MARCH 1ST THIS year saw the ninth consecutive week of oil price increases. Big fuel-providers Caltex, Cleanfuel, Flying V, Petro Gazz, Petron, Phoenix, PTT Philippines, Seaoil, Total, and Unioil announced that gasoline prices will increase by ₱0.90 per liter and diesel by ₱0.80 per liter.
With the oil prices increasing every week, truck drivers and operators should watch their fuel consumption more closely or profits will take a hit.
Great news! There are simple and inexpensive ways to save on fuel and we listed five of them here:
1. Avoid long idling
Idling not only wastes precious fuel but also makes more engine wear without even moving the vehicle. Idling is only necessary when you have to have the engine running for the crane or other truck accessories to function.
2. Inflate tires to correct pressure
Always check if your truck’s tires are inflated to the correct pressure every time you have to use it. Underinflated tires get more friction on the road so your truck has to give some extra effort and fuel to move itself.
3. Keep up on Preventive Maintenance Schedule
Take care of your truck and your truck will take care of you. Regular Preventive Maintenance Schedule (PMS) does a ton of benefits on your truck and some of those even help you save on fuel. For example, regular PMS servicing ensures that your engine’s air filter is clean. A dirty air filter reduces air supply to your engine, causing a higher fuel-to-air ratio in combustion.
Another benefit of doing regular PMS servicing is that it ensures that your truck’s wheels are aligned properly as unaligned wheels fight each other and your trucks will be needing more effort and fuel to move them.
4. Get a fuel card
A fuel card is a great way for truck operators to monitor transactions between their truckers and fuel providers. A fuel card or fleet card is a payment card used at gas stations. Some gas stations even offer discounts for fuel cardholders and truck operators can take advantage of them to save on fuel costs.
5. Stay in high gear while driving
Proper rev-matching can save you fuel more than you would expect. Driving fast at low gear will consume 45% more fuel than what is needed. Make sure that you are driving at higher gears when driving at highway speeds.
Save on fuel; buy brand new
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