With fuel costs rapidly rising, fleet managers are looking for opportunities to reduce fuel consumption. Here is a list of the best ways fleet managers can cut vehicle fuel costs.

1. Educate your fleet management team and train your drivers. Successful fuel management starts with drivers. Proper training can improve fuel efficiency, reduce fuel expenses and vehicle emissions.

2. Keep loads as light as possible. Excess weight places unnecessary strain on a vehicle’s engine and greatly affects its fuel efficiency.

3. Use a fleet management system to lower fuel costs and increase productivity. The best systems are telematics enabled systems which monitor overall fuel efficiency, vehicle performance, and tracks fuel waste due to idling, speeding, etc.  These systems often identify critical areas to improve efficiency and reduce fleet fuel costs and emissions. Fleet GPS management systems such as FieldLogix can eliminate wasted time and fuel every day.

4. Upgrade to more fuel efficient vehicles. If possible, invest in modern, alternative fuel vehicles.

5. Tune-up vehicles regularly. Have a well-managed maintenance policy in place. A well-maintained vehicle performs better, improves fuel efficiency, reduces toxic emissions. In the long run, well maintained fleet vehicles cost less to operate. Routinely check tire pressure inflation. Proper tire inflation not only increase fuel efficiency, it can also improve vehicle and braking performance, and extend tire life.

6. Implement advanced mobile asset management technology. You can measure and manage a fleet better when you have the right information. Tracking miles traveled, average speed and engine efficiency is critical to cutting fuel costs. Mapping software and fleet GPS vehicle tracking systems will eliminate unnecessary miles. Less time on the road means less fuel consumed, less wear on vehicles, decreased expenditures and overall increased productivity, plus lower toxic emissions.