Fleet drivers should gain from driving green

The best way to cut back on a business’s carbon footprint is to reward eco-friendly driving with bonuses and gifts.

That’s according to Andrew Yeoman, Managing Director of Trimble MRM Europe – leading experts in telematics and in-vehicle technology.

Yeoman says companies must step up their efforts to reduce their fleet’s carbon footprints and while there’s technology available to help monitor fuel consumption, it inevitably comes down to the way a vehicle is driven.

“Fleets are becoming increasingly efficient but the biggest task still remains – to make them more environmentally friendly,” says Yeoman.

“Current technology including Trimble’s TVG660 – or ‘Driver DNA’ as it has been nicknamed – can monitor a vehicle’s fuel consumption, mpg and CO2 output in real time. This kind of technology is leading the way in monitoring a fleet’s carbon footprint but part of the responsibility still lies with the drivers.

With a range of penalties now in place for driving particularly fuel-hungry vehicles or even in certain urban areas, it is becoming a punitive rather than rewarding system for going green.

“If drivers are going to make their contribution, incentives can be an option – although many want to drive greener, it can drop down the priority list as the day goes on. If companies start rewarding their drivers for eco-friendly behaviour an improvement can undoubtedly be seen.”