There has been a rise in fuel prices across Europe
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again this month, with the Czech Republic (up 4.12%) and Spain (up 3.26%) experiencing the largest increases. But for once the UK has seen a price fall of 2.16%, although at 1.36/lit our diesel is still the most expensive in Europe, 0.21 ahead of Italy ( 1.15). The lowest fuel price, perhaps surprisingly, is in Spain ( 0.95).
High fuel prices are no longer making headlines in the UK, but large oil company prof its are. The oil companies have been at pains to explain that the record profits they posted this month come from finding and extracting oil, rather then selling it; they blame high forecourt prices on UK tax rates. This will offer little comfort to fleet operators high fuel prices are expected to dominate costs for seine time.
Unsurprisingly, inefficient vehicle usage is a growing issue in the industry. This is partly due to bad driving practices such as over-revving, incorrect gear selection, heavy use of controls or even leaving vehicles running when parked. Exception reporting, in conjunction with fuel cards, can highlight issues such as idling vehicles and bad driving Fuel efficiency audits are increasingly being used by fleet operators to deliver efficiencies and help introduce new management practices.
Fuel cards are growing more sophisticated; 'smart' technologies are proving a useful way to measure and control fuel inefficiency by accurately recording fuel usage.
Making drivers fuel purchases and usage transparent through exception reporting and auditing encourages best practice within firms. It also helps managers highlight irregularities and tackle them by retraining drivers to help them drive more efficiently.