Transport Partnership
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
          Energy
            and
       Fuel Savings
         Gallons Saved
           794 gallons
          CO2 Savings
         8.06 Metric tons
         Increase in Fuel
           Economy
           NewMPG
       (original of 6.0 mpg)

            6.3 mpg
        Reduction in Fuel
          Consumption
        Fuel Cost Savings
             $3,015
                          Driver Training
               A Glance at Clean Freight Strategies
   Driver training programs can help trucking companies save fuel and reduce
     greenhouse gas emissions by increasing drivers' skills, knowledge, and
performance. A driver training program that improves fuel economy by 5 percent
 could save over $3,OOO in fuel costs and eliminate 8 metric tons of greenhouse
                      gas emissions per truck each year.


What is the challenge?

  Even highly experienced truck drivers can boost their skills and enhance driving performance
  through driver training programs. Training that targets fuel efficiency can help drivers recog-
  nize and change driving habits that waste fuel. For example, driving 65 mph instead of 55
  mph can use up to 20 percent more fuel, idling a typical heavy-duty engine burns about 0.8
  gallons of fuel per hour, and driving with the engine rpm too high can waste several gallons
  of fuel each hour. Other common habits that reduce fuel economy are frequent or improper
  shifting, too-rapid acceleration, too-frequent stops and starts from failing to anticipate traffic
  flow, and taking circuitous routes.

  A few simple changes in driving techniques can produce sizable fuel savings of 5 percent or
  more. A Canadian study estimates that many  fleets could achieve a 10 percent fuel economy
  improvement through driver training and monitoring. A study for the European Commission
  estimates that an annual one-day driver-training course will improve truck fuel efficiency by 5
  percent.


What is the solution?

  Well-trained drivers can reduce  fuel consumption by applying a number of simple techniques.
     Use cruise control where appropriate
     Coast whenever possible
     Brake and accelerate smoothly and gradually





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1 Trucking firms can
consider implementing
driver training programs
to reduce fuel costs and
teach drivers fuel sav-
ing techniques through
employers, vocational
schools, and for-profit
training organizations.






























Z. Electronic engine
monitors can be
installed to review
drivers' operating pat-
terns and benchmark
individual performance
over time. Create
successful incentive
programs that are
simple to administer
by paying bonuses and
setting realistic goals.
To provide additional
motivation, train ing
can be combined with
an incentive program
to reward drivers for
enhanced perfor-
mance.



















\
3 Fleets can contact
their national or local
trucking organiza-
tions for more details
on improving driver
performance and es-
tablishing a driver in-
centive program. Also
contact truck dealers
or equipment vendors
for information on
engine monitors and
other fuel-saving
devices.
























           SmartWay Transport |  EPA^t20-F09-034 |  www.epa.gov/smartway | 734-214-4767 |  smartway_transport@epa.go

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        Driver Training
      Progressive shifting (upshift at the lowest rpm possible)
      Limit unnecessary truck idling
      Start out in a gear that doesn't require using the throttle when releasing the clutch
      Limit unnecessary shifting; block-shift (go from, for example, 2nd gear to 5th gear)
      Drive at the lowest  engine speed possible
      Reduce parasitic energy losses by limiting the use of accessories.
Savings and  Benefits
  Fleets that improve fuel economy by at least 5 percent through driver training and monitoring programs can save
  more than $3,000 per truck each year in fuel costs and eliminate 8 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per truck
  each year. Driver training can generate larger efficiency gains for vehicles in urban service, where shifting practices
  have more influence on fuel economy. For a typical long-haul truck, the initial cost of training and the purchase of
  related equipment such as an electronic engine monitor and recorder could be recouped within 2 years from fuel cost
  savings. Trucking companies can realize even greater fuel and maintenance savings by using technologies that limit
  truck idling and highway speed.
                                             Page 2
SmartWay Transport | EPA-420-F09-034  | www.epa.gov/smartway | 734-214-4767 |  smartway_transport@epa.gov

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