solutions > Transportation >
Trucking
Click here to read about Bison Transport's program to reduce their greenhouse gases.
More and more vehicles are travelling Canadian roads — many of them picking up and delivering products that keep our economy humming. Trucking is one of the fastest-growing industries in Manitoba. It employs over 33,000 Manitobans and is the fourth largest source of export earnings in the province [1].
Although trucking generates a lot of benefits, it also generates climate-changing greenhouse gases (GHG). More than 27% of all GHG emissions in Canada are produced by the road transportation sector.
Diesel trucks are the workhorses of Manitoba’s thriving transportation industry. However, for every litre of diesel fuel a vehicle consumes, 2.7 kilograms of carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere (2). Exhaust emissions are also a major cause of urban smog, acid rain and other air pollution problems. It goes without saying that improving fuel efficiency can have a huge impact on air quality and climate change.
There are a variety of ways to improve fuel efficiency and reduce climate-changing emissions from fleet vehicles. They include:
top of page
Vehicle specification
The engine, tires and other vehicle components you choose in your vehicle can have a large impact on fuel efficiency.
- Pick an engine that will give you enough power for your operation (excess horsepower in an engine contributes to unwanted fuel consumption).
- Choose tires that will optimize traction and fuel efficiency.
- Pick lightweight components for your vehicle (lighter vehicles are more fuel efficient).
top of page
Idle-time reduction
Idling is a very wasteful and unsustainable activity and the majority of idle time is unnecessary. The Office of Energy Efficiency has estimated that the average long-haul truck idles away up to $1,790 in profits a year.
Here are some ways to reduce idle time:
- Reduce the amount of warm-up time and cool-down time. Modern trucks need less than 10 minutes to warm up and cool down. After the warm-up time, run the vehicle ‘gently’ until it gets up to normal operating temperature.
- Install auxiliary cab heaters in your truck. Auxiliary heaters use a fraction of the fuel that a vehicle will and they provide adequate warmth.
- Turn your vehicle off when you are going for lunch, going into a customer’s office, etc. Ten and fifteen minutes here and there can add up over a year’s time.
top of page
Speed management
The speed you run at has a huge impact on your fuel economy. Fuel economy decreases 2.2% for every mile (1.6 km) per hour you drive over 55 mph (85 km/hr).
top of page
Progressive shifting
Modern engines are meant to be shifted at lower RPMs. Revving an engine to maximum RPMs will reduce your fuel efficiency.
