Drivers and Fleets Benefit from Reducing Fuel Use with ISAAC Coach

Jul 28, 2022

The ISAAC Coach helps truck drivers burn less fuel on the road and reduces fuel costs for trucking companies. It’s designed to show operators real-time information about using the gas pedal as efficiently as possible. In a similar way to how a football coach guides players, the ISAAC Coach provides support from the sideline while drivers make the call in the cab.

There are plenty of factors outside of a driver’s control that impact fuel efficiency, so the ISAAC Coach considers things like wind, load, and road conditions when making recommendations. Following the indicators that the ISAAC Coach provides helps drivers achieve a great score on how efficiently the truck is driven, leading to significant fuel savings.

How does the ISAAC Coach work?

The ISAAC Coach gives drivers information about how the truck is operated versus current driving conditions. The ISAAC in-cab tablet displays real-time coaching on gas pedal usage, with the goal of improving fuel efficiency. Recommendations provided by the ISAAC Coach are communicated by three circles and a handful of alerts:

Three circles indicator

  • The empty green circles show an efficient use of the accelerator pedal, cruise control, and gear shifting for current driving conditions.
  • The green circles are gradually filled in as the truck maintains efficient engine power use and gets closer to the maximum usage for current driving conditions.
  • The green circles turn yellow when the truck is close to exceeding maximum engine power for current driving conditions.

ISAAC Coach alerts

  • This alert reminds drivers to reduce pressure on the accelerator pedal. Drivers should follow the recommendation only if it’s safe to do so. Stay out of the red “accel.” alert as much as possible. The driver must ignore this alert when more power is required to reach a safe speed. For example, don’t hesitate to step harder on the fuel pedal when entering a highway on-ramp and merging into the flow of traffic. Follow the ISAAC Coach recommendations again when driving at a safe speed.

  • This alert reminds drivers to upshift. Drivers should follow the recommendation only if it’s safe to do so. When driving above 55 mph (90 kph) and over 1,500 RPM, the ISAAC Coach will provide recommendations for fuel-efficient shifting. The goal is to be at top gear and low RPMs for the current speed and driving conditions. If a truck is going uphill with a heavy load and needs to downshift, the ISAAC Coach will take into account the extra power and torque that the driver needs.

  • This alert reminds drivers to deactivate cruise control when current driving conditions are not optimal for its use. We know drivers perform much better than cruise control, so this alert shows when the ISAAC Coach recommends turning the cruise control off because it’s the most fuel-efficient way to operate the truck under current driving conditions.

  • This alert shows that the driver is currently coasting. The ISAAC Coach counts good coasting from 50 mph (80 kph) and slower, if the engine brake is turned off, and if the driver releases the accelerator pedal and lets the truck move on its own momentum.

How to get the most out of the ISAAC Coach

Drivers achieve a high fuel efficiency score, drive safer, and experience less stress when they’re able to follow recommendations provided by the ISAAC Coach.

The ISAAC solution crunches the numbers in the background, including 40 different real-time parameters. When drivers climb a hill or go into a headwind, the ISAAC Coach knows that the truck needs more power and adjusts the recommendation. Same goes for truckers hauling heavier loads—the ISAAC Coach budgets for more power.

This means that drivers are not held responsible for things beyond their control. Fleets get the most out of the ISAAC Coach when everyone works together to set goals for reducing fuel consumption and agrees on incentives for drivers who demonstrate efficient fuel pedal usage.

Achieve quick ROI with trucking technology

The cost of fuel rocketed as the driver shortage got worse this year. Reducing fuel consumption and keeping drivers happy will continue to be critical in the foreseeable future. Trucking companies can use technology to tackle both challenges. Deploying a better suite of fleet management tools can achieve rapid ROI with lower fuel use alone—before factoring in returns from the rest of the system benefits.

The ISAAC solution—including the ISAAC Coach—helps to incentivize performance while giving drivers tools that make the job easier. Bonuses linked to great performance improve driver happiness and reduce turnover. Companies can save up to 15% on fuel while drivers save time by letting ISAAC take care of busywork. It’s a win-win scenario for many fleets.

Discover how much fuel your fleet can save—contact an ISAAC expert now.

About the author

Sylvain Binette

Sylvain Binette is a technical trainer at ISAAC, and is responsible for providing clients with the information and tools required to use the solution to its full potential. Sylvain has over 25 years of experience in the transportation industry, first as a driver and then a driver trainer for 20 years. His great passion is boating; he spends the summer out on the water to enjoy the good weather.

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