Managing fuel costs is critical. Read this post to understand how gas prices are set and fluctuate, as well as how to manage this expense.

1: Look at more than MPG.

Not every gallon of fuel is used the same. Use a fuel tracking and analytics system such as Geotab and its various fuel integrations to track real-world metrics within your control.
• Compare driver performance equally, regardless of conditions, terrain, vehicle and route.
• Build informed fuel-saving strategies that make sense when put into practice.
• Find hidden inefficiencies by uncovering fuel loss rates based on over speeding events and locations.

2: Reward drivers who watch their speed.

Every mile per hour driven over 60 mph reduces fuel economy by one-tenth of a mile per gallon. So, a truck traveling at 65 mph will be about 27% more fuel efficient compared to another truck of the same type, traveling at 75 mph. (Source: North American Council for Freight Efficiency) Coach drivers to slow down. Reward the ones who do.

3: Keep tires properly inflated.

Improper tire inflation burns extra fuel. Implement a tire pressure monitoring system for remote, real-time insight into each tire, even across distances. Your fuel savings will add up, and your tires will last longer.

4: Coach drivers to speed up more slowly.

Hard acceleration wastes fuel. Calculate acceleration points to use the appropriate amount of acceleration. (Source: North American Council for Freight Efficiency).

5: Protect against fuel theft with smart fleet tech.

Use fuel tracking and analytics to spot red flags and keep your fleet’s fuel in the tanks. Quickly and accurately detect when an amount of fuel purchased exceeds a vehicle’s tank capacity. Plus, look for unplanned and unexplainable fuel purchases.

6: Cut back on idling.

Each year, a 10% reduction in idling is worth about 1% in fuel economy. At $3 a gallon and 100,000 miles a year, that’s $300 to $500 saved for each semi. With current prices, those savings could nearly double.
Use a fuel tracking and analytics system to identify excessive idling and take steps to reduce it. (Source: North American Council for Freight Efficiency).

7: Control what you can.

You can’t change the weather. But you can build more efficient routes based on trip.
Geotab captures and compares real-world driver habits to a simulated perfect driver that performs at maximum efficiency for a configured trip. Compare the trips, spot the gaps, and take steps to improve performance.

8: Refine coaching and rewarding drivers.

Use Driver Efficiency Scores, such as those provided in Geotab, to take into account what drivers can’t control when you evaluate their performance.
Even if they haul heavy loads uphill or navigate congested city streets, evaluate them fairly and equally.

9: Optimize routing and reduce out-of-route miles.

Equip drivers with advanced in-cab navigation so they can plan the shortest, quickest reasonable route with the fewest stops. And avoid rush hour traffic