German logistics firm, Spedition Gschwander, has created fuel savings of between five and ten per cent after deploying Shell’s FuelSave Partner software.
The company specialises in the bulk transport of foodstuffs, animal feed and agricultural products, as well as construction materials, operating its own fleet of more than 100 trucks.
FuelSave Partner is designed to evaluate driver behaviour and measure fuel-related carbon dioxide output on a per tonne basis in order to reduce fuel consumption and lower costs.
Karsten Wilbrand, regional manager, retail and automotive fuel technology at Shell, says: “The driver has the largest impact on fuel management. A change of up to 30 per cent can be achieved because of different driving styles.”
As such, FuelSave Partner is based predominantly on the driver, but also looks at vehicle and fuelling data.
It measures harsh braking, acceleration and idling time, providing set targets and daily and weekly reports for each driver, and as it is web-based the system requires no upfront investment.
Spedition Gschwander now informs drivers on a weekly basis of their driving behaviour and fuel consumption results and provides individual training to drivers focusing on the areas they could most improve on.
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The company says issues with driver behaviour were most apparent when different drivers used the same vehicles. The most notable problems were seen in braking, use of cruise control, harsh acceleration and aggressive driving while the engine was still cold.
Following a trial of ten vehicles Spedition Gschwander managed to reduce fuel consumption by an average of five per cent and by ten per cent for certain vehicles.
Andreas August Gschwander, managing director of August Gschwander Transport, said: “We think that for our full fleet Shell FuelSave Partner can help us to save up to 190,000 euros (£160,000) of fuel costs every year and we also expect savings in maintenance costs due to changed driving behaviour. Achieving this saving would be equivalent to reducing our carbon dioxide emissions by 526 tonnes per year.”
Additionally, Shell FuelSave Partner has made it possible for the company to uncover fuel theft more quickly as managers are now alerted whenever there is a sudden drop in fuel level. Fuel transaction data can also be monitored which can help to uncover errors or potential fraud.
Shell also offers FuelSave Diesel which is designed to increase engine life by preventing deposits building up, which can have a negative impact on the spray pattern.
FuelSave Diesel is designed to better separate water from the fuel, which if mixed could impair combustion. Trials have shown than on average fuel consumption is around three per cent lower meaning initial engine performance is preserved.
It also protects the engine from corrosion and rust, and allows for faster refuelling thanks to an anti-foaming additive.
