Wishing you a season of gladness,
a season of cheer,
a season of cheer,
and to top it all off - a wonderful new year.
12/22/17
12/20/17
Scelzi Premium Truck Bodies - AN INVESTMENT IN QUALITY
It starts with our committed team of truck body professionals, who work with superior suppliers and raw materials to manufacture truck bodies made to last for many years to come.
Scelzi Premium Truck Bodies
FLAT BEDS, UTILITY TRUCKS, AND MORE
Scelzi Enterprises designs and builds the highest quality Work Truck Bodies in the USA. From service bodies to contractor flatbed bodies, from dump trucks to water trucks, and almost everything in-between. Scelzi Enterprises is a business based on uncompromising Commitment to Quality and Customer Satisfaction.
AN INVESTMENT IN QUALITY
Original Scelzi parts and accessories to replace a damaged part or to UPGRADE your Scelzi truck body. We are also a distributor for truck mounted cranes, liftgates, and much more. DOWNLOAD our latest Parts Sales Flyer or see our ONLINE SELECTION or CALL US at 1-800-858-2883 for a Free Quote.
Scelzi Premium Truck Bodies
FLAT BEDS, UTILITY TRUCKS, AND MORE
Scelzi Enterprises designs and builds the highest quality Work Truck Bodies in the USA. From service bodies to contractor flatbed bodies, from dump trucks to water trucks, and almost everything in-between. Scelzi Enterprises is a business based on uncompromising Commitment to Quality and Customer Satisfaction.
AN INVESTMENT IN QUALITY
Original Scelzi parts and accessories to replace a damaged part or to UPGRADE your Scelzi truck body. We are also a distributor for truck mounted cranes, liftgates, and much more. DOWNLOAD our latest Parts Sales Flyer or see our ONLINE SELECTION or CALL US at 1-800-858-2883 for a Free Quote.
12/18/17
Piedmont Natural Gas Aims for CNG Truck Conversions
Growth of an NGV Fleet
Of the 1,215 vehicles in Piedmont’s fleet, the natural gas company has converted approximately 38% to NGVs since 2009. As of June 2017, it expects that percentage to grow to approximately 42% by the end of the year.
The NGV fleet is predominantly used for customer service-related calls and natural gas pipeline construction and maintenance.
“We have several different models of NGVs in our fleet, with the majority being Ford F-150, F-250, or F-350 trucks. We also have some transit vehicles, such as the Honda Civic, Chevrolet Tahoe, and Ford Transit Connect. We also have been adding CNG dump trucks to our fleet,” said David Nestor, director of CNG for Piedmont Natural Gas.
Piedmont Natural Gas Fleet
| Asset Type | % of Fleet |
| Car | 9% |
| SUV | 1% |
| Truck HD | 1% |
| Truck LD | 73% |
| Van | 16% |
| Grand Total | 100% |
SOURCE: PIEDMONT NATURAL GAS
Piedmont Natural Gas is committed to promoting the use of natural gas vehicles as part of its commitment to sustainable business practices.
“We’ve experienced an approximate 30% growth in CNG from 2015 to 2016, and we expect our CNG business to grow up to another 30% in 2017,” Nestor said.
In 2016, Piedmont and its CNG customers together displaced more than 5 million gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel.
Challenges to Using CNG
The CNG industry is still relatively new, but as more companies choose to convert their fleets to natural gas vehicles, CNG infrastructure and technology will become more widely available.
CNG’s popularity is increasing as more fleet operators are realizing the benefits of compressed natural gas for transportation. According to NGVAmerica, there are currently more than 165,000 NGVs on U.S. roads and more than 1,640 CNG and 123 LNG stations in the U.S. to serve their fueling needs.
“Piedmont is doing our part to promote this technology by helping to build a network of both public and private refueling infrastructure throughout our service territory,” Nestor said.
Piedmont strategically locates its publicly accessible refueling stations near interstates and along major trucking routes.
“We just opened our 11th station, strategically located near the junction of I-40 and US 321 in Hickory, N.C., and we are continually looking at opportunities to expand our footprint and strengthen the CNG infrastructure at our existing stations,” Nestor added. “Our stations are professionally maintained by experienced Piedmont CNG technicians to ensure reliability for our customers. Our public CNG stations accept all major fleet cards for payment to make it easier for our customers.”
Piedmont is also building stations with larger horsepower compressors to accommodate the larger truck tank package and to also reduce the amount of time required to fill the tanks.
Approximately 73% of the Piedmont Natural Gas fleet is comprised of light-duty trucks, with a number of natural-gas-powered Ford F-150s. (Photo: Piedmont Natural Gas)
Tips from the Field
Piedmont’s experience in growing a natural gas fleet has been positive, with continued growth on the horizon. For fleets looking to start a conversion, or convert even more vehicles to natural gas, Nestor had some advice.
“Businesses that are considering alternative-fuel sources as part of their sustainability initiatives should consider natural gas. NGVs produce significantly fewer emissions when compared to gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles,” Nestor said.
In addition, Nestor said the largest growth opportunity is in fleet operators who operate heavy-duty trucks. Furthermore, fleets that run regular routes and return to a fixed refueling base, such as delivery vehicles and refuse trucks, can benefit from using CNG.
National and regional fleets can use the CNG station locator on the Department of Energy’s website (www.afdc.energy.gov) to explore more strategic transportation routes that can help a fleet owner increase their CNG utilization.
One major recommendation Nestor had for fleets looking to grow the number of NGVs in use is to have vendors in place to help configure the vehicle correctly for its application.
“In addition, have access to maintenance providers who have facilities set up to work on natural gas vehicles with trained technicians,” Nestor said.
Also, don’t forget to contact your local Clean Cities coalition for networking opportunities and additional assistance.
12/16/17
GM Lets Customers Order Their Morning Coffee With Their Car
DETROIT — Starting
today, General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) is rolling out the automotive industry’s
first commerce platform for on-demand reservations and purchases of goods and
services. With Marketplace, drivers can now order and pay for their favorite
coffee — and much more — on the way to work with a simple tap on the dash.
Marketplace
allows customers to order food, find the closest gas station to save on fuel,
and make dinner reservations on the go. This means Marketplace gives drivers of
eligible Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles the opportunity to more safely
interact with a growing number of their favorite brands in retail, fuel,
hospitality, food, hotel and transportation through the in-vehicle touchscreen.
Marketplace
also features a “Shop” section dedicated to offers specific to GM vehicles, for
instance purchasing Wi-Fi data, discounts for an oil change or deals on GM
accessories. Simple on-screen notifications can identify relevant offers.
“The average
American spends 46 minutes per day on the road driving[1]. Leveraging connectivity
and our unique data capabilities, we have an opportunity to make every trip
more productive and give our customers time back,” said Santiago Chamorro, vice
president for Global Connected Customer Experience, GM. “Marketplace is the
first of a suite of new personalization features that we will roll out over the
next 12 to 18 months to nearly four million U.S. drivers.”
Leveraging
the embedded 4G LTE connectivity, GM is adding Marketplace to millions of
existing 2017 and 2018 model-year cars, trucks and crossovers that have compatible
infotainment systems, with continued rollout to compatible new vehicles. A
separate data plan is not required to use Marketplace.
“For
most retailers and consumer brands the daily commute is the only time not
accessible in a consumers’ day,” said Chamorro. “Marketplace gives merchants
the ability to more safely engage with drivers and passengers in a meaningful
way that provides true value for our customers.”
Marketplace is designed to be used while driving. It leverages
machine learning from real-time interaction data, such as location, time of day
and a driver’s established digital relationship with third-party merchants, to
offer highly personalized experiences.
Adhering
to industry distracted driving guidelines, as well as GM’s strict in-house safety
guiding principles, GM designs its in-vehicle systems to minimize manual
interactions, helping drivers keep their eyes on the road and their hands on
the wheel.
The
first brands accessible through Marketplace include:
·
GM lets customers buy 4G LTE Data packages, extend their
OnStar subscription or receive offers for certified service, parts and
accessories for their specific vehicle.
·
Starbucks offers another convenient way for customers
to order ahead and enjoy their favorite handcrafted beverage or food
item. And as part of the Starbucks Rewards™ program, members enjoy more
value by earning Rewards towards free food and drink. (Early 2018)
·
Dunkin’ Donuts will help customers start their day off right
through an experience that allows DD Perks members to preorder and pay onscreen
for their favorite coffee and donut, at their preferred pickup location.
·
Wingstop will allow you to skip the wait by re-ordering your
favorites and paying ahead, so you can get home in time for the big game
·
TGI Fridays will let customers schedule a table reservation
for them and their closest friends and family when they need a break from the
week.
·
Shell will enable the exceptional
driver experience, providing ease of payment and savings with INSTANT GOLD
STATUS in the Fuel Rewards® program. Customers’ closest Shell station will be
identified and station amenities showcased among the largest fuel station
network in the U.S., with the ability to pay in-dash coming soon.
·
ExxonMobil will quickly locate Exxon and Mobil fuel stations
with details of what they offer, route you there and get you back on the road
faster.
·
Priceline.com gives drivers
access to hundreds of thousands of hotels and exclusive hotel savings on the
go.
·
Parkopedia allows drivers to find, reserve
and pay for parking, all at the click of a button.
- Applebee’s ensures customers are never too
far from Eatin’ Good in the Neighborhood whether close to home or miles
away with the ability to locate their nearest restaurant, order featured
menu items and reorder recent favorites through the convenience of their
vehicle’s touchscreen.
·
IHOP makes it easy
for guests to enjoy hot, fresh all-day breakfast favorites like fluffy buttermilk
pancakes on the go, thanks to safe and secure on-dash ordering and location
service capabilities that help search and find the nearest restaurant for
pickup.
·
delivery.com empowers the neighborhood economy by enabling customers to
order online from their favorite local restaurants, wine and spirits shops,
grocery stores and laundry and dry-cleaning providers.
To
allow merchants to efficiently and quickly integrate their content as part of
the in-vehicle Marketplace ecosystem, General Motors is working with three main
platform partners: Xevo (www.xevo.com) in Seattle, Washington; Conversable (www.conversable.com)
in Austin, Texas; and Sionic Mobile (www.sionicmobile.com) in Atlanta, Georgia.
Merchants interested in Marketplace can contact the above platform partners or
email GM at Marketplace@onstar.com.
General
Motors Co. (NYSE:GM)
has leadership positions in the world's largest and fastest-growing automotive
markets. GM, its subsidiaries and joint venture entities sell vehicles under
the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang, and Wuling
brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar,
a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be
found at http://www.gm.com
12/14/17
FUEL SAVING TIPS FOR TRUCKS: REDUCE IDLING, SAVE ON GAS
STUDY PROVES TURNING YOUR VEHICLE OFF MINIMIZES BOTH FUEL CONSUMPTION AND CO2 EMISSIONS.
You may have heard that it takes more fuel to turn your vehicle off and back on again than it does to stay idling when stopped. One fast food chain even made a claim that it was “Greener” to use the drive-through than parking and walking in for a to-go order. With fuel costs and anti-idling laws being an essential consideration for vehicle owners and fleet managers, it’s important to know the facts.
The fact is that even for short stops, it saves fuel to turn off your vehicle. Idling for even 10 seconds produces more CO2 emissions and burns more fuel than simply turning your engine off, and restarting. This was found by a study done by Argonne National Laboratory, and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Program.
IDLING STUDY RESULTS
Engineers were tasked to study vehicles in the Argonne laboratory’s Advanced Powertrain Research Facility to determine the impacts of idling and restarting. Dynamometer tests were conducted at the facility and revealed that parking a vehicle, turning it off, and then restarting it uses less fuel and produces less CO2 than idling for just 10 seconds. In addition, the study also revealed that the fastest way to warm up a car engine is to drive the vehicle, not by idling it. Argonne found that depending on the vehicle’s size, 0.2 to 0.5 gallons of fuel per hour is used when idling.
EMBRACE ANTI-IDLING LAWS
With these findings, and as states, provinces, and countries continue to introduce climate change action plans and green initiatives focused on greenhouse gas emissions, now is the perfect time to start embracing an anti-idle mindset in day-to-day driving and work operations. And for those that use air compressors, the VMAC UNDERHOOD70 – Green Series Air Compressor integrates perfectly into environmentally-friendly and fuel-conscious operations.
UNDERHOOD70-GREEN SERIES AIR COMPRESSOR
The VMAC UNDERHOOD70 – Green Series Air Compressor produces up to 70 CFM at 100% duty cycle. This powerful rotary screw air compressor is installed under the hood of the work truck and its throttle control automatically adjusts truck engine idle speed just enough to match air demand, which reduces fuel consumption. What’s more, the easy-to-use VMAC intelligent digital controls also cut down on idling, as the control system shuts the truck off when air isn’t being used, and then automatically turns the truck back on when air is needed. This reduces fuel consumption and emissions as the vehicle is not idling when tools are not in use. Learn more about the VMAC UNDERHOOD70 – Green Series Air Compressor.
VEHICLE IDLING STUDY CONCLUSION
Going back to the fast food chain’s claim, no, it is not greener to use the drive-through than it is to park and pick up your order inside the restaurant. Here are the facts:
Consider these findings next time you find yourself idling your truck, whether working on a job site, picking up a food order, or warming up your truck this winter. And when planning to purchase a new air compressor, consider the VMAC UNDERHOOD70 – Green Series Air Compressor.
Source and learn more at: https://www.vmacair.com/blog/
Related blogs: Going Green with VMAC: Lightweight & Fuel Saving Air Compressors
You may have heard that it takes more fuel to turn your vehicle off and back on again than it does to stay idling when stopped. One fast food chain even made a claim that it was “Greener” to use the drive-through than parking and walking in for a to-go order. With fuel costs and anti-idling laws being an essential consideration for vehicle owners and fleet managers, it’s important to know the facts.
The fact is that even for short stops, it saves fuel to turn off your vehicle. Idling for even 10 seconds produces more CO2 emissions and burns more fuel than simply turning your engine off, and restarting. This was found by a study done by Argonne National Laboratory, and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Program.
IDLING STUDY RESULTS
Engineers were tasked to study vehicles in the Argonne laboratory’s Advanced Powertrain Research Facility to determine the impacts of idling and restarting. Dynamometer tests were conducted at the facility and revealed that parking a vehicle, turning it off, and then restarting it uses less fuel and produces less CO2 than idling for just 10 seconds. In addition, the study also revealed that the fastest way to warm up a car engine is to drive the vehicle, not by idling it. Argonne found that depending on the vehicle’s size, 0.2 to 0.5 gallons of fuel per hour is used when idling.
EMBRACE ANTI-IDLING LAWS
With these findings, and as states, provinces, and countries continue to introduce climate change action plans and green initiatives focused on greenhouse gas emissions, now is the perfect time to start embracing an anti-idle mindset in day-to-day driving and work operations. And for those that use air compressors, the VMAC UNDERHOOD70 – Green Series Air Compressor integrates perfectly into environmentally-friendly and fuel-conscious operations.
UNDERHOOD70-GREEN SERIES AIR COMPRESSOR
The VMAC UNDERHOOD70 – Green Series Air Compressor produces up to 70 CFM at 100% duty cycle. This powerful rotary screw air compressor is installed under the hood of the work truck and its throttle control automatically adjusts truck engine idle speed just enough to match air demand, which reduces fuel consumption. What’s more, the easy-to-use VMAC intelligent digital controls also cut down on idling, as the control system shuts the truck off when air isn’t being used, and then automatically turns the truck back on when air is needed. This reduces fuel consumption and emissions as the vehicle is not idling when tools are not in use. Learn more about the VMAC UNDERHOOD70 – Green Series Air Compressor.
VEHICLE IDLING STUDY CONCLUSION
Going back to the fast food chain’s claim, no, it is not greener to use the drive-through than it is to park and pick up your order inside the restaurant. Here are the facts:
- Idling for more than 10 seconds burns more fuel, and produces more C02 emissions than turning the engine on and off
- Idling for an hour uses 0.2 to 0.5 gallons of fuel, depending on the vehicle, and fuel consumption increases as idling speed increases
- Warming up a vehicle by driving is more effective than idling
Consider these findings next time you find yourself idling your truck, whether working on a job site, picking up a food order, or warming up your truck this winter. And when planning to purchase a new air compressor, consider the VMAC UNDERHOOD70 – Green Series Air Compressor.
Source and learn more at: https://www.vmacair.com/blog/
Related blogs: Going Green with VMAC: Lightweight & Fuel Saving Air Compressors
12/12/17
Exxpand Boxxes: T-Boxx
Learn about the advantages of utilizing an Exxpand T-Boxx for parts storage in your work vehicle.
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