Fuel Saving Tips in the Eagle Ford

Fuel Saving Tips - Truck Stop

Fuel prices have been steadily increasing making it harder for all carriers to be profitable. This includes drivers working in the Eagle Ford Shale. The national average of diesel is well over $4.00. This affects trucking companies and consumers more than many people might realize. With over 75 percent of all United States communities relying solely on trucks to bring their commodities, the prices of groceries and necessities increase every time the price of diesel goes up because the cost of transporting cargo gets passed on to the consumer.

There’s no magic wand to wave and decrease the cost of fuel. However, there are quite a few things that drivers can do to get the most out of their fuel consumption. Economy driving tips will help you keep a few more dollars in your pocket.

Economy Driving Techniques

[ic-r]The most productive way to reduce your fuel consumption is to keep your speed down when it is possible. Speeding uses a lot fuel. Try and reduce your speed to a safe and manageable speed that will allow you to be on time. Though you might think you’re saving time, speeding doesn’t get you there all that much faster. For example, if you drive 100 miles at 55 mph, you will travel for one hour and 49 minutes. Increasing your speed to 60 mph will save you only five minutes. Meanwhile, you burn a lot more fuel. A 2011 study by the European Economic Agency stated that complying with speed limits can save two to three percent and possibly as much as 12 to 18 percent. According to Overdrive magazine, reducing speed just one mph below 55 reduces fuel consumption 2.2 percent.

Progressive shifting is a very effective way to reduce fuel consumption. Today’s engines are much stronger and efficient. They are designed to use fewer rpm to get up to the ideal speed. Developing a habit of using progressive shifting will save you a lot of money.

Trip planning can also save you money on fuel consumption. Try to avoid highly congested areas during peak traffic times so you don’t waste fuel going nowhere in traffic jams. Plan your trip around rush hour traffic when possible.

Upgrade to a later model vehicle if you can. Newer engines are designed to use less fuel and require a lower rpm to get to efficient operating speeds.

Idling uses a lot of fuel.  Try and develop a good habit of shutting your engine down when possible. Many states have very strict laws about idling but even if it’s not required by law, this simple habit could save you big.

The weight distribution of your load can also be causing you to use more fuel than needed. Inspect your load carefully to make sure it is evenly distributed.

Make sure your vehicle is in tip top shape. Vehicle maintenance is crucial to your daily operation and can save you money in fuel consumption as well as major repairs. Make sure you are inspecting your vehicle thoroughly to avoid any hazards on the road. Improper tire inflation can cause you to get terrible fuel mileage.  Always have a tire gauge handy and inspect every time you do your pre-and post-trip inspections.

Every Little Bit Counts

No single economy driving tip will have a major impact. However, try utilizing several of them. You should be able to notice the difference in your fuel consumption.

Eagle Ford Shale Consortium Conference 2013

Eagle Ford Consortium

The Eagle Ford Shale Consortium Conference was held in San Antonio on March 7-8 and about 800 people attended. Leaders from around the area join to share how the Eagle Ford has changed their business to date and what they expect in the future.

Highlights include:

• The Three Rivers Refinery (operated by Valero) was close to being mothballed before the Eagle Ford
• Now, Dairy Queen is paying a signing bonus in Three Rivers
• Marathon CEO - The Eagle Ford is the "best" unconventional play in North America and maybe the world
• Operators have been playing catch up building pipelines and gathering systems
• Rents and Eagle Ford Housing prices have doubled and tripled across most of the area
• 911 calls have doubled in South Texas
• McMullen County has seen an increase in wrecks of 400%, with no EMS service
• Healthcare is the next area in need of growth
• Demand is surging for primary care, treatment of diseases, treatment for joint & back problems
• Other industries are having trouble keeping employees from jumping into oilfield jobs

You can read more in the following articles from mysa.com, and two from Here and Here from caller.com

Training To Drive In The Eagle Ford - Part II

DMC Instructor & Student

Truck drivers with commercial driver’s licenses are in high demand in the Eagle Ford Shale Play. However, getting that CDL license could get much more difficult in the near future. If you’re planning on getting, or offering, training, you need to keep an eye on the proposed regulations for entry level driver training. (ELDT).

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) regarding ELDT. If this becomes a final rule, all CDL training programs will have to meet those standards.

Last month we reviewed the long history of mandatory training standards proposals. What does the current NPRM mean for prospective drivers and for those in the training industry?

Must Complete Training

The proposed new rules will apply to

• Any person applying to a State for an interstate CDL for the first time, upgrading to a Class A CDL from a Class B, or from an intrastate to an interstate CDL (including school bus drivers)
• Any person not having completed the training who is reapplying for a CDL
• After revocation for highway safety reasons or after a lapse in CDL status for 4 years.

Proposed Minimum Training Hours For Drivers

Note that the proposed rules require that a specific number of hours be spent in different aspects of training: in the classroom and behind the wheel.

BTW indicates time spent Behind the Wheel. The proposed hours do not include training for endorsements.

Training Programs Will Need Accreditation

[ic-r]The proposed regulations will require that training programs and institutions be accredited. The accrediting agency would have to be recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) or the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). This is of course of vital concern to anyone who is now conducting training which will have to be accredited under the proposed rule.

The American Truck Associations raised the following concerns about the accreditation part of the proposal:

• There is a small (and shrinking) number of organizations that will actually accredit truck driving schools
• Length of the accreditation process
• After 3 year phase-in period, there is no ability to accredit a new school
• Accrediting body standards will restrict schools’ ability to advertise and potentially jeopardize guaranteed employment upon graduation.
• Would there be exemption for in-house training by motor carriers doing their own? (conflicting with a similar long-combination vehicle rule)

Mandatory accreditation would likely raise the cost of training.

Public Comment Period

The NPRM process includes an invitation to the public to file comments. In 2007 over 700 sets of comments were filed in response to the NPRM. Rich Clemente, Transportation Specialist for the FMCSA Driver/Carrier Operations notes that “most commenters do not oppose driver training but rather how the NPRM would be implemented is the contentious issue.”

Key concerns among the comments filed have been:

• the cost of implementing the proposed Rule
• the lack of quantitative safety benefit data from training
• the matter of accreditation
• a preference for a performance-based vs. minimum hours training approach
• the length and details of the curriculum
• a separate motor coach curriculum would be necessary
• the availability of training in certain geographic areas
• the effect on the supply of new drivers
• an intrastate exclusion.

Click on the linkto view a video of the January 7, 2013 listening session that was held to hear comments.

What’s Next For Drivers?

FMCSA has to provide the court a new rule by September 2014 for evaluation. Should the regulation go into effect as proposed, the changes to driver training will be dramatic.

Heard at Winter NAPE 2013

Winter NAPE was February 6-8 and we spent our time listening to the pros discussing their views on energy policy, fundamentals, and investments. It's a North American event with some international influence. See photos below. A few highlights from the business conference include:

• At one point in 2012, there were 12-13 federal agencies overseeing some point of the E&P business
• Alaska is working to create incentives to fuel future exploration. (Only 500 exploration wells have ever been drilled in Alaska. More than 250,000 have been drilled in Texas)
• Alaska is working to ensure the federal government can't block development the state is in favor of
• Most of those that oppose "Fracking" oppose oil & gas development in general
• The industry moving to address all stakeholders. (Not just mineral owners and shareholders)
• Asia and the US are set to lead global growth in 2013
• Payroll tax hike will reduce growth, but we should still grow
• Chemical facilities are expanding for the first time in 50 years ($95 billion in investment planned)
• Problems in the US are artificial (man made)
• Brent is expected to trend into the low $80s, with WTI differentials shrinking
• A Whiting executive believes the Bakken-Three Forks could hold 25-50 billion barrels of recoverable oil
• Anadarko is 500 wells into the Eagle Ford and still sees upside (targeting a 4.2 day drilling time)
• Schlumberger shared a study showing 30% of perf clusters don't contribute to production

In previous years, the floor of NAPE has had a general theme. One year it would be the Barnett, the next the Haynesville, then the Bakken. This year there wasn't a single area that seemed to dominate the booths. There were small deals across almost all of the shale plays. I saw several Bakken and Eagle Ford deals, as well as conventional projects around the country. From speaking with the attendees, it sounds like conventional drilling has become unconventional in today's market. The largest operators are investing in big, repeatable shale plays.

The North American Prospects Expo (NAPE) is one of the largest oil and gas gatherings in the wold. E&P companies from across the world come to Houston to showcase the next big oil deal.

 

Training to Drive Trucks in the Eagle Ford Shale

Tanker Truck on the Highway

Truck drivers with commercial driver’s licenses are in high demand in the Eagle Ford Shale Play. However, getting that CDL license could get much more difficult in the near future. If you’re planning on getting, or offering, training, you need to keep an eye on the proposed regulations for entry level driver training (ELDT).

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) regarding ELDT. If this becomes a final rule, all CDL training programs will have to meet those standards.

Mandatory Standard Proposals Have a Long History

Mandatory standards for ELDT have been in several heated discussions for almost 38 years. Rich Clemente, Transportation Specialist for the FMCSA Driver/Carrier Operations summed up the highlights as follows::

1985 the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issued the “Model Curriculum for Training Tractor-Trailer Drivers” for voluntary adoption. The Model Curriculum was very well written and has been referenced in all discussions. (Our book, BUMPER TO BUMPER®, The Complete Guide to Tractor-Trailer Operations, follows this model curriculum.)

1986 The Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 established the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) program with tests for knowledge/skills, but required no specific training. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) further recommended, as part of new “national driver license program for commercial drivers” that “a requirement for formal training should be included in the prerequisites for obtaining a national license.”

1991 The Motor Carrier Act of 1991 – the Intermodal Surface Efficient Act (ISTEA) Section 4007(a) ruled that the DOT “shall commence a rulemaking proceeding on the need to require training of all entry level drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs).

1993 Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) was published.

1996 A Federal Highway Safety 1995 report “Assessing the Adequacy of Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver Training” was transmitted to Congress. It drew two major conclusions:

• Of the 3 private sectors (heavy trucks; motor coaches, and school buses), none is “effectively providing adequate training.”
• No evidence was found of a relationship between adequacy of the training the driver reported receiving and his/her frequency of accidents.

2003/2004 Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) NPRM (2003) & Final Rule (2004)

• Writ of mandamus (2003) Public Citizen v. FMCSA for Agency to issue long overdue rulemakings – one was ELDT.
• FMCSA published Final Rule (2004) intended to avoid duplication of topics in CDL testing; training provided through motor carrier. Topics covered included Driver Qualifications; Hours of Service; Driver Wellness; and Whistleblower Protection.

2005 Federal Court Decision: The U.S. Court of Appeals for D.C. Circuit remanded the existing training rule to FMCSA for further consideration (Decided 12/2/05). The Rule was not vacated. The FMCSA “inexplicably ignores the Adequacy Report and the regulatory prescriptions contained in that report… adequate must include ‘on street hours’ of training.” The Agency’s action was thus “arbitrary and capricious” under Administrative Procedure Act (APA).

2007 ELDT Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) was published  with these key provisions:

• New interstate CDL holders;
• Hours-based training approach;
• Mandated curriculum;
• Accredited schools; and
• 3-year implementation from Final Rule publication.

What Does this Mean to Potential CDL Drivers?

What does this mean to you as a prospective licensed commercial truck driver, or as a professional involved in truck driver training? We’ll explore that next month in ELDT, Part Two.