FPInnovations’ Performance Innovation Transport (PIT) group, a not-for-profit engineering and research group for the North American trucking industry, announced it is offering a 20% discount to fleets that join PIT before the end of June 2014.
Benefits for the Canadian and U.S. fleets becoming members of the independent testing organization include:
- the ability to choose which new technologies and operational practices are submitted for fuel efficiency testing
- access to past test results of fuel-efficient claims of different technologies
- access to the group’s engineering resources and implementation services
- peer networking opportunities for fleet owners and managers
“Leveraging the disciplined PIT testing protocols allows member carriers to focus our efforts on core competencies, including managing our fleet operations,” said Chris Trajkovski, vice president of fleet maintenance at Bison Transport. “Without internal engineering expertise, fleets cannot effectively determine the merits or quantify the net impact of fuel efficiency technology claims on fleet performance. If you have not yet been involved as a member fleet of PIT, I strongly encourage you to consider the benefits it would bring to your operation.”
Currently, more than 50 North American for-hire and private fleets in a variety of industry segments are PIT members, ranging in size from 25 to more than 1,700 trucks. Member companies routinely work with the PIT engineering staff to outline the approach, requirements and testing of potential fuel-saving technologies specific to their operations. Members also benefit from networking with other fleets, benchmarking and working with original equipment and component manufacturers to accelerate their return on investment in technologies that reduce fuel use and emissions. Aftermarket technology implementation services are also offered.
“By providing our fleet members with accurate results on the return on investment they can expect from green technologies and practices, they can make more effective capital investments,” said Yves Provencher, director of PIT. “Our proven controlled test-track fuel efficiency evaluation procedures include the most stringent testing protocols and guarantee independent verification of a technology’s fuel efficiency performance. The result is a fuel savings projection that is highly representative of what a fleet can expect to realize in actual service.”
More than 200 technologies and operational practices have been evaluated during PIT’s Energotest events since 2007. Among them are vehicles, including hybrid trucks, tractor and trailer aerodynamic devices, tires and wheel balancing systems, tarp systems for dump trailers, and fuel, oil and gear lube additives, and alignment and tire pressure settings.
