Wasting Fuel

Good point.

I don't think we can change the road system or driver behaviour too easilly.
We could use energy storage in the braking system...They are doing it in F1.

Del

Road system changes are occurring and though changing driving habits would be a chore the waste will occur regardless of the energy used. That being said an attempt to encourage drivers to acknowledge cause and effect is reasonable.

the waste will occur regardless of the energy used.

Eh??? Dunno if one of us is missunderstanding the other.

I'm talking about mechanical regenerative braking...The energy required to slow the truck goes into a flywheel or a battery...it is then extracted to re-accelerate the truck once it needs to speed up. Ok it won't be 100% efficient but it is vastly better that warming up disks and pad and just wasting the energy.

Del

Eh??? Dunno if one of us is missunderstanding the other.

It is as you have written.

The waste will occur regardless of the energy used due unnecessary braking though it may in part be recouped to an unknown extent using a regenerative braking system(jdretired). The issue of reducing unnecessary braking should be a fruitful endeavor in the 'big picture' context, disruptive and wasteful driver conduct need be addressed.

Sure it is a deep and murky subject that of changing the social mindset of many motorists whom are only interested in #1, a less than cognitive reality of driving patterns, cause and effect. Most traffic jams are due to poor driving habits not road conditions. Traffic jams are a major waste factor using IC and of productivity which can be avoided most often by attitudinal change.

A regenerative braking system is used by the City buses in Brisbane, Australia. And has been in use for quite a number of year too the best of my knowledge. The system I believe is hydraulic, an accumulator is charged on braking and later used to accelerate.

Regards JD.

The trucks probably are restricted to outside lanes so they can exit for a scale house.

It would seem to be a good idea to allow them to use the inside HOV lanes which in theory should have less traffic and a more consistent speed. This would not be very popular with car drivers who use the HOV lanes because the trucks would presumably be running closer to the speed limit than the customary 5 or so over that a lot of car drivers almost apply automatically.

Travis

I guess it's a toss up. Large slow trucks crossing multi lanes of faster vehicles or faster vehicles crossing many lanes of slower trucks.

In Ontario they are considering governing trucks to 90 km/hr. If they do, a controlled truck lane would really make sense since all of the trucks would (or should) be moving at close to the same speed. Ideally they would never need to pass.

The questions is still "where do you put it?"

Roadways currently exist upon which the express lanes exit directly instead of crossing the local lanes.

Better design is needed

Better design would sure help. But it seems when the government is involved it never happnes that way.

Where I get off the highway the government just spent a hugh amount of money replacing an overpass and changing all of the on/off ramps. Where there once were merging off ramps they now end in stop lights on either side of the overpass. These are about 500 meters from other lights on both sides.

Talk about traffic jam. This is the buisiest road in the city and it is now frozen by 4 sets of lights. Traffic fills the short off ramps backing up the freeway. Crazy part is... the merging on ramps are almost a km long where they don't need to be. I almost think someone read the drawings backwards???

Hi metalsmith,

Allowing long haul heavy trucking to use express lanes when passing through metro areas has been adopted in a few large population centers with at least fair result. Other population centers don't agree, I suppose if an issue were made of it by those with a vested interest appropriate change may occur.

In the state of New Mexico for example a minimum speed was set for travel in the inside lane to prevent automobile traffic from causing rolling road blocks and hindering truck traffic. I heard this strait from the governors lips when the law was enacted.

A company in Lismore, New South Wales, Australia manufacture a system known as Permo-Drive. It uses a an electro hydraulic accumulator system to store hydraulic oil against pressure for regenerative braking, and hydraulic release through actuators for better acceleration and fuel economy. Google Permo-Drive for more information.

Pete.

I believe Parker hannifin is developing something similar.

I agree that much energy is wasted due to inconsiderate drivers.

On the subject of energy consumption with these "big rigs", I keep wondering about a comment I heard many years ago (before automatic transmissions were considered as viable) in a movie about race car driving wherein two competing drivers were talking about the one drivers advantage because his vehicle enjoyed higher HP. The 2nd driver said something to the effect that he would beat the former driver in this road race because he would use less fuel because he had a transmission with many more gears and he would thereby need less stops for fuel. Is this even remotely true?

In the initial point of this thread, "wasting fuel", is there anything to be gained (from a fuel consumption perspective) by adjusting/increasing the gearing on these semi-tractor trailers, given that we now have much improved automatic transmission technology?

Hello aqua doc,

The 2nd driver said something to the effect that he would beat the former driver in this road race because he would use less fuel because he had a transmission with many more gears and he would thereby need less stops for fuel. Is this even remotely true?

In the initial point of this thread, "wasting fuel", is there anything to be gained (from a fuel consumption perspective) by adjusting/increasing the gearing on these semi-tractor trailers, given that we now have much improved automatic transmission technology?

Yes and no dependant upon the form of racing, some racing vehicles have a two speed transmission and vehicle weight considerations. The latter is the crux in trucking, should one specify a 13 speed transmission weighing 500lbs heavier than a 10 speed? A truck may produce revenue based upon tonnage carried. If a truck fleet can haul 50,000 loads per year the extra weight of vehicle can be counterproductive towards revenue producing potential has been a common argument. With the increased cost of fuel considerations may change.

I drive the 401 every day. This is a very busy multilane highway in southern Ontario.

I see trucks hammering on the brakes due to small vehicles all of the time. I agree that it is an issue that should be addressed. People seem to think they are invincible in their cars.

But I also see the trucks causing many of their own problems this way. Often they don't give way to merge and force drivers to cut them off to get on the highway. Often they drive close to other trucks, many in a row, causing cars to force in between. Often they cut each other off and, with their slow acceleration, cause breaks to go on for quite a distance behind.

Law enforcement seems to focus on sitting by the road side and catching speeders. I really do not believe speeding is as dangerous as aggressive and improper driving habits. But I guess it's an easy cash grab.

If there is a solution I believe fuel savings would just be a bonus. Safety would be a bigger concern.

I believe that law enforcement guidelines depict nabbing speeders as a preventative measure. However it seems to be geared more towards apprehension than prevention.

True all drivers need a personal safety meeting in the mirror every day before driving, how many drivers even walk around the car before driving off? Safety consciousness is generally low of priority or falls well within a complacency conundrum.

Is it possible some bright person or persons may design a system addressing these concerns?