The fuel efficiency of road haulage operations can be
improved in many different ways. Broadly speaking, fuel
conservation measures can be divided into two general
categories.
(1) Technical measures associated with the vehicle
hardware, such as preventative maintenance, the
installation of aerodynamic aids and speed
limiters and the adjustment of engine power and
gearing ratios.
(2) Managerial initiatives, such as the development of
a fuel monitoring system, the establishment of fuel
norms, the dissemination of fuel performance data
throughout the organization and the introduction
of driver training and incentive schemes.
There was a tendency in the past to over-emphasize the
former category and believe that the main gains in fuel
efficiency would accrue from improved vehicle
technology. To enjoy the full benefits of these
technological improvements, however, firms must
operate an effective system of fuel management which
focuses on the driver rather than the vehicle. As one fleet
engineer has commented, of the factors causing
variations in fuel consumption, it is the driver's right foot
90 per cent of the time (quoted in[18]). Drivers, therefore,
must be trained and motivated to minimize their use of
fuel on an ongoing basis. This presents a much greater
challenge to management than technical decisions about
vehicle design. The development of an effective fuel
management programme is, however, potentially much
more rewarding, not simply in terms of the direct fuel
savings, but also through spin-off benefits such as
reduced wear and tear on vehicles and lower involvement
in accidents.
In designing a fuel conservation programme, transport
managers must recognize that there is a close interrelationship
between fuel efficiency measures. The main
skill lies in tailoring the package of measures to a firm's
particular transport operation and setting targets which
staff consider to be realistic. As the need to conserve fuel
becomes ever more pressing, this is a skill which all
transport managers will have to acquire.