Class-8 Heavy Truck Duty Cycle Project Final Report - Center for ...

Lesson Learned: A technology progressive fleet helps to ensure the success of a vehicle-based
research project.
7.1.4 Equipment Access
Schrader’s operations model involved the return of all fleet vehicles to their Jefferson City
headquarters each weekend. This allowed ORNL personnel to have weekly access to the test vehicles
and the DASs. The distance from ORNL to Schrader was approximately 45 miles, allowing for
relatively easy access to the test vehicles and DAS equipment.
Lesson Learned: Periodic access is critical for collecting data and to conduct equipment health
monitoring and repairs. Choosing a fleet that has a regular vehicle return schedule as well as one
that has its entire fleet on the same return schedule saves valuable research time and ensures regular
access to test vehicles and the DASs.
Lesson Learned: Choosing a fleet within a reasonable driving distance reduces data collection and
equipment monitoring/repair costs.
7.2 NEGATIVE
Just as with the positive lessons learned, there were arrangements, situations, and events that proved
to be detrimental to the overall program in ways that were not originally identified or fully
appreciated. These are described in the following negative lessons learned. First, the negative lesson
learned that were corrected during the course of the program will be discussed, and lastly the negative
lessons learned that were not corrected will be discussed. Knowledge of the latter may be beneficial
for future efforts.
7.2.1 Corrected Negative Lessons Learned
7.2.1.1 Fleet procedures
Schrader’s standard operating procedure (SOP) for its fleet called for regular (weekly in some cases),
pressure washing of the tractors. It was determined that this pressure washing was leading to premature
failure of the weather stations due to water infusion into the circuit boards of the devices.
Once the cause was determined, ORNL requested that the weather stations be covered to prevent
direct high pressure spraying. This protective measure corrected the water infusion problem with the
weather stations.
Lesson Learned: A thorough review of partner SOPs to glean possible practices that could be
detrimental to equipment is recommended.
Lesson Learned: Pressure washing of truck mounted sensors can cause premature failure.
Lesson Learned: Effective work-arounds can be identified and implemented in the field.
7.2.1.2 Additional duty-cycle data
Just prior to the start of the FOT it was suggested that aerodynamics data relative to the Volvo VN
660 tractors and the dry-box freight trailers would be of interest to collect during the FOT. At that
point it was too late to plan for such data collection (the DAS was at capacity, no additional funding
for sensors or additional DAS capacity was available, the MOU with Schrader did not identify this
type of data collection, the suggested data collection method was not minimally invasive, and there
was not sufficient time to instrument the vehicles or test the sensors prior to starting the FOT).
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