The significant price increases for all fuel and in particular diesel have sent fuel consumption costs soaring for bus companies during the last several months. They must take advantage of every possible opportunity to reduce fuel consumption to stay competitive despite the sharp increase in fuel costs. Fuel consumption can be reduced by 8 to 15 percent simply by employing a preventive driving style. For a touring coach covering 100,000 km per year this would mean saving 5000 litres in fuel. For a fleet of ten buses the savings would add up to around 50,000 to 60,000 euros per year. The eco training from the OMNIplus service portfolio of Daimler and experiences from various fleets prove that these savings are possible.

Economic driving techniques reduce the variable costs for fuel, repairs, maintenance and tyres. "Down with the rpm, up with the load" is the motto. Theoretically an engine running at a lower rpm in a higher gear needs less fuel than running at a higher rpm in a lower gear, although the accelerator must then be depressed further. The eco trainings also provide important tips for tyre pressure. When the air pressure in the tyres is reduced by 10 percent the fuel consumption increases by up to two percent, and if it is 20 percent lower then fuel consumption could rise by four percent. Around 30 percent of all vehicles on the road do not have enough air pressure in their tyres, which means that significant savings are possible in this area. In addition, 95 percent of flat tyres are due at least in part to incorrect air pressure.

Other significant factors for fuel consumption are vehicle technology and equipment, such as selecting the proper drive system. BlueTec® diesel technology, which has been introduced with overwhelming success in Europe, reduces fuel costs by up to six percent as compared to previous in-engine emissions reduction systems. This is worthwhile for every fleet operator in light of rising fuel prices. A savings of between two and ten percent is possible with a properly configured vehicle. The Mercedes-Benz Citaro regular-service city bus is becoming even more efficient with a new shift programme. In conjunction with the ZF Ecomat automatic transmission Mercedes-Benz is introducing the new Topodyn transmission shift programme as an optional extra. The electronic controls independently select the tailored shift programme, regardless of road topography. Field tests in real-life situations produced a reduction in consumption of between three and five percent. At the same time the average rpm decreases, in turn lowering the noise emissions.

All these measures can help fleet operators to cut costs. Fuel contributes around 30 percent to the cost of a fleet, which means every measure possible should be fully exhausted to reduce fuel consumption. The environment also benefits as a result as CO2 emissions, always a hot topic, directly depend on the amount of fuel consumption. If 5000 litres can be saved then the CO2 production would decrease by 13 tonnes.