The American Trucking Association underscores the critical role of the trucking industry in the United States, where over 70% of all freight tonnage is entrusted to the wheels of trucks. The uninterrupted flow of goods and services to their intended destinations, in a timely and efficient manner, hinges on the prowess of this industry and its 3.5 million truck drivers.
To transport a staggering 10.5 billion tons of freight annually, the industry deploys more than 3.4 million heavy-duty Class 8 trucks, consuming over 38 billion gallons of diesel fuel. In unequivocal terms, the trucking industry is the lifeblood of the American economy, and without it, the nation would come to a standstill.
However, in an industry where competitiveness is paramount, fleet owners and managers are perpetually engaged in the pursuit of operational enhancements that simultaneously ensure safety, efficiency, and cost reduction. While truck manufacturers continually refine vehicle efficiency, it is pivotal to recognize that driver behavior exerts the most profound influence on fuel economy, which, in turn, constitutes the largest cost factor for fleets and the most intricate to quantify and enhance.
There is one unifying element to fuel efficiency, and that is driver mindfulness. Drivers must be pro-active and remain constantly aware of their own behavior to squeeze every last bit of efficiency out of their fuel, and never sacrificing safety in the process.
Zonar ZFuel can assist by capturing metrics that reflect how each driver performs, as well as variables that differ for each trip, route and vehicle. Then curb inefficiencies that drain your hard fuel costs.
- Measure drivers’ efficiency based on their specific vehicle and route variables.
- Identify fleetwide and individual activities, trends and driving habits that waste fuel.
- Recognize and reward efficient drivers based on their Driver Efficiency Score.
Vehicle Maintenance and Proper Inspections: The Foundation of Efficiency
Improving driver behavior to maximize fuel economy commences with meticulous vehicle maintenance. Identifying minor issues before they evolve into major problems is pivotal in sustaining vehicle longevity and operational efficiency.
The cornerstone of proper maintenance is drivers’ adherence to comprehensive pre- and post-trip inspections. These inspection walk-arounds represent the initial steps toward augmented fleet efficiency, and their correct execution is paramount. Effective inspections not only mitigate Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) violations but also enhance maintenance, fuel efficiency, and overall safety for fleets across the spectrum.
Zonar’s EVIR solution is the industry’s leading inspection tool. Just place a Zonar tag on each inspection zone of the vehicle or piece of equipment. Drivers and operators must physically scan each tag when they inspect that zone’s components. As they perform the inspection, they mark defects, add notes and capture photos. When the inspection is complete, the results are uploaded into our fleet management platform.
The transition to electronically verified inspections further ensures the accuracy and comprehensiveness of these inspections, thus reinforcing a culture of vehicle stewardship and heightened operational performance.
Driver Speed and Its Impact on Fuel Economy
For many commercial vehicles traversing the nation’s highways, the optimal speed range hovers between 60 to 65 mph. Research reveals that reducing a truck’s speed from 75 mph to 65 mph can yield a remarkable up to 27% improvement in fuel consumption. To gain a competitive edge in the contemporary transportation milieu, drivers and companies must harness technology to deliver real-time feedback, training, and incentive programs that promote ideal speeds, enhancing truck fleet management while reinforcing safety and fuel-efficient driving practices.
Comprehensive Data Analysis for Maximum Efficiency
Monitoring driver fuel usage, measured by miles per gallon (MPG) and driver speeds, represents an essential but singular facet of improving fleet operations. Fleets must broaden their analytical horizons to encompass additional data points that influence fuel consumption, thereby facilitating appropriate adjustments in driver behavior, vehicle utilization, and fleet operations. Neglecting these factors amounts to a missed opportunity to maximize fuel efficiency.
The current era of intelligent fleet management and connected vehicles introduces a new frontier in fuel economy optimization, comprising telematics, advanced algorithms, and real-time data analysis. Essential data points that warrant tracking encompass, but are not limited to:
- Maximizing and measuring more than just MPG to control hard dollar fuel costs.
- Creating efficiency scores for drivers to identify training gaps.
- Normalizing metrics across varying truck ages and terrain profiles.
- Monitoring key metrics impacting fuel costs, such as speeding.
- Identifying and addressing idle times beyond company policies.
- Safeguarding against fuel theft.
- Tracking driver behavior and progress over time.
- Quantifying the percentage of miles in top gear.
- Analyzing cruise control usage.
- Mapping cruise control behavior.
Here are specifics on some of these topics.
Speed Control: Data consistently reveals that maintaining moderate and consistent speeds significantly enhances fuel efficiency. Studies have shown that trucks traveling at speeds within the range of 60 to 65 mph yield optimal fuel savings. Exceeding this speed range not only diminishes fuel efficiency but also poses safety risks. Mindful adherence to these speed limits translates into substantial cost savings and safer operations.
Idling Reduction: One of the most compelling findings from studies on mindful driving is the substantial impact of idling reduction on fuel efficiency. Prolonged idling consumes fuel needlessly and contributes to environmental emissions. Drivers who minimize idle time during rest breaks and downtimes not only save fuel but also reduce their carbon footprint. Data from these studies underscores the financial and ecological merits of idling reduction.
Smooth Acceleration and Deceleration: Research consistently indicates that abrupt acceleration and deceleration patterns are detrimental to fuel efficiency. Mindful driving involves smooth and gradual maneuvers, reducing fuel consumption and wear and tear on the vehicle. Data-driven analyses have shown that adopting these practices can yield noteworthy improvements in fuel economy.
Cruise Control Optimization: Utilizing cruise control judiciously is another area where data supports mindful driving. Engaging cruise control on suitable stretches of the highway can maintain consistent speeds, avoiding the fluctuations that lead to increased fuel consumption. Studies have indicated that optimizing cruise control usage can translate into measurable fuel savings.
Route Planning and Optimization: GPS and route optimization technologies have contributed to data-driven insights on the impact of route selection. Mindful route planning, leveraging technology to avoid congestion, steep gradients, and inefficient detours, can significantly reduce fuel consumption and enhance efficiency. Studies have demonstrated that strategic route planning based on real-time data leads to cost savings.
Driver Training and Monitoring: Anecdotal evidence from fleets that have implemented driver training programs underscores the data-supported benefits of education and monitoring. Drivers who receive training on mindful driving practices, including speed control, idling reduction, and smooth maneuvering, consistently exhibit improved fuel efficiency. Data-driven monitoring of driver behavior further reinforces these positive trends.
Want to learn more about how to accomplish these goals? Watch this webinar on tracking fuel efficiency and driver behavior.
A Competitive Imperative: Data-Driven Efficiency for Long-Term Success
In the realm of commercial trucking, innovation in the pursuit of maximum fuel consumption is not merely a choice; it is a competitive imperative. In this fiercely contested market, driver efficiency transcends the singular focus on MPG. Fleets should leverage data from their vehicle’s engine control unit (ECU) and layer it with GPS data, elevation, load weight, posted speed limits, and ambient air temperature.
Telematics and appropriate software tools furnish real-time insights into vehicle speeds, time spent in top gear, cruise control usage, idle time, paid time off operation (PTO), and deceleration, thereby enabling comprehensive analysis.
The insights gleaned from this data can serve as a potent management tool, affording fleet owners a view into driver efficiency metrics and unearthing potential fuel savings opportunities. These findings can subsequently be channeled into driver incentive programs, where commendations are bestowed upon drivers exhibiting the most efficient driving practices. The establishment of a scoring system need not be intricate, as it can be founded on vehicle speeds, cruise control usage, time spent in top gear, idle time, PTO operation, and deceleration.
The future of commercial trucking lies in harnessing data to foster efficiency, profitability, and sustainability. In-cab cameras, comprehensive inspections, driver training, and data analytics together represent a potent synergy that underpins the vitality of the industry. The confluence of these elements ensures that the wheels of the American economy continue to turn, propelling goods and services to their destinations while preserving the nation’s economic vitality.
