Almost every truck driver has an idea on the best way to conserve fuel. Some methods are tried and true, others work for some and not for others. Nevertheless, saving fuel is an important part of being a driver or business owner. It is no secret that fuel is the No. 1 expense when driving a truck.
We’ve compiled 6 of the most common tried and true ways that drivers have improved their fuel economy so you don’t have to.
More than any other habit, excessive speeding burns the most fuel, and also causes more significant wear and tear. This is because when a driver is following the vehicle in front of them at an unsafe distance, they brake and accelerate excessively to avoid tailgating and collisions. Increasing speed from 90km/h to 105km/h can raise fuel consumption by as much as 15%. Additionally, watch your driving style and reduce speed changes as regular speed changes cause the engine to switch gears inefficiently, resulting in a spike in RPM and a surge in fuel consumption.
If you don’t trust yourself in picking up on these habits, there are cameras you can purchase and install in your truck that track these habits for you, identifies them, and notifies you so you can work on them. One example of this camera would be Driver Risk’s Lytx DriveCam vehicle tracking device.
2. Tracking your Fuel Consumption
There are many great apps on the market to assist you in managing your vehicle's fuel economy. We recently wrote a blog: Useful apps for Truckers, where we mention an app called Fuelly. Fuelly is a great app if you are a driver who avidly check’s the vehicle's performance and maintenance. This app tracks your petrol use and compares results over time to show you whether or not your vehicle is performing at its best, and if your fuel consumption has changed. To read more about this app and its other features, check out the blog here.
3. Reduce your Idle Time
There is a common misconception that idling is more fuel-efficient than restarting the engine. In fact, idling a truck for just 10 seconds requires more fuel than starting the engine. Reducing your idling also saves unnecessary carbon dioxide emissions as well as reducing your fuel costs.
4. Tyres
Under inflated tyres can exert a serious impact on fuel consumption. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a 10% reduction in recommended tyre pressure can reduce fuel efficiency by 2%.
5. Use the Most Efficient Routes
We think this goes without saying, but ensuring you’re taking the most efficient routes is essential to improving the average fuel economy of your fleet. Pre-plan your route, plan where you are stopping and where the cheapest fuel is will assist you in cutting your costs.
6. Maintenance
Regular maintenance is essential for ensuring the longevity of your vehicle and making sure it is operating at maximum efficiency. If you don’t stay on top of maintenance, the excessive wear of your vehicle can produce more expensive costs than the price for a tank of fuel.
Make this a priority!
If you have any other tips we have missed, comment them below!
Find your next job here, with Truckit: https://www.truckit.net/search-for-jobs
A new feature was recently launched on Truckit.net that allows Customers to Offer a price to Providers to instantly accept. If Providers don't like the Customer's Price they can still submit their own quote(s). As with normal Listings, only one Provider can accept the Customer's Offer and book the Job. Why did we create Offer Now?Offer Now was created to speed up the time between Listing creation and freight delivery, by reducing the time Customers and Providers spend negotiating. For some Customers speed is their main concern, and if they know what price they are prepared to spend on transporting […]
TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO Hey Providers. It's Rob here, I wanted to touch base before everyone goes on their Christmas and New Year break. I know it's a really busy time of the year, but I thought I'd do a quick video to tell you about a few things, that's happening around the site. And also thank you for all your hard work in 2023! First thing, I want to let you know a little bit about Offer Now. You may see some Listings coming through with Offer Now. Now, that's where the Customer gets to name their price and you […]
Ten years ago we created Truckit with the dual purpose of assisting individuals across Australia in relocating their goods and helping transport Providers secure more bookings, fostering growth within the entire transport industry. Ten years on and with a 4.9 star Google rating, Truckit is continuing to push the boundaries of transparency and innovation in the industry, allowing small and large carriers alike more secure payment and reconciliation options, live tracking, reduced administrative burden and soon, instant pricing and matching (reducing the need to quote). It is an exciting time to be in the transport industry, and we continually want […]
