Truckload Drivers Share Tips On How They Achieve Greater Fuel Economy GETTING THE BEST MILEAGE POSSIBLE All of us have noticed a sharp increase in fuel prices in the last couple of months, and that has affected what we pay to fill up our personal and Averitt vehicles. Two members of our driving force, Cartersville Truckload driver CHRIS YOHN and Eastern NC Truckload driver WILLIAM WATSON , recently shared some tips on how they’ve been able to maximize their fuel economy through the years. CRUISE CONTROL Cruise control is ideal for roads without frequent stops, turns or required driving maneuvers (e.g., interstate highways), and Chris says using cruise control correctly is the simplest way to improve your fuel economy. “A lot of drivers will set the cruise control for 65, then they’ll keep their foot on the pedal regardless. That’s not helping,” explains Chris, who averages more than 8.9 miles per gallon. “Because if your foot is on the pedal and you hit 64 miles per hour, your truck is going to give 100% throttle to get you back up to 65, whereas if you had your foot off the pedal, it would feather it back.” AVOID IDLING One of the biggest drains on fuel is when the engine is running but the wheels aren’t turning. In local P&D operations, it’s best to shut off the engine when making pickups and deliveries, even if the stop is just a few minutes. Sleeper tractors are equipped with APUs to maintain comfortable temperatures in the cab when shutting down for the day, so there’s no reason to keep the engine running. “Every time I stop, I turn the truck off,” says William, who also averages more than 8 miles per gallon. “Whether I’m picking up a load at a customer or doing a drop-and-hook, I shut the engine off. And I use the APU as much as possible.” FUEL ECONOMY = PROFIT SHARING William says good fuel economy and more Profit Sharing go hand in hand. “The more we save on fuel, the more Profit Sharing we get,” he says. “I’ve been here 25 years, so I want to get as much Profit Sharing as I can if I ever decide to
Cartersville Truckload driver CHRIS YOHN says correctly using cruise control is one of the biggest reasons he’s been able to achieve higher fuel economy.
Eastern NC Truckload driver WILLIAM WATSON has also done an outstanding job of maximizing his miles per gallon, and he sees a direct correlation between fuel economy and Profit Sharing.
retire. I take pride in trying to attain the best miles-per-gallon that I can every quarter so I can get more Profit Sharing.” Chris agrees. “If everyone could bump their fuel economy up just a tenth of a point, it would make a huge impact.” Thank you to Chris and William for all you do to make the most of your fuel economy. Your efforts make a great difference and are an outstanding example for all of us! T m
TEAMING UP TO SERVE THE CAROLINAS
Associates from our Charlotte service center recently completed a Team Up Community Challenge for Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. The team totaled 18 service hours by bagging sweet potatoes! SHFB of Metrolina is a member of Feeding America and serves 14 counties in North Carolina and 10 counties in South Carolina.
COMMUNITY CHALLENGE matters
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