ATDynamics, a Silicon Valley based transportation technology company has announced that the Province of Ontario has begun a deferred enforcement program allowing fleets to operate full length, patented TrailerTail devices up to five feet long within the Province as of August 11, 2014. Ontario is the first Province inCanada to take a proactive measure permitting fleets operating in its territory to immediately take advantage of the longer, maximum fuel efficiency TrailerTail models that US fleets enjoy.
ATDynamics Drives Regulatory Change with Potential to Deliver $3 Billion in Fuel Savings to Canadian Trucking Industry
In December 2013, Transport Canada amended its Motor Vehicle Safety Act (MVSA) to allow boat tail devices up to five feet in length to operate on Canadian roadways, as compared to previous regulations which only allowed boat tail devices under two feet in length. It is now up to each Province to amend its local vehicle codes to reflect the amended MVSA.
Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation shared with ATDynamics that “the fuel savings (estimated by the National Research Council as being up to 5 percent) and the associated reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are too significant to ignore or be postponed until there is an appropriate opportunity to amend the regulation.”
In third party fuel efficiency testing conducted, the longer boat tail lengths have repeatedly demonstrated significantly greater fuel savings than shorter boat tail designs and devices which simply curve the back edges of the trailer.
“ATDynamics has worked with Canadian regulators since 2009 to amend the commercial vehicle weight and dimension regulations to allow maximum efficiency boat tail technologies to operate inCanada,” said Andrew Smith, CEO of ATDynamics.
Thirty thousand TrailerTails have operated over 2 billion miles on US highways to date. ATDynamics TrailerTail technology has the potential to reduce the fuel consumption of Canadian trucking operations by more than 63 million gallons of diesel fuel per year, saving the Canadian economy nearly $3 billion USD in the next decade. Every TrailerTail in operation reduces carbon emissions by approximately the same amount as removing one passenger vehicle from the roads.
Previous to this decision, Canadian motor carriers with drivers and customers in theUScould only operate TrailerTail devices within theUSborder and were required to close them upon entry intoCanada, giving up substantial fuel savings.
“Until all the Provinces adopt a similar program as Ontario, motor carriers hauling freight in those Provinces will be operating at a 5 percent cost disadvantage as compared to fleets utilizing their TrailerTails in Ontario, not to mention the environmental and air quality benefits lost in each Province,” said Al Smith. “TrailerTail installations will begin onOntariobased trucking fleets immediately.”
ATDynamics TrailerTail technology streamlines airflow at the rear of a semi-trailer to reduce aerodynamic drag. The patented folding origami designs can be installed on a semi-trailer in under 45 minutes and deploy automatically at highway speed to enhance vehicle aerodynamics, fuel economy and safety.