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COVER STORY
According to Bob Zirlin, Director of Marketing,“ New Hours-of-Service regulations put a premium on drivers’ time. SmartValve makes that time more efficient.”
Extensive testing at the Bosch Automotive Proving Grounds validated the time saved by SmartValve in these operations as compared with mechanical height control valves. In high-frequency drop-and-hook, SmartValve saves each driver a week’ s worth of time, every year. That equates to increased productivity and annual savings of $ 1,350 per driver for the fleet.
SmartValve also dramatically reduces the driver effort required in drop-and-hook. With a mechanical valve, if the trailer is too high when coupling, drivers are forced to adjust the landing gear with the weight of the trailer fully resting on the landing gear and suspension. The result is more strenuous cranking and back strain, more time needed to adjust, and multiple trips out of the cab.
In the same situation, but with a Smart- Valve, the driver can couple the tractor and trailer by simply raising the tractor frame over ride height, thus lifting the trailer and load. This allows for easy final adjustment of the landing gear.
What if the trailer is too low? With a mechanical valve, the tires of the tractor may hit the trailer while backing up. To raise the trailer by cranking the landing gear, the driver has to struggle against the weight of the trailer, especially if fully loaded. But again, with SmartValve, the driver simply raises the tractor frame over ride height, thus lifting the trailer and reducing the effort needed to crank the gear. This means safer, easier coupling and greater driver satisfaction.
Insurance industry officials agree that raising and lowering landing gear is one of the top sources of injuries in trucking. Smart- Valveeliminates these injuries by reducing the strenuous effort required to crank the landing gear. Fleets will benefit through reduced workers’ compensation premiums.
Drivers Love It!
SmartValve’ s drop-and-hook benefits in saving time and effort result in a much better working environment and greatly improved driver comfort. According to Zirlin,“ Smart- Valve can be an important recruiting tool for the many fleets facing driver shortages today.” In a survey Hadley conducted of drivers familiar with both SmartValve and mechanical height control valves, all drivers questioned enthusiastically preferred SmartValve.
Improves Fuel Economy
The SmartValve Electronic Height Control System can also help fleets save fuel. Fuel economy is improved through greater ride height accuracy, resulting in reduced compressor run time and avoidance of unnecessary valve actuations.
SmartValve provides OEMs with a tool to design more aerodynamic tractors, which automatically lower vehicle ride heights at highway speeds. Hadley tested this technology at the Bosch Automotive Proving Grounds with extensive SAE J1321 Type II Fuel Economy Testing. The results show a. 7 % improvement on the specific tractor model tested at low ride height. With new tractor designs, that could mean savings of $ 700— or even more— annually for every tractor in the fleet. A 100 tractor fleet would save 17,500 gallons of diesel every year.
According to Dubsky, the SmartValve Electronic Height Control System is available today as a retrofit kit for specific applications, with additional coverage expanding rapidly in the months ahead. SmartValve will be available later this year for OE installation.“ By addressing key challenges facing the Class 8 industry, the cost-effective SmartValve can play an important role in your fleet’ s operational success.”
For more information, visit www. hadleyadvantage. com CD
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