Here are some findings from the projects demonstrators:

Maintenance to be included!
  • Driver training is only one of the measures to be taken - it has to be combined with maintenance (air filter cleaning, tire pressure control…) and route optimisation
  • Maintenance - applicable to all kind of fleets, is often done by third parties - so measures or indicators have to be included in the contract which might have some rewarding elements itself.

Some parts of fleet management are still untouched!
  • Vehicle procurement has still to be developed further, since it has to be in line with the transport demands

Continuous effort needed to keep the intelligence in the fleet
  • Continuous training is required - due to high fluctuation of drivers (no impact of directive 2003/59/EC yet)
  • Efficient driving style is not always a priority of the drivers - thus training, motivation of drivers, rewarding schemes are necessary

Rewarding has two faces
  • Monetary rewarding schemes can be major motivators, but should not be seen as part of the payroll
  • Long-term results depend on the continuous commitment of the management
  • Rewarding is a sensitive issue; it has to be in line with the company’s culture in order not to create undesired side effects

Rewarding has to be flexible and combined to the needs of the fleet
  • Financial rewarding
  • Social benefits: Additional days off, satisfying tasks, incentives acting on a psychological level
  • Badges for fuel saving champions

Quite some difference in fleet management quality
  • Monitoring: fuel consumption measures are not usual in some public transport companies; data is available, but not adequately analysed and used by the management
  • fuel theft and private vehicle use is a very big motivator for setting up monitoring schemes

Monitoring needs sophisticated approach
  • Load and route factors are crucial (measurement has to consider these factors)
  • Traffic conditions have a major influence on the fuel consumption /CO2 emission

Positive side effects
  • Decrease of accidents
  • Decrease/elimination of working stress of the drivers
  • Decrease/elimination of vehicle breakdowns - caused by rough usage and poor maintenance

Learn your lessons - fleet managers!
  • Aerodynamic - useful in long distance transport (not in urban transport)
  • Route optimisation - applicable in freight transport
  • Feedback (drivers<->fleet management) is very important

High Quality Fleet Management needs a platform
  • Fleet management - should also be stimulated/rewarded
  • Knowledge exchange amongst fleets

Finally: Moving from ecodriving to Recodrive means entering into sustainability of fuel savings and a more efficiently and eco-friendly fleet operation.