How To Get Better Fuel Economy In A Truck

Have you been looking for ways to increase the longevity of your trucks and get the most out of their gas mileage? We’re sure it’s something that has always been a high priority goal because the longer the vehicles are able to run, the less cost there’ll be for maintenance and replacements in the future! Plus, you’ll be ensuring sustainable transportation.

We’ve found that the most fuel-efficient vehicles are those that follow a series of tips that we’ve highlighted for you below. So read on to make sure that your trucks are the best run around.

Ways to Improve Fuel Economy In a Truck

Don’t Speed

One of the most common issues that hinders fuel efficiency is speeding. At highway speeds, unnecessary speeding is one of the quickest ways to burn more fuel. For instance, trucks driving at 120km/h in comparison to 100km/h consume 27% more fuel. Not to mention speeding is also against the law, it can place drivers and other road users at risk.

It’s an easy issue to fix, just by reminding drivers to pay attention to the speedometer and to make sure that they follow through. Vehicle speeds can also be easily monitored via a GPS fleet-management system.

Invest in Airtabs

Investing in Airtabs is another way you can guarantee a fuel-efficient truck. By smoothing the airflow around the vehicle, it ensures smoother running engines as well as less energy consumption, ultimately using less fuel and power. It’s estimated Airtabs improve fuel economy by up to 6%!

Avoid Driving Aggressively

Similar to speeding, aggressive driving also means that you won’t be getting the best gas mileage trucks because of how much more gas is being burnt.

Although this can be avoided as well, the outcome will depend on whether you’re using heavy-duty pickups or other trucks that are more light-duty. But overall, up to 20%, less fuel could be consumed if aggressive driving is reduced.

Reduce the Amount of Time You Spend Idling

It doesn’t sound like it’ll do much in a bit of traffic, but when you consider the hours truckers sometimes spend at rest stops, you’ll understand just how much goes to waste. It is estimated that idling burns around 4 billion litres of fuel per year.

Get Your Engine Tuned Up

If something like idling increases total emissions, then it won’t come as a surprise that sooner or later, this will have an impact on your engine. If you’re looking to get better gas mileage, then it only makes sense to make sure that the standard features of your engine are in top shape for optimal performance.

Ensure Your Tires Are Inflated

Tires that don’t have enough air in them consume more fuel because there’s greater pressure to make sure that your trucks can keep up with speeds they were matching before.

Although it’s a small fix, it’s one that can really reduce your cost in the long run!

Choose More Efficient Routes

Choosing more efficient routes will automatically decrease things like idling, aggressive driving, and even speeding. This is simply because you’re cutting down the overall time that your truck spends on the road!

Cut Down on the A/C

In a test done with Honda Accords, drivers drove their car at 100km/h with the AC running, and it was found that the AC used about 3% of fuel.

Of course, this point is dependent on the type of weather that truckers are working in, and it’s definitely not something anyone would be keen on cutting down on in the summer months.

Use the Heater Wisely

Similar to the AC, cutting down on how much the heater is used could definitely add to better fuel efficiency. But, once again, if truckers are working in the winter months, it’s not something that would be at the top of the list to reduce fuel consumption.

Service Your Truck Regularly

Servicing your trucks often is a bit of a no-brainer if you want to maximise efficiency and make sure that they are running their best! Getting your vehicle properly checked out can ensure lower maintenance costs in the long run.

Invest in Fleet Management Software

FMS is capable of keeping track of all the above tips and making sure that they are implemented properly. Alerting truckers when speeding or remaining idle, as well as re-routing as needed, is just some of the areas it can cover.

Enjoy the Benefits of Increased Fuel Economy

We’ve given you some easy fixes that you can start implementing today to make sure that your fleet runs as smoothly and as efficiently as possible. Verbally reminding truckers about keeping an eye on the speedometer is easy enough to do initially, all while you start gearing up for the installment of an FMS.

Other tips like maintenance and engine tuning might take a little more time, but are well worth investing the time and money into, because it means that you’ll avoid running into any unexpected surprises or costs.