Fuel mileage is a choice. Walking, cycling, or public transit exponentially increases a family’s effective fuel mileage, but requires a cultural shift in thinking. Whether you drive a personal vehicle or a commercial truck, these ten tips will help you get more out of every litre.
- 10Lighten the load — If it takes longer than 30 seconds to clear passenger space, it’s time to purge the accumulated items. Extra weight means extra fuel.
- 9Maintain manufacturer-recommended tire pressure — Under-inflated tires increase rolling resistance and wear out faster. Check them weekly.
- 8Keep the vehicle maintained — Dirty fuel or air filters compromise mileage. Follow your maintenance schedule religiously.
- 7Combine shorter trips into one longer trip — Vehicles under 10 minutes of operation don’t heat up properly and achieve their worst mileage at start-up.
- 6On long stretches, get up to speed quickly — Cruising speed provides optimum mileage; acceleration produces the worst. Get to cruising speed efficiently and stay there.
- 5Increase following distance and anticipate traffic lights — Every stop requires acceleration back to speed. Maintaining momentum by reading traffic ahead saves significant fuel.
- 4Do not idle — Wait 20 seconds for oil pressure then go. Modern vehicles (last 20 years) require minimal warm-up. Extended idling wastes fuel and damages engines.
- 3Plan daily commutes to avoid traffic — Leaving 10 minutes earlier often eliminates daily traffic jams entirely. Stop-and-go traffic is the worst for fuel economy.
- 2Walk for nearby trips — Short trips damage engines that never reach operating temperature and produce the worst fuel economy. Walk and improve your health at the same time.
- 1Take the bus to work — The single best method for optimum fuel mileage. You save fuel, reduce wear on your vehicle, and can use the commute time productively.