Minyo retires third soy biodiesel truck

By Matt Reese

Ohio Ag Net farm broadcaster Dale Minyo is turning a page with the addition of the newest soy biodiesel truck.

He is retiring the 2006 Dodge Ram Megacab, which is the third truck he has driven to promote soy biodiesel. In total, the three trucks have traveled more than 500,000 miles and been to more than 1,300 county fairs and countless field days, FFA banquets commodity meetings and farm visits through the years. Minyo averaged 40,000 to 45,000 miles per year.

“The truck never fails to attract attention and get a lot of questions everywhere I go,” Minyo said. “It has been a great chance to share the benefits and importance of soy biodiesel.”

The most recently retired soy biodiesel truck had larger after market tires and a Cortex Superchip. It averaged 19 to 20 miles per gallon and was run on a B20 biodiesel blend. Dale usually got his fuel at the Sunoco at I-71 and State Route 95 near his home in Morrow County where B20 was generally 4-cents per gallon higher than standard diesel. The gas station also offers B2 and B5 blends.

Burning B20 offers 25% less tailpipe exhaust, a lower NOX rating and 17% more fuel efficiency. With 17% improved gas mileage on half a million miles, Dale has saved 4,359 gallons of fuel through his years of using B20.

The biodiesel partnership started in the late 1990s with the Ohio Soybean Council to help promote and educate about biodiesel use in Ohio.

“The first 4 or 5 years, the fuel was blended on Ed Johnson’s farm by using a loader and truck straps to suspend the 55-gallon drum over the fuel tank as it poured,” Minyo said. “Some days that was really cold.”

The fourth truck is currently being wrapped and will be hitting the Ohio highways very soon. There has been no shortage of curiosity about the new design. Minyo says it will not disappoint.

“It will be brighter and bolder than ever,” he said. “It is a loud and proud poster for Ohio soy biodiesel.”

Stayed tuned to www.ocj.com for the online unveiling of Dale’s new truck. Come see get one last look at the old truck at the display at Power Show this weekend in the Celeste Center.