Even if fuel prices begin to drop, it’s unlikely that they’ll hit the 10-year low that we were enjoying prior to last winter. So unless you want your money to go up in smoke, you should try to adhere to some fuel-efficient trucking techniques. Consider the following:

Slow down: If your truck has an “excellent” aerodynamic package – with such things as a roof fairing and side skirts – you can save between one and two per cent in your fuel consumption if you drop your highway speeds by 2 km-h. Drop the same truck’s highway speed by 8 km-h and you can cut between five and eight per cent off your fuel costs. If your truck is less-than-aerodynamic, such as a long-nosed conventional design with a flat-top sleeper, you can reduce your fuel consumption by 10 to 15 per cent with an 8 km-h drop in highway speeds.

Stop the idling: If the truck isn’t moving, it isn’t making money. And if it’s idling, you might as well be burning cash. Idling at 900 rpm can waste up to four litres of fuel in an hour. If a rig idles six hours a month for six months a year, and is on the road for 20 days a month, you’re burning an additional 2,160 litres of diesel. But if you don’t want to deal with the cold, consider spec’ing a supplemental bunk heater, which will use a fraction of a litre of fuel every hour. Modern engine electronics can also be programmed to shut down an idling truck after a pre-determined period.

Gear fast and run slow: this spec’ing option ensures that your truck can deliver a highway speed at the rpm at which it sees the best combination of torque, horsepower and fuel economy (say, at about 1,400 rpm). That will let you drive at about 90 km-h between 1,200 and 1,300 rpm. But don’t waste the benefits of this gearing by running fast. If you drive the same engine at 145 km-h at 2,100 rpm, you won’t see much fuel economy.

Be progressive: Progressive shifting involves changing gears before an electronic engine reaches its maximum governed rpm. You only need to add enough throttle to push the shift lever into the next gear without lugging the engine. Grab a gear as soon as you can.

Spec’ for the air: A linehaul truck that travels at highway speed can see a half per cent improvement in fuel economy for every full per cent improvement in aerodynamics. Just keep in mind that all aerodynamic devices are not created equal. A roof deflector can improve aerodynamics six per cent; a full roof fairing can offer a 15 per cent improvement. Fifteen-inch cab extenders will offer one to two per cent, while an air-dammed bumper offers up to three per cent. n