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Hello, my darlings!
I hope you've all had a lovely Easter and a wonderful start to your spring! Over here at the cafe I'm still recovering down from all the chocolate - plus the huge barbecue I had a few weeks back. I reckon I'll be all right, though and I'm at least in good enough shape to give you the usual weekly post to do with all things courier-related.
This week we'll be keeping up the trend we started last month and actually tackling a pretty serious subject. I know! Who am I and what have I done with Gertie, right? Surely there is no way the REAL Gertie would go right into something serious on the first post after the Easter Holiday! Well, I can assure you, I'm still your same old Auntie Gertie – it's just that I've been reading up on a subject that I think is very important to talk about, especially since so many of you work in self-employed owner driver jobs.
The Important Topic of Fuel Efficiency
"What topic is that, Gertie?", I hear you ask. Well, it's to do with fuel efficiency. This is a term I've been hearing more and more frequently as the years go by, and because my nephew does owner driver jobs (and I like to keep up to date with the field), I've decided to look into it. What I've found is that, among other things, having a fuel-efficient vehicle, or applying certain tips and tricks to save on petrol, can reduce your overhead costs a fair bit. And that's why I think this topic is so relevant for those of you who have owner driver jobs. Agreed?
So, how can you go about making sure your van is fuel-efficient? Well, as it turns out, it's not as difficult as it might seem. In fact, most of it comes down to common sense. Don't believe me? Here are some ways I found to make your van more fuel-efficient:
- Go slower. Keeping your right foot on the pedal all the time wastes more petrol than you might think. Just lifting it up every now and again, when you don't actually NEED to have the pedal pressed down, can do wonders for your mileage! Similarly, driving under 65mph is not only safer, but it reduces your fuel consumption by up to 15%. So be sensible and watch your speed – you won't regret it!
- Check tyre pressure. Stevie kindly explained this one to me - it turns out the more full of air your tyre is, the less it drags, and the less fuel you spend. I had no idea! He said there are even special low-resistance tyres that can help you save even more fuel – so try to get those if you can.
- Replace your air filter. A lot of people forget about these but they're a bit like vacuum cleaner bags – eventually, they fill up and start clogging. This means the car has to use more fuel to compensate (thanks, Stevie!). Changing air filters at least once a year will have an impact on your mileage and help make your van more fuel-efficient. Fact.
- Even just changing the type of petrol you use can have an impact – so if you don't actually need premium fuel, look into using a different type. It saves you money AND helps your fuel efficiency. Two-for-one!
See how simple it is? If you make a living doing owner driver jobs you really have no excuse not to put some of these tips into practice. Remember, it's not just the environment that benefits – you'll find yourself with more money at the end of the month too. So be smart!
For now, though, all that's left to say is...
Ta-ra!
- Gertie
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