With the fuel crisis in Ireland deepening and diesel costs putting haulage margins under increasing pressure, HGVIreland.com looks at the practical steps hauliers can take to reduce fuel consumption, cut operating costs and get more from every litre.
Fuel efficiency is about more than how a driver uses the accelerator. The vehicle, trailer, tyres, load, route and delivery schedule all affect how much diesel a job consumes.
HGVIreland.com has already covered eco-driving and fuel-efficient tyres. This guide brings those measures together with the decisions made in the transport office, workshop and loading bay. The aim is to help operators find savings they can measure across the whole fleet.
Start with a figure you can trust
Before changing anything, establish what each vehicle currently uses. Record litres purchased and kilometres travelled, then calculate consumption in litres per 100 kilometres:
Litres used ÷ kilometres travelled × 100 = litres per 100 km
For example, a truck using 3,200 litres over 10,000 km returns 32 litres per 100 km. If improvements bring that down to 30 litres, it saves 200 litres over the same distance.
Compare like with like. A fully laden truck on a hilly regional route cannot fairly be judged against one carrying lighter loads on a motorway. Separate results by vehicle, route and type of work. Track empty kilometres and idling alongside fuel consumption so you can see why a figure changes.
At €2.10 per litre, saving 200 litres would be worth €420. Use your business’s actual fuel price when calculating the return.
Plan the work before the truck moves
The cheapest kilometre is often the one the truck does not have to travel. Better load consolidation, fewer empty returns and sensible delivery sequences can reduce total fuel purchased without asking a driver to achieve an unrealistic consumption figure.
Review recurring routes for avoidable detours, congestion, difficult delivery access and excessive waiting. When choosing a route, check that it is suitable for the vehicle’s height, weight and length. A shorter route is of little value if it creates delays or requires a diversion.
Delivery times matter too. If a schedule leaves no allowance for traffic, loading or a safe break, a driver may face pressure to make up time. A realistic plan gives them more opportunity to maintain a steady pace. Ireland’s Sustainable Energy Authority (SEAI) identifies organisation and route planning, vehicle maintenance and driver behaviour as distinct areas for transport energy savings.
Keep tyres at the right pressure
Underinflated tyres increase rolling resistance, which means the engine must do more work. They can also wear prematurely and present a safety risk.
Set pressures according to the tyre and vehicle manufacturers’ guidance for the axle loads and application. Check pressures as part of a planned maintenance routine, including trailer tyres; a daily visual inspection alone will not identify every pressure loss. Investigate a tyre that repeatedly needs topping up rather than treating it as a routine refill.
Tyre choice also matters. A low rolling resistance tyre may offer a saving on a suitable route, but it still needs to meet the operation’s requirements for grip, durability and load capacity. Compare whole-life performance rather than purchase price alone.
Look for mechanical drag
A vehicle that has become harder to move will use more fuel. Maintenance teams should investigate dragging brakes, wheel alignment problems, damaged bearings and other defects that may increase resistance. Keep servicing in line with the manufacturer’s requirements and follow up on a sustained change in consumption, particularly after a repair or tyre replacement.
A fuel report can be an early clue, but it is not a diagnosis. If one truck begins using noticeably more diesel on comparable work, inspect the vehicle before assuming the cause is driver behaviour. Official roadworthiness guidance links effective maintenance, correct tyre pressures and driver training with improved fuel efficiency.
Check the truck and trailer as a combination
At road speed, pushing air around the vehicle takes energy. Roof deflectors, side equipment and other aerodynamic features should be correctly fitted and suited to the trailer being pulled. A tractor regularly paired with trailers of different heights deserves particular attention.
Remove equipment that is no longer needed, but keep the focus on practical changes that fit the work. The value of an aerodynamic measure will depend on the vehicle’s speed, route and operating pattern; measure the result on comparable journeys before investing across the fleet.
Support fuel-efficient driving
Smooth driving remains an important part of the picture. Looking well ahead, leaving an appropriate gap and easing off early can reduce unnecessary braking and acceleration. Drivers should use the vehicle’s cruise and predictive systems where conditions make them appropriate, and avoid excessive idling when it is safe and practical to switch off.
Coaching works best when it is specific. A driver can act on feedback about avoidable idling on a regular route; a ranking that ignores traffic, load and delivery conditions tells them much less. Ireland’s eco-driving standards address coaching, safety, measurement and follow-up for HGV programmes.
Give trailers equal attention
Trailers are easy to overlook when fuel is recorded against the tractor unit. Yet trailer tyre pressures, wheel alignment, brake condition and aerodynamic equipment all influence the work the tractor must do.
If a truck’s fuel figure changes significantly when it pulls a particular trailer, inspect that trailer. Keep trailer maintenance records close enough to fuel data to spot a pattern.
Measure the saving, then keep checking
Choose a small number of measures that suit the operation: litres per 100 km, litres used per route, idling time, empty kilometres and, where useful, fuel per completed delivery. Review them regularly and account for changes in loads, weather and traffic.
Introduce improvements in a way that lets you judge their effect. If tyre work, route changes and driver coaching all begin at once, an improved fuel figure is welcome, but it will be harder to know which measure delivered the saving.
Most importantly, share the results with drivers, planners and maintenance staff. They each control part of the outcome. A driver cannot eliminate an empty return arranged by the transport office; a planner cannot fix a dragging brake; and a mechanic cannot make an impossible delivery schedule fuel-efficient.
A practical first-month plan
Week one: Establish baseline consumption for each vehicle and identify comparable routes.
Week two: Check tyre pressures, review defects and investigate vehicles with an unexplained rise in fuel use.
Week three: Examine empty running, route choice, waiting time and delivery schedules.
Week four: Give drivers useful feedback, measure what changed and decide which improvements to retain or expand.
Fuel savings do not have to come from one expensive piece of equipment. For many Irish hauliers, the strongest opportunity is to make sure every part of the operation works together: a suitable vehicle, maintained properly, carrying a well-planned load on a sensible route, with a driver who has the time and information to use it efficiently.
