As with any business, keeping your costs low to increase your profit margins is a priority. Truckers spend a lot of money on parts, oil changes, and some of them spend on software that they use. However, these operational costs are secondary to the main cost that keeps a truck running, and that is fuel. If you want to increase your margins or keep them as high as possible, you have to make sure that you are as efficient as possible with your fuel. Here are 5 tips that will help you save good money on your fuel:
Maintain Proper Tire Pressure
When a truck’s tires aren’t properly inflated (most of the time they are deflated), it will reduce the rolling resistance, meaning the engine needs to work harder to get the truck moving, and when the engine works harder, it also consumes more fuel. In order to keep the tires well-inflated, the front drive tires should be kept at 110 PSI while the back drive and trailer tires should range between 95 and 115 PSI.
Optimize Speed and Use Cruise Control
Maintaining a consistent speed plays a huge role in burning the least amount of fuel. When you rapidly accelerate or decelerate, the engine will not be running efficiently, thus making it work more and consume more fuel. Driving between 55-65 mph is the best way to ensure that no fuel goes to waste.
Reduce Idling Time
Sometimes you need to have a few stops while driving your truck. If it’s a quick stop to go to the toilet you can get away with leaving your engine on without wasting too much, but if police or DOT is pulling you over you know you will be sitting there for a pretty good amount of time, so it is recommended that you turn your engine off.
Regular Maintenance and Engine Tuning
Time and time again we come back to the basics. Going to the gym or simply exercising without a bottle of water will keep you dehydrated, resulting in an inefficient workout, and we can apply the same principle to your truck’s needs. Regularly changing your oil, replacing your air filters, and tuning your engine will ensure the truck runs as efficiently as possible.
Plan Your Routes Ahead Of Time
Having a GPS software that actively warns you of congestion on your route and changes the routes accordingly is crucial if you want to save money on fuel. Being stuck in traffic is a tough spot to be in since most of the time, you won’t be able to turn off the truck, and if the traffic is really bad, you can expect to lose around 1 gallon of fuel per hour when idling. Sygic Truck GPS Navigation is a great app for this purpose, and you can find it on your phone on both Google Play and Apple Store.
Conclusion
Fuel efficiency is one of - if not the most - important factors when it comes to increasing your profit margins. If you implement these 5 tips, you are guaranteed to save significant amounts of fuel from being wasted. Keep hauling efficiently!
