Having the power to fuel on-site is an amazing thing. Convenience, control and even potentially cutting costs are just a few of the benefits you can achieve by having your fuel station at your disposal. However, while having your site at your disposal, you are also responsible for the upkeep and maintenance. To the new user, it may seem like you may only need to refill the storage tanks, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. To help make sure that you are making the most from your investment through proper maintenance procedures, you should be aware of these five great ways that you can keep your fuel site the best it can be.

1) Prepare to Pass Your Inspections

Waiting for the inspector to tell you something is wrong is already too late. Taking the extra step to conduct your own inspections will take you farther than you realize. Doing things like daily or weekly visual inspections will have you constantly monitoring your site, so then you will be more alert about anything that looks worn out or out of place. These kinds of checks will keep you away from any evident equipment failures and keep your site running smoothly.

When it comes to the actual inspections, you may be wondering: what exactly you should be expecting? Inspections come in many forms depending on the agency, but generally there are some things you can definitely expect. Unannounced annual state and local regulatory site inspections are in place to make sure that you are compliant at all times, not just when you need to be. Others include Stage 1 vapor recovery inspections and annual equipment inspections. One thing to keep in mind is that the inspections themselves also can vary depending on other variables, including: which fuel types you are utilizing, your storage and tank methods, capacity and even usage, so it is important to know these details to know which rules you should be complying to.

2) Keep on the Right Side of the Law

The easiest way to maintain your fuel site is simple: keep on the right side of the law. That means that you maintain compliance with all federal, state and local regulations. By making sure you are up to date with the current standards, you can feel comfortable that your site is free of any issues, all while making sure your organization stays out of trouble. Agencies can, and will, shut down your fuel site if you are not up to date on regulatory standards, so it pays to make sure you’re always up to date. Most fuel operations officers find that the main keys to maintaining performance are: performing fuel inspections, repairs and testing in appropriate intervals; ensuring timely, documented responses to fuel site issues; and properly maintaining documents at each fuel site. These three things are imperative because they will help you avoid fines. These fines will ultimately be more expensive than what it actually takes to be compliant on the right side of the law.

3) Build Your Team and Secure Your Funds

It is one thing to find an issue, it is a whole different category to actually step up and make the intended changes. It is your absolute responsibility to see the issues and address them in an efficient manner. At the same time, it is important to keep your budget in mind as well, finding that happy medium where you can save money and stay compliant is a necessity. Fleet managers usually try to make sure they get the resources they can, and they try to make sure they have contacts to resources not as readily available. Those relations will be imperative when the time comes because we know that unexpected things can, and will, happen. A focus on preventive maintenance is important due to the fact that if things get out of control, you can always get the help you need to save your fuel site. If you are looking for more tips about fuel management, check out this blog.

4) Be on the Lookout for Outdated Fuel Site Systems

We all understand wear and tear is a part of life, but we definitely need to make sure that it does not get to the point of ruining your equipment. Keeping an eye out for things like cracked or chipped concrete on fuel islands or on top of underground storage tanks; missing, cracked or damaged inspection hole covers; dirt buildup and stains on fuel islands; and chipped paint on metal rails are just can help you avoid being hit with extravagant fines. Fuel site problems can vary just as much as the equipment does, if not more so, so it is important to know your site and how it should be running so you know what to pick up on when there is an evident issue. Some sites have taken an extra step to incorporate automated systems to send alerts whenever there is an alarm condition on the tank’s monitoring panels. Staying on top of things keeps your fuel site safe and operational, but also reduces costs in the long term. The longer you want to address an issue, the harder, and more expensive, it can get.

5) The New Standard should be Your Standard

Going hand in hand with compliance is making sure you are keeping up with regulatory standards. Regulations are always subject to change, some as often as yearly, and it is your job to make sure that your site is staying consistent with industry standards. These changes can be complex, or as simple as swapping detectors to opposing sides from where they were originally mounted, it really depends on the climate of the industry and what is required at any specified time.

It can seem daunting, but there are many things you can do to make sure that you are always in the loop. The easiest, and most effective, way is to make sure that you are signed up for emails from regulatory agencies so that you can always get notifications about what is happening and if anything is changing in the industry. Doing this allows you to make sure that if here are any updates to standards or policies, you will be among the first to know so that you can make any changes if necessary. Another way is to do some personal exploration yourself. Going out of your way to look for anything that looks like it could improve your site is a great way to stay ahead and make sure that your fuel site is in the best shape it can be. This can go beyond just looking for trends, though. Contacting agencies personally just to check in and make sure you’re not missing anything is widely encouraged, shows initiative and builds a relationship. Along with that, agencies sometimes hold trainings for this very reason. This allows you to be a part of the conversation, including asking questions and raising specific concerns.

Following these steps does take a bit of extra effort, but you will see the results instantly in the long run. By staying ahead of rules and regulations, over time you will save yourself time, money and energy, and you will see your fleet flourish in response.

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If it feels like the dollar signs at the fuel pump are racing upwards as fast as your fuel gauge is racing downwards, your problem could lie in a number of a possibilities. Issues with fuel economy stem from driver behavior, vehicle maintenance, fuel maintenance and more. How can you expect to maintain your fuel and fuel storage tanks when you’re busy maintaining the rest of your fleet? Why does fuel even need to be maintained? Well, I’m glad you asked.

Fuel Has Changed – Have Your Maintenance Practices?

I know that sounds a bit ridiculous, but the processes for extracting gasoline from crude oil have evolved to meet consumer demand and environmental regulations over the last few decades. In fact, they’ve changed rapidly just since the 1990’s – and developments weren’t necessarily front-page headlines.

So how has fuel changed? In the 1960’s, the United States Army budgeted for an exploratory study into the nature of fuel storage and “shelf life.” At the time, fuel boasted an impressive shelf life: 2-5 years under normal circumstances. Diesel fuel was even more encouraging: 10 years or more of shelf life. In recent years, this number has gone down drastically. Consumer grade gasoline now has a storage life of about 90 days. Diesel fuel starts degrading in the first month, up to a painful 95% if there is water present in the fuel.

So why has fuel changed? Surprisingly enough, demand for fuel has only skyrocketed as a result of the booming global population. In normal circumstances, a refinery can develop 29 gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel from 42 gallons of crude oil. In order for these refineries to maximize production and profit, while also meeting consumers’ needs, they have had to utilize cracking processes to develop more gasoline and diesel from the same amount of crude oil.

Time for a brief Chemistry Lesson

Sorry in advance, but it feels necessary! Crude oil is composed of essentially two kinds of molecules. Some of these molecules are “large” and some are “small.” The smaller molecules are what ends up becoming gasoline and diesel, but what of the large molecules. These are considered residual byproducts, and can be used for heavy fuel oil and asphalt – generally lesser in demand than gasoline and diesel fuels. These new cracking processes break apart the large molecules to imitate the smaller molecules used in gasoline and diesel in order to maximize the desired yield. These new smaller molecules are more reactive because of their double-bond nature. More reactive molecules indicates a shorter shelf life as they are more prone to link up in polymers and form masses, become insoluble and create blockages in the fuel that may appear like sludge.

If that sounds like a lot, that’s because it is. The creation process of fuel is incredibly detailed and evolves quickly as technology and consumer demand does. If your fuel maintenance practices haven’t changed over time to accommodate the newer types of fuels (and we won’t even get into the difference of old diesel and current Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel, or ULSD), then your fleet may be experience detrimental effects in your fuel economy.

Consider Fuel Tank Cleaning, Maintenance and Treatment

The most effective way to manage your fuel and monitor for clumping or “sludge” development is to set up regular appointments to maintain your fuel. This may include visual monitoring and testing, along with chemical treatment. Certain additives or actions may help prolong the useful lifespan of your fuel, which saves you money in the long run. In addition, if your fleet is involved, or could be involved, in emergency procedures, having the ability to be sure that your fuel is ready and functional at a moment’s notice is incredibly important.

Fuel maintenance does not simply stop with the fuel itself, however. If your fleet fuels from an island and/or on-site tank, then the maintenance and cleanliness of the tank is vital to ensuring you are maximizing your fuel economy. You will need to mechanically remove any inhibiting masses or impurities from the interior tank surfaces so that the chemical treatments mentioned earlier are not impeded from doing their jobs. With a fuel tank that is clear of masses, sludge and other contaminants, you can expect to pump cleaner fuel and realize greater fuel economy.

Invest in a Fuel Management System

With the physical logistics of your fuel taken care of, now you have time to worry about the financial logistics: how can you further save money from a fuel management standpoint? Investing in an efficient fuel management system is sure to help your fleet realize significant savings. FuelDrive is a powerful fleet fuel management software designed to improve your data accuracy, capture real-time data at the pump, increase security and improve your overall fueling operations. You have the options for HaaS (Hardware as a Service) and SaaS (Software as a Service), and on average fleets experience 15% savings on fuel!

Start upgrading your fuel economy today and learn more by filling out the boxes on the right of this page:

Establishing a strong presence in the construction industry requires every aspect of your operation to be optimized, including fuel costs and management. Mismanaged fuel can end up costing millions annually, depending on the size of your fleet. Much like a house, an effective fuel management software is built with four key pieces:

• Foundation – Efficiency
• Walls – Security
• Floor – Customer Service
• Roof – Wet Hosing Capabilities

Let’s look at how these four pieces come together to build an effective solution.

Foundation – Efficiency

If a house’s foundation is old, broken, unstable or (even worse) non-existent, the house is a catastrophe waiting to happen. There could be a wet season, or the house could topple in a hurricane or tornado, or even break apart if the ground shifts.

Likewise, if your fuel management solution is broken, glitch-ridden or non-existent, it’s inefficient and pointless. Even worse, it may cause serious problems later on if you need to audit your payments or check fueling history for trends and ways to optimize. An effective fuel management software solution will ensure that you experience ROI with a system that can accurately record all fueling transaction data and analyze trends in real time so that your construction organization can thrive.

Walls – Security

If you’re making a large purchase on a house, you probably are checking to make sure its security is up to date – walls, doors, windows and locks should all be working and sturdy. Well if you’re in charge of fueling for your fleet, you’ve surely run into issues with fuel theft, whether it’s from internal or external sources. Effective fuel management systems will come equipped with features that assign vehicle identification devices that will sync up and communicate with the fuel pumps and controllers. This interaction can be used to ensure a number of things, including:

1. The vehicle is using the correct kind of fuel.
2. The person operating the pump is authorized to fuel.
3. The person (or the vehicle) has not exceeded their fuel limit you’ve enacted for that time frame.
4. One fueling session does not include multiple receiving vehicles.

Floor – Customer Support

When constructing a house, you can’t expect to satisfy your client if you don’t include a floor. The floor needs to support you, and it should change depending on your needs: a bathroom will have easy to clean and water-resistant tile, a living room may have carpet for comfortable lounging and so on.

An effective fuel management solution will come with a customer support team that is committed to solving all of your problems as fast as possible, and will be available 24/7. The team won’t just work on one area either – they can help with software questions, hardware issues and system optimization. In addition, the software supplier will continue to support optimizing your operations through updates, fixes and new features that you’ll enjoy.
 

Roof – Wet Hosing Capabilities

There’s one more key feature that’s missing: a roof. Just like a house wouldn’t be worth living in without a roof, a fuel management system wouldn’t be worth investing in if it didn’t offer wet hosing capabilities. Besides the obvious speed benefits of wet hosing in the construction industry, it also offers increased security and accuracy in fueling. With mobile identification devices connected to the heavy equipment, you can remain confident that the fuel dispensed from the tankers is going exactly where it says it is.

In addition, construction work does not have to stop for the vehicle to return to a fueling stop, which results in increased optimization of work hours. However, the benefits don’t stop there; using a mobile fueling tanker that only needs to be in certain locations when it is required to be helps to reduce environmental and safety concerns that might otherwise exist with an above- or below-ground fuel tank system.

Only a fuel management software that is built on these four key pieces can promote confident, effective fueling practices and help your construction operations succeed through savings. FuelDrive, powered by AssetWorks, is an automated fleet fuel management system that supports continuous, real-time fuel management over virtually any communication platform. It uses powerful software to improve data accuracy, capture real-time data at the pump, increase security and improve your overall fueling operations. FuelDrive offers all of the key pieces above along with additional features!

Interested in learning more about fuel management and construction? Fill out the form to the right and we will be happy to get in contact with you!