The Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) of American Trucking Associations has released the much-anticipated results of PIT Group’s analysis of TMC’s proprietary fuel-economy calculator.
In its evaluation of TMC’s RP 1118 interactive aerodynamic technologies fuel-savings calculator, FPInnovations’ PIT Group assessed a proposed update to the calculator. The proposed update provides equipment operators with an interactive mathematical tool to evaluate the potential fuel and economic savings of an aerodynamic device that has been tested using one of TMC’s fuel economy testing procedures for Class 6-8 tractors coupled to commercial trailers.
The PIT Group reviewed results from eighty-seven tests conducted since 2007, which were separated into eleven categories of technologies and practices related to aerodynamic technologies for trailers. In addition to the PIT Group test results, data from other reliable sources was correlated with PIT Group test results and was included in the report to provide additional information.
“The fuel efficiency test results PIT Group has gathered over the last ten years or more have helped to enhance the TMC tool,” says Simon Trudel, the FPInnovations fleet management specialist who worked on the study. “We believe the calculator is a great tool for fleets to properly estimate the return on investment of aerodynamic devices.”
General indications and examples on how to layout and present the elements of the calculator were suggested by PIT Group, and it was determined the calculator is a helpful tool for fleet managers and owner-operators in evaluating options for adopting aerodynamic technologies. TMC is considering contracting PIT Group to develop the updated version of the calculator.