From independent owner-operators to enterprise fleets, everyone is looking for the best ways to cut costs and maximize fuel efficiency. There are a lot of resources available to reduce fuel waste and minimize related expenses. This blog breaks down how the trucking industry uses (and wastes) that liquid gold. Join us as we take a look at fuel use, by the numbers.
Fuel Costs:
- 24 percent of all carrier costs are fuel-related1
- Bad driving habits increase carriers’ fuel costs by 22 percent 2
- Fuel costs per truck average more than $50,000/year (at 100,000 miles/year, seven MPG and $3.50/gallon)
- Decreasing fuel consumption by 10 percent can save $5,000 per year, per truck
- A fleet of 100 trucks would save $500,000 in fuel costs with a 10 percent decrease in consumption
Wasted Fuel:
- Better driving habits can reduce fuel waste by 80 percent2
- 25 percent of fuel is wasted due to hard accelerations2
- 33 percent of fuel is wasted due to speeding2
- 20 percent of fuel is wasted due to idling2
Fuel Concerns:
- Fuel and rising costs are number two and number three on the list of concerns for private carriers1
- More than half of fleets said that fuel costs exceed projections somewhat or very frequently3
- A majority of fleet employees said they are either somewhat or very concerned about fuel theft3
Fuel Management Software
Fuel Management Software (according to a Software Advice survey of fleet managers, owners, executives, dispatchers and accountants):
- 27 percent of survey respondents replied that improved data collection and analytics are a primary benefit of fleet management software3
- Another 27 percent shared that improved fuel budgeting is a major advantage of using a fleet management solution3
As you can see, improved fuel efficiency results in lower costs and improvements to the bottom line. So where does Omnitracs come in? Look no further than Omnitracs’ own fleet fuel management application: Exact Fuel. Omnitracs Exact Fuel can capture fuel level information and transmit it directly to fleet managers, enabling them to quickly identify discrepancies in fuel levels. By providing this enhanced fuel level visibility, Exact Fuel allows fleets to monitor fuel levels, identify potential fuel theft or loss, and improve fuel stop planning — all of which helps fleets minimize fuel costs and optimize operations.
Maximizing efficiency is an involved process and requires more than just monitoring fuel levels. Performance Monitoring contributes to fuel savings by allowing managers to monitor driver performance (hard braking, acceleration, etc.) and coach them on better driving practices that lead to a more efficient use of fuel.
For more information on Exact Fuel and Performance Monitoring, please visit: www.omnitracs.com.
References:
1 National Private Truck Council, “2015 Benchmarking Survey”
2 SmartDrive Systems, “Fuel Efficiency Study: Commercial Transportation”
3 Software Advice, “How Fleet Management Software Can Help Improve Fuel Efficiency”