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Muzzle the guzzle
1 Oct, 2008 By: Landscape Management Staff Landscape ManagementOf all the challenges facing the Green industry, the one we hear most frequently today is gas prices. The increase in gas prices is like an onerous tax, unpleasant and unavoidable. But there are a number of actions you can take to reduce your fuel expenditures.
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Buy smarter
Implement a fuel card program. The controls and reporting these programs provide can be very helpful. You can restrict where, when and how much employees gas up and identify out-of-pattern uses.
A few cents adds up: Buy cheap gas. There are Web sites that post gas prices in given zip codes or areas. Visit www.qspray.com/landscapers.html for an up-to-date list.
Drive smarter
Invest in the correct vehicles for your fleet. Too large a vehicle wastes fuel. Move sales and management into smaller vehicles with better mileage. Generally speaking, newer vehicles of any size get better mileage than their older counterparts. Perform a cost benefit on the cost of the new vehicle versus the expected fuel savings.
Ensure your crews have everything they need for each job. Make sure their vehicles can hold the right tools and equipment to prevent return trips. Keep in mind: Too much weight in a small truck negates the mileage benefit.
Does drag hurt your fuel efficiency? One of our customers requested we design and build a pivoting rack so safety arrows could be folded down when not in use.
Watch your waste. Are employees eating lunch in idling vehicles, wasting fuel?
Operate smarter
Leverage GPS systems. You can track employee location (running personal errands, going home for lunch, etc.); driving habits (excessive idling, speeding); time (driving vehicle on weekends), etc. Some global positioning system (GPS) technologies even allow you to make vehicles inoperable between say 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Maintain regular service and tuning. Dirty air filters and low tire pressure can significantly hurt fuel economy.
Optimize your routes. Eliminate distant clients or trade them with other companies.
Re-evaluate letting employees take vehicles home. One of our clients determined that employees taking vehicles home used 15% more fuel. He developed incentives to encourage employees not to take vehicles home by contributing to bus passes, carpools, bicycle or scooter purchases, etc. As long as he spends less then the 15%, he is ahead and can use his "greenness" in his marketing.
Ask employees for ideas on reducing fuel expense. Create incentives for employees who reduce fuel use.
Track callbacks. Return trips require twice the fuel. Do some employees have more callbacks? Is additional training warranted?
If you have additional ideas or comments, please share them at our blog: www.sprayequipmentblog.com.
Andrew Greess is president of Phoenix-based Quality Equipment & Spray, which designs and builds custom landscape and weed spray equipment solutions. He can be reached at andrew@qspray.com.
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