DACHSER Implements Solution for Economical Driving

DACHSER will equip its 200 vehicles in its own fleet in Germany with modern connectivity devices from ZF Friedrichshafen by the end of 2024. These devices enable drivers to optimize their driving behavior based on data, meaning they can drive more economically and thus more environmentally friendly. Additionally, DACHSER’s driver trainers will train its own drivers as well as, in the medium term, those of service partners for efficient driving.

(Kempten) DACHSER will equip its 200 vehicles in its own fleet in Germany with modern connectivity devices from ZF Friedrichshafen by the end of 2024. The devices, known as SCALAR connectivity devices, allow conclusions about driving behavior to be drawn from the vehicle data read out. They function independently of the manufacturer for all types of drives from diesel to electric motors to hydrogen vehicles. Drivers can then access their individual data via an app in a secure area on the SCALAR orchestration platform and optimize their driving behavior accordingly to save fuel or electricity.

“Until the comprehensive availability of zero-emission vehicles, economical driving is a very sensible contribution on the way to completely avoiding emissions,” says Hendrik Jansen, Managing Director of DACHSER Service and Training GmbH.

In addition to technological support, the appropriate qualification of drivers also plays a role. DACHSER’s driver trainers train the approximately 450 in-house professional drivers as well as the service partners and their drivers. “Our service partners often do not have the capacity to train their drivers themselves,” says Hendrik Jansen from DACHSER Service and Training GmbH. “We support them here with our expertise. After the pilot projects at three of our locations in Germany, awareness of economical and ecological driving has also increased among our transport partners. Until the comprehensive availability of zero-emission vehicles, economical driving is a very sensible contribution on the way to completely avoiding emissions.”

A More Ecological and Economical Driving Style

The extent of the adjustments can be seen in pilot projects with service partners and their drivers at three DACHSER branches: An energy-efficient driving style saves about four liters of diesel per 100 kilometers and reduces CO2 emissions by an average of around 12 percent. “These figures clearly show that conscious driving significantly contributes to a more ecological and simultaneously more economical driving style,” says Roland Zitzmann, Project Manager at DACHSER Service and Training GmbH. “Although we charge our electric vehicles exclusively with green electricity, it is still more than sensible to use renewable energies sparingly.”

As part of its climate strategy, DACHSER focuses on energy and process efficiency as well as research and innovation to make supply chains more sustainable. Additionally, there is social engagement beyond the company’s boundaries and its core business. A modern fleet of vehicles with the latest generation of diesel engines, as well as the practical use of emission-free vehicles, are among the concrete measures, along with an optimized driving style in terms of energy efficiency.

Qualification of Driving Trainers

DACHSER is currently qualifying the driving trainers at its branches. They then support the approximately 450 drivers employed by DACHSER with their expertise regarding driving behavior and technical questions. In a pilot project, the driving trainers have already trained 33 drivers from seven service partners. DACHSER plans to expand the concept of driving trainers to all German branches.

Photo: © Dachser