Propickup Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/119529
between gears at a steady speed. Instructions to lock out overdrive are to avoid unneeded strain caused by over shifting. Instruct employees not to leave their vehicles idling, too. If the weather is hot and they're using air conditioning, the amount of fuel used may be doubled while the truck sits idling. Remember, today's engines don't use much fuel on restarts, so turn the engine off when the truck is sitting for more than a couple minutes. Slowing highway speeds saves even more fuel. Gas mileage decreases rapidly above 55 mph. In fact, because of aerodynamic drag, pickups drop about 1mpg for every 5mph gain between 55-70mph. Driving at speeds above 70 mph kills fuel economy at an even more precipitous pace. Train employees to inspect their company vehicles and to pay attention to changes and warning signs. VEHICLE CARE Let's look at tire awareness as an example. Tires that are under-inflated can lower gas mileage by 0.3 percent for every 1psi drop. While newer vehicles have tire pressure monitoring systems, they only activate once tire pressure is 25-percent lower than factory recommended pressure. At that point you're already losing a significant amount of fuel mileage. Properly inflated tires are also safer and will wear more evenly, making them last longer which can end up saving you money as well. So educate your drivers on paying attention to the tires. Maintaining proper alignment is another money saver, About the author: Robin Walton has been a licensed contractor for more than 20 years and has 16 years of financial accounting and systems experience. With a degree in accounting/economics and hands-on construction experience, she understands the day-to-day business of contractors and landscapers. preventing loss of fuel mileage from extra resistance or drag from improper alignment. If employees notice the vehicle pulling from side to side or uneven tire wear during their routine vehicle inspections, they need to schedule their vehicle to have the alignment checked. While proper preventative maintenance for your fleet is probably scheduled, randomly occurring maintenance issues such as a bad oxygen sensor can drastically affect fuel mileage. Drivers should report a drop in fuel economy or change in the vehicle's performance. And don't overlook carrying around unnecessary cargo and tools as a way to improve fuel economy. While many times you need a fully loaded pickup to get the job done, you'd be surprised what some of your drivers are dragging around unnecessarily. Careful planning in terms of material delivery and rarely used tools or parts could net a significant savings in fuel use. When your employees understand how little changes in their driving habits and their vehicle affect the corporate bottom line (and their paychecks), you should see a little more black ink at the end of the year. Text INFO to 205-289-3781 or visit www.ppmrequest.com propickupmag.com PROPICKUP 23 Untitled-12 1 PP0413_Money Matters.indd 23 3/6/13 9:36 AM 3/8/13 11:07 AM