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01/05/2014
But what areas do you need to look at in order to get the real benefits of “going green” when it comes to fleet management?
Obviously, taking a more environmentally friendly approach can help the planet. There are more vehicles on Britain’s roads now then at any other time in our history. Although newer cars are being fitted with technology that helps them to reduce carbon emissions, road transport still accounts for 22% of carbon dioxide emissions in the UK.
Government initiatives are being taken to try and reduce this figure. Tax incentives for cars with lower carbon emissions are being wheeled out, and there has also been a change in attitude from suppliers and partners who want to ensure that their products are being transported in an environmentally friendly manner.
“Going Green” is a great idea for any fleet of vehicles out there, large or small. But in what ways can you ensure that your fleet goes green and stays green?
Knowing just how much fuel you’re using, and how you can reduce that amount, is key to making your fleet more environmentally friendly. Having fleet management systems in place to measure your mileage means that you can understand how far your vehicles are travelling, on what amount of fuel. Tim Anderson from the Energy Savings Trust says that a knowledge of mileage is an advantage in the transport industry. He told the TomTom Fresh Fleet Thinking blog “understanding your real life mileage is important, both for your fleet vehicles and for other employees using their own cars, so you can understand how far those cars are being driven. From that you can understand whether drivers are driving too much, and whether you’ve got the right vehicle.”
Having a quicker and less congested route to follow helps to make your driving more efficient and therefore uses less fuel. This is something that TomTom fleet management products really excel at, and will allow you to set a route for your drivers that is much more efficient customers and for you. As Tim Anderson says, these days “route planning technology helps fleets and businesses be really clear about how to schedule the vehicles before they need to be sent out.” This means a much more effective use of vehicles and fuel.
Drivers who engage in poor driving habits, such as speeding, heavy braking, idling in traffic or stalling use more fuel than drivers who avoid doing those things. Fleet management technology can identify which drivers are the main culprits and you can then ensure that those drivers are trained to improve their driving. Tim Anderson says, training could potentially result in a 15-20% improvement. “So if you imagine that as 15-20% of your fuel costs, that’s a huge number for large and small businesses.”
You can improve driver quality, plan more efficient routes and ensure that you’re not wasting fuel, with the help of TomTom fleet management tools.
To find out more, call us now on 01928 715 724.