The truck driver & Momentum Management  

Heavy Truck Fuel Economy and Momentum Management

In Physics terms, a moving truck is a vector of force. This force is called momentum. 

Truck fuel economy is governed by physics and controlled by the environment and at what speed and how steady the driver controls the speed. 

The environment includes but is not limited to the truck model, specifications, trailer type, equipment maintenance, load type, road type, tires, weight, wind and grade. In many cases, the driver has little control over the environment, but the driver has nearly absolute control of how much momentum a truck has and how steady that momentum is.

Momentum is a physics measure calculated my multiplying the speed of a moving mass by its weight. One of the classical laws of physics tells us that an object in motion will continue in motion in that same direction at that same speed forever, or until other forces act to slow it down. momentum is a force of motion. 

The more efficient a truck driver is in preserving the right momentum, in being effective in performing the act of balancing air restriction drag with the realities of getting the job done, the better the trucks effective fuel economy will be. 

If a particularly efficient driver is matched with a truck specifically designed and specified to provide state of the art control of what is controllable in the environment, then it is possible to achieve great truck fuel economy. 

Great truck fuel economy can mean one to three thousand additional dollars per month in the pocketbooks of many owner operators as compared to their average peer in the industry. Over time, such sums add into a fair amount of money and can move one from edgy success to excelling and a secure financial future.

Driver Control 

• Momentum Management, 

• Idle management. 

Truck specification

• engine/

• drive-trains

• tires

• aero vs. classic designs

• add on devices

• balance

Trailer Issues

truckweb home

why, where and how a heavy trucks burns its fuel... 

The DOE Heavy Vehicle Aerodynamic Drag Project

Underlying  principals