Whether oil prices are falling or rising, refuelling remains a major budget element for any member of The National Farmers Union using cars, vans or HGV’s. Anything that can reduce this cost will always be important, which is why commercial rate fuel cards are so popular. If an NFU member can routinely cut their petrol or diesel costs by up to 5p per litre, the saving will be significant. It also makes obvious sense to use less fuel.

Reducing fuel consumption should be possible for any NFU member and the level of potential savings makes an ‘eco driving’ programme an essential activity. There are some simple measures that can be implemented right away. Managers in the farming industries need to educate their employees to drive more smartly.

Everything has to begin with the right foot. Nothing burns up fuel better than harsh acceleration, excessive speed and heavy braking. Everyone learns to drive smoothly, using gears and brakes correctly, so anything else amounts to picking up bad habits.

Remember, and remind your drivers, of the five golden rules:

• Watch your speed. This does more than just reduce fuel consumption; it also keeps points off licences and, in liveried vehicles, avoids presenting a negative image of your organisation.
• Do not drive erratically. This also carries benefits beyond cost savings; driving more carefully reduces the risk of potentially costly accidents.
• Keep your car serviced regularly. Breakdowns can be just as expensive, so minimise their frequency with normal routine maintenance. Looking after any kind of machine properly will mean that it runs more efficiently, using less fuel.
• Go easy on the air. Turning off your air conditioning will immediately reduce fuel consumption, by as much as 10%.
• The fifth and final rule of eco driving is to choose your fuel carefully. There is a reason that cheap fuels cost less than quality products. You could save up to 3% by using better fuels. Remember, whatever you use, you can always cut the cost of refuelling with the right fuel card, from the right fuel card supplier.

The Fuelcard People are the NFU’s preferred fuel card supplier. To find out more about the benefits of having an NFU fuel card, call NFU Call First on 0370 845 8458 or visit www.nfu-fuelsavings.co.uk.