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Department of Ecology News Release - July 30, 2007
07-211
OLYMPIA - At Gee Cee's Truck Stop in southern Lewis County and Flying J Travel Plaza in Ellensburg stand new power hookups that save money for long-haul truckers and help reduce health risks from diesel exhaust.
The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) teamed with contractor Shurepower LLC to provide the hookups at Gee Cee's near Toledo along Interstate 5 (off exit 57) and at Flying J along Interstate 90 (off exit 109). Truckers can use the hookups during stops to access power for heat, air conditioning, and other systems without idling their engines.
Diesel exhaust from engine idling contains tiny, harmful particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs. Health studies show that diesel exhaust contributes to respiratory problems such as asthma and lung cancer. Diesel exhaust also contributes to greenhouse gases, which are linked to global climate change.
Truckers who are equipped to use the hookups - either with special converter kits or simply by running an electrical cord to an air conditioner or other electrical device in their truck cabs - can access services including power, Wi-Fi Internet access and cable television (where available). That costs about $1 per hour, compared to $3 for a gallon of diesel. Long-haul trucks burn an average of one gallon of diesel per hour while idling.
"We saw the Shurepower plan as the one that made an awful lot of sense for the Northwest," said Chet Reilly, vice president of Broadway Group, which owns the Flying J franchise in Ellensburg.
Reilly said his company believes in being part of a solution to a problem. Being involved in this project means reducing air pollution while cutting truckers' costs.
Gee Cee's owner Jim Wallace said he applied to have his truck stop serve as a hookup site to save truckers' money, support fuel conservation and lessen the nation's dependence on foreign oil.
"I think that particular technology is going to become more and more prevalent," Wallace said.
Wallace said the hookups aren't being aggressively marketed yet after being activated earlier this month. But truckers notice the white hookups atop painted yellow concrete pedestals at the Gee Cee's complex. "We've had a lot of questions - 'what is that?'" he noted.
Each hookup can accommodate up to four trucks, meaning up to 40 big rigs can plug in at the 10 Gee Cee's pedestals. Flying J's nine hookups can serve up to 36 trucks, said Jeff Kim, Shurepower chief operating officer.
Kim said Shurepower plans to talk directly with truckers and put up displays at Gee Cee's and Flying J to promote the service to drivers.
"This is a totally new thing for them," he said.
Staff from Ecology's Air Quality Program visited truck stops throughout Washington to see which ones could accommodate at least 25 truck spaces. Flying J and Gee Cee's expressed interest in participating in the project, which cost roughly $400,000. Ecology provided about $160,000 from federal grants and about $35,000 in staff time. The rest came from other sources, including contributions from Shurepower, the Climate Trust and the State of New York.
Shurepower and the State of Oregon worked together to open similar sites recently.
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Media contact: Seth Preston, 360-407-6848; cell 360-584-5744; e-mail spre461@ecy.wa.gov
More information about truck-stop electrification: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/biblio/0502025.html
Shurepower's website: http://www.shurepower.com
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
