Duncan Announces Funds for Truck Engine Efficiency Study

Washington, DC -- Congressman John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-Tenn.) announced Friday the awarding of $500,000 in research funding to the National Transportation Research Center, Inc. (NTRCI) in Knoxville for over-the-road, heavy-vehicle testing of the Legacy rotary engine.

The Legacy engine is a new type of rotary diesel engine in the trucking industry.

According to the NTRCI, "The Legacy engine configuration is ideally suited for hybrid applications and offers significant advances over conventional internal combustion engines in fuel economy, reduced emissions, and lower cost of ownership… the legacy engine will demonstrate an increase in overall efficiency greater than 20% compared to any conventional engine.”
 
As a long-time member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, Duncan has been a long-time advocate for the Nation’s infrastructure and transportation research.

"It is no secret that our Nation’s infrastructure is in dire need of repair.  But what many may not realize, is that much of the technology that will be used to modernize our highways and enhance vehicle efficiency is coming right out of the NTRCI here in Knoxville,” Duncan said.

The NTRCI is a not-for-profit research center that works to promote the development and deployment of advanced transportation technologies through research, testing and commercialization for the benefit of the transportation industry and our transportation systems.  It is located on Cherahala Boulevard in Knoxville.

The funds were awarded through the Fiscal Year 2010 appropriations process.