Urging Drivers To “Slow Down To Get Around”

Urging Drivers To “Slow Down To Get Around” To Keep The Road Safer For Everyone. Many drivers pass service vehicles too quickly and without the proper regard for the vehicles and people around them.

(NAPSI)—A little patience and courtesy can help to keep drivers and others on the road to safety. That’s the word from the sponsors of a campaign designed to keep drivers of service vehicles and the public safer.

The campaign encourages drivers to extend to service vehicles the courtesy they already show school buses. Drivers understand that when they see a school bus, children are likely to be nearby, so they are expected to slow down.

They also slow down because it’s the law. Speed up around a stopped school bus and you’re likely to get a ticket.

Unfortunately for trash collectors, postal workers and other service vehicles, it’s common for drivers to be not so courteous when they see their trucks stopped in the road.

In fact, some drivers become more aggressive when they see stopped service vehicles, speeding around to avoid them. Unfortunately, the results can be tragic.

A Dangerous Profession

Road accidents caused by distracted or speeding drivers are a huge risk for the more than 135,000 men and women of the solid waste collection industry who are out in force each day keeping communities clean and healthy.

Primarily because of such roadway dangers, trash collection is one of the country’s most dangerous professions. Just ask your local trash collector, and you’re likely to get an earful about the near misses he or she faces nearly every day.

Safety Campaign

A national safety campaign developed by solid waste companies is aimed at putting an end to tragic road accidents involving garbage collectors—a leading cause of workplace deaths for such employees. Called “Slow Down to Get Around,” the campaign urges drivers to be more careful around solid waste collection vehicles.

Setting an Example

“Unlike with school buses, there are no traffic laws forcing drivers to be cautious around garbage trucks,” said Bruce Parker, president of the National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA), which represents the private-sector solid waste industry in the U.S. “It’s a major problem, but one that is easily solved.”

“It only takes one smart and cautious driver to set an example,” said NSWMA Safety Director David Biderman. “Be a leader in your community—when you see a trash truck, slow down to get around. By doing so, you may be saving a life.”

For more information, visit www.environmentalistseveryday.org/safety. A national safety campaign is urging drivers to be more careful around solid waste collection vehicles.

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How Smart Truck Drivers Get Better Gas Mileage

How smart truck drivers get better gas mileage is something you should read. If truckers can get better gas mileage, you can too. Read and find out how you can save money and be more fuel efficient.

(ARA) - If your family has started to rethink your travels because of fuel prices, you may be looking for ways to save a few dollars at the gas pump when you fill up your truck. And if purchasing a new, more fuel-efficient truck isn't an option for your family, here are some ways you can save gas money now.

* Fuel Choice:

The first place to start saving is at the pump. Choose the fuel with the lowest octane level possible for your vehicle. Passing on pricey premium gasoline could save you hundreds of dollars a year, according to the Car Care Council (CCC), while using it won't boost your truck's performance. Once your tank is filled, make sure you tighten your gas cap to prevent fuel from evaporating. Loose, missing or damaged gas caps cause 147 million gallons of gasoline to evaporate each year, according to the CCC.

* Driving Style:

The less you drive, the less you'll spend on gasoline. When you must get behind the wheel, consider your driving style. If you like to get up to speed quickly, and slow down at the last minute for a stop light or sign, you're likely burning extra fuel. Instead, stop and start gently, use cruise control when possible and reduce the amount of trips you make each day to reduce your gas consumption.

* Reduce Drag:

Smooth out the aerodynamics of your truck with a truck bed cover, or a tonneau cover. Such covers, like the Access Roll-Up Cover, manufactured by Agri-Cover Inc., a North Dakota truck accessory company, are the easiest step you can take to see immediate gas mileage improvement. The roll-up cover is lockable, so not only does it help reduce your drag while traveling at high speed, it also protects your gear and improves the look of your vehicle. This cover installs easily with a clamp-on installation and can be rolled up behind the cab when not in use. For more information on the Access Roll-Up Cover and to find out how much gas money you could save, visit www.accesscover.com.

* Maintenance:

Checking and changing your oil is one of the most overlooked maintenance items, according to most auto body technicians. Oil is responsible for reducing wear caused by friction between moving parts in your truck's engine. It also helps to remove harmful substances from the engine. But if your oil isn't clean, it can't do its job appropriately. Also make sure the oil, air and fuel filters are clean as well. Once you're finished checking your truck's engine components, check your tires to see if they have the proper air pressure as recommended by your truck manufacturer. Proper inflation can improve your gas mileage by up to 3 percent.

Automotive : Link Sponsors

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Car Sharing Makes Sense To Drivers, But Can It Make Money?

Zipcar

How would you like to go online and reserve a nearby car so you can leave to do errands later that morning? When you’re ready, you'd simply walk or take public transportation to where the car is parked, use your electronic key to gain access, start the vehicle, and drive away. An hour later, you would return the car to the same parking spot.

The best news of all is you could pay a reasonable monthly fee for this service, and about $7 for the hour-long use of the car. Fuel costs and insurance: included. Easy as pie.

Car sharing is an emerging trend in large, urban areas—or near major university campuses. But will it become economically viable in a way that can sustain the growth of this niche vehicle rental service?

Companies like Zipcar and City Car Share are growing in popularity among a segment of the population that chooses not to own a vehicle. For some, it’s the economic downturn that’s forcing cost-cutting. For others in large urban areas such as the San Francisco Bay Area, nearby stores and services, along with accessible public transportation make owning a vehicle an option, rather than a necessity. Car sharing becomes economically viable because they no longer have to deal with car payments, insurance, and fuel or maintenance costs associated with vehicle ownership.

Zipcar’s economic viability

If car sharing makes sense to those using its service, is this business model viable for the companies making short-term vehicle use so easy for the end-user? The short answer: not yet. In a recent article on Gigaom’s Earth2tech series, Kate Fehrenbacher wrote that car sharing leader Zipcar reported revenues of $186 million last year, but experienced a net loss of $14 million. They have also accumulated $65 million in debt. The article states that Zipcar doesn’t know when they will be able to turn the tide on the red ink.

Working against Zipcar’s ability to operate in the black is the rising price of gasoline. Because fuel costs are included in the fee it charges for service, $4-plus gas is not helping its profit and loss statement. Another concern is the growth potential of car sharing and how many more cities this business model can expand to.

In the meantime, Enterprise Holding, owner of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, is testing the waters of this automated local rental market. In her article, Fehrenbacher said that Enterprise has begun a new, limited service through WeCar in places like Mountain View, Calif., and Nashville, Tenn. It has recently expanded service to  a few major colleges including Tulane and the universities of Washington and Missouri.

It’s not known if Enterprise has succeeded where others have failed, and is able to operate this cutting-edge car sharing service for a profit instead of a loss.

[GigaOm]

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