Fuel management helps to optimize municipal fleet operations in Belgrade

Challenge: A large municipal utility company in Belgrade, Serbia, faced a significant challenge: unusually high fuel consumption across their fleet of 500 vehicles. These vehicles, primarily used for garbage removal, operated with frequent stops and utilized additional equipment like container emptiers, water tanks, and cleaners. Justifying the high fuel usage based solely on workload became increasingly difficult. The company suspected potential unauthorized fuel drainages might also be contributing to the problem. They needed a solution to gain transparency into fuel consumption and prevent fuel theft.

Solution: Omnicomm’s partner FMS Serbia was approached to provide a comprehensive fuel management solution. The proposed solution involved equipping all 500 vehicles with:

• Omnicomm fuel level sensors: These industry-leading sensors offered precise fuel level monitoring.
• GPS trackers: Ruptela and Teltonika trackers with analog and digital inputs were chosen to connect with the fuel level sensors.
• Wialon-based tracking server: This platform would receive and analyze data from the GPS trackers and fuel level sensors, providing a centralized view for fleet management.

Results:
The impact of the implemented solution was immediate and dramatic:

• Fuel consumption reduction: Within just two months, the company reported a significant decrease in average vehicle fuel consumption, ranging from 15% to a staggering 40%.
• Fuel theft detection: Omnicomm's fuel level sensors identified unauthorized fuel drainages, pinpointing the root cause of excessive fuel consumption in some vehicles. This data was used in labor law cases against drivers involved in fuel theft, leading to terminations and compensation claims.
• Investment ROI: Based on the success of the initial deployment of the solution on 100 vehicles, the client decided to equip their entire fleet. This resulted in a company-wide fuel savings of 20-30%, translating to hundreds of tons of fuel saved annually. The rapid return on investment (ROI) allowed them to reinvest savings into purchasing new vehicles.
• Operational efficiency gains: Beyond fuel savings, the system facilitated:
  • Optimized vehicle use and routing
  • Reduced speeding fines
  • Improved driving habits in challenging landfill zones

Conclusion:
The Omnicomm fuel management solution transformed the Belgrade utility company's operations. Improved fuel efficiency, theft prevention, and operational optimization contributed to significant cost savings. Furthermore, the system's success led to the company adopting Omnicomm's technology as a standard for all newly acquired vehicles, ensuring continued fuel management excellence. The latest generation Omnicomm LLS5 sensors further enhance their control over fuel consumption and minimize the possibility of fuel abuse.