Why should you become an eco-friendly truck driver? Well, there are many reasons, but for starters, why wouldn’t you want to contribute to a cleaner, purer environment? After all, it is the world you live in.
Furthermore, gas and oil emission are one of the primary causes of greenhouse gases. Therefore, as a truck driver, it is important that you do your part to reduce how much of it goes into the atmosphere. Not only does becoming an eco-friendly truck driver save you money, but it is good for the planet, and most of all, it is easy and requires little work. Here are a few ways you can become an eco-friendly driver.
Plan your routes
Moreover, if you plan your routes ahead of time you are likely to have a smooth and easy transport. Additionally, it prevents you from getting lost, which consequently saves you from using unnecessary gas, which in turn helps the environment. Not to mention, you won’t have to refuel as much. This means more money in your wallet.
Also, driving when it’s less traffic is ideal. An idle truck burns a lot of gas. Therefore, you should try to keep your truck moving on the road as best as you can. Consider using smartphone apps for truckers that can predict traffic and hazardous situations ahead.
Drive smarter.
Adopting green driving habits is by far the easiest way to become an eco-friendly truck driver. Because fuel expands in the heat, try gassing up in the morning. When temperatures are low, you’ll receive more gas per gallon.
Furthermore, maintaining a normal speed on the road can also reduce fuel emissions. Your truck will use more gas if the engine has to continuously stop and start. As previously mentioned, idling isn’t good either, so turn your truck off when you can!
Go paperless.
While many truckers oppose the ELD mandate, it electronically allows drivers to log their hours, thus reducing the amount of paper used. However, not every trucker was made to follow the mandate. So, if you happen to be one of them, consider logging hours on your phone instead. By saving money on paper products you are essentially helping the environment too.
Recycle.
Recycle, recycle, recycle. We can’t stress that enough. Keep a bag in your truck for paper and plastic products. Not to mention, many truck stops have recycling bins where you can drop items off. And, if you can’t find one, use Earth911 to help locate a recycling station nearby.
Canvas bags are a good investment to replace plastic ones. Also, fill your own coffee container so that you don’t have to accumulate plastic cups each time. Old tires and cartons can be recycled too.
Maintain your truck.
Last, but not least, taking care of your truck is part of being an eco-friendly driver. Regular maintenance reduces the amount of carbon monoxide emissions generated from your truck. Therefore, you should always keep the engine air filter clean. This alonecan improve fuel efficiency by up to 10 percent.
