Planning ahead for year-end TRU purchases
Decision time is getting close for refrigerated fleet operators who transport fresh or frozen cargo on California roads. Under current California Air Resources Board (CARB) environmental standards, operators must replace or upgrade transportation refrigeration unit (TRU) engines every seven years. That changes on Jan. 1, 2014.
Cell phones make bypassing weigh stations a whole lot easier
We take cell phones and smartphones for granted. While they help everyone from truck drivers to fleet managers stay connected, they also offer a new way of doing business.
Ups & downs of trailer availability
Fleet managers are now looking for trailers built between 2004-10, and the more recent, the better. But there weren’t many trailers built from 2001-04 or from 2008-10, so those models are hard to come by.
Doing the math on CSA lighting infractions
One of the things that emerges from a study of CSA fleet regulations is that lighting infractions are one of the leading reasons a fleet’s maintenance score can deteriorate.
Time running out for CARB compliance on trailer aerodynamics
Fleets and owner-operators who travel into California must have aerodynamic devices as of Jan. 1, 2013.
Fleet employs aerodynamic technology
Spirit Truck Lines participated in a Department of Energy program in which the fleet evaluated, compared and made recommendations regarding several new aerodynamic technologies available for U.S. trucking fleets.
Trailer tracking
As businesses operating in the capital-intensive, low-profit-margin trucking industry, carriers benefit financially by adopting wireless untethered trailer management systems.
Trailer aerodynamics: facts, not factoids
The acceptance of trailer fuel-saving drag reduction technology continues to be suppressed by disruptive claims and poor understanding of aerodynamics. Here are a few aerodynamic facts to bridge the knowledge gap.
Seven tips for buying used tank trailers
With demand being high in the used tank trailer market, fleets should focus on condition, not age, when a purchase opportunity arises.
Trailer tire update
What fleets need to know about wide base singles and other trailer tire facts.
Two new ways for fleets to reduce trailer weight
to the wide-base wheels) are SmartWay certified to lower rolling resistance, further increasing fuel economy. Aluminum wheels also act as a heat sink to run 40˚ to 60˚ F cooler than steel wheels, improving tire and brake component life and further reducing operating costs over the life of the vehicle. Lighter weight aluminum wheels provide
Wide single tires bring weight savings, fuel efficiency
Some fleet mangers have embraced wide single tires, others remain skeptical. So let’s take a look at the issues surrounding replacing duals with one tire. According to Pressure Systems International, the manufacturer of the Meritor Tire Inflation System by PSI, there are two main advantages: weight savings and fuel efficiency. Weight savings can add up