Wiseman milks benefits of Clean Air Power dual-fuel gas/diesel trucks

Robert Wiseman Dairies, one of the UK’s leading fresh liquid milk processors, has taken delivery of two DAF Dual-Fuel gas/diesel trucks from Clean Air Power.

As part of the company’s commient to reducing carbon emissions and fuel costs, Wiseman is using the two Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) DAF CF85 340 4x2 tractor units on trunking routes in the north west of England and Scotland. Both trucks and tri-axle milk trailer combinations operate at 38 tonnes GVW and will cover around 100,000 miles per annum.

In the first three weeks Wiseman has been delighted with the truck’s performance and more importantly the drivers have really taken to them.

“Clean Air Power’s Dual-Fuel installation gives us the best of both worlds – lower emissions and fuel costs,” explained John Kirk, group transport manager at Robert Wiseman Dairies.

“Unlike early gas-only trucks we trialled in 2000, if there is an issue with gas supply the Dual-Fuel system seamlessly switches to diesel, giving us maximum reliability.

“Driver reaction has been very positive, in particular they like the fact that engine noise is reduced on motorway driving as their truck is predominantly using gas not diesel,” he added.

Wiseman runs 1,250 vehicles will be reviewing the truck’s performance after six months, by which time it could add more Dual-Fuel trucks to its fleet.

Both trucks use the LNG fuelling facility at Chive Fuels on the M74 in Scotland and all fuel usage is monitored via a Triscan fuel management system, which will keep an eye on the amount of gas and diesel each DAF uses. “It’s too early to say what emissions and fuel costs we have reduced in the first three weeks, but the trucks have been reliable and we are hoping for a gas substitution rate of more than 50% on the DAF,” said Kirk.

According to Clean Air Power’s chief executive John Pettitt, its Dual-Fuel system is still one of the only tried and tested ‘green’ engine options currently available for the global heavy truck industry.

“What we are offering heavy truck operators is a proven way of reducing greenhouse gases and annual fuel bills. Forward thinking fleets like Wiseman are reducing their transport emissions by around 10 tonnes per annum. Particularly in the UK where profit margins on road freight are so tight, annual fuel savings of around £10,000 are very beneficial.

“It’s through operator recognition that we are going to get greater interest from OEMs to offer Dual-Fuel as an integral part of their product range,” he added.

Wiseman runs its own in-house maintenance network which will service the Dual-Fuel trucks. It joins Warburtons and the Co-operative Group who run 78 Dual-Fuel trucks between them.

One of Clean Air Power’s largest recent orders came from Australian transport operator Mitchell Corporation for 70 Dual-Fuel installations.