The SmartWay Award and your Fuel Performance

Bison has won a 2021 SmartWay award! See how your fuel performance can make an impact...

You might have heard… Bison Transport was chosen as a winner of the 2021 SmartWay Excellence Awards! This prestigious award was honoured to Bison based on the efforts we’ve all made to reduce emissions, drive economically, and fuel efficiently.

We wouldn’t have been considered for this award if it wasn’t for our Drivers who make every effort to improve or maintain their fuel performance. We thank you greatly!

Here are some fast facts on fuel emissions:

1. When idling, the average long-haul truck consumes about 4 litres of fuel each hour, or 7200 litres per year. That’s the equivalent of 19 tonnes of C0² emissions each year.
2. 27% of U.S greenhouse gas emissions are a result of the transportation industry.
3. EPA-lead fuel economy standards for semi-truck manufacturers outline an 8-24% increase in fuel efficiency and a reduction of 1 billion tons of C0² from 2018-2027.

You can check out your fuel performance on The Herd! When visiting the website, check the “Driver ScoreCard” link on the bottom of the page.

What can you do to reduce your emissions?

1. Cut your engine idle time: Do not idle your engine when you don’t have to. When stopped at a customer’s, or heading inside to pay for fuel, turn off your truck’s engine. Consider using your truck’s APU (parking heater, or parking A/C) instead of idling your engine.
2. Efficient engine heating in winter: Turn off all non-essential power accessories and allow 30 seconds max when trying to crank the engine starter. When engine starts, do your pre-trip to let it heat up. Don’t forget to plug in your block heater before shutting down for the night!
3. Make use of cruise control: When safe to use, cruise control can greatly improve your fuel efficiency.
4. Managing your momentum (when braking): Reduce hard braking wherever possible. Anticipate your stops and make use of the truck’s momentum when approaching a stop.
5. Efficiency progressive shifting (for manual transmissions): Move up to the next highest gear at the lowest possible RPM that will keep the truck accelerating. It’s best to upshift at no higher than 1600RPM for 9-speeds and 1400RPM for 18-speeds. Downshift as low as 1100RPM. Check your owner’s manual for engine “sweet-spots”.

Your driving can have a direct impact on the amount of emissions that are released. Make sure that you’re driving efficiently wherever possible!