The reality of electric commercial vehicle use
I recently came across two articles that I found staggering. The first asserted that France wants to quit selling gasoline and diesel fuel by 2040 (Britain made a similar announcement a few weeks later). The second detailed Volvo’s announcement that it will equip every car it sells with an electric motor starting in 2019. Since California
Covering fatigue risk, safety systems and more at EUFMC
The educational program for the annual Electric Utility Fleet Managers Conference (EUFMC) is based heavily on input from attendees and is designed to address the informational needs of utility fleet professionals. Therefore, it came as no surprise that the 2017 conference included several sessions on safety-related topics. Addressing an issue that is common in all
Debating the merits of ethanol
I just returned from the National Hot Rod Reunion in Bowling Green, Ky. To get there, I traveled through some of the most fertile soil in America: The Mississippi River bottom in the Missouri “boot heel.” This land used to be planted in cotton as far as the eye could see. But we lost the
Improving operational efficiencies
Fleet efficiencies are intertwined with operational needs. To be effective, fleet managers need to know how to measure operational needs. According to Christopher Lyon, director of fleet relations for NTEA, there are several approaches that help quantify necessary functional requirements while filtering out end-user operator demands, often communicated as needs. “In the end, fleet
Volvo talks new trucks, market strategies
Recently, Volvo Trucks North America held a press conference in Winston-Salem, N.C., to demonstrate its new VNR regional haul tractors and to talk about product advancements—loading efficiencies, passive and active safety systems and integrated connectivity— the market and its strategies. North American launch The VNR regional haul line was initially launched in April at ExpoCam
What do fleets expect from their tires?
Tires continue to be the second highest maintenance cost for fleets, just behind fuel. Yet the initial buying price of the tire is usually not the reason a fleet will spec a specific tire make/model—unless the purchasing department, not the maintenance director, is the final decision maker. Cost per mile over the lifetime of the
What’s the alternative? A look at hydrogen, natural gas and zero-emissions trucks
Physicists tend to be long-term thinkers. If you recall, I mentioned in January 2010 that we would eventually end up using hydrogen fuel for our vehicles and nuclear energy to generate electricity. I also mentioned that gaseous fuels made perfect sense as an interim alternative fuel for our fleets. I had high hopes for algae-based
A clear view: Meeting new FMVSS 111 rearview camera requirements
In the works since the passage of the Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Safety Act of 2007, the newly enacted update to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 111 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) sets new rear vision system requirements for vehicles with a 10,000-lb. or lower Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. Information
Old truck, new telematics tricks
Truck technology is moving faster than ever—too fast, in many cases, for owners of older trucks. If your truck is more than a few years old, you have likely missed out on multiple generations of software, telematics and uptime services—and won’t be able to access future versions either. A Fleet Advantage survey released earlier this
The power behind proprietary powertrains
Adoption of proprietary integrated powertrains continues to climb, making up the majority of today’s Class 8 orders. At the launch of the Volvo VNR during ExpoCam, held in Montreal last month, Wade Long, director of product marketing for Volvo Trucks North America, said that demand for the Volvo engine makes up around 93% of orders
An update on API CK-4, FA-4 oils
The transition from API CJ-4 heavy-duty diesel engine oils to the new CK-4 and FA-4 lower viscosity oils is proceeding smoothly, according to the API. After almost five years of lab testing and oil development has been completed, approximately 400 CK-4 and 60 FA-4 products have been licensed since December. Several diesel engine manufacturers are
The impact tires have on fuel economy
Improving vehicle fuel economy is always important from a financial perspective for any fleet. Moving from 6.5 to 6.6 MPG may seem like a small improvement, but it can equate to millions of dollars per year in savings to a large fleet’s bottom line, and it’s still significant savings for a medium-size fleet as well.