Fleet Fuel Management Systems Help Save $$

Fleets trying to squeeze the last drop of value from their fuel budgets have been turning to fleet fuel management systems to help them do that. How does it help in this respect?

The Benefits

Today's fleet fuel management systems offer sophisicated tracks and data compilation systems.  For the average person, this means fleet operators have the information they need to optimize their fleet's mileage, as well as making sure that their scheduled maintenance sessions are implemented properly (this has obvious benefits). The data these systems compile on a regular basis also aids in regulatory compliance and billing.  They benefit fleets by taking this type of data collection out of the hands of personnel (subsequently eliminating the transcription errors and mis-reading problems that used to come with the territory).  These systems provide a real benefit in freeing up these valuable personnel to focus on tasks that are more directly related to producing actual revenue for the fleet business.

Better Security

All fleets are concerned about resources going missing - and in this case, resources mean fuel, fuel additives, and fuel-related supplies.  Today's fuel management systems ensure that all the fuel used is tracked and the management knows where it's going, and where the vehicle using that fuel is going.  

What Does It Look Like?

So what does a fleet fuel management system actually look like, says the person who does not have one. There are four "generations" of these kind of systems.

The first generation is what fleets relied on for years - a padlock to prevent fuel theft and pencil and paper to record data. Not exactly state of the art for today's purposes.

The jump to the second generation represents the biggest change. Now you're moving away from manual pen and paper and you have a computerized fuel island with a method for the driver to input an ID number before dispensing the fuel.  The computer keeps track of how much fuel was dispensed to which vehicle in the fleet.

The third generation fleet fuel management system takes the data from the 2nd generation and runs it through a computer that breaks down a lot of data sets relative to who's doing what with how much fuel and when.

The fourth generation management system integrates the power of the Internet into all of this.  All of the data is wirelesly stored in a central server.

Fuel Management Systems For Fuel Additives

One of the challenges that Bell Performance has encountered over the years in selling to fleet is trying to get fleets to use fuel additives in conjunction with their centralized fueling systems.  In the old days, drivers would just add their diesel fuel treatment to their truck and get on with things.  Those days left a long time ago. With today's fleet fuel management systems, it's much easier for a fleet operator to have the central fuel day tank dosed with additive and recorded in the system.  The system keeps track of which additized fuel is used in which truck going where. It tells fleet companies whether their fuel mileage has gone up 3% or 5% or more.  Now it's easier than ever for fleets to see how fuel additives are impacting both their bottom line fuel budgets and their fleet maintenance patterns.

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