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Going easy on the juice
Page 26
Page 27
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With firms being squeezed on all fronts, giving drivers guidance on fuel-efficient driving is more important than ever. CM offers a series of tips guaranteed to save you money.
Words: Guy Sheppa
Economic and environmental pressures mean there has never been a greater need to squeeze as much mileage as possible out of each and every tank of fuel.
Fuel accounts for about a third of the operating costs in haulage, so the way trucks are driven can affect the profit of every trip. If drivers consistently adopt fuel-efficient driving methods, they improve the long-term viability of their firm, and strengthen their own job security.
In addition, drivers will also reduce the emission of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.
Training is the key to fuel-efficient driving, and more than 20,000 truck and van drivers have attended the one-day Safe and Fuel Efficient Driving (SAFED) course over the past six years. All drivers can immediately save fuel (and money) by adopting CM's top 10 tips.
1. Attitude
Drivers who feel upset or under pressure tend to drive more aggressively. This can result in harsh acceleration and braking, which undermines fuel consumption. For example, pulling away too quickly uses up to 6% more fuel, says the Freight Transport Association (ETA). Dr Michael Coyle, an expert in fuel-efficient driving, says doing the opposite of what your temper tells you to do will create a calmer frame of mind. "In congested traffic, don't stop vehicles from entering your lane, let them in," he says.
2. Idling
Coyle says many drivers still warm up their vehicle before leaving the depot, even though modern engine technology means this is no longer necessary. "Differentiate between summer and winter. In summer, as soon as the oil pressure is up, you can pull away. In winter, you may need to build up heat to defrost the windows."
According to the Department for Transport (DfT), typical 420hp heavy-duty truck uses two litres of diesel per hour when idling, so turn off the engine when you're stuck in traffic furlong periods of time.
3. Speed
Speeding reduces fuel efficiency because of the increased aerodynamic drag. The DIT says fuel consumption can be cut by more than a fifth by reducing your speed from 56mph to 50mph. However, Dan Rapson, who manages the DfT-sponsored SAFED programme, believes drivers' priority should be to stay within speed limits. -This gives you time to react to what is coming up ahead of you, and to react in a smooth way."
Cutting normal speeds to save fuel is commendable, but he accepts many operators would have problems with this.
4. Momentum
Using the momentum of the vehicle will save fuel, particularly on modern, electronically-powered vehicles, where fuel stops entering the combustion chamber when the foot is taken off the accelerator. As a result, it is often worth doing this when you are descending a hill. When stuck in slow-moving traffic, it is more fuel-efficient to keep moving forward slowly than to be continually stopping and starting.
5. Cruise control
Cruise control should be used whenever it is safe to do so, and not just on motorways. Coyle suggests turning off cruise control as the vehicle crests a hill, otherwise it will accelerate up to the preset road speed instead of using its own momentum to descend.
6. Gears
According to the DfT, every time a gear is changed up, fuel consumption improves by between 10% and 30%. Using block changing techniques, where gears are skipped to reach the top gear, will help drivers achieve this more quickly. Scunthorpe-based Clugston Distribution Services recorded a 7% drop in fuel consumption after more than 20 of its drivers went on a SAFED training course. Clugston managing director Bob Clarke says one of the most noticeable results was a drop of between 30% and 50% in the number of gear changes that drivers made.
7. Anticipation
Just as moving up the gears saves fuel, so dropping down the gears increases consumption. By effective use of the cab's high seating position, drivers are well-placed to anticipate anything up ahead that will require them to slow down or stop. This avoids the need for sudden gear changes and harsh braking. Mike MacDougall, transport manager at PS Transport in Grimsby, believes awareness of surroundings is vital for saving fuel. "It's things like slowing down adually when you approach a roundabout rather than stopping at the last minute," he says.
8. Route planning
The ETA says trucks should remain on the motorway and trunk road network for as long as is reasonably possible, partly because this will provide the most fuel-efficient routes. FTA policy manager James Firth says drivers should take care to plan their routes carefully and use sat-nay systems wherever possible. "It will help you save fuel by getting you to and from your destination without getting lost." He also advises drivers to seek information about any likely congestion spots via the internet and local radio. Timing deliveries to avoid congested routes during the rush hour will also help save fuel.
9. Airflow
Minimising the height of the load on flat-bodied trucks and trailers will save fuel by reducing the vehicle's drag. Roof-mounted air deflectors should be adjusted to guide airflow over the highest point of the trailer or load. The DfT says that, as a rule of thumb, fuel consumption worsens by 0.1mpg for every 100mm that is directly exposed to airflow at this point. Research partly conducted by the British Transport Advisory Committee (BTAC) showed that sheeting tipper bodies, even when empty, cut fuel consumption by about 8% when travelling at 56mph.
10. Incentives
BTAC spokesman David Payne argues that to show improvement, drivers must have information about their performance. This may only amount to a calculation about fuel consumption on specific routes, or, through modern engine technology, could include details about the number of gear changes being made. "You have to work on fuel saving all the time," argues Payne.
Some drivers receive financial rewards for keeping fuel consumption below a certain level, For others, the reward may simply be in doing the job well while reducing the environmental impact of each journey.