Fleetistics Fleet Management Blog
Fuel saving tips – Efficient fleet management
Efficiently managing fuel expenses is essential for maximizing profitability and sustainability. In this blog post, we will explore some key strategies and tips that fleet managers can implement to save fuel and increase their bottom line. On average, fuel represents 60% of a company’s total fleet operating budget, and finding ways to save fuel is crucial for both financial and environmental reasons.
Effective Strategies for Fuel Saving
To optimize fuel usage and increase efficiency in fleet management, consider implementing the following strategies:
1. Vehicle Maintenance: Regular vehicle maintenance is essential to ensure optimal fuel efficiency. This includes regularly servicing vehicles, checking tire pressure, and addressing any mechanical issues promptly.
2. Route Optimization: Planning and optimizing routes can help reduce fuel consumption. By using advanced route planning software or GPS systems, fleet managers can identify the most efficient routes that minimize distance, traffic congestion, and idling time.
3. Driver Training: Providing comprehensive driver training programs can significantly impact fuel consumption. By educating drivers on fuel-efficient driving techniques, such as avoiding aggressive acceleration and braking, maintaining a consistent speed, and reducing idle time, fleet managers can help drivers adopt fuel-saving habits.
4. Vehicle Selection: When adding new vehicles to the fleet or replacing older ones, consider selecting fuel-efficient models. By choosing vehicles with better fuel economy ratings, fleet managers can ensure long-term savings on fuel costs.
5. Minimal idling: Encourage drivers to minimize idling times by turning off the engine when parked or waiting for extended periods.
6. Fuel Monitoring: Implementing a fuel monitoring system allows fleet managers to track fuel consumption accurately. By monitoring fuel usage, managers can identify areas of improvement and address any inefficiencies promptly.
7. Technology Integration: Incorporating advanced technologies such as telematics systems and fuel management software can provide real-time data on vehicle performance, fuel consumption, and maintenance needs.
Adopting Eco-friendly Practices in Fleet Management
In addition to the strategies mentioned above, fleets can also adopt eco-friendly practices to save fuel:
- Vehicle Load Optimization: Ensuring that vehicles are not overloaded can help improve fuel efficiency. By carefully considering the weight and distribution of cargo, fleet managers can reduce unnecessary fuel consumption caused by carrying excess weight.
- Eco-Driving Education: Investing in eco-driving education programs can help drivers develop fuel-efficient driving habits. These programs can educate drivers on techniques like smooth acceleration and deceleration, efficient gear shifting, and the use of cruise control.
- Route Planning: Optimizing routes can have a significant impact on fuel consumption. By using route planning software or GPS systems, fleet managers can identify the most fuel-efficient routes for their drivers. When planning routes, factors such as traffic patterns, road conditions, and the proximity of fuel stations can be taken into account to minimize unnecessary mileage and optimize fuel efficiency.
- Monitoring and Controlling Idle Time: Excessive idling is a major source of fuel waste in fleet management. Implementing measures to monitor and control idle time can lead to significant fuel savings.
Incorporating Technology for Fuel Savings
Incorporating technology into fleet management can greatly contribute to fuel savings. Telematics systems and fuel management software can provide real-time data on vehicle performance, fuel consumption, and maintenance needs. This data allows fleet managers to make informed decisions and take proactive measures to optimize fuel efficiency. For example, telematics systems can track driver behavior and provide feedback on fuel-wasting habits such as excessive idling, hard braking, and speeding. By addressing and correcting these habits, fleet managers can significantly reduce fuel consumption.
Impact of Driver Behavior on Fuel Consumption
One crucial factor that can significantly impact fuel savings in fleet management is driver behavior. Drivers play a crucial role in fuel efficiency. Their actions behind the wheel can either contribute to fuel savings or lead to unnecessary consumption. Fleet managers should prioritize driver training and communication to promote fuel-efficient driving habits. This can include providing regular reminders and incentives for eco-driving, as well as addressing any concerns or questions drivers may have regarding fuel-saving techniques. In addition, fleet managers can implement driver performance monitoring systems that provide feedback on fuel-wasting habits and encourage drivers to improve their behavior. By focusing on driver behavior, fleet managers can increase fuel efficiency and overall savings.
Successful Fuel Saving Tips in Fleet Management
- By implementing a comprehensive fuel management program that includes driver training, vehicle maintenance optimization, and the use of telematics systems to monitor and control idle time, companies are able to achieve a 10% reduction in fuel consumption across their fleet.
- Delivery Services can introduce a driver incentive program that encourages fuel-efficient driving behavior. Drivers who consistently achieve fuel-saving targets can be rewarded with bonuses or other recognition. As a result, Delivery Services will see a significant decrease in fuel consumption by 15% and improved driver morale and engagement.
- Logistics companies can implement a vehicle optimization strategy by analyzing their routes and making adjustments to reduce mileage and idle time. Through this approach, they can reduce fuel consumption by 12% and save on maintenance costs associated with excessive wear and tear.
- Courier Services should invest in technology that allows them to optimize their routes and plan for more efficient deliveries. They will be able to reduce fuel consumption by 20% and decrease their overall carbon footprint.
Implementing these strategies can help fleet managers save fuel and reduce operating costs. Fuel management solution helps you track, monitor and analyze your fuel consumption with simplified reports and alerts.
Vehicle & Asset Telematics
Electronic Forms
Mobile Viewing
DashCams
The Role of a Fleet Manager
Essential Duties of a Fleet Manager
A fleet manager is responsible for overseeing and managing a company’s fleet of vehicles. They play a crucial role in ensuring that the fleet operates efficiently and effectively, meeting all operational requirements. The fleet manager’s responsibilities can be broad and encompass various aspects of fleet management.
The Importance of Their Role
It involves activities such as defining the fleet composition, designing vehicle routes, assigning transportation jobs to vehicles, scheduling their movements, planning and scheduling vehicle maintenance, replacement, and more. In addition to these operational tasks, fleet management also plays a crucial role in reducing risks, increasing the quality of service, and improving the overall operational efficiency of a fleet at a minimal cost. Efficient fleet management systems are essential for companies to achieve these goals and stay competitive in the transportation industry.
One important aspect that is often overlooked is its impact on the environment. As transportation is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, fleet managers have a responsibility to analyze and mitigate the environmental impact of their operations. This can include implementing fuel-efficient vehicles, optimizing routes to minimize fuel consumption, and exploring alternative energy sources such as electric vehicles. Stephanie Fuhrmann-Allen, Ocular Recovery Supervisor from Lions World Vision Institute shares one of her challenges: “Other than constant fear of motor vehicle accidents with my techs on the road 90% of the time, just the trackers being bumped and deactivating.”
Successful fleet management requires strong organizational and problem-solving skills, as well as the ability to make informed decisions that benefit the company and its stakeholders. They also play a key role in coordinating with various stakeholders to ensure smooth operations. For example, they must collaborate with finance departments to make budgetary decisions related to vehicle procurement and maintenance. They may also work closely with human resources departments to hire and train drivers, as well as marketing teams to promote the company’s fleet services to potential customers and clients.
Skills Required to Be Successful
First and foremost, strong organizational skills are essential. Fleet managers are responsible for overseeing and coordinating the activities of a company’s fleet of vehicles. They must be able to effectively plan and prioritize tasks, allocate resources efficiently, and ensure that vehicles are operating in accordance with company policies and regulations. Additionally, they must have excellent problem-solving skills to effectively address any issues that arise in the fleet management process.
Excellent communication skills are also crucial for a fleet manager. They must be able to effectively communicate with drivers, maintenance staff, and other stakeholders to ensure that everyone is aligned and working towards the same goals. Furthermore, analytical skills are also important. They must be able to analyze data and trends related to vehicle usage, fuel consumption, maintenance costs, and other key metrics. This analysis allows them to make informed decisions about vehicle procurement, route optimization, and maintenance planning to improve the efficiency of their operations.
How Technology is Transforming Fleet Management
With the advancements in technology, fleet management has undergone a significant transformation. The integration of telematics, GPS tracking, and data analytics has revolutionized how fleet managers operate. These tools provide real-time insights into vehicle location, fuel consumption, driver behavior, and maintenance needs. By utilizing these technological advancements, fleet managers can make data-driven decisions that optimize fuel efficiency, reduce maintenance costs, improve driver safety, and enhance productivity. They can monitor vehicle performance and identify trends or patterns that may impact the fleet’s operations and make proactive adjustments.
By harnessing the power of technology, they can optimize routes, reduce fuel costs, and improve overall efficiency. They can track driver performance and provide feedback for improvement, leading to safer driving practices and reduced accidents. Additionally, technology enables them to automate administrative tasks, such as vehicle registration and maintenance tracking, reducing paperwork and streamlining processes. Moreover, the use of advanced fleet management systems has allowed for better coordination and routing at the field level, leading to improved logistics efficiency, effectiveness, and flexibility.
Conclusion
Fleet Managers play a crucial role in ensuring that the fleet operates efficiently, safely, and cost-effectively. With the rise of e-commerce and the increasing demand for last-mile delivery services, fleet management has become even more critical for businesses to stay competitive. One of the most significant trends in fleet management is the integration of electric vehicles into the fleet. As the world shifts towards a more sustainable future, many companies are adopting EVs to reduce their carbon footprint and lower fuel costs.
Fleet managers need to understand the unique requirements of EVs, such as charging infrastructure and battery range, to effectively incorporate them into their operations. Check out this post from Traton celebrating #WorldEVDay. They are committed to reducing greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions of heavy commercial vehicles through electrification and constant innovation.
Another invaluable tool in fleet management is telematics. Telematics refers to the technology that combines telecommunications and informatics to provide real-time data about vehicles. With the help of telematics, fleet managers can monitor and track various aspects of their fleet, including vehicle location, speed, fuel consumption, and maintenance needs. This real-time data allows fleet managers to make informed decisions and take proactive measures to optimize vehicle utilization, improve driver safety, and reduce operational costs.
If you are thinking of pursuing a career in fleet management, Indeed offers an in-depth skills analysis here.
Vehicle & Asset Telematics
Electronic Forms
Mobile Viewing
DashCams
Vehicle Cameras for Fleet Management
Vehicle cameras are becoming more popular as a fleet management tool.
Vehicle cameras are becoming more popular as a fleet management tool.
As with any new tool, it takes time to understand the best ways to leverage camera use on your fleet vehicles. When selecting and setting up your vehicle camera system, managing consumption to avoid data overage needs to be considered. Ask yourself some questions when you begin.
What information will be most beneficial to you in video format?
How do you plan to use it?
Who will be responsible for reviewing it?
There are several different types of camera systems, designed for different purposes, and it is important to select the system that will record and deliver the specific type of video record you need. No longer are dashcams just a risk management measure to have a record in case of an accident. Forward-facing dashcams monitor the road and potential hazards in front of the vehicle. They can stand alone or be used with peripheral cameras.
Some systems also have an interior view of the cab to record what the driver is doing. Adding side, rear, and cargo area cameras can provide valuable information as well as security. Full-featured camera systems integrate with the Geotab tracking platform for even more functionality.
Automatic Event Recording
Vehicle cameras designed to record events are primarily used to document the conditions an event occurs. Events may be predefined by the camera system or you can define them yourself when integrated with your vehicle tracking system. Being selective about how many of your rules generate email notifications helps to limit unnecessary email overload. In the same way, be selective about the rules you choose to trigger video downloads to avoid data overage.
Speeding is a common rule that you may want to trigger a video download, but if you have several speed rules, choose carefully the one that triggers the video. A rule like 5 mph over the posted speed limit can trigger often and use up your data plan in a hurry.
Cameras with AI
Some vehicle camera systems use artificial intelligence to identify events. They can identify speeding, lane drift, following too closely, even road obstructions. Combined with a smartphone app, these systems give feedback to the driver to avoid potential hazards. With an in-cab view, cameras with AI can also identify and record cell phone use and smoking events.
You can see examples of video from a variety of cameras as well as installation tips on our YouTube channel.
Live Feed
Certain business models such as the Security Industry may benefit from live feed capability from vehicle cameras. Supervisors can view live video to consult with and advise the field employee. Managers can view job site progress and several jobs without leaving the office. Live feeds need to be used responsibly. If you forget to turn off the feed and leave for lunch, extreme data overage is the likely result.
Monitor your Data Consumption
If your system offers a feature to monitor how much data you have used, check weekly to see that you are within your data plan limits. Becoming familiar with how much data you are using will allow you to get the most out of your vehicle camera system without incurring costly overages.
Support Cases Made Easy
Support Cases Just Got Easier!
The thought of opening a support case can be frustrating. We have all had a bad experience dealing with a support issue online at some point. Fleetistics is determined to simplify and streamline the support process.
Benefits Of Opening A Support Case
- Avoid Hold. Don’t waste valuable time calling. We are glad to talk to you but we service many customers. Entering a case simply avoids hold time and phone tag.
- Easy Access. The support system resides within MyFleetistics. It is connected to your database so you don’t have to look up serial numbers and device details. When a case is opened from the Device Status Table, vehicle information is automatically entered in the support ticket. Current and historical cases can be reviewed.
- Fire and forget. The case allows you to walk away while we do our research. You can go about your day. No phone tag. No being on hold.
- Accountability. Cases are time and date stamped. Both parties are held accountable for a timely response.
- Communication. Information is shared and documented in one place for a single issue.
- Notification. When a case is updated by Fleetistics or you, notification is provided to the other party.
- Self Help. We are working to provide quick, easy to follow instructions for the most common issues so you can potentially address an issue immediately and move on with your day. View troubleshooting steps click here.
Accessing the Device Support System
After logging into MyFleetistics, click Analytics, then Dashboard Device Status. A list of your devices populates, color coded to identify devices that may have issues. First, find the device that you want to open a case for, and click the flag to the right of the device information.
Next, Complete the Brief Support Case Form
Not a vehicle or device issue?
If your support case is not about a device issue, simply click the cross icon in the top right corner of the window or navigate to Help Center > Support and select “Open Support Case” to open the form without specific device information.
Select the category of the issue from the pre-populated list.
Now, Add Your Case Comments
In the comments section tell us what you have done to identify or resolve the issue. Clearly, we must go through a series of troubleshooting steps. Knowing what you have already done moves us past those steps.
The basic troubleshooting steps for Geotab devices can be found at Frequently Asked Questions – Troubleshooting Geotab OBD Device (myfleetistics.com)
A screen shot or image of an unusual occurrence is always helpful. Don’t forget to attach the file.
Finally, be sure to verify your email address and add the best phone number best time to call if we need to speak with you.
You have successfully opened a support case.
Case Confirmation Email
Once a case has been opened you will receive an email confirmation as in the image below. The email contains a link to your case. Each time a case is updated, you will receive another email notification so you know it is time to view and respond.
Inside the case you can add additional details, upload images, and respond to questions the Support Reps ask through the linked form. Replying to the email will record your text reply in the case, but if it is not a simple text reply, it is best to use the link in the email to add your response directly to the case with any images or documents that may be helpful. All of the history is then recorded in the case. You can also check on the status of a case at any time by navigating to Help Center > Cases .
Example of the Support Case in MyFleetistics
Typical Support Case Documentation
In the example below, Support requests the client’s agreement to the RMA terms prior to returning the device for testing. The pdf RMA terms document link is in the email and in the case itself. It contains the details on where to send the device, what happens next, and has some helpful links to other documents as well. After reading the document it is time to acknowledge it in the Support Case system. Working from the email, it looks like this.
The Response to the Case is now logged and time/date stamped.
As more action is taken, everything is documented while the problem is being solved. Here is the case after a few more entries. There is no question about who is doing what, or if we are making progress.
