Page 84 - Driving Commercial Vehicles Manual

chapter 4 — fuel-efficient driving

Smart driving techniques

Proper driving keeps you safe on the road and reduces fuel consumption.

Start out easy

• After starting the engine and letting it warm up, accelerate slowly, keeping
the engine speed (rpm) down for several kilometres.

Choose the right gear
• Select a gear that doesn’t require using the throttle.

• Practise progressive gear shifting. Shifting before you reach the maximum
governed rpm reduces engine wear, decreases noise and saves fuel.
• Run the engine in the highest gear range to keep it in a low rpm range.

• Change gears smoothly. Shifting properly can improve operating costs by
30 per cent.
• Always use the clutch. Failing to use the clutch can wear down the teeth on
the gears in the transmission.

Ease off the throttle

• Back off the throttle when going over the top of a hill and select a lower
driving tip gear to go down the hill.
• Use cruise control in appropriate locations. It can reduce fuel consumption.
Driving faster consumes
more fuel. If you drive at • Reduce your average speed — driving faster consumes more fuel.
105 km/h instead of 90 km/h,
you’ll be travelling 15 per cent • Use the retarder properly. Turn it off when you don’t need it — let the
faster. But you’ll consume terrain work for you.
about 20 per cent more fuel.
Use see-think-do

see — Scan for hazards and anticipate them. Pay attention to other road users
and the areas where hazards could occur.

think — Decide which hazards are the most dangerous. Think quickly about
possible solutions. Decide on the safest action.
do — Do manoeuvres to keep yourself and others safe.

Using see-think-do allows you to anticipate hazards and maintain a constant
speed, avoiding unnecessary slowing and stopping. This maintains your
vehicle’s momentum, which means you don’t have to build up lost speed.
Power not used is fuel not burned.
Avoiding quick or sudden stops and starts is also smart, fuel-efficient driving.

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