Efficiency is a team sport.
When everyone participates, your business wins. There are many behaviors and decisions that if adopted can add efficiencies in your fleet, which means keeping drivers safer, boosting uptime, and finding new ways to save. Greater efficiency can improve overall profitability and lower operating costs. Your whole team can be involved, from drivers to decision makers, by changing driver behavior as well as tire, lubricant, and fuel purchases and processes. Driver behavior Driver behavior can affect savings in many different ways, from equipment life and condition to lubricant and fuel usage. Tire decisions Type and condition of tires can also impact equipment life and fuel consumption. Lubricant decisions Type of lubricants used can influence how well equipment holds up on the road, along with uptime, maintenance costs, and fuel consumption. Fuel decisions Fuel quality and purchasing methods can impact the long-term life and efficiency of fleet engines and can help maximize fleet budgets. Greater efficiency can improve overall profitability and lower operating costs.
How drivers steer toward more efficiency. Inefficiency: Three potholes to avoid. Responsible driver behavior can help improve fleet efficiencies in many different ways, from increasing equipment life to lubricant longevity and fuel usage. Unnecessary idling Stop-and-start driving Obviously, obeying speed limits, accelerating gradually, and anticipating stops can help avoid accidents and unnecessary wear on brakes. But these behaviors can also affect lubricant and fuel efficiencies. In fact, driver behavior contributes to over 0% of fuel consumption. Driver behavior contributes to over 0% of fuel consumption. Many behaviors and decisions if adopted can add efficiencies in your fleet, keep drivers safer, boost uptime, and save time and money. Idling was not considered a problem until many fleets adopted telematics and were able to record how much idling happens in reality. While every fleet varies, some fleets have recorded idling as much as 0% of the time. Some drivers let trucks idle so they can comfortably rest at night or during breaks. Diesel-powered generators can maintain a truck s auxiliary systems overnight, use a fraction of the fuel, and incur no damage to the vehicle s mechanical systems. One hour of idling uses one gallon of diesel. If every truck in a 50-vehicle fleet idled one hour per day, the yearly fuel cost would be $48,5 enough to pay a senior driver s salary. Just like short runs, frequent stops and starts will wear out an engine much faster than normal driving. Drivers should follow routes that avoid stop-and-start driving whenever possible. Short distances are tough on vehicles because the engine oil never quite reaches temperatures high enough to boil off the moisture inside. This leaves the oil at risk of gumming up like tar. Extreme conditions Boost your bottom line by efficiently managing: Speed Gears Starts and stops Hills and momentum Stay within the posted speed limit, especially on highways. Operate in as high a gear as possible and skip gears when practical. Keep braking and accelerating smooth and gradual. Jackrabbit starts and stops are major contributors to inefficient driving. Use the momentum gathered on downhill terrain to get over uneven or hilly areas more economically and to coast on flat roads. Avoid heavy braking, which wastes momentum. Idling for more than 0 seconds uses more fuel and emits more pollutants than restarting your truck. Idling has effects throughout the engine, accelerating replacement schedules and quickening vehicle depreciation. The average heavy-duty truck burns approximately one gallon of diesel fuel for each hour it idles, generating significant amounts of pollution, wasting fuel, and causing excessive engine wear. 4 Driving in extreme temperatures is tough on engine oil. Cold temperatures can cause oil to thicken, which can impair bearing and cylinder wall lubrication at start-up. High-heat environments will not only lead to a drop in viscosity but can also result in harmful chemical reactions, such as oxidation within the oil, and shorten oil life. 5 You can t control the weather, but you can greatly minimize any adverse effects on your equipment by using high-performing lubricants designed to protect even in extreme temperatures. Technology Overview: Driver Coaching Aids, Trucking Efficiency, January 04. Conduct an Efficiency Audit to Eliminate Waste in Your Fleet Budget, Automotive Fleet, March 7, 07. The Real Cost of Trucking Per Mile Operating Cost of a Commercial Truck, TruckersReport.com, accessed July 8, 05, thetruckersreport.com/infographics/cost-of-trucking/. EPA report, accessed May 07. 4 Diesel Exhaust in the United States, EPA, June 00. 5 Optimizing Oil Change Intervals in Heavy-Duty Vehicles, Machinery Lubrication, October 0.
Less wear and tear on your bottom line. Engine oil: Lower viscosity means higher mpg. Lubricants affect equipment life. Heavy-duty lubricants are formulated to protect your equipment and keep your trucks on the road. But the challenges of the road can also challenge your lubricants. Heavy loads, high friction, high and low temperatures they all create stressful conditions that can shorten lubricant and equipment life. Factors that shorten lubricant life include: Sludge and soot Sludge forms through a combination of solid contaminants, moisture, and oxidation and can increase engine wear and shorten oil life. Water and coolant ingression Moisture, glycol, and acids can promote corrosion, deplete additives, and cause oil oxidation. Lubricants affect maintenance intervals. Challenges to lubricant stability and endurance are the reason for set lubricant change intervals. Changing your lubricants ensures a fresh start, free from contaminants that can cause damaging wear or breakdown. Formulated for the new API specifications, today s newer premium lubricants can extend oil change intervals bumper to bumper. Additionally, the synthetic molecules and additives in premium lubricants help them hold up longer, extending the time between change intervals for engines, gears, and transmissions. Low-viscosity oils help improve fuel economy, which can reduce one of the biggest trucking expenses: fuel. According to the EPA s SmartWay program, The combined effect of low-viscosity synthetic engine oils and synthetic drivetrain lubricants can improve fuel economy by at least %, saving nearly 485 gallons of fuel per year for a typical combination truck. In a truck s engine, mechanical losses from pumping and friction consume approximately 6% of the total energy input of the vehicle. Lower-viscosity oils oils with less internal resistance to flow will reduce these mechanical losses, thereby reducing fuel use. Study results show that Class 8 over-the-road fleets can realistically expect fuel savings in the range of 0.5% to.5% when switching from 5W-40 to 5W-0 or 0W-0 engine oil. Fuel dilution As fuel dilutes the engine oil, viscosity decreases, additives deplete, and wear increases. Temperature changes Extreme temperatures can test lubrication stability, changing the composition of your lubricants in ways that work against your goals. To protect engines, gears, transmissions, and other parts of your equipment, you need lubricants that stand up to tough conditions and keep parts protected for the long haul. Even more, the savings from switching to the fuel-efficient FA-4 variant is expected to be 0.4% to 0.7% when compared to CJ-4/CK-4 5W/0W-0 oils. Consult OEM recommendations when deciding to move to an FA-4 oil. 4 Synthetic engine oils make a difference. Synthetic engine oils: Have a higher viscosity index Remain thick at high temperatures Stay light at low temperatures Maintain stronger and thicker lubricating films Guard against friction and heat Guard against deposits caused by sludge and soot Low-Viscosity Lubricants: A Glance at Clean Freight Strategies, SmartWay, EPA, October 06, https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/06-0/documents/40f6050.pdf. Trucking Efficiency report, 06. The Real Cost of Trucking Per Mile Operating Cost of a Commercial Truck, TruckersReport.com, accessed July 8, 05, thetruckersreport.com/infographics/cost-of-trucking/. 4 Trucking Efficiency Confidence Report: Low-Viscosity Lubricants, TruckingEfficiency.org, accessed June 07, http://truckingefficiency.org/powertrain/synthetic-engine-oil.
How tires keep efficiency rolling along. Fill up on efficiency. Fuel choices can affect budgets and performance. Well-maintained tires help reduce the risk of accidents. Tires and tire pressure can also affect other elements of fleet efficiency. Having appropriate pressure reduces tire wear, increases fuel efficiency, and leads to fewer roadside breakdowns due to tire failures. Hotter outside temperatures will expand the air in tires, raising the pressure, while cooler temperatures will cause a reduction in tire pressure. Tires at the optimal pressure, with good grip, are critical to operating safely and efficiently. Low tire pressure can increase rolling resistance and waste fuel. The right diesel fuel can make a difference. Today s diesel engines have sophisticated fuel systems engineered to meet stringent emissions requirements. Deposits that form inside the fuel injectors can impede the movement of the needle and cause early failure of the injectors. Deposits building up inside the injector nozzle can restrict fuel flow, deteriorate the fuel spray quality, and result in loss of engine power, increased emissions, and reduced fuel economy. As diesel engines evolve, it s important to look for the latest advances in diesel engine fuel to increase fuel efficiencies and save on fuel budgets. Fleet fuel cards can also provide financial advantages. Many fleet fuel cards offer savings on fuel and ways to track and manage spending. According to estimates from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association (FMCSA), a unit of the United States Department of Transportation, fuel economy reduces by % for every 0 psi that a truck s tires are underinflated. Upgrade to fuel-efficient tires: Leading tire manufacturers have developed advanced options to help reduce fuel consumption.
Mobil Delvac lubricant and ExxonMobil fuel products: Efficiency gets an upgrade. Consider Mobil Delvac products to address your various fleet goals. Goes to extremes to protect your engine. x OEM-recommended oil drain intervals. 46% more antioxidant 44% more antiwear additive If you re looking for dependable lubricants to keep trucks reliably on the road, we have a quality selection of engine oil, grease, synthetic transmission fluid, gear lubricant, and coolant. Companies interested in helping their fleets be more productive can benefit from our selection of lubricants and coolants. For those interested in keeping their fleet more productive, we have products to help optimize costs, return on investment, and equipment life. Our grease, gear, and transmission lubricants provide extra protection for longer equipment life and reduced maintenance, with extended-life coolant to reduce issues. ExxonMobil also has several fleet fuel card options to consider. Visit exxonmobilfleetcards.com to find your card. With improvements based on new engine oil standards, Mobil Delvac Extreme engine oil provides an advanced synthetic-blend, heavyduty diesel engine oil with: Exceptional oxidation stability Performance for up to double OEM-recommended oil drain intervals (ODIs) Improved fuel economy with 0W-0 viscosity Contact your local distributor or call -800-66-455 to learn more about these lubricant and coolant options. mobildelvac.com Based on an analysis of Volvo T- engine test results. Results may vary based on vehicle/engine condition and driving and environmental conditions. Consult OEM before implementing extended ODIs, especially if the equipment/vehicle is under the OEM s warranty. Compared to 5W-40 conventional diesel engine oils. Actual savings are dependent upon vehicle/engine type, outside temperature, driving conditions, and your current engine oil viscosity. Results may vary based on vehicle/engine condition and driving and environmental conditions. Consult OEM before implementing extended ODIs, especially if the equipment/vehicle is under the OEM s warranty. Compared to Mobil Delvac TM 00 Super heavy-duty diesel engine oil. 07 ExxonMobil. Delvac is a trademark or registered trademark of Exxon Mobil Corporation or one of its subsidiaries. Other trademarks shown are property of their respective owners.