Truck Tech
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By Chris Petersen   
Thursday, 14 September 2006
smc Use of the latest technology gives CalArk an edge over its competition in the trucking industry, the company says.
Use of the latest technology gives CalArk an edge over its competition in the trucking industry, the company says.
Essentially, trucking hasn't changed much in the last 30 years. Carriers still haul goods from point A to point B by road, drivers still put in long hours behind the wheel and the industry still makes up the backbone of American business. However, as is true for most other industries, the technology within the trucking industry continues to evolve. Rochelle Gorman (pictured), CEO of CalArk says her company is on the forefront of adopting new technology that not only improves the efficiency and service of the company, but also lessens its environmental impact.

Based in Arkansas, CalArk is a full- truckload carrier that services a number of different industries in the continental United States, Ontario in Canada, and Mexico. The company has a fleet of 800 tractors, 2,200 trailers and 200 refrigerated units. Gorman says the company is mid-sized compared to some of its competitors, but makes up for its size with leadership in technology and service to Mexico.

“CalArk I would describe as one of the leaders now in technology and safety in our industry, and we're an industry leader in the Mexican market,” Gorman says. The company was founded by Gorman's parents, Tom and Rosie Bartholomew, in 1975. It originally transported food packaging from two factories in Arkansas and California, hence the company's name.

Saving Energy
Gorman says CalArk's use of the newest technology for the trucking industry is a major component of its success. Many of these innovations are centered on the biggest concern for any logistics or transportation company right now – fuel costs. Fuel prices have been “soaring” over the past several years, Gorman says, forcing the company and others like it to find new ways to increase efficiency.

Fuel costs have accounted for up to 36 percent of CalArk's total expenses, Gorman says, and she adds that this is typical for the trucking industry. Ironically, a great deal of fuel is consumed when the trucks aren't even moving. Idling trucks use up a large enough portion of their fuel that CalArk has taken steps to cut down on idling. “The reason drivers idle their trucks,” Gorman says, “is to maintain a comfortable temperature in their cabs, and to power auxiliary devices such as TVs, computers and refrigerators.”

To alleviate this problem without keeping engines running, CalArk has installed a system called IdleAir in 28 parking stalls at its Laredo, Texas, terminal. The system provides heat or air conditioning to truck cabs from a central system, rather than relying on the trucks' own power. Gorman says statistics show that if each stall is used just 10 hours each day, the company would cut down its diesel emissions by 1,000 metric tons and save 100,000 gallons of fuel each year. With trucks pulling in and leaving CalArk's terminals around the clock, Gorman says the system has the potential to save the company much more than that. “That's one step in the right direction,” she says. The IdleAir system was installed at CalArk's Laredo terminal this July.

Another step the company has made toward improving fuel efficiency is one that most people might not expect. CalArk has teamed with Michelin to test a new type of wide-based tires on 350 of its trailers. The wide-based design of these tires means less weight for each truck to carry, Gorman explains.

“The advantage to using those kinds of tires is they save about 730 pounds of weight for every truck and trailer combination and they save fuel mileage,” she says. A Michelin representative is currently on-site at CalArk's main terminal in Arkansas to test other new products. Gorman says by testing products, CalArk has an inside track to innovative new products. “It's another way that we like to be on the front end of innovation,” she says.

No Cooling Down
A recent venture that Gorman expects to pay off for CalArk is its expansion into refrigerated shipping. The service was launched this year and currently makes up only a fraction of the company's business, but Gorman says customers have been asking for the service for some time, and she expects the company to grow through serving those customers in this new area. Making the jump to refrigerated shipping wasn't easy, Gorman says, but CalArk benefited from bringing experience into the company.

Overall, Gorman says the company should experience future growth similar to the past two years, when it saw growth of 30 percent annually. “What I see is that we plan to continue with pretty aggressive growth like we've had in the past few years,” she says. “Most of our growth comes from existing clients who appreciate our responsiveness to their needs.”
 
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