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You have a fleet of vehicles to manage, but the costs are getting to you. How can you possibly be going through so much fuel? It’s expensive, and yet you still have to somehow drive these vehicles around – otherwise, you won’t have a business. Relax. Most fuel expenses can be cut down significantly by taking a few simple measures.
Perform Routine Maintenance
It sounds strange, but routine maintenance can solve a lot of fuel efficiency problems. For example, a dirty air filter under the hood restricts airflow. Since many vehicles require an air to fuel ratio of 14.7:1 for optimal fuel economy, any blockage (including a dirty air filter) in the air intake system will hurt fuel economy – sometimes significantly.
Oil filters are another way to save yourself money. By changing your oil filter, you’re preventing the buildup of contaminates in the engine. Why is that important? Oil is like blood for an engine. It lubricates all metal parts. But, during this process, it’s inevitable that the metal parts start to wear down. Contaminates end up in the oil, which is then sent through an oil filter at the bottom of the engine block.
Over time, this filter clogs up and needs to be changed. If you don’t change it regularly, the viscosity of the oil changes, causing the engine to run less efficiently and thus requiring more fuel. If the filter gets really bad, the engine could overheat and seize.
Keep Tires Properly Inflated
Keeping your tires properly inflated is another great way to cut down on the fuel you use. Under-inflated tires increase rolling resistance. This, in turn, causes fuel economy to decrease. On most commercial vehicles, rolling resistance makes up anywhere between 15 per cent (in the city) and 25 per cent (during highway driving) of the drag on the vehicle. A decrease in tire pressure from 35 psi to 28 psi will increase rolling resistance by about 12.5 per cent, affecting fuel economy accordingly.
To figure out how this affects fuel economy, you would multiply the effect of rolling resistance on fuel economy by the change in rolling resistance. So, for city driving, if your vehicle gets 35 mpg, you would see an almost 2 per cent decrease in fuel economy with slightly under-inflated tires.
It doesn’t sound like much, but it adds up. If you spend $100 per week in fuel, that’s $8 per month you’re wasting. But, over a 10-year vehicle lifespan, you’re wasting almost $1,000. Can’t you find something better to do with that money than let it get burned off through the tread?
Drive Slower
It’s no secret that driving fast decreases fuel economy. But did you know that gas mileage dramatically decreases at speeds in excess of 50 MPH/80Km/H. Did you know that each 5 MPH/8Km/H you drive over 50 MPH/80Km/H, you pay the equivalent of an additional $0.25 per gallon/per 3.7 litres for fuel? It’s true. Slow down. Save money.
Carpool and Combine Shipments
Instead of filling out a new car coverage app for another vehicle, try to consolidate company cars and carpool. Now, you won’t be able to do this all of the time, but carpooling and combining shipments can potentially erase the cost of another vehicle altogether.
Use The Highest Gear
Driving in the highest gear puts the least strain on the transmission and allows the engine to spin at lower speeds. Because of this, the engine requires less fuel. You save money. Your financial officer is happy.
Robert Conway has managed a small business fleet for quite some time now. An avid blogger, he likes to share what he has learned over the years by posting on various websites.
