Improving your fuel economy requires more than installing the latest upgrades and slowing down on the motorway. In order to really cut down costs and maximise your outgoings you need to completely change your attitude towards driving.As the driver of a heavy vehicle you are the problem. While vehicle age and road conditions are certainly a big factor, your driving habits hold the biggest influence over your fuel consumption.
Simply making a few eco-friendly changes could significantly reduce your overall running costs, which will have a positive impact on both your bank account and the environment. Truck Locator have compiled a detailed infographic titled The Trucker’s Guide to Fuel Efficiency. This guide has been designed to help drivers realise just how much damage they’re causing.
Here is the infographic:
Monitor Your Activity
Before you begin making new fuel efficient changes, start off by taking a few notes regarding your current rate of fuel consumption. This will help you pinpoint where you’re going wrong in the future. While this step isn’t crucial, it’s always nice to know how much you’ve saved. Record the amount of money you’ve spent topping up your fuel tank along with your current mileage, and then re-record the results every time you need to re-fuel taking both changes into account.
Start with the Basics
Before you invest any cash in expensive gear such as fuel mizers and topographical sat navs, start by giving your vehicle a weekly tune up. Test the psi in your tyres to make sure they’re at the correct level (and make adjustments depending on your load), make sure you have the right amount of oil in your tank, clean your spark plugs, and check your filters.
Prepare Yourself
Before you hit the road check the weather conditions. Take a map with you or set your GPS to ensure you don’t get lost and use up any unnecessary fuel. Preparation is one of the most overlooked aspects of fuel efficient driving as knowing where you’re going and what to expect can significantly influence your driving habits.
Slow Down
Relax and slow down. According to the Truck Locator infographic driving 56mph instead of 50mph will increase your fuel consumption by around 22%, so keep a watchful eye on your speedometer. But slowing down doesn’t just apply to speed, try to slow down and smoothen your gear changes as well. Poor clutch control is one of the most common bad habits, yet it’s without a doubt the easiest to change. Accelerate smoothly by combining gentle low gear changes with fast high gear changes. In addition, always remain vigilant and try to pre-determine stopping distances.
Other Tips
Air conditioning and temperature will significantly affect your overall fuel consumption. Warm up your truck before you start driving by leaving the engine on for a few minutes. If it’s too hot when you’re driving slowly, open a window. Only use the air con if you’re driving at high speeds. This alone could decrease your fuel consumption by 10%. Adjust your load accordingly and take drag into consideration. If you have any unnecessary equipment on your truck such as headache racks or bully bars, just get rid of them altogether.
Truck Locator’s infographic will show you where you’re going wrong and give you a few pointers on how to improve your driving habits. Take all of the advice on board and don’t forget to monitor your data. The only way to truly understand the benefits is to have that all important final figure in front of you.
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