1. Making consumption visible per vehicle
The first step costs almost nothing: evaluate consumption per vehicle and month from fuel card and mileage data. Only this comparison reveals the outliers – the one vehicle running 15 % above its sisters, the duty cycle with conspicuously high consumption. As a side benefit, this produces the data basis for the municipality's CO₂ reporting (rule of thumb: around 2.6 kg of CO₂ per liter of diesel).
2. Driver training in scheduled and depot operations
Especially in the stop-and-go of scheduled bus and collection services, driving style is a major lever: anticipatory coasting toward stops and traffic lights, smooth acceleration, consistent use of eco-roll and recuperation functions. Transit operators typically report 5–10 % savings from training programs – but sustainably only with accompanying monitoring and regular refreshers.
3. Idling & standstill times
Buses at the terminus, municipal vehicles during work breaks, winter services on standby: idle hours add up considerably in municipal fleets. Clear shutdown rules, parking heaters instead of running engines and – where available – start-stop functions reduce consumption and noise at the same time. Side effect: fewer complaints from residents.
4. Maintenance, tires, duty cycles
The basics work here too: correct tire pressure and low-rolling-resistance tires (1–3 %), clean filters and scheduled maintenance (1–5 %), plus optimized duty-cycle and route planning at the works depot – fewer empty kilometers are the cheapest saving of all. With predictable, identical daily profiles, a one-time optimization pays off permanently.
5. Optimizing the existing fleet: retrofitting fuel optimization
Municipal vehicles often stay in service for 10–15 years – relying on new procurement alone means letting the existing fleet run unoptimized for a decade. Retrofittable fuel optimization such as the Fuel Eco Tech (FET) system addresses exactly this: integration into the fuel line, no intervention in the engine management, effect on every trip and with every driver.
The published measurements: on average up to 6 % in the standardized WLTC laboratory test, up to 15 % in constant-speed runs, plus laboratory-measured emission reductions of 7–20 %. A documented field test on a Unimog – a typical municipal vehicle – showed around 10.9 % lower consumption per operating hour in winter operation. Test reports: News & laboratory test. Relevant for committee submissions: the effect is documented, and the investment can be transparently weighed up with the payback calculator.
6. The long-term path: electrification & alternatives
Electric buses, HVO100 in the existing fleet or hydrogen in public transport are the strategic perspective – with their own cost and infrastructure questions that are planned over years. But for the CO₂ balance, every year counts: measures 1–5 take effect immediately and regardless of which drivetrain path is eventually procured. Optimizing and electrifying are not mutually exclusive – they complement each other.
Context: the figures for training, tires and maintenance are typical industry values from fleet operations; actual results depend on driving profile and vehicle stock. The FET figures come from published laboratory and field tests.