Fleet
Time to anticipate and adapt to climate change
Vanderbilt University / David Salisbury / 19 August 2011
Despite the uncertainties surrounding climate change, it is time to start developing effective strategies that will keep the nation's transportation systems and other critical infrastructure running in the face of the adverse impacts that seem increasingly likely to occur.
This consensus emerged from a two-day leadership summit that brought together major stakeholders from the $1 trillion-plus freight transportation sector with climate change researchers to discuss the issue for the first time. The meeting was held in June at Vanderbilt University and was sponsored by the Vanderbilt Center for Transportation Research (VECTOR), Vanderbilt Institute for Energy and Environment (VIEE) and the University of Memphis' Intermodal Freight Transportation Institute.
"It is increasingly clear that climate change will have potentially large impacts on the nation's highways, railroads, waterways, airports and pipelines. In all likelihood, these impacts will increase in the future, so we have to learn how to plan ahead," said George Hornberger, director of VIEE and distinguished professor of civil and environmental engineering.
Energy-harvesting shock absorber increases fuel efficiency
PhysOrg.com / Lisa Zyga / 14 July 2011
An energy-harvesting shock absorber that can be installed in a vehicle's suspension system to absorb the energy from bumps in the road, convert the energy into electricity, and improve fuel efficiency by 1-8% has recently won the R&D 100 award. Nicknamed the "Oscar of Invention," the annual award is given out by R&D Magazine to recognize the top 100 innovative technologies introduced during the previous year. Previous winners have included the ATM (1973), liquid crystal display (1980), Nicoderm anti-smoking patch (1992), lab on a chip (1996), and HDTV (1998).
Green GPS calculates most fuel-efficient route
CSL, University of Illinois / Kim Gudeman / 03 May 2011
A new software interface reduces energy consumption in transportation systems.
Green GPS, developed by computer scientists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, works like general GPS navigation, except that in addition to calculating the shortest and fastest routes, it also projects the most fuel-efficient route.
6 apps to save you money on gas
CNN Money / 04 May 2011
As gas prices continue to rise, these apps and sites are here to help -- in ways that go above and beyond simply locating the cheapest gas.
Rising interest in short-sea shipping
National Post / Scott Deveau / 25 September 2010
After successfully revitalizing the Billy Bishop Toronto City Centre airport over the past five years, the Toronto Port Authority (TPA) looks to bring short-sea shipping lines to the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes.
Geoffrey Wilson, TPA's chief executive, says he is exploring the feasibility of feeding Toronto's swelling population -- and demand for goods -- by water, bringing everything from consumer goods to construction material in by barge.
Short-sea shipping, which simply means not crossing oceans, is more environmentally friendly than transporting goods by rail or truck: Barges use less fuel. It also offers the bonus of cutting the number of trucks on the city's congested arteries, he said.
Toronto's population is set to swell to 7.6 million people in the next three decades. With that growth comes demand for more goods. As fuel prices rise and traffic congestion worsens, the economics of short-sea shipping in Toronto become more feasible, Mr. Wilson said.
Perth: Idling fines to start next year
YourOttawaRegion.com / Laura Mueller / 18 August 2010
Perth drivers should get ready to be dinged for idling their vehicles, as the town plans to enact an anti-idling bylaw next summer.
While the bylaw will not apply to vehicles stopped in traffic or at railways crossings, it will be enforced for vehicles in parking spaces, parking lots and driveways. Drivers caught idling will be slapped with an $8 fine starting June 30, 2011.
Reducing Environmental Footprint of Food Transportation and Storage
Sys-Con Media / Press Release / 10 September 2009
A clean technology project that could potentially reduce the environmental impacts of the transportation and storage of perishable goods received significant funding today.
Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) has awarded Woodbridge, Ontario's Sunwell Technologies Inc. up to $2.86M in funding for the development and demonstration of its Thermo Battery system for transportation applications, which will be tested by Loblaw Companies Limited (Loblaw).
