How to bring DOWN that diesel bill!

There is no real end in sight for high fuel prices over the long-term. Thankfully, though, there is something that transport operators can do about it, as MAYANK SHARMA points out.

The price of diesel is expected to increase by around 63c/litre in South Africa in February 2024. Accordingly, fuel economy continues to be more important than ever for fleets looking to avoid mounting financial pressure. 

Utilising the power of AI and thorough data collection, telematics can be a major and increasing source of savings, by optimising the less visible drags on fuel economy. Here are some of our top tips for cutting down fuel costs:

Reduce idling time

One of the biggest avoidable drags on fuel comes from not driving at all. According to a 2015 report by the US Department of Energy, long-haul trucks chug through around 3.78 litres per hour while idling, burning both precious fuel and profit in the process.

Telematics can capture problematic idling incidents by measuring the lack of movement against a vehicle’s position along its route as well as ignition on/off data. Detailed reports of idling can then be generated on a per-vehicle or per-driver basis, giving managers a chance to act on the data provided by implementing policies to reduce idling and fuel use, along with vehicle wear and tear.

Cultivate smooth driving habits

Unnecessary acceleration, speeding, and many other poor driving habits are not only hazardous to safety, but also wasteful with the truck’s fuel. Ensuring drivers maintain good habits behind the wheel has a tangible positive impact on fuel economy, so it’s well worth keeping data on these habits and course-correcting as and when the need arises.

Training and coaching drivers on noted bad habits can be an effective way to hone their skills, but adding in the right incentives will see them go the extra mile to keep these skills sharpened. Modern telematics systems can raise alerts of bad habits and generate driver scorecards on each trip, allowing good-spirited competition with fellow drivers and opening the door for management to provide performance-based reward programmes.

Streamline maintenance to eliminate drag

Underinflated tyres, dirty air filters, and oil that is past its prime can all create drag on a truck. This adds up to a considerable amount of wasted fuel – 4% on average, according to Exxon – with the more serious issues causing far more waste. Accurately tracking a fleet’s maintenance needs and being proactive about tune-ups can help to ensure that trucks drive smoothly and waste as little fuel as possible. For example, measuring fuel burn not only by driver but by individual vehicles can illustrate variances in certain vehicles compared to the larger fleet. Thorough data analysis can compare driving habits with excessive fuel burn to help to identify whether it is, in fact, the vehicle itself that is the problem, or whether wastage is coming from somewhere else.

Get granular with route optimisation

Relying on GPS systems to avoid traffic and determine the fastest route is a good start, but today’s telematic technology allows for much more granular optimisation – after all, the shortest route isn’t necessarily the most fuel efficient. Whether the road is going up or downhill, whether the road layout tends to promote speeding, or any other unique road features can all affect the hidden fuel cost of a particular route. Telematics, equipped with the right data, can cut through these obscure considerations to find the most efficient path from both a time and energy standpoint.

Avoid theft and misuse of vehicles

It’s unfortunate, but in many cases, excess fuel usage isn’t tied to anything that happens on the books. The theft and misuse of company vehicles is an unsavoury explanation for wasted fuel, but one that fleet owners would be wise to ensure they can rule out. 

Modern telematics systems can both monitor fuel use compared to fuel purchases and – in many cases – integrate directly with fuel card providers to ensure that no fuel is being purchased fraudulently.

So, while transport operators may not be able to do anything about the volatile fuel prices and market fluctuations with which they are faced, just a few small tweaks and the assistance of digital telematics solutions can go a long way towards providing the data needed to reduce that drag on the fleet’s fuel economy and the company coffers.