For fleet managers with a lot on their minds, fuel costs shouldn’t be another stress factor to add to the load. Keeping a successful, professional fleet going involves a ton of coordination and skill. It also means knowing how to make the best possible purchases for the company, finding new and more creative ways to save, and schooling drivers on how to conserve gas per job. All of this might sound overwhelming, but if you’re someone who thrives on staying organized and on top of your fleet, you’ll be able to use your commitment toward keeping things running smoothly as an asset in your career. If you’re looking for ways to cut your fleet’s gas costs down drastically, here are a few places to start.
Use the Right Technology
As a fleet manager, you know that wasting time is simply not an option. In order to stay on top of each driver, job, and vehicle while balancing the budget requires a lot of focus. That’s why when it comes to keeping track of long-term costs; the most efficient thing is to let technology work for you. Using GPS and tracking apps can go part of the way by helping you organize your fleet and figure out the best routes to certain jobs. Other apps can actually connect you to nearby gas stations and rest stops while keeping you aware of traffic trends and gas pricing. The more your drivers know beforehand, the more efficient they’re likely to be on the road. Use as many apps as you can to monitor each job from start to finish for efficiency, mileage, and gas usage.
Invest in Green Energy
It’s already been proven that green cars save fleets a ton of money on gas per quarter, even if they only employ a few hybrid cars. If you’re starting to integrate hybrid or electric vehicles into your fleet, use the new vehicles as a test run. Track their performance against your other cars and try to figure out how you can use your hybrids to your advantage on the road. For instance, for longer trips in traffic, choosing a green car for the job just might allow you to chip away at gas costs through the year.
Train Drivers to Conserve with Fuel Cards
Each driver who joins your fleet comes to you already knowing something about the road. However, many drivers will need to be retrained in order to be an effective member of the fleet. Whether it’s reinforcing safety standards, encouraging better form on the road, or simply helping drivers reach their destination in a timely, more efficient manner, keeping on top of each driver will allow you to exert greater control over the fleet itself. You’ll also be reinforcing a standard of excellence for the company’s driving policy down the line. That way, even before you issue a WatchCard fuel card to each driver for big savings on gas, they’ll already know how to make the most of each refill on the road.
