Tips to improve fuel economy and save money for your business

Introduction

The surest way to save money for your business is to maximize fuel economy especially if your company relies on vehicles. And while today’s vehicles have greater fuel efficiency than ever before, a lot can be done to save money on fuel, including adopting the UK fuels card.

Using a fuelcard is one of the tips, although several other driving habits can lead to savings on gasoline. Here are tips guaranteed to save you money at the pump.

Before you get on the road

The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) why it is vital to keep your car well-tuned. The CFA projects that businesses and car owners can increase mileage by up to 4% when they fix simple things like air-filter change, oil change, or replacing spark plugs.

Another simple habit that goes a long way in improving fuel economy is to reduce the weight of a vehicle. Fuel economy reduces by one-two per cent for every 100 pounds weight that the vehicle carries. Leaving behind 100 pounds will translate to savings of six cents per gallon.

Instead of having drivers carrying wads of cash to pay for fuel, you can introduce the practice of using fuel cards. This has several benefits, but the most obvious is the fuel-saving advantages. When you decide to buy fuel using a fuelcard, you are guaranteed to pay less per litre than the pump price. If your business operates a fleet, this saving will translate into a significant amount that can be used on other more pressing business needs.

A fuel card also lessens the administrative duty of the company, as there is no need to keep track of receipts. Also, UK fuels card providers generate HMRC-compliant invoices that make it easy to claim rebates.

Keep Reading

• Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
• Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
• Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
• Councils defy govt fire tender directive

UK fuels card also allow you to set controls that enable you to be in charge of your fleet’s fuel usage. You can set what drivers can purchase with the fuel card, how much per transaction, and the days of the week when a driver can fuel up. To control fraud, you can set notification alerts to your phone anytime an irregular transaction is performed.

According to UCS (Union of Unconcerned Scientists), driving at 65 mph and not cruising at 75mph cuts fuel consumption by as much as 20%. Also, accelerating and decelerating smoothly presents drivers with an opportunity to save 33% of fuel on the highway and five per cent when driving around town. Simply reducing your speed translates to a saving of 54% of fuel used. This is even before you implement the use of UK fuels card.

Your fleet drivers should always embrace good habits while on the road. Avoiding excessive speeding not only saves their lives but also results in using less fuel, hence more savings to a business. Above all, they should obey speed limits at all times.

Check Gas Cap

Research by the Consumer Federation of America shows that of all the vehicles on the road, 17% have faulty or missing gas caps. This is one of the most common reasons for the appearance of “check engine” light. By fixing this problem, you will save two cents per litre.

Ensuring that tires are aligned properly and inflated appropriately reduces engine drag, which in turn saves your business money. Remember that tyre pressure changes on average by one psi every time that the air temperature changes by 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Checking your tyre pressure frequently using a tyre pressure gauge enables you to cut the price of fuel by eight cents per gallon.

Another useful tip is to switch to LLR or low-rolling-resistance tyres. Decreasing rolling resistance by ten per cent will increase mileage by 1-2% for most vehicles.

We have indeed talked about tyres extensively already. However, maintaining a car involves much more than checking tyre pressure and ensuring correct alignment.

You could think of car care the same way self-care works. If you take proper care of your car, it is not only good for the durability and healthy of your vehicle but also has benefits to your bank account. That’s because regular maintenance of our car increases its gas mileage, as your car runs in optimal shape. It doesn’t limp along begging for fuel.

Unless it is right at the heart of winter when you must warm your car up before getting in and driving off, always avoid situations that make you idle for more than 30seconds. Idling for more than one minute is nothing but a waste of fuel. Before you start driving, make sure you have adjusted your mirrors, set the GPS, and choose your travel playlist. It may seem an insignificant thing but it will surely add up in the long run.

Park in the spot you find earliest if possible

Most of the drivers are guilty of this. While looking for a parking space, they circle several times around a parking lot to get a prime spot to park. Dropping this bad habit could easily save you money.

The reason is that when you are searching for the best parking space, and wait for someone to get out of a good place before you park, you are wasting fuel. Circling a parking lot like an eagle means you pay more for fuel.

Conclusion

The one way your business can get an edge over the competition is when you can save money. This allows you to even offer more competitive prices to your clients. Fortunately, for businesses that rely on fleets of cars, a straightforward way to save money is by controlling how much fuel your drivers spend. The tips we have discussed above will result in great fuel savings. The good news is that with simple habit changes, such as adopting a fuelcard, you can achieve a greater fuel economy.