Limiting carbon output is among the top priorities for any company and, with tighter CO2 regulations, factors such as emission tax can be expected to remain an important influence on UK business. For companies operating within the vehicle provision sector, this presents a challenge, but also affords smart leaders an opportunity to get ahead and improve their offering.
The first thing to come to terms with is that there is no such thing as a carbon neutral commercial vehicle, and that, if you want to successfully target carbon emissions, it needs to be a key component of your core business strategy. Although we are fortunate enough that technology is evolving in line with environmental requirements, simply purchasing a hybrid or diesel or any other eco-friendly asset is not enough to adequately cut your carbon output.
What providers need is to recognise what can be changed, or cut, before broadening our view to take in the wealth of green technologies entering the market. The most effective tool is a fleet management strategy that evaluates vehicle use, maintenance impact from idling, speeding and harsh braking, the weight of a vehicle’s load etc, to identify where energy is being wasted and can be limited. These issues can then be addressed by introducing performance indicators, or even monitoring technologies.
Selecting the right product for the job is one part of the equation. However, selecting a provider that actively targets downtime reduction and replacement vehicles, preferring to tackle scheduled and unscheduled maintenance events with the right first time approach, can also contribute positively in reducing carbon waste.
Product choice is only the first piece of the jigsaw in creating an operationally and environmentally efficient fleet. As important is the service level provider that you elect to partner with.
These pointers might seem simple, but this is what environmental responsibility is really about – assessing individual and corporate behaviours. Green vehicles are a good route, but these essential principles will help you make changes where you need to.
Tova Osofsky - 04/08/2015 08:22
The environmentally responsible fleet management strategy that you recommend -- cutting carbon emissions by reducing idling, speeding and harsh braking -- benefits companies by decreasing fuel consumption and maintenance costs, as you write. But its important to mention that in this case, fleets do very well by doing good: Changing driving behaviours using an in-vehicle feedback system like GreenRoad also cuts down on the number and severity of accidents, accident-related expenses, liability and insurance costs, so that ROI can be achieved in just a few months. The smoother ride is more comfortable for drivers and passengers, and protects cargo from damage. As you say, changing corporate behaviours is a great path to environmental responsibility, with or with parallel investment in green vehicles.