On any given day

We learned lots of things during last fall’s Run on Less fuel economy road show. Perhaps none was more important than the fact that you need to look at fuel efficiency over the long haul (!).

So many factors — vehicle specs, load, road conditions, weather, elevation, traffic, driver ability — all play a role in just how far a truck can go on a gallon of fuel.

During the Run we saw fuel economy range from a low of 7.1 to a high of 12.8. The average MPG over the course of the Run was 10.1.

Here’s a good example of factors at work on fuel economy. On one day of the Run one driver saw a 3,279 ft. elevation change while hauling 72,960 lbs. and driving in a 2.7 mile per hour headwind. He still was able to get to 9.7 MPG.

Fleets and drivers that are committed to freight efficiency continue to measure it on an ongoing basis and they take a close look at all the factors that impact fuel consumption. They use the information to tweak vehicle specs, improve driver training, and optimize routes, among other things to make sure they are getting the most miles they can day after day after day.

Almost anyone can achieve great fuel economy on any given day, but it’s a real art (and some science) to do it mile after mile not just on any given day, but every day.

We will be publishing a report on March 4th with many more details on what we learned with www.runonless.com, keep your eyes out and have a look at it!