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SONOMA, Calif. — Equipment manufacturers showcased new fuel-efficient Class 8 tractor technology here during Shell’s “Make the Future” event at the Sonoma Raceway on April 20.

Shippers are demanding more precise information about the location and status of their shipments, and transportation and logistics providers said they are using multiple load-tracking platforms to collect and share that information.

The trucking industry needs to hire about 30,000 maintenance technicians to keep up with demand.

With the increasing complexity of modern trucks and an even higher premium placed on drivers’ time, Glen McDonald, maintenance director at Ozark Motor Lines, knew he needed to maximize shop labor and move trucks through his fleet’s maintenance shops more ­quickly, all of which required an updated approach.

Complying with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s electronic logging device mandate may create new expenses for new adopters of the technology, but the devices also could generate fuel savings for carriers depending on the type of system they deploy and how they use the data.

For many fleets, onboard telematics has become an indispensable tool in the never-ending quest to improve fuel economy.

Like some other small trucking firms, Old Forge Services of Mogadore, Ohio, has turned to glider kits to reduce maintenance expenses and downtime.

Solar panel manufacturers said they have worked to make their products easy to deploy, and several fleets said they have opted to install the panels themselves.

A growing number of fleets are turning to an alternative energy source — the sun — to help meet the growing demand for power on board their trucks.

Modern trucking companies are swimming in data collected by their onboard technology and back-office software, but fleet managers are using a variety of strategies to utilize that information for driver coaching and other business improvements.