Energy effiency monitoring and incentive systems in transportation companies

The aim of this study was to develop energy efficiency monitoring and incentive systems for transport companies. This study was carried out at the Department of Business Information Management and Logistics at Tampere University of Technology, in association with EC-Tools Oy, Tampere City Transport and Transpoint Oy Ab. The study is part of a broader research project Heavy-duty Vehicles: Safety, Environmental Impacts and New Technology 2006-2008. Drivers' driving patterns have a great effect on energy consumption. Accurate and automatic driver and vehicle specific monitoring of fuel consumption is a prerequisite for reducing fuel use. Driver specific monitoring enables regular feedback, rewarding and allocating training for drivers. These constitute an incentive system. The problem with incentive systems in transportation companies has been the difficulty of comparing drivers' performances, especially their fuel consumption. Difficulties stem from external factors like road geometry, vehicle type and amount of traffic, passengers or cargo, which all have considerable effect on fuel consumption. Current information and communication technology, however, enable the development of intelligent monitoring and incentive systems for transport companies. In intelligent systems, drivers' effect and external factors' effect on fuel consumption are distinguished and thus fair comparison, rewarding and allocated training of drivers are possible. Ecodriving incentive systems for drivers have the potential to maintain and enhance the effects of ecodriving trainings, thereby reducing fuel costs. A successful incentive system helps the company's personnel to focus on ecodriving and motivates personal effort and co-operation in order to reduce energy use and thus enhance company's profitability and competitiveness. The monitoring system developed for Tampere City Transport in this study has proved to be functional for urban bus operations. The equipment and the idea of grouping comparable runs, which are the core of this system, can also be applied to long distance bus operations and truck operations. This report may be found at http://www.tut.fi/units/ttt/tlo/rasturaportti.pdf