How to improve your fleet’s fuel economy

Reducing fuel costs is not a new topic, but it continues to be an important one. Many fleets, small and large, look to discover the secret formula to improving fuel economy and their bottom line.

Typically measured in miles per gallon (MPG), fuel economy can differ greatly depending on the make and model of a vehicle. For example, a small car is likely to have a greater fuel economy (more MPG) than a heavy-duty truck. That being said, though each vehicle has an estimated fuel economy, there are many different ways to improve this.

Today, we have been hit with ever-increasing fuel prices and the pressure to go green is now driven by the need to reduce costs, but also corporate sustainability targets.

For most businesses, the number one area targeted is fuel. As fuel is generally one of the biggest operating costs for fleets, investing in this area can have a great impact.

One method that helps drive fuel savings is to implement a telematics solution. When using telematics, you can reduce fuel consumption by:

• Improving driver productivity by reducing vehicle idling time, speeding and harsh acceleration
• Finding shorter routes to reduce total miles driven
• Detecting engine issues that could be contributing to high fuel spending
• Analyzing your miles per gallon (MPG) reports to pinpoint your most fuel efficient vehicles
• Understanding the impact of out-of route refueling time on your business

An overall green fleet program targets the improvement of fuel economy by using innovative fleet management technologies like telematics. More and more businesses are turning to hybrid and electric vehicle purchases to help build green fleets as well.