T. Boone Pickens calls for Congress to incentivize big rigs to use CNG

[Desertdog]

T. Boone Pickens wants Congress to pass legislation that will incentivize the conversion of 18-wheel trucks to compressed natural gas (CNG).

http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/energy/blogs/pickens-plan-no-longer-includes-wind
I really do not think the trucking industry will buy this hairy brained idea. 

I call it hairy brained because I see no way that a tank of CNG to transport a 70,000 pound gross weight vehicle, can travel far enough, without refueling,  to make it worth their effort. 

It is one thing to have 150 gallons of diesel, gasoline, or propane to start a run with, but a tank of CNG, leaves a big question of how far before refueling.  Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) would give more range, but presents other problems, such as lack of refueling stations.

[Doggy Daddy]

We use CNG vehicles at work.  I'm not intimately familiar with the refueling process, but I have the impression that it takes considerably longer to fill up.  These vehicles are in the 35,000 to 40,000 pound range.  I'm betting refueling a 70,000 pound vehicle would either take about twice as long, or travel time between fill would have to be lowered to accomodate a smaller tank.  Tank size may be a problem anyways.  I believe it takes a larger volume of CNG to travel a given distance.  Not sure there's really room on a normal truck to fit a much bigger tank.

I'm speculating on a lot of this.  I'm interested in hearing from those with more info.

DD

[zahc]

My dad owned a trucking business for years, and it sickens me how heavily regulated the industry is. The equipment, the taxes, the stickers, the regulations, the cops; it's a complete nightmare. Did you know that if you have a fleet of trucks, you have to individually track the mileage of each truck, and at the end of the year, you have to calculate its total average fuel mileage. You then have to multiply that fuel mileage by how many miles you ran in each state in the US (which you also have been keeping track of, even though you cross state borders multiple times per day, all year) so that you can pay the appropriate state fuel taxes?

The trucking industry has a public image problem; nobody likes trucks, truckers, truck stops, or trucking companies but they like buying things 2000 miles inland. This makes the industry really easy to regulate.

[Monkeyleg]

My dad owned a trucking business for years, and it sickens me how heavily regulated the industry is. The equipment, the taxes, the stickers, the regulations, the cops; it's a complete nightmare. Did you know that if you have a fleet of trucks, you have to individually track the mileage of each truck, and at the end of the year, you have to calculate its total average fuel mileage. You then have to multiply that fuel mileage by how many miles you ran in each state in the US (which you also have been keeping track of, even though you cross state borders multiple times per day, all year) so that you can pay the appropriate state fuel taxes?
 

I didn't know that, and it's insane. How can anyone possibly comply with any degree of accuracy?

[zahc]

There's a reason truck drivers call the log book the "comic book".

[Boomhauer]

My dad owned a trucking business for years, and it sickens me how heavily regulated the industry is. The equipment, the taxes, the stickers, the regulations, the cops; it's a complete nightmare. Did you know that if you have a fleet of trucks, you have to individually track the mileage of each truck, and at the end of the year, you have to calculate its total average fuel mileage. You then have to multiply that fuel mileage by how many miles you ran in each state in the US (which you also have been keeping track of, even though you cross state borders multiple times per day, all year) so that you can pay the appropriate state fuel taxes?

The trucking industry has a public image problem; nobody likes trucks, truckers, truck stops, or trucking companies but they like buying things 2000 miles inland. This makes the industry really easy to regulate.

I was just about to say that...hasn't the trucking industry suffered enough between overregulation, fuel prices, the depression, etc?


And we all know "incentives" always "work better" when there's a penalty to go along with it for those that refuse to be incentivised...

[Perd Hapley]

The trucking industry has a public image problem; nobody likes trucks, truckers, truck stops, or trucking companies but they like buying things 2000 miles inland.

Madness! Truck stops are usually the best gas stations to stop at at which to stop. What folk be smokin? 

[HankB]

I'd say that T. Boone Pickens has some interests in CNG and is lobbying Congress to pass laws that will put more $$$ into his own pocket.

[grampster]

I love trucks.  They bring me my bacon.

[Desertdog]

I'd say that T. Boone Pickens has some interests in CNG and is lobbying Congress to pass laws that will put more $$$ into his own pocket.

 Pickens’ 45 percent ownership in a company called Clean Energy Fuels is his motivation. Clean Energy Fuels makes natural gas-filling equipment for buses and other large vehicles.

[HankB]

Pickens’ 45 percent ownership in a company called Clean Energy Fuels is his motivation. Clean Energy Fuels makes natural gas-filling equipment for buses and other large vehicles.

IIRC, Nancy Pelosi made a personal six-figure investment in one of Pickens' scams companies . . .

[Northwoods]

I didn't know that, and it's insane. How can anyone possibly comply with any degree of accuracy?

[Insert appropriate Atlas Shrugged quote about Byzantine laws here]

[Jamisjockey]

http://washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/editorial-pelosi-and-pickens-investment-partners

According to the Washington Examiner, your number is a little low.  She invested over a hundred but less than two fifty. 

There is always a scam, and DC is the biggest ponzi scheme ever.

[seeker_two]

Pickens never supports anything that doesn't involve him making scads of money off of.....if dressmaking were more profitable, he'd be pushing for more transvestites in public.......

[Desertdog]

Pickens never supports anything that doesn't involve him making scads of money off of

I wonder how much his investors lost on the "Nations Largest Wind Farm" before he realized it wouldnt pay off.

Did you notice in the article that T Boone wasn't selling CNG, but is selling "natural gas-filling equipment for buses and other large vehicles." 

CNG for smaller vehicles with limited routes to run,buses, local delivery trucks, mail trucks, I can see, but cross country semis, I will watch for.
Where I worked, Navy base, before I retired we had about 50 vehicles on propane and and they had installed a CNG station about when I retired, but they had very few CNG vehicles, all pickups at the time.

[HankB]

http://washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/editorial-pelosi-and-pickens-investment-partners

According to the Washington Examiner, your number is a little low.  She invested over a hundred but less than two fifty. 

Both are six figure amounts . . . 

[sanglant]

bolt the tank to the top of the trailer(same size as the trailer ) and it'll work fine. until some jehad decides to blow up an overpass with a hunting rifle, and some tracer rounds. pickens(speelin' entenchenle ) is out for his wallet, he will burn the US if it makes him a buck.

[Battle Monkey of Zardoz]

I'd say that T. Boone Pickens has some interests in CNG and is lobbying Congress to pass laws that will put more $$$ into his own pocket.

Bingo. Although he made a s-load of $$ in the oil patch. He isnt well thought of. He is only interested in something if it puts more $$ in his account, and he prefers not to use his own $$ to start something. That's why he wants to us taxpayer $$. If it goes Tango Uniform, no big deal to him.