The trucking industry is getting strong enough to weather the effects of higher fuel prices, but not all small or medium-sized companies may make it. Research firm FTR Associates surmises that fuel prices have reached their peak, yet even despite the increases, it’s not slowing down fleets that are looking to replace older equipment. Orders for Class 8 vehicles have jumped by triple-digit percentage points–158 percent, according to ACT Research, which predicts those numbers could be even higher if fuel prices were lower. Not everyone will be able to survive the latest jump in fuel, but the Continue Reading

For only the second time since November, gas prices took a tumble last week, though they’re still more than a dollar higher than when the current surge began. The national average of $4.098 a gallon is $1.02 more than the same week last year. Despite the slight decline, the strain of paying higher prices is being felt everywhere. Though in California, a gallon of diesel is the most expensive in the country at $4.438. On the Continue Reading

Think fuel prices are putting a crunch on your bottom line? This may be just the beginning, according to some experts, though the rate of increase is rising a little slower this year than the close of 2010. Demand is growing and will continue to do so, a byproduct of the fact that home heating oil is needed to fight the brutal cold that’s blanketed a large portion of the country. A gallon of diesel has climbed steadily, up to nearly $3.50/gal. at the end of January, some 60 cents more than a year ago. The price has been on a slow and steady climb since reaching a low point of $2/gal. in March 2009. According to Continue Reading

The latest round of good news that the California Air Resources Board is cheering contains some previously unseen surprises. Results from its latest diesel cleanup program targeting ports, trucks, trains and ships has been successful in updating 5,300 trucks through retrofits or replacement. But, in a shift from many previous programs, one-third of the trucks that received program funding are owned by owner-operators, and half of Continue Reading

Unusually cold weather in Europe and the U.S. Northeast and the expected higher demand for oil pushed the Department of Energy to revised its projected fuel prices in its latest monthly short-term energy outlook. The DOE’s predictions for diesel fuel jumped 17 cents above its forecast last month with the expectation that it will average $3.40 a gallon this year. By 2012, the average will be $3.52, according to the DOE. Gasoline prices are on the rise, as well, and the department’s latest weekly survey indicates that diesel and gasoline–at $3.333 and $3.089 per gallon, respectively–have hit the Continue Reading

The more than $5 million in grants recently awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) won’t be funding the use of commonplace components to reduce emissions. Instead, the clean diesel grants will support emerging technologies not yet verified or certified by the EPA or the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The $5.6 million in awards will fund port, locomotive and bus projects for Continue Reading

With a goal of improving efficiency and reducing costs, Dean Foods plans to remove 50,000 metric tons of carbon from its transportation system by 2013, the equivalent of removing 9,500 cars from the road. Taking one step toward that goal, the nation’s largest dairy processor unveiled a new delivery vehicle equipped with a new prototype truck refrigeration system developed by Thermo King. The electric-powered refrigeration units replace Continue Reading

Proponents and manufacturers utilizing green technology converged in the nation’s capital to advocate the use and support of diesel-powered low-emission, fuel-efficent products readily available at a Clean Diesel Technology Showcase. Adovacates called for more financial support that would help enable smaller trucking companies Continue Reading

New England-based truck owners are now eligible for EPA funding to install fuel-saving and emissions reduction technology. More than $1 million in grant money is available through Cascade Sierra Solutions, a non-profit dedicated to improving the environment through reducing emissions. The rebate Continue Reading

New EPA-mandated emissions levels have in the past meant a subsequent change in lubricants, but 2010 engines may be spared. The SAE API CJ-4 oils developed for the last EPA emissions level change in 2007 are anticipated to be compatible with all 2010 engines. The article below breaks down various lubricants and technologies and offers Continue Reading