4 Tips to Reduce Fleet Idling Time
3 Aug 2017
Idle time destroys your company fueling costs. While there are times when you simply cannot avoid having drivers wait to be unloaded, there are things you can do to reduce idling time for your fleet vehicles that will save your company a great deal of money in fuel and maintenance costs.
According to Colorado’s “Engines OFF” campaign, the savings of reducing idling can add up to $5,000-$12,000 per year, per truck in wasted fuel costs plus an additional $2,000 annually in maintenance costs. That’s a hefty chunk of change for your organization! These are four things you can do to control your idling time more effectively.
1) Install Auxiliary Power Units (APUs)
You may use diesel-powered APUs or elect to use electric APUs. The diesel-powered units are somewhat more powerful, but they do still consume some amount of fuel (though not nearly as much as idling will) and they are quite loud. Electric APUs are quieter and more do not require diesel fuel, but your drivers must be more conservative and judicious with the burdens they place on these units – specifically when it comes to air conditioning.
2) Consider Auxiliary Air Conditioners
Some fleet owners aren’t willing to go to the expense of a full blown APU, despite its cost-effectiveness. Auxiliary air conditioners provide a viable alternative for allowing drivers to maintain this one creature comfort while catching a few hours of sleep without wasting time and precious fuel idling.
3) Create Policies that Discourage Idling
Some states require businesses to reduce idling time by law. These laws are sure to spread to other states in hopes of promoting cleaner air and reducing emissions from large trucks on the roads. In Denver, Colorado, diesel vehicles account for approximately two percent of the vehicles on the road, but are responsible for between 15 and 23 percent of the pollution in the region. Creating these policies and developing these habits now will be far less painful until waiting until it’s a matter of law and facing fines and penalties later.
4) Enforce Idling Policies with GPS Fleet Tracking
You’ve probably heard by now that GPS fleet tracking can be instrumental in helping to reduce fuel costs through more efficient routing, but it can also be used to help you monitor driving behaviors and activities – including idling. You can set up alerts to notify you of idling that last more than a set number of minutes, during times when the driver should be on the road, and alerts about drivers who habitually idle so you can take appropriate disciplinary actions.
These four tips represent a step in the right direction – toward reducing idling time for your fleet. Incorporate them today to see what a difference they can make for you.
If you’re interested in implementing a GPS fleet tracking system to reduce fleet idling time (and fuel costs!), give us a call today at LiveViewGPS and speak to one of our GPS fleet tracking experts. 1-888-544-0494
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