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Sep 29, 2016

SOLVING FUEL THEFT * USA: Startup developed a “smart fuel cap” for 18-wheeler rigs

* Illinois - Modal Trigger Startup aims to relieve a $10B headache for trucking industry

 (Video by Fueloyal Technology - May 4, 2015: Fueloyal iCAP 1000 Product Presentation) 

---  Chicago-based Fueloyal has developed a “smart fuel cap” for 18-wheeler rigs called the iCap 1000. The 3G-networked gadget prevents thieves from siphoning diesel out of tanks — and, more importantly, prevents drivers from stealing it at the pump... “To be honest, the biggest problem is stealing by the truck drivers themselves,” said Fueloyal founder George Magoci, who has been developing high-tech truck software for the past five years. “Instead of putting fuel in their truck, they’ll use the company card to put it in another truck at a discount and take the cash” ... At Fueloyal, which wants to put a lid on the black market for diesel fuel, the iCap 1000 can precisely measure the gas going into the truck’s tank while checking it against what’s coming out of the pump through a real-time, 3G-networked connection... In addition, the $299 gadget — which requires a $39-a-month data plan — can scout out the truck stops with the cheapest fuel, automatically planning stops based on price, location and how much fuel is in the tank at any given time... Soal Trucking, a Bloomingdale, Ill., outfit that operates about 20 rigs across the lower 48 states, has cut its monthly fuel costs — which can run upwards of $10,000 per rig — by at least 2 percent to 3 percent since it installed the iCap 1000 several months ago, said Vice President of Operations Jonas Kaminskas... “Most truckers are good people, but we had three incidents last year,” Kaminskas said... In two cases, he says bystanders called him about truckers selling excess fuel at truck stops for cash... 
Chicago, ILL, USA - NY Post, by James Covert - September 27, 2016

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posted by Unknown @ 6:21 AM  0 comments

Sep 22, 2015

TRUCKS FUEL CONSUMPTION * USA: Technologies to revolutionize freight hauled on roads

* California - Wal-Mart test truck aims to slash fuel consumption on big rigs

-- If Bruce Wayne ever had to vacate the Batcave, he might insist on moving his Batgear with an arrow sleek microturbine big rig with a carbon-fiber cargo trailer, an electronic dashboard of three computer tablets and tires wider than any race car... This is WAVE, the Wal-Mart Advanced Vehicle Experience concept truck, a collaboration of 22 international companies. It's also a rolling stock test case for technologies that could revolutionize the way freight is hauled on roads... The collaboration began when Wal-Mart approached several firms in January 2011. One was the maker of a heavily patented microturbine motor small enough to fit under the hood of a heavy-duty freight hauler... Some of the companies involved in the project, such as Allison Transmission and Roush Enterprises, are frequently involved in concept vehicles and also produce aftermarket modifications to factory-built vehicles... But Capstone has another reason to be involved. Although its microturbines are sold around the world, it has yet to have a profitable year since it went public 15 years ago. Jamison said it is tough to compete with traditional and alternative energy sources, such as solar power...
(Photo by Al Seib / Los Angeles Times - A futuristic hybrid-electric tractor-trailer concept truck is parked outside the Capstone Turbine facility in Chatsworth)  --  Los Angeles, CAL, USA - The Los Angeles Times, by RONALD D. WHITE/Business Automotive Industry - 19 Sept 2015

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May 24, 2015

SAVING COST OF TRUCKING * USA: eHorizon System reduces overall fuel consumption by around 3%

* Michigan - In trucking, a little automation saves a lot of money
-- According to trucking analyst Andy Ahern, 60% of wasted truck fuel is caused by driver overacceleration—for instance, hitting the gas on the way down a hill, only to have to brake to slow down at the bottom... Continental AG’s eHorizon system, housed in a small unit that connects to trucks’ existing controls, works to prevent that waste. It uses a topographical database to plan acceleration and braking to take advantage of momentum on hills. The system can plan acceleration decisions before a human driver can even see the hill around the next bend... Robert Gee, Continental’s head of product management, says that eHorizon reduces overall fuel consumption by around 3%. That might not add up to much for a small car, but it can save around $2,000 worth of fuel for a single freight truck per year... The American Trucking Association counts 2.4 million semi trucks on the road in the U.S., so nationwide use of such systems could save as much as 1.6 billion gallons of fuel and $4.8 billion annually. The U.S. Energy Information Administration states that burning a gallon of diesel fuel generates 22.38 pounds of atmospheric carbon, so using such systems has the potential to cut truck emissions by more than 35 billion pounds per year...
(Photo: The eHorizon data delivers up-to-date information on the road ahead) -- Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA - Fortune, by David Z. Morris - MAY 19, 2015

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posted by Unknown @ 3:29 AM  0 comments

May 9, 2015

* USA - Saving fleets big money, with fuel saving technology

* Texas - You want to save 9,000 dollars per truck yearly ?

 -- The North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE)'s, Annual Fleet Fuel Study of more than 53,000 tractors and 160,000 trailers, operated by 14 fleets, achieved fuel savings of U.S.$477 million in 2014 by adopting a variety of fuel efficiency technologies... It found such improvements save U.S.$9,000 per year per truck, with an estimated payback period of two and a half years while reducing their carbon emissions by 19%... This year’s study also discovered the adoption of fuel-saving technologies had increased from 18% in 2003 to 42% in 2014... As a result, the 14 fleets have achieved 7.0 mpg on average for all their trucks, while their 2015-model-year trucks have reached as high as 8.5 mpg... The 14 fleets included in the study achieved this high level of fuel efficiency by adopting a combination of nearly 70 currently-available technologies and engaging the resources and guidance of Trucking Efficiency, a joint effort of NACFE, a group that aims to double the efficiency of the continent’s trucking fleet, and the Carbon War Room (CWR), a global nonprofit, advocating the adoption of business solutions that reduce carbon emissions and advance the low-carbon economy... According to the group, major trucking fleets such as Con-way Truckload, Frito Lay and Schneider are actively pursuing fleet-wide fuel savings and seeing on-the-road results from adopting recommendations from Trucking Efficiency’s Tech Guide and Confidence Reports on individual trucking technologies. Such reports are available on tire pressure systems, 6x2 axles, idle reduction, transmissions, and engine parameters... Con-way Truckload saw major success in equipping 48% of their fleet with automated manual transmissions, according to NACFE... 
(Photo)  --  Dallas,TXS,USA - Today's Trucking - May 7, 2015

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posted by Unknown @ 6:41 AM  0 comments

May 5, 2013

* USA: Can Save More Than $25 Million in Fuel Daily

* Research Reveals: By reducing idling from local commercial fleets

Boston,MASS,USA -BUSINESS WIRE -April 22, 2013: -- Fleetmatics Group PLC today revealed that reducing idling time on the nation’s 18.5 million local commercial vehicles could significantly reduce fuel consumption and make an impact on U.S. fuel dependency...  Data from Fleetmatics Group’s tracking of more than 331,000 subscriber vehicles reveals that vehicles operating without a fleet management solution will idle for 96 minutes per day, on average. By implementing a GPS fleet tracking solution, SMB fleet owners can reduce vehicle idle time by 25 percent on average... Currently only 3.1 million or 17 percent of all local commercial vehicles have implemented a fleet management solution... If all local commercial vehicles in the U.S. were to implement this technology, we could save more than $25 million daily or more than seven million gallons of gas per day... Fleetmatics Group produced an Infographic to demonstrate the impact reduced idling can have on our fuel consumption in the USA... When translated annually these numbers could make an incredible impact on U.S. fuel dependency and carbon emissions including: 

 * Reduction in annual gas consumption by 2,584,200,000 gallons 
* Saving more than $17 trillion per year in fuel costs 
* Decreasing carbon emissions by 22,406,996 metric tons per year


 * USA - Diesel truck emissions decreased significantly 

New York,NY,USA -The Strategic Sourceror  -April 30, 2013: -- In less than 20 years, the trucking industry has managed to cut diesel truck and heavy equipment emissions by more than 95 percent, according to new research from Randall-Reilly, a trucking marketing company... Since 1996, stricter Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations have decreased the maximum allowable diesel exhaust, changing the logistics industry. The gas releases fine particulate matter into the air, which can cause smog and public health concerns, EPA research stated... By 2014, all off-road diesel equipment will be required to meet the stricter policies, reducing emissions in this category by 96 percent. When the new regulations are completely implemented, trucks and off-road equipment will have decreased nitrogen oxide emissions by 738,000 tons and 129,000 tons of particulate matter per year... The significant decrease in air pollution has been achieved by improving engine technologies in the following ways: 

 * Advanced diesel fuel injection 
* Computerized engine controls 
* Improved engine air management 
* Upgraded exhaust filters to contain particulate matter 
* Reduction of sulfur levels in diesel fuel.

 The EPA stated some older diesel trucks are not subject to new regulations and may be on the road for another 25 to 30 years, but they can be retrofitted with pollution controls and cleaner diesel fuel can reduce emissions...

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Jun 1, 2012

FUEL SAVING * USA

* Military research could improve fuel economy in cars and trucks

(Photo by Aaron M. Sprecher / Bloomberg - A tank returns to Texas from overseas deployment in April. In Warren, staff is testing a system to use exhaust heat to power a tank’s computer) 
Southfield ,TXS,USA -Bloomberg News/The Detroit News, by Jeff Green -May 31, 2012:  ...  The auto industry has a long tradition of adapting military technology to improve civilian vehicles, said John Wolkonowicz, an independent auto analyst in Boston who specializes in automotive history... Boosting fuel economy has become a high priority for automakers, which face a doubling of efficiency standards to 54.5 mpg by 2025 or risk fines. Among U.S. car-shoppers' priorities, mileage soared to the top of the list, surpassing reliability, a good deal and exterior styling, according to a survey by researcher J.D. Power and Associates... All major automakers devote billions of dollars to research fuel efficiency and alternative technology. The military is focusing on many of the same ideas at the $60 million lab, such as batteries that use different chemical combinations for longer range and perfecting fuel cells that convert hydrogen into electricity without pollution... The military research offers the possibility of breakthroughs that may also someday benefit Ford and Chevy cars and trucks...  More-efficient cooling means better durability for the 60,000-pound war machine, just as it does for a 5,000-pound Ford F-150 pickup...

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posted by Unknown @ 6:44 AM  0 comments

Jan 23, 2012

STUDY: Fuel consumption and emissions can be reduced with new technology

* Finland - One third of car fuel consumption is due to friction loss

Helsinki,Finland -VTT Business from Technology -12 Jan 2012: -- No less than one third of a car´s fuel consumption is spent in overcoming friction, and this friction loss has a direct impact on both fuel consumption and emissions. However, new technology can reduce friction by anything from 10% to 80% in various components of a car, according to a joint study by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) in USA. It should thus be possible to reduce car´s fuel consumption and emissions by 18% within the next 5 to 10 years and up to 61% within 15 to 25 years...  Of the energy output of fuel in a car engine, 33% is spent in exhaust, 29% in cooling and 38% in mechanical energy, of which friction losses account for 33% and air resistance for 5%. By comparison, an electric car has only half the friction loss of that of a car with a conventional internal combustion engine... Annual friction loss in an average car worldwide amounts to 11,860 MJ: of this, 35% is spent in overcoming rolling resistance in the wheels, 35% in the engine itself, 15% in the gearbox and 15% in braking. With current technology, only 21.5% of the energy output of the fuel is used to actually move the car; the rest is wasted...  A driver can significantly influence the fuel consumption of his or her car. A reduction of 10% in driving speed, e.g. from 110 km/h to 100 km/h, translates into a 16% saving in fuel consumption. Slower speeds also allow for higher tyre pressures; an increase from 2 bar to 2.5 bar can translate into a 3% saving in fuel consumption...

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Mar 16, 2011

FUEL SAVINGS * Belgium - Study: Fuel consumption down by 5 to 15% at a maximum speed of 80 km / h instead of 90.

- 10 km / h = - 10% fuel

Brussels,Belgium -Truck & Business -17 March 2011: -- VITO, the Flemish Institute for Technological Research, has scientifically studied the effect of reducing the speed of trucks on fuel consumption: Fuel consumption down by 5 to 15% at a maximum speed of 80 km / h instead of 90...  Lorries for transport over long distances have a driveline set optimally for a rate of 80 to 85 km / h. It is the result of a complex set of factors: the aerodynamic resistance, load, road profile, the sensitivity of the specific consumption of motor speed changes, etc...   Recently a proposal has again been introduced to limit speed of heavy goods vehicles on motorways to 80 km / h...    The proposal faces many protests. In this regard, Febetra would stress the following. Measuring 80 km / h for trucks do not take into account progress already made by the transport sector at the ecological level. Moreover, it takes no account of traffic parameters and traffic safety. In addition, reducing the speed limit means that a truck will travel fewer miles in a day. This will require greater use of vehicles...  French carriers are overwhelmingly in favor of the 80 km / h. They are asking to reduce as quickly as possible the speed of lorries on motorways 80 km / h and to establish a general prohibition applicable to the passing trucks. Why? Because the federation has calculated that it could save up to 12 million tonnes of CO2 per year through this and other such environmentally friendly vehicles, the combined freight, biofuels and more economical driving...


* Germany - According to Roland Berger, a reduction in CO2 emissions of 30% is possible in 2020


Berlin,Germany -Truck & Business (Belgium), by Claude Yvens -21 Dec 2010: -- The German consultancy Roland Berger surveyed fifty business leaders and experts from around the truck to assess the likelihood of reducing CO2 emissions in road transport by 2020. The findings of the study 'Truck Powertrain 2020 - Mastering the CO2 challenge' are clear: a reduction of 30% is possible ... provided to combine several types of efforts and to better combine them.  According to Roland Berger, a limitation of 30% of CO2 emissions from road transport by 2020 would be needed to limit global warming to 2 °, or the current target of more than 100 countries around the world...  In 2007, the transportation sector (all modes) was responsible for 23% of global CO2 emissions...  The experts interviewed confirmed firstly that the diesel will remain the primary fuel in 2020. The main alternative is hybrid propulsion, with a massive impact on the segment of buses and trucks to public service and a lesser impact, but real, on the vehicles of inter-city traffic over short distances... For long-haul vehicles, it will rely primarily on improving existing engines (62% of future progress), low resistance tires and aerodynamics (38% of future progress between them). It will be recalled here that the prototypes have shown that a longer maximum lengths, used to improve the air penetration of a semi-tractor, causes a significant reduction in fuel consumption and hence emissions CO2...  By 2020, the main areas that need work the engineers are the exhaust (which contains its own 29% of the potential for fuel savings), cooling systems (23%) and reduction of friction (4 % for the friction inside the engine and 3% for transmission)...

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posted by Unknown @ 7:14 AM  0 comments

Nov 6, 2009

SAVING FUEL * Europe - Boat tail reduces truck fuel consumption by 7.5 percent

(Photo: The boat tail mounted on the rear of the test truck)

Delft,The Netherlands -Part20, by Darren Quick -November 5, 2009: -- Tests conducted in Europe have shown that a boat tail – a tapering protrusion mounted on the rear of a truck – leads to fuel savings of 7.5 percent. The fuel savings, which also means a cut in emissions, were realized by the boat tail dramatically reducing the drag caused by the lower-pressure effect that occurs in the wake of a vehicle... The boat tail had already proved itself during wind tunnel experiments and computer simulations, in theory and using small-scale models. Now an articulated lorry fitted with a boat tail has also undergone extensive testing on public highways and borne the theory out. The lorry was driven for a period of one year with a boat tail of varying lengths and one year without a boat tail. The improved aerodynamics were dependent on the length of the boat tail, with the optimum length found to be two meters (6.5-feet)... The tests were carried out by the Platform for Aerodynamic Road Transport (PART), which is European group made up of scientists, road transport equipment manufacturers and shippers and carriers working together towards the aim of achieving a 20 percent reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions in the road transport sector by 2020...
(Image from T. University Delft and others: Platform for Aerodynamic Road Transport)
Trucks already sport a range of modifications designed to improve the aerodynamics of the vehicle, such as side panels, aerodynamic mudguards and mirrors, and roof deflectors. Of these only side panels are more effective at cutting fuel consumption (9 percent) so it’s hard to imagine we won’t be seeing trucks on the roads with a little extra junk on their trunks in the near future...

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posted by Unknown @ 5:31 PM  0 comments

Sep 13, 2008

SAVE MONEY * USA - Fueling New Fleet Technology

Washington,DC,USA -Traffic World, by John Gallagher -15 Sept 2008: -- With diesel prices this month running at 42 percent higher than last year, private fleet managers are feeling more pressure from the boardroom to justify their costs and fight for corporate bucks... "Competition for internal dollars is greater than ever," said Gary Petty, president and CEO of the National Private Truck Council... So has TMW's IDSC ExpertFuel, a software package that produces routing schemes and fuel-purchasing plans that consider factors such as current fuel prices, vehicle fuel consumption, fuel network discounts, state taxes, out-of-route miles, route policies, terminal fueling, and tank fill policies. The longer the length of haul and the higher the variations in fuel price along the route, the more savings a fleet manager can get...

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Aug 14, 2008

SAVING FUEL COSTS * Kenya - Truckers to cut costs by importing fuel

The Kenya Transport Association (KTA) says that if members are allowed to import their own fuel , they will be able to cut costs by getting rid of the margin imposed by local oil companies

Nairobi,Kenya -The Business Daily Africa, by Miano Kihu -August 13, 2008: -- Cargo transport companies might soon start importing their own fuel to minimize operational costs... The truckers say the cost of fuel currently comprises about 60 per cent of their costs and they fear that some of their businesses could close shop if the Government does not intervene... The Kenya Transport Association (KTA) chairman, Mr Mwinyi Shimbwa, said that over 50,000 trucks owned by the KTA members in the country consume about 200 million litres of diesel per month... He estimates the fuel levy paid to the Kenya Roads Board (KRB) at Sh1.8 billion per month... ‘‘We feel that by buying oil on our own, we will be able to bring down our costs and get rid of the margin imposed by local oil companies whom we currently buy from,’’ he told Shipping News, a day after the transporters tabled their agenda before Prime Minister Raila Odinga...

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posted by Unknown @ 9:55 AM  0 comments

Aug 6, 2008

Get Trucking * USA - Is Plastic the Future After All?

Truckers, like everybody else that has to fill the gas tank, have been poleaxed by high oil and gas prices. One company thinks they could take a cue from backpackers facing uphill slogs: lighten your load

New York,NY,USA -The Wall Street Jpurnal, by Keith Johnson -August 4, 2008: -- That’s the pitch from iGPS, an Orlando, Fla.-based company that says plastic shipping pallets could do for the trucking industry what Congress so far hasn’t: provide relief from high gas prices. It’s the latest sign that high gas prices have even plastics companies jumping on the green bandwagon... The logic is straightforward. Most tractor trailers carry lots of heavy, wooden pallets, whether fully-loaded or not. That adds weight to every trip, lowers fuel economy, and means extra emissions of greenhouse gases. Replacing the wooden pallets with longer-lasting plastic shipping pallets could bring savings across the board, iGPS says... Now, the battlefield is heading inside the semis. Plastic pallets have several advantages over their wooden cousins, according to an independent study carried out by Environmental Resource Management. They last longer, they weigh less, and they don’t need paint or chemical treatments. Since a plastic pallet can easily handle 100 trips—versus two trips for a single-use wooden pallet—the difference in greenhouse-gas emissions is stark: 45,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide for the plastic pallets, compared with 300,000 kilograms for the wooden pallets. Most importantly, says iGPS, you don’t have to chop down trees to get plastic pallets: A Virginia Tech study found that 40% of the U.S. hardwood harvest goes to wooden pallet production... But plastic pallets are a petrochemical creation—all plastic. The top-of-the-line pallets use virgin plastic, which isn’t the most environmentally-friendly. The bulk of the emissions from the plastic pallets comes during production, rather than daily use. To get around that, pallet makers have launched a couple of greener blends, from 15% recycled to 100% recycled plastic...

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posted by Unknown @ 6:46 AM  0 comments

Jul 25, 2008

INVENTED: Fuel-efficiency device * USA - For over-the-road trucks

A Loveland, Colorado trucker has invented a device that should save long-haul truckers 8 to 10 percent in fuel consumption

Loveland,COL,USA -The Cave News -July 24, 2008: -- The product is called Aerowings. They resemble metal shutters and attach to the cab extenders on a truck... The secret is bridging the gap between a truck’s tractor and trailer making the rig more aerodynamic and fuel-efficient... Preventing air from being trapped between the tractor and trailer should save most truckers between $7,000 and $9,000 per year at current diesel prices... The Aerowing product is not in production yet but will presell for about $3,500 according to his web site...

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posted by Unknown @ 5:30 AM  0 comments

Jul 11, 2008

SAVING FUEL * USA - Big rigs ease up on speed to conserve diesel fuel

As the price of diesel fuel goes up, the speed of trucks crossing Iowa is going down

Des Moines,IA,USA -The Des Moines Register, by DAN PILLER -July 10, 2008: -- Trucking companies are adjusting the governors that control the speeds on their rigs from 68 mph to as low as 60 mph in response to a rise in diesel prices from about $2.80 per gallon a year ago to $4.70 in Iowa this month... Truckers said they are slowing to save fuel for the vehicles that seldom get more than six to seven miles per gallon, a strategy that harkens back to the 55-mph speed limits imposed in the U.S. three decades ago in response to the first oil price shocks... Modern truck engines can be computer-controlled to be held below a maximum speed. Murry Fitzer, president of the Florilli Corp. of West Liberty, who is chairman of the Iowa Motor Truck Association, began the year with its engines set at 68 mph, cut the speed to 65 mph in April and now is reducing the speed again to 62 mph... (Photo by CHRISTOPHER GANNON/THE REGISTER - BTI Special Commodities Vice President Bob Kohlwes, left, says the company uses 240,000 gallons of diesel a month. The company's trucks are speed-controlled by a computer to improve fuel economy and cut fuel expenses. William Rinella, right, is one of the drivers)

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posted by Unknown @ 10:38 AM  0 comments

May 31, 2008

CHEAP FUEL * USA - Slippery slope from trash to treasure

Rustlers target fryer grease

CAL,USA -The New York Times News Service, by Susan Saulny/The Chicago Tribune -May 30, 2008: -- The bandit pulled his truck to the back of a Burger King in Northern California one afternoon last month armed with a hose and a tank. After rummaging around assorted restaurant rubbish, he dunked a tube into a smelly storage bin and, the police said, vacuumed out about 300 gallons of grease... The man was caught before he could slip away. In his truck, the police found 2,500 gallons of used fryer grease, indicating that the Burger King had not been his first fast-food craving of the day... Outside Seattle, cooking oil rustling has become such a problem that the owners of the Olympia Pizza and Pasta Restaurant in Arlington, Wash., are considering using a surveillance camera to keep watch on its 50-gallon grease barrel... Nick Damianidis, an owner, said the barrel had been hit seven or eight times since last summer by siphoners who strike in the night."Fryer grease has become gold," Damianidis said. "And just over a year ago, I had to pay someone to take it away."... Much to the surprise of Damianidis and many other people, processed fryer oil, which is called yellow grease, is actually not trash. The grease is traded on the booming commodities market. Its value has increased in recent months to historic highs, driven by the even higher prices of gas and ethanol, making it an ever more popular form of biodiesel to fuel cars and trucks... In 2000, yellow grease was trading for 7.6 cents per pound. On Thursday, its price was about 33 cents a pound, or almost $2.50 a gallon. (That would make the 2,500-gallon haul in the Burger King case worth more than $6,000.)... Biodiesel is derived by processing vegetable oil or animal fat with alcohol. It is increasingly available around the country, but it is expensive. With the right kind of conversion kit (easily found on the Internet) anyone can turn discarded cooking oil into a usable engine fuel that can burn on its own, or as a cheap additive to regular diesel...

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posted by Unknown @ 10:53 AM  0 comments

May 29, 2008

FUEL SAVING * USA - Georgia Man Uses Tractor Engines in Regular Trucks

"The average full size pick-up in America gets like 13.4 miles a gallon, these are getting 42, 45 in that range"

Byron,GA,USA -WTVM, by Zaneta Lower -May 28, 2008: -- Gary Brown has been in the tractor business for more than 20 years, but as gas prices went up, his sales went down. So, he and a few friends came up with another way to use some of the old tractor parts. "We're just taking economical farm engines, farm tractor engines and putting them in pick-ups," Brown says... That's right, Brown says engines initially built for a hard day's work in the fields are perfect for trucks like a Ford F-150 meant for the road... What they did was work, and according to Brown, run more efficiently... "The average full size pick-up in America gets like 13.4 miles a gallon, these are getting 42, 45 in that range," says Brown... Seems impossible, right! ... The name of the business, Shade Tree Conversions, comes from an old, simple country concept... If you'd like more information on this idea or to find out which tractors are compatible with which vehicles, visit shadetreeconversions.com. Brown will not sell the vehicles, he will however, sell people a copy of the plans for $50... Video: Local man swaps tractor engine to conserve fuel- (Photo: Brown says engines initially built for a hard day's work in the fields are perfect for trucks like a Ford F-150 meant for the road)-

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posted by Unknown @ 3:43 PM  0 comments

May 2, 2008

FUEL SAVINGS * USA - Increasing efficiency boosts savings

Big companies in the lead of the ground-freight-moving business, such as J.B. Hunt Transport Services, UPS and FedEx, have long focused on fuel costs and used such tools as sophisticated software and Global Positioning Systems to optimize routes

McLean,VA,USA -USA TODAY, by Julie Schmit -1 May 2008: -- ... Now even smaller companies — and those not specifically in the freight-moving business — are focusing more on fuel... They're making changes by:

• Combining deliveries. The Truckee-Tahoe Lumber company in Truckee, Calif., has suffered a triple whammy: a drop-off in new home construction, record low lumber prices and record high fuel prices. "I'm working on trying to understand how to remain profitable," says Steve Stevenson, vice president of the 68-employee company. Truckee added new delivery charges this month that run $15 to $50 for some orders under $500. It's also asking customers, primarily home builders, to plan ahead so it delivers once a week, vs. two or three times. Some of Truckee-Tahoe's suppliers have also reduced delivery frequency, Stevenson says... Audiovox sources most of its electronics in Asia. Sea containers that aren't full are being held more often now than in the past until they are full, Moffett says."If it's something we really need, I may say let it ride. If not, I say wait," he says. So far, delays haven't led to product shortages, he says... Even flowers are being affected. Hoogasian Flowers in San Francisco now asks customers for two delivery dates instead of one so Hoogasian can, if possible, combine trips...

• Reconfiguring routes. Office Depot handles 24 million deliveries a year from warehouses to stores or customers... Three years ago, the retailer deployed software from a division of UPS to design routes to maximize the number of deliveries on each while minimizing time and distance, says Yalmaz Siddiqui, director of environmental affairs. One trick: restrict left-hand turns.The results? Office Depot now makes 180 to 200 deliveries per truck over 80-to-100-mile routes. That's up from 125 to 135 deliveries over the same distance, Siddiqui says.Waste Connections, which services 1.5 million customers in 23 states, has likewise pumped up route efficiency. Over the past two years, it's reconfigured a fifth of its 2,700 daily routes, Mittelstaedt says.Before, routes were often based on customers' preferred days for garbage pickup. New routing software helped Waste Connections devise more efficient routes. The company is also urging customers to change pickup days so that it travels less to the same regions."We've gone to customers and said, 'Either you switch your day, or your price is going to double,' " says Mittelstaedt. In some cases, customers got discounts for switching...

• Improving fleets. In the past three years, Office Depot has replaced 90% of its 600 box trucks with smaller vans that are 40% more fuel efficient, Siddiqui says. FedEx has also optimized fleets so that more-fuel-efficient vehicles are on longer routes. So far this year, it has achieved an 8% gain in fuel efficiency over last year on FedEx Express routes, says Mitch Jackson, director of environmental affairs...

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posted by Unknown @ 6:26 AM  0 comments

Aug 26, 2007

Saving Fuel Costs * USA - Truckers taking time

Diesel costs move big rigs to the right lane

Cedar Rapids,IO,USA -The Gazette On Line, by Dave DeWitte -August 25. 2007: -- If it seems like more big rigs are driving in the slow lane these days, it may not be your imagination... Rising fuel costs and tough competition have trucking companies employing sophisticated strategies to get their drivers to slow down in order to save fuel... Going slower reduces trucks' fuel consumption primarily by lessening aerodynamic drag, the friction between the air and a solid surface moving through it. Trucking companies can use the governor system on a truck's engine to limit its maximum speed. Many also have added computer software in their rigs that allows them to link the governed driving speed to the fuel economy record of the driver... Dale Lavin, fuel manager for West Side Transport, said the driving habits of the truckers are the ultimate influence on fuel economy, and West Side coaches its drivers on how to achieve the best fuel economy... West Side initially sets the governor on a truck at 65 mph. Drivers whose fuel economy doesn't meet the company's benchmarks lose their eligibility for bonuses. Drivers who consistently fail to meet fuel economy goals can have their governed speed adjusted below 65 mph... West Side drivers who meet the fuel economy standards, on the other hand, qualify for extra bonuses and can have their rigs' governors adjusted to go faster than 65... CRST Carrier Group in Cedar Rapids, spends $198 million per year on diesel fuel. At an average fuel economy of 5.8 miles per gallon, the 72 million gallons will let CRST's 4,500-plus trucks cover about 400 million miles per year... "If I can get my 5.8 miles per gallon up to 5.9 miles per gallon, I can save $300,000 per month," Dave Rusch, president of the CRST Carrier Group, says... So CRST uses special Michelin tires designed for better fuel economy. It also buys aerodynamic farings and skirtings at a cost of about $2,500 each. Both investments more than pay for themselves in fuel savings... Volume purchasing arrangements allow CRST to buy its fuel for 15 percent or more off the pump price, and the company has a fuel specialist who monitors prices at truck stops nationwide... If one truck stop charges significantly more than others, CRST broadcasts a message to its drivers to avoid it... Some truckload carriers report that the difference in fuel expenditures between their most and least efficient drivers can reach $10,000 per year... And speed isn't the only factor; another important factor, Operations Manager Chris Hummer for Don Hummer Trucking of Oxford explained, is how the drivers relax... To varying degrees, truck drivers idle their engines while sleeping or waiting to unload so they can run the rigs' air conditioning systems or power accessories such as portable televisions... (Photo illustration: by Cliff Jette/The Gazette - Trucking companies, and drivers, are paying much more attention to fuel-conserving strategies in the face of soaring diesel fuel prices)

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Aug 24, 2007

Saving Gas * USA - Reduce Speed Limit

Tougher fuel economy regulations won't achieve energy savings for years

USA -Business Week -August 14, 2007: -- Dropping speed limit to 60 mph would instantly increase fuel economy 4 to 6 mpg. That could translate into savings of more than nearly 4M bbl of oil per year - almost 5% of US current consumption... Another quick gas saver: telecommuting via universal high-speed Internet access Significant Points (see investigation/article below)... These 2 programs could begin saving energy immediately... Furthermore: Lower speed limits reduce accidents and accident severity...

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Jun 29, 2007

LIQUORS as FUEL * Sweden - Smuggled alcohol used used as fuel in Sweden

Smugglers trying to sneak alcohol into Sweden are unwittingly helping fuel the country's public transport system and reducing its greenhouse emissions

Stockholm,Sweden -The Denver Post/Associated Press, by LOUISE NORDSTROM -29 June 2007: -- ... Almost all of the 185,000 gallons of smuggled alcohol seized by the customs service last year was turned into alternative fuel and used to power buses, trucks and a biogas train, officials said Friday... "We used to just pour it down the drain, but because of the increased volumes we had to look around for new solutions," customs spokeswoman Ingrid Jerlebrink said... The beer, wine and liquor is taken to a plant in Linkoping, 125 miles southwest of Stockholm, where it is heated and converted into biogas...

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