Truck Safety Tips For Carrying Big Loads

Safety is such an important factor when it comes to travelling and it becomes even more magnified when you are driving a truck and trailer that contains a large load. For transport companies this is a factor that they need to consider very carefully to ensure the safety of their truck drivers and that of fellow road users.

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Which Truck and Trailer Parts Are Essential To Check Before Travelling?

Being a truck driver or owning a trucking company can bring along many unwanted problems and concerns because of the dangers associated with trucks and trailers. Trucks and trailers are hazardous vehicles and you have to take great care when driving one. It is advisable to check your truck and trailer each time before your travel, especially if you often travel long distances.

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Telehandler Attachments To Boost Efficiency

Have you ever felt that your telehandler or loader is not as versatile as you want it to be? The big forklift or small crane, as many people call it, is one of the most versatile machines you can own, but it is not quite versatile for some specific operations.

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Keep on Truckin': A Quick Guide to 18 Wheeler Rental

When your business needs to transport large loads of products over great distances, you might want to consider an 18-wheeler rental. Many places offer top-of-the-line vehicles and guaranteed maintenance services to ensure that shipments are made in a safe, timely fashion.

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How Often Should You Service Your Truck?

Owning a truck or a fleet of trucks and even a fleet of trailers can be quite a responsibility. Your company's trucks may be on the roads all day and possibly all night. With that much travelling it is imperative that you ensure that your trucks and trailers are in the best condition possible. What should you do to ensure the safety of your fleet of trucks and trailers?

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Choosing The Right Mini Excavator Tracks

Perhaps because of their size, mini-excavators and mini-dumpers don't get the same recognition when compared to larger earth movers, backhoes, or demolition equipment. However, anyone who makes a living by using mini-excavators daily, or on a regular basis, knows how important this machinery is on small jobs, or in hard to get to places.

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Truck Accidents and You: What You Need to Know

If you have been involved in a big rig trucking accident, call a good truck accident lawyer who specializes in these types of accidents. The trucking company is sure to have a team of lawyers working for them so don't try to handle this on your own. Get knowledgeable help by getting a truck accident lawyer on your side.

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Don't Sacrifice Truck and Trailer Safety With Cheap Parts

Every truck owner knows, or should know, the importance of having regular maintenance checks performed on their vehicles. It is essential for the life of the truck and trailer the safety of its passengers that periodic inspections are conducted in order to prevent breakdowns or serious accidents and loss of life before they occur. A truck/trailer that is well serviced and maintained, and kept in top working order will provide many benefits. These include saving money on costly repair parts that could have easily been avoided with just minimal preventative maintenance.

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Discover How You're Saving Money With Quality Truck and Trailer Parts

Most people are interested in saving money. However, truck and trailer safety is very important. This is a larger sized vehicle that is allotted to do more things and carry more weight. Therefore, when purchasing truck and trailer parts, quality parts will help you save money in the long run. Most people believe that buying cheaper parts will save money. In fact, they do at that time, but in the long run you are spending more money to get those lower quality trailer parts replaced. Unfortunately, cheaper parts are not made as durable as quality parts.

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Great Benefits Of Hiring A Cheap Towing Specialist Today

Towing services can be very important these days. It is indeed wise to get help from the experts.

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Reasons to Consider Buying Used 18 Wheelers

There are a great many advantages to purchasing used 18 wheelers. Not only do they cost less, of course, they also depreciate less and have lower operating expenses.

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How to Get the Best Overall Value When Purchasing a Tank Lorry

Purchasing a new tank lorry (truck) is a significant investment for any business. Depending upon the type of business it may be a make or break decision, especially if an entire fleet is purchased. The key to getting the best deal isn't always going with the least expense option but rather focusing on acquiring the greatest overall value from the purchase. There are several key characteristics of a tank truck which should garner priority in order to maximize value.

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Money-Saving Tips When Buying A 3 Ton Pickup

Buying a pickup truck for your venture is not an easy task. Indeed, you have to consider a lot of important factors.

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Best Selling Xenon HID Kits for Trucks

Top Five HID Light Kits for Trucks - HID Xenon light kits for trucks are very popular right now but they are all not created equally. There are some options that are better than others and if you are going to pay the money anyway you might as well opt in for one of the exceptional kits that are available.

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Get What You Need In An 18 Wheeler Rental

If you are not quite ready to make a big purchase, there are many possibilities for an 18-wheeler rental. Whether you're looking for short term or long term, there are options available for you.

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Excellent Functioning Of Trucks After Crucial Jobs Accomplished

Concentrating upon the truck performance in a detailed manner will let you come across the best results as per the given situation. Perhaps, it is necessary that you focus upon several aspects in a detailed fashion allowing you to come across the desired benefits with ease.

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Aluminum Wheel Refurbishment: Making Refurbishment Easy

Thus, we see that the alloy wheel refurbishment is a very common procedure and a lot of people are now getting it done for their vehicles. An important thing to keep in mind however is the facts that you should always get it done from a good store so that there are no problems later.

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Polishing Aluminum Wheels - Should You Do It Yourself?

The most important thing about wheel polishing is the fact that you should get it done with the help of a good company only. Not only is it much safer to get your truck wheels fixed from a reputed company, but it also becomes a lot easier to check the maintenance of the wheels thereafter.

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Aluminum Wheel Repairing Can Help Wheels Last Longer

Always prefer a good repair shop to get your trucks' wheels fixed. It is easy to Repair Aluminum Rims rather than getting them replaced. There are many good repair stores who will complete the repairing process in a very cheap way.

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Common Diesel Truck Problems

While it's true that most motor vehicles run on gasoline, a good portion of the motor vehicles these days are running on diesel, especially trucks. Having a diesel truck has its own advantages. Just like most things, diesel trucks also have disadvantages. Below are a few of the downsides of having a diesel truck and what you can do about fixing the problem.

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Alloy Wheel Refinishing Getting Truck Wheels Restored in Cheap

Thus, truck owners will unanimously agree that getting your trucks' alloy wheels is a much cheaper, better and faster method to get your wheels in top notch condition. It is always good to get it done from a reputed and experienced store so that there are no problems later on.

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CDL Training Process - What You Should Know

This article will help those considering to become a truck driver. The CDL training process can be difficult to grasp. We're going to give you everything you need to know so we can prepare you for your commercial drivers license.

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Recreational Uses For Pro Armor Nerf Bars

Nerf Bars are known for various uses in vehicles that definitely add the element of cool. With this type of accessory for trucks and recreational vehicles, the appearance of the vehicle is improved but so is the level of safety. During daring races on unstable terrain, these bars protect lower legs and feet.

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Things To Note Before Buying Truck Upgrade Kits

Did you know that your truck is an extension of who you really are? Keeping your truck in good condition is one of the sure ways of making it serve you better. Regularly taking your truck for servicing is one way of ensuring that your truck remains in good condition. Unfortunately, this can be costly and instead you should consider purchasing the best truck upgrade kits.

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All About Alloy Wheel Restoration

After weighing all the pros and cons one can safely say that wheel refurbishing is a better alternative to replacement and also to seek expert advice to help you out. Your alloy wheels also need their due care and maintenance.

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Should You Look For Commercial Trucks For Sale Or Is Leasing Viable

Buying a commercial truck or medium duty trucks for sale and leasing it are dissimilar and choosing between the two can be really confusing. Here are some pointers in this regard.

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An All-Informative Guide About New and Used Trucks

"Trucks are one of the most frequently used vehicles for transporting cargos and passengers from one place to another and though they differ greatly in terms of size, power and configuration, they can be personalized as per one's requirement and usability." Trucks have become an vital part of our lives when it comes to transporting people and cargo from end-to-end. Trucks are available in different sizes and configurations and are usually powered by diesel engines, although gasoline engines are also available in the American market.

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Operator Licence - Public Inquiries

A traffic commissioner will decide if it is necessary to hold a public inquiry. If a public inquiry is to be held, written notice (of no less than 21 days) of the inquiry and where it will be held will be sent to you and to any other affected parties.

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Guidelines to Properly Maintain Your Power Stroke Injector

Trucks, like people, pets, and other living things, require attention and care in order to work the way they are supposed to. Simply having a truck and driving it does not mean it will continue to perform well over time. Some people are the do it yourself type, or in other words, DIY.

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Polishing Aluminum Truck Wheels: Do It Yourself Vs Professional

Polishing Aluminum Trucks at home is not a difficult task if you know the correct procedure. Always read thoroughly before trying your hands on polishing.

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Restricted Operator Licence Advice

A restricted O licence holder will appear at court or a public inquiry because they are not fully aware of the significance of holding a licence when applying and taking on the responsibility of the Undertakings for a licence. You do not require as much money in the bank as you should hold for a Standard National/International licence.

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Alloy Wheel Restoration: Do Your Wheels Need Them?

Wheel restoration is essential, but you should not attempt to do it yourself because at the end of the day, you will end up spoiling your truck. Always get it done via an expert.

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The Benefits of an Extang Encore Tonneau Cover

Is the Extang Encore tonneau cover right for you and the type of use you need a pickup bed cover for. This will help you decide if this truck bed cover meets your requirements.

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Refinishing Aluminium Wheels: Why It'll Save Money

Refinishing is the best choice when it comes to saving money and getting near perfect results. Always go for a good company and have flawless refinished wheels for your truck.

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Customize Your Truck With A Road Armor Bumper

Whether you want to change the look of your truck or simply want to add customized accessories, a Road Armor Bumper may be the perfect solution. This type of accessory makes a statement and makes people take notice of the vehicle.

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5 Tips When Truck Driving in Heavy Winds

Truck driving in heavy winds is no easy picnic. If you must be out on the road in poor weather conditions, read these tips to ensure a safe arrival.

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Guide to Becoming a Truck or Bus Driver

An insight into the requirements of becoming a bus or lorry driver. Discover the licences needed and information regarding the theory test.

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What Career Will I Have After Graduating From Truck Driving Schools?

Truck driving schools will prepare a student for a career in commercial transportation, specifically in the trucking business. As a truck driver, you will have a steady income and a challenging career with a constant demand for your services. Even people who have left the trucking industry consider returning to the business because of the stability it offers.

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How Will Enrolling In Truck Driving Schools Help Me Get Started As A CMV Driver?

Truck driving schools will make the process of getting started in your chosen career as a professional driver easier and less uncertain. There are actually a few other ways of getting a job as a professional truck driver and you are free to try them as you want but chances are your efforts will not come to fruition. Truck driving has evolved into a relatively complex business.

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How Can Enrolling In Truck Driving Schools Benefit Me?

Truck driving schools have the facilities and other resources to assist you with your training as a professional commercial motor vehicle driver up to the time you will be seeking employment. A lot of fly-by-night driving school have been cropping up because of the high demand for truck drivers and their capability to teach you properly is questionable. They will offer very low tuition rates, but you sacrifice a lot for those discounts.

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How Can I Tell If My Prospective CDL Training School Is A Good One Or Not?

It is certainly extremely difficult to choose a good, respectable CDL Training School to enroll in, especially if there is just a great deal of them out there. And since the internet came along, falling prey to some mom- and - pop training operation is just too easy, as there are just too many of them to count. So, how do we weed out the scams from the good, reputable, and real training schools?

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What Are The Things That I Should Know About Before Enrolling In A CDL Training School?

Choosing the right school to enroll in for your CDL Training School will make a big impact on your career as a Commercial Driver. It is after training that you'll get your first driving job, after all, so it's best to get a good company as your ice breaker. However, with the advent of internet advertising, it's so easy to just browse and review your choices online, that one might just end up enlisting in the wrong school for them.

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How Should I Pick The Appropriate Truck Driving School For Me?

If you're an aspiring truck driver, then you've probably considered signing up with a Truck Driving School. However, with so many schools out there, how does one choose which one is right for him? Should a student enroll in trainings offered by publicly- funded schools?

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What Kind Of Training Will I Undergo In Truck Driving Schools?

Truck driving schools are dedicated learning centers that teach the basic knowledge required of an aspiring commercial motor vehicle (CMV) driver. Truck driving is a very taxing profession. Truck drivers will have to deal with the stress of piloting huge trailers and tractors.

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How Can Enrolling In Truck Driving Schools Help Me Land A Job?

For the average, self-taught CDL holder, landing a job without the support of Truck Driving Schools is difficult enough as it is. With no school and no experience to back you up, most of these prospective commercial drivers' resumes have been repeatedly pushed farther and farther to the back of the applicants' folders.

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Buying That Car That You Want For Your Price

Buying your car for your price. How this takes time, patience and determination. Also a willingness to compromise from both the seller and the buyer. One cannot be too quick to make a decision to buy an automobile Truck or otherwise. This leaves at least one part of the equation unbalanced and also a great propensity to be disappointed when the closure of the deal occurs.

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If Your Operator Licence Is Granted

If your licence is granted A traffic commissioner will inform you if your application has been granted and will request the appropriate fee. Once the fee has been received, your licence and (if you have specified a vehicle) vehicle-specific discs will be sent to you.

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Maximize Your Truck's Fuel Efficiency

Don't you love your diesel truck? Most of us do. We love the torque and the power they offer. With the cost of diesel fuel rising in recent years, here are some ways to maximize your truck's fuel efficiency.

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Things To Note Before Buying Air Ride Suspension For Your Truck

Airbag suspensions are fast replacing traditional metal suspensions systems with springs. While the metal counterpart required sophisticated self leveling electronics, the new system improves handlings, makes installation easier, is able to carry more loads and presents a neat look.

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How To Buy Pickup Trucks At The Best Prices

A pickup truck is one of the most popular automobiles in the USA for personal or business transportation needs. A great utility vehicle, they are ideal for big families or small businesses that need to transport goods. One can find salvage heavy duty trucks for sale at online auto auctions.

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Operator Licence Application Process

Applying for an Operators licence To apply for a new operator licence you will need to complete a form called "GV79" application form. You can read the associated GV79 (G) guidance notes to help you with the application.

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High Quality Aluminum Wheel Restoration and Polishing Made Easy

Alloy wheels on cars and trucks easily collect dirt and grime and need to be thoroughly cleaned or polished for an almost brand new look. Although giving them a polish manually is possible, the process is very time consuming and requires plenty of effort. One of the best alternatives is to have a professional job done by an aluminum wheel polisher.

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Compact Pickup Trucks For Crowded Cities

This article talks about how compact pickup trucks and vans for crowded cities are best to meet the needs both size wise and cost wise. Small compact pickup trucks offer more convenience.

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Why New Pickup Trucks Are Better Than Old Trucks

New pickup vans exceed better in performance compared to used trucks. As they are covered by warranty, they are safe to invest in and offer less risk.

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Picking the Correct UTV Windshield

It is without a doubt that Utility Task Vehicles (UTV) are some of the most useful tools on the market. As opposed to regular 4 wheel vehicles and trucks, UTVs can be custom enhanced to go beyond simple off-road transportation. UTVs have changed the way farmers do business and have revolutionized the world of outdoor recreation!

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How To Use Ratchet Straps For Trucks?

When you are moving your furniture or other cargo in a truck, the best thing you can do is to use ratchet straps for trucks for ensuring the smooth movement. Generally, this is a tool used by professional moving companies for ensuring that the things do not move around in the truck when they are shifted from one place to another. If you know that your moving vehicle has lock mechanisms and compatible eye bolts, you can be benefited with these straps for ensuring an easier move.

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Who Needs a Goods Vehicle Operators Licence?

You will need a goods vehicle operators licence if you use a goods vehicle of over 3.5 tonnes gross plated weight or (where there is no plated weight) an unladen weight of more than 1,525kg to transport goods for hire or reward or in connection with a trade or business. (In this instance 'goods' means goods or burden of any description). For a vehicle and trailer combination, generally you will need a goods vehicle operator's licence if the gross plated weights or unladen weights of the vehicle and trailer combined exceed the limits stated above for a single vehicle.

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9/11 museum pictures: Crushed fire truck and ambulance among artifacts ...

Visitors to the £418million museum which opened today near the site of the original Twin Towers in downtown Manhattan will find an array of heart-breaking items



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A museum dedicated to the 2,996 victims of the 9/11 attacks was opened by Barack Obama today.

The National September 11 Memorial and Museum features 10,000 poignant artifacts, including a New York fire truck and ambulance crushed by falling masonry from the Twin Towers.

The fate of both crews is unknown.

Visitors to the £418million museum, near the site of the Twin Towers in downtown Manhattan, will find an array of heart-breaking artifacts from the day.

A pair of spectacles found at Ground Zero and a pair of slippers from the hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 are among the 10,000 items, while there are also 23,000 photographs, 1,900 oral histories and 500 hours of film and video.

One poignant display plays the telephone messages left to loved ones from those who knew they were about to die in the towers.

As they descend 70ft below the city, visitors pass part of the 'survivors' staircase' that hundreds used to escape as the skyscrapers burned and crumble.

Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he was deeply moved by the crushed fire truck.

He said: 'All I could think of was, I wonder what happened to the firefighters that were assigned that day on that engine and whether they survived and what were their last thoughts if they didn't.

'The museum is a place where you can come to understand 9/11 through the lives of those who were killed and the lives of those who rushed here to help.'

The opening of the museum is the end of eight years of work with battles over funding and which exhibits should be used. One controversy centred on moving the unidentified remains of victims to the museum.



Getty Figurehead: US President Barack Obama speaks during the dedication ceremony

Paula Berry, who lost her husband David when the towers fell, said it will help victims' families.

She said: 'When I saw it in completion it actually floored me.

'It's extraordinarily hard. It's going to be hard for family members to see and re-experience that day.

'This is going to be a very powerful and necessary experience. It will be healing.'





Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche, 29, is believed to be in custody in Sudan after he was arrested on suspicion of carrying out terror attacks in Nigeria which killed more than 90 people



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Tractor

One northbound lane of traffic is closed on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel due to a tractor trailer crash, according to the CBBT Twitter page.

A tractor trailer has gone over the bridge near mile marker 15. The tractor trailer struck a light pole, according to police.

The Navy, Coast Guard, Virginia Beach Marine Police, Virginia Beach Fire crews, and EMS teams have all responded to the scene.

Virginia Beach Fire and EMS teams are on scene, attempting to recover what was reported as a single occupant of the truck, police say.

Expect minor delays. WTKR Traffic

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HSE probe dumper truck driver's death at Dittisham

HEALTH and safety investigators are looking at further action against a South Devon recycling centre following the Torquay inquest into the death of young dumper driver Ben Sewell.

Coroner Ian Arrow recorded a verdict of accidental death after hearing how Ben, 30, died of serious injuries when he was thrown from the seat of his truck on a steeply sloping, bumpy track at the Dittisham Recycling Centre near Dartmouth.

Ben, who lived with his parents in Seymour Drive, Dartmouth, was not wearing his lap seatbelt and had been told off for speeding around the site by the last person to see him alive at the privately-run site at Lapthorne Cross.

Health and Safety Executive inspector David Cory told the inquest: 'If he had been wearing the lap belt, he would not have parted company with the dumper truck and he would not have died.'

After the inquest, Mr Cory said the HSE took some formal actions against the site at the time of the fatality, including prohibition orders on vehicles and on the other dumper driver until he had been re-trained.

'Now we will review the evidence and make a final determination about further enforcement action,' he said.

During his evidence, Mr Cory said neither Ben or the other young dumper driver at the centre, Rhys Hickman, had been properly trained.

Ben's parents Paul and Johanna Sewell and sister Victoria said: 'We would like to make sure that all the safety issues that have been raised today are implemented.

'We are glad it's all over. It's been a long time. The outcome is the outcome we expected.

'It's been hard listening to it today. It's worse somehow than reading about it.'

The last person to see Ben alive was builder Sam Churchill who said he swore at Ben: 'He came towards me and slammed on the brakes and skidded up to the front of my truck.

'He could have wiped out my van with his six tonne truck.

'There were a few choice words. I said he was going a bit too fast.

'He was just happy and in good spirits and laughed. He drove off again at a very fast speed through the steel gates.

'I was watching because he was driving so fast and recklessly but I lost sight of him because of the dust. It was a really dry day.

'He was bouncing half a foot out of his seat as he drove over the divets in the ground. He wasn't wearing a seatbelt.

'He was holding the wheel with his left hand and his right arm was holding on to a bar.

'I guess it was a sort of showing-off manner and he might have been in a hurry to get back to the bottom of the site.'

Ben's colleagues, father and son Graham and Rhys Hickman, were the other people working with him on the day of the accident.

They told how they saw a black plume of smoke and raced to find Ben lying about 20 metres away from the truck which was lying on its side further down the steep gradient.

Devon Air Ambulance paramedic Haydn Glanville, from Dartmouth, was first on the scene.

He found Ben still breathing but seriously injured and worked for 20 minutes to try to save Ben's life, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Home Office pathologist Dr Amanda Jeffery said Ben was a young, fit man. Toxicology showed no drugs, drink or medication in his body.

The primary cause of death was given as chest injuries.

The owner of the recycling site was not present at the inquest.

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Ford truck's unintended acceleration unsafe, says Halifax man

A Halifax man is battling the car company Ford, claiming that his truck is unsafe.

Stephen O'Brien says his vehicle accelerated unexpectedly and that has him worried about his family's safety.

'I pulled out to pass a car, and when I pulled out, I accelerated. I took my foot off the gas and the truck continued to accelerate up Magazine Hill,' he said.

It was a scary experience for O'Brien, who said his leased 2013 Ford F-150 truck reached speeds of between 140 and 150 km/h before he managed to regain control.

When he did, O'Brien said he drove it directly to the dealership where it remains.

A number of car manufacturers have had problems with unexpected acceleration. In fact, Ford is facing a lawsuit in the U.S. for the same problem. However, the lawsuit doesn't include 2013 models like the one O'Brien was driving.

'I've held up my part of the lease,' said O'Brien.

'I've made the monthly payments. I've kept up on maintenance of the truck. In return for that, my expectation was a truck that worked - a fully functioning truck and I haven't received that.'

O'Brien, who has been given a free rental car in the meantime, also experienced transmission problems and what he calls 'a ghost' in the vehicle's electrical system.

'The window would go up and down without command. My radio would turn off and on for no reason,' he said.

But it's the unexpected acceleration that is the real concern.

The dealership has told O'Brien the acceleration problem was caused by the two floor mats on the driver's side that were provided by Ford, saying they got stuck under the gas pedal and were to blame.

'I don't accept that,' said O'Brien. 'I pumped the gas pedal. I looked at the floor mats once I got stopped. It wasn't a floor mat caught on my gas pedal.'

To complicate matters, the lease is not with the dealership but with Ford Canada.

The company has offered O'Brien a new vehicle with a new lease, but it would cost him an additional $80 per month. He doesn't feel he should pay for a problem he didn't create.

'My confidence in Ford is gone and I want out of that truck [lease]. I will never again put my family into that truck, so it will be no good to me,' said O'Brien.

The general manager of the dealership said it can only correct problems they see. The GM said a number of people who have looked at the truck have been unable to identify any acceleration issue other than floor mats.

Ford Canada said a customer service representative will be in touch with O'Brien to discuss his lease.

O'Brien said he plans to file a formal complaint with Transport Canada.

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Tesla Motors Inc. Faces a New Hurdle and Ford Motor Company Reaches an ...

The DJINDICES: Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI ) was trading 113 points higher, or 0.68%, by midafternoon despite a slow day for economic news in the U.S. and after pro-Russian separatists declared victory in Sunday's vote to declare independence from Ukraine. The Ukrainian government referred to the vote in the nation's east as 'illegitimate,' while the U.S. called it illegal.

'The vote seemed like a negative, but the violence that many thought would happen didn't, and at this point, no news is good news when it comes to Ukraine,' said Channing Smith, co-portfolio manager of the Capital Advisors Growth Fund at Capital Advisors, according to Reuters.

With that in mind, here are two U.S. automakers making headlines in the markets today.

NASDAQ: Tesla Motors ( TSLA ) made news for a couple of reasons. First, the company said it would stop supplying battery packs and motors for Toyota's electric RAV4 model. According to Tesla's filing, the electric-vehicle maker generated $15.1 million in revenue in the first quarter from the deal with Toyota. That was slightly more than the $14.4 million generated in last year's first quarter.

This is a small chunk of change compared to Tesla's total first-quarter non-generally accepted accounting principles revenue of $713 million. Tesla's likely made the move as its own electric crossover, the Model X, is coming to the market next year. While there will be a substantial gap in the price points between the electric RAV4 and the Model X, Tesla apparently wants to keep any advantages of producing those battery packs to itself.

Tesla is also faced with a new front in its battle to sell its vehicles directly to consumers. Some 'anti-Tesla' language has been added to state legislation in Missouri that would explicitly require consumers to buy vehicles through franchise dealers, according to Bloomberg.

'This extraordinary final-hour maneuver amounts to a sneak attack to thwart due process and hurt consumer freedom in Missouri,' according to a statement from Tesla, as reported by Bloomberg.

In other automotive news, Ford ( ) released some interesting facts surrounding its very popular line of EcoBoost engines. Ford recently sold its 500,000th EcoBoost-equipped F-150 and claims those engines have saved an estimated 56.8 million gallons of gas on an annual basis.

Since 2010, Ford has accounted for 91% of industry growth in V6 truck sales, and the next generation 2015 F-150 looks to continue that trend.

'We expect those numbers to hold for the rest of the year,' said Doug Scott, Ford truck group marketing manager, in a press release. 'It really is amazing when you consider we are doing that with just two V6 engine choices - the 3.5-liter EcoBoost and the 3.5-liter Ti-VCT engine. When we come out with the new 2015 F-150, we will offer three different V6 engines, so there is potential for further growth.'

Fuel economy, even in trucks that are often considered as work tools, is becoming more of a purchasing factor. That's big news because Ford is clearly a step ahead of competition with its EcoBoost engine lineup. If the 2015 F-150 is a major jump forward in fuel economy, as it is intended to be, it could push sales in America's most profitable vehicle segment much higher for Ford -- a big win for the company and its investors.

Investors would be wise to watch the launch of the 2015 F-150 because this is the first time aluminum has been used on such a massive scale in the automotive industry. If everything doesn't go according to plan it could put a dent in Ford's profitability in the near-term.

8.8 Warren Buffett just bought nearly 9 million shares of this companyImagine a company that rents a very specific and valuable piece of machinery for $41,000... per hour(that's almost as much as the average American makes in a year!). And Warren Buffett is so confident in this company's can't-live-without-it business model, he just loaded up on million shares. An exclusive, brand-new Motley Fool report details this company that already has over 50% market share. Just click HERE to discover more about this industry-leading stock... and join Buffett in his quest for a veritable landslide of profits!

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Truck strikes overpass on Meadowbrook Parkway

An out-of-state tractor-trailer truck struck a bridge overpass on the southbound Meadowbrook State Parkway on Wednesday, police said, temporarily closing two lanes of traffic and causing big delays.

The issue was resolved as of 2:15 p.m., according to the state Department of Transportation's informny.com website.

The accident occurred at 10:33 a.m. at an overpass south of Hempstead Turnpike.

It closed two lanes between Exit M5, Hempstead Turnpike, and M6, the Southern State Parkway, the DOT said.

State Police said the truck, operated by Excell Smith, had gotten on the road at Stewart Avenue en route to Freeport. Trucks are not allowed on parkways in New York.

The informny.com website said that an 'unauthorized truck' struck the overpass. Police said no other vehicles were involved in the crash.

Images from the scene showed the top of the truck sheared off.

It was not immediately known whether the driver was injured.

The accident happened on a day when Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo unveiled a new electronic system to prevent commercial trucks from plowing into bridges and overpasses, a long-running problem on outdated highways on Long Island.

The first three systems, which will be rolled out around Memorial Day, will use infrared light beams to detect over-height vehicles on the Northern State Parkway, Route 106/107 and the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway.

The sensors will trigger new electronic signs warning truck drivers to pull over and contact New York State Police for help.

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Route 66 - A Window Into America

Route 66 is one of the most famously acknowledged driving routes, appearing on movies, signs, and merchandising. Although many people know of the term "Route 66," not many have actually traveled the route. Find out the interesting people, places, and things that exist along the famous Route 66!

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Home Away From Home - Sort of

As a truck driver, it may become difficult to be away from home for extended periods of time. Although this is difficult, take advantage of the many benefits of truck stops. With restaurants, showers, and places to meet other truck drivers, truck stops may be a truck driver's home away from home.

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Anglesey: 130 job truck stop scheme gets underway

Road King Holyhead lorry park will have space for 200 HGVs

Construction work starts on the new truck stop at Parc Cybi, Holyhead

A major 130 job truck stop scheme started this week on Anglesey.

Road King, owned by Bet Fred boss Fred Done, and Conygar Investment Company are behind the 200 space lorry stop at Parc Cybi, Holyhead, with 10 logistical support units.

The £5m project will secure or create more than 80 jobs during the seven-month construction period with contractors Jones Bros of Ruthin carrying out the lorry park work and the Watkin Jones Group, constructing the support facilities.

Once operational a further 50 jobs will be created at the park in support services around the truck stop.

A spokesman for Road King Holyhead said: 'We are pleased to be finally be on site to commence construction of the truck stop which we hope will be open for business at the end of the year.

'We will in the run up to the completion of the development be marketing the facilities to the logistic industry on both sides of the Irish Sea using the Port of Holyhead and to potential contractors involved in the construction of Wylfa Newydd.'

Economy Minister Edwina Hart said: 'This is good news as the development is designed to bring a range of benefits to Anglesey, creating jobs and helping to boost the local economy. It will provide a much needed logistics facility to support operators using the Port of Holyhead and act as a catalyst for further development at Parc Cybi.'

Jones Bros project manager Hefin Lloyd-Davies said: 'We're looking forward to working with Conygar and RoadKing, having worked closely to develop the design and project over the last few months. Having previously worked to construct Parc Cybi in 2008, it is positive to see this development happening on site. It's a very significant project for the area, and among the largest hardstanding areas I've personally worked on.'

Anglesey's Economic Development portfolio holder Cllr Aled Morris Jones said: 'The development of this new facility will not only bring new investment and jobs, but also help alleviate parking problems in towns and laybys across the Island.'

Holyhead Town Council clerk Cliff Everett said: 'The Holyhead Town Council have supported this development from the outset and welcome the news construction of has started. Not only will this facility strengthen the attraction of Holyhead Port and thus secure local employment, but address the chronic problem of the unauthorised parking of HGV's in the Town.'

Capt Wyn Parry, Stena Port manager, said: 'We see the development of a truck stop facility at Parc Cybi as a significant positive development for the port, its customers, and the local community. We believe there to be strong demand for this facility from our existing customer base and very much hope it will act as a catalyst for other logistics based developments on this and adjacent sites.'

Ian Fenwick, from Irish Ferries, said: 'Irish Ferries welcome the development of a truck stop facility and it's close proximity to the port and view it as a positive for the freight market, and the Port of Holyhead.' Previous Articles



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Ford Recalls 695 000 Vehicles for Airbag and Transmission Software Updates

Photo: Ford Motor Co.

Ford Motor Company announced two recalls in the past week that will require the owners of some 695 000 Ford vehicles to visit their local dealerships to receive software updates to their SUVs and trucks. On Friday, Ford announced that it would be recalling 692 500 Ford Escape small SUVs and C-Max gas-electric hybrids from the 2013-2014 model year to fix a problem in what the company calls the vehicles' ' safety canopy' (' an air bag that deploys from the ceiling near the windows to protect an occupant's head in a side impact crash or rollover'), according to a New York Times article. The article notes that, according to Ford, a computer software issue could result in delayed deployment of the safety canopy in certain rollover events.

The Associated Press states that the Escapes in the recall were built from 5 October 2011 through 14 February 2014, while the C-Max vehicles (which make up about 10 percent of the recall) were built from 19 January 2012, through 24 February 2014. Ford stated that no injuries or deaths have been reported related to the issue.

In addition, Reuters News reported last Monday that Ford is also recalling 3976 of its F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 Super Duty trucks from model year 2015 that are equipped with 6.2-liter gasoline or 6.7-liter diesel engines and 6R140 torque shift transmissions (pdf). According to Reuters, a 'transmission control software error could cause the vehicle to engage 'reverse' for a little over 1 second when the driver believes he or she is shifting from 'park' to 'drive.''

No injuries or deaths have been reported related to this software issue either, Ford reported. Updates for both the Escape and Ford truck software problems should be available at authorized dealers sometime next month, Ford indicated.

By my informal count, some 5.87 million vehicles have been recalled world-wide since the beginning of the year to correct either software or mechanical (including insect-related) problems that a software fix is being used to mitigate. About 2.8 million of the vehicles in that group have been called in to correct improper airbag deployment.

A big question being raised is that, with so many recalls of all types now taking place (there were 581 recalls involving 22 million vehicles in the U.S. alone last year), how many used and rental vehicles, let alone original owner vehicles, are being driven without ever having their software bugs fixed?

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Devon police hunt dumper truck joyriders

Police are seeking help to track down whoever took a three ton yellow dumper truck on a joy ride.

The dumper truck was seen on Monday 5th May on Woodbury Common in the area of the bridle path which runs behind Blackhill Quarry from Frying Pans car park to the Four Firs to Yettington road, opposite Model Aeroplane car park.

It may also have been on the common the day before, Sunday 4th May.

The truck has been recovered but the police are trying to identify the males who used the truck and are asking anyone who saw the truck being used on the common to contact the police via 101 quoting KE/14/1057.

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A man repeatedly rammed a truck into WMAR's building after screaming, 'Let me ...

An unidentified driver plowed a truck into WMAR-TV's (Channel 2) Towson headquarters several times before getting out of the vehicle and going inside, according to the Baltimore County Police Department and staff members who are at the site.

The car struck WMAR's building late Tuesday morning, according to the police department, before a possibly armed suspect went inside. Police have evacuated the building, which is at 6400 York Road in Baltimore County. The driver remains inside.

WMAR meteorologist Mike Masco tweeted that the vehicle struck the WMAR building seven times. In another tweet, Masco said, 'The guy is holed up in the building police found weapons in his vehicle.' Police found weapons inside the man's vehicle, Masco added.

WMAR reporter Brian Kuebler tweeted that the man 'tried to get in building screaming LET ME IN and said he was God.'

Jeff Herman, the managing editor for WMAR, said on Twitter that all employees are accounted for and safe. Herman described a chaotic scene as the car began ramming WMAR's building.

'Heard thumping,' Herman tweeted. 'Looked out newsroom door and watched what looked like a F350 just slam through vestibule & shatter front glass doors.'

WMAR staffer Kyle Anderson captured the emotion of the situation with a tweet: 'Gonna sound sappy, but all I was thinking of was my wife and soon-to-be-son. What a birthday huh?'

Can't really tell too much but that was our entrance. There is now a truck in the lobby. http://ift.tt/1jrbrXs KellyfromABC2 (@KellyfromABC2) May 13, 2014

So here is my first hand reporter's account (odd btw): suspect tried to get in building screaming LET ME IN and said he was God. 1/2 #Team2- Brian Kuebler (@BrianfromABC2) May 13, 2014

2/2: got into a landscaping truck and rammed the building like 3 times. I saw last 3 as he broke through into lobby. #Team2- Brian Kuebler (@BrianfromABC2) May 13, 2014

A guy has slammed his truck 7 times into our building and is in our building..we've been evacuated.. http://ift.tt/1mp9y31 Mike Masco (@MascoFromABC2) May 13, 2014

The guy is holed up in the building police found weapons in his vehicle.. we remain evacuated http://ift.tt/1jrbrXu Mike Masco (@MascoFromABC2) May 13, 2014

We ran through newsroom with @KellyfromABC2 screaming for everyone to get out. Went out back door to lot. #team2- Jeff Herman (@JeffABC2News) May 13, 2014

Gonna sound sappy, but all I was thinking of was my wife and soon-to-be-son. What a birthday huh? #team2 @ABC2NEWS- Kyle Andersen (@KyleatABC2) May 13, 2014

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Man Arrested After Ramming Baltimore TV Station With Truck

TOWSON, Md. (WNEW) - Police are searching for a seemingly disturbed man who crashed a large truck into the lobby of Baltimore television station WMAR Tuesday morning.

The man, who authorities say may be armed, initially tried to gain entry to the station while screaming 'Let me in!' and claiming that he was God, according to WMAR reporter Brian Kuebler. When he was denied access, the man got into a nearby landscaping truck and rammed the building's lobby at least three times, Kuebler says.

Someone inside the building first called 911 at 11:45 a.m. to report the man's bizarre behavior, according to Baltimore County Police. Within minutes a second call was placed to report that a truck had crashed into the lobby.

The truck was stolen from a Montgomery County landscaping company, according to Kuebler.

The truck came to rest completely inside the lobby of the station, according to a tweet by WMAR's digital producer.

The man was not inside the truck when officers arrived at the building, authorities say. A search of the building began a short time later.

Baltimore County Police cannot confirm whether the man is armed.

Authorities say they have no information about the man's identity or motive for breaching the building.

Police say it is possible there are people still sheltering in place within the building, although WMAR news director says all employees have been accounted for. A total of 55 people were evacuated from the building.

There are no reports of injuries or shots being fired, according to authorities.

The ABC affiliate is warning people to stay clear of the station, located in the 6400 block of York Road in Towson, just north of Baltimore city limits. York Road is closed from Regester Avenue to Walker Avenue.

SWAT team members are among a large law enforcement contingent to have arrived at the station. Maryland State Police officers are assisting local authorities at the scene.

Footage from a news helicopter circling above the station showed bomb sniffing dogs and a robot enter the building.

Mike Masco, a meteorologist at the station, reports the man has made it to the second floor of the building. Police discovered weapons inside the truck, according to Masco.

Station employees have been evacuated and some are congregating at a nearby shopping center.

Nearby St. Pius X school was placed on lockdown as a precaution but that since has been lifted. School officials said that all students and staff are safe.

Baltimore County Public Schools officials say area schools have not been impacted by the situation.

Stay away from ABC2 on York road in Towson. Person just rammed station with dump truck. It's a crime scene. Male suspect, potentially armed.- (@ABC2NEWS) May 13, 2014

Police helicopters circling now .. guy made it to second floor of #abc2 http://t.co/J8s7iISoFG- Mike Masco (@MascoFromABC2) May 13, 2014

@ cbsbaltimore WMAR York Road http://t.co/APgmSG10J1- Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) May 13, 2014

Bomb sniffing dog close to @ ABC2NEWS after a truck ran into our obby. All colleagues are fine. #thisissurreal http://t.co/wYFQyZGroi- Cheryl Conner (@CherylfromABC2) May 13, 2014

Um...so this just got real. #Team2 http://t.co/FSsQUF88TT- Brian Kuebler (@BrianfromABC2) May 13, 2014 This story will be updated.

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'The Voice': Adam Gets Revenge On Blake With Dirty Prank

Adam Levine and Blake Shelton have been going head-to-head since 'The Voice' began, but on the May 12 semifinals, Adam took it to a whole new level. Plus, did Usher diss Shakira? Keep reading to find out!

Remember when Blake Shelton blasted out Adam Levine's phone number to the world on live TV? Well, Adam finally got payback last night - by dumping manure all over Blake's truck. Gotta love these guys! Adam Levine Pulls A Dirty Prank On Blake Shelton

The May 12 semifinals were all about showing off the contestants' major talent, but Adam interrupted the night's performances to show off his sense of humor.

The funny feud between Adam and Blake only heightened when Adam arranged to have manure dumped all of Blake's red truck, and the prank was shown during the show!

Adam announced that he had a 'gift' for Blake, which was in response to him tweeting out his phone number during the show weeks prior. He pulled out a walky talky to direct dump trucks to pour manure all over Blakes truck with the footage being live broadcasted during the show, and then made sure Blake knew exactly what was going down, telling him that animal 'feces' are now on his red truck!

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HollywoodLife.com spoke EXCLUSIVELY to host Carson Daly to see what he had to say about the prank. 'I had nothing to do with that terrible comedy bit,' said Carson. 'What are we a variety slap stick show? Are we a comedy all of the sudden!?'

Carson's unimpressed reaction was all in good fun, but he did make one thing clear for us: 'It was real manure.'

And for all of you that are sick of Adam and Blake's 'fighting,' Carson says it should come to an end soon! 'It's been fun, as the show, has wanted to nurture their declining bromance but I think we have done enough.' Usher Calls Shakira Cuban By Mistake - Is She Mad?

Adam and Blake weren't the only coaches in a tiff last night! Usher called Cuban during the live show, and Shakira is, of course, actually Colombian!

Did she take offense to Usher's inaccurate comment? 'Noooo, that was cute!' Shakira EXCLUSIVELY told HollywoodLife.com. 'I love Cuban people and we are very close - I am from the Caribbean...I am sure that Columbians are thrilled. But it's fine! I love Cuba.'

She added with a laugh, 'I think Usher just needed some rest at that point and just needed a little help!'

HollywoodLifers, what did you think of Adam's prank? Did he go too far? And was it offensive that Usher called Shakira Cuban or just a simple mistake? Let us know what you think about the latest on the judges! - Written by Elizabeth Wagmeister, Reporting by Russ Weakland Follow @EWagmeister More 'The Voice' News:

'The Voice': Three Singers Are Eliminated - Meet The Top Five 'The Voice': Gwen Stefani Named Coach - Adam & Blake Confirmed 'The Voice' Top 10 Live Show: Christina Grimmie Stuns With A Drake Song

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Possibly armed man crashes truck into Maryland TV station

Credit: Reuters/Courtesy-WBAL-TV/Handout via Reuters



Police tactical team members arrive outside the ABC 2 news station after a possibly armed suspect crashed a vehicle into the Maryland television news station and barricaded himself inside the building, in Towson, Maryland, in this still image taken from video on May 13, 2014.

The man banged on the glass doors of WMAR-TV in Towson, asking to be let inside. When he was refused, he crashed a large commercial truck into the ABC affiliate's lobby at 11:45 a.m., station employees told CBS television.

A spokeswoman with the Baltimore County Police Department said officers evacuated 55 people from the building and urged others to avoid the area.

Police said they were looking for the suspect inside the building after officers did not find him in the vehicle, which remained in the lobby of the station.

'We don't know who he is, and we certainly don't have any info as to what his motive is,' police spokeswoman Elise Armacost told a news conference.

Armacost said there were no reports of injuries but that additional people may still be sheltered in place. She said the suspect may be armed but there were no reports of shots fired.

Brian Kuebler, a reporter at the station, said on Twitter the suspect rammed the building three times with a landscaping truck.

He 'tried to get in (the) building screaming 'LET ME IN!' and said he was God,' according to Kuebler's Twitter post.

(Reporting by Curtis Skinner; Editing by James Dalgleish)

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Man rams Baltimore

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A man -- possibly armed -- barricaded himself inside a Baltimore-area TV station Tuesday after chanting 'I am God' and then repeatedly ramming a dump truck into the building.

WMAR-TV meteorologist Mike Masco tweets that the staff had been evacuated and that everyone at the station appeared to be safe.

'Guy kept chanting I am God when he first walked up to the door of the building. went back for his industrial sized truck and rammed building,' Masco tweets.

Masco also reported that police found weapons in his vehicle.

The incident occurred in Towson, Md., an unincorporated community in Baltimore County next to the city of Baltimore. USA NOW Where is Casey Kasem? | USA NOW

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2014 Ford F

Many truck enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating Ford Motor Company's ( ) upcoming 2015 F-150. The newest version of America's best selling pickup will offer a big improvement in fuel economy thanks to its increased usage of lightweight aluminum in the body.

With a potentially revolutionary product coming to market later this year, it would not be all that surprising if demand for the 2014 Ford F-150 were slowing down. That's especially true because most of Ford's competitors -- including top rival General Motors ( ) -- have launched new pickup designs in the last year or two.

However, no demand slowdown has materialized. In fact, Ford has been able to maintain its market share and grow sales while limiting incentives and boosting average transaction prices. Demand is so strong that the company is looking for ways to build more 2014 Ford F-150s -- something that would definitely help the company's earnings this year.

Strong pickup demand continuesThe U.S. auto industry has gotten off to a rocky start in 2014, but the same cannot be said for the pickup segment. At Ford, while total vehicle sales are down 2.1% year to date, F-Series pickup truck sales have risen 3.9%.

General Motors has had more issues in the truck market this year as its attempts to rein in discounts on pickups have driven away some potential Chevy Silverado buyers. Nevertheless, GM's truck sales are about flat this year. Moreover, GM posted strong growth in truck sales last month. Finally, the big standout in 2014 has been Ram, which has reported pickup sales growth of 23% this year.

Fiat Chrysler has rolled out big incentives on Ram trucks this year in order to generate that level of sales growth. However, everybody else has been pulling back on incentives and posting pretty solid sales numbers nonetheless.

For example, Ford reduced incentives on the 2014 Ford F-150 in April, offering lower incentives on average than either GM or Fiat Chrysler. (F-Series incentive spending as a whole was down $380 year over year.) As a result, the average transaction price for F-Series trucks rose about $1,200 to $39,000. Despite the higher pricing, sales increased 7.4% last month.

Building more 2014 Ford F-150s... hopefullyThe looming introduction of Ford's new F-Series trucks later this year means Ford will have to take extra downtime in order to change over its truck plants so they can produce the new models. However, Ford's truck plants are already just about running flat-out producing the 2014 Ford F-150.

Because of the extra plant downtime scheduled for later this year, Ford's truck inventory could be very thin by year-end. Supply constraints for F-Series trucks could potentially disrupt Ford's ability to sell its most profitable vehicles.

On Ford's Q1 earnings call last month, Ford COO (and future CEO) Mark Fields took note of this issue and stated that the company is looking at ways to produce some extra 2014 Ford F-150s.

Ford could potentially run some overtime shifts at one or both of its truck plants to compensate for the downtime coming later this year. However, it needs to coordinate with suppliers -- who also may be retooling plants to support the next-generation F-Series trucks -- to ensure that they can support increased production.

Foolish bottom lineWhile Ford will be introducing a much-improved F-150 for the 2015 model year, plenty of buyers are eager to get their hands on a 2014 Ford F-150. This is helping Ford to post consistent pickup sales growth without offering big incentives, despite having the oldest full-size pickup of any major automaker.

This strong pickup demand environment bodes well for the launch of the 2015 Ford F-150. If General Motors maintains its discipline on incentives, Ford should be able to charge more for the new F-150 next year without jeopardizing its sales volume. This -- along with Ford's other major product launches this year -- will drive strong profit growth for Ford in 2015.

Top dividend stocks for the next decadeThe smartest investors know that dividend stocks like Ford simply crush their non-dividend paying counterparts over the long term. That's beyond dispute. They also know that a well-constructed dividend portfolio creates wealth steadily, while still allowing you to sleep like a baby. Knowing how valuable such a portfolio might be, our top analysts put together a report on a group of high-yielding stocks that should be in any income investor's portfolio. To see our free report on these stocks, just click here now.

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2016 Ford F

Ford's off-road beast survives the aluminum apocalypse.

What It Is: Time to let out a rebel yell and a 'hells yes!' because Ford's macho-awesome, off-roading-optimized F-150 SVT Raptor appears to have survived the regular F-150's transition into aluminum-ness. What you see here is a test mule wearing a mashup of 2015 F-150 and outgoing SVT Raptor parts out for a lovely day of testing.

Why It Matters: Are you kidding? This prototype proves Ford has committed to keeping its impressive, Special Vehicle Team-tuned beast around for a second generation. This is a relief, given how, at this year's Detroit auto show, Ford's truck marketing manager revealed the Raptor wouldn't be on the automaker's 2015 roster. This made us sad, and threw the model's future into question. These spy photos snap that future back in line, and have returned our zeal for life. After all, a world without enormous, fuel-sucking trucks with suspensions capable of bombing across the Baja at 80 mph isn't a world worth living in.





Platform: Like the plain-Jane 2015 F-150, expect the Raptor version to once again ride on a steel ladder-frame chassis with more high-strength steel than before and feature at least some aluminum body pieces.The prototype pictured here wears the 2015 F-150's aluminum crew cab, but marries that part with the current-generation Raptor's front clip and (presumably steel) pickup bed. Of course, the pieces could merely be stand-ins to accommodate the truck's wider track and beefy tires.

Despite insisting an aluminum-bodied pickup suffers no strength or durability deficiencies compared a steel-bodied rig-witness its running of an aluminum-bodied F-150 race truck in secret at the 2013 Baja 1000-Ford's probably going to need to keep up the effort long after the F-150 goes on sale. That's the price of being first through the breach with a new technology in a segment filled with traditionalist buyers. But it's also a great opportunity for the Raptor. If Ford can show the SVT truck is capable of taking a beating in spite of its aluminum mix-and perhaps even link the truck's assumed weight loss with enhanced performance-it could have quite the marketing coup. Plus, it would probably be more trouble than it's worth to tool up steel body components for just one F-150 trim level. Material choice aside, look for the Raptor to continue packing a raised suspension, unique shocks, big tires, and a general bad-ass vibe.

Powertrain: Today, the SVT Raptor model comes only with Ford's burly 6.2-liter V-8 engine, which served as the top-dog gasoline offering in the non-SVT F-150. With the next-generation F-150 seemingly topping out with a 5.0-liter V-8, we're not sure what to expect from the Raptor. If the 5.0-liter becomes Raptor kit, we'd hope Ford uses aluminum as much as possible in order to keep weight down and performance nice and sweet, and forced-induction is of course a possibility. We suppose Ford's EcoBoost V-6s could make the grade, but really, when you've got this much footprint, this much tire, and cojones this big, you gotta have a V-8 rumble.





Competition: Ram 1500 with Mopar Ram Runner Package, Toyota Tundra TRD Pro Series.

Estimated Arrival and Price: Since Ford's already confirmed the 2015 F-150 lineup will be SVT Raptor-free, we'd wager on the high-performance off-road truck to arrive for 2016. Pricing could creep up from today's value-laden $45,900 starting figure; doing so might allow Ford to incrementally mitigate possible profit drops from selling regular-grade aluminum F-150s at competitive prices. View Photo Gallery Other Stories You Might Like

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What You Need to Know About Gear Alloy Wheels

Owning a truck comes with a certain amount of pride when you take it out on the road or if you go off on the trails or into the woods to do some off-roading with it. Every time you take your truck out it is a representative of you and the toughness you want to display with it. For this reason, many truck owners seek to individualize and personalize their trucks with as many custom accessories as possible, so they can give the truck a look that truly represents the owner.

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Tributes flow for Bree Stanford, 19, killed by a truck on the M1

Bree Stanford: urged people to cherish each other because "we can lose someone at any moment". Photo: From Facebook

Just days before she was killed in a tragic road accident, 19-year-old Bree Stanford posted a message on Facebook urging people to cherish their loved ones because they could be gone in a second.

"If we remembered everyday that we can lose someone at any moment, we would love them more fiercely and freely, and without fear - not because there is nothing to lose, but because everything can always be lost," she posted last Saturday.

Ms Stanford, from Panania in Sydney's south-west, was killed on Thursday when a truck ran into the back of her friend's car on the M1 at Mooney Mooney, completely crushing the black Mazda 323.



Bree Stanford (right) with a friend. Photo: Facebook

The two women, who were on their way back to Sydney after a short holiday, had broken down on the Hawkesbury River Bridge where there is no breakdown lane.

Ms Stanford's friend, a 19 year-old P-plate driver, had gotten out of the car to inspect the problem while Ms Stanford stayed in the passenger seat.

It's believed the friend screamed at Ms Stanford to get out of the car as the truck approached but she didn't have time to escape.

The driver, a 41 year-old from Woomargana on the Victorian border, has been charged with dangerous and negligent driving occasioning death.

Witnesses saw him slumped beside his truck crying after the accident. Large skid marks could be seen on the road.

The 19 year-old female driver was taken to hospital suffering shock.

Friends described Ms Stanford, a journalism student, as a "beautiful, kind, crazy, bubbly girl" who had travelled widely.

A friend who worked with Ms Stanford at Bankstown KFC said Bree was "an amazing free-spirited girl, all she wanted to do was travel the world and see all the amazing views"

"I remember sitting with her on our work breaks and she'd just talk for ages about how much she wanted to make a change and help people," said the friend, who wished to remain anonymous. "She'd always managed to put a smile on everyone's faces, her beautiful big blue eyes would just lighten up your day, I'll never forget her."

Another friend, Julie Boustani, posted online: "You were such an amazing person, with so much potential and an inspirational passion for life. You are gone but you surely will never be forgotten."

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Auto Sales Warm Up in April on Truck, SUV Demand

Auto sales picked up the pace in April, as drivers returned to showrooms looking for new trucks and sport-utility vehicles after a rough winter.

The auto industry has benefited from a rebound in the housing and energy sectors, in addition to low interest rates. Sales raced higher in 2013 but got off to a slow start this year amid record snowfall in many parts of the country.

Analysts expected the industry as a whole to report stronger sales for the latest month, given pent-up demand from consumers who put off buying a car until the spring. Car information provider Kelley Blue Book also said transaction prices for new vehicles ticked 1.2% higher to an average of $32,141.

According to Autodata, the seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) for sales of light vehicles hit 16.04 million in April compared to 15.19 million a year earlier.

However, Ford ( F) revealed a slight drop in April sales amid weaker demand for passenger cars. The nation's No. 2 automaker sold 211,126 vehicles last month, down 0.7% compared to the same month a year earlier.

Kelley Blue Book was looking for a 0.9% decline in Ford sales. Edmunds.com anticipated a 4.6% increase.

John Felice, Ford's vice president of U.S. marketing, sales and service, said the company saw considerable strength in F-series pickup trucks and its Explorer SUV.

"Overall, industry sales continued the rebound from January and February and are on a path of steady growth," he added.

Ford sold a total of 63,387 F-series trucks last month, marking their best April since 2006. Truck demand and a 17% increase in Explorer sales helped offset weakness in car sales, as the namesake Ford brand recorded just a slight drop year-over-year.

The company's Lincoln luxury brand posted a sales drop of 11%, with Ford citing a strong year-ago comparison. Lincoln sales are up 21% through the first fourth months of the year.

While Ford truck sales grew 8% overall, car sales fell 9.1% on weaker demand for the Fiesta, Focus and Fusion.

That trend was seen across much of the industry last month. Jack Nerad, executive editorial director and senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book, said American automakers have made significant inroads to improve their car portfolios, but a winter full of snowstorms likely made trucks and SUVs "look a lot more appealing" to buyers.

Ford said retail sales, or vehicles sold to consumers, checked in at 141,950 units, off about 1% versus April 2013. The latest month had 26 selling days, one more than last year.

Also on Thursday, Dearborn, Mich.-based Ford announced chief operating officer Mark Fields will succeed Alan Mulally, who plans to retire on July 1, as president and CEO. The transition will occur earlier than expected. Mulally previously said he would remain in his current roles until at least the end of 2014.

Shares of Ford fell 1.4% to $15.93 in recent trading.

General Motors ( GM), the largest of the Big Three automakers, reported a 6.9% increase in its April sales on strong demand for the company's new pickup trucks.

GM sold 254,076 new vehicles in April, beating estimates from both Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds. Chevrolet sales rose 5.3%, while GMC was up 13%. Sales grew 12% and 5.1% for Buick and Cadillac, respectively.

The redesigned Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra performed well during the month, and GM stressed that transaction prices held steady. The company has said it will continue to control incentives for its new trucks, sacrificing higher sales figures in exchange for wider margins.

Sales of the Silverado jumped 8.5% to 42,755. GM delivered 17,246 Sierra pickups, a 21.4% gain.

GM also said it expects to gain between two and three points of retail market share in the large pickup segment compared to March 2014.

The company's overall retail sales improved 8%, while fleet sales were up 5%.

"Retail demand was steady in April, and truck sales and transaction prices were especially strong," said Kurt McNeil, U.S. vice president of sales operations at GM. "As we expected, the economy continues to strengthen."

GM's results seemingly indicate that consumers are unfazed by its ignition-switch recall and several others this year. The company has come under scrutiny for a years-long delay in recalling about 2.6 million vehicles worldwide to fix defective ignition switches, a problem that has been linked to 13 deaths.

Nerad said the sales figures and Kelley Blue Book's market research indicates the recall isn't affecting car shoppers.

"We thought that from the beginning. We didn't think this would have the impact that Toyota's sudden-acceleration problems had on its sales," Nerad said, noting how the cars included in GM's ignition-switch recall are all defunct models.

GM shares raced 1.3% higher to $34.94 on the April sales report.

Chrysler Group outpaced its U.S. rivals with a 14% increase in April sales, as the automaker continues to benefit from sales of Ram trucks and the recently launched Jeep Cherokee.

The company recorded sales of 178,652 vehicles, thanks to truck sales that soared 34%. Car sales tumbled 26%.

Chrysler topped a projection from Edmunds for 12.3% growth year-over-year. Kelley Blue Book anticipated a higher gain of 18.1%.

Strong demand for Jeep and Ram vehicles again lifted Chrysler's monthly sales report. The Jeep brand posted a 52% increase in sales, with sales of the Cherokee hitting 15,007 units. The SUV's launch was delayed last year but began arriving at dealers in late October.

The Ram Truck brand saw sales climb 22%. Chrysler said 36,674 pickups were delivered last month. The namesake Chrysler brand suffered a 21% decline in sales, while Dodge sales were flat. The company also saw a 10% increase in Fiat sales.

Chrysler is in the process of completing its merger with Italian automaker Fiat. The combination into Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is expected to be done by the end of the year. CEO Sergio Marchionne said the new company could begin trading in New York by Oct. 1.

Toyota's ( TM) April sales jumped 13.3% to 199,660 vehicles, as sales of the Tundra pickup truck jumped 24%. Lexus saw a 23.1% improvement in April sales volume, while the Toyota division recorded 11.7% growth.

U.S. shares of Toyota rallied 1.4% to $109.80.

Honda ( HMC) reported sales of 132,456 units, or 1.1% more than the year-ago month. The Acura luxury brand outpaced Honda with a gain of 1.6% on strong demand for light trucks. The company's namesake vehicles posted a 1.1% sales increase.

"After a few truly chilling winter months, it's great to see the warmer spring weather begin to liberate our customers and spark record sales of CR-V and solid sales results across the lineup," said Jeff Conrad, the Honda division's senior vice president and general manager.

Honda shares were up 1.2% at $33.69 on Thursday afternoon.

Nissan Group, which includes the Infiniti luxury brand, said its monthly sales flew 18.3% higher to 103,934.

Fellow Japanese manufacturer Hyundai Motor sold 119,783 vehicles in the U.S., up 8% year-over-year, amid a 12.9% increase in sales for its Kia brand. The results beat estimates.

Sales of Volkswagen and Audi vehicles fell about 0.7% to a combined 46,484, missing expectations. Follow Matthew Rocco on Twitter @MatthewRocco

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Turnpike lanes finally clear six hours after truck fire

Published: Friday, May 2, 2014, 1:57 p.m. Updated 1 hour ago

Westbound traffic on the Pennsylvania Turnpike was at a standstill Friday afternoon due to a tractor-trailer fire.

The truck was stopped along the shoulder near mile marker 53.6 in Plum, near the Saltsburg Road overpass between the Pittsburgh and Allegheny Valley exits.

According to the Turnpike Commission, the incident began just before 1 p.m. The commission reported the left westbound lane reopened at 2:28 p.m., but traffic back-ups will continue indefinitely.

Eastbound traffic was not directly impacted.

The truck, which was hauling a double-trailer of Mini Coopers, was from the Precision Motor Transport Group in Okemos, Mi. A message seeking comment left at the company was not immediately returned. The Mini Coopers in the trailer immediately behind the tractor also burned.



Most-Read AlleKiski Valley

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The V8 Pickup Truck Is On Life Support

S

If you're a fan of cylinders, I have some bad news to bear. Your average, run-of-the-mill pickup truck on the road these days likely has a V6, since more and more buyers are going smaller and straying away from V8s.

Back in the heady days of Marlboro Men and cheap gas prices, a truck wasn't a truck unless it had a V8 under the hood. Times are a-changin', and as pickup trucks morph from farmers' favorites to multi-purpose vehicles for the multi-tasking family man, people aren't turning their nose up at a puny six-cylinder like they used to.

The New York Times points out that more than half of Ford F-150s sold now have V6 engines, with the 3.5L Ecoboost as the brand's most popular variant. That doesn't mean the V8 is completely dead; heavy-duty pickups still need them. But it is saying something about our buying habits, as Chrysler and GM are showing similar trends:

Ford expects the 6-cylinder renaissance to continue. Later this year, the company will drop the 6.2-liter V8 it has been offering, leaving the 5-liter as the only V8 offered in the 2015 F-150, while adding a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6, whose power ratings have not been announced.

The current 3.5-liter turbo is rated at 16 miles per gallon in the city and 22 on the highway.

The naturally aspirated 3.7-liter V6, rated at 23 m.p.g. on the highway, will shrink to 3.5 liters, a downsizing made possible because the new aluminum-body truck will weigh less.

Ford expects its line of three V6s to account for more than 70 percent of all F-150 sales.

One of the major reasons for this shift is automakers trying to reach make sure their models fall under CAFE compliance. (The NYT also points out a shift toward 8-, 9- and 10-speed transmissions in pickups, which also boost fuel economy.) But I also think that the way we think about pickups is changing.

A while back I talked to Ram's former top truck guy and he pointed out how the industry wants to target more women drivers and family households for pickups, and it makes sense: They've got big backseats for kids, can haul all your soccer shit without looking like a soccer mom, and they're more fuel-efficient than ever.

Either way, I know big-engine enthusiasts will be disappointed. They've already begun disappearing from mainstream sedans, so it was only a matter of time before the trucks were next. Photo via Ford

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Hook

It's like Uber for your nether-regions!

Once upon a time, having sex in the back of a truck was seen as a thing that you only did out of extreme necessity. Like, your boyfriend's futon had bed bugs or your parents were home. But a new service that has been getting a considerable amount of internet buzz is trying to change that mentality.

This weekend, a no-frills, on-demand, condom-filled Hook-Up truck will be driving around San Francisco providing the exact service you think it would: A place for fornication. It's like Uber for your genitals!

But this isn't UberLUX. The 21+ crowd who rents the mobile hour-motel service can expect an unmarked box-truck to show up, providing basic services: temperature control, free safe sex accoutrement, and a camera ready option to record the interlude. There are no stripper poles or water beds - no beds at all, actually, since bedding is absorbent and therefore less clean.

"There's not much in the room," creator and conceptual artist Spy Emerson told TIME. "There's a bench and a handle, like a bar you hold on to. It's designed to keep clean, so we just wipe everything down. I have bleach and this green stuff, I have disinfective wipes. I guarantee that this is cleaner than BART [San Francisco's transit system] or any public bathroom that anyone has used recently."

The Hook-Up Truck is part performance art, part social experiment, and part test-run for an actual business. While services are free this weekend, Emerson plans to eventually charge people for their time in the truck and eventually franchise the sex-on-wheels-mobile in other cities. It has been reported that rates will range from $75 for 30 parked minutes of bliss to $2,500 for a 5-hour party rental.

Unsurprisingly, the Hook-Up Truck was created for the swipe-happy, dating app generation. "One of my friends was talking about his experiences on Grindr, and he was doing it in driveways and behind cars, and I realized that his service is needed," Emerson said.

But Emerson was surprised to find that clients who have reserved the truck for Friday and Saturday night aren't just Tinder addicts.



"It's not just the exhibitionists you'd imagine," Emerson said. There are single mothers, a military wife surprising her husband when he's on leave, and husband who is surprising his wife for their anniversary. "They're gong to have dinner, and then he's going to bring her to the truck."

You shouldn't have?

Emerson is also hoping to collect materials from the Hook-Up Truck for an art exhibition she hopes to present at Miami's Art Basel in December. So if couples are interested, photos before, after, and even during are strongly encouraged.

Emerson says that "this weekend is just to get us out there and rolling around." Literally and metaphorically.

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Former Ferrari engineer Nigel Stepney dies after being hit by truck

The former Ferrari engineer Nigel Stepney, who was sacked by the Formula One team after being accused of sabotage and leaking confidential data to McLaren in 2007, has died in a road accident, his sportscar team said.

The JRM team said their technical director and team manager was killed on Friday morning.

Kent police said in a separate statement that a 56-year-old was hit by a truck at 1.28am after stopping his van on the hard shoulder of the M20 motorway at Ashford.

"For reasons yet to be established, the man appears to have entered the carriageway and was then in collision with an articulated goods vehicle. He was pronounced deceased at the scene," police said.

McLaren were fined a record $100m by the International Automobile Federation and stripped of all their constructors' points in 2007 after being found guilty of possessing a 780-page dossier of Ferrari data. Stepney and McLaren's then-chief designer Mike Coughlan, who had the information at his home, were sacked by their teams. The FIA took no formal action against Stepney, since he was not a licence holder of the governing body, but recommended that teams should have no professional ties with him for two years. He never worked in Formula One again.

Ferrari had also accused their employee of attempted sabotage, allegations Stepney denied. The team had claimed a mysterious powder was found around the fuel caps of both their cars before the 2007 Monaco Grand Prix. Powder turned up in Stepney's trouser pocket but the Briton said he was set up.

In 2010, an Italian court sentenced Stepney to a 20 months in jail, as well as a fine, but a plea bargain meant he did not have to serve any time.

Before the Spygate affair, one of the biggest scandals to hit Formula One in the modern era, Stepney had an impressive F1 career. He had worked with Ayrton Senna at Lotus and was at Ferrari when Michael Schumacher won five world championships in a row between 2000 and 2004.

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'The Hook Up Truck' hits the streets of San Francisco this weekend

At one point in time, around the dirty 60s, sex literally happened right on the streets of San Francisco.

This weekend, it will happen again - but in a delivery van.

The brainchild of artist Spy Emerson, the "Hook-Up Truck" is a box truck, a mobile hotel room almost, available for short-term rentals.

It's not for hook-up cable - it's for laying it.

The Hook-Up truck - a conceptual "art" installation consisting of a box truck converted to a sex suite on wheels, including temperature controls, birth control, safe sex accouterments, and a camera option, in case you and yours decide to make the escapade a YouTube sensation, is finally open for service the weekend of May 2nd and 3rd.

If you're worried about germs, you're probably not even considering sex in a truck, but in case you're only kind of a perv - the place is super tidy.

"The room is designed with cleanliness in mind," Emerson told CBS Local in San Francisco. "I've created a very minimalist room. Everything is wiped down and cleaned before and after every person. It's probably cleaner than the BART or any public toilet you've used."

Sadly, he's probably right.

[via CBS Local]








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GM Defies Recall Taint as U.S. Rebound Spurs Truck Demand

General Motors Co. (GM) is shrugging off the impact of a 2.59 million small-car recall with new Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups that are luring buyers into dealerships as the weather warms and the U.S. economy rebounds.

GM sales rose 6.9 percent in April, beating the average of industry analysts surveyed by Bloomberg that projected a 5.7 percent gain. Sales of GM's redesigned full-size pickups gained 12 percent while large sport-utility vehicle deliveries increased 22 percent, the Detroit-based company said.

The year-over-year "trend in GM's total and retail sales has only improved since news of its ignition-switch recall affecting older-model cars became widely reported upon in the media -- we believe furthering our thesis that GM market share will not be materially impacted as a consequence of the issue," Ryan Brinkman, an industry analyst with JPMorgan Chase & Co., said yesterday in a note to investors.

GM's sales gain, after better than projected earnings reported last week, are a bright spot for Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra, grappling with the recalls for faulty ignition switches. Federal safety regulators, Congress and the Justice Department are investigating why it took the company more than a decade to address the defective parts.

While GM beat sales estimates in April, Ford Motor Co. (F) and Chrysler Group LLC missed analysts' estimates as industrywide sales rose 8.1 percent to 1.39 million cars and lights trucks, according to researcher Autodata Corp. The annual sales rate, adjusted for seasonal trends, climbed to 16 million from 15.2 million a year ago. That missed analysts' projections for a 16.2 million pace. Stock Gain

GM rose 1.2 percent to $34.90 yesterday, paring losses for the year to 15 percent. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index, little changed yesterday, has gained 1.9 percent this year.





Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg say GM will reach $42.50 a share in 12 months to create a 22 percent return from yesterday. This is the 26th highest projected return among S&P 500 companies, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Among the 100 largest global auto companies, GM has the fourth lowest price-to-cash flow ratio, fifth lowest price-to-sales ratio and 35th lowest price-to-earnings ratio.

GM joined Ford, Chrysler and Toyota (7203) Motor Corp. in boosting sales of trucks in the U.S. last month. Ford, Chrysler

Ford, as it named Mark Fields its new CEO, said pickup sales gained 8 percent, while cars fell 9.1 percent. Ford's total light-vehicle deliveries fell 0.8 percent. Analysts had projected a 3.1 percent increase. Chrysler's 17 percent jump in Ram pickups and 52 percent surge in Jeep brand sport-utility vehicles weren't enough to top estimates for a 16 percent gain. A 14 percent gain at Chrysler produced its best April since 2007.

Pickup sales were helped by pent-up demand coming out of January and February when bad winter weather kept buyers away from showrooms, suggesting contractors are feeling more confident about housing starts, Mark Wakefield, leader of AlixPartners LLP's automotive practices in the Americas, said yesterday in a telephone interview.

"The cold snap recovery has quite a bit to do with it," he said. "I don't think we're seeing a mass return to the urban cowboy that we had before." Toyota's Rise

Toyota sales rose 13 percent to 199,660, matching analysts' estimates. The automaker, based in Toyota City, Japan, saw U.S. truck and car deliveries advance 17 percent and 11 percent, respectively. Sales of the full-size Tundra pickup jumped 23 percent.

"For Toyota, truck sales continue to soar," Bill Fay, Toyota division group vice president and general manager, said in a statement.

Nissan Motor Co. (7201) sales increased 18 percent, exceeding the 14 percent average of analysts' estimates. The company's car sales bucked the declining trend with a 24 percent gain as Nissan Versa deliveries jumped 46 percent. The Yokohama-based company reported mixed results on pickups: The compact Frontier was up 11 percent while the full-size Titan slid 7.9 percent.

Honda Motor Co.'s sales of Honda and Acura brand autos rose 1.1 percent last month to 132,456, the company said in separate Twitter posts. That was below an expected 3.3 percent increase.

Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp., affiliated South Korean automakers, reported a combined sales gain of 8 percent, topping an estimated 5.9 percent increase. Hyundai's sales grew 4.4 percent to 66,107, while Kia's jumped 13 percent to 53,676, the Seoul-based companies said in separate statements. Strategic Incentives

GM, the nation's largest automaker, reported sales of 254,076 in April. Deliveries of the Chevrolet Silverado pickup rose 8.5 percent while those of GMC Sierra trucks increased 21 percent. Both trucks were redesigned and began arriving in showrooms last year. Sales of GM's large sport-utility vehicles, including the Chevrolet Tahoe, gained 22 percent, the company said in an e-mailed statement. Deliveries of GM's Chevy Cruze small car slid 1.3 percent and the mid-size Malibu dropped 8.2 percent.

With GM's recent introduction of heavy duty and full-sized SUVs, "we believe sales of these vehicles are finally hitting their stride and we project continued sales strength and market share gains," Joseph Amaturo, an analyst with Buckingham Research Group, said in a note yesterday to investors.

GM said it used "strategic" discounts to boost sales of its Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups, aiming incentives on double-cabs and V-6 models where the company felt it was losing share to price competition. Incentives as a percentage of average transaction prices rose to 12.4 percent in April from 10.2 percent in the first quarter, GM said, citing data from J.D. Power & Associates. The company noted that its incentives on large SUVs and heavy duty trucks declined. Truck Prices

Higher prices on those new trucks helped GM offset losses in the first quarter from the cost of recalling 7 million vehicles, including the 2.59 million with potentially faulty ignition switches that allowed the key to slip out of the "on" position, shutting off the engine and disabling air bags. First-quarter profit fell to $213 million from $1.18 billion a year ago. North American adjusted earnings before interest and taxes fell to $557 million from $1.4 billion.

Ford reported U.S. light-vehicle sales of 210,355 last month, the Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker said in a statement. Deliveries of the Ford Focus dropped 15 percent while F-Series pickups gained 7.4 percent. Ford said it trimmed discounts on its F-Series in April by $380 from a year earlier to $3,700 a truck. Jeep SUVs

Deliveries of Chrysler's outgoing 200 sedan plunged 66 percent, as the company's car sales dropped 26 percent. Chrysler's results were hurt by a 26 percent drop for the compact Dart. Ram pickup sales totaled 36,674.

"Strong consumer demand for our Jeep sport-utility vehicles and Ram pickup trucks continued in April," Reid Bigland, Chrysler's U.S. sales chief, said in the statement.

Dodge brand added 50 sales to 53,463 in April as gains by the Grand Caravan minivan and Journey SUV made up for declines for the Dart and outgoing Avenger. Fiat brand sales increased 10 percent to 4,298 deliveries.

The latest consumer confidence survey, which rose in April to a nine-month high, showed Americans are growing more upbeat about the economy as the labor market gains traction. Consumers were more optimistic about current conditions than at any time since July 2007 as smaller ranks of the unemployed, near-record stock prices and higher property values help bolster household finances.

The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan final index of sentiment increased to 84.1 from a four-month low of 80 in March. The median projection in a Bloomberg survey of economists called for 83 after a preliminary April reading of 82.6.

To contact the reporters on this story: Mark Clothier in Southfield, Michigan, at mclothier@bloomberg.net; Tim Higgins in Southfield, Michigan, at thiggins21@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jamie Butters at jbutters@bloomberg.net Niamh Ring

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