6 Tips for reducing idle time & saving you thousands

A few weeks ago I caught up with some industry friends and we got onto the subject of statistics.

Yes, maybe my friends are as ‘nerdy’ as me and yes, we do sometimes talk about subjects that normal people might suggest were ‘abnormal’. Well this conversation was as geeky as ever;- we chatted about Fuel Burn Statistics!

I mention this, as I was a bit taken a back when one of my buddies mentioned that they had downloaded statistics from a new machine which had been operating for just a few months. The statistic that shocked both of us was that the machine had been idling 57% of it’s total usage time. And worryingly, some industry experts say this is not unusual!

We did a bit more research, and all those nonproductive hours translate into a lot of wasted fuel; almost 4 litres or more every hour.

For an owner who logs 2,000 hours per year for five years, idling could drive fuel costs up to as much as $22,200! Sometimes it’s not a bad idea being a little bit geeky- it could save you thousands!

1. Limit idle time at shut-off. Older engines need 2 minutes, newer engines almost none.
2. Turn off trucks that are waiting more than 5 minutes to load or unload.
3. Restrict morning warm-ups to 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Turn off equipment during lunchtime, breaks and other periods when not in use.
5. Use the automatic shutdown feature when available.
6. Anticipate the mobile requirements of other equipment and position the inactive machine where it won’t impede the movement of other units.

Leigh Hayward, KEE Fuel Manager