How to Reduce the Day-to-Day Running Costs of Your Van

When running a business, balancing the books and maintaining a van can outweigh one another negatively, as fuel costs rise and things go wrong over time with the vehicle itself. When it comes to reducing the costs of running a van it’s mainly all about making savings when it comes to fuel consumption, so here are a few money saving tips to consider implementing:

Plan your route

Whether you have several jobs to attend throughout the day or deliveries to make, it’s a good idea to plan the most efficient route to each of these. Try not to go back on yourself and work towards a schedule that prevents you from getting stuck in rush hour traffic in the morning and evening and stop/starting. Planning a route will increase fuel efficiency, saving you money in the long run and less frequent trips to the petrol station.

Remove excess weight

Excess weight can drag a van down and put a strain on the engine – increasing fuel consumption – so be sure to remove those tools you don’t need that day and lighten the load.

Perfect your driving techniques

There are ways of driving that can help with fuel efficiency, meaning less money spent at the pump. The AA recommends a couple of easy to implement tricks:

· Rolling in traffic – stop/starting increases fuel consumption.

· Switching off the engine in traffic – try to avoid doing this on very cold days though for fear of affecting the battery, but you would also need to remain stationary for a longer period of time than a warm day to see any effects on your fuel savings.

Service your van regularly

Servicing your vehicle ensures they are in optimum working condition, that fuel levels are correct and clean and that they are also safe to take out on the road. An efficiently working vehicle will save you money in the long run, as there is less chance of something going wrong later down the line.

Avoid air conditioning

Air conditioning is a major fuel consumer. Try to switch it off if you can and open the windows regularly to let fresh air in to cool down.

Check tyre pressures before setting off

Tyre pressures can have an effect on fuel consumption, as the van has to work harder on lower than recommended pressures. Invest in a pressure gauge to check before you set off and swing round to an air pump before you go on any long routes to ensure they’re not having an impact on your wallet in the long run.

Finally, consider leasing

Buying and owning a car for some businesses is considered an investment, but van leasing could actually be a more affordable solution. Not only do you get to enjoy a brand new vehicle – which can help promote the professional reputation you want customers to acknowledge – but it is also covered by warranty which means should something go wrong you won’t have to pay for the work to be done.

 

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