As a fleet manager, you must always keep one eye on fuel consumption. It is important to budget for the fuel you will need, and not to exceed that budget, or you may end up cutting into your company’s profits.

In order to keep fuel expenses down, you will need to use every tool at your disposal to monitor your vehicles’ fuel economy and to train drivers on the best practices to follow on the road. Here are a few tips to help keep your fuel costs down.

• Limit idling: Idling is one of the ways that drivers waste fuel. According to United States law, over-the-road truckers are prohibited from idling for more than five minutes. You might want to establish a similar policy, or perhaps even set stricter limits for your drivers. Also be sure to offer driver training that addresses why idling is a concern, and when they should turn off the truck instead of letting it run.
• Drive the speed limit: There are many good reasons for sticking to the speed limit, and few of them actually have to do with fuel economy. For one thing, lights on in-town roads are often timed for folks who are traveling at the speed limit, allowing them to pass without getting stopped by as many lights. Your drivers who speed will get caught at more lights, and it takes more gas to accelerate over and over again. Additionally, vehicles are typically the most fuel efficient at around 50 or 60 miles an hour, so drivers who speed on the highway will actually be costing you money.
• Accelerate conservatively: Fast takeoffs, known as jackrabbit starts, are one of the biggest causes of poor fuel economy. Drivers who speed get caught at more lights, and then accelerate quickly when they take off, creating fuel waste on two fronts. In addition to mandating that your drivers go the speed limit, be sure to train them to accelerate conservatively when they do get caught at lights.
• Do all scheduled maintenance on time: Part of minimizing your fuel costs is making sure to keep your vehicles in tiptop shape. Well maintained vehicles will use fuel more efficiently, not to mention they will continue to run for longer than if they were poorly cared for. Be sure to change the oil, transmission fluid or oil, and air filters regularly, and do all other preventative maintenance such as tune-ups when they are scheduled. Keeping good records, or using a tool such as the reporting feature of fleet cards, is imperative.
• Monitor fuel economy: Another part of ensuring your vehicles run as efficiently as possible is to keep a close eye on the vehicle’s performance. Tools such as a Fleet Mastercard are useful because the detailed reporting enables you to keep an eye on how much fuel each vehicle consumes on a regular basis, and watch for increases that might mean a drop in fuel efficiency.

Maintaining an efficient fleet is one of the best ways to minimize your expenses and maximize your company’s profits. Although it requires a combination of good driver training and thorough record keeping, the amount of money you can save on fuel can be well worth the added effort and training.

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