the last word

It adds up

Knoxville, TN-based IdleAire Technologies Corp. (www.idleaire.com) reports its Advanced Travel Center Electrification (ATE) system has registered its one-millionth hour of use. “That million hours means IdleAire has saved approximately 1 million gallons of diesel fuel for truck owners,” says COO David Everhart. He says IdleAire has signed up fleets representing over 100,000 heavy-duty trucks. He adds that more than 86,000 “customer visits” have been recorded to date.

Frequent oilers

We've heard of frequent flyers and frequent buyers. Now Shell Lubricants is rolling out a “buyer loyalty program” for users of its Rotella T motor oil. Called “Road to Rewards,” it will deliver benefits and rewards to owner-operators and drivers every time they change oil with Rotella T.

Shell says reward points can be accessed and redeemed at www.rotella.com. Rewards will be centered on four themes: entertainment, comfort, food and technology. Prizes will run from free DVDs and CDs to vacation packages and handheld computers. The program will be offered wherever Shell Rotella T is sold, including truckstops, truck dealerships and quick lube shops.

LETTER OF THE MONTH

I just read your editorial [Editor's Page, 1/4] about the new HOS rules being implemented in the trucking industry. I'm not in the industry but I do read a number of magazines and other periodicals and believe you are on to something.

The public wants a safe AND efficient trucking industry and they are, in my opinion, willing to pay for it. The fact that these new rules might cost more is simply a more rational way to distribute the costs over the entire industry in a uniform manner and to level the playing field.

Also, it may have the unintended but favorable effect of keeping more drivers in the industry. I can't imagine a large group of workers wanting to be away from home for days on end and forced to work long hours that they undoubtedly feel make them unsafe at the wheel.

Frankly, as an outsider, I don't see a down side of these rules.

Tony Bryant
Tri-County Metropolitan
Transportation District of
Oregon, Portland, OR

Quite a stretch

Indy-based truckload carrier Celadon Group will manage a Kuwait-based trucking operation involved with the U.S.-led rebuilding of Iraq. Celadon and a Kuwaiti investment group formed a joint venture, Celadon East Transport Company, SAK, with Celadon providing transportation management and the Kuwaiti group providing the funding.

Fleet names we♥….

• Two Guys and a Truck (Sterling VA)
• Corney Transportation (St. Pauls, NC)
• Hammer Trucking (Springfield, MO)
• Anvil Trucking (Bowie MD)