Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/652992
Text Nic Townsend Illustration Dan Hambe THE DRIVING CHALLENGE Speed moderation 1 2 Accelerating your truck converts fuel into the energy that propels your truck forward. That energy is then converted into heat when using the brakes, so you want to avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking as much as possible. Unnecessary use of the brakes can be minimized by always looking ahead to avoid any hard braking events. Instead, watch for changing road conditions and reduce the amount of throttle to use the momentum of your truck and load to increase coasting and avoid unnecessary accelerating and braking. Anticipation and braking Ideally you want to smoothly accelerate to your cruising speed and maintain that steady speed as much as possible. Once you pass 55 mph, the amount of fuel consumed to overcome air resistance begins to increase at a rapid rate. For every additional 1 mph increase over 55 mph, a reduction of 0.1 mpg is typical. Does the additional speed justify the extra fuel consumed? Perfect your technique How do you know if you're driving for maximum fuel efficiency? It is not as easy as simply measuring the quantity of fuel you use. Fuel consumption is relative and depends on a whole range of different factors including weather, traffic, load, topography, truck specifications and much more. But what you can do is ensure that your driving technique is as efficient as possible. Bruce Mochrie, Product and Industry Manager at Volvo Trucks, shares some tips, on how you can become a more fuel- efficient driver." By following these tips you can almost guarantee progress, which meas lower fuel costs, increased uptime and increased safety – and all without compromising time or productivity." B E N E F ITS Fuel economy Wear and tear Safety n n n n n n n n n n n n n n 16 D R I V E R ' S D I G ES T #1/2016