The Truck Industry Council (TIC), whose members are truck manufacturers, truck importers, diesel engine companies and major component suppliers, is committed to building the world’s safest trucks making road travel safer for all road users...
Advances in truck technologies means reduced emissions making the transportation of our everyday goods and services greener and less polluting to the environment in which we all live. The enhanced productivity of today's trucks result in less carbon dioxide being produced per tonne-kilometre of freight carried...
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Today’s trucks play an increasingly essential role in the transportation of the everyday goods and services that we all need in our lives. Trucks distribute nearly all of our urban freight and even when other modes of transport are used trucks provide the connection at one or both ends...
The Truck Industry Council (TIC), whose members are truck manufacturers, truck importers, diesel engine companies and major component suppliers, is committed to building the world’s safest trucks making road travel safer for all road users.
Truck engineers have developed innovative solutions to achieve remarkable advances in truck safety.
These advances include:
Today’s trucks are being built with these safety advances as standard equipment making trucks easier to drive and safer on the road for all road users
Advances in truck technologies means reduced emissions making the transportation of our everyday goods and services greener and less polluting to the environment in which we all live. The enhanced productivity of today's trucks result in less carbon dioxide being produced per tonne-kilometre of freight carried.
CLEANER TRUCKS
Thirty years ago, the world truck and diesel engine manufacturers embarked on a program of reducing the noxious emission levels of trucks. The key emissions that are focussed on are Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), the primary contributor to "acid rain" in urban areas, and Particulate Matter (PM), a known carcinogen in sufficiently high concentrations.
The Europeans began regulating heavy vehicle emissions with "Euro I" in the early 1990s. This has progressed to the current " Euro V", while a very stringent "Euro IV" standard become mandatory in the EU from 2013/14.
Australia has harmonised its heavy vehicle exhaust emissions standards with the EURO standard.
However, as Australia imports trucks and diesel engines from North America, Japan and potentially other markets, we have also adopted the North American EPA standards, and Japan standards. The current Australian Design Rule covering exhaust emissions is ADR 80/03, which became mandatory for trucks built after 1 January 2011. ADR 80/03 allows compliance to either Euro V, US EPA 2007 or Japan New Long Term 05 standards.All these standards are of similar stringency.
There are two common methods of reducing toxic emissions to comply with ADR 80/03:
Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR), which reduces combustion temperatures and the formation of NOx in the engine, combined with a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) in the exhaust system. Most DPFs are capable of filtering up to 98% of the PM produced by the combustion process.
Optimised Combustion to minimise PM, then a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system in the exhaust, which uses a solution of ammonia and demineralised water (marketed as AdBlue) to reduce NOx to harmless nitrogen and water vapour.
Almost all ADR80/03 compliant engines use one of the methods described above, however some engines can meet Euro V standard without adopting either EGR or SCR systems. As we progress to the next ADR for exhaust emissions in the second half of this decade, it is likely that most diesel engines will adopt combinations of technologies described above.
In the past 20 years more than 90% of the toxic emissions of diesel exhausts have been removed, whilst engine power and economy have improved significantly.
It should be noted that a number of TIC members are already offering Euro VI (or equivalent) compliant trucks in Australia, this is well before any formal decision has been made by the Australian government to mandate these more stringent emission standards.
Today’s trucks play an increasingly essential role in the transportation of the everyday goods and services that we all need in our lives. Trucks distribute nearly all of our urban freight and even when other modes of transport are used trucks provide the connection at one or both ends. Australia relies on trucks more so than most other countries because of our geography and population growth, density and spread. Trucks are indeed an essential link between all major sectors of the economy and this role will continue into the future.
The Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) forecasts* justify the essential role of trucks within our community. For example;
Australia’s total freight task will almost double (1.8x) between 2008 and 2030. This 80% increase in the total road freight task is the result of the continued strong national economic growth, the trend towards increased door to door movements, the shift to just in-time delivery as a replacement for point of sale inventory and the increased differentiation of consumer taste making retailing more transport intensive.
The volume of interstate freight, primarily between capital city centres, is forecast to expand by 130% compared with 2008 levels.
Urban freight movements have more than doubled over the last 20 years. Continued compounding growth of 2.7 percent per annum is expected through to 2030, reflecting city growth. The carriage of urban freight is dominated by road transport and this can be expected to continue given its suitability for door to door pick up and delivery.
The Truck Industry Council has been a long time supporter of Performance Based Standard (PBS) vehicles that will see more freight carried on fewer trucks and is committed to providing a productive and efficient transport fleet that fully supports the Australian economy.
*Source: Australian Government (BITRE) Research Report 121:
Road freight estimates and forecasts in Australia: interstate, capital cities and rest of state (Released September, 2010)
