HDAW 2006 UPDATE             SEGMENT NEWS

REGULATORY REPORT         ECONOMIC TRENDS

SUPPLIER NEWS                  ASSOCIATION NEWS            

FACTOID

HDAW 2006 UPDATE

Member Input Needed for Strong Educational Program at Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week

Surveys were e-mailed to all HDDA distributors this past Tuesday asking members to rank the importance of topics being proposed for educational sessions at the first-ever Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week (HDAW), Jan. 23-27, 2006 at The Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas. Member input on the importance of each topic is vital to the HDAW Education Committee in developing a first-class education program for HDAW that will address the needs of all attendees. Survey space also is provided for individual comments and suggestions. Responses to the short and quick survey are needed by the close of business Tuesday, July 12. Members who did not receive a survey should contact Lee Kadrich at 301-654-6664, or e-mail lee.kadrich@aftermarket.org. HDDA Board of Governors member Dick Bell, Bell Frame & Brake Service, Inc. and Mark Iasiello, Dayco Products, co-chair the education committee, which includes industry experts from all segments of the heavy duty aftermarket.

Momentum continues to build for a successful inaugural HDAW that is sure to attract the leading executives of heavy-duty distributor and supplier firms. In addition to event organizers, HDDA and the Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association (HDMA), the growing list of HDAW sponsoring organizations includes Council of Fleet Specialists (CFS), Heavy Duty America, Heavy Duty Remanufacturers Group (HDRG), National Wheel & Rim Association (NWRA), Overseas Automotive Council, Power Heavy Duty and Service Specialists Association (SSA). 

For more information on HDAW, visit www.hdaw.org, or contact Lee Kadrich at 301-654-6664.

SEGMENT NEWS

HDDA Members Eligible for Discounted Fee for NTEA Economic Outlook Conference

HDDA has arranged for members to receive the National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) member discount for the 2006 NTEA Economic Outlook Conference (EOC). Set for Sept. 21, 2005 at the Hyatt Regency Dearborn, the EOC provides an excellent forum for learning what leading economists are predicting for the commercial truck and transportation equipment industry. Presenters will discuss the trends, leading indicators and other issues impacting business planning in this full-day conference.

Register for the EOC by Aug. 26 and take advantage of early-bird conference discounts of $199 for members versus $275 for non-members. On the registration form, indicate HDDA membership to receive the discount. After Aug. 26, the fee increases to $250 for members and $325 for non-members. A free CD-ROM featuring the day�s presentations � including data and analyses of truck markets, truck equipment markets and end-use markets � will be available to attendees.

For more information on the presenters and topics, and a registration form, visit www.ntea.com. At the center of the home page, click the �2006 Economic Outlook Conference� link.

REGULATORY REPORT

Te Beau Appointed FMCSA Chief Counsel 

U.S. transportation secretary Norman Y. Mineta announced the appointment of Suzanne M. Te Beau to be the chief counsel for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

Te Beau joins FMCSA from the Office of the Secretary of Transportation where she served as a policy advisor on safety, hazardous materials, transit, rail and agency reorganization matters. She served as vice president of government affairs and affirmative action at the Chicago Transit Authority from 2002 to 2005. From 2001 to 2002, she served as associate administrator for policy and congressional affairs at U.S. DOT�s Research and Special Programs Administration and before that, as a counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure from 1996 to 2001, handling motor carrier, hazardous materials and pipeline issues.

Te Beau, a native of the Detroit, Mich. area, earned a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Michigan in 1987, and a law degree from The Catholic University of America in 1990 with post graduate study at Johns Hopkins University.
 
Source: Truckinginfo.com, July 5, 2005

ECONOMIC TRENDS

ATA's Truck Tonnage Index Rises 0.7 Percent in May

Overall trucking freight volumes rose 0.7 percent in May as the economy grew modestly, according to American Trucking Associations (ATA). ATA�s seasonally adjusted truck tonnage index basis rose to 115.1 for the month, following a 0.9 percent drop in April.

The May index was 1.3 percent higher than last May, while April�s had been 0.3 percent below a year earlier. On a non-seasonally adjusted basis the tonnage index rose 2 percent to 117 from April.

Year-to-date, the index was 3.2 percent higher than the same period last year, putting it in line with 2005 forecasts that the index will grow 3 percent to 3.5 percent this year.

ATA chief economist Bob Costello said that while the tonnage was growing, it would not reach 2004 levels when the economy was growing at a faster pace. At the same time, tonnage levels have been more modest this year because of disparities in production of some commodities, such as steel.

Source: Transport Topics, June 28, 2005

Heavy-Truck Sales Increase 29.7 Percent in May

The month of May saw an increase in heavy-duty truck sales of 29.7 percent to 20,953 units compared with 16,161 a year earlier. Sales of mid-range, medium- and heavy-duty trucks, Classes 4 through 8, totaled 41,965 units in the month, up 16.3 percent from May 2004.

Total truck sales, including Classes 1 through 3, were down 8.0 percent from a year earlier to 836,045 units. Sales of Class 1 through 3 trucks totaled 794,080 units for the month, down 9.0 percent from May 2004.

Freightliner was again the number one seller during May in Class 8. The company's sales totaled 6,928 units, up 50.4 percent from a year earlier.

Source: Automotive News, June 30, 2005

SUPPLIER NEWS

Dana Introduces New Heavy-Duty Hub System

The Dana Corp. Commercial Vehicle Systems group has introduced the heavy-duty Dana Spicer LMS hub system to complement its new 20,000- and 22,000-pound GAWR steer axle series. By expanding the wheel end system offering, Dana has also evolved an industry-proven system designed to offer customers extended wheel end life, reduced maintenance and downtime and improved performance. 

Jason Altwies, wheel end product manager for Dana, said that the new heavy-duty wheel end system includes the same features that made the current Dana Spicer LMS hub system as one of the most widely-used wheel end systems in the commercial vehicle industry.

The hub system design controls bearing adjustment and eliminates installation variables that can lead to end play, premature wheel seal failure, brake lining replacement and wheel bearing failure, resulting in increased uptime and lower life cycle costs. 

Dana Spicer LMS hub systems are approved for both on- and off-highway applications and are available in a range of axle ratings up to 22,800 pounds GAWR for steer axles. Furthermore, the new LMS hub system is compatible with both drum brake configurations and air disc brake technologies. Warranty coverage is for up to three years or 350,000 miles on steer axles, with Dana-approved lube. 

Source: Truckinginfo.com, July 1, 2005

ASSOCIATION NEWS

New Online Training Now Available

AAIA has teamed up with the Total Training Network (TTN) to provide members with online learning, with more than 350 courses covering 25 topics ranging from sales and management, to customer service and negotiating, to personal development and motivation and many others. Courses average 30 minutes in length, and have available printed student materials, and after each course is a short 10 to 15-question quiz. A certificate is available upon training completion. AAIA is offering an open enrollment for our members during July and August, and courses can be started in September. The cost is $100 per user per company for a year of unlimited courses, and is open to AAIA members only.

For more information or to enroll in the courses, contact Barbara Clark at 301-654-6664, or e-mail barbara.clark@aftermarket.org. Demo tapes of courses, as well as brochures about the courses, are also available from AAIA. For more information on TTN, visit www.ttnlearning.com.

FACTOID

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week 2005 will begin Sunday, Aug. 21, and run through Saturday, Aug. 27. During the annual celebration, America�s 3 million-plus professional truck drivers will be honored with million-mile and safety awards, cash bonuses or gifts, an extra paid day off, a cup of coffee, fueling and washing trucks, etc. 

Source: Truckinginfo.com, July 8, 2005