Posted on 03/03/2009 12:51:41 PM PST by Ellendra
Green trucking: State may consider diesel idling ban soon
Mike Ivey — 3/03/2009 1:24 pm
The rumble of idling diesel trucks at a highway rest stop is a familiar sound to many travelers. Truck and bus drivers routinely run their engines during breaks to provide heat or air conditioning in the cab and electrical power for the radio or refrigerator. Keeping the motor running also eliminates the need for a "cold start," which is hard on bearings, seals and other engine parts.
But growing concerns over air pollution -- not to mention fuel costs -- have driven 21 states to pass laws restricting the amount of time diesel operators can idle their rigs. An idling diesel semi can burn through a gallon of fuel an hour while spewing out pounds of soot, ozone and carbon dioxide.
Big rigs don't get great gas mileage to begin with -- maybe eight miles to the gallon on a good day.
"Cost of fuel is the number one concern for just about everybody in the industry right now," says Patrick George, account manager at Transport Refrigeration Inc. in Madison.
A host of new idling reductions technologies, or IRTs, now allows truckers to shut off their big engines without losing heat, air conditioning or power in the cab. The devices, basically a small diesel motor, also help keep the main engine warm even while it's turned off.
Wisconsin doesn't have a diesel idling law on the books yet, but one is likely coming in this session of the Legislature.
A sticking point has been drafting rules that everyone can agree on while trying to help truck and bus companies pay for adding idling reduction units to their fleet. Units can range in price from $1,000 to $10,000, although manufacturers say the devices pay for themselves within a year.
"Any money a company can save on fuel, it can reinvest back into the company and not have to lay people off," said Dawn Fenton, policy director of the Diesel Technology Forum in Frederick, Md.
For the past two years, Wisconsin has offered a program through the Department of Commerce that provided matching grants to help truckers purchase diesel idling devices. Nearly 1,100 units were installed using some $4 million in grants.
Estimates were the new technologies helped save 2.7 million gallons of diesel fuel while reducing air pollution, especially particulate matter, otherwise known as soot.
But the program was not included in Gov. Jim Doyle's new budget, a move that has drawn flak from trucking interests and environmentalists. Department of Commerce spokesman Tony Hozeny said the idling reduction program was intended to expire after getting the ball rolling.
"We were trying to prime the pump on this new technology, not be the pump," said Hozeny.
Hozeny said it's possible some federal money could be coming to Wisconsin, perhaps up to $1.7 million, that could help truckers buy more idling reduction equipment going forward.
"It's not that we didn't like the program, but with the budget deficit, everything has gone under the microscope," he said.
Last year, Dane County Supervisor Brett Hulsey pushed for a diesel idling ban in Dane County, saying it would protect air quality while helping to save fuel.
But the ordinance failed to gain much momentum. So Hulsey is working with the industry on a statewide rule that would eliminate the problem of truckers avoiding refueling stops in counties where idling is prohibited.
Hulsey said any state law on idling should also include school buses, which tend to line up front to back while loading and unloading students.
"I've seen studies that when you line up three or four buses, you end up with the same air quality as inside a smoky bar," he said.
According to the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, diesel exhaust contains significant levels of small particles, known as fine particulate matter.
The fine particles pose a significant health risk because they can pass through the nose and throat and lodge in the lungs, causing lung damage and premature death. They can also aggravate conditions such as asthma and bronchitis.
Trucking is big business in Wisconsin, transporting about 83 percent of all manufactured goods in the state last year. Green Bay-based Schneider National is the nation's largest road freight hauler. And the Chicago to Minneapolis corridor along Interstate 94 is considered one of the busiest trucking routes in the nation.
But Wisconsin is also emerging as a leader in manufacturing devices that help eliminate air pollution from diesel engines.
Last year, Stoughton-based Universal Silencer sold some 300 emission control systems for use on fixed diesel systems, such as backup generators or lifts. The company -- which also makes mufflers for large diesel engines -- was spun off from Cummins Inc., the former Nelson Industries of Stoughton, about a year ago.
"We've turned into a green technology company," said Brian Kahl, executive director of Universal's Emission Technologies. "First we eliminated the noise part (of diesel engines), and now we're into the emissions part."
At Transport Refrigeration on Madison's far east side, installing idling control devices has helped the company through the economic downturn. The firm outfits trucks with the "TriPac" system built by Thermo King.
"It's about 80 percent of our business right now, but that's because shipping has dropped off so much," said George.
Indeed. Recent figures from the American Trucking Association show that U.S. truck tonnage fell nearly 15 percent in December -- as strong an indication as any of the economic slowdown.
For his part, Hulsey thinks Wisconsin has a future in producing biodiesel from agricultural crops, and manufacturing clean truck and bus technologies.
"Wisconsin can be the Saudi Arabia of clean diesel," he said.
Schneider National has managed to navigate through the tough transportation market extremely well. I doubt they need government “advice” on how to do so.
The article doesn’t say a lot. It’s a fluffy “feel good” piece by a know nothing tree hugger.
Many modern trucks now idle on only a few cylinders to save fuel.
“What the article doesn’t say is that refrigerated trucks won’t work if the engine isn’t running.”
...you sure about that?...I thought that reefer trailers had a separate power unit mounted on the nose of the trailer.
It's worth it for what they do to keep a free nation going and financially to boot.
What's the problem?
“Schneider National has managed to navigate through the tough transportation market extremely well. I doubt they need government “advice” on how to do so”.
...most 18 wheelers are privately owned and are responsible for their own fuel expenses. This article is beyond silly. No level of the gov needs to intervene on a person’s personal expenses. This “pollution” BS is just an excuse, as usual.
A GREAT input for the efficiency box in Washington D.C.!
I wonder if it has been contemplated?
And big rigs are much more efficient than smaller trucks because they can deliver a ton of goods over 200 miles on a gallon of fuel.
They also burn precious little fuel when idling and are much more efficient to leave running than starting and stopping.
Truck drivers also pull double duty as security guards for their loads and sleep in their rigs necessitating their continued running. Because few truck stop have plug-n-play type comfort stations with Wi-Fi and climate control fed to the rigs.
Stop the blame Obama stuff for crying out loud.
Well, I’m sure BO’s EPA czarina, Carol Browner, can just ban all trucks from coming into or going out of WI.
Maybe these legislators should spend a few weeks sleeping in their vehicles during the coldest and hotest times of the year without the engines running.
My bad, sorry. LOL
It’s worth noting that independent truckers used to be adamantly opposed to any idle restriction legislation. A lot of that opposition has been muted in recent years, as the high cost of diesel fuel has prompted many truckers to find ways to eliminate the need to idle their engines.
“Many” don’t. Only some Volvo motors, in the class 7 & 8 category (big trucks), currently have that feature.
Cummins has it in development, they demo’d one at the Dallas truck show and at Mid America in Louisville.
Cat was working on one before they quit the on road market in response to California’s recent rulings.
Navistar (International) offers it on their class 3-5 motors.
I’m not sure about Paccar (Peterbilt & Kenworth), but they only have a former DAF motor in the smaller classes.
Important to note, as well, that the national fuel MPG average had inched up to 6.1 mpg in 2004 for all class 7&8 trucks. Then, California came out with their BS, and the Feds followed suit.
Now, with DPF’s (Diesel Particulate Filters) and recirculating fuel injection...yes that’s correct, they use diesel fuel and inject in into the DPF every so often as you’re going down the road, fuel mileage has dropped to under 5.7 nation wide.
Consequently, trucks are being governed to reduce power and speed in an attempt to gain back some of that fuel mileage. The result is trucks clogging the roads due to low power and lack of a realistic top speed, and more rear end and chain reaction accidents.
But, hey, that’s progress, right?
Here is one great idea and at a cost of $2.18 per hour it is cheaper than burning fuel.
Yes it is, progression redefined for a political definition purpose.
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