Lower Fuel Cost and Stop Theft: Is it Possible?

One of the largest expenses for any business involving a fleet of commercial vehicles is its fuel cost. 

Further, the volatility and the ever-rising cost of fuel have an unpredictable impact on your business’s operational cost and profitability.  

Given that fuel costs account for 60% of the fleet operational cost, it is important to find ways to reduce the fuel cost. 

Thankfully, there are several ways to lower your cost-per-mile and make every gallon count. Read on! 

1. Take Advantage of Fuel Tracking Technology 

Thanks to advancing technology, you find plenty of fuel tracking software like Vamosys Fuel Monitoring System, Italon Fuel Sensor, etc. They give you real-time access to vital data points of fuel consumption like 

• Every vehicle’s fuel efficiency 
• Fuel usage graph of each driver 
• Inefficient routes that consume maximum fuel 
• Rash driving  
• Speeding, etc.  

The software can be used independently or integrated with your fleet management software. They prove vital in helping you improve MPG (miles per gallon) and total fuel consumed.  

2. Cut Engine Idling  

The U.S Department of Energy states of a quarter to half a gallon of fuel extra is used per hour due to engine idling. In fact, engine idling for 30 seconds only consumes more fuel than restarting the engine.  

Curbing this in drivers will help save and optimize fuel consumption. It can be achieved by: 

• Keeping the engine off while making deliveries or waiting.  

• Keeping the engine off when stuck in traffic or similar conditions.  
• Not idling to warm up the engine. It is best to simply start driving. 
• Installing a GPS Integrated Fuel Monitoring software can provide specific and related data to track and eliminate this wasteful occurrence in fleet operations. 
   

3. Monitor Driving Patterns  

Another biggest deterrent to better fuel efficiency is driver behavior. It is believed that when a good driver and a bad driver are compared, they make a fuel consumption difference of as much as 35 percent.   

Fuel consumption is affected by road habits like speeding, braking, accelerating patterns, etc. 

Thankfully, systems like the GPS Tracking System for Trucks and other vehicles help monitor dangerous driving habits like speeding, harsh braking, etc.  

You can then adopt a suitable strategy to reduce preventable fuel consumption.  

4. Stop Fuel Theft  

Fuel theft is another major cause of concern for any fleet owner or manager. While it may look daunting and impossible, it can be prevented. A few steps you can take to eradicate fuel theft include: 

• Estimate fuel usage of vehicles by setting up benchmarks.  
• It is best to install anti-siphoning devices, anti-fuel theft devices, or a fuel monitoring system. They help nab any unauthorized access and set up the right fuel usage benchmarks.  
• The vehicle yard or garage should have fences, bright lighting, and CCTV camera to deter thieves. 
• Educate the drivers about fuel theft and its impact. Simultaneously, have some loyalty and rewards programs to motivate them to increase fuel efficiency and stick to best practices and honesty.  
• Adopt defensive parking techniques to deter thieves from stealing fuel. 
   

5. Proactively Maintain Your Fleet  

A proactive fleet maintenance schedule can go a long way in helping you cut costs from all corners, including fuel expenses.  A few of its benefits include: 

• Frequent maintenance equates to a properly tuned engine that can yield four percent extra gas mileage. Bigger fixes can even increase gas mileage up to forty percent.  
• Properly inflated tires with the right pressure and inflation can increase gas mileage by about three percent.  
• Manufacturers’ graded motor oil and preferably one with ‘energy conserving’ performance helps improve fuel efficiency and mileage.  
• Regular cleaning of air filters and keeping them unclogged also improves fuel efficiency.  

Regular maintenance also helps cut down on expensive repairs as problems are identified at their nascent stage and rectified before they become severe.  

6. Choose and Plan the Most Efficient Routes  

Thanks to GPS technology and software like the Vehicle Tracking System, you can chalk out the best and most efficient routes for your fleet. The best ones combine both pick-up and drop-off and help minimize driving, thereby saving on fuel.  

Systems like maps and audio instructions of routes also help avoid going down wrong routes and not getting lost.  

7. Reduce Out-Of-Route Miles  

Most fleet tracking software gives you a report of actual miles driven as well as reported miles for each trip. This helps you identify out-of-route, unnecessary, and waste miles. You can then draft an appropriate action plan and minimize waste to save on fuel consumption.  

8. Avoid Unnecessary Weight 

Without realizing it, most vehicles are loaded with unnecessary baggage. It is estimated that 100 pounds of overload increases fuel consumption cost by 0.03 cents per gallon.

It looks like an insignificant amount, but when you extrapolate it over multiple vehicles and thousands of gallons consumed by them, it comes as a significant expense.  

Cutting on the excess payload will yield significant savings.  

9. Miscellaneous Tactics  

A few other important tactics that you can adopt to cut fuel costs are: 

• Use fuel cards to better track and optimize expenses on vehicles.  
• Plan off-peak driving whenever possible.  
• It’s always better to stick to a regular unleaded fuel instead of premium fuel.  
• Upgrade your vehicles to one with better fuel-saving features or even electric vehicles. 
• Map the engine and vehicle to the route appropriately.  

Wrapping up  

Regular and close checking via telematics and driver apps is the key to a 360-degree view of fuel consumption, driver behavior, and vehicle performance. All these would help you chalk a more fuel-efficient plan. 

With the right approach and the above tips, it is indeed possible to lower fuel costs and curb its theft.