Trucking industry offers fuel saving strategy

The American Trucking Association last week repackaged several longstanding proposals into a new plan to address pressure on the trucking industry from spiraling fuel costs and environmental concerns about global warming.

The trade group said its initiative could reduce fuel consumption by 86 billion gallons and carbon dioxide emissions by 900 million tons for all types of vehicles during the next decade.

The ATA's sustainability initiative centers on promoting several efficiency programs within the trucking industry and seeking congressional support on national policy changes. The recommendations

are:

      Require that electronic microchips in engines be set to limit truck speeds to 68 mph.

      Reduce the national speed limit to 65 mph for all vehicles.

      Reduce engine idling.

      Increase fuel efficiency by promoting trucking company participation in the Environmental Protection Agency's Smartway Transport partnership program.

      Reduce congestion by improving highway infrastructure, and consider raising the fuel tax to fund investment if necessary.

      Use more productive truck combinations -- i.e. longer and heavier trucks.

      Support national fuel economy standards for trucks.

      The ATA has been pushing the federal government since 2006 to require all new medium- and heavy-duty trucks to be built with speed governors preset to a top speed of 68 mph. The effort has safety as its primary goal, but many large trucking fleets have long realized the economic benefits of driving at slower speed.

      For every 5 mph increment in speed above 60 mph fuel consumption increases by about 7 percent in automobiles and the same principle holds for commercial vehicles, according to officials at Schneider National.

      Schneider, the nation's largest privately owned truckload carrier, voluntarily capped the maximum speed of its fleet to 60 mph, down from the previous 65 mph.

      Con-way Inc.抯 truckload subsidiary also said it has lowered the maximum governed speed in its fleet from 70 miles per hour to 65 mph, citing fuel costs and concerns over diesel emissions.

      Con-way expects the speed reduction to save 2.8 million gallons of diesel fuel annually and cut diesel emissions from each truck by nearly 2,300 pounds per year, the equivalent of removing 6,300 average automobiles from the nation抯 highways according to Con-way estimates.

      Con-way Truckload is also switching its fleet to fuel-efficient tires, using new lubricants to increase fuel efficiency, lowering curb weight on each truck by more than 600 pounds, and installing aerodynamic panels to cut drag.

      In March, Con-way's less-than-truckload business, Con-way Freight reset speed limiting devices on its 8,400 trucks to 62 mph from 65 mph.

      The Ann Arbor, Mich.-based company estimated the move would save nearly 3.2 million gallons of diesel fuel per year and eliminate 72 million pounds of carbon from the environment.

      The ATA's call for a 65 mph across-the-board speed limit is also not new. It has previously called on states to institute a maximum speed limit of 65 mph for all vehicles. There are more than 30 states that have speed limits of 70 mph or higher on their interstate highways. ATA desires a 3 mph cushion for speed governors to allow for safe passing. Schneider National has advocated a return to a national speed limit of 60 mph.

      At the time, some perceived the ATA's positions as concessions designed to convince Congress and state legislatures about the safety of allowing size and weight increases for trucks.

      The Smartway program is designed to encourage freight companies to increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gases and air pollution. Firms that take steps to improve efficiency and reduce emissions receive an EPA green seal of approval and shippers in the voluntary program in turn pledge to give at least half their freight business to Smartway carriers. Many large fleets already belong to Smartway.

      Other recent ATA policy recommendations to help reduce the price of diesel fuel, now above $4 per gallon, include:

      Stop filling and instead release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

      Lift the moratorium on energy-exploration in oil-rich lands.

      Allow development of oil shale and tar sands in Colorado, Wyoming and Utah.

      Suspend the 12 percent excise tax for auxiliary power units purchased by truckers to stop idling truck engines.

      Eliminate tax benefits for biodiesel imports that are subsequently exported.

      Allow states to grant a weight exemption for the additional weight of the auxiliary power units.

      Establish a national diesel fuel standard.

Source: American Shipper