Automotive

How to Use Fleet Tracking to Limit Excessive Idling

How to Use Fleet Tracking to Limit Excessive Idling

One of the significant challenges faced by fleet managers is how to reduce the losses incurred as a result of idling. The fleets could be busy all day and once in while the vehicle and driver have to be idle, for example when loading and unloading, clearance process, police stops, and traffic jams. The above reasons are unavoidable.

It is a fact that complete eradication of idling is impossible. This is because unpreventable circumstances occur where the driver is forced to stop for a while. Scenarios may include repairing of the vehicle after a breakdown and resting after driving for a long distance. Minimizing idling is very beneficial to any fleet company. Before discussing how to reduce idling, lets first focus on the advantages.

Reduce Operational Cost

No matter the number of vehicles you have in your fleet, a reduction in fuel expenditure will result in a significant decrease in operational cost and hence an increase in the amount of profit.

According to research done by EyeRide, every hour a vehicle is idle, it leads to wastage of more than one gallon of fuel. Therefore, the reduction in fuel expenses will automatically reflect positively in the profit collected by the company.

Increases the Vehicle’s Lifetime

Apart from regular maintenance of your fleet, reducing idling time will also increase the fleet’s lifetime and also reduce the frequency of maintenance. Letting the engine run while the vehicle is idle not only leads to wastage of fuel but also wear and tear of certain parts, which will require maintenance after some time as it will minimize the efficiency of the engine.

Therefore, idling not only increases fuel expenses but also the maintenance cost of the vehicle.

Minimizes Idling Fines    

In some countries, it is unlawful to stop for a certain length of time. Long idling in such countries leads to penalties such as hefty fines. However, if the reason behind idling is unavoidable, then no fine will be incurred. Since the penalties are always very costly, regular payment of the sanctions will lead to a reduction in the profit achieved in the company.

How to Reduce Excessive Idling

As already discussed, excessive idling leads to several negative impacts. Therefore, it is essential to find methods to reduce the time and fuel wasted as a result of unnecessary excessive idling. The best way to reduce excessive idling is by installing a tracking system for your fleet.

By doing this, you can monitor your driver’s behavior at all times as it provides you with real-time information about your fleet. In addition to that, it helps in choosing a suitable route that will ensure minimal wastage of fuel and time as a result of traffic.

Conclusion

The fleet management could also be the cause of idling because they may not have chosen the most suitable route to be followed by the driver. Idling leads to a significant increase in the operational cost, which will result in a drop in the company’s profit.