MY ETT News » Green

Potential fleet savings by going green

Rhonda Flathman — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:33:10 +0000

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.

Transport companies nationwide are feeling the pressure to streamline operations. Transporters face diesel fuel prices that have the potential to reach $4 to $5 per gallon in the near future, and are further strained as they navigate the changing landscape of government regulations.

Add to this the steady growth in customer demand for greener transport solutions, and transporters must find ways to extend shelf life, reduce fuel consumption, decrease maintenance costs and differentiate through strategic capital investments in order to remain competitive.

The potential savings of a greener fleet aren’t limited to transporters, however. Businesses everywhere are feeling the economic pinch and are looking for ways to operate more efficiently.

From acquiring raw materials to shipping goods to market, transportation costs can have a significant impact on the bottom line and environmental impact of any business.

Consumer pressure is also a factor. Customers are increasingly aware of the environmental impacts of the products they buy, further driving businesses to invest in sustainable processes, including the supply chain.
Thermo King, a business of Ingersoll Rand, said it develops innovative transport solutions and that it meets this growing demand for efficient transport temperature control systems. With more than 70 years of experience, the company said it has implemented solutions for a wide variety of customers, including Edible Arrangements and C.R. England.

According to Thermo King, a greener fleet includes improvements in the following areas:
• Fuel Usage
• Idling Time
• CARB Compliance
• Emissions
• Noise
• Maintenance

For a complete list of improvements, visit www.thermoking.com.

As demand continues to grow from businesses seeking new ways to achieve improved efficiency, 2012 will see more companies allocating budgets to make improvements like those suggested here to their fleet vehicles and supply chains.

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Herman Trend Alert: Consumers Abandon ‘Green’ Standards to Save Money

Rhonda Flathman — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:46:09 +0000

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.”

We find this data thought-provoking in light of other recent studies that show consumers patronize companies that demonstrate the “same values” as they do in the area of social responsibility. Interestingly, the availability of green products and green alternatives has been increasing.

Created to gauge consumer sentiments and behaviors related to sustainability and “green” products, the study, titled “The Green Evolution,” also evaluated how consumers interpret the marketing efforts of the companies that offer them.

The report cites that consumers who previously purchased green products have decreased their green purchasing. More precisely, those consumers who bought “some green products” (characterized as “light green”) decreased from 76 percent to 60 percent of the population. That’s a more than 20 percent reduction in the usage of green products.

click here to visit Aftermarket News to read the complete story.

Trends driving development of ‘low-cost’ trucks

Rhonda Flathman — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 16:54:17 +0000

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 cut costs where they can to help offset the higher price of complying with environmental regulations.

"Low-Cost" Trucks May Develop to Offset Costs of Emissions Regulations

DALLAS, TX. A mix of major trends, from increasing urbanization to the need for greater freight transport profitability, are combining to spur the development of “low-cost” trucks – especially as mandates for expensive emissions control and safety systems continue to impact trucking operations around the world.

Sandeep Kar, global director-commercial vehicle research for global consulting firm Frost & Sullivan, stressed repeatedly recently that the term “low-cost” truck should not be interpreted to mean “cheap” truck.

Click here to visit Fleet Owner and read the complete story.

UPS purchasing 100 EVI all-electric vehicles for California

Rhonda Flathman — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 16:48:40 +0000

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 would have been used otherwise without the alternative energy technology.

UPS on Thursday, Aug. 25, announced the purchase of 100 all-electric delivery vehicles for deployment in California, bolstering the company’s continuing effort to reduce the emissions of its truck fleet and improve its energy security. The 100 vehicles will be acquired from Electric Vehicles International of Stockton, Calif., and will replace older generation diesel trucks in the largest single deployment of zero tailpipe emissions delivery vehicles in the state.

“This purchase is a milestone for UPS’s alternative fleet expansion,” says Mike Britt, UPS director of vehicle engineering. “UPS’s research and development of alternative technologies has determined it is time to explore electric drive systems within the short-range segment of our delivery fleet. This purchase is an important first step in supporting investment and advancement in electric vehicle technology. EVI’s vehicle met our requirements in the test phase. Now we will operate these vehicles in the real world and help establish the future viability of this technology.”

Click here to visit CCJ and read the complete story.

L.A., Long Beach Ports Settle Emissions Lawsuit

Rhonda Flathman — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:35:01 +0000

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 educating the public on the harmful effects of diesel emissions. The terminals will also shell out $1 million to fund low emission truck grants.

California Ports Reach Settlement Over Emissions Lawsuits

Seven terminal operators at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have reached a settlement in a lawsuit alleging the terminals were in violation of diesel emission standards, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Under the settlement reached with California Attorney General Kamala Harris, the terminals agreed to spend about $1 million each on cleanup projects and advertise warnings to the public about diesel emissions, the Associated Press reported.

Click here to visit Transport Topics and read the complete story.

Planned U.S.-Canada Oil Pipeline Gets Favorable Report

Rhonda Flathman — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 20:30:51 +0000

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 spoke out on behalf of the public and environment, saying citizens would not want such a project in their backyards or the potential for an oil spill.

The U.S. State Department said in a report that the planned Keystone XL pipeline, which would transport crude oil from tar sands in Alberta, Canada, to oil refineries in Texas, is unlikely to have a significant impact on the environment, Associated Press reported.

The State Department released its findings on Friday in its final environmental impact statement.

The pipeline, which would be built by Calgary-based TransCanada Corp., would transport about 700,000 barrels of oil per day on a path through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma, AP said.

Click here to visit Transport Topics and read the complete story.

Thermo King Smooth Air Blower lowers fuel usage by up to 7%

Rhonda Flathman — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 15:51:13 +0000

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 power savings compared to other assemblies.

Ingersoll Rand’s Thermo King brand said its new evaporator blower assembly enables transport customers to gain improved energy and operational efficiency for their single and multi-temperature refrigeration units while lowering fuel costs. The company has enhanced its Spectrum and SB-30 series units with the Smooth Air Blower, which can increase cooling capacity by up to 4% and lower fuel usage by up to 7%, according to the maker.

The enhancement is now standard on Spectrum multi-temperature refrigeration units and SB-30 series single-temperature refrigeration units, including the SB-130, SB-230 and SB-330. These refrigeration solutions can help owners and operators reduce fuel and operating costs and minimize driver involvement with the refrigeration units.

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Grote’s MicroNova Dot lasts longer and offers dual intensity

Rhonda Flathman — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 18:22:25 +0000

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 used as a clearance or marker lamp, but not simultaneously, and require no mounting fasteners.

Grote Says Micronova Dot Lamp Series a More Robust LED Choice

Grote Industries said its new MicroNova Dot is a family of clearance/marker lamps with dual intensity capabilities that are specifically designed to resist the dimming that is common in other penny-sized LED lamps.

According to the company, vehicle wiring systems carry negative transients as a byproduct of their interaction with motors, relays and solenoids. Over time, exposure to negative transients has been demonstrated to degrade LEDs, diminishing their light output and viability in the process. All Grote LED lamps are designed with a rectifier diode that protects its LEDs from the effects of negative transients, according to the maker.

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Researchers pitch gatordiesel as truck fuel

Rhonda Flathman — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 15:02:21 +0000

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 alligator fat into biodiesel is a novel idea, but not one that would produce a sustainable amount in the long term. In that case, scientists suggest it as one of a number of diverse sources that could help fulfill the needed supply.

Engineers at the University of Louisiana (UL) have discovered a novel source for making biodiesel: alligator fat.

Data shows that oil extracted from alligator fat is easily converted into biodiesel, and that the oil is actually better for biodiesel production than other animal fats, as the gatordiesel is similar to biodiesel from soybeans, researchers said. The end product also meets most of the standards for high-quality biodiesel.

Click here to visit Fleet Owner and read the complete story.

Fuel standards should save fleets money, report says

Rhonda Flathman — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 20:39:44 +0000

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 fuel efficient trucks could be then recouped in as little as six months based on miles driven, and over the projected life cycle of the unit could return a savings of $73,000.

An analysis of the new federal fuel efficiency standards for heavy-duty trucks and pickups conducted by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) concludes that fleets and consumers alike should reap more than enough savings to compensate for increased costs to make those vehicles comply with the new regulations.

“Our research indicates that the fuel savings these standards will generate should far exceed any upfront costs,” Zoe Lipman, NWF’s senior manager for transportation solutions, told Fleet Owner. “We’ve also consistently seen cost estimates for new technology actually come in lower than expected, meaning the payback periods should be shorter.”

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