Scania's driver coaching helps Germo Logistiek save fuel and reduce emissions
15 JULY 2020
Training and coaching Dutch truck driver Remco Lugtenberg, William van Gerven is helping one of the world’s largest dairy co-operatives, FrieslandCampina, reduce their environmental impact. At the same time, milk transport company Germo Logistiek benefits from reduced emissions and improved fuel economy.
Drivers play a crucial role in the success of transport businesses. And despite the accelerating development of autonomous vehicles, drivers will continue to be important for the transport industry’s profitability and quest toward sustainability for many years to come.
The benefits of Scania driver services
Many environmentally conscious transport companies are turning to Scania driver services to reduce their CO2 emissions. In the Netherlands, Germo Logistiek is partnering with FrieslandCampina to help keep the dairy giant’s greenhouse gas emissions equal to or lower than 2010 levels.
William van Gerven had been a truck driver for 20 years before becoming a trainer and driver coach for Scania Nederland. He knows that even the most experienced driver still has room to improve their driving behavior, save fuel and reduce emissions.
“After the initial training, all drivers improve. But over time many of them return to old habits. That’s why continuous coaching is so important,” he explains during a meeting with driver Remco Lugtenberg.
“We save up to 8 percent on fuel”
Remco is the modern-day milkman. With his LNG-powered truck he is ploughing the flat Dutch polderland, known for cattle that are usually black and white or red and white and produce almost 15 billion liters of milk each year.
“I collect raw milk from the farmers and deliver it to various processing locations throughout the Netherlands,” Remco explains.
It may sound like a walk in the park, but it’s a job that must be done seven days a week and carries big responsibilities. Remco and his colleagues at Germo Logistiek are a key part of the entire logistics chain for milk transport, from maintaining contact with the farmers to monitoring quality and taking milk samples, in addition to planning, separating and delivering the different milk flows.
And behind the wheel the Germo drivers are key to customer FrieslandCampina’s success in maintaining or reducing their greenhouse gas emissions, even with the giant dairy’s strong growth.
“Since we started with Driver Training and Coaching from Scania we have seen, in practice, that we save up to 8 percent on fuel, which of course is financially important for us. But we can also reduce CO2. In combination with an LNG vehicle, driver training and coaching can reduce CO2 emissions by 20 percent,” says Emiel Jansen, Director at Germo Logistiek.
Increase in demand of driver training and coaching services
Like all other drivers in the company, Remco Lugtenberg participated in basic Scania Driver Training. To keep his skills sharp, he also receives Scania Driver Coaching. Once a month he speaks with coach William van Gerven in order to get advice on how to continuously improve.
“Together we analyse the vehicle's data, using the Scania Coaching Tool, and generate a report that serves as the basis for the regular feedback,” van Gerven explains.
“This one-to-one coaching is very personalised,” he says. “When coaching Remco, I use the driver’s data on things like coasting and idling to provide an analysis that will increase safety and comfort and reduce fuel consumption and emissions. Of course, it’s a big advantage that I know him and have trained him before we started the coaching.”
Bert Rompa, Business Consultant for Driver & Connected Services at Scania Nederland, says there is a sharp increase in demand of driver training and coaching services among Dutch customers.
“The figures for Scania customers, as we speak, are between 4 and 16 percent on fuel savings, which is quite a lot for a transport company driving each truck some 100,000 kilometres a year.”
“But there’s also a push from our customer’s customers, as they demand more sustainable transport solutions. Today many transport companies are struggling with how to reduce emissions and be more sustainable. And they have realised the potential in Scania’s Driver Training and Coaching.”
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16 Sep 2024
