Running a waste fleet is getting more expensive every year. Between the price of new trucks, high energy prices, and return trips for questionable missed pickups, it can be hard to make routes profitable. But with the right technology, you can lessen the pain of these everyday challenges and increase waste management fleet efficiency.

1. Optimize for route density

In the waste industry, fuel efficiency isn’t just about the shortest distance between two points; it’s about route density. Motive’s GPS fleet tracking and historical route data can increase your pickups per hour. You can identify where routes overlap inefficiently, then tighten the route density — or use live traffic patterns to reroute them when needed. This increases the number of lifts per shift without increasing fuel use or driver hours.

2. Cut unproductive idle time

While fuel surcharges might cover the cost of fuel, they don’t cover the engine wear and tear that comes with excessive idling. With Motive, use telematics data to identify idling events and see whether they occur outside of active collection zones. This data allows you to move beyond general reminders and provide specific, data-backed coaching to drivers who are leaving engines running.

3. Automate fraud prevention

In waste management, every gallon lost to fraud is a financial hit that can’t be recovered from the customer. With 100-gallon tanks, fraudulent fill-ups can become a massive loss that surcharges won’t cover.

Automate fuel controls by using a fleet fuel card. The Motive Card flags suspicious events for fleet managers, such as when the amount of fuel purchased exceeds the capacity of the tank, or when the purchased fuel type doesn’t align with the vehicle’s actual fuel type. These controls help stop fraud before it hits your bottom line.

4. Resolve disputes with evidence

When commercial clients claim a truck never showed, waste management companies need precise data to resolve the situation. Avoid an unpaid trip or goodwill credits by creating digital evidence. For example, your billing team can use Motive’s Power Take-Off (PTO) tracking to confirm that a service was performed and resolve disputes quickly.