Autolinee Federico: Geotab Telematics slashes fuel costs by 20% and supercharges safety

Challenge: the burden of manual processes and high operating costs for a complex fleet

The Autolinee Federico company, founded in 1929, operates primarily in Calabria with regional and interregional routes that extend as far as Northern Italy (Monza, Milan, and Turin). With 300 employees and a fleet of approximately 200 vehicles, the company has solidified its position as one of the most established and robust entities in Southern Italy.

However, immediately following the COVID-19 pandemic, the company found itself tackling significant challenges, some of which were common to the entire industry.

• Operating Costs and Fuel Consumption: Fuel costs historically represented a significant component of operational expenditures, having previously accounted for up to 50% of total company costs. Before implementing telematics solutions, the company faced inherent complexity in accurately monitoring actual fuel consumption. Furthermore, the absence of objective data on idling time, such as vehicles left running with the engine and air conditioning on, particularly during the summer, and on potential route deviations, severely limited optimization opportunities. 
• Driver Efficiency: Enhancing driver performance and valuing personnel was a strategic area of focus. The objective was to support the development of highly professional drivers, who serve as true company ambassadors—by encouraging them to adopt a more sustainable and conscious driving style, alongside a proactive and passenger-focused approach that went beyond the basic execution of the driving task.
• Regulatory Compliance and Administrative Burden: Mandatory regulatory compliance related to the download of tachograph data (legally required to be downloaded a maximum of every 90 days) previously constituted a considerable administrative burden. Manually managing this process, especially with a distributed fleet, including vehicles operating in Northern Italy, required a significant drain of resources and time (from half an hour up to an hour and fifteen minutes per vehicle), leading to major inefficiencies and increased costs.
• Operational Risk: Ultimately, due to the lack of remote control, the detailed monitoring of driving hours and vehicle behavior presented an elevated risk, particularly regarding instances of speeding or exceeding maximum permitted driving times.

Solution: Automated Data Download and Real-Time Monitoring

The decision to implement telematics was driven by the essential need to eliminate manual management and automate the download of tachograph cards across a geographically dispersed fleet. In this context, the support from the Geotab partner was crucial; through their exceptional availability and expertise, they guided the adoption of the solution following an initial pilot program on five vehicles.

What were the main benefits?

• Automated Tachograph Download
  This core functionality eliminated fines related to non-compliance with tachograph data download requirements. On average, the time currently needed for data download has been reduced from approximately one hour per vehicle to just a few minutes—simply the time required to turn on the computer.
• Driving Style Data
  Increased visibility and monitoring led to a higher level of driving awareness, resulting in a consequent reduction in traffic violations and fuel consumption.
• Enhanced Visibility
  The system provided advanced, real-time GPS tracking, which proved useful for strategic aspects such as assigning vehicles to drivers or identifying vehicles left running while idling—information that was previously impossible to obtain remotely.

Impact: Demonstrating ROI

The adoption of Geotab technology quickly generated quantifiable and significant results across several key operational areas for Autolinee Federico.

On the safety and compliance front, the company recorded an approximate 40% reduction in overall violations and fines. This notable achievement is the result of effective monitoring that incentivized better adherence to tachograph card regulations and, more broadly, greater driving awareness.Furthermore, the ability to access real-time data is crucial in the event of an accident. The vehicle information collected by Geotab immediately provides critical details, such as the vehicle's speed at the moment of impact, offering objective support to both the company and the personnel involved.

In terms of efficiency and sustainability, the improvement in driving style and the careful monitoring of engine-on idling times led to a 20% fuel saving.This is complemented by considerable administrative savings: the elimination of manual data downloading has transformed what was a burdensome task for staff into a tangible recovery of cost and efficiency for the entire organization.

Finally, the increased visibility offered by telematics translates into a clear competitive advantage. Not only does it support better service provided by the drivers, but the ability to monitor the fleet in real-time gives the company a clearer vision for making rapid and accurate decisions regarding optimal vehicle assignment and management.

In short, the company’s image, reliability, and professionalism are significantly strengthened.

The Future

Looking ahead, Autolinee Federico has identified a series of strategic areas whose full realization is linked to the evolution and expansion of its use of the Geotab management platform. These objectives represent the next milestones in operational optimization.

A primary area of focus is predictive maintenance, aiming to fully leverage the platform's ability to provide early alerts regarding potential vehicle anomalies, thereby integrating the advanced artificial intelligence tools already available.

Furthermore, the company aims for the strategic optimization of routes. This involves determining real driving times and planning adjustments to reduce the time needed to reach destinations, and consequently, evaluating the possibility of serving more locations and improving connections, particularly those extending to Northern Italy.

The Personnel Manager's Perspective

Marcello Sculco has been with the company for eight years and handles contact with local authorities and personnel management, particularly focusing on shift rotations and tachograph cards. Due to this involvement, his job requires constant availability: $24/7$, 365 days a year.Given his deep involvement, he states:

"Telematics has transformed operating costs into strategic data. Today, we are not just seeing an economic return; we are investing in a partnership that gives us the vision to guide the company into the future, confirming our position as the region's flagship."– Marcello Sculco, Personnel Office Manager at Autolinee Federico