Construction Companies Urged To Address Their Fuel İnefficiency

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 companies with large vehicle fleets.

According to The Fuelcard Company, construction companies facing spiralling fuel prices and shrinking budgets could be wasting thousands of pounds on fuel inefficiency caused by bad driving.

With further tax hikes scheduled for January, Jakes de Kock, Sales and Marketing Director at The Fuelcard Company, is urging construction companies to address their fuel inefficiency now, to make significant cost savings which could help them survive the economic recovery.

Although awareness of fuel-efficiency driving techniques is growing, The Fuelcard Company says the majority of drivers in the industry are still not heeding the advice.

“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 it’s 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.”