Truck Parts and Service | Heavy Duty Trucking, Aftermarket, Service Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/237360
By Lucas Deal, Editor lucasdeal@randallreilly.com Service Bay A Dynamic Opportunity Aerodynamic products can be a big hit with fuel conscious customers M aximizing fuel economy is a major goal for fleets in today's trucking environment. Diesel prices have more than doubled in the last decade, and even with a subtle slide in the latter half of 2013, today's diesel prices are still nearly a dollar higher than they were before the recent recession. With current prices near $4 per gallon, fleets have recognized diesel fuel is simply too valuable to waste. As a result, fleets nationwide are aggressively searching the marketplace for products and strategies to help improve fuel economy and save money. One area where this can be seen is the rise in popularity of aerodynamic trailer products. 22 T R U C K PA R T S & S E R V I C E | Aerodynamics has been a significant factor in tractor body designs for decades. But maximizing the aerodynamic properties of a combination rig takes more than just front end improvements. The trailer matters, too. "The most aerodynamic shape is the teardrop, with a wide front end that becomes slender in the back, but with today's trucks pretty much everything is reversed," says Natalie Melomed, senior business analyst at VorBlade. "A lot of work has been done on the tractor but not the trailer." Recently that has started to change. Today's marketplace includes a multitude of products designed to improve freight efficiency and fuel economy by eliminating trailer drag. For January 2014 Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration As diesel prices continue to climb, fleets are becoming more accepting of aerodynamic products. the aftermarket distributor focused on providing comprehensive solutions, these products are becoming must-have items. One of the earliest aerodynamic products to debut in the commercial truck market was the trailer side fairing. Commonly known as side skirts, these