By Joel Morrow
In response to American Transportation Research Institute’s latest Operational Cost Update, semi-truck drivers within the U.S. get average fuel economy of around 6.68 miles per gallon.
After putting 50,000 miles on my latest truck — a Volvo D13 with I-Torque — hauling general van freight over the road on coast-to-coast routes, I’m averaging over 10.1 mpg. Meaning I’m saving almost $5,000 on fuel costs every 90 days in comparison with typical drivers.
How is that this possible? It’s a mixture of technology and technique. The good news is most drivers can use my suggestions to enhance fuel economy and get monetary savings.
I do know bottom-line profitability is usually what matters most to truckers. But it surely’s also value noting that driving 100,000 miles at my fuel economy prevents 55 metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. Improved fuel economy means higher air quality. And that’s something to be ok with.
Let’s break down the aspects contributing to my hyper fuel efficiency.
Aerodynamics
Aerodynamic resistance is a large consider fuel economy, and aero resistance increases exponentially as you go faster. To scale back aero resistance, ensure your roof fairing is aligned to the peak of your trailer, install back-of-cab extenders, and lower side chassis fairings between the wheels and over the fuel tanks. A trailer side fairing is fairly standard to comply with California Air Resources Board regulations.
We’re about to do a trailer aerodynamics upgrade that features a custom-designed, greater side fairing, in addition to adding a trailer gap fairing and a trailer tail device. Aerodynamics improve as much as 4% with a trailer tail, which might extend as much as 5 feet behind the truck, angled to a degree to smooth out the wake behind your trailer. Did you already know colder air is denser and impacts air resistance? That’s one reason fuel economy goes down within the winter months. That’s also why crosswinds are more dangerous in colder weather.
Following distance
Forward-looking radar drives a whole lot of skilled truckers crazy. Typically, drivers are great at judging distance but not necessarily time inside that distance. Radar does a great job of figuring that out. Traveling 75 mph requires a niche to other traffic that should be twice as big. Longer following distance also means fewer reactions to erratic drivers. That permits more room for constant throttle. I attempt to run a pair miles per hour slower than the posted limit in order that traffic in front of me is consistently pulling away. This makes you a safer driver. And I’ve found that sometimes leads to lower maintenance costs.
6×2 configuration
Anytime you may have fewer gear sets engaged, mechanical drag and friction is minimized. And running axle-up makes an enormous difference in fuel economy. But advanced technology is the driving force quite than having two fewer tires on the pavement.
Weight is a determining consider when you may run on one drive axle. On my truck, adaptive torque management prevents wheel slippage. It’s included as a part of the factory 6×2 standard configuration. Moreover, the adaptive loading system monitors trailer weight to mechanically raise the pusher drive axle as much as about 55,000 kilos gross combination vehicle weight, depending on weight distribution and the way the load sits on the trailer floor.
Downsped RPMs
Most individuals don’t imagine me once I tell them I’m rolling at highway speeds just above idle RPM. The truck is spec’d to do 65 mph at about 940 RPM, so the engine pulls less fuel because there are fewer piston strokes per minute. Fewer strokes mean less engine friction, which improves fuel economy further. Not all engines are optimized for downsped RPMs, but my engine is specifically designed for making peak horsepower at 1260 RPMs and peak torque at 900 RPM. It only takes drivers about 50 miles on the road to know the physics of this setup and realize they don’t have to run at 1,700 RPM. Downsped RPMs also reduce vibration and engine wear. Also, the pistons are moving more slowly, so the combustion chamber burns fuel more efficiently and barely hotter, which also means after-treatment systems run cleaner and require less maintenance.
Automated manual transmission with look-ahead
I do know a whole lot of old-school drivers prefer a manual gearbox, but I spec’d my truck with a 14-speed automated manual transmission option. The rationale I picked this setup is that the truck has integrated map-based software from the factory, which downshifts in anticipation of an upcoming grade, quite than counting on my interpretation of when that shift should occur. As such, this optimizes each power for climbs and fuel economy. In my spec, that is paired with a 2.16 rear axle ratio through an overdrive transmission for a final drive ratio of 1.69 — the fastest final drive within the industry. That ratio is barely possible since the engine has been optimized for peak horsepower at such a low RPM.
Latest technology
I’ve driven greater than 5 million miles as an expert trucker, and I attempt to listen and learn what I can about latest technologies. That’s how I spec’d my truck, and I embrace technology now, including my fuel-efficiency monitoring. I exploit a helpful app from LetsTruck.com called FuelGauges and have dashcams to document road conditions. In the event you don’t track your fuel economy, you may’t be honest with yourself about your driving habits. And your fuel economy won’t ever improve.
Time management
Beyond leveraging technology, I’ve found that good time management reduces stress and lowers your blood pressure since you’re not as indignant at traffic conditions. Don’t leave late. In the event you stop at the home, if things don’t all the time go right, or should you don’t leave time for all times to occur, then you definately are standing on the throttle consistently, which is bad for safety, bad for truck health, terrible for fuel economy, and takes a physical and mental toll. I get a whole lot of flak for “driving slow,” because some look only at my average speed. But good time management takes patience and planning, and it requires a more comprehensive approach to your small business than thumping tires, changing duty status and holding the steering wheel.
Attitude
Finally, attitude has a big impact on day by day performance. Your morning attitude is so necessary to being a protected and efficient driver. In the event you get up upset, it’ll be extremely difficult to be efficient, and that’s something that I needed to work at. It could possibly be hard to maintain your mind blissful and focused, and I needed to do some soul searching a couple of times to sort out my outlook and attitude to know myself and consider whether trucking is the best alternative for me. Attitude also has a huge impact on health. As many drivers catch up with to home, they get emotional and is likely to be putting their foot right down to make it to a vital family event on time. All of us have to set realistic expectations.
Things are changing fast, and each time there’s a slow patch within the freight economy, it can be those drivers who’ve optimized costs and specifically fuel efficiency who will fare higher and stay profitable. Perhaps none of those attributes by itself will change your small business. In aggregate, it has proved to be a competitive advantage. Follow the following tips and also you will probably be more profitable, enjoy driving more and realize higher health.
Need to know more? Hop within the virtual passenger seat of my truck, Purple Haze, and follow my drives to learn more.
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