first fuel saving booklet

Issue 1 June 2015

First UK BusDepot Guide toFuel Saving

First Bus Depot Guide to Fuel Saving 30/6/15 16:45

DEPOT GUIDE TO FUEL SAVING2


ContentsWhat is this document? ..............................................................................................4

Who is it for? ..................................................................................................................4

When should it be used? ...........................................................................................4

Introduction: Why Fuel Matters .................................................................................5

Understanding Depot Consumption .......................................................................6

Data Integrity .....................................................................................................................................7

Idling ......................................................................................................................................................8

Driving Style ...................................................................................................................9

Driving Style (continued) ...........................................................................................10

Maintenance ................................................................................................................11

Maintenance (continued) ..........................................................................................12

Fuel Security ................................................................................................................13

Tips for Running Trials ..............................................................................................14

New Buses & Emerging Technology .....................................................................15

New Buses & Emerging Technology (continued) ...............................................16

For Info: UK Bus Fuel Efficiency Work .................................................................17

Next Steps – Example Actions ...............................................................................18

Action Catcher ............................................................................................................19

DEPOT GUIDE TO FUEL SAVING 3



What is this document?The purpose of this document is to highlightpotential opportunities that will enableindividual depots to reduce their fuelconsumption, cut emissions and improve theirprofitability.

Every depot is slightly different and the key tofurther improving fuel efficiency and reducingwaste at a local level will involve depotleadership teams building their own continuous

improvement cultures and strategies.

Whilst this guide makes suggestions andhighlights initial areas for investigation, theseare only intended as a starting point!

Who is it for?The document is primarily intended forBusiness/General Managers and leadershipteams but may also be of use for otherstasked with reducing fuel consumption.

When should it be used?This document may be helpful during thedevelopment of local strategies/plans andthe initial identification of the areas forfocus. It should form part of routine daily

business in the continuous search for smalland incremental improvements.

Examples of potential starting actions andan ‘action catcher’ template is also givenon the back page of this booklet.


Introduction:Why Fuel MattersFirst UK bus spends around £180 million ondiesel per year which represents a significantcost to the business. At this level of magnitudeeven small percentage improvements inefficiency can deliver several million pounds tothe company’s bottom line.

A typical bus will complete around 40,000 mileseach year and on average will consume£28,000 worth of diesel. In reality, dependingon the efficiency of the bus and driving style itcould easily cost anywhere between £20,000and £48,000 in fuel to cover the same mileage.Multiply those costs by the number of buses ina depot and it highlights just how important fuelcan be in terms of depot profitability.

Alongside the cost implications, every litre ofdiesel consumed createsapproximately 2.6kg of CarbonDioxide emissions (CO2).CO2 is a greenhousegas and is a key

contributor to global warming.

Within UK Bus we create 412,500 tonnes ofCO2 each year from tail pipe emissions alone.Putting that in perspective, in order to beconsidered carbon neutral we would need toplant over 200,000,000 trees*.

Recognising the importance of this issueFirstGroup has committed to further reducing itscarbon emissions as part of its Climate ChangeStrategy and we all have a role to play in doing so.


Example: Every Little Counts!A 1% fuel saving would save UK Busapproximately £1.4 million per annumafter BSOG and reduce of CO2 outputby 4,100 tonnes.

*Based on estimates publishedby the Forestry Commission.



UnderstandingDepot ConsumptionFuel is often seen as an unavoidable cost,however the primary factors behind fuelconsumption are all within our control e.g.number of miles driven, driving style, vehicletype and condition, route profile and amount ofidling to name a few.

Adopting a continuous improvement approachand involving drivers, engineers, allocators,schedulers and fuelers etc in a brainstormreview of how fuel is consumed has potentialto reveal surprising opportunities. Initialquestions to ask could be:

■ Are double deck/artics replaced withsingle/midi buses at times of lowdemand? – Would it be cost effective todo so?

■ Are the most efficient buses beingallocated so they complete the mostmileage?

■ Are buses regularly used out of service totransport drivers or collect parts? If yes –would leasing of vans or mini buses bemore cost effective overall when cost offuel is considered?

■ Could the nightly run-in process bechanged to reduce queuing (idling) at thefuel pumps?

■ Are scrap buses drained before leavingsite? (A fuel tank can hold over 250 litres)– Where does it go? – How is it recorded?

■ Are vehicles with planned maintenancebeing allocated effectively in order tominimise the fuel burnt during on roadchange-overs?

Another approach when looking for new ideasis to turn the problem around, rather than justlooking to saving 1-2% ask the question ofhow the other 98% is justified and what is it allused for?

Example:An average bus on an average routewill consume in the region of £7 worthof fuel per hour. Hence considering fuelcost when determining most optimumheadway (for all times of day) is vitallyimportant in terms of route profitability.


Data IntegrityAs with all aspects of cost within the businessin order for improvement to be achieved,expenditure firstly needs to be bothunderstood and accurately monitored.

Accurate fuel and mileage data is vital insupport of BSOG claims and payments forother contracts, it is also required formonitoring vehicle efficiency in order to identifyunderperforming vehicles and calculating routeprofitability.

■ Is vehicle fuel and mileage data easilyaccessible?

■ Is such data available in daily or weeklyformat? (Monthly averages caneasily hide problems)

■ Is reported mileage data accurate, or areestimates being substituted?

■ Have fuel pumps been calibratedrecently?

For depots using Triscan systems, periodicrecalibration of the ‘on bus’ system is required

to ensure reported mileages are accurate.Upgrading of Triscan components currently atthe fuel pumps will allow greater accessibility ofdata via a web based system which offersautomated reporting options. In many casesan upgrade removes the need for manual dataentry which will also improve data quality.

For further info please contact:[email protected]


Example:

If fuelling staff using a manual systemare frequently making errors in mileagerecording, what are the contributingreasons for this? Have they beentrained? Are they working in poorly litareas? Are they trying to remembermileage figures whilst walking from thehub-odometer to the recording location?

- Could issuing torches or clip boardshelp reduce human error in the shortterm??



IdlingWhilst in operation buses typically spend 30%of their time idling. The majority of this is onlyfor short durations whilst collecting passengersat bus stops and waiting in traffic. Much of thistype of idling is difficult to avoid and istherefore why DriveGreen only monitors idlingoccurrences over 4 minutes which in mostcases is more likely to be avoidable.

Idling Hotspots – Hoursidling at a specific locationduring the last 30 days.

Engines can consume up to 2 litres per hourwhilst idling, which can add up to significantnumbers. Hotspots can be identified on theGreenRoad website as per the example shownhere. This highlights where the largest amountsof idling occurs, allowing management to focusefforts and attention.

After a recent campaign one depot hasmanaged to reduce its idling by around 50%saving in the region of £500 in fuel per week.Examples of the depot’s actions include:

■ Idling awareness briefing given to all drivers.

■ Periodic depot walk around audits.

■ Engine idling letters were sent to red andamber idling drivers.

■ Radio calls several times per day toremind drivers.

■ Idling awareness presentation given toengineering teams.

For more info on the depot’s actions pleasecontact: [email protected]

Ever heard the excuse:

“It’s better to leave the engine runningbecause it uses more fuel to restart it” –THIS IS A MYTH! Our tests have shown3 seconds of idling consumes more fuelthan it takes to start an engine.


49%

8%

43%

Driving Style

A good driving style can be >30% more fuelefficient relative to a poor one. The introductionof the DriveGreen programme over five yearsago has made a significant impact with averagempg improvement of 7.9%*.

Approximately 50% of driving staff are nowregularly achieving the ‘green’ standard(score <21) and a good number of depotsconsistently averaging ‘green’, some with avery small number of ‘red’ driversdemonstrating such targets are achievable.

With around 2,900 drivers across the UKscoring in the high amber or red range (i.e.score >35) there is clearly still room forimprovement. As such it is reasonable toassume that further fuel savings can beachieved if the effort to continually improveDriveGreen scores is adopted as part of dailybusiness routines.


DriveGreen Safety Level

*Excludes the improvement resulting from new vehicles.

Example:An intensive campaign conducted inEssex in early 2014 saw an 8/9 pointdrop in DriveGreen scores whichalso coincided with an approximate3.5% fuel economy improvement.



Driving Style (continued)Fuel efficient drivers “read the road” aheadwhich closely aligns to the ‘keys’ taught aspart of the Smith System®. Less efficientdrivers frequently end up in a continuous cycleof braking and accelerating as they react toevents that may have otherwise beenanticipated, increasing both fuel consumptionand risk to passengers.

Accelerating towards a hazard not onlyincreases risks of collisions but will alsoconsume fuel needlessly as the vehiclemomentum will be lost in the form of harshbraking.

By anticipating what is likely to happen aheada driver can ease off the accelerator and slowthe vehicle down gently. This gives more timefor the hazard to move and therefore oftenavoids the need for the vehicle coming to a

complete stop, therefore retaining somemomentum which will reduce the amount offuel needed in getting the bus back up tospeed.

Does your depot…

■ Regularly review DriveGreen scores?

■ Acknowledge/reward good performance?(Non-monetary rewards and recognitioncan equally be very effective)

■ Have a process for reviewing andcoaching drivers to reach and maintain a‘Green’ standard?

■ Identify local ‘event hotspots’ in order toincrease awareness and share bestpractice of how drivers should approachthose areas?

■ Repair GreenRoad system defects in atimely manner and escalate non minorrepairs to GreenRoad for promptrectification?



MaintenanceThere is always going to be a small naturalvariance in fuel efficiency of vehicles of thesame type, however differences beyond 5%could potentially be attributable to mechanicalproblems. Identifying these early helps savefuel and may also reduce breakdowns andrepair costs too!

Good standards of inspection,servicing and repair are ofprimary importance for ensuringvehicles perform in line withexpectations.

Be aware that sudden dips orincreases in mpg data couldeasily be due to problems withthe data itself so it’s worth aquick sanity check of the databefore on vehicle investigationsbegin.

1

7.00

7.50

8.00

8.50

9.00

9.50

3 4 4 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25

No. of Buses

Average

Just this one bus consumes £3,700 per yearmore in fuel than the average of its sisters!

MP

G

Mpgs of Sister B7RLEs within same Depot

Example:

A bus operating 10% below theaverage mpg of its sister vehicleswithin the same depot will typicallyconsume £3,000 more in diesel eachyear.


Maintenance (continued)Basic checks for underperforming vehicles arelisted below, many of which should becompleted as part the standard 28/42 dayinspection and servicing routine:

■ Are all oil levels correct?

■ Are air filters clean?

■ Are tyre pressures correct?

■ Are wheels correctly aligned?

■ Are radiator fans locked on / areradiators blocked?

■ Are valve clearances correctly set?

■ Is charge cooler leaking (holed)?

■ Is back pressure high (blocked CRT)?

■ Are ZF ‘Ecomat’ gearboxes set to EcoSP1) mode? (note: all ZF ‘EcoLife’ werecorrectly reprogrammed in 2013/14during Step2 rollout)

It may not be cheap to correct a defect onceidentified particularly if a replacementcomponent is required. However the decisionto delay a repair increases risk of incurring a

breakdown and will only add further cost to thebusiness in the long run.

There are likely to be other areas where wastecan be avoided during the repair process. Theuse of a dedicated container such as an IBCwhich is clean and secure when draining fueltanks will prevent contamination of any fuelremoved from vehicles. This allows the drainedfuel to be reused and will helps to preventwaste.


Example1:

Tests have shown overfilled gearbox oilresults in a 2% reduction in fueleconomy typically worth close to £600per bus per year in fuel.

Example 2:

Tests have shown radiator fans ‘LockedOn’ can increase fuel consumption by5-11% typically worth as much as£3,000 per bus per year in fuel inaddition to increasing component wearrates and speed of radiator clogging.



Fuel SecurityThe basic elements of fuel security aregenerally well covered with the installationof CCTV at fuel pumps and systemslimiting access to dispensing fuel.However there are numerous otheropportunities for fuel to be stolen.

Whilst we like to trust our co-workers theunfortunate truth is numerous colleagueshave been caught stealing diesel overprevious years so it is important weremain vigilant.

Compliance with the 2403 UK Bus FuelManagement Policy & SOP will also helpprevent theft. Key elements include:

■ Keep and maintain records of whichpersonnel are authorised to issuefuel (Authorised Fueler List).

■ Ensure systems are in place tomonitor any fuel issued to jerry cansand breakdown vehicles in additionto any fuel stored in barrels afterbeing drained from busesundergoing maintenance.

■ Record all fuel issued into nonFirstGroup vehicles, (assigningdummy fleet numbers to equipmentsuch as pressure washers isadvisable).

■ Investigate and action any and allincidents of vehicles running out offuel in service in an effort to preventreoccurrence.

It is also worth considering opportunitiesof external theft of fuel. Could bus or vanfuel tanks be partly drained whilst theyare off site for service or repair?

Example:

Stealing just one 5 litre can ofdiesel every shift would be worth>£1,200 of tax free income.


Tips for Running TrialsIn recent years numerous technologies havebeen trialled or tested across the UK Bus andimplemented/rolled out when business casesare justified. A few technologies that haveeither been trialled in the past or currentlyunder assessment are listed below asillustrations. It might therefore be worthwhilecontacting the central technical team to see ifdata already exists before commencing anynew fuel trials.

■ Gearbox software and Automated Manual Transmissions

■ Electric fans

■ Alloy wheels

■ Synthetic oils and fuel additives

■ Telematics systems

■ Eco Tyres and Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems

Sales people promoting their new productsmake all sorts of claims, many of these

‘wonder’ technologies are ‘snake oil’. Beforegetting too involved ask suppliers to back uptheir claims with hard data. Just becauseanother operator says 12% doesn’t mean itreally is 12%. A healthy degree of scepticismmay save a lot of time!


Five attributes of a good fuel trial.

1. Availability of accurate fuel andmileage data available on a daily basis.

2. Use of control groups to mitigate theeffect of environmental factors thatinfluence fuel economy.

3. Using groups of 10+ vehicles of thesame type helps give moreconfidence to results.

4. Trial duration of at least 2-3 months.

5. Analysis: Averaging results can bemisleading so care needs to betaken, central technical team canprovide further advice on analysis ifrequired.



Lots of work has been undertaken with busmanufacturers in the development of moreefficient buses in recent years. This along withtesting and validation work has led to new busesbecoming between 20-35% more efficient thanolder buses within the existing fleet, typicallysaving between £2-5,000 per bus per year in fuel.

Hybrid and MicroHybrids are certified as LowCarbon Buses and are currently entitled toenhanced BSOG rates.

This is worth an additional 6pence per km inEngland and 14.4pence per km in Scotland somaximising use of theses buses is particularlyworthwhile.

Other emerging technology is being closelymonitored, flywheels are emerging into theindustry, which are used to recapture energy,however they are expensive and currently needfunding subsidy to make financial paybackduration viable.

New Buses & Emerging Technology



New Buses & EmergingTechnology (continued)Electric, Hydrogen and CNG technologies arealso being monitored. Each has its benefitshowever there are also some disadvantagesand getting to the facts is not always easy.

It is unclear which direction the industry willtake in the long term. Ultimately electric and/orhydrogen buses are more likely to emerge ontop as they provide a zero emission solutions,although costs and infrastructure requirementsare currently not very favourable. If you have aspecific query or need information ahead ofliaising with local authorities please contact:[email protected] or

[email protected]


For Info: UK BusFuel Efficiency WorkUK Bus Technical and Engineering Teamsupports the wider fuel efficiencyimprovement efforts through a strategycovering three core areas.

1. Vehicle DevelopmentLarge amounts of work is being undertakenwith several vehicle manufacturers in thedevelopment and trialling of new vehicleswhich combined with an annual pre-tenderfuel efficiency assessment has helped tosignificantly improve new vehicle efficiency.Similar work continues with theassessment of retro-fit technologies and orupgrades.

2. Operational ImprovementAssisting and supporting OpCo and depotefforts to improve efficiency as appropriate,together with the collection and sharing ofbest practice.

3. External Policy and LegislationIncreasing pressure for the UK to meet itsemissions targets means legislation and newvehicle funding schemes are under review.

Work is therefore in progress to help and assistrelevant organisations in the development ofnew policy and financial incentives.

For further information please contact:[email protected]

17DEPOT GUIDE TO FUEL SAVING



Next Steps –Example ActionsAction A: Establish a depot fuelsaving team, including representativesfrom each relevant department.

Action B: Arrange a meeting andreview this guide as a team, beforebrainstorming ideas for improvement.

Action C: Record actions arising inthe following table and reviewprogress every two weeks.



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Action CompletedY/NBy WhenOwner

Action Catcher


first fuel saving booklet

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