Fuel is a significant expense for any business that owns a fleet of vehicles. Also, it is often difficult to control and predict fuel usage if you do not have the right strategies for doing so. This article will look at some ways to make your fleet more fuel-efficient and save your business money.
Maintain Your Fleet
Vehicles that go for long periods without maintenance or services are more inefficient than those that do. Such inefficiency translates into higher fuel consumption since there is a lot of waste due to unused fuel every time the vehicle is driven.
Having consistent maintenance schedules using experienced professionals is an excellent way of ensuring your vehicles run efficiently, thereby reducing fuel costs, and avoiding significant maintenance costs down the road.
Track Engine Idling
Idling wastes a lot of fuel, especially for delivery drivers whose vehicles spend a significant amount of time stopped somewhere. Some newer vehicles have automatic start/stop features that turn the engine off when the vehicle stops for some time, and on when the driver wants to move.
Since this technology is less ubiquitous than many people would like it to be, tracking how long a vehicle idles will help you see where you are wasting fuel. You can then instruct drivers to turn the vehicle off if they stop for a significant period.
Set Spending Controls
Businesses can also have spending controls in place to reduce fuel costs. These controls work well with fuel cards with spending limits that allow drivers to fuel to a certain level or purchase a certain amount of fuel. They also let businesses know where a driver refuels to prevent fuel fraud. Such fraud can happen if a driver fuels at an unauthorized location or where the GPS shows they are too far from the pump where the card was charged. Fuel cards with spending limits and controls like the Comdata Card also make it much easier for businesses to stay compliant by providing licensing, tax and permit services.
Improve Route Efficiency
Vehicles that travel longer distances use more fuel. If your fleet spends a lot of time circling a town or city, fuel costs will be very high. GPS tracking technologies and systems allow businesses to set more efficient routes so that their drivers cover the shortest distances during a shift. An additional benefit of using these technologies is that your drivers can serve more customers since they can plan their routes to incorporate more people while also being efficient.
Remove Unnecessary Weight
If your vehicles regularly carry heavy equipment or tools even when not needed for convenience, you are wasting a lot of fuel since heavier vehicles require more power to move. It is a good idea to check what your vehicle is carrying occasionally and remove all unnecessary items.
Because it remains a significant part of a fleet’s operating costs, businesses must find ways to reduce how much fuel their vehicles use. These include setting spending limits, tracking fuel purchases, ensuring the vehicle is not overworked, and using software to plot the most efficient routes.
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