Omnitracs LLC : 3 Tips For Cold Weather Fuel Management

Fuel management is always a major concern in the transportation industry, but during the winter months, it becomes even more vital for trucking companies to take every step possible to maximize fuel efficiency. Cold weather reduces fuel economy by 8-12% over warm weather, due to a combination of factors ranging from increased wind resistance to lower tire pressure to the fuel itself.

Advice on how to mitigate winter's effects on fuel consumption abounds online, but most of it focuses solely on what drivers can do to help. We'd like to differ by offering fleet managers some strategic tips as to what they can do on their end to get the most out of every gallon. To that end, we recommend the following three tips for fuel management this winter:

1. Implement driver training each fall.
   The reason that most winter fuel efficiency advice out there is aimed at drivers is that they do, of course, play a significant role in determining their trucks' miles per gallon, through their driving and maintenance behaviors. As a fleet manager, there are steps you can take to ensure that your drivers are consistently following best practices each winter - and it all starts with consistent training on your part.

   Each fall, hold a winter training day with all your drivers to remind them of seasonal safety and fuel efficiency guidelines. Share the numbers with them to demonstrate the importance of compliance - for example, knowing that tire pressure decreases by one psi for every 10 degree Fahrenheit drop in air temperature, and that every 10 psi of underinflation represents a one percent loss in fuel economy, will give them an objective, research-backed reason to keep a close eye on those numbers and take action as needed. Supplying drivers with tools like our Tire Management application, with Tire Pressure Monitoring and Trailer Tire Inflation Alerts, can help make compliance even simpler.

   Be comprehensive in your training, but make sure drivers leave with a manageable list of takeaways they can apply that will make a real difference in their fuel economy.
   

2. Gather relevant data everywhere possible.
   It's hard to know if you're improving if you don't have the right data at hand for comparison. That's why tracking everything from fuel levels to driver behavior is key to understanding where past issues were holding you back, whether your current efforts are working, and where you might need to make adjustments going forward. If you don't have detailed historical data on winter fuel usage for each driver, each route, and each truck, there's no time like the present to start keeping a record of it.

   Use tools like Omnitracs' Exact Fuel to collect detailed data in real-time about fuel levels that you can then use to inform future fuel management strategies. Maybe a change in fuel stop locations is in order, to take advantage of lower fuel prices or taxes in different states. Maybe an analysis of fuel consumption patterns will provide new insights into driver behaviors that need to be modified. The only way to know is to gather the data.
   

3. Get smart about preventive vehicle maintenance.
   Keeping track of your fleet's maintenance needs by leveraging vehicle inspection reports makes sense all year long, but in winter it can be especially helpful, as any part not running at optimal levels can affect overall fuel efficiency even more significantly in cold weather.

   Implementing solutions like Omnitracs' Driver Vehicle Inspection Reporting software makes it possible to be sure your vehicles are in top condition to optimize fuel mileage.
   

By implementing additional driver training, harnessing the power of data, and ensuring preventive maintenance for their fleets, fleet managers can attack the problem of lower winter fuel efficiency from multiple directions at once, and thus achieve much better results. If you'd like help maximizing your fleet's fuel economy, contact us at Omnitracs today.