March 18

Fuel Saving Tips For Truck Drivers

Whether you’re an owner-operator or fleet owner, the rising fuel costs are going to hurt the bottom line of your revenue. If you improve your fuel efficiency by 1mpg, you could save thousands of dollars per year! There are many ways to save on fuel but it’s not easy. Below are few simple fuel saving tips for truck drivers.

Interested in fuel savings? Check out RTS fuel savings card and save up to $0.75 per gallon, take advantage of a $3,500 weekly line of credit, and have access to $2,300+ fuel stations!

Lower Your Cruise Speed

This one may seem obvious, but going faster means you are going to burn more fuel. Every 1 MPH increase in speed results in a .14mpg decrease in fuel economy.

Manage The Sweet Spot

Managing the speed of your engine is also important in maximizing your fuel efficiency. Find the “sweet spot”, which is the most efficient RPM to run your engine. 1250 – 1350 RPM tends to be a good “sweet spot”.

Lower Cost Fuel Stations

An easy way to save money on fuel is to fill up at the lower cost stations. Many trucking-specific GPS systems will plan your route for you to stop at the less-expensive fuel stations along the way.

Run The Shortest Route

There are often many different ways to get to the same destination. Take the route that requires the least amount of driving in order to use the least amount of fuel.

Avoid Unnecessary Driving

If you are going to go out of your way to stop for fuel, you might as well use the restroom and purchase any items you need, in order to avoid going out of your way to stop again a few hours later.

Avoid Unnecessary Items

The more weight that is in your truck, the more it has to work to move down the highway. Your truck already carries thousands of pounds, don’t make it carry any more than it has to.

Monitor Your Tire Pressure

Underinflated tires decrease your fuel economy. For every 1 PSI drop in pressure, your fuel mileage can be reduced by 0.3%.

Minimize Idle Time

Only idle your truck when absolutely necessary. One hour of idling burns about a gallon of fuel.

Don’t Overfill Your Tank

When fuel is heated, it can begin to expand. This means if you fill your tank to capacity, the expanded fuel can cause the tank to overflow and waste fuel.

Moderate Braking

Braking is a necessary part of driving. However, every time you slow down from braking, it takes more fuel to get back up to speed. Leaving more distance between you and the vehicle you are following can reduce braking.

Stay In A Higher Gear

Driving in the highest gear possible is a good way to help maximize fuel efficiency. Traveling at faster rates in low gears can consume 45% more fuel than is needed.

Keep Your Load Height Low

The more evenly distributed the load is in the trailer, the less effort the truck will need to get moving. It’s good practice to keep the load as low and as level as possible.

Use Your Momentum

Your foot doesn’t always need to be on the gas pedal, burning fuel. If you see a hill coming up, use the downward part of the hill to build speed and use that momentum to get yourself up the other side.

Try To Minimize AC Usage

Every time you use your A/C, you are increasing fuel consumption by 0.2-0.4 miles per gallon. Sometimes this can be unavoidable, but when you can, just crack the window!

Check Alignment

Another important factor to getting the best possible fuel efficiency is to make sure your tires are pointed straight down the road. A tire that is even ¼ degree from perfectly straight will try to travel 10-15 feet sideways every mile.

Inspect The Fan

Your engine fan will typically run 5%-7% of the time the engine is on, but will run much more frequently if there is a problem with it. This affects fuel efficiency because the more the fan runs, the more horsepower the truck uses.

Use Cruise Control

When you are able to, use cruise control. Cruise control can limit unnecessary acceleration and deceleration and can actually save you up to 6% in fuel consumption on the road.

Check Battery Cables

Check and clean your battery cables any time you are getting an engine check-up. If your battery cables are corroded, it causes the alternator to work harder.

Invest In Aerodynamics

There are many add-ons you can purchase for your truck to improve aerodynamics, which leads to improved fuel efficiency. Three of the most common add-ons are tractor side fairings, deep angled bumpers, and trailer skirts.

Always Have Fuel Efficiency In Mind

Lastly, one of the best ways to improve fuel efficiency is to make it a priority. Keep this list in mind and think about these things while you are on the road. Soon, you will be maximizing your fuel efficiency without even realizing it.

If you want to become an owner-operator and get your first truck, it would be wise to always find ways to save money. These fuel saving tips for truck drivers are a good starting point and very important during these times of hyper inflation and higher fuel prices.

Interested in fuel savings? Check out RTS fuel savings card and save up to $0.75 per gallon, take advantage of a $3,500 weekly line of credit, and have access to $2,300+ fuel stations!

SOURCE: ATBS