Trucking news and briefs for Friday, Nov. 6, 2020:
Electric Class 8 Volvo available for order next month
Volvo Trucks North America will begin selling the Class 8 Volvo VNR Electric on Dec. 3, the company announced Thursday.
Volvo will begin producing the model at its New River Valley manufacturing plant in Dublin, Virginia, in early 2021.
“As part of the very successful Volvo LIGHTS project, which we started in 2019 in Southern California in collaboration with fourteen other pioneering organizations, we validated the viability and reliability of the Volvo VNR Electric in real-world operations and proved what it takes to create a holistic, end-to-end electromobility solution to drive true sustainability in the trucking industry,” said Peter Voorhoeve, president of VTNA. “We are fully confident in bringing this new technology to the commercial market.”
The company also announced it will launch a complete range of electric trucks in Europe beginning in 2021. Volvo is now running tests of the electric heavy-duty Volvo FH, Volvo FM and Volvo FMX trucks, which will be used for regional transport and urban construction operations in Europe.
Chemical hauler boosting driver pay in 2021
A&R Logistics is rolling out its largest driver pay increase in the company’s history for its dry bulk, liquid dry bulk and dedicated businesses, effective Jan. 1, 2021.
The company says the increases will depend on region and seniority and will include increases in OTR per-mile rates, guaranteed minimum rates, holiday pay, safety bonuses and other compensation. A&R adds that it plans to raise driver wages by up to 10%.
The company also announced it is looking to hire 130 drivers in the first half of next year.
