Your construction equipment sits idle for hours while burning through fuel. Diesel prices are cut deeper into your margins each month. Every project bid now requires carefully calculating fuel expenses that seem increasingly unpredictable.
Most fleet managers focus only on finding cheaper fuel sources. But this approach leaves major savings opportunities on the table.
This article explores five proven strategies that go beyond the obvious to meaningfully reduce your fleet's fuel consumption. Some of these approaches have helped Tenna customers save millions in fuel costs.
1. Track Your Fuel Usage
The Problem
Many construction companies lack basic fuel monitoring systems. They view fuel expenses as a simple variable cost without understanding the consumption patterns that drive these costs. This reactive approach limits their ability to cut costs strategically.
Effective fleet fuel management requires asset-level data collection. This granular approach reveals which equipment types consume the most fuel. Companies can then focus improvement efforts where they'll have the greatest impact.
Without proper tracking systems, contractors remain blind to waste patterns, old and inefficient assets in the fleet, and fuel theft across their operations.
Recommended Solution
Telematics systems collect detailed data by connecting directly to equipment engine control systems. Real-time data flows from these advanced monitoring solutions, capturing fuel consumption rates, engine performance metrics, and operational patterns continuously. This data can provide insights on how machines are being operated as well as how frequently they are requiring maintenance or triggering fault codes which may be caused by or a sign of poor fuel economy.
Tenna's telematics technology provides visibility and detailed insights into fuel usage across asset types. TennaCANbus and TennaINTEL monitor heavy equipment fuel consumption alongside idle time and diagnostic codes. Meanwhile, TennaFLEET captures similar data from fleet vehicles through standard diagnostic ports. These trackers contribute to comprehensive reports that expose inefficiencies and optimization opportunities.
By automating fuel reporting and fuel overage alerts in Tenna, contractors can effortlessly spot spikes in fuel consumption, indicating potential maintenance issues or fuel theft.
In addition, Viewpoint Vista users benefit from Tenna's data integration, which automatically transfers fuel information from Tenna into the ERP system.
GS Construction leveraged Tenna's fuel tracking capabilities while considering moving its office to a new location and purchasing new property:
"When we stumbled upon the property that we recently acquired, one calculation we did was looking at our fuel costs and potential fuel savings based on fuel usage data over the last few years.
We realized that we’d save over a million dollars in fuel in one year just by moving our office 20 miles closer to our project sites. So that’s what we did."
- Rodney D., CIO at GS Construction
Book a demo to see how Tenna's telematics can help you dramatically improve your fuel management strategy.
2. Don't Let Equipment Sit Idle
The Problem
Excessive idling represents pure waste, driving up construction fleet management fuel costs without increasing productivity.
Consider this scenario: You have 200 pieces of heavy machinery burning 1.5 gallons per day during idle periods. Over a 156-day work year, this creates $176,000 in wasted fuel costs (at $3.77 per gallon).
Extended idle time also accelerates component wear and artificially inflates maintenance schedules. Equipment hour meters continue running during idle periods, triggering service intervals based on non-productive operation rather than actual work output.
Recommended Solution
Advanced construction equipment utilization software tracks idle time patterns across entire fleet operations. These platforms identify problematic habits, excessive idling periods, and opportunities for operator training. Real-time alerts and reminders notify managers when equipment exceeds acceptable idle thresholds.
Power take-off (PTO) monitoring adds another layer of insight, as PTO operations typically increase fuel consumption during specialized tasks like concrete pumping or material handling. Tenna’s PTO classification allows contractors to segregate true utilization vs. when machines have PTO engaged.
Systematic idle reduction delivers compound benefits. It lowers fuel consumption and reduces direct fuel expenses while preserving equipment value. Minimizing unnecessary engine hours improves both immediate cash flow and long-term asset performance.
Boudreau Pipeline Corporation achieved significant results using Tenna's idle monitoring capabilities. As their Equipment Manager John Gauthier states, "With the information produced out of Tenna Idle Reports, Boudreau Pipeline estimates saving somewhere between $15,000 to $19,000 per month plus better communication amongst the team."
3. Track Fleet Maintenance and Routine
The Problem
Poor vehicle maintenance practices directly impact fuel efficiency throughout fleet operations. Clogged air filters force engines to work harder, while under-inflated tires increase rolling resistance and improperly tuned systems waste fuel through inefficient combustion. These maintenance-related issues multiply across large fleets, creating substantial hidden variable costs.
Reactive maintenance approaches also generate unexpected downtime. This forces teams to rely on backup equipment or expensive rental units that may consume more fuel than properly maintained primary assets.
Recommended Solution
While it's common for contractors to manually track their maintenance schedules in something like a spreadsheet, they quickly find this method inefficient and prone to human error. Instead, using a comprehensive construction equipment maintenance software moves beyond the spreadsheets toward automated scheduling systems triggered by usage or time based scales.
These platforms monitor actual construction equipment and vehicle usage patterns, including engine hours, mileage, and operating conditions to schedule maintenance optimally.
With mobile apps, field teams can submit maintenance requests instantly with photos and detailed descriptions. Voice note functionality helps to streamline field workflows when reporting issues. This immediate communication and record keeping prevents minor issues from becoming major problems while maintaining detailed service records.
In addition, predictive maintenance systems can identify potential failures before they occur, preventing costly emergency repairs and unplanned downtime. By integrating with telematics data, they provide early warnings of developing issues through diagnostic or fault code monitoring and performance trends analysis.
Tenna combines these capabilities into a complete system that helps contractors optimize fleet performance while controlling operating and equipment costs. By implementing automated maintenance scheduling, Tenna gives construction fleet managers greater visibility into their fleet operations.
See how Tenna's construction maintenance software can improve your fuel efficiency.
4. Coach Drivers on Avoiding Aggressive Behavior
The Problem
Aggressive driver behaviors increase fuel consumption across construction fleets. Rapid acceleration, excessive speeding, and harsh braking force engines to work outside their optimal efficiency ranges. These habits also accelerate component wear, resulting in higher fuel expenses and repair and maintenance costs.
Let's say you have a driver who consistently accelerates rapidly from stops and brakes hard at intersections. This driver may not realize how their driving habits impact fuel economy, especially when fuel costs aren't directly visible during daily operations.
Recommended Solution
Driver coaching programs combine baseline measurement, real time feedback, and ongoing performance monitoring. Start by establishing fuel consumption benchmarks for each driver and vehicle combination to identify improvement opportunities and track behavioral trends over time.
Advanced safety systems provide immediate feedback during operation through Tenna's AI dash cameras that alert drivers to unsafe behaviors while they occur. This technology enables instant alerts to help drivers correct behaviors before incidents occur by monitoring following distances, speed patterns, and other factors that influence both safety and fuel efficiency.
Performance scorecards translate gps tracking and telematics data into actionable coaching insights for construction fleet managers. They can review specific incidents with operators and drivers using actual footage and data to demonstrate efficient versus wasteful driving behaviors and operating techniques, such as harsh braking and excessive idling, more effectively than theoretical training.
Consistent training programs should incorporate real examples from your fleet operations. Video review sessions help operators understand how their acceleration patterns and other habits impact fuel purchases and equipment longevity across construction companies.
5. Optimize Your Routes
The Problem
Poor route planning creates unnecessary fuel consumption through extended travel distances and increased idle time in traffic. Many construction teams rely on familiar routes without considering current traffic conditions, road construction, or more efficient routes available.
Multiple trips for tasks that could be combined waste both time and fuel. Lack of coordination between material deliveries, equipment moves, and crew assignments compounds these inefficiencies.
Recommended Solution
Systematic route optimization begins with advanced planning tools that account for real time traffic data, road restrictions, and job site proximity. Group nearby locations to minimize total travel distances while considering factors like equipment size restrictions and fueling station locations.
Historical route analysis reveals patterns of inefficiency and provides valuable insights into routes that consistently result in higher fuel consumption or extended travel times. Test alternatives to identify improvements and adjust departure times based on traffic pattern analysis to avoid peak congestion periods.
Coordinate multiple activities into single trips whenever possible by combining material deliveries with equipment transfers and crew movements. This strategy significantly reduces overall fleet mileage and fuel purchases.
Asset tracking systems can monitor both vehicle trips and equipment cycles to identify patterns of extended idling. This data helps fleet managers identify and cut down on wasteful idle periods through better coordination and adjusted scheduling.
Data-driven decision making can extend beyond daily route planning. As mentioned earlier, GS Construction used Tenna's fuel usage data to evaluate office relocation options. The company determined that moving 20 miles closer to typical project sites would reduce daily travel by 40 miles across their fleet, generating over $1 million in annual fuel savings.
Strategic route optimization gives construction fleet managers the analytical foundation and visibility they need to make informed decisions that substantially reduce variable costs across their entire fleet operations.
Stop Burning Money on Fuel
Your construction fleet is bleeding cash in at least one (if not most) of the ways outlined above.
Most construction companies attack these problems one at a time with separate solutions. Tenna handles most of them from one platform.
Tenna gives you the complete picture of where your fuel dollars are actually going. Our telematics connect directly to your equipment's engine systems to track real consumption, idle time, and maintenance needs across your entire mixed fleet.
Ready to see exactly where your fuel dollars are going? Book a demo and find out how much
you're leaving on the table.