The trucking sector is a vital part of Canada's economy,
playing a role in almost every industry.
Cascades Transport is one of thousands of trucking
companies across the country.
Its fleet travels highways in Quebec, Ontario,
the Atlantic provinces and the northeastern United States.
Like all long-haul trucking companies,
Cascades is trying to reduce operating costs including fuel.
The average tractor- trailer consumes 35 litres
of fuel every 100 kilometres.
Why?
Mostly because transport trucks are not very aerodynamic.
Poor airflow creates drag, and higher speeds create greater
resistance, both of which require more fuel to be used.
At 100 kilometres an hour, drag can be responsible
for up to 75 percent of a truck's total fuel consumption.
Recent efforts to improve aerodynamics have largely
focused on the truck, not the trailer.
Cascades, however, turned to a simple,
cost-effective solution for the trailer itself:
aerodynamic side fairings.
It was a huge success.
We reduced our fuel consumption by 5.4% after
installing the side skirts and we reduced an equivalent
of 238 tonnes in greenhouse gas emissions.
With financial support from Transport Canada's ecoFREIGHT
Program, Cascades installed side fairings
on half of its 500 trailers.
Made of composite materials that are light,
durable and flexible, the side fairings not only improve
airflow, but can also withstand harsh Canadian
winter conditions such as the corrosive effects
of road salt.
This keeps maintenance costs down.
For Cascades, the side fairings cut fuel consumption
by more than six percent on two-axle,
fifty-three foot trailers-the type of trailer
the company uses the most.
Saving 6% with the side skirts helps us continue to invest
in the standardization and improvement of our fleet
in order to save, eliminate, and limit our environmental
footprint and fuel consumption.
Cascades' decision to adopt the side fairings on a much
larger scale was easy to make.
Based on fuel savings and low maintenance costs,
Cascades expects to see a complete return on investment
in just over two years.
And not only do they make financial sense,
the side fairings also improved driver safety.
Well, one of the advantages of adding the side skirts
is that it means less turbulence around the trailer
and more stability for the driver and road users.
When driving on snow-covered or wet roads,
it means less water and less snow reducing visibility.
It helps me see the traffic around me in my side mirrors.
These results were made possible, in part,
by funding from Transport Canada's ecoFreight Program,
which brings government and the transportation industry
together to encourage the uptake of technologies
that reduce emissions and fuel consumption.
Transport Canada's very pleased with the early results
of Cascades side fairing project.
These results clearly show the environmental
and cost benefits of the side fairing technology.
And the fact that Cascades has decided to install this
technology on the rest of it's fleet is exactly the type of
uptake the program promotes.
And the rest of industry has taken notice,
and wants to learn more about this and other technologies
that can save them money, and benefit the environment.
Cascades Transport's use of aerodynamic side fairings
was recognized with the 2009 Energia Prize from the
Association québécoise pour la maîtrise de l'énergie-
and it's created a ripple effect across the entire industry.
If I had any influence on other transport companies
who don't have side skirts, or any standard,
I'd tell them to get the side skirts.
Have a standard for reducing your consumption
and environmental footprint.
Cascades Transport is setting the example for other
long-haul trucking companies to follow-showing how a simple
investment can have a dramatic effect on operating costs,
driver safety and the environment.