Sometimes less really is more

July 10, 2017
The whole idea of Run on Less got me thinking about other areas of the trucking industry where more is less even in today’s world.

By now we hope you have heard about our cross-country roadshow showcasing real fleets, hauling real freight on real routes.

We are looking forward to the September kick off of Run on Less so that we can demonstrate that with a combination of technology investments and good driving practices trucks can achieve fuel economy above 6.4 MPG (the national average). During the Run we are hoping average MPGs of all seven drivers will reach 9.

The whole idea of Run on Less got me thinking about other areas of the trucking industry where more is less even in today’s world where most people seem to want more.

Here’s what I have come up with:

  • Less fuel consumed means more money to the fleet’s bottom line or for the fleet to use for additional investments in fuel efficiency technologies or driver recruiting and retention.
  • Less fuel burned means less emissions to be released into the environment, which means more people can breathe easier.
  • Less hours spent idling means more resale value because fewer engine hours have been racked up.
  • Less empty space in the trailer means higher freight efficiency.
  • Less time spent in congestion means more miles logged.
  • Less driver turnover means a more stable workforce and more predictable scheduling.
  • Less out of route miles means more productive driving time

After considering all those things, I think Run on Less is a perfect description of what we are trying to demonstrate this fall. I hope all of you will follow the progress of the seven fleets that have agreed to participate in the Run. We will keep you updated on driver progress, provide information on how each truck is outfitted, share fuel saving technologies with you and more at runonless.com.

Now that you’ve heard my ideas on how less is more in trucking, I’d love to hear from you with your own ideas. I can be reached at [email protected].

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.

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