What would you suggest to prevent the misuse of fuel
Answers
Answered by
0

Leasing
Safety
Remarketing
Fuel
Upfitting
Global
Green Fleet
Telematics
Operations
Maintenance
Vehicle Research
FUEL
15 Ways to Save Fuel
April 1, 2008 • by Staff


These 15 suggestions will help you save energy, conserve fuel use, and reduce operating costs.
Photo via Pixabay.
Although fuel prices continue to hit record highs, you can take action to maximize fuel efficiency, save energy, and take steps to conserve fuel in commercial fleet vehicles. We spoke to fleet operators and gathered 15 suggestions for better fuel economy and best practices that you can implement in your fleet right away.
1. Avoid Long Idling
The worst mileage a vehicle can get is zero mpg, which occurs when it idles. Idling for long periods of time, whether at a railroad crossing or pulling off the road to make a cell phone call, consumes gas that could be saved by simply turning off the engine. Restarting an engine uses about the same amount of gas as idling for 30 seconds. When idling for longer periods of time, shut off the engine.
However, turning off the engine may disable vehicle functions, including safety features like airbags. Drivers should be certain to only utilize this strategy in situations where there is no possibility of collision.
2. Clean Out the Trunk and Eliminate Unnecessary Weight
Vehicles get much better mileage when they’re not loaded with unnecessary weight. Every 200 pounds of additional weight trims one mile off fuel efficiency. Most drivers accumulate material in their vehicle trunks, some of it unnecessary. Instruct drivers to remove all non-required items from the vehicle, such as unneeded tools or materials.
3. Keep Tires Inflated to the Correct Pressure
Buy tire gauges for your drivers so they can ensure tires are inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended level. One underinflated tire can cut fuel economy by 2% per pound of pressure below the proper inflation level. One out of four drivers, on average, drives vehicles with one or more underinflated tires. When a tire is underinflated by 4-5 psi below the manufacturer’s recommended tire pressure, for example, vehicle fuel consumption increases by 10% and, over the long haul, causes a 15% reduction in tire tread life. Check the vehicle’s doorpost sticker for minimum tire inflation pressure.
4. Don’t Buy Premium Fuel
Resist the urge to buy higher-octane gas for “premium” performance, unless the vehicle requires it. Octane has nothing to do with gasoline performance; it merely indicates the volatility factor in the combustion chamber. Unless your vehicle owner’s manual specifically requires it, don’t use premium fuel. Fuel costs could be cut as much as 10 cents per gallon by using regular fuel instead of premium.
5. Encourage Drivers to Observe Posted Speed Limits
This tip may save a life as well as fuel. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates a 10% to 15% improvement in fuel economy by driving 55 mph instead of 65 mph.
6. Shop Around for Best Fuel Prices
Check the Web for the best fuel deals. GasBuddy.com is a network of more than 179 city-specific Web sites with gas price information posted by users. Browse this site on a BlackBerry or other PDA to find cheap gas on-the-go.
Use a wholesale club or grocery store. Does your company have a business membership to a warehouse chain such as Costco, Sam’s Club, or BJ’s Wholesale Club? These wholesale clubs typically offer some of the lowest gas prices in town.
The downsides are that you may find lines at the pumps and the cost of membership (typically $40 to $45) will offset some of your savings if all you do is buy gas. Yet, if you shop at one of these anyway, or you’re a heavy gas user, you may still find the savings worthwhile.
Discount retailers, for example, Wal-Mart and Kmart, and grocery stores that have pumps also often charge less than the competition to get people on their lots. In addition, there’s no membership fee required at the discount retailers.
Similar questions