Idling Cost Calculator (Free)
Estimate what engine idling costs your fleet in fuel (and optionally “wear” cost) per day, month, and year. Export the results to CSV for budgeting, coaching, and policy rollouts.
Calculate idling cost
| Period | Idle hours | Fuel (gal) | Fuel cost | Wear cost (optional) | Total cost |
|---|
What idling really costs fleets
Excess idling is one of the easiest waste categories to measure and reduce—especially when you have consistent vehicle usage data and a clear coaching policy. This calculator estimates fuel spend using three inputs you can defend in a meeting: idle time, fuel burn rate, and fuel price.
How to reduce idling without frustrating drivers
- Start with outliers: coach the top 10–20% of vehicles/drivers first.
- Define exemptions: severe weather, jobsite requirements, PTO needs, safety.
- Measure weekly: trends matter more than one bad day.
- Make it visible: report idling hours + cost in a simple dashboard.
Idling Cost FAQ
What’s a “good” idle target?
It depends on duty cycle. Delivery fleets can often target lower idle; jobsite-heavy operations may need more idle time. Start by reducing the worst outliers first.
Should I use operating days or calendar days?
Use operating days if vehicles don’t run 7 days/week. That keeps the monthly estimate realistic.
Can this estimate savings from policy changes?
Yes. Set a target reduction percentage and the tool will estimate the fuel and cost savings if you hit that target.