24 Crucial Things to Know About Running Natural Gas Trucks

24 Crucial Things to Know About Running Natural Gas Trucks
Posted: Oct 4, 2013 05:27 PM | Last Updated: Oct 5, 2013 02:39 PM

TORONTO — Attendees on day one of Canada's first Natural Gas Vehicle Conference scored some clutch advice from two of Canada's most well-known fleets.

In back-to-back presentations, Bison's VP, Western Operations Trevor Fridfinnson and Robert Transport's Engineering Manager Yves Maurais, gave back to the Canadian truckers by sharing — quite openly — their challenges with implementing natural gas tractors into their respective operations.

It was, without a doubt, a refreshingly honest and sobering account of the challenges early-adopter fleets have been facing with natural gas.

Both fleets have experienced their share of hard lessons — hard lessons that, if you're about to start running natural gas powered trucks, you'll experience too.

But maybe, thanks to Bison and Robert, you can avoid a few of them.

Eyes Wide Open

1. Know that this will be a resource draw, said Fridfinnson. "It takes a lot of time, energy and money to make this a reality. From a technical side of things, anybody here in this room that has run trucks for the last number of years has been a part of the technology changes meant to increase environmental efficiency of our tractors. Sometime the effects are not as desired — you might have lost fuel economy, you might have increased downtime — we had to consider all that and be satisfied we could deal with those."

This Fuel is a Different Animal

2. "Handling this fuel is different than diesel," said Fridfinnson off the top. "It needs to be actively managed. When you talk liquefied natural gas, it needs to be maintained at temperature. With diesel you can plug it into a tank and you use it when you use it — natural gas is a different animal."

3. There are two types of LNG, explained Maurais. "There is cold and warm LNG. Warm LNG is basically LNG that is maintained at its saturation point — the point where it turns from liquid to vapor. That's what you're going to find in the smaller LNG engines, like the Cummins 8.9L and the bus and city trucks. They don't need a pump to get it out — it just turns to vapor by itself. You have to remember that the natural gas engine always uses vapor. When you use cold LNG, it's always in liquid form; it's pumped out of the tank, warmed up, and turned to vapor. So, depending on what kind of spec you use in your LNG engine, you're using either cold or warm LNG. If you use cold LNG into a warm LNG system, you might have some problems. So make sure you know the difference between both systems."

4. Bison expected a fuel degradation of 10 percent when going from diesel to a first generation natural gas truck. "Right now, today, we're tracking just around 5 miles per gallon on the LNG tractor, and we're around 6 miles per gallon on our comparative diesel. So we've got a difference there we still haven't been able to make up — about 17 to 18 percent."

5. By taking a closer look at the fuel side of the equation, they're improving that number: "LNG has to be actively managed — when you fuel, how long it sits in the tank, what kind of pressure is in the tank — all those things are being metered and monitored and we're seeing incremental gains to close that gap.

6. Bison originally forecasted a fuel range of 550 miles for their LNG fueled LCVs, "but realistically we're around 450."

7. "We're figuring out that the break-in period for these engines is a lot longer than diesel engines," Maurais shared. "It can be up to 200,000 km before we get optimal fuel consumption."

Spec'ing Heads Up

8. When you're spec'ing, "what you have to remember is that the [Westport 15L] GX engine is based on the 2007Cummins ISX engine — not the 2010 or 2012 engine so when you want to do a comparison you want to do it to the same type of engine — that's very important," said Maurais.

Bison went with model 386 Peterbilt's and Westport's 15L GX. In general, there are some particular nuances with natural gas trucks, Fridfinnson cautioned.

But the big nuance?

9. "You need more tank space. We had to extend our wheelbase and when you do that, you get a bigger trailer gap and that affects the aerodynamic — a heads up for anybody spec'ing these trucks."

Maurais said that "In our specs, we found out it's nearly impossible to get the truck shorter than a 220-inch wheelbase with LNG trucks if you want to use the 120 US gallons tanks, so it makes for a very long truck."

10. Watch your weight, too, Maurais stressed. They went overweight by U.S. regs on the steer axle when they first got started.

11. Robert had electrical issues, as well. Methane detectors drained power, and they had to bring in more batteries. (Creatively, they added solar panels to the roof to power those detectors, A/C systems, microwaves, and computers.)

Anticipating Cost Per Mile

Bison tapped their LNG project onto their LCVs that run in between Calgary and Edmonton. "We took a look at that and said that's a prime opportunity for us — how can we convert that and be able to anchor our natural gas solution?

12. Fridfinnson said that an LCV truck tracks around 3-4 cents per mile in maintenance cost in the first year of its operation. "These trucks, right now, have put us double that — around 7-8 cents per mile."

13. Some of that added cost was anticipated, he said. They didn't convert their shop to maintain the LNG tractors, "so we knew there was an outside factor, and the service intervals on today's natural gas trucks are more complex than diesels so that's not a fair comparison." They knew that going in, he said. "But there was some downtime related to the fact that they are gas trucks — fuel sensors, fuel gauges, and software related to those pieces not being right — and some are related to the fact that it’s a truck trying to make a bunch of pinpoints work together."

Bison's LNG tractors have been put through their paces; next month, they'll hit the one million mile mark.

14. Which is the point with these trucks: work 'em. "The more your LNG truck is on the road, the more it will save you money," Maurais pointed out. "So try to get them going as much as possible. If you want to give them double-shifts, LNG trucks are perfect for that, especially if you're running a daily operation or local deliveries — run a few shifts and you're going to save a lot of fuel."

Return On Investment?

15. Not yet. Bison had originally targeted two years to make up the incremental cost for a natural gas tractor. "We wanted to be aggressive about it," Fridfinnson said. But given what they've experienced so far, that isn't going to happen. Where it ends up remains to be seen but suffice it to say, it's become an extended timeframe."

And as to any further commitment and investment in LNG, well, Bison isn't shopping for the proverbial wedding ring just yet.

16. Still, they are dedicated to making it work. But, warned Fridfinnson, "Everyone looks at the commodity of natural gas — its 30 percent cheaper, 50 percent cheaper; commodity prices are one thing but how that translates into an operating and working model and returns at the early stage are much, much different."

Drivers: An Extremely Fantastically Important Component

17. Both Fridfinnson and Maurais stressed the importance of keeping their drivers in the LNG loop. If you don't, the whole project can die on the vine, Fridfinnson said.

18. "Have some individuals at the driver level that are experts in what this is, how it works, how it plays out at the business," advised Fridfinnson. "And have those guys participate in the breaking-in of the trucks, and in the ride-alongs before the driver is assigned a truck."

19. Bison held forums to create a dialogue with drivers on natural gas. "It's important to understand the basic presumption that's out there in the workforce." Presumptions like: harder and longer to fill, has less power, and that they run out of fuel unexpectedly.

"How we dealt with that is that one of the members of the driver advisory board — one of the mentors that had had been driving the truck for three months and coaching others — took over and related his personal experience."

That driver told the others that it was safe, that their were methane detectors in the truck, "has more power than my diesel truck and the difference is probably ten minutes in fuelling when it comes down to it, and it runs quieter."

20. Also, if you give them a bigger engine that runs quieter, plus add in the fuel range aspect, Bison's drivers needed some training on how to use that power effectively.

21. Train your technicians and train your people at the operatins level, Maurais said. You don't want your ops people sending these trucks all over the place to pick up your loads. "They need to know that LNG trucks are different than diesel trucks."

Work Closely with OEMs and Suppliers

22. Much of Bison's component issues has improved over time, Fridfinnison said. "I will give props to our suppliers for their attentiveness and partnership in making sure we're not in here on our own trying to deal with these things."

Maurais seconded him: "Work with your OEMs and the dealership. We've had — I won't say how many — but many issues, especially on the quality side of the trucks. We basically ran prototype trucks for two years and our downtime is at 20 percent with these trucks.

23. "You should expect that downtime."

24. "But I'll put onus on the people here and those in our industry," Fridfinnson said at the end of his presentation, "if we don't participate in it and create a market and a need for it, we can't expect a whole lot of development coming from the equipment manufacturers and fuel suppliers — there's got to be a collective push that moves this thing."

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TV Casting Call for A New Show about Truckers

In my 15 years of watching truck drivers interact with waitresses, cashiers, shipping clerks, forklift drivers, mechanics, and heck, even other truckers, I’ve discovered that 99% of truckers think they’re in some way either, funny, amusing, interesting, unique, extremely handsome, or most likely, all of the above. Sadly, a big chunk of us aren’t any of those things. If you need proof of that, I’ve got over 90 blog posts you’re welcome to peruse.

But that doesn’t mean that all of us are as annoying as a truck-trapped fly equipped with a bullhorn and a teeny-tiny jetpack. I’m sure there are some drivers out there who actually are funny, amusing, interesting, or unique, and possibly even too sexy for their shirt. Well here’s your chance to prove it.

The Speed Channel is looking for drivers who are interested in being on a new show about truckers.

It’s called Payload, and it’s being called an “adventure race.” While they’re naturally keeping the details of the race locked up at CIA headquarters, I can tell you that there will be four drivers competing for a whopping $70,000! There will be seven legs of the race (each worth $10,000) and all four drivers will do all seven legs. So if you’re the super-trucker that you think you are, you could win all seven legs and be $70,000 richer! Just remember that I’m your friend if that happens. I’ve had my eye on a decked out 13? MacBook Air.

I’d say from the looks of the Payload video that this show looks like it’s got a heck of a lot of potential for making truckers look good for a change of pace. Check it out for yourself. And if my server is slower than a Prime truck at full throttle, you can also see the video at www.payloadcasting.com.

Let me clarify something that was in the text at the end of the video. When I watched this video for the first time, I thought, Oh great. Since it mentioned showing off your skills in YOUR rig, they must only be looking for owner/operators. Well, I’ve got good news for you company drivers. I contacted Marc Levine (one of the casting directors for the show) and found out that casting is open to ALL truck drivers, both owner/operators and company drivers!

Marc said that finding the right drivers was first and foremost. And if that means that some of the “right” drivers wind up being company drivers, that they’d supply a truck for him/her to drive. Cool, huh? You know, now that I think about it, Marc actually said they were looking for the right “characters.” I’m not sure how he meant that, but I know some of you fit that category for sure. Or maybe you know someone who’d be perfect for the show?

Well here’s the thing. If you or a buddy wants to be a part of this show, you’d better kick it into Georgia Overdrive and get your video and application in quick. The deadline is May 18 and they don’t want you waiting around until the last minute. So don’t screw around and mess up your chances. Pretend like you’re hauling an expedited load and get it to them ASAP.

If you’re interested in putting your name in the hat, go to www.payloadcasting.com for more details or you can contact Marc Levine or Heather May directly at PayloadCasting@gmail.com. Be sure to include a brief description of yourself, a history of your trucking experience, two recent photos of you and your truck, and a phone number to reach you. A brief video would also help them get a good idea of your camera mojo.

So what are you waiting for? You could either sit around here and wait another month for me to put up another blog post, or you could get yourself on Payload, earn some extra dough, and finally convince everyone that you’re as cool as you’ve been telling everyone for years. And let’s face it. About the only way that will ever happen is for everyone to see your ugly mug on the Speed Channel.

© 2012, Truck Drivers News Blog. All rights reserved.

I've been truckin' since 1997. Sometimes I love it and sometimes I hate it. Speaking of being fickle, my wife, affectionately known as The Evil Overlord was my co-driver for 9 of those years. And yet somehow, I'm still alive. ;-) I do the Trucker Dump blog and podcast, which is about a trucker's life on the road and anything else that tickles my innards. And I take myself very, very seriously. If you're still reading this, you can find me on: Twitter | Contact Me | AboutTruckDriving.com

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All About Truck Tarps That Will Securely Cover Your Cargo

When you are heading down the road with a big trailer full of products, you are absolutely certain that you want it to arrive at its destination in its original condition. That is where truck tarps come into play. These tarps, made of heavy-duty tough materials and coated with polyethylene, will stand up to on-the-road conditions. They will resist tearing in the winds.

As fall and winter approach it is important to have truck tarps on hand to cover the loads when the rain threatens it. The wind and rain can be a big enemy to the tarp so it is important to make sure the tarp material is thick and tear resistant.

The larger, heavy-duty tarps, sometimes weighing over a hundred pounds, are sold individually. The smaller sizes of tarp are sold in cartons, making it simple to keep all of your cargo trucks quickly covered. Coverings as small as 6' X 8' are available in cartons of 16. The 12' x 16', 12' x 48' and 12' x 54' are sold individually. These waterproof covers weigh 6.5 ounces per square yard, are 1200 denier with a 14 x 14 mesh count. They remain flexible even in cold conditions.

Hems on all sides are reinforced with braided roping and are stitched twice for extra support. The interior seams are heat sealed. These specialized coverings have one inch steel 'D' rings securely attached to nylon-reinforced corners every two feet. Where the 'D' rings are attached, the fabric reinforcement area is triangular shaped for stronger and more secure attachment.

Varieties of dump vehicles, such as articulated, transfer, truck and pup, and bottom dump, use roll tarpaulins. Flatbed trailers often carry larger, more durable items and they should be covered as well, to keep them in optimum condition. It is possible to special order any size that is needed to do the job at hand.

Solid brass grommets are used to reinforce the corners of the tarpaulin. This makes it convenient to tie down securely, keeping your product safe from the weather. The fabric resists spills of acid, does not tear easily and resists mildew in humid weather. Ultraviolet treatment is applied on both sides of truck tarps to further protect your load.

Truck tarps can come in many types of varieties. The truck can be covered with poly tarps or canvas tarps as long as the material in fastened properly.

Michael Stein is the president of Tarps Plus and is an expert on tarps and the tarp industry.

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How to Go About Buying Used Fire Trucks

Used fire trucks are sold in the same way as used cars. There are many honest and hardworking dealers that deal with this type of sale, but some few unethical dealers damage the reputation of every dealer in the industry. Therefore it is up to the buyer to identify the honest dealers and do business with them.

When fire departments want to update a fleet of fire trucks, they are normally faced with the dilemma of choosing between buying from a dealer or a broker. This is because both sellers are capable of providing similar services at different levels. Therefore it is important for one to know the pros and cons of each seller so as to decide on which one to work with.

The first thing you should know is that these sellers share a common goal, which is to provide a unit for their buyer. So, sometimes brokers might advertise themselves as having hundreds of units in their inventory. However, this is not always the case. Most of the times they do not even have a single truck with them. They list apparatus that other truck dealers have and charge a commission for every sale they make.

Therefore, brokers are less concerned about what unit you buy, all they are interested in is the number of units they sell. So, it is advisable that you shop for your truck directly from a dealer and avoid working with brokers.

One advantage of working with dealers is that you are assured of getting quality for your money. This is because the dealers acquire their units straight from the fire department. They also sell their units at a fair price since there is no middleman involved. Dealers are also concerned with the condition of their units more than the number of units they have, thus stock on the latest and best models for their customers.

It is important to ask the dealer what they check and repair when they do a full inspection of your truck. Some of the common parts they should go over include the filters and fluids, lighting systems and warning devices, the pump, aerial certification, brakes, tires, steering and other vehicle safety systems.

You might notice that listing services have a wider variety of vehicles as compared to the dealers, but that is not true. All listing services do is pass your order to the dealer that has the specific brand you want. They then earn some money for making that sale. This fee is included in the cost of the trucks which makes it more expensive. So that is another reason why you should avoid working with them.

There are several ways of knowing if the person or company you are dealing with is a certified dealer. First thing you should do is check whether the company buys their own inventory. You should also see if they offer warranties on their apparatus and engine.

Next check where the lettering is done. If the lettering has to be done somewhere else, know that that is not a genuine dealer. Also it is good to note that certified dealers normally deliver the trucks to the customer personally and do not charge any extra fees for that service. Finally, it is important to check if the seller insures the used fire trucks until delivery. You can then go on to buy the units you want, after ascertaining that you are dealing with a certified dealer.

Whether you are looking for new or used fire trucks and tankers, we will work with you to ensure your needs are fulfilled and satisfied. Visit us online ( http://www.oscotankandtrucksales.com/ )

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The Facts You Need To Know About Mud Bogging Trucks

If you are a fun off-road sports fan and you find it thrilling to have a good time, you can have a great experience by riding mud bogging trucks. These vehicles are popular particularly in Canada and the United States. Riding them is a very exhilarating experience. The mud bogging sport combines the thrill of racing, the fun that comes from off-road racing, the love of performance vehicles and the love that little boys have of playing in the mud, which many adults still have.

This sport was introduced in the 1970s when lovers of off-road racing started competing against each other in muddy, boggy and dirty areas that they could find and this was mostly in swampy areas of North Carolina. Mud bogging is now an organized competition since organizers of motorsports shows picked up on it. They started including large pits filled with mud for racing in their shows and the sport became popular for both racers and spectators. This popular event is usually arranged on a monthly or yearly basis and at certain places, the competitions are held on a weekly basis. These events are great for a weekend out with your friends or your family.

The goal of the mud bogging sport is to try your best to drive through huge mud puddles. The person who is able to drive all the way through a huge mud puddle becomes the winner. If a number of drivers make their way through, the driver who took the shortest time is considered to be the winner. These trucks are usually four wheel drive since it is not possible for two wheel drives to make it through the huge mud puddles.

Mud bogging trucks also have a strong engine that is able to provide the needed power to take them through the puddles. They usually have special modifications such as very large wheels so that they can be more efficient in accomplishing the task. The mud bogging sport continues to grow each year and competitors engage in interesting actions to ensure that they become winners. For example, they modify the body of the vehicles and some even alter the tires in certain ways.

Most competitors attach lift kits on their trucks, which serve the purpose of giving the vehicles the needed elevation that allows them to clear off the mud. The other common alteration made in these trucks is the installation of larger tires that have deeper tracks. They give the vehicles more traction and enhance the chances of a driver becoming a winner in the sport. These vehicles are also turbo charged and have nitrous injections. They are like monster trucks on steroids.

The trucks are usually very attractive since they usually have shiny and sleek bodies that are in the best conditions. They then battle out in the filthy mud and come out covered in it and even if one does not become the winner, the entertainment offered is great. Bog tracks can be of various kinds; some are open, others hilly and others flat. The length of these tracks can be up to 300 feet and this is usually determined by the amount of space that the arena allows.

Nowadays, mud bogging competitions are usually held along with events that feature the driving of monster trucks since the trucks are highly similar. Equipping mud bogging trucks with the right accessories is essential in ensuring that the trucks will be able to navigate through sticky mud puddles. You can start off with the tires by ensuring you get the tires that are able to handle deep holes filled with muck.

The best tires are those that contain aggressive treads. Spaced out tread patterns allow the truck to be able to throw out the mud better. Another helpful idea is to get larger and wider tires since the rig will be able to hold on to more ground. The other thing that you should do is to seal up the electrical system. You can use vulcanizing silicone to seal up exposed areas like the distributor and other engine parts that will fail to work if they come into contact with water.

The other component that mud bogging trucks should contain for increased efficiency is a bigger gear box. It will be able to push the tires better and you can choose to get after market gear box packages. After installing bigger gear boxes, you should ensure that you grease them well in order to prevent damage. You should also consider modifying the intake system so that it will not suck in water. One way to do this is through the installation of a snorkel system, which will make it possible for the intake system to breathe in fresh air.

The other modification that you can do to a mud bogging truck is to secure the radiator. You can move it to the back of the truck so that its chances of getting damaged are reduced. In order to keep it from getting overheated, you can connect an electric fan to it. To increase traction, you can get a set of locking hubs that will allow the transmission to turn the front wheels as they turn the back wheels. This will give the truck more power to move through obstacles.

When they first came up with mud bogging trucks this had to be what they had in mind. The deep mud and the roar of engines, that's the way to spend the weekend. S W Allen

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Important Information About Bucket Truck Inspections!

For every fleet of bucket trucks, inspections are necessary in order to meet the rules and guidelines implemented by the big three agencies that deal with health and safety issues for every employee directly engaged in heavy equipment operations. These agencies are: the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and American National Standards Institute (ANSI), which require annual inspections to maintain compliance with industry standards.

Importance of Inspections

An exhaustive regular inspection helps fleet managers know and identify problems at an early stage before they can develop into a more major operation-stopping problem. When defects are discovered earlier, the huge cost of repairs caused by major failures can be avoided. By obtaining competitive bids for inspections and tests, more companies can experience savings and receive professional servicing for their bucket trucks and other such equipment.

DOT Required Structural Inspection

A licensed professional who is approved by the DOT is the only person who can conduct bucket truck structural inspections. These are required inspections by the DOT for meeting industry standards. This inspection consists of testing the 13 areas of the bucket truck which include: the platform; elbow structure; lower and upper booms; turntable; rotation bearing; pedestal; chassis; and outriggers. Included with these inspections are the equipment's general parts - operation placards and load rating chart.

OSHA Required Acoustic Inspection

Another set of tests that are required by OSHA to meet industry standards that focuses on the steel and fiberglass structure of the bucket truck is the acoustic inspection. The objective of conducting such inspections is to search for damage ranging from outriggers to chassis by the use of sensory devices that detect noises.

During the inspection, a sensory device is attached from the outriggers up to the bucket which lead to a computer. With the permission of business owners or the fleet company's representative, the bucket will be loaded up to 150 percent more than the specified load limit; this load is applied to the boom. The computer then checks the level and nature of the sound which the components have emitted to the sensors and generates the ratings automatically.

ANSI Required AC and DC Inspection

Bucket truck AC or DC dielectric inspection is ANSI's functional and operational test that is required annually to meet industry standards. With this type of inspection, managers can verify the strength of electrical insulation for bucket truck parts such as the FRP lower and upper boom including digger derricks FRP extensions; bucket and bucket liners; upper control system; and tool circuits.

Certification

When defects are detected and found during the above inspections, the vehicle is classified accordingly. Any vehicles that must be repaired are required to re-test and undergo the above mentioned inspections for certification.

Bucket truck inspections set by these three agencies to meet industry standards should be complied with not only because it is required; it must be complied with to increase operational efficiency and overall safety. In order to save money and time, be sure that a thorough inspection is done with every bucket truck in the fleet!

Christopher M. Hunter is an expert in commercial specialty trucks. Click here to find out more about Altec Bucket Trucks.

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Know Everything About The Very Essential Car Wheels

If you are looking for the best information related to car rims, you have visited the right place. Car owners might know that rims play a very crucial role in the road performance of a vehicle. As rims play a very essential role in car's movement, you should select the right one for your vehicle. One needs to pay very special attention while selecting this most important part of the car. Young car owners prefer opting for shining rims for their car as it flaunts their style. On the other hand, aged people prefer to go for sober rims and it is very natural!

In the market you will definitely come across wide varieties of rims, but all are not good or will not serve your purpose. The most popular ones in the market are chrome and alloy rims. If you are looking for something really great, go for chrome ones. The price is high but the demand is also high. But the fact is, these types of rims require maintenance from the car owners. You should clean those parts regularly otherwise you will not get the desired result. Try to keep it away from mud and dirt if possible!

On the other hand, alloy rims are also good. Those looking for high performance along with sober look can go for the alloy ones. Rims made of alloy are durable and are known for their great performance.

If you are the one who is looking for the cheaper ones, try not to acquire the cheaper ones because they will surely not serve your purpose. As you are having it for your vehicle, you should be very careful in selecting the best one. Things or factors that you should need to consider while selecting the best rim is the size of the rim. Always keep in mind that the bigger the car, the bigger will be the rims and vice-versa.

If you are willing to get black rims, the best way is to paint them and then have them clear coated. While opting for such parts, check out for the best quality ones. The higher the quality, the more will be the price. Do not compromise with the quality of such parts. The latest ones in the market are car rims with spinners. The best part of these rims is that they look as though it is still spinning while the vehicle is stationery.

This article will definitely help you out to know about metal wheels. His personal site will help you know more about truck rims.

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Things I've Learned About Production and Processes in Cleaning Fleets of Vehicles

Prior to retirement, I ran a mobile truck washing franchising company, and about a dozen years ago, I went in with 4 of our franchisees in the greater Phoenix AZ area to secure an account with the big water and power company there to negotiate a contract to clean all of their vehicles. It turns out the utility company already had a nationwide fleet washing company cleaning their vehicles. In fact they were doing the vehicles for only $2.80 each. You might think that price is far too low, and so did we at the time, at least my franchisees did, but I was more than happy to undercut my competitor.

One thing you need to understand when cleaning fleets of vehicles is the money is in the time, not the job. And when you have 100 work vans, "all the row" and all the same size, it's really easy to clean 60 to 100 vehicles in an hour with a small crew. We should've taken that account, but we didn't. Later we ended up with a cable company with about half as many vehicles and our crews bid only three dollars per vehicle and made a lot of money because they had the production process, and system down to a science, similar to an assembly-line.

Later, they went back to bid on the contract for the utility company, but by then the utility company had signed a three-year agreement, renewing the old agreement with a competing company. A lesson learned I suppose.

Another thing I have learned about cleaning fleets of vehicles is to always have long hose reels for both the fill up tank, a 300-400 feet long 1-inch industrial hose, and 250 to 350 feet or more of high pressure hose with quick disconnects every 50 to 75 feet. This will allow you to fill up with water while your washing is under full production. If you keep the team moving while you are cleaning, it is amazing how many vehicles you can do per hour.

Indeed, you must think about fleet vehicle washing in terms of production, assembly lines, and systems, and not look at each vehicle as a separate entity to be cleaned. Further you should care more about the time you spend on the job to adequately do quality work, than the price per vehicle that you will be billing. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and learn some of the lessons that our company learned the hard way. If you do this, I believe in the end you will make more money.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, http://www.truckwashguy.com/ and now runs the Online Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes writing 24,222 articles by July 22, 2011 at 2:22 PM is going to be difficult because all the letters on his keyboard are now worn off now..

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Driver CPC Periodic Training - What's It All About Then?

By the 10th of September 2014 in the United Kingdom most existing and new professional Large Goods Vehicle (L.G.V) drivers will by law, be required to have completed an extra 35 hours of vocational training. (The Driver CPC EU Directive 2003) This is known as The Vehicle Drivers Certificate of Professional Competence or "Driver CPC". On completion drivers will then be required to renew this training on a 5 yearly cycle.

To comply with the act drivers will have to complete a Driver CPC Course. This will consist of five seven hour training sessions which can only be delivered by an approved instructor and registered training centre. The governing body responsible for Driver CPC Training is The Joint Approvals Unit for Periodic Training (J.A.U.P.T.) who are in turn responsable to The Driving Standards Agency in Great Britain (D.S.A) and The Driver and Vehicle Agency in Northern Ireland.

J.A.U.P.T monitors Training Centres and Trainers to make sure that training is given to the highest standard. Before a trainer can present a course (7 hours of instruction) they must prove their professional ability to train and have a high level of subject knowledge. All courses are vetted and approved by J.A.U.P.T before they get presented to drivers, further to this each course gets rechecked by J.A.U.P.T. annually. This ensures that the course content and the trainers are up to date with changes in Law and Industry Best Practice.

Many drivers when introduced to the idea of ongoing vocational training are naturally sceptical and wonder what they can learn from it. A typical drivers comment is "I've been on the road for 30 years what can you tell me about the job". Well this driver is perfect for Periodic Training, he most likely has not had any formal training for the entire of that 30 years and whilst his knowledge of the road and his ability to drive will be first class he might be lacking in his understanding of Road Transport Law and often is unaware of Best Working Practices within the industry.

Periodic Training's purpose is to refresh the knowledge of drivers by confirming and expanding existing knowledge and to update them on changes in Legislation and Best Working Practices. Depending on the course content, training is delivered in a classrooms or "on the road". An example of a typical training courses is "Drivers Hours & Tachograph's" (A "tachograph" is an in truck recording device that monitors speed and time. Fitting of this device into trucks and busses is a legal requirement in the EU) This course will most likely be delivered in a classroom. The Course presenter will use a variety of delivery techniques including PowerPoint, flip charts and demonstration units. Another example is a course on "Economical Driving" this might contain green environment related content as well as the monetary cost of delivering the goods and could contain both on road and classroom instruction

In conclusion this form of training can only lead to safer roads with fewer accidents and a higher standard of professionalism from L.G.V drivers. Bus and Coach drivers (PSV) are also required to hold a Driver CPC with very similar rules however PSV drivers need to complete by 10th September 2013 that's one year earlier than L.G.V Drivers.

Leadus Ltd Transport Training http://www.leadus-transport-training.co.uk/ are based in Basingstoke Hampshire, we are happy to travel to most areas in the south of England. We are specialises in group based Driver CPC Periodic Training. Driver CPC Training can take place at your own premises providing you have a suitable room or we can provide a training room for you. All of our training courses are JAUPT approved. http://www.drivercpc-periodictraining.org/en/.

Why not send us an email inquiry info@leadus-transport-training.co.uk and see what we can do to help your drivers stay safe and legal on and off the road.

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How To Learn About The Merits Of Auto Transportation

Auto transport is an amazing conception in the transport world. It is very easy process. It helps to shift vehicles one place to another place. People who change their addresses from one city to another or one state to another auto transport helps to deliver their vehicles at their door. There are many auto transport companies worldwide. They provide truck, valuable facilities and services for transporting your vehicles at a suitable rate. Auto transport is also called car shipping, vehicle transport, vehicle shipping, car transport etc.

There are two types of transportation. One is open vehicle transportation. In this process cars or vehicles are carried on a open truck. Open trucks are easy to find. Almost ninety to ninety five transportation trucks are open. About ten to twelve cars can be carried on an open truck at a time. It is good but not too much safe if the climatic condition is not well. The another type of transportation is enclosed auto transportation. In this type the transportation trucks are enclosed. It is very safe way for vehicle transportation. These carrier trucks can carry two to four cars at a time. It is the best way for transportation luxury and fabulous cars. This process ensures full safety of the vehicle that is why it is more expensive than open transportation.

Auto shipping companies provides you two kinds of delivery. One is called terminal to terminal delivery and another is door to door delivery. Terminal to terminal delivery means deliver the cars on a certain time quotation. This type of vehicle transportation provides that once a car is shipped from one terminal to another where it will provide with storage advantages for the car until the owner trucks it.

Door to door transportation delivers vehicles at the customers doors. It is a time and energy saving method for customers. Door to door delivery is more demandable and more easier than others. Nowadays most of the car movers companies offers this facility.

For choosing an auto transport company you must have some necessary knowledge when you go to a car mover company for shipping your vehicle at first you need to make sure that the company has all legal paper works. Company must be licensed. For the safety of your vehicle you can ask about insurance coverage without any hesitation. This insurance will take all the responsibilities of any damage occurs during transportation.

Every company does not offer every shipping option. Willingly offering shipping options is are good quality of a reputed company. So one must check does his/her company offering option or not?

The last thing is that before transporting a vehicle the company and the customer both have to check the condition of the vehicle. It will be good for both of them.

For more Professional information about Auto Transport Companies you can visit Auto Transporters

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A Couple of Thoughts About Buying That New Truck Bed Cover for Your Pickup

I have often been asked by fellow pickup truck owners why they should bother with a tonneau cover for the bed of their trucks. While it all seems to make so much sense to me, apparently not everyone gets it. There are a number of good reasons to put a cover back there, irregardless of which kind of cover you choose. First, tonneau covers help keep the nasty elements and weather out of the bed of your truck, and whatever you are hauling in it! Secondly, they keep all the lookie-loos from checking out what you've got back there. Third in line, there is a definite boost to your fuel economy by flattening out the back end. A fourth thought is also that they just look cool back there, and make the whole truck look cool!!!

Before you take my advice and rush out to buy a truck bed cover for your rig, here are a few thoughts you should take into consideration BEFORE you buy! I mean - you really don't want to be wasting a lot of your money by getting a cover that doesn't do what YOU need it to. Looks are one thing, but function and purpose are critically important too!

Do a little thinking about how you plan to, or actually do use, your truck. Is it a truck you use a lot for your job or work? Is it used more for hauling your weekend toys? Do you just use it for recreation? Or is it just your favorite vehicle for cruising or getting around? Finally, how much can you afford right now?

Financially speaking, the soft tonneau covers generally cost less than the hard covers. Soft covers that zip or snap or hook will usually also be less expensive. A little more work for you - but if money is tight, certainly a good way to go.

Maybe looks and color are a key for you. The fiberglass covers quite often offer a wide range of color choices, and the likelihood of matching your vehicle's color. Fiberglass covers are an example of a hard tonneau cover. Easy to get a larger color choice with a hard flat surface, than on a soft pliable material.

The hard top covers are more sturdy, do a much better job of maintaining a nice straight even shape over the bed, and offer less wind resistance. Some are made from metals, some from fiberglass, some from plastics and polymers. All make for an excellent look back there.

How much help are you going to have putting the cover on and off, or opening and closing it? A heavier hard cover can be some real work if it's just you trying to do it all yourself. So are some of the soft tops because of their flexibility. You know, once you take them loose, the shape is lost, and it becomes a little like folding a fitted sheet - if you know what I mean!

If you are one of the millions that use your truck for your job or your work, then you really want to consider covers that are simple to open and close, and covers that can be left open - either in part - or the whole thing. Here, I think the soft covers are good because they can be rolled or folded up - without a lot of effort. There are also hinged covers that can be opened in sections. Again, lighter weight is better here. Easier for you to work with alone. If not a soft cover, then think about aluminum or other light weight hard materials.

If this is going to be something that you take off a lot and stow away in your garage, you probably want to go soft, as they will roll or fold up nicely and quickly, and won't take up much space. The hard covers are going to be like stowing your roof rack or kayak in the garage - where you will need some room along a wall, or an overhead storage rack.

One final thought here is about what you carry in the bed. If you continuously are carrying expensive toys, tools, supplies, or gear in the bed, then the best option going is a hard cover with a tailgate lock. These usually involve at cover that can't be opened unless the tail gate is down. With a lock, you can keep the tailgate secure, as well as everything in your bed. Also a lot harder to cut through a hard top cover with a knife or machete.

The whole idea is to really shop around and look around, and see what looks good on a vehicle like yours. And study up to see what features match up to YOUR specific needs and use. Looking cool is great, but not at the expense of functionality! Your time is definitely worth a lot, and so is the gear you are hauling. There are a lot of solid auto accessories web sites and stores out there selling good quality truck bed covers, and many offer lots of info about the tops they sell. Some even have instructions - to make sure it's something you can handle! Enjoy your search and happy hunting!

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Important Sources of Information About Dump Truck Sales!

Trucks are perhaps the most important heavy-duty vehicle at the current time. They are primarily employed in the transportation of material from one location to another.

Ample information regarding dump trucks can be collected through meaningful research. It is possible to identify a few good sources to get some helpful information in order to look for dump truck sales from a reputable dealer.

Web-based Information

The best source of information about the attributes and the multi-functionality of dump trucks can be found through online researching. There are many great sites that contain good data, details and specifics about used vehicles that is necessary for a business that is planning to purchase these vehicles from a dependable dealer. Browsing several websites to amass relevant material or visiting discussion forums and blogs is a great way to find out more about these vehicles. Online forums and blogs provide links that will lead to the websites of many different dealers. Moreover, the internet is a rapidly evolving source that is continuously updating its information.

Heavy-Duty Truck Magazines

Another good way to obtain information that is readily accessible to everyone is magazines. They are not only a good tool that provides the details and specifications of some of these heavy-duty vehicles but are also useful for other research. Reading these truck magazines may truly add to the learning experience of people who are seeking ideas to expand and improve their business. Therefore, reading magazines may not only help in the search for the proper used dump truck but may also prove to be an interesting and informative reading experience.

Magazines are widely available almost anywhere in the world. They can be obtained by means of subscription or by picking one up at a convenience store or kiosk that sells this type of magazine. Updated versions are released at scheduled times. They may be distributed every quarter, once a month or weekly.

Books

The original source of information is always the best. Books are great sources for facts about dump trucks. These publications contain extremely reliable facts about specific aspects of these vehicles such as pictures of parts and accessories. Books can provide a wealth of information that will assist in any purchasing process.

Local Auctions

Another popular way to find quality vehicles are through auctions. Many advantages can be gained by going to an auction. A wide range of options and services are readily available at these competitive sales. By attending local auctions that offer dump trucks sales, it will be easy to find interesting details about these vehicles and where the dealers are located.

These are just few of the ways to find important features about dump trucks. Asking friends, family, business associates, or neighbors about the most trusted dealers based on their own personal experience is a good way to get necessary information. The very best source of facts and details is the suggestions that are obtained from friends. The sources of information may vary from one point to another; eventually they all lead to a reliable and reputable dealer where the proper vehicle is waiting to be purchased. Be informed and the ability to find dump truck sales to fit business needs will take place!

Christopher M. Hunter is an expert in commercial specialty trucks. To find out more about Dump Truck Sales, go to the main website at: http://www.centraltrucksales.net/home.

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The Truth about Accidents Involving Semi Trucks

We have all heard the commercials on TV for lawyers who claim they can get you thousands of dollars if you are involved in an accident with a semi truck. There are also plenty of news stories in the media highlighting crashes involving these large pieces of equipment. Yet statistics show the majority of accidents that involve a big truck are due to the negligence of other drivers, not those who are responsible for keeping eighteen wheels on the road.

The sheer size of a semi truck often means that any accident it is involved in with other vehicles is going to be more severe than when two or more regular sized vehicles have a similar accident. Even as low speeds and accident involving a semi truck can be very serious. To help reduce the risks of semi trucks being involved in accidents, employers are working hard to offer effective training programs for their employees.

Many employers who have a fleet of trucks mandate each employee attends a safety meeting on a regular basis. This may be monthly, quarterly, or twice a year. During these meetings all of the safety violations that have taken place in that period of time should be reviewed and evaluated. This way others can learn from mistakes that have already been made and prevent similar accidents from occurring in the future.

The cost of insurance for semi trucks is very high, and companies as well as owner operators do all they can to reduce it. Having a clean driving record is important for this to happen. Many trucking companies refuse to hire individuals with a history of accidents or speeding tickets. They are considered a high risk because the potential is there that they will be involved in an accident.

Incentives for employees that drive a set amount of miles without any types of accidents is a good way to reward them for their attention to safety. This can be a flat fee for a set period of time or it can be an amount based on the number of miles the driver has covered during that span of time.

The percentage of accidents taking place involving semi trucks compared to regular passenger vehicles is very low. Yet the drivers of these large trucks are often assumed to be at fault in the eyes of society. While there are instances where the driver was tired or under the influence of something, this isn’t generally the case. Sometimes accidents do happen due to the weather involving large trucks, but the myth that truck drivers are careless individuals who speed excessively hold no truth.

It is a good idea for all truck drivers to carry a disposable camera in their glove compartment. This way pictures can be taken if an accident does occur before the vehicles are moved off the road. Make sure you take the time to write down the date, the time, road conditions, and get the names of any witnesses to the event. If you work for a company you need to report the accident to your dispatcher immediately.

Having this information can make all the difference when it comes to figuring out who was at fault for the accident. Too many people are in a hurry to sue truck drivers and their companies when such incidents occur. If you have to hire an attorney or you have to go to court over the incident you want to have detailed information to protect your innocence.

Trucking Employment Law Attorney Paul Taylor on Truth About Trucking “LIVE”

Attorney Paul Taylor from Truckers Justice Center

Believe it or not, truck drivers have rights too.  There are laws in place to protect professional truckers from company retaliation for refusing to operate unsafe equipment, falsifying logbooks, false information placed on their DAC Report and even disputes that arise from trucking companies lease purchase programs.  Per our previous post, OSHA and your rights as a truck driver, many truck drivers fail their case due to not having the proper legal representation.

Trucking employment law attorney, Paul Taylor was our special guest on Truth About Trucking “LIVE” Blog Talk Radio, on Thursday, July 15th, 2010 .   The law office of Taylor & Associates, Ltd., of the Truckers Justice Center have been helping workers get justice for their employment-related problems for more than 20 years.   Having come from a trucking family, Mr. Taylor understands the hardships faced by the professional trucker and specializes in trucking employment law.

Truck drivers who refuse to violate HOS rules or to operate the CMV in a way that would violate a Federal Commercial Motor Vehicle Regulation are protected from any kind of retaliation by the trucking company, under the STAA, 49 U.S.C. Section 31105, and are encouraged to report any such retaliation to the FMCSA and to OSHA.

His law firm offers free initial consultation and works on a contingency fee basis, meaning that you pay NO ATTORNEY FEE unless they recover.   As mentioned in our earlier post, one study found that OSHA ruled in favor of the truck driver only 31% of the time.  However, in most of these cases the employee chose to act without an attorney experienced in employment law.

If you missed the broadcast with Paul Taylor of The Truckers Justice Center, you can catch it here:

© 2010, AskTheTrucker. All rights reserved.

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