GPS tracking systems save company fuel costs

The use of GPS-operated machine control and mining machinery tracking systems has been proven to cut both fuel consumption and operational costs of fleet machinery and vehicles.

A study carried by the Aberdeen Group, a US-based industry research firm that examines the effects and implications of industrial technology, has shown that vehicles and fleets with GPS tracking installed experience a 13 per cent reduction in fuel costs on average.

One of the most obvious and money-saving ways in which a GPS tracking device can cut these costs is by monitoring the idling time of a vehicle or machine.

According to Ford Motor Company, every hour of idle time is equal to approximately 25 miles of driving, where as, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency, restarting an engine uses no more fuel than 30 seconds of idling and has very little harmful impact on vehicle components.

A quality GPS tracking systems notifies when a vehicle idles for excessive periods of time, wasting fuel and being non-productive. A survey of trucking and haulage companies in the US by Aberdeen showed that many already take advantage of idling reports found on most GPS tracking systems, and are able to monitor the efficient usage of their vehicles and machines.