By Reagan Payne

Across the board, the trucking industry is making strides to reduce its carbon footprint. From adjusting the machines already on the road to developing new ones altogether, the industry will see huge technological changes.

To limit fuel emissions on already load-bearing trucks, TruckLabs developed TruckWings. This attachment literally bridges the gap between the tractor and trailer, giving fuel savings of up to 6 percent.

The wings are made of impact-resistant, glass-reinforced composites and are attached to the rear sides and roof of the cab. These panels even auto-retract when the truck falls below highway speeds as to not inhibit turning capabilities. Slowing to a stop and turning can already be an extremely difficult maneuver for those 40-ton machines; this product will not inhibit that and can still provide fuel savings.

“They have proven to be a good fuel saver and very durable,” Mike Roeth, executive director of the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE), said. “We had pretty much given up on fixing the gap between the truck and trailer. They are making it work.”

TruckLabs is also tapping its hardware engineers, software developers, and data scientists to bring solutions to other problems in the industry: driver shortages, digital disruption, and a constantly increasing demand for timely deliveries. TripDynamics will measure and provide real-time feedback to drivers to set driving goals based on load, route, traffic, and weather.

“We are here to change how the industry innovates, by combining our passion for the trucking industry with our expertise in hardware, software, and big data,” TruckLabs CEO Daniel Burrows said in a press release.

Electric Moves

Scrapping fuel altogether, Volvo Trucks North America will begin sales of an electric Class 8 truck. Volvo is not the only company headed in this direction; other big names in transport such as Daimler, BYD Trucking, and even Tesla are speeding along in the electric tractor race.

There are 70 electric units in testing just for Volvo. Five percent of carriers indicated that they had at least one battery-powered truck, according to the American Trucking Research Institute. Of all the companies mentioned prior, Volvo has the most electric units on the road.

“We are ready to bring a complete electric-truck solution to the market for our customers and are fully confident in delivering them the total package of support and service, not just the truck itself,” Peter Voorhoeve, president of Volvo Trucks North America, said.

Reagan Payne is a staff writer for Wright Media. She can be reached at rpayne@wrightmediacorp.com