7 Driving Techniques to Increase Your Fuel Economy
Summary
To increase fuel efficiency, fleet drivers should follow these seven driving techniques:
1.Maintain a constant speed to achieve the least impact on fuel economy.
2.Use higher gears to save fuel and avoid driving too fast in low gears.
3.Avoid wind drag by closing windows and using adjustable roof mounts.
4.Be moderate with brakes and avoid sudden and harsh braking.
5.Take the shortest route to save fuel and consider safety.
6.Avoid coasting as it’s not safe and burns fuel more than driving in gear.
7.Combine trips to minimize transportation costs.
It’s important to adapt these techniques according to the type of vehicle and goods being transported. Additionally, using a fuel monitoring system can help track and manage fuel consumption, mileage, and theft.5.
Petrol or diesel fuels are always considered to be a precious resource in the fleet industry. Pulling your vehicle an extra mile from the fuel tank saves up to 30% of your fuel economy. Fuel-effective driving is one of the practical ways to tackle the constantly increasing fuel price.
How to achieve fuel-effective driving? Nowadays, drivers just blame the vehicles for providing poor mileage, but the leading cause of poor mileage is driving style. Each vehicle’s mileage differs from other vehicles. Also, the vehicle’s mileage depends on the goods they carry, weight, type of the vehicle, engine, safety, etc.
Following fuel-effective driving isn’t so easy; The best way to implement fuel-effective driving in your business is through “avoid aggressive and rash driving.” “Aggressive and rash driving” either leads to fatal accidents or decreases fuel economy. Here are seven different driving techniques to be followed by every driver to increase fuel efficiency.
1. What is the Best Speed to Save Fuel?
Speed limits for every vehicle vary according to the vehicle’s type and road conditions. State and local governments may fix mandatory speed limits to be followed. Is it better to go fast or slow?
Does overspeeding affect your mileage and fuel consumption? Yes!
Overspeeding leads to higher fuel consumption. The rolling resistance of the tier and air resistance affects the vehicle mileage while overspeeding. In some cases speeding above 50 mph automatically decreases the fuel economy.
Then driving slower helps you to save fuel? Many people have this familiar doubt.
Technically driving slower saves fuel; high speed may use your engine more. But do you think traveling slower will saves your business? However, traveling at a slower speed burns fuel for a longer time, again, which leads to higher fuel usage. Then what to do?
Effective driving saves fuel, which is completely based on your driver and vehicle. Know and identify your particular vehicle’s efficient speed, which helps you have the least impact on fuel economy.
TIP: Maintain a constant speed to have a better fuel economy. On average, a truck can follow 50-60 mph in developed areas and 45-55 km/h could be the right speed for Indian roads to attain the best fuel efficiency.
2. What Gear is Most Fuel-Efficient?
Approximately gear selection occupies 15% of fuel economy in a vehicle. Have a smooth driving experience; gentle acceleration and staying at higher gear helps you to save fuel.
Driving at a faster speed and low gear may consume 45% of more fuel than the requirement. Driving slower in a higher gear also increases fuel consumption.
Note: As soon as the driver moves to the top gear saves higher fuel. Do it whenever it is safe to do.
3. Stay Aerodynamic
Aerodynamics is a concept of sir moves around an object. How does the aerodynamics concept play a role in fuel consumption? Air resistance or wind drag, the friction between the moving truck and the air surround the truck. Air resistance makes the engine work more, which increases fuel consumption.
How to overcome wind drag in trucks? Avoid wide-open windows while driving, especially on highways and expressways. Wind drag allows the vehicle to consume 10% of fuel economy. Using adjustable roof mounts in vehicles also improves fuel efficiency.
4. Be Moderate on Brakes
We all know one common thing in driving “brakes are important.” People always use harsh and sudden breaks but, these things swallow a large amount of fuel. Be gentle and moderate with brakes to attain better fuel efficiency.
How to avoid sudden and harsh brakes?
- Slow down the vehicle with moderate brakes.
- Maintain distance between vehicles on the road.
- No overtaking.
- Follow the rules and speed limits.
- Keep vehicle under control.
Note: Use sudden and harsh brakes whenever it is necessary.
5. Take the Shortest Route
A single destination has a lot of paths but, choosing a wise route will benefit us. Train your drivers with roads and highways. Traveling in the shortest path saves a vast amount of fuel.
When it comes to a new destination, it becomes a challenging task to choose the shortest path. Nowadays, many application interfaces are raised to provide the shortest path, which is called route optimization.
TIP: Travelling on the safest route matters more than traveling on the shortest route.
6. Don’t Coast
People think coasting saves fuel. In reality, coasting isn’t safe. Why isn’t coasting safe? Generally, coasting means “vehicle stays in less control” When traveling downhill, coasting makes you travel faster without control.
Coasting in neutral gear is likely the engine in an idle state. Anyways, the engine will consume the same percent of idling fuel consumption in modern vehicles; coasting driving burns fuel more than driving in gear.
7. Combine your Trips
Trip management a logical and practical idea to save fuel and money by avoiding toll expenses, freight charges, and many more. Transportation science researchers are working to provide an algorithm for combining truck trips. This algorithm provides a solution to a combination of trucks. The basic idea of trip combinations depends on the route optimization algorithm.
Try a new way of transportation by combing trips to minimize the total cost of the particular transportation.
These seven driving techniques are the subset of economical driving to increase fuel efficiency. These techniques may apply differently for various types of vehicles and goods. So, think twice & make a wise choice and adapt the driving techniques.
TIP: Make use of the fuel monitoring system to track and manage your fuel consumption, fuel drain, fuel fills, fuel theft, and mileage in a precise way.
