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It’s long been the case in our industry that trailers play second fiddle to the increasingly high-tech tractors that pull them. But times are changing.

As the capabilities of onboard sensors and trailer-tracking systems have expanded, so has the level of competition in this segment of the trucking technology market.

Technology adoption in the trucking industry typically focuses first on the back office and in the cab of the truck, but the proliferation of internet-connected devices and onboard sensors in recent years has increasingly pulled the trailer into the forefront of the conversation.

John Stomps, CEO and founder of Total Transportation of Mississippi, said the need for drivers caused him to look into a new strategy in January 2018 — one that involves training those between the ages of 18 and 20 to haul freight interstate.

Although large gains have been made in cleaning up new diesel engines, nearly two-thirds of all commercial trucks don’t meet the latest emissions standards. As of 2017, some 36% of all commercial trucks (Classes 3-8) in the United States rely on the newest generation of diesel engines — a 6% increase over 2016, according to the Diesel Technology Forum, which cited the latest data.

Self-driving trucks operated by startup TuSimple will haul mail and packages across the Southwest in a two-week pilot program with the U.S. Postal Service.

DETROIT — A Tesla Model 3 involved in a fatal crash with a semitrailer in Florida on March 1 was operating on the company’s semi-autonomous Autopilot system, federal investigators have determined.

U.S. trailer orders in April dropped 40% to 13,200 compared with a year earlier as open production slots in 2019 remained scarce, FTR reported, citing trailer makers’ preliminary data.

An unmanned, self-driving truck now is hauling cargo on a short stretch of public road in Sweden.

April saw strong volumes and abundant capacity in spot market truckload freight, according to DAT Solutions’ monthly report.