11 Tips to Minimize Fuel Costs

blog.dieselpowerproducts.com

TIPS FOR DRIVERS to save on fuel, thanks to CCJ Magazine. Link to their site below:
Of all the factors affecting fuel economy, including aerodynamics and tire maintenance, more than a third are attributable to driver skills.


1 Turn off the engine. Drivers should avoid excessive warm-up times when starting the truck, even for a short time. Look for other times when
drivers have a habit of idling.
2 Avoid revving the engine between shifts. Ease into each new gear, and don’t be in a hurry to climb through them.
3 Run in your engine’s sweet spot. Once you reach cruising speed,
operating in the peak torque zone gives you optimum horsepower so that the
engine runs most efficiently. It takes only about 200 horsepower to maintain 65 mph.
4 Minimize air-conditioning use. Running the A/C delivers a 2/10- to 4/10-mpg hit.
5 Anticipate traffic lights. If you can approach slowly and avoid a complete stop, it saves fuel and reduces equipment wear.
6 Lower your average highway speed. Every mph over 55 equals a 0.1-mpg drop in fuel economy.
Don’t punch the throttle. Gradually put your foot into it, pretending there’s an egg between the pedal and the floorboard. Use smooth, steady accelerator inputs to avoid fuel burn spikes.
7 Maximize use of cruise control. That enables you to avoid wasteful throttle use to climb hills.
" I question this, if you are an efficient driver you can get better MPG without cruise. Any time your speeds drops off on cruise, you get full on power to regain your speed setting.”
8 Use truck stops atop hills. Driving uphill toward the truck stop allows natural deceleration, and going downhill to re-enter the highway requires less fuel.
9 Maintain an extended following distance. It helps to prevent unnecessary acceleration due to frequent braking.
10 Use shore power when it is available. Many inverters and auxiliary power units come
with a plug-in option that converts incoming current to DC to charge the batteries, using AC
to power climate-control units and/or in-cab accessories. The truckstop electrification movement to help eliminate idling has gained steam in the last year, with plug-in options available
at many more parking spaces.
11 Avoid needless acceleration when not on cruise. Don’t hit the throttle
too much when approaching the hill’s crest. Instead, lay off the throttle and
let the truck’s momentum carry it over. Watch the boost gauge for an exact read of
what you’re doing.
http://www.ccjdigital.com/files/2012/10/FuelTips.pdf