(Adapted from December 2022 Coaching Corner)
Research shows that event recorders help reduce the severity and frequency of crashes and protect carriers from false claims. ICSA reminds you that forward-facing cameras can also help save on fuel and maintenance costs. Here’s how:
Following too closely: After driving thousands of miles, many professional drivers become comfortable with a two-second following distance. However, a driver following this closely behind traffic ahead means he or she must constantly switch between braking and accelerating. Such actions cause needless wear and tear to the brake pads and waste at least a quarter gallon of diesel every time they accelerate, adding to your maintenance and fuel costs.
Use your camera videos to identify drivers who are engaging in this behavior and coach them to add a following distance of at least four seconds. Much like adaptive cruise control, that distance gives the driver more time to react to a hazard ahead, reducing crash risk and reducing fuel and maintenance costs.
Control your speed: One equipment manufacturer of class 8 trucks says that fuel consumption for speeds over 55 mph averages at least 1/10 of a gallon more for every 2 mph over 55. Increasing speed over 67 mph can increase your fuel consumption by 1/4 of a gallon per mile for every 2 mph of increased speed! That’s a HUGE amount of wasted fuel even though you may have no trouble passing fuel costs on to your customer.
Cruise control can help save money, but not if speeds are set too high. Use your event recorders to see if your drivers are operating at speeds too high for conditions. Event recorders, as well as other safety equipment on your truck, are there to protect you, improve your safety and be more profitable.
Monitoring events and alerts daily will make good drivers even better. Regularly checking event recorder videos can help drivers fight complacency which will improve performance and reduce losses, improving your chances of getting a more favorable insurance rate. Questions about event recorders? Contact Safety Consultant Denny Phillips at dennis.phillips@safecarriers.org.
Every year, TAT (formerly called Truckers Against Trafficking) honors a member of the trucking, bus or energy industry, whose direct actions help save or improve the lives of those exploited or prevent human trafficking from taking place, with the Harriet Tubman Award
Bob Costello has indicated that the freight market has improved – but very slowly – since January. It must be said that ATA’s indices are dominated by contract freight as opposed to spot rates.
Now, however, with Republican control of both houses of Congress and the White House (and, some say, the Supreme Court) I am optimistic that trucking will get a fairer shake than it has during Biden’s term in office.