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31 May 22

20 Tips to Keep Fuel Costs Down - Part 2

Ten more fuel saving ideas to add to the earlier list of 10 ways to help you and your fleets save fuel and reduce running costs


Following last week’s blog which looked at 10 fuel saving tips but also outlined the risks posed by fuel thieves.

1.     Invest in Aero Dynamics - Reducing drag from the air and the road can help. C. 20% of fuel consumption is overcoming aerodynamic losses, and around 13% is overcoming rolling resistance.

2.      Reduce load weight - The heavier the truck and trailer, the more fuel is needed to travel down the road. Avoiding any unnecessary weight will help in a car every extra 50kg weight increases fuel consumption by 2%. 
 
3.      Think Fuel Efficiency - Just by maintaining an awareness of fuel efficiency will help to reduce the fuel you use.
 
4.      Reverse Park your vehicle in readiness to leave - An engine runs more efficiently when it is not cold so parking manoeuvres or turning a vehicle around use more fuel when the engine is cold so being prepared to leave a location when the engine is still running most efficiently will save fuel.

5.     Remain steady when accelerating - Over revving an engine to accelerate uses more fuel.

6.     Avoid braking aggressively - Any braking is wasteful of the fuel that has been used to get the vehicle to that momentum but aggressive braking is particularly wasteful.

7.     Practice predictive driving - Being aware of your next move by reading the road ahead and the vehicles around you allows the driver to anticipate future moves and avoid excessive braking or accelerating and high friction manoeuvres such as sharp turns.

8.     Plan your journey and travel time - Avoiding areas and times when it is likely that there will be congestion will reduce fuel costs and journey times. Using telematics and planning journeys to maximise economy.

9.      Regular vehicle and engine service - The engine efficiency will be improved if the engine is corrosion free and operating at its optimum.

10. Up to date lubricants - Minimising friction reduces engine or vehicle wear and tear and enables the vehicle to maximise its operating efficiency.

Hopefully, there will be a few things in our list that will be of help and if you can add to our list we’d be delighted to hear from you:

We also spoke with a major haulage business and asked for their view about what to do to survive and thrive in a climate of rising fuel prices and their answer was simple.  “Price jobs based on a fuel price but with fuel surcharge applicable depending on the movement away from that base price”, we were told. They said that this is what they have always done and that it has seen them through similar crises in the past!  “All of the other elements you’ve mentioned will improve profits but the key is to not lose margin when costs are not under your control”.

Acknowledgements:

Our thanks to Truckstuff.co.uk and Mobil.com

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