Vehicle Fuel Management

Legal requirements for fuel storage tanks

Compliance management of underground and above ground storage tanks is a critical component of a business that uses these tanks. The extensive tasks, research and knowledge that compliance management involves can often become a full time job in itself, even for those who are experts in the field.

“Because underground and aboveground storage tank compliance has become a major focus from regulators at federal, state and local levels, there is a small margin for error,” emphasizes Joel Hershey, director, Eclipse, a company that provides creative underground storage tank (UST) and aboveground storage tank (AST) compliance solutions. “Tanks found not to be in compliance have the potential to incur major penalties and fines upon the owners and/or operators.”

By outsourcing compliance management of a business’s tanks to a reputable, knowledgeable and experienced UST/AST consultant, maintaining tank “becomes more consistently feasible,” he says. “A consultant has the resources and capability to focus on compliance management that a typical business does not.

A reputable consultant also carries the experience of frequent dialogue with regulatory agencies. This assures the keeping up with new and changing regulations, as well as an increased likelihood of smooth negotiations during tank owner/operator and regulator interactions.

“Compliance isn’t a trend,” affirms Hershey. “It is a permanent regulatory fixture that will only continue to grow. EPA regulators need to ensure that USTs/ASTs do not release into our environment, and from their perspective, an increase in regulations will support this.

“As a result, it is imperative that companies take compliance seriously and exercise due diligence in choosing the right compliance management partner.”

Tips for fleet fueling during hurricane season

Hurricanes always raise the specter of diesel supply disruptions and fleets running out of fuel. However, fleets who plan ahead and develop a secure fuel supply chain may weather the storms virtually unscathed.

Five years on, the supply shockwaves from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita are still fresh in the mind of Dennis McCulla, procurement manager for YRC Worldwide, is one of the largest transportation service providers in the world, says Robert Gough of Oil Price Information Service (OPIS), the world’s most widely accepted fuel price benchmark for supply contracts and competitive positioning (www.opisnet.com).

Remarkably, during the cataclysmic 2005 hurricane season “we did not have any run-outs,” McCulla told Gough. “It was a huge accomplishment. In our industry, a run-out is a disaster. Fuel is like the lifeblood of our business.”

How did YRC Worldwide avert a fuel supply disaster? McCulla offered some strategies:

1. If you own bulk storage, hike the amount of days’ supply you have in tanks.
2. Consider a bulk supply contract with a large re-seller, as they have more access to fuel.
3. Establish a relationship with a tank truck hauler that has a “large footprint” so it can pull fuel from long distances if necessary.

Another important factor is loyalty to suppliers, says OPIS’ Gough. McCulla told him YRC Worldwide stays loyal to its suppliers and that pays off in emergencies. “We stick with them and don’t fight over a penny difference,” says McCulla. “It’s a balancing act between loyalty and cost.

Gough advises having detailed contingency planning with fuel suppliers in the event of emergencies that can cause a fuel supply shortage. Further, he recommends reviewing and updating those plan on an annual basis. 

Driving fuel efficiency

“Fuel Efficiency for the Professional Driver” is a training series of short, yet comprehensive, reminder videos designed to keep not just drivers and dispatchers, but maintenance personnel as well, mindful of techniques and practices they can all employ that will result in increased fleet fuel economy.

Produced by the Vertical Alliance Group, a leader in online safety training and consultation for the trucking and transportation industries, this training series is offered through the company’s Infinit-i Learning Management System – a paperless, web-based training and information management solution.

“The training is down-to-earth and brings about lasting change that adds real value to the bottom line, says Jay Wommack, president and CEO of Vertical Alliance Group.