Transportation is one area that is ripe for delivering savings to businesses looking for ways to contain costs in the new year, according to Thermo King Corp. Continue Reading

Not surprisingly, fewer consumers are buying green products. An extensive survey conducted by Grail Research finds that almost two-thirds (65 percent) of consumers changed their green buying habits due to the “Great Recession.” Continue Reading

Several trends, not the least of which are ever-growing equipment costs to keep pace with emissions mandates and safety systems, may contribute sooner rather than later to the development of “low-cost” trucks. Supporters are quick to note that this does not mean cheap, but rather a means for carriers to reap a return on their investments. Already, some carriers are opting for smaller engines and manual transmissions to Continue Reading

UPS recently announced that it has purchased 100 all-electric delivery vehicles to deploy in short-range delivery routes in California as part of the carrier’s ongoing effort to reduce emissions. The 100 vehicles will replace older diesel trucks in the company’s fleet. UPS has already tested this type of vehicle and is anxious to put them to use in “real world” applications. Already, the company is operating all-electric vehicles in New York and Europe. They are able to travel within a 90-mile range and have displaced more than 126,000 gallons of fuel a year that Continue Reading

The seven terminal operators at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have settled the lawsuit alleging their violation of diesel emissions standards. As part of the terms of the settlement, the terminals will spend $1 million each to clean up their operations, while also Continue Reading

Trucking industry groups have come out in support of a U.S.-Canada oil pipeline, but environmental groups aren’t supportive of the idea. The Keystone XL pipeline project would transport crude oil from Alberta, Canada to Texas by way of the Midwest. The U.S. State Department has announced its findings on the environmental impact, saying that it was unlikely to be significant. The American Trucking Associations backs the project for its potential to reduce fuel costs, create jobs and reduce dependence on foreign oil sources. The Sierra Club Continue Reading

In response to ever-changing fuel prices, Thermo King has released a product that it says can boost cooling capacity by as much as 4 percent and lower fuel consumption by 7 percent. The Smooth Air Blower, a new evaporator blower assembly is available for single and multi-temperature refrigeration units and is standard on some models. A more efficient blade design and a smaller assembly offers a 24 percent Continue Reading

Grote Industries’ new line of clearance/marker lamps offer extended life and greater intensity, while also being a more eco-friendly choice. The company’s new Micronova Dot series is available for use in a number of applications and has been engineered to resist wear and tear that can degrade LED lamps caused by the effects of negative transients. Available in red, amber and white, Micronova Dot lamps can be Continue Reading

Researchers have found a somewhat promising source for producing biodiesel. And though it would only supply a fraction of the need, the silver lining is that it keeps the would-be waste material out of the landfill and turns it into something useful. Engineers at the University of Louisiana are proposing alligator fat as the basis for making alternative fuel, particularly for its easily convertable oil content. They say it’s similar to biodiesel produced from soybeans, but its pluses are that it wouldn’t take away from a food source or drive up its prices as a result. Thus far, converting Continue Reading

Implementing the new federal fuel efficiency standards for heavy-duty trucks and pickups stands to save fleets, consumers and the nation as a whole billions of dollars in reduced fuel consumption and reduced emissions, which in turn yield a cleaner environment and improved public health, according to an analysis conducted by the National Wildlife Federation. What’s more, the organization says it has determined that the fuel savings will more than cover the upcharge for the pricier technologies required to meet the new standards. The $6,000 to $8,000 more for Continue Reading