Issue link: http://psai.uberflip.com/i/1235952
ASSOCIATIONINSIGHT Portable Sanitation Association International News BIWEEKLY EDITION APRIL 15, 2020 Page 3 Transportation Report Provides Trucking Benchmark…continued from page 1 Fuel Efficiency Ongoing improvements in engineering and technology components can play a key role in improved fuel efficiency, but the overall fuel economy of trucks continues to be low according to the trucking firms reporting in ATRI's sample. Over the past few years average miles per gallon (MPG) has not been improving; it is currently stuck around 6.5 MPG. Typical Truck Operating Weight Average MPG Less than 20,000 pounds 6.4 20,001–40,000 pounds 6.6 It is likely if fuel prices rise, we will see investment in more efficient vehicles. At present, however, high upfront purchase costs of alternative-fuel vehicles compared to the incremental fuel savings make these trucks an unpredictable investment. Currently only a small percentage of trucks on the road use alternative fuels. According to ATRI, only about 13 percent of carriers have them. Compressed natural gas (CNG) is the most common alternative fuel choice (76%) for vehicles on the road at this time. According to ATRI, close management of truck speeds can help with fuel economy. Speed governors (along with adaptive cruise control) can increase MPG when utilized effectively. For portable sanitation companies operating mostly in crowded urban settings, this tool may not do you much good. But for those companies whose drivers spend time at highway speeds, it has the potential to save you some respectable money. The large majority of ATRI survey respondents that utilize speed governors (90%, up from 86% in 2017) saw a nearly one MPG improvement (from 5.6 MPG to 6.4 MPG) in fuel economy. For portable sanitation companies, improving MPG by 0.8 MPG—however you accomplish it—can make a big difference to your bottom line. The savings from a 0.8 MPG change translates to nearly 11 percent off your fuel costs per truck. Consider a small company with five trucks on the road, each of which is driven 100,000 miles per year. Scenario A: No Speed Governor Scenario B: Speed Governor or Other Means of Improving MPG MPG 6.5 7.3 Gallons per 100,000 miles 15,385 13,669 Average gas price Feb 20, 2020 1 $2.53/gal regular $2.91/gal diesel $2.53/gal regular $2.91/gal diesel Fuel cost $38,924 regular $44,770 diesel $34,685 regular $39,864 diesel Savings per truck $4,239 regular $4,906 diesel Savings for a 5-truck fleet per 100,000 miles $21,195 regular $24,530 diesel 1 https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_gnd_dcus_nus_m.htm Continued on page 7