Better Driver Behavior Improves Fleet Fuel Management

Cutting costs can be challenging. For a fleet, this important task becomes even more complicated if drivers have picked up bad behaviors on the road.

For example, driving fast, idling, poor vehicle maintenance and many other actions can all increase expenses for your business. Of course, the goal is to reduce fuel costs wherever possible. Drivers are a critical part of that plan.

In order to start decreasing your fleet fuel expenses, here are a few tips and tricks to help your drivers improve their on-the-road behavior:

Train your team
How we drive on the road has been ingrained in us since we first learned the ropes. For your drivers, it will be a tough task to change some of their behaviors. However, Automotive Fleet offered a few suggestions to accomplish that goal.

For starters, sit down with your team for some additional training. Fuel-friendly driving includes:
• Correct braking and accelerating
• Maintaining proper driving speeds
• Effectively using air conditioning
• Planning for traffic lights and congestion

As you train, go over these elements. Rapid acceleration and braking quickly are bad for fuel consumption. So is sitting at red lights, since the vehicle is idling. Instead, schedule routes around signal-heavy roads. The steps behind fuel-friendly driving are relatively simple, but the trick is teaching your drivers to follow the rules on the road.

Prepare for the route
The steps that go on behind the scenes will be just as important to fuel consumption as what your drivers do on the road. With that in mind, talk to your employees about the right preparations for a fuel-smart fleet.
According to Popular Mechanics, drivers need to perform a few simple tasks. For starters, teach your team to monitor the tire pressure on each vehicle, if they aren’t already. Properly inflated tires will reduce drag and improve fuel economy.

One final step that can help reduce fuel consumption is to warm up the engine. If your drivers have a tendency to get in and go, work with them to ensure they have the time to warm up the engine first. It can also be beneficial to drive to the furthest location first – so the engine has time to heat up – before heading back to the office.

Overall, help your drivers develop efficient, quality on-the-road behavior to improve fuel efficiency and make your life as a fleet manager easier.