SQUEEZE IT

Get more miles per gallon out of every tank of fuel

by David Kolman

DRIVE IT RIGHT

Fuel-efficient driving techniques can get more miles from each tank of fuel. These include:

Starting out at the slowest engine speed that will move the load.
Using the minimum rpm, minimum power and the fewest shifts necessary when accelerating (progressive shifting).
Running the engine in its peak torque range.
Using cruise control.
Accelerating or decelerating well in advance of a stop or a need to speed up.
Minimizing idling.
Planning a trip to be direct and on routes upon which you would expect the fewest delays.

Fuel economy has long been a major concern for truckers. It's one of the largest variable operating costs, and important to bottom-line profits.

Getting more miles from each tank of fuel has taken on even greater significance as fuel prices have increased, and with the coming of the new, less fuel-efficient 2007 emission-compliant diesel engines.

Here are some simple and immediate steps that can be taken to save money at the pump:

Practice good vehicle maintenance. Along with eliminating avoidable problems that down a vehicle, the better a vehicle is maintained, the better it will operate. This translates into more efficiency and improved fuel mileage.

Create, and follow, a preventive maintenance (PM) program with a systematic schedule of detailed inspections and maintenance intervals. Such a program needs to be designed to catch the little things that bring vehicles into the shop, and to get maximum reliability and uptime.

To accomplish this, you must first know what is causing your on-the-road breakdowns and unscheduled downtime. If you don't already do so, track these problems. Next, create a comprehensive inspection checklist/report, covering everything from bumper to bumper. This is the foundation to an effective PM program. The object here is to uncover and correct even small problems before they reach the point of failure.

The most successful PM programs include not only such preventive actions, but predictive measures as well. Predictive measures involve making repairs at some predetermined time and mileage interval to ensure that failures do not happen. These intervals must be continually adjusted according to changes in your equipment and operation.

Use a detailed driver's vehicle inspection report for daily truck pre-trip inspections, and have a system in place to take care of any defects or problems discovered. As an aside, well-documented preventive maintenance and repairs can add to the value of a truck when it comes time to sell or trade in.

Once you have a solid PM program in place, do not become complacent. Maintenance practices and products are constantly changing. Review your program periodically to see if improvements can be made and to ensure that current procedures are being followed.

Keep your equipment in alignment. Total vehicle alignment helps get more miles per gallon. That means having the front end, other axles and steering and suspension-related components operating in their proper positioning.

Misalignment can cause tire-to-road drag and scrub and side forces, which lead to irregular wear and diminished tire life, difficulty in driving and handling, and reduced fuel economy. Depending on the misalignment conditions, a vehicle may not exhibit any poor driving characteristics. Check alignment on a regular basis.

Maintain tires. The single most critical factor for getting the most out of tires is to maintain proper inflation pressure for a given tire size and load. Because an improperly inflated tire doesn't roll as smoothly or as easily as it was designed to, rolling resistance and wear are increased and fuel economy is adversely impacted. Handling, traction, braking and load carrying capability are influenced as well.

Since improper inflation shortens tread life, tires will have to be changed more often. On top of the expense of purchasing replacement tires, there is the additional cost for tire service and vehicle downtime. Industry studies have shown that cost-per-mile almost doubles when tires�whether original or retreaded�are pulled early because of uneven or rapid tread wear.

Air, in comparison, is cheap, and checking tire inflation pressures does not require a big investment in time. On average, it takes only about 20 minutes to check and adjust inflation pressure on an 18-wheel tractor trailer.

Tire pressure should be checked regularly (at least once a week), always with a properly calibrated tire gauge and when a tire is "cold", before a vehicle has been driven, or driven less than one mile. When driven on, tires warm up and experience an increase in air pressure, resulting in an inaccurate reading.

The fact is, tire inflation pressure cannot be accurately estimated by kicking or thumping the tire. According to the Tire Retread Information Bureau: Trying to determine if tires need air by thumping them is as effective as trying to determine if a vehicle's engine needs oil by thumping on the hood.

Look for tire and alignment problems when performing the pre-trip walkaround safety inspection. Rubbing a bare hand along the tread and sidewalls allows you to feel for problems like flat spots, cuts, shoulder wear, sidewall damage and so forth, all of which can result in tire failure and downtime.

Match tires in dual wheel assemblies. Tires in dual wheel assemblies should be the same size, inflated to the same air pressure and have similar tread patterns and tread designs. The tires also need to be matched within a tolerance of not more than one-quarter of an inch in diameter and three-quarters of an inch in circumference.

Use sensible driving practices. Vehicle speed has the single largest impact on fuel economy. Higher speeds also increase engine, vehicle and tire wear, leading to higher maintenance costs and increased downtime.

There are other benefits to be had from properly maintaining vehicles. By being more fuel efficient, less fuel is consumed, which saves money at the pump, reduces emissions and lowers pollution. As an added bonus, it demonstrates your professionalism.