Driving down the cost of driving
Were all paying more for fuel at the pumps at the moment. Bearing this in mind, its more important than ever to make fleets more fuel efficient.

Never in the history of UK fuel prices has there been such unrest amongst motorists. Today, a single gallon of petrol is hitting the 6.50 mark and it shows no signs of dropping. It isn’t that many years ago when petrol was 50p a gallon; diesel was even cheaper in those days. Now pump prices are ten times as much no wonder motorists are beginning to revolt and companies are paying close attention to all aspects of their fleet management procedures.
As Damien Cox, Lead Analyst for EnergyQuote JHA confirms, The close correlation between crude oil and road fuels prices is an inescapable reality for motorists. With crude oil rapidly moving towards the $ 100 per barrel level, up from an average of $ 78 in 2010 and $ 60 in 2009, it is hard to foresee anything but continued upward pressure in road fuels prices.

Sure, motor manufacturers have made and are continuing to make considerable improvements to their products. Engine and transmission systems are more efficient today and hybrid systems are available, but we still rely on petrol and diesel. Modern start-stop systems minimise idling and reduce fuel usage, but youve still got to fill up on a regular basis, which has a huge financial impact for fleet managers.

What can fleet managers do to save money?

Arguably the most beneficial cost-reducing mechanism available to transport operators today is the fleet management, or telematics, system. Independent evidence has proven fuel savings in excess of ten percent are achievable once modern telematics systems are introduced to transport operations. And that’s not to mention the reduced maintenance and accident costs typically being reported by fleet management system users.

How do they work?

Modern fleet management systems utilise on-board data recorders to monitor vehicle and driver performance, then report findings back to fleet managers.

The all-seeing fleet management system reports on how the vehicle is being driven, providing feedback about excessive acceleration, braking, speeding and other driving characteristics. Drivers are supplied with information from fleet management systems and they can alter their driving style accordingly, to reduce driving costs and enhance vehicle performance. Data is analyzed by fleet managers and this is often used during driver mentoring programmes.
By taking sensible precautions fleet managers can and do make a difference helping to reduce company expenditure in all areas of their fleet management. Its much needed. As fuel prices steadily soar upwards effective fleet management programmes are more important than ever.