TIPS FOR FLEET MANAGERS Fleet managers – including IT professionals, safety directors and operations managers – all can put pencil to paper and contribute to lowering fuel consumption by employing any number of strategies and technologies.
TIPS FOR FLEET MANAGERS Fleet managers – including IT professionals, safety directors and operations managers – all can put pencil to paper and contribute to lowering fuel consumption by employing any number of strategies and technologies.
Turn off the engine. Drivers should avoid excessive warm-up times when starting the truck, even for a short time. Look for other times when drivers have a habit of idling.
Adjust shifting patterns. Download engine data to compare shifting behaviors – rpms at shift point – to the optimal rpm “torque bands†for your engine. Adjusting your shifting to fit the engine’s make and model can make a big difference. Every 1,000-rpm reduction in engine speed delivers a 1 percent fuel economy gain.
Investigate traffic problems, and plan around them. Slow traffic not only sucks hours from a driver’s on-duty time, it also requires more deceleration and acceleration, which requires more fuel. Check state U.S. Department of Transportation Websites for potential construction projects and traffic on a route.
Analyze your fuel consumption trends. When miles-per-gallon falls, try to determine why. Did you encounter much more urban driving? Did your length of haul change? Â Fuel Tips by Overdrive
Optimize fuel purchases. Online software systems help maximize fuel savings by finding the cheapest locations to buy fuel. Systems such as this one from ProMiles compare fuel prices minus IFTA fuel taxes. Fuel Tips by Overdrive
Choose an aero-designed model for your next truck. Truck makers have perfected the design of the front bumper, hood, under-hood-breather, fenders, mirrors and other features to move air as smoothly as possible under, over and around the truck and trailer.
Use truck-routing tools. Choosing the shortest, most practical truck route can save hundreds of dollars a year in fuel. Spoken, turn-by-turn directions will take you directly to street-level addresses. With a navigation aid, savings of 10 miles or more a week is possible by eliminating out-of-route miles. Â Fuel Tips by Overdrive
Use tires with low rolling resistance. Deeper lug tires usually last longer, but the extended tread’s very slight movement is enough to decrease fuel economy. Shallower lugs decrease rolling resistance and give improved fuel. Fuel Tips by Overdrive