Fuel-Efficient Truck Driving Techniques

Fuel-Efficient Truck Driving Techniques

A great way for truck drivers to save money on fuel costs is to use fuel-efficient driving strategies. Follow these tips to see how simple strategies can also help you drive safer, decrease stress on your truck’s engine, and help you get more mileage out of your fuel tank.

The Sweet Spot – 60 MPH

By encouraging your drivers to slow down and avoid aggressive driving, you could save big on fuel costs. Drivers who practice fuel-efficient strategies get about 30% better fuel efficiency than those who don’t, according to Cummins.

As a rule of thumb, you can assume that each 5 mile per hour over 60 miles per hour is like paying an additional $0.20 per gallon for fuel. According to Glen Kedzie, Vice President of Environmental Affairs for the ATA, a truck traveling 65 miles per hour uses 27% less fuel than a truck travelling 75 miles per hour.

Driving slower can also prevent unnecessary acceleration and frequent braking, which could make a difference of 5-35% in a truck’s fuel consumption, according to AAA.

Reduce Idling

Idling increases stress on a truck’s engine, which uses additional fuel and increases maintenance costs. Every hour spent idling can decrease fuel efficiency by 1%. Even minimizing the use of the air conditioner can help you save on fuel costs.

Running the air conditioner increases fuel consumption by 0.2 to 0.4 miles per gallon. A great alternative to running the air conditioner and idling is stopping at a rest stop that features idle-free technology or investing in an auxiliary power unit (APU).

In the 2015 TMW Transportation and Logistics Study, 90% of fleets surveyed reported using APUs or in-cab heaters to reduce idling. The fleets not using these technologies idled in excess of 30%, while fleets with APUs or in-cab heaters idled half as much, about 15%.

The cost of fuel is constantly changing, but with these tips, you can help your trucks optimize fuel usage, reduce fuel consumption, and save big at the pump.

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