Fuel waste costs engineering firms

Small engineering firms are not monitoring the operational behaviour of their commercial fleets

Small firms in the engineering sector are wasting money on fuel because they are too busy to effectively monitor the operational behaviour of their commercial fleet vehicles.

Anecdotal research by fleet management firm Fleetmatics shows that factors such as poor driving, excessive idling, inefficient routing and unauthorised vehicle use means many firms are wasting large amounts of fuel.

The company has published two e-books to help businesses remove fuel wastage and improve operational efficiency.

Richard Brooks, Fleetmatics' marketing director for Europe, said: “Owners and operators small businesses are busy people who might not have the time or the energy to sit down and read a whitepaper or detailed article. The e-books are short and easy to read, containing key information necessary for them to start making improvements in their fleet operations.”

The fuel saving advice e-book covers the top five causes of fuel wastage and in particular focuses on poor driving behaviour and vehicle idling times. It contains independent statistics from such leading sources as the AA and the Energy Savings Trust and can be downloaded at: www.fleetmatics.co.uk/ebooks.

The five big fuel wasters

• Poor Driving: Accelerating too quickly, hard braking, hard cornering and travelling well above the speed limit are common behaviours of those who drive for business purposes.

• Excessive Idling: Reports have shown that the idling of vehicle's engines is responsible for a huge amount of wasted fuel as employees, unaware of the hidden costs, leave vehicles to warm up before driving, have the engine running while eating lunch and making telephone calls, and leave the engine running whilst delivering.

• Inefficient routing and dispatching: Logistics tools are now available to ensure that vehicles travel as short a distance in as little time as possible.

• Unauthorised vehicle use and fuel theft: GPS technology can now be used by employers to monitor the personal mileage of employees and take action if it is deemed to be excessive or unauthorised.

• Poor Vehicle Maintenance: Regular engine maintenance and good tyre pressure can help ensure that vehicles run smoothly providing a host of business benefits.