Steps To Save Fuel For Truckers

In trucking, managing various expenses comes down to the efficiency of your freight transportation. The more you can save on your own operational expenses; the more money is left for you at the end of a haul. And there’s one never-ending expense that all truckers struggle to manage, and that is trying to save fuel. But we’ve got a few steps you can take to help shave some of that diesel consumption down and let those little savings add up to some bigger profits.

Business is all about weighing costs. It’s true that in order to have any kind of successful business, you have to spend money to make money. But where the real trick comes in is with balancing those numbers. You want to make sure that the amount you yourself are spending is not greater than the amount you are being paid. Otherwise, you’re not making a profit at all.

Look At New Trucks

Of course, one of the easiest ways to save on fuel consumption is to go with a new piece of hardware that uses the latest technology to do just that. It’s obviously an expensive investment to go with, but for people that are in the market for a new truck anyway, or a company that is shoring up its fleet, putting a premium on greater fuel efficiency and looking at vehicles that meet this need is the fast way to achieving better savings.

Do your research; compare it with the kind of trips and distances you normally encounter. Make your choice based on the product that most closely aligns with your logistic transport needs.

Tune Your Truck For Aerodynamics

Of course, a truck, being what it is, is never going to smoothly glide through the breeze. However, little things that truck designers build in, or accessories that are made available can make a difference to your fuel consumption. That roof mounted air deflector actually can help reduce drag and wind resistance. Properly sheeting your truck load can also boost your efficiency as you build up speed, and it can help save on fuel.

Be Mindful Of Your Driving

For some, this may be a bit more difficult to pull off, since it requires more mindfulness of your driving at a given moment. There are also plenty of factors beyond your control, such as road conditions and traffic lights. However, you’d surprised at just how much you can save fuel by hitting the “sweet spot” in your driving between distance and speed. Things like the frequency of your braking will always take their toll on your fuel consumption, and there’s not much you can do about it as you get closer to a destination and things become more urbanized with traffic lights. But once you’re on the road, even just a difference of plus or minus 10 miles to your cruising speed can have a big impact on fuel expenditure.

Check Your Tires

Simple, but effective! Proper tire pressure can actually save fuel! Research has shown that tires that are under-inflated by 25% or more will cause a truck to use up 2% more diesel. So in addition to ensuring you have good traction on the road, properly cared for tires at the right air pressure can also help you to save fuel while driving. When you spread that around to more than one tire on your vehicle, the savings add up too.

By just following a few simple steps and being more conscious about how you are expending your fuel, you can save diesel and make up the difference in profit!