Strategies that increase fuel efficiency are not only good for the environment, they also protect margins when diesel prices are high. By using advanced remote tank monitoring systems, petroleum and chemical distributors can plan smarter delivery routes, cut mileage, and reduce labor costs while improving customer service.
Better Routes Save Fuel
The Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay program tracks fuel and emissions performance from participating fleets. Medium- and heavy-duty trucks account for roughly 23% of greenhouse gas emissions from all vehicles, so even incremental improvements matter.
Based on SmartWay data, fleets can reduce their carbon footprints in three key ways: using cleaner alternative fuels, improving equipment and driver performance to burn less fuel, and driving fewer miles by using technology such as remote tank monitoring to eliminate unnecessary stops and plan more efficient routes.
Fleets Burn 8.7 Million Fewer Gallons With Tank Monitoring
Distributors have deployed SkyBitz SmartTank solutions on more than 180,000 chemical, fuel, lubricant, and propane tanks. SmartTank wireless sensors transmit tank level and usage data to the SmartTank Dispatch portal, giving planners the insight needed to deliver more gallons with fewer stops.
Without monitoring, the industry’s average delivery efficiency is about 45%, meaning trucks often visit tanks that are less than half empty. With real-time visibility and accurate forecasting, SkyBitz users increase delivery efficiency to more than 75% on average, enabling more gallons delivered per stop while reducing runouts and emergency orders.
Route simulations show that improving efficiency from 40% to 75% can reduce 35 miles per route, saving approximately 5.4 gallons of fuel per truck based on an average of 6.45 miles per gallon. Across 800 petroleum and chemical distributors, results show an average fleet size of 30 trucks, five fewer deliveries per route, and a reduction of 7.5 miles per route. In total, this represents 56.1 million fewer miles driven annually, 7 million gallons of diesel saved, and 88,566 metric tons of CO₂ emissions avoided.
Making the Most of Tank Monitoring
Remote tank monitoring also supports revenue growth and profitability. Distributors can maximize fill rates on each order and reduce visit frequency, increasing delivery margins and serving more customers without increasing fleet size.
The SmartTank Dispatch portal uses real-time telemetry data and forecasting algorithms to automate order generation, optimize delivery planning, and streamline workflows for both will-call and keep-full orders. Its fast, responsive interface helps improve productivity, route density, and customer service.
Conclusion
Sustainability efforts must also make business sense for petroleum and chemical distributors. Remote tank monitoring offers both environmental and financial advantages by reducing fuel consumption, cutting emissions, and enabling smarter operations—making it a smart, sustainable investment.
