Fuel is the largest variable expense for trucking companies, typically representing 24-30% of total revenue. With diesel prices constantly fluctuating, effective fuel management is critical to profitability.

The Impact:

10-truck fleet driving 100,000 miles/year per truck
Average fuel economy: 6 MPG
Diesel at $3.50/gallon
Annual fuel cost: $583,333

A 10% reduction in fuel costs = $58,333 savings per year

Understanding Your Current Fuel Costs

Calculate Your Baseline

Cost Per Mile: Diesel Price / Miles Per Gallon = Cost Per Mile

Example: $3.50 / 6 MPG = $0.583 per mile

Annual Fuel Cost Per Truck: Annual Miles × Cost Per Mile

Example: 100,000 miles × $0.583 = $58,300

Track These Metrics

Miles per gallon by truck
Cost per mile
Idle time percentage
Fuel efficiency by driver
Fuel price trends

Strategy 1: Improve Fuel Efficiency

Driver Behavior Changes

Reduce Speeding:

65 mph: 6.5 MPG baseline
70 mph: 5.9 MPG (-9% efficiency)
75 mph: 5.2 MPG (-20% efficiency)

Savings: Reducing speed from 70 to 65 mph saves $5,000 per truck per year

Reduce Aggressive Driving:

Hard acceleration: -25% fuel efficiency
Hard braking: -15% fuel efficiency
Proper following distance: +8% efficiency

Implement cruise control:

Consistent speed = +5-7% efficiency
Adaptive cruise on highways

The Bottom Line

Fuel cost management requires:

Consistent monitoring
Driver buy-in
Equipment investment
Data analysis
Continuous improvement

Start with the easiest wins (driver training, fuel cards, idle reduction) and build from there. Even a 10% improvement in fuel efficiency can mean the difference between profit and loss.

Need help tracking fuel costs? AstraLogixTMS integrates with Samsara and Wex Fuel Card to help you save money.

Fuel Cost Management: 10 Ways to Save on Trucking's Biggest Expense