Allow us to state the obvious: Fuel is a major operational cost for commercial fleets. While there’s no getting around that fact, there are steps that you can take to reduce your fuel costs.
And telematics technology can help.
Here are four ways that telematics can help reduce your fuel bill.
Reduce speeding and other bad driving habits
“The first step in reducing fuel consumption,” according to Fleet Owner, “is reducing speed.” Case in point: A truck barreling down the highway at 75 mph burns 27 percent more fuel than a truck cruising along at 65 mph.
Furthermore, research shows that aggressive driving – things like harsh acceleration, braking and cornering – can lower fuel economy by roughly 15-30% at highway speeds, and 10-40% in stop-and-go traffic.
Taken together, speeding and aggressive driving can really do a number on your fuel budget (not to mention your maintenance costs).
Devices, such as EROAD’s Clarity Edge AI Dashcam can help you identify fuel-wasting driving behaviors (like speeding, harsh acceleration, and other aggressive maneuvers) and provide real-time coaching to correct them. .
The dashcam automatically tags these events for easy review, helping fleet managers develop targeted training programs. By improving driving behaviors in real-time, the Clarity Edge AI Dashcam’s benefits are threefold: more efficiency, elevated safety, and reduced liability.
Cut down on unnecessary idling
Idling is another major fuel waster. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a single long-haul truck burns about 1,500 gallons of diesel per year due to idling alone. At the current diesel price of $3.62 per gallon (during time of writing), this equates to around $5,430 annually. Multiply that by the number of trucks in your fleet and it’s clear that there is a lot of money to be saved by cutting down on unnecessary idling.
This is another area where telematics can provide a big ROI. EROAD’s CoreHub integrated fleet management platform sits discreetly inside the cab and enables drivers and operators to pull critical insights. The system tracks idle time by vehicle, down to the location, date, and time. Armed with this information, you can take steps to address excessive idling.
Mind your tire pressure
Underinflated tires can take a serious toll on fuel efficiency. In fact, every 10-psi of underinflation results in a 1% fuel economy penalty, as more energy is needed to overcome increased rolling resistance. The issue is especially common with trailers because drivers don’t feel trailer tires while driving the same way they can detect potential issues with the tractor’s tires.
Trailer telematics can help solve your underinflation problem, which ultimately reduce your fuel costs.
EROAD’s Asset Tracker, for example, is compatible with a variety of sensors that provide real-time data on trailer health, including tire pressure and temperature. This information lets carriers quickly identify and address underinflated tires, helping to extend tire life, improve fuel economy and avoid potentially catastrophic blowouts on the road.
Stay on top of vehicle maintenance
Well-maintained engines typically use less fuel. Fleet health monitoring is taken to the next level with AI-driven predictive maintenance. The system helps you identify small problems before they become big ones to keep your engines in top condition.
CoreHub makes this proactive approach possible by reducing breakdowns, minimizing downtime, and extending vehicle life. It collects and analyzes data from vehicle fault codes, engine diagnostics, and performance metrics to help you implement preventative maintenance schedules that keep your fleet performing at peak efficiency.
By targeting key areas like driver behavior, idle time management, tire maintenance, and vehicle health, carriers can achieve significant savings on fuel. The data-driven insights provided by modern, AI-enabled telematics solutions equip fleet managers with the tools needed to make informed decisions that directly impact the bottom line.
EROAD delivers accurate, consistent data to drive your business. Our flagship solutions— the Clarity Edge AI Dashcam and CoreHub integrated platform—provide comprehensive fleet management capabilities including ELD compliance, live tracking, maintenance tools, and fuel management.
Explore EROAD solutions today and find the right fit for your fleet business’ needs.
