Through the use of telematics, it has been proven that companies can reduce their carbon footprints, whilst saving millions of pounds. One company which has demonstrated this is Restore Datashred, who by using Masternaut telematics, along with many other companies across the UK , has saved a combined 230,000 tonnes of CO2 each year; equivalent to 87,800,000 litres of fuel and approximately £113,262,000 of savings.

Restore Datashred is one of the UK’s leading confidential shredding businesses, running a fleet of over 300 vans, LGVs and HGVs. With a keen interest in reducing carbon emissions and fuel consumption, road safety, and maintaining customer service excellence, the company realised they faced challenges which included:

– Meeting their own expectations in terms of their responsibilities to customers, neighbours and the environment

– Meeting the requirements of public sector organisations to demonstrate safer, more efficient, more environmentally aware      fleet management

– Being able to reliably and accurately analyse routes and fuel usage

– Driver behaviours, such as harsh braking or accelerating

– Monitoring individual vehicles’ consumption

With these challenges in mind, Restore Datashred partnered up with Masternaut telematics in 2013. Their Fleet CO2 Certification programme, verified by The Energy Saving Trust, rewards efforts to improve environmental performance and reduce businesses’ carbon footprint.

Since 2013, the partnership has shown to have been incredibly beneficial. In 2017, Restore Datashred’s fleet of specialist vehicles travelled a staggering 7,963,000km or 4,950,000 miles a year – following the partnership an 8.9% reduction in fuel consumption per mile was recorded. Over the course of a year, this currently represents 172,000 fewer litres and 452 fewer tonnes of CO2 emissions, saving £177,000 in fuel costs per year.

Restore Datashred’s Head of Fleet, Ian Walsh, says: “We have worked with Masternaut since around 2013, and every vehicle carries their Tachofresh telematics software that gives us clarity and control over driver information and behaviours.

“With these technologies we can constantly train and update our secure collection operatives in the most environmentally friendly ways of driving, such as reducing speed and idling times. When added to our tracking of the freest-flowing and most efficient routes, and analysis of fuel consumption using Tachofresh feedback, telematics offers a powerful tool in our aims of providing customer service excellence and environmental benefits.”

Mike Hemming who heads Masternaut’s catalytix data analytics team says, “We work collaboratively with organisations to give them the capability to manage their data to reduce emissions. It’s important for data to be comprehensive to offer insight but is also delivered in a format to make it actionable.”

Restore Datashred have not only reduced the average age of their fleet vehicles to just four years old, but are changing the make-up of their fleet and collections patterns in response to 12, 24 and 36-month projects that analysed mileage versus capacity. Even though, on paper, their vans returned the best miles per gallon, with careful and smart route and collections planning, the company know that capacity is king. They have started reducing their reliance on vans and have moved towards a 12-tonne chassis.

Ian Walsh says: “We couldn’t have carried out this level of analytical detail without our partnership with Masternaut. The team there listens to, responds and delivers what we need, such as ensuring new vehicles are quickly rolled into our ongoing tracking project so that we can continue to reduce consumption and emissions and increase our drivers’ awareness and abilities.

“Thanks to weekly regular reporting and feedback on all their devices installed with us, and great communications in general, I feel that we are working with the right professionals to help us meet our corporate social responsibilities. In a fast-changing transport and fleet management environment, with new fuels and ways of powering vehicles to be considered, this inspires nothing but confidence.”

Following this stellar performance, Restore Datashred was one of the first recipients of the Masternaut Gold Fleet status award, which has put them in the top 2% of the nation’s fleets for responsible, sustainable management.

Ian Walsh adds: “With our effort and determination, the partnership between Restore Datashred and Masternaut has brought really positive results to the business. Can we meet new, even more stretching targets next time around? We’ll give it our best shot!”