Fleet Management Software: A Buyer's Guide
Find out how GPS fleet tracking works and how to find the right fleet management software for your business with our Buyer's...
Read moreAre your drivers trying to beat the summer heat by sitting in idling trucks with the air conditioning blasting? Employee satisfaction is key to retaining good drivers, but excessive idling may be costing you more than you think.
Unnecessary idling wastes fuel and increases maintenance costs. Here'۪s what you need to know to help save money at the pump and extend the life of your vehicles this summer.
Many drivers keep their engines running to power heating and cooling systems during lunch breaks, or while they'۪re interacting with customers.
But idling comes at a cost.
Many trucks idle up to eight hours per day. This costs fleet owners and operators $5,000 to $12,000 in fuel per truck each year, according to Engines Off!, a Colorado government campaign to reduce vehicle idling.
Excessive engine idling can also increase maintenance costs for your fleet, according to the New England region of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Excessive idling isn'۪t just an expensive practice. It'۪s against the law in many places around the country, according to the American Transportation Research Institute.
In an effort to reduce air pollution, eighteen states have passed anti-idling laws. California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia impose fines of up to $25,000 for breaking anti-idling laws. Idling is also regulated on a local level in more than 80 cities and counties.
Regulations vary, but most jurisdictions allow a maximum of either three or five minutes of idling. Several districts, such as Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, provide no exemptions.
In many ways, decreasing idle time is a win-win. It can save your organization money while helping to improve the air quality where your vehicles operate.
Reducing idle time starts with your drivers. There are small behavioral adjustments they can make that could add up to big savings for your business. These include turning off engines when vehicles are not in motion, following manufacturer recommendations for minimum warm-up time and obeying local anti-idling laws.
Fleet owners and operators can also lower idle time with Verizon Connect'۪s fleet tracking software. Verizon Connect offers several ways to manage your vehicles and their drivers:
Better manage your fleet idling costs with Verizon Connect.
Tags: Cost control, ELD & Compliance, Performance & Coaching, Safety, Team Management, Vehicle Maintenance
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