Cargo Theft on the Rise, Reports NICB
23 Dec 2020The 15th annual Cargo Theft Summit, hosted by the NICB, was on September 29th. As millions of individuals in the U.S. try their best to limit the spread of COVID-19, the industry of transportation is continuing to transport medications, food, and other needed items all over the country. But, thieves who wanted to steal items like these haven’t let stay home policies stop them.
Because of COVID-19, the summit was conducted this year as a webinar and around 500 law enforcement, insurance professionals and trucking professionals attended and listened to the invited speakers’ presentations.
In the U.S. cargo theft is an up to $35 billion industry. And, thieves can easily make out with millions of dollars depending on what’s inside the truck.
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