How to Improve Your Fuel Monitoring with a Top Fuel Management System

Many fleet businesses do not know where and when fuel is being stolen, unaware that fuel syphoning could be a contributor to fuel spikes. Fuel monitoring solutions will help you accurately monitor fuel consumption levels, spot possible fuel theft and drastically reduce your fuel costs.

Let’s dive into why fuel monitoring and management is a must-have for a business.  

What is the purpose of a fuel monitoring system? 

According to experts, if we consider all variable costs in the transport and logistics industry, fuel is by far the most important one. Fuel management can be the difference between going bankrupt and being successful. Statistics prove that good fuel management can save up to 10% of fuel costs, which is why you can’t afford to not optimise your fleet’s fuel efficiency.

Without a fuel monitoring system, there could be an increase in expenses and cost wastages that could be put to better use. For example, save on fuel and use the extra money to focus on a top product offering that will help grow your business. 

What does monitoring fuel consumption really mean? It means taking all possible measures to have a tight grip on your fuel usage across your fleet. Basically, knowing where every single drop of fuel is going. 

There are many ways fleet managers can get in control of fuel monitoring. For example, they could invest in a real-time fuel monitoring system or a fleet management platform. 

But first, let’s look at some fuel wastage risks: 

‍Common fuel theft methods and risks

• Syphoning

  This is typically done using a hose and manually sucking the gasoline or diesel fuel out of the tank and into a container. Thieves will steal and place this fuel into another vehicle.
   

• Fuel card fraud 

  Fuel card fraud occurs when someone uses a company fuel card to purchase fuel for their personal vehicle. 
   

• Fuel card cloning

  This when data is stolen to create copied fuel cards which are often used to fill up other vehicles with fuel at the original cardholder’s expense
   

• False transactions

  This is when filling stations swipe a fuel card multiple times for one refuel session, leaving the cardholder liable for each transaction and fuel they did not receive. 

‍Why a fuel monitoring system for trucks is good for business 

• Save on bottom-line costs

  Fuel is one of the largest expenses in a fleet business, and with fuel costs so volatile, managers need to conserve every drop, going into their trucks, so they can keep business costs under control. Lack of fuel efficiency in trucks can impact productivity in a business, and negatively affect profits. For example, if you spend excessively on fuel, then you have less money to allocate to other areas of the business such as hiring more salesmen to promote your business. Or you might not have enough cash flow in your business, to cover unexpected expenses. 
   

• GPS tracking 

  This is part of a fleet management solution, where you can see where your trucks are 24 hours a day, and if they are operating efficiently. You can assess how your fleet consumes fuel and driving behaviours that could be affecting fuel in real-time, giving you the opportunity to take action for any fuel inefficiencies. For example, you have two drivers on their way to the same destination, driving similar vehicles and one is using far more fuel - you can do something with this GPS data to avoid unnecessary current and future fuel wastages. 
   

• Identify unsafe practices 

  Telematics software can give visibility into unsafe driving practices. By monitoring the team’s on-road behaviour and highlighting poor driving habits, you can help correct dangerous behaviour and set targets for safety that will improve fuel efficiency in your fleet.
   

• Reduce engine idle time

  One of the main reasons for unnecessary fuel waste is leaving the engine running when the vehicle is stopped for long periods. A fleet management system helps to identify how long a truck has been idling, quantify the amount of fuel used, and notify the driver so they can reduce their fuel waste and unnecessary idling. 
   

• Make fuel tax reporting simpler

  If there is a significant spend on fuel, then admin tasks will increase especially compiling reports on fuel levies and taxes. Filing returns requires extensive information about when and how far trucks in a fleet have travelled that year, which the system will be able to provide. It may be difficult to keep track of all this information, but through the fuel management process, fleet managers can streamline the reporting of fuel usage for tax purposes.

How does fuel monitoring work?

A fleet provider can install fuel level sensors directly into your fleet vehicle's fuel tank, which will monitor the volume of fuel in a tank. 

Here’s how Cartrack’s fuel sensor system works: 

• The fuel sensor (fuel filter) is installed into a vehicle’s tank by a technician to monitor fuel levels
• The fuel sensor measuring system has one tube which is connected to the sensor
• When fuel is added, it fills the tube and spaces around
• After three refills have taken place, the sensor will be calibrated and ready for use 
• Any decreases or increases in fuel levels will be accurately measured by the sensor
• The sensor will send information about the level of fuel in the tank to our telematics system
• The following data can be retrieved from our system; litres, vehicle location and tank capacity
• All this data is transmitted to the Cartrack platform and can be compiled into reports
• Alerts can be set up to monitor any fuel loss or gain and sent to you via email or sms

Save on fuel with Cartrack

If you find yourself spending excessively on fuel and your vehicles are consuming more than they should, a fuel monitoring system will help tackle that. Take control of your fleet and solve fuel inconsistencies with Cartrack's fleet management platform.