Effective and efficient routing is one aspect of driving that most drivers simply don’t consider. They may not realize how much additional fuel is consumed on each trip by not planning ahead to minimize travel that literally wastes fuel. This is often avoided if drivers have to pay for gas or diesel first and then be reimbursed, but this also contributes to paperwork in the office and problems for employees if they are on the road constantly. A better option is to consider the use of credit cards for gas or fleet cards that allow the employee to have the option to use the card for fill ups while still giving tracking capabilities to the fleet manager.

There is a difference between credit cards for gas and fleet cards that is important to know. Fleet cards provide a much more detailed report of the vehicle at each and every fill. They can be pre-set to require the driver to input the mileage with each fill, plus the date and other relevant information is provided in real time on the report that fleet managers can access online in real time. Credit cards for gas, on the other hand, don’t reflect use in real time but typically the information is available when the charge is actually posted. This can be several days to a week or more depending on the specific service station used. Gas cards also only allow fuel charges while fleet cards can be set up to allow different repair and maintenance charges at the discretion of the business fleet manager or supervisor.

Having some way to track where employees filled up with fuel and where their route is will help you discuss ways to increase fuel efficiency within the company. In general, both types of cards, credit cards for gas or fleet cards, are very effective for this type of assessment and evaluation. Having each employee review the route with you including the stops for fuel and average miles per gallon for efficiency of each part of the route can be a true education for drivers.

Many drivers don’t stop to think about the fuel that can be wasted in idling and sitting in heavy traffic. Planning routes that include city deliveries and travel in off-peak hours can save thousands of dollars a year. This is particularly true in the summer months with air conditioners that are being used in the vehicles while they are idling. Switching to suburban or out of city travel in the morning and evening commute is a great time and cost saving routing change. This may mean reversing routes or alternating delivery schedules to ensure the least amount of traffic stops along the way.

Routing logically is another consideration. You don’t want drivers backtracking or criss-crossing through the same areas multiple times per route. Sequential loading of trucks for easy unloading in order is going to be critical to ensure that drivers don’t have to go back to prior delivery areas. Having the loading dock staff aware of the routes and loading in the correct order will require coordination between the drivers and the loading staff through the fleet manager or dock supervisor.

Finally, using credit cards for gas can also help you determine which drivers get the best gas mileage. Talking with these individuals and learning what they do to keep gas mileage in the best range can provide insight into changes that may need to occur company wide and with all drivers in the fleet.

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