FUEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Knowing what factors to consider when buying trucks and other vehicles can save you money over the life of the stock.

Torque versus carrying capacity needs to be weighed up.  Smaller, cheaper vehicles may have large carrying capacity in volumetric measurements however they do not have the power to carry large heavy items.  This puts the vehicles under strain when carrying normal loads and this will increase maintenance and fuel consumption over the long-term of the vehicle.  Often purchasing a more powerful vehicle with a higher capital expenditure will save you money over the long-term use of the vehicle.  It is important to note though, that having far more power than is necessary will mean that your vehicle will be burning fuel unnecessarily and this will incur increased costs.

Getting the mix correct in your fleet is vital.  Different size, makes and capacities perform different purposes better than each other.  Therefore, there may not be one perfect vehicle for your fleet, but performing a needs analysis for the period is vital.  This needs analysis requires a strategic evaluation of not only the current needs but also of the needs in the near and middle term.  Therefore, purchasing needs to be in relation to the general direction of the business.

Additional costs can be killer. Different suppliers have different pricing models and therefore often a cheaper vehicle initially will have far greater expenses over the long-term.  This can be in relation to parts, servicing and other running costs.  These need to be thoroughly investigated before making a purchase.   The reliability of the parts and interchangeability of the parts between models are also a key factor.  If each model has unique parts this will drive up their cost and potentially cause delays in in-house maintenance of vehicles.  A vehicle that is not being used when it could be, means lower revenue which in effect means a higher cost.