Fleet sustainability: 7 actions for logistics

Practicing sustainable fleet actions means incorporating lasting measures into routines to reduce waste, guide decisions and help the operation understand its impacts. This is not an isolated activity: the topic needs to be part of company planning and choices about vehicles, tires, refueling, maintenance and people.

That is why a sustainable fleet does not come about simply by purchasing a new item. It depends on culture, consistent records and keeping track of results over time. Before setting goals, it is worth defining what will be observed, who is responsible for each action and how data will be compared.

Explore actions that can form part of this work:

• measure fleet environmental impact;
• seek less-polluting vehicles suited to the operation;
• choose tires considering performance and application;
• refuel with compatible fuel and keep track of consumption;
• use technologies to provide process visibility;
• involve employees in fleet practices;
• learn about agreements, requirements and legislation related to sustainability.

Measure your fleet's environmental impact

The first step is understanding the baseline. Observe, for example, vehicle age and condition, consumption by model, mileage, refueling, maintenance, material disposal and incidents that leave vehicles idle or require rework. These records do not replace a formal emissions inventory when needed, but help turn a generic intention into a manageable routine.

To keep track of progress, compare equivalent periods and vehicles with similar use. A change in route, load, terrain or seasonality can alter consumption; therefore, comparing just an isolated number can lead to an incorrect conclusion. What matters is documenting the criteria, recording exceptions and checking whether the adopted measure reduced waste without compromising safety or availability.

It is also possible to carry out benchmarking with companies of a similar profile, exchanging experiences about practices, indicators and obstacles. Comparisons should serve as a reference rather than a promise of results: each fleet operates with its own vehicles, routes, loads and conditions.

Seek less-polluting vehicles suited to operational needs

Vehicle renewal can be an opportunity to consider efficiency and environmental compatibility alongside load capacity, range, service availability, route profiles and operating cost. Electric, hybrid, alternative-fuel or newer vehicles may make sense for certain uses, but the choice needs case-by-case assessment.

There is no single solution for all fleets. Feasibility depends on vehicle type, distance traveled, available infrastructure, refueling or charging location, cargo carried and manufacturer recommendations. Before buying, define which issue replacement is intended to solve and simulate actual operations, rather than deciding solely on advertised technology.

Cars, trucks, buses and motorcycles have different offerings and limitations. An alternative suited to urban travel may not meet the needs of a long route or an operation with specific cargo requirements. Therefore, analysis should combine operational needs, safety, maintenance and the fuel or energy allowed by the vehicle.

Even without renewing the entire fleet, keeping a maintenance calendar helps avoid faults and waste that can increase consumption and emissions. Sustainable maintenance practices, inspections and timely corrections are part of this assessment.

Use eco-friendly tires

When choosing tires, the term “eco-friendly” should not replace technical analysis. It is more useful to check whether the tire suits the vehicle, axle, load and ground type, as well as maintaining calibration, rotation, inspections and disposal according to operational needs.

In Brazil, for new car, truck and bus tires, the National Energy Conservation Label (ENCE) reports rolling resistance, wet-road grip and external noise. The label helps compare products, but does not remove the need to check manufacturer specifications and correct application: lower rolling resistance is only one purchasing criterion.

Management continues after purchase. Checking wear, pressure, damage and maintenance needs reduces the chance of using tires outside suitable conditions. When refurbishment or disposal takes place, the procedure should follow the rules and partners applicable to the company.

Refuel with cleaner fuels

Fuel choice should start with vehicle compatibility. Using an unsuitable product can cause damage and operating costs; therefore, always consult the manufacturer's manual and recommendations. This assessment is part of transport sustainability.

When planning vehicle renewal or fuel changes, assess local availability, range, safety, maintenance, product quality and the operational effect. Ethanol and biodiesel are among the main liquid biofuels used in Brazil and come from renewable biomass; this does not mean they suit every fleet vehicle.

Refueling control remains essential, regardless of the energy source. Record vehicle, fuel type, volume, price, mileage and usage conditions. Comparison by make, model and activity helps identify variations worth investigating, such as changes in consumption, mechanical faults, incorrect refueling or route changes.

Use technologies to improve control and visibility of company processes

Technologies can support sustainable transport by organizing inspection, maintenance, tire, refueling and disposal records. The benefit does not come from accumulating data, but from being able to consult reliable information and act when there is a deviation or improvement opportunity.

Before choosing a tool, map how each process happens today and which information is missing for decisions. Digitizing inspection records, for example, can reduce transcription rework and centralize history for analysis. This allows the team to keep track of outstanding issues and prioritize tasks instead of searching for scattered data.

Reports and indicators also help locate practices that generate waste, provided they are read in context. Increased consumption may be linked to maintenance, route profile, load or another operating condition. Investigate the cause before defining the correction.

Encourage employees to carry out sustainable actions

Driver training (in Portuguese) and support team training can include sustainable practices related to each person's work. Drivers need to know how to identify vehicle changes, record issues, open service requests when needed and drive responsibly and defensively. The maintenance team, in turn, needs clarity on inspection, correction and recording criteria.

The aim is not to transfer all responsibility to drivers. The company should provide processes, guidance and conditions for records to turn into action. When people understand the reason for an inspection, calibration or consumption record, the chance of consistent performance increases.

Use actual results from the fleet itself in team conversations: a fault identified before it causes downtime, an investigated variation or a process improvement makes the topic concrete. Recognition needs to respect responsibilities and should not encourage concealing incidents.

Learn about agreements and legislation that promote sustainability

A sustainability strategy also needs to consider rules, contractual commitments and requirements that apply to the company. Before defining a goal or procedure, identify the operation's responsibilities and which documents need consulting for that activity.

Names the company may encounter while structuring this agenda include the Paris Agreement, the Global Compact and ESG. They do not replace identifying the requirements that actually apply to the operation. In fleets, it is advisable to keep up with requirements related to vehicles, tires, fuels, waste and safety, as well as local and contractual rules.

When studying ESG — the acronym used for environmental, social and governance topics — assess which actions fit the company's context. Legislation and specifications can change; therefore, treat official links and announcements as reference sources rather than a definitive list within this article. See also the post on ESG strategy (in Portuguese).

When introducing a new practice, record the requirement that prompted it, the person responsible for keeping track of it and evidence that the procedure was followed. This way, sustainability stops depending solely on an isolated initiative and becomes part of operational controls.

Sources consulted

• BNDES — Administrative emissions: a Brazilian reference for including service vehicles in direct emissions and for the usefulness of emissions inventories.
• Inmetro — Mandatory tire information: criteria reported on Brazil's ENCE tire label.
• ANP — Biofuels: characterization of ethanol and biodiesel as fuels derived from renewable biomass and their use in Brazil.