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Suppliers, service providers and truck makers unveiled alternative fuel-related initiatives in conjunction with the recent Advanced Clean Transportation Expo in Long Beach, Calif.

The advent of modern truck telematics has changed how fleets determine when filter or other services are needed — and when quick action is necessary to prevent potential engine damage or failure, a fleet maintenance executive said.

Remote diagnostics systems available on modern trucks are helping fleets avoid costly repairs and reduce vehicle downtime, and this technology is rapidly advancing toward offering better predictions of when problems might occur.

The Technology & Maintenance Council is evolving to contend with the necessary maintenance and specification issues that are arising as a result of two advanced technologies that are fast becoming part of today’s trucking scene.

Dealerships and fleets are changing stocking patterns for replacement parts and adding inventory as they work to minimize truck downtime amid widespread shortages of some truck parts.

Industry experts and fleets tell us that engine downspeeding is a great way to save fuel at highway speeds and that it affords additional benefits.

Effective filtration systems always have played an integral role in the daily life of a truck’s lubrication, air intake and fueling processes.

All major truck builders and several startups are preparing to develop, test and market either battery-electric vehicles or fuel-cell/battery models in the very near term. Replacing diesel-powered Class 8 trucks, though, will present numerous challenges to an industry accustomed to proven and reliable diesel-­engine technology.