Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/87831
67 TIPS TO BOOST FUEL ECONOMY 47 Add nose cone fairing. For flat- top or midroof tractor owners pulling dry vans, nose cone fairing technology combines the vertical fairing of more standard tractor-trailer gap technology with an outsize fairing at the top to direct air both over the trailer and down and around the sides. and at the top rear of the tractor and/ or trailer. The company says each one creates air swirls "that combine to reduce the suction and drag at the rear of vehicles traveling at speeds above approximately 35 mph." Based on a study involving Britain's Institute of Road Transport Engineers, the tech- nology is said to produce fuel savings of 2 to 4 percent. 49 48 Install Airtabs. Some owner-operators swear by Airtabs, such as these installed on owner-operator James McCarter's Freightliner. Recommended installa- tion is on the hood, along the sides Choose aero mudflaps. Years ago, some owner-operators running wide-single tires in drive and trailer positions began cus- tom-cutting mudflaps and brackets to eliminate the overhang of conventional mudflaps to reduce drag. Other options exist today, such as porous mudflaps. 50 Use aluminum wheels. The weight reduction relative to steel brings better fuel economy. It can also mean a payload increase. 51 Choose a 13-liter engine over a 15-liter. Unless your application absolutely needs the extra mus- cle, there is a considerable fuel savings with the smaller engine. in pickup and delivery applications. Return on investment is around 12 to 13 years, but federal and state incentive programs can reduce that. California, for example, offers a $25,000 incentive for the first hybrid purchased and $20,000 for each hybrid thereafter. 52 53 (Continued on page 87) Choose trucks with lighter specs. Having 2,000 extra pounds results in a tenth of a mile per gallon hit. Use a hybrid in city operation. They can cut fuel consump- tion as much as 50 percent Done Text INFO to 50298 or visit ovdinfo.com November 2012 | Overdrive | 31 connected. Tougher. More