What is the best way of reducing fuel consumption during freight road transport? This is the very question that those working in this sector ask themselves, something that is very much related to the economy and the environment. And the answer? Efficient management and driving, as well as other factors. Let’s have a look at how this works.
We already mentioned in our previous post how the freight transport sector is one of the main contributors to greenhouse gas emissions caused by humans. For this reason, logistics companies such as Bilogistik are dedicated to the protection of the environment using routes that allow travel time to be reduced, emitting very little CO2, all of which is intended to offer the best service to each customer.
This concern with saving time and fuel is very closely associated with different recommendations proposed by professionals from the sector. These include the proper maintenance of the fleet, something that involves checking tyres, the general mechanics of vehicles, ensuring that documentation is in order for each vehicle, licences, etc.
This also includes optimum utilisation of the vehicle load, to ensure that the freight occupies the maximum transport capacity. It is important to prevent the vehicle’s capacity from being exceeded, which leads to increased tyre wear and tear, greater fuel consumption, due to the requirement for increased engine power to move the freight, therefore entailing a higher emission of polluting gases, etc. Of equal importance is the prevention of being underloaded, i.e., ensuring that there is not too little freight in the vehicle owing to the knock-on effect it has on transport costs, are important.
Road transport planning
It is important to stress the need for staff to drive in an efficient manner, namely, saving on fuel as much as possible (i.e. avoiding acceleration, braking, sudden manoeuvres, or leaving the engine on during prolonged wait periods). This is known as eco-driving, something that yields benefits in terms of fuel saving for when the vehicle is in motion- you get more kilometres with a tank of petrol- as well as in relation to maintenance cost savings, due to the greater care for the tyres, brake systems, etc., which are susceptible to wear and tear.
Skills in driving in distinct terrains and weather conditions are also recommendable (in rain, snow, during extended downhill sections of road, etc.), with manoeuvres that do not damage the engine or tyre conditions, or increase the amount of fuel consumed.
Aside from the journey itself, another important feature is planning a good route in advance, to ensure that the distance is as short and as accessible as possible for the transport vehicles. All of this aims to provide a flexible, efficient service that is respectful to the environment, such as that provided by Bilogistik to its customers.
