Xtra Lease has ordered 6,000 new fuel-efficient trailers equipped with aerodynamic side skirts and low rolling resistance tires, providing fleets access to new equipment and opportunities to lower their fuel costs.
A leading provider of trailer rentals and leases, Xtra Lease will add both features on new trailers, 53-foot and longer, due to arrive at company rental locations throughout the U.S. between February and August. Not only will the new trailers provide added fuel efficiencies, they'll comply with California's Greenhouse Gas regulation and are safe to enter and operate in that state without penalty.
"Access to new, quality equipment is significant for fleets unable to invest or acquire the capital needed to obtain new trailers, particularly coming out of the economic cycle we've been in and continue to endure," said Bill Franz, XTRA Lease CEO and President. "As capacity tightens, we're focused on having a fleet size, mix and model-year make-up that evolves, stays fresh and provides fleets with good, versatile, cost-saving options."
New to Xtra Lease this year will be trailers equipped with aerodynamic side skirts and low rolling resistance tires.
Aerodynamic side skirts will save fleets an estimated 5 percent in fuel, based on EPA verification and depending on number of miles and speed traveled. Low rolling resistance tires can save an additional 1.5 percent in fuel, again based on a carrier's trucking operation. Combined, the two features on Xtra Lease's new trailers can save fleets 6.5 percent in fuel costs, says the company.
Included in the order will be approximately forty 57-foot trailers equipped with side skirts and low rolling resistance tires. The company is also adding several 48-foot vans-some equipped with liftgates-and 48-foot reefers to the fleet. Those models won't have side skirts.
The California Air Resource Board (CARB) now requires 2011-model-year and newer 53-foot trailers operating in the Golden State to comply with the state's Heavy-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Regulation. This measure mandates that heavy-duty tractors and 53-foot trailers in California meet certain efficiency criteria developed by the U.S. EPA SmartWayTM Partnership Program. In particular, the program directs the use of aerodynamic trailer side skirts and low rolling resistance tires.
XTRA Lease's new trailers can travel California's highways without penalty, as they comply with SmartWay and the state's Greenhouse Gas regulations. The new trailers will be distributed throughout the company's locations in the U.S.
