How Orkin Cut Idling 8.4% with a Fleet Idling Contest Powered by Geotab

Orkin already had an idling limit and in-cab alerts, but idling kept rising as its fleet grew. So the company tried something different: it turned idling reduction into a competition. In just three months, its Geotab-powered fleet idling contest cut total idle time by 8.4%, with savings projected to reach as much as $250,000.

About Orkin

Orkin is a pest control and home services company serving more than 1.7 million residential and commercial customers with a fleet of around 10,000 vehicles. Environmental responsibility is a core part of how it operates, from EPA-registered products and recycling to vanpooling, energy efficiency and an Environmental Stewardship Group.

On the fleet side, Orkin already uses GPS and route consolidation software to cut emissions, and it services customers every other month instead of monthly to reduce mileage.

The challenge: an idling rule that didn't work

Orkin had a 20-minute idling rule, with an audible in-cab alert warning drivers before they hit the limit. In practice, most drivers used nearly all of it, switching off just before the 20-minute mark.

The cost was significant. Orkin estimated idling cost the company just over $1 million in 2017, rising to $1.22 million by 2019.

The solution: a fleet idling contest

Orkin launched the "Low Idle — Wins Title" contest, running it for one fiscal quarter. The goal was to teach drivers and managers why excessive idling matters and to capture fuel savings along the way.

Using Geotab telematics, Orkin scored drivers on their total idle time rather than individual idling events. Its authorized Geotab reseller sponsored the prizes:

• Top prize: a Caribbean cruise for two for the driver with the lowest overall idling

• Most Improved Driver

• Branch and regional awards: Lowest Idling Branch, Most Improved Branch and Best Performing Region, which came with a donation to the Rollins Employee Relief Fund in the region's name

Daily, weekly and monthly idle reports showed idling time by vehicle, making it easy for managers to track progress and share rankings with drivers throughout the contest.

The results

Idling dropped across every division, and it kept falling month over month even as the fleet grew.

Result	Outcome
Total idle time	Down 8.4% over three months versus the previous year
Top drivers	Two drivers idled just 4 minutes and 26 seconds for the entire quarter
Most improved driver	Idle time down 99.5%
Most improved branch	Idling down 87%
Most improved division	Idling down 13% per vehicle
Projected savings	Up to $250,000 if the trend continues

The first-place winner was chosen using drivers' overall driver scorecards. Orkin achieved these savings with no additional investment.

Environmental benefits

Less idling means fewer emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and other pollutants, plus cleaner air and less noise in the communities Orkin serves. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heavy- and light-duty vehicles waste around 6 billion gallons of fuel a year, and each gallon of gasoline burned produces about 8,887 grams of CO2.

Lower costs and longer engine life

Cutting idling also improves fuel efficiency and reduces wear, which helps extend engine life and lowers maintenance costs.

Could a fleet idling contest work for you?

Gamification works because drivers can see their progress and compete for something they care about. Can-Am Telematics and Wireless can help you set up Geotab idle reports and driver scorecards to run your own fleet idling contest and start cutting fuel costs. Contact our team to talk through your fleet.

Read the original success story and download the PDF on Geotab's site: Orkin: Lower idling, greener earth.