– By Wayne Ellary, ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Commercial Fuels Marketing Manager –
With so many disruptive, innovative changes taking place across the truck and bus industries in Australia and New Zealand today, it’s not really a surprise that diesel fuels have been left out of the conversation. Although one of the more standard (albeit, necessary) aspects of the industry, the mindset remains that diesel is just diesel.
Today’s reality, though, is that diesel is not just diesel and there are important considerations beyond the fuel when it comes to trucks and buses. Using a high-performing, additised diesel fuel formulation from an experienced supplier can improve engine performance, leading to operational, maintenance and business benefits; all making a fleet manager’s job easier along the way.
Fuel also isn’t such an exciting commodity and often companies and fleet managers don’t include diesel as part of their evaluation criteria when looking at ways to drive their business forward. Yet, there are other considerations both in terms of cost and operational efficiencies that go beyond the fuel itself which could impact a business’ bottomline.
ExxonMobil’s 2017 Outlook for Energy: A View to 2040[1]also highlights that commercial transportation energy demand in Asia Pacific is set to increase thanks to economic growth which will stimulate demand for trucking services.
As industry leaders continue to think about new ways to streamline efficiencies, attract top talent and keep their trucks and buses in the best shape possible, it’s time to go back to the basics and reconsider the impact the right diesel fuel formulation and supplier can really have.
Selecting the Right Supplier
A reliable diesel fuel supplier with a reputation for quality throughout the diesel fuel supply chain – from inception to handling and delivery – can help to navigate some of the complexity facing fleet managers today.
Experienced suppliers understand the important role fuel plays in a fleet’s business, and enact safeguards such as strict qualifications for carriers, regulatory awareness, product quality integrity and high safety focus to avoid mistakes that could present costly issues for a fleet.
Increasing Operational Efficiency
Using a high-performing, additised diesel fuel formulation from an experienced supplier can improve engine performance, leading to operational, maintenance and business benefits; all of which make a fleet manager’s job easier along the way.
Some additised diesel fuel formulations offer fuel economy benefits that can allow managers to keep trucks and buses on the road longer which minimises a fleet’s downtime and also offers environmental benefits with reduced CO2and NOXemissions[2].
As such, instead of writing off diesel as another cost, fleet managers should look at how an evaluation of fuel supplier could help increase fleet efficiency and reduce overall expenditure.
Reducing Maintenance Costs
Improved fuel economy is one way to keep vehicles on the road for longer but the heart of any engine is its fuel system and keeping that system running smoothly is key to increasing overall fleet efficiency.
Like any piece of machinery, fuel systems will eventually degrade with time. However using a high-performing diesel, combined with working with a quality supplier and receiving the proper maintenance services can increase an engine’s durability and reduce the stress on the engine’s components while combatting other maintenance areas such as:
- Preventing premature fuel filter failure by helping to stabilise both the fuel and by carrying insoluble impurities through the filter;
- Reducing fuel system repairs due to corrosion in tanks, lines, pumps and injectors; and
- Removing internal injector deposit build-up, which should help to reduce fuel injector failures
The combination of using the right product and working with the right partners can keep trucks and buses out of the workshop for longer periods and help drivers to feel more confident in their vehicle’s performance.
Improving the Bottom Line
Fleet managers and businesses that recognise the benefits of leveraging the right diesel fuel formulation and supplier can expect to find strong business incentives that offer improved fuel economy and fleet efficiency as well as more satisfied drivers who pilot more responsive and higher performing trucks or buses. In the long term, these benefits will result in improved bottomlines and margins.
[1]ExxonMobil’s “2017 Outlook for Energy: A View to 2040”
[2]CO2= Carbon Dioxide, NOx = Nitrogen Oxide
