Tag Archive for: equipment management

Clean air filter: reduction in fuel consumption

Truck and road are the perfect match. Unfortunately, road and dust, too. When managing fleets traveling on different highways, the conditions of each route need to be considered. Good scripting is essential in the logistics process, but it is not always possible to avoid places that could harm the vehicle’s health or that could bring unexpected costs.

So it is with the dirt accumulated in truck systems, the air filter is a great accumulator of this dirt. Filters are one of the most important parts of truck mechanics. The correct maintenance of the components ensures, in addition to longer service life for the engine, to avoid some problems, such as:

 

– Filter clogging

– Entry of dust, earth, and other particles into the engine’s combustion chamber

– Engine overheating

 

The last item is linked to fuel consumption, as the hotter the engine, the more performance can be harmed, thus stimulating a greater expenditure on fuel. Cleaning the air filters well brings safety and economy. However, as a fleet manager you must be aware of the conditions of all vehicles, and to take care of the filter, only specialized professionals must do the maintenance. As the filter is what helps to regulate the air intake for the fuel, cleaning and periodically changing it will also make a final difference in your fuel costs.

For each gallon of fuel burned, the engine uses up to 10,000 gallons of air; thus it is easy to understand how vital a clean air filter is to the proper operation of a car. So here we listed some benefits of changing your air filter regularly: 

 

  1. Increased fuel efficiency

One of the biggest reasons to change your air filter regularly. Some studies indicate that replacing a dirty air filter increases fuel mileage on older, carbureted cars by as much as 14 percent if the filter is so dirty it affects driveability. In addition, changing a clogged air filter can potentially increase acceleration by 6 to 11 percent on modern fuel-injected cars. Other studies claim a 10 percent increase in gas mileage and up to 15¢ per gallon fuel savings. 

  1. Prolongs engine life

Changing the air filter regularly helps prolong engine life because the air filter is designed to trap damaging dirt and debris that can damage internal engine parts such as the cylinders and pistons. Engine damage can occur from particles as small as a grain of salt and result in costly repairs. 

 

  1. Inexpensive and quick fix

An air filter is one of the least expensive maintenance components to replace and can be done by doing it yourself. It is important to make certain the replacement air filter is designed for your exact make and model of car.

In addition to taking care of filter cleaning, there are other ways to regulate and reduce fuel consumption in your fleet. One of them is with Link2Pump. We made fuel tracking and reporting simple. In the era of data and connectivity, Link2Pump empowers businesses to take control of their fuel usage. Our solution combines a web portal and a device connected to your fuel dispenser.

Link2Pump also offers an open API for seamless and free integration with 3rd party softwaresYour fuel transactions and tank inventory data in the L2P system can interface via web service with basically any software platform, such as fleet fuel cards, billing programs, fleet maintenance, telematics, and much more. You can also export to text and spreadsheet files. 

 

Our company has solutions for several industries, such as agriculture, aviation, construction, government, marinas, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and utilities. If you want to learn more about our solution and are looking for alternatives to improve the bottom line and productivity, please get in touch.

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Fuel Management System Market to rise at CAGR of 8.9% through 2030

The COVID-19 outbreak has possessed a significant impact on the fuel management system market. Worldwide factories have struggled in integrating new fuel management systems as workers are staying at home that in turn has disrupted the supply chains across the globe. As the situation improves, supply chains, production, and also the demand for such products are likely to increase gradually. The present scenario is likely to offer opportunities for organizations to think about ways of increasing their production, improving current products, and research technologies.

Increasing the adoption of fuel management systems in logistics and transportation applications will offer robust opportunities for the market. With rising investments being made in logistics and transportation sectors, the use of fuel management systems has automatically increased for the increase in efficiency, security, productivity, and the reduction in overall costs.

Fuel management systems are developed to attain optimum fuel utilization and also minimum fuel wastage as oil reserves over the globe are depleting. Besides, the increased transportation services by sectors that use oil and gas to operate various operations need fuel monitoring and control systems which are likely to boost the market growth.

 

According to a comprehensive research report by Market Research Future (MRFR), “Fuel Management System Market Research Report, Type and Application, and Region – Forecast till 2030”, the market is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 8.9% during the forecast period (2022-2030).

 

Fuel is one of the top 3 expenses in any fleet’s cost structure. Tracking and reporting where it is being spent can be challenging and time-consuming. So how do you stay on top of it? 

Link2Pump offers a simple solution that automates the entire fueling and tracking process. This way, you will always know where every drop of fuel is going, keep your inventory under control and do much more to drive fuel efficiency and performance to your fleet.

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Tips to prepare your trucks for winter

Falling temperatures, snow, and ice hitting large swaths of North America, presenting challenges for trucks and fleets. Now is the time to prepare. Here are some tips to avoid no-starts, frozen doors, and windows, engine freeze-up, and accidents. 

Battery 

Cold weather drains batteries fast. Check the age and strength of your battery.

 

Cooling system

You have to worry about cooling systems in cold weather. A comprehensive winterization check should include inspections of the radiator, belts, and hoses for potential failures. Also, check the coolant to see if it’s at the optimum freeze point.

 

Tires and brakes

Remember that driver assistance technologies like stability control and collision mitigation rely on the maintenance of complementary systems like tires and brakes to ensure performance in the field. Maintaining these systems is especially critical in winter when electronic systems may be called on more often to help mitigate crashes. Check tires for adequate tread depth and proper wear, and wheel-ends for tight bolts and cracks.

 

The fuel filter and water separator

Monitor the truck’s water separator daily and drain it when full to avoid contamination. Replacing old fuel filters also protects the engine.

 

Cabin Air Filter

Cabin air filters often get neglected on late model cars and trucks. You may not consider this important maintenance, but a clogged cabin air filter can dramatically reduce airflow through your car’s heater, stressing the blower motor and overheating the blower motor resistor.

 

Fuel efficiency

Remove accessories that can increase wind resistance: a large roof-top cargo box can reduce fuel economy by 2% to 8% in city driving, and 6% to 17% on the highway, reports FuelEconomy.gov.

 

Try to park in a warm place: your engine will stay slightly warmer in the garage than it would if you park outside in the elements. There are two major benefits to this: it will reduce the time needed for your engine to warm to a fuel-efficient temperature, and it will save you from needing to use a defrosting feature in your vehicle that can lead to getting fewer miles per gallon.

 

Monitor your tire pressure: To ensure that your vehicle is getting the maximum fuel economy possible, keep a close eye on your tire pressure. Winter temperatures can cause changes in tire pressure and those changes can hurt your fuel efficiency.

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How fleet managers can simplify preventive maintenance

Preventive maintenance is essential for keeping a fleet on the road. By using a maintenance schedule and regularly inspecting essential vehicle components, fleet managers can extend the lifespan of their fleet vehicles and reduce unplanned downtime.

Increasingly, longer-term preventative and predictive maintenance is the preferred answer. And fortunately, there’s a lot of business owners and fleet managers can do to extend the life of their current fleet.

For managers, knowing how to streamline this maintenance approach will make it easier to avoid disruptions without making inspections or repairs less effective.

 

Driver safety

Utilizing data provided by fleet management technology such as GPS tracking or driver-facing dash cameras can allow fleet managers to individualize driver training and help prevent distracted driving accidents or harsh driving. 

 

Digitize Paperwork and Scheduling

Administrative work can be one of the most time-consuming portions of preventive maintenance. Digital solutions can make storing, accessing, and analyzing this information much simpler. Support staff and mechanics can generate templates for common repairs using information from previous work, streamlining the process of documenting maintenance.

 

Real picture of the operation

Fleet management software gives you a more comprehensive picture of your fleet’s operations. When you have this well-rounded view of your fleet, you can expand it more efficiently. By understanding your current fleet, you can find opportunities to grow. 

 

Putting predictive maintenance into practice

Fleet management systems provide everything you need to develop a preventative maintenance schedule, helping you manage maintenance costs. Kilometers traveled, engine hours, fuel usage. These are some of the data points that can be used to create a preventative maintenance schedule.

 

Lifetime Warranty

When you choose to use Link2Pump fuel management solution, you also have included a lifetime warranty. Our unique lifetime warranty protects your investment and eliminates unexpected expenses. We offer a hassle-free parts replacement policy, where servicing is simple and easy and can be done quickly by the customer, reducing downtime to a minimum. And you don’t need to overpay for it.

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Trucker Health Must Improve

Many truck drivers end up caring a lot about the integrity of the loads they carry or the truck itself, but they forget the most important thing: their health. More than 50% of truck drivers are obese, compared to 26.7% of all U.S. adults. Similarly, diabetes is 50% more common in truckers than in the general population, and 54% of truckers smoke, compared to just 21% overall. These health issues can put drivers at greater risk of disease, increase their medical bills, hinder their quality of life and even endanger their lives.

Many of these health trends result from the industry’s long hours, little flexibility and limited options. Consequently, the trucking industry must change to promote healthier lifestyles. Here we list some examples of what can be done. 

 

Provide Health Information Resources

Trucking companies and truck stops should offer resources to teach truckers how to improve their eating, exercise and other health habits. Information alone won’t solve the sector’s health issues, but it provides a starting point. Without it, becoming healthier is far more challenging.

 

Make Schedules More Flexible

One of the reasons so many truckers face health issues is because of their schedules. Since truckers work long hours, they may not have the time to exercise regularly. More flexible schedules would help give drivers the time they need to become more physically active.

 

Reward Healthy Behavior

Trucking companies can encourage healthier lifestyle choices by rewarding them. A sense of competition, or even just the thought of a prize, can convince drivers who may not otherwise be interested in health programs. Companies can create a tier system where drivers who meet different goals receive increasing awards.

Drivers can also do their part by including some of these items in their daily routine:

 

  1. Stay Hydrated
  2. Eat Fruits & Vegetables
  3. Avoid Stimulants
  4. Eat light
  5. Eat less junk food 
  6. Sleep and rest
  7. Get exercise

 

Healthier truckers will spend less on medical bills, have a higher quality of life and live longer. While health may be a matter of personal choices, trucking companies can help improve the safety of their employees by promoting better options.

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What to expect at GIE+EXPO

If you’re in the lawn care, landscaping, hardscaping, tree service, or related industry, and haven’t been to the GIE+Expo in Kentucky, then you’ve been missing out. 

The International Landscape, Outdoor Living and Equipment Exposition is the largest trade show for outdoor power equipment, lawn, and garden equipment. For nearly 40 years, EXPO has helped the industry connect in challenging times. Link2Pump will be at GIE+EXPO this year. 

GIE stands for Green Industry Equipment and is the largest trade show for your industry in the United States. You’ll have access to 1000+ exhibits (including us!) and outdoor space to demo equipment. The GIE+Expo is sponsored by the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP), Outdoor Power Equipment (OPEI), and the Professional Grounds Management Society (PGMS).

As America’s largest trade show for the landscape, hardscape, and outdoor power equipment industry, with over 26,500 participants, GIE+EXPO offers something of value for everyone who attends, no matter what aspect of the business you’re involved in or how long you’ve been in it. Some people come to catch up with old friends and vendors, and others to network with new connections and top decision-makers. Some invest in the workshops and

training opportunities, and many more flood the show floor and outdoor demo space to test new power equipment and products before they hit the market.

 

EXPO means ACTION

It’s where attendees experience and can purchase the most innovative products and services, and where exhibitors have direct access to thousands of decision-makers. Industry

members from across the globe gather here to share ideas and learn. Exhibitors range from

manufacturers of outdoor power and light construction equipment to suppliers of hand tools and outdoor living products. Dealers, retailers, and lawn & garden centers attend to explore new products for their inventory, attend workshops, and participate in technician certification opportunities.

Lawn and landscape professionals, grounds managers, and general contractors attend to compare products, plan, and purchase for the busy spring and summer seasons. With technology at the forefront, staying on top of trends is key to their business growth. GIE+EXPO has become the annual gathering place for industry influencers who are interested in networking and sharing ideas to grow and become more profitable.

 

Visit Link2Pump at GIE+EXPO

Come to GIE-EXPO 2021 and experience what Link2Pump can make for your fuel supply. Link2Pump offers a simple solution that automates the entire fueling and tracking process. This way, you will always know where every drop of fuel is going, keep your inventory under control and do much more to drive fuel efficiency and performance to your fleet.

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Global Logistics is On The Move

As with most other industries, the outbreak has transformed global logistics in profound ways. But unlike most other industries, the decline in economic activity during the pandemic has not impacted global logistics too adversely. The consumption of goods, medicines, and other essential stuff — and thus the corresponding logistics needs — remained relatively unaffected.

According to a recent study, the growth of the global transport and logistics software market is expected to increase at a considerable rate during the forecast period, between 2021 and 2026. In 2021, the market is growing at a steady pace and with the growing adoption of strategies by the main players, the market is expected to rise over the projected horizon.

Some researchers affirm that the pandemic has been an inflection point for the transport and logistics industry too, thereby compelling organizations across the world to focus more closely on gaining end-to-end visibility in their business operations, fleet management, asset tracking, and shipment monitoring.

For your company to be a reference in the market, it needs to invest and apply the results of a new technology well. It is possible to gain an advantage over the competition, adapt to new business models, and offer services more competitively. The market demands it today, and the risk of non-adaptation is to stay out of the globalization that new technologies impose

Whether it’s automotive, financial services, food, or grocery delivery, technology has always been the biggest disrupter in any industry, and the logistics space is no different. 

Whether it is automotive, financial services, food, or grocery delivery, technology has always been the biggest disrupter in any industry and the logistics space is no different. As more advanced technologies are getting rolled out, industry pundits reckon that business processes are getting streamlined for companies to deliver better efficiencies. The advancements in technology, such as automated material handling equipment, biometrics, GPS, etc, aid organizations and businesses to work proficiently, thereby spurring the growth of the logistics market across the globe.

The impact for logistics operations is, without a doubt, having to follow these trends for the logistics market to face competitors and become more competitive in the market. It is a process that requires adaptation, versatility, effort, and learning. Are you ready for it?

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Fuel Management Systems Market to Reach $654.6 Million by 2024

Fuel management systems are used for the maintenance, monitoring, and control of fuel consumption in industries that use various modes of transport, such as road, rail, air, and water, for commercial purposes.

The fuel management system’s purpose is to reduce the consumption of fuel and to improve the efficiency of operations. It uses a variety of technologies and methods for keeping track of fuel inventories, purchases made, and fuel dispensed. 

Computerized systems are used for storing data, which can be used for generating reports and for further analysis. The systems also help in controlling errors in fluid dispensing from fuel tanks into vehicles which provides important information about any leaks.

The numerous benefits offered by fuel management systems, including monitoring fuel usage and dispensing to reduce loss and theft, improved efficiency of operations, increase in overall productivity, and reduced risk of errors due to automation of tasks, continue to fuel adoption of the systems in various end-use industries.

The global market for fuel management systems is projected to reach US$654.6 Million by 2024, registering a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.8% over the analysis period. The United States represents the largest regional market for fuel management systems, accounting for an estimated 40.3% share of the global total. The market is projected to reach US$273.9 Million by 2025. 

The significant developments in transportation infrastructure space and the escalating demand from logistics, mining, and construction sectors are fueling growth in the fuel management systems market. The market is also expected to benefit from the growth of the automobile industry worldwide and the continuous increase in the number of fuel stations in operation. 

Since fuel represents a significant proportion of operating costs in the transportation sector the need to prevent fuel pilferage is extremely important, thus driving the adoption of fuel management systems. With fuel accounting for around 40% of the overall operating costs of fleets, fuel losses can cause significant financial losses. Fuel management systems also play a role in reducing errors that are possible during manual fueling. 

The fuel management systems market is also benefiting from the increasing adoption of cloud-based solutions. With cloud computing becoming an increasingly viable option for data management and data storage, its role in fuel management is also growing.

As you can see, technology plays a crucial role in almost every money-saving tactic and strategy discussed above. If you’re looking for a fuel management partner that can help you reduce your fleet’s expenses, contact us.

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How does a fuel management system work?

How does a fuel management system work?

Fuel is one of the top 3 expenses in any fleet’s cost structure. Tracking and reporting where it is being spent can be challenging and time-consuming. So how do you stay on top of it? 

Link2Pump offers a simple solution that automates the entire fueling and tracking process. This way, you will always know where every drop of fuel is going, keep your inventory under control and do much more to drive fuel efficiency and performance to your fleet. 

 

But how it works? 

The Link2Pump Pedestal unit connects to your fuel dispenser, protecting your fuel from unauthorized use. The operator will be prompted for key information, like a driver, vehicle number, and mileage. Only then the L2P unit activates the pump. While the operator fills up the tank, L2P records the gallons being pumped and uploads all fueling data to your online account once the transaction is over fueling data is available in real-time and you can see and manage it from any device. Cloud backup guarantees zero chance of data loss.

Link2Pump also offers an open API for seamless and free integration with 3rd party software. Your fuel transactions and tank inventory data in the L2P system can interface via web service with basically any software platform, such as fleet fuel cards, billing programs, fleet maintenance, telematics, and much more. You can also export to text and spreadsheet files.

Our unique lifetime warranty protects your investment and eliminates unexpected expenses. We offer a hassle-free parts replacement policy, where servicing is simple and easy and can be done quickly by the customer, reducing down-time to a minimum.

Take your data off the paper and into the cloud and drive your business forward with Link2Pump. If you want to learn more about our solution and are looking for alternatives to improve bottom line and productivity, please get in touch.

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How to Improve Efficiency With Fuel Tracking Technology

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How to save fuel is a very common question among people who own vehicles. Among fleet managers, therefore, knowing how to answer this question is essential for the success of the business.

That’s because, when monitoring the expenses of a field operation and accounting for everything that goes in and out, the percentage that the cost of fuel represents is surprising.

For example, did you know that annual fuel costs can represent 15% to 20% of the cost of a vehicle? The amount spent per year is second only to the cost of the vehicles. 

So, how can fleet managers get more control over fuel costs when prices are unpredictable? Not knowing these details can bring many losses, such as a fleet that uses more fuel than it should and vehicles being stopped for more frequent repairs.

Companies that manage the cost of fuel well spend up to 30% less than companies that do not control the expense. Which one is yours? 

But how can Fuel Tracking Technology help you save fuel?
  • Reduce engine idle time
  • Have better control of the routes taken by vehicles
  • Know how efficient drivers are being
  • Create the best routes for vehicles

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, idling a heavy-duty truck uses up about 0.8 gallons of fuel per hour. Trucks usually idle for about 1,800 hours a year, which uses about 1,500 gallons of fuel. Overall, idling costs the U.S. about $3 billion annually.

You can monitor idling time and fuel usage with tracking technology and ask drivers to consider how they can reduce idling without sacrificing comfort, safety, or productivity.

Also, overspeeding or driving beyond speed limits consumes more fuel. However, a fuel management plan is a right way of ensuring you aren’t using up a lot of fuel.

Fuel planning includes key metrics such as fuel tendency, chances of fuel reduction, and permitted fuel card usage. The plan can be used to determine vehicle fuel usage and fuel card transaction information.

If you want to learn more about our solution and are looking for alternatives to improve the bottom line and productivity, please, get in touch.

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