Roeth: NACFE’s 12 driver tips for improving truck fuel economy

NACFE has long recognized the role of the driver in improving fuel economy. While we have already published Driver Tips for Increasing Fuel Economy, the start of the year is a good time to reiterate those tips.

So, here goes, presented to all truck drivers and those who support them. The following are NACFE’s Top 12 tips for improving trucking fuel economy.

1. Watch your speed. This is pretty straightforward. A simple rule of thumb is that for every mile per hour above 60 mph, fuel economy drops by 0.1 mile per gallon. Put another way, a truck traveling at 65 mph will see a fuel-efficiency increase of about 27% compared to a truck traveling at 75 mph.
2. Drive at a constant speed. Accelerating burns more fuel, and slowing down and then speeding up is an inefficient way to drive. Maintain a steady speed while driving.
3. Find the engine’s sweet spot. Running a truck in its sweet spot—the most efficient rpm to run the engine—requires that you drive at a constant speed. It is usually slower than you might think.
4. Avoid harsh braking. You lose energy every time you brake. Anticipate traffic changes and maintain a safe following distance to avoid harsh braking whenever possible.
5. Accelerate smoothly. Hard accelerations waste fuel and are hard on the engine. If you anticipate acceleration points, you can apply the appropriate level of acceleration and avoid accelerating too quickly from a stop.
6. Check tire inflation pressure. When your tires are underinflated, fuel efficiency declines, leading to increased tire wear and a risk of a mission-disabling tire blowout. Pay special attention to tire pressure during your pre- and post-trip inspections.
7. Check the condition of aerodynamic devices. You should inspect all aerodynamic devices to ensure there are no dents, tears, rips, or loose parts. If you notice damage to an aerodynamic device, make sure to get it repaired as soon as you can.
8. Use cruise control. You can more easily maintain a constant speed when you use cruise control.
9. Minimize idling. A 10% annual reduction in idling is equivalent to about 1% improvement in fuel economy. Our recently published report on idle reduction explores the variety of idle-reduction technologies available today.
10. Watch your interval. Keeping the appropriate distance between your truck and the one in front of you helps eliminate harsh braking.
11. Optimize routing/reduce out-of-route miles. Take the shortest reasonable route with the fewest stops to get to your destination. Avoid congested areas when possible.
12. Minimize shifting. If you are not using an automated manual or an automatic transmission, minimize the number of shifts you make with your manual transmission. When you shift gears, you increase engine rpm and burn fuel.

Follow these simple tips, and you might be surprised at how fuel efficient you can be and how much money you can save.