Britain relies on its road freight fleets to transport an array of goods. Worth over £30 billion, it’s a vital part of our economy. Whether you own a small fleet working locally or run a large international corporation, knowing how you can reduce your maintenance costs can help keep your business profitable – especially at such a challenging time for the global economy.
Regular service and maintenance checks
While the old adage goes that no news is good news, it’s worth scheduling regular maintenance checks for your vehicles. Regular checks can help flag minor issues before they become major ones that can end up costing far more in the long run.
Keeping an eye on tyre tread level should be one of the top priorities. Tread that’s worn can have a huge impact on how much fuel you use, which affects how much your vehicles cost to run. With fuel prices at one of the highest levels in recent years, just maintaining your tyres can drastically cut your costs.
Regular servicing and maintenance checks will also provide your drivers with complete peace of mind.
Insurance
When operating a company with a fleet of vehicles, investing in the correct transport insurance will ensure you’re fully covered. Knowing you’re able to get back on the road with minimal disruption should something happen will help keep any losses to a minimum.
Depending on the type of business you operate, you may also need to have public liability insurance. This will cover you should you or one of your drivers damage property as a result of your work.
In addition, you should check that your cover includes employers’ liability insurance if you employ people.
If you’re driving long distances for your operation, it might be worth checking if you can get an unlimited mileage allowance. This can help prevent additional costs and concerns about exceeding annual mileage.
Outsourcing
It can be tempting to do everything in-house in a bid to cut costs. However, by outsourcing certain areas of your business like vehicle maintenance to outside experts, you can not only ensure your fleet is in tip-top working condition but you may also be entitled to a discount if you regularly use the same company – saving you even more money.
Think long-term
Rather than choosing vehicles that have a lower upfront cost, look for vehicles that generally require less maintenance and repairs over time. It might be that you need to take out a larger loan in the first instance, but there are several low APR business loans on the market.
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