Focus on driver safety helps Fife Council save nearly £190k on annual fuel costs

London, 12 April 2018
Fife Council has saved £189,000 on its annual fuel bill by working with employees to encourage a safer, more efficient driving style.

Carbon emissions were also substantially reduced in 2017, with CO₂ output being cut by 3,400 tonnes compared to the previous year, thanks to a 15 per cent improvement in mpg.

This was achieved through the successful implementation of a driver improvement programme across the Council’s Building Services and Direct Response teams, underpinned by WEBFLEET, the Software-as-a-Service fleet management solution from TomTom Telematics.

Performance data provided by WEBFLEET – which scores drivers based on eight performance indicators, including harsh steering, sudden braking and speeding – is used to identify potential issues, and targeted driver training offered to help employees improve.

We have seen our staff become much more motivated to improve their driving style and encouraged to drive with more consideration, said Jennifer Thain, Operations Officer at Fife Council. As well as cutting fuel consumption, this ultimately reduces wear and tear on tyres, brakes and clutches.

Mike McQueen, Transportation Officer at the Council, added: Our Demand Responsive Transport service team provide essential transport for the elderly and disabled members of our community, so safe, smooth and comfortable driving is absolutely paramount. The TomTom Telematics solution has proved very effective at motivating all our staff by providing objective monitoring and recognition of their high driving standards.

The reduction in fuel cost has also been aided by more efficient response to public call-outs.

Using WEBFLEET, the most appropriate vehicle can be dispatched to each call-out based on estimated journey times, taking into account up-to-date traffic information and historic journey data, rather than just distance from the destination. This helps Fife Council to minimise the time its drivers spend on the road.

Jennifer Thain added: The WEBFLEET system has become highly valued as it means we can now respond to queries relating to our fleet within minutes. As a local authority, we deal with many enquiries from the public. The system can be used to confirm the exact location of our vehicles, and also to defend or confirm any third party claims against our drivers.

The technology is also used to locate staff if, for example, they are not answering their phone, helping us to improve employee safety standards.