Fuel has always been a top-level expense for glaziers transporting materials, tools, and employees to and from job sites. That’s why we put together this checklist of ideas to help relieve some pain at the pump. These fuel saving strategies range from changing driving habits through utilizing glass racks that weigh less so you can carry more glass and burn less gas.
This checklist won’t solve the problem, but we hope it will help you save a little cash as we all power through this latest fuel crisis.
Driving Habits
- Avoid driving aggressively as it can lower gas mileage by 15% to 30%
- Observe the speed limit - fuel economy decreases as speed increases
- Plan the most direct and efficient route for the day
- Reduce excessive engine idling especially while loading vehicle
- Avoid peak traffic times to prevent stop-start driving
- Use cruise control on flat stretches of highway
- Minimize AC usage in traffic
- When approaching red lights and stop signs take your foot off the gas early and coast until it’s time to brake
- Don’t use work truck for trips to the convenience store during breaks
Your Vehicle
- Make sure tires are properly inflated
- Tune up your engine
- Limit time spent warming up vehicle
- Use manufacturer recommended grade of engine oil
- Track fuel consumption - knowing your average mpg will help you improve it
- Use a fuel economy calculator to determine which of your trucks get the best mileage
- Is vehicle appropriate for weight of cargo, or overkill?
- Consider purchasing a more fuel efficient vehicle
Fuel Purchasing
- When filling up don't top off your tank and screw on cap until it clicks
- Make sure your gas cap is in good condition
- Opt for regular gas unless manufacturer recommends premium
- Use a gas price app to compare prices where you are driving
- Know the cheapest days to buy gas in your area
- Use a gas credit card with a rewards program
Glass Rack and Cargo
- Remove unnecessary items to reduce weight
- Use an aluminum glass rack - Aluminum racks weigh as much as 50% less than steel racks - Aluminum rack advantages: less fuel burned; transport more glass per trip; higher rack payload results in fewer trips to job-site
- Add an interior rack to preserve the factory aerodynamics of your vehicle
- Consider a glass hauling trailer you can leave at the jobsite during the day
If you are looking to improve the fuel efficiency of your vehicle please get in touch. Our aluminum racks are competitively priced, and the advice and quote are free!
Epilogue
The USA is no stranger to skyrocketing fuel prices. If you are of a certain age you’ll remember the shortages in 1973 and 1979 that resulted in long lines, high prices, gas rationing, fist fights at the pump, and eventually a 55 mile per hour speed limit. Other rapid price increases include one in the early 1990’s when Iraq invaded Kuwait, and again in 2012 due to a recovering global economy, superstorm Sandy, and refinery problems.
On a positive note, according to a recent article by the Pew Research Center, gas prices can drop as quickly as they spike. In the spring of 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic was causing widespread havoc the average gas price sank 27%. Since 1994, average gas prices have fluctuated between a low of 96.2 cents a gallon in February 1999 to the highest average cost in May of 2022 at $4.33 per gallon according to AAA. Point is, gas prices seem to cycle to painful new highs every few years, but never quite return to the lows of the good old days, so it's good to have a coping strategy in your back pocket.
