In 2024, fuel prices are expected to rise. Inflation, global conflicts, and increasing demand are driving this trend. For example, in February, the average gasoline price in the USA hit a four-month high. With prices like these, it’s important to use fuel wisely. Monitoring fuel consumption is the main reason fleets use telematics platform for fleet management.
The outcome: Businesses start cutting their fuel costs. Even a 5% reduction means tens of thousands of USD saved per year.
Isn’t the struggle worth it? There are many ways to tackle fuel reduction strategies. This time, let’s discuss eco-driving tips and solutions, like a driver behavior monitoring system or special training, that help implement them.
First up, a quick overview of what eco-driving tips are.
What are eco-driving techniques?
Eco-friendly driving tips are methods that help drivers use their vehicles in ways that save fuel and are better for the environment.
Consider this: It’s much easier to have disciplined drivers who follow basic driving techniques to save fuel. Actions like harsh braking or turning off the engine at stops may seem trivial. However, when you use fleet management solutions to assess how much these driving habits impact your budget, you’ll be surprised.
Let’s explore some of the different types of eco-driving tips in more detail.
Most common types of eco-driving tips
To develop an effective fuel consumption strategy, begin by creating a checklist of all the poor driving habits prevalent in your fleet. Start by documenting your drivers’ behaviors on the road and prioritize those habits that result in the highest unreasonable fuel consumption.
For instance, overspeeding, hard braking, excessive idling, and so on. Then, assess how you can address these driving techniques.
Avoid sharp acceleration and braking
Imagine this: Your driver navigates busy city streets during rush hour traffic. The driver wants to arrive quickly and on time. That’s why he accelerates at stoplights, brakes hard at intersections, and delays gear shifts.
Seems unimportant, right? But these habits waste fuel and increase consumption. Sharp acceleration burns more fuel than needed, and sudden braking strains the vehicle, leading to higher maintenance costs.
What driving technique can save fuel in this case? Eco-driving practices focused on keeping a smooth ride. Encourage drivers to anticipate the road, maintain a steady speed, and shift gears efficiently. By following these guidelines, you’ll reduce fuel usage and extend your vehicle’s lifespan.
Use engine braking and fuel cut-off
Engine braking and fuel cut-off are popular eco-driving techniques. When a driver releases the accelerator while the gear is engaged, the engine brake or fuel cut-off kicks in, which is especially handy at red traffic lights. This cuts fuel use and keeps driving smooth.
Picture your driver at a red light during rush hour. Instead of using engine braking or fuel cut-off, they speed up till the last moment, then slam on the brakes, causing a sudden stop. This wastes fuel and makes driving jerky, harming vehicle parts and costing more in maintenance.
To get drivers to embrace eco-driving like engine braking and fuel cut-off, highlight their benefits. Help them see how these methods save money and make driving smoother. By making these techniques part of their driving routine, drivers help cut costs and run a greener fleet.
Maintain optimum tire pressure
Maintaining the right tire pressure is an important driving technique to save fuel. It helps reduce resistance and makes driving safer, smoother, and more fuel-efficient. When tire pressure is too low, it makes the engine work harder and uses more fuel. It can also affect how well the car handles, how quickly it stops, and how evenly the tires wear out, which can be unsafe.
To keep tire pressure correct, check it regularly with a tire gauge. Adjust it as needed based on what the manufacturer recommends. Keeping tires properly inflated not only saves fuel but also makes tires last longer and makes driving better overall.
Of course, the list of eco-friendly driving techniques can be extended. Other tips include:
- Avoiding unnecessary idling
- Removing excess weight from the vehicle
- Maintaining a constant speed
- Minimizing the use of additional devices like air conditioning.
When combined, these strategies help fleets promote eco-friendly driving habits and conserve fuel in the long run.
How to implement eco-friendly driving techniques?
Use driver behavior monitoring to solve serious problems
Bad driving habits can lead to problems on the road. Sometimes, these habits seem careless but could hide more serious issues. For instance, aggressive behaviors like speeding or sudden lane changes may indicate driver fatigue. They not only endanger others but also increase accident risks.
Driver behavior monitoring offers a solution. It tracks driving actions and helps identify areas for improvement. For example, if a driver regularly overspends, the monitoring solution will highlight this issue.
It may also reveal that a driver is working excessively long shifts. As a result, fleet managers may recognize the need to revisit and adjust work and rest schedules accordingly.
Provide eco-driving training sessions to raise awareness
Drivers might not realize their inefficient habits waste fuel and money. Why does this happen? Often, it’s due to a lack of education or awareness about eco-driving techniques.
For instance, imagine a scenario where a driver waits for a client outside an office building. Instead of turning off the engine during the wait, the driver keeps it running to remain comfortable in the car. It doesn’t occur to him to that this seemingly harmless habit wastes fuel and adds unnecessary costs for the fleet.
Eco-driving training sessions solve this problem. They teach drivers about fuel efficiency and how to minimize consumption. Through workshops and simulations, drivers learn to anticipate roads, maintain speeds, and avoid idling. This awareness and skill help cut fuel costs.
Install fuel-efficient vehicle technology to ensure transparency
Another problem arises from the lack of transparency between drivers and fleet managers. This leads to concerns about fuel theft, a common issue in fleet management. Without proper monitoring and control, managers are left to anticipate the worst.
To address this issue, consider implementing fuel level monitoring systems. These systems provide real-time data on fuel levels and consumption, offering transparency and removing doubts in relationships with drivers.
Final thoughts
Which driving technique can help you save fuel?
The answers vary depending on the condition of your vehicles and the level of responsibility and awareness of your drivers.
Fortunately, today’s technologies are of great aid. They monitor your vehicles and drivers in action, provide insights into road activities, and highlight potential problems that may lead to fuel wastage.
When you understand the problem, finding a better solution becomes much easier.
