Author: Simon Pavey

Man stood in front of van

Fuel Cards for Self Employed People, Sole Traders & Start-ups

Posted on | by Simon Pavey

With fuel costs eating up a sizeable chunk of business expenditures, we know how important it is for individuals who are self-employed, sole traders or own start-ups, to find opportunities to save money where possible. The right fuel card can help you take control of your business’ fuel costs, ultimately saving you time and money.

What is a fuel card?

A fuel card, also known as a fleet card, is a payment card used exclusively for fuel purchases and, sometimes, other vehicle-related expenses such as maintenance and repairs. These cards are typically issued by fuel companies or financial institutions and can be used at specific fuel stations or networks.

How does a company fuel card work?

First, the employer selects the type of fuel card they want for their business. After ordering the cards, they can assign each one to a driver in their fleet. Each driver can then use their fuel card whenever they fill up for work.

Employers benefit from savings across their fleet and can control company accounts with an online management tool.

The cost of fuel cards depends on factors such as fleet size and vehicle types. Some cards have an annual fee, while others are free to order. With Fuel Card Services, all information is transparent from the start, allowing you to maximise savings without hidden fees.

Types of fuel cards

Our fuel cards provide self-employed individuals with convenience and control, helping to save money, simplify administration, and streamline payment processes. Depending on your needs, you can choose to use one fuel card or opt for a combination to gain wider accessibility to fuel stations.

Fixed weekly price cards

Every litre of fuel bought on this card is charged at a fixed price throughout the week. This ensures competitive pricing, helps manage finances without fluctuations, and keeps you in control of overall fuel costs. These cards can be used at branded sites like Shell and BP or supermarket forecourts.

Pump price cards

With this card, you pay the price displayed at the pump each time you buy fuel. This type of card offers transparency and is widely accepted for petrol and diesel across the UK. For the self-employed, this type of fuel card is convenient and simple to use.

Fuel card benefits

Reducing the fuel bills is not only an option for large conglomerates or even SMEs for that matter. Sole traders can also benefit from purchasing a fuel card which could prove helpful when covering any substantial mileage.

Some of the ways in which a fuel card could prove beneficial include:

  • Save up to 5p per litre on national average pump prices

  • Save up to 10p when using our extensive motorway pump networks

  • A dedicated account manager

  • Zero liability insurance available with Card Protect

  • Interest-free credit

  • Online account management – MyFleetHub

  • MPG & CO2 emissions reporting

  • Online application

Click here to browse our range of fuel cards!

 

Considerations: What are the main fuel card payment tariffs?

There are two main tariff options to be aware of pump prices and fixed prices.

Pump prices

You pay the amount shown on the pump, which can fluctuate daily. Your fuel card may offer discounts at different fuel stations.

Fixed prices

These are set prices that are fixed weekly and locked in for that period, making it easier to plan your costs.

Why explore a fuel card as a sole trader?

With the industry’s widest range of commercial rate fuel cards at your fingertips, covering every major brand, we’re perfectly positioned to help you to find the right card to drive down your costs on each and every mile you drive.

Sole traders enjoy our fuel cards primarily due to the improvement they can offer to your bottom line, and the easy and flexibility with which you can enjoy these benefits. Choosing the right fuel card can prove to be a challenge, but with bespoke support available from our team, and our handy card picking tool, we’re confident that you’ll discover a fuel card that offers you attractive fuel cost savings and useful added benefits, however you operate.

Before we take a look at the specific fuel cards that sole traders tend to love, it’s key also to acknowledge how fleet services can also help improve efficiency.

Sole trader vehicle servicing support

Keep your fleet running smoothly with cost-effective vehicle servicing, maintenance, and repairs through our MyService.Expert offering. With pre-negotiated rates from thousands of garages nationwide, our pay-as-you-go service can simplify your fleet maintenance and ensure you don’t break the bank when you run into a maintenance issue during your travels.

Servicing costs are amongst the most challenging aspects of conducting business mileage as a sole trader, but let’s take it back to fuel and look at the key fuel cards you may want to consider.

The best fuel cards for self employed people, sole traders & start-ups

So, which fuel cards are the most applicable to the self-employed? Based on our existing customer base, some of the most popular fuel cards amongst sole traders include:

  • Texaco Fastfuel – a popular fuel card amongst sole traders and businesses with a mixed range of vehicles. The Texaco network gives drivers great coverage across the UK, and offers a competitive fixed price on both diesel and unleaded.
  • BP Plus – a great card for businesses using a mix of diesel and unleaded. BP are a well known, trusted brand and have great coverage across the UK with 70% of motorway sites. The BP Plus card gives holders access to over 3,400 filling stations, including BP, Esso, Texaco and participating Gulf sites.
  • Shell One – the largest fixed price card available on the market and covers over 7,000 stations including Shell, Texaco and Morrisons. With this card, drivers can even save up to 10p per litre on diesel at Shell motorway sites.

Choosing a fuel card

Choosing the right fuel card can be an important decision to make for your business. Fuel cards make fuel management efficient and less time-consuming – allowing you to manage your expenses whilst keeping your personal and business finances separate.

There are a number of factors that need to be considered when contemplating which fuel card is right for your business needs. These include:

Location

The most appropriate fuel card will depend on the location of where you travel and which fuel stations are close by, as this will reduce the time you spend finding an alternative place to refuel.
If your business travels take you all over the UK, then a multi-network card would be well suited to you as you’ll have thousands of fuel stations to choose from. Our handy site locator also helps you to plan routes, allowing you to check which sites accept your fuel card before you start your journey.

Price

For the self-employed, deciding between a pump price fuel card and a fixed price fuel card can be difficult. Fixed-price cards can be beneficial if you consume high fuel volumes and want to reduce your expenses. Pump price cards, on the other hand, offer greater flexibility regarding where and when fuel can be purchased, as you can choose from a wide network of fuel stations.

Fleet requirements

Type and number of vehicles that self-employed people use can vary, meaning that we must evaluate your needs on an individual level. If you regularly use HGVs then you’ll need a fuel card that can be used at stations. We also have different fuel card options available for petrol vehicles.

Click here to read more about choosing a suitable card for your fleet.

Find and apply for the best fuel card with Fuel Card Services

For a tailored quote and an informal chat with our friendly experts, get in touch with the team and we’ll help you explore your options for driving down costs.

Understanding the legal drink driving limit

Understanding the legal drink driving limit

Posted on | by Simon Pavey

Alcohol impairs your cognitive ability, motor function and reactions times, making driving under the influence of alcohol a fast track to accident, injury and even death. For the sake of your own safety and the safety of those around you, it’s important that drivers understand the legal driving limit, the penalty for drink driving, and the risks associated with driving under the influence.

Similarly, it’s important that your business manages its commercial fleet in the right way; providing the right guidance and advice to employees around drinking and driving while also setting out some clear policies that ensure you’re legally covered and have a process for tackling issues as they arise. And it’s crucial that as a driver, you understand and are equipped with clear guidance from your employers.

What is the legal alcohol limit for driving?

In the England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 35micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, 80milligrammes per 100 millimetres of blood, and 107milligrammes per 100 millilitres of urine – as per the government’s guidelines.

Despite these strict limits, there are many other factors that influence how much alcohol inhibits each individual person. Factors such as sex, body weight, metabolism, food consumption and hydration all influence the real time impact of alcohol on an individual cognitive functions.

Consequently, it’s impractical to roll out blanket recommendations that say ‘X amount of drinks means X amount of danger’, and so a limit is set on the amount of alcohol that can be present in one’s blood, breath or urine at any one time while driving. Fleet drivers need to know and adhere to these limits.

What is the penalty for drink driving?

If you are caught driving or attempting to drive while over the legal limit or otherwise unfit to drive from drinking, you could face 6 months imprisonment, an unlimited fine, and a driving ban of at least 1 year.

The implication of drink driving can leave you unable to carry out personal and workplace duties and may leave you incapable of retaining your job if your work relies on your ability to drive legally. Any of the above charges could lead to a significant increase in insurance costs, and could impact your ability to travel to certain countries.

In the case that you cause death by driving over the limit, you could face up 14 years imprisonment in addition to an unlimited fine and 2-year minimum driving ban.

Managing drug & alcohol consumption in your fleet

For fleet managers, ensuring the safety of your fleet is one of the highest priorities. Having an appropriate drug & alcohol policy in place is the first step in ensuring your fleet is operated correctly and safely. Your staff need to understand what is expected of them in terms of drug and alcohol consumption and the consequences of drug and alcohol use, and this is particularly true in any industry where workers are operating heavy machinery.

‘Heavy machinery’ for drivers could encompass vehicles themselves, and even equipment at the depot that’s used for maintenance and upkeep.

That said, it may also be useful to open up a conversation around substance misuse within your business. Increasingly, employers are moving from using punitive language around alcohol and drug use to talking about signposting, mental health, and treating addiction or substance misuse as a problem over demonising the addict – and so having a framework for talking about these topics may help facilitate a positive and constructive culture within your business.

Fleet management tools

What, though, can you do to improve driver safety from a tool perspective?

Fleet management tools like Tele-Gence offer fleet managers increased awareness and control over the actions and safety of drivers. The smart technology is designed to decrease costs whilst increasing driver safety by tracking important data such as departure and arrival times, and provide tailored driver safety scores that your managers can work with.

When it comes to dangerous driver and driving under the influence, tools like Tele-Gence can help to identify concerning driving patterns and hazardous practises so you can intervene and handle any challenging situations before accidents happen.

If Tele-Gence sounds like something your fleet management could benefit from, you can learn more about the service here, or get in touch with our team to discuss your options.

Man stood in front of a van

Best Fuel Card for Small Business

Posted on | by Simon Pavey

Here at Fuel Card Services, we believe that small businesses should be able to enjoy and benefit from the savings and free account management perks that large fleet operators enjoy.

That is why we are pleased to offer all UK businesses competitive rates for diesel and petrol, accessed through thousands of filling stations across the country.

What is a fuel card for a small business?

A fuel card, also known as a fleet card, is a payment card used exclusively for fuel purchases and sometimes other vehicle-related expenses like maintenance and repairs. Issued by fuel companies or financial institutions, these cards are accepted at specific fuel stations or networks.

For small businesses, optimising cash flow and managing expenses efficiently are significant challenges, especially amid rising inflation, staffing shortages, and increasing fuel prices. Fuel Card Services aims to alleviate the burden of handling fuel costs by providing fleets access to pre-negotiated fuel rates at garages across the UK.

How does a company fuel card work?

First, the employer chooses the type of fuel card that best suits their business needs. After ordering the cards, they can assign each one to a driver in their fleet. Each driver can then use their assigned fuel card whenever they refuel for work.

Employers benefit from savings across their fleet and can control company accounts with an online management tool.

Types of fuel cards for small businesses

Our fuel cards provide businesses with convenience and control, helping to save money, simplify administration, and streamline payment processes. Depending on your needs, you can choose to use one fuel card or opt for a combination to gain wider accessibility to fuel stations.

Fixed weekly price cards

Every litre of fuel purchased with this card is charged at a fixed price throughout the week. This ensures competitive pricing, helps manage finances without fluctuations, and keeps you in control of overall fuel costs. These cards can be used at branded sites like Shell and BP, as well as supermarket forecourts.

Pump price cards

With this card, you pay the price displayed at the pump each time you buy fuel. This type of card offers transparency and is widely accepted for petrol and diesel across the UK. For the self-employed, this type of fuel card is convenient and simple to use.

 

Are fuel cards worth it for small businesses?

Fuel cards are hugely beneficial for businesses of all sizes, including small businesses. Not only do they offer an opportunity to save money on refuelling across the UK, but fuel card users can often benefit from additional savings and perks depending on the card they opt for.

When should I get a fuel card for business?

One of the best times to get a fuel card for new businesses is just after its launch. Whether drivers in your company make deliveries, travel to meetings or drive to and from events, fuel cards streamline the refuelling process, as well as provide you with means to easily keep track of business expenses.

 

Get access to fuel card benefits such as:

  • Save up to 5p per litre on national average pump prices

  • Save up to 10p when using our extensive motorway pump networks

  • A dedicated account manager

  • Card Protect

  • Interest-free credit

  • Online account management – MyFleetHub

  • MPG & CO2 emissions reporting

  • Online application

What are the main fuel card payment tariffs?

There are two main tariff options to be aware of pump prices and fixed prices.

Choosing a fuel card

There are a number of factors that need to be considered when deciding which fuel card is right for your business needs. These are:

Location

The most appropriate fuel card will depend on where you travel and which fuel stations are local to you, as this will save you from spending time finding an alternative place to refuel. If your business takes you all over the UK, then a multi-network card would be ideal as you’ll have thousands of fuel stations to choose from. Our handy site locator also helps you to plan routes, so you can check which sites accept your fuel card before you start your journey.

Price

The cost of fuel cards depends on factors such as fleet size and vehicle types. Some cards have an annual fee, while others are free to order. With Fuel Card Services, all information is transparent from the start, allowing you to maximise savings without hidden fees. 

Fleet requirements

The type and number of vehicles that self-employed people use can be extremely varied, so we must evaluate your needs on an individual level. If you regularly use HGVs then you’ll need a fuel card that can be used at stations with truck friendly facilities. We also have different fuel card options available for petrol vehicles.

Click here to read more about choosing the right fuel card for your fleet.

 

Telematics for small businesses

Alongside fuel cards, implementing proper telematics and vehicle tracking systems could be one of the most effective methods for fleet managers to minimise costs. The team at Fuel Card Services is one of the UK’s leading providers of innovative fleet services, which are renowned for improving driver safety and automating data capture to help make route planning and financial decision making substantially more scientific and efficient.

Our services include:

Tele-Gence

Our easy-to-use software is combined with trackers and cameras to provide you with a fully customisable telematics system which not only lowers costs, but also improves safety and reduces admin.

MileageCount

No more manual estimations using a mileage calculator, our impressive MileageCount service automatically records the number of miles each vehicle takes. This smart automated system is a great tool for reducing mileage claims and driver admin.

MyService.Expert

Keep your fleet running smoothly with cost-effective vehicle servicing, maintenance, and repairs. With pre-negotiated rates from thousands of garages nationwide, our pay-as-you-go service simplifies your fleet maintenance.

 

How to get a fuel card for a small business?

If you think becoming more efficient with your fleet’s technology stack, or reducing your fuel bills, could help your SME thrive in the current climate, get in touch with our experts to learn more about how Fuel Card Services can offer a tailored and bespoke service to your business that helps you get your fleet operation in gear.

What is hypermiling?

Hypermiling guide: Can it save your fleet money?

Posted on | by Simon Pavey

Many businesses with fleets of vehicles will be feeling the bite of current fuel prices, which have been rising drastically since the start of 2022. Fleet managers will be looking for ways to make every drop of fuel take their vehicles a little further. One possible solution to this problem is hypermiling.

What is hypermiling?

Hypermiling is a term used to describe techniques that drivers can use to increase MPG. It is suggested that, by using these techniques, you could boost your MPG by around 40%. In a time when drivers may dread their journey to a fuelling station, getting an additional 40% MPG from every tank of fuel could seriously keep costs down. It is however a controversial set of techniques, as concentrating too hard on keeping fuel consumption low can make drivers less aware of the road.

What is most likely to waste fuel?

With hypermiling being the term for ultra-fuel-efficient driving, the first thing to understand before putting hypermiling techniques into use it what’s most likely to waste fuel in the first place. Having a good grasp on what habits make fuel consumption higher and what external conditions might negatively impact the efficiency of fuel consumption will help those looking to apply hypermiling techniques apply them correctly and appropriately.

How weather impacts fuel consumption

Cold weather causes higher fuel consumption. Firstly, through aerodynamics; cold air is denser than warm air, meaning your car will have to work that bit harder to travel through it than it would on a warmer day. A study by the US EPA suggests that a drop from 24 degrees Celsius to 7 degrees Celsius increases urban commute fuel consumption by between 12 and 28%.

Additionally, cold weather can adversely affect the performance of your vehicle’s components, from under the bonnet to the tires. An engine in warmer condition doesn’t have to work so hard to get warmed up and cold can affect tire pressure which will impact both the safety and efficiency of your vehicle.

What are some hypermiling techniques?

So additional miles per gallon and an increase in efficiency sounds great, but how exactly can you achieve this?

Ask yourself whether the drive is necessary

For most fleets, driving isn’t optional. However, for smaller, local businesses, it could be worth considering. Could the 5 minute drive be replaced by a 20 minute walk or a 10 minute cycle? Efficiency is obviously key for businesses, but could the money saved from not driving negate this small loss of productivity?

Maintain a sensible speed

A general reduction of 20mph can have huge benefits for your MPG. Of course, this is quite extreme – you’d end up driving too slowly in some places. However, it’s worth remembering. Perhaps driving at 60mph instead of 70mph on a motorway would make a lot of difference and keep the fuel in your vehicle for longer.

When you need to speed up, be gentle with your accelerator – don’t put too much strain on your engine.

Anticipate the road ahead

Stopping and starting frequently means more fuel is consumed. Therefore, hypermilers try to avoid stopping as much as possible. If you see a build-up of traffic ahead, begin slowing. Take your foot off the accelerator and apply a gentle brake if necessary. There’s a chance the traffic will have cleared by the time you reach it, meaning you won’t have to stop at all.

What can be achieved by driving smoothly?

Drivers who follow these techniques might also plan their journeys to avoid roads where stopping is guaranteed. If you can avoid taking a route where you’ll have to stop at multiple junctions, and instead take a route that follows a steady flow of traffic, this is likely to be favourable for your fuel economy.

Driving smoothly and avoiding stopping where possible can decrease that unnecessary fluctuation in acceleration, helping you to increase your fuel efficiency.

Drive behind other vehicles

This technique certainly brings considerations about safety to the forefront of the discussion, which we’ll talk about in a moment. Keen hypermilers will try their best to drive behind other vehicles as often as possible. This is because, when a vehicle moves, it displaces the air it is travelling through. That means any vehicle behind will face less air resistance, meaning they don’t have to push their vehicles as hard.

This technique is referred to as “drafting”, and it’s even used by racing drivers to gain advantage over the cars ahead of them.

This is a very controversial practice. It’s argued that when a driver focuses on drafting, they lose awareness on the rest of the road. If you are going to do this, make sure to maintain a safe distance between yourself and the vehicle ahead. Failure to keep a safe distance could actually see you getting fined.

Keep your vehicle well maintained

A badly maintained vehicle is a less efficient vehicle. Make sure your tyre pressure is adequate and your oil levels are topped up. A regular service is key to ensuring your vehicles are efficient. For HGVs, daily walkaround checks should be carried out to ensure that your vehicle is maintained well, so you can focus on the driving.

For cost effective vehicle servicing with discounts at selected garages, take a look at MyService.Expert .We have pre-negotiated rates at thousands of main dealer and independent garages nationwide. And it’s pay-as-you-go!

Reduce the weight in your vehicle

This is another one that may not be possible for certain drivers if deliveries are being made. However, it’s a well known fact that the less weight in your vehicle, the less fuel is consumed. Are you carrying unnecessary items in the boot of your car for example? Removing them could improve your MPG.

Is hypermiling safe?

It can definitely be argued that some of these techniques aren’t safe. Travelling at slow speeds can in fact be more dangerous on some roads. You’ll also not win the respect of many other drivers on the road who might be stuck behind you as you maintain a moderate speed.

Similarly, the controversy surrounding ‘drafting’ as a technique to save fuel will probably not put you in other driver’s good books and does open you up to increased risk of accident that could hurt you or others.

Remember that following the laws of the road is more important than saving fuel, as failure to do so could cost lives. Only use hypermiling techniques when it is safe to do so – do not put yourself and other road users in danger.

How else can fleets save money?

As mentioned, hypermiling might not be the safest or most popular way to improve your MPG, but there are other ways to save on fuel costs!

One of the best ways for fleets to save money is by getting a fuel card!

With a fuel card, you could see discounts of up to 10p per litre. You’ll also save a great deal of time with HMRC approved invoices – no more holding on to receipts!

Get in touch today to find out more about fuel cards – the smart way to manage your fuel and fleet costs.

And if you want to keep a tab on your fleet’s mileage then our Mileage Count tool is the perfect addition to your fleet management tools. Learn more about how Mileage Count can improve the ease of tracking fleet mileage.

Fleet cars- which vehicles should I choose?

The Ultimate Guide to Fleet Cars

Posted on | by Simon Pavey

Cars are the most common type of vehicle used by commercial fleets in the UK, and these can be owned either by a business, or owned by an employee and registered for commercial use.

Naturally, there are many considerations to be made around bringing the right fleet cars on board and creating the right infrastructure to facilitate a productive and hassle-free experience for your drivers that doesn’t break the brand.

Short-term considerations around the business’ bottom line, though, are not the only consideration to be made when picking your fleet cars. In fact, the legislative and ethical considerations surrounding the UK’s commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 should also play a role in how you design your commercial fleet.

For example, the UK is set to introduce a Zero Emission Vehicle mandate for car manufacturers in 2024 which will impact the types of cars that are on the market in the coming years. So, how do you go about bringing the right fleet cars on board?

Things to consider when choosing a fleet car

There are a number of factors to consider when procuring fleet cars for your company, and these factors will influence what make and model you choose to buy or lease, and which additional features are useful too.

Carry out some research following our guide below to help you pick the perfect fleet cars and other fleet vehicles for your fleets needs.

Usage and route planning

Understanding the types of journeys and routes the fleet car will need to do is the vital first step in picking the right vehicle. You’ll want your fleet car to be fit for purpose, so think about exactly what sort of trips it’s going to be making.

Long motorway trips, inner-city driving, country roads and off roading (perhaps for rural deliveries) may all require different vehicle capabilities, and this should be in the forefront of your mind when looking at car specifications and features. Powering your fleets is also crucial, and access to filling stations and electric charging stations can help determine whether you ought to invest in diesel, petrol, electric or hybrid vehicles – and whether you should look for features like stop-start technology to help increase efficiency and save costs.

Having an unsuitable car for the fleet’s needs can result in increased costs for the company, either through excessive fuel consumption or maintenance costs. You might find that cars ill-suited to motorway driving consume excessive amounts of fuel, or costly wear and tear, for example.

Similarly, consider the possible trajectory of environmental legislation as well as your business’ responsibility that might impact your fleet in coming years. For instance, if an electric vehicle offers many of the same benefits as a petrol or diesel car, consider choosing it over the latter in order to bolster your business’ efforts to minimise emissions.

Operational costs

The full scope of the cost of your fleet cars is not captured within its price tag. Instead, operational costs, maintenance, fuel, leasing, and tax must be considered to help you make an informed decision.

When looking at used cars in particular, it’s important to identify any faults or weakness that could incur future costs – and to develop a process for thoroughly inspecting second hand cars to spot any potential issues.

Repairs and maintenance

Maintenance is a cost that could end up high if you don’t do sufficient prior research, particularly when purchasing or leasing second hand fleet cars. We suggest conducting proper research by calculating projections around the real cost of the vehicles you’re interested in and gauging how expensive they’ll be within six months, a year, five years, and ten years based on vehicle makes, models, and ages.

Utilising a fleet vehicle maintenance software can also help you to stay in control and on top of maintenance needs for your fleet.

Safety

Safety is a huge factor when consider when picking your fleet vehicles but it’s also an important consideration when they’re on the road too. For this reason, its worth considering investing in fleet management technologies that will help to boost the safety of your fleet.

Tele-Gence is an advanced telematics service that is designed to improve driver safety and reduces costs too, with the use of the best market technology. Not only is it easy to use, but it’s also flexible and fully customisable so you can ensure that once you have picked the right fleet cars, you have a functional and tailored telematics service that fits the bill.

Business standards

After safety and other important decisions that influence driver safety and compatibility with the role your fleet car needs to play, you should consider your business standards and the image your want your fleet to communicate.

Company image is important, so by selecting your fleet cars and other vehicles to reflect your business appropriately you could help to unify this image. Factors to consider include branding and business objectives, as well as the value that standardisation could bring to your business if appearances matter.

Row of black fleet cars

Used fleet cars – the pros and cons

Used fleet cars can be a source of saving in many ways because of their age. This also applies to insurance rates, which are often lower for used vehicles and you can still find relatively new models for significantly less money than you would purchasing them new.

However, second hand cars are typically less reliable than their brand-new counterparts, and balancing base costs for the initial vehicle purchase against long-term maintenance and repair costs is key for fleet operators. You may find that a used car delivers unforeseen costs in maintenance, repair, and adjustments that a new vehicle simply might not.

If you opt for used fleet vehicles then take your time to research the vehicle value, have it inspected by a mechanic, check its VIN and history report as well as asking for warranties – and conduct a test-drive if possible.

Supply chain issues in the car production pipeline are currently having a harsh impact on second hand vehicles, pushing up prices while new vehicles are at reduced rated of production. Keep this in mind whilst looking of your second-hand fleet vehicles and be mindful that the price you pay for a fleet vehicle currently might not be reflective of its value.

The benefits of used fleet cars

  1. Lower depreciation hits.
  2. Lower car insurance rates.
  3. Cheap registry renewals.

The disadvantages of used fleet cars

  1. May not be as reliable as new vehicles.
  2. Wear and tear.
  3. Higher mileage.

New fleet cars – pros and cons

Purchasing or leasing a new fleet car can be a great way to avoid the typical used car challenges around longevity and maintenance – in favour of reliability. With access to better fuel economy, you may even find that the overall cost of your new vehicle is cheaper than a second-hand counterpart when forecasting over a number of years. Not to mention the peace of mind you may also enjoy from knowing that your vehicle doesn’t have a murky past.

The pitfall of a new vehicle, of course, is the upfront cost you are likely to pay. New cars are fundamentally more expensive and on top of the immediate cost there are additional fees to pay such as registration and auto sales tax.

With car production currently being affected by semiconductor chip shortage prompted by the coronavirus pandemic and the recent fire in a Japanese factory, now is tricky time to look at purchasing new cars. Delays in the car production pipeline mean you need to act efficiently and consider the value and role of new cars for your fleet.

The benefits of new fleet cars

  1. Reliable.
  2. Up to date technologies.
  3. Low maintenance costs.
  4. No damage or wear.

The disadvantages of new fleet cars

  1. Expensive – both for the car and the addition fees (registration, auto sales tax, dealer documentation).
  2. Higher depreciation rates.

Fleet Management Services

We hope our fleet cars guide has helped make you aware of some of the key considerations to make when expanding your fleet in the modern day, as well as the legislation and market movements to look out for.

After you’ve made your vehicle choice and your fleet cars are out on the roads, make sure they operate as safely and efficiently as possible with invaluable fleet management services.

We offer a range of fleet services that can help with every aspect of fleet management from increasing safety with My Drive Safe, to tracking mileage with Mileage Count.

Get in touch with our experts today to discuss what fleet services might be of use to you.