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Image via Shell

Truckers showed off their best equipment in June to claim the coveted best in show.

Raphine, Va., hosted hundreds for the 36th annual Shell Rotella SuperRigs® show. This three-day is a gathering of truckers from far and wide.

Contestants compete in multiple events for over $25,000 in cash and other prizes.

Various “beauty contests” are held for trucks in two categories — working or retired.  “Working trucks” must have logged a minimum of 85,000 miles annually. Other awards for Best Lights, Best Theme, People’s Choice and more are given out to the most outstanding trucks. The owner of the overall Best In Show truck receives a whopping $10,000 prize.

Image via Truck News

Wisconsin resident Bill Rethwisch won Best In Show for the third time in five years with his yellow 2016 Peterbilt 389. Additionally, his truck received top awards for Best Interior and Best Engine.

Other winners included Brad Garetson, who took first in the tractor-trailer division for his 2016 Peterbilt 389 and 2017 MAC flatbed Conestoga trailer, and Jayme and Whitney Snow in the classic division for their 1999 Classic XL Freightliner. Hills Construction of Hempstead, Texas, took home the Most Hardworking Trucker Award for its 2007 Freightliner Coronado.

Image via Overdrive

This year’s SuperRigs show also featured a “Tribute to Toughness”.

Drivers also showed off trucks featuring newly redone engines, cabs built from scratch, and tributes to loved ones. Mike Manuel’s 2015 Peterbilt 389,”Autism: One of Many,” was designed to raise awareness.

 

 

To read more about the 2018 SuperRigs show, click here.

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The Rotella Shell Starship is finally coming home.

Image via Trailer Body Builders

The Shell AirFlow Starship ended its highly anticipated maiden voyage across the USA on June 5. The new electric cab began its journey in San Diego in March. From there, it was driven across the country, including stops in Georgia and Kentucky, before its final destination in Florida. Shell celebrated the truck’s successful expedition with a presentation that called attention to the highlights of the trip.

Read part one of this thread on our blog: Big Oil Enters the Electric Trucking Game.

The Starship took three years to design and construct, using the most sophisticated technology to build the “hyper-aerodynamic, super fuel-efficient” truck. It features a custom carbon-fiber cab with special add-ons that enhance its durability and efficiency. The aerodynamic design helps in reducing drag, and solar panels are used to power smaller features, such as windshield wipers. In addition, a “hybrid electric axle system and custom automatic tire inflation” allow for better fuel efficiency.

“Through perseverance and hard work…we arrived here today, not in Jacksonville, but at a crossroads of where we move going forward.”

While the average miles per gallon for a gas-fueled tractor trailer is around six miles, the Starship performed at 10.2 miles per gallon. The more important figure, though, was the ton-miles per gallon for freight-ton efficiency, which combines a cargo’s weight with the amount of fuel consumed.

According to Bob Mainwaring, Shell Lubricant’s technology manager for innovation, the Starship came in at 178.4 ton-miles per gallon. Compared to the national average of only 72 ton-miles per gallon, the Starship is making leaps in trucking technology. Furthermore, Shell estimates that through use of their truck, the industry would see close to 60% emission reduction in a few years.

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