Managing costs during the busy winter period can pose additional difficulties for transport operators, with fleets facing greater demand and increased pressure to meet tight deadlines. Under these challenging conditions, monitoring fuel consumption, vehicle performance and driver behaviour can help fleet managers to achieve valuable cost savings.
Here we explore how the right fuel management solutions can support more efficient everyday operations; not just during winter but throughout the rest of the year.
Track fleet spend with fuel cards
With more fleet drivers likely to be on the road in the run up to Christmas than any other time of year, it’s important to have visibility of where, when and how much your workforce is spending to refuel. Data supplied by fuel cards can help transport businesses monitor fuel consumption trends over time to help manage their everyday operations more efficiently.
By regulating access to fuel and creating a clear audit trail of usage, fuel cards can help to protect businesses from costly fraudulent behaviour. They also integrate with the latest telematics systems, offering transport operators a complete view of fleet fuel spend and vehicle activity for accurate miles-per-gallon figures and fraud detection.
Protect your fuel supply
As fuel stocks are accessed more frequently during the winter months, fuel management and telemetry solutions can offer businesses peace of mind that one of their most valuable assets is protected and secure. Security devices such as fobs, locks and key codes help to keep fuel supply safe from theft by ensuring that only authorised staff have access to refuel, as well as keeping records of when, where and how much fuel is dispensed.
The latest in-built telemetry solutions monitor fuel within tanks and provide insights into when a delivery will be required, and are able to automate deliveries when fuel supplies run low. Not only does this mean businesses can be confident of an uninterrupted fuel supply when they need it most, it also removes the need for a member of staff to arrange an order, saving valuable time and increasing workforce capacity. Additionally, if a sudden drop in fuel occurs that could be the result of a spillage or theft, a telemetry system will send an alert so that immediate action can be taken.
Save money when you buy
Fuel accounts for up to 35% of fleet operating costs, so it’s essential for fleet managers to procure this valuable asset at the best price. When a driver uses their Certas Energy Fuel Card at any one of our nationwide bunker sites, fleet managers are able to secure a one pence per litre reduction on all diesel purchases. Furthermore, prices for AdBlue® and gas oil are fixed at our bunker sites – meaning buyers are not impacted by external market fluctuations.
For additional cost savings, fleet managers can purchase fuel in bulk volumes of between 5,000 and 500,000 litres via the Certas Energy Bunker Line Service. Once the order has been placed (either at the spot market price or through a single supplier contract), the fuel can be accessed at over 2,000 refuelling locations using a Certas Energy fuel card on the Keyfuels or UK Fuels network for maximum convenience.
The sheer range of fuel management solutions available to transport businesses can be overwhelming – yet each plays a vital part in forming a reliable overview of a fleet’s fuel usage for resource planning and cost control. To find out more about how these solutions can support cost-effective and stress-free operations for your transport business.
