If you were told to save fuel in daily driving, you might think 'How should I do it?'. First, why don't we try to think about why we now need to improve fuel efficiency. Environmental issues are being looked at world wide these days. We can reduce the damaging effect on the ozone layer by reducing CO2 and NOX emissions from trucks. Saving light oil and driving expenses and keeping a good number of jobs for workers are also closely connected with fuel efficiency. Let's try to save fuel when we drive! Such easy things as follow will make a big difference. These considerations for safe driving and the environment should also make you even more reliable to your customers and other drivers. So let's practice energy saving driving to become a more professional driver.

Especially on cold winter days, the cab must be heated before driving, but preheating too long is wasteful. Normally it takes only 3 minutes or less for complete circulation of engine oil and smooth engine combustion. This shortened preheating can give you more time and efficiency in your job. [Saving Fuel Tips for Preheating] It should be ready to go when the engine temperature gauge starts to rise. Even in cold areas, it shouldn't take more than about 5 minutes.

When you are making deliveries, you may currently leave the engine on. This is common, but it adds up to huge energy consumption. It is often thought that restarting the engine consumes more fuel than idling, but idling time is typically much longer than the total time for restarts.

Shifting with the tachometer instead of the speedometer will naturally lead to saving fuel. Driving with smooth movement of the tachometer rather than rapid changes will increase fuel efficiency and also make the engine last longer.

[Dragging Style is Wasteful]
Driving with the proper engine revolutions can increase fuel efficiency up to 20% compared with the so called 'Dragging Style' which often uses too low a gears.

When you are in a hurry, you may change lanes constantly. This means a lot of speeding up and slowing down. This will empty the fuel tank very quickly and doesn't actually make much difference in time. So let's drive with an even speed to increase fuel efficiency.

[How Much does Zig Zag Diving Waste?]
Zig Zag driving with a plus 5 km/h speed change will lower fuel efficiency by 20%. Leaving the exhaust brake on lowers it the same amount as zig zagging so it's better to avoid it.

Aerodynamic performance on trucks is improving these days. However, speed still has a great effect since air resistance is proportional to the speed squared. The larger the air resistance, the more power the truck needs. In other words, it consumes extra fuel. The best driving is safe driving at moderate speeds.

[Effect on Fuel Efficiency of Driving a Reasonable Speed]
A 10 km/h speed change makes a 10% difference in fuel efficiency.

Trucks have an exhaust brake which is not on regular passenger cars. To be able to use 2 brakes - an engine brake and an exhaust brake allows you to eliminate wasteful driving. It gives higher mileage and increases the life of brake linings and tires so reduces overall expenses dramatically.

[Driving with Auxiliary Brake]
Using the Auxiliary brake reduces pumping of fuel to almost zero so it gives 10%-30% better fuel economy than driving in neutral.

Revving up the engine causes excessive noise and air pollution. It's actually annoying and wasteful even if it's supposed to get attention or give warnings. It seems to be a bad habit with some people, but since you are a professional driver it's better to usually avoid it.

[Revving Engines on Large Trucks]
On a large truck it can take an extra 12cc of fuel to rev the engine. Doing it 20 times a day can waste 70 litter of fuel per year.

It's a fast start with a truck even when you accelerate the same as you would with a passenger car and you end up wasting extra fuel. It can also cause cargo to shift or break loose which may cause an accident. To provide better reliability for your customers, safe driving without fast starts or rapid acceleration is best.

[Waste from Fast Starts and Rapid Acceleration]
Driving with fast starts and rapid acceleration will often lower efficiency by 20%.

Shortening the distance between vehicles in impatience can often lead to sudden braking, It can also cause you to lose your qualification as a professional driver. Driving while anticipating the situation ahead and using secondary brakes and inertia is required. These things result in improved mileage and also prevent accidents.