Environmental Benefits of New Heavy Truck Initiative Validated

Canadian Trucking Alliance enviroTruck proposal would accelerate uptake on new smog-free engines and reduce GHG’s at the same time

RMI Study, Canadian Truck Efficiency and GHG Opportunities
Backgrounder RMI Study
Press Release - French

(Ottawa, October 15, 2007) -- The results of a new study conducted for the Canadian Trucking Alliance by a well regarded not-for-profit US engineering/environmental research firm, validates CTA’s case for federal government incentives to help spur investment in smog-free and GHG-fighting tractor-trailer units -- dubbed the CTA enviroTruck initiative.

According to the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) -- which recently helped Walmart design its “green” fleet strategy and has also worked with the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) -- if only 50% of the Canadian fleet were to adopt a partial list of the enviroTruck fuel efficiency technologies and add-on devices, the industry would consume 1.2 billion fewer litres of diesel fuel per year, leading to a reduction in GHG’s of 3.4 million tonnes - the equivalent in GHG terms of taking 19,000 trucks or 800,000 cars off the road. (If the entire fleet were to adopt the full-package of enviroTruck components the industry’s fuel consumption would drop by 4.1 billion litres of diesel fuel and GHG’s would be reduced by 11.5 million tonnes each year - the equivalent of 64,000 fewer trucks or 2.6 million fewer cars).

To qualify as an enviroTruck, a tractor-trailer unit would comprise: (1) A 2007 or newer tractor engine which by regulation must contain smog-free engines; plus (2) Activation of the truck’s speed limiter at a maximum speed of no more than 105 km/hr; plus (3) A number of pre-approved technologies/add-on devices for both the tractor and the trailer(s) that enhance fuel efficiency such as auxiliary power units to run in-cab heating and cooling systems and combat idling, aerodynamic fairings to reduce drag, and low rolling resistance tires. The devices studied by RMI provide the highest percentage fuel savings with the most consistent test results.

According to RMI, “while the payback periods for the fuel-saving devices range from 1 to 3 years, the investment costs are significant for truck operators.” Consequently, “providing and developing innovative financing options to mitigate the financial burden on truck operators is one role for government, however there are several others that can aid in implementing this technology wide scale.” They say that “history shows that when government takes on a technical, financial, and leadership role in implementing these technologies it stimulates the market and helps to change old myths within the trucking industry. Concrete action by government provides the temporary assistance and direction needed to jumpstart industry action and to create the desired results when old habits are preventing change. Government can and should act as a catalyst to speed adoption of these technologies on a wide scale.”

“The technology to eliminate emissions that cause smog from the trucking industry and to reduce GHG’s through improved fuel efficiency is here,” says David Bradley, CEO of the trucking alliance. “The key is to get this equipment out into the marketplace on an accelerated basis. The federal government can assist by helping to defray some of the costs and by identifying qualifying equipment much like they have with the Energy Star program for household appliances and more recently with the rebates for purchasing fuel efficient cars.”

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About RMI ... Rocky Mountain Institute is an entrepreneurial non-profit organization demonstrating profitable innovations for energy and resource efficiency. RMI works with individuals and organizations across the spectrum to help them use energy and resources efficiently while being ever-better stewards of the environment.