At $4 A Gallon, You Have To Read This Blog About Saving Glass In The Glass Industry!

We don't have to watch the news to see $4 a gallon gasoline. Just look at the station on the corner. If you use diesel, you would be happy with $4 a gallon. Who knew?

Many choices here:

• Close the business


• Sell your trucks and work only within a 5 block walking radius of your shop


• Cut your own pay by a couple hundred a week


• Work smart, read on, and you will save money--

You have read the standards, fill your tires, drive under 55, tune the engine and tell your shop drivers to "take it easy". These will work for sure. But here are a few extra thoughts that will help a glass company.

CLEAN OUT YOUR TRUCK--This will save you a ton of money. Just about every glass truck has 20 half-used tubes of sealant, three fogged IG Units, and mirror taken from a job three weeks ago. There is also 32 pounds of fast-food cups and wrappers stuffed under the seat.

For every 100 pounds you take off the truck, on average you will save 2% of your gas cost in a a car, and I guessing 1% in a truck. (from a US Government Pamphlet). http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/energysavings/savegas/flash.html

A glass truck with a couple of filled garbage cans, and the above junk, can easily shed 500 pounds. This can give you 5% better gas mileage. This is free, no special gimmicks. Do this tomorrow. The only complaints will come from the crew who should be maintaining a clean truck anyway! If you are in a cold weather area, next winter remember to get all the snow and ice off the truck. If you only clear the windshield, you are carrying hundreds of extra pounds.

The biggest savings come from reducing the weight you move around, next comes making the truck more aerodynamic. No...you can't get a Ferrari with a side rack, (If you did, I guarantee you a great publicity story), but clean up your rack. When driving with no glass on the rack, place the sticks on the bed of the truck. Presto--better air flow around the truck--better mileage.

Lay out the route for your truck carefully. Most of the glaziers will want to take the streets bordered by coffee shops. Explain to all concerned, that the constant stop and start, stare at shoppers, stop and start, all hurt gas mileage. You will be taking away the fun for the crew...but it is a cruel world.

There is one gas waster that I do recommend. Leave the Air Conditioning on. Let the guys cool off between jobs. They will be more refreshed, will work harder, and in the long run, the company will be better off.

Are you charging a fuel surcharge to your retail customers. You should be. Plumbers and electricians do it, UPS and Fedex do it, Let's Do It, let's recover some costs.

If you follow the above instructions, you will save $ every week. In these economic times, that is important.