Does anyone remember the days when the only time we thought about high diesel fuel prices was when OPEC decided to mess with us? Fuel cards were handed out and drivers could fuel anywhere they wanted. Actually, some companies still do it. My guess is that those few companies that still do it, and back in the old days, no one really paid attention to fuel management. It wasn't that important. Today, fuel management better be part of the picture, or companies just won't achieve the fuel savings they should be.

Some people still say you can't control your fueling or diesel fuel prices. We beg to differ. The answer lies in making fuel management an integral component of fleet management for your company.

Any company can improve their fleet fuel efficiencies. All it takes is hard work and commitment from everyone in the organization, as well as both direct and indirect suppliers. But with a proper fuel management system in place, your diesel fuel prices will go down. Many companies are making change to their fleet management programs to help reduce operating costs. We believe with the tips I've listed below, as well as implementing a solid fuel card program, your fleet manager will see the difference.

To help you adjust, here are Ten Ways to Cut Fuel Costs:

1. Accelerate gradually. Jackrabbit starts save less than 3 minutes per hour of driving, but can result in 40% more fuel use. That's not going to help your fuel savings or help your on time delivery. Take it easy.
2. You're not 16 years old anymore. Speeding is dangerous, it wastes fuel and it creates higher levels of toxic emissions. Speeds over 60 mph drastically impact fuel efficiencies - cars travelling at 75 mph use 20% more fuel, while trucks travelling at 75 mph use 50% more fuel. They also emit 100% more carbon monoxide, 50% more hydrocarbons and 31% more nitrogen oxides. If those numbers don't want you to put restrictors on your trucks, I don't know what will. If you think saving a couple cents a gallon on your fuel prices is big, wait until you put this in place.
3. Be aware of the time truck engines idle. No longer can we leave trucks and equipment running all day long. Stop your engines! Excessive idling can add as much as 50% to your fuel costs and can shorten the life of engine oil by 75%, adding even more costs. Allowing an engine to idle more than 3 minutes causes expensive damage which harms efficiency, shortens engine life and increases maintenance costs. It all adds up to big savings if you handle your fleet management correctly. Initiate a campaign to reduce idling time and reward effective participants.
4. Extra weight places unnecessary strain on your vehicle's engine and greatly affects its fuel efficiency. Removing as little as 100 pounds can significantly improve your miles per gallon and who doesn't want better miles per gallon. Check each vehicle and remove any unnecessary weight!
5. Proper tire inflation improves diesel fuel mileage. Statistics show improperly inflated tires can cost up to 2 weeks worth of fuel per year! How big is your fleet? Two weeks per year, per vehicle means thousands of dollars in lost profits! Additionally, proper inflation results in improved vehicle and braking performance, and increased tire life. You can never be too safe.
6. Whenever possible, invest in modern, fuel-efficient vehicles. Modern diesel engines are far more fuel-efficient and perform better with modern diesel fuels such as ultra low sulphur diesel, biodiesel and diesel fuel additives. Though it may seem expensive, new diesel vehicles can save thousands of dollars per vehicle in maintenance, fueling and productivity. Measure each piece of equipment in your fleet for fuel efficiency and get rid of the bad ones! Replace and upgrade your equipment regularly. It may hurt now, but it will pay you back in the long run.
7. You can't improve what you don't measure. You can only improve your fleet management program when you have the right information. Tracking miles traveled, average speed and engine efficiency is critical to cutting fueling costs. This information will help your drivers and managers optimize routes through better planning. Mapping software and GPS can eliminate thousands of unnecessary miles per week. Fewer unnecessary miles means less fuel consumed, less wear and tear on vehicles, decreased costs and an increase in overall fleet efficiency, lowering your overall operating ratios.
8. Does your company have a solid Preventive Maintenance program, or is yours a program of, "when it breaks we fix it". You'd be surprised how many carriers run their maintenance program this way. A well maintained vehicle performs better, improves fleet fuel efficiency, reduces toxic emissions and, in the long run, will cost much less to maintain.

I've saved what we feel are the two most important tips for the end:

9. It starts with the people who have their foot on the gas pedal. Your drivers have the most impact on the fuel efficiency of the trucks they drive. They control fuel consumption each time they fire up their engines, and proper training can improve fuel efficiency, economy and emissions. Hard acceleration, speeding and idling are the biggest causes of fuel waste. Initiate training for drivers and implement a reward program for participation.
10. The most powerful way to lower diesel fuel costs and increase productivity is to have someone on staff experienced in fuel management that is dedicated to your fuel management program. If you don't have someone, seek help from experts. Third party fuel management companies are experts in diesel fuel prices, fleet management services, fuel cards, diesel fuel additives, fuel cards, mobile fueling and have long-established relationships with fueling companies. When you can have an expert on your staff with fueling knowledge, your company will see more fuel savings through any of the methods listed above or with fleet credit cards that can provide fleet management solutions.

Until next time, go start your fuel savings by following these 10 tips.