Sustainability in fleet: TELUS leads by example

As a company focused on reaching net carbon-neutral operations by 2030, TELUS puts into practice the technology and business ideas that it offers to others*, including leading fleets to be smarter, safer and more sustainable.

"At TELUS, we use the same solutions that we recommend to our clients. We test the technology in real-life situations on our national fleet, so we are confident the services are fit for purpose," says Leandro Giordano, TELUS’ Manager of Fleet Strategy & Operations. Currently, Leandro manages TELUS’ service fleet which consists of thousands of vehicles from small sedans to heavy commercial trucks. 

Progressing its sustainability and environmental goals is critical for the TELUS team, as the fleet contributes to the company's overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and is an important part of the solution to reach GHG-reduction targets.

"We can show fleets that our sustainability solutions work because we use them ourselves," adds Leandro. "Our goal is to help businesses become more sustainable – and save money – through adopting smarter and safer practices. Such policies also help fleets sustain a positive image for the company when they’re seen out in public following it.”

He explains that using data to analyze a fleet's practices leads to new or amended policies to reduce emissions, cut waste, and mitigate increasing costs, such as saving on fuel expense. It can also help create safer driving practices that protects the brand.

Rightsizing, downsizing and more

"Leveraging real-time telematics data allows us to see how a fleet can become leaner, safer and more efficient," says Leandro. "We use telematics to track vehicle fuel consumption, driver behaviour, effective dispatching and more to understand our client's fleet."

He explains that such data analysis can lead to reduced fuel use, vehicle/engine downsizing, and efficient dispatch/routing.

The lean fleet

"We don't want a fleet to carry 'excess' vehicles," says Leandro, explaining that full lifecycle analysis can reveal where fleet vehicles may be underused, or no longer fit their original purpose within the fleet.

"We analyze the data to look for patterns and opportunities to save costs. We may suggest paring back on the fleet, perhaps getting a smaller vehicle that can still meet business requirements, or choosing the same vehicle, but a model with a smaller engine. This is especially the case with trucks, where a different engine size, combined with efficient upfitting, can make a substantial difference in improving overall fleet fuel economy and reducing costs."

Connected to a sustainable future

Insights gained from telematics range from basic vehicle tracking and video telematics to advanced fleet management solutions – all of which play an important role in reducing carbon emissions.

"We look at the benchmarks and assess vehicle diagnostics, and record hours of service to comply with government regulations. TELUS was an early adopter of Electronic Logging Device (ELD) regulations, implementing it throughout our fleet well before the deadline. Our strong partnerships allowed us to provide direct vendor feedback, ensuring the solutions were ELD compliant," adds Leandro.

Mitigating costs through sustainability

"We're all painfully aware of ever-increasing, highly inflated gas prices," comments Leandro. "So, anything we can do to reduce fuel waste helps mitigate those expenses."

He explains how TELUS works with fleets to analyze data to find the 'pinch-points' where savings can be introduced.

Reducing fuel consumption

"The current high gas prices contribute to fuel being a fleet's highest operating expense after depreciation," says Leandro. He adds there are several ways to reduce those costs, including analyzing dispatch operations to redesign vehicle routes to be more efficient. Analysis of a driver's idling habits can also yield cost-saving opportunities while also reducing carbon emissions.

Timely maintenance

While some fleets may be tempted to save money by delaying vehicle maintenance and repairs, Leandro comments that timely maintenance can help reduce emissions and save money.

"Omitting the regular maintenance schedule may end up with a costly major repair," comments Leandro. "That practice can also increase costs by failing to catch faulty oxygen sensors that may lead to increased fuel use or reduce a vehicle's lifespan – all critical factors in reducing costs in today's economy. Our solutions can help a fleet maintain regular maintenance, not only saving on expenses but also contributing to driver safety and positive brand awareness."

Ensuring a sustainable future

"Fleet size should not be a factor in establishing cost-saving sustainability practices," adds Leandro. "Our clients range in size from one to thousands of vehicles, and we offer the same diagnostic tools and valuable insights to each one to enable efficient management of their fleets."

TELUS' real-time connected solutions include the plug-and-play Raven for individual and smaller fleets, Geotab & Fleet Complete for larger commercial businesses, and FOCUS & SkyHawk advanced solutions for the specialized public sector needs, such as snow removal, waste collection and police fleets.

"We can't pay our way to fleet sustainability–we need to properly strategize to make a difference," concludes Leandro. "What we can do is work with our partners to leverage insights, increase capabilities, and implement cost-saving and fuel-efficiency initiatives today that will ensure a sustainable future."

To find out how TELUS Fleet Management can make your fleet smarter, safer and more sustainable, click here.

The original article can be found at Fleetbusiness.com

*telus.com/en/social-impact/caring-for-the-environment?INTCMP=VAN_sustainability