EECA-approved fuel management advisor Tony Newth completed the first fuel efficiency programme report for the Christchurch branch of Waste Management New Zealand (WMNZ) in October 2013, which focused on fuel data management, driver development, and communications between personnel and branches.
“One reason we chose to start the fuel efficiency programme in the WMNZ Christchurch branch was because it was well run and managed with a newer vehicle fleet, so it would prove to be a good control, and most of the drivers were NZQA trained,” he says.
Former WMNZ branch manager Layne Sefton says before the fuel efficiency programme was rolled out to the drivers with Newth’s assistance, it was decided that the branch would change its refuelling policy from using truck stops to having a mini tanker deliver fuel each night to the trucks parked in the depot.
Each vehicle had a RFID chip which tallied the number of litres of fuel deposited into the tank, and a report of fuel dispensed to each vehicle was then sent to the branch manager weekly”.
“From a management position it gave us greater control over the fuel data, and there wasn’t any adverse comment or push back from the drivers, because we had communicated to them that this was an efficiency gain for the branch that would support further fuel efficiency programmes,” says Sefton.
The company removed the need for fuel cards entirely and also the need for the driver to fill up the vehicle during the day, but more importantly as Sefton points out, it also allowed the branch to gather historic data to put a benchmark in place which would assist in the facilitation of the fuel efficiency programme.
Newth says the mini tanker initiative has been very worthwhile, not only is the data produced extremely clean and accurate, drivers no longer have to queue up at fuel stops and they have one less job to worry about during their working day.
Driver development
Newth says to better develop the drivers, WMNZ trained up several instructors to deliver the SAFEDNZ programme to the Christchurch branch drivers.
A vehicle was set up to monitor the key performance indicators and over a four week period more than 50 drivers were put through the SAFEDNZ programme.
Sefton says that the combination of understanding how the truck works in addition to learning a more efficient driving style drew positive feedback from many of the branch drivers.
“Some of our longest serving staff not only had the greatest results from the SAFEDNZ driver training, they were very positive about the programme, and very receptive to the concept behind it,” he says.
WMNZ have a mixed fleet of Hino and Iveco Acco trucks which are divided into organic, recycling, rubbish, and mixed units with four spare trucks on hand. The majority are side loaders.
Newth says since the programme was initiated, early indications show that there is the potential for an average of 7% fuel saving across the drivers trained, and a large reduction in the number of gear changes, because the drivers can choose to match the engine speed to the road speed through the use of gears.
Improving communications
“Transport businesses are busy doing what they do, and fuel and tyres are often managed at branch level by the fleet manager, who is also the branch manager and quite often also the HR manager,” says Newth. “It’s only when a fuel management advisor comes in and says ‘have you thought about this, here are some resources from EECA to help you’, that they can get some clarity on what can be achieved.
“Having the ability to call on others within the business to contribute to the development and implementation of the programme is very important.
“I’ve been a conduit for communications between management and drivers, and between branch managers, and we learnt through the Christchurch programme that the what, where and how of the vision really needs to be communicated from top management down,” Newth says.
“We needed to ensure that the reason for putting the fuel efficiency programme in place was well communicated to all members of staff, and that they could see the results of their efforts,” says Sefton.
“You need two or three champions within the business to make sure everything goes all the way through the business when running a fuel efficiency programme. They need to check the data as well as ensure that the communications and the training is completed for the programme to succeed,” he notes.
Sefton says that the support from Newth and from EECA heavy transport relationship manager John Doesburg was very good and made the implementation of the programme at WMNZ much easier.
Driver feedback
One WMNZ Christchurch branch driver says that as a result of the programme he was saving fuel in his own personal vehicle and another commented that he was more relaxed and had a better rhythm behind the wheel.
But one striking piece of feedback and initiative from a WMNZ Christchurch recycling truck driver was “light is right”.
His suggestion was if local residents in Selwyn put their smaller light recycling wheelie bins out to the right of the larger bins it would be easier for the drivers to see them, and it would enable the drivers to slow down earlier, saving brake wear, fuel, and time, but not having to reverse unnecessarily to pick up the smaller “hidden” bin.
WMNZ is in discussions with the Council to implement this suggestion. While small, this suggestion along with all the other fuel efficiency initiatives could see the WMNZ Christchurch branch further reduce diesel usage says Newth.
