PeopleNet Communications Corp. said it now offers engine reporting for trucks powered by compressed and liquefied natural gas.
The onboard computing provider said its systems can deliver engine reports in diesel equivalent gallons, enabling fleets that run both natural gas and diesel vehicles to compare fuel efficiency and project savings.
“As more fleets experiment with natural gas vehicle adoption to lower the cost of a fleet’s largest expense and reduce greenhouse emissions, they need the ability to compare fuel efficiency across a mixed-vehicle fleet,” PeopleNet Executive Vice President Rick Ochsendorf said in a statement.
The PeopleNet engine data also allows fleets to compare a driver’s miles per gallon performance while in diesel vehicles with performance in natural gas vehicles to preserve the integrity of driver incentive programs, he added.
PeopleNet customer Saddle Creek Logistics — which operates a 430-vehicle fleet with more than 100 natural-gas trucks and another 100 on order — said PeopleNet’s engine reporting has given it the ability to segregate data by vehicle and driver.
“This is critical for identifying trucks that may need maintenance, and drivers with improper driving behaviors and excessive idle,” said Mike DelBovo, president of the company’s trucking subsidiary.
“We want to help our drivers adopt habits that help them extend range, which is a huge issue right now since natural gas fuel stations are relatively scarce. It’s imperative that vehicles be able to travel 600 miles per fill,” he said in a statement.
