Truckers helped by technology

In New Brunswick, he said, almost 100 per cent of goods move by truck, and the high fuel costs are passed on to consumers, who end up paying more for things such as clothes, food and medicine.

So in order to lighten their environmental footprint, and help save money on diesel fuel, the industry is looking to new technologies for help. In the fall of 2006, an ultra low-sulphur diesel fuel was introduced, and the new 2008 truck engines come equipped with a diesel particulate filter.

"As we purchase these new trucks, we're reducing our nitrous oxide emissions by 40 per cent and our particulate matter output by 90 per cent," Nelson said. "We're the only transportation sector in North America that has gotten that far, that fast. And that's all because of the new technologies."

In addition to the innovation in fuel and engine filters, Nelson said the industry will soon be adopting a single, wide-based tire to replace the dual configuration.

He said there's evidence that these tires can create fuel savings of one to two litres per kilometre, which translates into thousands of dollars per year.

"It doesn't seem like a big deal," he said, "but when you're travelling 150,000 kilometres a year to 200,000 kilometres a year, it makes a huge difference."

They've also slowed their trucks down to 100 km/h instead of 110 on two-lane highways.

"Depending on the driver, that can save anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 a year," he said. "We're the only transportation sector in North America that has gotten that far, that fast. The new trucks, especially the ones that Sunbury Transport is using, are incredibly cleaner and greener than the trucks of five years ago, because of the new technologies."

At a tree-planting ceremony at Sunbury's Fredericton headquarters last Wednesday, Environment Minister Roland Haché presented them with the 2007 Environmental Leadership Award on behalf of the provincial government, for their idle-time reduction program and the development of a fuel efficiency, e-learning program for other carriers.

The winners are selected by an independent panel of judges.

In December, Sunbury was given $475,000 from the New Brunswick Climate Change Action Fund to install the diesel-powered auxiliary generators on its fleet to provide climate control and power to parked trucks, eliminating the need to idle.

It was given another $200,000 from the fund to install the aerodynamic skirting on its van trailers to reduce air drag.

"We want to be leaders, not followers, and we have to compete with the world too," said Vernon Seeley, specification manager and technical advisor for Sunbury and Irving Transport. "Our tractors are the most aerodynamic in the world, and the skirts on the trailers deflect the wind, so it slips through the wind a bit faster."

He said the skirts save six per cent on fuel consumption, while the move from single to double trailers has led to a 30 per cent fuel reduction.

Added to this is a four to 10 per cent reduction because of the new tires and that translates into Sunbury using 200,000 litres less fuel in 2006 alone.