data

Improve Fleet Performance With Data and Analytics

Fleet data is becoming increasingly important in improving performance, managing costs and increasing efficiency, but data alone isn’t enough. Having the ability to analyze current and historical data turns information into knowledge that can uncover actionable insights. Artificial intelligence is taking data analysis a step further and mining enormous datasets to identify patterns and opportunities to improve that would be difficult for humans alone to spot.

Through Penske’s Fleet Insight™, customers can access the AI-driven comparative insights feature, Catalyst AI™. Catalyst AI analyzes hundreds of thousands of datasets and automatically identifies similar fleets so fleet managers can create internal benchmarks while comparing their performance to like operations. There are more than 20 reports within Fleet Insight and Catalyst AI and some of the most useful reports are related to fuel efficiency and utilization.

Improving Fuel Efficiency

Fuel is one of the most significant operating expenses for any trucking company, and even small improvements in miles per gallon can improve margins and sustainability. Several factors affect a vehicle’s fuel economy, from driver behavior and maintenance to idling time.

With Catalyst AI, fleet managers can view MPG for their fleet or by vehicle or operating hub location to see how certain equipment specifications, routes or freight impacts fuel efficiency. The system then compares the fleet’s average miles per gallon to those of similar fleets to help them better understand how they are performing. The system drills down to identify specific vehicles or hubs that are underperforming compared to internal and external benchmarks. More importantly, Catalyst AI recommends specific corrective actions fleets can take to improve their MPG.

Fleets can also run reports in Fleet Insight, Penske’s online customer portal, on idling and maintenance, including maintenance compliance and the status of vehicle maintenance, to help identify how those issues could affect fuel efficiency.

Driving Increased Utilization

Maximizing fleet utilization is one of the most effective ways for fleets to improve profitability without adding equipment or drivers. Utilization can be complex, and it is important for fleet managers to understand not only which equipment is being used but also afc how it is being used. Several factors impact utilization, including routing, load planning, drivers’ hours-of-service and maintenance downtime.

Catalyst AI lets fleet managers view their utilization performance and identify which vehicles are consistently underutilized based on key metrics such as vehicle type and age. It changes hourly and daily utilization to similar fleets and recommends steps to take to improve utilization, such as reassigning underperforming assets or optimizing preventive maintenance.

Turning Insights Into Action

To learn more about how Fleet Insight and Catalyst AI can provide new insights into fleet performance, contact Penske Customer Success at hello@penskecustomersuccess.com or 1-844-426-4555.

Resource LibraryTechnology
monitor fleet dataarticleleasingindustry resourcesdatafleet datacatalyst aifleet insightdata and analytics

Fleet Leaders Lean into AI to Navigate the Road Ahead

The transportation and logistics sector is moving past AI curiosity and into real-world application. According to Penske’s newly released 2025 Transportation Leaders Survey: A Road to AI Adoption, fleet leaders are steadily embracing artificial intelligence (AI) and seeing measurable returns — even as traditional practices and implementation concerns linger.

[Read more...]Show less
catalyst aisurveydatapenske truck leasingPenske Truck Leasing

Manage and Monitor Fleet Data To Increase Its Value

Fleets have data coming at them from multiple sources, including electronic logging devices and the engine.

When managed properly, information can be used to improve operations and increase efficiency. Otherwise, the vast amount of data can be overwhelming to private fleets, leading to paralysis by analysis.

[Read more...]Show less
Resource LibraryTechnology
monitor fleet dataarticleleasingindustry resourcesdatacomplianceclass 8fleet data

Data-Driven Decisions Depend on Reliable Data

Strategic decision making relies on data, and business leaders want to know they can trust the information they receive. The 2017 U.S. CEO Outlook published by KPMG reported that 49% of CEOs said they are concerned about the integrity of the data they receive.

Penske Truck Leasing collects a vast amount of information from its vehicles, which can be used to help fleets improve fuel economy, properly spec vehicles, improve operations and shape driver behavior. The data comes directly from a heavy-duty truck’s engine control module (ECM), and Penske executives have verified its accuracy.

“We did a fuel study, measuring everything from a fuel economy standpoint, such as road speeds and how much time we drove and the consumption of fuel,” said Mike Hasinec, vice president of maintenance support for Penske Truck Leasing.

The data was compared to information coming from the ECM, and Penske found that the data was 95 to 96% accurate. “As long as you can read the tea leaves, you can make a lot of good decisions,” Hasinec said.

Penske compiles data and presents it to its customers in a usable fashion. The ECM data can be used in several ways.

Improve Fuel Economy

TruckSmart Icon

The reports Penske compiles include several line items that provide insight into fuel economy. Those data points include the gear in which drivers operate as well as how often the driver uses cruise control. “Most people will tell you if you use cruise control, you’ll get better fuel economy,” Hasinec said, adding that fleets could use the data to coach drivers that don’t use cruise control.

Reduce Idling

TruckSmart Icon

Penske tracks the percentage of idle time. “Idle is literally a waste of fuel,” Hasinec said, adding that fleets can work with drivers who have a high idle time to change driver behavior.

Improve Safety

TruckSmart Icon

Penske’s reports provide information on speeding, and fleets can create the bands they want to monitor. Drivers exceeding those bands could benefit from individual coaching.

The reports also capture information on hard braking, which most OEMs consider a deceleration rate of seven miles-per-hour per second. “If you decelerate at seven miles-per-hour per second, you’re on the brakes pretty hard and probably tailgating,” Hasinec said, adding that fleets can use the information to coach drivers.

Spec the Right Vehicle

TruckSmart Icon

The ECM reports average drive load. “That is how hard the vehicle is working, and that tells you about the application,” Hasinec said.

The average drive load could vary based on the route or the weight of the truck, but the numbers can provide insight into whether or not the vehicle is well-suited for the application. “You can look at the data and figure out very quickly if we have the vehicle set up right from a road-speed standpoint,” Hasinec said.

Improve Utilization

TruckSmart Icon

Data on engine utilization provide insight into the duration of the trip and the amount of time the vehicle was active. The information could help uncover inefficiencies and offer insight into whether the asset was being used to the best of its ability.

By digging into the data, a private fleet could uncover, for example, if a driver was delayed when stopping for fuel at a truck stop. If that is the case, Penske customers could choose to fuel at Penske locations. “There aren’t the same distractions at a Penske facility as there are at a truck stop,” Hasinec said.

Schedule Maintenance

Data-driven Icon

The engines in Class 8 tractors can have as many as 1,000 fault codes, but only 20 to 30 of them are mission critical, Hasinec said. Capturing and deciphering the fault codes can allow Penske and its customers to schedule repairs to maximize uptime and keep trucks moving.


Resource LibraryTechnologyApps and Tools
fleet dataarticleleasingindustry resourcesdata-driven insightsdatasafetyfuel