Would an alternative energy source be considered or accepted by trucking and airline companies?

Question

I have noticed lately the high fuel prices have made trucking and airline companies desperate in attempts to cut fuel costs in order to make profit or just to stay afloat.

If some one was to present an plan or an idea to replace petrol

based fuels and combustion technology with a practical and low cost and existing or soon to be existing alternative energy technology to power their fleets, the executives of these companies would be more open to accepting and implementing such ideas due to the severity of their situation. When these big boys implement these technologies in order to save their bottom line and it works, then it would open the way for the rest of society accepting and implementing that alternative fuel technology in every day life. When the happens, that would solve the US's foreign oil dependence and help the environment. A win-win all around.

Answer 1

They lack the resources to make such long-term research investments.  Some are willing to be early adopters of promising technologies.  But most are slow to adopt even known, proven, practical technologies such as streamlining to reduce aerodynamic drag, low rolling resistance tires, and so on.  Rail is already much more efficient than either trucks or planes, and we're not even utilizing that technology well.  Sorry, observation shows that your optimism is unfounded.

Answer 2

Look at Iceland, the most advanced country on the planet. They use hydrogen.

Answer 3

of course they would switch, so long as the initial cost to do so isn't extraordinary, like changing over a whole fleet instead of just the engines.

hydrogen is expensive to make and store, but because iceland has an almost neverending source of geothermal energy and not many people to provide energy to. Their cars aren't running on hydrogen, yet. hydrogen fuel cells are a ways off.