Anticipating the Road Ahead: Key Trends in Truck in 2024

In 2023, the trucking industry witnessed a notable 4.9% surge in Class 8 sales alongside a remarkable drop in fuel costs by year-end. According to the Department of Energy, diesel prices averaged $3.914 per gallon on December 25, 2023, marking a significant decrease from the $4.583 average observed at the beginning of the year. This shift underscores the industry's progress toward sustainability goals, notably through the increased adoption of zero-emission vehicles like the International® eMV™ Series. International Truck remains steadfast in its commitment to pioneering end-to-end solutions that pave the way for a more sustainable future for our valued customers, dealers, and partners. As we venture into 2024, let's glance ahead at some of the top trucking trends on the horizon.

The Expansion of Emissions Regulations

California has emerged as a front-runner in enacting legislation aimed at curbing harmful emissions. One such initiative spearheaded by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) is the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) Regulation. This directive establishes yearly benchmarks mandating original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to incrementally boost the proportion of zero-emission trucks they sell, ultimately aiming for a complete transition to zero-emission fleets by 2045. With over fifteen states following suit with comparable legislation, adherence to environmental regulations is becoming increasingly pivotal for manufacturers and fleets nationwide.

International Truck is at the forefront of embracing a sustainable future by offering vehicles compliant with CARB's regulations. Through substantial investments in research and development, International Truck is crafting cleaner technologies, enhancing fuel efficiency, and lessening the environmental footprint of its vehicles.

In a bid to expedite the adoption of zero-emissions technology, International Truck has dedicated a team to crafting grant proposals. This team, along with the EV experts at Westrux, plays a pivotal role in aiding customers to explore grant funding avenues. Furthermore, International Truck assists customers in leveraging federal and state rebates, tax incentives, and other opportunities, ensuring seamless access to affordable solutions.

The Rise of Predictive Maintenance

Predictive maintenance is poised to revolutionize cost management and uptime optimization for fleets. Unlike traditional preventive maintenance, which adheres to fixed intervals irrespective of vehicle performance, predictive maintenance leverages factory-installed telematics to monitor vehicle health and performance data. This enables tailored, optimized maintenance intervals for each vehicle, enhancing uptime and curbing annual maintenance expenses.

Furthermore, predictive maintenance systems harness data to identify trends and operational conditions leading to equipment failure. Armed with this insight, predictive maintenance algorithms facilitate early detection of potential malfunctions, enabling preemptive maintenance and averting unplanned downtime disruptions.

International Truck empowers fleets to prioritize uptime and amplify productivity through Intelligent Fleet Care—a comprehensive suite of premium connected vehicle tools and reports. From seamless TPMS integration and fuel analytics to VIN-specific maintenance suggestions and predictive breakdown risk assessments, International Truck solutions furnish proactive insights for fleets to bolster productivity and slash total cost of ownership.

Last Mile Opportunities

In the third quarter of 2023, the Census Bureau reported a 7.6 percent surge in retail e-commerce sales compared to the same period in 2022, accounting for 15.6 percent of total retail sales. As consumer preferences increasingly favor online shopping, brands have a prime opportunity to gain competitive edges and provide exceptional customer experiences through expedited and same-day delivery services. Last-mile delivery, in particular, presents a lucrative opportunity for smaller fleets, owner-operators, and larger fleets capable of optimizing routes for local deliveries.

Effectiveness in last-mile delivery hinges on a unique set of capabilities, including delivery consolidation, route optimization, digital integration, and advanced real-time tracking. Fleets engaging in last-mile deliveries should consider incorporating efficient electric vehicles (EVs) into their operations. Environmentally friendly and zero-emission EVs are well-suited for the limited service area and stop-and-go nature of last-mile delivery.

With over two million real-world electric miles logged across our brands, Westrux is prepared to assist customers in devising strategies to integrate EVs into their fleets to capitalize on last-mile opportunities. From conducting discovery workshops to understand specific needs, to facilitating deployment and ongoing operations, International Truck advisory teams are equipped to plan, execute, and optimize zero-emission vehicle investments throughout the entire lifecycle of an electric fleet.

Trucking Embraces Advanced Technology Solutions

The expansion of the fleet tech-stack has sparked a revolution in the trucking industry, ushering in newfound efficiency, safety enhancements, heightened customer satisfaction, and sustainability measures. As fleet managers increasingly integrate advanced technologies for fleet management and monitoring, technology's role in trucking will become even more pivotal. The amalgamation of telematics data with artificial intelligence will facilitate novel and sophisticated data-driven decision-making processes. Embracing the fleet tech-stack will necessitate heightened security protocols, bolstered digital infrastructure, and substantial IT investments.

International Truck assumes a pivotal role in bolstering the growth of the fleet tech-stack by furnishing innovative solutions and cutting-edge features. The International Truck Diamond Logic® electrical system serves as a customizable platform that seamlessly integrates major vehicle components and facilitates bi-directional communication between the driver and the vehicle. With Diamond Logic, users can tailor features to their specific requirements, leveraging nearly 200 factory-available safety and efficiency features.

A diverse array of International Trucks come equipped with technology that seamlessly interfaces with fleet management systems. International Truck offers telematics solutions, connectivity options, and software platforms such as OnCommand® Connection, International® 360, and Gateway Integrations, empowering fleet managers to efficiently monitor and optimize their operations.

Your Partner For The Road Ahead

As the industry moves towards a zero-emission future, sparking the growth of EV trucks, predictive maintenance enhances fleet uptime, last-mile delivery presents new opportunities, and technology advancements drive gains in productivity and efficiency. International Truck, alongside the team at Westrux, is thrilled to spearhead the evolution of trucking in 2024.