Source: North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE)
NACFE’s Annual Fuel Efficiency Benchmark Study examines 10 large, on-highway fleets, including regional tractors and trailers, on the use of products and practices supporting high fuel efficiency levels. Announced at the American Trucking Associations Technology & Maintenance Council meeting in Nashville, it finds fleets saving on average $5,700 per year in fuel expense—a $1,300 savings change against 2011 Fleet Fuel Efficiency Benchmark Study data.
The study analyzes adoption of 60 technologies and practices available to fleets over the past 10 years. Technology implementation experiences and best practices were identified and shared by these fleets in terms of how they manage their fuel expenses and take advantage of opportunities to reduce them. The study gives feedback to manufacturers on customer requirements and expectations for future products.
The average purchased adoption rate of products geared to Class 8 truck fuel savings increased from 31 percent to 50 percent over the 2003–2012 window, while the average fuel economy performance of vehicles improved 0.53 mpg against a business as usual prediction for emissions technologies and very limited adoption. Fleet operating practices, including technologies such as speed limiting, utilization of routing software systems, and driver training, were universally adopted at about 90 percent. Tires and wheels, including wide-base tires, low rolling resistance duals, aluminum wheels and tire inflation and monitoring systems, have seen the greatest improvement in adoption rates, moving as a group from 15 percent to about 35 percent.
A summary of Annual Fuel Efficiency Benchmark Study is available on the NACFE homepage at www.nacfe.org, along with details on obtaining as a package the full report, data set, and membership in the NACFE Academy, an online university.