The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) Monday announced the selection of three project teams to demonstrate and evaluate mobile idle reduction technologies on heavy-duty trucks.

The use of these technologies should allow truck drivers to rest in comfort while the truck’s engine is shut off. The demonstration is being funded as part of a grant program administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay Transport Partnership to help promote technologies that save fuel while also reducing pollution.
The year-long data collection effort will document engine idle times with and without the use of the selected idle reduction technologies.
The following trucking companies will lead the selected project teams:
• Diversified Transfer and Storage (DTS) – Headquartered in Billings, Mont., DTS provides truckload and less-than-truckload services throughout the United States. DTS will be evaluating an auxiliary power unit (APU) manufactured by RigMaster Power Corp.
• National Freight Inc. (NFI) – Headquartered in Vineland, N.J., NFI provides nationwide truckload, over-the-road, dedicated, intermodal, brokerage, and specialized transportation services. NFI will be evaluating an APU manufactured by Teleflex Energy Systems.
• Schneider National Inc. – Headquartered in Green Bay, Wis., Schneider National provides nationwide truckload services, including one-way, intermodal, dedicated, bulk and specialized service. Schneider National will be evaluating two separate air-conditioning systems, a Bergstrom 12-volt system and a Webasto thermal storage system, operated in conjunction with a Webasto cab heater.
The successful demonstration and evaluation of these idle reduction technologies is expected to provide truck owners with a better understanding of the costs and benefits associated with the use of these technologies.
ATRI is the trucking industry’s not-for-profit research organization. It is engaged in critical research relating to freight transportation’s essential role in maintaining a safe, secure and efficient transportation system.