How Trucking Companies Can Reduce Fuel And Maintenance Costs

Fuel and maintenance costs for trucking companies are the biggest expenses they have associated with keeping their vehicles on the road.  In order for them to make a profit, they have to keep their trucks rolling and their customers' freight moving smoothly from warehouse to warehouse.  In order to do that and reduce costs, here are some tips trucking companies can use to help save on fuel and maintenance costs.

Reduce Idling Times

Truckers often let their trucks idle when they are warming it up on cold days, but idling can use more gas than you may think.  Idling a semi-truck can use about one gallon of gas per hour.  Most of the time, a truck doesn't need to be idled to warm up or you can cut down on the length of time you allow it to idle in cold weather.  Unnecessary idling also wears out engines faster, so it should be reduced as much as possible.

Tires Make a Difference

Although most people think that brand new tires are better for their vehicles than worn tires, that isn't necessarily true.  New tires actually use more fuel than half-worn tires.  By running your Peterbilt with half-worn tires, you can get about a 6% increase in fuel mileage over tires with new tread.  

Proper inflation will also allow tires to wear evenly, helping to improve fuel mileage and help them last longer.  The tires on the trailer need to be inspected and kept properly inflated because they can affect fuel mileage just as much as tractor tires.

Preventive Maintenance Musts

To help reduce down times and keep your trucks on the road, your company needs to have a preventive maintenance program.  Preventive maintenance saves on fuel costs and allows problems to be found before a truck breaks down on the road.  

Preventive maintenance includes checking air pressure and tread wear on tires on a regular basis, changing fuel and oil filters on a set schedule and making sure the truck is properly aligned.  Drivers should be instructed to check fluid levels, tire pressure and look under the hood whenever they stop for fuel.  

By keeping the trucks in your fleet in good shape, you can reduce your fuel and repair costs.  It also prevents downtime for both the trucks from places like Arrow Truck Sales and drivers.  Downtime often results in unhappy customers.  Proper truck maintenance helps your company service your clients' needs and it reduces your costs.