Vehicle Life Factors
GPS Fleet Tracking & Vehicle Life Factors
Argonne National Laboratories, part of the US Department of Energy, conducted a study on the aggregate effects of excessive engine idling and speeding as part of overall vehicle operational costs.
Hard Cost Factors
Engine Idle Effects
60 min idling = 80–120 min of driving
Running a vehicle at idle speed dramatically reduces engine life. 60 minutes of idling is equivalent to between 80 and 120 minutes of driving time. The resulting loss of fuel economy from excessive idling can add up to 800 gallons of fuel annually for the average truck. On average, an idling vehicle burns between 1.6 and 2.4 gallons of gas. Since 2002, we have helped our customers learn that their vehicles average between 1 to 2 hours PER DAY of unnecessary idling — that is 2 to 4 gallons of gas saved per day!
Engine Wear & Tear
Ideal speed: 50–55 mph
Ideal driving speed for the average truck is 50–55 mph. The power required to increase speed multiplies dramatically: 73% more horsepower to cruise at 60 mph; 159% more horsepower to cruise at 70 mph. Each mile per hour above 50 mph increases fuel consumption by 1.5%. A truck averaging 8 mpg at 50 mph will average only 6.8 mpg at 60 mph.
Effect on Tires
Tire wear nearly doubles at 70+ mph
Sustained speeds raise tire temperatures above the critical level, causing strength and wear properties to deteriorate rapidly. Tire wear will almost double at road speeds of 70 mph or greater.
Maintenance Costs
80% higher maintenance at 70 mph vs 50 mph
Gears, bearings, clutches, suspension and drive trains wear much faster at higher speeds. Increasing speed from 50 mph to 60 mph increases maintenance cost by 38%. Increasing the speed to 70 mph increases the cost by 80%.
Accident Avoidance
63% greater stopping distance at 70 vs 50 mph
Approximate stopping distances for a 2-axle truck: 50 mph — 275 feet (0.92 football fields); 60 mph — 375 feet (1.25 football fields); 70 mph — 500 feet (1.67 football fields). At 70 mph, stopping distance is 63% greater than at 50 mph. Even in daylight, higher speeds significantly increase accident probabilities.
Measuring Fleet "Soft Costs" Can Save You Big Money
"Soft costs are actually more significant than hard costs and addressing them can have a greater impact on the success of a fleet program, both directly and indirectly."
Downtime Is Critical
One of the most important responsibilities in fleet management is ensuring the dependability and productivity of a company's vehicles. Lost business due to out-of-service vehicles can be a significant drain on your budget.
A company with a fleet of 20 vehicles can typically have one vehicle out of service for unscheduled repairs at least twice every month at an average cost of $750 a day. A simple 25% reduction in this unscheduled soft cost can result in an annual savings of nearly $5,000: $750 × 2 days = $1,500/month × 12 = $18,000/year. 25% savings = $4,500/year.
Safe Driving Equals Serious Savings
Speeding by company drivers is a primary cause of accidents and corporate liability issues. Excessive speeds can lead to soft costs like vehicle downtime, driver absenteeism and legal liability as well as wasted fuel. Industry estimates put the business costs of one fleet vehicle accident at between $6,000 and $12,000. By tracking and controlling driver speeding behavior, a company can reduce accidents.
Start Protecting Your Fleet Investment Today
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