Improve Your Semi Truck's Feul Efficiency: Essential Tips for Drivers
Driving a semi truck can be a profitable career. However, fuel costs can significantly reduce your earnings. Since fuel is the main expense for semi trucks, using less fuel and being more efficient can save you money and benefit the environment. Here are practical tips to enhance your truck’s fuel efficiency.
Reduce Speed
Most people know that driving too fast can increase the risk of an accident. But did you also know it can hurt your fuel efficiency?
Reducing your speed is one of the best ways to get better fuel mileage according to the American Trucking Association.
- For every mile per hour, you increase your speed, you reduce fuel efficiency by 0.1 miles per gallon.
- Traveling at 75 miles per hour uses 27% more fuel than driving the same distance at 65 mph.
- If you slow down to 55 mph, you’ll use 20% less fuel than at 65 mph.
- Excessive speed also increases wear and tear on your tires, brakes, and engine, leading to higher maintenance and repair costs — and more time off the road.
Reduce Idling
Idling, even when the truck is stationary, costs money by burning fuel. The trucking industry burns over 1 billion gallons of fuel annually through idling.
- To avoid this, plan routes to skip traffic jams and reduce stoplight waits.
- Use a portable heater or a small generator instead of idling for warmth during stops, and look for truck stops with amenities that don’t require engine running.
- Consider purchasing a truck equipped with an APU. These units play a huge role in saving fuel and avoiding unnecessary idle time.
Get the Right Tires
Your tires do much more than keep you rolling. Choosing the right tires, and keeping them in good condition, can keep you safe and improve your fuel mileage.
- Look for low rolling resistance. For every 3% improvement in rolling resistance, you get 1% better fuel efficiency.
- Wide-based tires can improve your efficiency by 4 to 8%, depending on the model you get. They are lighter in weight and require less maintenance.
- Keep your tires properly inflated; underinflation increases fuel consumption significantly. According to Prime Inc.’s Plaza Manager, Doug Tamm, If you’re not airing up your tires, you are going to lose fuel mileage. For instance, if your tires are low an average of 5 PSI, you are losing around 2% fuel mileage. A tire thumper or your shoe are not accurate air pressure readers and can’t help you keep money in your pocket like an actual tire gauge.
Opt for Aerodynamic Features
When you’re in the process of purchasing a semi-truck, look for features that cut fuel consumption and boost efficiency.
Aerodynamic drag, or wind resistance, causes your engine to work harder than it should and use more fuel. At highway speeds, reducing drag by 25% can improve fuel economy by 15%.
- Aerodynamic features for your semi-tractor include roof fairings, cab extenders, side fairings, and a sloped hood, among other add-ons.
- Your trailer also makes a difference. Reducing the gap between your tractor and trailer from 45” to 25” can save about 2% on fuel, and installing side skirts can save up to 5%. Keeping a low, smooth cargo profile also helps.
Optimize Logistics
Inefficient freight operations waste fuel in the form of long or congested routes, unnecessary idling, and non-revenue generating empty miles. Optimizing your logistics strategy with technology and good old-fashioned planning can save you fuel and time while improving productivity.
For example, reducing empty miles by just 1% can save over 100 gallons of fuel and increase your ton-miles by 20,000 per year.
- Get computerized routing and scheduling software. Specialized logistics programs can help you optimize your routes based on hours-of-service rules, vehicle size and cargo compatibility, pickup and delivery schedules, and other factors.
- Adopt 24/7 shipping and receiving. Planning routes at off-peak times can help you avoid congestion, minimize loading and unloading, cut down on idling and haul more freight.
- Josue, who has driven for Prime Inc for more than a year, shares that it’s easy for new drivers to run low on fuel. When driving a car, you can easily stop at any gas station. However, for trucks, it’s not that simple. If a truck runs out of fuel and needs it delivered, the cost can be very high, between $400 to $500 for only 20 gallons. Josue advises that planning your fuel stops ahead of time can help save a lot of money.
Other Fuel-Saving Tips for Your Semi Truck
Here are a few other good habits that’ll keep your truck running smoothly and save you money on fuel.
- Reduce vehicle weight. Heavier trucks need more fuel to accelerate, climb hills, and carry cargo. Choose the lightest weight tractor and trailer combination for the type of hauling you’re doing — every 10% reduction in truck weight reduces fuel consumption by 5 to 10%.
- Use care when shifting gears. It’s best to combine braking and shifting and maintain as high a gear as possible to reduce the need to shift.
- Use a low-viscosity lubricant. A quality lubricant will reduce friction and wear. Low-viscosity lubricants can improve fuel economy by 2 to 4%.
Prime Advantage Plus Fuel Card
As mentioned, fuel is a driver’s biggest cost. On top of making sure you are getting the best mileage, it is important to make sure you aren’t overpaying at the pumps. The Prime Advantage Plus fuel card helps members save BIG on their most important trucking expenses. Keep reading to find out why you need this free card in your wallet today.
Do you need a fuel-efficient semi-truck or semi-trailer to keep you rolling? At Pedigree, we have a large inventory of used trucks from brands like Freightliner. Our inventory of used trailers includes well-maintained reefers, tankers, and flatbeds.
