NEW YORK, NY — Fleets need to maintain their vehicles to ensure safe and reliable performance, avoid costly breakdowns, and allow the vehicles to reach their maximum useful life. However, even a vehicle that is running safely and reliably can achieve fuel economy savings thanks to additional or better-optimized maintenance.

That’s according to the latest “Confidence Report” released Tuesday by the group Trucking Efficiency, a joint operation of the North American Council for Freight Efficiency and Carbon War Room, that explores the link between maintenance practices and fuel economy.

Through its research, the study team found that the trucking industry is aware of the impact poor maintenance has on fuel economy but is unable to quantify it, and is therefore uncomfortable making decisions concerning investments that would improve the maintenance process.

Yet the study team found that fleets that implemented rigorous preventive maintenance programs saw fuel consumption improvements in the 5percent to 10 percent range.

The report also contains a confidence matrix that expresses the study team’s confidence in maintenance measures, and offers recommendations for fleets interested in using this approach to improve fuel economy.

This report is part of the group’s “Confidence Report” series, intended to help end users and manufacturers determine whether to adopt a specific technology or set of solutions.

The series also includes tire pressure systems, 6×2 axle configurations, idle reduction technology, electronically controlled transmissions, programmable engine parameters, low rolling resistance tires, lightweighting, and downspeeding, and upcoming reports on tractor aerodynamics, trailer aerodynamics, and lubricants.

You can read or download the report from the Trucking Efficiency website.