With the rising cost of fuel around the globe, courier work is becoming increasingly expensive. Drivers and companies are having to pay more and more per trip, which is taking its toll on the courier industry. But there are a few ways couriers can cut down on their expensive petrol consumption when on the road. Here are the top ten tips for minimising petrol consumption whilst on the road.
#1 Plan Your Route
Congestion chews petrol, so it is always best to plan better routes and times for your courier work in advance. If possible, try to combine as many deliveries into one trip, and map out the most cost effective route to take.
#2 Start ‘n Go
So much petrol is wasted when drivers sit in their cars with the engine running. To cut down on costs, only have the engine running when you’re actually driving. So don’t start your engine before you’ve put on your sunglasses, read your map, and are completely ready to depart.
#3 Turn Off the Engine When Stationary
Whenever you are stationary on the road, such as in a particularly stagnant traffic jam, you should switch off your engine whenever it is safe. This can help save fuel while you’re not moving.
#4 Drive Smoothly
Even when stressed, courier workers should try and avoid hard acceleration and heavy breaking as it chews fuel. It is better to drive smoothly and efficiently, minimising on fuel usage.
#5 Drive Slowly
While the temptation is there to get your courier work over and done with as quickly as possible, driving at high speeds consumes large amounts of fuel. It is better to drive at a moderately slow and constant speed, avoiding pressing down on the accelerator wherever possible.
#6 Use Higher Gears
As soon as you can drive smoothly and constantly, you should switch to a higher gear to reduce your petrol consumption. Driving in a higher gear uses less petrol and you can cruise along using relatively little fuel for miles.
#7 Avoid Heating and Air Conditioning
Whenever possible, you should turn heating and air conditioning off. This uses an unnecessarily large amount of fuel, and can so easily be avoided. If your courier work involves a long trip, you can save money by keeping your windows closed in the cold, and turning your heater on only sporadically to ‘top up’ the heat levels in the vehicle.
#8 Inflate Your Tires
Keeping your tires inflated can help reduce the amount of fuel you consume while driving. A flat tire can chew up petrol, so it’s best to check your tires every time you stop at a petrol station.
#9 Keep Your Vehicle Light
The heavier your vehicle, the more petrol you will use. If your courier work sometimes requires you to use roof racks, for example, when you don’t need them, you should remove them so that they don’t weigh down your van.
#10 Regular Vehicle Services
Keeping your van in tip top working condition will reduce the amount of petrol you use. As soon as something is faulty, your fuel consumption will increase, so it is good to keep an eye on how much petrol you’re using as it could indicate a vehicle fault.
Author Resource:
Lyall Cresswell is the Managing Director of Courier Exchange. Over 2,500 transport exchange businesses are networked together through their website, trading courier work (http://www.courierexchange.co.uk/ ) and capacity in a safe 'wholesale' environment.
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