Digging Deeper into NACFE’s Run on Less Truck Fuel-Efficiency RoadShow

Nussbaum Transportation used several different trailers during the run. Photo: NACFE

The North American Council for Freight Efficiency released an in-depth report on its Run on Less fuel-efficiency roadshow. The three-week event last fall demonstrated that it's possible to get 10-plus mpg in real-world Class 8 freight-hauling operations. The report released at the Technology & Maintenance Council's annual meeting March 4 digs into the strategies used by the seven participating fleets.

During the 17-day run, seven trucks from participating fleets Albert Transport, PepsiCo's Frito-Lay Division, Hirschbach, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Nussbaum Transportation, Ploger Transportation and U.S. Xpress, averaged 10.1 mpg, exceeding the 9 mpg goal and saving $2,877 gallons of fuel and $7,193 compared to the national average of 6.4 mpg for the over-the-road tractor-trailer population.

NACFE drew the following conclusions from the Run on Less event:

• 10 mpg does happen in the real world
• Conditions matter and need to be understood for decision-making
• High mpg requires efforts in many areas
• Telematics reports and data logging are worthwhile investments.

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The 17-day Run on Less fuel-efficiency event featured diverse truck routes, all converging in Atlanta. (Routes displayed using the MyGeodata Cloud online tool.)

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Fuel-efficient truck specs

The trucks, which were 2015 model year or newer, used commercially available technologies. Including engines and engine ratings for maximum fuel efficiency, downsped powertrains, considerable attention to aerodynamics, and in some cases idle reduction equipment, including solar panels.

Some of the specifications employed across the seven participants were quite similar, others very diverse. Features that were common across all seven included:

• All-inclusive tractor aerodynamics, including sloped hoods, bumper dams, aerodynamic mirrors, chassis fairings, full height roof fairings, cab extenders, vented mud flaps and drive wheel fairings with wheel covers.
• Low rolling resistance tires on most wheel ends.
• Automated manual transmissions.
• Downsped powertrains at 2.67 at faster.
• Low viscosity engine lubrication.
• Engine programing for idle shutdown and diesel-fired heaters for idle ...Read the rest of this story

Cengage Partners with S/P2 on Transportation Training Programs

Education and technology company Cengage has partnered with S/P2, an online training provider for businesses and career tech schools, to integrate safety pollution prevention and soft skills training within its MindTap digital learning platform.

The partnership is designed to give students in transportation training programs both the technical and professional skills they need to be successful in the workplace.

Many transportation programs currently use both MindTap for teaching theory and diagnostics, as well as S/P2 for safety, pollution prevention and soft skills training. Often, S/P2 training is required before students can enter medium/heavy duty truck shops.

Integrating S/P2 content directly into MindTap provides both students and faculty a single point of access for all of their essential training content.

In addition to MindTap Medium/Heavy Truck, all transportation MindTap products, including MindTap Automotive and MindTap Collision, will deliver S/P2 content at no additional cost. Students can also access MindTap as part of a Cengage Unlimited subscription, which gives students access to all of the company's digital higher education materials.

“We know that employers want students who have both technical skills, such as theory, application and diagnostic training, as well safety and soft skills,” said Katie McGuire, senior product manager, Cengage. “By partnering with S/P2, we're giving students the best of both worlds, and ensuring they are prepared to be successful in the workplace.”

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Lippert Components introduces somnum Discovery Latex Foam Mattress

Lippert Components is bringing a new line of truck mattress to market designed to exceed OE mattress standards and give drivers a mattress as good as the one they have at home. Lippert current builds 2,800 mattress each day for trucking and the RV market. During a press conference held in conjunction with the 2018 Technology and Maintenance Council Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibit, Lippert Components introduced their latest somnum Sleeper Series mattresses.

"Driver satisfaction is top of mind for the majority of OTR trucking fleets as they deal with the challenges of a current driver shortage facing the commercial vehicle industry," notes Mike Padrnos, business development manager at LCI. “A comfortable mattress is a relatively small investment to a truck's sleeper. A quality bunk mattress may entice a driver to join your company, stay with your company and might deter them from leaving. It's certainly an important factor for drivers who spend 200+ nights on the road every year.”

Padrnos likened some of the current mattresses found while doing market research to be like "prison mats."

"We talked to drivers about existing products and some of the health problems they experience stemming from poor quality mattresses," he said. "we also discovered that drivers have great difficulty finding sheets to fit the obscure mattress sizes."

Lippert is also offering a line of specially tailored sheet sets for trucks. The fitted bottom sheet is equipped with a drawstring to cinch it tightly around the mattress. They are designed to fit mattresses up to 10 inches thick and come in a single color that compliments many of today's truck interiors. One SKU will cover about 80% of the mattress product currently in the market place, said Padrnos.

The newest somnum mattress is the Discovery; a 10" latex foam mattress constructed with a combination core. It pairs ...Read the rest of this story

Solar and Energy Storage Go Corporate

Commercial solar is finally being paired with energy storage.

Rush Service Connect Now Allows Maintenance Tracking, Analysis

RushCare Service Connect now allows fleets to easily track maintenance costs.

Mega truck dealer group Rush Enterprises is doubling down on fleet uptime with its RushCare Service Connect communications platform.

First announced two years ago, RushCare Service Connect gives fleet customers an online, on-demand, 360-degree view of the service process for vehicles in Rush Truck Centers' service departments. The latest enhancements have turned it into a tool fleets can use for tracking maintenance and warranty and analyzing many maintenance costs.

“The enhancements made to RushCare Service Connect make it even easier to monitor maintenance and warranty information, receive alerts and schedule service all in one place, when needed,” said Brian Mulshine, Director of Operations Technology and Innovation, Rush Enterprises.

Mulshine, who joined Rush several years ago after being in charge of Navistar International's telematics program, said his goal has been to create a “unified strategy on remote diagnostics,” he told HDT in an interview. “We support a lot of different brands, but every brand is going a different way, and we need to make sure as an organization how we support our customers.”

“This product here is scary, how much it will do,” he said. Rush has put in a lot of work to make the web interface intuitive and easy to use for fleet customer. A responsive design means it can easily be used whether a fleet manager is at their desk or using a smartphone or tablet.

Truck fleet maintenance and warranty tracking

RushCare Service Connect's new maintenance tracking module allows users to easily create custom maintenance tables for every asset type and apply them to any vehicle or trailer in the system. The system incorporates the TMC Vehicle Maintenance Record Standards (VMRS) with visual indicators for easy identification by users. The VMRS codes are easy to input, even if you don't know ...Read the rest of this story

SAF-Holland Unveils Tire Pilot Plus Tire Pressure Management System

SAF-Holland¹s new Tire Pilot Plus Tire Pressure Management System has been adopted from the company¹s European TMPS offering, which has been on the market since 2013. Photo: Jack Roberts

SAF-Holland announced its new Tire Pilot Plus tire pressure management system at the 2018 TMC Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Sunday. The company says the new TPMS will allow fleets to protect tires by reducing wear and associated costs, improve fuel efficiency and optimize uptime.

SAF-Holland¹s new Tire Pilot Plus is designed to provide consistent and proper inflation pressures in tires. But, according to Roger Jansen, product manager, trailer axles and suspensions for the company¹sAmericas operations, the new system also maintains equal pressure across all wheel positions on a tractor-trailer. And additional feature is Tire Pilot Plus's High Pressure Relief function, which vents off excess pressure when tires become over inflated.

SAF-Holland said its new TPMS has a return on investment of less than one year, and can help fleets control maintenance costs by reducing time spent on tire repairs and replacements and eliminating the need for routine tire pressure checks.

Key features in the new design include:

• A robust design with durable components in a non-pressurized axle environment for a simpler, longer-lasting unit life.
• Knurled connections at both the cap and tire ends of the stainless steel air hose for easy, hand-tightened, connections without a wrench.
• A proprietary hubcab design with protective fins to keep the air-fitting connections from being damaged.
• A polished steel/flexible tubing insert shaft and internal double lip seal which provide a robust seal that allows for potential axial misalignment and long service life.

For easy installation, Tire Pilot Plus features customized, plug-in electrical harness to meet most applications which maintains tire pressure even when the system is not connected to to the tractor.

Follow <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/HDTrucking" ...Read the rest of this story

During Trump hotel strife, a 'Trump Mojito' but no water

PANAMA CITY (AP) — If you can overlook the intermittently running water, Friday's four-hour power outage and occasional police presence in the lobby, the Trump hotel in Panama City retains its status as one of the city's finest.