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New "green" driving software cuts fuel costs by 10 per cent

New software that provides drivers and fleet managers with real-time driving efficiency data could save companies hundreds of thousands of pounds a year - and cut carbon emissions in the process.

Trials of the Fleet Metrik software, devised by Norfolk-based P1 Technology Partners, have shown a 9.8 per cent reduction in miles per gallon, saving £177,000 a year based on a fleet of 50 light goods vehicles covering 75,000 miles each.

That equates to an annual reduction of 487 tonnes of CO2.

Tribe has been working with P1 in 2010 to help promote the company's innovative software and IT services.

More and more companies which operate large fleets are looking at ways of cutting their rising fuels bills and lowering their carbon footprint.

Alan Firmin, a haulage company operating more than 170 vehicles, began trials of the system in 20 vehicles at the end of 2009.

"Together with P1, we embarked on a phased driver training programme," he said. "In the first month we mainly focussed on gathering data about our drivers' habits and driving styles. From this we produced accurate grading reports which helped us identify the worst performing drivers.

"Our under-performing drivers were then retrained, and the driver mentoring module was introduced. We saw immediate improvements. This keeps our drivers aware of their own driving performance in real time and allows us to monitor all aspects of their journey.

"By the third month we were seeing consistently improved driver efficiency and, most importantly, improved miles per gallon. Fleet Metrik enables us to manage our drivers and enforce a universal driving standard throughout our fleet."

Dan Simpson, head of client services at P1, said the three-month trial gives companies the chance to see for themselves the tangible benefits offered by the system, part of the company's Orchestrator platform.

"We complete the installation in one simple process and then work closely with fleet managers throughout the trial to help drivers optimise vehicle efficiency," he added.

"Optimal efficiency leads to lower fuel costs and CO2 emissions as well as prolonging the life of the trucks, reducing costs further."

He said the system would pay for itself after just 15 weeks of operation.

The in-cab device connects to the vehicle's engine control unit using CANbus technology and sends data via the mobile phone network to P1's web-based software.

Driving style alerts are displayed to the driver, providing immediate illuminated and audible warning signals on harsh braking, over-revving and speeding.

Real-time monitoring allows fleet managers to coordinate and optimise driver performance, with drivers ranked in a league table based on driving style and fuel consumption.

The Orchestrator series, which now includes Fleet Metrik, has been a market leader for more than five years, with more than 100 clients in the UK and Europe.

Products include tracking and telemetry electronics and transport management software to provide an end-to-end solution for the haulage and logistics industries. Individual Orchestrator products are designed to work both as standalone solutions or as part of a comprehensive package.

For more information about Orchestrator, see www.orchestrator.co.uk, email sales@orchestrator.co.uk or call 0845 6443750.

More info: For more information about Orchestrator, see www.p1tp.com, email sales@orchestrator.co.uk or call 0845 6443750.

Posted: 30th Jun 2010