The ultimate driver’s test

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Scania Press Release / June 11, 2015

The Ecolution by Scania service package guarantees customers fuel savings of 10 percent. By focusing on coaching, Scania Denmark has found that it can deliver fuel savings of 16 percent.

Ecolution by Scania is a comprehensive service package that improves customers’ fuel economy and ultimately their bottom line.

The package contains various provisions for helping to reduce fuel consumption. These include optimising a regular Scania truck according to the specific needs of each customer in terms of cargo weight, driving conditions and drivers’ potential; an extended maintenance programme that for example involves regular axle alignment and tyre pressure monitoring; and driver training.

Driver training the biggest factor

Erling Petersen, Driver Trainer Manager, Scania Denmark, says the critical component is coaching. “Driver training is definitely the biggest factor [in reducing fuel consumption],” he says. “If an Ecolution customer achieves fuel savings of 15 percent, 2 or 3 per cent [of that] is from truck optimisation and another 2 percent from the maintenance programme. But 10 percent comes from coaching.”

Scania Denmark currently has 275 Ecolution trucks on its books, 80 of which were sold in 2014, with some 450 drivers a month receiving training from a small but experienced team of driver coaches. “The customer must respect the coach, which they won’t if the coach isn’t an experienced driver himself,” Petersen says. “An experienced driver trainer can explain what to do in the different situations that drivers face and the customer will listen to them.”

Reducing fuel consumption and tyre wear

Ecolution by Scania helps Michael Bærensen, owner of MB Transport, save about DKK 3,000 each month.

Michael Bærensen is a case in point. As the owner of MB Transport, a trucking company based near Copenhagen, he ferries concrete between construction sites on Zealand and Jutland once, if not twice, a day in his Scania R 560 covering as much as 1,200 to 1,400 kilometres every 24 hours.

When Bærensen bought his truck two years ago he also signed up for Ecolution by Scania. “Before, I drove a Scania R 500,” he says.

“With that truck I drove 33.3 litres per 100 kilometres, now I drive 28.5 litres per 100 kilometres per litre. I have saved about DKK 3,000 each month through reduced diesel consumption and less tyre wear.”

Bærensen says the driver training component of Ecolution has made a big difference. “I took the Ecolution training course and quickly learnt how to best drive the truck,” he says. “My employee hasn’t taken the course, but I’ve instructed him how to drive efficiently. I get a report each week and one each month, where I can see all data. It’s important to read the reports to see where we can improve.”

Ensure longer vehicle uptime

Petersen adds that after a couple of years many customers report that their Ecolution trucks are performing much better than their non-Ecolution trucks. While this means that customers may buy new trucks less regularly, it also means it is easier for them to resell their used trucks, which are in much better condition than they would have been without Ecolution. “Our customers are very pleased with their trucks,” Petersen says.

This is confirmed by figures showing 75 percent of the Ecolution trucks bought in Denmark are purchased by existing Ecolution customers.

“Ecolution is a good concept for our customers,” Petersen says. “They save a lot in fuel costs, reduce their maintenance costs and ensure longer uptime for their vehicles – and it is better for the environment.”

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