NACFE
Fuel prices, driver shortage, parking top issues facing industry, ATA’s Sumerford says
Fuel prices, driver shortage and retention, truck parking, driver compensation, economy, delays at customer facilities, and compliance and safety are the top issues facing the trucking industry, said Harold Sumerford,…
Motoring Along: Understanding the role of motors in electric trucks
TORONTO, Ont. -- Do you know who makes the motor in your washing machine? Do you care? Do you know who will make the motor on your first electric truck? Will you need to care? That's just one of the many paradigm shifts we'll be dealing with as electric drivetrains emerge in the trucking industry.
Driving Force: Axles are at the heart of an electric revolution
TORONTO, Ont. -- We're at the dawn of a new era in the propulsion of heavy trucks. Electric powertrains are opening new packaging and integration possibilities, including driven axles. Traditional transmissions, driveshafts, power dividers or differentials are no longer required.
Shell truck touches down
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The starship has landed and the results are in. The Starship Initiative truck sponsored by Shell lubricants and AirFlow Truck Company finished its cross-country test drive of more than 2,300 miles (3,700 kilometers) on May 24, concluding the first journey a Class 8 truck of this kind has driven coast-to-coast across the U.S.
Video: Fuel for thought, and action
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. -- Some of the most important factors behind spec'ing decisions are those that promise better fuel economy. A panel of experts at the Canadian Fleet Maintenance Summit (CFMS) discussed how claims should be weighed, and steps that will deliver a return on investments.
Here Comes the Sun: Does solar have a role as an alternative fuel?
TORONTO, Ont. -- In some corners of North America, the idea of adding solar power to a truck or trailer is a no-brainer. You'd be forgiven for thinking that none of those corners are in Canada. That's mostly true, but it doesn't necessarily mean that solar has no place here. Just that you must be careful in assessing manufacturer claims about what their solar gizmo can actually do. Almost all of Canada gets an average of 4.2 hours of solar sunlight a day. Two areas -- a small stretch of the southern prairies and a little ribbon of central B.C. -- crank that number up to 4.5 hours. Compare that to as many six hours in Arizona, New Mexico, and a patch of southeast California. Doesn't sound like much of a difference, but it's a big deal. A 300-watt solar setup that can help to run a tractor's electric APU in that part of the U.S. would probably have to be a 600- or 800-watt setup for a rig running, say, a Toronto-Montreal-Halifax route. It also means that manufacturer claims can be rather idealistic if calculations were based on experience in warm and sunny parts of our world. There's no subterfuge involved here, but “your mileage may vary,” as they say.