West Pennine Trucks helps its customers to reduce fuel costs.

West Pennine Trucks have developed a high-tech timer unit to reduce the time a vehicle is left with the engine running whilst unattended. After a pre-set time with the vehicle stationary, the device switches off the vehicle engine safely using a circuit already built into the engine management system. Aaron McGrath, Service Manager at the Company’s Trafford Park Depot, has developed the device together with an expert in electronics, which in today’s current climate will provide a cost effective way to cut fuel usage and reduce the emissions of vehicles left with the engine running unnecessarily. An average truck, bus or coach left with the engine running at idling speed uses around two litres of fuel an hour, which over a year across a fleet of vehicles, adds up to a large amount of wasted fuel and money.

The idle shutdown device, when fitted on trial vehicles, has in some cases shown reductions in engine idle time of 50%, thereby improving the fuel economy by 1 m.p.g. Whilst the vehicle is in normal use, even in stop/start traffic, the device is in standby mode waiting for the next time the vehicle is stationary with the engine left running. The device comes with six optional engine shutdown times, which can be easily changed after the unit is installed in the vehicle.

At the ordering stage the customer can specify the six delay times programmed into the device to suit their individual requirements. The device can be fitted to all Scania vehicles built since 1996, with a minimum of wiring required and can be fitted in about an hour by a Scania technician. This product is already in demand, with West Pennine Trucks recently completing an order for over 100 units to a leading bus and coach operator.

To find out more information about this product please email aaron.mcgrath@scania.com