With so many large fleets focused on drop-and-hook operations to maximize efficiency, there is little focus on matching tractors to trailers. But, a new report from the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE), says that a change in operations to allow for more “intentional pairing” of tractors and trailers could lower truck operating costs. How much it would take to entice fleets, though, is uncertain. NACFE suggests that a 5 percent to 10 percent net improvement could get the ball rolling.
The study, “The Feasibility of Intentional Pairing,” was undertaken by NACFE after a conversation with a truck manufacturer involved in the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) SuperTruck II project. The concept is an engineer’s dream, allowing for the design of an integrated tractor-trailer combination in the most efficient way possible. This approached heavily influenced the Shell Starship prototype vehicle and is the basis for the ongoing DOE SuperTruck II project.
“One of the things that always comes up when engineers are designing tractors and trailers is they say, ‘if we could only know that the trailer would stay with the tractor for [all of its] life,’” Mike Roeth, executive director of NACFE, said.
The 86-page report dives into great detail around the equipment as well as additional factors such as e-commerce that guide the design and development of modern tractor-trailers. In addition to research from available public data and its own database, NACFE sent a survey to 50 fleets. Among those that responded were Bison, CFI, Hirschbach, Maverick, NFI, Nussbaum, PepsiCo (NASDAQ: PEP), Ryder (NYSE: R), Schneider (NYSE: SNDR), UPS (NYSE: UPS), Werner (NASDAQ: WERN) and others representing a “significant sampling of freight industry operations.” NACFE also consulted with owner-operators such as Henry Albert, and with experts at ACT Research and Let’s Truck’s Kevin Rutherford.
To no great surprise, NACFE found that the majority of fleets pull dry van and 53-foot refrigerated trailers and operate in drop-and-hook operations with the focus on keeping the trailer moving as much as possible.
Credits to: FREIGHTWAVES