On this episode of The Road Forward, Alex, Flint, and Matt discuss what’s new in the trucking industry. They shared their thoughts on new carbon capture devices for trucks, platooning regulations, and recent ELD shutdowns. 

Carbon Capturing Devices– An Eco-Friendly Solution?

Recently we learned about a new device that is meant to capture up to 80% of the truck’s carbon emissions. It attached to the back of the semi-truck and uses media to capture the CO2 which is then heated and compressed by the truck’s exhaust and transferred into storage tanks. Every 600 miles the tanks need to be emptied in order for the device to do its job. From there, the CO2 can be sold to industries that need it (such as cement manufacturers) and these profits are shared with the trucking company. 

We discussed a couple potential problems with this technology. One issue is that truck stops must be convinced to install the deposit tanks. If trucks don’t have a place to deposit the leftover CO2, there’s no point in installing the device in the first place. The other potential issue has to do with the overall goal of this technology, which is to cut down on CO2 emissions. Will this technology be effective enough to make a difference, and should the goal be to eliminate them altogether? It could be argued that any attempts at cutting down on emissions are worth the effort. Overall, in theory this is an ingenious solution to an ongoing problem, and time will tell if it will be effective. 

Read the full article here.

Changes to Truck Platooning

Truck platooning is a strategy meant to improve fuel efficiency where two or more trucks follow each other closely. The trucks are linked electronically, so they remain in sync as far as speed and acceleration. Platooning is closely related to autonomous trucking, although most states require there to still be a human driver in each truck.

This could be changing, as Mississippi aims to pass a bill that would allow truck platooning without a driver in the following truck. Changes like this indicate that states are starting to embrace changing technology, specifically relating to the autonomous vehicle industry. Of course, this is being done incrementally so as not to compromise safety.

What does this mean for drivers? If you’re joining the trucking industry now as a driver, don’t expect that this new technology will put you out of a job, but your job as a truck driver will be evolving. In fact, there will be more opportunities in the future for drivers who embrace and work with these changes.

Read the full article here.

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FMCSA Revokes More ELDs

We recently learned about 2 ELDs that the FMCSA has revoked, meaning companies can no longer use them to maintain HOS compliance. What does this mean? Either the FMCSA is becoming more aggressive in their enforcement, or some ELD providers are simply doing a bad job. With so many ELDs on the market to choose from, what we do know is that the process to get certified as an ELD provider is not difficult. The hard part is actually building technology that meets the requirements, and the rules set by the FMCSA aren’t always clear.

Trucking companies must decide whether to go with a smaller ELD provider or one that is well-established. The problem with a larger, well-known provider is that when they get feedback from you and/or your drivers, they don’t always take the time to act on it. Going with a smaller ELD provider may be the solution for your company, but it’s still important to stay well-informed, do your own research and maintain open communication with your drivers. This was you can be sure to maintain HOS compliance.

Read the full article here.

Looking for an ELD solution? The TruckSpy ELD enables drivers to edit their logs, annotate incorrect drive time and apply all FMCSA exemptions. Learn more here.

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