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FLEET MANAGEMENT Getting Green by Going Green B y S t a n O r r, C A E Return on investment (ROI) is a business management term heard almost every day. It's top priority for managers, and drives almost every decision made — from purchasing to preventative maintenance programs to employee hiring.In recent years,going "green" has become synonymous with being environmentally friendly, but the topic of ROI has also been linked to the green movement. Specifically, does investing in green pay off? Being able to prove a return is often the challenge that comes with justifying the investment. Unfortunately, it's not always immediate or even measurable in terms of sheer dollars. But upgrading to a greener fleet has been shown to offer benefits that improve the bottom line, both in the short- and long-term. Further helping the validation of green fleet practices is the equipment industry, which, as a whole, is recognizing the value. The Association of Equipment Management Professionals (AEMP) is one organization that has seen a spike in the interest of green practices, so much that it recently implemented a program dedicated to green fleet policies, and the benefits of implementation. For fleet managers looking to justify the investment of a greener fleet, there are five primary areas where return can be realized. 1. Fuel savings Fleets are always going to need fuel, period.With fuel prices skyrocketing in recent years and not looking to level out anytime soon, fuel is one of the top areas most managers constantly look at to reduce costs. It's also one business practice that provides a twofold green benefit. Reducing fuel consumption is certainly environmentally friendly from an emissions standpoint, but is also smart in terms of dollars. Another factor that makes fuel consumption an ideal candidate for 18 Arbor Age / March 2013 green practice implementation is its low cost to entry. Simple low-cost steps can be taken, helping a fleet to realize ROI quickly. Implementing a written idle policy is one simple step that requires minimal time and cost investment. Likewise, regularly checking tire pressure could — and should — be lumped in as part of a proactive preventative maintenance program, thus requiring no additional implementation cost. Managers willing to spend a bit more energy and cost can look to more strategic ways to reduce usage, such as assessing a fleet's size to see if better utilization can be achieved. Each of these practices contributes to reduced emissions and reduced fuel consumption — a greener and smarter fleet. To illustrate the savings achieved by implementing one practice, consider a written idle policy example.Imagine a fleet comprising 10 vehicles, www.arborage.com