First fuel saving booklet

First Bus Depot Guide to Fuel Saving

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Issue 1

First UK Bus Depot Guide to Fuel Saving

June 2015

First Bus Depot Guide to Fuel Saving

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Contents What 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 Idling

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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

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What is this document?

improvement cultures and strategies.

The purpose of this document is to highlight potential opportunities that will enable individual depots to reduce their fuel consumption, cut emissions and improve their profitability.

Whilst this guide makes suggestions and highlights initial areas for investigation, these are only intended as a starting point!

Every depot is slightly different and the key to further improving fuel efficiency and reducing waste at a local level will involve depot leadership teams building their own continuous

The document is primarily intended for Business/General Managers and leadership teams but may also be of use for others tasked with reducing fuel consumption.

When should it be used?

This document may be helpful during the development of local strategies/plans and the initial identification of the areas for focus. It should form part of routine daily

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Who is it for?

business in the continuous search for small and incremental improvements.

Examples of potential starting actions and an ‘action catcher’ template is also given on the back page of this booklet.

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Introduction: Why Fuel Matters First UK bus spends around £180 million on diesel per year which represents a significant cost to the business. At this level of magnitude even small percentage improvements in efficiency can deliver several million pounds to the company’s bottom line.

A typical bus will complete around 40,000 miles each year and on average will consume £28,000 worth of diesel. In reality, depending on the efficiency of the bus and driving style it could easily cost anywhere between £20,000 and £48,000 in fuel to cover the same mileage.

Multiply those costs by the number of buses in a depot and it highlights just how important fuel can be in terms of depot profitability.

Alongside the cost implications, every litre of diesel consumed creates approximately 2.6kg of Carbon Dioxide emissions (CO2).

CO2 is a greenhouse gas and is a key

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contributor to global warming.

Within UK Bus we create 412,500 tonnes of CO2 each year from tail pipe emissions alone.

Putting that in perspective, in order to be considered carbon neutral we would need to plant over 200,000,000 trees*.

Recognising the importance of this issue FirstGroup has committed to further reducing its carbon emissions as part of its Climate Change Strategy and we all have a role to play in doing so.

Example: Every Little Counts!

A 1% fuel saving would save UK Bus approximately £1.4 million per annum after BSOG and reduce of CO2 output by 4,100 tonnes. *Based on estimates published by the Forestry Commission.

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Understanding Depot Consumption Fuel is often seen as an unavoidable cost, however the primary factors behind fuel consumption are all within our control e.g. number of miles driven, driving style, vehicle type and condition, route profile and amount of idling to name a few.

Adopting a continuous improvement approach and involving drivers, engineers, allocators, schedulers and fuelers etc in a brainstorm review of how fuel is consumed has potential to reveal surprising opportunities. Initial questions to ask could be: ■ Are double deck/artics replaced with single/midi buses at times of low demand? – Would it be cost effective to do so?

■ Are the most efficient buses being allocated so they complete the most mileage?

■ Are buses regularly used out of service to transport drivers or collect parts? If yes – would leasing of vans or mini buses be more cost effective overall when cost of fuel is considered?

■ Could the nightly run-in process be changed to reduce queuing (idling) at the fuel pumps?

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

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■ Are vehicles with planned maintenance being allocated effectively in order to minimise the fuel burnt during on road change-overs?

Another approach when looking for new ideas is to turn the problem around, rather than just looking to saving 1-2% ask the question of how the other 98% is justified and what is it all used for?

Example: An average bus on an average route will consume in the region of £7 worth of fuel per hour. Hence considering fuel cost when determining most optimum headway (for all times of day) is vitally important in terms of route profitability.

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Data Integrity As with all aspects of cost within the business in order for improvement to be achieved, expenditure firstly needs to be both understood and accurately monitored.

Accurate fuel and mileage data is vital in support of BSOG claims and payments for other contracts, it is also required for monitoring vehicle efficiency in order to identify underperforming vehicles and calculating route profitability.

■ Is vehicle fuel and mileage data easily accessible?

■ Is such data available in daily or weekly format? (Monthly averages can easily hide problems) ■ Is reported mileage data accurate, or are estimates being substituted?

■ Have fuel pumps been calibrated recently?

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

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to ensure reported mileages are accurate.

Upgrading of Triscan components currently at the fuel pumps will allow greater accessibility of data via a web based system which offers automated reporting options. In many cases an upgrade removes the need for manual data entry which will also improve data quality.

For further info please contact: james.blackshaw@firstgroup.com

Example: If fuelling staff using a manual system are frequently making errors in mileage recording, what are the contributing reasons for this? Have they been trained? Are they working in poorly lit areas? Are they trying to remember mileage figures whilst walking from the hub-odometer to the recording location?

- Could issuing torches or clip boards help reduce human error in the short term??

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Idling Whilst in operation buses typically spend 30% of their time idling. The majority of this is only for short durations whilst collecting passengers at bus stops and waiting in traffic. Much of this type of idling is difficult to avoid and is therefore why DriveGreen only monitors idling occurrences over 4 minutes which in most cases is more likely to be avoidable.

Idling Hotspots – Hours idling at a specific location during the last 30 days.

Ever heard the excuse: “It’s better to leave the engine running because it uses more fuel to restart it” – THIS IS A MYTH! Our tests have shown 3 seconds of idling consumes more fuel than it takes to start an engine.

Engines can consume up to 2 litres per hour whilst idling, which can add up to significant numbers. Hotspots can be identified on the GreenRoad website as per the example shown here. This highlights where the largest amounts of idling occurs, allowing management to focus efforts and attention.

After a recent campaign one depot has managed to reduce its idling by around 50% saving in the region of £500 in fuel per week.

Examples of the depot’s actions include:

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■ Idling awareness briefing given to all drivers.

■ Periodic depot walk around audits.

■ Engine idling letters were sent to red and amber idling drivers.

■ Radio calls several times per day to remind drivers.

■ Idling awareness presentation given to engineering teams.

For more info on the depot’s actions please contact: norman.wood@firstgroup.com

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Driving Style 8%

DriveGreen Safety Level

49%

43%

A good driving style can be >30% more fuel efficient relative to a poor one. The introduction of the DriveGreen programme over five years ago has made a significant impact with average mpg improvement of 7.9%*.

Approximately 50% of driving staff are now regularly achieving the ‘green’ standard (score <21) and a good number of depots consistently averaging ‘green’, some with a very small number of ‘red’ drivers demonstrating such targets are achievable.

With around 2,900 drivers across the UK scoring in the high amber or red range (i.e. score >35) there is clearly still room for improvement. As such it is reasonable to assume that further fuel savings can be achieved if the effort to continually improve DriveGreen scores is adopted as part of daily business routines.

Example: An intensive campaign conducted in Essex in early 2014 saw an 8/9 point drop in DriveGreen scores which also coincided with an approximate 3.5% fuel economy improvement. *Excludes the improvement resulting from new vehicles.

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Driving Style (continued) Fuel efficient drivers “read the road” ahead which closely aligns to the ‘keys’ taught as part of the Smith System®. Less efficient drivers frequently end up in a continuous cycle of braking and accelerating as they react to events that may have otherwise been anticipated, increasing both fuel consumption and risk to passengers.

Accelerating towards a hazard not only increases risks of collisions but will also consume fuel needlessly as the vehicle momentum will be lost in the form of harsh braking.

By anticipating what is likely to happen ahead a driver can ease off the accelerator and slow the vehicle down gently. This gives more time for the hazard to move and therefore often avoids the need for the vehicle coming to a

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complete stop, therefore retaining some momentum which will reduce the amount of fuel needed in getting the bus back up to speed.

Does your depot…

■ Regularly review DriveGreen scores?

■ Acknowledge/reward good performance?

(Non-monetary rewards and recognition can equally be very effective) ■ Have a process for reviewing and coaching drivers to reach and maintain a ‘Green’ standard?

■ Identify local ‘event hotspots’ in order to increase awareness and share best practice of how drivers should approach those areas?

■ Repair GreenRoad system defects in a timely manner and escalate non minor repairs to GreenRoad for prompt rectification?

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Maintenance There is always going to be a small natural variance in fuel efficiency of vehicles of the same type, however differences beyond 5% could potentially be attributable to mechanical problems. Identifying these early helps save fuel and may also reduce breakdowns and repair costs too!

Example: A bus operating 10% below the average mpg of its sister vehicles within the same depot will typically consume £3,000 more in diesel each year.

Mpgs of Sister B7RLEs within same Depot Average 9.50

MPG

9.00 8.50 8.00 Just this one bus consumes £3,700 per year more in fuel than the average of its sisters!

7.50 7.00 1

3

4

4

9

11

13

15

17

19

21

23

25

No. of Buses

Good standards of inspection, servicing and repair are of primary importance for ensuring vehicles perform in line with expectations.

Be aware that sudden dips or increases in mpg data could easily be due to problems with the data itself so it’s worth a quick sanity check of the data before on vehicle investigations begin.

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Maintenance (continued) Basic checks for underperforming vehicles are listed below, many of which should be completed as part the standard 28/42 day inspection 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 / are radiators blocked?

■ Are valve clearances correctly set?

■ Is charge cooler leaking (holed)?

■ Is back pressure high (blocked CRT)?

■ Are ZF ‘Ecomat’ gearboxes set to Eco SP1) mode? (note: all ZF ‘EcoLife’ were correctly reprogrammed in 2013/14 during Step2 rollout) It may not be cheap to correct a defect once identified particularly if a replacement component is required. However the decision to delay a repair increases risk of incurring a

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

There are likely to be other areas where waste can be avoided during the repair process. The use of a dedicated container such as an IBC which is clean and secure when draining fuel tanks will prevent contamination of any fuel removed from vehicles. This allows the drained fuel to be reused and will helps to prevent waste.

Example1: Tests have shown overfilled gearbox oil results in a 2% reduction in fuel economy typically worth close to £600 per bus per year in fuel.

Example 2: Tests have shown radiator fans ‘Locked On’ can increase fuel consumption by 5-11% typically worth as much as £3,000 per bus per year in fuel in addition to increasing component wear rates and speed of radiator clogging.

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Fuel Security The basic elements of fuel security are generally well covered with the installation of CCTV at fuel pumps and systems limiting access to dispensing fuel.

However there are numerous other opportunities for fuel to be stolen.

Whilst we like to trust our co-workers the unfortunate truth is numerous colleagues have been caught stealing diesel over previous years so it is important we remain vigilant.

Compliance with the 2403 UK Bus Fuel Management Policy & SOP will also help prevent theft. Key elements include: ■ Keep and maintain records of which personnel are authorised to issue fuel (Authorised Fueler List).

■ Ensure systems are in place to monitor any fuel issued to jerry cans and breakdown vehicles in addition to any fuel stored in barrels after being drained from buses undergoing maintenance.

■ Record all fuel issued into non FirstGroup vehicles, (assigning dummy fleet numbers to equipment such as pressure washers is advisable).

■ Investigate and action any and all incidents of vehicles running out of fuel in service in an effort to prevent reoccurrence.

It is also worth considering opportunities of external theft of fuel. Could bus or van fuel tanks be partly drained whilst they are off site for service or repair?

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

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Tips for Running Trials In recent years numerous technologies have been trialled or tested across the UK Bus and implemented/rolled out when business cases are justified. A few technologies that have either been trialled in the past or currently under assessment are listed below as illustrations. It might therefore be worthwhile contacting the central technical team to see if data already exists before commencing any new 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 products make all sorts of claims, many of these 14

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‘wonder’ technologies are ‘snake oil’. Before getting too involved ask suppliers to back up their claims with hard data. Just because another operator says 12% doesn’t mean it really is 12%. A healthy degree of scepticism may save a lot of time!

Five attributes of a good fuel trial.

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

2. Use of control groups to mitigate the effect of environmental factors that influence fuel economy.

3. Using groups of 10+ vehicles of the same type helps give more confidence to results.

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

5. Analysis: Averaging results can be misleading so care needs to be taken, central technical team can provide further advice on analysis if required.

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New Buses & Emerging Technology Lots of work has been undertaken with bus manufacturers in the development of more efficient buses in recent years. This along with testing and validation work has led to new buses becoming between 20-35% more efficient than older buses within the existing fleet, typically saving between ÂŁ2-5,000 per bus per year in fuel.

Hybrid and MicroHybrids are certified as Low Carbon Buses and are currently entitled to enhanced BSOG rates.

This is worth an additional 6pence per km in England and 14.4pence per km in Scotland so maximising use of theses buses is particularly worthwhile.

Other emerging technology is being closely monitored, flywheels are emerging into the industry, which are used to recapture energy, however they are expensive and currently need funding subsidy to make financial payback duration viable.

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New Buses & Emerging Technology (continued) Electric, Hydrogen and CNG technologies are also being monitored. Each has its benefits however there are also some disadvantages and getting to the facts is not always easy.

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It is unclear which direction the industry will take in the long term. Ultimately electric and/or hydrogen buses are more likely to emerge on top as they provide a zero emission solutions, although costs and infrastructure requirements are currently not very favourable. If you have a specific query or need information ahead of liaising with local authorities please contact: james.blackshaw@firstgroup.com or mark.munday@firstgroup.com

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For Info: UK Bus Fuel Efficiency Work UK Bus Technical and Engineering Team supports the wider fuel efficiency improvement efforts through a strategy covering three core areas.

1. Vehicle Development Large amounts of work is being undertaken with several vehicle manufacturers in the development and trialling of new vehicles which combined with an annual pre-tender fuel efficiency assessment has helped to significantly improve new vehicle efficiency.

Similar work continues with the assessment of retro-fit technologies and or upgrades.

2. Operational Improvement Assisting and supporting OpCo and depot efforts to improve efficiency as appropriate, together with the collection and sharing of best practice.

3. External Policy and Legislation Increasing pressure for the UK to meet its emissions targets means legislation and new vehicle funding schemes are under review.

Work is therefore in progress to help and assist relevant organisations in the development of new policy and financial incentives.

For further information please contact: james.blackshaw@firstgroup.com

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Next Steps â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Example Actions Action A: Establish a depot fuel saving team, including representatives from each relevant department.

Action B: Arrange a meeting and review this guide as a team, before brainstorming ideas for improvement.

Action C: Record actions arising in the following table and review progress every two weeks.

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Action Catcher Action

Owner

By When

Completed Y/N

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