Improving Efficiency Through Technology

Keep the RPMs the same at any speed and gear.

Are you tracking your fuel mileage ON PAPER, not with the dash or ELD reading? If so, what is it?

Does your truck have a fuel pressure gauge and a turbo boost gauge? I watch those two and the tachometer more than anything. I never use the cruise control unless I feel like passing another vehicle. My 7 year average for all dispatched miles is well above 8.5 MPG.

My company doesn’t give fuel efficiency bonuses. Not much incentive there for drivers to strive for peak efficiency. I find it a little odd that they don’t put more emphasis on fuel usage.

That's a good avg mpg.

I track what the app says I'm getting. It tends to be slightly better than the dash. I travel the Northeast and the Midwest. When I'm hauling primarily in the midwest, I can average around 8.5 mpg. When I'm in the Northeast, I average about 7.5 mpg. For the month of January, I'm at 7.8 mpg. In my Volvo for the first three months, I averaged about 8.5 mpg. I use cruise heavily unless I'm in heavy traffic or below 35 mpg on short distances, such as final few miles into my stops. If I had to use paper, I'd say the APP is more accurate than the dash.

Keep the RPMs the same at any speed and gear.

Are you tracking your fuel mileage ON PAPER, not with the dash or ELD reading? If so, what is it?

Does your truck have a fuel pressure gauge and a turbo boost gauge? I watch those two and the tachometer more than anything. I never use the cruise control unless I feel like passing another vehicle. My 7 year average for all dispatched miles is well above 8.5 MPG.

I'm always amazed that the same companies who swear there's no way they can pay their drivers more always have an UNLIMITED budget for these types of things. Yes, you could save $1,000 A YEAR, ON PAPER by doing a lot of frippery but I guarantee your employer will be paying much more to the company that makes the gizmo than they will be saving on fuel (or additional pay for their drivers).

You're right. Companies spend a lot of money trying to save money. In this case, 200 drivers saving an average of 1 gallon per day @ $4.50 per gallon, multiplied by 250 avg days driving per year per driver, is a savings of $275,000 in one year. I wouldn't know how much they spent on the software and program. But it probably wasn't $275,000. A company that doesn't do what it takes to survive and thrive in a highly competitive market will probably get left behind.

I don't mind saving a couple of pennies for a company that takes good care of me.

I'm always amazed that the same companies who swear there's no way they can pay their drivers more always have an UNLIMITED budget for these types of things. Yes, you could save $1,000 A YEAR, ON PAPER by doing a lot of frippery but I guarantee your employer will be paying much more to the company that makes the gizmo than they will be saving on fuel (or additional pay for their drivers).