Six Ways to Cut Fuel Costs for Your Commercial Truck
If you drive a big rig or other heavy duty commercial vehicle, you understand how fuel costs can affect your profit margin. It may seem as if you have little or no ability to control the cost of fuel for your commercial truck. Fortunately, there is plenty you can do to curb what you pay at the pump.
For example, for every dollar you spend on fuel, only 60 percent is used by your engine. Thirty-eight percent is lost due to drag and rolling resistance. What this indicates is that there is still plenty of room for fuel efficiency improvements in commercial trucks. Below are six ways you can cut fuel costs for your commercial truck. Follow these tips, and you’ll have some extra money in your wallet, as well as feel good about reducing your emissions, too.
How to improve fuel efficiency in heavy duty commercial trucks
Improve aerodynamics - According to Yahoo!, scientists at Georgia Tech’s Research Institute have developed a circulation control system that reduces drag in commercial trucks by 32 percent, resulting in a 12 percent improvement in fuel efficiency The new system takes current aerodynamics one step further by applying technology to the trailer, as well as the cab. Curved rear bumpers are outfitted with a blower system that propels the truck forward by circulating air through and out the side of vents attached to the aerodynamic bumper.
Although the system is still in development, early estimates predict the annual fuel savings could be over 2.4 billion gallons when installed on commercial trucks in the U.S. In the meantime, other aerodynamic technologies that can help you improve the fuel efficiency of your commercial truck, as well as save you thousands of dollars over the course of vehicle ownership, include:
Aerodynamic profile tractor
Trailer side skirts
Boat tail
Increase truck idling efficiency - Truck idling is a common practice that can cost you around $6,000 per year, per truck, according to CaliforniaGreenSolutions.com, a business news and information organization that educates companies and matches them with providers of green and sustainable solutions. In addition, excessive idling puts stress on your engine, and can result in a shorter engine life and higher maintenance costs. If you still want to enjoy your creature comforts, like the air conditioning or radio, try an auxiliary power unit, which uses one-fifth the amount of fuel as a standard commercial truck. You can choose from a variety of truck idling devices, such as:
Battery powered systems
Diesel driven heating systems
Auxiliary power unit and generator sets
Truck stop electrification systems
Curb the need for speed - Although it may be tempting to put the pedal to the metal, speeds over 60 mph will cost you more money in fuel than you will gain in time savings. In fact, for each mph increase, you lower your fuel efficiency by about two mpg. You’ll increase engine and tire wear, too.
Invest in new tires - The tires you select for you commercial truck can affect your fuel efficiency. For example, single wide tires and aluminum wheels can save you as much as 8 percent on your annual fuel costs, as well as reduce your maintenance and repair expenses. Low rolling resistance tires can be another good investment, because each 3 percent rr improvement generates a 1 percent fuel economy improvement. In addition, be sure to keep your tires properly inflated. Because each 10 psi of under-inflation can reduce your fuel efficiency up to 1.5 percent, an automatic inflation system or upgraded tire maintenance program can be a wise financial investment.
Invest in a hybrid -As an industry leader in the development of technologies to reduce emissions and increase fuel efficiency, PACCAR is developing a proprietary hybrid technology system for heavy duty commercial trucks. With hopes of reducing fuel consumption by nearly one-third, PACCAR commercial trucks will utilize an automated manual transmission incorporated with an electric motor/generator that not only will be more fuel efficient, but also offers improved operating performance and idle reduction. With medium duty models already on the road, look for the heavy duty versions to hit production late in 2009.
Eliminate extra weight - Last, but not least, remove as much extra baggage as possible from your commercial truck before you embark. For every 2,500 pounds you eliminate, you will increase your fuel economy a whole percent.
Curious how much money you could save long-term by investing in fuel efficient technologies for your commercial truck? Visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA.gov) and use the SmartWay Technology Package Savings Calculator.
Finally, be smart about your commercial auto insurance policy. While cutting corners to save money may be tempting, it could put you at risk. Be sure you understand how much and what type of coverage you need to adequately protect your livelihood. If you’re unsure, consider calling a professional, like a Progressive insurance agent, for advice. Progressive is one of the fastest growing commercial auto insurance groups, and specializes in fulfilling the needs of small businesses. For more information, visit ProgressiveCommercial.com.
