Get Recognized for a Greener Fleet

Consumers expect corporations to adopt sustainability on a large scale. That’s because many of them believe they’re powerless as individuals. They look to organizations to address this issue. Two-thirds of people responding to a Nielsen survey said they would pay more for a product that comes from a sustainable brand.

In 2016, the Environmental Protection Agency found that transportation accounted for 28% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. That means fleet managers have a huge opportunity to make a difference. And here’s the great thing: Making your fleet greener can save money in the long run.

These ideas can put you on the road to a greener fleet.

Regular Maintenance is a Key to a Greener Fleet

Fleet managers are under pressure to keep vehicles on the road. But a little downtime can have a noticeable impact on a vehicle’s carbon footprint. Multiply that through your fleet, and the benefits add up. Here are a few quick maintenance tips to make your fleet greener:

• Replace air filters – This is an easy, inexpensive way to get better gas mileage and reduce emissions.
• Keep your tires at the right pressure – This reduces rolling resistance. It’s practically a free boost in gas mileage.
• Watch those batteries – Older batteries can leak acid.
• Keep your cool – Inspect vehicle A/C systems yearly, and also keep a close eye on thermostats and radiator caps.

There are plenty of other steps to greener fleet vehicles, but these are a great way to start.

Use GPS Tracking to Make a Greener Fleet

GPS tracking solutions help fleets use less fuel and lower their emissions. You’ll find efficient routes that will save time, fuel, and emissions.

Also, you can encourage drivers to adopt better habits. GPS tracking provides data on speeding and hard acceleration, both of which increase fuel consumption. You can even reward drivers who demonstrate the best practices, which can be an incentive fleetwide.

Right-Sizing is Environmentally Friendly

Using the right tool for the right job is always important. For example, driving a box van when a pickup truck is better for the task is hard on both your bottom line and the environment. Evaluate your organization’s vehicle use to ensure that the vehicles match the job.

What about older vehicles? It’s hard to have a greener fleet with aging vehicles. Replacing them with hybrid or even fully electric vehicles might make financial sense. 

GPS tracking can help with rightsizing by spotting the vehicles that are overused or rarely used. Fleet managers will also have data that will help them replace, reassign or eliminate vehicles. That means a more-productive, more-efficient fleet.

Get Recognized for the Right Reasons

A greener fleet benefits your organization financially, while also showing your community that you’re committed to making large-scale environmental improvements. That’s a great way to build goodwill with the people who matter most.