Agriculture Companies Could be Wasting Thousands of Pounds on Fuel Inefficiency, Claims The Fuelcard Company
Agriculture companies facing spiralling fuel prices and shrinking budgets could be wasting thousands of pounds on fuel inefficiency caused by bad driving, according to leading fuel card reseller The Fuelcard Company.
Exceeding speed limits, driving in the wrong gear, and braking too hard can increase fuel consumption by 40 percent, which, with the cost diesel reaching 139.42 pence per litre can be extremely costly for businesses with large vehicle fleets.
With further tax hikes scheduled for January, Jakes de Kock, Sales and Marketing Director at The Fuelcard Company, is urging those working within the agriculture industry to address their fuel inefficiency now, to make significant cost savings which could help them survive the economic recovery.
We have developed a culture of super-efficiency, where jobs must be completed in an increasingly short period of time which can sometimes result in risks being taken on the road. However, contrary to cutting costs, this actually wastes money by consuming more fuel and leading to more vehicle maintenance work, said de Kock.
Aggressive driving such as braking too hard, accelerating too quickly and exceeding speed limits can actually increase fuel consumption by as much as 40 percent, so its worth investing in fuel efficient driving training. Simply slowing down a little and changing gears more slowly will not only reduce fuel usage but is also much safer, he added.
Dirty oil, clogged sparkplugs and under-inflated tyres can also increase fuel consumption, so ensure fleets are serviced regularly.
Using fuel cards is another way to cut fuel spend and could save a 10-strong fleet 2,520 per annum, while a company with 30 vehicles would be 7,560 better off. (based on a discount of around 3 to 4p on the average price of diesel.)
Although savings can be made as a result of the fuel discount, the real benefit of a fuel card comes from the increased control managers have over fuel usage which can lead to substantial long term savings. Businesses are able to monitor the fuel usage of individual drivers as well as the entire fleet, providing managers with a wealth of information. This can help to identify areas where savings can be made, such as routing, or training drivers to adopt a more fuel efficient driving style.
For more information on fuel cards visit www.fuelcards.co.uk
About The Fuelcard Company
The Fuelcard Company (www.thefuelcardcompany.co.uk) is the largest commercial fuel card reseller in the United Kingdom, enjoying partnerships with many commercial fuelling networks including: Shell, Esso, Texaco and Keyfuels. The company directly serves more than 40,000 business fleets. In May 2007, The Fuelcard Company was acquired by FleetCor, the largest global fleet card processor.
About FleetCor
FleetCor (www.Fleetcor.com), The Global Fleet Card Company, is the worldwide leader in managing and processing commercial fuel cards, which save businesses money on their fuel purchases while bringing incremental business to fuel merchants. FleetCor serves over 750,000 businesses with its fleet card programs in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. FleetCors card programs are marketed under a variety of brand names including: CCS, CFN, Fuelman, The Fuelcard Company, Keyfuels, Mannatec and PPR. FleetCor and its subsidiaries employ more than 1,100 associates located in 20 offices globally. FleetCor is privately owned by management, and a group of institutional private equity investors including Bain Capital, Summit Partners, Advent International, Advantage Capital, Nautic Partners, HarbourVest Partners, and Performance Equity Management.