Fuel Savings

The key to achieving real fuel savings is to access real data from the vehicle and align to driver performance. Guesses based on fuel card and mileage logs are at best problematic and open to misinterpretation, abuse and mistaken assumptions. True analysis of actual driver style without real data is, at best, a matter of interpretation and opinion. Only by combining real-time data from the vehicle can actual fuel usage and true driver style be displayed.

The varied content of most fleets has, until now, precluded a single solution being deployed. The different standards and protocols deployed by various manufacturers have until now made it impossible for all vehicles in a mixed fleet to be addressed. The Accutest AccuSCAN solution can now deliver data from all vehicles.

Real Case Study

The fleet we are about to look at numbers around 40 HGVs and vans working in the logistics and goods transport industry.

The lessons however are universal and can be applied to any business with a transportation element.

The Accutest Diagnostic Interface collects data in real time and merges it with the customer's existing tracking solution to provide statistics.

The worst driver in the case study is Andy King.  He has a target of 8MPG, present according to the type of vehicle deployed and the work task.  In one day he drove 262 miles and used 173 litres of fuel, achieving 6.9MPG.

If fuel costs £1.20 per litre this journey cost 173 X £1.20 = £207.60

He should have used 149 litres 149 X £1.20 = £178.80

The net effect was £207.60 - £178.80 = £28.80

Unless action is taken to understand this failure, this will cost the company £28.80 X 250 work days, a total cost of £7,200 per annum.

What if Andy could be brought up to the level of the best driver - Jay Robertson?

Jay achieved a very impressive 10.96 MPG which is 25% above target.

In Andy could brought up to the standard in this case he would have used 115 litres of fuel.

At £1.20 per litre this cost would be 115 X £1.20 = £138.00

With a total saving of £207.60 - £138.00 = £69.60

This would save the company £69.60 X 250 work days = £17,400 per annum

Mixed Fleet Savings

Equally impressive savings can be made on both small and heavy goods vehicles. In our case study the following savings were identified and delivered.

Fuel Theft

As actual mileage is supplied by the vehicle at the time of fuelling, the need for manual mileage updates on fuel cards or credit cards is removed. This prevents the single largest error factor from occurring. Now, actual tank to tank mileage is guaranteed with no effort. As no manual input is requires then no incorrect mileage details can be registered and no fraudulent mileages can be inputted. The use of cards for unauthorised purchases is therefore greatly reduced or eliminated.

The company in our case study automatically received a diagnostic warning of a 12% fall in fuel tank level overnight on one truck. The owner checked back through CCTV recordings of the yard and found footage of a driver siphoning 40 litres out of the tank!

But it's not only theft - it is lack of information and accuracy in mileage reporting, fuel card reporting, fuel card misuse, misreading odometer and other mistakes that are eliminated.