Fuel crisis triggers innovation among truckers

Los Angeles Times : Because of rising fuel prices, the US trucking industry has been forced to go to extraordinary lengths to reduce fuel consumption. Among the many innovations, companies are switching to low-emission and fuel-efficient diesel and natural gas rigs, altering the rigs’ design to improve aerodynamics, training drivers to reduce idling time and improve performance, and adopting computer software to improve truck loading and route planning. The resultâmdash;better trucks, better drivers, less waste. According to Katharine O’Reilly, executive director of the London research firm Eyefortransport , the result has been fuel savings of 3â10%. However, the industry overhaul has not been simple. “There’s no one solution,” said FedEx spokesman Scott Fiedler. “We need to use the right vehicle and the right fuel on the right route.”