Peterbilt goes Green & Green Pairie Grass

Peterbilt Hy-bred

Wow! Class 8 Hy-bred, who would have ever thought.

Wal-Mart has taken delivery on the first class 8 Hy-bred Truck; appropriately having a GREEN paint job.

There are claims of 25% savings; though I haven’t herd what the price tag is and how long it will take to get ROI.

I’m surer a few of the trendy owner operators will buy as soon as more are available.

If the fleets start running these, you can be assured it will pay off, as they wouldn’t buy mud flaps if they didn’t have to.

The other day a friend of mine that helps companies go public told me about a project that he was working on

For a group that is making biofuel from switch grass, saw dust paper and other carbons. Their claim is more fuel for less bucks than corn based biofuel. A couple days later I received the Oct. issue of Field and Stream.

Skimming through lo and behold an article caught my eye; “Gas From The Grass” by Bob Marshall F & S Conservation Editor. This editorial states that ethanol from corn base is not cost effective and does little to lesson greenhouse gases because of several factors.

• Fuel required to make fertilizer (petroleum based)
• Fuel required to plow, plant, apply fertilizer, pesticide, herbicide and harvest corn.
• Cost of fertilizer.( petroleum based)
• Cost of pesticide. (petroleum based)
• Cost to taxpayer ($.51 per Gal. subsidy by Fed. Gov. to blend ethanol with gasoline)
• Cost of water to irrigate (1700 gallons of water to produce 1 gallon of ethanol)
• Cost of expensive farm machinery.
• Cost of using quality crop land that could be producing food products.

The alternative suggested by the F&S Editor is native grass and other cellulose that could be grown on CRP land (Conservation Reserve Program) and land not suitable for crops.

• This would not require plowing, planting, fertilizer, herbicides, pesticides.
• Would require less expensive machinery to harvest.
• Would require less fuel to harvest.
• Would save the taxpayer by eliminating the $.51 subsidy( would not be needed)
  
• Would save the taxpayer by eliminating the CRP subsidy
• Would be more profitable to the land owner than collecting CRP payments
• Would reserve quality land for food crops.

Minnesota researchers have discovered that the 1 gallon of fossil fuel it takes to make 1.2 gallons of corn based ethanol will produce 5 gallons of ethanol from native prairie grasses.

There are many other benefits to using native grasses and other cellulose based products not mentioned here.

Article approved by Peterson Power Hood a Semi Truck Accessory

Power Hood for Western Star

Friday the 14 th Ed and I started the Power Hood installation on our first Western Star.
There is not any room on the drivers side of frame on this rig. so we are doing the first on the right side.
This is a trial and error R & D thing; the engine room is a bit crowded but we will make it.
The Owner Don couldn't leave hid rig with us long enough to finish, but we did get the bottom mounting bracket finished and were able to measure the top mounting bracket and will have this done before Don gets back from WY. some time next week.
When we are done I will take some pics for the Trick Truck gallery on The Big Rig and Semi Truck Accessory site
We will also make up an extra couple sets of mounting brackets brackets for the Star so the next Western Star Driver won't have to wait.
Will also have pics and instructions for the DIYS guys.
Don's truck is a real workhorse, twin screw with 3 axles; He only hauls heavy and oversize loads.

Coming soon an article about the Power Hood II a shorter version designed especially for the GMC and Chev. Kodiak 5500
There are a lot of school buses on this frame; most driven by lady drivers. They can't open the hoods alone and the Bus Barn managers want the oil checked every day.
We are also looking at the RV motor home market for this model.

We always like to here from drivers that have a Power Hood.

Back Health vs Trick Truck for the "Big Rig Truck" Driver

Truck owner operators will spend a bundle on trick truck paraphernalia but are squeamish about spending a few bucks on something that will save their backs and make life a little safer.

As Manager for Peterson Power Hood I keep noticing that the greater portion of our sales is to Trick Truck owners or show trucks. Now I grant you that some of these drivers need the Power Hood because they are of small stature and just don't have the body weight necessary to do the job with out help. But that is not always the case.

Ed Peterson designed the Power Hood solely with the safety and back health of the semi driver in mind. This all came about after watching drivers fighting the wind, slipping and sliding trying to open the heavy hoods in a winter storm at the Big Cabin Truck Stop on US 69 at Big Cabin OK.

60% of injuries involving lost time by truck owner operators or fleet drivers are from strains or sprains; 35% of semi drivers workman's comp insurance claims are the result of slipping and falling, some of which happens while opening the hood in bad weather.

Just flip a switch to open or close; weather you are a truck owner operator or a fleet owner consider the benefits of the Power Hood http://www.power-hood.net
By the way Peterson Power Hood supports all of you that are protesting the Mexican transportation mess!