Saw This Today
 

I knew these existed, never thought I'd see one. Even got to talk to the driver for a couple mins about it. He had absolutely no idea what it did, it just annoyed him that he had to deal with it XD

I gave a quick quip about aerodynamic drag and how it reduces it etc etc which he seemed to pretty well just ignore.

http://i62.tinypic.com/2ntgt5j.jpg

A picture from the side.

http://i58.tinypic.com/23lxqqh.jpg

Well, those guys are paid by the mile, not by the amount of fuel they save. I can see why it annoys him. I bet if he got a portion of the fuel savings he might become a little more interested in the subject.

That depends on whether he's leasing the truck or owns it. If he owned it he'd be footing the bill for the gas and amount paid for mile would be a lot higher. Though chances are no, he does not own it since he didn't know what it did. Either way, he should be happy he's being slightly better for the environment. Though I think he was mostly annoyed that the people were not answering the loading bay buzzer (I can relate, been there).

It amazes me when I hear of all the inefficiencies that appear to exist in the trucking industry. Aerodynamics is just now being given more thought.

I have heard of the nightmare that is unloading the trucks. Some drivers will arrive at the destination and be expected to unload the rig even though they don't have the equipment to do so, or know where to deliver the goods.

No answer at the load bay? There should be better coordination between delivery and receiving. Some sort of financial incentive so that drivers aren't left sitting in their rigs, and goods make it to their destinations within predefined deadlines.

Anyhow, I always thought it would be neat if the rear of the trailer could be streamlined by inflatable surfaces that deploy and retract by the push of a button. It would have to save enough in fuel to warrant the extra expense of installing and maintaining them.

Sometimes when I unload a truck, I ask the driver what kind of mileage he is getting.
You are right about the indifference to it with most tuckers. I usually get the default comment " Well it takes me 'bout a 100 bucks every couple a days " comment.
It's the guys that own the trucks that actually keep up with it.

I struck up a conversation with one guy that owned his truck and eventually got onto the topic of aerodynamics. He seemed interested and i gave him a link to this site.
I hope he is lurking on the site now !

It's funny how that I feel as though I'm 'preaching' to them, because the tactics are the same - first you strike up a conversation about something mundane that interest them, get them to 'like' you enough to get their full attention, then begin to mention things like cost of the fuel, since no one gives a crap about efficiency unless money is to be made from it . Then you talk about how easy it would be to save that money by simply covering the wheels with side skirts.

I had one guy that thought that the side skirts were there to keep cars from going under the truck like in The Fast & Furious movie.

I loled at that. :D

Did you get a chance to watch him fold and redeploy it? In any case it doesn't address the more important bottom half to preserve access to the door latches.

Loading bay buzzer? I'd be laying on the air horn. :)