HGV fuel consumption - speed limiter reduction from 56 to 50

[LeoSayer]

I remember some years back Tesco reduced the speed limit on their HGVs to 50mph.

Do they still do this?

Does it make any meaningful fuel savings?

[NFT]

I have no idea but I remember when other HGV's always seemed to be overtaking one of the supermarkets all the time for around 5mph,

You likely already know, But the general rule for haulage, above make sure you dash is working for the brake checking fraudsters, is try to get there as slow and gentle as you can because a few percent for large fleet is significant in running cost, and with prices going up I would bet all drivers have some form of incentive to get good mileage, rewards or even punishment via listening to how to drive for fuel economy, deduction of some kind or looser buys a cake stuff.

[Venisonpie]

It's significant, I've previously operated a fleet of over 100 vehicles for a national retailer making 2500 high st deliveries per week from 5 uk hubs.

Moving from 56 to 52 mph took over 1/4 million pounds off the annual fuel bill at a time diesel was 96ppl before vat.

You have to model the routes and check a) feasibility to execute the schedule and b) you don't end up paying more in wages due to longer journey times but it ended up being a no brainer.

Drivers moaned at first but settled down after a while.

[Glenn63]

Supermarkets are all usually the slowest on the road. They aren’t a haulage company and don’t make money when moving their own stock so need to save where they can.
I was at Waitrose before my current job and they were all 52mph gas trucks, bar a couple 56mph diesels for running longer distance/double deck trailers.

[Smint]

Was thinking about this recently, lots of newer Tesco liveried vehicles running at a good 55 mph now, both Mercs and the other makes they use in smaller numbers, now and again been passed by Tescos when cruising at 55, whether these are Tesco's own trucks or contract transport i don't know.