Fuel Saving Tips

Fuel saving tips in this current economy are more useful than ever. If you use your vehicle for work this is even more true. Did you know fuel prices have escalated in the last eight months to an all-time high? The cost of petrol has risen in some areas of the UK to £1.32 per litre, with diesel prices climbing to £1.34 per litre*. But why is fuel so expensive? It is because crude oil has almost doubled in price over the last year to an expensive $76.12 per barrel.

As specialist providers of PCO car hire, we have put together this helpful guide to provide PCO drivers with fuel saving tips that could help save money and accelerate your profits.

Fuel Saving Driving Techniques

A good fuel saving tip is to change the way you drive. To achieve this, you would need to drive smoothly and efficiently. The speed that you drive can have a significant impact on this. By driving efficiently you could, like most cars on the market, achieve peak fuel efficiency at 55-65mph where legally possible to drive this speed. Operating at higher speeds than this will increase fuel consumption. If you are not in a rush to get somewhere it would be more economical to avoid faster speeds where possible such as driving at 70 MPH. Other key considerations when “eco-driving” is:

• Change gear early and in low revs: If you are an experienced driver, you could skip gears when appropriate.
• Avoid unnecessary braking and acceleration: Maintain a greater distance from the vehicle in front, so that you can regulate your speed when necessary without using the brakes.
• Remain in gear but take your foot off the accelerator: This activates the fuel cut-off switch, reducing fuel usage to almost zero.

Fuel Saving Best Practices

Firstly, as a PCO driver, your job requires you to cover a lot of miles on the road. High fuel costs can eat into your profit margin so it is important to look at ways in which you can improve your vehicles fuel efficiency. When waiting for your next pickup, this is an opportunity to carry out light vehicle maintenance. You can do this by cleaning your vehicle and removing excess items. Driving a vehicle that is regularly serviced is vital in making sure your vehicle is not just roadworthy but will also ensure you and your passengers’ safety. At Rapid Vehicle Management, we offer all-in-one PCO rental packages including servicing and maintenance. Find out more by clicking here for the full list of benefits.

USE CORRECT TYRE PSI

Secondly, check your tyres are inflated to the correct PSI. As good practice you could carry out this check weekly or more regularly depending on the type of jobs you take. This is important as incorrect pressure increases your vehicle’s drag and requires you to use more fuel to get up to speed. Depending on the number of passengers you are carrying you will need to ensure you have the correct tyre pressure in accordance with the number of passengers. For example, if you are driving to the airport with four passengers and the boot is filled with luggage you will need to increase your tyre pressure. You can do this by looking up the correct tyre PSI for specific loads in the vehicle manual or online.

How To Save Money On Fuel

PCO drivers will want to get the best rate available for MPG (miles per gallon) to maximise profits. Petrol cars achieve approximately 36 MPG whilst diesel cars can achieve a higher level of 43 MPG. So, what can you do that could save you money at the pumps?

WAIT A MOMENT OR TWO AFTER FILLING UP

Always wait a minute after filling your vehicle to allow the residual fuel to make its way to the tank. The average fuel nozzle can hold up to 250ml of fuel. This is almost a can of soft drinks worth of wasted fuel. This simple tip could save you money long term and reduce the risk of fuel splash damage to your vehicle’s paintwork.

DOWNLOAD THE PETROLPRICES APP

PetrolPrices is a handy mobile app that allows you to compare real-time fuel prices in your area. You can search by postcode, town or city and filter to find the cheapest local stations. The average member could save as much as £200 a year on fuel. The app is free to download and available for both iOS and Android devices.

DOWNLOAD THE WAZE APP

If you need support finding the most efficient routes to a job, then Waze could help. Waze could get you where you are going faster, more efficiently, with less time and fuel spent in potentially avoidable jams. Over 115 million “Wazers” contribute to real-time navigation, which helps to find a route with the least hold-ups and avoid wasting fuel when stuck in traffic. This app is available at no charge and can be downloaded for both iOS and Android.

JOIN A PETROL LOYALTY

Loyalty schemes encourage customers to fill up at their preferred stations. Refuelling at these stations accumulates points which can then be exchanged for rewards. These include snacks, gift cards, charity donations or discounts on fuel later. Loyalty schemes available include:

Texaco Star Rewards: Buy 1 litre of fuel and get 1 Point. Redeem 500 Points, get a £5 voucher/gift card.**

Esso Nectar: Enables customers to collect Nectar points on fuel purchases and save money

BPme: Earn points and view the balance, opt into offers, and access your digital BPme Rewards card

You could use the Petrolprices app in conjunction with one or more loyalty schemes to ensure you are not just getting the best prices locally but also earning valuable loyalty points which could lead to further savings.

How much you could save with a PCO all-in-one rental package?

At Rapid Vehicle Management, we offer a variety of PCO vehicles including insurance that are reliable, well maintained, and offer good fuel economy. An example of this is the Hyundai Ioniq which depending on the fuel type, can offer up to 78.5 MPG (combined). Alternatively, we have the Toyota Prius Active which offers up to 94 MPG (combined). You can reserve your car and obtain a weekly price immediately. You can choose for the vehicle to be delivered or collect your car for up to 7 days. Simply complete an enquiry form or call us now on 01732 747 190 for further information on our great range of PCO private hire cars today!

*Fuel prices correct at time of publishing

**Rewards correct at time of publishing

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