The North American Council for Freight Efficiency and the Carbon War Room, in partnership with Shell and PepsiCo, announced Run on Less, a "first-of-its-kind, cross-country roadshow" designed to showcase advancements in fuel efficiency. The event will take place in September.

The organizers said that Run on Less will demonstrate how Class 8 trucks can use different technologies to achieve the best fuel economy possible.

The three-week event will kick off from multiple locations across the United States and culminate at the inauguaral North American Commercial Vehicle how in Atlanta, taking place September 24 to 28.

Run on Less will be led by NACFE and CWR’s Trucking Efficiency Operation, with Shell and PepsiCo as the title sponsors.

Run on Less will feature six to 10 Class 8 trucks that will use current, commercially available technologies to haul real freight around the country. The trucks will be equipped with different efficiency technologies, and drivers will demonstrate how to achieve the best fuel economy in today’s highway tractors.

With a goal of achieving 9 mpg or more, the technologies fitted to the trucks will range from 6x2s and automated transmissions to aerodynamics and other technologies that assist with improved freight efficiency.

Driver progress, as well as the dollars and carbon emissions saved, will be tracked and reported in real time throughout Run on Less via a live online site.

Mike Roeth, executive director of NACFE, said the event is really about letting fleets put their money where their mouths are, and prove to the world that consistently hitting high fuel economy numbers is obtainable with the right combination of technology and driver skills.

“We’re going to allow North American fleets – and hopefully an owner-operator or two – to show the world what they can do today in terms of commercial vehicle fuel economy,” Roeth said. “This isn’t a big science project. And it isn’t controlled runs on tracks with empty trucks with the wind at their backs. This is going to be about real-world operating conditions, and we’re not going to hide anything about the process or what we learn.”

Roeth said Run for Less is currently talking to fleets about applying for the event, which will start with participants running routes they select along with the drivers they want behind the wheel, working in the course of normal business operations.

The Run On Less team is also talking with various telematics providers about installing a system in all participating vehicles to monitor and record runs and fuel economy numbers. “We know we’ll have a dashboard so the industry can see results,” Rothe said. “We’re not sure how it will be set up: If we’ll do something like the Tour de France, where we have a 'Yellow Jersey' leader every day, or if we’ll tally things up after a run is complete. But we do want to present results as close to real-time as possible as the event progresses.”

Rothe said participating fleets will obviously win bragging rights, but he said they will gain some tangible rewards as well. “Early adopters know that more people using emerging technology is good for the industry at large. So, if a fleet is running a technology combination that is particularly effective, it’s good for them in the long run if other fleets do likewise. Because when that happens, economies of scale bring prices down, variety improves, new suppliers bring in new innovations, and quality generally goes up.”

The inaugural NACV Show at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta is expected to see 10,000 trade visitors and 400 exhibitors. Well-known manufacturers of commercial and specialty vehicles, as well as producers of parts and components, will present a wide range of products.

More details about Run on Less will be announced in coming months. During April, event organizers will be accepting fleet applications to participate in the Run. Sponsorship opportunities will remain open until June 1.

For more information, contact Mike Roeth at mike.roeth@nacfe.org or go to www.runonless.com.