The high price of fuel

Well Hello, this is my first blog, so here it goes.

Fuel, we all need it if we are going drive from point A to point B. As an owner operator the price of fuel affects my bottom line. At the end of the day (or run), my profit is what is important to me.

So I had to ask myself, what can I do as a driver to make a difference on my fuel milage? I went back to all the training I had,what I read and hear in the trucking industry. I can make some difference. I can watch the way I shift the truck, progressive shifting, skip shifting when I can, if the load is not heavy and I not going up hill. Watching my foot on the fuel pedal, pretending there is a Egg underneath. In other words not flooring it when I need to pick up speed, or when I am taking off from a stop. I thought maybe I can anticipate a stop, like a stop light, and slow down hoping the light turns green before I need to come to a complete stop. Now here is the big one, and maybe the hardest one, Slow down, don't run so fast. I try and drive about 60-65 mph on the interestate. Sure it is fun driving 70-75 mph, but you will use a lot more fuel if you do. So slowing down helps a lot on your MPG.
Keeping up with the mechanical end of your truck helps in better fuel MPG. Keeping the tires inflated to the correct air pressure helps, I run 105psi in the steers and 100psi in the drives. I check them often to maintain that pressure. I have a PM done on my truck every 12,000 miles. I make sure that my Air filter is clean, I have it changed every 50,000 miles. Even it looks like it may go another 20,000 miles. If you do run with a dirty air filter it will cause you to use more fuel. Get all new fuel filters, of course, when the PM is done too.
This is only a few things we can do as a driver and O/O to fight the high fuel prices. There are many more things we can do, I know. If you have any more suggestions please feel free to post them.

Thats all for now, everyone take care, happy trucking!
Don (smokinjoe)
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Category Posted: General