The Role of GPS Tracking in Reducing Fuel Consumption

Fuel is a considerable ongoing expense for firms operating a fleet. Delivery vans, logistics trucks, service vehicles, etc. Incompetent fuel consumption reduces profits quickly. Many firms attempt to stabilise fuel costs with driver training and route planning; however, the accurate solution for reducing fuel costs, and the scalable one, lies in one technology: GPS tracking

Let’s pull apart how GPS tracking from specialists like OnTrack Telematics allows companies to easily monitor, manage and reduce fuel consumption with a fleet from where they are.

In-the-Moment Route Planning

The most obvious benefit from GPS tracking is smart route planning. GPS tracking systems will constantly assess live traffic conditions, emergencies, road closures, and delivery windows to deliver the most fuel-efficient route.

For example, think of the vehicle that gets stuck in traffic for 15 minutes each day. After a month, they will have an additional burn of an estimated 10 -15 litres. That might not sound too bad, but it’s a different picture with a fleet of 50 vehicles. GPS tracking systems can help mitigate this loss by also changing routes based on live conditions to avoid fluctuations caused by obstacles or delays.

Driver Behaviour Monitoring

When we drive excessively fast, brake harshly, and accelerate aggressively, we put our safety at risk. More importantly, we consume a lot of fuel. According to the UK Department for Transport, bad behaviour behind the wheel can increase fuel consumption by as much as 20 per cent. 

Using GPS tracking, fleet managers can monitor these behaviours in real time. By knowing the alerts and reporting on driving behaviour, we can identify drivers who need refresher coaching and create incentive programmes that reward good behaviours. 

OnTrack Telematics, advanced driver behaviour modules can be integrated into your solutions, allowing businesses to manage fuel waste through a culture of accountability.

Minimising Idling Time

It might not seem like a big deal to leave a vehicle idling, but over a number of days and weeks, it can become an efficiency killer. GPS tracking systems identify idling vehicles, which vehicles are idling, and how long the vehicle has been idling. 

Fleet managers can create parameters (set an alert when a vehicle is idling for five or more minutes) and take corrective actions at any point. Eliminating idling time by just ten minutes per vehicle, per day, can yield hundreds of pounds in fuel savings per vehicle each year.

 Keeping Fuel Theft and Misuse Under Control

Another less-considered benefit of GPS tracking technology is security. By aligning the fuel card use, engine diagnostics and the GPS information, any discrepancies can be raised immediately. 

For example, if a fuel card is used and the associated vehicle is sitting at a petrol station more than 10 miles away, the vehicle is registered as being stationary, and therefore, the card should not have been swiped. Because of the GPS component, they are much less likely to be pulled over for your equipment for an unapproved use, side work or siphoning – this way you can help them stay on the straight and narrow.

Maintenance Alerts and Vehicle Health

Vehicles that are poorly maintained will use more fuel. Quality GPS tracking solutions like those sold by OnTrack Telemetics include automatic service reminders that are based on engine hours or mileage.

If vehicles are serviced on time (oil changes, tyre pressure checks, air filters, etc), it preserves fuel efficiency. Engines that are operating at their best will improve gas mileage up to 10% and can add up significantly across larger fleets.

Making Data-Driven Decisions with Fuel Reports

Insight into fuel efficiency forms the foundation of using your fleet effectively. GPS tracking platforms produce reports about fuel consumption, route efficiency, engine idling, driving behaviour, and many other uses. This insight allows businesses to make intentional and tactical decisions, adjust operational policies, and track progress over time.

Every company, from logistics businesses to small fleets that are service-based, will leverage these reports as a starting point for sustainable and quantifiable cost savings.

Time for an Upgrade with Ontrack

Tracking via GPS is not just an asset management tool; it is a measurable savings generator, waste detector, and general driver operating discipline enhancer. When businesses dutifully deploy a system from OnTrack Telematics, they gain umbilical control of the most volatile costs associated with fleet operations: fuel.

If cost reduction and sustainability improvements are objectives for your fleet, then GPS tracking needs to be a focal point of your strategy.

Take the next step to smarter fleet management. Contact OnTrack Telematics today to see what GPS tracking solutions are the best fit for your business goals.