In the trucking industry, numerous things need to be accounted for everything to run as smoothly as possible.
Aside from obtaining the necessary training and licenses, truck drivers also need to get familiar with various safety precautions and learn how to make their drives as efficient as possible.
This means that getting well prepared, checking the weather, and planning the route ahead of time will help truck drivers reach their destination faster and enable them to cut down on the overall fuel consumption.
Of course, cutting down on unnecessary fuel consumption won’t only be suitable for the trucking company in general. Still, it will also significantly reduce the carbon footprint, which we should all try and be more mindful of.
With that in mind, here are some valuable tips on how to lower your unnecessary fuel consumption and thus cut costs and do good environment-wise.
Keep a close eye on traffic
When driving any type of vehicle, you need to be on high alert and pay close attention to everything that’s going on around you.
So, of course, the same applies to truck driver jobs. If you’re mindful of the traffic around you and keep a close eye on other participants’ behavior, you’ll be able to assess the situation more quickly and react on time.
That way, you will reduce the unnecessary breaking and frequent gear shifts, which significantly contribute to increased fuel consumption.
Minding the traffic around you is the first thing every driver should learn during their truck driver training, as it will help you stay safe on the road and control the entire situation.
Keep the vehicle in motion
Another good tip for efficient fuel management is to try and keep your vehicle in motion for as long as possible. First, of course, you need to make sure you assess road conditions properly to avoid making any dangerous mistakes.
Getting your 80,000 lb truck back in motion from a complete dead stop will not only require more energy but fuel as well than it would take for the truck to simply pick up speed.
To achieve this safely, you first need to ensure that you always keep the proper distance from all the other traffic participants. That way, you can somewhat lower your vehicle speed and average a steady 15 mph, for instance, until you’re able to pick the pace back up.
Additionally, keeping a safe distance will also enable you to react on time if the traffic participants in front of you decided to do something unexpectedly.
Mind the speed
As previously mentioned, staying in motion is always better – fuel consumption-wise – than stopping and starting back up multiple times.
Along similar lines, it’s also always better to maintain the same speed of your vehicle for as long as possible than it is to repeatedly pick up and lower the speed you’re moving at.
That’s why every truck driver needs to learn how to maintain a steady driving speed that will enable them to cruise safely. In addition, keeping a steady mileage will positively affect your fuel consumption, as the vehicle won’t need to burn more fuel to pick up the speed over and over again.
Choose the right tires
Last but not least, we need to mention the vehicle tires as well, when talking about the fuel consumption. Generally speaking, you should always choose your tires according to the terrain and weather conditions you’ll be driving in.
That being said, most commonly, trucks perform best when using hard tires. This is because hard tires require less energy – and thus fuel – to roll, making them the best option.
On top of that, you also need to make sure that your tire pressure is optimal to avoid unnecessary wear and tear and ensure that your vehicle performs better on the road, in general.
Fuel consumption is something we should all be mindful of. Not only does it not make sense to unnecessarily waste fuel – and thus money – if you can avoid it, but the increased fuel consumption has already taken its toll on the environment.
The more efficient you manage to make your drives, the better it will be for anyone involved. So, make sure you keep all of these tips in mind the next time you hit the road.
For more information feel free to contact us or fill out the application if you are looking for a truck driver job!
