Imperial Dade

Reducing fuel costs by over $140,000 while strengthening fleet safety and efficiency

Imperial Dade Canada is a leading distributor of foodservice packaging, cleaning supplies, and industrial packaging, serving more than 120,000 clients through a network of 130 locations. As the company expanded rapidly, its fleet grew from 110 to 204 power units in just three and a half years. This growth created new challenges around driver safety, compliance, administrative workload, fuel consumption, and sustainability. By using telematics to monitor fleet activity and support driver coaching, Imperial Dade Canada reduced idle-related fuel costs by more than $140,000 annually while creating a more efficient approach to fleet management.

The Challenge: Managing Rapid Fleet Growth

Rapid expansion meant Imperial Dade Canada had to maintain its strong safety culture while bringing more vehicles and drivers into the operation.

With the fleet nearly doubling in three and a half years, administrative requirements also increased. Keeping vehicle documentation current — including registration, insurance, Commercial Vehicle Operator’s Registration (CVOR), and Department of Transportation permits — became increasingly cumbersome.

Fuel consumption presented another significant opportunity. Excessive idling was costing the company more than $200,000 in fuel each year, increasing operating costs while working against its sustainability goals.

Imperial Dade Canada needed a fleet management approach that could provide detailed information for managers while remaining straightforward enough for drivers to adopt as part of their everyday routines.

The Solution: Using Fleet Data to Drive Safety and Efficiency

Imperial Dade Canada implemented telematics across its growing Class 8 fleet, focusing on driver performance, fuel efficiency, compliance, and operational reporting.

Custom reports were developed to monitor key performance indicators, particularly vehicle idling. Driver scorecards gave employees greater visibility into their performance and provided managers with objective information for coaching and positive reinforcement.

The company also streamlined access to vehicle documentation by making truck-specific legal documents available to drivers electronically. When a driver signed into a vehicle, the relevant registration and insurance information was immediately accessible, reducing the need to manage the same paperwork manually.

The approach was supported by customized reporting and ongoing collaboration with the company’s implementation partner, allowing Imperial Dade Canada to adapt its reporting as operational needs evolved.

The Results: More Than $140,000 in Annual Fuel Savings

Annual fuel consumption associated with vehicle idling fell from more than $200,000 to approximately $60,000, representing a 70% reduction and savings of more than $140,000 per year.

The company also saw strong driver adoption. Performance data gave drivers a clearer understanding of their own habits and created opportunities to encourage improvement through coaching and incentives. Rather than being used solely as a monitoring tool, the information became part of the company’s broader approach to driver engagement and safety.

At the same time, making vehicle-specific documentation readily available reduced administrative friction for drivers and managers as the fleet continued to expand.

For Imperial Dade Canada, GPS tracking and telematics became an important part of scaling its fleet without losing sight of safety, efficiency, and sustainability. By turning vehicle data into practical actions, the company significantly reduced fuel waste while supporting a stronger and more engaged fleet operation.

Want to see more fleet success stories? Explore our Success Stories to see how GPS tracking and telematics are helping organizations improve safety, efficiency, maintenance, and fleet performance.