Sustainability in transport: how can light fleet management adopt this practice?

The increasing number of vehicles circulating in cities has demanded urban mobility solutions to maintain air quality and public health; in other words, sustainability in vehicle fleets and the transportation sector is urgently needed.

In Brazil, there are already 65,8 million vehicles – with more than 41 million being automobiles, according to a survey by the Brazilian Institute of Planning and Taxation ( IBPT ).

Another study, this time by the Institute of Energy and Environment ( IEMA ), revealed that more than 70% of air pollution in large cities is caused by the transportation sector.

With an eye on this reality, companies in the sector that want to remain relevant in the market are adopting measures to maintain a more sustainable fleet. 

Even more so knowing that, nowadays, 87% of people are more likely to buy products and services from companies that develop social projects and respect the environment.

According to Barcik, a sustainable fleet refers especially to vehicles with low pollutant emissions , since unsustainable cars, buses, motorcycles, and trucks are responsible for emitting gases such as carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and hydrocarbons (HC) into the atmosphere.

In this regard, back in 1986 the Ministry of the Environment launched the Program for the Control of Air Pollution from Motor Vehicles ( Proconve ), as a way to control air pollution in urban centers.

The objective is to gradually reduce the emission of polluting gases, based on the control of vehicle launches, which must meet the emission limits allowed by the program.

Want to know how to bring sustainability to fleet management? Read on!  

Why is adopting sustainability in fleet management so important? 

Decreasing the consequences of global warming has been one of the most relevant issues in recent years, mainly because it is something that needs to be done with great urgency. 

According to the UN , in just the next 30 years, climate change, caused by human actions, is expected to severely affect life on Earth with:

• extreme heat
• Diseases
• Hunger
• Seca
• Warming and rising sea levels
• Species extinction 
• ecosystem collapse 

That being said, it is extremely important that the business environment adopts urgent measures to mitigate this impact.

This is all because a study by the Climate Accountability Institute showed that 20 companies are responsible for more than a third of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide since 1965, including Petrobras.

Read also: Biofuel: what is it, what are the advantages and why use it in your fleet?

The research also revealed that these same companies were responsible for releasing 480,16 billion tons of carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere during that period.

Therefore, the need for large companies and industries to reduce their environmental impact is long overdue, and the adoption of sustainable measures, especially in transportation, is extremely urgent.

Learn how to do it below!  

How to bring sustainability to transport? 

Beyond what the legislation requires, Renault already has a line of 100% electric vehicles with zero pollutant emissions.

“In 2008, Renault launched a range of 100% electric vehicles and was a pioneer in this. Today, we are sales leaders in Europe and Brazil. Our models, therefore, respond to this legitimate concern of fleet managers who seek to reduce their environmental impact”, emphasizes the director. 

Atlas Copco , a company specializing in the sale of pumps and compressors, also values ​​sustainability in its fleets. "We strive to always seek continuous improvement and conduct business in a way that preserves the environment for future generations," emphasizes Vânia Vilela, administrative services coordinator at Atlas Copco.

Among the policies adopted by the company are: 

• Exchange of vehicles every four years or when they reach 120 kilometers driven; 
• 85% of supplies with ethanol; 
• Preventive maintenance; 
• Telemetry to keep fleet speed under control; 
• Acquisition of flex-fuel vehicles;
• Hybrid and electric market monitoring for future investments;
• Among others. 

For Vilela, the fact that sustainability is on the agenda in discussions in the automobile industry already represents a breakthrough in the area. “Today, we can see mobility sharing with apps, encouraging the use of bicycles and the like, which demonstrates that we are looking to a future where we can breathe cleaner air.” 

However, according to the coordinator, Brazil still has many challenges to reach a 100% sustainable fleet. "We have alarming numbers of increased CO2 emissions, less than 1% of the Brazilian fleet is made up of electric cars, irregular infrastructure and lack of urban planning, which in my view is one of the main obstacles to achieving decarbonization", lists Vilela . 

“The way out for evolution is to bring Brazil closer to state-of-the-art technologies, provide incentives to accelerate the adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles, prepare with infrastructure, mainly on highways, more electric roads and charging stations, more up-to-date fleets and campaigns for awareness,” he concludes.

Below, we have outlined some measures that will help bring sustainability to transportation:

Adopt ESG policies in your fleet management

From the English words Environmental, Social, and Governance , the acronym ESG has become a powerful tool embracing sustainability in the corporate environment.

Among the main ideas that this term encompasses are minimizing environmental impacts , maintaining best management processes, and building a better world.

Learn more about the topic: ESG in fleet management: what it is, benefits and challenges of its implementation.

On the environmental side, companies can adopt measures such as:

• Biodiversity
• Waste Management
• Carbon emission reduction
• Deforestation reduction
• Energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources
• Recycling
• Among others 

Another important point is that both consumers and the investment market are increasingly aware of ESG, and two aspects need to be taken into account.

Firstly, aligning with ESG principles opens up the possibility for the company to receive more investment , especially in large-scale businesses.

The second point is that ESG criteria are also used by large clients , such as distributors, to choose their logistics partners.

Therefore, adopting this policy in your fleet management will open up a range of competitive advantages in the market.

Control the emission of polluting gases in transport 

Campaigns to control the emission of polluting gases in transport have been carried out for a long time, so much so that a strict monitoring of the smoke emitted by vehicles is carried out. 

Therefore, in order to respect the laws and help protect the environment, it is necessary for companies to adopt measures to monitor their vehicles , especially large ones, to control gas emissions and avoid fines.

There are tools on the market, such as the opacimeter , that can help your fleet management measure and analyze the density of smoke emitted by your company's vehicles , thus helping to keep emissions within permitted limits.

Another measure is the preference for electric vehicles that eliminate the need for fuel , or the installation of CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) , which is less polluting.

Invest in reverse logistics 

Reverse logistics is a recycling initiative that seeks to promote the reuse of materials.

Therefore, adopting this practice makes both manufacturers and consumers share an obligation, which is to give the right destination for waste products or services. 

Therefore, many product categories are required to implement reverse logistics , such as:

• Pesticides
• Batteries
• Tires
• lubricating oils
• Lamps
• Electronic products 

Thus, the product makes the reverse path and returns from the consumer to the manufacturer, who forwards the product for reuse, recycling or proper disposal.

Therefore, taking advantage of resources is also an excellent way to reduce costs, especially when it comes to raw materials. Therefore, make sure that the waste caused by your company or your fleet management (such as tires) is being disposed of correctly. 

Read more: Vehicle decommissioning: how to do it in fleet management

Train your drivers on transport sustainability 

Another important point when we talk about sustainability is the training of drivers, who should be instructed on economical driving , which helps to avoid, above all, high fuel consumption.

In addition, the driver must be aware that it is necessary to use high-quality fuels, as poor fuels also help to increase polluting gases. 

Read more: Defensive driving and fleet management: preserve lives

Therefore, it is also necessary to always refuel at trusted locations that are duly approved by the ANP (National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels).

Similarly, economical driving and fuel quality also help increase vehicle performance and durability, leading to greater savings in your light vehicle fleet management.

Read more: Fuel economy: 8 tips for reducing fleet expenses

Respect vehicle load limits 

Another contributing factor to increased emissions of polluting gases from vehicles into the atmosphere is overloading.

This is because, in addition to affecting the safety of those inside the vehicle, the large amount of weight also directly affects fuel consumption, wear and tear on the car, and the deterioration of road surfaces.

Read more: Road safety: the importance of a safe driving culture in fleet management

Therefore, in addition to increasing the emission of polluting gases into the atmosphere, exceeding the vehicle weight limit also puts the lives of drivers at risk. 

Invest in biofuel in light fleet management 

As you already know, investing in quality fuels is also a necessary action to reduce the emission of pollutants. 

However, an even higher quality action when it comes to sustainability in transportation is investing in biofuels.

That's because they are produced from plant materials , meaning they haven't undergone fossilization.

Therefore, biofuel can be used both in power generation plants and in vehicle engines or agricultural machinery. 

Optimize your routes 

Having a sustainable dynamic in your light fleet management can also be difficult if your company uses fossil fuels, such as gasoline and diesel.

However, even companies that have polluting vehicles in their fleets can adopt measures to reduce the impacts caused by these until they exchange for more suitable cars. 

A great example of this is route planning , which, in addition to making processes faster and more efficient, chooses shorter routes so that your vehicles consume as little fuel as possible.

Perform preventive maintenance to increase sustainability and economy 

If you want to emit less and less gases into the atmosphere, constantly checking the parts of the vehicles in your fleet for preventive maintenance is also an essential practice.

In addition to ensuring optimal fleet performance, preventive maintenance also reduces maintenance costs for your company.

Therefore, for this to also become a sustainability measure in fleet management, it is necessary to always perform adjustments to avoid excessive fuel consumption.

Not to mention that the alignment and balancing of the vehicle also need to be up to date to give the vehicle more safety and avoid problems with suspension and tire wear. 

Learn more about the topic: Predictive, preventive, and corrective maintenance for your fleet.

Use a telemetry system in your light fleet management  

Controlling and monitoring your fleet efficiently is also essential for your sustainable measures, especially since there is no point in applying them if you are not sure that they are being complied with. 

Therefore, having control over your vehicle's location to reduce mileage, as well as monitoring drivers' behavior to ensure they are not speeding, is essential.

Read more: Less speeding: save lives and reduce fines

Therefore, a telemetry system is the perfect solution for this, since in addition to monitoring your driver's behavior, with Golfleet Telemetry , for example, you can also count on a fuel management module to help your fleet management further reduce expenses on this resource.

Do you want to know more about the possibilities of a telemetry system for fleet management? Meet the Golfleet Telemetra: