If you think your business should be greener, you’re not alone. Approximately half of small businesses in the U.S. plan to be greener this year, according to a poll from Office Depot. For fleet owners and operators, one of the easiest ways to reduce their organization’s environmental impact is through a fleet management solution like Networkfleet. It can help you reduce fuel usage to help cut your fleet’s carbon footprint and lower costs.
The benefits of environmental responsibility can mean more than cost savings.
Environmentally and socially responsible companies can also have an edge in the marketplace. More than 40 percent of consumers in North America are willing to pay extra for products and services from companies who tout their sustainability efforts, according to a 2014 study from Nielsen.
Government fleets are cutting carbon emissions with telematics. so can you.
The government is helping federal fleets reduce greenhouse gas Emissions, increase efficiency and save taxpayer dollars as required by Executive Order 13693. Signed by President Obama in March 2015, EO 13693 directs federal fleets to reduce per-mile greenhouse gas emissions by no less than 30 percent from 2014 levels by 2025. Fleets with 20 or more vehicles are mandated to use telematics-based fleet management solutions like the ones offered by Networkfleet.
Government agencies are constantly being asked to do more with less.
The city installed 82 units in Public Works, Ventura Water and Community Development department vehicles. Ventura began seeing benefits shortly after implementation when a Networkfleet diagnostics code enabled city mechanics to diagnose a problem over the phone and arrange for repairs to be made onsite. Costs saved by handling the service internally paid for the city’s entire first-year investment in Networkfleet.
With the help of Networkfleet, the Ventura city government also achieved these goals:
- Met environmental mandate to cut fuel use by 10 percent.
- Reduced annual fuel and maintenance costs by $15,000.
- Lowered vehicle repair costs.
- Improved routing.
- Increased staff productivity and efficiency.
How to combat carbon emissions and fuel waste
Idling can’t be eliminated for most public and commercial fleets, but it can be significantly reduced by using a fleet tracking system that includes onboard engine diagnostic capabilities.
It’s good to be green. Networkfleet’s advanced technology can help you cut carbon emissions and save money while increasing safety and driver accountability.
3 Steps to a Greener Fleet
- REDUCE IDLE TIME
Idling wastes fuel, adversely affects engine wear, and contributes to air pollution. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that medium-duty trucks burn about 2.5 billion gallons of fuel while idling each year, or 6.7% of the total fuel they consume2. Idling can’t be eliminated for most public and commercial fleets, but it can be significantly reduced by using a fleet tracking system that includes onboard engine diagnostic capabilities. With the right system, you can establish clear company policies regarding idling, and track the data against those policies to improve driver performance. - OPTIMIZE ROUTING
Improving routing, even by a small percentage, can significantly decrease fuel usage. By analyzing driving patterns and vehicle location history, you can optimize workers’ routes and schedules to lower fuel usage and emissions. Workers can also perform more jobs each day, improving productivity and increasing revenues. And dispatchers can route the nearest vehicle to the customer by viewing all vehicle locations on detailed system maps. Optimizing vehicle usage reduces miles driven, lowers emissions, and helps boost the overall efficiency of your fleet. - CONTINUOUSLY MONITOR EMISSIONS
Frequent and consistent monitoring of emissions using a diagnostics-based system can help reduce harmful emissions and control maintenance costs. Rather than wait for a regular emissions reporting or smog check, fleet managers can identify polluting vehicles faster and fix problems early. For example, a wireless fleet management system that monitors the OBD-II can send an alert when an emissions sensor or pollution control device is not operating properly, or when vehicle emissions are out of compliance. In some states, fleets that continuously monitor emissions can avoid having their vehicles tested at state-licensed facilities. This increases productivity, reduces travel time to inspection facilities, and lowers fuel consumption and emissions. (Check with your state motor vehicles agency for availability of this option.)
Ready to go green? USA Fleet Solutions can help.
To learn more about how USA Fleet Solutions can help you lower fuel usage to reduce greenhouse emissions, save money and achieve fleet efficiency goals, contact a knowledgeable sales representative for a personal consultation.
