DOE Laboratory Launches Year-Long Truck Field Test

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he Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory on Monday began a field test that will track the performance of six tractors and nine trailers during a year of long-haul trucking runs.

The tractors and trailers, owned by Schrader Trucking Co., Jefferson City, Tenn., will be equipped with sensors to monitor vehicle and engine speed, engine torque and fuel consumption while taking into consideration such factors as wind speed, road grade and precipitation, Oak Ridge said in a statement.

One of the areas the tests will focus on is the use of new generation wide-based single tires. Previous testing found that wider single tires improved fuel efficiencies and enhanced vehicle stability.

The field test was launched from the National Transportation Research Center, a joint transportation research facility involving Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Tennessee.