From ABC News: Here's something so simple you probably won't even believe it: limiting your left hand turns. It works, and so much so UPS asks its drivers to do it daily. It's saving them millions of gallons of gas and miles on their trucks every single year. Antonio Turner's nine-hour days are fast paced and fuel efficient. "I know I'm not filling up as much as I used to. I only fill up once a week," he said. He's not using a special blend or driving a specific speed. He's simply limiting his left hand turns. It's something every single UPS driver has been asked to do since 2001. Yearly, it saves the company three million gallons of gas and 28 million miles. Computer-generated labels send information to the facility. Then a mapping program lays outs very direct routes nixing left hand turns when possible, and planning ahead to avoid intersections.
I know it doesn't really work for our cars, because we are not burning gas while we are waiting at a light to turn left. But it is interesting to me, nonetheless.
It probably still helps, especially in temperature extremes with climate control on. In cold weather, sitting still with the heat on really pulls the ICE temp down, sometimes to the point where it lights just to warm itself when it's not needed for propulsion. In the summer, the AC draws current off the battery. Sitting still long enough with the AC running can force the ICE to light to recharge the battery. It goes to the larger issue of route planning as a means to improve fuel economy -- in any vehicle. Avoiding red lights and left turns is one of many techniques that some of us use when possible.
I'm not sure if I get it. The old saying three right turns makes a left, but you do have to drive an extra four blocks to do it. On the other hand, if you are combining seveal errands on a circular route, and you can reverse the direction and go clockwise around the circle, then I guess it makes sense. I do sort of to this when combining my trips, if a stop is on the left, I normally will catch it on the return trip. To bad I don't have the power of the UPS routing computer.
