Route planning is nothing new in the trash hauling business. Good refuse fleet managers can sketch out solid, workable routes using nothing more than a dog-eared street map, calculator, paper and pencils about as quickly as software can — and often far more cheaply, too.

However, there’s a wealth of information that can’t be generated by using the tried-and-true, pencil-and-paper. “The modern components of routing systems — GPS [global positioning system] vehicle location data, onboard computers, and software programs — all combine to give today’s refuse fleet manager a far more detailed look into their daily business operation than ever before,” says Steven Kaufman, senior vice president and founder of Beaverton, Ore.-based Routeware. “And it’s those details that can help the fleet save money, make more money or both, as well as provide competitive advantages in areas previously overlooked.”

GPS tracking can help fleets decrease costs by reducing fuel consumption, as accurate location data helps fleet managers ensure trucks use the most direct routes to job sites, eliminate unauthorized journeys and reduce idle times. The Aberdeen Group, a global consulting firm based in Boston, found that companies using GPS tracking for their fleets see, on average, a 13.2 percent reduction in fuel costs and a 13.4 percent reduction in overtime expenses.

The key to such savings is getting detailed data about truck operations, says John Goggin, global vice president of sales for Boston-based FleetMatics. Today’s GPS-based routing systems can analyze a truck’s idling time, mileage, speed and engine on-time, for example.

With their ability to provide comprehensive fleet data, advanced routing systems can help haulers competing for city and county contracts during this era of limited local government budgets. “Municipalities as a group are taking a harder look at costs, especially in terms of refuse contracts, asking companies to justify their rates with hard numbers,” Kaufman says.

Data that demonstrates efficient routing — and thus reduced fuel consumption and engine emissions — also can bee a boon when competing for such contracts. “The extra twist is that many municipalities these days are also focused on improving the ‘sustainability’ of their communities, such as lowering greenhouse gas emissions,” Kaufman adds. “This, then, becomes another competitive factor for trash hauling contracts.”

Routeware has added an algorithm to its VehiclePort data collection system that calculates the amount of greenhouse gas produced per truck per route, giving fleets concrete information they can provide to municipalities.