UPS is looking at better FE trucks
 

Plastic UPS trucks could be the next big, brown thing

"A UPS truck that's 1,000 lbs lighter than a standard one, that gets 40 percent better fuel economy and helps save 84 million gallons of fuel annually? It's not a hybrid or some fancy fuel burner. Plastics make it possible.

Through December of this year, the company that brown built is testing five new prototype trucks, each made from plastic and composite materials. The new trucks, some say, could get around 14 miles per gallon — making each one a veritable Prius in package-delivery terms. Such efficiency gains will come mainly by way of its lighter weight and smaller diesel engine.

The CV-23, as it's known, is the product of Utilimaster and Isuzu. During an eight-month testing period, the new trucks will get heavy usage on some of UPS's most punishing routes, in Lincoln, Nebraska; Albany, New York, and Tucson, Arizona. Afterward, the company will decide whether or not to fold the new, plastic trucks into its fleet of 70,000 vehicles.

And maybe someday, we won't even see a massive, brown whirlpool of the things circling the Pacific Ocean."

Glad to see UPS is finally getting smart and looking at making new trucks that are more FE. I like it. If they were really smart they'd make their own bio-diesel which is not only dirt cheap to make but is more environmentally friendly. Since they are always in a rush they are burning a lot more fuel due to always having to drive the trucks hard. I hope they go into production, especially if all the plastics are made from 100% recycled materials.

honestabe -

Real easy to add rear wheel skirts. You don't need to protect the cargo area from collision, just the driver's cabin, so weight reduction is much easier. I was hoping that the RMI spinoff Fiberforge was involved, but I guess exotic materials are needed in this case.

CarloSW2

Wheel skirts won't do anything at the speeds most UPS trucks drive. The highway driving is very minimal for most part.

My dad used to get 12mpg with his 1980s vintage 11.000kg GVW truck that could carry 6.000+ kg of useful load. That was in an urban delivery environment with frequent stops. What on earth are they driving now that only gets 10mpg ???

Great article

I drove a UPS truck for a year, here are a few things I learned back then think it was in 2001.

The entire back half is aluminum and Hot as hell this time of year
The roof is a plastic or fiberglass so light shines in making it easy to see.
The gasoline fleet was the older models and diesel was newer.

The genius in UPS way of training is not in the truck but in the way you drive it... BTW they don't call it a truck it is called a package car.

Idling is forbidden
reverse is almost forbidden never use it if needed you must hoonk the horn as you back up you will be fired if found not honking.
You are NOT allowed to make left turns (before you ask) Why UPS Drivers Never Turn Left - Careers Articles
and dozens of time saving rules that must be followed ...

other silly rules all beards and mustaches must be neatly trimmed many uniform rules your shoes must always have a shine and be either black or brown.

The center I worked at only had 1 small package car with A/C and it was the only automatic

There was no cigarette lighters for electric fans in any trucks

Getting into the car putting your seat belt on and starting the engine are done in one motion and you are timed and graded on how fast and smooth you do it.

You go to the UPS driving school and must get signed off by one of their instructors and take a written test.

you get a speeding ticket you will more than likely lose your job.

No UPS truck is ever resold they crush them

It has been a while and I am sure much has changed no GPS back in my time but a fantastic smart company all round. Anyone else ever work for them?

I spoke to a UPS driver in California who was testing a hydraulic hybrid truck. He liked it. Wonder how that's coming along?

Truck on this side of the Atlantic have had automatic reversing horns for ages.

You can even buy bulbs with a small horn in them - just put them in the reversing lights.

They have plenty of reversing warnings that come on automatically here as well. UPS just did not use when I was there, nothing worse than hearing that freakin beeping.

These are either GMC, Ford, International, Freightliner or Workhorse chassis. Older gasoline trucks had the big Chevy or Ford inline 6s, newer ones are GM Vortec 6000s ( LS 6.0L V8 ).

Diesel engines ranged from Perkins, Cummins B series 4 and 6 cylinder, Navistar T444E ( 7.3 L ) and VT365 ( 6.0 L ) V-8s, and probably an ungodly amount of others.

Transmissions are either Clark, Spicer, Eaton 4 or 5 speeds along with Allison automatics.