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Is your fleet eco friendly?
We’re all trying to find ways of contributing less to the environment when it comes to pollution and waste and as a business it’s important you take eco friendly practices within your company seriously.
The UK is aiming to reduce CO2 emissions by 80% by 2050, and this is something you can contribute towards to as a fleet manager or business owner. Ask yourself these questions, to determine if your fleet is eco friendly enough…
Have you made use of Government grants?
There are grants available for those businesses serious about upgrading their fleet to a more eco friendly one, which offer money to those who want to buy green technology in the automotive sector. The plug in car grant is one of the most popular of these and offers incentives of up to 35% to businesses purchasing electric vehicles or even plug in hybrids.
Are you leasing eco friendly vehicles?
More and more companies are looking into environmentally kind options now when it comes to that company car or van lease. Look for hybrid vans that work using both electric and fuel or choose vehicles for your fleet that are smaller rather than bigger, especially if you only make short trips for deliveries and don’t regularly fill the back up.
Are you driving economically?
Motorway driving guzzles fuel, if you are not careful, so it’s a good idea to read up on and instruct your employees on how to drive more economically to conserve fuel and be a little greener. Removing extra weight from vehicles, cutting down on air con usage and ensuring tyre pressures are correct are just a few simple tricks to implement in your business driving. Speed limits are also important. Did you know driving at 70mph uses 9% more fuel than driving at 60mph and zipping down the motorway at 80mph can use up to 25% more fuel than sticking to 70mph?
Do you have a ‘grey’ fleet?
When we refer to a ‘grey’ fleet we mean the 14 million car drivers who use their own vehicles for business purposes and then claim the mileage back. These cars are usually older and therefore emit more emissions so it’s a good idea to cut down on their usage, simply driving them only to and from your place of work rather than long distances.
Do you share car journeys?
Are your employees always out of the office seeing clients in the company cars or vans? Could these trips be combined into one journey – especially if they are driving to the same destination aka London? Try to encourage employees to share journeys, either dropping people off on the way and picking them up later or have everyone going in the same car to a meeting.
A greener fleet is better for everyone, your business finances, the environment, your employees… the list goes on, so it’s in your best interests to ensure yours is as eco friendly as it can possibly be. Check through this list again, ask yourself these questions and make some changes if needs be.