Route Optimization Saves UPS 3 Million Gallons of Gas
UPS Utilizes SMART Eco-Strategies and the "Lens of Sustainability" to Reap
BIG CONTRIBUTION TO THE BOTTOM LINE.........................
UPS saved three million
gallons of gas and 30 million miles driven last year thanks to a fleet of
computer programs geared toward shaving the distance its packages travel before
reaching their destination, according to the company's 2007 sustainability
report.
The company uses specially designed
routing hardware and software, known collectively as Package Flow Technology,
to streamline delivery routes and improve fuel efficiency.
UPS also employs telematics -
electronically gathering data on its vehicle fleet as well as drivers'
performance - to identify new ways to boost fuel efficiency.
These technologies have helped UPS
develop policies such as minimizing the number of left turns drivers take, thus
lowering their idle time while waiting for oncoming traffic to pass.
Such measures have contributed to the
company reducing their emissions by 32,000 metric tons in 2007.
UPS has also introduced low-carbon
vehicles into its U.S. and Canadian fleets. The company currently employs over 2,000 green vehicles, including hybrid and compressed
natural gas trucks.
To download UPS's 2007 sustainability report, click here (PDF).
note; 3 million gallons of gas X a (low) estimate of $3.50 a gallon is a COOL $10.5 MILLION DOLLARS!!!!!!
Route optimization is going to be massive once people wake up to what it is and how much money they can save.
The trouble is that the haulage industry is made up of a lot of smaller players, not just a few big ones. These "little guys" can't afford the costly route optimization software, which can cost upwards of $100,000.
Fortunately solutions are just coming onto the market, using the software-as-a-service model... here's the first Route Optimizer to use this model:
http://www.postcodeanywhere.co.uk/products/route_planner/
it's pay-per-use, which as I see it is perfect for the small-medium businesses.
Posted by: mr webservice | October 22, 2008 at 06:02 AM