Category: Fuel Cards

All the latest news around fuel cards – the best way for businesses to save money on their transport costs.

photo of a computer screen with analytics on. Green fuel pumps are drawn on top of the image

New year’s resolution: reduce running costs

Posted on | by Simon Pavey

One of your main responsibilities as a fleet manager is to keep running costs as low as possible without compromising on service or security. Given the current economic climate, the pressure to find newer and better ways to be resourceful can be daunting, but with a little frugal thinking you’ll find opportunities to save in places you might not have considered.

Better maintenance

Poor vehicle maintenance often leads to costly repairs and frustrating, unplanned vehicle downtime. Not only do these disruptions impair your fleet’s operations, they can also damage your fleet’s service reputation, which can have a lasting impact on your bottom line. Routine vehicle checks and reporting, as well as scheduled maintenance and servicing, are crucial ingredients for running a cost-effective fleet.

Rethink vehicle choice lists

There are a number of factors to consider when deciding which vehicles to include on your choice list for drivers (assuming your drivers don’t all drive the same vehicle model). Sometimes a vehicle with a relatively low purchase or leasing rate ends up costing more in the long run once you consider factors like fuel costs, taxation, performance, durability and maintenance. As soon as you give careful consideration to the projected costs of vehicle ownership, instead of just initial costs, you can begin to narrow down the most practical options to include in your choice list.

Fuel efficiency

Individual driving style greatly affects the fuel consumption of a given vehicle. Drivers who adopt a smoother approach to the road are significantly less wasteful of fuel than aggressive drivers and can in turn help keep emissions low.

By incentivising your drivers to drive economically, you can make big savings on your fuel bill and can save money from having to conduct fewer wear and tear repairs. Using your BP Fuel Card mileage capture reports, you can calculate the fleet average MPG for a given vehicle model and consider rewarding those drivers with the lowest MPG. This will encourage all drivers to drive smarter, and instilling this kind of behavioural change is likely to really help your bottom line.

If you want to start saving your diesel & petrol bills, then look no further than our own BP fuelcard, for more information, click here: fuelcardservices.com/fuel-cards/bp-fuel-cards/

Britain BP takes care of London and Dartford tolls

Drive Britain from BP takes care of Dartford and London tolls

Posted on | by Simon Pavey

BP Fuel Card customers who drive in London or use the Dartford crossing can now apply for its Drive Britain service and let it take care of the tolls automatically.

Part of BP On Road Services, Drive Britain will automatically take care of trips using the Dartford Crossing meaning you have one less thing to worry about. Once vehicles are registered, the system makes payments automatically, records the transaction and combines the cost in one easy fuel card invoice.

Drive Britain Plus will also include management of the London Congestion Charge (LCC) in the same system, and there is also an option to use the LCC functionality as a stand-alone service.

Andy Allen, UK Fuel Card Manager, BP Fuel Cards, said: “Our customers have told us that the administration around paying these tolls can be a real headache – especially when it comes to new vehicles. By registering with our On The Road Services like Drive Britain and Drive Britain Plus, fleet managers and their drivers can be confident that Dartford Crossing and LCC tolls are taken care of and they won’t be receiving an unwanted fine in the post.”

If you want to start saving your diesel & petrol bills, then look no further than our own BP fuelcard, for more information, click here: fuelcardservices.com/fuel-cards/bp-fuel-cards/

man driving a van is holding the steering wheel

Helping your drivers stay safe behind the wheel

Posted on | by Simon Pavey

All employers have a duty of care to ensure that employees and members of the public suffer no foreseeable harm as a result of work-related activities. Whilst drivers have a duty to ensure they are operating their vehicles within the bounds of the law, you must equip your drivers with all the skills, knowledge and experience required before getting behind the wheel.

To do this, you should have a safety policy, frequent awareness raising schemes, as well as educate them around using mobile phones while driving, reducing driver tiredness, and driving in poor conditions. Being a Fleet Manager isn’t all about saving money, and the cost of settling for a small amount of unplanned vehicle downtime is worth it for safe and happy drivers.

Safety Policy

When writing your fleet policy, you should ensure you include key information about road safety for your drivers’ reference. This should include legal information regarding road safety, speed limits, seatbelt restrictions, drink and drug driving, and eyesight requirements. Your policy should also outline the fleet’s vehicle maintenance standards and procedures that must be followed.

Safety Awareness and Monitoring

Supplementing your safety policy with frequent awareness-raising schemes is an important and effective way of reinforcing driver safety standards.

Using telematics can also be an effective way of encouraging your drivers to stay safe. BP FleetMove Pro features OptiDrive 360, which gives active driver feedback and empowers your drivers to be safe.

Using Mobile Phones

There are severe consequences while using your phone behind the wheel. Using your mobile phone at all while sitting in the driver’s seat is illegal – whether it’s texting, calling, or using the internet. Even if you’re using a handsfree, if you cause an accident while on the phone you could still receive a fine and points on your license.

If you’re using your phone while driving, your stress levels may increase and pull your attention away from the road. Studies have shown that mobile phone usage while driving significantly reduces the amount of visual information you consume by up to 50%.

Driver Tiredness

Driver tiredness accounts for 20% of all road accidents, with up to 300 people dying every year because of a driver falling asleep at the wheel. Around 40% of sleep-related incidents involve a commercial vehicle, and it’s therefore essential your drivers are made aware of the dangers and warning signs.

Ignoring the signs of tiredness can push a driver into a ‘microsleep’, which will last between 2 and 30 seconds and often leads to an accident. Signs of tiredness include yawning, difficulty concentrating, heavy eyelids, eyes beginning to roll and head beginning to droop.

As a fleet manager, make sure you inform your drivers that they shouldn’t try to fight off sleep if they feel tired. While it increases vehicle downtime, they should take a safe break when they can. It’s also a common misconception that tiredness can be fought by turning up the radio, opening the window, or talking to a passenger. These measures are ineffective and whilst in an ideal world, you’d rather the drivers didn’t stop, a small amount of unplanned stoppage time is always better than an accident.

Driving in Poor Conditions

The risk of heavy rainfall comes with a catalogue of sudden risks, including reduced visibility and aquaplaning. One foot of floodwater moving at 6mph is enough to float a regular saloon vehicle. Before setting out in rain, drivers should check their tyres are well inflated and windscreen wipers fully functional. They should drive slowly and gently, and not through deep water. If the vehicle begins aquaplaning and loses traction, ease off the accelerator and hold the steering wheel with a light grip.

The risk of high winds can be problematic for high-sided vehicles like lorries, but also just as hazardous for passing cars, cyclists and motorcyclists – other vehicles might be blown in your path. Before travelling in high winds, you or your driver should consider whether there is an alternative route to take with less exposure to dangerous crosswinds. Finally, drivers should maintain a good distance between themselves and other vehicles.

If you want to start saving your diesel & petrol bills, then look no further than our own BP fuelcard, for more information, click here: www.fuelcardservices.com/fuel-cards/bp-fuel-cards/

Keeping vehicles in good condition

Although most accidents are down to human error, keeping vehicles maintained further reduces the risk of an incident. With MyService.Expert, the vehicles in your fleet can be serviced efficiently, when you need it. This reduces downtime, meaning your drivers can spend more time on the road.

Get in touch today and see how else Fuel Card Services can help you save.

blorru photo of a road with several cars driving down and up it

See what’s in this year’s BP Energy Outlook

Posted on | by Simon Pavey

See what the predictions are for the next 25 years in the 2018 BP Energy Outlook. This year’s comprehensive analysis breaks down energy supply and demand by sector, country, region and fuel type and explains how these trends will affect carbon emissions by 2040 – and what governments and industry partners are doing to meet the commitments of the Paris Agreement.

The BP Energy Outlook is back with a comprehensive analysis of how the world’s energy consumption will change as it heads towards 2040. The past decade has seen major shifts in consumer and industrial behaviour that are likely to remain for the foreseeable future. The Outlook breaks down these changes across sectors, countries, regions and fuel types and explains how these trends will affect carbon emissions.

Where the world gets its energy from is set to become the most diverse it has ever been. By 2040, more oil, gas, coal, and non-fossil fuels will each account for roughly a quarter of energy supply. While the demand for oil is set to continuing rising, the usage of coal is likely to slowly drop off. I will be replaced by strong demand for natural gas, which is set to overtake coal as the second largest energy source in the coming years. Coal consumption in general seems to have plateaued and by 2040 it is highly likely that oil consumption will face a similar fate.

The fastest-growing energy sector is by far renewables, with India leading the way in renewable energy supply. It and other developing nations, especially China and other Asian countries, are continuing to report strong growth. Their increased energy consumption is likely to account for two-thirds of growth in energy supply and be responsible for a third of global energy demand by 2040. Meanwhile, China’s long-standing love affair with coal seems to be coming to an end.

Although green tech is surging, oil and gas still make up half of all energy usage, and this is likely to remain the case as natural gas demand increases. As global growth continues, demand for commercial buildings and transportation will rise, as too will the energy demand for cooling, lighting, and electrical appliances. Traditional energy sources will still be called upon to meet most of the growth in energy demand, although much of the growth in transportation fuel demand will be offset by efficiency gains from new technology.

To put those efficiency gains in perspective, in the EU in 2040, cars are expected to be up to 70% more efficient than they were in 2000. Not only will vehicles become more efficient, but many will be converted from fossil-fuel burning vehicles to electric, hybrid or hydrogen fuel models in the coming years. The number of electric cars is projected to grow to roughly 15% of the car parc, but due to their heavy usage will likely account for 30% of passenger vehicle kilometres.

Unfortunately, efficiency gains will not be enough to account for the overall growth in energy usage, and this increased demand will in turn lead to an increase in carbon emissions by 2040. At present, not enough is being done by global governments to meet Paris commitments, and pressure is being put on all parties involved to shift to an ‘even faster transition’ (EFT) scenario to tackle the problem. To learn more about the state of affairs and the major changes this year, have a look at the full Energy Outlook.

If you want to start saving your diesel & petrol bills, then look no further than our own BP fuelcard, for more information, click here: www.fuelcardservices.com/fuel-cards/bp-fuel-cards/

photo of a man smiling towards you whilst holding a checklist whilst he sits in his car. BP me rewards is written on the screen

Happy Fleet, Happy Fleet Manager

Posted on | by Simon Pavey

To maintain a happy and hardworking fleet, it’s vital to give your employees a healthy working environment including reasonable and flexible working hours, sufficient training and support, health and safety policies and worthwhile benefits. While most of these will be elements that fall under HR’s remit, fleet managers have an opportunity to offer their drivers something extra with a reward scheme linked to their fuel card.

There are lots of loyalty schemes out there but BP has created something a little different from most, focusing on making every day brighter. Recent research, commissioned by the BPme Rewards loyalty programme, reveals that a good night’s sleep, a free coffee and a delicious treat are just some of the things that make us feel good day to day. This proves that the simple things in life can put a smile on your face and there is no reason that this shouldn’t ring true in the workplace.

BP’s new loyalty scheme lets drivers reward themselves in store with simple pleasures such as money off a coffee or a chocolate bar to brighten up their day. Fleet drivers can use their BP Plus fuel card to earn points every time they fill up and have the chance to earn little treats as well as big rewards in store and from the online catalogue. This is a simple way for fleet managers to empower their drivers and ensure a happy and rewarding experience for them at no extra cost to their business.

Find out more about BPme rewards here.

If you want to start saving your diesel & petrol bills, then look no further than our own BP fuelcard, for more information, click here: www.fuelcardservices.com/fuel-cards/bp-fuel-cards/