“Beyond being a large, unavoidable business expense, fuel is an owner-operator’s biggest controllable expense,” according to part one of a 12-part series of articles on fuel from ATBS.
I would say that statement is true not just for owner-operators but also for fleets of all sizes. Fuel is a big part of operating a truck, but it is also something that fleets can control. Larger fleets, of course, can negotiate fuel prices so may have an advantage in the at-the-pump price, but everyone can achieve fuel-economy gains by making a commitment to do so and acting on that commitment.
In the past, I have talked about things fleets can do to help control their fuel costs as well as explaining why even when fuel prices are low it is a good idea to be mindful of ways to reduce fuel costs.
But I think now is a good time for a little reminder because the Energy Information Administration’s Summer Fuels Outlook, predicts nationwide retail diesel prices could reach $2.96 a gallon. This is up from the $2.43 a gallon diesel cost in the summer of 2020. That is a significant increase so fleets and owner-operators will feel the impact to their bottom line. While even fleets that have already taken action to improve fuel efficiency will feel a pinch, the impact will be less than for those fleets who have not focused on fuel economy because recently fuel prices have been low.
The good news is that it is never too late to start focusing on improving fuel economy. There are a variety of add-on devices that fleets can invest in that will lead to fuel economy improvements while at the same time offering a favorable ROI — especially as fuel prices rise.
If you don't have the budget for add-on devices, there are still no-cost options that will help you get more miles per gallon. The first is resetting electronic engine parameters to optimize for fuel economy. While it can take some time to get the parameters set across the fleet, savings in the 5% to 8% range are possible when all parameters are optimized for fuel economy. Adjusting just a few key parameters — vehicle speed and idle reduction — can lead to fuel savings in the 3% to 5% range. Other than your time, resetting parameters doesn’t cost you anything.
The other free fuel economy improver is the driver. Depending on who you talk to, drivers can have as much as a 30% impact on fuel economy. Drivers that are committed to consistently driving in a fuel-efficient manner continuously demonstrate that they can achieve fuel economy numbers well above the national average. Drivers were a key element in the 10.1 MPG and 8.3 MPG averages
In both Run on Less 2017 and Run on Less Regional. The drivers who participated in both Runs are passionate about fuel economy and understand their role in the fuel economy equation. And best of all, these elite drivers share their fuel efficiency driving knowledge with the whole industry to try to help all fleets and owner-operators go more miles with less fuel burned.
As we traverse what we here at NACFE call the “messy middle” on our way to an electric future, we need to continue to push the fuel economy envelope with diesel-powered vehicles. Diesel trucks are going to be around for the foreseeable future, so making them more efficient makes good economic and environmental sense.
Michael Roeth has worked in the commercial vehicle industry for nearly 30 years, most recently as executive director of the North American Council for Freight Efficiency. He currently serves on the second National Academy of Sciences Committee on Technologies and Approaches for Reducing the Fuel Consumption of Medium and Heavy-Duty Vehicles and has held various positions in engineering, quality, sales and plant management with Navistar and Behr/Cummins.
I’ve been seeing a lot in the news lately about advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).
On one hand, the National Transportation Safety Board‘s (NTSB) 2021 Most Wanted List includes a wish to require collision avoidance and connected vehicle technologies on all vehicles. According to NTSB, “A large percentage of highway crashes are caused by distracted or inattentive drivers. Collision-avoidance and connected-vehicle technologies can address the human error that can lead to crashes-saving thousands of lives on the nation’s roads.”
The agency specifically referred to things like forwarding collision warning and automatic emergency braking because they can warn drivers of upcoming hazards and also can act in the event the driver fails to take action based on the warning.
On the other hand, during a session at the recent Technology & Maintenance Council meeting, we learned that fleets have been slow to adopt ADAS. During the session, the American Transportation Research Institute’s senior vice president Dan Murray explained that fleets and drivers say they are concerned that driver control will be compromised if ADAS is installed on a vehicle. Murray believes this is a result of a misunderstanding of how the systems work. There is also concern over cost and maintenance of the systems.
Far be it for me to tell you what types of technology to invest in for your fleet; every fleet owner has to make that decision for themselves. What I will do is encourage you to investigate these systems so that you understand what they can and can’t do, how they operate, and their benefits and challenges. Once your research is complete you can make an informed decision about whether to spec ADAS on your vehicles.
I want to add a couple of additional thoughts: ADAS is not a substitute for good driving. The systems are designed — as the name implies — to assist drivers not to take their place. The systems warn drivers about upcoming hazards so the driver can take the appropriate action. They only intervene when the driver fails to take action to avoid a collision. Even if you invest in ADAS, you still need drivers to focus on the road and you need strong policies concerning distracted driving.
The goal is to avoid having to have the system emit warnings in the first place because your drivers are already driving safely. But we know that many crashes involving trucks are the result of a passenger car cutting in too close to the front of the truck. In those instances, ADAS can be a big help.
As for the concern over the cost of these systems, I will say this: what is the cost of one accident? Given the large verdicts that some juries have been awarding plaintiffs in crashes involving heavy-duty vehicles, it seems to me you might want to at least consider a system that could help you avoid an accident altogether. As you evaluate your investment in ADAS, confer with your insurance carrier as there may be some insurance savings attributable to equipping your vehicles with these systems.
To help you in your efforts to get educated on ADAS, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has videos and brochures that explain how the systems operate and look at return on investment. Consider checking those out on the agency’s website.
Like I said, I can’t tell you whether to invest in ADAS or not, but I sure think it is worth your time to learn more about them. After all, I think we all can agree that making our trucks and drivers safer on the road is a top priority.
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May 12, 2021 at 09:29PM
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Push the fuel economy envelope | FleetOwner - Fleet Owner
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