Can GPS contribute to eco-driving and fleet management?

We live in a world where pollution is an everyday fact. People are becoming more aware of their habits, but there is a long way to. Can modern technology help us with eco-driving?

Eco-driving and vehicle tracking

Nowadays, drivers are more aware than ever of the environment and the steps that need to be taken in order to protect it. However, how does this work for large fleets and the impact they have upon the environment?

Businesses have significant pressure from local governments in order to be more green. Indeed, many cities including "London, Madrid and Paris" have imposed restrictions on traffic during days of high air pollution. Nowadays, companies often associate "eco-driving" with greater overheads. Yet, thanks to the development of GPS, this does not have to be the case.

Global AVL trackers, reliant upon GPS, have shown significant headway in making "eco-driving the way to manage a fleet".

Let´s look firstly at how driving impacts our environment. Fuel emissions are particularly prevalent with high-speed driving. Pollution is also more prevalent when vehicles idle, in traffic jams, entering sites or simply by taking a break. It also makes sense that if your route is far longer than necessary, you will also be contributing to fuel emissions.

Eco-driving solutions

The effect a fleet can have on the environment is clear and it should be a concern. However, thanks to GPS vehicle tracking systems, it can be entirely possible to limit any contribution to environmental damage.

GPS is mainly used for route planning. A "fleet manager" can utilize this service, like Global AVL´s, in order to view in real time the most efficient means of arriving at a destination. Traffic jams are the largest source of fuel emissions. Thus, through "online GPS tracking", you can avoid jams that not only damage the environment, but also cost money in wasted fuel. This is a key first step to "eco-driving". This also benefits customers. If a route is planned efficiently, their cargo arrives quickly and increases their satisfaction. Any "efficient fleet manager" will see that eco-driving can work alongside an economical business.

Alongside this, the second biggest contributor to pollution is speed. "GPS vehicle tracking systems" can provide alerts and reports on your driver´s style. Sticking to routes with a lower speed limit means that you can limit wasted fuel and emissions at the same time. These routes do not have to be longer. With GPS tracking, you can plan a fast route without losing sight of "eco-driving".

In short, using GPS tracking does not have to incur more cost than it saves. Over the long-term, GPS can indeed improve your eco-driving and as demonstrated here, save on cost. Prevention is better than cure. So by receiving reports on driving style, parameters and route, problems can be solved before they occur. These problems often correspond to driving styles incompatible with environmental awareness. For example, speeding, idling and poor route planning. Changing habits, "through utilizing GPS", can contribute to an environmentally and cost- conscious eco-driving style.