Sustaining Fuel Savings 3 December 2014 Posted in News

With diesel prices having declined every week since June 30, fleet managers and drivers could be losing sight of where most of their fuel savings are coming from: not at the pump but in the operation of the vehicle. As savings at the pump go up, fuel economy programs may not be getting the same amount of attention.

Another factor is the incremental gains in fuel economy being made by truck and engine manufacturers. The latest models have highly integrated and optimized drivetrains and aerodynamics. One of the most interesting equipment trends is that half of all new Class 8 truck orders today are spec’d with automated transmissions.

Despite the best efforts to maximize fuel efficiency with vehicle specs, a stubborn fact remains: as much as 30 percent of fuel economy is directly controlled by the vehicle operator.

Onboard computing and mobile communication systems use a standard connection to a truck’s controller area network (CAN) to capture and report various driver behaviors that impact mpg. Traditionally, fleet managers reviewed these reports and then communicated with drivers through phone calls and messages the things they did wrong and could have done differently to yield better results.

This top-down, retroactive approach to fuel management is not the most effective way to change driver behaviors and sustain positive results. Just like any professional athlete, drivers perform best when they know the score and have instant feedback, or coaching, to change the outcome right now.

A number of applications can be used to interface directly with drivers to monitor and report on the behaviors they control that impact fuel economy. When evaluating these applications, consider these three important factors:

1. Can the application be efficiently deployed to the entire fleet with minimal software and equipment maintenance?
2. What topics and behaviors besides mpg will the application facilitate discussions with drivers for continuous improvement?
3. Does the application use a measurement system that puts all drivers on the same, level playing field despite differences in overall mpg performance due to equipment specs, environment and loads?

Whenever technology is used to change a process that impacts drivers, some resistance and misunderstanding can be expected. The first and most important step is to make sure drivers understand why you are using a new technology and how it will impact them. Emphasize that the tool will help them improve their performance and what rewards they can earn as a result.

CarrierWeb’s in-cab computing platform, CarrierMate, currently has a menu option in the Mobile Data Terminal (MDT) that drivers can use to review their individual performance for speed, shifting, idling time and other metrics. Fleets can also give drivers a login to CarrierMate’s online management portal to view performance metrics while outside the vehicle.

We are currently working to develop new driver coaching applications that leverage the connectivity, processing power, and graphical user interface of the MDT to give drivers real-time assessment and coaching tools. Drivers will be able to see how their overall performance and individual behaviors compare to fleet averages and to individual peer groups.
Training and coaching tools will be used to show drivers what they can improve, such as idle time and over revving, and by how much they need to improve to be in the top tier of drivers in the fleet. Also, while the vehicle is in motion, real-time alerting tools will give drivers advance warnings of problem areas, like speeding, to change the behavior and outcome before alerts escalate to the level of fleet management.

These are a few examples of the way technology can be used to extend visibility and training tools to drivers in a real-time, mobile environment. Successful applications will help keep drivers engaged in your continuous improvement efforts with measurements that are fair to create a level playing field for friendly competition and obtainable incentives and rewards.