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Fuel saving driving, part three

October 12, 2009 By

The third part in our series of blogs on driving greener to save more fuel.

Go…. When Driving -

Traffic lights can have several additional lig...
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* Drive smoothly – pulling away fast can use 60 percent more fuel.

* Slow down. Drive at the speed limit. Driving at 70mph can use up to 30 percent more petrol than driving at 50mph.

* Think ahead to avoid sharp braking – it just throws away energy and money.

* Avoid using the air conditioning, open the air vents instead! Air con uses 15 percent more fuel than the air vents. All on board electronics are also using extra fuel, the rear screen heater for example adds 5 percent to the fuel consumption. Switch them off if you don’t need them.

* Change gear between 1,500 and 2,500 rpm – this can save up to 30 percent of fuel. Listen to your engine.

* It’s better to switch your engine off when in stationary traffic. You use more fuel with the engine idling for 60 seconds than if you switched off and restarted 60 seconds later.

* Did you know….. traffic lights are programmed to change according to the speed limit. If you are stopped at one red light but then drive on at the correct speed you will usually find that by the time you reach the next few sets of lights, they will be turning green for you. Try it and see.

* Careful motorway driving will improve safety and traffic flow. The concertina effect caused by one motorist breaking sharply often results in traffic slowing to a near stop due to the delayed reaction of drivers behind. If we drive pro-actively, and try to observe the car three or four ahead. Then we can give ourselves some distance from the car in front. We can anticipate and judge the necessary speed. When you see a car up ahead start to brake, simply remove your foot off the accelerator. By the time you get close to the car in front the chances are that they will have accelerated and moved further on.

Driving greener and safer saves you fuel, and the welcome side effect is you are helping to save the planet in ways other drivers cannot be bothered with.

Sarah

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Fuel saving driving, part two

October 11, 2009 By

Part two of our three part blog series on fuel saving for drivers. As well as saving you money, you drive just that bit greener :-)

Get set….

* Take off roof racks and trailers if they’re not use. They increase the drag and cause you to burn more fuel.

roofrack
Image by psykle via Flickr

* 61% percent of journeys are under two miles and arguably a waste of fuel and money. short journeys – walk or cycle them instead.

* Engines will be colder on short journeys, and this can double fuel consumption. Do you really need to complete that short journey?

* Planning – as many jobs as possible in one trip saves you money. Aim to get as much as you can out of the journey. Three jobs in one trip is better for the environment than three individual trips!
* Sitting in queues costs money and wastes fuel. Avoid congestion by checking the local news or
http://www.trafficmaster.co.uk/home.php for delays before you set off. If you hear of delays and jams, route around them. We use Tom Tom Live for this and it’s value is immense.

* Only travel in the rush hour if you absolutely have to, this is more for your sanity as well as fuel conservation.

* Do you know where you are going? Motorists waste 350,000 tonnes of fuel per year getting lost! You can plan your route on the http://www.theaa.com/travelwatch/planner_main.jsp, it’s free too. Alternatively, buy a Sat Nav system, worth their weight in gold and safer than a map.

* Idle your engine during its initial start for no more than 30 seconds. An idling engine produces 80 percent more pollution than when the vehicle is moving. Modern car engines warm up faster, when they are in motion.

Part one was posted yesterday, and part three tomorrow.

Sarah

Safer delivery

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Driving that bit greener to save fuel, part one

October 10, 2009 By

Driving greener has the much welcomed benefit of saving you money. If you have to drive, following our tips and tricks will allow you to maximize the usage of your vehicle and your fuel.

On your marks…. preparation

* Avoid overfilling the tank when refuelling. Spilled fuel evaporates and releases harmful emissions into the atmosphere and just plain wastes money.

fuel saving for couriers
Image by freefotouk via Flickr

* Make sure that your tires are inflated to the correct pressure. Under inflation by 7psi will waste half a gallon of fuel in every tank. Inflating to the vehicle manufacturer’s guidelines -which are based on cold tires, so use the petrol station nearest your start point to avoid your tyres warming up and being inflated to the incorrect psi.

* Service your car at least every year. Get the engine tuned, the wheels aligned and catalytic converter checked, and the air con re gassed if you insist on using it.

* Reduce weight, and fuel consumption, by removing unnecessary items from your vehicle that do not need to be there for a particular journey. This can include buggies, golf clubs, tools, footwear and all those things you keep ‘just in case’

* Check your windows, screen wash and lights – ensuring that your windows are clean and your lights are working will make your journey safer. Nothing more environmentally unfriendlier than an accident.

Think of it as pre-flight checks but for your car :-)

Sarah

Parts two and three to follow

Driving more fuel efficiently, delivering greener

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Does a courier need medical repatriation insurance?

October 5, 2009 By

You may think as you are fit and healthy that medical repatriation insurance is something you do not need as a courier.

You may think you don’t need it at all if you deliver only inside the UK.

You may have to stop and think again, you could find it’s vital.

Imagine the scenario where unfortunately the courier is involved in an accident. They need to be airlifted to the nearest specialist hospital but the county in question has only one air ambulance and whilst that is out at the scene of another accident, it’s you laying in an ambulance waiting on the decision of the paramedics as to the best course of action.

Sometimes a delay can mean a big difference in your recovery, and thats just in the uk. What happens if you sleep in your van as some couriers do when abroad (to keep their costs down) and you have an attack. It doesn’t have to be fatal to put you out of business, and if you haven’t got medical insurance you may find it’s going to be very difficult to get back to the UK. What happend if you are tragically in an accident and break both your legs? Do you have someone who can come and collect you, no matter what country you are in?

If you are working abroad as a courier consider getting some medical repatriation insurance, if you have medical insurance see if it brings you back to the UK if the worst happens.

Of all the insurances you have, this could be the one you never claim on, but gives your family peace of mind, so it’s worth considering.

Sarah
The Complete Courier guide is an essential guide for self employed couriers looking to start their own courier business.

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Couriers and Insurance

October 4, 2009 By

Any type of vehicle can be used to deliver cargo, freight or precious items. Most commonly you will see small vans. What happens if someone causes you to have an accident? or you hit another vehicle? How will your business operate if your main tool for work is out of action?

Couriers and Insurance
Image by wireheadinc via Flickr

When starting a courier business insurance can seem like a big expenditure. People know exactly what they are getting when they buy a van, but insurance can be a bit fuzzier. For example, do you really need insurance at all to be a courier?

The answer to that question is a resounding yes, it’s essential for a courier business to have insurance. What type of insurance is down to the business owner. Insurance for couriers comes in several types-

Goods in Transit Insurance covers the potential damage of goods on the vehicle whilst in transit. Goods in Transit doesn’t cover all goods, check what your policy covers.

Light Haulage Insurance offers similar cover to courier insurance and goods in transit but for a limited amount of drops per day, often 3.

Hire and Reward Insurance covers you for the carrying of other parties goods.

At the very least you need hire and reward insurance. It may not give you as much ‘cover’ as the other options but to be without insurance is a situation that may cost you business. Customer are reluctant to let their goods be transported and delivered without insurance no matter how safe you think you are!

It’s quite common for glass, fine arts, ceramic, antiques to be uninsured under the ‘goods in transit’ or courier  insurance policies. These need to be specified as add ons to your policy. Make sure you find out what is excluded and whether it is financially beneficial to have these added on before you buy your insurance policy.

If you decide to trade without insurance, stop for a moment and think… How will you pay if your clients goods are damaged in an accident? How will you continue with your business?

Sarah Arrow

The Complete Courier guide  is an essential guide for self employed couriers looking to start their own courier business.

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