The following blog post was written by Alice Lam and was published last month on BCIC’s blog as part of a series profiling BCIC-NewVentures Competition: Regional Top 20 Finalists.
In 1991, the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) reduced and capped the carrying capacity of trucks using pintle hitches to attach heavy trailers. While these weight regulations marginally improved highway safety by lowering the center of gravity on the trailers, they also reduced transportation efficiency and increased fuel dependence and exhaust emissions because more trucks were required to carry the annual volume of freight.
BCIC-New Ventures Competition: Regional finalist Wolf Trailer Company Inc. has designed new roll-coupling hardware to improve vehicle dynamic stability and prevent trailers from rolling over on top of cars.
Roll-coupled trucks pulling pony trailers, full trailers and roll-coupled A-trains can safely carry up to 20 percent more weight, and comply with TAC safety standards. This improves productivity and profitability for truckers while reducing traffic congestion and negative environmental impacts.
“So far I’ve found the panel conducting and judging the competition to be very knowledgeable so I’m looking forward to the mentoring component as we begin the final round,” said Lawrence Wulff, founder and director of research and development.
“I also believe the most significant benefit from participating in the BCIC-New Ventures Competition will come from increasing exposure to the transportation industry as we promote roll-coupling as a means to make the trucking industry more viable.”
Congratulations to Wolf Trailer Company, Inc., we wish you the best of luck in the last round of the competition.
Winners of the BCIC-NVC: Regional will be announced on February 24, 2011.