The state expects to save over €300,000 annually by installing GPS on public service vehicles to keep track of their movements, it emerged on Thursday, as an agreement was signed for the procurement of the system.
Transport Minister Marios Demetriades said: “The system in question will provide the necessary information so that corrective measures are put in place to achieve savings in the fleet’s operational cost, raise safety standards, and cut emissions.”
According to the electromechanical services department (EMS), the system is expected to fetch savings of at least 10 per cent in the annual cost (€3m) of fuel for the 2,000 public sector vehicles. The system will cost €1.6m over seven years. It will be implemented next year.
“I believe it is a system that will help us greatly in cutting a huge cost … and I really wonder why the system wasn’t installed sooner,” the minister said.
EMS chief Loucas Timotheou said the system would help save fuel, improve drivers’ behaviour, and cut emissions.
Timotheou said similar systems afforded savings that exceeded 10 per cent of the cost of fuel of the vehicles they had been installed on.
“The savings from the fuel are expected to cover the cost of installation and purchase, considering the large number of vehicles,” Timotheou said.
Ministry permanent secretary Alecos Michaelides said the system had been given a trial run seven years ago on public works vehicles. Similar systems have been installed by state telecoms CyTA, the police, and sewerage boards.
“Wherever this system was installed, there had been a big improvement, both in cost, and behavior on the road,” Demetriades said.
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