Although they are sometimes used interchangeably, diesel and gas are two different things. Sure, they’re both something put in vehicles to make them “go,” but they differ in consistency, energy creation and density, and fuel efficiency. When taking a close look at these two fuels, diesel is the clear winner in each category, making diesel trucks the more affordable and reliable option long term.
The main difference between diesel and gas trash can cleaning service trucks that most impacts everyday use is their fuel efficiency, and there’s no way of beating around the bush: diesel trucks have better gas mileage than gas trucks. The US Department of Energy found that diesel vehicles can go 20% to 35% farther on a gallon of fuel than their gas counterparts.
Part of the reason why diesel vehicles are far more fuel-efficient is that diesel fuel contains anywhere from 10% to 15% more energy than gasoline. This results from the two oils different chemical makeup and refinement processes. Diesel and gas both start out as crude oil mined directly from the Earth, and each goes through a different refining process that gives them their different qualities. However, even before this refining process, the two start out with different chemical compositions: diesel is three-fourths alkane hydrocarbons with little to no olefin hydrocarbons while gas is composed of shorter and lighter alkanes and far more olefins. Through the refinement process, these differences become more pronounced as long chains of hydrocarbons are broken down into smaller chains.
Diesel vehicles are not just more fuel-efficient than gas vehicles – they also offer increased power, better acceleration, and superior efficiency. Diesel engines are simply stronger than their gas counterparts. Obviously, all these benefits come at a cost – diesel fuel will cost you a bit more every time you need to fill up the tank – but considering the fuel efficiency and other benefits, it’s the way to go. Especially in the dumpster cleaning business, diesel is the clear choice.