As one of the UK’s leading vehicle recovery specialists, Egertons Recovery Ltd runs a complex operation with high-value assets and a large, mobile workforce. We spoke with Transport Manager,Tracy Leese, about how the business is using data from Samsara and Fleevo Fuel Analytics to improve fuel efficiency and tackle fuel theft. 

Q: Can you give us a quick overview of Egertons and the scope of your operations?

We operate nationally through three connected businesses – Egertons, Mansfield Recovery, and Egertons Fleet Management (EFM). Each serves different needs: Mansfield handles incident management and vehicle recovery, while EFM works with major clients like Tesco and Morrisons for roadside repairs and logistics support. Across the group, we run everything from light vans to heavy rotators, and support both private and commercial customers. We’ve grown into a group with a real national footprint – from Scotland down to the South Coast – and that reach means visibility and efficiency are more important than ever.

Q: You already use Samsara’s platform for safety, driver coaching and vehicle tracking, among other things. What prompted you to focus on fuel usage?

Fuel is one of our biggest operating costs, so even small inefficiencies have a major financial impact. We’d already started tracking idling through Samsara, but when we saw that unnecessary idling alone could be costing us an average of £5,500 a month, it became a real priority. It's especially common on night shifts when you have drivers sitting with engines running and air conditioning on while waiting for jobs to come in. That’s not good for fuel efficiency or sustainability.

Q: You also use Fleevo Fuel Analytics that plugs into Samsara’s platform via an API. How does that help?

Fleevo gives us more advanced reporting that’s helping us uncover not just inefficiencies but active fuel theft. By comparing what’s been dispensed at the pump with changes in the vehicle’s fuel level, we can see if anything's amiss. In some cases, the fuel level hasn’t moved at all, which tells us the diesel's gone somewhere else – usually into jerry cans. As a result, we’ve had to dismiss some staff for that. I personally went through fuel records and identified around four individuals whose data didn’t stack up. We couldn’t have done that detective work without good data, and Fleevo and Samsara gave us that.

Q: Is this the only issue you’ve been faced with? 

Unfortunately not. We’ve had organised gangs come into depots in the middle of the night, drill holes in fuel tanks, or force open caps. We lose hundreds of litres at a time. The alerts we get now tell us when a truck has a sudden drop in fuel, but only when it’s next turned on. We’re looking into real-time tamper alerts or even deterrents like audio alarms or motion sensors. Anything that gives us a faster response and evidence for police would be a game-changer for the industry.

Q: Are you using Samsara data to help address this operationally?

Absolutely. Samsara integrates with Fleevo, and we’ve uploaded all our BP fuel locations so we can verify trip history. If we see a fuel transaction but no corresponding increase in tank level, it’s a red flag. The footage from Samsara helps us confirm whether the vehicle was being filled or whether someone was topping up a can instead. That’s how we caught people on camera, blatantly filling up jerry cans instead of the truck. Once you match the transaction data with the fuel level graph and then overlay the footage, it’s pretty conclusive.

Q: Are there broader sustainability goals tied into this fuel-saving work?

We’re working with our compliance team towards an environmental ISO certification, so idling and fuel efficiency are definitely part of that. We’re also looking at AdBlue usage and emissions tracking. All of this plays into our larger responsibility as a recovery business to reduce unnecessary environmental impact.

Q: What would you say to others in the industry facing similar fuel challenges?

Don’t underestimate how much you could be losing to theft or poor idling habits. The combination of telematics data and integrated fuel tracking has opened our eyes. You can’t manage what you can’t see. And now that we can see what’s going on, we’re doing something about it. A lot of companies only monitor MPG, but that won’t reveal smaller, regular thefts. If someone’s taking five litres once a week, it won’t show. You have to go beyond averages and start cross-checking litres dispensed, trip history, tank graphs, and job records. It takes effort, yes, but it’s the only way to really get a grip on fuel loss.