunity to take the equipment out of their fleet and givingthem the flexibility to replace or expand their trailer roster,”said Jeff Weber, Great Dane’s director of Used Trailer Sales.“In a market that’s as strong as it is today where build leadtimes are already out through the end of the year, customersneed something today they can put freight in. Plus, the buyingcycle is much shorter than in years past. A used trailer programhelps our customers expand or shrink their trailer fleet to meettheir business demands.”

Successfully managing the productive life of your trailers meansrunning the numbers. At a certain point in any trailer’s lifecycle,there will come a time when components need to be replacedor updated. Think wearable parts: brakes, tires, etc. Usinground numbers, if a trailer is costing you $100 per month inmaintenance to operate and you project that in the next 12months that will likely increase by $50 per month given the life

and condition of the trailer, trading the trailer in for a newasset might make a whole lot of business sense.

“On the other hand, we also have customers who typicallyonly buy used trailers,” Weber explained. “Their math looks atadding two 7-year-old trailers in the place of ordering one newasset, depending on the application. Maybe they have appli-cations that are abusive on their trailers and that would eat intothe residual value of a new trailer too quickly. Or maybethey’re running routes in the northern United States wheredeicers like liquid magnesium chloride deteriorate the trailermore rapidly than would in the southern states.”

Great Dane’s network plays a key role in making this work ona level that is unmatched in the industry. Let’s say your opera-tion is in Nashville, but you can’t find anyone in that area tobuy your trailer. Then you’d have to truck that trailer to anotherregion to get the value for it.

“That costs our customers money,” Weber said. “With GreatDane’s 107 facilities that service all major markets, you candrop a trailer at one of our locations that’s local to you and wecan more efficiently bring that asset out of your fleet and giveyou the value for it. Furthermore, Great Dane’s localized abilityto service that trailer and bring it up to trade terms means cus-tomers don’t have to take it back to a terminal to do it them-selves. If they’re bogged down servicing trade trailers, theyaren’t making money hauling freight.”

And at the end of the day, whether you’re running new trailersor used trailers, the name of the game is making money andstaying profitable. For more on our used trailer program find abranch or dealer near you using the locator on our website. Contact a branch or dealer near you to find out

more about Great Dane's used trailer program.Visit greatdane.com/locations or scan this QRcode to access company locations.

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CASE STUDY

For Southeastern Freight Lines, new services means adding even more value.

“

Setting GreatExpectations

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What else can we do?” It’s a question thatevery successful business should be asking

itself on a daily basis: What else can we do to provide more value to our customers? To exceedtheir expectations? To go above and beyond all thetime, every time?

In doing business for 68 years, these are the typesof questions that have driven Southeastern FreightLines (SEFL) to finding solutions and improving theservices they provide to their customers. Most recently, SEFL has seen a growing demand for final-mile delivery services within the less-than-truckload (LTL) segment and set out to provide additional value to its customers by fielding a lineup of Great Dane Sahara C-Seriestruck bodies.

“All of the big box stores are providing one and two-day delivery on the majority of their products,”explained Kerry Stritt, Vice President of FleetServices. “Our small truck operation is an extensionof what we currently do. It is beneficial with residential and small business shipments, especiallythose without a receiving dock. It also saves on fuelcompared to the traditional, larger tractor and trailer. The initial investment in the piece of equipment is lower than the traditional tractor andtrailer as well.”

For SEFL, not just any truck body would do. SEFLworked hand-in-hand with Great Dane to design a20-foot, 6-inch C-Series composite plate Saharatruck body that sports several unique safety features,such as Entorno Industrial side underride guardsmounted to the sides of the truck body for enhancedsafety for pedestrians and cyclists. Additionally, anRVS Systems backup camera featuring a color monitor with sound gives the driver more awarenessof what is happening around the truck body.

The truck body also features a Grote 100% LEDLong Life Lighting System with all-in-one stop, tail,turn and backup lights as well as interior motionsensor dome lighting for additional safety duringloading and unloading of cargo. All these compo-nents play a role in SEFL’s holistic safety strategy.

“Liftgates and internal LED lights are the main components for the box,” Stritt said, “and as far as the truck, weare looking forCollision Mitigationsystems with blindspot and lane departure features.”

The other twoequipment “must-haves” are durability and lowmaintenancedemands. SEFL’sdedication toequipment andservice excellenceshines through inits customer satisfaction, whichhas garnered more than 430 quality awards from respected companies across the country. You can be sure that the 8,200 service-minded associates that make SEFL a success are already working on the next answer to the question: “What else can we do?”

Great Dane 7

Company Profile

Southeastern Freight LinesHeadquarters: Lexington, SC

Founded: 1950

Business: LTL trucking

Great Dane Equipment: Great Dane Sahara C-Series truck bodies

Available Sahara Truck Body Safety Features:

• RVS Systems backup camera gives thedriver more awareness of what is happening around the truck body.

• Grote 100% LED Long Life LightingSystem with all-in-one stop, tail, turnand backup lights increases visibility forothers on the road.

• Interior LED lights and interior motionsensor dome lighting allow for additional safety during loading andunloading of cargo.

• Liftgates make it easier to load andunload cargo, eliminating the need toclimb in and out of the truck body.

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INSIDE TRACK

What does it take to extend the life of an alreadydurable and dependable product?

Forward-thinking design and the right support networkto keep the product working productively. For GreatDane that challenge is extending its impressive 10 to15-year trailer life average to 20 years and beyond. Atthis year’s Technology and Maintenance Council (TMC)Annual Meeting and Transportation TechnologyExhibition, Great Dane showcased the industry’s first20-year trailer, built and customized for Walmart, whodemanded that the trailer was designed for extremedurability and an extended useful life using exceptionallystrong materials and corrosion-prevention techniques.

Design-wise, the interior of the trailer had several components designed to provide maximumstrength, including Great Dane’s SSL interior panels, a 12-inch-high laminated hardwood side scuffband and steel front scuffband, Great Dane’s exclusivePunctureGuard ceiling liner, and Rockland1.25-inch Pound Saver composite floor featuring Grip Guard topcoat and a 21-inch deep galvanized steel rear grid plate.

These features addressed the hardest working segmentsof the trailer, namely:

1. The trailer flooring, particularly at the rear whereforklifts are continually dropping onto the trailer;

2. The landing gear, which can take a massive amountof abuse in applications in which the trailer is loadedand unloaded multiple times a day; and

3. The upper coupler, which is where the trailer experiences the most stress when hauled.

For additional durability and corrosion-resistance, this trailer also features several hot dipped galvanized components, including the rear impact guard, upper coupler and rolled lip bottom plate, landing gear mounting braces and "k" braces, and full-length crossmembers.


The Secret to Long LifeTrailer

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From a service and support standpoint, Great Dane’sAdvantEDGE aftermarket parts andservice network continues to growby leaps and bounds to exceedservice support expectations.Currently, the program provides24/7 emergency roadside service, consolidated invoicing, singlepoint-of-contact, not-to-exceed partspricing and the peace of mind thatcomes from clear communication,quality repair services and anationwide network. And the morethan 100 AdvantEDGE servicelocations are staffed with trained

technicians who are up to date onthe most current products andrepair techniques.

While a 20-year, cutting-edgedesigned trailer is exciting, it’simportant to recognize that the pillars that support an extended-lifetrailer are in place today.

“If the trailer is spec’d properly forits application, takes advantage ofthe available options and it’s properly maintained, we’re confident that the trailer canexceed customer lifecycle expectations right now,” said MarkSchultz, Great Dane’s director ofvan product engineering. “There’sa big difference in applications. If

you have an over-the-road trailerthat’s only seeing a dock two tothree times a week, it’s goingto last longer than a trailerthat’s at a dock four to five

times a day. It’s all about maximizing the trailer life for its application.”

Future technologies, from advancedalloys used in the trailer’s construction to advanced trailertelematics driven by data streamingoff sensors will continue to extendtrailer lifecycles. Consider wheelend temperature sensors. Currently,wheel end manufacturers areexploring the use of temperaturesensors in wheel ends that wouldintegrate into trailer telematics platforms—alerting the customer ofwheel end temps that exceed anacceptable range and avoiding amajor, unexpected trailer serviceevent. As new technologies in bothhardware and software are developed, Great Dane will continue to assess the trailer benefits and ROI for its customers.

Great Dane 9

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CASE STUDY

It only takes a single spark to light a fire. ForMido’s Trucking, that spark was Midhat

Selimovic, who started the company as a one-man operation in 2008 and has grown intoa fleet of nearly 100 trucks. Ten years is a relatively short time for such explosive growth forthe St. Louis-based carrier that delivers to all 48contiguous United States, offering truckload, less-than-truckload, warehouse and storage, andtruck and trailer parking services. The key to thefleet’s success, according to Selimovic, is putting the right equipment into the hands of theright people.

“The main force behind our continuous growth isour team of employees and drivers who, withtheir dedication and commitment, help us reach

10 Evolving Trailer Technology V20• 2

oneThe right people andequipment keep Mido’s Trucking rolling

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amazing levels in our industry,” Selimovic said. “Ourdrivers sincerely enjoy running over the road in newtrucks and trailers. Not only does it help them feel atease safety-wise, but it helps make their jobs easier,knowing they will have few breakdowns or delays atshipping sites.”

Mido’s Trucking impressively fields a fleet of equipmentthat is 95 percent new. Selimovic explained that the reason behind the new equipment strategy is that it helpsensure a high level of safety.

“Keeping newer equipment is one of the main factorsthat has helped us maintain good safety ratings when itcomes to vehicle maintenance,” he said. “We encountervery few over-the-road problems that impact our safetyand having new trucks and trailers is the main reasonfor that.”

Great Dane makes up 99 percent of the trailers inMido’s equipment quiver. He explained that turning trailers around quickly helps to not only maintain a highlevel of safety on the road, but also reduces operatingcosts associated with unplanned maintenance and helps Mido’s Trucking provide better customer service to its clients.

“We have used other brand trailers in the past buthave found Great Dane to be much better quality,”

Selimovic said. “Great Dane trailers are verydurable and reliable.”

Durability and reliability are Great Dane’s ChampionSeries dry freight trailers’ one-two punch of productivity.This series includes:• Multiple interior lining options such as PunctureGuard,

SSL galvalume and HDPE plastic for the toughest applications

• A tension-mounted aluminum roof sheet design is permanently bonded to galvanized anti-snag roofbows and then secured to the side rails with two fasteners on each side for maximum reinforcement

What are the Big Spec Features or Optionsthat Help Increase Durability and Reliability?Mido’s Trucking also keeps a close eye on its trailers asthey traverse the country. Selimovic explained that theentire fleet is outfitted with GPS, allowing a high degreeof trailer location visibility.

“Using this technology has helped us maintain closevision of our fleet as well as provide better service to ourcustomers by having access to their freight’s status at alltimes,” Selimovic said. “We foresee this technologyadvancing even more and allowing us to expand ouruse of it.”

And Mido’s Trucking shows no sign of slowing down. Its commitment to the latest equipment and the top-performing drivers will ensure its growth in thedecades to come.

Great Dane 11

Company Profile

Midos Trucking

Headquarters: Saint Louis, MO

Founded: 2008

Business: Truckload and LTL cargo,warehousing, and product storage

Great Dane Equipment: Great Dane Champion Series dry vans

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Microorganisms of concern during transportand their potential sourcesIt is well accepted that it is the foodindustry’s responsibility to transportfoods in a manner that presents aminimum level of risk to consumersfrom foodborne hazards. Therefore,the industry must identify and controlpotential risks from various sources,including pathogenic microorgan-isms. Cross-contamination (transfer ofharmful bacteria to food from otherfoods when improperly handled)between products during shipmentand from transport vehicles from priorshipments remains a significant issue.

In a 2009 US Food and DrugAdministration (FDA) report, the mainfactors that increase the likelihood offood contamination were identified:improper refrigeration, transport ofraw meat and poultry in a mannerthat could result in cross-contamina-tion of fresh fruits and vegetablestransported in the same vehicle,improper packing, infestation withinsects, insanitary storage (e.g. roofleaks and moldy walls, animal bloodand food on bed floors), low driverawareness of safe food temperatures,

and inadequate training (1). Somemicroorganisms are of greater concern during food transportbecause they are part of the naturalgut microflora of most food-producinganimals, widely found in the environ-ment, frequently found on food con-tact surfaces, are potential sourcesfor most foodborne illnesses, hospital-izations, and deaths in the UnitedStates (2). Table 1 lists the microor-ganisms of greatest concern duringfood transportation.

INSIDE TRACK

Part two of a four-part series

Table 1. Microorganisms of concern during transport of foods

Microorganism

Salmonella

Commonly associated foods

Meats, eggs, fruits, vegetables, dry foods, like spices and rawtree nuts

Control measures during transport

Salmonella bacterium is hard to wash from food, even with soapy water, so important measuresfor preventing Salmonella foodborne illnesses include keeping raw foods separated from cookedfoods, and keeping foods refrigerated at 40ºF or below

Year

1994

Outbreak

Multi-state outbreak of salmonellosis associated with ice cream mix contaminatedduring transport in tanker trucks that had previously hauled raw liquid eggs

150 cases of salmonellosis224,000 affected persons nationwide

Reference

3

1999 Multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Muenchen in 15 states and 2 Canadianprovinces. Associated with fresh orange juice

More than 300 cases reported 4

2009 Multi-state outbreak caused by Salmonella Typhimurium that contaminated peanutbutter and peanut paste

Firm recalled many its products, including 1,700-pound tanker containers, because the products hadthe potential to be cross-contaminated withSalmonella during transport

5

Campylobacter Poultry products, unpasteurized (“raw”) milk and cheesesmade from unpasteurized milk, and contaminated water

Typically, each contaminated poultry carcass can carry 100 to 100,000 Campylobacter cells.Avoiding cross contamination of uncooked items from raw meat and poultry products, thoroughgood hygienic practices

E. coli Raw beef products, raw milk, unpasteurized fruit juices, pro-duce contaminated with fecal matter

Escherichia coli is part of the normal intestinal flora in the human gut so avoid transmissionthrough good hygienic practices; keeping raw foods separated from cooked foods, and keepingfoods refrigerated at 40ºF or below

Listeria Raw milk, inadequately pasteurized milk, chocolate milk,cheeses (particularly soft cheeses), ice cream, raw vegeta-bles, raw poultry and meats, fermented raw-meat sausages,hot dogs and deli meats, and raw and smoked fish and otherseafood

L. monocytogenes can grow in refrigerated temperatures, making this organism a problem forthe food industry. Potential contamination sources include food workers, incoming air, rawmaterials, food processing environments, and food-contact surfaces. Avoid cross contaminationthorough good hygienic practices

Source: https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/UCM297627.pdf

Table 2. Outbreaks associated with food contamination during transportation

Based on data, regulations have been implemented to prevent food contamination from nonfood sources and prescribe sanitary transportation practices to be followed by shippers, carriers by motor vehicle or rail vehicle, receivers, and otherpersons engaged in transportation of food (3).References1. https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-02-05/pdf/2014-02188.pdf2. https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/UCM297627.pdf3. Hennessy T.W., Hedberg, C.W., Slutsker, L. et al., 1996, ‘‘A National Outbreak of Salmonella Enteriditis Infections From Ice Cream,’’ New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 334, No. 20, pp. 1281–1286.http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM1996051633420014. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2010/04/30/2010-10078/implementation-of-sanitary-food-transportation-act-of-2005

5. https://www.fda.gov/downloads/food/guidanceregulation/fsma/ucm494118.pdf

This is the second in a four-part series that examines the microbiology of food transport and delivery equipment and review components of a proactive, systemsapproach to maintaining cleanliness of these surfaces.

https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/UCM297627.pdf

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INSIDE TRACK

Great Dane 13

Great Dane and JOST are working on the next generation ofautomated technology

While the jury is still out on the role of the driver in the opera-tion of increasingly-automated trucks, equipment innovationsare rolling down the road toward complete autonomy. In theshort-term, the evolution of equipment innovations are benefit-ing today’s drivers, making their jobs safer and more efficient.Seeing that the future is coming fast, Great Dane has part-nered with JOST to build trailers that can couple automaticallywith tractors without driver intervention.

Auto-coupling means an automatic connection for pneumaticbrakes and electrical systems. It enables fifth-wheel couplingwith remote control and display as well as electrically-poweredlanding gear with auto deploy and retract systems. The fullautomation of the manual coupling process ensures greatersafety and efficiency in modern fleets.

How does it work?The operator uses a remote control developed by JOST to initi-ate the connection process. Sensors that live within the specifi-cally-designed fifth wheel ensure that the kingpin is securelyconnected while the kingpin assembly accepts the fifth-wheelconnection. The remote indicates that a secure connection hasbeen made.

The electrical and pneumatic connections are routed through afifth-wheel mate with a female connector on the kingpin assembly that makes all necessary connections. Think about itin the same way that an HDMI cable connects both video andaudio to your TV – one connection, multiple applications.Once the connection is made, the system automatically raisesthe landing gear.

To uncouple, the process is reversed and the necessary proce-dures are displayed via the remote.

“I believe it will be a safer coupling system than the currentmanual method since there is no driver intervention before andafter coupling,” said Chris Lee, Great Dane’s vice president of

Engineering. “The sensor on the tractor and trailer kingpin willindicate positive coupled status.”

It also eliminates human error and the chance for injury in thecoupling process since the landing gear is remotely retractedand deployed and electrical connections are made when thetractor and trailer physically connect. While the system is currently at the prototype stage, Lee sees great potential in the system as trucks become more automated, and, ultimately, driverless.

“This technology has the potential to be useful when all-autonomous power units become available,” he said.“Driverless power units will require auto-coupling-capable trail-ers. The adaptation rate will be slow since the developmentrate for the autonomous vehicle and required infrastructure isslow. There may be a higher opportunity with autonomousyard spotters.”

Of course, connection components can always be operatedmechanically as well, and the system does have dual-modecoupling, meaning that you can still make the fifth-wheel andkingpin connection system manually just as you do with today’stractor-trailer connection systems. While there is still work to doto ensure the system operates properly, Great Dane has aroad map for introducing and supporting the auto-couplingtechnology.

“There will be a lot of debugging in design, operations andtraining, and ROI and TCO will have to be proven as well,”Lee said. While this technology falls into the “truck equipmentof tomorrow” bucket, the foundation work is being done today.This system is also being discussed within the Technology andMaintenance Council’s (TMC) Future Truck Committee, specifically as a study topic for the S6 Chassis study group for the future truck.

Making The Automated TruckConnection

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INSIDE TRACK

What is blockchain? The compli-cated answer is that it’s a

decentralized technology that can beused to jointly manage databases.Decentralized means that it doesn’texist solely on one computer or serv-er, and changes to the database arepublic so that anyone can see the his-tory of edits and updates.

The easy answer: Think about it like aspreadsheet that anyone in your company could open and update atthe same time as other people.Currently, you probably have aspreadsheet that you open, edit, saveand then send to someone else to dothe same. Blockchain technology canenable multiple users to access andedit the file.

The technology sprung from the worldof cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin and otheroddly-named digital money), and itsapplications are spilling into nearlyevery industry—including transporta-tion. Seeing the potential for helpingcustomers drive efficiencies in mainte-nance and maximize the long-termvalue of their assets, Great Danejumped on the growing trend tobecome the first trailer and truck bodyOEM in the Blockchain in TransportAlliance (BiTA).

“Membership in BiTA keeps GreatDane at the forefront of innovation

and sets an early foundation for ourbusiness to take advantage ofblockchain technology,” said MichaelMolitor, director of business develop-ment for Great Dane, who explainedthat the purpose of BiTA is to developa common framework and standardsfrom which industry participants canbuild applications. “In May 2018,BiTA members convened to discussstandards development with the goalof publishing the initial set of standards by the end of 2018.”

For an example of the powerblockchain holds to boost trailer productivity, Molitor pointed to aftermarket service and trailer telematics, like Great Dane’sFleetPulse, as examples.

In terms of trailer aftermarket service,a blockchain-powered databasewould offer an accurate, trustworthysingle record of asset history. “Itwould also help trailer buyers knowthe complete history of the productfrom the time it leaves our factoryfloor,” Molitor added.

As it relates to telematics, GreatDane’s FleetPulse solution, the industry's first OEM-integrated telematics solution designed specifically to reduce trailer maintenance and increase trailer utilization, could eventually integrate

a blockchain framework that allowsparties to have a higher resolutionview and definitive evidence into theconditions of the trailer and it’srespective cargo. “New regulationsrequire everyone in the supply chainto know what is happening withfreight at all times,” Molitorsaid,”including who touched it, whereit has been and how it was main-tained.” Blockchain technology couldmake that possible.

To unlock blockchain’s potential,Great Dane will collaborate with theother members of BiTA, includingshippers, third party logisticsproviders, OEMs, vendors and more,educating and guiding the transporta-tion industry towards the successfulimplementation and adoption ofblockchain technology. Members ofBiTA come from every facet of theindustry, including tech vendors,OEMs, tier-1 suppliers, consultants,banks, carriers, shippers, and brokers, according to the alliance.Other industry players include FedEx,Penske, Schneider, TMW Systems,UPS, UBER Freight, and Werner, toname a few.

Blockchain: What is it and what does itmean for your trailers?


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VENDOR VIEW

Where you may look at a trailer and see only the productivity potential, EPIC Worldwide sees the

revenue producing potential of a rolling billboard. As your trailers are making in-city deliveries, traversing states and crisscrossing the country, they’re seen by consumers, both on the road and off. And that’s a huge marketing opportunity.

“Studies have shown that truck advertising, or FleetMedia, is the most cost-effective and influential form ofadvertising available,” said Mike Ahart, EPICWorldwide’s executive vice president of sales. “Taking theadvertising directly to the consumer is most effective inimpacting shopping and purchasing decisions at a fraction of the cost for billboard space or other forms ofmedia. Fleet Media represents some of the most valuableadvertising real estate, achieving millions of visual impressions in markets across the country on their delivery routes.”

EPIC Worldwide is a full-service graphics company thatprovides design services, printing and installation of theinnovative KWIK ZIP™ fleet graphic system.

How does it work? EPIC Worldwide understands that your core competency istransporting products from points A to B in an efficient andtimely manner; that’s why EPIC can fully develop and man-age your entire Fleet Media program.

EPIC Worldwide takes the client-approved art files andproduces an ultra-high definition vinyl graphic specificallydesigned by the company to stand up to the rigors of thetransportation environment. Within as little as 48 hours,the printed vinyl and the anodized aluminum frame components needed for installation are shipped to the designated site—typically the trailer/truck body manufacturer or your distribution center—and EPIC’s staffinstalls the graphics on the trailers, outfitting both sides ofa 53-foot trailer in approximately 30 minutes. EPIC can also train your staff to install or change out the KWIKZIP™ graphics.

“Whether you utilize the space for your own advertisingneeds or sell a portion or all of your Fleet Media space toco-op vendors or third party advertisers, EPIC can helpturn your Fleet Media into a profit center,” Ahart said confidently. “The KWIK ZIP™ graphic system also presentsa great opportunity to transportation companies that havedesignated some portion of their fleet to dedicated carriage. The ability to demonstrate your dedication toyour customer by wrapping trailers with their marketing material adds value to your bid responses.”

Ahart went on to explain that the ability to add or removefull graphics to trailers in a matter of minutes, without anyimpact to your existing graphics and no out-of-service time,is what makes the KWIK ZIP™ graphic system unique inthe dedicated space.

When you get down to the dollars and cents of FleetMedia advertising, Ahart said that ROI can be seen withinas little as three months, depending on the trailer’s route,when selling Fleet Media space to a co-op vendor or third-party advertiser.

“The ROI of subsequent graphic change outs can be realized in half that time, and the benefit of using the FleetMedia potential of multiple trailers is seen in the form ofadditional revenue,” Ahart said. “The hardest part of getting started is overcoming the perception that challenges associated with the change will not be easilyovercome. EPIC Worldwide has a history of working withlarge customers to unlock this potential and have salesassociates who themselves worked for some of the largestfleets in the United States. Our team of professionals workshard to ensure the success of your project.”

How to unlock the marketingpotential of your trailers

Rolling Billboards Presenta Huge MarketingOpportunity for Fleets

Great Dane 15

Visit epicworldwide.com for more information.

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WHAT ELSE ARE YOU HAULING IN YOUR REEFER?

Our Everest reefer is the only refrigerated trailer on the market that offersbroad-spectrum antimicrobial protection standard to fight bacteria growthon the liner for the entire life of the trailer. At Great Dane, we’re committedto providing innovation that moves you—starting with a cleaner environmentfor your food deliveries.

See how our technology works at greatdane.com/microban

BEAT BACTERIA WITH THE INDUSTRY’SONLY ANTIMICROBIAL REEFER

GREAT DANE AND THE OVAL ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF GREAT DANE LLC. Confidential Scientific, Technical Information. Not for Public Release or Dissemination; Not an Offer for Sale. ELV 0218

INNOVATION THAT MOVES YOU

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