Fuel overconsumption is one of the most common issues uncovered in fleet reviews — and rarely do we see a fleet operating at optimal efficiency. Since fuel represents the largest portion of operating expenses and roughly 20–30% of total vehicle ownership costs, tracking and managing consumption is essential for controlling overall fleet spend.

Overconsumption can stem from unavoidable factors like harsh weather or unavoidable idling, but many causes are fully within a company’s control, including:

• Poor driving habits

• Inadequate vehicle maintenance

• Unauthorized vehicle use

These issues add up quickly. In a fleet of 100 light‑duty vehicles with an annual ownership cost of $8,000 each, even a moderate 20% fuel overconsumption rate can translate into $40,000 in unnecessary expenses every year.

The good news is that meaningful improvements can be achieved with simple, low‑cost strategies:

• Benchmarking actual fuel use Establish realistic consumption benchmarks (EnerGuide is a great starting point) and compare them with each vehicle’s actual performance over the past 4–6 months. This makes overconsumption easy to identify, especially when vehicles are assigned to specific drivers or when similar models exist in the fleet.

• Driver awareness and training Educating employees about fuel‑efficiency expectations — and letting them know that utilization is monitored — can significantly improve results. This is also an opportunity to reinforce how each driver contributes to a well‑managed, cost‑efficient fleet.

While fuel tracking may seem tedious, fleets regularly show average overconsumption rates of 20–40%, with some vehicles exceeding 200%. The potential savings make the effort more than worthwhile.