Optimize your vehicle fleet

Tracking how your vehicles are used and perform is the first key step. It will enable you to work out the optimal time to replace vehicles.

You can choose a more sophisticated vehicle-tracking software or a simple logbook. The advantage of using software is that you can monitor where your vehicles are on the road and access other important information to support optimization, such as:

• Fuel consumption
• Idle time
• Engine fault codes
• Unwanted driver behaviours (such as speeding, hard turns, fast acceleration)

The best way to prolong the life of your fleet is to take a proactive approach to maintenance. By regularly servicing your vehicles, you’ll prevent smaller problems from turning into more costly repairs. It also reduces the chance that your vehicles will unexpectedly break down, causing delivery delays and productivity losses.

Simple things like worn spark plugs, dragging brakes or low transmission fluid can also increase fuel consumption. Implementing a preventative maintenance plan will ensure your fleet runs at peak performance and decrease your carbon footprint.

One of the simplest ways to optimize your fleet is to check that your vehicle routes are as efficient as possible. This ensures that your customers get their goods or services on time and helps you maximize the number of deliveries you can make. Choosing routes that have the fewest stops and turns, or that avoid traffic, also reduces fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions.

Route optimization software can help you to navigate complex multi-stop routes so your drivers don’t make unnecessary and inefficient stops, saving you time and money. In fact, optimized routes can increase fuel efficiency by 20 to 40%.

An efficient driving policy can eliminate practices that increase both fuel consumption and operating costs. For example, letting an engine run idle wastes about three litres of fuel per hour, and going even 10 kilometres above the speed limit on highways can burn about 10 percent more fuel.

Consider creating an efficient driving policy that sets out steps to reduce fuel use and wear and tear on vehicles. Such a policy could require drivers to:

• Reduce speeds
• Avoid idling
• Use cruise control
• Accelerate smoothly
• Use progressive shifting techniques
• Maintain proper tire pressure
• Use air conditioning wisely

Upgrading to fuel-efficient vehicles such as hybrid and electric models can significantly optimize your fleet. Depending on your activities, the savings you get from going electric can compensate for the potentially higher initial price of electric and hybrid vehicles. Operational savings for a fleet of fuel-efficient vehicles are also compounded as your fleet grows—meaning that the larger the fleet, the more compelling the financial argument for choosing lower-emitting options.