Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/795447
10 commercial carrier journal | march 2017 JOURNAL NEWS If I use thinner oils will my engine still be protected? The ability of engine oil to prevent wear by keeping moving parts separated is one of the key functions that it has to perform. That ability comes from the fluid viscosity and the additives which protect the metal surfaces. The thickness of the oil film which separates the moving parts is dependent on the viscosity of the oil and it will also depend on the speed and load of the engine operation. If oil is too thin to provide effective separation between moving parts or does not effectively control contaminants, this could result in increased wear through the contact of metal parts or abrasive wear, and could possibly shorten engine life. As truck and engine manufacturers are trying to achieve the maximum fuel economy for their equipment, the trend is to use lighter viscosity oils to assist in reducing fuel consumption. These full synthetic or synthetic blend oils are expected to provide fuel economy benefits, but not compromise on engine durability. Through extensive testing on synthetic blend Shell Rotella ® T5 10W-30, Shell has demonstrated a 1.6% fuel economy improvement benefit vs. conventional 15W-40* with no compromise on durability. Manufacturers develop their engines to operate efficiently with specific viscosity grades, so you should check with them to see which viscosity grades they allow and/or any specific conditions such as ambient temperature, which may influence the use of those viscosity grades. The SAE and API have established minimum requirements for lighter viscosity oils which should allow for effective protection of key engine parts. A number of diesel engine manufacturers recommend lower viscosity lubricants in their newest engines, and the move to lower viscosity lubricants is reinforced by the announcement that one of the focus areas for the next generation of heavy-duty diesel engine oils will be fuel economy improvements, which lower viscosity oils have demonstrated the ability to provide. This is particularly important as the first-ever fuel economy regulations for heavy trucks will begin in 2014. Synthetic engine oil also can help keep the engine clean through improved sludge, deposit and varnish protection, and helps reduce overall engine wear under extreme operating conditions. Synthetic engine oils typically have more stable viscosity and provide better protection when the engine is running under high-temperature conditions, such as high speeds and heavy loads. * as demonstrated in 2009 on-the-road field testing for 10W-30 viscosity grade only, highway cycles, compared to Shell Rotella ® T Triple Protection ® 15W-40. The term "Shell Lubricants" refers to the various Shell Group companies engaged in the lubricants business. This monthly column is brought to you by Shell Lubricants. Got a question? Visit ROTELLA.com, call 1-800-237-6950 or write to The ANSWER COLUMN, 1001 Fannin, Ste. 500, Houston, TX 77002. By Dan Arcy Shell Lubricants Untitled-5 1 11/9/15 9:07 AM Trucking's cargo theft losses totaled $173M in 2016 C argo theft recording firm CargoNet logged 836 incidents in 2016 worth an esti- mated $172.9 million, the firm reported in its annual cargo theft trend analysis. The thefts accounted for more than half of the 1,614 total freight-related thefts in North America, which includes tractor and trailer theft and supply chain fraud. The firm recorded $114 million in stolen cargo across 554 incidents for an average of $206,836.97 per theft, but the values of the 282 other cargo thefts are unknown. CargoNet applied the average for the missing values to calculate 2016's total loss value of $172.9 million. California had the highest number of reported cargo thefts with 228, a 36 percent increase from 2015. Texas and New Jersey followed with 135 reports and 73 reports, respectively. In Georgia, new cargo theft legislation, along with a statewide task force, helped the state see a 64 percent decrease in 2016, CargoNet said. Food and beverage cargo was the most stolen in 2016, accounting for 217 reported thefts. Electronics were the second-most stolen with 122 reported thefts worth $45.6 million – the most costly of any category. – Matt Cole California had the highest number of reported cargo thefts with 228, a 36 percent increase from 2015. National efforts loom on CDL skills test delays A recent push by New Jersey to allow commer- cial driver's license applicants to take their state skills test through third-party providers aims to reduce the delay prospective truckers encounter, a problem many states face due mostly to a lack of resources to hire qualified examiners. A bill passed by the New Jersey Legislature in November and signed into law by Gov. Chris Christie last month establishes a pilot program for third-party vendors to provide CDL skills tests in lieu of state officers. The program will be limited at first – three designated third-party providers – but lawmakers intend for it to grow as more regulations are developed. Delays in CDL skills tests are a prominent lobbying agenda item for the Commercial Vehicle Trainers Association in the coming years, said Don Lefeve, CVTA president. It's not uncommon for CDL applicants to complete a monthlong training program and then have to wait two or three months to take a skills test. "They're ready to enter the workforce," Lefeve said. "When someone exits train- ing, their skills are at their height. If they're delayed, their skills will deteriorate." A few large carriers in recent years have asked the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to allow drivers who've performed all training but haven't yet per- formed a skills test in their license-issuing state to drive in team operations with fully licensed drivers until they can be scheduled for a test. – James Jaillet CVTA hopes Congress can address the long delays that CDL applicants often face between training and testing.