MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – Whether you like it or not, high fuel prices appear here to stay. But rather than throwing up your hands and throwing in the towel, many drivers are choosing to use common sense conservation techniques to help ease their fuel bills at the end of the month (see page 57 for tips). Truck News stopped by the Husky Truck Stop on Shawson Drive in Mississauga, Ont. to find out what drivers are doing to get the most mileage for their money.

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David Good, company driver with TST Expedited Services out of Windsor, Ont, said one way he helps save on fuel is by making sure his tires have the right amount of air pressure.

“I also try to drive at a steady speed and avoid all the four-wheelers besides myself, because I drive a four-wheeler,” said the cargo van driver from Wooster, Ohio.

Good also says he avoids buying fuel north of the border, as he often finds prices in the U.S. more forgiving to his wallet.

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Mark St. Onge, another driver with TST Expedited Services, said that when fuel prices are up he tends to lower his speed a little. However, St. Onge said that at times burning a little extra fuel to get to your destination on time is often a more lucrative alternative than slowing down.

“It depends. Sometimes when you have freight that someone’s waiting on, you’re going to push the speed limit to get there on time. Other times it’s for you. You want to get it there and get it off your truck so now you’re in line for the next load. The quicker you get it off the van, the quicker you get in rotation for another load. The longer it’s on there, the less chance of you getting more freight,” he said. “Sometimes the mileage doesn’t matter. Just get it there as quickly as you can and make some more money.”

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Cliff King, a driver with Winnipeg Motor Express, said he tries to keep his RPMs down as best as he can in order to conserve fuel, though his actually speed doesn’t usually cause him to burn extra fuel because the company is speed-limited anyway. Even so, King said that fuel prices should be one of the most important things on a driver’s mind.

“Every time you sit down and do your truck payments, your fuel is your biggest expense,” he said.

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Phil Jordan, runs team with his wife, Phyllis, for Kindersley Transport out of Saskatoon, Sask. He says over the last couple years, he and his wife have become much more aware of the importance of fuel conservation. He said Kindersley does its part by providing its drivers information on where they can buy the cheapest fuel. Jordan also said that whether you’re an O/O or a company driver, all truckers should be concerned about fuel economy.

“It effects the bottom line for the company which indirectly effects the bottom line for me, because when I go in there looking for pay, I just burned all their money on fuel.”