Dive Brief:
- Werner Enterprises installed auxiliary power units on half of the trucks that entered service in Q1, the company said on an earnings call and presentation last month.
- The devices are part of the many cost-savings initiatives the company projects to help reduce expenses by $34 million on an annual basis, CEO, Chairman and President Derek Leathers said on the earnings call.
- “As we work to be good stewards of our environment, auxiliary power units were installed [on those trucks], reducing truck engine idle fuel consumption,” Leathers said.
Dive Insight:
Up-front costs of APUs can bring long-term savings to those willing to invest by controlling a cab’s temperature and providing other power without the engine on.
An executive for the dealer Murphy-Hoffman Company said last year the starting cost is currently around $11,000 per truck. With a Carrier APU, a truck can use it for around 20,000 hours without major problems.
“Some fleets run theirs 1,500 hours a year. Some run it as much as 3,500 hours per year,” he said. “But you can expect a 10-year, 20,000-hour timeframe before you have any substantial, major repairs.”
Fleets have long noted the potential of the devices. USA Truck, for instance, has retrofitted tractors with APUs and also worked with drivers to optimize performance. Meanwhile, OEMs such as Freightliner Trucks offer factory-installed options.
“Idling a heavy-duty truck consumes about 0.8 gallon of fuel per hour,” the Department of Energy has noted. “Typically, a long-haul truck idles about 1,800 hours per year, using about 1,500 gallons of diesel.”
