New fuel economy tests coming
When fleets join EPA’s SmartWay Partnership, they voice their intention to limit exhaust emissions and report regularly on their activities in this regard, but it’s definitely not a one-way street. SmartWay, in turn, is obligated to assist partners in achieving emission and fuel usage reduction goals. To do this, EPA, working with OEM partners, has
Four companies solve one problem
During the recent Technology & Maintenance Council meeting, four fleet truck product suppliers made an announcement regarding their joint efforts to solve a problem that has plagued our industry for some time—namely, wheel-off incidents. Under the banner of “Wheel Torque Solutions,” Alcoa Wheels, B&D Cold Heading, Chicago Pneumatic and ITW CIP have created a new
Help from a nonprofit
Cascade Sierra Solutions (CSS) is a non-profit organization that works with both public and private partners. It is also a three-year Affiliate Member of the SmartWay Partnership but is somewhat different than most other non-profit SmartWay affiliates, which are “Trade and professional associations; membership; nongovernmental organizations; academic institutions and governmental agencies who educate their constituents
ULSD and the battle of bugs
Since the introduction of ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD), small fleet owners have had to become extra-vigilant in maintaining their vehicles. In order to keep downtime to a minimum and ensure that all vehicles are running at optimum efficiency, it is imperative to keep bacteria proliferation in check. However, because ULSD has become the standard
A significant shipper
It’s easy to see how SmartWay participation can directly affect a fleet’s bottom line and, therefore, attract the interest of top management. A decrease in exhaust emissions means the fleet is saving fuel and that bumps up profitability. An easy sell! But what’s in participation for shippers? If they’re purely shippers, they can’t save on
Stability control: proven safety technology
In October, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released its final report on stability control systems for commercial trucks. Called “Safety Benefits of Stability Control Systems For Tractor-Semitrailers,” it was conducted by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) under a cooperative agreement between NHTSA and Meritor WABCO Vehicle Control Systems. The purpose
SmartWay 2.0
Last month in this column I described the current SmartWay scoring system and indicated that it is being replaced by one based on fleet performance instead of operational strategies. The new program, called SmartWay 2.0, will be collecting information from all modes of transport- ation instead of data predominantly from the trucking industry. Matt Paine
’Tis the season…
It’s that time of year again—the road salt corrosion season! De-icing formulations, namely calcium chloride and magnesium chloride, will soon be playing “fast and loose” with the undercarriage and electrical systems of trucks, tractors and trailers, corroding metal and electrical connections. Not so long ago, the Technology and Maintenance Council published a three-part corrosion analysis
Can’t make it between PM’s with current fuel filters, so you’re considering changing brands?
Stuart Comments: Clean fuel has always been crucial for injector life and smooth engine operation. But with today’s highly sophisticated fuel systems, having the cleanest fuel is not an option––it’s required––and involves very simple science. With injection pressure exceeding 30,000 PSI, the smallest amount of contamination can be a problem. ULSD fuel is more susceptible
What you need to know to get from PM-to-PM with fuel filters.
Stuart Strongly Suggests: 1. Make sure the bottom of your fuel storage tanks are free of sediment. Check them periodically and have the muck removed—properly! 2. Ensure that there are fuel filters on the dispensing pump. Change them frequently as the flow rate slows down. Gas pumps are around eight to 10 gal. per
Are PM’s are taking too long? Do you now have to set SRT at 1-1/2 hours?
Stuart Preaches: I say “so what” to how long a PM takes. The industry wants to manage by using standard repair times (SRTs) as a method of managing. You have to determine what is included within the PM. Consider what it is you need to do. Do you require battery terminals to be cleaned,
Low power: change the air filter or doesn’t the restriction gauge work?
Stuart laughs at: For some reason, the industry is paranoid about air restriction gauges. We just like to look at air filters and change them; we like to blow them out; we like to change them at every PM or at the request of the driver; or for driver safety; or at the terminal manager’s