As a fleet manager, you have a big job on your hands in the next upcoming months. You must ensure you continue to provide your customers continuous service under demanding circumstances, as well as keep your expenses down when your budget is already too lean as it is. Plus, you also need to adhere to social distancing restrictions and rules.
It’s not a simple job, which is why a lot of fleet managers are turning to technology — like GPS fleet tracking, to help them operate productively and profitably. Below are some ways GPS fleet tracking can help you manage costs during this COVID-19 pandemic.
As a fleet manager, you understand fuel expenses take up a substantial amount of your business spending. Cutting down your fuel consumption is the best way to counter the impact of increased fuel prices, but it’s not the only way to do it. Below are seven ways you can reduce fleet fuel costs this winter.
Use Cold-Weather Driving Techniques
Have your drivers implement cold-weather driving techniques this winter to keep fuel costs down, such as:
- Avoid using seat warmers and defrosters more than is needed
- Minimize idling to warm the vehicle up. Generally, engines warm up quicker when you’re driving. So, allow your vehicles to warm up for around 30 seconds and then gently drive off
- Ensure the oil is suited for colder weather
- Improve Driver Driving Behaviors (speeding, harsh braking, idling)
Poor driving habits like harsh braking, speeding and quick acceleration can impact your vehicle’s fuel consumption seriously. Ensure your drivers know fuel-efficient driving habits to enhance road safety and save money.
Some include:
- Take foot off gas or slow down when going downhill
- Drive smooth in anticipation of various situations ahead to avoid unnecessary acceleration and harsh braking
- Drive at reasonable speeds
- Switch to higher gears early and skip gears when needed
4 Winter Fleet Driving Safety Tips
3 Dec 2020Fleet drivers face a lot of hazards with winter driving. Ice, snow, slush, and fog can make road navigation hard and this can result in costly accidents. Over 5.8 million accidents occur each year, according to a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) report. Twenty-one percent of these accidents are related to the weather. To avoid possible fleet vehicle crashes and other potential road mishaps, it’s essential you prepare your fleet drivers. Below are four winter fleet driving safety tips to help ensure your drivers’ safety this winter.
- Reinforce Common Wintertime Safety Habits
Implement training and a policy to reinforce common wintertime safety habits. Because winter driving poses safety hazards, just looking at data from the past isn’t enough. You need to be proactive with enforcing your fleet safety policy and training. A whole training program should focus on your drivers being able to navigate different scenarios like icy routes, thick fog and vehicle breakdown.
Place emphasis on:
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Intoxication while driving
- Aggressive and defensive driving
- Safe following distances
You’ll also want to touch on common events like making quick stops, skidding, encountering ice on the road and taking corners.
