April 22 is Earth Day—which makes it a great time to assess how your fleet can become more eco-friendly.
While fully transitioning to electric vehicles may not be feasible for many fleets, there are still important steps you can take to reduce emissions and promote sustainability. Here’s a look at how fleet managers can make their fleets as green as possible.
Monitor Idling Time
Idling time is a major contributor to air pollution. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has found that idling for even 10 seconds uses more fuel than restarting the engine. That’s why it’s important for fleet managers to monitor idling time and encourage drivers to switch off their engines when stationary for more than 10 seconds. Fleet management technology like GPS Trackit helps fleet managers to identify which vehicles idle most often and take appropriate action to reduce unnecessary idling time.
Route Optimization
Route optimization is another key way of reducing emissions from your fleet. By using GPS-enabled software, fleet managers can optimize routes so that drivers use the least amount of fuel and travel the shortest distances possible—thereby reducing emissions in the process. Route optimization also ensures drivers get where they need to go on schedule without going out of their way or making unnecessary stops. This makes driver tasks easier while giving you a more eco-friendly fleet at the same time.
Vehicle Maintenance
Proper vehicle maintenance plays an essential role in reducing emissions from your vehicles and keeping them running efficiently over time. Regular maintenance ensures parts are lubricated and working correctly, while any faulty parts are identified and replaced promptly. This reduces excessive fuel consumption and emissions while extending the lifespan of each vehicle in your fleet—saving you money in the long run. How much money? Just optimizing tire pressure can save you three percent on your fuel bills. Using the correct weight oil and changing it preventatively can save 2%.
Earth Day is an ideal reminder of how we can all work together towards sustainable development goals, including within our own fleets! By monitoring idling times, optimizing routes, and ensuring regular maintenance on vehicles, you should see a noticeable reduction in emissions coming from your fleet over time—and save money and improve efficiency at the same time. For help with eco-friendly fleet ideas, talk to one of our experienced Fleet Advisors today.
