Photo courtesy of City of Orlando
The City of Orlando has saved over 400,000 gallons of fuel in one year through a number of fuel-saving measures, including idle reduction technology in its law enforcement vehicles.
The city's Fleet & Facilities Management Division found Derive Efficiency's software, which changes a vehicle’s powertrain calibrations for optimal performance, through Intelligent Fleet Solutions. This calibration enables vehicles to idle at a lower RPM, reducing idling fuel consumption by 30% and leading to an increased fuel economy of up to 12%.
Jonathan Ford, fleet management superintendent, installs the technology in a fleet vehicle. Photo courtesy of City of Orlando
The city decided to purchase the product with an initial 1,000-unit order to fit all existing fleet vehicles and new vehicles going forward.
New vehicles get the technology installed at the upfitter and older vehicles get the technology installed at their next preventive maintenance service. A quarter of the patrol fleet has already been fitted with the software and the city expects to see a return on its investment in six to nine months.
Derive’s system is calibrated to meet the needs of each individual fleet. It has worked with cities and counties to install the software on parks and recreation vehicles and service vehicles. However, the company focuses on heavy-use vehicles, especially in law enforcement applications where vehicles are often running 24 hours a day. The software also gives fleet managers the option to reduce speeding and aggressive driving with speed-limiting software.
Additional fuel-saving measures in the city fleet include installing Parker hybrid drive systems on its refuse trucks, compressed natural gas refuse trucks, and plug-in hybrid technology. The City of Orlando has pledged to run city vehicles on 100% renewable resources by 2030.
