Enhancing Fleet Visibility and Sustainability: Southwest Gas’s Success with FleetWave

Industry: Utilities

Fleet Size: 1,700 + Vehicles

Asset Count: 700 + pieces of equipment

Region: United States

Customer Since: 2019

Products Used: FleetWave

Background

As a leader in the natural gas industry, Southwest Gas serves over two million customers in Arizona, California, and Nevada. The company operates as the largest distributor of natural gas in Nevada and Arizona, with key service areas including Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Tucson. Additionally, they provide natural gas services in parts of California, such as Lake Tahoe and San Bernardino County.

Managing a fleet of nearly 1,700 vehicles across multiple states is no small feat. Southwest Gas have a very diverse fleet, including anything from class one passenger vehicles, to class eight tractors. On the equipment side, they have trailers, yellow iron, backhoes, compressors, small towable’s and pretty much anything in between.

Southwest Gas are also committed to environmental sustainability, and have taken significant steps toward a cleaner future by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This includes introducing alternative-fueled vehicles (AFVs) and minimizing unnecessary driving and idling times.

Challenges

Prior to implementing FleetWave, Southwest Gas faced significant challenges in managing their diverse fleet. One of the main issues was the lack of visibility in their previous fleet information system. According to Justin Mahana, Administrator/Corporate Fleet Manager, “Prior to FleetWave, a big challenge we had was visibility, visibility of the data. We had a fleet information system that was difficult to use. It had all the information, but trying to get that information out and making it usable and relevant was extremely difficult.” Jessica Gaither, Specialist/Corp Fleet Management, adds, “We often found out about issues like expired registrations only after the fact, and the reporting was overly complex.”

Our Solution

FleetWave revolutionized fleet management for Southwest Gas by providing unparalleled visibility and ease of use. The software’s robust features allow for real-time access to vehicle and equipment data, making it simple to generate reports, filter information, and manage assets effectively.

Jessica Gaither, Specialist/Corp Fleet Management, highlights the implementation process: “We implemented FleetWave in October 2020, and the features I use most frequently include vehicle and asset management, fuel odometer corrections, and reporting. The many features that are available and the ease of using the system is incredible.”

One of the most impactful features for Southwest Gas has been the report builder and query builder. Justin Mahana, Administrator/Corporate Fleet Manager, notes, “It’s very robust and easy to use, even for someone without any programming experience.”

Impact

Since implementing FleetWave, Southwest Gas has significantly improved its fleet management operations. The software provides essential visibility into daily fleet activities, such as vehicle specifics, maintenance schedules, and more. Jessica Gaither states: “FleetWave is amazing with the level of visibility, we can see our vehicle or equipment data right at our fingertips and the reporting is super easy.”

This enhanced insight has enabled the company to stay proactive rather than reactive, ensuring smoother operations and reducing the risk of non-compliance.

“FleetWave has been able to take the vehicle data, whether it be, you know, specifics on the vehicle or maintenance data, scheduling, things like that, and bring it to the top, and have that visibility on what the fleet is doing from day to day.” – Justin Mahana, Administrator/Corporate Fleet Manager.

Southwest Gas also continues to push forward with its environmental initiatives. The company replaces up to 18% of its fleet annually, adhering to a pre-established life-cycle schedule, and is committed to expanding its use of compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles. In 2017 alone, they added over 30 CNG vehicles to their fleet, with plans to incorporate more in the coming years.

By optimizing routing and driving techniques, Southwest Gas has successfully reduced fuel consumption by 20% over the past decade. A comprehensive review of their vehicle policies has also ensured that only the most efficient vehicles are on the road, further contributing to their sustainability goals.

Conclusion

Southwest Gas’s success with FleetWave highlights the value of a powerful and intuitive fleet management system. As Justin Mahana explains, “I highly recommend Chevin for the software’s robustness, its extensive capabilities, and the outstanding support we’ve received post-implementation. The support has truly been top-notch.”

FleetWave’s user-friendly interface, comprehensive reporting tools, and exceptional support has all contributed to significantly enhancing Southwest Gas’s fleet operations.