In today’s fast-paced environment, fuel efficiency has become one of the most paramount factors in the world of transportation. Although we are seeing hyper-efficient engines and electric cars, fuel is still the leading concern for many professional drivers. The driving force for this change is; the high prices of fuel and environmental concerns.
Unless a tracking company decides to include equipment in your HGV training cost with the latest aerodynamic kit, fuel efficiency largely falls to the driver. For this reason, we have decided to help drivers make the most of their fuel by learning techniques they can use to save fuel consumption.
- Master Block Changing
This is something we often do without thinking about it. However, we do not do it nearly enough. Master block changing is a technique of avoiding gears that are not necessarily relevant at that moment and at the speed you are traveling at. What does this mean? Well, rather than working through all the gears, you instead miss some and go to the gear you need.
Research shows that drivers who master block change gears save a lot of fuel, which reduces revs and saves money on fuel. For example, assuming that you do not have any load or a very light load. Consider starting with gear 4 or 5 rather than starting off with gear 1. In a nutshell, prevent using gears that you do not necessarily need.
- Take Advantage of Cruise Control
Many modern vehicles today come with cruise control capabilities. This means that there is no reason not to use it. The benefit of cruise control is that it maintains a constant speed at a constant Rev point. This prevents unnecessary revs, braking, and accelerations. Remember, anytime you hit the accelerator even slightly you use a little more fuel and a small fluctuation in movement. When it comes to long hauls, this can save you a huge amount of money in fuel. Cruise control functions are designed to help the driver in many ways other than allowing the driver from constant gas pressing.
- Try as Much to Avoid Resistance
Resistance is a huge factor all drivers face while on the road. Remember, the bigger the vehicle the more resistance it will encounter. Because HGV carries heavy loads over long distances, it faces air resistance, gradient resistance, and even rolling resistance, which means the higher the resistance, the more fuel the vehicle will consume.
Although it is difficult to avoid resistance, you can surely reduce them. One of the best ways to do this is by choosing hilly routes and investing in a set of low rolling resistance tires. Also, do not forget to inflate them to the required pressure. Taking such simple steps can save fuel up to 6%. On the other hand, the more resistance you encounter, the more the engine will consume fuel.
- Avoid Standing Idle
It is very tempting during winter months to leave the HGV engine idling to prevent the heater from switching off or the radio/music from playing. However, every minute you spend leaving the engine idle, the more fuel it will consume. The best way to avoid this is by investing in driver-assist tools like extra batteries, winter jackets, converters, and others. The goal is to prevent leaving the engine running while resting.
