For businesses that operate fleets, being efficient with fuel can be a great way of saving money. But did you know that it can start with improving your team’s driving habits? Responsible driving can help reduce fuel costs, lower maintenance expenses and keep your vehicles on the road for longer. So you can help keep your drivers safe and keep your finances looking healthy at the same time.
Let’s take a look at some techniques.
Smooth driving
One of the main ways your team can lower their fuel consumption is by driving more smoothly on the road.
Accelerating harshly, braking suddenly and quickly changing lanes are not only unsafe, but they also use up more fuel. That’s because the vehicle’s engine has to work harder to get up to speed if accelerating quickly – or to get back up to speed after braking sharply.
By contrast, staying at a smooth, consistent pace – with gradual acceleration and gentle braking – can significantly improve your fleet’s fuel efficiency. Using the vehicle’s own momentum and the natural ups and downs of the road, your drivers can glide through traffic and put less stress on the engine. This can reduce fuel wastage and save your business money over time, smoothing the way forward.
Speed awareness
We all know that the faster we drive, the more fuel we use. But this can go up exponentially when driving above the optimal speed (around 50mph). Studies have shown that for every 5mph over 50mph we drive, fuel usage shoots up by around 10%. It’s simply because the engine has to work that much harder, demanding more fuel to maintain the level of velocity needed to reach those high speeds.
Avoiding long stretches of motorway can therefore help with your drivers’ fuel efficiency, if that’s an option for their journey.
Beyond fuel, driving faster increases the risk of accidents. This can put your drivers in danger – as well as result in repair costs, potential legal costs and higher insurance premiums. So there are multiple reasons to encourage your team to be more speed aware.
When it comes to operating a fleet, it’s not necessarily true that time is money. It isn’t about getting there as quick as possible. It’s about getting there in the safest and most fuel-efficient way. That’s what will help save your business money.
Avoiding idling
Leaving your engine running while you’ve stopped might not seem like a major issue. But over time it can waste a lot of fuel, especially if your business involves deliveries with multiple stops a day.
Modern vehicle engines only use a small amount of fuel to restart. So if your drivers know they’re going to be stationary for more than a minute – like if they’re waiting to load or unload – getting into the habit of turning off the engine can save your business a lot of money. It can also reduce engine wear and tear, keeping your vehicles on the road for longer.
Vehicle maintenance
Looking after your fleet can help keep your drivers safe, but it can also make sure your vehicles are operating at their most fuel efficient.
Well-maintained vehicles are far more likely to run smoothly, use less fuel and need fewer repairs. Simple things like making sure your tyres are fully inflated, replacing air filters when needed and regularly checking your engine can all help with your fleet’s fuel economy.
The fuelGenie advantage
A surefire way to manage your fleet’s fuel consumption is through a fuel monitoring tool. Keeping tabs on what your drivers use can show you where you could save.
fuelGenie offers real-time fuel tracking, giving fleet managers valuable insights. These can be used to build in new strategies for becoming more fuel efficient across the board. As well as helping individual drivers become more efficient by analysing their unique data – encouraging greater awareness, trying new driving techniques and setting goals.
It can all contribute to lowering your fuel consumption, while also promoting safe driving within your team.
The bottom line
Understanding the link between driving safely and being more fuel efficient can majorly impact your business’ bottom line.
Whether it’s your team learning to drive more smoothly, using the vehicle’s natural momentum on the road to ease the pressure on the engines. Or showing greater speed awareness, minimising high-speed journeys where possible to burn less fuel. Or making simple, everyday changes like turning off the engine when stopped, to reduce fuel waste.
It all adds up to keeping your fleet operating efficiently – while keeping your team safe on the road at the same time.
