The introduction of new 10 cents per litre Regional Fuel Tax (RFT) in the Auckland region from 1 July 2018, the soon to be implemented three government increases in petrol excise duty of 3.5cents a litre over the next 3 years (from 30 September 2018), equivalent increases in road user charges from 1 October 2018 as well as New Zealand’s declining US exchange rates, mean we will be paying more at the pump than we have ever seen before.

With costs to run your business escalating, there has never been a more important time to add telematics to your fleet. Unlike off-road road user charges (which are claimable whenever a vehicle is used off-road), these fuel taxes are not claimable if a vehicle is road registered, even when your travel is off-road. Use GPS tracking and Fleet Management to reduce your fuel costs and ensure your assets are only being used for what they were purchased for.

Nine ways to reduce fuel costs with Argus Tracking:

1. Reduce idling time. As a general rule, anything more than 10 seconds idling will cost more than turning the car off and back on again, even including the extra cost of wear and tear of doing this. The Argus Tracking Idling Report will visualise any excessive idling in your fleet, enabling you address this and incite change in your drivers’ behaviour.

2. Take the shortest route. Argus Tracking Route Optimisation will ensure your drivers are taking the shortest route each trip, reducing fuel costs, vehicle wear and tear, as well as valuable driving time – your drivers will complete more jobs each day, saving time and money while doing it.

3. Schedule regular services. A well-maintained engine will be more efficient than an unmaintained engine, which can use up to 20% more fuel than one that is serviced and maintained regularly. Use the Argus Tracking Fleet Management portal to schedule your service periods.

4. Use the correct oil recommended by your vehicle's manufacturer and change it regularly to improve fuel consumption. The Argus Tracking Asset Profile page allows you to keep notes of these important details.

5. Maintenance. Use Argus Tracking Check Sheets to regularly keep on top of your vehicle maintenance and condition, including that of your tyres. Underinflated tyres can add up to 2% to your fuel consumption (as well as wearing them out sooner) Make sure your tyres are at the correct pressure and check them regularly).

6. After hours usage. Ensure your vehicles are being used for what they were purchased for. Do drivers have use of the vehicles after hours? Report on after hours usage with Argus Tracking Reporting, and ensure usage is kept within the designated limit.

7. Be gentler on the throttle and brakes. AA testing showed a poor or aggressive driving style can use 20% more fuel than a smoother, gentler approach to the throttle and brakes. By gently easing on and off the accelerator and looking ahead to judge when to brake (rather than slamming on the brakes late then having to accelerate again), you will create a noticeable reduction in fuel usage. The Argus Tracking Overspeed report will report on excessive speeding events to highlight drivers operating at dangerous speeds.

8. Carpooling is an obvious way to reduce fuel costs, parking costs, and your carbon emissions and comes with the added bonus of being able to utilise priority T2 lanes. Fleetwise pool booking syncs with Argus Tracking to enable a seamless way to book your pool vehicles and share rides to similar destinations.

9. Fuel Card. Not only does a fuel card usually get you a discount on your fuel, you can integrate your fuel card with Argus Tracking Fuel Watch to keep track of your fuel spend, monitor your fuel card use and detect fuel fraud.