GP Transco Combines Truck Aerodynamics, Driver Coaching and Solar Power to Cut Fuel Use

For a fleet running millions of miles, small gains in miles per gallon can add up to meaningful fuel savings. GP Transco’s approach, described by Alex Gorno in an episode of HDT Talks Trucking, combines equipment choices with driver coaching and idle reduction rather than relying on one upgrade to carry the load.

The Illinois based carrier looks at efficiency across both the tractor and trailer. Aerodynamic specifications can reduce resistance as trucks move, while solar panels and idle reduction measures address fuel consumed when vehicles are stopped. Gorno discusses how the company evaluates these options and selects upgrades for its operation.

Build efficiency into equipment choices

Specifying trucks and trailers for fuel economy lets a fleet consider how equipment will work across its routes and operating patterns. Aerodynamics are part of that decision: tractor and trailer features need to work together, since the combination spends its miles as a single unit. The source discussion focuses on these specifications as one of several tools GP Transco uses to lower fuel costs.

Installation timing also matters. Gorno describes getting efficiency equipment installed before trucks are delivered. For fleet managers, coordinating that work with the vehicle order can put the equipment into service from the start, rather than requiring a later retrofit. The interview does not detail the specific components or quantify savings from individual upgrades, so the practical question for other operators is how each option fits their own equipment plans and duty cycles.

For background on one of the equipment categories discussed, see truck and trailer aerodynamics.

Make driver behavior part of the fuel plan

Hardware alone doesn't explain GP Transco’s approach. Gorno also describes driver coaching and bonuses tied to fuel economy. Training gives drivers guidance on practices that can reduce consumption, while incentives connect those practices to a direct reward. That combination recognizes that fuel use is shaped both by vehicle specification and by how the vehicle is operated.

Fuel economy programs need a clear way to assess performance if drivers are to understand what the coaching and bonus system asks of them. The source does not give GP Transco’s scoring method, bonus amounts or measured results. It does establish that the fleet uses driver rewards and training as part of its efficiency effort, and that fuel savings help support higher driver pay.

That link is a practical feature of the program: the fuel budget and compensation aren't treated as unrelated decisions. A fleet considering a similar approach would need to define how it measures fuel use and communicates expectations, while accounting for the operating conditions drivers face. The interview offers advice for fleets assessing upgrades, though it doesn't prescribe a universal formula.

Additional driver guidance is available in this fuel economy training resource.

Reduce fuel burned while parked

GP Transco also targets fuel use during stops. Solar panels are among the tools the company uses to reduce engine restarts, and Gorno discusses a lithium battery pilot. Together, these measures point to an operational focus beyond highway aerodynamics: managing onboard power needs while limiting the need to run or restart the engine.

The source does not specify the pilot’s size, battery configuration, deployment schedule or fuel savings. Those details matter when a fleet weighs the equipment against its own parking patterns and power demands. Still, the measures described show why idle reduction can sit alongside aerodynamic equipment and driver practices in a broader fuel plan.

Assess savings across the fleet

The central lesson from GP Transco’s example is that incremental improvements can matter at fleet scale. Equipment specifications, installation before delivery, driver coaching, incentives and idle reduction address different parts of fuel consumption. The source provides no per-truck savings figure, so operators should treat the discussion as a set of approaches to evaluate rather than a promised result.

For fleets considering changes, Gorno’s discussion is relevant because it covers both selecting upgrades and putting them into operation. The useful next step is to match each measure to the fleet’s equipment, routes and driver program, then track its effect over time. More ideas for reducing fuel costs without replacing trucks appear in 50 Ways Fleets Can Cut Fuel Costs Now — Without Buying New Trucks.