Jack Roberts | @JackRobertsCCJ | August 8, 2014
This whole article was featured on CCJ on August 8, 2014
ATDynamics’ TrailerTails are lightweight thermoplastic composite fairings that can be installed to the back of dry or refrigerated semi-trailers to help reduce low-pressure aerodynamic drag behind the trailer.
ATDynamics’ TrailerTails are lightweight thermoplastic composite fairings that can be installed to the back of dry or refrigerated semi-trailers to help reduce low-pressure aerodynamic drag behind the trailer.
Watching the nation’s roadways these days, it’s obvious that a growing number of tractor-trailers now have aerodynamic devices to help control fuel costs.
The science of aerodynamics isn’t new, but given the boost in commercial vehicle efficiency it delivers, it’s surprising it’s taken this long for the trucking industry to embrace it more fully. Even more surprising is that there remain aerodynamic holdouts – fleets and drivers who dislike the devices because they don’t look “traditional.”
“It’s a totally different world than we saw back in 2006 and 2007,” says Jeff Grossmann, vice president of engineering for ATDynamics. “It is understood in our industry today that the most competitive and profitable fleets are the ones that are adopting aerodynamic technologies ahead of their competitors.”