Beating Driver Fatigue on Long Hauls
Alternative fuel and electric vehicles are top of mind for many operators wanting to decarbonise their fleets and help Australia on its mission to hit Net Zero by 2050. Road transport is a critical sector for the nation, and every operator wants to do their bit while making sure their fleets are efficient, safe, and modern, with the very best driver amenities.
Teletrac Navman understands the challenges of moving towards a zero-emissions future and has the right solutions to help you today and tomorrow. Whether you’re starting your journey with telematics or are a seasoned veteran, we can help your business gain real-time fleet insights to manage your fleet and begin planning effective transition goals.
For all your alternative energy and electric vehicle, our free technology guide for alternative energy transition is here to help answer your questions.
Data insights into your fleet will help you plan for zero emissions and create a safer driving culture within your organisation. Like fuel use and routing, sustainability information helps you understand your patterns. Driver coaching and scoreboards that lead to improved safety outcomes, lower fuel use, and reduced wear and tear on your trucks help you understand ongoing asset costs and return on investment.
With telematics and fleet management software, you can begin to understand your energy transition. Regardless of your fuel mix, you have the right tools to promote efficiency and safety.
As you transition to alternative energies, getting that assistance to optimise when and where energy is acquired, stored and used goes a long way. Along with electricity, our infrastructure solutions are beginning to cover other alternate fuels, like hydrogen, CNG and biomethane, meaning that regardless of your alternative fuel mix options, you’re able to manage it efficiently and cost-effectively.
You can also balance energy consumption from the grid when recharging EVs and obtain your energy at the most cost-effective time of day, when tariff charges are low, ensuring cost control and efficient charging.
As our infrastructure solutions are being built to become modular and scalable, they allow you to create an alternative refuelling system fit for purpose today – and into the future – for your business and the industry.
Understanding where your fleet operates, how far from base drivers tend to travel, how much fuel is used, and even maintenance costs is the beginning. The footprint you leave behind is what you can slowly begin to alter for the future of your business and generations ahead.
The regulatory approach
Various Australian jurisdictions are coming to terms with the extra mass of battery electric prime movers. In Victoria and South Australia, for example, Smart OBM is mandated to allow higher mass limits for battery powered vehicles.
New South Wales is also set to introduce new rules for road network access for high mass ve-hicles. Under the NSW proposal, access for a range of heavy vehicle combinations will be pro-vided under the Notices with the approved network maps available on the NHVR portal.
Vehicles complying with the mass and dimension limits of the Notice will be able to operate under a permit until the Notice is finalised. Vehicles not complying with the limits of the No-tice can still apply for a permit and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
The NSW proposal dictates that access networks generally match those currently allowed for the equivalent ‘as-of-right’ combinations. This means that a B-double with a zero-emission prime mover operating at the increased axle mass limits will have access to a network that closely matches the conventional B-double network.
If Australia is going to hit its Net Zero targets by 2050, cleaning up the road transport sector, which makes up 19 per cent of Australia’s total carbon emissions, must be a priority. As the Electric Vehicle Council states in its report Electric Trucks: Keeping Shelves Stocked in a Net Zero World, "there is an immediate need to accelerate the uptake of electric trucks in Australia," and identifies road freight tasks in urban areas and capital cities, which account for between 30 and 40 per cent of all road freight, as low hanging fruit ripe for electrification.
The good news is, for many operators, particularly those in capital cities and urban areas, going green is easier than ever – and it’s not just about batteries. CNG and biomethane, as well as other low-carbon fuels, also have a role to play.
With Australia aiming to hit Net Zero by 2050, ensuring the transport sector can efficiently and cost effectively transition to alternative fuels, including EV, hydrogen, CNG and biomethane, is a priority for Teletrac Navman. Want to start your alternative fuels journey? Our tech guide can help you get underway.