Fuel economy is a subset of
Economy. A gauge of how well other things are going, if you will, in that a larger perspective is important to relative understandings.
More information would be good for "you" (the group of owners or operators) to specify. The order of "knowing" vehicle expenses beforehand is relatively:
- Vehicle specification
- Climate
- Terrain
- Intended Use
Second, (a NeilBlanchard quote)
the relative order of [mpg] importance is still:
* Drivetrain Efficiency
* Aerodynamic Drag
* Weight
* Rolling Efficiency
http://www.governmentauctions.org/up...van-798668.jpg
A truck manufactured as long ago as fourteen years is nearing the end of a viable lifespan in re available parts supply. Fifteen years marks the point where the national chain stores and dealerships start to answer all queries with, "Well, we can order that for you" as they clear the shelves of inventory to keep room for newer vehicles. Obviously, this is the low point of vehicle price as well (forced auction) so acquisition costs are lowest, but other expenses can rise.
So, the information that would be helpful to you might be (budgets):
- Time frame: How long will this vehicle be in use?
- Distance: What is the expected distance this vehicle will cover in this period?
And then to particulars of
how often used, typical distances covered, how important is reliability (unscheduled service required), budget to repair & maintain, etc. To that end download the AAA Cost Per Mile Worksheet,
CPM,
and do some work at the EDMUNDS
True Cost to Own article to see how
projections can be made.
Obviously, a old vehicle zeros out a few categories, but one should look at the
rate of increased costs of repairs to project some sort of bank account dollar number for this. IOW, if I know the years and the miles then I can come up with some sort of CPM projection (within which fuel costs are included).
Fuel cost is not the largest expense item for a newer vehicle, but it appears to be a large one for out-of-pocket expenses. Thus this emphasis on
knowing all costs per mile, as some decisions that are smart are not otherwise obvious.
The order of importance is then:
* Brakes
* Tires
* Steering
* Electrical
One would, in an ideal world, specify a vehicle according to:
- Longevity
- Reliability
- Economy
where use is closely understood (analysis based on experience). Few individuals or organizations do a "great" job, but there are plenty who do a good one. Assuming that this van is a good choice -- and as longevity is factored out [present vehicle age] -- then reliability still trumps economy, overall, in that one cannot afford to lose income due to loss of vehicle service; thus the order of
safety first, reliability second as to how time, energy and money should be spent.
Here is a .pdf from the State of Vermont which is easily laid out. One doesn't need to be a mechanic to have a rough idea of the importance of these, it is enough that one has a starting point from which to work.
In other words,
given an excellent vehicle mechanical baseline (proper tires, brakes, shock absorbers, tight steering, new bushings, etc); where the details of a state safety inspection are also exhausted (new exterior lamps, wipers, horn etc as necessary to replace broken or just old); and a maintenance schedule
and budget are established
then
details pertaining to straight fuel economy concerns start to matter. Only then. In this are:
* Excellent front end alignment
* Lack of steering wander
* Zero brake drag
* Tire pressure according to load (
not sidewall maximum) on low-rolling resistance tires (LT-type; also acquire an empty and loaded two-pad weight scale reading)
Etc.
Etcetera includes:
no tail-dragging van with headlights illuminating the local sky as safety, reliability and economy are all compromised (rear axle air bags [not air shocks] may be required). Tramlining or brake pull are also not acceptable from the standpoint of safety -- reliability -- fuel economy. In the same vein I would specify
only genuine GM part for the primary & secondary ignition systems. Bite the bullet on that.
Planning a trip of any significant distance ought to include
best routing (as with a MAPQUEST option) to minimize:
- stop & go
- non-limited access roadways
- metro slowdowns due to season, day or hour
- unknown fuel or rest stops (plan ahead)
and to always have an alternative route at hand. The use, also, of national and state databases and real-time reports on:
* construction slowdowns
* holiday, sports or seasonal traffic
* weather-related traffic problems
joined with highly detailed metro atlases as well as comprehensive state/national atlases, not just a dashboard GPS unit. Use time well, leaving a
significant amount for delays. If one is never in a hurry, or surprised by problems, then FE tends to take care of itself. But a stressed driver doesn't have what it takes for the many tiny adjustments [fine motor skills] that are the only thing available to modify the progress of a heavy non-aero vehicle.
Business vehicles, espeically trucks, only achieve decent fuel mileage in steady-state travel speeds. While a car might be able to fudge or cheat in some regards, the weight penalty (braking penalty) of a truck means that mechanical baseline and well-chosen routing are paramount to minimizing fuel costs. Driver skill has to do with finding compromises that arise from experience, primarily anticipating rolling distances to avoid throttle and brake application (followed by fewest steering inputs). The use of cruise control is highly recommended (given non-mountainous terrain), where otherwise appropriate.
A Scangauge or similar is also recommended for learning to maximize point-to-point "straight lines of sight" (as blind curves, hills, etc require a truck to slow more than cars given longer braking distances).
Details like proper driver seating posture and mirror adjustment (as well as how to use mirrors) is highly recommended. Same for perfectly clean glass at all times. Securing cargo agains fore-and-aft movement as well as side-to-side is of serious concern, as is the avoidance of lower order driver distractions. Driving a business vehicle is a job and ought to be treated as such, for then the payoff works to keeping all costs -- not just fuel -- low and affordable.
Fewer jobs at a higher price are ideal, as we know, but one can go broke taking every small job without understanding vehicle expense. It's in the margins of the
complete CPM expenditure that intelligent decisions or negotiations can be made. To further this end, the world of non-profits is bound to have, online, resources about vehicles & budgets. See also schools and churches. Liability for passenger transportation has deep resources for mitigation. Homework is crucial. Fuel, by comparison, is always cheap.
Good luck
.
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