Fuel Conservation Education Program

Office of Sustainability, 2013

Counting Our Carbs: The City of Asheville has a 4% Reduction Goal

of CO2 Emissions Per Year

Burning 1 Gallon of Gas

Releases 20 Pounds of CO2

Reductions By SectorAnnual Reductions

By Govt Sector

-

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

Gasoline & E10 Diesel & B5

Gal

lons

Fleet Gas & Diesel Consumption Over Time

FY08

FY09

FY10

FY11

FY12

FY10 FY11 FY12CNG $1.246 $1.326 $1.473 Gasoline $2.216 $2.604 $3.024 E10 $2.156 $2.551 $2.861 Diesel $2.326 $2.763 $3.153 B5 $2.373 $2.801 $3.182

$-

$0.500

$1.000

$1.500

$2.000

$2.500

$3.000

$3.500

Average Price per Gallon - Fleet Fuel

CNG

Gasoline

E10

Diesel

B5

7

$5,879,535 $5,660,898

$5,349,610 $5,654,964

$5,908,031

$-

$1,000,000

$2,000,000

$3,000,000

$4,000,000

$5,000,000

$6,000,000

$7,000,000

FY 08 FY 09 FY 10 FY 11 FY 12

Total Energy Spending Over Time

B-5

Diesel

Gasoline

Natural Gas

Electricity

• Emissions have shown increased effects of asthma in 7-8% of the population, especially for young children (UNC Institute for the Environment)

• Air pollution is also the cause of over 1,000 deaths per year in the state of North Carolina (Pew Charitable Trust)

Ground level ozone pollution makes it difficult to breathe.(20,000 times a day.)

Asheville’s Skyline in Smog?Economy Largely Based on Tourism

Due to air pollution, visibility from many southern Appalachian Mountain areas has decreased by

40%-80% depending on the season and the peak (National Park Service, 2011)

The View

Fleet Goals

• Increase and improve fleet with newer vehicles

• Deliver the best fleet maintenance we can

• Reduce fuel use through driver conservation

City-Wide, ALL Departments Fuel Conservation Policy

January 2013

Case Study: Polk County, Florida

County's on-highway vehicles limited to 55 mph, Fuel Conservation training, incentives, in two years:

• Fuel consumption reduced by 13.4 percent• Reduced preventable accidents by 22 percent.• Crash damage severity reduced by 35 percent.

Part of AVL Fleet Conservation Efforts

• Fleet right sizing (currently 860 vehicles & equipment , 183 diesels)

• Efficient vehicle replacements • APD Bicycle Patrol • Right sizing vehicles (F350 to an F150)• Trading in two old vehicles for one new vehicle

Alternative Vehicles and Fuels • 5 out of 21 buses are hybrids, more on the way• 9% of 653 City-owned vehicles (non-buses)

• 13 hybrid SUVs• 10 electric Gem cars• 34 CNG vehicles• 1 Chevy Volt, 1 Prius

Also using B5 Biodiesel Blend

Equipment to Increase Fuel Efficiency

• LED Light-bar Flashers (Whelen Liberty Series) use fraction of the energy, run on battery

• Driver feedback equipment • Auxiliary Power Systems- runs on back-up or

deep-cycle batteries instead of engine• Automatic shut off settings

City Share Car Program

• CNG efficient vehicle loaned for city related trips

• Reserve through Microsoft Outlook• Fueling Instruction in vehicle and at Station

City ShareWe Care. We Share.

Pre-TripConservation

6% improvement (on average)

in fuel economy just by tracking

performance and being

aware of fuel consumption

(EPA)

Tracking Your Mileage

• Fill up the car with gas and write down odometer value and the amount of gas added

• When you fill up next time, write down odometer value and the amount of gas added.

• The difference of the odometer values (-) divided by amount of gas equals the fuel efficiency value.

• Note: Fuel expense, frequency of fill-ups or fuel gauge readings are NOT accurate measures of mpg

How to Calculate Fuel Efficiency

• Virtual meetings• Online purchasing • Use camera phones to document

& avoid repeat trips

Consider Trip Alternatives

Combine several short trips into a single trip. Short trips (fewer than 5 miles) don't let the engine reach its most efficient operating temperature.

• Drive to the

farthest destination first

• Circling the parking lot for the best parking spot? The extra gasoline adds up!

Carpool to meetings and site visits

Go to www.sharetheridenc.org to find other commuters in your area

If it ain’t far, don’t take the car.

• Walk or use city fleet bicycles for close trips• Consider ART Transit- Routes and schedules

available through Google Maps

Route Planning

• Use GPS and GIS to improve routing• Aerodynamic components of vehicles are most

effective at high speeds.

A flat, multi-lane highway can be 40% more fuel efficient than a congested urban route

• Avoided left turns in streamlined route planning • UPS drivers now turn right 90% of the time. • In 2007, UPS:

* Reduced nearly 30 million miles off routes* Saved 3 million gallons of gas* Reduced CO2 emissions by 32,000 metric tons-the equivalent of removing 5,300 passenger cars from the road for an entire year* Safer and spend less time in traffic

To the Right:Case Study: UPS

• Compare vehicles in same class, fuel economy • Vehicles that are too large for their tasks burn

more fuel, produce more emissions • Manuals, more gears generally more fuel efficient

Selecting Vehicles Only about 15% of your fuel actually moves the

vehicle- so select the right vehicle for the job

Lighten Your Load

• Avoid keeping unnecessary items or equipment in your vehicle andcarry what is needed for that day unless required

• Plan Ahead for equipment and supply needs• Choose lighter weight components to reduce tare (empty)

weight of light duty trucks

Every 100 lbs. trims 1-2 mpg off

fuel efficiency .

Wind Resistance

• Remove items from roof rack to reduce wind resistance-pack cargo inside the vehicle instead of on top to reduce drag.

• Maintain aerodynamic devices such as air dams- if damaged or missing increases drag

• Drive with the tailgate UP – for the best mileage.

Tire Inflation

• Inflate tires to the pressure listed inside the driver's side door not what is printed on the tire itself-same tire is used for different vehicles.

• Use calibrated air gauge, when tires are cold as air expands when it warms up.

Properly inflated tires last longer and can

increase fuel economy by 3-4 percent.

Use Recommended Motor Oil

• Using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 can decrease fuel economy by 1% to 2%.

• Motor oil labeled "Energy or Resource Conserving" contains friction-reducing additives that improve mpg

Improve fuel economy by 1% to 2% by regularly changing oil and using the manufacturer's recommended viscosity

grade of motor oil.

• Fuel efficiency is impacted by air, oil, engine coolant, transmission and power steering fluids

• Keeping up routine maintenance schedules will improve fuel economy and engine performance.

According to the Petroleum Institute,

an engine tune-up can improve fuel economy

by an average of 1 mile per gallon.

Conservation Driving:

During the Trip

• Maintain a 3-4 second driving distance between you and the vehicle in front of you

• Allows enough room to maintain a more consistent speed, vehicles to flow in and out of traffic without forcing you to quickly and continuously apply the brakes

• Allows you to coast more often • Helps reduce accidents

Keep Your Distance: 3-4 Seconds

Count 3-4 Seconds

Pass by same marker

Aggressive driving* can increase fuel consumption

by more than 30% on highways (EPA)

(*Fast acceleration, hard braking, speeding)

Acceleration

Jackrabbit starts (quick accelerations) use an average of 50% more fuel

than gradual starts (Office of Energy Efficiency, Environment Canada)

For every 5 miles per hour you drive over 50 miles per hour is like paying $.26 more per gallon of gas (at $3.75 per gallon)

-US Dept of Energy

Reduce Your Speed

According to EPA, Driving 65 mph instead of 55 mph

can use up to 20 percent more fuel

• Let overly aggressive drivers pass by at the first opportunity. Let them waste their own fuel on their way to going nowhere fast.

Aggressive drivers only save an

average of 2.5 minutes per hour.

Not worth it!!!

Maintain a steady moderate speed.

• Anticipate changes and traffic flow ahead• Slowly, smoothly stop. Take off slowly from a full stop• Slow before entering a curve, to reduce excessive

heavy braking

Using Your Momentum When it is safe to do so, slow down by lifting your foot up off the gas pedal, rather than braking, prior to an anticipated decrease in speed

Most passenger vehicles today have a fuel-injectionsystem that automatically shuts off the flow of fuelto the engine when the accelerator is fully released,allowing the vehicle to slow down and “coast”

Lift foot off accelerator to coast but DO NOT turn off ignition OR shift into neutral.

• “Hyper-miling” – is not safe! You will loose power assisted brakes and steering.

• DO NOT tailgate trucks for “drafting.”• DO NOT coast in a hybrid. Regenerative braking does

not work unless you brake.

Unsafe “Hyper-miling”

Use Cruise Control*

Using cruise control in passenger vehicles can improve fuel efficiency

by as much as 6 percent (EPA)

*EXCEPT limit when on very steep or hilly incline

Or if time travel is available

Using the AC reduces fuel efficiency by up to 10%*

Drag from open windows at high speeds can reduce fuel efficiency by up to 20%* *Society of Automotive Engineers

Use the 40 MPH rule: When driving under 40 MPH, open the windows

It’s A Breeze: Smart Cooling

What a Drag: Close Windows on Highways

• Keep windows closed while driving on highways to reduce aerodynamic drag (Society of Automotive Engineers )

When driving over 40 MPH use the vents or air conditioner

• Turn off AC a few minutes before arriving • Switch out of defroster mode after windows

clear, which may be running on the A/C

• When possible, in hot weather park vehicles in shade

• Lower windows and vent out the hot air before turning on the air

Idling Gets 0 MPG

For every 100 hours a month of idling: Passenger cars can waste $1,050 to $2,100 in fuel a year

(at $3.50 a gallon)

Diesels can waste $3,500 to $4,800 in fuel a year (at $4.00 a gallon)

Light Duty Vehicles Should Idle for no more

than 10 SECONDS

• Frequent restarting has little impact on the

engine. Most batteries use less power per engine start, have greater power reserves, and recharge faster than they used to.

Idling for 10 seconds to 1 minute (depending on vehicle) uses as much fuel as restarting vehicle

Speed up warming up by driving NOT Idling

• Driving a vehicle moderately within 30 seconds is best way to warm it up, cuts warm-up time in half.

• Revving up the engine does not warm it up fasterElectronic fuel injection systems deliver a preset amt of fuel so accelerator does not need to be depressed

• Non-emergency vehicles should avoid high speeds and rapid acceleration for the first 3-5 miles for best MPG

• Today, most passenger vehicles (cars, SUVs, and pickups) have electronic ignitions & a catalytic converter

• Idling an engine is not at its’ optimum operating temperature, leading to incomplete fuel combustion

• Contaminates oil, increases deposits, clog fuel injectors • Argonne National Lab: 1 hour of idling equivalent to

engine wear as much as 7 miles of driving• Once operating in appropriate temperature range, engine

takes about 25 minutes to lose heat- so re-starting is ok

Idling is Bad for the Engine

• Follow manufacturers recommendations• Winter blend diesel fuels are made not to gel in cold• Wait until all pressure readings and “wait” lights are ok.• Heavy duty vehicles and equipment usually require no

more than 5 minutes to warm hydraulic fluids, etc. • Big block diesel engines can use 1 gallon fuel per hr.

idling

Most newer diesel engines do not need to run

for more than 3-5 minutes before driving

• Idling with the air conditioning on burns even more fuel than idling without AC.

• If you were to idle a passenger vehicle for 30 minutes every weekday for one year, you’d spend over $200 on gasoline (at $3.00 a gallon) that’s not taking you anywhere.

Idling with the AC

Idling Exemptions

• Emergency responses• To run equipment• Work crew’s health and safety• Normal driving operations (in traffic, etc.)• Restart issues due to mechanical problems• Manufacturers recommendations- example turbo

and CNG vehicles may need longer periods• Supervisors discretion

Idle Controls

• Certified Clean Idle Engines: automatically shuts down the engine after five minutes of continuous idling OR certified nitrogen oxide NOx very low limit, can idle indefinitely.

• Idle Speed Controls: Regulates engine idling speed.Example: Fast Idle System: An electronic system that raises the idle speed. Keeps battery charged by speeding up the alternator and also keeps the air conditioner compressor spinning faster for cooler interior temps.

• Use ice scrapers to clear snow and ice on windshields,

prior to letting the vehicle run • Use commercial de-icers on large vehicles and equipment • Clear snow off rest of vehicle to reduce added weight

Snow

How NOT to Save Fuel

• Fuel Saving Devices?EPA has tested over 100 and found very few that provide ANY fuel economy improvement

• Fueling AM or PM? Temperature of gas as it is being pumped from underground tanks changes very little, if any. Modern fuel pumps make losses negligible. (API)

• Tank half full? According to API, technical changes to vehicle fuel systems have virtually eliminated fuel evaporation loss (Consumer Reports)

• Premium Gas? Most engines are designed for an octane rating of about 87 (regular gasoline); engine performance does not increase with a higher octane level, unless designed to run on premium. Reformulated gas, on the other hand, causes a 1-3% decrease in a vehicle’s fuel economy. (EPA)

Using progressive shifting can improve fuel efficiency by up to 8 percent*

Driving with the engine rpm too high can waste several gallons of fuel each hour*

* Office of Energy Efficiency, Environment Canada

Progressive Shifting• Select highest gear possible with lowest RPM• Driving in lower gears burns up more fuel • Shift the gear as soon as you

have enough engine speed

• Limit unnecessary shifting; block-shift (go from, for example, 2nd gear to 5th gear)

• Re-program automatic transmission control units so trucks up-shift at lower speeds since factory settings maximize power not fuel economy

Avoid Lugging the Engine

• Avoid “lugging” the engine: if you try to accelerate

and doesn’t speed up you are at too high a gear. • If you start lugging immediately downshift.• When approaching hills, don't wait until the

vehicle begins to "lug" before shifting gears. Gradually increasing speed as you approach a hill.

• Determine specific shift points in owners manual, usually up-shifts between 1200 and 1600 rpm’s

• For synchronized transmissions - push the clutch and shift (usually light and med duty vehicles-gears are in mesh& rotating)

• For unsynchronized transmissions- (in heavy trucks and machinery) always double clutch: press in clutch, put in neutral, by ear or by looking at tachometer, adjust throttle to reach recommended rpms, apply clutch again, put in gear.

• If stopped, push in clutch all the way to floor to release. * From: Office of Energy Efficiency, Environment Canada

Shifting Diesels*

Overdrive Gears

• Use overdrive gears if available (usually 5th gear) but not at warp speeds!

• Overdrive gears improve the fuel economy of your car during highway driving.

• Your car's engine speed decreases (engine turns over less frequently with gear ratios)

Case Study: Isuzu Eco Driving Program

26% average increase fuel economy (for 13 years )

• Single truck, averaging 35,000 miles per year, fuel consumption reduced by more than 1,200 gallons

• At $3.92 per gallon for diesel, was annual savings of $4,700. For 50-truck fleet, $235,000 per year.

minimize speed accelerate slowly up-shift at low RPMs maximize time in top gear steady acceleration avoid overuse of braking

Half Full, Half Empty

Exceptions, yes.Adjustments, yes.Feedback, yes.

YOU can identify the best opportunities for fuel conservation.You know your vehicle and job best.Please Use Your BEST JUDGEMENT for YOUR Department

Better air. Better on fuel.

Better for the engine.Better for the local economy.

Better for Asheville.

Conservation Driving

Images Used from Popular TV shows and Movies

• Get Smart• Starsky and Hutch• Star Trek• Brady Bunch• Jackson 5• Partridge Family• Myth Busters• The Biggest Loser• Monty Python • Flintstones

• The Office • Madmax• Ghostbusters• Batman • Blues Brothers • Dukes of Hazzard• American Idol• Back to The Future• I Love Lucy

Thank you!

For more information,Please visit:

www.ashevillenc.gov/green