Canadian truckers might soon see more boat tails and other rear-drag aerodynamic technologies on the Canadian market as ATDynamics, a supplier of semi-trailer aerodynamics technology is expanding its sales efforts in Canada.
The company has hired Allen Smith as director of Canadian sales to lead the expansion effort in Canada.
In December of 2013, Transport Canada changed the Standard 223 of the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations to allow full length boat tail devices to operate within Canada.
Provincial authorities are currently reviewing the federal regulatory changes to include in their own regulations regarding local weights and dimensions in order to allow fleets to operate full length boat tail devices within the provinces.
“Leading Canadian fleets are implementing trial units in anticipation of the expedited adoption of the federal amendment by the provinces. Our American neighbors are enjoying a five percent MPG advantage over Canadian operators. TrailerTails can correct that,” Smith said.
Smith brings 26 years of operational and sales experience in the Canadian trucking industry having worked at Teleflex Power Systems, Carrier Transicold and Westport Innovations companies before joining ATDynamics.
Currently, ATDynamics is working closely with Canadian trucking fleets and the local trucking associations in each province to permit full length boat tail devices, such as the Company’s TrailerTail rear-drag aerodynamics technology.
“TrailerTail technology is a patented aerodynamic fairing that is installed at the back of heavy-duty tractor-trailers to improve their fuel efficiency by reducing the rear suction drag that occurs at the back of the trailers when traveling at highway speeds,” the company claims.
Canadian authorities have been testing this technology since 2007, when FP Innovations did an EnergoTest and found that the technology reduced a truck’s fuel consumption by over five percent at highway speed.
Transport Canada and the National Research Council Canada also did wind tunnel testing.
“TransWest has operated ATDynamics’ TrailerTails in its fleet since 2011,” said Guy Roy, risk management director at Logistiques TransWest Inc.
“Currently we are only able to deploy the devices once our trailers cross the Canadian border into the U.S., but TrailerTails have helped us to reduce our fuel consumption by over five percent and are a key component of our efforts to reduce the carbon intensity in our operations,” Roy said. “We are anxious to begin operating our TrailerTails within Canada to maximize the environmental and fuel savings benefits of the technology.”
ATDynamics will display the TrailerTail product line at the Truck World trade show at the International Centre in Toronto from April 10 – 12, 2014 at booth number 5204 in hall number five.
