The continued pressure on diesel prices is underlining a need for coach and bus operators to leverage visibility of fleet performance and to improve fuel efficiency and cut operating costs, video telematics specialist Centrad has advised.

It says that those businesses typically spend 10-15% of budgets on fuel. Ongoing conflict in the Middle East has sent that cost spiralling, with smaller operators that are unable to hedge their diesel spend particularly hard hit.

Centrad Managing Director Geoff Cross notes how there is little those businesses can do about fuel prices, but “what they can control is how efficiently [it] is being used across their own fleet.”

The supplier notes how instead of relying on isolated data points, operators can couple their telematics data to video evidence and understand not only where fuel is being consumed, but why.

Connected platforms combine artificial intelligence-powered cameras, telematics, remote system health monitoring and operational data to give “a far more complete view of fleet performance,” Centrad continues.

Bringing those technologies together gives operators greater visibility of driver behaviour, vehicle utilisation, fleet health and other factors that influence fuel efficiency. They also take into account factors such as traffic conditions, route demands, and wider operational pressures.

Mr Cross acknowledges how no operator intentionally wastes fuel, but he points out that small day-to-day efficiencies can go unnoticed. Excessive idling, harsh acceleration, speeding and poor anticipation all increase consumption. He adds that the challenge has always been gaining sufficient visibility to identify such behaviours before they become ingrained.

“As a former fleet operator of more than 30 buses, I have been there myself – that includes as a driver,” he explains. “Historically, identifying these issues requires significant manual intervention. Today, connected video telematics, combining AI-powered fleet cameras with live vehicle data, provides operators with a much clearer understanding of what is happening on the road.”

Mr Cross adds that the real value is not in collecting more data, but turning it into meaningful insight. “Connected video gives operators the context behind every event, allowing them to understand the reasons for fuel inefficient driving rather than making assumptions based on figures alone.”

Doing so changes the conversation with drivers, Centrad offers. Instead of using cameras or telematics purely to monitor, operators can leverage such connected insight to coach and support staff more effectively.

Reviewing real driving events alongside AI-generated insights enables “far more constructive conversations,” it adds. That will help drivers to understand where small behavioural changes can make significant differences to fuel use, vehicle wear, and road safety.

Continues Mr Cross: “Ultimately, the biggest savings do not come from the technology itself – they come from the behavioural changes it enables. For many operators, the focus is therefore shifting beyond just security and compliance, with connected fleet data increasingly being used to improve visibility and support better decision-making across the business.

“By providing greater insight into fuel-wasting habits, operators can address those behaviours through targeted, evidence-based coaching. Even small changes in driving style can deliver significant annual savings across large fleets, while also helping to improve vehicle efficiency and reduce unnecessary wear and tear.”