The RTF have started talking about Environmental agendas; marketing your services not just on service, but on environmental policies too. The good news is that two of your biggest costs are also big on the environmental agenda – fuel and tyres – so by working to reduce their use, you not only have a topical marketing tool, but also save money.

There are a number of things you can do to look good in these areas and the responsibility is split between you and your drivers.
Things you can do;
- Spec the configuration of your fleet to suit the work which it is doing; the right engine size and load capacity for the work
- Consider streamlining your vehicles with wind deflectors
- Plan the trip route so there is minimal doubling – back making up extra fuel and tyre burning KMs
- Keep up the maintenance on your trucks so the engines are burning as efficiently as possible and the running gear is not wasting energy as it is transferred to the road
- Work with your tyre supplier to get the right specification of tyres for the work you are doing to prolong tyre life (and reduce the tyres thrown on the scrap heap)

Things your drivers can do;
- practise fuel efficient driving – all the time and everywhere
- stop idling the trucks, turn them off when they are not in use
- reduce average running speeds
- monitor tyre pressures
- conduct vigilant walk around checks to look for early warning signs of required maintenance

You should start to notice the difference in your costs almost immediately, but it is often hard to motivate your drivers to become involved, and to monitor which drivers are most successful, or remain interested for longest in this initiative.

Have you got GPS in your fleet? Have you been heard to utter the well aired phrase; “this system costs me the price of a truck, how do I make it earn its keep?” Here is the answer. Use the data which your GPS system collects about the activities of your fleet on the road to give some feedback to your drivers to help them to help you to save money on fuel and tyres. Like dieting, it is easier to stay motivated when you have some good feedback.

The vast majority of the drivers I know are true professionals, proud of their skills out on the road. Until recently, the only feedback you have been able to give them is about the condition of their truck, or any customer comments. Now you can give them the actual results of their efforts on a regular basis, using the basic activity data collected from their truck whilst they are driving.

I have found there are two common hurdles which are preventing you from using your systems to make a difference;
- you don’t have enough confidence in your data to share it with your drivers and to use it as a performance measure
- you aren’t sure that it is the best use of your time, so you keep putting off looking into it

These are both valid reasons and you aren’t alone in these thoughts. There are a few simple checks you can make to confirm the accuracy of your data and most issues are easily resolved. For example when dodgy idling times are being reported, this is normally due to an oversight when briefing the installer and can be easily fixed. As for finding the time; saving between $1,000 and $10,000 per month in fuel use is a very real possibility; is that worth an hour of your time?

Of course your GPS system won’t reduce your fuel bill, but you can use it to help your drivers to improve the behaviours which increase fuel consumption and other factors which will help you to build an environmental policy for your customers. Why not start this week?