Semi-trucks guzzling too much fuel? Check out these tips.
Fuel consumption and costs are a considerable area of concern in the trucking industry. From a financial perspective, all those gasoline expenses to maintain fleets of trucks and semi-trucks add up over time. Carriers and truck drivers can manage their fuel economy by following a few tips when operating their semi-trucks or other commercial vehicles. Practicing these fuel-saving tips is cost-effective and ultimately makes everything safer.
Avoid Going Over Tank Capacity
Having enough fuel in your semi-trucks and topping off your tanks is good practice, especially when you don’t know where or when you’ll get to another gas station. After all, being a reliable truck service means getting to your destination without delay, such as breaking down or running out of gas on the road. However, overfilling your semi-trucks’ gas tank is a very bad practice. Gasoline expands when heated, so overfilling your tanks can cause dangerous and wasteful spills. The extra weight from a too-full tank can make getting your vehicle up to speed difficult too.
Keep an Eye on Your Speed and Braking
Speeding up uses more fuel. If you constantly need to brake and speed up again to maintain safe driving distances and follow the speed limit, that will drastically exhaust your fuel reserves. Instead, maintain reasonable speeds to reduce how often you need to readjust how fast you are traveling. Of course, use your best judgment when operating semi-trucks, but being mindful of your driving performance can keep your fuel consumption in check.
Have Regular Vehicle Inspections
Undergoing regular vehicle inspections is a necessary part of owning and operating semi-trucks. Your vehicle works in union with all its components, so when one aspect is out of alignment, some other part of your truck is probably making up for it. Inspections can catch if the fuel tank is leaking or in need of an oil change. Or, perhaps your tires are a bit flat, and they need to be inflated. Driving with under-inflated tires is not only unsafe, but it cuts down your gas mileage as more fuel is required to make a rotation of your tire.
Distribute the Load Evenly
Whenever possible, make sure the load in the trailer is distributed low and even. When the weight is unequally distributed, it can put more strain on your truck to get it moving. Additionally, the distribution of weight in your vehicle can impact how much control you have over the vehicle’s momentum. Appropriately relying on your semi-truck’s momentum can lower your gas usage.
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Follow us here at Evan Transportation to get more updates on driving tips and the trucking industry. Evan Transportation provides trucking and transportation services for clients throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. All of our drivers and staff are offered competitive salaries, benefits, and are guaranteed to be home every day. Interested in finding out more? Visit us online or give us a call at 443-673-3365. For even more information, visit us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.