If there is one aspect of running a trucking company that every fleet manager or executive spends countless hours on, it\u2019s fuel. As time has gone on, we have seen fuel averages slowly climb. Technology gets better, we burn or buy less fuel, and some see that as a natural progression. Yet, there are many fuel-saving technologies and tactics that work, and still too few fleets are making the necessary investments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Far too often fleet managers are overwhelmed with\ninformation. What are the best ways to tackle fuel savings? Which technologies\nare worth it? It is critical that fleet managers, technicians, and truck\ndrivers all get into a proper fuel frame of mind. The question is, how to do\nit? Fleets need to take a logical and methodical approach to implementing a\nfuel savings program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
First, you need to research the technologies and tactics\navailable to you, depending on the size and composition of your fleet. What are\nyour fleet fuel pain points? Do you pay attention to where you buy fuel from or\nare you operating on outdated and less fuel-efficient equipment? Or perhaps the\ntruck drivers operating the equipment aren\u2019t exhibiting the behaviors necessary\nto ensure increased fuel savings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whatever the reason, it is up to you to conduct a\ndeep-seated research analysis of your operation to figure out what the fuel\nspend needs to be. Where is your bottom line hit hardest by fuel expenses? It\nmight be prudent to try and get educated about what other trucking companies\nare doing to decrease their overall fuel spend. Consider sources like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It does no harm to reach out to component suppliers,\ntechnology providers, vendors, and just about anyone else within the supply\nchain to get their opinions on technologies and tactics to help you save fuel\nuse across your fleet. The point is getting the information you need to make an\ninformed decision. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Creating New Opportunities<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Once a critical analysis is complete, you want to target\nspecific goals. Whether it be adding low-rolling-resistance tires or adding\nskirting to some of your trailers \u2013 meet one goal at a time. You could even tie\nin motivational techniques like rewarding truck drivers who meet the most\nmpg-boosting goals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Whatever you do, you must create a benchmark to measure\nperformance against. What is your baseline MPG? Solutions must also be\ncarefully measured against the baseline. Also ensure you are doing a lot more\nthan just figuring out how much money you are saving. There are additional\ncosts that factor into the fuel equation. Look closely at maintenance costs, as\none such example. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet, you cannot just go on a spending spree in a vacuum. If\nyou are making fuel-saving investments, you have got to be continually\nmonitoring their impact on the fleet. Do not hesitate to give your technicians\nthe authority to make decisions that have a positive impact on your bottom\nline. Have you provided a method by which they can provide feedback? There are\nfew better places to get the take on what is working and what isn\u2019t than from\nthose working on and driving big rigs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Above all, never stop learning. You always want to repeat what works, but also see if there are ways you can further increase performance and positive outcomes. As you go through the monitoring and reworking process, you will reject some things and adopt others. Whatever the method, the end goal should always be more increases in fuel efficiency and a reduction in costs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n [wp_ad_camp_2] <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n One thing you can be certain of is that the chase for better\nfuel efficiency and overall cost reduction will never end. It is the prime\ndriver of any business, whether for-profit or not. Everyone within the\norganization plays a critical role in fuel saving outcomes. UPS is one example\nof a major transportation player working to reduce their overall carbon\nfootprint. <\/p>\n\n\n\n UPS is partnering with Kenworth and the Department of Energy\nto develop a super truck designed to potentially reach 15 mpg. Cutting edge\ntechnologies are becoming more commonplace within the trucking industry.\nWhether it be enhanced powertrains or aerodynamic factor, fleets of all sizes\nhave been making big purchases in mpg-saving equipment and technology. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The list is long:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many fleets consider preventative maintenance a key cog in\nthe wheel of their fuel savings and cost reduction strategy. Others look to\nsustainability as a fuel saving solution. Newer is greener and greener means\nless overall fuel cost and consumption. Still more get very specific about how\nthey intend to save fuel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One example comes from a small trucking company that specs\n400 Freightliner Cascadias running a 15L Detroit engine on a 12-speed AMT with\na 6×2 axle setup. The tractors pull trailers outfitted with trailer skirting\nand boat-tail deflectors. When on the road, truck drivers use a tight\ntractor-to-trailer configuration, which minimizes air turbulence. Zero offset\nwheels and rain-gutters on the trailer roof all provide a smooth level of\nairflow from the fore to the aft of the vehicle. These details combine to offer\na formidable level of fuel savings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While you may want to retrofit existing tractors with\nfuel-saving technologies, sometimes the best way to go is to simply invest in\nbrand-new equipment. If the money is there, you could see bigger long-term\nsavings. In fact, according to Fleet Advantage fata, a simple jump from\nmodel-year 2015 to 2020 could yield first-year savings of nearly $17,000. For\nfleets with even 50 trucks, that equation means big savings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It Isn\u2019t One-and-Done<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Still, it is important to consider that you can\u2019t just buy a\nnew truck and expect the magic to happen. We must go back to the beginning of\nthis article when we talked about repetition and identification. Both truck\ndrivers and technicians need to be constantly looking at ways that specific\nbehaviors will yield better fuel economy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether it be through better speed management, load\ncapacity, or idle time \u2013 everyone plays a part in keeping fuel costs low. Use\nmetrics to address which vehicles are underperforming and waste no time in\naddressing those performance issues. Rather than focusing on dollars\nspecifically, focus on gallons consumed by your vehicles on the road. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Fleets also must take a comprehensive approach to fuel savings.\nCertainly, there are many proven technologies to draw from and not all of them\nwill make sense for your fleet. Some specs will significantly contribute to\noverall fuel economy. Over time, a lot of small changes make a big difference.\nWhether it be using aerodynamic mud flaps or a rear axle ratio, fleets must\nlook to all corners in finding fuel-saving solutions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Managers also need to ensure they pay close attention to the\nbottom group, say the bottom 5% to 10% of trucks, when performance is rated. Is\nit an equipment or truck driver training issue? MPG constitutes a moving\ntarget. Rarely is it ever static. You make the biggest gains by focusing on the\nlowest performers, which is true in almost any situation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When motor carriers replicate what works throughout the\nfleet, fuel savings gains multiply. Try creating a habits-based scoring system\nthat you can distribute to everyone operating a commercial motor vehicle within\nthe fleet. There are numerous ways to impact truck driver behavior, with this\nbeing just one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n