Empty tank, empty gearbox: how bad driving inflates your fuel costs.

If diesel is the "lifeblood" of the operation, then driving behavior is the "blood pressure." When one rises, the other skyrockets. In Brazilian road transport, diesel is the item that weighs most heavily on the wallet —representing around 35% of the operational cost of cargo , according to the CNT (National Confederation of Transport).

Now, combine this data with another: aggressive driving (hard acceleration/braking and speeding) reduces fuel economy by 15% to 30% on highways and by 10% to 40% in stop-and-go urban traffic . This is science, not opinion — the result of analyses by Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the U.S. Department of Energy.

What telemetry reveals (and how to put the puzzle together)

When we cross-reference actual fuel consumption (L/100 km) with driver behavior events , the pattern becomes clear:

• Speed above the economic range → fuel consumption increases progressively; studies with heavy trucks show an average gain of ~0.7% in fuel economy for every 1 mph (1.6 km/h) reduction in cruising speed, due to lower aerodynamic resistance and more efficient engine speed.

• Sudden acceleration/braking wastes energy and heat; the DOE quantifies large efficiency losses in these maneuvers.

• Prolonged idling → the engine consumes fuel without generating mileage (a topic we've already detailed in this series). The EPA and DOE recommend avoiding it.

• High engine speed and improper gearing → increases engine load and fuel consumption per kilometer; well-executed eco-driving programs yield an average fuel saving of 5% to 10% .

"Efficient, encouraged, and trained driving reduces fuel consumption." — Alternative Fuels Data Center / US DOE .

Why does this weigh on your income statement?

• More foot on the accelerator = more aerodynamic drag (increases with the square of the speed) → more liters per 100 km → less margin .

• Aggressive driving = acceleration/braking cycles that waste mechanical energy → -15% to -30% efficiency on the road (and up to -40% in traffic).

• Poor roads and pavement worsen the situation, but the dominant factor remains behavior —that's where recurring gains lie. The CNT (National Confederation of Transport) acknowledges that poor conditions increase costs, reinforcing the importance of disciplined driving as a daily antidote. CNT

The scale of the problem (and the opportunity)

Just to give you some context: Brazil consumed 46.5 billion liters of diesel A in 2022. Each liter burned emits approximately 2.6 kg of CO₂ . If a fleet reduces consumption by 10% through efficient driving and speed management, the economic and environmental impact is immediate.

Biases that sabotage the economy (and how to correct them)

• Normalization of the deviation: "everyone speeds here" → telemetry exposes the "shortcut culture".

• Availability bias: we remember the day we “flew and arrived early,” but forget the entire month we spent 8–12% more. Weekly reports bring this fact to light.

• Loss aversion: when the driver sees what they lose in each event (liters/minute), they change their behavior faster than with abstract goals.

How MOBS2 transforms data into real economics.

MOBS2 cross-references fuel consumption per segment with risk/inefficiency events (speeding, RPM outside the economic range, idling, hard braking). This allows us to isolate the behavioral effect of route, terrain, and load variables. Then, we trigger personalized micro-training sessions (up to 3 minutes video + quiz to consolidate learning) through the MOBS2 AI-powered education platform , precisely at the point of the driver's need.

The practical effect is a virtuous cycle: Data → Insight → Microtraining → Habit change → Sustainable decrease in L/100 km — and in cost per kilometer.

Want to drive more while spending less? We'll show you, using your own data, where the waste is and how to convert it into profit margin — with actionable telemetry and behavior-changing education. Talk to MOBS2 in the inbox and revolutionize your fleet management.