Aside from the occasional rare drop in the value of oil, there’s been a relatively consistent rise in the price of petrol at the pump. Whether you’re running a car-derived van or a HGV, fuel is a massive part of any operating budget, but often people find themselves staring at massive bills just to stay on the road.
However, there are loads of tips that could help you save a lot of money on fuel – whether that’s small recommendations for best practice, or helping you make the big decision to choose a new vehicle that works best for you.
Buy (and use) the right van for the job
As we’ve said a few times across our blogs, a lot of drivers tend to think bigger is better, but a lot of the time – especially when running a fleet – there’s no need to get a larger model for day-to-day running. If you can get by on a smaller engine, or a lighter van, by all means do – it pays dividends in miles to the gallon.
Replace older, less fuel-efficient models
While a lot of people become attached to workhorse ten-year-old vans that have stuck with them through thick and thin, they’re often a lot less fuel efficient than their newer counterparts – as much as 10mpg can be saved by upgrading. And, while the outlay cost is high, it’s still an investment, because chances are your new van will last just as long, if not longer.
Do away with petrol entirely
Especially if you’re working in an urban environment and you don’t have to cover longer distances, there may be a real argument for getting an all-electric van. The Nissan e-NV200, for example, has a range of up to 106 miles on one charge, and with fewer moving parts, it’s also incredibly cheap to maintain. You can avoid congestion charges, too, if you’re working in cities like London. Meanwhile, LPG is another option – one that admittedly isn’t as popular as it once was, but a good option if you’re open to converting existing vans in your fleet.
Keep your vans maintained
Especially with vans that are shared across a team, it can be easy to lose track of maintenance routines. One of the biggest issues to affect fuel economy on a day-to-day basis is your tyre pressure, as having these under-filled could mean you use over 5% more fuel.
Fit speed limiters
By just going 10mph over the UK’s 70mph speed limit, you could use 20% more fuel. A lot of fleet managers have taken to fitting limiters to stop this possibility. If you decide on it, you’ll also get the peace of mind that there won’t be a speeding ticket landing through your door because one of your team was a little excitable on the accelerator.
Carry only what you need
While you might want to put off removing a roof or side rack, or save time emptying a few tools from a van after a specialist job, it’s a good habit to get into – not least because you could keep putting the job off for hours, days or even weeks. Extra weight means more fuel used, while the likes of racks can cause drag that once again costs you more in the long run.
Look into telematics
While most companies use telematics to know where their fleet is at any one time, it can also be used to analyse driver habits, such as harsh acceleration and braking, speeding, and even personal trips that they probably ought to do in their own time. It can also see which routes drivers take, and highlight when a quicker, more fuel-efficient route could be taken. It might not be the most popular thing among your team, but it could pay dividends. You could even reward the best drivers for their hard work, as you’ll soon see the savings come through, and profit sharing is a great thing for morale.