To combat greenhouse gases associated with trucking, some companies are looking toward hydrogen-based power sources. Others are trying to create hybrid big-rigs that function similarly to their passenger vehicle counterparts. While those options may be expensive and out of reach for most individuals, there are still things you can do to reduce the environmental impact of your truck.

Pamper Your Truck

Don’t wait on vehicle servicing or tire maintenance. Just doing the basics of ensuring you’re up to date with oil changes, regularly replacing your diesel fuel particulate filter or switching out problematic tires can boost your vehicle’s efficiency and thereby reduce pollutants.

Don’t Get Jammed

Just because you have fewer miles to travel on a route doesn’t mean it’s necessarily the quickest. Take the route of least resistance, not just the shortest.

Most modern GPSs can tell you where to expect traffic jams so you can plan ahead and avoid them. You want to do this because constantly breaking and accelerating takes up more fuel than maintaining a consistent speed. By avoiding traffic you can keep down fuel costs as well as toxic emissions.

Go With the Flow

Wind resistance can slow down trucks, requiring drivers to put the pedal to the metal and burn up fuel to stay on schedule. There are attachments that you can get for your cab and trailer that reduce wind resistance and increase efficiency by closing up gaps between the trailer and cab and rounding out the edges of both.

Reflect on Habits

How we drive our vehicles can have a bigger environmental impact than you might think. By being mindful of your habits and interactions, you can reduce your carbon footprint.

Don’t leave a truck idling when you could have just as easily parked and shut it down. Hard acceleration isn’t just dangerous, it’s a big expenditure on your engine that burns up more fuel than gradual acceleration does. Lastly, don’t drive your truck outside of work obligations. Switch to a more efficient vehicle if you can.

Dine-in

Rest stops are a good place to fuel up, stretch your legs and, as the name implies, rest. They’re also convenient places to grab a bite to eat. However, if you want to reduce waste associated with your drive, stock up on reusable food containers, reuse water bottles and invest in a compact refrigerator or coffee maker.

Each small step adds up to something bigger. Take control and make the switch today.