Report indicates fuel savings come from use of variety of technologies

by Truck News

ARLINGTON, Va. – A study has determined that the median fleet-wide fuel economy is 6.5 miles per gallon, and that the number was achieved through the use of a variety of fuel saving technologies.

For truck-tractors, aluminum wheels, speed limiters and low rolling resistance tires were reported as the most common fuel saving technologies, while for trailers, low rolling resistance tires, aluminum wheels and weight saving technologies were most common.

The study was conducted by the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) in conjunction with the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI).

Aerodynamic treatments and idle reduction were identified by study respondents as technologies that have shown both the best and worst return on investment.

“This report shows which technologies fleets are using and which ones they are more skeptical about,” said Steve Niswander, vice-president of safety policy and regulatory relations with Groendyke Transport, Inc. and chairman of ATRI’s research advisory committee. “It also serves to highlight the difficulties fleets face when deciding which technologies are the best investments.”

The study also found that limited use of alternative fuels with biodiesel blends identified as the most common alternative fuel being used today.


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