Gas prices are at an all-time high and companies are at their limit trying to find ways to save gas dollars. Over the life of your fleet of vehicles, faulty driver practices, natural causes and especially poor fuel efficiency can lead to hundreds and thousands of additional costs. Educating your drivers on best practices will maximize fuel efficiency and reduce your long-term costs.
- Drive like a sane person. Easier said than done. Sluggish drivers, traffic jams and rubbernecks are all factors that make us angry on the road. However, driving furiously, accelerating and braking fast, then accelerating can take a lot of time. If you push from a stoplight like you’re in a drag race, you’re going to pay a heavy price for it.
It is best to accelerate slowly from a green light and stop slowly when approaching a red light. This technique can save your fleet a lot of money in the long run, so make sure your fleet understands it.
- Check your tire pressure. Drivers can increase fuel efficiency by up to 3% just by keeping their tires properly inflated. If the tires are inflated to less than 1 psi, fuel costs increase significantly per mile. Uneven wear can also reduce fuel efficiency. Make sure the tires are inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended pressure. Tire gauges are now very common to keep tire pressure under control.
- Use the Fleet Card. If the car was running on water, then this wouldn’t be a problem. Using a credit card to buy fuel can save your fleet a LOT on fuel and you? A lot of money. For example, WEX Motorpass fleet cards are available benefits include:
- Comprehensive Reporting – Manage costs by viewing advanced reports that include vehicle ID, driver ID, and odometer readings. This allows you to access transaction data that you can enter into your own system.
- Savings – Take control of overall fuel management through streamlined reporting, product and purchasing controls and flexible costs and payment terms.
- Access to multi-brand network – the fleet card boasts an extensive network of service stations. The WEX Motorpass, for example, is accepted at more than 90% of gas stations in Australia. This allows your driver to efficiently find them, fill them up and get back to driving.
- Cleaning the Fuel System. Every car owner knows that regular tuning is necessary (if not absolutely mandatory). Even the smallest deposits, such as resin and carbon, can cause poor engine performance and excessive fuel consumption. Mechanics can clean the fuel system, including intake valves, fuel injectors and the combustion chamber to keep your fuel consumption under control.
- Plan Your Route. Combine trips effectively to avoid retracing routes. This will keep your drivers driving less mileage, as well as saving wear and tear on all your vehicles.
Using the tricks above allows you to control the operation of your entire fleet, reduces overall costs and makes your drivers more sensitive to how they operate their cars. Traditional solutions can only take you so far. Want to know my best advice? Get a fleet card today.
