Zonar Systems now offers the Ground Traffic Control (GTC) Performance package including the patented ZFuel application. It’s the company’s cloud-based fleet-management web application, and with ZFuel it delivers a comprehensive driver and truck analysis tool. It identifies non-diagnostic issues with trucks as well as areas to coach, motivate and potentially incentivize best driving practices for drivers to achieve greater efficiencies on less fuel.

ZFuel uses telematics data collected directly from the engine control unit and analyzes it for a variety of factors. Using the data, the app ranks drivers in the system according to their total fuel efficiency – which also lists the money they could save on fuel by changing their practices behind the wheel.

Monitoring fuel usage by MPG alone is the way of the past, the company says. Fleets should also take into account additional data points that influence fuel consumption and then make appropriate adjustments with drivers, trucks, and fleet operations, Zonar says. Otherwise “…you might as was well be tossing your money out the window.”

Captured data used by ZFuel includes how often the driver uses cruise control, engine idle time, speed, and what gear the truck is in. Fleet managers can thus see an accurate measurement of fleet fuel efficiency based on the circumstances in which each driver was operating. With ZFuel, each driver earns an individualized Driver Efficiency Score, quickly uncovering performance areas in need of improvement. Fleet managers can then coach their drivers, incentivize them with a proportion of the fuel saving, or perhaps “gamify” the experience to increase driver retention while lowering fuel usage and increasing operating margins.

One fleet owner using ZFuel noticed initial monthly savings of over $300 per truck, says Zonar.

Benefits fleets can expect include normalizing metrics across the fleet, accounting for age of truck and route terrain.