Boost Your Truck Fleet Economy: Simple Tips for Fuel Efficiency

According to research, the US trucking sector spends over $105 billion a year on diesel fuel, making it the second-largest expense for motor carriers after labor, which constitutes up to 20% of total operating costs! This is a fair illustration for fleets worldwide since one of the biggest operating costs is fuel.   

For every fleet manager looking to cut costs, saving on fuel is essential. 

Below are a few tips that they need to follow to save up to around 30% on fuel costs and potentially increase from an average 6 MPG to 8.5 MPG per vehicle. 

Keep away from Speeding 

Are you aware that, of all driving habits, excessive acceleration gulps up the most fuel? 

For example, it has been determined that trucks traveling at 75 mph use 27% more fuel than those traveling at 65 mph. Hence, trucking companies would save an additional 2.8 billion gallons of diesel fuel over ten years if truck speeds were capped at 65 mph.

Say no to Aggressive Driving 

Did you know that merely reducing aggressive driving can increase the fuel efficiency of light-duty gasoline automobiles by 15% to 30% while traveling at highway speeds? Thus, the main lesson is evident: Driving with aggression is a big NO if the aim is to save up fuel. 

Curtail Idling 

A heavy-duty truck's idling consumes about 0.8 gallons of fuel per hour, in case you were unaware. Furthermore, idle time adds up rapidly, especially when truck drivers spend hours at a rest stop. In fact, idling at rest stops is estimated to burn 1.1 billion gallons of fuel annually, increase overall emissions, and wear down engines, all of which result in higher maintenance costs in the future. 

Be Tuned Up and well-maintained 

Get your engines tuned up for optimized fuel economy if your vehicle has failed an emission test or is out of tune. To put it briefly, maintain your automobiles properly to keep it operating at its best. 

Don’t forget to keep your tires inflated 

Engine fuel economy can be negatively impacted by under-inflated tires since the automobile requires extra fuel to make up for the loss.

Trim down Extra Weight 

A Canadian study claims that a truck, if reduced by 110 pounds, would save $490 in fuel across 124,274 miles. This doesn’t mean that one needs to ship empty trailers, an amount as small as 20 pounds can be trimmed off the truck’s total to save up.

Efficiency is Key

One of the main issues fleet managers are currently dealing with is inefficiency. Did you know that it's possible to increase the capacity by 20–30% simply by handling the system with more efficiency? Therefore, the key takeaway is to employ automated systems to determine the most efficient course of action. 

Opt for Caltex Delo fuel Economy Calculator 

Caltex Delo is dedicated to providing your fleet with durability and fuel efficiency. Additionally, preserving fuel economy without compromising on engine protection provides a complete package by enabling cost savings and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.