8 mins to read

How to reduce fuel consumption

By Verizon Connect Team May 17, 2023

Fuel is a crucial cost when it comes to the total operating budget for any fleet. Given the impact that fuel can have on the bottom line, curbing costs is a priority amongst fleet managers, with 71% stating that it is one of the top challenges they face every day (1).

By providing specialised training, managers can help drivers learn how to reduce fuel consumption and, in turn, fuel costs for the company. Find out some steps fleet managers can take to educate their drivers on improving fuel economy as well as how fleet management technology can help achieve a culture of fuel efficiency.

8 tips to improve fuel economy for your fleet

Educating your team about good driving habits can help to reduce fuel consumption. By discussing responsible driving, you can help them become more aware of how their driving impacts both fuel economy and safety. Additionally, you can also take this opportunity to show how such habits can contribute to improved job security by making the company more profitable as well as the positive impact these habits have on the environment through reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

Here are a few points you can incorporate into your training session for drivers:

1. Monitor traffic in advance

By keeping an eye on upcoming traffic conditions, drivers can anticipate having to slow down. It’s more efficient to keep a HGV in constant motion than to accelerate from a complete stop. Staying in constant motion also reduces the number of gear changes needed. Checking for any hazards not only improves efficiency, it’s also important for safety reasons.

2. Obey speed limits

Driving at high speeds can have several negative consequences, including additional stress placed on the engine, speeding fines and an increased risk of accidents occurring. Speeding can also decrease the fuel economy of a vehicle.

3. Avoid excessive idling

Idling vehicles can use up more fuel than you might think. The amount of fuel a vehicle consumes while idling varies depending on factors such as its weight, engine size and the type of fuel it uses. ‘Idling can use up to 2 litres of fuel per hour, emitting over 5.26kg of CO2’. (2)

Using an air conditioner while idling can drain fuel economy even more. It’s clear that costs can quickly add up, so be sure to consider whether you really need your engine running. If not, turn it off.

4. Avoid overfilling your tank

If a fuel tank is filled to the brim, it can easily overflow when the fuel is heated by the sun or by fuel returned from the engine. This is not only dangerous to others on the road, it’s also wasteful.

5. Maintain correct tyre pressure

Make sure tyres are kept at the correct pressure to help improve fuel economy and their life span. A reduction in the tyre pressure can also increase fuel consumption and reduce its service life. This is why maintenance is vital to safer and more efficient driving. Properly caring for your tyres also helps to reduce the chance of an accident caused by a blowout.

6. Set-up an easy departure

If stopping to rest, it’s important to park HGVs in a way that doesn’t require a lot of manoeuvring with a cold engine, as this can use up a lot of fuel. In addition, parking in the shade can help to cut down on the use of air conditioning systems during the summer.

7. Use cruise control

Keeping your fleet vehicle at a constant speed is a simple way to improve fuel efficiency. When possible, use cruise control for highway driving.

8. Stay up to date with preventative maintenance

It’s important to make sure air filters and spark plugs are replaced at the recommended intervals. Preventative maintenance can also help fleet managers to recognise potential issues with fuel injection and oxygen sensors.

Leverage technology to reduce fuel consumption when driving

In addition to implementing a driver training programme, you can use fleet management technology to create a more fuel-efficient fleet.

Monitor fuel usage: See the approximate amount of fuel used by each vehicle in litres or pounds. You can also view idle time per vehicle and fleetwide idle time averages. This allows you to take action to help limit fuel usage, such as scheduling engine tune-ups or coaching drivers to reduce their speed on the road. Reports can also help reduce instances of fraud by allowing you to compare fuel card expenditures with actual fuel consumption.
Select better routes: Plan more efficient routes by accessing maps that show the location and final destination of every fleet vehicle. You can view driver and vehicle information through action icons as well as monitor traffic, weather and more. See area topography, building footprints and vehicle clusters to support greater fleet efficiencies and reduce miles driven.
Stay on top of driver behaviour: Aggressive driving like hard braking and rapid acceleration can waste fuel. Use fleet management technology to identify when and where hard braking or acceleration events occur and to receive automatic alerts via text or email. You can also create customisable driver behaviour reports.

As part of a fleetwide management system, managers can use these tips to reduce overall fuel usage and save thousands of pounds. Not only does reducing fuel consumption boost profitability, it also helps increase efficiency and improve a company’s bottom line.

To learn more about how fleet management technology can positively impact fuel spending, download our eBook 'Keep Fuel Costs under Control' and discover practical ways to lower fuel costs.