5 Practical Ways to Save On Fuel. A Must-Read For All The Truck Fleet Managers
Running a truck fleet comes with tons of responsibilities. One of the majorones is managing the profit margins despite the rising fuel cost. As fleet managers, you cannot decrease the price of the fuel, but you can train the drivers to practice a few techniques that can increase the fuel economy.
1. Avoid Long Idling: Turn off the engine when the truck is not moving. This could be during long stop rides or pulling off for rest, making phone calls, or any other purpose.
Fleet managers can use the GPS to track which driver is idling for a long. Additionally, you can set threshold idling limits, beyond which you can set penalties.
2. Inflate the tires with correct pressure: Get tire gauge for each vehicle. Low tire pressure can increase fuel consumption by 5-10%, which is significant for long routes. Not just this, but the life of the tire also decreases by as much as 15%.
It is recommended to use high-quality and sustainable tires to improve safety and manage the overhead fuel costs.
3. Do not turn on the AC unnecessarily: The sparse or careful use of the air conditioner can significantly cut down the fuel consumption. It adds extra load on the engine and hampers the mileage. If the day is quite hot, set it at 72 degrees instead of turning it on and off again.
4. Minimize wind drag: This reduces the fuel economy by putting extra load on the engine, just like the air conditioner. The best way is to roll up the window as it will let the wind pass across the truck's body instead of blowing inside the cabin.
In case you want the fresh air to come in the cabin, simply run the climate system on the 'outside air' mode.
5. Check the best route map: As a fleet manager, you can take the responsibility of locating the shortest distance to the destination. Of course, it should not be any unsafe hills or shady roads; you cannot jeopardize your drivers' safety. Google Maps is one of the most reliable sources for finding short and safe routes.
Take home a message
Saving on fuel is not as challenging as you might have thought. You need to set some ground rules for your drivers so that they do not keep the engine on during long idling or check the tire pressure after a regular interval (say, every 200 km). Following the tips will surely bring evident results in the fuel economy.