FUEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Many factors can change consumption figures for your fleet.  Knowing what they are can transform your balance sheet. It is important to note that it is not always better to have the lowest consumption.  If increasing the load saves a trip, it can be more cost effective to have a slightly higher consumption, than two very low consumption trips.  It is for this reason that consumptions need to be managed actively.  Therefore, bare the following in mind:

Consumption refers to the fuel used in relation to distance travelled or hours used.  It can be expressed in Litres per 100km (L/100km), Kilometres per litre (K/L) or Litres per Hour (L/H) or Hours per Litre (H/L)

Accurate consumptions matter.  Consumptions refer to fuel used over the specific distance or for the hours used.  If you are unaware of what your consumptions are, you do not know if you are getting value for money in relation to a very large, if not the largest, operational expense. 

The best way to obtain accurate consumptions is to ensure that vehicles are filled with fuel to the same level each time.  This is so that the same amount of fuel is replaced for the distance travelled.  This means that a short fill and a long fill over two fillings puts pressure on the one responsible for the high consumption and does not move it the following filling. 

Odometer readings remain the best measure of distance travelled.  Ensure that these are recorded accurately and if you have accurate litres recorded you will calculate remarkably accurate consumption numbers that can be investigated.

Litres per 100 kilometres versus Kilometres per litre as a measurement standard needs to be decided when investigating consumptions.  In our view, l/100km is a far superior measure of consumption.  This is for several reasons.  Firstly, a high number means a high consumption.  If you used 20 litres to travel 100 kilometres, this is better than using 30 litres to travel the same distance.  This is compared to saying that travelling 5 kilometres for one litre is worse than 4 kilometres for one litre.  Secondly, the scales give more detail on different sides of the spectrum.  I will explain what this means by using an example:  10 l/100km = 10 K/l.  Therefore the midpoint of the two scales is 10.  Similarly 20 l/100km = 5 K/l.  A large truck may travel at 50 l/100km which is the same as 2 K/L.  Therefore, in the one scale which looks at the high consumption side, you have moved 30L per 100 km, but on the other scale, the movement is only 3 kilometres difference.  Therefore, the changes in high consumptions are much lower in the K/L scale, as opposed to the L/100km.

When investigating high consumptions these are the some of the factors that can cause a high consumption:

Overloading or the transportation of heavier goods will negatively impact consumption.  It is easier to identify when a seemingly high consumption is due to overloading when you get notification of the high consumption soon after the transportation.  If it was necessary to overload the vehicle then this would not be an exception, however, it could possibly cause wastage if there was a more economical means to transport the cargo.

Head winds can seriously impact the consumption of a vehicle especially over a significant distance.  It is difficult to factor in head winds but may be incorporated into a driver’s debrief if there is a question as to a high consumption at a later point.  Meteorological information can be used to verify if there was a wind coming from an opposing direction and the force of the wind.  http://www.windfinder.com/weather-maps/forecast/southafrica    

Vehicle maintenance can play a significant part in high consumption.  Over the life-span of a vehicle the consumption will get worse.  However, a properly maintained vehicle will use fuel more efficiently.  Unfortunately, only through monitoring high consumptions over a period of time will some maintenance issues become clear.

Tyre Pressure and tyre wear play a significant role in changing fuel usage.  The vehicles tyres are the contact point between the vehicle and the road and even slightly deformed, worn or deflated tyres can make a significant impact on the consumption of the vehicle.  This is where over-loading or poor loading can have a knock-on effect. This is because the load can cause, over the course of a long trip, the tyre to wear in inefficient ways that continue to have an impact beyond this one trip.  Tyre purchasing, their specific patterns and pressure for specific loads all impact long-term consumption.

Driver Behaviour is critical in relation to consumption.  Excessive idling, over-revving, sharp breaking, and unnecessarily driven distances can all impact both the consumption and total fuel use.   There are many ways to improve driver behaviour including disciplinary measures and better training. However, generally if the driver is aware that their fuel usage is being monitored then this shows an improvement in general driver behaviour. 

Vehicle make and model can significantly affect the fuel being used.  Therefore, knowing which makes and models perform best and in what scenarios can increase savings significantly.  Vehicles need to be seen as both assets and liabilities, if bought and used correctly they can generate significant income, if bought and used incorrectly, they will merely be a significant cost that cannot be sustained.  Knowing the full extent of the costs will enable the business to complete a cost/benefit analysis which could give the business a strategic edge.

Theft can increase consumption as the fuel seemingly used will be higher because some of it will be used.  It is important to note that if the theft is kept relatively small the consumption number will not increase by very much.  It is for this reason that the other factors need to be understood and investigated so that there is an awareness of what factors are affecting fuel use.  When these factors are not present, then the possibility of theft increases.  Theft will normally follow opportune situations and therefore there are often patterns in theft practices.  If the normal patterns of use are known in the fleet, it is far easier to isolated anomalous behaviour and remove thieves. 

In conclusion, fuel means money and a large amount of money.  In order to make the best use of that money, it needs to be actively monitored and managed as a high priority with senior management understanding the numerous legitimate factors that may affect a fleet.  Only with this knowledge, can the wastage be decreased and the costs reduced.