Quote:
Originally Posted by bikeprof
Trucking is as advanced a Barney or Fred were back in those days...
Still pushing the same(but somewhat better machines), down the road.
I'm ALL for improvement but there are sooo many factors involved and the #1 here is:
Owner/driver of the equipment.
Change a bulb, not much light difference is noted BUT change a mind and MANY things can be done.
For instance the "super singles"; better FE, less maintenance, tracking and turning performance, etc... and how have they been accepted. Not too well...
Hybrid buses are flowing every day in most cities here in the USA, why not some 18 wheelers, hmmm?
|
Trucking is advanced as it needs to be and thus regulation had to step in and make it move. That and the increased cost of fuel.
The trucking industry has a wide variety of needs with each carrying it's own important points.
Placing costly electric hybrid drives on long haul trucks will see very little payback compared to drayage or intercity operators where the truck sees constant stops and starts. Placing that cost into improved aerodynamic improvement benefits the long haul trucker much more, but does little for the city dump truck or delivery truck. Lightening the frame helps everybody. I think you see my point.
I think it has been hinted already that the driving factor in the trucking industry is the bottom line - money. If it doesn't make economic sense, no one will use it. It must have a reasonable payback. People such as Sheppard, who has been ecomodding his trucks for decades, are few and far between. Most owner/operators and larger firms are too conservative to think outside the box to any large degree. Stay with what works and look for changes that add to the profit margin in as sure and safe manner as possible. The changes must be reliable or your vehicle could be sidelined and if "the wheels aren't turning, you aren't earning". The changes must pass constant scrutiny and inspection. There is still some irregular interpretation of trucking laws depending on state and region. Throwing a far out design on the road will lose you hours of rolling time as you will find yourself explaining the same thing over and over at every inspection station.
What Sheppard has done, and the Supertruck project is extending, is to project the possibilities to a group of owners who are as conservative as insurance groups. The sales pitch must be compelling.
Another reason the industry seems to be "behind the times" is the simple need to see a return on investment. Most of these trucks are designed to go a million miles before an overhaul. A large industry exists to keep them going far longer than that. It was not unusual to see trucks with upwards of one and a half million miles on the odometer. The longer a truck works past it's payoff period, the better for the owner. Try to convince an owner to plunk down up to a quarter million dollars for a new model and he will look at his old 20 year old Kenworth and realize the ROI will not make sense. Sheppard and the Supertruck project are trying to make that ROI decision a slam dunk.