How small businesses can cut fuel costs
Published - 4 min read
Practical ways for vans, trades and small fleets to cut fuel costs: where drivers fill up, fuel cards versus pump prices, route planning and keeping track of spend.
Where your drivers fill up matters
For a business with vans on the road every day, the difference between the cheapest and dearest forecourt on a driver's route adds up quickly over a year. Telling drivers which nearby stations are cheapest is the simplest saving there is.
Fuel cards
Fuel cards make paying and expenses simpler, and some offer fixed or discounted prices at certain networks. Check whether the card's prices are actually lower than the pump prices at stations your drivers pass, and whether the card limits where they can fill up.
Plan routes, not just jobs
- Group jobs by area to cut miles driven.
- Plan fuel stops at cheaper stations along the route, away from motorway services.
- Check tyre pressures and remove unnecessary weight: both affect economy.
Track it
Record fill-ups and miles for each vehicle, so you can spot a van using more than it should and see where the money goes.
Pennyfill Business gives a team the cheapest fuel near each driver, shared alerts and fill-up tracking.