Top 5 Ways To Improve Fuel Consumption
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- Category: Technology
Saving Money Through Better Fuel Economy
When a economy is the dumps there is typically one silver lining in the clouds, lower fuel and gas prices. The reason behind the lower fuel prices is that when business, manufacturing and the economy as a whole is in a economic downturn the demand for energy simply declines. Although the current state of the United States economy is not technically in a recession, the gross domestic product growth is weak at best. However, the sluggish economy has done little to push the cost of fuel to a level most people view as reasonable. With the economy crawling and fuel prices rising, the GPS fleet tracking and vehicle management experts at GPS Tracker Shop have determined the top five (5) ways to improve fuel consumption.
1. Driving Slower
When a driver pushes down the accelerator pedal they are also pushing down the fuel efficiency of that vehicle. Being a business in Southern California means driving on highways where speed limits are as high as 70mph. Although driving at a high rate of speed will get a motorist from point A to point B in a more time efficient fashion, the flip side is that speeding can create more wear-and-tear on a vehicle while also hurting fuel economy. In fact, during the fuel shortages in the 1970s when many speed limits were reduced to 55 miles per hour (mph), the purpose of the speeding laws was that by making motorists drive slower they would automatically increase fuel economy. Therefore, the best way to improve fuel economy for personal or business travel is to slow down!
2. Remove Excess Weight In A Vehicle
How long have those golf clubs been in your trunk? How about that baby stroller? According to many transportation studies, the average American can have upwards of 50 additional pounds worth of weight simply taking up space in their automobile. Additional weight in a vehicle means additional weight the car needs to pull, resulting in less effective fuel efficiency. Motorists should routinely go through their vehicle and toss out junk or bring items from the vehicle inside the house or garage. Not only will it help make the motorists' vehicle look nicer, but the removal of unnecessary weight will improve fuel economy!
3. Tire Pressure Is Important
Simple vehicle maintenance is one of the easiest ways to get the most life out of any automobile, and one of the best ways to improve fuel economy is by consistently monitoring tire pressure. Tire pressure naturally drops due to changes in weather and time, but under inflated tires can be a serious problem when it comes to fuel efficiency. Motorists should check both the owner's manual of the automobile as well as the recommended PSI on the side wall of the tire to find out what is the best tire pressure to have. By simply checking and adjusting tire pressure on a bi-weekly basis, motorists can drastically improve fuel economy. What is even better is that many gas stations offer free air and a tire gauge to check pressure, making it convenient to check PSI when a motorist is simply refueling at the local gas station.
4. GPS Vehicle Tracking
Mostly applicable to the business world and GPS fleet management, GPS tracking technology is a helpful tool to understanding vehicle and driver activity. As mentioned earlier in the article, keeping up with routine maintenance and driving slow can have a dramatic impact on fuel efficiency, but when when a business has numerous company vehicles operating in the field, overseeing and managing driver activity can be a challenge. GPS tracker devices bestow upon companies the ability to see where a company driver is located, and how fast that driver is operating a company vehicle at any time. Through the use of real-time GPS trackers, a business can make certain the best routes are being utilized, drivers are maintaining safe slow speeds and employees are doing what they are supposed to be doing, all things that can improve fuel economy and overall efficiency of operations.
5. Acceleration
Motorists will always have to accelerate and decelerate. That is simply the nature of operating a motor vehicle. However, the way in which a driver accelerates can have a impact on fuel economy. By starting and stopping a vehicle quickly, the motorist wastes fuel and wears down brake pads. Motorists should accelerate moderately, avoiding quick run-and-gun movements at stop lights or stop signs. Instead, a motorist interested in improving fuel economy should pay attention to street signal lights and make certain they apply an intelligent driving game plan to each potential stop or period of slow down coming ahead. If a driver speeds up only to brake quickly then that driver is burning fuel unnecessarily.