Why video telematics the next step in tackling driver distraction
Transport is our largest consumer of energy, and more than 99 percent of transport energy is oil based according to Minister of Energy and Resources Simon Bridges. In a speech he gave last month, Mr Bridges noted that light passenger vehicles represent 60 percent of all transport energy consumption, while the Ministry of Transport says that the heavy vehicle fleet in New Zealand is responsible for 20 percent of the energy used for domestic transport. The Ministry of Transport also notes that greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector make up about 20 percent of New Zealand's total greenhouse gas emissions each year, and that transport also represents over 40 percent of New Zealand's greenhouse gases from the energy sector.
The transport industry in New Zealand is already taking practical steps towards reducing energy usage and greenhouse gases, through reducing fuel usage and improving fuel efficiency in vehicle fleets. These goals make sense as they are good for the environment and good for business. And this is where GPS tracker systems really come into their own.
Reduce fuel usage
A GPS tracker system can help you reduce your company's fuel consumption by up to 10 percent by:
- Managing maintenance schedules for better asset performance. A poorly serviced engine can use up to 50 percent more fuel.
- Curbing speeding violations by monitoring location and duration of speeding events, along with a total per vehicle. Speeding wastes fuel.
- Controlling unauthorised use with a system that tracks your assets and notifies you when things go awry.
Reduce engine idling
Reducing idle times through careful monitoring saves litres of fuel burned per hour. GPS tracking systems measure engine idling by lack of movement as well as whether a machine's ignition is on or off. Adding sensors that connect to oil pressure switches or other machine components makes it possible to distinguish between a machine's idle and working time.
The resulting reports document idle start and end times, duration and location for each vehicle. Excessive idling may indicate that a vehicle is underutilised, and that the business is being run inefficiently. Investigating the reasons behind high idling levels can help shape strategies for reducing idling-related vehicle underutilisation as well as fuel waste and associated carbon emissions.
Advanced fuel management
A GPS tracker system can help trim fuel consumption with features like idling reports, but the ability to measure actual fuel burn is a new development in telematics that can help detect fuel theft and fuel-related equipment problems, eliminate unnecessary refueling trips, and document fuel use for job costing. Data collected in the field with the telematics system and partner hardware can generate fuel reports by vehicle, jobsite, fueling event, and more – replacing algorithm calculations with actual measurements including fuel burn rate in litres per hour.
Route optimisation
Planning multiple stops on a trip is often time consuming, and not knowing the most efficient route to take can waste fuel and your drivers' time. A GPS tracker system gives your drivers and dispatchers a fast, efficient way to plan their daily routes. The system allows for route optimisation (the shortest distance and the fastest time on multi-stop routes) saving time and money and ultimately improving the fuel efficiency of your fleet.
Driver training
The recent announcement by Navman Wireless of the Driving Academy web-based driver training programme, also contributes to reducing fuel usage as it improves and modifies driver behaviour.
Reducing fuel consumption and improving fuel efficiency is in everyone's best interests. It cuts down on energy usage and greenhouse gases – helping the New Zealand Government to meet its targets – and helps businesses become more efficient and reduce their costs.