Managing Green Fleets
Transportation and shipping are two of the activities that take up a big bulk of any company's budget. These days, corporations are looking for ways in which they can cut down on such expenses. Along with reducing costs, they are taking up an environmentally-friendly advocacy, too, knowing that vehicles are huge sources of harmful greenhouse gases. Playing an active role in reducing environmental damage can improve a company's corporate image as well.
Before taking definite measures, a company needs to compute how much it spends annually on transportation and on shipping. It also needs to calculate its carbon footprint. There are consultancy firms that can give advise on how to calculate this. Knowing the extent of one's transport costs will help the company identify ways in which to cut back on mileage and expense. At times, the solution can be as simple as a change of driving behaviour. There are training sessions that help drivers apply green driving techniques. One can also plan out-of-office meetings, errands and activities in such a way that one can avoid rush hour and plan the route to reduce mileage. Some companies introduce vehicle-sharing or carpooling schemes for their employees. There also some that offer shuttles to and from work, specially if the workplace is far from the city centre. A company can also encourage cycling by having a secure place for the employees to park he bicycles in. There are also corporations that limit parking space in order to discourage the employees from driving in individual vehicles when going to work. There are offices that are purposely located near areas of public transport, such as bus stops and train stations. However, there are many companies that do need to have modes of private transport. Thus, they manage a fleet of vehicles, which can be as few as a dozen cars to over a hundred cars. Still, even if using many cars is unavoidable, this does not mean that a company cannot reduce its transport expenses or lessen its carbon footprint. A firm can get a fleet of low emission cars, which are not only environmentally-friendly but are affordable, too. It can also make a choice of using alternative fuels. Today, there are many efficient electric or hybrid cars that can run smoothly on non-harmful fuel.
