How To Save Fuel: 11 Fuel Saving Tips for Fleets

Tired of constantly paying exorbitant prices at the pump? With record-high gas prices – reaching above $6 in some places – cutting fuel costs is crucial.

Moreover, fuel isn’t just hurting your fleet’s bottom line; it’s hurting the world as well. In the US, the transportation industry contributes about 33% of all emissions, making it the largest domestic contributor to climate change.

While electric vehicles (EVs) can certainly help, it is still important for EV fleets to be conservative with their energy use so they can travel as far as possible on a full charge. This is where the initial cost of fleet management software can be a great investment, namely by helping businesses save money by optimizing routes – one of its many benefits.

Don’t let fuel costs put a damper on your fleet management. Read on for our expert tips to maximize your miles and minimize your costs.

1. Consider Fuel-Efficient Vehicles

Switching to fuel-efficient vehicles, such as electric vehicles (EVs), can significantly reduce your fleet’s fuel costs. Despite the high upfront costs, EVs have lower maintenance costs and considerably reduce fuel expenses in the long run.

According to data, there was an overall 304% increase in Class 2 EV registrations from 2022 to 2023. As technology advances and prices become more accessible, EV adoption should continue to rise. By switching to EVs, you can reduce fuel expenses and emissions, contributing to a sustainable future.

However, if sustainability is your top concern, it is essential to conserve energy to extend the lifespan of your batteries. The tips below can also help boost your EVs’ performance and cut costs.

2. Optimize Routes

Optimizing routes is one of the most effective ways to save fuel. Planning routes that minimize the distance traveled can reduce fuel consumption, boost fleet productivity, and improve customer satisfaction.

You can manually optimize routes by using mapping tools and checking real-time traffic data. However, this gets more complicated as you handle larger fleets. Many GPS devices on the market are equipped with powerful route optimization features, making them excellent fuel saving devices. They can help you find the swiftest route to your destination, all while avoiding congestion and possibly hazardous work areas.

By using GPS trackers to optimize your routes, you can significantly improve your fuel economy, reduce emissions, and improve overall fleet performance.

Ready to put the brakes on fuel costs? Use our free quote comparison tool to find the right GPS tracking provider for your business. Let us know about your fleet, and we’ll connect you directly with the leading providers in the US.

3. Monitor Your Fuel

By keeping track of your fuel usage, you can pinpoint any inefficiencies and take proactive steps to address them. For instance, you can identify drivers that are using more fuel than necessary and provide targeted training to get them back on track. Sometimes, though, the culprit isn’t your driver but your vehicle. Clogged air filters, worn-out engines, or under-inflated tires can all lead to unnecessary fuel consumption.

While a hands-on approach is commendable, manual monitoring simply isn’t the most efficient way to track your fleet’s fuel usage. For this, we highly recommend using vehicle tracking devices that are equipped with powerful fuel monitoring capabilities.

4. Save With Every Swipe Using Fleet Fuel Cards

Fleet fuel cards are a convenient and cost-effective way to keep track of your fuel expenses, another great fuel saving device. One of the biggest advantages of using a fleet fuel card is that it allows you to negotiate discounts with fuel suppliers. This means you can get rebates and save on the cost of fuel every time you fill up. Moreover, you can set up limits to ensure your drivers don’t overspend.

Additionally, fleet fuel cards help with fuel monitoring as they offer detailed reporting and expense tracking, so you can see exactly where your fuel expenses are going and identify opportunities to reduce costs. If you’re looking to streamline your fuel purchases, check out our curated list of the best fuel card companies in the US.

Not a fan of research? Get accurate quotes and information direct from fuel card suppliers by using our free quote comparison tool – it takes less than a minute!

5. Implement a No Idling Policy

Every year, idling in the US takes a massive 6 billion gallon toll on fuel consumption. That’s a cost of over $20 billion, just for drivers idling! While educating drivers on the consequences of idling is essential, using monitoring devices to ensure they minimize idling is better.

Many fleet telematics systems are capable of tracking your driver’s idling data and even send you real-time alerts when they are doing so. You can then opt to provide additional training, implement penalties for excessive idling, or incentivize good driving practices through a linked driver management app.

By implementing a no-idling policy, you can cut fuel costs, minimize vehicle wear and tear, and avoid hefty idling penalties – we’re talking $100 to $300.

6. Preventative Maintenance

Regular maintenance helps you prolong the life of your vehicles, reduces the risk of expensive breakdowns, and helps you to save fuel. By strictly adhering to preventative maintenance practices, you could boost your fuel efficiency by a whopping 10%.

As a fleet manager, it is essential that you set a regular maintenance schedule for each vehicle in your fleet, including tune-ups, oil changes, and tire rotations. Moreover, you must keep detailed maintenance records for each vehicle, including what services were performed and when. This information can be used to ensure maintenance schedule compliance and help future technicians swiftly address your fleet issues.

Yes, we know this can mean a lot of paperwork! To streamline your preventative maintenance process, consider investing in a fleet management system that includes robust maintenance tracking and scheduling features. These tools can keep track of the maintenance records of your vehicles, remind you of upcoming services, and automate the scheduling process so you don’t get bogged down by paperwork.

7. Encourage Steady Driving

Here’s another way to save fuel: encourage your drivers to relax when driving. Aggressive driving – jackrabbit starts, hard braking, and speeding – can lower gas mileage by up to 40%. Furthermore, steady driving will not only save you money on gas, it’ll also ensure the ride for your drivers is smoother and safer.

Pro tip: Advise your drivers to use cruise control on the highway!

Cruise control is a helpful feature that allows your drivers to set and maintain a constant speed, reducing gas-wasting accelerations and decelerations. This boosts fuel efficiency, ensures steady driving, and eases driver fatigue on longer trips.

8. Install Devices With In-Vehicle Driver Feedback

According to research by the National Center for Sustainable Transportation (NCST), onboard feedback can positively influence driver behavior and enhance fuel efficiency by an average of 6.6%. The study also suggests that, when combined with other tactics, such as driver training or performance-based incentives, the effects of this feedback can increase.

Many leading tracking devices are equipped with in-vehicle audio alerts that are triggered when the device detects erratic driving behavior such as idling, speeding, and harsh braking. Some driver dash cams can even detect distracted driving and quickly alert you and your driver to ensure their focus is back on the road.

In-cab alerts help drivers become aware of their habits and make changes in real-time to improve fuel efficiency. By using telematics devices, you can effectively monitor and improve driver behavior, leading to improved driver safety and reduced fleet costs.

9. Advise Drivers To Switch Off the AC

Using the air conditioning (AC) system can make a vehicle use up to 20% more fuel as it adds extra load to the engine. When the AC is running, the engine has to work harder to power the compressor and cool the vehicle’s interior, which can consume more fuel.

However, this may not always be the best option. In hot weather conditions, rolling down the windows can increase wind resistance and drag, which reduces fuel economy. To keep your drivers cool and preserve fuel, remind your drivers of the goldilocks rule: aim for comfortable, not cool.

Remind your drivers to adjust their thermostat settings and turn off the AC when it’s not needed. By minimizing AC usage, the engine doesn’t have to work as hard, which can lead to improved fuel efficiency.

10. Proper Tire Inflation

Proper tire inflation can save you up to 11 cents per gallon on fuel and extend your tire’s average life by 4,700 miles. Meanwhile, under-inflated tires can reduce fuel efficiency by 0.2% for every 1 pound per square inch (PSI) drop.

Educating your drivers on the importance of tire pressure and how to properly check tire pressure levels can help. Additionally, you can invest in tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS), which alert you and/or your drivers when the tire pressure is low on one of your vehicles. Considering that TPMS can save a passenger vehicle an average of 27.89 gallons of fuel in the first eight years of use, this can certainly be a worthy investment.

Keeping tires at the right pressure will create a smoother ride, reduce fuel costs, and prevent wear and tear. Moreover, proper inflation leads to safer, longer-lasting tires.

11. Be Wary of Fuel-Saving Devices

You may find yourself tempted to just grab a nondescript fuel-saving device from an online retail store– magnets, engine ionizers, vaporizers. Most of these devices come with blurbs that sound like sci-fi skits, and many of these “fuel-saving devices” have bogus claims at steep prices. What’s worse is they are often untested and not approved by your vehicle’s manufacturer, and can even harm your vehicles.

We’re not closing the doors to fuel-saving devices, as we’re always open to innovation. However, based on our research, there’s no fuel-saving device (yet!) that is proven to effectively cut fuel costs and reduce emissions.

Instead, you may want to look into prepaid gas cards as a more realistic way of saving at the pump. You can use these to set spending limits and avoid the fee on using a PIN debit card at ARCO.

Next Steps

Maximizing fuel efficiency is a must for any fleet business looking to stay ahead in today’s competitive market. While it’s true that fuel costs are surging, there are many practical ways to maximize fuel efficiency, such as investing in fuel-efficient vehicles; strictly adhering to your preventative maintenance schedule; and leveraging telematics to help you optimize routes, monitor fuel consumption, and improve driver behavior. Conducting a fleet cost analysis can help reduce fuel consumption also.

Ready to join the ranks of fuel-efficient fleets? Use our free quote comparison tool to find the right fleet management system that best fits your business’ needs. Get accurate, obligation-free quotes directly from the top suppliers in the US.