14 Things You Probably Never Considered About Making Trucks More Efficient

7. Focusing on vehicle mileage alone is not enough. We also need to increase the structural integrity of bridges so they can accommodate heavier trucks, reduce the number of empty or partly empty backhauls, and improve overall logistics.

8. Simply cutting speeds from 65 to 60 mph can save 8 percent of a truck's fuel.

9. Walmart is in the process of doubling the efficiency of its 7,200-tractor heavy-truck fleet and is estimating $350 million in fuel savings per year as a result. However, it's much easier for Walmart to become efficient because the company owns its own fleet, and is responsible for the fuel bills.

10. Inconsistent policies make life extremely difficult for the trucking industry. Size, weight, and idling regulations differ between states and often between cities and counties. The map below shows different size and weight regulations by state.

11. The trucking industry operates on small profit margins and is incredibly fragmented. Components are often custom-built, making standardization and new technology adoption particularly difficult.

12. Truck policies and regulations create competing priorities. Class-7 and -8 long-haul trucks emit only a fraction of the SOx, NOx, and particulate matter than they emitted ten years ago. However, this incredible achievement comes with a lost opportunity cost. While filters and catalyst technology run up equipment budgets—one participant estimated it takes $30,000 to comply with California's clean air policies—trucks continue to burn the same amount of fuel. Policy has put emissions and efficiency at odds with each other.

13. Some great solutions already exist. Cascade Sierra Solutions, a robust non-profit working in Oregon, California, and Texas, offers long-haul operators financing and information on efficient truck retrofits.

14. These government programs, while not comprehensive, are worth checking out: Calstart's Heavy Truck User's Forum and the 21st Century Trucking Partnership.

The challenge cannot be overstated, but the convergence of a difficult economy, energy security concerns, and climate change risks create a perfect opportunity to transform the trucking industry today. In the words of Amory Lovins, "We are the people we have been waiting for."

By: Rocky Mountain Institute, Maria Stamas