Jim Park

Former HDT Equipment Editor

Jim Park served as Heavy Duty Trucking's equipment editor from 2006-2024. Specializing in technical and equipment content, Park is an award-winning journalist who has been covering the trucking industry since 1998.

Before joining HDT, Park was a truck driver and owner-operator for 20 years and served as an editor for HighwayStar magazine, which ceased production in 2011. He maintained his commercial driver’s license to bring a real-world perspective to Test Drives, as well as to features, videos and podcasts about equipment spec’ing and trends, emissions regulations and developments, maintenance and drivers.

He is the recipient of 16 Jesse H. Neal honors (both finalist and Neal awards), including “Best Range of Work by a Single Author” in 2020.

Articles•by Jim Park•October 7, 2013

Hydraulic Hybrid Drive Systems Can Save You Fuel

Hybrid drive systems deliver value by reducing engine load, replacing or supplementing engine output through alternate means of powering the vehicle, or recovering energy normally turned into heat during braking and putting it back to work. Heavy-duty hydraulic hybrids accomplish all three.

Articles•by Jim Park•October 7, 2013

Why Do Wheels Come Off Trucks?

We don't hear many reports of wheel separations anymore, but that doesn't mean we have solved the problem. Reliable estimates suggest unplanned separations still occur at a rate of probably several per day. Exact numbers are hard to determine because many incidents go unreported.

Articles•by Jim Park•October 4, 2013

Retreading Wide-base Tires

Wide-base tires aren’t cheap. Not that duals are cheaper, but in a single wide-base tire you have an investment approaching the cost of a pair of standard tires. Minimizing the life-cycle cost of those big wide tires almost demands that they be retreaded.

Articles•by Jim Park•October 1, 2013

Test Drive: Natural Gas Freightliner Cascadia 113

Freightliner’s Cascadia 113 and the ISX12 G from Cummins Westport aren’t exactly strangers. About 100 of the trucks have been in customer hands for some months now. Equipment Editor Jim Park takes one for a spin.

News•by Jim Park•September 19, 2013

SAE Fuel Economy Tests Reveal Aero Device Performance

User-paid and impartial SAE Type II tests reveal the trailer side skirts tested are more effective at reducing fuel consumption than undercarriage aerodynamic devices.

Articles•by Jim Park•September 10, 2013

Steer Axle Weights Have Increased: Are Your Steer Tires up to the Challenge?

It’s not uncommon to find highway trucks with front axles and suspensions rated for 13,200 pounds. While 12,000-pound axles were the industry norm for many years, the move to 13,200-pound axles came with the addition of all that emissions reduction gear. Are you running a steer tire rated for that weight?

Articles•by Jim Park•September 10, 2013

Studies Indicate TPMS and ATIS Are Money Makers

There are lots or reasons not to embrace fuel-saving technology (some better than others), but validation exists for tire-pressure mitigation systems. And the payback is significant.

News•by Jim Park•September 5, 2013

Bent Locking Mechanism Cited in Fatal Tractor-Trailer Separation

A tractor-trailer separation incident in the town of Truxton, N.Y., last May that claimed seven lives happened when the fifth wheel wasn't locked correctly.

News•by Jim Park•September 5, 2013

Research Identifies Barriers to Fuel-saving Technology Uptake

Lack of credible ROI information and reliability concerns are cited as major hurdles to wide-scale adoption of fuel-saving technologies such as 6x2s, idle reduction and tire inflation systems, according to a new report by the North American Council for Freight Efficiency.

On the Road•by Jim Park•September 5, 2013

Why drivers do not believe there's a driver shortage

Drivers are repeatedly reminded that they are in short supply, but Jim Park asks why the industry is not responding as it should to tight supply conditions.

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