Safelite Group Notes Fuel Saving

Ohio-based Safelite Group, a provider of auto glass products and services, announced the launch of a company-wide program called “Turn It Off – Idling Gets You Nowhere.”

The initiative is an effort to reduce fuel consumption of the more than 2,500 vehicles used by two subsidiaries – Safelite AutoGlass, a provider of auto glass services, and Service AutoGlass, a U.S. auto glass wholesaler. To accommodate consumers with auto glass repair and replacement capabilities, Safelite AutoGlass provides mobile service to nearly 90 percent of its customers.

As part of the program, the company has asked employees who drive company vehicles to be mindful of operating habits, routine maintenance, routing and fuel purchases. During the first six months of the program, Safelite Group used 295,000 fewer gallons of gasoline than it had during the same time period in the previous year. This represents a 6 percent decrease in fuel consumption during a time of increased business volume.

The “Turn It Off” theme was chosen to remind employees to not leave their vehicles idling between trips and to alter a culture of doing this. Prior to 2001, Safelite Group technicians were required to keep their vehicle engines running to keep the urethane, an important component in the windshield installation process, at the proper temperature. New Safelite vehicles are now designed and equipped to keep the urethane at the needed temperature and operate electrical equipment without the engine idling. By 2004, 85 percent of Safelite’s fleet had this capability.

The primary goal in implementing the program was to improve gas mileage in Safelite Group vehicles, which travel more than 60 million miles a year. Since the program’s launch, Safelite Group has increased gas mileage by an average of nearly four miles per gallon. “It’s essential that we work toward improving the miles per gallon used by our fleet,” said Bob Mossing, Safelite Group’s fleet supervisor and leader of the “Turn It Off” program. “Expenses saved in reduced fuel consumption will contribute to our overall financial success and allow us to continue to offer competitive pricing.”

Reducing fuel consumption has additional advantages, including environmental and vehicle maintenance benefits. “Being mindful of when the vehicle is idling and overall fuel consumption gives employees a chance to have a direct impact on fuel usage and expenses … not to mention that they can be environmentally conscious in the communities in which they work and live,” said Mossing. “In addition, these efforts have already led to less wear and tear on our vehicles, and they should ultimately extend the duration of time required between routine maintenance performed on the Safelite Group fleet.”