Despite the oil crisis, we can’t count on fuel prices dropping much anytime soon. If that’s the case, you might want to consider ways to save money on fuel during your “big” routes. In this article, we look at the best ways to cut costs.
Fuel is one of the biggest expenses of a company’s truck fleet. Purchase costs account for nearly 40% of the total budget – especially for long-haul trucking. Reducing fuel consumption and meeting planned schedules is a real win-win for any fleet manager and the entire trucking company. So it’s no wonder that those in the shipping and transportation industry are looking to reduce their fuel costs as much as possible
Are there effective ways to permanently reduce fuel costs? It turns out that yes. Modern GPS monitoring systems are a professional tool to control and reduce gasoline consumption. Just choose a proven product, introduce it to your company, and after a few months you will see the results!
Practical knowledge of truck drivers on economical driving is often very low. This is primarily the fault of the training and driving system, which relies on passing the state test rather than driving economically and prudently. As a result, drivers, after passing the coveted C + E category, learn the style of driving themselves or from colleagues – rarely is this learning correct and tangible.
GPS truck monitoring provides a lot of useful information about the driver’s driving style. With a small device installed in the vehicle, the fleet manager has access to information such as the amount of sudden braking and acceleration, sharp turns, speeding and idling.
Considering that driving style is responsible for about 25-40% of fuel consumption, making small changes in the way a truck is driven guarantees a reduction in fuel costs. The basic rule of thumb for fuel economy and fuel economy is to accelerate as quickly as possible and shift to a higher gear as quickly as possible. As a rule of thumb, more revolutions on the odometer are associated with increased fuel consumption. Based on this knowledge and by controlling your driving style you will be able to reduce your fuel consumption by up to 8%!
Start by removing all unnecessary shields that affect aerodynamics. It is by doing so that you will be able to save the most fuel. There’s a reason why aerodynamics is on the minds of automotive giants’ designers and engineers.
Make sure your tire pressure is within the range specified by the manufacturer. Also pay attention to the condition of the air filter, oil level, gaskets, and trailer mounts. The next item on our list can add another few percent less fuel consumption, avoid breakdowns, and most importantly improve safety.
Next, if you suspect your truck has deteriorated – don’t delay. One malfunction can lead to many more. By reacting quickly you can avoid potential problems on the road and costly repairs. While not all faults have a direct effect on fuel consumption, they can contribute to high fines and the like.
During long journeys on expressways it is worth to keep your distance from the vehicle in front of you. Proper and skillful distance reduction will help you save fuel by using the so-called wind tunnel.
Whenever possible, make the most of your cargo. However, be careful and make sure you don’t break any traffic laws! What’s more, an even load distribution will contribute to lower fuel consumption and tire wear.
(Photo: pixabay.com)
