SMART REFUELLING TRACKING FOR RENTAL CARS

INTRO

The global car rental market is experiencing significant growth, driven by increasing travel demands, urban mobility solutions and flexible transport preferences. To remain competitive, these fleet operators need to streamline operations, reduce inefficiencies and improve customer satisfaction. One of the most critical, yet overlooked, aspects of rental car management is fuel monitoring.

CHALLENGE

According to market research, the car rental industry is expected to exceed $214 billion by 2027, indicating its huge potential. Vehicle fleet operators typically rely on dashboard fuel readings when a car is returned.

However, dashboard fuel gauges are designed to remain full for the first 60-80 kilometres of driving to ensure stability. In some cases, vehicles can travel up to 160 kilometres before the gauge shows a decrease. This design can give misleading data and prevent rental companies from detecting incomplete refuelling or fuel misuse.

In addition, manual fuel checks consume significant time and resources, noticeably slowing vehicle turnaround times. Fleet staff must check fuel levels, refuel vehicles and resolve any discrepancies, delaying their readiness for the next rental. These inefficiencies can be compounded during peak seasons, limiting revenue potential.

Without accurate monitoring, discrepancies in fuel levels often lead to disputes between companies and their customers. Fuel theft, improper refuelling, or unauthorised vehicle use can go undetected, increasing operating costs and reducing profitability. Incorrect data also risks customer dissatisfaction and undermines confidence in the rental service.

SOLUTION

To address these challenges, Teltonika's telematics division offers innovative OBD trackers with OEM data reading capabilities - FMx003 series. These devices are a viable solution for rental companies to access critical vehicle parameters, including distance since refuelling, actual fuel level, and odometer, providing reliable and actionable insights.

How it works – let`s take the 4G LTE connectivity model FMC003 as an example. It connects seamlessly to a vehicle's OBD-II port to extract real-time data for efficient fleet management. Among these advanced parameters, the ‘Distance Since Refuel’ feature provides accurate tracking of the distance a vehicle has travelled since its last refuelling.

When the GPS tracker detects a refuelling event, it triggers an internal odometer calculation that provides the value of the distance travelled since the refuelling event. This eliminates the need to rely on potentially inaccurate dashboard fuel readings, providing a reliable solution for fleet operators to manage their vehicles with greater accuracy and insight.

With this data, managers in charge can easily identify fuel discrepancies when vehicles are returned, even if the dashboard inaccurately indicates a full tank. In addition, the solution automates fuel management by identifying vehicles that require refuelling before their next rental. It also monitors its usage patterns to detect potential theft or misuse, helping to streamline operations and reduce costs. By integrating this functionality, rental companies can optimise their fuel-related operations and improve overall fleet efficiency.

Teltonika FMC003 is also a highly versatile and flexible OBD tracker, designed to meet the diverse needs of modern fleet management. With support for over 1,300 different vehicle models, it ensures compatibility with a wide range of cars, making it an ideal solution for companies with mixed fleets. What's more, it expands usage scenarios with support for more than 110 car models in the growing electric vehicle (EV) market. This diversity makes FMC003 a future-proof solution for companies looking to optimise operations across both internal combustion and EV fleets.

TOPOLOGY

BENEFITS

• Accurate fuel monitoring - the 'Distance Since Refuel' parameter eliminates inaccuracies in dashboard readings, allowing businesses to detect discrepancies and incomplete refuelling as they happen.
• Improved operational efficiency - automated fuel tracking reduces the time spent on manual checks, streamlines vehicle turnaround, and ensures the fleet is fully prepared for the next rental.
• Optimised business costs - companies can minimise financial losses and increase profitability by identifying fuel abuse, theft, or unauthorised vehicle use.
• Improved customer experience - providing fully prepared vehicles with accurate fuel levels improves the level of satisfaction and trust from clients, ensuring a smooth rental experience.
• Scalable fleet management – Teltonika FMx003 series is a perfect choice for large rental fleets, providing a reliable and automated solution for tracking and managing fuel data for thousands of vehicles.

WHY TELTONIKA?

Teltonika's telematics division delivers high accuracy in fuel monitoring for car rental fleets, using FMx003 series OBD data trackers to provide actionable insight into fuel usage and vehicle performance. This technology provides real-time access to critical parameters, such as 'Distance Since Refuel' and actual fuel levels, eliminating the inaccuracies of dashboard readings.

The solution helps rental companies identify fuel discrepancies, minimise disputes, and optimise refuelling schedules to reduce downtime and operating costs. FMx003 series GPS trackers are compatible with both internal combustion and EVs, making them the ideal choice for a wide range of fleets. Backed by Teltonika's commitment to innovation and quality, our solutions provide the tools needed to optimise fleet performance, deliver exceptional customer experiences, and help maintain a leading position in the rental car market.