Commercial Fleets Can Reduce Fuel Consumption By As Much As 24 Percent Says Recent Study

SmartDrive Systems, a fleet safety company, announced at FedFleet 2011 in Orlando, FL on July 26, the findings of an ongoing study which show that commercial fleets can reduce fuel consumption by as much as twenty-four percent by employing more fuel-efficient driving techniques, eliminating unnecessary idling, and reducing excessive speeds.

The SmartDrive Commercial Fleet Fuel Consumption study has analyzed the fuel consumption rates of more than 1,000 commercial drivers in industries including waste hauling, transit, public transportation, and food and beverage delivery.

The study draws on real-time fuel use data -- accurate to within few hundreths of an ounce per second -- from the vehicle's engine computer to calculate fuel savings. The study examined inefficient driving, unnecessary idling time and excessive speed. Analysts reviewed data from different vehicle types, with different loads and road conditions, and concluded that commercial fleets that address these three fuel-wasting factors can reduce fuel use by eight-to-twenty-four percent, depending on vehicle type and operator driving performance.

"The twenty-four percent fuel reduction that fleets can achieve through eco-driving has a real impact on the bottom line," SmartDrive President Jason Palmer said. "With gasoline prices hovering at $4.00 per gallon, that's a dramatic impact to our customers' bottom line."

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