Fuel for thought
Carriers can control their fuel costs on a daily – and often, near-real time – basis through information technology and management systems.
By Aaron Huff
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Salt Lake City-based Central Refrigerated is fighting fuel costs with fuel optimization software. Its drivers get a fuel plan each day through mobile communications that includes gallons to purchase, fuel location and route. Managers review driver compliance weekly. |
Fuel prices change constantly as oil supplies are impacted by corporations, weather, refinery capacity and other factors. Fleets may have no control over those prices, but successful managers are able to control fuel costs each day – even by the minute – through sophisticated information systems and solid determination.
For example, with a monthly or even daily report on the miles per gallon of each vehicle or driver in your fleet, you could identify the top and bottom performers. But mpg is merely a sum of the many different factors that drive fuel costs: Other factors include vehicle maintenance, fuel purchasing, fuel fraud, out-of-route miles, idling, speeding and inefficient routing.
Information systems can automate the data capture and reporting processes of all of these individual variables, helping managers to quickly identify and take immediate action on the factors in their operations that can contribute to excessive fuel costs.
The engine’s electronic control module records mpg, idle time, shifting and speeding patterns, and many other important metrics. Other sources of fuel data and cost control include fleet cards and systems used in routing, dispatching and tracking vehicles and drivers.
The articles that follow provide a comprehensive look at information technology and management systems that carriers can use to control their fuel costs on a daily basis.
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