Embedding maintenance practices and more efficient driving habits will help your business to reduce fuel consumption and save money when running light or heavy vehicles.

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Maintenance checks for cutting fuel by 10–20%

Regular maintenance makes a big difference to your vehicle’s fuel efficiency, safety and lifespan. A well-maintained vehicle uses 10–20% less fuel than a poorly maintained one.(1)

  • Check tyre pressure

    For every 10psi that a heavy vehicle tyre is underinflated, fuel consumption can go up by 1%.2

    Ask your tyre provider about devices or services to help you maintain tyre pressure and choose the one that suits you.

  • Keep wheels aligned

    Misaligned wheels cause tyre drag, which makes your vehicle work harder and use more fuel.

    Watch for signs like wear on the tyre shoulder, or uneven wear over the tyre tread.

  • Prioritise servicing

    Regular service checks should include: 

    • changing oil and air filters when due
    • checking brakes
    • keeping engines tuned
    • ensuring air, fluid and exhaust systems are free of leaks.

  • Use low rolling resistance tyres

    Ensuring each heavy vehicle has a complete set of the latest low rolling resistance tyres can improve fuel economy in linehaul work by up to 6 %.3

  • Inspect tyre condition

    Bulges, lumps or cuts are signs that a tyre may need replacing.  

    Keep in mind that tyre grip reduces more rapidly in wet conditions once tread is below 3 mm. 

  • Include trailer tyres

    Check trailer tyres as often as other vehicle tyres, as they’re often poorly maintained or under-inflated, but significantly affect fuel usage.

NZTA maintenance checklists

Share these visual walk-around inspection guides with your drivers.

Bus maintenance checklist(external link)

Truck maintenance checklist(external link)

Driving heavy vehicles more efficiently to cut fuel consumption

Adopting these habits will help fuel go further, and reduce vehicle wear and tear.

  • Drop speed

    A heavy vehicle uses 20% less energy to move at 90km/h than 100km/h, so consider lowering your cruising speed to cut your fuel bill.4

  • Drive steadily

    Speeding up suddenly and braking frequently both increase fuel use. Instead, look ahead to anticipate slowing, and move with the traffic flow.

  • Avoid idling

    A diesel-powered heavy vehicle uses 2 litres of fuel an hour when idling. If parking for more than 3 minutes, switch off to save up to 5% on fuel.5

  • Close windows at higher speeds

    Over 80 km/h, opening cab windows increases fuel use. Air conditioning is more efficient and has no major impact on fuel economy.

  • Use fuel economy tools

    If available, use a telematics system to keep an eye on fuel use. In a modern diesel truck, switching on economy mode will help fuel to go further, especially when your truck is empty.

  • Monitor to find savings

    If you’re a fleet operator, track each vehicle’s fuel use rather the fleet overall to identify where fuel savings can be made. Focus on reinforcing efficient driving habits and ensuring vehicles are well maintained. 

  • Review routes regularly

    Make sure changes in pick-ups and drop-offs are accounted for in route planning. Some telematics systems can do this automatically — check with your supplier to see if you can integrate this into your operations.

Improve aerodynamics to save fuel

As heavy vehicles pick up speed, they need more energy to overcome drag. These actions will help to make your vehicles more aerodynamic.

  • Cover empty tipper trucks with a tarpaulin when on the road — 8% greater fuel economy when driving at 90 km/h.6
  • Mount a cab roof deflector, ensuring it's aligned well with your load or trailer to get all the benefits — 1.2–2.4% fuel savings.7
  • Use fairings to direct air away from the side gaps between cabs and trailers. 

Before you invest in modifying your vehicles, ask others in similar operations what worked for them. Run a trial with 4 vehicles — 2 fitted with aerodynamic features and 2 without — and measure the difference. Swap drivers to account for different driving styles. 

Efficiency resources for heavy freight businesses

If you’re looking to save money and emissions through energy efficiency, use these free tools and resources designed by industry experts for the heavy freight sector.

  • How fuel efficient is your work car, light van/truck, or ute?

    Find out, along with the safety rating and more, by entering your number plate on the Rightcar website.


  • Train staff to drive more efficiently

    Safe and Fuel Efficient Driving New Zealand (SAFED NZ) is a comprehensive 1-day driver course for heavy vehicle drivers. Businesses that sign up often attain fuel savings of 5–10%.