PeopleNet®, provider of fleet mobility solutions, has proclaimed itself the first and only telematics provider to support Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) vehicles by delivering engine reporting in diesel equivalent gallons that easily compares performance and forecasts savings for multi-fueled fleets.

   “As more fleets experiment with natural gas vehicle adoption to lower the cost of a fleet’s largest expense and reduce greenhouse emissions, they need the ability to compare fuel efficiency across a mixed-vehicle fleet,” said Rick Ochsendorf, PeopleNet executive vice president. “Collecting and analyzing comparative fuel use is critical for efficiently determining the return on investment (ROI) of moving from diesel to natural gas. In addition, the comparative data PeopleNet provides allows fleets to compare a driver’s MPG (miles per gallon) while in diesel vehicles with MPG in natural gas vehicles in order to preserve the integrity of driver incentive programs based on performance.”

   PeopleNet’s system collects fuel consumed by liquid and compressed natural gas engines in pounds and automatically converts the usage to a Diesel Gallon Equivalent for accurately and efficiently comparing fuel use and efficiency across a mixed-vehicle fleet.

   Saddle Creek Logistics, a 430-vehicle over-the-road trucking company with more than 100 trucks fueled by natural gas and another 100 on order. “PeopleNet’s engine reporting for natural gas has given us have the ability to segregate data by vehicle and driver, so we can analyze individual truck performance as well as individual driver performance,” said Saddle Creek Transportation’s President Mike DelBovo. “This is critical for identifying trucks that may need maintenance, and drivers with improper driving behaviors and excessive idle. We want to help our drivers adopt habits that help them extend range, which is a huge issue right now since natural gas fuel stations are relatively scarce. It’s imperative that vehicles be able to travel 600 miles per fill.”

   In addition to curbing fuel expense, the trucking industry’s commitment to ecology has prompted more fleets to consider purchasing trucks that use natural gas as a greener, quieter alternative to traditional diesel. Additionally, natural gas is a secure North American energy source, with 98 percent of the natural gas consumed produced in the U.S. and Canada.