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Message: Equity Transportation

Equity Transportation

posted on Oct 22, 2007 10:31AM

Monday, October 22, 2007
By Matt Vande Bunte
The Grand Rapids Press

WALKER -- From special mufflers to magical magnets to pills for the tank, Equity Transportation Co. has been pitched a lot of dubious proposals for boosting its fleet's fuel mileage.

But the Walker trucking firm is sold on an idea that its executives say could save more than 1.3 million gallons of diesel fuel each year.

All 250 Equity trucks are being outfitted with hydrogen-generating equipment manufactured in Canada.

"I've tried a lot of those different things," said Chief Financial Officer Bradley Poss.

The Jetstar unit is strapped onto the rear of the cab and features a 2-liter bottle of distilled water. The water is cycled through a reactor to separate the hydrogen, which then pumps through the intake manifold into the combustion chamber.

The hydrogen drives a more complete burn of the fuel in the engine.

Equity said its mileage on two test trucks has surged 10 to 15 percent, up to 8.9 miles a gallon on a recent run, while meeting government emissions standards.

"Not only are we getting the emissions (level) for 2014, we're using 1998 engines," Controller Dan English said.

The company estimates it will save 5,416 gallons of fuel per truck using the hydrogen generators, getting payback on the initial investment in less than one year.

"We've been trying to punch holes in this thing for three months, and we just can't," English said. "We will probably be the greenest company in the world."

The Walker company, which has hubs in Tampa and Atlanta, is a carrier in the 48 states for such clients as Steelcase Inc., Haworth Inc., Meijer Inc. and Alticor Inc. Equity also is trying to improve fuel efficiency by inflating tires with nitrogen, using 100 percent synthetic oil and using electric fans.

"This is not a done product by any means," English said. "The whole fleet is a continuous R&D project."

Jim LeBar, president of Novi-based Specialties Marketing Group, which sells Jetstar in the United States, said the Equity deal is its first fleet sale in the country.

The units are manufactured by Dynamic Fuel Systems Inc. in Pickering, Ontario, he said.

"We're the bridge to the hydrogen economy," LeBar said. "When you're driving behind an Equity truck, you won't see any black smoke."

The units should help the engines run cleaner and longer, and at higher horsepower, said Alan Bishop, Equity's owner. "We're not throwing special rocket fuel into it. It's distilled water."

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