How Can A GPS Tracker for Fleet Vehicles Increase Fuel Efficiency

According to experts, fuel costs amount to approximately 60% of a fleet’s total operational expenses. Naturally, an experienced fleet manager will prioritize fuel consumption and attempt to control it. It’s especially true during times like these when gas prices are at an all-time high. This situation forces managers to hold the reins on fleet fuel costs even tighter while maintaining all operations. Fleets are even coming under the lens of the government to reduce carbon emissions and support their organizations to meet their environment-saving target.

Fuel efficiency improvement strategies

Fleet managers hoping to create a more environmentally friendly and fuel-efficient fleet should consider incorporating the following fleet management tactics.

1. Comparing usage trends - When you target fuel usage patterns, pay attention to the bigger picture. You must know your fuel consumption and idling trends of the last three months or the current trends on aggressive driving, idling, and speeding. Reviewing these reports will help track patterns and pry out anomalies or coaching opportunities, cross-referencing the different metrics for greater insights and preventing the data from being separated. 

2. Route optimization - Fuel savings are achievable, provided you evaluate whether drivers take the most efficient routes or if the most efficiently positioned drivers respond to service calls. It’s an excellent example of where fuel and sustainability-related optimizations can positively dictate fleet productivity and create an opportunity to visit more customers per day.

3. Preventative maintenance - Malfunctions in the engine, problems with the oxygen sensors, and improperly inflated tires can all affect fuel efficiency. The United States Department of Energy claims under-inflated tires to be one of the primary causes of fuel economy reduction. In fact, under-inflated tires can decrease fuel economy by as much as 3%. Keeping tabs on vehicle health in real-time lets you service the automobiles before any problems proliferate and become expensive. You can do that with a GPS tracker for fleet vehicles.

4. Rightsize the vehicles - Selecting the right vehicle for each task is crucial to fuel management. Utilizing a heavy-duty truck for a small load and short distance is inefficient. It increases your fuel costs. You can research the web to learn more about rightsizing your fleet if you’re unsure how to do it.

5. Load reduction - If the vehicle load is light, it’ll be more fuel-efficient than another fully loaded heavy-duty automobile. Make sure your drivers carry only what they need as part of the cargo, as it makes a significant difference in fuel consumption. Reports from the EPA claim every 100 pounds of weight reduced from a vehicle can cut fuel economy by 1%.

More on the list

Indeed, there are many other things you can do to improve fuel efficiency. For instance, you can use fuel cards, consider incorporating EVs, and ensure data collection.

Now, incorporating all these strategies isn’t going to be easy, but if you use a fleet tracking device, you’ll notice how simple it gets! Hundreds and thousands of fleet managers are already utilizing telematics solutions and reaping their benefits. It’s time for you to join the bandwagon.