The North American Council for Freight Efficiency’s (NACFE) Fleet Fuel Study reveals that fleet-wide fuel efficiency has significantly improved over the last two years, with average miles per gallon (MPG) rising to 7.62 in 2022 and 7.77 in 2023. These results mark year-over-year gains of 4.2% and 2.0%, following a period of little improvement from 2018 to 2021.

During a webinar discussing the study, Yunsu Park, NACFE’s director of engineering and the lead author, emphasized the role of technological and operational advancements. “The adoption rate for the Fleet Fuel Study fleets of all technologies is at an all-time high, and so are MPGs,” he explained, noting that broader market trends also contributed to the gains.

The study highlights that the adoption of fuel-saving technologies has reached 42%, up from just 17% in 2003. This increase has allowed the 14 participating fleets, which operate 75,000 trucks, to save $512 million in 2023 compared to the average truck on the road.

“The trucking industry has made tremendous progress in improving MPG,” said Mike Roeth, NACFE’s executive director, in a related press release. “While the fleets in the Fleet Fuel Study had an average MPG of 7.8, the national average is 6.9. And that’s a huge improvement that the industry should be very proud of.”

Balancing operational shifts, decarbonization challenges

The study noted that a shift toward regional haul and shorter routes has slightly reduced MPG, as trucks spend more time on non-interstate and local roads, where fuel efficiency is lower. Despite this, technological advances and fleet renewals have driven significant efficiency gains.

The study also underscores the challenges posed by the industry’s focus on decarbonization, which has stretched resources. Investments in zero-emission vehicles, such as battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell trucks, may have slowed the adoption rate of traditional fuel-saving technologies in recent years.

Long-haul trucking, which represents 9% of vehicles but contributes 48% of trucking emissions, remains a critical focus area for efficiency improvements.

The Fleet Fuel Study, now in its 10th year, continues to provide benchmarking tools for fleets to assess and improve their efficiency, NACFE said during the webinar. With fuel remaining one of the most significant operating costs for fleets, NACFE emphasized the importance of adopting efficiency strategies to lower costs and emissions.

The full report, including detailed metrics and downloadable data, is now available on NACFE’s website.