Rules of the Road: 5 Tips for Reducing Business Fleet Idle Time
Is idle time taking a toll on your business’s bottom line? Have vehicles stuck in park put a stop to daily operations? By definition, idle time occurs when your fleet vehicles’ engines are running, but the cars aren’t in motion. Drivers idle trucks and vehicles for many reasons, including a desire to warm up the engine and cab before taking off. However, idle time can add up across your fleet, taking a toll on your fuel and engine maintenance costs.
From emitting noise pollution to pumping out harmful exhaust fumes to denting your bottom line, these moments of inactivity can have a wide range of adverse effects. When vehicles within a fleet aren’t cruising down the highway for any reason, this cuts into your company’s productivity and bottom line.
Ready to put your company goals into drive? Besides utilizing the tips outlined below, business owners can partner with shipping providers, Guardian Auto Transport, that guarantee fast, safe, and reliable services. Efficient auto shipping services ensure your fleet gets back on the road in no time. That way, your business will maintain its order and fulfillment operations while keeping customer satisfaction levels high.
Reducing Business Fleet Idle Time
A survey conducted by the National Truck Equipment Association revealed that 34% of fleet vehicles, on average, idle for less than an hour each day. However, 33% idle for one to two hours and 25% between three and four hours.
That’s a lot of wasted fuel costs, lost productivity, and unnecessary wear and tear. Reducing business fleet idle time involves educating your drivers, fine-tuning delivery routes, tracking idle time, generating driver behavior reports, and installing reduction technology.
Educating Your Drivers
Drivers may be idling vehicles due to misinformation. They may think that a truck’s engine needs to warm up in cold weather before they can safely drive it. This misconception can stem from differences between gas and diesel-powered vehicles.
While a car that runs on unleaded gas will warm up while idling, a diesel engine will not. Schedule your drivers for a training session that goes over these misconceptions and why idling is bad for the truck, the company, and customer satisfaction.
Fine-Tuning Delivery Routes
Routes prone to a lot of traffic congestion and stops can increase a driver’s idle time. Using GPS software reports on distances and traffic patterns, you can reengineer routes to reduce time spent in traffic. Reengineering can include swapping out delivery stops on different routes to optimize the time a driver spends in congested traffic.
Tracking Idle Time
Your company can start using telematics software to see how much time a vehicle spends idling each day. The software can send alerts to managers and drivers to let them know a truck has been idling for too long.
Generating Driver Behavior Reports
You can also use software to generate reports on drivers’ behaviors behind the wheel, such as idling and aggressive driving tactics. These reports identify which drivers may need remedial training.
Installing Reduction Technology
You can equip fleet vehicles with idle reduction technology. This technology shuts off a vehicle after it has been idling for a specified amount of time.
Before You Go
Excessive idling translates to unnecessary waste. By implementing the above steps, your company’s fleet can become more productive and efficient.
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