Not so long ago, we saw on the roads trucks that kept the landscapes and green spaces alive. These vehicles equipped with several pieces of equipment and accessories that cut the trees or maintained the road, change now to another type of equipment. The snow plows take place to clear away these new roads, which will become snow-covered and ice-free.
When winter strikes, the conscious driver prepares for increasing traction in case of icy and slippery roads. Some bring a sandbag and a shovel while others gear up with a set of snow chains. Still, others have automatic tire chains mounted on their vehicle, so there is no need at all for special preparation. All these drivers rely on mechanical principles for increasing traction. But, are there no other options? Let’s dive into the world of chemical de-icing of roads.
There are times while working the booth at a trade show that people will tell me they are considering the Onspot automatic tire chain system, but are also considering 4X4 as well. When purchasing a new vehicle, 4x4 is a common option to consider. No wonder, since it’s a familiar and well-tried solution with good features for safer driving, but it is also easy to ignore its weaknesses and believe that there is no better alternative.
In rescue operations, the time required to arrive on site from the moment of the first call is a critical measure of effectiveness. First responders work tirelessly to reduce response time which means more lives are saved and injuries can be treated before they become life threatening.
Friction and traction are key to avoid sliding vehicles and spinning wheels.
Friction is defined as the rubbing of one object or surface against another. The friction between your vehicles’ tires and the road will determine maximum acceleration and minimum stopping distance. The force of friction depends on the force pushing the objects or surfaces together and the coefficient of friction. The coefficient of friction is the relationship between the force required to move the surfaces against each other and the pressure to stay in contact while in motion.
The Driver is in Control
We live in the era of automation. Have you ever thought of all the things that used to need a lot of human involvement, but today are seemingly automatic? Buying things for example. We have access to a global supply of products and services that are just a few clicks away, and we get our deliveries with very little human involvement. It’s different systems that communicate and automate that provide this convenience.
In your profession, driving a vehicle is not just a mode of transportation, it’s one of the tools that allows you to save lives. As such, your vehicle must be equipped with the best equipment to get the job done.
The trucking industry is instrumental in maintaining the supply chain of materials and goods all over the world. Thanks to the trucking industry, global economies receive over 10 billion tons of various goods. Other industries rely on trucks to deliver the raw materials to produce those goods. The trucking industry delivers more cargo than ships, planes or trains and cargo theft will disrupt the greater supply chain.
Optimization is key to the transportation industry. From a logistics perspective, trucks should never roll unladen. The bigger truck fill rate, the better. New technologies and driving techniques are developed with the aim of reducing fuel consumption which is good both for the business economy and the environment. Looking at such major factors as fill rate and fuel consumption, is there reason to consider optimization of such a tiny thing as tire pressure? Yes, there is!
One of the measures of effectiveness in rescue operations is ‘response time’. Naturally, in emergency situations, achieving the shortest response time possible is crucial for saving lives or property in danger. Therefore, a lot of time and effort are put into reducing response times. But what is actual response time?