CTA Applauds Federal Program to Enable Testing of Trucking Environmental Technology

(Ottawa, May 6, 2008) -- The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) applauded today’s announcement by Transport Canada that funding under the department’s ecoFreight Program will be awarded to trucking companies across the country, most of which are members of provincial associations in the CTA federation. In total 12 trucking firms, eight of which are CTA member organizations, have been awarded $3.2 million to explore the benefits and opportunities of CTA’s enviroTruck technologies.

“The ecoFreight program is an excellent example of a public-private sector partnership that can foster investment in environmental technologies which might have gone untested without government assistance,” said CTA CEO David Bradley. “CTA is optimistic that the results of this project will encourage the federal government to invest in a broader reaching incentive approach, similar to the Energy Star Program, that will help carriers not only to invest in emission savings technology, but identify products that produce the desired results,” added Bradley

In October 2007, CTA unveiled its enviroTruck concept, which is a tractor-trailer incorporating a number of pre-approved technologies and add-on devices to enhance fuel efficiency. These devices include auxiliary power units to run in-cab heating and cooling systems and thus combat idling, aerodynamic fairings to reduce drag, and low rolling-resistance tires. According to CTA’s estimates, if Canada’s entire fleet of Class 8 trucks were to adopt the full package of enviroTruck components, the industry’s fuel consumption would drop by 4.1 billion litres of diesel fuel (about one quarter of current consumption) and GHG emissions would be reduced by 11.5 million tonnes each year – the equivalent of removing 64,000 trucks or 2.6 million cars from the road.

“These enviroTruck technologies have been around for a while, but the industry’s experience with some of the devices has produced mixed results, thereby complicating already difficult decisions on investment in new trucking equipment and ancillary technologies. The ecoFreight program is a good way to start quantifying the benefits of alternative investments and the proper application of the various technologies available,” said Bradley.

CTA has called on the federal government to adopt a sustained strategy to increase the penetration of enviroTruck technologies in the truck equipment market. The Alliance’s position on the fuel efficiency benefits of enviroTruck is supported by research from the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), the energy efficiency research institute best known for assisting Wal-Mart with its Green Fleet Strategy. Full copies of CTA’s recommendations and the RMI report are available at www.cantruck.ca.

• Bison Transport will receive a contribution of up to $500,000 towards a large-scale, fleet-wide demonstration of the operational effectiveness of aerodynamic trailer fairings. These items attach to the undercarriage of standard van semi-trailers and are designed to reduce fuel consumption by reducing the aerodynamic drag caused by the trailer’s wheels and axle components.

• The Canadian Trucking Alliance will receive a contribution of up to $95,000 towards the demonstration of multiple truck technologies that can significantly reduce fuel consumption. The technologies, which will be demonstrated in different geographical areas of Canada, include aerodynamic trailer skirts, base flaps, auxiliary power units and single wide-base tires. In addition, CTA will assess the operational effectiveness of long combination vehicles in selected areas of Canada.

• Group Robert Inc. will receive a contribution of up to $390,279 towards the large-scale, fleet-wide demonstration of the operational effectiveness of composite trailer skirts on long-haul, two- and three-axle tractor-trailers. These particular skirts, which attach to the undercarriage, are made of a composite material that is believed to offer incremental advantages in the Canadian climate, where snow and ice buildup can reduce the effectiveness of the aerodynamic equipment.

• Jeff Bryan Transport will receive a contribution of up to $323,500 towards the installation of multiple fuel-saving technologies, including auxiliary power units (APUs), speed limiters, single wide-base tires and remote satellite control of refrigeration units. The APUs will provide heating and cooling to the passenger compartment of the trucks, eliminating the need to run the truck engine while stopped for rest periods. Speed limiters will limit the top speed of the truck to 105 km/h. Reefer Trax will allow remote monitoring and control of refrigerated trailer units to allow engines to be shut off while temperature parameters are met. Single wide-base tires will provide fuel savings through lower rolling resistance

• Manitoulin Transportation Inc. will receive a contribution of up to $376,695 towards the purchase and installation of 60 auxiliary power units (APUs) and sleeper climate control systems that can also be connected to an electrical outlet at the Manitoulin facilities. The APUs will enable the cabs to be cooled or heated without the need to run the truck engines during the rest periods. In addition, 15 diesel coolant heaters will be acquired to assist cold-weather starting of trucks carrying freight in the Northwest Territories.

• Paradise Island Foods Inc. will receive a contribution of up to $104,835 towards the demonstration of truck on-board computers and hybrid reefer technology. The on-board computers will be installed on four tractor-trailers to monitor speed, idle time and engine revving to help optimize driver fuel conservation practices. The hybrid reefers will be installed on five trailers to reduce idling and fuel consumption by using a dedicated diesel generator to run an electric refrigeration system.

• Sunbury Transport Limited will receive a contribution of up to $479,400 towards the purchase and installation of auxiliary power units (APUs) on 75 class 8 tractors to reduce engine idle time. The APUs will enable the cabs to be cooled or heated without the need to run the truck engines during rest periods. The system will also provide engine block heating, accessory power and battery charging.

• Travelers Transportation Services Inc. will receive a contribution of up to $97,180 towards the purchase and installation of auxiliary cooling and heating units for 20 new replacement tractors. The equipment will enable the cabs to be cooled or heated without the need to run the truck engines during rest periods. Gel packs gather cooling during the day while the tractor is running and provide cooling for the cabin when the truck stops without the need for further fuel consumption. The auxiliary heaters provide heat in the cabin for cold-weather stops.

About CTA -- The Canadian Trucking Alliance is a federation of provincial trucking associations. We represent a broad cross-section of the trucking industry—some 4,500 carriers, owner-operators and industry suppliers. With our head office in Ottawa and provincial association offices in Langley, Calgary, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal and Moncton, CTA represents the industry’s viewpoint on national and international policy, regulatory and legislative issues that affect trucking. www.cantruck.ca

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