It’s time to skip the highway and hit the city streets.

OK, maybe it’s not that simple. But according to research from the University of Buffalo, driving along surface streets rather than along highways could potentially reduce carbon monoxide emissions. The research, led by UB researchers Adel Sadek and Liya Guo, is part of a larger project the duo is undertaking evaluating the likely environmental benefits of green routing in the region.

According to computer simulations of traffic in Buffalo, NY,’s Niagara region, so-called “green routing” could reduce emissions of carbon monoxide by 27% for area drivers, while increasing the length of trips by an average of just 11%. more…

One of the concerns about electric vehicles is the range. That is certainly true of the most popular commercial vehicle to date – the Newton, from Smith Electric Vehicles, which has an effective range of 100 mi. on a single charge.

But what if range was not part of equation? Certainly electric vehicles provide many benefits over their gas and diesel counterparts – fewer emissions and quieter to name just two. But with a limited range, the market for such vehicles is restricted to routes such as pickup and delivery where the vehicle returns to a fixed charging station each night.

Federal Express and UPS have been deploying the vehicles in city environments with great success. Many other companies are as well. But the market for electric vehicles could mushroom if only there was a way to charge a vehicle en route. more…

Emerald Technology Partners is preparing to test a new refrigeration system that it says will eliminate the use of fossil fuels and still maintain a cool operating environment for refrigerated loads.

The Wedway Refrigeration Power System does this through kinetic energy. For all of us who remember learning about kinetic energy in school but never thought there would be a need to use it again, kinetic energy is the energy that is stored in an object while it is motion. That energy remains constant until the velocity of the object is changed. more…

After 65 years in the employ of Meritor, Loraine Simler is calling it quits. The long-time employee, who achieved a number of firsts in the company history, has decided that at age 83, it’s time retire.

“I’ve enjoyed my time here,” she said. “I consider everyone here part of my family.”

Spending 65 years working is not often seen these days, let alone spending those years with a single company. She joined the company, which was called Timken Axle at the time, in 1946 as a file clerk/typist. It didn’t take her long to make her mark on the company.

(If you’d like to see a video from the company celebration, visit Troy Patch here.)

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During a press event announcing that Smith Electric Vehicles will be building a manufacturing plant in the South Bronx to produce the all-electric Newton, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo also made plenty of alternative-powered supporters smile with another announced.

New York State will make $10 million available next year as part of a five-year incentive program to encourage the purchase of electric vehicles. The federally funded electric vehicle buyer incentive program will be funded by the through federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality funding. It will be administered by the New York State Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). more…

Estes Express Lines has gotten involved with two organizations – Give2TheTroops and Wreaths Across America – as part of its Encourage the Living, Honor the Fallen initiative to support the U.S. military and the men and women who protect this country and way of life.

Give2TheTroops is designed to encourage the delivery of care packages to active duty troops. Through the program, more than 13,000 Estes employees and their families will be able to donate items for the care packages through Dec. 2. Children will make cards and color pictures as well. more…

The U.S. Tolling Coalition has called on Congress to give states more flexibility to install tolls on Interstate highways as a way to raise revenues for highway improvement projects.

Now it’s not surprising the U.S. Tolling Coalition is in favor of making it easier to install tolls, after all, the organization supports tolling as a way around Washington gridlock.

Along I-95 alone, Virginia has been given approval to place tolls. Rhode Island has asked for permission to toll 95 in that state and each year the idea of tolling 95 in Connecticut gains ground. Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Alabama, and North Carolina are among the other states that have either started, or are looking to toll their highways. more…

One of the great advantages of the Volvo I-Shift automated mechanical transmission is its ease of use. Many drivers entering the driver workforce these days no longer have the experience operating a standard transmission vehicle.

As a result, more and more fleets are finding they either have to spend valuable time training new drivers – and losing those trainees who find it too difficult to learn how to drive a manual – or purchasing a vehicle equipped with an automatic or automated transmission.

I am like many of these new drivers – no experience with a manual truck transmission. In fact, I have no experience with an automatic or automated truck transmission either. So I think I am a perfect representative to speak to how easy it is to drive one of Volvo’s trucks equipped with an I-Shift.

The answer: It’s much like driving my “little” SUV, just a little bigger.

I had the chance to test-drive a Volvo FH16 750, a 750-horsepower cabover, just introduced in Europe at the beginning of September, during a press event this week in Gothenburg, Sweden. Having never driven a big rig like this one, coupled to a semi-trailer, the I-Shift allowed me to speed right through that learning curve.

Now by no means am I a professional truck driver – in fact I barely touched 60 km on my short test-track journey, but not having to worry about getting the vehicle into the correct gear meant I could focus on the truly important chores at hand – not driving the vehicle off the edge of the road or hitting anything, or anybody, on the corners.

The transmission has a number of driver-friendly features, including a very smooth engine brake that downshifts the vehicle several gears at a time while allowing the driver to maintain the same control as under normal driving conditions.

Of course, there is a hill-start aid that gives the driver 1 ½ seconds to press the accelerator before the truck starts moving – in either direction. And the automatic gear selection skips unnecessary gears while accelerating – in all, only six of the 12 speeds are needed to reach highway speed.

Add in the fuel efficiency gains achieved with an I-Shift – as much as 1.5% - and it’s clear to see why we are starting to see a slow shift away from manual transmissions.

Even someone inexperienced like myself can see the advantages, which should only serve to open more doors to careers in truck driving for the younger generation.

A company called Puratos operates a rather specialized trailer in its operations. The trailer is so specialized, in fact, that it was awarded a “Silver Certificate” for “Best Vehicle Design” in the 18-wheeler category at the Ex Awards, which recognize live event marketing campaigns.

The Ex Awards are put on by Event Marketer magazine. more…

Are you a big bass fisher? Need a boat? Then Chevron Lubricants, makers of the Delo brand of oils, lubricants, and oils, has a contest for you.

The Delo Big Bass Boat Sweepstakes is ongoing through Dec. 2, 2011. One person will win a fully equipped 2011 ZX190 Skeeter bass boat with an approximate value of $32,000. There are other prizes as well, including an all-expense paid trip to appear on the “Honey Hole All Outdoors TV Show” with host and bass pro Bill Wilcox; $1,000 worth of Delo products, including the company’s marine oil products; and a $500 online shopping spree at the Fun ’N Sun store.

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