How Engine Idling Is Slowly Eating Into Your Profits & What To Do About It
In a time of high fuel costs and inflation, operational inefficiencies can end up costing a fleet more than ever.
Though seemingly innocuous at first glance, idling is one of these inefficiencies–and when compounded, it can cut into profits.
The more time a driver is on the road, the higher the chance they’ll spend sitting and waiting in traffic with the engine running. With a large fleet, this can add up to hundreds of wasted hours a month.
Large trucks consume about .8 gallons of fuel an hour when idling, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
When you consider that the average truck idles about 1,800 hours a year, then factor in the cost of fuel in the current economy, the cost of idling averages about $8,730 per heavy truck!
Now take into account that fuel is around 60% of a fleet’s budget, tack on the wear-and-tear that idling causes to engines (and the future costs of that damage), and it’s a recipe for business disaster.
Investing in the right telematics, video, and mobile DVR equipment is the first step towards better practices; you’ll have access to features like live look-ins, recorded footage, custom reporting, GPS tracking, and exception rules in software that identify idle times.
From these features, you can implement programs like driver coaching, optimized driving schedules and routes, and even incentivized campaigns for drivers who perform better!
You don’t have to let this insidious cost become your ruin–take preventative measures ahead of time.
