Fuel Monitoring is the star feature in Fleet Management software — All you need to know

Vehicle tracking involves much more than just monitoring the movement, speed and location of the vehicle. It has taken shape of a comprehensive solution that involves Fuel Management too. It not only enables you to track the fleet but also manages it efficiently from one place.

Fuel Monitoring is the star feature in Fleet Management software — All you need to know

Not everything that glitters is gold.

There are various Fleet Management software providers in the market that offer fuel monitoring. What separates an average software from a good one is accuracy. TrackoBit is a B2B software that specialises in the accuracy of data and reports.

Good GPS Tracking software will have you covered in case of fuel drainage and theft. It’ll also help you track the reason behind the overconsumption of fuel and the root cause of increasing fuel costs. Primary causes include:

1. Rash Driving Behaviour of the drivers
2. Paying less attention to service and maintenance of the vehicles
3. Negligence from driver’s end in taking longer routes and causing delays
4. How can we forge? Fuel theft and drainage!

Let’s take an example.

For instance, Driver A drives ‘Vehicle Z’ with an average of 3 km/l daily, whereas Driver B delivers an average of 4 km/l on the same and other vehicles. That means the issue is in Driver A’s performance.

On the other hand, if vehicle Z delivers an average of 3 km/l in both cases, that means the problem is with the vehicle.

It was just one vehicle, how do you think you can monitor this with a fleet of a thousand vehicles? That’s when Advanced Telematics come into play.

You’ll get complete Telematics solutions from GPS Tracking to Fuel Monitoring, Driver’s Behaviour and much more with a future-proof solution. TrackoBit is the most sought-after Fuel Monitoring Software that is popular for its accuracy and 99.9% uptime. It helps fleet owners make informed decisions, calculate every move during the planning process and optimize fleet management.

Say goodbye to worrisome days and sleepless nights due to spiking fuel costs. Let technology take all the pain.

What to Expect From a Fuel Monitoring System

GPS Tracking technology has brought a paradigm shift in the Logistics and Transportation Industry. Discrepancies in Fuel estimates and consumption has been an age-old issue in the industry. Effective Fuel Monitoring has resolved the problem in the current age and time.

Here are the benefits of investing in a good GPS Tracking software that enhances the fuel management of the fleet in logistics.

1. Fuel Drainage Monitoring

If there is excess fuel consumption than expected, you can spot where exactly things are going wrong. It has an impact on the fleet’s overall performance. Mostly, fuel theft or leakage due to unknown causes are the reasons. You can monitor them easily with the help of such software.

2. Improved and Accurate Readings

Earlier, when fleet managers did their job manually, the chances of miscalculation due to human error and negligence were high. Ever since automation took over the Logistics industry, the accuracy of fuel data has improved a lot. It increased the return on investment for the companies.

3. Live Update on Fuel Readings

You get real-time fuel updates with a graphical report. You can read and compare the data you receive to determine various factors, such as — consumption rate, the average of different vehicles, and the behaviour of drivers.

4. Detailed Reports

You get detailed information on fuel usage for all vehicles. You receive elaborated reports for every trip — how much fuel is consumed, when and where.

5. Get Notified in case of a Sudden Drop

You get an alert whenever there is an abrupt decrease in the reading to notify the theft attempt. This does not only ensure fuel safety but also positively impacts the overall efficiency of the fleet.

How to reduce fuel costs?

The most buzzing question in every fleet owner/manager’s mind. Fuel eats up the biggest chunk of the fleet budget. More than rising fuel prices, it is the fuel wastage that concerns the fleet managers. The vehicle tracking software monitors fuel usage, leakage, refilling and drainage. It helps them spot the exact reason for the drainage. It alerts them in case of any theft attempt and notifies them when fuel is refilled.

Ways to Improve Fuel Economy of Vehicles

Want to improve the performance of your fleet? The simplest yet most significant way is by enhancing the performance of every vehicle of the fleet. A few blots in the fleet can hamper the economy of the entire fleet.

Here are a few practices that will help you improve the fuel economy of your vehicles.

1. Keep your vehicles in pristine condition

Never miss the service and maintenance date of the vehicles. The deteriorating performance of the vehicle is directly related to the decaying health of the vehicle. As the vehicles are always on the move, it’s imperative to ensure the wellbeing of the engine along with the rest of the parts for better efficiency.

2. Improve driving behaviour of the drivers

The rash driving behaviour deteriorates the fuel economy of the vehicle. It also hampers the overall condition of the vehicle in the long run. Harsh acceleration, sudden brakes, overspeeding, etc. leads to fuel wastage. It is imperative to train the drivers to be mindful while driving.

3. Optimize route planning

Manage multi-stop trips by selecting the most efficient routes. It also helps in maximizing vehicle utilization. You can find the shortest routes, prioritize stops and save on fuel. No wonder, more and more fleet owners are opting for Trip management software these days.

4. Proper Load management

Overloading is the most common ills practice in developing nations. Every vehicle has its optimum load-carrying capacity. If we exceed that, it can put extra stress on the engine, hence impacting fuel economy. Equal load distribution also plays a crucial role in getting the maximum fuel efficiency.

5. Monitor the fuel consumption pattern of vehicles

While you have made sure the above five points are well taken care of, monitoring the performance of vehicles over the period is equally important. To fix the problem, we need to reach the problem first. If the vehicle is not giving the expected averages so where exactly the problem is. Is it in the vehicle or with the driving behaviour?

Avoid unnecessary Idling of Vehicles

No kidding at all! Idling causes more harm to your pocket and the environment than it causes to the vehicle itself. It is one of the biggest reasons that lead to the bad fuel economy of vehicles. GPS Tracking can help you keep a check on your driver’s habit of unnecessarily leaving the vehicle idle.

Why it is important to reduce idling

1. Saves Fuel

• The obvious one, right! We know its significance, yet most of us neglect it, especially the drivers who are on driving duty the whole day. According to a study, turning off the car in traffic can save up to 8.7% of fuel which is more efficient than idling and waiting for the signal to turn green. This percentage turns out to be in gallons when we consider heavy vehicles like trucks.

2. Healthy for environment

• Less idling means less fuel waste, hence reduced carbon footprints. If you turn off the engine for 10 min in traffic you prevent 450 grams of CO2 from being released into the air. Now imagine if millions of drivers adopt this practice, how much stress we can take off the environment.

3. Improves Fleet Efficiency

• Less idling will improve the fuel economy and save big bucks for fleet owners. It will improve the overall efficiency of the fleet. If the fuel efficiency of the fleet of a thousand vehicles improves by 1%, it will easily save more than a million dollars in a year.

Three Practices to Reduce Vehicle Idling

1. Turn off the engine when waiting for more than 15 sec

• It is better to turn off the engine when you are waiting for the signal to turn green. Idling for more than 10 seconds uses more fuel and emits more CO2 than stopping and restarting your engine does.

2. Idling the engine before driving off is not warming-up

• Gone are the days when cars needed to be warmed up in winter to reach the optimum temperature. Today, driving the vehicle helps the engine reach its ideal operating temperature faster than idling it.

3. GPS Tracking System for commercial vehicles

• Drivers tend to leave the ignition on while they step out of the vehicle for a short while. This careless attitude hampers the overall fuel economy of the fleet. Having a GPS tracking system in place alerts you every time the vehicle exceeds the set limit of idling time. You get a consolidated report of the vehicle’s performance and driving behaviour. It helps you spot the exact problem area and fix that.

With a keen eye on small activities and insights, they reduce the chances of possible loopholes to none. Hence, improved fleet efficiency. With daily reports, they can deduce patterns in fuel consumption and optimize trips for better efficiency. You can ask for as many features as you want if you go for a white label fleet management software service to enhance your tech stack.