Fuel Economy Strategies for Heavy-Duty Vehicles

From idle reduction to equipment changes, there are many strategies heavy-duty fleets can employ to improve fuel economy and, therefore, their bottom line. This page outlines these options.

Idle Reduction

Go to the Idle Reduction section for complete information on idle reduction technologies, such as onboard equipment and truck stop electrification units. This section also offers maps of truck stop electrification site locations throughout the United States.

Low-Rolling Resistance Tires

Install low rolling resistance tires to improve the fuel economy of heavy-duty vehicles. Learn more about Low Rolling Resistance Tires.

Heavy-Duty Truck Airfoils

Airfoils can be attached to direct air over the cab and trailer and improve aerodynamics and overall fuel economy of a truck.

Trailer Side Skirts

Side skirts extending between the back of the tractor and front of the trailer improve aerodynamic performance of the vehicle, and therefore fuel economy.

Tag Axles

Tag axles reduce the weight of one rear axle as it eliminates the internal axle drive train.

Super-Single Tires

Super-single tires replace the dual tires on the rear axle of heavy-duty trucks with a single tire that's not quite as wide as the sum of the two to provide a smoother ride and better fuel economy.

Fleet Fuel Card Program

Global Fleet provides fleets of five or more vehicles with Web-based monitoring tools to control, track, and manage fuel and vehicle maintenance costs.

Parasitic Loss Reduction

Visit the U.S. Department of Energy's Vehicle Technologies Web site for information on reducing all sources of heavy-duty energy loss. It covers friction and wear in the power train, thermal (heat) loads, operation of auxiliary loads (air conditioning, heaters, refrigeration), and energy lost by trucks while idling.

Speed Reduction

Speed is the biggest influence on fuel consumption and fuel economy. The energy that moves a truck comes from the consumption of fuel to overcome both aerodynamic and tire rolling resistances.

SmartWay Transport Partnership

The SmartWay Transport Partnership is an innovative collaboration between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the freight industry to increase energy efficiency while significantly reducing greenhouse gases and air pollution.