Fleet fuel management is one essential part of a fleet manager’s job. After all, fuel is one of the most expensive costs in a fleet’s budget, and fleets are always looking to save money. How can fleets save money if they are not appropriately managing their fuel use? You may be surprised by the number of ways to cut down on fuel use in your fleet. Some ways aren’t immediately apparent unless you know what to monitor. We will break down several ways to save fuel, so your fleet can start saving money right away! 

1. Route Planning Software

The entire point of route planning software is to get you to your destination in the most fuel-efficient way possible, regardless of how many stops you have on the way. Route planning software uses machine learning and algorithms to find where you may run into traffic, roadblocks, construction, or other delays that will slow you down and waste your fuel. It also helps you keep just the right amount of vehicles on the road, so one vehicle doesn’t have too many or too few stops, rendering it inefficient. 

2. Reduce Speeding

Driver behavior has a surprising impact on how much fuel a vehicle uses. One of the most significant problems is speeding. Of course, there are a lot of reasons that drivers shouldn’t speed. It’s highly unsafe to go over the speed limit, and if pulled over, it can net your business a hefty fine. But speeding is also terrible for fuel economy. Every 5 miles per hour after 50, you’re paying an additional $0.20 per gallon of gas. 

Of course, you can’t be in the passenger seat with your drivers controlling their speed. But you can track their speed with fleet management software like Azuga. Azuga tracks driver behavior and alerts you when your drivers go over the speed limit. This way, you can manage them without micromanaging them! 

3. Reduce Idling

Another driver behavior that causes a lot of fuel waste is idling—idling a truck wastes about 0.8 gallons of fuel per hour. This results in high costs to your fleet if your drivers take breaks in their trucks or waste time sitting in traffic. Make sure that your drivers are aware of the impact that idling has on your business, and track idling with fleet management software. Software like Azuga not only tells you how much idling is occurring within your fleet but how much fuel it’s wasting. This way, you can take action to reduce idling wherever you can.

4. Keep Vehicles Well Maintained

Vehicles that are running efficiently do not waste fuel. However, if there are malfunctioning parts, you might run into issues where your fuel is just going down the drain. Tires are a particular concern when it comes to fuel economy. If they’re not properly inflated or aligned, the truck requires more fuel to keep moving, and that’s simply a waste. 

Luckily, you can get scheduled maintenance alerts that tell you when your vehicles have issues that need attention. That way, if your tires are underinflated, you’ll be alerted as soon as the problem crops up so you can inflate them right away. Scheduled maintenance also helps you keep up with your vehicles’ regular maintenance needs, so you can rest assured your vehicles are in their best shape. 

5. Promote Safe Driving Behavior

As mentioned above, driving behavior has a significant impact on fuel usage. This applies not only to speeding and idling but to other driving behaviors as well. If your drivers are constantly slamming on the accelerator or hitting the brakes, it can definitely hurt your gas mileage, along with creating an unsafe environment for all drivers involved. Luckily, telematics and fleet safety software and programs improve your drivers’ behavior on the road and save your business money on fuel. 

Start Saving on Fuel With Azuga Today!

Azuga offers all of the programs and features mentioned here, along with many more! Our software will save you money, make your fleet more efficient, and help you promote safety among your drivers. It’s vital to take the necessary steps as soon as possible to start saving on fuel, so more money doesn’t go down the drain. Try a demo of Azuga today and see what we can do!