Fleets Save Money, Fuel with GPS Technology

Fleet operations that use mobile resource management (MRM) systems recoup their investment through fuel savings and reductions in idle time, among other benefits, Fleet Owner reports.

The publication cites a survey by C.J. Driscoll & Associates of 508 fleet operations across the US. While only 36 percent of those said they use a GPS-based system, 79 percent of those using such a system said they were satisfied with the service and 67 percent said they recouped their investment in the technology.

For example, one private food delivery fleet operating 120 trucks saw $167,600 per year in fuel and mileage savings plus $127,400 in driver time savings, the survey found.

Fleet Owner cites other examples: a Connecticut-based regional water company operating 300 vehicles saved $64,000 in fuel costs annually because it could control excess idling via its MRM system; a county government fleet in Michigan gain $300 per day of “more production” per vehicle in its 80-unit operation by using its MRM.

The Co-operative and Tesco fleets have cut their carbon emissions by using Paragon Software Systems’ carbon minimizer, which allows fleets to reduce both their carbon footprint and operating costs with improved routing.

The Co-op cut 5,000 tons of CO2 from its fleet of 1,300 trucks that deliver food to grocery stores, while retailer Tesco halved its carbon emissions, a Paragon spokesperson told Environmental Leader in October, adding that customers typically reduce their emissions by 20 percent.

Photo Credit: large truck fleet via Shutterstock