UPS Experts Offer Tips for Better Gas Mileage
Twenty-year UPS Automotive veteran, Robert Hall has spent a lot of time looking for ways to reduce fuel consumption. With a fleet of 94,500 vehicles on the road each day, drivers can learn a thing or two from UPS's fuel conservation practices.
"Fuel conservation has been a priority at UPS since our founding nearly 100 years ago. We find that even the smallest changes to daily driving habits can make a difference," says Hall. "What we do for a large fleet can be easily adapted for any driver."
To help drivers improve their vehicle's performance - resulting in greater fuel mileage, Hall offers some simple tips. Together, these tips can add up to a noticeable difference in everyday fuel savings:
- Plan your route. When running errands or going on a trip, consider the best way to get to the locations without backtracking. When taking a long trip, use maps or Internet sites to determine the quickest and most direct route.
- Avoid left turns. UPS routes are designed to avoid left turns. We have learned that idling waiting to turn left wastes gas. Not to mention the cars idling behind you waiting for you to turn. It is also safer to avoid left turns since you reduce the number of times you turn across oncoming traffic.
- Schedule regular car maintenance. Maintaining your car can affect its gas mileage. Just making sure that the tires are properly inflated can save on fuel economy.
- Drive responsibly. Driving style can affect the gas mileage of your vehicle. Making a fast start from a stoplight or driving over the speed limit can reduce fuel economy. UPS practices safe driving and a "no idling" policy - no matter how short of a stop a UPS driver makes, the engine is turned off.
- Reduce the weight in the vehicle. Unnecessary items in the trunk can contribute to lower gas mileage. Eliminate anything you don't need.
- Use the car with the best gas mileage. If you have more than one car, use the one that gets the best gas mileage when making long trips. UPS tries to match its vehicle to the needs of its routes. In some cases, that means deliveries are made by bicycle, particularly if the streets are too congested to pass through easily.
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