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Reefers need to be able to keep freight at a specified temperature, but there is more than one way to achieve thermal efficiency.

Many in the industry say variable-speed drives, which run only as fast as necessary, are increasingly popular. Variable drives can save on horsepower and therefore save on fuel. However, the more traditional on-off drive also is a popular choice because it’s simplest and cheapest.

In the endless quest to make trailers lighter, sturdier and more thermally efficient, some trailer manufacturers are expanding their use of composite materials, which could offer the potential for a higher strength-to-weight ratio.

Not all fleets are convinced of the benefits of air disc brakes. But suppliers maintain there is a growing acceptance of them for heavy-duty trucks, driven by an increase in the deployment of active safety technology, such as collision mitigation and avoidance systems.

At Memphis International Airport, drones may soon be inspecting planes and delivering airplane parts for FedEx Corp. In Reno, Nev., they will test airlifting life-saving defibrillators to patients. And customers in Virginia could be awaiting Alphabet Inc.’s flying devices to get goods they ordered.

UPS Inc. plans to deploy a small fleet of futuristic, boxy-looking all-electric delivery trucks as part of a pilot program in London and Paris by the end of this year.

Uber believes its self-driving software that chooses how to react when it detects objects in the roadway is the cause behind a fatal collision between one of its vehicles and a pedestrian.

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Roush CleanTech unveiled its all-electric technology in a Ford F-650, marking an expansion of its alternative-fuel market beyond propane autogas and compressed natural gas.

Class 8 orders in April cleared 34,000, while the swollen backlog from months of strong demand kept them from going even higher, according to ACT Research Co., and others pointed to a parts supply chain under strain.

FRISCO, Texas — The nation’s first self-driving car service for the public will begin here in July.