Invopak’s transport partner, Invo Fulfilment, has reduced engine idling by 37% across the fleet thanks to a new initiative. Their eco-driving skills programme has enabled the business to make real efficiency savings, as Operations Director Oliver Lancaster explains:
“Engine idling was something that we were keen to address. We already had the technology in place to give us the data we needed, and a coaching programme for colleagues that would help us to roll out tailored driver training.”
The teams' focus on eco-driving has had a measurable impact on operations, as Lancaster continues, “We introduced an eco-driving scoreboard, which shows us driver patterns and idling data. The eco-ratings make a real difference, with many of our drivers now receiving the highest-rated eco-scores month after month. The result is that we have reduced engine idling by 37% year on year, saving fuel and harmful emissions at the same time.”
The difference matters at a time when companies are facing increasing pressure from corporate clients and regulators to lower their carbon footprint. Heavy diesel trucks can release up to 10 times more Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) and particulate matter when idling compared to modern passenger cars. A litre of diesel fuel wasted by an idling engine releases 2.64 kg of CO2 into the atmosphere.
The heavy economic and environmental toll of engine idling is why having visibility on key metrics, and acting on them, was so important. Data without action changes nothing, and driver buy-in was the key to the eco-driving scheme's success. As CEO, Arjen Cooper-Rolfe points out, “It’s our people that make the difference, and as a colleague-owned business, everyone takes ownership within their role, including our drivers. It means we’re set up to find those 1% improvements and to deliver a great service to our customers”.