Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department Utilizes Havis IdleRight2™ to Reduce Engine Idling and Fuel Costs
WARMINSTER, Pa. (PRWEB) November 20, 2014 -This month, Government Fleet posted an article on their website discussing the effectiveness of idle-reduction technologies in four fleets in various stages of implementation. These fleets are utilizing telematics and auxiliary power units, vehicle calibrations, and devices that turn off idling engines to reduce idling and fuel consumption.
For the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, the Havis IdleRight2, along with the Viper car alarm system, was the anti-idling solution of choice. The department has installed these devices on 42 of its 51 patrol units, and the remaining vehicles are expected to be replaced in the near future with new vehicles and the IdleRight2.
It was not uncommon for deputies in the Santa Barbara County Department to run their vehicle throughout their 12-hour work day. The department’s fleet manager, Mitch Guenthart, said they attempted to calculate how much fuel was wasted annually due to idling, and they conservatively estimated 51,148 gallons. The actual number is likely much higher. However, with the IdleRight2 and Viper car alarm system, they now only idle the vehicle for 12 minutes every three or four hours.
IdleRight2 minimizes idle time by monitoring the battery’s voltage while the vehicle is turned off and electronics are still on. When the battery voltage drops to a pre-set level, the system triggers an after-market remote starter to run the engine long enough for the battery to recharge, then turns the vehicle off again. This process significantly reduces the vehicle's idle time while mission-critical electronics, such as light bars, radios and computers, are in use.
IdleRight2 features an LED diagnostics system that not only shows what state the unit is in, but also allows customers to quantify their savings by outputting the number of idle hours saved. This data can then be plugged into the Return on Investment (ROI) Calculator (located at http://idleright.havis.com/savings.html) to determine total savings in fuel, money, miles and maintenance.
Another benefit of the IdleRight2 system is that vehicles can idle while locked with no key in the ignition. The car alarm remains armed to protect in-vehicle weapons and equipment from being stolen.
The other three fleets are experiencing similar idle reduction success, as well as a quick return on their investments. In addition to running a greener fleet and saving money on fuel costs, idle-reduction technologies also can extend engine life.
With increasing gas prices and tighter budgets, companies and municipalities can depend on IdleRight2 to reduce fuel consumption and vehicle maintenance costs. This product greatly extends the service life of vehicles, and the simplicity of the system makes it easy to install and use in any fleet.
For more information on IdleRight2, please visit http://idleright.havis.com. To read the full article, please visit http://www.government-fleet.com.
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ABOUT HAVIS
Havis Inc. is a privately held, ISO 9001:2008 certified company that manufactures in-vehicle mobile office solutions for public safety, public works, government agencies and mobile professionals. For over 80 years, the Havis mission has been to increase mobile worker productivity with industry-leading products that are built to the highest safety and quality standards and are designed with comfort in mind. Headquartered in Warminster, Pa., with an additional location in Plymouth, Mich., Havis currently employs 200 people. For more information on Havis, please call 1-800-524-9900 or visit havis.com.
