Eco-driving can improve truck fuel economy by up to 22 percent

Eco-driver training and real time driver feedback study

Date Posted

10/03/2013

Nationwide, United States

Nationwide,

United States

Identifier

2013-B00875

SmartDrive Fuel Efficiency Study: Commercial Transportation

Summary Information

The SmartDrive study evaluated 695 Class 8 tractor-trailers, heavy-duty trucks and drivers across the country to determine fuel use and the effect of eco-driving training combined with in-vehicle, real-time driver feedback on fuel economy. Eco-Driving consists of four basic principles:

Accelerate and Decelerate Smoothly: Controlled, even starts and stops make more efficient use of power and require less fuel.
Reduce Excess Idling: Turning off the engine while parked reduces fuel consumption, improving overall Miles per Gallon (MPG).
Avoid Hard Turning: Anticipating turns and smooth decelerations into and acceleration out of turns improves fuel efficiency.
Maintain Consistent Speed: Operating within posted speed limits and anticipating traffic flow helps maintain a consistent speed and optimizes fuel efficiency.

These driving habits have a direct relationship the reducing fuel consumption, operation expenses and vehicle emissions.

METHODOLOGY

The study consisted of two stages; stage one was the control period, stage two was training and instant driver feedback. The study process was as follows:

Established baseline metrics: data collection of driving performance for all vehicles in the study during the control period.
Determining fuel efficient operating standards for idling, braking, acceleration and cornering based on vehicle type and typical operation.
Analyzing data to identify type and severity of maneuvers during control period.
Providing driver training on eco-driving best practices and the SmartDrive in-vehicle Instant Driver Feedback (IDF) system.
Analyzing data after training and after the IDF lights were activated; comparing the treatment period results to the control period.

Data that was collected for fuel use indicators included: actual fuel use, idling time, acceleration, breaking, turning, and speeding. Driving performance was collected using a mulit-axis accelerometer sensor, high-sensitivity GPS receiver, ECU connection, and LED multi-light bar for driver feedback.

FINDINGS

During the control period a baseline average of 5.92 MPG was established. Using the baseline fuel consumption, on average each driver would use 12,127 gallons of fuel a year for a cost of $48,629 a year based on a diesel fuel cost of $4.01 a gallon. Two months after driver training and the IDF system being installed:

The average fuel economy was raised 14 percent to 6.73 MPG. That is a total average annual fuel use of 10,667 gallons of fuel and $5,853 saving in fuel a year per vehicle.
Of the top 25 percent of performing drivers a 22 percent increase in fuel economy was observed.
At an average 7.98 MPG, the annual average fuel use dropped to 8,996 gallons with savings of $12,553 per vehicle over the baseline.