Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
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journal fuel savvy OEM panel discusses future, challenges for natural gas NORTH T AMERICA'S MOST FUEL-EFFICIENT DRIVE SOLUTION. 1 Copyright ©2013 Michelin North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved. See ad at right for details. 24 13MTT7020 Text INFO to 205-289-3554 or visit www.ccjdigital.com/info 1 commercial carrier journal 3468_13MTT7020_XOneXDA1/3_CCJ.indd 1 Untitled-2 1 CCJ0813_Journal 2.indd 24 he success of natural gas in heavy-duty trucking likely hinges on how involved truck makers are willing to be in the education, training and relationship-building it conducts with fleets and fueling partners. At the ACT Expo in Washington, D.C., executives from Cummins Westport, Daimler Trucks North America, Volvo Trucks North America, Kenworth Truck Co., Navistar and Peterbilt Motors Co. spoke in a roundtable discussion on the future of natural gas in heavy-duty trucking. The consensus was that truck makers will have to do far more than simply push a quality truck to the end of the assembly line. Jim Arthurs, president of Cummins Westport, said his company has worked to educate its employees about the product suite, including a cost/ benefit analysis of natural gas versus diesel. "We've worked to get distributors up to speed," Arthurs said. Concerns over infrastructure are, by proxy, also a problem for the OEMs. "With public fueling stations, most are looking for a cornerstone customer," said Andy Douglas, Kenworth national sales manager. "They're saying, 'Give me somebody to get this thing started with.' " "It's our job as the OE to bring them in and partner them up." Infrastructure will grow as more and larger fleets add liquefied natural gas trucks, either through a cost/benefit analysis or mounting pressure from major shippers. "Shippers see (LNG) is cheaper and have never liked diesel fuel surThe natural gas infrastructure will grow as more and larger fleets add LNG trucks, OEMs say. charges," Arthurs said. Brian Daniels, DTNA powertrain product manager, said Freightliner has funded six LNG units that it has passed along to fleets across the country in an effort to educate them about the fuel, and also to help Daimler see the units in action. Bringing in multiple partners also will go a long way in cross-training staff, said Nadine Haupt, Navistar's director of alternative fuels and product marketing. "We're all basically using the same engines and are partners with Cummins Westport," Haupt said. Bill Kahn, manager of advanced concepts for Peterbilt, agreed. "It's all about people taking a look at their operations and spec'ing the right engines for their needs," Kahn said, noting Peterbilt has logged about 2,000 orders for natural gas units this year. "And 30 percent of those are the (Cummins Westport 12-liter)." Ed Saxman, Volvo's product manager for alternative fuels, added some perspective as LNG begins to emerge. "Diesel will remain the mainstay for many years to come," Saxman said. – Jason Cannon | august 2013 7/23/13 11:28 AM 7/23/13 1:53 PM 7/25/13 11:15 AM