Fleet managers are always looking for ways to save money on their bottom line. While there are many methods, from maximizing warranties to preventative tire maintenance, there is one method that is often overlooked: saving on fuel. Fleet-based companies inherently use a lot of fuel, it’s just the nature of the job; but there are many ways that managers and drivers can save money with regards to fuel.
Identifying and Solving Fuel Waste
At Skypatrol, we offer intuitive software and GPS tracking devices for fleet vehicles. Over the years, we have learned what fleet managers need most and we have developed GPS hardware to meet those needs. Products like the SP3801 include features like geofencing and internal CDMA and GPS antennas, and the TT8750N+ includes three digital outputs and a splash proof housing. Whatever your needs are, the team at Skypatrol will help select a product that offers a solution.
GPS Tracking Solutions & Fuel Card Software
From law enforcement vehicles to UPS drivers, fleet-based companies often utilize GPS tracking devices for their fleet vehicles. This allows them to better understand how their fuel is being used and how much they are spending. With regular and thorough monitoring, managers will be able to better visualize where costs are high and can then look for ways to improve and save. There are several ways fleet vehicle tracking can help businesses reduce fuel waste, including
- Optimizing route efficiency
- Reducing engine idling
- Training drivers to be more efficient
- Setting up alerts for fuel card fraud
Increasing Route Efficiency
For larger freight companies who are traveling across states or even the country, there may only be one or two efficient routes to get a certain destination. GPS tracking solutions is what will identify which route is better and which route has less traffic or construction, making it easy to determine the route that will save both time and money on gas.
For smaller areas, when there are countless options, reliable software will determine the route that is the shortest and quickest between starting and ending locations. GPS tracking for fleet vehicles not only works to proactively help drivers on the road, but will also look at previously recorded data to see what has worked best in the past.
Reducing Idling Time
The fact of the matter is, drivers will get lower gas mileage when they are idling. Drivers can let their vehicles idle for various reasons:
- Looking up directions
- Making a quick trip inside a rest stop
- Letting the vehicle warm up
- Stopped at a traffic light
- Stuck in a construction zone
- Waiting for delivery or pick-up personnel
- Waiting in a drive-through restaurant
During excessive idle time, a vehicle will burn more fuel than turning the engine off and restarting it. In fact, when a vehicle is idling for more than two minutes, it is using the same amount of fuel as it takes to drive one mile. Excessive idling can also damage parts of the engine, including spark plugs, cylinders, and exhaust systems.
To reduce harmful idling time, fleet managers can set up alerts on GPS tracking devices that send data to both the driver and management, letting them know when the vehicle has been idling for too long and when a certain idling threshold has been reached. Customizing alerts, notifications, and thresholds will help drivers understand how their habits are impacting fuel usage and therefore, the company’s bottom line. Management will also be able to easily see which drivers are consistently over or under these thresholds and can then take corrective action and implement training.
Training Efficient Driving
Drivers may not be aware that certain behaviors can have a direct impact on how much fuel they are using. Behaviors like speeding up quickly, aggressive driving, and braking quickly can all have a negative effect on how much gas is used. In stop-and-go traffic and highway driving, aggressive driving can waste gas and reduce mileage by between 10% and 40%. Fleet vehicle tracking software will identify these behaviors and notify management so that further training can be implemented.
Fuel Card Fraud
The more information that can be gathered at the pump, the easier it will be to identify fuel card fraud. GPS tracking solutions can track data including the number of gallons pumped, the location of the gas station, the time and date of when it was pumped, and whether or not the amount pumped is higher than the capacity of the vehicle’s tank.
When there are discrepancies in the amount pumped and how much the tank can hold, if gas was pumped in one location and the vehicle is somewhere else, if the gas was pumped outside of working hours — these are clear signs of fuel car fraud.
Look at the Data
GPS devices and fleet vehicle tracking software provide managers and drivers with data that holds true value for the company. With data gathered over a week or a month, you will be able to see where you are losing money, who are your best and worst drivers, and what behaviors are saving or losing you money.
Skypatrol has developed products with our customers in mind and we are passionate about providing GPS tracking solutions to various industries for all fleet management needs. If you believe you are losing money on fuel costs, get in touch with our team today for a free demo. Customer service is our top priority and we’re always here to answer any questions you may have.