US Trucking Fleets Expand Use of "Tails" on Trailers to Address Rising Fuel Prices
Werner Enterprises to Install 130 TrailerTails® to Reduce Tractor-Trailer Aerodynamic Drag, and ATDynamics to release TrailerTail Nano for Canadian Trucking Fleets.
- San Francisco, CA (1888PressRelease) March 31, 2011 - ATDynamics, Inc., the largest supplier of trailer rear-drag aerodynamics technology, announced today that US trucking companies are continuing to expand their use of aerodynamic "tails" on trailers to address rising fuel prices.
Werner Enterprises (NYSE: WERN), a top-ten publicly traded US trucking company, announced the expansion of its TrailerTail® program. Werner will install aerodynamic TrailerTails®, in addition to aerodynamic trailer skirting, on a fleet of 130 dedicated trailers as part of its commitment to being on the forefront of green transportation technology. TrailerTail® delivers 6.6% fuel savings at 65 mph according to SAE type II J1321 third-party tests and is compatible with all major dry van and refrigerated trailer configurations.
"Werner Enterprises is dedicated to providing its customers the most cost-effective and environmentally responsible transportation services," said Steve Phillips, Senior Vice President of Operations at Werner Enterprises. "Werner has invested significant resources to evaluate advanced fuel-saving technology with the potential to exceed EPA SmartWay requirements."
ATDynamics also announced that the company will significantly expand its TrailerTail® product line during 2011 to meet growing demand for aerodynamic tail technology from fleets with diverse operating profiles. One of the products to be launched in the fall of 2011 is the TrailerTail® Nano, a reduced-length TrailerTail®, delivering an expected 4% fuel savings. The TrailerTail® Nano will provide an aerodynamic alternative for fleets with length constraints due to intensive inner-city operations, pup-trailer fleets or Canadian regulatory requirements.
"Diesel prices are well above $3.00 per gallon and the average trucking company spends over 5% of their fuel budget overcoming aerodynamic drag at the rear of their trailers," said Andrew Smith, founder and CEO of ATDynamics.
"Fleets utilizing TrailerTail® technology operate more profitably and more sustainably." TrailerTail® technology has the potential to save the North American long-haul trucking industry over $2 billion annually in fuel costs.
ATDynamics will expand its capacity to assemble TrailerTails® in its Silicon Valley based R&D and manufacturing facility. The manufacture, assembly and installation of TrailerTail® technology will reduce trucking industry expenditures on foreign oil imports and create dozens of US-based green jobs in 2011.
Mesilla Valley Transportation, a top 100 US trucking fleet based in Las Cruces, NM, currently operates the largest fleet of TrailerTail® equipped trailers in the industry. The trucking company launched a 15-month program with ATDynamics at the end of 2010 to retrofit its entire fleet of 3,500 trailers. To-date, the Mesilla Valley trailers with tails have traveled over 12 million miles and saved over $250,000 in fuel. Over a 10 year period, the Mesilla Valley TrailerTail® program is projected to increase company earnings by over $30 million.
Manufactured in the United States and verified by the EPA SmartWay™ program, the TrailerTail® Model 2011 employs state-of-the-art aerodynamic design to reduce low-pressure suction drag experienced behind semi-trailers pulled at highway speeds. Made of ultra-light and high-durability thermoplastic composite materials and a collapsible origami architecture, the technology was approved for operation on US highways by the Department of Transportation in 2008.
"Keep your eye out for more trailers with tails," commented Devin Lammers, who was recently promoted to ATDynamics Director of Customer Fulfillment and Performance Management in order to manage the growing demand for TrailerTails®. "TrailerTails® have the potential to save North American trucking companies and consumers significant money - every TrailerTail® installed provides the equivalent fuel savings of taking a passenger vehicle off of the road."
About ATDynamics, Inc.
ATDynamics is a leading supplier of semi-trailer aerodynamics technology. Its flagship TrailerTail® drag reduction technology, first released in 2008, is part of a suite of products engineered to reduce the fuel consumption of the freight transportation industry. Based in South San Francisco, California, ATDynamics is the recipient of numerous innovation awards and is a founding member of the North American Council for Freight Efficiency. ATDynamics is an affiliate of the U.S. EPA SmartWay Transport Partnership and a member of the American Trucking Association's Technology Maintenance Council.
About Werner Enterprises
Werner Enterprises, Inc. was founded in 1956 and is a premier transportation and logistics company, with coverage throughout North America, Asia, Europe, South America, Africa and Australia. Werner maintains its global headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska and maintains offices in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China and Australia. Werner is among the five largest truckload carriers in the United States, with a diversified portfolio of transportation services that includes dedicated; medium-to-long-haul, regional and local van; expedited; temperature-controlled; and flatbed services. Werner's Value Added Services portfolio includes freight management, truck brokerage, intermodal, and international services. International services are provided through Werner's domestic and global subsidiary companies and include ocean, air and ground transportation; freight forwarding; and customs brokerage.
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