T. Boone Pickens seeks stimulus funds to repower America’s trucks

[Teacher Mark 53]

Pushing forward with his plan to decrease America’s dependence on foreign oil, Texas billionaire T. Boone Pickens is vying for stimulus money to help diesel-dependent truckers convert over to natural gas-powered engines.

Pickens is pushing for a $28 billion pilot program that would convert 350,000 heavy-duty trucks over to running on liquefied natural gas, or LNG. He said this can be achieved through the use of incentives such as federal tax credits or grants.

On Friday, Feb. 6, the economic stimulus plan was being debated in the U.S. Senate.

According to Pickens, converting these trucks over to LNG “would cut our foreign oil dependence by over 5 percent.”

“We want the Senate to allow trucking companies – large and small truckers who operate 18-wheelers – to get tax breaks for buying trucks that run on natural gas,” Pickens said in a recent Pickens Plan e-mail.

Some short-haul and regional truckers are already receiving $32,000 federal grants for purchasing trucks that run on LNG.

One company, Total Transportation Services Inc. in Rancho Dominguez, CA, has purchased eight Kenworth T800 trucks with LNG-powered engines.

Pickens is also pushing to build out the national infrastructure to build more LNG fueling sites so that long-haul truckers can benefit the same as short-haul operations.

The pilot program would be beneficial because, besides helping truckers comply with stringent emissions standards and decreasing their dependence on oil, the plan would also create more than 450,000 jobs.

“It will add jobs as the heavy truck manufacturers hire (or retain) workers to build the new natural gas engines,” according to the Pickens Plan e-mail.

Check out Land Line Magazine’s March/April issue to find out more about LNG and the push to switch to the alternative fuel source to power heavy trucks.

– By Clarissa Kell-Holland, staff writer

clarissa_kell-holland@landlinemag.com

I just checked and I have burned almost 3000 gallons of diesel in about 3 months . I drive well below what the average long haul driver does.

This guy is a bit self serving because he owns quite a bit of natural gas from what I've heard. While it falls below my goal operating a rig with a sail (complete with pirate gear), it's still a great idea.

Edited February 7, 2009 by Joe Six-Pack

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I'm for reducing foreign oil usage.

[luckytxn 2,265]

Only so much LNG available and eventually vehicles will need to stop using it also. As the supplies become less Pickens will be able to get more for his LNG holdings.

[Jasman0717 9]

They, the CHP, have been setting up truck traps on the 57 lately. I heard that the beginning of the week they wrote citations to over 230 truckers in one day. Ugh

Edited February 7, 2009 by jasman0717

[lostinblue 1,989]

Pushing forward with his plan to decrease America’s dependence on foreign oil, Texas billionaire T. Boone Pickens is vying for stimulus money to help diesel-dependent truckers convert over to natural gas-powered engines.

Pickens is pushing for a $28 billion pilot program that would convert 350,000 heavy-duty trucks over to running on liquefied natural gas, or LNG. He said this can be achieved through the use of incentives such as federal tax credits or grants.

On Friday, Feb. 6, the economic stimulus plan was being debated in the U.S. Senate.

According to Pickens, converting these trucks over to LNG “would cut our foreign oil dependence by over 5 percent.”

“We want the Senate to allow trucking companies – large and small truckers who operate 18-wheelers – to get tax breaks for buying trucks that run on natural gas,” Pickens said in a recent Pickens Plan e-mail.

Some short-haul and regional truckers are already receiving $32,000 federal grants for purchasing trucks that run on LNG.

One company, Total Transportation Services Inc. in Rancho Dominguez, CA, has purchased eight Kenworth T800 trucks with LNG-powered engines.

Pickens is also pushing to build out the national infrastructure to build more LNG fueling sites so that long-haul truckers can benefit the same as short-haul operations.

The pilot program would be beneficial because, besides helping truckers comply with stringent emissions standards and decreasing their dependence on oil, the plan would also create more than 450,000 jobs.

“It will add jobs as the heavy truck manufacturers hire (or retain) workers to build the new natural gas engines,” according to the Pickens Plan e-mail.

Check out Land Line Magazine’s March/April issue to find out more about LNG and the push to switch to the alternative fuel source to power heavy trucks.

– By Clarissa Kell-Holland, staff writer

clarissa_kell-holland@landlinemag.com

I just checked and I have burned almost 3000 gallons of diesel in about 3 months . I drive well below what the average long haul driver does.

This guy is a bit self serving because he owns quite a bit of natural gas from what I've heard. While it falls below my goal operating a rig with a sail (complete with pirate gear), it's still a great idea.

How long would an engine last compared to a diesel? Would you have a throw away engine every 12-18 months.

[Teacher Mark 53]

Only so much LNG available and eventually vehicles will need to stop using it also. As the supplies become less Pickens will be able to get more for his LNG holdings.

I'm going by the data on naturalgas.org, which may be slanted. It appears that he would long gone, as would we, before the reserves were depleted.

http://www.naturalgas.org/overview/resources.asp

His estate would benefit though.

Edited February 7, 2009 by Joe Six-Pack

[Teacher Mark 53]

They, the CHP, have been setting up truck traps on the 57 lately. I heard that the beginning of the week they wrote citations to over 230 truckers in one day. Ugh

I've been waiting to hear that. They are broke, as are many other States. They're looking for victims and we are rolling dollar signs. I was on the West Coast for 3 weeks recently. I did the speed limit the whole time. Towards the end of that leg of the tour I was pulled into the Rainbow, CA scales, Southbound side, for a level 3 Inspection (paperwork). Passed it. Then they got me for a Level 1 (truck, trailer and paperwork) on the Northbound side the next night. Passed it too. Both times I was holding my breath. They can get nit picky, but the 2 Inspectors were actually very nice.

[Teacher Mark 53]

How long would an engine last compared to a diesel? Would you have a throw away engine every 12-18 months.

There is less wear and tear (allegedly). These engines, and the labor to fix them, are so expensive that throwing one away every 12-18 months wouldn't be an option. When it's properly maintained a diesel engine can go 500K without a major overhaul.

[mawilson 2,133]

Only so much LNG available and eventually vehicles will need to stop using it also. As the supplies become less Pickens will be able to get more for his LNG holdings.

"Only so much" is really a lot. 1,000 trillion cubic feet or so?

[luckytxn 2,265]

That sounds like a lot huh? There is only a finite amount. If it was only used to run vehicles then it would be a long time. Figure in the many other uses and how much we consume then that amount does not seem to be so large. Of course when they do strike a new well the first thing they do is see the amount NG there is.

Thanks for the warning of the traps. They always help of course I just expect that I will be hit hard with a big inspection and act accordingly.

[mawilson 2,133]

That sounds like a lot huh? There is only a finite amount. If it was only used to run vehicles then it would be a long time. Figure in the many other uses and how much we consume then that amount does not seem to be so large.

So what? Let's not use it because it's finite?

It's American. We're not buying it from the likes of Ahmedinejad, Chavez and Putin.