FOFN Industries
How to Use Work Trajectories and Fuel Consumption for Settlement Verification in Sanitation Outsourcing Projects
Although the routes of water sprinkler trucks, street sweepers, and garbage collection trucks appear fixed, their operational intensity varies with the season, weather, and specific tasks. It is difficult to determine whether fuel was used for operational purposes by looking at fuel receipts alone. By analyzing operational routes, duration, and fuel consumption together, sanitation supervisors and outsourcing managers can more accurately verify services and settle accounts.
How to Use Work Trajectories and Fuel Consumption for Settlement Verification in Sanitation Outsourcing Projects
Fuel consumption for sanitation vehicles cannot be calculated simply based on “how many kilometers were driven.”
For the same water truck, fuel consumption will certainly differ between continuous watering in the summer and short inspection runs in the winter; for the same street sweeper, the actual workload also varies depending on whether it is operating on main roads, side streets, sloped sections, or at night. Garbage collection trucks are also affected by collection frequency, load capacity, the number of collection sites, and waiting times.
As a result, one common issue arises in sanitation management: a significant amount of fuel is added, and the vehicles are dispatched, but it’s difficult to determine at the end of the month exactly how much effective work was actually completed.
For sanitation departments, municipal companies, landscaping maintenance units, and sanitation outsourcing firms, a more practical approach is not to simply verify fuel receipts, but to cross-check the following items together:
- Which route did the vehicle serve that day?;
- How long has it actually been in operation?;
- Does it cover the agreed-upon area?;
- Is fuel consumption within a reasonable range during operations?
- Are there any fuel level changes during non-operational hours that require explanation?
Only then can fuel consumption data truly support project management and settlement verification.
Why Can’t We Rely Solely on Mileage When Evaluating Sanitation Vehicles?
Fuel consumption for standard delivery vehicles is typically closely related to mileage.
However, sanitation vehicles are different. Water trucks must power water pumps; street sweepers must power sweeping and vacuuming equipment; and garbage collection trucks operate under conditions that involve loading and unloading, compaction, and repeated starts and stops. Although the vehicles may not travel long distances, their engines and operational equipment are in constant use.
Therefore, when evaluating sanitation vehicles, it is more appropriate to consider the following metrics:
- Duration of the assignment;
- Service area or route completion status;
- Number of tasks;
- Fuel fill-up volume and fuel level changes;
- Fuel consumption per unit of operation under different seasonal conditions and for different tasks.
For example, it is normal for a street sweeper to have higher fuel consumption than a standard patrol vehicle if it has been in continuous operation for 8 hours, even if it has not traveled a significant distance that day; conversely, if the vehicle’s operating time was short and the route was not fully covered, but fuel consumption is significantly higher than expected, this warrants further investigation.
When settling accounts for outsourced projects, first clearly define what constitutes “work.”
In sanitation outsourcing projects, the most common source of disputes is not the data itself, but rather the differing interpretations of what constitutes “completion of work” between the two parties.
Does a vehicle passing through a certain road mean that street sweeping is complete? Does a water truck driving through an area mean that watering is complete? Does a garbage truck arriving at a collection point mean that collection and transport are complete?
These details must be clearly specified at the start of the project.
We recommend dividing the tasks into several categories:
- Watering, washing, and dust suppression;
- Road sweeping and vacuuming;
- Waste collection and transfer;
- Landscape maintenance and gardening operations;
- Winter snow and ice removal or emergency response;
- Non-operational scheduling, maintenance, refueling, and relocation.
First, standardize the categories; then add the routes, work durations, and fuel consumption so that we have a basis for settlement.
Just check these four things every day, and management will become much easier.
Sanitation projects involve a large number of vehicles and shifts every day, so there is no need for staff to manually review every single route.
Project managers can start by focusing on verifying these four items:
1. Has the vehicle entered the designated service area?
First, confirm whether the vehicle has arrived at its intended destination. For fixed routes and designated areas, it’s usually immediately apparent whether the main operational areas have been covered.
2. Are the duration of stay and work hours within the service area reasonable?
Just because a vehicle has arrived at the site doesn’t mean the task is complete. By considering the time, you can better determine whether it aligns with the day’s work schedule.
3. Does the daily fuel consumption roughly match the workload?
It is not required that every vehicle’s data be exactly the same every day, but over time, vehicles with the same route, model, and season will establish a general range. Vehicles that fall outside this range should be examined separately to determine the cause.
4. Are there any unusual changes during nighttime or non-operating hours?
When a vehicle is parked in a parking lot, at a repair shop, or at a non-operational location, if there is a significant change in fuel level, this should be verified by cross-referencing duty logs, maintenance records, and on-site operations.
If you pay close attention to these four things, you can catch most routine issues early on.
High fuel consumption does not necessarily indicate a management problem.
The operational intensity of sanitation vehicles is greatly influenced by external factors.
Hot weather requires more frequent water sprinkling; road cleaning increases after rain; winter de-icing and snow removal may involve prolonged periods of low-speed operation; and cleaning shifts may also increase during holidays and major events. Higher fuel consumption does not necessarily indicate waste.
More importantly, are there corresponding business reasons for the changes in fuel consumption?
For example:
- The service area expanded that day;
- Work shifts have been extended;
- The route includes ramps or congested sections;
- Vehicles have been equipped with water spraying, sweeping, or compaction functions;
- Weather and seasonal conditions increase the load on the equipment.
If none of these factors have changed but fuel consumption remains consistently high, you should review vehicle maintenance, idle time, driving habits, and refueling records.
Establishing standards by season is fairer than having a single standard for the entire year.
A “one-size-fits-all” approach to evaluating sanitation vehicles is the least appropriate.
Summer watering, winter de-icing, post-rain washing, and routine cleaning—with different tasks come different fuel consumption rates. A reasonable approach is to establish separate reference ranges based on season and operation type.
For example:
- For summer-use water trucks, fuel consumption is measured either per hour of operation or per task;
- Fuel consumption for floor-cleaning vehicles is determined based on service area and operating time;
- Fuel consumption for garbage collection trucks is analyzed by collection route, area, and operating shift;
- Winter emergency vehicles are recorded separately based on their operational tasks and on-call duration.
This ensures that normal heavy-duty operations are not flagged as anomalies, while also allowing for faster identification of issues that truly require attention.
For outsourcing companies, fuel consumption data can also help protect their interests.
Some outsourcing companies are concerned that the data will be used to “nitpick.”
In fact, as long as the records are complete, fuel consumption and operational data can also protect the service provider. When clients add routes on short notice, extend working hours, or assign emergency tasks, changes in vehicle travel, dwell time, and fuel consumption can all reflect the actual workload.
For example, if road washing is temporarily added after a heavy rainstorm, or nighttime cleaning is added after a large event, the relevant work hours and fuel consumption records can serve as supplementary documentation. This way, settlement does not rely entirely on verbal communication, and both parties have a basis for reference.
When settling accounts monthly, we recommend reviewing these five items
When conducting the end-of-month verification for sanitation outsourcing projects, prioritize the following five items:
- Planned service areas versus actual coverage;
- Actual vehicle operating time;
- This month’s fuel consumption and fuel level changes;
- Fuel consumption trends per unit of operating time or per unit of service area;
- Records of explanations regarding non-operational periods and abnormal events.
The goal is not to turn every liter of fuel into a performance metric, but rather to establish a basic correlation between service volume, fuel costs, and project settlements.
Which organizations are suitable for this type of management?
This management approach is particularly well-suited for:
- Urban sanitation departments and municipal companies;
- Environmental sanitation outsourcing service companies;
- Landscaping and road maintenance companies;
- Waste collection and recycling companies;
- Cleaning vehicle fleets at airports, industrial parks, tourist attractions, and large industrial complexes;
- Emergency response, snow and ice removal, and road maintenance fleets.
If you have a large fleet of vehicles, fixed routes, and diesel expenses account for a significant portion of your costs, it’s worth managing operations and fuel consumption together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the presence of a vehicle’s track prove that sanitation work has been completed?
This cannot be fully verified. While a track record can prove that a vehicle has been in or passed through a certain area, whether cleaning, watering, or waste collection was completed must be determined through a comprehensive assessment that takes into account dwell time, the status of the equipment, on-site records, and contractual requirements.
Sanitation trucks have high fuel consumption—could it be that drivers are using fuel for personal purposes?
Not necessarily. Fuel consumption can be affected by job type, season, weather, traffic, idle time, and equipment load. First, check whether the mission or operating conditions have changed, and then investigate any anomalies that require further verification.
Can the same fuel consumption standard be used in both winter and summer?
Not recommended. Operating conditions vary significantly between winter de-icing and snow removal, summer dust suppression through water spraying, post-rain washing, and routine cleaning; therefore, different reference ranges should be established based on the season and task.
Can fuel consumption records serve as the sole basis for outsourcing settlements?
This should not be relied upon as the sole basis for decision-making. Fuel consumption and operation records can provide important verification data, but final settlement should still be conducted in accordance with the service standards, acceptance procedures, and mutual confirmation processes specified in the contract.
Is this also suitable for small sanitation vehicle fleets in industrial parks or scenic areas?
Suitable. Small fleets also face challenges with route coverage, fueling records, and overnight parking management. Start by tracking fixed routes, operating hours, and reconciling monthly fuel consumption.