BNSF News

To Improve Your Gas Mileage, Give Your Vehicle a Little TLC

2007-09-13

Did you know that regularly scheduled preventative maintenance on your vehicle can improve its fuel efficiency by 10 percent? Or that excessive idling can damage vehicle cylinders, spark plugs and exhaust systems? And if you thought that turning off your vehicle and then restarting it to save gas is hard on your engine, you’d be wrong. In fact, it has little impact on your engine.

Collectively, BNSF’s 10,000 drivers of company vehicles could conserve a lot of fuel and lower pollution by reducing vehicle idle time and ensuring the vehicle is in tip-top shape. Why? Because a properly maintained vehicle uses less gas, less oil and less energy.

You can help by doing the following.

Make sure your tires are properly inflated. A difference of 5 psi (pounds per square inch) per tire can result in a 10-percent fuel efficiency loss and a 15-percent reduction in tire-tread life. Use an analog, dial or digital tire gauge for the best accuracy. And don’t forget to check the pressure on your spare tire.

Follow a regular maintenance schedule. Be sure your vehicle regularly undergoes the following:

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For more information on the company and its transportation solutions, visit the BNSF Web site at www.bnsf.com