Page 39 - Newcom

AERODYNAMICS 39
NACFE report supports the adoption of trailer aero
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
A recent Confidence Report issued by the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) concluded that trail- er aerodynamic devices do work, pro- viding fuel savings ranging from 1-10%.
The study looked at three areas of the trailer that present opportunities to re- duce fuel consumption: the trailer gap; the underbody; and the rear of the trailer.
““It’snotacaseofwhetherfleets
Every trailer will benefit from improvements in aerodynamics.” Rick Mihelic, NACFE
should be adding aerodynamic devices, it’s more about when is the right time and which ones they’ll add,” said Mike Roeth of NACFE, during a press confer- ence to discuss the results at the Tech- nology & Maintenance Council’s spring meetings.
He also acknowledged the value equation changes as fuel becomes less expensive. Roeth noted that in 2014, fuel represented an expense of about 58 cents a mile in the US. Then, fleets were paying about $70,000 per year on diesel for every truck. Today, diesel represents an expense of about $36,000 a year per truck, Roeth pointed out.
“You need to think about, when you buy equipment, what do you believe fuel prices are going to be in 2020 or 2026?” Roeth said.
In addition to improving fuel econ- omy, NACFE’s study on trailer aerody- namic devices also found these prod- ucts improve stability, reduce the risk
of rollovers, reduce splash and spray and even reduce driver fatigue since the truck often handles better.
NACFE also found the reliability and durability of trailer devices has improved.
Challenges related to trailer aero de- vices include: added weight, compli- cated testing requirements, variance among product performance, high trail- er to tractor ratios, and questions of reli- ability and durability.
Roeth said trailer side skirts and trailer tails provide an effective combi- nation.
“Almost always, the rear device incre- mentally adds to the fuel savings from the skirts,” Roeth said.
Trailer aero devices have matured and will continue to do so, the report found. NACFE expects government reg- ulations will scale these technologies, resulting in lower purchase prices.
“Every trailer will benefit from im- provements in aerodynamics, but there are no one-size-fits-all solutions,” said Rick Mihelic, program manager with NACFE. “This report reduces the confu- sion and explains the combinations that make sense for fleets.” You can down- load the complete report for free at www.TruckingEfficiency.org.
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