C R England tests aerodynamic efficiency of trailer side skirts
Jun 1, 2009 12:00 PM
C R England is testing 100 side skirts for increased trailer aerodynamics. As a US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SmartWay Transport Carrier Partner, the Salt Lake City UT-based transportation company performs continuous testing on new technologies. A testing department experiments with both controlled and field tests to determine if the side skirts perform favorably.
Tests initially yielded a 3.6% fuel savings when using this technology. Field tests are currently being performed; if the tests yield positive results, the company will save almost 3 million gallons of fuel yearly.
The company has been a member of SmartWay since 2005. This partnership is a collaboration between EPA and the freight industry designed to increase energy efficiency while reducing greenhouse gases and air pollution. C R England has made improvements toward reducing fuel consumption by improving aerodynamics. By installing aero profile kits on tractors and adjusting the trailer gap, the company saved more than 134,908 tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere in 2008.
In keeping with the goals of SmartWay, the firm has made improvements to reduce emissions in these areas:
Improving fuel mileage by reducing highway speed from 70 mph to 65 and 62 mph.
Idle reduction with the use of bunk heaters, engine shutdown equipment, and seasonal goals reducing idling by 17% in one year.
Driver training on fuel mileage improvement through idle-time accountability, preventative maintenance, and miles per gallon documentation.
Energy-efficient, low-rolling-resistance tires.
Technological improvements that help reduce out-of-route miles and increase trailer and driver utilization.
Visit www.epa.gov/smartway for more details about SmartWay. For more information about C R England, visit www.crengland.com.
