MONTREAL, Que. — GE Capital says its strategic consultants have worked with Canadian fleets to trim $11 million from their operating costs over the past year.

The consultants work with fleets of all sizes to help them make decisions that will deliver cost savings, allowing the fleets to focus on their core businesses, the company claims.

“Our strategic consultants are industry experts who have insight into market dynamics and have developed robust methodologies – all designed to help companies make smart fleet management decisions. Typically, we have seen new customers reduce their operating costs by up to 10%,” says Sharon Tait, vice-president and commercial leader, GE Capital Fleet Services.

The company says the cost reductions often also translate into environmental benefits, in one case resulting in an annual fuel savings of 20%, with CO2 reductions equal to removing 29 vehicles off the road.

In 2009, GE helped its customers lower costs through the following methods: vehicle acquisition and replacement planning; evaluating total cost of ownership; eco-scenario modeling that measures the environmental and cost impact of introducing more fuel-efficient vehicles into the fleet mix; and finance scenario planning, which explores the most cost-effective financing options.

“Given the unprecedented changes in the marketplace, now more than ever, companies are looking for a strategic partner they can count on, not only for a reliable source of financing, but also to provide innovative cost reduction and productivity improvement strategies,” says Patrick Palerme, president and CEO of GE Capital in Canada. “From increasing productivity and cost savings to driving green initiatives, GE continues to help customers achieve their business objectives with the peace of mind that their fleet is in good hands.”