Esh Group is extending its anti-idling campaign across its entire vehicle fleet after successful trials of using telematics data and driver training to cut idling time.
The north of England contractor ran a trial of 18 tippers to understand the carbon emitted from idling and put measures in place to reduce it.
It defined idling as a vehicle being stationary for more than two minutes. Using data from Michelin Connected Fleet’s In-Cab Coach, backed up by eco-driver training, the 18 tippers showed an 85% reduction in idling from 344 hours in December 2023 to just 29 hours in December 2024.
The in-cab system alerts drivers if the engine has been stationary for more than two minutes.
During the trial, tipper driver David Jackson performed well, regularly posting months with zero hours of idling time. He has undertaken eco-driver training courses with Esh Group’s tipper suppliers, Scania and Renault, and now trains other Esh Group drivers.
Roll out to the rest of the fleet
Esh Group is now gearing up to roll out idling monitoring and education across its 258-strong fleet of vehicles. The next division to join the campaign will be Esh Construction’s Runway 1 team in a bid to reduce idling and carbon emissions during work delivered on Northumbrian Water’s repairs and maintenance framework.
Expansion to the civil engineering, affordable housing and drainage solutions divisions is expected to follow with onsite plant equipment also being looked at. All fleet drivers will sign an anti-idling pledge.
Brian Wray, plant director at Esh Group, said: “The transformation has been remarkable, thanks to the outstanding commitment of our drivers, who embraced the guidance and fully supported our efforts. Before implementing the anti-idling initiative, idling time from the tippers was consistently higher than 400 hours on average each month.
“This is a great example of what can be achieved when considering our impact on the environment, and now the hard work begins as we continue the wider rollout across the business.”
Don’t miss out on information management and digital construction news: sign up to receive the BIMplus newsletter.
