In the quest for greater fuel economy for fleet vehicles, there is one problem, all fleets must address: JackRabbit Starts. These types of starts rob your vehicles of fuel efficiency that could be costing your organization plenty. While this is certainly true of all fleets, it is especially true of fleets that operate in areas where your drivers are doing a lot of stopping and starting. This could include any of the following:
- In-town delivery services
- Local route drivers
- Large city drivers who face rush hour stops and starts
For the most part, JackRabbit starts are viewed as aggressive driving behavior. Not only do they cost your fleet a great deal in wasted fuel. They can also create negative associations for your business within the community.
What are JackRabbit Starts?
Essentially, JackRabbit starts occur when drivers push down hard on their accelerators, so they can shoot forward with speed. You see it all the time with frustrated drivers trying to be the first “out of the gate” when signal lights turn green. It is also widely used when speeding up to merge into Interstate traffic from on-ramps, when passing slow-moving vehicles, and when leaving areas of heavy congestion on the Interstate in rush hour traffic.
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute recognizes the invaluable role Myanmar Flying Foxes play in the overall ecosystem’s health, but they also understand how the creature is often the culprit in spreading fatal diseases to humans. In an effort to learn more about these animals, the institute sent Dr. Marc Valitutto and Dr. Jennifer Kishbaugh out to Myanmar with one goal. The duo was tasked with capturing several bats, extracting samples from the animals, testing for viruses and then tagging the bats with GPS tracking devices.
Experts hope to monitor the movements of these Myanmar Flying Foxes to gain deeper insights into how the animal interacts with its environment. Data from the GPS tracking devices will be used to help protect both the animals and humans who live around them. The group hopes to work closely with local communities to discover safe areas for bats to roost that can also help prevent the spread of diseases.
How Fleets Can Optimize Tire Performance
30 Oct 2018
Cutting costs and keeping them under control is important for fleets of all sizes. The larger the fleet, the more important even minor expenses become, which is why it’s important to optimize tire performance – so you can save greater amounts of money.
These are a few things you can do to improve tire performance, extending the life of your tires, preventing accidents, and saving your fleet money.
