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- jgubbe, on 05/23/2009, -3/+13Put these ads on Digg on a diet. Eating my whole screen and talking, WTF.
- rolf, on 05/23/2009, -1/+11Rail is much more fuel efficient than trucks in several ways. Too bad our rail system isn't to the point where is provides the major leg of the journeys for containers and trucks are just the "last leg". Europe has a highly developed rail system and even countries like Germany have a lot of trucks on the road so I'm wondering what is missing from even these good rail systems to make it happen like that?
I help unload containers once in a while (my friend runs a small import business from Europe and does about 2-40 footers and 4-20 footers a year), what still amazes me is the number of truckers who don't have a GPS system (even a cheap Garmin) yet and have to call up and get directions about the destination, where it is, etc or get lost on the way there. One could surely help them save a little diesel here and there. - dsmx, on 05/23/2009, -2/+11I already have put them on a diet, the ABP diet. It free's up web page space, speeds up web page load times and stop obnoxious ads dead in there tracks.
- spgass, on 05/23/2009, -0/+8Container/trailer traffic over rail has grown quite a bit in recent years in the U.S. It seems that the U.S.'s rail system is primarily geared for freight, whereas in Europe the emphasis is on passenger traffic.
Related article if interested: http://lowtechtimes.com/2008/04/21/115/ - thelocus, on 05/23/2009, -0/+7IdleAire isn't all it's cracked up to be. It does a decent job of cooling your truck in the summer, but their heating is a joke. And if you don't smoke, you'll be coughing all night since the window adapter seems to soak up all the smoke from previous users who do smoke. The TV is nice, but unnecessary since most idleaire locations are in areas that have several over-the-air stations to choose from.
Last year, my company installed an APU on my truck. It does a much better job heating and cooling, as well as keep my batteries charged, and even heats the engine coolant for better starting in the winter. Best part is, I can use it anywhere. IdleAire has too few locations. (and honestly, it makes it harder to find a place to park at night, since it takes up most of a truck stop parking lot. I refuse to pay to park somewhere for my D.O.T. mandated 10 hour break.) - charlietuna, on 05/23/2009, -2/+8If the government wants truckers to pull over at fuel efficient rest stops all they need do is legalize prostitution and open teamster friendly bordellos. I promise you they will use them.
- tsotha, on 05/23/2009, -0/+6You might be surprised how much gets shipped on rail in the US. Every time I order a book from Amazon part of the journey is rail.
Another thing to consider is rail isn't actually the most efficient way to ship things. An obscene amount of freight moves up and down the Mississippi every day, and it's far more efficient than rail. - ByrcheWroot, on 05/23/2009, -0/+6It does. If you got a chimp riding shotgun.
- wassim2k, on 05/23/2009, -1/+5Login FAIL
- inactive, on 05/23/2009, -0/+4Let me help you there: A highly organized rail / road combination is the most efficient. You're not going to have rail spurs to every podunk destination. Rail is efficient because it moves large loads from point A to point B, along a prescribed and clear route.
- mikemehak, on 05/23/2009, -0/+4They mean the allure. Sure it's not your moms basement.
But being on the open road, driving cross country. It's like going on a camping/road trip while getting paid.
Not what I want to do for the rest of my life, but if I ever had the opportunity to try it, I just might. There are a lot worse ways to make a living. - DrRetro, on 05/24/2009, -0/+3"trucking life holds a certain romance"
As someone who is in that industry, I assure you there is no such thing. - mikemehak, on 05/23/2009, -0/+3ICE Road trucks ftw
- jgubbe, on 05/23/2009, -0/+3That's kind of the things I am peeved about. Why do I need to give up using the fast ass Chrome browser to use an inferior browser with added programming to stop what has become a big ***** joke.
No one should annoy their potential customers with ***** that destroys the user experience that we come for in the first place.
Busted Tees has more of my attention than all of the ads Digg has ran all together. Still mind you busted tees has had a lot of ad time on Digg.
But the main over the edge push was Microsoft's ad.
On opening of the page their is annoying ass sound. It is some cranky old office bitch whining about who gives a flying *****. Then as if to defy my imagination of pain and torture the add eats my whole screen and won't fold back into itself.
HOW THE ***** CAN AN ADD EAT MY COMPUTER? WTF!
It is exactly like going on a walk and having a Microsoft van pull up, guys jump out and beat your ass until you go home. Forgetting you even were trying just to go for a walk. - inactive, on 05/23/2009, -0/+3you can heat the tiny cab of a truck or you can heat an entire motel room... i dont know how many truckers will be sleeping in the cold
- PhoenixSmasher, on 05/23/2009, -0/+2Don't ever expect anything to be delivered on time using rail. Most shipments come across the boarder from Mexico via rail, but nothing moves on the weekends.
- randumbusername, on 05/23/2009, -0/+2well apparently other things are taken into consideration besides efficiency.
garmin isn't perfect. neither is the address sometimes given. also garmin doesn't know weight limits, height limits, etc....and some streets you just prefer not to go down because it would be a headache. that said it's a useful tool. - inactive, on 05/23/2009, -1/+3I winced when I read that too. Although a visit to a truck stop bathroom might indeed produce that romance.
- malcam, on 05/23/2009, -0/+2Article can be accessed through Google News, just search for the title.
- ijustam, on 05/23/2009, -1/+3Enjoy the increased cost of everything you buy.
- thelocus, on 05/25/2009, -0/+2Trucks also pay a hell of a lot more taxes than any other vehicle on the road.
- thelocus, on 05/23/2009, -0/+2as for gps, they're designed for cars, not 75 ft long, 13 1/2 ft tall 80000 lb trucks. The gps wont tell you about low bridges, or weight restrictions (seasonal or otherwise), and will often route you through residential areas that might take a call to the local authorities to come help you back out when you cant make a turn somewhere. Much better to call for directions. Most places (especially in cities) have only 1 specific "legal" route to their location for trucks.
- randumbusername, on 05/23/2009, -0/+2hazmat restrictions.
- bixel, on 05/26/2009, -0/+1I have an idea! Have you heard of TRAINS??
- PhoenixSmasher, on 05/23/2009, -0/+110-hour DOT break after 11 hours of DRIVING, or 14 hours of working. And a 34-hour break after hitting 70 hours within 8 days.
- morepowerr, on 05/23/2009, -0/+1Ya but in the US they can't run trip and quad loads like in UK and other places. And there is a lot the GPS will not tell you about driving rig in US.
- jenkles316, on 05/23/2009, -0/+1Trains are great if you have a set schedule of goods to be moved. God help you if you have a one-off shipment.
The simple fact is that until there are a set of train tracks at every location that needs commodities, trucks will continue to run the last leg. They are still more efficient at delivering freight than smaller vehicles.
What will happen, just like last year, is that as fuel prices go up the cost will be past along to the consumer. Trucks deliver the majority of items you probably purchase, so the problem becomes how much are you the consumer willing to pay for improvement in fuel efficiency. - mikemehak, on 05/23/2009, -1/+2I dugg this post because I don't believe in kissing Diggs ass
- inactive, on 05/23/2009, -1/+1IdleAir was featured on the History Channel last year. Pretty neat concept.
- SmokenJoe, on 05/23/2009, -2/+2These trucks are so inefficient that even a small improvement would save a lot of gas. It would be nice to see a requirement to have plugins. I dont know where they are getting those numbers a quality trailer plug in is less than 1000 dollars at most.
I would love to see a mandate on fuel efficiency too but I am not holding my breath. - morepowerr, on 05/23/2009, -2/+2Well I think the US is working on moving more frat over to train. So I don't see much future in trucking. It was nice back in the day but once the carbon tax hits. And fuel prices go up. It will be hard for trucking to remain competitive in the US.
But I am all for legalize prostitution and open friendly bordellos ;-) - d1a1s1, on 05/23/2009, -1/+1"macho trucking life holds a certain romance"
What?? - URnotheonly1, on 05/24/2009, -2/+1you are really going to suggest that 4 hours a day will make cost go up? when their actul transport cost will go down from lower insurance & gas bills...
- Isitandestroy, on 05/23/2009, -2/+1Trucks are incredibly bad for the roads and bridges, and cost the taxpayers ridiculous money by simply driving and even worse, driving overweight. If there were no trucks roads would last for a much much longer time.
- cenobyte40k, on 05/23/2009, -3/+1The problem is not idling trucks, it's the trucks all together. They are designed so inefficiently that even the smallest improvement to them would add huge benefits. I seem to remember these things get about 6 MPG, Finding ways to increase that even just .5 MPG on average would be far more fuel savings than anything you could do with idling trucks. But as trains show us 7mpg for that amount of cargo is just bad. Simple design changes in electrics, airflow, and drive train that have been on the market in non-commercial vehicles for years could get you 2 or 3 mpg easy. I believe some trucks like this are being made today, but because of the cost of trucks and the time they last, and the low cost of fuel, the trucking industry has not been quick to adopt this.
Personally I think if they were willing to take the time and money diesel electric (Think trains) would be the best system. It would make all the internal systems (HVAC, Radios, etc) independent of the Diesel motor and make them easy to plug in for power, so any truck stop could have a for rent 220 power outlets installed at every parking space they have for a few thousand dollars so no more idling trucks. Fuel efficiency would rise dramatically, and you could do overhead power for them in some places (Like they do with buses in some cities) reducing noise and raising fuel efficiency further.
As much as I hate to say it, for our own health and strategic advantage (reducing use of foreign oil) I think we are going to have to start enforcing higher fuel standards or raise fuel costs in some way on the trucking industry. Otherwise they have no good reason to change. - rpgmakr, on 05/23/2009, -5/+3Who doesn't have a NYTimes account? The FAIL is on you.
- socokoolaid, on 05/23/2009, -3/+1It's about time time something goes into effect. This should have been the first place they started thwarting carbon emissions. This seems the most inefficient link in the chain.
- URnotheonly1, on 05/23/2009, -3/+1how so?
- URnotheonly1, on 05/23/2009, -4/+1Think I am going to start something here in California that takes 18 wheelers off the road for maybe 4 hours each day during commute hours in large urban areas when the mass working population is on the road. I think this will have profound impact on fuel consumption across the board, plus the impact on traffic. Trucks can run the other 20 hours out of the day, but I believe it is time to have them shut down for a good breakfast & dinner, let the traffic smooth out and then get back to work.
Benefits:
Stop the loss of man hours in traffic
Reduce fuel consumption losses in traffic
Happier commuters
SAFETY!
Fewer accidents (lower insurance) - computershack, on 05/23/2009, -6/+1American trucks are antiquated piles of *****. Compared to our European ones, they're at least three decades and two generations behind. They're gutless, have no torque (thus needing ***** of gears) and go through diesel like it's gone out of fashion. We get far better MPG even though we run at higher weights and don't benefit from miles of fairly straight flat empty roads that you do. Our midline 460BHP 11 litre 12 speed tractor units beat the best of yours in every way.
Over here in Europe, we have had cab heaters for DECADES which don't require the engine to be run. Plenty of people run TVs, laptops, satellite TV, a fridge and a microwave cooker off the batteries without needing to start up the wagon to run it all.
As usual, US designed road vehicles are way behind the rest of the world.
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