67 tips to boost fuel economy

1 | Overdrive | November 2012

tipsSaving money on fuel will never be less important than it is today. Diesel prices have been rising virtually every week since early July, making $4 diesel the new normal, and perhaps dirt cheap by standards a year from now.

Gaining even 1 mile per gallon means a huge savings. With diesel at $4 per gal-lon, an owner-operator averaging 6 mpg and driving 120,000 miles a year will save $16,000 a year over one who averages 5 mpg.

See if you can apply any of these tips to your operation. Each one will add dol-lars to your bottom line.

By Todd Dills, Jack Roberts, James Jaillet and Aaron Huff

to boostfuel economy

November 2012 | Overdrive | 2

5 Consolidate fuel purchases. Fuel card pro-

viders have negoti-ated discounts with truck stops, but just as important, driv-ers and fleets can use the data they collect to compare and to consolidate fuel purchases to negotiate more savings.

6 Don’t rely on pump price. Check online

sources for infor-mation on state fuel taxes. Only after subtracting taxes from the pump price do you know the true price of the fuel.

7 Get the best possible fuel surcharge.

Surcharge terms differ in vari-ous ways, such as payment for empty miles. Make sure you know how yours is calculated. If it’s not fair, consider leasing elsewhere.

8 Bypass weigh stations and toll booths.

Enrolling in programs such as PrePass and electronic toll col-lection systems enables you to avoid burning extra fuel by stopping and then accelerating back to speed.

1 Use truck-routing tools. Choosing the shortest, most practical truck route can save hundreds of dollars a year in

fuel. Spoken, turn-by-turn directions will take you directly to street-level addresses. With a navigation aid, savings of 10 miles or more a week is possible by eliminating out-of-route miles.

2 Avoid traffic tie-ups. Rush hour, high-way construction and traffic jams not only suck hours from your on-duty

time, but they also require much decelera-tion and acceleration, which requires more fuel. Check Traffic.com or other sites each day to see potential construction and traf-fic on your route. Some smartphone apps and GPS units also provide real-time traffic information.

3 Plan fuel stops carefully. Some in-cab navigation systems and smartphone apps include real-time information in

their point-of-interest features that allow drivers to search for the nearest fuel loca-tions and cheapest prices on their route.

Online software systems help maximize fuel savings by finding the cheap-est locations to buy fuel. Systems such as this one from ProMiles compare fuel prices minus IFTA fuel taxes. This is the only fair way to compare fuel prices because owner operators get credit for IFTA taxes paid at the pump and since tax rates vary widely by state. These optimal fuel plans can save 4 to 11 cents a gallon. The systems factor in tank capacity, cur-rent fuel levels, truck stop preferences and other variables.

What’s the most effective fuel-saving device you’ve

applied to the truck in the past decade?

Josh Nileski: A 200-plus horsepower chip from Pittsburgh Power. As long as you keep the heat off her, you never have to go above 1,600 rpm climbing a hill.

Rich Rukstalis: Flow-through exhaust, fleet air filters, reprogrammed ECM and adjusting turbo wastegate. All these add up — not just one thing.

William McKelvie: 1) PDI exhaust mani-fold. 2) Fuel code reset. 3) Flow-through mufflers. 4) PDI tune (coming soon).

Anti-idlingIdling can cost $3,000 or more per year in fuel. This doesn’t include the added engine maintenance expense that results from excessive idling, which is harder on your truck’s engine than highway driving.

9 Turn off the engine. Avoid excessive warm-up times when starting the truck. Even for a short stop, you’ll save money by not idling. Look for other times when you have a habit of idling but can’t justify it.

Many inverters and APUs 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 truck stop electrifica-tion movement to help eliminate idling has gained steam in the past year, with plug-in options available at many more parking spaces.

4Optimize fuel purchases.

10Use shore-power when it’s available.

67 tips to boost fuel economy


18 Use your reefer for climate control. The unique reefer-based Idle Free Electric APU, developed initially by

Overdrive 2006 Trucker of the Year Robert Jordan, uses the power capacity of the reefer unit to function much as a diesel APU would – running cab accessories and climate con-trol devices when the truck is idle as well as charging truck batteries.

19 Install an automatic engine start-stop system. These can be set up to shut down the engine after a certain

amount of idle time or, tied to a thermo-stat, to turn on when the cab goes above or below a certain temperature. Entering the market late this year, the Idle Smart system will measure internal and external tempera-tures and interact with truck cooling and heating sources, outside air and engine block heat to keep the cab comfortable.

11Buy a diesel-powered APU. While your truck’s engine can use a gallon of diesel per hour idling, recent estimates indicate a diesel auxiliary power unit burns about a fifth of that.

12 Get an electric APU. These systems typi-cally utilize electric

power from a bank of high-capacity absorbed glass mat batteries – often replacing your truck’s starting bat-teries – to power climate control units and in-cab accessories. Often, a diesel-fired heater is included in the system for heating. The systems cost roughly half to two-thirds of most diesel APUs. They won’t cover your power needs over a 34-hour restart, but for drivers getting home once a week they could be most appropriate.

13 Purchase a diesel-powered heater. Operators in north-

ern climates may not need to shell out up to $9,000 for a full-function diesel APU because a less expensive diesel-fired heater can keep the cab plenty warm while burning around a quarter of the fuel an APU uses.

14 Use a DC air condi-tioner. If your need for cooling when rest-

ing is low, battery-powered air conditioners can be paired with high-capacity batteries and a fuel-fired heater for a comprehensive cab climate control alternative to idling.

PROFIT OFF THE SURCHARGE. Try to beat the miles-per-gallon your fuel surcharge is based on, typically 6 mpg. If you can do better, you pocket the extra money.

SMART DRIVING. Of the many factors affect-ing fuel efficiency, such as aerodynamics and tire maintenance, more than a third is attributed to driv-ers’ skills.

17 Get a mobile generator. Like diesel APUs, gasoline- or diesel-fired generators can be installed on the frame rail and utilized, often costing a fraction of an APU’s price, to power in-cab accessories and HVAC systems.

15 Get an engine block heater. If you find yourself operating far enough north that you often idle a lot to warm your engine, you might save in the

long run by getting a block heater.

16 Use an inverter. It will convert direct current from your batteries to alternating current to power in-cab accessories. If your idle time needs are limited,

installation of an inverter can supply adequate electricity to power in-cab electrical devices.

20Avoid revving the engine between shifts. Ease into each new gear, and don’t be in a hurry to climb through them.

Download engine data to compare your shifting behaviors – RPMs at shift point – to the optimal RPM “torque bands” for your engine. Adjusting your shifting to fit the make and model of engine can make a big difference. Every 1,000-rpm reduction in engine speed delivers a 1 percent gain in fuel economy.

22 Run in your engine’s “sweet spot.” Once you reach cruising speed, operating in the peak torque zone gives you optimum horsepower, so the engine runs most efficiently. It takes only about 200 horse-

power to maintain 65 mph.

21Adjust shifting patterns



36 Choose an aero-designed model for your next truck. Truck makers have perfected the design of the front bumper, hood, under-hood-breather, fenders, mir-

rors and other features to move air as smoothly as possible under, over and around the truck and trailer.

37 Add a roof fairing. If you’re running a flattop tractor or midroof in a van or reefer application, the addi-tion of an aftermarket roof fairing can smooth the

flow of air over the top of the trailer, improving fuel effi-ciency. Some tests indicate that a full roof fairing, combined with side shields/extenders, in certain applications can deliver up to a 15 percent improvement in fuel economy.

Add-ons like the trailer tail side skirts on owner-operator Brett Tobin’s van (pic-tured) can reduce aerodynamic drag and help stability in crosswinds. The tail reduces the drag

created by the vacuum at the back of a fast-moving tractor-trailer. Some operators report a full mile-per-gallon boost from using a trailer tail combined with side skirts.

24 Anticipate traffic signals . If you can approach slowly

and avoid a complete stop, it saves fuel and reduces equip-ment wear.

25 Minimize AC use. Running the air conditioner delivers

a 2⁄10 to 4⁄10-mpg hit.

26 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.

27 Lower your aver-age highway speed. Every mph over 55

equals a 0.1 mpg drop in fuel economy.

28 Maintain your diesel particulate filter. Much like a

clogged catalytic converter on your car, a plugged DPF hampers exhaust flow. It can lead to compression or combustion problems if left untreated.

30 Keep up with oil and oil filter changes. A well-maintained

engine not only lasts longer, but has an edge on fuel efficiency.

31 Keep belts at proper tension. Even slight slipping creates parasit-

ic horsepower loss. Make sure all belts are properly tightened and in good condition.

32 Avoid needless accel-eration. For example, don’t hit the throttle

too much when approaching the crest of a hill. 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.

33 Maintain fuel fil-ters. Clogged filters make the engine

run rough and work harder. Replace according to manu-facturer’s recommendation.

34 Maximize use of cruise control. That enables you to avoid

wasteful use of the throttle to climb hills.

35 Switch to a daycab and use motels. If your operation

doesn’t require too many over-the-road overnight stays, not only would you save on the cost of a tractor by buying a daycab instead of a sleeper, but the reduced weight and the reduced idling could also save fuel costs.

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23Maintain an extended following distance.

It helps to prevent unnecessary acceleration due to frequent braking.

38Add a tail.

29Use truck stops atop hills.

Driving uphill toward the truck stop allows natural deceleration and going downhill to re-enter the highway requires less fuel.

AerodynamicsThe most important factor in saving fuel at speeds greater than 55 mph is aerodynamics. Individual aero features can give impressive fuel economy savings – 2 percent, 4 percent and even higher. Don’t expect to add them all up for 20 percent or more improvement, but a thorough package of them can yield a 12 percent to 15 percent boost in fuel economy over a comparable conventional truck.



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39 Install side skirts. Many own-ers have installed these on van and reefer trailers to minimize

the drag produced by the swirling of air under the trailer. Side skirts can deliver a savings of 7.4 percent, according to EPA-verified SAE Type II testing.

40 Choose a lower sleeper roof. The stand-up sleeper with a full roof fairing is not always the most

fuel-efficient choice when it’s not paired with a dry van or reefer. In liquid bulk operations, a midroof sleeper is going to be your best bet for aerodynamics. In most flatbed applications, loads are unlikely to rise above the height of a midroof setup as well. For some high-density-load haulers, a flattop may even be the best choice.

41 Use rounder mirror backs. If you’re utilizing old-style flat West Coast mirrors for the side

views, consider moving to mirrors

with a more rounded back to further enhance airflow.

42 Dress your tanks with aero steps. Fuel tank fairings paired with steps that smooth airflow

over the lower side of the tractor can improve fuel performance 2 to 3 per-cent, by some estimates.

43 Adjust the fifth wheel to narrow the truck-trailer gap. The ideal gap should be around 30 inches.

Every 10-inch increase produces 2 percent more drag. Move the fifth wheel forward, if possible, to get better fuel economy.

44 Use dry van gap fairings. At the front of dry vans, gap fairings ease airflow over the tractor-

trailer gap. This can boost fuel effi-ciency by 1 percent when paired with a highly aerodynamic tractor with a tight truck-trailer gap length.

Bob and Linda Caffee run with these aerodynamic hub covers on the drives of their Freightliner Cascadia expedit-ing straight truck. Hub manufacturers estimate 1.5 percent to 3 percent in fuel savings when all outside-facing wheels are outfitted with the devices, which smooth airflow across the wheels.

46 Use cab side extenders. For tractors not already optimized for aerodynamics, installa-

tion of cab side extenders can create a smoother airflow over the tractor-trailer gap. Makers estimate a fuel efficiency improvement of 1 to 3 percent.

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ills45Cover wheel hubs.



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47 Add nose cone fairing. For flat-top or midroof tractor owners pulling dry vans, nose cone

fairing technology combines the vertical fairing of more standard tractor-trailer gap technology with an outsize fairing at the top to direct air both over the trailer and down and around the sides.

Some owner-operators swear by Airtabs, such as these installed on owner-operator James McCarter’s Freightliner. Recommended installa-tion is on the hood, along the sides

and at the top rear of the tractor and/or trailer. The company says each one creates air swirls “that combine to reduce the suction and drag at the rear of vehicles traveling at speeds above approximately 35 mph.” Based on a study involving Britain’s Institute of Road Transport Engineers, the tech-nology is said to produce fuel savings of 2 to 4 percent.

49 Choose aero mudflaps. Years ago, some owner-operators running wide-single tires in

drive and trailer positions began cus-tom-cutting mudflaps and brackets to eliminate the overhang of conventional mudflaps to reduce drag. Other options exist today, such as porous mudflaps.

50 Use aluminum wheels. The weight reduction relative to steel brings better fuel economy.

It can also mean a payload increase.

51 Choose a 13-liter engine over a 15-liter. Unless your application absolutely needs the extra mus-

cle, there is a considerable fuel savings with the smaller engine.

52 Choose trucks with lighter specs. Having 2,000 extra pounds results in a tenth of a

mile per gallon hit.

53 Use a hybrid in city operation. They can cut fuel consump-tion as much as 50 percent

in pickup and delivery applications. Return on investment is around 12 to 13 years, but federal and state incentive programs can reduce that. California, for example, offers a $25,000 incentive for the first hybrid purchased and $20,000 for each hybrid thereafter.

48Install Airtabs.



54 Choose a truck with smaller fuel tanks. Fuel weighs 7 pounds to the gallon, so a smaller tank

can cut weight significantly.

55 Spec the optimal gear ratio. Gear ratios can be optimized for a variety of applications.

For a highly efficient highway ratio, 3:08 is a good choice for most trucks, says the Technology and Maintenance Council of the American Trucking Associations.

56 Use an automated manual transmission. Don’t let acqui-sition costs scare you off.

These transmissions have been proven to deliver vastly better fuel economy than manual transmissions.

Tires After diesel, an owner-operator’s biggest vari-able expense is tires. Maintaining them well not only extends their lifespan but also can save hun-dreds of dollars a year in fuel.

57 Use tires with low rolling resis-tance. Deeper lug tires usually last longer, but the extended

tread’s very slight movement is enough to decrease fuel economy. Shallower lugs decrease rolling resistance and give improved fuel economy.

58 Run wide-based tires. They have been proven to deliver better fuel economy than duals.

59 Monitor tire pressure. Each 10 psi of underinflation reduces fuel economy by 1 percent.

Check pressure during pretrip. Tire pressure monitoring systems can monitor the pressure of each tire and, through wireless communications, pro-vide instant alerts through a display in the cab the instant a tire is under-inflated.

60 Check wheel alignment. Make alignment testing – both on the tractor and trailer – part

of your periodic maintenance. It’s


WINTER CHILLS FUEL ECONOMY. You get fewer miles per gallon during winter months because cold air is thicker and harder for trucks to move through. Every 10 degrees of extra warmth equates to a 2 per-cent improvement in fuel economy.

WINTER FUEL BLENDS. Because fuel sold in northern climates for winter has a lower BTU content than summer blend fuels, fuel economy is poorer.

essential for optimum fuel economy and maximum tire life.

61 Match tires well to your application. If you’re running long-haul and using tires designed for any other

application, your fuel economy will suffer.

Analyze data Today’s electronic control modules capture and display a lot of informa-tion on fuel performance. Dealers and fleets can extract this informa-

tion, much of which relates to fuel economy. You may need up to six months of data before the numbers stabilize and yield useful trends.

62 Analyze your fuel consumption trends. When miles-per-gallon falls, try to determine why. Did

you encounter much more urban driv-ing? Did your length of haul change? As a general rule, drops of more than 0.5 mpg are due to maintenance problems. ECMs can be wildly optimistic, so your actual mileage may be lower than indi-cated. Validate ECM readings with your own calculations based on the odometer and gallons purchased at fill-up.

63 Isolate data and look for cor-relations. The ECM records many things that can affect fuel

economy. Look for noticeable changes in average speed, top gear time, idle time, DPF regenerations, shifting and idling. Compare those trends with fuel economy during the same period. You might be surprised at the potential for saving fuel by changing the way you operate.

64 Check your fuel consumption by route. If you have dedicated runs that can be made via

interstate or a shorter route with a lot of stop-and-go traffic, run trials for fuel usage and time to see which is the most efficient.

65 Get an extra set of eyes. Some technology companies offer services tailored to owner-oper-

ators to maximize fuel savings. These companies can monitor engine data and fuel purchases and provide real-time feedback and consulting.

66 Use reefer monitoring systems. An often overlooked expense is burning excess fuel to cool

trailers. Trailer monitoring systems cap-ture the vital information needed to use no more fuel than necessary.

67 Get oil analysis. The main value of routine analysis is identify-ing engine problems before they

become serious, but some of those prob-lems can affect fuel usage as well.




67 tips to boost fuel economy

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