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How To Save Fuel While Driving Commercial Trucks?

Commercial Trucks

As a commercial truck driver, you should understand that there are some costs that you can’t cut, while there are others that you have a lot of control over. Fuel is one of these costs. You can choose the shortest routes and lowest net cost stations. However, many other strategies can help you in this regard.

Save On Fuel Costs:

This article has shared some practices and habits that drivers can adopt to maximize their fuel efficiency. Let’s have a look at them.

Drive Slower:

Although commercial truckers are not appreciated if they drive slower, speed is the foremost reason for high fuel consumption. Hence, going faster also leads to reduced profits. There is a rule of thumb that every mile driven over 60 mph increases fuel consumption by one-tenth of a mile per gallon.

Small savings per week can eventually add up and save you thousands of dollars.

Sweet Spot of Your Engine:

The most efficient RPM to run your engine is defined as the sweet spot of your engine. So, to drive your engine on its sweet spot, you need to operate your commercial trucks at a constant low speed. The principle behind this sweet spot is that the harder your engine has to work for higher speeds, the more fuel it will burn.

If your engine is running to pull lower RPMs, it will burn less fuel. Also, the engine will have to burn less energy to overcome all the forces like gravity, mechanical resistance, and air pressure. It would help to drive with torque instead of horsepower as it doesn’t overwork your engine. If your engine is sustaining a uniform speed, it burns a lot less fuel.

Be Smart With Braking:

As you’re driving, you have to use your brakes. There will be times that you will have to press down on the brakes to be safe forcibly. However, you can limit their use.

So, braking works in a way that every time you press down, you lose energy. Your engine has to burn more energy to get back up to speed. When you press the ignition, you’re burning additional fuel.

You can save a lot of fuel by anticipating traffic changes and driving at an extended distance from the front vehicle. 

Stay In A Higher Gears:

As a driver, it is second nature to shift gears. However, shifting gears also affects fuel efficiency. Every time you press the accelerator, you burn more fuel. So, if you’re working to increase your truck’s profits, you need to consider this point.

For instance, at a constant speed, a lower gear, and a higher RPM, your engine has to work extra hard to get to that speed. This also means that you’re burning more fuel. The gear you are driving determines how hard your engine has to work. Modern commercial trucks’ engines are built to work at low RPMs and high torque.  

Minimize Idling:

Idling is another habit that burns a lot of extra fuel. So, to make your commercial trucks more fuel-efficient, minimize idling and turn off your vehicle. The average truck burns about half a gallon of fuel at 650RPM and one gallon at 1000 RPM per hour of idling.

FAQs

Q1- Can Cruise control save you fuel costs?

If you’re driving on a calm highway, you can save additional fuel by using cruise control mode. This mode helps you maintain a speed without unnecessary acceleration and deceleration. 

Cruise control mode can save you up to 6% in fuel consumption.

Q2- How does building momentum save you fuel costs?

If you want to move forward, it doesn’t mean that you need to press the gas pedal down. If you’re going to increase your speed, do so gradually. Build momentum when you move uphill to don’t burn excess fuel.

Conclusion:

If drivers and truckers change their driving habits to incorporate the factors mentioned above, they can visibly shrink your fuel costs.

Also Read: All You Need To Know About Flatbed Trucking

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