Economy in motion: A digital strategy to combat volatile fuel costs

By Beverley Wise, Webfleet Regional Director for Bridgestone Mobility Solutions

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's decision not to commit to cancelling a planned increase in fuel duty next April in his Autumn Statement, alongside a predicted 8.3% hike in crude oil prices from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), does not augur well. 

The need for commercial fleets to have robust fuel cost reduction strategies in place to help protect themselves from pump price volatility has, consequently, never been greater.  

Fleet management technologies emerge here as a beacon of hope, offering sophisticated and practical tools to empower businesses with data-driven insights, enabling them to keep a lid on what is invariably their biggest operating expense – typically accounting for around a third of a vehicle’s total cost of ownership (TCO). 

With access to an array of reporting intelligence – everything from vehicle location, routing, scheduling and driver behaviour scores to mpg, idling time and maintenance information – the causes of fuel inefficiency can be identified at the touch of a button, and then addressed. 

Using solutions such as Webfleet, Bridgestone’s award-winning fleet management platform, businesses can analyse where and how employees are driving to determine the reasons behind fuel usage patterns.  

Indeed, this has been vividly illustrated through the recent experiences of Greencore and Wren Kitchens.  

Greencore, a leading convenience food manufacturer, achieved a 3.9% improvement in mpg after introducing Webfleet.  

Webfleet data revealed that 2.65% of all fuel was being wasted due to idling, with 80% of idling incidents happening at depots when drivers were running their vehicles for longer than necessary to reduce the temperature of their fridges.  

The technology will now also play a key role in helping Greencore meet the sustainability objectives of its ‘Better Future Plan’, transforming the food system to have a positive impact on people and the planet. 

Kitchen unit retailer Wren Kitchens, meanwhile, has integrated Webfleet with Paragon routing and scheduling software. By leveraging fuel consumption data, truck-specific navigation and driver performance insights, the company has seen average fuel economy across its vans and trucks increase from 13 to 14 mpg. 

Wren’s vehicles travel an average of 150 miles a day, so a one per cent mpg improvement – representing an efficiency increase of nearly 8% – is fast adding up to significant bottom line savings. 

To support Wren’s planned transition to electric vans, the company is now using Webfleet’s EV management toolkit to forecast TCO savings by simplifying comparisons between internal combustion vehicle running costs and real-world EV performance. It also helps the company to plan for its charging infrastructure needs by confirming where its vehicles spend most time, their typical mileage and dwell times. 

With the spectre of rising fuel costs looming, UK commercial fleets are compelled to embrace innovative solutions to remain competitive. Telematics technology, transcending mere fuel consumption reduction, enriches overall fleet performance, safety and sustainability, making it a vital component of financial resilience and environmental stewardship.

Published On: 07/12/2023 12:30:00

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