The conversation in the trucking industry has been dominated by the subject of ELDs for the last few years. Many truck drivers have expressed their concern that the new presence of these electronic logging devices takes away control and only increases operational costs. Others have argued that ELDs make trucking operations faster and more efficient.
What it always comes back to is this idea of control. In the wake of the persistent driver shortage, fleets are more motivated than ever to engage their drivers in a way that feels positive and encouraging. But the fact of the matter is that ELDs are now the reality, so how can fleets adjust to that new state of affairs in a way that empowers their drivers, rather than controls them?
What if there was a better piece of reporting technology than an ELD? What if there was a tool designed to actively save the fleet money, and pass those savings on to the drivers keeping the fleet running strong? What if there was a new system that better connected fleets and drivers, and managed to get both on the same page?
We wanted to build a piece of technology that addresses all of these challenges and opportunities, and that’s how we came to True Fuel®.
Empower Your Driver with True Fuel®
True Fuel® normalizes factors that MPG as reported by telematics or other systems can’t account for, like the truck, the load, the route and the external environmental conditions — factors that the driver can’t control and shouldn’t be measured by. It automatically quantifies driver fuel efficiency apart from the other factors impacting MPG. With real-time, in-cab coaching that focuses only on the fuel efficiency factors that the drivers can actively control, like engine speed, idling time, and highway speed, drivers are empowered and enabled to improve their fuel efficiency.
By providing truck drivers with clear guidance on how to improve and opening up the line of communication between driver and fleet manager, True Fuel® offers a whole new level of transparency to fleets looking to better connect with the driver in the cab. Drivers can get an immediate sense of where they stand and how they can improve. At the same time, fleet managers have all the information they need to support their drivers in that effort.
Here’s the best part: by optimizing fuel efficiency and saving fleets significantly on the rising cost of diesel, True Fuel® forms the basis for an incentive program where drivers can be actively rewarded and fully appreciated for the efforts they put in day in and day out.
This kind of fair reward system serves two purposes: it recognizes, rewards, and engages the driver in their own improvement, and it finally gets the fuel economy goals of the driver and fleet leadership to fully align—in a positive and respectful way. Drivers are motivated by the same goal as fleet leaders: to perform at a high level, save fuel, and help the fleet succeed. Drivers become more than just workers; they become partners both in their own personal success and in the success of the fleet as a whole.
So much of what can make or break every fleet’s success these days is its ability to engage and retain its drivers. New technology shouldn’t have to be an impediment to that, but rather another tool in a fleet leader’s toolbox to keep drivers happy and performing at a high level. Luckily, True Fuel® provides exactly that for every driver and every fleet.