Fleetowner 30999 100815 Dieselengineecm Mpg Web
Fleetowner 30999 100815 Dieselengineecm Mpg Web
Fleetowner 30999 100815 Dieselengineecm Mpg Web
Fleetowner 30999 100815 Dieselengineecm Mpg Web
Fleetowner 30999 100815 Dieselengineecm Mpg Web

No matter how you measure it, we all want more efficient vehicles

April 10, 2018
It doesn't matter so much matter what you call it or how you measure it, what matters is making trucks go farther using less fuel.

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. That’s a famous line from Romeo and Juliet, for those of us who didn’t know. I think that sentiment can be applied to the trucking industry as well.

Freight efficiency is measured in different ways:

  • Miles per gallon
  • Liters per 100 kilometers
  • Kilometers per liter
  • MPG times payload (aka freight ton efficiency)

And I am sure there are others that I am missing.  My point here is that whether you are in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, or Asia making trucks more efficient is something we are all focusing on.

Interestingly this is true whether the majority of trucks in a country are sleepers or day cabs, whether the electrical system is 12V or 24V and whether the steering wheel is on left side or right side.

Fleets all over the world may measure fuel efficiency differently, but they all are working to bring total cost of ownership down and one way to do that is to burn less fuel.

Recently NACFE has been spending time in Canada and Mexico interacting with fleets and learning about their pain points and about what they are doing to improve their profitability, which often means focuses on reducing fuel consumption. Through our affiliation with Rocky Mountain Institute we have a little bit of insight into the Chinese and Indian market and when we measure our www.nacfe.org website analytics, around a third of our guests are from places outside of North America!

NACFE is making an effort to engage with manufacturers, fleets, and NGOs from places outside of the U.S. to learn about their best practices and how they might be applied to our market. But we also are sharing some of our findings with those outside our borders, so they can shorten their learning curve based on our experiences in the N.A.

Miles or kilometers, gallons or liters. Or even diesel equivalent. It doesn't matter so much matter what you call it or how you measure it, what matters is making trucks go farther using less fuel.

About the Author

Michael Roeth | Executive Director

Michael Roeth has worked in the commercial vehicle industry for nearly 30 years, most recently as executive director of the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE). He serves on the second National Academy of Sciences Committee on Technologies and Approaches for Reducing the Fuel Consumption of Medium and Heavy-Duty Vehicles and has held various positions in engineering, quality, sales, and plant management with Navistar and Behr/Cummins.

Sponsored Recommendations

Tackling the Tech Shortage: Lessons in Recruiting Talent and Reducing Turnover

Discover innovative strategies for recruiting and retaining tech talent in the trucking industry at our April 16th webinar, where experts will share insights on competitive pay...

Stop Sweating Temperature Excursions

Advanced chemical indicators give you the peace of mind that comes from reliable insights into your supply chains. Compromised shipments can be identified the moment they arrive...

Stop Sweating Temperature Excursions

Advanced chemical indicators give you the peace of mind that comes from reliable insights into your supply chains. Compromised shipments can be identified the moment they arrive...

How Electric Vehicles Help You Prolong the Life of Your Fleet

Before adopting electric vehicles for commercial/government fleets, prioritize cost inquiries. Maintenance is essential; understand the upkeep of EV fleets. Here’s what you need...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of FleetOwner, create an account today!