Your driver's attitude. Consider this: If your tractor-trailers travel 100,000 miles per year, and you improve average miles-per-gallon from 6 to 6.5, you will save nearly $1,500 on fuel annually-per tractor-trailer. One of Jim Booth's jobs with Caterpillar Inc. is to show drivers and fleet owners how changing their attitudes about driving will result in a laundry list of benefits- including greater fuel efficiency. But Jim's not an "ivory tower" engineer. He's also an active over-the-road owner/operator with a 10-tractong practices. We interviewed Jim on the road-in hisr fleet-besides being Caterpillar's spokesman for smart drivi new Kenworth T2000, powered by a Cat 600 horsepower 3406 electronic engine-and were duly impressed. Booth practices what he preaches.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

In Real Answers, Volume 2, Issue 3, we reported that The Maintenance Council of the American Trucking Associations says that the best drivers use 35 percent less fuel than the worst.

Jim Booth, Caterpillar's senior application engineer and fuel conservation "guru."

Where does fuel saving actually start?

"As soon as I start the engine, I'm losing fuel - so before I turn the key, I make sure my tires have proper air pressure. Air pressure is as important to saving fuel as the type of tire, and style of treads used for the application.
"The best way to start the truck is to depress the clutch, turn the key on and leave your foot off the accelerator. And, don't let it idle too long. With today's multi-viscosity oil, there's no need for long warm ups."

Are we ready to go?

"Yes, but we'll take our time. Many drivers leave a rest stop with the engine running wide open. There's no need for that. The higher the rpm, the more fuel's used. I don't use more rpm than needed - I try to keep it under 1500 to get the truck to do its job."

How many gears do we have?

"Eighteen. But I start off in a gear that will move the truck without using the accelerator, then only use the gears I need to reach top speed."

Which one are we in now?

"We're in eighteenth gear at 1240 RPM at 55 miles per hour.
"A lot of drivers don't understand that it's perfectly O.K. to run the engine like this - they may think the engine is 'lugging' and want to run in a lower gear. Instead, you can actually run the engine at 1200 instead of 1400 rpm and save a tenth or two in miles per gallon."

Are high speeds necessary to meet delivery dates?

"With today's big engines, you can probably average 55 mph, even going uphill. But the higher the speed, the more difficult it is to maintain. If you try to go 75, you'll probably only average 65-but each 5 mph increase will cost you a half mile per gallon."

What other ways can you save on fuel?

"Everything you do is important. You'll get better mileage just by being relaxed in the driver's seat.
"I used to carry two rolls of antacids in my pockets, because I was one of those guys who went 80 mph. Now that I've slowed down, I don't tire as easily or have to stop that often. I enjoy getting a better look at the road."

Is excessive idling a major fuel problem?

"Definitely. But idling can be controlled. Drivers used to say it takes more fuel to start a truck than to keep it running. That's not true.
"In reality, it's harder on the engine to idle than to shut it off. Idling doesn't maintain the correct engine temperature - and, it puts oil into the exhaust manifold and turbocharger - where it doesn't burn off until you increase rpm.
"When trucks pull out of rest stops, you see smoke coming from the exhaust - that's excess oil burning."

How much does tire maintenance contribute to fuel saving?

"Tire pressure is important to fuel economy, and very worth your while-because these small losses can accumulate over thousands of miles, growing much larger. Preventing them costs you nothing except your time to check psi at least once a week-you'll increase tread life and save fuel."

Did you coast all the way up the exit ramp?

"That's something I frequently do. I don't use the Jake® Brake and barely touch the brake pedal. When you know your route well enough, you can save a lot of fuel at exits. Driving for fuel efficiency makes your tires last a lot longer - and your brakes."

How did we do?

"The driver information display will tell us. The vehicle speed limit can be regulated by the owner, but it can be increased - as a reward to the driver - for saving fuel by keeping engine speed and idle below a certain level.
"The target score is 90, and we got 100 - we did everything right. We went 46 miles, used 6.5 gallons of fuel and averaged 7.1 mpg with 6 percent idle time. And, we got a 5 mph bonus. Not bad at all."

Jim, what are the three most important contributors to fuel efficient driving?

"Attitude, attitude, attitude.
"Actually, speed, idle time and attitude. Time management is very important. Drivers should keep this formula in mind: reduced speed plus time management equals money saved."

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