Every growing contracting business gets to the point where it needs to figure out how to save money on fleet management. With fuel always being a large part of the budget, Bob Johnson wrote an article on Contractor Magazine’s website that the most effective way to reduce long-term vehicle costs is at the acquisition stage.
The first step in vehicle acquisition should involve evaluating exactly what you need the vehicle to do, and then ensuring that the design and specifications for the vehicle in question match your requirements.
Adding extra or more complex components to a vehicle may increase its productivity, but there are tradeoffs. Not only will these add-ons increase the upfront cost of the unit, but they may also increase its overall weight, which could lead to less payload and more maintenance costs. The extra weight and potentially increased engine idle time necessary to operate the equipment could also negatively impact fuel economy.
Read more about managing fleet costs in this excellent extended piece by Johnson on Contractor’s website.