Commercial fleets in the U.S. and Canada could save an estimated $105 million in annual fuel costs by reducing excessive idling among their worst-performing vehicles, according to a new Geotab analysis.

Geotab analyzed idling behavior across more than 2.6 million connected commercial vehicles over 12 months from June 2025 through May 2026.

The study found that the average commercial vehicle idles for about 1 hour and 25 minutes per driving day, consuming 0.95 gallons of fuel in the process.

However, the median vehicle idles for 41 minutes or less, indicating that a relatively small group of heavy idlers is pushing the overall average higher.

Vehicles in the worst-performing 10% idle for more than three hours per driving day and consume more than 2 gallons of fuel during that time.

Targeting Fleet Idling Could Save Millions

Rather than assuming fleets can eliminate idling entirely, Geotab compared vehicles against peer groups based on vocation, vehicle type, and weight class.

They identified approximately 261,000 vehicles in the worst-performing 10% of those peer groups.

If those vehicles reduced their idling to the median performance of comparable vehicles, Geotab estimates fleets could save 24.2 million gallons of fuel annually.

Based on average gasoline and diesel prices during the first half of 2026, that represents approximately $105 million in annual savings, or roughly $400 for each underperforming vehicle.

The approach recognizes that the appropriate amount of idling can vary significantly depending on how a vehicle is used.

How Fleets Can Identify Preventable Idling

One of the study's central findings is that high idle time does not necessarily indicate poor fleet performance.

For fleet managers, Geotab recommends first establishing a baseline by examining idle hours per driving day, idling as a share of total fuel consumption, and idle time relative to total engine-on time.

Fleets can then separate operational idling from discretionary or avoidable idling.

Power take-off activity is one example of operational idling. Still, other legitimate uses can include drivers using the vehicle for administrative work or rest while relying on in-cab climate control.

For avoidable idling, Geotab recommends looking first at driver behavior.

“Driver behavior is usually the first lever for the discretionary portion,” said Charlotte Argue, senior manager of sustainable mobility at Geotab and author of the analysis.

Driver coaching, telematics-triggered alerts, clear idling policies, and performance recognition programs can provide opportunities to reduce unnecessary engine hours without requiring additional capital investment.

For operational idling, fleets can instead determine whether the main engine needs to provide the required power.

Auxiliary power units, electric PTO systems, and vehicle-mounted power systems can potentially operate climate control, communications equipment, and vocational equipment without keeping the vehicle's main engine running.

Those technologies could be particularly applicable to high-idle applications including public safety, utilities, and construction.

Ultimately, the study suggests fleets may see better results by targeting specific vehicles and operating conditions rather than implementing blanket idle-reduction goals.

Instead of simply asking how much their vehicles idle, Argue said fleet operators should consider another question: “Which idling is actually worth targeting?”